I bought this mattress based on your review. The luxe birch with no pillow top actually feels like I’m sleeping in it. I’m a 135lb female.The level of bounce in the coils combined with the top comfort layers together do give the feel of sleeping in it. I can feel my 135lbs sinking into the coils. Feels deeply conforming, unsupportive, and cushiony even beyond the surface; not at all what I was looking for. I’ve taken your matching quiz numerous times as a firm-leaning back sleeper with preference for shallow cushioning depth and your best matches all have “somewhat deep cushioning depth” but I’m desperate for a very supportive shallow mattress. I hope this feedback is helpful to you or to someone.
Ah we're sorry to hear it. Not sure what's going on with the Quiz there - we'll take a look at that. Have you been able to find a more suitable match since writing this comment?
Really nicely done, in-depth and very informative review. I appreciate the work that went into making this video, and it has done a significant amount in helping me affirm my decision to purchase this mattress!
Hi Adrian. THANK YOU so much for the comment. We put a lot of man hours into these videos, so it's pretty exciting to get a kind comment like this. Sleep well!!
I love how in depth this review is! I currently can't afford the mattress, so I've been looking for in depth reviews of just the plush topper from Birch. I've found that the internet either says it's firm and bad for lightweight side sleepers like me, or it's soft and perfect for that! So confusing? I have a hybrid plush memory foam/coil mattress that is losing pressure relief in the foam... so I was hoping to find a more natural topper to rejuvenate it. I think it would be compatible? I'm a petite side sleeper that weighs less than 120lbs. The mattress looks tempting! But I feel like 6 years ago, I already splurged for the hybrid. :)
Hi Larissa -- Thank you for you comment and kind words. We looked at the Birch mattress both with and without their topper. We didn't look at that topper on top of other mattresses, but that wouldn't have changed our assessment of it in any case. Generally, we do think toppers are a good way to add some softness and pressure relief to a mattress that feels too firm, and we found the Birch topper to be one of the softest latex toppers we've tested. We also found it to be well made -- and with its own cover, it's different than just buying a slab of latex (which you could also consider). You might also want to see our written review, where we get into more detail about the topper in terms of its pressure relief and other factors: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/ In terms of the varying accounts of softness, as with any company that does not manufacture their own products (which, at least until very recently, is the case for Birch / Helix), it's possible that they could experience some occasional quality control issues wherein the toppers made for them by some manufacturers come out firmer than the ones made by others. Protection against this possibility is what you get with a good return policy, like the one that Birch offers (which AFAIK extends to the topper as well). But it's worth noting that there are also two other possible explanations for the varying accounts you've seen: 1) there are very few genuine experts out there (even on other mattress review websites) who can provide accurate and objective assessments and comparisons of softness across different brands and types of mattresses 2) consumers who write reviews or post comments tend to be very objective, however they don't have enough context to provide a useful assessment of softness beyond how it compares to either their subjective personal preferences or their relatively limited personal experience. So in short, if you are buying a product that we have covered here at GoodBed, I would honestly not worry one minute about anyone else's assessments of it. Also, just FYI, Birch has their Black Friday sale running at the moment, which is the best deal we have seen from them but unfortunately does not apply to the topper. Hope that helps!
Excellent in depth review. I've watched several and yours covered a lot of areas that I was interested in. I wanted a bed that won't off gas and that was as natural as I could get without sleeping on a pile of fresh clover or sleeping on a lamb (LOL). The wool is what caught my eye because I use a wool pillow and love it. I am definitely going to read your written review for more information. The one question I do have is about the shipping in a box, does that harm the integrity of the coiled springs? I was considering the Saavta but in this time of COVID I do not want any delivery inside my house, a personal choice. Again, this was a great review and covered many things that aren't even touched on by other TH-cam reviewers. I noticed that Birch and Helix don't offer a customer service phone number only contact via email, that's odd. Thank you
Hi Betty. Thanks for the comment. While we haven't yet seen fresh clover in a mattress(!!), wool is something we are seeing in more and more natural mattress models. When manufacturers first starting compressing and rolling mattresses for shipment, they were only doing it with foam mattresses. But it did not take long for them to figure out that springs can also be compressed and rolled without damage. True - Birch/Helix don't have a readily available phone number -- but they do offer help by chat. We've used that a number of times when testing a brand's customer support anonymously and it works very well. Typically chat support is offered during normal business hours. Hope that's helpful!
@@goodbed Thank you so much, the lack of phone number made me nervous. I appreciate your review and taking the time to respond to my question. I was sitting on my way too soft mattress this morning and kept thinking buy the Birch.
Update: I've had my Burch for two years and am in the market for a mew mattress. I felt it was too soft when I first got it and now two years later it is even softer. They did send me a topper free of charge when I called about how soft this mattress was, but it really didn't help at all. Such a shame I had high hopes for this mattress. And now I'm watching all your latest videos on mattresses to see if I can find something.
Hi there -- Thanks for your comment, and sorry to hear that this mattress hasn't turned out to be right for you. The good news is that in the spectrum of latex hybrids, most tend to be firmer than this one (rather than softer), and this is ESPECIALLY true if you got the version with the pillow-top. So if you like the other characteristics of this mattress, but just don't want something quite so soft, you have some good options. Here is one that comes to mind off the top of my head: www.goodbed.com/reviews/avocado-green-mattress-review/ I hope that's helpful.
I have similar experience. After 6 months it got unbearably soft in the hip area. Currently awaiting my 2nd warranty replacement. These mattresses don't seem to last very long. At least they honor the warranty but we have to call many times and send pictures etc. By now we know the process. It will be a yearly thing at least.
Thank you for the great review, this is just what I was looking for. My only question is whether I need a base or can I just lay it on the floor and what effect that will have on the comfort, if any?
Hi there -- Thanks for your question, and sorry we missed this. You can absolutely put this mattress right on the floor and it won't affect the comfort or feel in any material way. The alternative approach would simply be to put this on a platform or other type of solid foundation, which most people prefer for reasons of aesthetics as well as ease of getting in/out of bed. From a support and comfort standpoint, the goal of any foundation you'd use would be to minimize the degree of flexing under the mattress, but none of the aforementioned solutions can accomplish that better than the floor. :) I hope that's helpful.
Very nice review. You have a lot of in-dept information regarding the mattress. Very much appreciated! Particularly the info for the health-safety aspects as being certified safe and natural. That was an area I was curious about.
Hi Koops. Thank you for the comment! We're so glad it was helpful to you. A bit selling feature of the Birch is its use of natural materials, so we wanted to be sure to cover that in some detail. Thanks again!
So I still love the mattress but also ordered the topper. I really do love the plush soft feeling but don't like being stuck. Being 6ft and 200lbs...would the topper take the mattress from a 6.5/10 to a 5.5?
Hi Horace -- Very glad to hear you're happy with your mattress. In terms of your question, I'm not 100% sure what you mean by those numbers. Our softness scale goes from 1-9 with 5 being a medium and 9 being the softest, but I've also seen some sites that do it backwards so I'm not sure which way you mean. In any case, if you're asking whether a topper can make the mattress softer, the answer is yes. If you're asking whether it can make the mattress firmer, the answer is that it can change the surface firmness, however it can not reduce the amount of sinkage and conformance you experience (in most cases it will actually increase it, even with a firm topper). So if I'm understanding your problem correctly, I'm afraid adding a topper would not solve it. The only thing you can really do is firm up the support underneath the mattress, to the extent it has any give or flex at all currently. I hope that's helpful.
@@goodbed no no don't wanna firm it up. I love a soft plush feel, love the support and pressure relief of my birch, just want to take the regular birch and (using the topper) make it softer while still having that supportive feel and not sinking into the mattress.
Mike, what would you say is the closest thing/rival to the Birch Living mattress brand? And what is on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of feel, materials, etc. (if there’s even one).
That's a really hard question to answer. There are a LOT of latex hybrids, and most of these are built with very similar constructions (2-3" latex over pocketed coils). You might look at the new Avocado Eco Organic or the new Sealy Naturals line for examples of this. As to the opposite end of the spectrum - that'd probably be a Tempur. Memory foam is almost the opposite of latex in terms of it's feel characteristics (slow vs fast response, resilient vs yielding, etc).
@@goodbed I don’t memorize the American market as you know I’m from Asia. What we have here is Dunlopillo which I hope you could get your hands on one. Also Slumberland though it’s more of a mixed materials (latex, foam, some lambswool etc) mattress.
Can someone give me super fast last minute advice between the Avocado Green Pillowtop King and the Birch Luxe King (no pillow top)? These are the same price of $2900 for me today only, I have to order today, they are both about even on firmness as far as I can tell, the Birch Luxe does not really need a pillowtop as it’s a bit softer. I am a 45 year old male at 275-300 lbs at the moment but I hopefully plan to get that down to 200-225 within a year or so. The Birch also can be had 0% interest for $100 Mo for many many months and Avocado is 0% interest for only 12 months with a bit higher payments of course. I do like the Birch Luxe for the additions it offers and it’s not a money thing for me Vs the normal Birch. I don’t think I will need the pillowtop for the Birch, and I’m not sure I want one sliding around on an adjustable base either.
Hi and thanks for the question. The Birch mattress with the topper is significantly softer than the Winkbed Soft. We rate the WinkBed Soft as a Medium Soft, while the Birch w/topper is a straight up Soft. Hope that's helpful and thanks for the comment!
@@goodbed Very helpful ,indeed and just as surprising.Thank you ! I have the winkbed soft and ,as an exclusive, male side sleeper of average weight and height ,I don't find it all that soft,though completely adequate for pressure relief.I've wanted to have a natural latex bed for a while now and I gave the Brentwood Cedar luxe a try ,but contrary to Brentwood 's claims, that bed ,with the topper was a true medium firm in my estimation (they have it rated as their softest ,a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 and their line up includes the oceano) ,in fact it caused me hip pain after the first and only night i slept on it.I think I'll give the Birch a try now.Thanks again for your thoughtful ,thorough reviews!
@@pezata Our pleasure, I'm very glad that was helpful. As you've discovered, every manufacturer's definition of softness is different, which is why we recommend that consumers make sure to watch and/or read our review before buying any mattress. We calibrate all our measurements across the full spectrum of online and in-store options, so our data is always the best bet to make sure you're getting the right mattress and eliminating any unwanted surprises. Thanks again for your question.
Hi there -- This is a good question. As you'd expect, a separate topper is never going to be as secure as having the pillow-top sewn onto the mattress. Fortunately though, there are several things working in your favor in this case. First, latex is very heavy, so the weight of it will naturally hold it down. In addition, it also ends to have high point elasticity, which makes it rather floppy -- this lack of stiffness will keep the edges of the topper from wanting to pop up when you're rolling around on it. Next, there is a bit of natural friction between the cover of the mattress and the topper, so we didn't find it very easy for the topper to slide on the mattress. With these factors, by the time you add your fitted sheet around the whole thing, and hopefully a protector as well, it should be held together quite well and I really wouldn't expect it to move around on you. I hope that's helpful.
Hi Nancy -- Thanks for the question (and kind words!). I'm very glad to hear that our videos have been helpful for you. Both the Birch and Happsy mattress toppers add a considerable amount of softness to the mattress -- moreso than some other latex toppers we've tested. That said, we found the Birch topper to be a little softer than the Happsy. The softness levels of the Birch and Happsy mattresses are very similar without the toppers, with the Happsy maybe just a touch firmer, but with both still rating as a Medium-Firm. With their respective toppers, the Happsy becomes a Medium-Soft, while the Birch bumps up to a Soft. FYI, you may want to check out our full written reviews of these mattresses for some more detail on other finer points of how they compare with and without the toppers. You can find those here: * Birch: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/ * Happsy: www.goodbed.com/reviews/happsy-mattress-review/ I hope that's helpful.
I actually bought the Happsy thanks to your great review but still trying to decide if it’s too firm for me since I’m a side sleeper. I like that it has all the great certifications beyond what birch has but I’m not 100 percent sold yet. Any other comparable mattresses that are on the softer side for side sleepers?
Hi Jeanne. It really depends on what you are trying to do. If your mattress is really firm and you want it softer, 2" of memory foam might not be enough, depending on the firmness of the mattress underneath. Hope that helps!
Hi Horace -- Yes, I actually think this mattress should do well for you on both fronts. We found the spinal alignment to be excellent for the typical side sleeper of your size, so it certainly should have enough support. The pressure relief may not be quite as good as the support, however we still found it to be very good for side sleepers of your weight. I hope that's helpful.
love how you reply to all your comments. Sorry, a little more context that's important. I have the Helix twilight standard and actually LOVING the firmness. Just want it to be a touch softer around my shoulder and hips...but don't want to sacrifice firmness and support. That's why I was looking at the Birch. Cheers@@goodbed
I’m interested in a soft feel mattress with a softer more flexible coil system. Since I’m a light weight, petite sleeper weighing less than 120 pounds, I’m interested in the soft /firm rating number. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the softest & 10 being the firmest, what softness / firmness rating would you give this mattress? Would this mattress be considered a soft or medium soft?
Hey Denise! We actually rate this bed to be closer to a "Medium-Firm" and around a 6-7 on a scale with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest (note: in our written reviews our scale goes the opposite direction). With regards to a "more flexible coil system" we think you'd probably be best served by a higher gauge pocketed coil system, though it's possible that a soft connected innerspring (like a Luraflex unit) might also be a good option for you.
Thank you so much for this information, Mike. I appreciate the information on a high -gauge coil system being more suited for me. I do prefer a more flexible coil system. I have been considering the Serta I Comfort E C O Quilted Hybrid Q 40 HD Ultra Plush Pillow Top, the Purple Restore Plush Soft & the Sterns & Foster Lux Hybrid Soft. Do all of these mattresses have a higher gauge / more flexible coil system?
@@deniseparashac8269 Not all of these are exactly a high gauge system, but I would expect them to all be very soft and conforming due to a multitude of other additional factors, yes. If you're looking at soft models these could be excellent options.
Thank you for the information. Of the three that I mentioned here, I see that when I took the Goodbed quiz, that the support layer for each of these was described as “somewhat deep cushioning”. Would that mean that the coil system is somewhat more flexible than most other models or is more on the flexible end of the spectrum for coil systems.
Hi there -- Thanks for your question. As a general rule, pillow tops are rarely, if ever, a good solution to "firm up" a bed. Beds can readily be made softer, but there aren't really good ways to make them firmer. Adding a firm topper can give a mattress a firmer surface. But if you're trying to address sagging or insufficient support, those underlying issues will still be felt even through a firm topper. More specifically though, this is a rather soft pillow top, as noted in the videofor I hope that's helpful.
Hi Michael -- Thanks for your question, and sorry we missed this earlier. Overall, we found the Birch (without the pillow-top) to be a good choice from a spinal alignment and pressure relief standpoint for most heavier sleepers. Our one possible concern was heavier stomach sleepers, but even for this group we felt the spinal alignment should be OK or pretty good. You can see the full breakdown of these ratings by sleeper type in our written review here: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/ Note that with the pillow-top added, our ratings for stomach sleepers went down across the board, but particularly for the heaviest stomach sleepers. This is on account of the added softness. So I would stick to the mattress without the topper in your case. I hope that's helpful.
If I get the wooden base will it be lower than with the foundation and a typical metal frame? I really don’t want a metal frame anymore but also don’t want my bed to be too low. I’ve tried to find reviews on foundations but can’t seem to find them.
Hi there -- Yes, a typical frame would be about 7" off the ground, on top of which the foundation would anywhere from 5-9". So that means the bottom of the mattress would be elevated about 12-16" off the ground. With a slatted base foundation, you are typically looking at lower than that. I hope that's helpful.
@@goodbed I really appreciate your thorough response, thank you! I checked Birch’s site for the millionth time and their slatted, wood foundation is 13” I could of sworn it was 11” when I last looked but have been going in circles looking at mattresses/foundations/bases so I might of gotten it confused. Compared to what I have now (metal frame +foundation +mattress) it’s about 2 inches lower. However, with either a mattress protector/pad/topper etc and bedding added to it, the difference in height might not be much if any. Im so excited! Thanks again 😄
Hi Tians. Thanks for the question. We do prioritize reviews based on user request, so we will add it to the list. We are stuck at the moment due to COVID restrictions, but we look forward to getting back to reviewing new mattresses. Thanks again!
Hi Devon. We always include that information on our written review page. www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/ The Birch mattress is made in the United States.
@@goodbed - you may want to consider including allergy concerns in your reviews. I'm wondering if some mattress are better than others for someone allergic to dust-mites.
Hi. All mattresses -- like rugs and curtains -- are potential harbingers of dust mites. That's partly why we recommend a hypo-allergenic mattress cover that will protect your mattress can eliminate how they can get into your bed.
Bought the regular Birch mattress partially based on this review, and I have to say after two nights I am immensely disappointed. The mattress has not expanded anything like how they show in the pictures or the various reviews, and frankly feels like sleeping on a spring-filled cardboard box. The latex layer adds zero plush feel. I'm just generally crestfallen that I bought into the hype. Will definitely be returning after the initial 30-day limit is up.
Sorry to hear it Samuel. This sounds like a potential material failure with defective latex. You might even reach out to Birch sooner rather than later to see if there's any troubleshooting that can be done.
@@goodbed I agree! They sent me to the Warranty Claim Guide, which I will be following as soon as I get home and can test the mattress surface. Thank you for the response.
hmm debating btwn 3 natural/organic ones, all around the $1300 mark: this one (no topper), Awara (made in China but fast shipping) and the Avocado (2 month covid delay).... the choices are getting more and more similar, aaah!!
Hi Meg. It's true - lots of research can result in shopping paralysis! Did you know that we have a written page on each of these? You'll find more details, and our ratings breakdown which gives you our scores for different types of sleepers/body weights. That might help you make a decision! Here's our page on the Awara: www.goodbed.com/reviews/awara-mattress-review/ And Avocado: www.goodbed.com/reviews/avocado-green-mattress-review/ And Birch: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/ Hope that's helpful!
I am seriously considering this. I prefer natural materials and this seems to have that covered. The only other worthy contenders would be the Saatva or something by Simmons. P.S. Sent you an email to that address you gave me Mike - i'm still waiting...
Hi there -- Thanks for your comment. We've reviewed a number of natural mattresses. All of them share a lot of commonalities insofar as natural materials are concerned, but otherwise can have different fit, feels, and features. So if this one doesn't check all your boxes, you might want to check out these alternatives: * Happsy (organic mattress): www.goodbed.com/reviews/happsy-mattress-review/ * Avocado (organic and non-organic options): www.goodbed.com/reviews/avocado-green-mattress-review/ * Real Bed: www.goodbed.com/reviews/real-bed-mattress-review/ On a separate note, please be aware that we are a tiny company that compiles info on mattresses. As the head of this company, Mike wears many hats, from leading all of our hands-on product testing to managing the development of all our software to all the daily ins and outs of running a business. While he does somehow find time to chip in on replying to TH-cam comments, it simply isn't possible for him to provide personal one-to-one consultations for individual consumers. This is why he did the next best thing, which is to create a software algorithm that asks the exact questions he would ask you in order to fully assess your needs, then looks across the marketplace of options in the exact same way he would do to find ones that best match your personal requirements. So if personal guidance from Mike is what you are looking for, we do actually have a great resource for you -- it's called the GoodBed Quiz, and it is by far the most detailed and sophisticated matching algorithm in the mattress industry. If you haven't taken this quiz yet, you can find it here: www.goodbed.com/mattress-finder/quiz/ I hope that's helpful.
Hey -- yes, we do periodically run a sweepstakes. We have one going on right now through the end of May for the Eight Sleep Pod. Here's the info: www.goodbed.com/giveaways/
I find this review super off. My husband and I have this bed with the topper and both agree it is a medium. (We are both average weights.) Without the topper is is definitely medium firm if not firm.
Hi there -- Thanks so much for your comment. We always appreciate feedback from our readers, both on the mattresses we test and our reviews of those mattresses. With regards to this review being "off" because we called the mattress + topper combination a "Soft" on our softness spectrum, I do appreciate that in your experience, this mattress meets *your* expectation of what a "medium" should feel like. But of course, for all of us, what constitutes a medium vs. firm vs. soft is not only subjective, it's also highly relative with regards to our experience in what mattresses we've had or tried in the past. For most of us, the number of mattresses we've owned can be counted on one hand, or at most two, most of which will all be in a relatively similar range of feel based on our preferences. This provides us with rather limited context in evaluating a mattress. differdistinctions than the average personbetween Since there is no way to communicate what "Medium" means in a manner that would mean the same thing to everyone, we can only anchor Medium as the midpoint in the full spectrum of available mattress options. So while Givenclassificationone or more
Birch not the worst service / no phone number / no quick reply to questions via Email! Why do they act like this? Covid they follow up and follow through
Hi Mark. Thanks for the comment. It's a fair point -- and coronavirus has really shaken things up in terms of customer service too. Many had to close their call centers/offices, or restrict how many people could come to work. Others have scrambled to move their customer support agents to work-from-home. None of this is specific to Birch -- we've seen it with a lot of companies in the past months. Anecdotally, we do contact customer support prior to finalizing our ratings on the GoodBed site. When available, we use the CHAT feature -- and Birch does have that on their site. When using chat, we get an answer almost immediately. Hope that helps.... sorry for your frustration :(
They emailed in about two weeks just after I posted this and they delivery was on pair to everyone if not sooner they def do what they can and apologized and explained Covid has changed everything sad sad sad
Our reviews are definitely more thorough than the cursory looks other people give mattresses. But do note our table of contents in the description that can take you to just the parts of the video you are most interested in -- that you way you can skip that parts that aren't of interest to you. Or even just skip to the summary section. Thanks for the comment!
I bought this mattress based on your review. The luxe birch with no pillow top actually feels like I’m sleeping in it. I’m a 135lb female.The level of bounce in the coils combined with the top comfort layers together do give the feel of sleeping in it. I can feel my 135lbs sinking into the coils. Feels deeply conforming, unsupportive, and cushiony even beyond the surface; not at all what I was looking for. I’ve taken your matching quiz numerous times as a firm-leaning back sleeper with preference for shallow cushioning depth and your best matches all have “somewhat deep cushioning depth” but I’m desperate for a very supportive shallow mattress. I hope this feedback is helpful to you or to someone.
Ah we're sorry to hear it. Not sure what's going on with the Quiz there - we'll take a look at that. Have you been able to find a more suitable match since writing this comment?
This was so informative. Thank you! Things like coil count, as well as being able to see how it dips or does not dip when weight is on it are awesome.
I'm so glad to hear that Amber -- thank you very much for letting us know this was helpful for you!
Really nicely done, in-depth and very informative review. I appreciate the work that went into making this video, and it has done a significant amount in helping me affirm my decision to purchase this mattress!
Hi Adrian. THANK YOU so much for the comment. We put a lot of man hours into these videos, so it's pretty exciting to get a kind comment like this. Sleep well!!
Thank you for the updated info on the certifications. I appreciate that you reviewed both with & without the pillow top.
He is truly the BED whisperer! No one can compare!!
Thanks for your kind words Dionne! I'm very glad our information has been helpful for you. 😊
I love how in depth this review is! I currently can't afford the mattress, so I've been looking for in depth reviews of just the plush topper from Birch. I've found that the internet either says it's firm and bad for lightweight side sleepers like me, or it's soft and perfect for that! So confusing? I have a hybrid plush memory foam/coil mattress that is losing pressure relief in the foam... so I was hoping to find a more natural topper to rejuvenate it. I think it would be compatible? I'm a petite side sleeper that weighs less than 120lbs. The mattress looks tempting! But I feel like 6 years ago, I already splurged for the hybrid. :)
Hi Larissa -- Thank you for you comment and kind words. We looked at the Birch mattress both with and without their topper. We didn't look at that topper on top of other mattresses, but that wouldn't have changed our assessment of it in any case. Generally, we do think toppers are a good way to add some softness and pressure relief to a mattress that feels too firm, and we found the Birch topper to be one of the softest latex toppers we've tested. We also found it to be well made -- and with its own cover, it's different than just buying a slab of latex (which you could also consider). You might also want to see our written review, where we get into more detail about the topper in terms of its pressure relief and other factors:
www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/
In terms of the varying accounts of softness, as with any company that does not manufacture their own products (which, at least until very recently, is the case for Birch / Helix), it's possible that they could experience some occasional quality control issues wherein the toppers made for them by some manufacturers come out firmer than the ones made by others. Protection against this possibility is what you get with a good return policy, like the one that Birch offers (which AFAIK extends to the topper as well).
But it's worth noting that there are also two other possible explanations for the varying accounts you've seen:
1) there are very few genuine experts out there (even on other mattress review websites) who can provide accurate and objective assessments and comparisons of softness across different brands and types of mattresses
2) consumers who write reviews or post comments tend to be very objective, however they don't have enough context to provide a useful assessment of softness beyond how it compares to either their subjective personal preferences or their relatively limited personal experience.
So in short, if you are buying a product that we have covered here at GoodBed, I would honestly not worry one minute about anyone else's assessments of it.
Also, just FYI, Birch has their Black Friday sale running at the moment, which is the best deal we have seen from them but unfortunately does not apply to the topper.
Hope that helps!
Excellent in depth review. I've watched several and yours covered a lot of areas that I was interested in. I wanted a bed that won't off gas and that was as natural as I could get without sleeping on a pile of fresh clover or sleeping on a lamb (LOL). The wool is what caught my eye because I use a wool pillow and love it. I am definitely going to read your written review for more information. The one question I do have is about the shipping in a box, does that harm the integrity of the coiled springs? I was considering the Saavta but in this time of COVID I do not want any delivery inside my house, a personal choice. Again, this was a great review and covered many things that aren't even touched on by other TH-cam reviewers. I noticed that Birch and Helix don't offer a customer service phone number only contact via email, that's odd. Thank you
Hi Betty. Thanks for the comment. While we haven't yet seen fresh clover in a mattress(!!), wool is something we are seeing in more and more natural mattress models.
When manufacturers first starting compressing and rolling mattresses for shipment, they were only doing it with foam mattresses. But it did not take long for them to figure out that springs can also be compressed and rolled without damage.
True - Birch/Helix don't have a readily available phone number -- but they do offer help by chat. We've used that a number of times when testing a brand's customer support anonymously and it works very well. Typically chat support is offered during normal business hours.
Hope that's helpful!
@@goodbed Thank you so much, the lack of phone number made me nervous. I appreciate your review and taking the time to respond to my question. I was sitting on my way too soft mattress this morning and kept thinking buy the Birch.
Update: I've had my Burch for two years and am in the market for a mew mattress. I felt it was too soft when I first got it and now two years later it is even softer. They did send me a topper free of charge when I called about how soft this mattress was, but it really didn't help at all. Such a shame I had high hopes for this mattress. And now I'm watching all your latest videos on mattresses to see if I can find something.
Hi there -- Thanks for your comment, and sorry to hear that this mattress hasn't turned out to be right for you. The good news is that in the spectrum of latex hybrids, most tend to be firmer than this one (rather than softer), and this is ESPECIALLY true if you got the version with the pillow-top.
So if you like the other characteristics of this mattress, but just don't want something quite so soft, you have some good options. Here is one that comes to mind off the top of my head: www.goodbed.com/reviews/avocado-green-mattress-review/
I hope that's helpful.
I have similar experience. After 6 months it got unbearably soft in the hip area. Currently awaiting my 2nd warranty replacement. These mattresses don't seem to last very long. At least they honor the warranty but we have to call many times and send pictures etc. By now we know the process. It will be a yearly thing at least.
Thank you for the great review, this is just what I was looking for. My only question is whether I need a base or can I just lay it on the floor and what effect that will have on the comfort, if any?
Hi there -- Thanks for your question, and sorry we missed this. You can absolutely put this mattress right on the floor and it won't affect the comfort or feel in any material way. The alternative approach would simply be to put this on a platform or other type of solid foundation, which most people prefer for reasons of aesthetics as well as ease of getting in/out of bed. From a support and comfort standpoint, the goal of any foundation you'd use would be to minimize the degree of flexing under the mattress, but none of the aforementioned solutions can accomplish that better than the floor. :)
I hope that's helpful.
Very nice review. You have a lot of in-dept information regarding the mattress. Very much appreciated! Particularly the info for the health-safety aspects as being certified safe and natural. That was an area I was curious about.
Hi Koops. Thank you for the comment! We're so glad it was helpful to you. A bit selling feature of the Birch is its use of natural materials, so we wanted to be sure to cover that in some detail.
Thanks again!
So I still love the mattress but also ordered the topper. I really do love the plush soft feeling but don't like being stuck. Being 6ft and 200lbs...would the topper take the mattress from a 6.5/10 to a 5.5?
Hi Horace -- Very glad to hear you're happy with your mattress. In terms of your question, I'm not 100% sure what you mean by those numbers. Our softness scale goes from 1-9 with 5 being a medium and 9 being the softest, but I've also seen some sites that do it backwards so I'm not sure which way you mean. In any case, if you're asking whether a topper can make the mattress softer, the answer is yes. If you're asking whether it can make the mattress firmer, the answer is that it can change the surface firmness, however it can not reduce the amount of sinkage and conformance you experience (in most cases it will actually increase it, even with a firm topper). So if I'm understanding your problem correctly, I'm afraid adding a topper would not solve it. The only thing you can really do is firm up the support underneath the mattress, to the extent it has any give or flex at all currently. I hope that's helpful.
@@goodbed no no don't wanna firm it up. I love a soft plush feel, love the support and pressure relief of my birch, just want to take the regular birch and (using the topper) make it softer while still having that supportive feel and not sinking into the mattress.
Mike, what would you say is the closest thing/rival to the Birch Living mattress brand? And what is on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of feel, materials, etc. (if there’s even one).
That's a really hard question to answer. There are a LOT of latex hybrids, and most of these are built with very similar constructions (2-3" latex over pocketed coils). You might look at the new Avocado Eco Organic or the new Sealy Naturals line for examples of this.
As to the opposite end of the spectrum - that'd probably be a Tempur. Memory foam is almost the opposite of latex in terms of it's feel characteristics (slow vs fast response, resilient vs yielding, etc).
@@goodbed I don’t memorize the American market as you know I’m from Asia. What we have here is Dunlopillo which I hope you could get your hands on one. Also Slumberland though it’s more of a mixed materials (latex, foam, some lambswool etc) mattress.
Can someone give me super fast last minute advice between the Avocado Green Pillowtop King and the Birch Luxe King (no pillow top)? These are the same price of $2900 for me today only, I have to order today, they are both about even on firmness as far as I can tell, the Birch Luxe does not really need a pillowtop as it’s a bit softer. I am a 45 year old male at 275-300 lbs at the moment but I hopefully plan to get that down to 200-225 within a year or so. The Birch also can be had 0% interest for $100 Mo for many many months and Avocado is 0% interest for only 12 months with a bit higher payments of course. I do like the Birch Luxe for the additions it offers and it’s not a money thing for me Vs the normal Birch. I don’t think I will need the pillowtop for the Birch, and I’m not sure I want one sliding around on an adjustable base either.
How would you compare the softness of the Winkbed Soft to the softness of this Birch mattress with the topper ?
Hi and thanks for the question. The Birch mattress with the topper is significantly softer than the Winkbed Soft. We rate the WinkBed Soft as a Medium Soft, while the Birch w/topper is a straight up Soft. Hope that's helpful and thanks for the comment!
@@goodbed Very helpful ,indeed and just as surprising.Thank you ! I have the winkbed soft and ,as an exclusive, male side sleeper of average weight and height ,I don't find it all that soft,though completely adequate for pressure relief.I've wanted to have a natural latex bed for a while now and I gave the Brentwood Cedar luxe a try ,but contrary to Brentwood 's claims, that bed ,with the topper was a true medium firm in my estimation (they have it rated as their softest ,a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 and their line up includes the oceano) ,in fact it caused me hip pain after the first and only night i slept on it.I think I'll give the Birch a try now.Thanks again for your thoughtful ,thorough reviews!
@@pezata Our pleasure, I'm very glad that was helpful. As you've discovered, every manufacturer's definition of softness is different, which is why we recommend that consumers make sure to watch and/or read our review before buying any mattress. We calibrate all our measurements across the full spectrum of online and in-store options, so our data is always the best bet to make sure you're getting the right mattress and eliminating any unwanted surprises. Thanks again for your question.
Wondering how the pillowtop it is secured from slipping around? How well does it stay put if it is not secured?
Hi there -- This is a good question. As you'd expect, a separate topper is never going to be as secure as having the pillow-top sewn onto the mattress. Fortunately though, there are several things working in your favor in this case. First, latex is very heavy, so the weight of it will naturally hold it down. In addition, it also ends to have high point elasticity, which makes it rather floppy -- this lack of stiffness will keep the edges of the topper from wanting to pop up when you're rolling around on it. Next, there is a bit of natural friction between the cover of the mattress and the topper, so we didn't find it very easy for the topper to slide on the mattress. With these factors, by the time you add your fitted sheet around the whole thing, and hopefully a protector as well, it should be held together quite well and I really wouldn't expect it to move around on you.
I hope that's helpful.
Excellent review!
Thanks so much for letting us know it was helpful for you! 🙏
great helpful videos!! how would you compare this mattress with topper to the Happsy with topper?
Hi Nancy -- Thanks for the question (and kind words!). I'm very glad to hear that our videos have been helpful for you.
Both the Birch and Happsy mattress toppers add a considerable amount of softness to the mattress -- moreso than some other latex toppers we've tested. That said, we found the Birch topper to be a little softer than the Happsy. The softness levels of the Birch and Happsy mattresses are very similar without the toppers, with the Happsy maybe just a touch firmer, but with both still rating as a Medium-Firm. With their respective toppers, the Happsy becomes a Medium-Soft, while the Birch bumps up to a Soft.
FYI, you may want to check out our full written reviews of these mattresses for some more detail on other finer points of how they compare with and without the toppers. You can find those here:
* Birch: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/
* Happsy: www.goodbed.com/reviews/happsy-mattress-review/
I hope that's helpful.
I actually bought the Happsy thanks to your great review but still trying to decide if it’s too firm for me since I’m a side sleeper. I like that it has all the great certifications beyond what birch has but I’m not 100 percent sold yet. Any other comparable mattresses that are on the softer side for side sleepers?
I considered adding the topper on this until I watched this review. @ 240 & 280 side sleepers, I still wonder if the 2" latex is enough.
Hi Jeanne. It really depends on what you are trying to do. If your mattress is really firm and you want it softer, 2" of memory foam might not be enough, depending on the firmness of the mattress underneath. Hope that helps!
Im 6ft and 205lbs abs a side sleeper. Woyod the regular birch without pillow top give ke eniugh support eithout too much pressure on my joints?
Hi Horace -- Yes, I actually think this mattress should do well for you on both fronts. We found the spinal alignment to be excellent for the typical side sleeper of your size, so it certainly should have enough support. The pressure relief may not be quite as good as the support, however we still found it to be very good for side sleepers of your weight. I hope that's helpful.
love how you reply to all your comments. Sorry, a little more context that's important. I have the Helix twilight standard and actually LOVING the firmness. Just want it to be a touch softer around my shoulder and hips...but don't want to sacrifice firmness and support. That's why I was looking at the Birch. Cheers@@goodbed
I’m interested in a soft feel mattress with a softer more flexible coil system. Since I’m a light weight, petite sleeper weighing less than 120 pounds, I’m interested in the soft /firm rating number. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the softest & 10 being the firmest, what softness / firmness rating would you give this mattress? Would this mattress be considered a soft or medium soft?
Hey Denise! We actually rate this bed to be closer to a "Medium-Firm" and around a 6-7 on a scale with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest (note: in our written reviews our scale goes the opposite direction). With regards to a "more flexible coil system" we think you'd probably be best served by a higher gauge pocketed coil system, though it's possible that a soft connected innerspring (like a Luraflex unit) might also be a good option for you.
Thank you so much for this information, Mike. I appreciate the information on a high -gauge coil system being more suited for me. I do prefer a more flexible coil system. I have been considering the Serta I Comfort E C O Quilted Hybrid Q 40 HD Ultra Plush Pillow Top, the Purple Restore Plush Soft & the Sterns & Foster Lux Hybrid Soft. Do all of these mattresses have a higher gauge / more flexible coil system?
@@deniseparashac8269 Not all of these are exactly a high gauge system, but I would expect them to all be very soft and conforming due to a multitude of other additional factors, yes. If you're looking at soft models these could be excellent options.
Thank you for the information. Of the three that I mentioned here, I see that when I took the Goodbed quiz, that the support layer for each of these was described as “somewhat deep cushioning”. Would that mean that the coil system is somewhat more flexible than most other models or is more on the flexible end of the spectrum for coil systems.
@@deniseparashac8269 Yep, I'd expect that to be the case. These should all have flexible and conforming support.
Would this pillow top firm up a gel memoryfoam med mattress
Hi there -- Thanks for your question.
As a general rule, pillow tops are rarely, if ever, a good solution to "firm up" a bed. Beds can readily be made softer, but there aren't really good ways to make them firmer. Adding a firm topper can give a mattress a firmer surface. But if you're trying to address sagging or insufficient support, those underlying issues will still be felt even through a firm topper.
More specifically though, this is a rather soft pillow top, as noted in the videofor
I hope that's helpful.
Is Birch suitable for heavier people?
Hi Michael -- Thanks for your question, and sorry we missed this earlier. Overall, we found the Birch (without the pillow-top) to be a good choice from a spinal alignment and pressure relief standpoint for most heavier sleepers. Our one possible concern was heavier stomach sleepers, but even for this group we felt the spinal alignment should be OK or pretty good. You can see the full breakdown of these ratings by sleeper type in our written review here: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/
Note that with the pillow-top added, our ratings for stomach sleepers went down across the board, but particularly for the heaviest stomach sleepers. This is on account of the added softness. So I would stick to the mattress without the topper in your case.
I hope that's helpful.
If I get the wooden base will it be lower than with the foundation and a typical metal frame? I really don’t want a metal frame anymore but also don’t want my bed to be too low. I’ve tried to find reviews on foundations but can’t seem to find them.
Hi there -- Yes, a typical frame would be about 7" off the ground, on top of which the foundation would anywhere from 5-9". So that means the bottom of the mattress would be elevated about 12-16" off the ground. With a slatted base foundation, you are typically looking at lower than that. I hope that's helpful.
@@goodbed I really appreciate your thorough response, thank you! I checked Birch’s site for the millionth time and their slatted, wood foundation is 13” I could of sworn it was 11” when I last looked but have been going in circles looking at mattresses/foundations/bases so I might of gotten it confused. Compared to what I have now (metal frame +foundation +mattress) it’s about 2 inches lower. However, with either a mattress protector/pad/topper etc and bedding added to it, the difference in height might not be much if any. Im so excited! Thanks again 😄
@@abbileigh33 Our pleasure! I hope you are very happy with your purchase.
can you review the new budget latex hybrid by Brentwood Home? they just released it this month
Hi Tians. Thanks for the question. We do prioritize reviews based on user request, so we will add it to the list. We are stuck at the moment due to COVID restrictions, but we look forward to getting back to reviewing new mattresses.
Thanks again!
Have you reviewed the new avocado luxury plush mattress yet?
Hi and thanks for the question. We have not yet reviewed that mattress, but we do prioritize based on reader request, so we will add it to the list!
Is the mattress a no flip?
Yes, it is.
This is the bed I want- the latex one.
Where is this mattress built? I can't find info on your review/or on Birch's website
Hi Devon. We always include that information on our written review page. www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/
The Birch mattress is made in the United States.
This is so helpful and informative!
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic review! Very helpful
Thanks for letting us know it was helpful for you!
@@goodbed - you may want to consider including allergy concerns in your reviews. I'm wondering if some mattress are better than others for someone allergic to dust-mites.
Hi. All mattresses -- like rugs and curtains -- are potential harbingers of dust mites. That's partly why we recommend a hypo-allergenic mattress cover that will protect your mattress can eliminate how they can get into your bed.
Bought the regular Birch mattress partially based on this review, and I have to say after two nights I am immensely disappointed. The mattress has not expanded anything like how they show in the pictures or the various reviews, and frankly feels like sleeping on a spring-filled cardboard box. The latex layer adds zero plush feel. I'm just generally crestfallen that I bought into the hype. Will definitely be returning after the initial 30-day limit is up.
Sorry to hear it Samuel. This sounds like a potential material failure with defective latex. You might even reach out to Birch sooner rather than later to see if there's any troubleshooting that can be done.
@@goodbed I agree! They sent me to the Warranty Claim Guide, which I will be following as soon as I get home and can test the mattress surface. Thank you for the response.
@@samueldonchess5963 Absolutely. Keep us posted if you can! I'll be curious to hear if things improve.
hmm debating btwn 3 natural/organic ones, all around the $1300 mark: this one (no topper), Awara (made in China but fast shipping) and the Avocado (2 month covid delay).... the choices are getting more and more similar, aaah!!
Hi Meg. It's true - lots of research can result in shopping paralysis! Did you know that we have a written page on each of these? You'll find more details, and our ratings breakdown which gives you our scores for different types of sleepers/body weights. That might help you make a decision!
Here's our page on the Awara: www.goodbed.com/reviews/awara-mattress-review/
And Avocado: www.goodbed.com/reviews/avocado-green-mattress-review/
And Birch: www.goodbed.com/reviews/birch-mattress-review/
Hope that's helpful!
I am seriously considering this. I prefer natural materials and this seems to have that covered. The only other worthy contenders would be the Saatva or something by Simmons.
P.S.
Sent you an email to that address you gave me Mike - i'm still waiting...
Hi there -- Thanks for your comment. We've reviewed a number of natural mattresses. All of them share a lot of commonalities insofar as natural materials are concerned, but otherwise can have different fit, feels, and features. So if this one doesn't check all your boxes, you might want to check out these alternatives:
* Happsy (organic mattress): www.goodbed.com/reviews/happsy-mattress-review/
* Avocado (organic and non-organic options): www.goodbed.com/reviews/avocado-green-mattress-review/
* Real Bed: www.goodbed.com/reviews/real-bed-mattress-review/
On a separate note, please be aware that we are a tiny company that compiles info on mattresses. As the head of this company, Mike wears many hats, from leading all of our hands-on product testing to managing the development of all our software to all the daily ins and outs of running a business. While he does somehow find time to chip in on replying to TH-cam comments, it simply isn't possible for him to provide personal one-to-one consultations for individual consumers. This is why he did the next best thing, which is to create a software algorithm that asks the exact questions he would ask you in order to fully assess your needs, then looks across the marketplace of options in the exact same way he would do to find ones that best match your personal requirements. So if personal guidance from Mike is what you are looking for, we do actually have a great resource for you -- it's called the GoodBed Quiz, and it is by far the most detailed and sophisticated matching algorithm in the mattress industry. If you haven't taken this quiz yet, you can find it here:
www.goodbed.com/mattress-finder/quiz/
I hope that's helpful.
I tried the Saatva. It was too firm for me but the return was easy and white glove.
Do you all give away mattresses or no?
Hey -- yes, we do periodically run a sweepstakes. We have one going on right now through the end of May for the Eight Sleep Pod. Here's the info: www.goodbed.com/giveaways/
GoodBed Hi have you heard of vibe mattress it’s on amazon the one I’m thinking of it’s the hybrid
I find this review super off. My husband and I have this bed with the topper and both agree it is a medium. (We are both average weights.) Without the topper is is definitely medium firm if not firm.
Hi there -- Thanks so much for your comment. We always appreciate feedback from our readers, both on the mattresses we test and our reviews of those mattresses. With regards to this review being "off" because we called the mattress + topper combination a "Soft" on our softness spectrum, I do appreciate that in your experience, this mattress meets *your* expectation of what a "medium" should feel like. But of course, for all of us, what constitutes a medium vs. firm vs. soft is not only subjective, it's also highly relative with regards to our experience in what mattresses we've had or tried in the past. For most of us, the number of mattresses we've owned can be counted on one hand, or at most two, most of which will all be in a relatively similar range of feel based on our preferences. This provides us with rather limited context in evaluating a mattress.
differdistinctions than the average personbetween
Since there is no way to communicate what "Medium" means in a manner that would mean the same thing to everyone, we can only anchor Medium as the midpoint in the full spectrum of available mattress options. So while
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Birch not the worst service / no phone number / no quick reply to questions via Email! Why do they act like this? Covid they follow up and follow through
Hi Mark. Thanks for the comment. It's a fair point -- and coronavirus has really shaken things up in terms of customer service too. Many had to close their call centers/offices, or restrict how many people could come to work. Others have scrambled to move their customer support agents to work-from-home. None of this is specific to Birch -- we've seen it with a lot of companies in the past months.
Anecdotally, we do contact customer support prior to finalizing our ratings on the GoodBed site. When available, we use the CHAT feature -- and Birch does have that on their site. When using chat, we get an answer almost immediately. Hope that helps.... sorry for your frustration :(
They emailed in about two weeks just after I posted this and they delivery was on pair to everyone if not sooner they def do what they can and apologized and explained Covid has changed everything sad sad sad
@@MrMarkx7 didi u buy from them ? i just place an order but I'm worry now, I saw they have no phone number.. it's a real company???
@@vc3083 I didnt buy but they are real and part of a bigger company your in good hands they get back to you
@@MrMarkx7 thank you Mark
Sorry, too long.
Our reviews are definitely more thorough than the cursory looks other people give mattresses. But do note our table of contents in the description that can take you to just the parts of the video you are most interested in -- that you way you can skip that parts that aren't of interest to you. Or even just skip to the summary section.
Thanks for the comment!