Yes, the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress is expensive − but it's totally worth the price

As a working mom of four, getting a good night’s sleep is essential. A great mattress can make the difference between a truly restful night’s sleep and tossing and turning all night, but finding the perfect mattress isn’t easy.

On top of the usual difficulties of mattress shopping, from finding the right materials to choosing the perfect firmness, both my husband and I live with chronic pain. My husband experiences hip and back pain and prefers a softer, more responsive mattress. I prefer a firmer, more supportive mattress that helps keep my sore neck in alignment. Finding the best mattress for the both of us is a challenge.

However, I'm determined to find a mattress that suits our radically different sleep styles. After all, a good mattress helps me be a better version of myself. I'm more productive at work and more patient with my kids when I sleep well and don’t wake up with aches and pains. In my search, I've tested three toppers and two mattresses – and, in the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress, I think I've found my perfect match.

TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress − my honest review

Priced just below $2,000 for a Queen, the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress is much more expensive than the best affordable mattress, but it's highly competitive in the luxury mattress market, and it's one of the best budget options at Tempur-Pedic. If, like me, you're shopping for something to ease your aches and pains, I'd say the TEMPUR-Cloud is well worth the money, but you should still keep an eye on the mattress sales.

TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress Specifications

Who would the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress suit?

• Couples: The TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress has admirable motion isolation. That makes it a great choice for anyone who doesn’t like being woken up by a restless partner, couples who get in and out of bed at different times, and straight-forward light sleepers.
• Anyone with aches and pains: like any hybrid mattress, the TEMPUR-Cloud is topped with a thick layer of memory foam which feels very responsive and cushions my joints. Underneath, there are more than 1,000 coils to support your spine and keep it straight overnight.
• All sleep positions: the medium mattress firmness of the TEMPUR-Cloud makes it an excellent choice for couples with varying preferences in mattresses. Like I said, my partner and I have different sleep styles, but we both find the Tempur Cloud very comfortable.

What's it like to sleep on the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress?

• Pressure relief: on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, I would give the TEMPUR-Cloud a 6.5. I feel supported when I sit on the mattress, but it also provides cushioning for aching joints and responds well to movement throughout the night. Neither my husband nor I wake up with aches and pains, which is the true mark of a great mattress in my book. Notably, the mattress felt firm the first few nights but noticeably softened after about a week of use.
• Thermoregulation: I tend to sleep hot, especially when there's memory foam involved. However, I slept much cooler on the TEMPUR-Cloud than on other mattresses I've tried, likely because of its cooling cover. The weather is warming up here in Washington, D.C., and I'm still sleeping comfortably without AC. For seriously hot sleepers, I'd recommend one of the best cooling mattresses, instead.
• Motion isolation: to test motion isolation, I placed a glass of water on top of the mattress and dropped a 20-pound weight next to the glass. The water did not move much in the glass. I also walked around the mattress, including very close to the glass of water, and the glass still barely moved. This indicates excellent motion isolation, and I felt that in practice. My son tends to toss and turn a lot when he sleeps, which has woken me up while testing other mattresses, but I didn't have that problem with the TEMPUR-Cloud.

• Edge support: to test edge support, I placed a glass of water on the edge of the mattress and then put a 20-pound weight next to the glass. I also walked around the edge of the mattress close to the glass of water. The glass tipped over more than it did on the motion isolation test, which is to be expected when you concentrate the weight in a smaller surface area. However, the glass did not tip over significantly, and no water spilled out of the glass at any point. This indicates that the mattress has excellent edge support, making it easier to get in and out of bed.
• Delivery: the TEMPUR-Cloud is a box mattress, which means it arrives vacuum-packed and wrapped in a cardboard box. I cut the plastic and watched as the mattress began to unroll and expand. In hindsight, it would have been better to place the mattress on the bed frame than the carpet: less heavy lifting. I didn’t notice any mattress off-gassing or strong odors, which makes a nice change.
• Sleep trial: the TEMPUR-Cloud comes with a 90-night mattress sleep trial, which is lower than industry standard. You get less time to test your mattress through the seasons before you have to commit to your purchase. For a similar look and feel with a longer sleep trial, I recommend the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress.
• Warranty: the TEMPUR-Cloud comes with a 10-year limited mattress warranty, covering all the usual defects in material and manufacture. For a lifetime warranty on a top-rated hybrid, I recommend the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling Mattress.

How does the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress rate online?

The TEMPUR-Cloud boasts a 4.6 average star rating from 2,045 verified reviews. This rating includes both the Hybrid and the standard version of the mattress.

Many reviewers noted that the TEMPUR-Cloud is 'just right' in various ways. They praised its genuine medium firmness, its ability to regulate temperature and prevent overheating, and its supportive feel. Several reviewers also noted that the TEMPUR-Cloud helped alleviate aches and pains, particularly back pain. Reviewers also noted that the TEMPUR-Cloud is reasonably priced for a luxury mattress.

Should I buy the TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress?

I'm giving the TEMPUR-Cloud the full five stars. Sure, it's a little more expensive than your average hybrid, and there's no option for white glove delivery, but I can't fault the performance.

It's worth saying that I wear a watch that tracks my sleep every night. My sleep score is usually 80, which is in the 'good' range. However, while testing the TEMPUR-Cloud, my sleep score increased slightly to the mid-80s. My average length of sleep and deep sleep also increased slightly. I always feel refreshed and well-rested after spending the night on the TEMPUR-Cloud. I'd recommend it to just about anybody who can afford it.

How we test mattresses

Our resident Sleep Editor, Emilia Hitching, leads a team of expert testers in the search to find the best mattress. Together, we live right across the country, in all kinds of climates, and we represent a wide range of ages, sleep styles, and body types. We sleep on each mattress in our own homes for a minimum of 30 nights before we write our initial reviews to get a good indication of long-term performance. To learn more about how we test mattresses, consult our expert guide.

We assess each mattress against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess edge support, we lie on the mattress and flip between sleep positions to see where we feel most comfortable and supported. To assess thermoregulation, we switch off our HVAC to sleep through all seasons, making note of any nights where we wake up in a sweat.

To assess motion isolation, we fill a glass with water and set it in the center of the mattress. Then, we take a weight and place it on the mattress, moving incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the mattress for couples and light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the mattress and measure how far we sink. The further we fall, the worse the edge support, and the harder it might be to get into and out of bed.

Where possible, we compare our findings against verified customer reviews to get a better indication of long-term performance. We also consider the practicalities of mattress shopping, including the details of delivery, sleep trials, and warranties. Finally, we bring it all back to the price of the mattress to help you calculate value for money.