Puffy vs Tuft & Needle Mattress Comparison 2023 : Which Is Better?

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Both Puffy and Tuft & Needle may be all-foam options, but don’t think they’re all the same. Each one uses layers of proprietary foams to create a sleep experience they claim will be the most cooling and most comfortable there is.

So which one is right? We’ll break it all down for you in our Puffy versus Tuft & Needle matchup. There’s only one winner and we’ve crowned it. Let’s take a look

About The Brands

Before we get started, let’s keep a few things in mind.

Puffy Recap Full Review

Why To Like

• proprietary cooling performance foam
• lifetime warranty
• better edge support than Tuft & Needle

Why To Doubt

• no white glove delivery
• more expensive than Tuft & Needle

Tuft & Needle Recap Full Review

Why To Like

• charcoal infused foams for cooling
• ultra-budget option
• cooling graphite for better odor control and temperature regulation

Why To Doubt

• edge support isn’t as good
• no lifetime warranty

Puffy And Tuft & Needle Comparison

Both foam based mattress options have some things in similar but certainly not everything. Let’s break it all down.

How are Puffy And Tuft & Needle Similar?

First, the similarities.

Contouring And Support

Old mattresses were the worst. They supported you, yes, but they also forced your body to conform to the surface of the bed. Old inner springs were all linked together so everytime your partner or pet moved, you did too. You probably jiggled so much it woke you up. And they were so noisy.

New mattresses use layers of materials to provide contouring and support instead of just support. The top layers allow your body to sink further into the bed than your curves. The foams fill in around your waist and lower back, so your spine stays straight.

Underneath, dense foam prevents your body from sinking too far. It supports your spine, keeping it aligned the way it would be in an upright position. There’s no sagging, and you get all the comfort of a soft mattress without your spine overextending. Alternately, you get all the support of a firm mattress without your arm and shoulder falling asleep before you do.

Motion Isolation

Memory foam is excellent at dampening the effects of motion. If your partner is a rodeo clown during the night, you don’t have to keep waking up to his or her motions. The memory foam keeps the motion isolated to the part of the mattress where it’s happening, and you get to stay asleep.

Another benefit of motion isolation is the mattress has structural integrity. If partners have even a minor difference in weight, that can create a dip under the heavier partner in conventional mattresses. Here, both partners get a pristine surface to sleep on, and there’s no more rolling towards each other in the middle of the night (unless you want to).

Manufacturing And Customer Service

Both mattress companies are manufactured in the United States from US-based materials. If that’s important to you, these companies check that box.

Customer service also seems to be located in the United States although neither company states specifically. They are prompt in dealing with issues, and you shouldn’t have any trouble with any problems or questions.

Accessories

Both companies offer some accessories to go with your mattress. You can purchase a whole range of bed linens and materials including a pillow, mattress protector, and blanket. The company also offers foundations.

Tuft & Needle also offers accessories. You can get bed linens and foundations as well as something called the Pouch. It’s essentially a grown-up version of a beanbag only way more comfortable.

Financing

If you can’t afford the full cost of your purchase, or you don’t want to pay the total amount today, just apply for financing directly on each check out page. Qualified buyers should receive a decision in minutes and then can check out as usual. Most payments are less than $100 a month with no interest.

Be sure to read any fine print so that you are aware of all the details associated with it.

Shipping

Both mattresses come compressed in a box and arrive on your doorstep. You don’t have to wait around for the delivery person to bring your bed. When you’re ready, unpack the box and gently tear the plastic away from the mattress. If you cut the plastic, you run the risk of cutting the mattress, too.

The downside is that you won’t have the delivery person available to help you set everything up or to remove your old mattress. Be sure to make arrangements beforehand if you know that you’re going to need some help in either of those situations.

Off-Gassing And Allergies

Neither mattress produces a lot of emissions. Both are certified being low VOC, so you shouldn’t experience any off-putting odors. Ultra-sensitive noses may detect a faint smell from the plastic, but it’s usually gone in just a few hours. You shouldn’t experience any adverse effects from a robust off-gassing smell or any odors from the compression and shipment.

They’re also naturally antimicrobial and help prevent dust mites and bed bugs. If you suffer from allergies, your mattress can help you get rid of one of the biggest culprits. Foam is more sanitary in this case than something like inner springs. Your respiratory allergies will thank you.

How are Puffy And Tuft & Needle Different?

Now for the good part, the differences.

Bed Models

They may have similar ideas with their mattresses, but they aren’t exactly the same.

Puffy

Puffy’s original mattress uses two layers. The top contouring layer is a proprietary material that behaves more like the responsiveness of latex. It actively moves heat and moisture away from your body, so you sleep cooler even if you’re usually a sweaty sleeper.

The Puffy Lux uses three different layers. The top layer is the same as the original, but underneath is a second Cloud foam layer that provides a transition to the support underneath. It gives you support where you need it, such as underneath your legs and your lower back while allowing your shoulder to sink further into the mattress.

Underneath both models, the dense support layer keeps you from sinking too far into the mattress. It pushes back against your body so that your spine stays aligned.

The original is rated at about a six on a ten point scale while the Luxe is between a five and a half and a seven. It feels softer than it actually is because of the contouring and the transitional layer.

Tuft & Needle

Tuft & Needle’s original mattress also uses two layers. The top layer is Adaptiv Foam, Tuft & Needle’s proprietary foam. It provides pressure relief and responds well as you move. It’s infused with graphite and uses an open cell construction to improve breathability.

The support layer underneath gives the mattress structural integrity and pushes back against your body to align your spine. It’s a cooling, comfortable, yet simple bed.

The Tuft & Needle Mint uses three layers. The top layer is infused with 30% more graphite for even more cooling. The middle layer is a transitional, adaptive layer with gel beads. The beads are flexible underneath your curves, providing support where you need it and giving way where you need it. The dense support foam gives the mattress structural integrity and pushes back against your body. Your spine stays straight, and you wake up more rested.

Sleep Trial And Warranty

Puffy gives you 101 nights to try their mattress out before deciding to buy it or not. You should sleep on the bed for at least 30 nights before making your final decision. Your body needs time to adjust, and the mattress should have some time to break in a little to provide full contouring and support.

Tuft & Needle gives you 100 nights to try their mattress, but the advice still applies. Make sure you give the bed a few weeks before you decide on anything. Otherwise, you might not have gotten the full effect of the mattress.

Puffy guarantees their mattresses for a lifetime against mattress defects. Tuft & Needle guarantees theirs for ten years. If you notice any abnormal wear and tear such as sagging, indentations, or ripped seaming, contact the company for a replacement or a repair.

Make sure your mattress is adequately supported so that you don’t accidentally void the warranty. Your bed should be on a frame with slats at an appropriate width, a platform bed, a box spring, or even the floor. Both also work with adjustable frames.

Use your mattress for only its intended purpose. (Definitely not for sledding down the hill … not that you’d do that.)

Materials And Cooling

Both mattresses use foams, but Puffy’s is a proprietary foam that isn’t quite like memory foam. It uses a type of gel infusion that actively moves heat away from your body the way sports performance gear does. It’s an exciting type of mattress material that responds better and cools easier.

Tuft & Needle uses their own type of memory foam called Adaptiv foam. It’s infused with graphite charcoal which helps cool and cut down on odors. The mattress is highly breathable so as you move around, air does too. It cools and dries moisture, so you sleep more comfortable.

Edge Support

Tuft & Needle struggles with edge support. If you frequently use the side of the bed to sleep or to sit, you may be disappointed in the compression of the sides. The Mint does reinforce the edges for better support, but we feel Puffy has the edge (see what we did there?)

Puffy’s edge support is good for pondering all the questions of life at 3am while you’re convincing yourself to go to sleep. The mattress can’t help you decide if you should watch just one more episode, but it can support you as you think about it.

Price

There’s a big difference in price for the original Puffy and Tuft & Needle. Puffy starts at about $800 for a twin and goes up to about $1350 for a California king. While this is definitely affordable compared to showroom mattresses, Tuft & Needle has them beat.

The Tuft & Needle original starts at just $350 for a twin and goes up to $750 for a California king. That’s right. You can get any size of their original mattress for less than the Puffy original twin.

The Puffy Luxe is more of an investment. It starts at about $1450 for a twin and goes to just under $2000 for a California king. Tuft & Needle Mint begins at $650 for a twin and goes to $1050 for a California king.

If your budget is the sole deciding factor, the Tuft & Needle is an excellent affordable option. However, we aren’t ones to discourage spending a little bit more for something like health and well being. We wouldn’t cross Puffy out just yet.

And The Winner Is…

The Puffy Mattress!

Buy Online Now

We’re confident recommending Puffy as the best choice based on our analysis of key factors that an average, discerning mattress shopper would care most about.

There are a few things that ultimately won us over. Yes, we know that Tuft & Needle is a lot less expensive, but sometimes it’s worth it to invest a little more for your health. Puffy’s proprietary fabric is something that offers a relaxing night’s sleep while keeping your temperature cool. The material is an exciting update to mattress materials, and we’ve been really impressed with its performance.

The sleep trial and the warranty are longer. The sleep trial is just a technicality since there’s a difference of just one day. The lifetime warranty is something that’s harder to argue with. The durability of memory foam has gotten better since the early days, so it would be nice to know that we’re covered for longer.

Edge support was our final consideration. It seems like a small thing, but we use the edge of the bed for a lot of things. If there’s a noticeable sweet spot in the middle of the bed, we can’t quite recommend it as our top choice.

Puffy has no sweet spot and edge support that can help you get into a comfortable position at the edge. It doesn’t compress when you sit on it. It just feels like our conventional mattress here. We don’t feel like we’ll slide off as we struggle to do basic things at the edges of the bed.

• Quality – Tie
• Price – Tuft & Needle
• Reputation – Tie
• Sleep Trial – Puffy
• Warranty – Puffy
• Customer Support – Tie
• Product Selection -Tie

For sleepers with specific needs…

Side Sleepers: Choose Puffy

Here’s why… Puffy is excellent for combination sleepers and offers a universal support system. It should give plenty underneath your shoulders without feeling like that hot memory foam hug of early bed models. Along with edge support, this one is an excellent option for side sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers: Choose Puffy

Here’s why … Again, Puffy’s combination support should be comfortable for a variety of sleep positions. The edge support is better so if you’re the type that uses the side of the bed to get comfortable as a stomach sleeper, this one is the better option.

Back Pain: Choose Puffy

Here’s why …The Puffy Lux has that third layer that adapts for support. It will help fill in around your waist and lower back so that your lumbar area can fully decompress. A side benefit of being ultra cooling is that it reduces the amount of time you spend tossing and turning, which can make back pain worse.

Heavy People: Choose Neither

Here’s why… Neither mattress has a high enough weight rating to feel comfortable recommending it for heavier people. You’ll lose the benefits of the contouring layers and will interact with the support layer more quickly. You may find that the foams degrade more quickly over time if you’re more than 300 pounds, so we recommend finding a mattress that takes your unique needs into consideration. Try Ghostbed or Winkbeds Plus for a start.

Couples: Choose Puffy

Here’s why… Puffy mattresses have better edge support, so you’re able to use more of the bed. No more fighting over the sweet spot. Instead, every inch is usable. Plus, it’s very cooling, so you won’t share as much heat and can sleep more relaxed. The foam is responsive and should give you some bounce for couples activities, as well, while dampening motion during sleep time.

Conclusion

We love Puffy’s performance fabrics. They provide such a cooling experience that it’s hard to find something we don’t like. Although we certainly love the budget option off Tuft & Needle, we’re going to have to recommend that you invest a little more in Puffy.

Tuft & Needle would be good if you’re investing in a guest room mattress that you won’t be sleeping on every night. It’s also an excellent option if budget is your only consideration. If you can manage a little bit more, we think you’ll be happier with the performance foam of Puffy and the edge support.

If you’re a couple, it’s especially important that you invest a bit more in Puffy because of the edge support. You don’t want to lose precious inches around the border of your bed because the edge support is lacking. Puffy has no middle sweet spot so you can both sleep happy.

Go with Puffy. It’s worth the extra.