Amerisleep vs. Purple Mattress Comparison

Comparing the Amerisleep Mattress & Purple Mattress

The Amerisleep AS3 comes in an all-foam version with a medium-density foam comfort layer, a transitional polyfoam layer and a support layer of high-density polyfoam. The AS3 hybrid features two layers of foam, as well as zoned pocketed coils for added support and breathability. The Purple Original mattress is an all-foam mattress with a Hyper-Elastic Polymer grid in the top layer that promotes airflow, a transitional layer and a support layer of high-density polyfoam.

Differences

• The Purple’s top grid alleviates pressure points without allowing the sleeper to sink, while the AS3 offers deep pressure relief and a responsive memory foam feel in the all-foam and hybrid versions.
• Both companies claim that their mattresses sleep cool, but the Purple Grid promotes steadier airflow than the AS3 all-foam variety. Even the hybrid AS3 has below-average breathability for a mattress with a coil support core.
• The Purple mattress offers an innovative design for a reasonable price point. The AS3 has a relatively traditional foam design, yet is more expensive.

Similarities

• Both beds isolate motion to a fair extent. They are virtually silent when pressure is applied.
• Both offer excellent spinal alignment and comfort for lightweight body types, regardless of whether they’re side sleepers, back sleepers or stomach sleepers.
• Neither mattress is supportive enough for heavyweight individuals. The AS3 hybrid may perform slightly better than the AS3 foam and the Purple Original for heavy sleepers, but sagging will occur on all three models. Check out some recommendations on the best mattress for heavy people, that won’t sacrifice comfort or support.

Who the Amerisleep Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

• Lightweight and average-weight sleepers—The AS3 strikes a balance between support and comfort for these body types, cradling pressure points without too much sinkage.
• All sleep positions—The bed’s medium firmness is just soft enough for side sleepers and just firm enough for back and stomach sleepers. Its responsive surface will make it easy for combination sleepers to change positions. Read our list on the best mattress for combination sleepers for other versatile mattresses.
• People who want a memory foam bed with above-average responsiveness—The top foam layer (Bio-Pur foam) in the Amerisleep mattress is a more responsive memory foam, so you won’t feel stuck in the mattress like on some traditional memory foam beds.

Not Best For…

• Heavyweight sleepers—Neither the hybrid nor the all-foam version of the AS3 is supportive enough for heavyweight individuals and couples.
• People who want a traditional memory foam feel—If you enjoy the feel of memory foam mattress, which is slow to respond and sinks deeply underneath the body, you won’t find what you’re looking for in the AS3.
• People who sleep hot—The AS3 doesn’t offer adequate cooling features for hot sleepers. The top layer of Bio-Pur foam tends to absorb heat in both models, so the bed sleeps temperature neutral to warm.

Read our full Amerisleep mattress review to learn more.

Who the Purple Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

• Lightweight and average-weight sleepers—Like the AS3, the Purple Original is not supportive enough for heavyweight sleepers.
• Side and back sleepers—The Purple distributes body weight evenly, making it one of the best mattresses for back sleepers. Side sleepers will find modest, yet comfortable, conforming at the hips and shoulders.
• Sleepers who enjoy a unique, floating feel—The top comfort layer of the Purple Original is a thick slab of Hyper-Elastic Polymer, which has a similar feel to the gel material used in shoe insoles (think Dr. Scholl’s). The result is a responsive bed that’s soft, yet firm, with a weightless, buoyant feel.
• People who sleep hot—The Purple Grid’s construction allows air to flow through the top layer, so it sleeps much cooler than the average all-foam bed.

May Not be Best For…

• People looking for a traditional memory foam feel—Purple mattress models are unlike anything on the market, and shoppers who purchase this bed expecting the traditional softness, cradling and sinking of memory foam may not enjoy its feel.
• Stomach sleepers—Stomach sleepers find that the middle third of the Purple sags too much, moving the spine out of alignment and potentially causing low back pain.
• Heavyweight sleepers—Heavyweight sleepers may experience sagging and too much pressure with the Original version. Shoppers who like the Purple’s floating feel should consider the Purple Hybrid Premier, which has a coil core to provide adequate support.

Read our full Purple mattress review to learn more.

Deciding Between Amerisleep & Purple

Firmness

Both mattresses have a mid-range firmness setting, but the Purple clocks in at a solid medium-firm, while the Amerisleep AS3 is a true medium. Though the beds are of similar firmness levels, how they feel varies drastically and will likely be the deciding point for most shoppers. The Purple has a firm, yet comfortable, floating feel, and the Amerisleep feels like a memory foam bed that responds faster to pressure.

Motion Isolation

All-foam beds tend to isolate motion better than other styles, and the Purple, AS3 hybrid and AS3 foam are all relatively motion isolating and quiet. You may feel slightly more motion on the AS3 hybrid due to its springy, pocketed coil core. Couples need limited motion transfer to avoid disturbances from their partners as they sleep; see our best mattress for couples suggestions.

Edge Support

Support around the perimeter of a mattress is key for sleepers who want to spread out on their bed, couples looking to use the entire surface of the mattress, or those who sit on its edges. Edge support is achieved by denser, thicker foams and tends to be better on innerspring and hybrid mattresses. Neither foam bed has noteworthy edge support, and even the AS3 hybrid sinks a bit at the perimeter, despite its inclusion of coils.

Pressure Relief

Pressure relief refers to how well a bed cradles pressure points like the hips and shoulders. The AS3 provides enough body contouring for all sleeping positions, but the Purple Original’s pressure-relieving ability varies by sleeping position. Stomach sleepers in particular will find that their torsos sag on this mattress, which can lead to neck and shoulder pain. The best mattress for heavy stomach sleepers needs to be especially sturdy and firm enough to keep the hips lifted without resulting in pressure buildup in the hips and shoulders.

Durability 

A mattress’s lifespan can usually be predicted by its style and the quality of its materials. The AS3 hybrid and foam beds will last about seven years, but Purple has not been on the market long enough to determine the average lifespan of the Original mattress.

Temperature 

The Purple Original offers much better temperature regulation than the AS3. The open construction of the grid layer allows air to flow through so that the bed sleeps cooler than average. The AS3’s top layer of memory foam can trap heat, in spite of its Celliant cover and the pocketed coil core in the hybrid version. To stop overheating at night, check out best cooling mattress.

Amerisleep Mattress Construction

The Amerisleep AS3 comes in two styles: all-foam and hybrid. The options are similar apart from their support core. Both beds have a medium firmness setting, measure 12” tall and offer noticeable but responsive contouring from the top layer. The materials used in the beds include Amerisleep’s proprietary Bio-Pur foam, polyfoam in varying densities, pocketed coils and a Celliant blend cover for active recovery.

The cover of the Amerisleep AS3 is a high-quality, stretchy blend of Celliant and polyester. Celliant converts the body heat into infrared energy and transmits it back to the sleeper to help regulate body temperature and promote physical recovery for sore muscles.

The comfort layer of both models is 3 inches of open-cell Bio-Pur memory foam, which is a medium-density eco-friendly memory foam with a higher than average responsiveness. The top layer will feel soft regardless of your sleeping position but responds quickly to pressure. This makes it easier for sleepers to change positions, and it’s a plus for people who feel “stuck” on traditional memory foam beds.

The transitional layer of both models is 2 inches of polyfoam, which adds a buffer between the comfort layer and the firmer, more supportive core layer.

The support core varies based on the AS3 model you choose: The foam AS3 features 7 inches of high-density polyfoam, and the hybrid AS3 features 7 inches of zoned, pocketed coils. The coils allow the hybrid version to offer more edge support, bounce and breathability for the sleeper. The coils also make the hybrid version of the Amerisleep a better mattress for stomach sleepers.

Purple Mattress Construction

The Purple is a unique, all-foam mattress with a Purple Grid comfort layer, a high-density polyfoam transitional layer, and an even higher-density polyfoam base layer. The Hyper-Elastic Polymer on top is responsible for most of the bed’s feel; it conforms around pressure points for a “floating” sensation. Measuring 10” tall, the Purple has a medium to medium-firm setting.

The Purple cover has a nice stretch that complements the smart grid in the comfort layer. The grid softens where pressure is applied but maintains an even surface elsewhere, creating a floating feel that’s truly unique to the Purple brand.

The polyfoam transitional layer acts as a buffer between the sleeper and the firmer core, but it also contributes largely to the bed’s medium-firm feel (it’s firmer than most transitional layers). The support layer of polyfoam reinforces the mattress layers above it. Of note, this mattress is shorter than most foam beds on the market, which may appeal to some sleepers and deter others.

Sizing & Price Comparisons 

For great deals on Purple beds, see our Purple coupons page. For the latest Amerisleep specials, check out our Amerisleep coupons page.

Shipping and Returns for Amerisleep & Purple

Amerisleep Mattress

All Amerisleep mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial. During the trial, you can return the bed at any time for a full refund. Amerisleep mattresses purchased online and in-store come with the Amerisleep warranty of 20 years, which is partially prorated and protects against defects in workmanship. Amerisleep offers free shipping to the contiguous U.S., and mattresses are delivered within three to five business days of purchase through FedEx’s curbside delivery.

Purple Mattress

All Purple mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial. A break-in period isn’t required, so you can return or exchange your new mattress at any point throughout the trial for a full refund. Purple also covers return shipping expenses. Exchanges for a more expensive model will incur a charge for the difference between the mattress prices. All Purple mattresses come with a 10-year warranty, which is entirely non-prorated and protects against defects. Purple offers free shipping to the contiguous U.S., and most mattresses arrive within five business days. The Original Purple ships as a bed-in-a-box, while Purple’s other mattresses come with free White Glove delivery.

More Amerisleep Mattresses

This medium-firm mattress comes in hybrid and all-foam styles and is best for stomach and back sleepers who need pain relief. It’s slightly more expensive than the AS1.

See our full Amerisleep AS2 Mattress Review to learn more.

More Purple Mattresses

Built with a 2” Purple Grid comfort layer, the Purple Hybrid has a medium-firm feel and a pocketed coil support core. It offers more support than the Original and improved temperature neutrality, but it is more expensive.

See our full Purple Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

Purple’s most luxurious mattress, the Premier comes with a 3” or 4” Purple Grid top layer and has a medium or medium-soft feel. It isolates motion better than the other Purple mattress options, but it costs significantly more than both models.

Read our full Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Review to learn more. 

Haven’t made a decision yet? Check out these other comparisons:

Amerisleep vs. Leesa

Amerisleep vs. Casper

Amerisleep vs. Tempur-Pedic

Purple vs. Tuft & Needle

Purple vs. Lull

Purple vs. Casper

Purple vs. Leesa

Purple vs. Layla

Purple vs. Helix

Purple vs. Ghostbed

Purple vs. Nectar

Purple vs. Bear

Our Final Take: Amerisleep vs. Purple

Now that you’ve read through the entire comparison, let’s decide which is the best mattress for you. First, it’s important to remember that both options are best suited for lightweight and average-weight sleepers. If you sleep on your stomach, you’ll be better off on the Amerisleep AS3. If you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper or combination sleeper, you can fare well on either.

For those of you who could sleep healthfully on either bed, your decision comes down to three factors: feel, temperature and price. Purple is the clear choice for people who sleep hot. If you’re on a budget, the Purple is our recommendation as well; it’s the cheaper option, even when the AS3 is on sale. Finally, if you like a foam bed with a little bit of responsiveness, you’ll enjoy the Amerisleep. If you want a feel that’s unlike anything you’ve ever slept on before or if you enjoy sleeping “on” your mattress rather than “in” it, you’ll enjoy the Purple.