Birch vs. Avocado Mattress Comparison

You can’t talk about natural mattresses without talking about the Birch and Avocado. Find out if the wool-covered Avocado or the cotton-covered Birch is the right natural mattress for you.

Comparing Birch & Avocado Mattresses

Differences

• Price: For shoppers looking to save, the Avocado mattress costs less than the Birch and comes with a more generous trial period too.
• Customizability: The Avocado mattress is more customizable than the Birch, with a vegan, no-wool option and pillow top too.
• Edge support: The Birch mattress’s coils provide extra support that will appeal to seniors and couples looking for extra room or support on their mattress.

Key Similarities

• Organic: Both the Birch and Avocado are made from naturally derived materials, and neither mattress uses synthetic materials.
• Breathable: Since the Birch and Avocado mattresses both have latex and coils, hot sleepers will find either option cooling and breathable.
• Responsive: Since natural materials usually don’t “sink,” both the Birch and Avocado mattresses are responsive.

Birch vs. Avocado Video Review

On the fence about the Birch and Avocado mattresses? Watch Mattress Nerds Loren and Corey as they walk through everything you need to know to pick the right mattress for you.

Who the Birch Mattress is Best For

Best For…

• Couples and seniors: Both couples and seniors will appreciate the Birch mattress’s strong edge support which allows for easy movement and maximum bed space.
  • See more—Best Mattresses for Couples

• Hot sleepers: While both mattresses are breathable, hot sleepers will feel a little bit cooler with the Birch’s cotton cover than the Avocado’s wool cover.

• Back sleepers: The Birch and Avocado mattresses are both firm, but back sleepers will enjoy the extra support and solidness that the Birch has to offer.
  • See more—Best Mattresses for Back Sleepers

May Not be Best For…

• Couples: The Birch mattress has weaker motion isolation, meaning sleepers will feel their partners move during the night.

• Side sleepers: The Birch Natural is a firmer mattress which can be too solid and uncomfortable for lighter sleepers and side sleepers.

Read our full Birch Mattress Review to learn more! 

Who the Avocado Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

•  Lighter side sleepers: Although both mattresses are firm, lighter side sleepers will find the Avocado more effective at reducing pressure, while the Birch can put extra, unwanted pressure on the hips.

• Sleepers with pain: For sleepers looking to reduce pressure and aches, the Avocado comes out on top in terms of support and pressure relief.

• Combination sleepers: For combination sleepers who switch positions throughout the night, the Avocado’s latex and coils provide the right responsiveness and bounce.

May Not be Best For…

• Lighter sleepers: Like the Birch, the Avocado is a firmer mattress that many lighter sleepers may not be able to “sink” down into enough.

• Sleepers who prefer soft mattresses: Without the Avocado’s optional pillow tops, sleepers who prefer soft mattresses may experience too much pressure.

Read our full Avocado Mattress Review to learn more! 

Deciding Between Birch & Avocado

Firmness / Feel

At Mattress Nerd, we classify firmness on a scale of 1 to 10—where 1 is like a kitten’s fur and 10 is like a concrete slab. 

Up first, the Birch comes in at a solid 8 on the firmness scale, and the Avocado comes in with a medium-firm feel at a 7 out of 10. If you’re looking to soften up your Avocado a little bit more, you can also add a pillow top.

Overall, both mattresses are a good fit for stomach and back sleepers.

Birch Performance By Sleeping Position:

Body Type:	BACK SLEEPERS	STOMACH SLEEPERS	SIDE SLEEPERS
Lightweight (< 130 lbs):	4	5	2
Average weight (130 – 230 lbs):	5	5	3
Heavyweight (> 230 lbs):	5	5	4

Avocado Performance By Sleeping Position:

Body Type:	BACK SLEEPERS	STOMACH SLEEPERS	SIDE SLEEPERS
Lightweight (< 130 lbs):	5	5	4
Average weight (130 – 230 lbs):	5	5	5
Heavyweight (> 230 lbs):	5	4	5

1 = Very poor, 2 = Not good, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent

Average-weight Sleepers (130–230 lbs)

Average-weight stomach sleepers and average-weight back sleepers will find both the Avocado and Birch mattresses comfortable. However, the firm feel of both mattresses may not appeal as much to average-weight side sleepers looking for more cushion or “sink”. This is especially true for the Birch mattress which is firmer than the Avocado.

Heavyweight Sleepers (> 230 lbs)

Like average-weight sleepers, heavyweight stomach sleepers and back sleepers will appreciate the firmness of the Birch and Avocado mattresses. However, unlike average-weight sleepers, many heavyweight side sleepers can sink down comfortably into the Birch and Avocado mattresses. Usually, the best mattresses for heavy sleepers are on the firmer side. 
Between the two mattresses, stomach sleepers will enjoy the Birch’s extra firmness, while side sleepers will like the Avocado’s support.

Lightweight Sleepers (< 130 lbs)

Lightweight back sleepers and side sleepers will want the least firm of the two mattresses—the Avocado. For lighter sleepers, it’s important for a mattress to have enough softness to relieve pressure at the hips and shoulders. 
For lightweight stomach sleepers, both mattresses work equally well and provide a comfortable level of firmness. While lightweight sleepers generally want more softness in their mattresses than heavier sleepers, the Birch and Avocado’s firmness keeps the back aligned and hips elevated.

Motion Isolation

Both mattresses have coils and latex in their construction, meaning the Birch and Avocado have a lot of bounce and a lot of motion transfer too. Essentially, for either mattress, you’re likely to feel your partner moving around during the night.

Edge Support

In this mattress match-up, the Birch has the edge on edge support, or how well the mattress edges hold up weight. While both mattresses are strong around the edges, the Birch’s reinforced perimeter of steel coils beats the Avocado.

Looking for more info? Check out our edge support page.

Pressure Relief 

The Birch and Avocado mattresses both relieve pressure for heavyweight, average-weight, and light weight back and side sleepers. However, lightweight side sleepers may find that the Birch feels too firm and places too much pressure on the hips. For other pain relief options, check out the best mattresses for hip pain.

Durability 

While the Birch and Avocado have a similar construction, the Avocado’s durable Dunlop latex layers and steel coils make it a mattress that you can enjoy for a long time.

Temperature 

Hot sleepers can enjoy either the Birch or Avocado mattress because both have breathable latex and coils in their construction. However, because the Birch has a cotton cover (instead of the Avocado’s wool cover), you can expect to sleep a little bit cooler on the Birch.

Birch Mattress Construction

Avocado Mattress Construction

Cover

The Birch mattress’s cover is made of organic cotton, while the Avocado’s is made of natural wool. This means that the Birch’s cover material is more cooling than the Avocado’s. However, Avocado also offers a vegan cotton cover option too.

Comfort Layers

Below the covers, both mattresses use latex for their comfort layers, but the Birch mattress uses two inches of Talalay latex and wool, and the Avocado mattress uses three inches of Dunlop latex. The difference between the two latex options is that Dunlop latex is more firm and durable than Talalay. The Avocado mattress can also include an optional two more inches of Dunlop latex to reduce the mattress’s firmness.

Support Layers

Next, both the Birch and Avocado mattress use eight inches of steel coils in their support layers for a breathable, bouncy feel. However, the Birch mattress’s coils have extra reinforcement around the edges which boosts the beds edge support.

Sizing & Price Comparisons 

Size	Birch Prices	Avocado Prices
Twin	$1,349	$1,199
Twin XL	$1,399	$1,299
Full	$1,599	$1,499
Queen	$1,799	$1,699
King	$2,099	$2,299
California King	$2,099	$2,299

Shipping and Returns for Birch and Avocado

Birch Mattress

With the Birch mattress, you can expect free shipping and returns in the United States. If you’re not sure about your Birch, you’ll also get a 100-day trial to sleep on it. Once you’ve got your Birch set up, you can enjoy its 25-year warranty.

Avocado Mattress

Just like the Birch, the Avocado mattress comes with free shipping and returns, but this mattress comes with a generous 365-day free sleep trial. If you’re still enjoying your Avocado after that year, you’ll also get a 25-year warranty too.

More Birch Mattresses

See Birch Luxe Mattress Review to learn more.

More Avocado Mattresses

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

• Avocado vs. Awara
• Avocado vs. Brooklyn Bedding
• Avocado vs. Tuft & Needle
• Avocado vs. WinkBed

Our Final Take

The Birch and Avocado are both firm, cooling, and organic mattress options. If you’re a back sleeper, looking for a firmer mattress, or looking for extra edge support, the Birch will be the better fit for you. On the other hand, if you want pressure relief, a more affordable mattress, or if you’re a combination sleeper, the Avocado will work better for you.