Leesa Mattress Review

The Mattress Nerd’s Take: Leesa is a great mattress that’s comfortable for many sleepers. It doesn’t have many bells and whistles, but it accommodates concerns like temperature regulation, edge support, and pressure relief. For average-weight sleepers with average needs, Leesa is a great choice. For more top choices, see the best online mattresses.

Is the Leesa Mattress for You?

Who’s Going to Love It

• Lightweight to average-weight sleepers
• Sleepers who like a true medium-firm feel
• All sleeping positions
• Couples

Who Should Steer Clear

• Sleepers who want a traditional memory foam feel
• Heavyweight stomach sleepers
• Sleepers who love innerspring mattresses

How Does the Leesa Mattress Feel? 

Firmness

The Leesa is considered a medium-firm mattress. Because Leesa strives to appeal to most sleepers, regardless of how they slept, the firmness level also hits the middle of the pack.

In other words, if you want a fluffy cloud of a mattress, the Leesa won’t suit you. And if you want to sleep on something super firm, this won’t do it for you either.

Old-school foam mattresses also earned a bad rap for swallowing sleepers. You’d sink in and get stuck and they’d have to send in a search party after you. The Avena foam in the top layer has a lot of bounce to it. It responds quickly to your movements, so you’re able to move and get out of it without any sinkage.

Temperature

Memory foam mattresses earned a bad rap for retaining too much body heat. Better technology—including the egg carton-shaped top foam layer in the Leesa—helps to increase airflow and create a cooler night of shut-eye for you. Find more options for hot sleepers in our best cooling mattresses.

Support

The Leesa is a durable bed with good support, especially considering it is an all-foam mattress. Good edge support not only contributes to this mattress’s durability, but will make it easier to sit on the edge of the mattress without slipping off or to sleep near the edge without fear of falling out of bed.

Because the Leesa offers good support, it works well for most body types. However, if you are a heavyweight sleeper looking for a true medium-firm mattress, you might consider a firmer mattress, as heavier folks will sink into their mattress more deeply than lightweight and average-weight sleepers. To find more mattress options, see our best mattresses for heavy people.

Back Sleepers

If you’re a back sleeper, you need proper support for your spine and neck. The Leesa mattress more than delivers on this quality; with a medium-firm firmness level, this bed does a great job of supporting your back and maintaining spine alignment for lightweight and average-weight sleepers. Because this is a firmer memory foam bed, you get that firmness sweet spot of just enough cushioning combined with durable support. 

This might work for some heavyweight back sleepers, but a firmer mattress might help ensure larger folks get the support they need as they sleep on their backs. For other protective mattresses that distribute the weight of the body evenly, see the best mattress for back sleepers.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers require a mattress that supports and elevates their hips in order to prevent any sinkage that could cause the spine to curve. They also need a bed that keeps pressure off of their chest and shoulders. Luckily for lightweight to average-weight sleepers, this memory foam bed provides just support to keep the spine aligned, while also contouring to your curves so you feel well-supported and comfortable throughout the night. 

Heavyweight stomach sleepers will probably want a firmer mattress to make sure their hips stay elevated. Check out the best mattress for stomach sleepers for the most supportive mattresses.

Side Sleepers

Pressure relief and contouring are key features side sleepers should look for in a mattress. Because they sleep on their side, their hips and shoulders tend to take the majority of their weight. The Leesa mattress does feature a comfort layer of contouring memory foam that works to cradle the body for lightweight to average-weight sleepers. 

For heavyweight sleepers, the all-foam construction can lead to sinking too deeply. A hybrid mattress might work better for heavyweight sleepers to provide that pressure relief alongside support. For better options, check out the best mattress for side sleepers.

Combination Sleepers

Most lightweight to average-weight combination sleepers will enjoy the Leesa mattress. The memory foam layers work to prevent motion transfer, and the top layer does an excellent job of responding to your movements, so much so that the mattress made our list of best mattresses for combination sleepers. For heavyweight combination sleepers, a firmer mattress might be needed to ensure ease of movement as you change positions in the night.

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

Does It Fit Your Lifestyle?

Joint Pain Relief

One of the Leesa mattress’s great features is pressure relief. The contouring layer of memory foam will help to prevent pain in key pressure points like shoulders and hips, particularly for lightweight to average-weight side sleepers. 

Couples

A couple’s harmony in the bedroom is important, and sleep is an important part of that harmony. The foam used in the Leesa will sink down when you sit on the edge of the mattress, but you won’t slip off. The third layer of foam does a great job keeping its structure. 

That means sleeping on the edges won’t be a problem either. There’s enough give to cradle the body, so you avoid feeling like you’re pressing down on your back, thighs, hips, and shoulders. Less pressure; less pain; better sleep. 

The way the layers of foam all provide either structure or contouring means the Leesa does a pretty good job isolating motion. In other words, if your partner gets out of bed to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, you might feel a slight jiggle, but you’re probably not waking up. 

Speaking of couples and motion isolation, Leesa also made our list of the best mattresses for sex.

Budget

When shopping for a new mattress, most of us want to be sure we are getting value for our money. This is especially true for budget shoppers. While the Leesa isn’t the cheapest option on the market, we think it is reasonably priced with great value for money. With the Queen size mattress priced at $1,099, the Leesa is on par with similar mattresses. 

Additionally, the Leesa is CertiPUR-US certified, meaning it is made with materials that are safe for you to sleep on, and all their mattresses are made to order in the USA. With Leesa, you’ll be getting a high-quality mattress for your money.

Construction: What’s Under the Surface?

The Leesa is an all-foam mattress that excels in support, cooling features, and pressure relief to the body. 

Layer #1: Leesa Cover: A soft cover of gray twill fabric encasing the layers of foam underneath. The Leesa cover is seamless, making a smooth surface for you to sleep on.

Layer #2: Comfort Layer: 2” layer made of cooling foam that keeps sleepers cool and responds to their movements. It’s called “LSA200 foam” and mimics the feel of latex. Most foam beds don’t do a great job of keeping you cool, so this is a big pro for the Leesa. Also, the way the foam responds to movement means the mattress is a good fit for all sleep positions. It is one of our top picks for the best mattresses for back pain. 

Layer #3: Memory Foam Recovery Layer: The 2” second layer is made up of contouring memory foam, which cradles the body and provides significant pressure relief.

Layer #4: Support Layer: The 6” bottom layer is the densest layer of the three. The polyfoam layer makes up the core support of the mattress, sturdy enough to enhance the structure of the Leesa. The support foam is three-pound density, which will withstand everyday use. Anything flimsier than three pounds will not hold up over time.

How Much Does the Leesa Mattress Cost?

Make sure you get the best deal on your mattress with our exclusive Leesa mattress coupons. On a stricter budget? See our Best Mattresses Under $1,000 and Best Mattresses for the Money.

How Do the Policies Measure Up? 

Shipping & Unboxing

One of the original boxed mattresses comes compressed and rolled into, you guessed it, a box! (15” x 15” x 45” for a Queen.) Open the box. Take it out of the box. Free it from its plastic wrapping. Watch it expand. Have a drink while you’re at it. Enjoy. Done. If you are looking to have your mattress shipped directly to your front door, check out the best bed in a box. 

Your mattress should arrive within two weeks after Leesa has received your order. Shipping is free to all 50 states.

You can also pay for white glove delivery, which costs $150. A two-person team will bring the mattress and set it up for you, as well as remove your old mattress and any packaging. If you order the Leesa foundation and frame, the delivery team will set those up and remove your old frame and box spring, as well. If you opt for white glove delivery, you will be contacted by the in-home delivery team to coordinate the service.

Warranty

Leesa also offers a 10-year full replacement limited warranty. For 10 years, if the mattress shows a defect, unrelated to wear and tear, Leesa will repair or replace it. There’s no fee for that.

Trial Period & Returns

You have roughly three months to road test the Leesa foam mattress. You need to sleep on the mattress for at least 30 nights of that 100-night trial period before you can return it. It takes time for people to get used to a new mattress and for the mattress to break in. Thirty days goes fast. The best online mattress companies each have similar policies.

If you do return it, you will get a full refund, and Leesa will coordinate the pickup for your mattress. One note, Leesa ships to all 50 states, but people living in Alaska and Hawaii will have to pay $100 to return it. 

Leesa is a certified B Company, which gives out its certification to the most socially responsible companies only. If you return the mattress, Leesa will donate it to a local charity that needs it. Coming and going, you accept very little risk to try the Leesa mattress.

Leesa Mattress FAQs

Is a Leesa Mattress Worth It?

The Leesa is a great medium-firm mattress at an affordable, mid-range price point. With an all foam construction that supports your body as you sleep, the Leesa works well for any sleeping position. Plus, trying the Leesa is risk free with a 100-night sleep trial.

How Long Do Leesa Mattresses Last?

We expect that your Leesa mattress will last about seven to 10 years. To get as many years of use as possible, it’s important to care for your mattress—keeping it clean and setting it up on a substantial base or bed frame. If you need a base for your Leesa, be sure to check out the Leesa bed frame, adjustable base, platform bed, or foundation.

Can I Flip My Leesa Mattress?

There’s no need to flip your Leesa mattress—in fact, flipping it will invert the order of the layers in the mattress and reduce its performance. But you can help to extend the life of your mattress by rotating it 180 degrees every three to six months so that the mattress is worn evenly throughout. 

Can I Try the Leesa In Person Before Purchasing?

If you buy your mattress on Leesa’s online store or from an online retailer like Amazon, you’ll have 100 nights to test your mattress and return it if you don’t like it. But if you’d rather not buy it sight unseen, there are a few places you can test out the Leesa in person. 

Leesa has two Dream Gallery locations: the Virginia Beach Dream Gallery in Virginia and the Soho Dream Gallery in New York, showrooms where you can test and purchase mattresses. If those locations are out of your reach, you can also test out Leesa mattresses at the brick-and-mortar stores of West Elm and Pottery Barn.

Comparing the Leesa Mattress

Leesa Original Mattress vs. Leesa Hybrid Mattress

The Leesa Hybrid is the luxurious cousin of the original Leesa Mattress. Instead of an all-foam construction like the original, the Leesa Hybrid features both foam layers and a layer of 1000+ active response pocket springs. 

Springs make this mattress a little firmer than the original, making it easy to move around on and significantly reduces motion transfer. A mix of foam and coils also promotes more airflow in the mattress, helping to cool hot sleepers throughout the night. However, the Leesa Hybrid is more expensive than the original, so it’s not a great option for budget shoppers.

See our full Leesa Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

Leesa Original Mattress vs. Leesa Legend Mattress

The Leesa Legend is a hybrid mattress with foam, a layer of pocketed coils, and a layer of micro-coils designed to provide excellent support. That targeted support makes the Leesa Legend a great option for side sleepers, back sleepers, and combination sleepers. Also folks who experience joint pain or arthritis may also benefit from the Leesa Legend’s supportive but soft construction.

The Leesa Legend is the most expensive and luxurious mattress from the Leesa brand, so for budget shoppers the original will likely be a better choice. For some, the extra money might make the Leesa Legend worthwhile, but we think the original works just as well lightweight and average-weight back sleepers. 

If you’re interested in more luxury mattresses, be sure to see our list of best luxury mattresses.

See our full Leesa Legend Mattress Review to learn more.

Leesa Original Mattress vs. Studio by Leesa Mattress

The Studio by Leesa is the least expensive mattress the brand offers. It’s an all-foam mattress that’s an inch thinner than the original Leesa. Both mattresses are medium-firm and show good motion isolation. However, our team felt that the Studio was somewhat lacking in edge support. 

For budget shoppers, you can’t beat the price of the Studio. Its lower price also makes it a great option for kids or young couples. Heavyweight sleepers should probably find a mattress firmer than either the Studio or original Leesa mattress, as they may sink in too deeply to sleep comfortably.

See our full Studio by Leesa Mattress Review to learn more.

Leesa Original Mattress vs. Casper Original Mattress

The Casper Original Mattress and Leesa Original Mattress are both medium-firm, all-foam mattresses. Both have 100-night sleep trials, 10-year limited warranties, and offer white glove delivery for an additional cost.

The Casper features perforations in the top layer of foam to promote airflow and keep you cooler at night, since foam mattresses tend to retain a lot of body heat. This makes the Casper a better pick for hot sleepers than the Leesa. Our team also felt that the Casper worked better for side sleepers of all weights, whereas the Leesa wasn’t our top pick for heavyweight side sleepers.

See our full Casper Mattress Review to learn more.

Leesa Original Mattress vs. Purple Mattress

The Purple is also a foam mattress but differs from the Leesa because of its unique, Hyper-Elastic grid layer. For hot sleepers, the Purple is a great choice because the grid layer allows so much airflow within the mattress and keeps you much cooler than a traditional foam mattress. 

The Purple and Leesa mattresses are in a similar price range, but the Leesa is slightly less expensive, so budget-conscious shoppers may want to take that into consideration.

See our full Purple Mattress Review to learn more.

Leesa Original Mattress vs. Tuft & Needle Mint

Tuft & Needle Mint is a medium-firm foam mattress. The Mint is the luxury upgrade of the original Tuft & Needle mattress, featuring graphite-infused foam to promote cooling and reinforced edge support. For budget shoppers, the Tuft & Needle Mint is a great option, as it is slightly less expensive than the Leesa Original.

Neither the Leesa or the Mint are great picks for heavyweight sleepers, as they are lacking in the necessary support. For lightweight and average-weight sleepers, both mattresses will work for back and side sleepers. Leesa is our pick for lightweight to average-weight stomach sleepers over the Tuft & Needle Mint.

See our full Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress Review to learn more.

Pros/Cons

Pros

• Versatile: No mattress is perfect for everyone, but the Leesa is a great mattress because it can accommodate a lot of different people of different sizes, sleeping styles, and needs. This versatility also makes it a great mattress for couples with different sleep needs.
• Support: Foam mattresses aren’t always the most supportive, but the Leesa delivers on edge support and is going to provide a medium-firm feel to most lightweight and average-weight sleepers. 
• Reasonably priced: Again, the Leesa isn’t the cheapest mattress on the market, but it’s middle range price point is a great value for money when considering the quality, durability, and comfort of this mattress.
• Free shipping: No one likes to pay for shipping, especially with a product as expensive as a mattress. Fortunately, Leesa ships for free anywhere in the United States.

Complaints

• Not the best for heavier people: The Leesa is quite firm for an all-foam mattress, but heavyweight sleepers will likely find themselves swallowed up in foam sleeping on the Leesa. 
• Shorter sleep trial period: 100 nights to test out a mattress is plenty for some people, but other brands have offered as much as one year to test out a mattress, which might make some buyers feel more secure in their purchase.

What’s the Bottom Line?

The Leesa Original Mattress is a great mattress. It has just about everything you’d want from a mattress and all for a very reasonable price. We particularly liked the motion isolation, edge support, and ease of movement that this mattress offers. Additionally, the medium-firm feel of the mattress is adaptable to many different styles of sleepers. There are some folks this mattress won’t work as well for, but for many people, the Leesa is a really good option.

The Nerd’s Scores for the Leesa Mattress