Emma is a European bedding brand that was founded in Germany in 2015. While you might not have heard of it with names like Casper and Nectar, Emma mattresses are insanely popular in Europe. It’s apparently Europe’s “most award-winning” bedding brand. 

Emma offers two beds –– the Emma Original Mattress and the Emma ACT Hybrid Mattress. Instead of giving you just one Emma mattress review, we’re going to give you two. Read on to learn all about the construction, performance, and our thoughts on Emma mattresses. 

  • Honest Emma Mattress Review

Emma Mattress Overview 

ModelSleeping positionSpecial featuresQueen priceMaterials 
Emma Original MattressAll sleeping positions. Best for petite and average body types. Removable and machine washable cover. Special 3-zone technology.$1,299Proprietary Airgocell foam.Memory foam. 
Emma ACT Hybrid MattressAll sleeping positions, but best for back and stomach sleepers. May be too firm for petite side sleepers. Graphite-infused foam.Active cooling technology.Machine washable cover.3-zone technology.$1,699Graphite-infused foam.Memory foam.300+ pocketed coils.

Emma Original Mattress 

How firm is the Original Emma bed?

We’ll start this Emma mattress review by first talking about the flagship, Original bed. Firmness level is one of the most important factors that go into buying a bed. Think about firmness as the immediate feeling you get when lay down on the bed –– is it hard or soft?

On our firmness scale, the Original Emma mattress falls right in the middle. We think it’s a true medium. 

How does the Original Emma Bed feel?

The Emma Original is an all-foam mattress that’s made with proprietary, foam and zoned support. It has a soft, neutral-foam feel. It’s almost fluffy. Despite being an all-foam mattress with a memory foam transition layer, you don’t get an overwhelming memory foam feel. Which is good news for people who don’t like the deep, stuck-in-the-mud feeling of traditional memory foam. 

Emma Original Mattress Construction 

  • Airgocell® foam layer –– The top layer of the Emma bed is a proprietary Airgocell® foam that adapts to the pressure of your body. It’s what gives the bed its responsive nature. 
  • Memory foam layer –– The transition layer of the Emma mattress is memory foam. Despite not having a true memory foam feel, this layer contours to your body. 
  • HRX foam layer –– The base layer of HRX foam has zoned technology that ensures you get the right levels of support in the right places. 
  • Cover –– With a climate-regulating design, the cover is breathable and lightweight. The cover of the Emma Original mattress is also removable and machine washable. That’s not the standard in the mattress industry, so we think this is an advantage. 

The Original Emma mattress is made with special 3-zone technology –– which essentially means the bed is firmer in the middle and softer at the top and the middle. Casper uses a similar design. When we tested it, we didn’t notice much of a difference but it is nice it’s not the same firmness across the entire surface of the mattress.

Emma Mattress Price

Below you can find the listing prices for the Emma mattresses by size. We do want to note that these prices are a little deceiving. The Emma mattresses are usually marked down 30-40% (talk about a good deal). You’ll see the queen size after discount hand around $650 to $700. 

We like the Emma mattress for its price. It’s really affordable, especially when you compare it to beds like Casper Original, Puffy Original, and Leesa Original mattresses. 

SizePrice
Twin$799
Twin XL$899
Full$1,099
Queen $1,299
King$1,449
Cal King$1,449

Emma Original Mattress Performance

Okay, let’s get into it. We’ve talked about price and construction, now it’s time to get into the performance of the mattress. 

  • Pressure relief –– As we have said, Emma is a medium bed on our firmness scale. That means in general, it has a good amount of pressure relief. It’s an all-foam mattress, so this is to be expected. 
  • Temperature –– When memory foam mattresses first came out, they tended to trap heat. Thankfully, foam mattresses have come a long way. In our opinion, the Original Emma mattress sleeps temperature neutral. It’s not an active cooling mattress.
  • Edge support ––  The Original Emma bed is an all-foam bed, which means it has pretty decent edge support. It’s not the best we’ve ever seen, but we don’t think there’s anything to be concerned about though either.
  • Motion isolation & noise –– Emma does a good job of dampening motion. If you sleep with a partner who tosses and turns or a pet that jumps in and out of bed, their movement won’t wake you up. 

Like the foam Emma bed, the Hybrid model also is made with the 3-zone technology. We don’t think you notice it a ton, but it is designed to be firmer in the middle and then softer at the head and foot of the bed. 

Emma ACT Hybrid Mattress 

Now we’ll talk about Emma’s hybrid mattress, the ACT bed. It’s a comfortable hybrid mattress that’s accommodating to most people. There are a few key differences from the flagship bed that you should know about. Namely the firmness, construction, and price. 

How firm is the Emma ACT Hybrid Bed?

The ACT hybrid mattress is a medium to a medium-firm on our scale. It’s slightly firmer than the Original Emma mattress, but it’s still fairly accommodating to most people. It won’t give you quite as much pressure relief as the all-foam model, but that’s a good thing for back and stomach sleepers. Side sleepers can get by on this bed, it might just not be the best pick.

How does the Emma ACT Hyrbid Bed Feel

When you lay down on the Emma ACT hybrid mattress, you immediately notice it is firmer than the flagship model. You still get that neutral foam feel, it’s just firmer. We would describe it as less airy and light, but more responsive. Make no mistake, you still get the comfort of foam. 

Emma Hybrid Mattress Construction 

The main difference between the ACT hybrid and the Emma bed is the construction. 

  • Foam layer – The first foam layer of the ACT hybrid is actually graphite-infused foam that’s made with active cooling technology. Now we don’t think this is enough to make it an actively cooling mattress. 
  • Memory foam layer –– This layer is supposed to adapt to your body’s curves and even distribute your weight.
  • Pocket core –– Instead of foam, the ACT hybrid mattress has a core layer of 300+ pocked coils. This gives the bed a nice level of support that you generally don’t get from foam beds. 
  • Mattress cover –– Like the Original Emma bed, this hybrid mattress includes a removable, machine washable cover. 

Emma Original Vs. ACT Hybrid Sleeper Type Analysis 

  • Back and stomach sleepers

    Emma mattress:

    We don’t think back and stomach sleepers will have any troubles sleeping on the Original Emma mattress. Emma is the type of bed that accommodates everyone. That’s the advantage of being a medium bed. 

     

    Back and stomach sleepers need a mattress that gives their spine the support it needs to stay aligned. If a bed is too soft, then your hips and pelvis sink too far in and you’ll wake up with back pain.

     

    ACT Hybrid mattress:

    If we had to choose between the two, we would recommend that back and stomach sleepers go with the ACT Hybrid bed from Emma –– when talking about firmness alone. The hybrid version is slightly firmer than the original bed, which will promote better spinal alignment. 

  • Side sleepers

    Emma mattress:

    The Original Emma bed is a safe pick –– including side sleepers. If you sleep on your side, then you know you need a bed that has ample pressure relief. The Emma bed makes sure you won’t get pressure points on your knees, hips, and shoulders. 

     

    ACT Hybrid Mattress:

    We think that most side sleepers can sleep well on the ACT Hybrid mattress. It just might not be the best option. The Emma Original mattress offers more pressure relief than the hybrid, so depending on how much you weigh, it might be a better choice. Don’t worry, we’re getting to body type. 

  • Combo sleepers

    Emma mattress:

    Thankfully, the Emma bed is a good pick for every type of sleeper. As the name suggests, combination sleepers roll around at night. Because of this, they need a mattress that doesn’t have a lot of resistance. The last thing combo sleepers need is that stuck-in-the-mud feeling you get with certain types of memory foam. The Emma mattress is fairly responsive, which means you won’t get resistance when you change position. 

     

    ACT Hybrid mattress:

    As a hybrid bed, we think it will be fine for combo sleepers. It’s fairly responsive and won’t give you that sinking traditional memory foam feeling. 

Emma Original Vs. ACT Hybrid Body Type Analysis

Your body type will determine how far you sink into the bed, which in turn will determine how soft a bed will feel to you. 

  • Petite body types

    Petite people (under 150lbs) will put the least amount of pressure on the mattress, so firm mattresses might feel too firm. We think the Original Emma mattress is well suited for petite people since it’s a true medium mattress. You’ll get plenty of pressure relief without sacrificing support. 

     

    The ACT Hybrid mattress might be a little too firm for petite people who strictly sleep on their sides. 

  • Average body types

    For the sake of this review, we categorize people who fall into the average category as between about 150 – 250 lbs. We don’t see anyone having trouble sleeping on the Emma mattress. Or the ACT Hybrid mattress. Both mattresses are suited for this body type.

  • Heavy body types

    Heavier body types (over 250 lbs) will put the most pressure on the mattress, which means they might feel softer than advertised. The Original Emma mattress is an all-foam bed. We don’t think it’s the best choice for heavier body types. It just won’t give you the support and durability you need. 

     

    We recommend that you opt for the Hybrid Emma mattress instead. ACT has the support and durability you’re looking for. 

Emma Hybrid Mattress Price

Hybrid mattresses tend to be priced higher than all-foam mattresses. This is because they include varying material types. The ACT Hybrid mattress is going to be more expensive than the Emma Original bed, though you should expect to see discounts that knock that price down.

SizePrice
Twin$1,349
Twin XL$1,449
Full$1,549
Queen$1,699
King$1,999
Cal King$1,999

Emma Hybrid Mattress Performance

  • Pressure relief –– You get a good amount of pressure relief with the Emma Hybrid bed. With two layers of foam, most people can comfortably lay on this mattress with no problem. In comparison to the all-foam mattresses from Emma, it’s a little bit firmer, which means you’ll get slightly less pressure relief. 
  • Temperature regulation –– The ACT Hybrid bed from Emma is made with graphite-infused foam and Active Cooling Technology. But we don’t think it’s an actively cooling mattress. To us, it falls more in the temperature neutral category –– you won’t sleep hot because of the bed, but you won’t get instant relief either. 
  • Durability –– We like this bed for it’s durability. It has a 300+ pocketed coil base, which means the bed offers plenty of durability and support. 
  • Edge support –– Because it’s a hybrid design, the ACT bed is going to have better edge support than the all-foam version. Over all, we thing the edge support of this bed is pretty good.
  • Motion isolation & noise –– As we mentioned, this bed is made with pocketed coils. That means it’s going to isolate motion much better than traditional innersprings, but maybe not as good as all foam.

Emma Company Policies

Now we’ll dig into Emma company policies. For the most part, they fall in line with the standard bed-in-a-box policies. You get free shipping, free returns and a 100 night trial period. 100 nights isn’t the longest we have seen, but it really is plenty of time to decide if a bed is right for you. One note there, is that you must sleep on the bed for three weeks before initiating return process. Finally, Emma beds come with a 10-year warranty, which is pretty standard. 

Our Final Verdict

We like Emma beds because they’re pretty accommodating to almost anyone. We like to think of them as super safe picks. You won’t be disappointed, you just also won’t get all the bells and whistles other beds offer. But we don’t think that’s an issue. 

Both the ACT Hybrid mattress and the Emma Original bed are great choices, just for different reasons. Picking between them can be difficult, so we’re going to break it down for you. 

Get the Original Emma mattress if:

  • You’re a side sleeper who needs a lot of pressure relief. 
  • If you want to buy Emma, but you’re on a budget. The Original Emma bed is cheaper than the hybrid version. 

Get the ACT Hybrid mattress if:

  • You want a firmer mattress. It’s only about a medium firm, so it’s not the firmest mattress on the market by any means, but it is firmer than the all-foam Emma bed. 
  • You have a heavier body type. This bed has a supportive coil base that the foam option just cannot compete with.

How We Test The Mattresses

  • My Slumber Yard

    Slumber Yard has been around since the beginning of the bed in a box craze. Our team has personally tested and reviewed over 175 mattresses so far, and we keep more than 150 beds in our office so we can compare them (and take afternoon naps).

    When testing mattresses, we evaluate the following factors:

    • Construction: We cut beds open to see what’s inside and how it’s made.
    • Feel: We check if it has a stuck-in-the-mud memory foam feel, or if it’s more of a neutral foam or a plush pillow top, etc.
    • Firmness: We have our own firmness scale and evaluate how that may vary depending on your body and sleeper type.
    • Pressure relief: We test what’s the sweet spot for different body and sleeper types.
    • Support: How that changes by body/sleeper type
    • Edge Support: This is important for couples who share a bed. Would you roll out of the bed, or can you sleep confidently close to the edges?
    • Motion Isolation: We use the water glass test to see how the bed fares with motion transfer. This is another important factor for couples who don’t want to wake up when they move.
    • Temperature Regulation: We use a temperature gun to evaluate if the bed warms up, stays neutral or actively cools while you sleep.
    • Noise: This could be an issue in beds with coils or innerspring.
    • Off-Gassing: Some beds could have a smell for a few weeks after unpacking, and we try to warn you about it.
    • Company policies: We also take into account policies such as shipping, returns, trial period and warranty.
    • Value: We look at a bed’s price in the context of what it offers in terms of features and quality of materials and construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best Emma mattress?

Both the Emma Original mattress and the ACT hybrid are good beds. We recommend the Original mattress for average to petite side sleepers who want a lot of pressure relief. The ACT Hybrid bed from Emma is a little firmer, so we recommend it to back and stomach sleepers. As well as heavier body types because of the supportive coil base.

How long does the Emma mattress take to expand?

According to the Emma website, it takes about 2-6 hours for the mattress to fully inflate. Which is in line with other bed-in-a-box mattresses. The true heigh of the mattress might take a little longer. It should reach 90-95% of the height withing 48 hours. 

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