Leesa Original mattress review

Considering the Leesa Original mattress for your bed? Let this review enlighten you. I've been sleeping on a vast range of mattresses and putting them through their paces to bring you a true picture of how comfortable each one is and how much support it provides. I've also roped in my husband Nick to create a balanced view of what each mattress is like for women (so often the purchasers) and men, persuaded friends and family to try them out, and have conducted some semi-scientific testing so that you can buy your mattress online with confidence. 

If you're looking to find the best mattress for your needs, you'll find plenty of choice in our guide to the top picks – but don't miss our deep reviews first. 

Read on for our review of the Leesa mattress – or click the link to find out more.

Who will the Leesa Original mattress suit?

• Anyone and everyone: this is the Volvo of mattresses, a safe, reliable choice that won’t set your world on fire, but nor will it let you down.
• Memory foam fans who love that receptive surface;
• Side sleepers and joint pain sufferers: hip and shoulder pain be gone;
• Restless sleepers: the foam takes the slack so you won't feel your partner fidgeting;
• Apartment/flat and small home dwellers: it's comes in a box, so getting it up narrow stairs isn't an issue.

What's the Leesa like to sleep on?

As the bed-in-a-box review mattresses were coming in fast, and starting to blur in my tiny mind, I decided to check out Leesa’s USPs before we bedded down. So, the first thing you need to know about the Leesa is that it a mix of latex-like Avena foam, and memory foam, along with the obligatory base core that gives it height. Since many of the newest generation foam mattresses have five+ layers, this relatively basic three-layer build was disconcerting. But then I noticed the two most important foam layers are 2" thick each, whereas 1" is often the norm, which got me wondering how much difference 1" could make. 

To find out, we got horizontal. The first thing we both noticed is how responsive the Leesa was; it yields enough to get you comfortable but not too much. It was initially a tad on the firm side but as the bed warmed up, or a little time passed (maybe a combination of both), it definitely felt softer. Rolling from side to back, things stayed pleasant. On to my front, never my fave, and still pretty good. So to sleep, we both went. To be fair we’d been knee-deep in DIY that day so probably could have slept on a bed of nails, but we both survived the night without knowingly waking. There was a bit of a lull before the next mattress was due so we ended up sticking with Leesa for nearly two weeks. If anything, the mattress seemed to soften as the nights passed. Or possibly we adapted to it, but after that first night, I never felt it was too firm again. 

Like most memory foam mattresses, Leesa performed fairly well on motion transfer. It helped that we trialed a King, and Nick is well versed on how much of the bed is his (i.e., 25 percent max), but still, I can report that no wives, or small children, were excessively disturbed or shaken during the testing of Leesa.  

Aimed at the masses, both here and in the USA where Leesa was born, this mattress is pitched at a mid-range 6/10 for firmness (see below). My ever-patient testing team (three male, three female, ranging from 140 to 230 lbs.), graded it between five to 6.5 out of 10, which is the closest in agreement they’ve been so far. 

For our weight test (see below), the ruler showed sinkage of just above 2.75-inches for the side and nearer to 3-inches in the middle, which isn't bad in terms of surface uniformity. One thing I did notice when using the side in earnest, for example sitting on the edge to apply socks or just gird myself for the day ahead, was how well it retained its structure. Foam mattresses do struggle on the edge as they don’t have the extra stitching and strengthening of an innerspring mattress. Some seem to concertina like an accordion when you perch on the edge but Leesa stood its ground.

The posture test (below) was similarly decent. On his side, Nick’s spine looked well supported and, for the first time, there wasn’t a big curve upwards at his neck. However, in the interest of full disclosure (as bloggers say), we were also sent a Leesa pillow to review (to come), which could very well account for the near-perfect dot alignment along Nick’s spine. All our other tests have been done using a regular synthetic pillow.

Leesa mattress construction

I’ve covered the main details already – 2" cooling foam layer, then 2" contouring foam layer and a 6" thick core base foam layer. The former has an unusual wavy shape, like an egg carton, which is all about breathability, airflow, and bounce. The memory foam, as with any memory foam, is where the support and contouring come in. Being a generous 2" felt good, particularly on my hips and shoulders. There’s quite a lot of enthusiasm online for Leesa’s seamless, one-piece cover construction. I’d agree it looks smart but I couldn’t get massively worked up about something that is only ever seen on laundry day. On that note, the cover is not designed to be zipped off and popped in the machine. Only sponge-cleaning is recommended, and we all know how effective that is.

What do you get for your money?

A 100-night, no-risk sleep trial, free delivery and returns, and a 10-year limited warranty. You will also get a sparkling clean conscience — possibly even a halo. Many companies donate mattresses to charity (I’ve often wondered if these are refurbished returns from all those 100-day trials but I am massively cynical). In any case, the altruism is not to be sneezed at. However, Leesa donates one mattress to children for every 10 sold, its headquarters runs on renewable energy, it's a certified B-corp, and physically supports local and national communities — staff are given time off for charitable works. My hat is well and truly off. 

Ordering and delivery

• Delivery is free and no contact, and in-home delivery is available too, for fee
• Once the order is placed, the mattress is made-to-order and typically shipped within two week

How does the Leesa rate online?

I guess they could be vetted (note: I am not saying that they are) but nearly all of the 20,000 reviews on Leesa’s own website are four or five stars, and 88% of reviewers recommend it. That’s a LOT of happy customers — many pointing out how great the price is, as well as being evangelical over comfort levels. Interestingly, the naysayers are mainly snarked about Leesa’s return policy, or rather the inability and/or frustrations involved. Amazon reviewers aren't as enthusiastic with a 4.2 rating, but still, 69 percent of reviews are four or five stars. One reviewer nails it perfectly with: "The best thing about this mattress is that I never think about it — I used to wake up with all sorts of backaches and pains and they all just disappeared when we got this!" 

Is the Leesa worth it?

Yes, it is a crowd-pleaser. It does need turning (not flipping) and there are no handles to do so, plus the cover doesn't come off for cleaning. That aside, the Leesa is pitched at the more affordable end of the bed-in-a box market, yet punches way above its weight. It didn’t transform my life, I am far too repressed to be that OTT about an inanimate object in any event, but I would be very happy to rate it reliably comfortable. It won’t rock your world, but you won’t wake up ruing the day you allowed it through your front door. In fact, if I didn’t have to think about it for my job, I'd agree with the happy Amazon reviewer; it just lets you forget about how you slept and get on with your day. Praise indeed.

Leesa Original mattress: where to buy

About our review and our reviewer

Linda Clayton has been writing about homes and interiors for nearly 20 years, working for publications such as Homes & Gardens, Country Homes & Interiors, Real Homes, Ideal Home, Livingetc and House Beautiful. Linda and her husband spend between five and 10 nights sleeping on each mattress. Find her on Twitter at @lindaclayton and  @lindaclaytonwrites on Insta.

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