Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress Review

Michael Magnuson

Founder of GoodBed, Leading Mattress Expert

Summary: Is the Brooklyn Signature a Good Mattress?

Brooklyn Bedding was one of the early players among mattresses available mainly online. They started with just one model; The Brooklyn Signature. While the name has stayed the same, the mattress itself has changed over the years. Here, we review the currently available model. The Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress comes in three firmness levels: Firm, Medium, and Soft. This in-depth review is for the Medium version.

While Brooklyn Bedding mattresses are available primarily online, the company does have a number of showroom locations, as well as some partner mattress stores where you can see their mattresses in person before buying, a nice bonus if you're not completely comfortable buying a mattress sight-unseen, and assuming you live near a showroom. Otherwise, Brooklyn Bedding has a free delivery and trial period that matches most of its online-mattress competition. Pricing is also similar to its online competitors, but note that GoodBed readers can snag an exclusive discount. Also note that Brooklyn Bedding offers a substantial discount to active military and veterans, first responders, teachers, and students--worth checking out if you fit into one of those groups and decide that the Brooklyn Signature mattress is a good fit for your needs. (See the bottom of the Brooklyn Bedding website for special-group discount details.)

In our evaluations, we found the medium version of the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress to have what we would describe as a Medium comfort level on our scale. We thought it would suit combo-sleepers best, and across a wide range of body types. It also performed well for back sleepers, though heavier back sleepers (above about 200 pounds) will probably be better off on the Firm version. Likewise, we thought that most stomach sleepers should also opt for the Firm version to avoid over-arching of the back which can lead to back pain. If you are primarily a side sleeper, the Soft version has the best pressure relief.

Given that this mattress is made mainly of springs, it is unsurprising that it's a pretty bouncy mattress. Even so, motion isolation was very good, making this a good choice for couples that like some bounce in their mattress, but don't want to be disturbed by a partner changing positions while sleeping.

The mattress performed very well on our adjustable base, and we didn't observe any red flags that might lead us to question long-term durability.

Comparison of feels

If you aren't sure which version is best for you, we have a separate video comparing the softness and cushioning of all three versions.

Read on for our detailed report, and be sure to check out the video to see this mattress in action as we put it through our tests.

Note: Brooklyn Bedding was early to the online-mattress game, and now has a variety of models in its lineup. This review covers the Brooklyn Signature mattress, a hybrid bed made with foam over pocket springs. We have also provided our review of the Brooklyn Aurora mattress, a more expensive hybrid bed made of foam and memory foam over pocket springs, and with several specific features to keep you cool. 

Bottom Line: Who is the Best Match for a Brooklyn Signature Hybrid - Medium Version?

BEST if you:

• Are a combo sleeper
• Like a mattress with some bounce
• Need good motion isolation
• Prefer a softer bed

NOT IDEAL if you:

• Prefer a slow, melting into the bed feeling
• Tend to sleep right on the edge
• Are much lighter or heavier than average (choose a different firmness)

Comfort and Feel

The “feel” characteristics of a mattress cannot be universally better or worse. They can only be more or less desirable to you, based on your personal preferences. For this reason, we call these “preference-based” attributes. Our ratings here are based on objective measurements that we apply to a consistent scale for products from all brands.

Softness ( what’s this )

We classify the Brooklyn Signature Medium mattress as a Medium mattress on our scale, with a plush cover and soft foams right at the top. The springs also have a lot of "give" which adds to the feeling.

We judged the Firm version a Medium Firm on our scale, and the Soft version is also a Soft on our scale; it is notably softer than the Medium version.

Not sure what softness is best for you? Take our Mattress Match Quiz and find out.

Cushioning Depth ( what’s this )

The softer springs in the coil unit allow for a lot of conformance and cushioning on this mattress. If you like a blend of sleeping in your mattress and that you're floating on top of it, you might enjoy the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid.

Deeper than average cushioning can be found on the Soft version, which really gives you a feeling that you are sinking into the mattress, while the Firm version has that floating-on-top feeling.

Memory Feel

We look at responsiveness in two ways. First, we examine how quickly a mattress springs back after being depressed - or memory feel -- then we take a look at bounce qualities.

Brooklyn Bedding calls its TitanFlex foam a memory foam, but it has none of that slow, melting quality we associate with memory foam. Rather, this foam springs right back into shape.

Bounce

As for bounce, we would expect some springiness due to the layer of pocket springs, and that was indeed the case. Our tester really did feel the bed pushing him back into the air when he dropped his weight onto the bed. If you like a mattress with a traditional amount of bounce, this would be a good choice.

Back Support

The key to good back support is for the mattress to support your spine in a “neutral” position while you sleep, meaning that the shape of your spine is roughly the same as when you're standing. The ability of any given mattress to do this will vary by sleeper, depending on its “fit” for your weight, body shape, and preferred sleep position(s).

Overall, we thought the Brooklyn Signature mattress offered excellent support for our 200-lb. tester when side sleeping, and back sleeping was also well supported.  In some cases, we felt that the Firm version of this mattress might be better for heavier sleepers, and for most stomach sleepers. If you are primarily a side sleeper, the Soft version has the best pressure relief of the three.

Spinal Alignment

The key to good back support is maintaining proper spinal alignment while you sleep. This means that the mattress should hold your spine in roughly the same position it's in when you're standing. The ability of a given mattress to do this will generally depend on your weight, sleep position, and body shape.

Here is how we break down the spinal alignment of the Brooklyn Signature mattress:

Back Sleepers:

Our 200-pound tester felt this mattress to be very good while on his back, with suitable spinal alignment. We felt that those lighter than our tester would also be well supported on this bed. However, heavier sleepers should probably opt for the Firm version, as hips could sink too deeply on the Medium, throwing the spine out of alignment.

Side Sleepers:

Spinal alignment for our tester in the side position was really good, and we thought that sleepers of a wide range of body sizes would be similarly well supported. We thought that the Medium version would be a good choice for most everyone. If you are predominantly a side sleeper, the Soft version might work best for you.

Stomach Sleepers:

Achieving good spinal alignment for stomach sleepers can often be trickier as the hips can tend to sink down too far with some mattresses. With the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid, we would steer stomach sleepers towards the Firm version. The Medium was too soft and squishy, and we felt that a stomach sleeper's hips would sink too deeply, creating over-arch in the back.

Pressure Relief

Inadequate pressure relief from your mattress results in “pressure points,” which can be a source of pain, soreness, loss of circulation, restlessness, and other problems. Pressure relief requirements will vary be sleeper, with side sleepers needing the most. Likewise, the amount of pressure relief that a given mattress provides will also vary by sleeper, depending on its “fit” for your weight and body shape.

Overall, we found the pressure relief offered by the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress to be excellent overall. It's worth noting that we thought the Soft version has even better pressure relief. With some mattresses, soft foams initially promise good pressure relief, but a firm coil unit stops shoulders and hips from sinking any further. The coils on this mattress, however, are softer, which lends for a good transition between layers, with pressure relief that adapts to a user's shape.

Performance Features

With the “features” of a mattress, performance will tend to be consistent across all sleepers – without regards to your body type or preferences. However, these attributes have differing levels of importance to each sleeper, which is why we consider them “priority-based” characteristics.

Motion Isolation ( what’s this )

With a bowling pin standing upright on the Brooklyn Signature bed, we tested motion isolation by dropping a 16-lb. bowling ball on it, as well as the whole weight of our 200-lb. tester. In both drop tests, the bowling pin barely moved.

We felt that the Brooklyn Signature bed would be an excellent choice for couples who don’t want to feel their partner getting in and out of bed or repositioning.

Temperature ( what’s this )

For most people, we do not think that the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress will feel hot. First, its spring layer allows for lots of air flow, and because there is no foam around the edge of the bed, that allows for even better air flow. The 3.5" of foam on top of the springs can impede airflow a bit. Still this is a mattress made mostly of springs, and we just don't think that sleeping hot will be an issue for most people.

If "sleeping hot" is a known issue for you, you can opt for an upgraded cover that includes cooling, high-density fibers (we did not test the cooling cover).

Edge Support ( what’s this )

While the Brooklyn Signature mattress does have firmer edge support coils on the long sides, our tester felt he was leaning off. We attributed this to the crowning (quilting) of the cover. He didn't feel very stable in this position, so it might not be the best choice if you tend to sleep right on the edge of your mattress.

Sitting on the edge was much better, and our tester felt very stable. Overall, we would call edge support pretty good, but not the best.

Ease of Repositioning ( what’s this )

One of the highlights of the Brooklyn Signature mattress, for our tester, was ease of movement, which was almost effortless. If you tend to change positions a lot, the Brooklyn bed performed extremely well in our view.

Green Features ( what’s this )

For mattress shoppers concerned with the use of natural materials, sustainable manufacturing practices or the like, we offer our subjective evaluation of any efforts taken by the company to make the mattress more green, healthy, or safe. 

In the case of the Brooklyn Signature mattress, the company makes no claims about the use of natural materials. A large percentage of the bulk of the bed is steel coils, which do not offgas, and at least theoretically, are recyclable. That alone means there's less petroleum-based foam in the bed, reducing chemicals.

The bed's foams are certified to the CertiPUR-US standard, which verifies that a material has low VOC off-gassing as well as a lack of chemicals and other substances regulated by the CPSC. This is now a very standard certification we see on almost all mainstream mattresses.

We gave the mattress an unscientific "sniff test" right out of the box, we noticed almost no 'new mattress' smell.

Adjustable Base Compatibility ( what’s this )

If you plan to use your mattress atop an adjustable base, the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress is a very good choice. We tested the Brooklyn bed with a standard adjustable base and found that right away, the mattress conformed nicely. We did notice some substantial bunching of the top cover/quilt, but our tester did not find it particularly bothersome.

Materials & Construction

What's in a Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress?

Overall, we classify the Brooklyn Signature mattress as a "Comfort Foam over Pocket Spring" construction type.

The Brooklyn Signature mattress is an 11.5″ thick mattress comprised of 5 layers (listed below from top to bottom):

• 1"  foam quilted into the cover
• 1.5" TitanFlex foam, 3.5-lb density
• 1" Variflex transition foam, 3.5-lb. density
• 8" tall pocket springs with firmer edge-support coils on long sides
• .25" foam base for coils to rest on

The topmost layer of foam is actually quilted right into the non-removable cover of the mattress and has about an inch and a half of loft all on its own (called crowning). Next is a layer of the company's TitanFlex memory foam. Next is a transition layer of high-density foam, followed by an 8" pocket spring unit. Along the long edges of the bed is a double row of firmer/narrower edge-support coils. The lower foam layer at the bottom doesn't serve a comfort purpose; its there to serve as a base and protector for the coils.

Durability, Warranty & Value

The “value” of any mattress is both subjective and personal – reflecting how well it meets that person’s unique sleep needs and preferences, relative to their budget. As a result, our ratings in this area are focused on more objective factors like quality and longevity.

How Much Does a Brooklyn Signature Mattress Cost?

Prices shown are list prices. Remember that GoodBed keeps our site current with the best available discounts on all online mattresses, many of which are exclusive discounts for our readers.

What Are You Getting?

The Brooklyn Signature mattress is an 11.5-inch mattress (by our measurement) that's a hybrid of premium foam (3.5 inches) and pocket spring springs (8 inches). In our view, it's a compelling blend of old and new, with the bounce properties of an innerspring mattress combined with the motion isolation characteristics of a foam bed. It all comes wrapped in a substantial and sturdy cover with four usable handles (more rare than you would think).

How Long Will the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress Last?

When it comes to estimating the comfort lifespan of a mattress, we tend to use foam density as our best, albeit imperfect, predictor of how long a foam will retain its shape and resiliency. The top two layers of foam are both of a 3.5-lb density, which a good and high-quality density. Steel springs typically have a long track record for durability. Brooklyn Bedding does offer a solid warranty, which should give consumers peace of mind.

Overall Value

On balance, we feel that Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress is a very good value, right in line with much of its online competitors. It's worth noting that the company offers a substantial discount (25% when we last checked) to certain groups, including active duty military and veterans, first responders, teachers, and students. If you fall into one of these groups, that could certainly tip the scale in Brooklyn Bedding's favor, particular if the Brooklyn Signature mattress fits your other criteria and preferences.

Warranty

• Warranty Length: 10 years
• Indentation Coverage: 1.5” and above

One of the biggest, if not THE biggest complaints about any mattress from consumers regards body impressions—the inability of a mattress to spring back, eventually creating a low spot/sinkhole in the mattress. As such, mattress warranties all contain a term defining how big a sag or ‘body impression’ (measured when no one is on the mattress) is considered a defect, and thus covered under the warranty. The industry standard for mattresses is generally between ¾” and 1.5”. Brooklyn Bedding has chosen to cover indentations that meet or exceed 1.5”. Practically speaking, that means any softening or sagging would need to be at least that deep before the warranty would offer you protection.

See: Brooklyn Bedding warranty info

Other Factors to Consider

Delivery

• Free delivery to your door

Brooklyn Bedding includes free delivery to your door, which is not particularly unusual among its competitors.

Returns

• 120-day trial period
• Full refund, including return shipping within trial period

Brooklyn Bedding offers buyers a 120-day trial period, and requires that buyers try the mattress at least 30 days before returning it. Returns within the trial period are free, with return shipping included. See: Brooklyn Bedding returns policy