Brooklyn Signature Mattress Review

 

Comfort & Feel

There are three aspects that make up our assessment of comfort and feel. We call these "preference-based characteristics" because no rating here is better or worse – rather, the attributes that are most desirable to you will be determined solely by your personal preferences. We apply the same classification standards to each mattress so you can more easily compare apples to apples.

Softness ( what’s this )

We classify the Brooklyn Signature mattress as a Medium Firm mattress, just to the firmer side of what we'd call medium. That means we had a feeling of floating on top of the mattress as opposed to sinking deeply into it. That effect is somewhat mitigated by the plush cover, which has a nice softness to it. Note that there are two other versions of this mattress, a "Firm" version and a "Soft" version. More on that in the Back Support section below.

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

Softness Level (1=Least Soft, 9=Most Soft)

4

Medium Firm

 

Cushioning Depth ( what’s this )

As noted earlier, we didn't sink deeply into the Brooklyn Signature mattress, about what we would expect for a slightly firmer mattress. The plush cover does feel soft, and has a pillowy quality. Overall, we felt cushioning was a good blend of the two qualities, but if you like to really sink into a mattress, the Soft version of the Brooklyn Signature Mattress is probably a better choice for you.

Cushioning Depth (1=Shallowest, 9=Deepest)

4

Slightly shallower than medium

 

Responsiveness ( what’s this )

We look at responsiveness in two ways. First, we examine how quickly a mattress springs back after being depressed, then we take a look at bounce qualities. Since the Brooklyn Signature mattress does not include any memory foam, we were not surprised to find that it did not have any of that slow-responding melting quality of memory foam. Rather, the Brooklyn Signature mattress sprung back into position quickly. As for bounce, we would expect some springiness due to the layer of pocketed coils, and that was indeed the case. While the top layers of foam didn't impart much surface-level bounce, we did feel the bed pushing our tester 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.

Response Rate (1=Slowest, 9=Fastest)

8

Quick recovery with some bounce

 

Back Support & Pressure Relief

The two things that you should always be sure to get from your mattress are spinal alignment (commonly thought of as "back support") and pressure relief. Unfortunately, no mattress will deliver these two things equally well for all sleepers. In particular, spinal alignment and pressure relief capabilities will vary across sleepers with different weights, body shapes, and sleep positions. To help you determine how this mattress will perform for you, we break down our spinal alignment and pressure relief assessments by sleeper type.

Overall, we thought the Brooklyn Signature mattress offered excellent support in all sleeping positions for our 200-lb. tester, and we felt that would be the case for a wide range of individuals of average size. In some cases, we felt that the Soft version of this mattress might be better for very lightweight back and side sleepers, and that the Firm version might work out better for heavier (250 lbs.+) people, especially back and stomach sleepers. 

The Brooklyn Signature website has a breakdown of who they think the different softness levels would be best suited, and in our evaluations, we thought those rang true with what we observed.

 

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:

Weight	Range	Back Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers
Lighter	<150 lb	8	8	9
Average	150 to 200 lb	10	9	9
Above Average	200 to 250 lb	10	9	9
Heavier	>250 lb	8	9	9

 

Back Sleepers:

Our 200-pound tester felt this mattress to be exceptional while on his back, with almost ideal spinal alignment, with a well supported lumbar area as well. Our tester's hips sank just deeply enough into the mattress. Very light people (less than 150 lbs. or so) might prefer the Soft version of the Brooklyn Signature bed, while heavier people (250 lbs.+) might prefer the Firm version. But for the majority of people of average weight, we felt that the Brooklyn Signature bed offered excellent support for back sleepers.

Side Sleepers:

Spinal alignment for our tester in the side position was also very good. His shoulders were able to get deep enough into the mattress to allow the top of his spine to remain level. Overall, we believe the Brooklyn Signature mattress would provide good spinal alignment for most side sleepers. Lighter individuals might opt instead for the Soft version, to ensure that hips and shoulders sink deeply enough, which heavier people in the 250 lbs. and over range might instead opt for the Firm version.

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, but our tester felt well supported in this position, with no feeling of an over-arching back. And we felt that stomach sleepers of a wide range of body weights would also feel well supported in this position.

 

Pressure Relief ( what's this )

Weight	Range	Typical Curves	Extra Curvy
Lighter	<150 lb	8	8
Average	150 to 200 lb	9	9
Above Average	200 to 250 lb	9	9
Heavier	>250 lb	8	8

 

Overall, we found the pressure relief offered by the Brooklyn Signature mattress to be excellent. The progressive layering system--where the mattress progresses from soft layers to firmer layers gradually--worked very well, allowing our testers' shoulders and hips to sink into the mattress without "bottoming out" on firmer layers. Overall, we experienced no issues with joint or pressure issues.

For those that have acute pressure relief needs, such as those living with fibromyalgia or arthritis, the Soft version of the Brooklyn Signature mattress might be an option. Very light people (or those with particularly wide hips or shoulders) might also opt for the Soft version, while those heavier than average might go for the Firm version.

 

Other Characteristics

Beyond the preference-based characteristics of comfort and feel, and the body matching for spinal alignment and pressure relief, a mattress will have a number of other attributes that can make it a better or worse choice for you. We call these "priority-based characteristics" because they are areas in which a mattress can be better or worse, but that will have differing amounts of importance to each sleeper. So, determining how much importance to give to these features will be entirely a matter of your own personal priorities. As always, we apply the same ratings standards to each mattress so you can more easily compare apples to apples.

 

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.

Motion Isolation Rating

9 /10

Excellent

 

Temperature ( what’s this )

For most people, we do not think that the Brooklyn Signature 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. Additionally, Brooklyn Bedding says that its TitanFlex foam includes gel particles to help draw heat from the body.

If "sleeping hot" is a known issue for you, the Brooklyn Aurora mattress might be worth a look. This version includes specific heat-management features. We currently have this mattress on hand and are testing it.

Stays “Cool” Rating

8 /10

Very good

 

Edge Support ( what’s this )

While the Brooklyn Signature mattress does not have any specific edge-support features, we nonetheless felt that edge support was very good.When our tester sat on the edge of the bed, he sunk down quite a bit, but did not feel unstable at all. Similarly, when lying on the edge of the bed, he felt very well supported and not at all like he was slipping off.

If you find yourself being pushed to the very edge of your mattress by kids or pets, the Brooklyn Signature mattress would be a good choice.

Edge Support Rating

9 /10

Excellent

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.

Repositioning Rating

10 /10

Exceptional

 

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, however all of the foams used 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.

Steel coils, by their very nature, do not offgas, so that is another bonus. We gave the mattress an unscientific "sniff test" right out of the box, and while we noticed a faint 'new mattress' smell when we pushed our noses right into the bed, we didn't noticed a small while sitting on it. This is the type of odor that typically dissipates in a day or two.

Green Rating

6 /10

Not “natural” but does have some safety certifications

 

Adjustable Base Compatibility ( what’s this )

If you plan to use your mattress atop an adjustable base, the Brooklyn Signature mattress is a very good choice. In fact, the company even sells its own adjustable base (optional). We tested the Brooklyn bed with a standard adjustable base and found that right away, the mattress conformed nicely.

Adjustable Base Use Rating

9 /10

Very compatible

Price, Value & Longevity

What It Costs

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. Note that in the case of the Brooklyn Signature mattress, the company specifies it as an 11.5-inch mattress. We measured closer to 12.5".

 

What You’re Getting

The Brooklyn Signature mattress is a 12.5-inch mattress (by our measurement) that's a hybrid of foam (5.5 inches) and pocketed coil springs (6 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 We Think It Will 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 foams used in the Brooklyn Signature mattress, however, are proprietary, meaning no other company uses them. For that reason, we are left without a track record by which to take an educated guess at longevity. Steel springs, however, certainly have a long track record for durability. While overall durability is a bit of a question mark, Brooklyn Bedding does offer a solid warranty, which should give consumers peace of mind.

 

Overall Value

On balance, we feel that Brooklyn Signature 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.

Value Rating

9 /10

Very good value

 

Delivery, Returns, & Warranty

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 return policy

 

Warranty

• Warranty Length: 10 years
• Indentation Coverage: 1” 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”. 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 policy.