Puffy Original Mattress Review

Michael Magnuson

Founder of GoodBed, Leading Mattress Expert

Summary: Is the Puffy Original a Good Mattress?

Note that we have twice reviewed this mattress. We covered the first iteration in our Puffy Original video; in 2022, Puffy made some small changes to the top layer of memory foam. Our coverage here is blend of our findings on both of those reviews, as much of our original evaluation still applies.

As you might expect from a name like "Puffy," we anticipated this mattress would have deep cushioning and a super soft feel. In our testing, the mattress does feature very soft memory foam, which means you get a lot of that melting-into-the-bed sensation (made famous by Tempur-Pedic), but overall, we judged the Original Puffy mattress a Medium on our spectrum. If you really like memory foam but want a softer feeling mattress with more of a 'sink in' quality, you may want to have a closer look at the Puffy Lux Hybrid or Puffy Royal Hybrid, both of which we classify as Medium Soft.

The memory foam used in all of the Puffy beds is very soft, but this foam is quicker responding than some other memory foams, so you're unlikely to get that "sinking in quicksand" feeling that some memory foams deliver. Rather, this memory foam springs back relatively quickly.

The Puffy Original would be an excellent choice if you are sensitive to a partner's movements, and it has no bounce at all, unsurprising since this mattress is made entirely of foam.

In our evaluations, we thought the Puffy Original would be a supportive choice for back, stomach, and side sleepers of average weight or lighter. Because of the softness of the top foam, however, we questioned its suitability for those heavier than our tester, particularly if they are stomach sleepers, who may not get enough hip support to prevent over-arching in the back (note that we are reluctant to recommend memory foam in general for heavier stomach sleepers).

Pressure relief was good for our tester, but again we questioned whether heavier side sleepers would get adequate pressure relief; because the top memory foam is so soft, heavier or curvier side sleepers could sink right through it, finding themselves resting on the harder support foam below.

Ease of movement can sometimes be tricky on memory foam; some feel like they are rolling out of a "hole" but we did not find changing positions to be a problem at all on the Puffy mattress. Similarly, edge support can also be iffy on foam mattresses, but the Puffy was better than average. Our tester felt stable when laying right on the edge of the mattress.

From a value standpoint, the Puffy isn't much of a deal compared to other all-foam mattresses. However, Puffy is known for offering some of the deepest discounts and sales online, so we'd certainly recommend checking GoodBed for discounts, as this can bring the price of a Puffy bed in line with, or even less expensive, than similar memory foam and foam beds.

You can place the Puffy mattress atop almost any type of foundation, including an adjustable base.

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.

Bottom Line: Who is the Best Match for a Puffy Mattress?

BEST if you:

• Are of average weight
• Like the melting sensation of memory foam
• Need excellent motion isolation

NOT IDEAL if you:

• Are heavier than 225 or 250 lbs.
• Have a tendency to sleep hot
• Like a bed with some bounce

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 Puffy mattress as a Medium in terms of softness, about average among mattresses.

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

Cushioning Depth ( what’s this )

While the top foam on the Puffy is a very soft memory foam, it is also fairly quick responding, so you end up with a blend of that "floating on top" feeling versus sinking in deeply.

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.

The Puffy has 2" of very soft memory foam on top, but it's fairly quick responding, so it doesn't have that ooey-gooey / quicksand feel that some memory foams do. This same foam tends to absorb motion, so there's no bounce to speak of.

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 Puffy offered good support for sleepers of our tester's size and lighter. (He weighs not quite 200 pounds.) We had concerns for those heavier than our tester.

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 original Puffy mattress:

Back Sleepers:

Our 200-pound tester felt well supported on the Puffy mattress. His hips sunk in just enough for the mattress to reach up and cradle his lumbar area. We felt that people of our tester's weight and lighter would have a similar experience. We did question whether those significantly heavier (more than 225 or 250 lbs.) would sink through the beds two inches of memory foam and end up resting on firmer support foam below.

Side Sleepers:

Spinal alignment for our tester in the side position was good, with hips and shoulders sinking into the mattress enough to create a neutral spine. We again thoughts that lighter persons and those a big heavier would also have a good experience with the Puffy in this position. Those significantly heavier (250 lbs.+) might not find enough softness in the top layer and find themselves resting on firmer support foam.

Stomach Sleepers:

Achieving good spinal alignment for stomach sleepers can often be trickier as the hips can tend to sink down too far.  And in general, we do not tend to recommend memory foam to stomach sleepers for that reason. However, our tester didn't have any issues on his stomach, and felt his hips did not sink in too much. We would not recommend the mattress for those heavier than our tester that sleep predominantly on their stomachs, however, as we would expect hips to sink too deeply and create a hammocking effect.

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.

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 Puffy 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 Puffy 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 )

Aside from some gel in the top 2" of memory foam, the Puffy boasts no particular features to help you stay cool. Most people don't have an issue of sleeping hot, but for those who do, memory foam is often not the best choice for the simple reason that beds with deeper cushioning don't allow as much of your body to be exposed to the air.

That said, our tester had no issues feeling hot on the Puffy bed.

Edge Support ( what’s this )

While the Puffy mattress does not have any specific edge-support features, we nonetheless felt that edge support was better than expected. 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 too much.

If you find yourself being pushed to the very edge of your mattress by kids or pets, the Puffy mattress would be a good choice. We found edge support on the Puffy to be a hair better than that on the Puffy Lux.

Ease of Repositioning ( what’s this )

Beds that include slow responding memory foam can sometimes hinder movement. However, our tester had no trouble changing positions on the Puffy.

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. 

Adjustable Base Compatibility ( what’s this )

We tried the Puffy Original on an adjustable base and it performed very well. The mattress lifted a bit at the foot, something that's to be expected from a new mattress, and something we think would improve over time.

We noticed no uncomfortable bunching of the quilt when the bed was in a bent position.

Materials & Construction

What's in a Puffy Mattress?

Overall, we classify the Puffy mattress as a "Memory Foam over Foam" construction type.

The Puffy mattress is a 10″ thick mattress comprised of 3 layers (listed below from top to bottom):

• 2" Cooling Cloud gel memory foam, 2.2-lb. density
• 2" polyurethane "Climate Comfort" foam
• 6" polyurethane support foam

The top memory foam is very soft but fairly quick responding, meaning it comes back to shape pretty quickly after being depressed. The middle foam is a transition layer, meant to ease the transition between the soft memory foam above and the very firm support foam below.

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 Puffy 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 Puffy is a 10" tall mattress made of foam with 2" of premium memory foam at the top. From a materials and construction standpoint, it is not unique. However, the Puffy has a unique memory foam feel we likened to a marshmallow. It also has an OEKO-tex certified cover, meaning that it's been subjected to testing for harmful chemicals and off-gassing.

How Long Will the Puffy Mattress Last?

When it comes to estimating the 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. In the case of the Puffy Original, the top layer of memory foam is a 2.2-lb density foam, which is below average compared to some of its competition. We can't say for certain if the Puffy will break down prematurely, but if there are any red flags it would be that top foam.

Overall Value

From a value standpoint, the Puffy isn't much of a deal compared to other all-foam mattresses. However, Puffy is known for offering some of the deepest discounts and sales online, so we'd certainly recommend checking GoodBed for discounts, as this can bring the price of a Puffy bed in line with, or even less expensive, than similar memory foam and foam beds.

Warranty

• Warranty Length: Lifetime, non-prorated for original owner
• 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 foam mattresses is generally ¾”. Puffy has chosen to cover indentations that meet or exceed 1.5”, about twice that of competing memory foam mattresses. Practically speaking, that means any softening or sagging would need to be at least that deep before the warranty would offer you protection.

Puffy does, however, offer a lifetime warranty to the original owner, and it's not prorated, meaning that if a material defect is ever found, you get a brand new mattress.

Other Factors to Consider

Delivery

• Free delivery to your door

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

Returns

• 101-day trial period
• Full refund with proof of donation

Puffy offers buyers a 101-night trial period, and should you decide to initiate a refund, asks that you donate the mattress to a charity. While that sounds easy enough on the surface (and Puffy is not the only company with this policy), it can actually be difficult to donate a mattress since many organizations will not accept them due to hygiene concerns. Puffy asks that buyers try the mattress for at least 14 days before requesting a refund. See: Puffy return policy