Nolah Vs Tuft And Needle- Which Should You Choose?

Nolah and Tuft & Needle are both popular foam mattresses sold online. These mattresses have some significant differences. To help you decide which one is best for you, I’m going to break down what makes each one unique.

Nolah vs. Tuft & Needle

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

Nolah Original 10″ Mattress

Firmness

Soft: 6/10

Score

4.2 / 5

Check Price

Read Nolah Original 10″ Mattress Review

Product

Tuft & Needle Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

3.6 / 5

Check Price

Read Tuft & Needle Mattress Review

Key Similarities

• Both are all-foam mattresses that are 10 inches thick.
• Both have 7 inch support layers that are pretty similar materials.
• Both offer solutions for overheating and are fairly breathable.
• Both use a proprietary foam for comfort.
• Both offer free shipping, generous sleep trials, and great customer service.

Key Differences

• Nolah is noticeably softer than the Tuft & Needle.
• Nolah has 3 foam layers, while Tuft & Needle has only 2.
• Nolah puts a layer of latex-like Avena foam under its top layer of soft, light proprietary AirFoam.
• Tuft & Needle’s top layer of proprietary poly foam is firmer and bouncier, like a memory foam with latex qualities.
• Nolah offers a longer trial period of 120 days, compared to Tuft & Needle’s 100 days.
• Tuft & Needle is less expensive.

Nolah Construction

The picture below shows now the Nolah mattress is constructed. Here’s a breakdown:

• The cover is a thin, very soft and breathable viscose that doesn’t really affect the overall feel of the mattress too much.
• The top layer is 2 inches of a proprietary “AirFoam.”  This foam is said to relieve pressure better than memory foam while also ensuring you sleep cool.
• Below the AirFoam is is 1 inch of latex-like Avena foam, which is highly durable and provides some bounce.
• The base support layer is pretty standard: 7 inches of 1.8 lb. density poly foam.

Tuft & Needle Construction

• The cover uses a breathable polyester blend.  It is pretty thin and also doesn’t really affect the feel of the mattress significantly.
• The top of the two layers is 3 inches of proprietary “Adaptive” foam. This is a polyurethane-based foam that blends in graphite to absorb heat from the body and a gel polymer to distribute the heat, to ensure an even cooling.
• The support layer is  7 inches of 1.8 lb. density poly foam.  This is a pretty standard base layer for foam mattresses.

Construction Differences/Notes

• I anticipate the durability of the mattresses to be about the same, but I’d give Nolah a slight edge based on the materials used.
• Tuft & Needle has a bouncier top layer, but it’s not by much.
• Nolah is softer, and people will feel more like they’re sleeping “in” the Nolah rather than on it.
• While both use a foam with latex-like qualities in the comfort part of the mattress, Nolah has an additional layer on top of that that is more similar to memory foam but softer.
• Nolah’s cover is made of viscose, while Tuft & Needle uses a polyester blend for its cover.

Related: Top Mattress Picks

Firmness/Feel Differences

Firmness is one area where you’ll notice big differences between the Nolah and Tuft & Needle mattresses. Nolah is much softer and has a lot more of a quicksand feel to it. Tuft & Needle is firmer and has more bounce, but both return to shape fairly quickly. The two videos below demonstrate firmness differences.

Motion Transfer Differences

Nolah absorbs pressure more than Tuft & Needle, making it transfer motion a bit less, although both are good mattresses for couples. See our best mattresses for couples for more options. Watch the videos below to get a better sense of how the two mattresses differ. If you are looking for even more information, make sure to check out how these mattresses stack up to other brands by reading our other comparisons such as Nolah vs Brooklyn Bedding and Tuft & Needle vs Leesa.

Pick Nolah If:

• You are a side sleeper — Nolah’s softness means it will respond to the contours of your body and relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips very well
• You want to sink into your mattress — Nolah has a lot of give and a quicksand-feel to it, so you’ll sleep “in” it more than “on” it.

Pick Tuft & Needle if:

• You are a stomach or back sleeper — Tuft & Needle is firm making it a good option for people who sleep on their stomach or back and are looking for back support suitable to those positions.
• You are on a budget — Few mattresses beat the price of Tuft & Needle, and it is a great overall value.

Overall

I hope this comparison was helpful and the decision of which mattress to get is a little easier now. If you have any specific questions about the Nolah or Tuft & Needle mattress, please leave them in the comments.