PurpleFlex Mattress Review

Written by Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer and Certified Sleep Science Coach

Methodology

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed 600+ mattresses and accessories for over seven years using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief and more.

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In This Review

I’ll give you a full break down of my experience with the PurpleFlex mattress. I’ll cover every aspect I tested, including the Flex’s feel, firmness, and more.

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If you’re on the hunt for a new mattress, you have undoubtedly heard of Purple. The brand made a name for itself in the mattress world with its innovative and proprietary gel grid. It has a distinctive feel that’s squishy yet firm, and it’s a versatile material that adapts to individual body types and sleeping positions. There’s no other mattress material quite like it.

With the new PurpleFlex mattress, previously the Purple NewDay, the brand is making its famous gel grid more accessible with a lower price point. But will your sleep needs be as satisfied as your wallet? Keep reading for my unbiased review of the PurpleFlex mattress. I tested it personally to assess its firmness, feel, and performance.

PurpleFlex

The PurpleFlex is an affordable yet supportive Purple model. It features the breathable Purple gel grid and a border of support foam.

Clarity Score

3.8 / 5

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Current Deals

Up to $500 Off Mattresses and $200 Off Bases with a Mattress Purchase

Product Details

Material

Foam

Firmness

Sleep Trial

100 nights

Warranty

10-year warranty

Shipping

Free shipping

Price

$0 – $0

Our Recommendation

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Back Sleepers

This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.

Hot Sleepers

This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

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PurpleFlex Mattress Video Review

PurpleFlex Mattress Review: General Overview

The PurpleFlex is the newest offering from Purple, and it’s the brand’s most affordable mattress. It’s made with the famed Gel Flex Grid, and you can think of it as a slightly simpler version of the original Purple mattress. That means excellent support and pressure relief, though it’s definitely on the firmer side.

Here’s a quick overview of the Flex’s pros and cons.

Pros of the PurpleFlex Comfort Mattress

• It offers a good balance of comfort and support for back sleepers.
• The grid promotes airflow, so it’s a great match for hot sleepers.
• The lower price point means it offers a good value.

Cons of the PurpleFlex Comfort Mattress

• Lighter side sleepers may find this mattress feels too firm.
• It’s a simpler mattress, so it’s lacking some of the bells and whistles of higher-end Purple mattresses.
• The mattress doesn’t contour well, which is something fans of memory foam might miss.

PurpleFlex Firmness and Feel

Firmness and feel are two things you want to think about when you’re shopping for a new mattress. These are the features that will affect how comfortable a mattress is for different types of sleepers.

How Firm is the PurpleFlex Mattress?

I ranked the PurpleFlex as a 7.5/10 on our firmness scale, but it might feel firmer or softer depending on your weight. The bigger and heavier a person is (like myself), the more the gel grid compresses and the softer it feels. The lighter you are, the less compression you get, which gives the mattress a firmer feel.

Sleeping on the PurpleFlex Mattress

At 270 pounds, I thought the Flex felt great when I was on my back. The gel grid collapsed just beneath my hips and butt and stayed supportive and upright everywhere else, giving me a great balance of comfort and support. Lightweight people, however, might feel like it’s too firm for them.

When I rolled onto my side, I felt decent pressure relief around my hips and shoulders, but it wasn’t as impressive as the original Purple mattress. Because of the limited pressure relief,  I don’t think the Flex is ideal for any side sleepers, and lightweight side sleepers in particular will think it is too firm.

The PurpleFlex was really supportive beneath my hips when I rested on my stomach, so I had the alignment I needed to be comfortable. I think most stomach sleepers will agree. 

What Does the PurpleFlex Mattress Feel Like?

The PurpleFlex has a similar feel to the original Purple. It’s both squishy and firm with a bouncy sensation, which is a result of the proprietary hyper-elastic gel polymer grid. This responsive material compresses under pressure but stays upright elsewhere. It is one of the most unique mattress materials I have ever come across, and it is very different from the memory foam or innerspring feels many sleepers are used to.

Is the PurpleFlex Mattress Good For Lightweight People (Under 130 lb)?

• Lightweight back sleepers will find the Flex too firm to be comfortable.
• Lightweight side sleepers will feel pressure along their shoulders and hips on the Flex because they aren’t heavy enough to compress the grid, so it’s not a good match for people in this category.
• SInce the PurpleFlex feels firmer to lightweight people, stomach sleepers under 130 pounds should find it really supportive.

Is the PurpleFlex Mattress Good For Average Weight People (130 – 230 lb)?

• Average-weight back sleepers will feel a decent balance of comfort and support on this mattress. 
• Average-weight side sleepers won’t compress the gel grid enough to get enough pressure relief under their shoulders and hips.
• This mattress is a great choice for average-weight stomach sleepers, who will feel properly supported through the hips and lower back.

Is the PurpleFlex Mattress Good For Heavyweight People (Over 230 lb)?

• Heavyweight back sleepers should feel good support from the Flex, but those on the higher end of the scale may find they need the coils found in the higher-end Purple mattresses.
• It’s also a good choice for heavyweight side sleepers, though the pressure relief isn’t quite as impressive as the original Purple or or mattresses like the Purple RejuvenatePlus.
• The firmness of the Flex is a good match for heavyweight stomach sleepers.

Overall Ratings

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches personally test each mattress in categories such as materials, comfort, cooling, and support. Hover over the icons to learn more about these different topics, or scroll down for a more detailed analysis on each one.

Note: Motion transfer is beneficial for those who share the bed and don’t want to be woken up by another’s movements. Looking for a mattress that better absorbs motion? Check out our Best Mattresses for Couples.

PurpleFlex Mattress Construction 

After going through exactly what it feels like to lie on top of the PurpleFlex, let’s talk about what goes in it. I’m breaking down the Flex’s construction and reviewing how all of these features affect its performance and durability.

Cover

The Flex shares the same Softflex cover as the rest of the Purple mattresses. This thin, stretchy, breathable material moves well with the gel grid and doesn’t hinder its performance in any way.

Comfort Layers

The streamlined Flex mattress has two inches of Gel Flex Grid in its comfort layer. As we’ve covered, the grid is composed of a hyper-elastic gel polymer that manages to be both firm and collapsible under pressure for support and pressure relief. It also leaves a lot of room for airflow.

A rectangle of edge support foam surrounds the grid on all sides for extra support and durability. It also helps keep the edges from collapsing too much when you’re getting in and out of bed and maximizes the sleep surface area.

Support Layers

The base layer in the Flex is made from a firm, supportive foam to give the mattress stability and structure.

Mattress Height

At 8” tall, the Flex is 1.25” shorter than the original Purple mattress.

PurpleFlex Mattress Size Options and Price

For the most current size and pricing information on the Flex mattress, check out the chart below.

PurpleFlex Mattress Performance

Sleeping Hot or Cold

The Purple grid does a great job of encouraging airflow, so the breathable construction of both the comfort layer and the cover means the Flex regulates temperature well. Hot sleepers will find this mattress doesn’t retain heat, so it’s a great option if you regularly wake up feeling overheated.

Motion Transfer

Thanks to the gel grid, the Flex mattress is fairly bouncy. It doesn’t absorb motion transfer the way memory foam might, so couples may feel their partner moving around at night. That’s worth keeping in mind if you’re a light sleeper with a restless bed partner.

Edge Support

Despite the edge support foam in the Flex’s comfort layer, support around the perimeter is only decent. Because it lacks coils, it’s not as supportive on the edges as other mattresses I’ve tried.

Durability

For a more affordable mattress, the Flex is very durable. The Purple grid shouldn’t sag the way some foams might, so you can reasonably expect a lifespan of 7 to 10 years.

Off-gassing

I noticed a minor amount of off-gassing, but it wasn’t nearly as significant as other memory foam mattresses I’ve tried. After unboxing and letting it inflate, the Flex was ready to use right away. 

Noise

This mattress is as silent as mattresses get. I heard no noise at all when I changed positions.

Sex

A good mattress for sex should be easy to move around on. With its responsive bounce, the Flex makes it really easy to change positions, so it’s a good option for sex.

PurpleFlex Company Policies

Let’s go through Purple’s policies for the Flex mattress. When you’re buying a mattress online or in a brick-and-mortar store, it’s always a good idea to be clear on details like the warranty, sleep trial, and return policy.

Warranty

Like other Purple mattresses, the Flex has a 10-year warranty that covers factory defects. Without a sufficient foundation, however, the warranty may be void.

Sleep Trial

Purple has a 100-night sleep trial on its Flex mattress, which should give you plenty of time to decide if it’s your ticket to sweet, supported dreams.

Return Policy

If you’ve tested the Flex mattress for 21 days and it’s just not working out, you can return it under the 100-night sleep trial. If it’s undamaged and clean, you can expect a refund for the full purchase price. That excludes any discounts, accrued interest, and/or shipping fees.

Common PurpleFlex Mattress Complaints

While the Flex mattress has its fans, side sleepers in particular found it didn’t have sufficient pressure relief. Some heavier sleepers found it lacking in support, while lightweight sleepers who don’t fully compress the grid found it too firm. For details on different mattress materials and constructions and what might best suit your body type and sleep habits, check out our mattress guides.

Other Flex mattress customers reported issues with customer service, and some mentioned that returns were trickier than the marketing claims made them seem.

Read More: Best Purple Mattress Alternatives

How Does The PurpleFlex Compare To Others?

If you’re wondering how the PurpleFlex stacks up to other mattresses in the Purple line-up, let’s take a look. We compared the Flex to the Purple Original and the luxurious Purple RejuvenatePlus.

PurpleFlex vs Purple Original

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

PurpleFlex

Firmness

Score

3.8 / 5

Check Price

Read PurpleFlex Review

Product

Purple Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

4.1 / 5

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Read Purple Mattress Review

The Flex mattress is a simpler version of the original Purple, which means they’re similar with a few notable differences. The original Purple mattress is definitely softer than the Flex, and we think the original offers better pressure relief. Because both mattresses have the gel grid, they’re equally effective for hot sleepers. Thicker layers mean the original is probably slightly more durable than the Flex, but it’s also more expensive.

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

PurpleFlex

Firmness

Score

3.8 / 5

Check Price

Read PurpleFlex Review

Product

Purple Rejuvenate Plus

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

4.5 / 5

Check Price

Read Purple Rejuvenate Plus Review

The RejuvenatePlus is part of Purple’s Luxe Collection, which is the brand’s most high-end mattresses. As we’ve covered, the PurpleFlex is an economical pick, so it’s much simpler than the RejuvenatePlus, which has a medium-firm with a plush pillow top for a luxurious yet balanced feel. It’s also more supportive, with a zoned construction that makes it firmer toward the center and softer at the top and bottom. While you’ll get more bells and whistles with the RejuvenatePlus, you’ll also spend more compared to the Flex.

PurpleFlex FAQs