Stearns & Foster Mattress Review
- 10 Years warranty
- 120 nights trial
- Free shipping within USA
- Free in home setup and removal
- 24 Months Financing
Company Policies Who are the Stearns & Foster mattresses for?
- A large range of body types, from lightweight through to heavy – Stearns & Foster mattresses come in a really wide variety of firmness options and feels. It will easily accommodate light bodys due to their height profiles and firmness options that will support sleepers up to around 350lbs.
- Sleepers who need some form of temperature regulation – These mattresses all incorporate a unique ventilated pocketed coil system, as well as vents along the side of the mattress to allow for extra air flow.
- People who enjoy a firm, hybrid foam feel – These are not like your traditional memory foam mattresses. The response time is quicker and the body lays on top of the as opposed to sinking down into it.
- Anyone looking for a mattress with a luxury feel or aesthetic – Stearns & Fosters are luxury mattresses, hence the heavier price tag. They do exhibit an overall luxurious feel and aesthetic.
- Sleepers looking for great edge support – Especially couples. These mattresses have arguably some of the best edge support on the market.
Who won’t love the Stearns & Foster mattresses?
- Anyone who enjoys a traditional natural memory foam feel – Again, these mattresses are hybrid designs, so anyone looking for the more neutral or slower response time that traditional memory foam provides.
- Someone looking for an easy to install mattress – Stearns & Foster mattresses come fully expanded upon delivered. This is meant to provide convenience to the consumer as most mattresses take up to a day to fully expand. However this might make it tricky to maneuver it into your room, depending on your living space.
- 10 Years warranty
- 120 nights trial
- Free shipping within USA
- Free in home setup and removal
- 24 Months Financing
Stearns & Foster company policy
10 Year
Warranty
120 Nights
Trial
Free
Shipping
Free
Returns
Made in
USA
Shipping: Stearns & Foster delivers your mattress to your door via third party delivery, completely free of charge.
Old mattress removal: There is no mattress removal service available, as their deliveries are done via third party services option. If you can, try utilizing a donation program or city collection service.
Payment accepted, financing: There are no financing options available through Stearns & Foster exclusively. Best to check with one of their accredited retailers.
Returns and refund: Stearns & Foster will arrange to have your mattress delivered back to their factory or inspection. If there is a defect or you are not satisfied with your mattress, they will pay you a full refund This only applies in between night 31 and 119 of your sleep trial.
Sleep trial period: Any product purchased on the Stearns and Foster sleep website comes with a 365-night sleep trial.
Warranties: Stearns & Foster mattresses come with a 10-year warranty.
Packaging and unpacking: Stearns & Foster mattresses are delivered to your door fully expanded. This to help save you time waiting for expansion, and also to help avoid any off gassing after delivery.
Smell (off gassing), harmful chemicals: The Stearns & Foster range is CPSIA certified, which means the mattresses contain no petrols or flammable chemicals. There is no off gassing on delivery as they come fully expanded on delivery.
Where are the mattresses made? All Stearns and Foster products are manufactured in the USA.
Stearns & Foster mattress measurements and pricing
- Estate Hurston
- Lux Estate
- Lux Estate Hybrid
- Reserve Hepburn
TWIN XL | 38″ × 79″ | |
FULL | 53″ × 74″ | |
QUEEN | 60″ × 79″ | |
KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ | |
SPLIT KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
SPLIT CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ |
TWIN XL | 38″ × 79″ | |
FULL | 53″ × 74″ | |
QUEEN | 60″ × 79″ | |
KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ | |
SPLIT KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
SPLIT CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ | $4,398 – $5,198 |
TWIN XL | 38″ × 79″ | |
FULL | 53″ × 74″ | |
QUEEN | 60″ × 79″ | |
KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ | |
SPLIT KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
SPLIT CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ |
TWIN XL | 38″ × 79″ | |
FULL | 53″ × 74″ | |
QUEEN | 60″ × 79″ | |
KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ | |
SPLIT KING | 76″ × 79″ | |
SPLIT CAL KING | 72″ × 83″ |
Stearns & Foster mattress performance review
| Estate Hurston | Lux Estate | Lux Estate Hybrid | Reserve Hepburn | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Plush |  | | | |
PT Plush | | | - | |
Ultra Plush | - | | | - |
Firm | | | - | |
PT Firm | | | - | - |
Cushion Firm | - | - | | - |
Ultra Firm | | | - | - |
Construction layers and materials used
The Stearns & Foster mattresses come in an almost dizzying array of firmness options and models to choose from. Every mattress in this range is a hybrid model of some sort, as they combine traditional memory foam layering with a few more modern design elements such as cooling gel foams and pocketed coils. Below is a brief breakdown of each option’s basic layering structure. These may be subject to change by the manufacturer.
Estate
This is the simplest and most affordable option in the mattress range. It has a traditional memory foam top layer, followed by gel memory foam layer, which is nested inside Stearns & Foster’s patented Intellicoil system. This layer is made up of foam encased pocketed coils.
Lux Estate
The Lux Estate also uses a standard memory foam layer as it’s top layer. This is followed by a second pillow top layer for added comfort. These are placed on top of a gel memory foam layer which is then also fitted to the pocketed coil layer. The Intellicoil base layer is also used for the perimeter of the mattress for added edge support.
Lux Estate Hybrid
This model is marketed as the hybrid, which is interesting because it seems to possess a simpler design than its peers. It’s first two layers are made up of memory foam, which is then followed by a third layer of gel memory foam.
Reserve
The Reserve’s top layer is made up of what they call their Hybrid Pillowtop Layer. Though we could not find much more details on this particular layer, we can say that we found no major difference in feel when compared with the other models. This is followed by a gel memory foam layer and then another pillowtop layer which rests on top of the base layer of foam encased pocketed coils.
- Estate Hurston
- Lux Estate
- Lux Estate Hybrid
- Reserve Hepburn
- Quilted Stretch Knitted Tencel lyocell Cover
- Memory Foam
- Gel Memory Foam
- Intellicoil Pocketed Coils
- Quilted Stretch Knitted Tencel lyocell Cover
- Pillowtop Foam Layer
- Memory Foam
- Gel Memory Foam
- Intellicoil Pocketed Coils
- Quilted Stretch Knitted Tencel lyocell Cover
- Memory Foam
- Memory Foam
- Gel Memory Foam
- Intellicoil Pocketed Coils
- Quilted Stretch Knitted Tencel lyocell Cover
- Hybrid Pillowtop Foam Layer
- Gel Memory Foam
- Pillowtop Foam Layer
- Intellicoil Pocketed Coils
Stearns & Foster firmness and pressure relief
You’ll get a different experience out of Stearns & Foster mattresses depending on your sleeping requirements, body type and weight as well as which model and firmness level you select. The different models range from Ultra Plush (4/10 firmness) through to Ultra Firm (8/10). If you are looking for something that provides the best pressure relief, then we feel that the Lux Estate is their best option – albeit not their cheapest. Most sleepers looking for simple but reliable firmness will enjoy the Estate model’s PT Firm or Ultra Firm options.
Below is a relative chart of each model’s firmness level, based on a 180lbs sleeper using a 15’’ thickness of each model. These are not definitive and it’s best to test the mattresses out yourself to decide how firm they feel to you.
MATTRESS FIRMNESS SCALE
| Soft | Medium Soft | Medium | Medium Firm | Firm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Estate Hurston | - | - | | - | - |
Lux Estate | - | - | | - | - |
Lux Estate Hybrid | - | - | - | | - |
Reserve Hepburn | - | - | - | | - |
Sleep position and body type
There are quite a variety of mattress options in the Stearns & Foster range, and there is certainly something to provide comfort for most, if not all basic sleeping requirements and body types. It’s really useful to know what your sleeping habits are, so that you can make a more informed choice when purchasing your next mattress.
When sleeping on your side, you will tend to disperse your weight on top of your hips, shoulders, knees and waist, so you’ll want something that can provide pressure relief in these areas. Side sleepers also need some extra support for the contours of their body. The foam encased pocketed coils that Stearns & Foster use in their base support layer gives great pressure relief and we felt this most with the Lux Estate model. Light through to heavyweight side sleepers will get the most out of this option, and should also consider making use of the euro pillow top option if they want to add an extra sense of luxury to their layering system.
If you’re someone who sleeps predominantly on your back or stomach, you’ll want something that allows your body to plane out without sinking around the hip area. Any sagging around this part of the body will add uncomfortable tension to the lower back and will affect you throughout the rest of the day, as well as during rest. Thankfully we found the hybrid foam design of these mattresses do provide the required frame support in these areas. The Estate mattress (which is Stearns & Foster’s most basic purchasing option) gives sleepers adequate support right along the length of your body, with only minor sagging along the more strained areas. The memory foam layering combined with gel foam layer in the base gives the mattress a solid structural integrity. Heavier stomach sleepers may experience some discomfort after long term usage as this is who we feel the mattress range suits least.
Stearns & Foster edge support
The Stearns & Foster mattress range exhibits possibly some of the best edge support on the market today. They use a system which they call the Precision Edge System as part of the design in the coil base. This system allows for both air flow and very sturdy support for most body types. This strong support is really evident when you sit on the edge of these mattresses as there is little to zero sag. Couples who require most, if not all of the surface area of the bed will really enjoy this facet of these mattress designs. We found it really easy to lay along the edge of these mattresses without any uncomfortable roll off.
| Perfect for | Thickness | Edge Support | Discount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Estate Hurston | Back/Stomach sleepers under 250lbs | 14-15.5" | Great | Free $200 Gift |
Lux Estate | Back/Stomach sleepers under 250lbs | 13.5-16" | Great | Free $200 Gift |
Lux Estate Hybrid | Side/Combo sleepers under 250lbs | 15-16" | Great | Free $200 Gift |
Reserve Hepburn | Most sleepers under 250lbs | 15" | Great | Free $200 Gift |
Stearns & Foster temperature regulation
Stearns & Foster ’s layering system gives their mattress a really unique feel when it comes to temperature control. Some mattresses may need cooling agents for warm sleepers, or extra insulation for the opposite. This mattress is designed to maintain the temperature of whoever is using it at that time, regardless of the sleeper’s temperature cycles. Couples who don’t have the same temperature while sleeping will benefit greatly from these features.
One key factor in this part of the Stearns & Foster design is the pocketed coil layer. Of the 15’’ in the total height profile, 8’’ is made up of these coils. This allows for a healthy air flow throughout most of the body of the mattress, which means that it won’t be prone to overheating even with more than one body on the bed. To aid insulation, there’s a euro top style layer of quilted squares covering the surface of the Stearns & Foster mattress. This padded top traps just enough heat under the weight of the body, while also dispersing temperature evenly throughout the rest of the layering. The mattress has a great medium overall temperature feel. If you enjoy the warmer feeling that memory foam provides then you may want to look elsewhere.
MATTRESS TEMPERATURE SCALE
| Cool | Medium Cool | Medium | Medium Warm | Warm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Estate Hurston | - | - | | - | - |
Lux Estate | - | | - | - | - |
Lux Estate Hybrid | - | | - | - | - |
Reserve Hepburn | | - | - | - | - |
Motion isolation and noise
Let’s assume you’re in a couple where one of you tosses and turns in their sleep or tends to get up during the night for whatever reason. The other sleeper will need a bed that helps to keep them still so as not to disturb their slumber. This is where motion isolation is highly important. Stearns & Foster mattresses are made up of a hybrid layering system. Traditional memory foam mattress types generally disperse motion across the surface of the mattress, and innerspring mattresses have a notable bounce. The Stearns & Foster mattress range feels like a slight combination of these. The tops of these mattresses do have a bouncy, responsive character, but this is only very minor and with more abrasive motion such as sex. The pocketed coils in these beds remove a lot of the noise that you would usually get out of bed coils, so couples are less likely to disturb each other when sharing these mattresses.
Is Stearns & Foster suitable for couples and sex?
There are a few design factors that make Stearns & Foster mattresses a pretty good buy for couples. Its pocketed coil support layer gives these mattresses a really reactive and quick response time. This is usually a key factor for sexually active partners as slower response time in a mattress can give couples unnecessary resistance during sex, making it tricky to change positions or gain comfortable traction. The edges of every model in the range are also really strong, so couples can comfortably make the most of the entire surface area of the mattress.
Every mattress comes with unique S&F air vents along their edges. These vents, combined with the individually encased pocketed coils give these mattresses a lot of extra air flow to help regulate temperature throughout the structure. If you’re in a couple where one of you overheats, this should bring you some relief in this area.
Durability and longevity
This is a bit of a grey area for Stearns & Foster. There have been some customer reports of these mattresses having questionable longevity. Some theorize that these mattresses needed a more solid state base layer to add structural integrity to the entire frame. Customers have also noticed a consistent sag in the middle of the mattress over long term use. We can only suspect that this may be due to the pocketed coil system losing elasticity over timer. Seeing that these are marketed as high quality mattresses, we would have expected a better performance from these mattresses in this area. It’s not convenient to spend money on a luxury product if it’s going to be replaced quicker than a cheaper competitor.
Bed base
While there are no bed bases directly available on the Stearns & Foster website, you can check with one of their accredited retailers to see which bases go best with your mattress. Their mattresses are advertised with adjustable bases on their website. Personally, we feel that if durability is an issue with these mattresses, it’s probably not best to bend or fold them consistently. Instead, it may be best for you to utilize a solid platform or wooden slatted frame as a foundation so as to add to its structural integrity. Again, have a talk with your local retailer if you’re unsure which base will bring the best out of your Stearns & Foster mattress.
COMPATIBLE WITH THESE BED BASES
Solid Platform
Adjustable
Slats
Stearns & Foster mattress complaints
- These mattresses come delivered fully expanded. This can make it extremely tricky for many people to move and install them in their living spaces.
- There have been some consistent customer reports complaining about the long term durability of these mattresses. We suggest that heavy sleepers look elsewhere for long term investments.
Our final verdict: Do we recommend the Stearns & Foster mattress brand?
OUR RATING
4/5
- Stearns & Foster mattresses definitely give users a more luxury feel and aesthetic than your average commercial mattress. We think they justify the luxury tag that they carry.
- The cooling elements such as the air vents and the cooling gels in the layering make it a really attractive buy for sleepers who overheat at night. It must be noted that the Reserve Hepburn models tend to retain more heat than the other collections
- These mattresses are great for couples due to their solid noise and motion isolation as well as their great edge support. We advise couples to buy as big a mattress as you can afford to get the most quality and longevity out of their mattresses.
- The only major downside to these mattresses are their questionable life spans. There are some other products in this price range that outlast the Stearns & Foster mattresses, and we will have a more in depth look at that in another review.
FAQ
We feel that the Estate option is the best value for money option.
Despite the questionable durability, this is a good mattress based on comfort and performance.
Stearns & Foster are owned by the Tempur-Sealy parent company. They have been owned by Sealy since 1983.
You can expect your mattress to last between 5 and 8 years depending on purchase and usage.
There have been customer reports of the mattress sagging over time, particularly in the middle area.
While the Estate mattress may give outstanding value for money, we feel as though Stearns & Foster have some pretty stiff competition in the price brackets of the rest of their mattress selections.
- 10 Years warranty
- 120 nights trial
- Free shipping within USA
- Free in home setup and removal
- 24 Months Financing