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TEMPUR® vs memory foam
TEMPUR® material is not the same as generic memory foam—it’s more comfortable, supportive, and durable. And since we research, design and manufacture TEMPUR® material, it’s proprietary—you’ll only find it in our products.
| Compare | TEMPUR® material | Memory foam |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Proprietary formula, engineered by Tempur-Pedic scientists and manufactured in company-owned facilities, upholding the highest quality standards | Generic foam product, purchased off-the-shelf from a variety of low-cost manufacturers, with unpredictable quality |
| Responsiveness | Sensitive to body temperature and weight, to adjust perfectly to your body contours and return to its original shape every time | Stretches and contorts under your weight, but does not conform to your body or bounce back |
| Support | Conforms to your body shape and evenly distributes your weight over the surface of the mattress for ultimate support and customized comfort | Cheaper foam isn’t as resilient, so it can “bottom out” under the weight of your body and quickly loses the ability to support your body |
| Pressure relief | Conforms to body contours, allowing heavier areas to sink in further, reducing pressure points where the mattress presses against the body | Compresses rather than reacts to your body, with a tendency to push back against your body instead of cushioning it |
| Durability | Engineered to last for years, returning to its original shape, night after night and year after year | Less resilient, so it’s less durable and wears over time, losing the ability to support the body |
Beware of Tempur-Pedic impostors! Read about counterfeit products and how to avoid them.
TEMPUR® material is scientifically designed to respond to your body temperature and weight to conform to your every curve, unlike traditional inner spring mattresses that push back on your body.
| Compare | TEMPUR® material | Inner springs |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Layers of TEMPUR® material: comfort layer that conforms to your body, support layer that aligns your body for full relaxation, base layer that supports and adjusts to the TEMPUR® layers | Constructed of metal coils covered with foam and upholstery |
| Responsiveness | Sensitive to body temperature and weight, to adjust perfectly to your body contours and return to its original shape every time | Not temperature sensitive, so it doesn’t react to body heat to adjust to your contours |
| Support | Conforms to your body shape and evenly distributes your weight over the surface of the mattress for ultimate support and customized comfort | Tend to sag under the weight of your body, often leaving a depression or valley after extended use |
| Pressure relief | Conforms to body contours, allowing heavier areas to sink in further, reducing pressure points where the mattress presses against the body | Tendency to bounce and push back against body weight to create counter-pressure |
| Motion transfer | Energy is absorbed by the TEMPUR® material so there is no motion transfer that might disturb sleep partner | Movement can be felt across the entire surface and can disturb sleep partner |
| Durability | Engineered to last for years, returning to its original shape, night after night and year after year | Unpredictable quality and tend to sag and wear out over time |
| Health considerations | Naturally dust-mite and allergen-resistant; resistant to mold and mildew; VOC-free, manufactured with no harsh chemicals such as formaldehyde and CFCs | Metal springs and layers of foam and upholstery can attract and trap allergens such as dust mites, mold, and mildew; often treated with VOCs such as formaldehyde and CFCs that can trigger asthma |
TEMPUR® material is scientifically designed to respond to your body temperature and weight to conform to your every curve, unlike air mattresses that need to be manually adjusted to the correct level of support.
| Compare | TEMPUR® material | Air |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Layers of TEMPUR® material: comfort layer that conforms to your body, support layer that aligns your body for full relaxation, base layer that supports and adjusts to the TEMPUR® layers | Made from plastic channels of air covered with foam and upholstery |
| Responsiveness | Sensitive to body temperature and weight, to adjust perfectly to your body contours and return to its original shape every time | Not temperature sensitive, so it doesn’t react to your body heat to adjust to your contours |
| Support | Conforms to your body shape and evenly distributes your weight over the surface of the mattress for ultimate support and customized comfort | Must be manually adjusted to find the correct level of support |
| Pressure relief | Conforms to body contours, allowing heavier areas to sink in further, reducing pressure points where the mattress presses against the body | Tendency to bounce and push back against your body weight to create counter-pressure |
| Durability | Engineered to last for years, returning to its original shape, night after night and year after year | Unpredictable quality and can lose the ability to hold air over time |