Layla vs Tuft & Needle Comparison

The Layla Mattress and Tuft & Needle Original are both good options for sleepers who aren’t sure what they want from their mattress, but for different reasons. Layla’s memory foam mattress is known for a dual-sided firmness that allows you to flip the mattress to sleep on either a medium-soft or medium-firm side. Tuft & Needle’s budget-friendly Original model is geared toward shoppers who are just looking for a good value on a medium-firm bed that suits most sleepers.

In this review, we’ll compare the Layla Mattress with the Tuft & Needle Original so you can better choose which is the right bed for you.

Layla vs Tuft & Needle Quick Look

Key Similarities

• Price: Both brands’ mattresses have a similar price, with a queen-sized model hovering around $1,000. Tuft & Needle’s mattress comes in just below that price point; the Layla, just above it.  
• Good for couples: Both the Layla and Tuft & Needle mattress score high marks for motion transfer, which means they both do a good job at restricting movement to one area of the bed. This is a great mattress quality for anyone sleeping with a partner because the effects of tossing and turning won’t ripple out across the mattress and wake the other person. 
• Above-average responsiveness: Layla’s mattress earned a 9.5 for responsiveness in our testing, which is good news for combination sleepers or those who move around a lot at night. Tuft & Needle’s mattress layer designed to act like latex, which helps make it a bit springier and more responsive than it would be otherwise. We gave it an 8 for responsiveness.
• Sub-par cooling: Neither mattress is a standout here, which is fairly standard for memory foam, which tends to sleep warmer than an innerspring or hybrid mattress. The Layla scored a 7.5 for cooling; the Tuft & Needle, a 7.

Key Differences

• Sleep options: Only the Layla has dual-sided firmness, which means you can flip the mattress to sleep on a medium-soft or medium-firm surface. 
• Firmness: Tuft & Needle’s mattress is designed to serve the average sleeper, with a medium firmness of 6 out of 10. Layla’s mattress has a soft side that comes in as a 4 out of 10 on the firmness scale—for side sleepers and those who like a more forgiving bed—and a medium-firm (7 out of 10) side that’s well-suited to back sleepers. 
• Composition: Tuft & Needle’s mattress is made from an “adaptive” memory foam that mimics some of the properties of latex and is designed for better airflow. Layla’s mattress uses copper-infused memory foam, which purportedly helps transfer heat, reduce inflammation, and repel bacteria.
• Pressure Relief: The Layla scored a 9 out of 10 in our testing for pressure relief, which indicates it’s a good option for those with back and joint pain. The Tuft & Needle performed below average in our pressure test, with a 7.75. This suggests the Layla would be better for side sleepers—in our testing, the Tuft & Needle’s showed a concentrated pressure buildup in the shoulder areas during side sleep.
• Warranty and trial: The Layla comes with an 120-night sleep trial period and a limited lifetime warranty; The Tuft & Needle has an 100-night trial period and a 10-year limited warranty.

Compare the Construction

What makes these memory foam mattresses different from one another? Let’s look inside.

Responsiveness

Both of these beds score well for responsiveness, but the Layla edges out the Tuft & Needle’s 8.0 with a 9.5. This indicates that it’s easier to move around on Layla’s mattress, and you won’t get that trapped, sinking feeling that’s common to some memory foam models. It also tends to signal that both mattresses will give you adaptive support and spine alignment.

Pressure Relief

Another area in which the Layla outperforms the Tuft & Needle is in pressure relief. Our testing found that the Layla’s construction put minimal stress on high-pressure areas and helped ease aches and pains in the neck, shoulders, hips, and lumbar region. The Tuft & Needle scored below average in this department, which suggests it doesn’t provide the same level of relief and even body distribution.  

Edge Support

Memory foam mattresses don’t often excel in this department—they tend to give way around the sides of the bed. The Layla is an exception here, with the help of an extra-firm base support foam that keeps it from sagging along the perimeter of the bed. The Tuft & Needle scored below average for edge support, indicating that it’s harder to sit at the edge of this bed without slipping.

Which Is the Best Mattress for You?

Both the Layla and Tuft & Needle Original are good options for shoppers in search of a queen-sized mattress for around $1,000 or less. They’re both made from memory foam with hybrid innerspring models available for an additional cost. Due to good motion isolation, both are also well suited to couples or those who sleep with a pet.

The Layla mattress is likely the better option for shoppers with back and joint pain due to its higher marks for pressure relief. It also gives you more options by allowing you to easily flip to its soft or firm side—taking the mattress from a cushy nest with a 4 out of 10 for firmness and plenty of give for side sleepers; to a medium-firm, 7 out of 10 that back sleepers tend to prefer. Indecisive sleepers will be happy with this mattress, as will those who change positions often in the night.

On the other hand, the Tuft & Needle Original is also a solid choice because it suits the universal sleeper—the mattress has a 6 out of 10 level of firmness that serves most nighttime positions well. We think it’s a good bet for sleepers who prefer a medium-firm bed. That said, if you’re still uncertain, here’s some good news: Both mattresses have at least 100-night sleep trials so you can take your time with the decision.

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