Nolah Mattress Review

Nolah is a direct-to-consumer sleep technology company based in Colorado. Nolah specializes in all-foam mattresses, but rather than opting for traditional memory foam, they designed their patented poly-foam technology, AirFoam™, to make a more breathable and supportive bed.

They sell two models, their flagship product, the Nolah Original, and their dual-sided Nolah Signature. Nolah prides itself on selling high-end mattresses for one-third of the cost compared to mattress retail stores.

For a third of the cost, it’s reasonable to wonder if Nolah mattresses are worth your time and money. Our review takes you through everything you need to know about Nolah mattresses, including how well they work for different sleepers and how they stand up compared to similar products.

Overview

The Good

• Sleepers can use Nolah mattresses on any flat surface, such as an adjustable base or slatted wood
• Both mattresses contain proprietary AirFoam™ for added durability, breathability, and motion isolation
• Mattresses come with a longer-than-average warranty
• With every mattress sold, Nolah adopts a wildlife animal

The-Not-So-Good

• Nolah offers no hybrid or latex mattress options
• All-foam mattresses might make plus-sized sleepers feel “stuck”

Nolah Mattress Similarities

Both Nolah mattresses contain Nolah’s proprietary foam technologies: AirFoam™, PRZ™, and CoolFresh™. All customers receive the same benefits when purchasing any Nolah mattress, including a certified adoption of a wildlife animal.

AirFoam™ – AirFoam™ is a big part of Nolah’s brand as it’s their proprietary, patented poly-foam. AirFoam™ is the top layer in both Nolah mattresses and is temperature neutral, so it dissipates body heat and wicks away moisture, leading to more comfortable, uninterrupted sleep.

In heat-mapped performance tests, Nolah claimed AirFoam™ relieved pressure 4 times more effectively than memory foam and other viscoelastic chemicals. Also, Nolah claims their foam is 300 percent more durable than even high-end memory foam.

PRZ™ – The Nolah Original and Nolah Signature mattresses both have proprietary zoned support technology called PRZ™. The technology is built for pressure relief—particularly around the hips and shoulders—and even weight distribution.

CoolFresh™ – Nolah mattress base foam contains CoolFresh™ technology, meaning it has billions of microscopic air capsules for added breathability. This way, the mattress won’t retain any excess heat, which can disrupt sleep.

CertiPUR-US® Certification – The foam in Nolah mattresses are CertiPUR-US® certified, meaning the foam is free of the following chemicals:

• Ozone depleters
• Phthalates
• Heavy metals
• Formaldehyde
• BPDE (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers)
• Low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)

The CertiPUR-US® certification is important for healthy indoor air quality and minimal exposure to toxic chemicals.

One for One Adoption – For any mattress sold, Nolah adopts a wildlife animal in your name. Part of Nolah’s mission is to protect the planet’s wildlife, so they partner with Defenders of Wildlife to work towards this goal.

When checking out, customers can choose the animal they’d like to adopt and even receive adoption certificates. Before you get too excited, the adoptions are symbolic, meaning you won’t receive an actual animal with your mattress. Instead, the adoption goes toward preserving wildlife habitats and fighting threats causing endangerment, such as global warming and habitat loss.

The Basics – Both Nolah mattresses come with all of the following company policies:

• 120-night sleep trial — With the sleep trial, you can test out your mattress at home risk-free. Nolah does give you the option to opt-out of the trial period and save up to $149 per mattress, however, you can’t return the mattress after using it.
• Lifetime warranty — The mattress warranty covers workmanship defects and sags deeper than 1 inch. During the first 15 years of the warranty, Nolah covers the cost of repairs, replacements, and shipping. After the first 15 years is over, Nolah charges a prorated fee plus shipping and handling for repairs, and a 50 percent prorated charge for a replacement mattress.
• Free shipping and returns — Nolah mattresses deliver within days and, if you aren’t happy with your purchase, Nolah donates or recycles returned mattresses.
• Made in the USA — Nolah has 8 factories across the USA where they produce all of their American-made mattresses and accessories.

Nolah Mattress Comparison

Nolah only offers two all-foam mattresses at the moment: the Nolah Original and the Nolah Signature. The Original is Nolah’s popular and more affordable mattress and the Signature is more luxurious but diverse.

Nolah Original 10”

The Nolah Original mattress is Nolah’s flagship and most popular model. The mattress contains three foam layers and a thick support layer to keep your spine aligned. With healthy spinal alignment, issues such as back and joint pain may decrease.

The Nolah Original has medium firmness, though customer reviews state it feels a bit softer than a true medium. Since mattresses feel softer for plus-sized sleepers and firmer for petite sleepers, the Nolah Original mattress may be too soft for plus-sized sleepers. However, the bed should work well for petite and average-sized sleepers.

Back

The Nolah Original mattress provides great support for back sleepers and keeps their spine neutral. It distributes weight well, meaning sleepers won’t experience pressure build-up in any particular area.

Side

The Nolah Original mattress works well for both strict or combination side sleepers. Since the cooling Nolah AirFoam™ is so soft, it cradles sleepers’ hips and shoulders, promoting healthy spinal alignment and minimizing discomfort while sleeping.

Stomach

Petite stomach sleepers might find the Nolah Original firm enough for them, but average-sized sleepers likely won’t be comfortable. While stomach sleeping on the Nolah Original won’t create any pressure points, the mattress is too soft and sleepers will sink into their mattress. Sinking causes the spine to curve improperly, aggravating the lower back.

Nolah Signature 12”

The Nolah Signature is Nolah’s luxury mattress option and, while it’s pricier than the Nolah Original, it’s dual-sided. Also, rather than Nolah Original’s Tencel™ cover, the Nolah Signature has an organic cotton cover. For more on the differences between the two materials, please see our Tencel vs cotton sheets guide.

Nolah designed the Signature mattress to suit all sleeping positions. So, if you tend to switch positions often or don’t know what firmness you need, you have two firmness options to choose from: soft and firm.

Although all-foam mattresses can sometimes be a bit too cradling for plus-sized sleepers, the firm side of the Nolah Signature is a good option for plus-sized back and side sleepers who want an all-foam bed.

Since the mattress is 12 inches and four layers, the bed is durable and will last long no matter who uses it. The mattress has edge support, thanks to the height, and is responsive to your movements.

Back

Most back sleepers will be comfortable sleeping on the firm side of the Nolah Signature. It’s firm enough to distribute body weight without causing any lumbar spine discomfort. With this in mind, the soft side of the Nolah Signature is better for petite back sleepers and petite back-combo sleepers.

Side

The Nolah Signature’s soft half is perfect for petite and average-sized side sleepers. It provides excellent cradling and prevents pressure build-up in side sleepers’ hips and shoulders, the widest parts of the body. The soft side of the mattress might be too soft for plus-sized side sleepers, but the firm side should work well for them.

Stomach

The firm side of the Nolah Signature is a great option for stomach sleepers. The mattress protects sleepers from sinking and evenly distributes their weight. On the other hand, the soft side is too soft for any stomach sleeper and can curve their spine incorrectly and cause pain.

Nolah vs The Competition

Purple

• Purple makes all of their mattresses with a proprietary material called Purple Grid™. It’s a breathable, pressure-relieving foam with zoned support for optimum comfort.
• Purple’s Original Mattress is an all-foam mattress most similar to the Nolah Original.
• Purple also offers a Hybrid, Hybrid Premier, and Kid Mattress at varying prices, all of which Nolah doesn’t have.
• Nolah sells a flippable mattress, the Nolah Signature, but Purple doesn’t.
• You have more mattress options with Purple, but their mattresses are more expensive than Nolah’s. Although Purple products are pricey, their sleep trial is only 100 nights and the warranty is 10 years, compared to Nolah’s 120-night trial and lifetime warranty.

Is Nolah Right For You?

Although Nolah aims to make their mattresses meet every need, some sleepers may find the mattresses don’t have enough bounce and plus-sized sleepers may prefer hybrid over all-foam mattresses.

Pros

• Combination sleepers can get a flippable mattress
• Good mattress for couples who don’t want to be disturbed by their partner
• Stays cool while you sleep
• AirFoam™ comfort layer provides pressure relief for pain sufferers
• Petite sleepers will be well-supported on either Nolah mattress

Cons

• Mattresses aren’t very bouncy, no hybrid mattress options
• Some plus-sized sleepers (230 pounds or higher) may find the all-foam mattresses sink too far, causing a “trapped” feeling

FAQs

How can I clean my Nolah Mattress?

Clean your mattress every couple of months by deodorizing it with baking soda and vacuuming away accumulated dirt and dust. When it comes time to clean the cover, don’t dry clean. Instead, it’s best to keep the cover on your mattress and spot-clean it with a mild detergent and water. Be sure your mattress cover is completely clean before re-adding the bedding to prevent mold build-up.

How much do Nolah Mattresses weigh?

The Nolah Original mattress weighs:

• Twin: 44 lbs (20 kg)
• Twin XL: 47 lbs (21 kg)
• Full: 58 lbs (26 kg)
• Queen: 70 lbs (32 kg)
• King: 87 lbs (39 kg)
• California King: 85 lbs (38 kg)

The Nolah Signature mattress weighs:

• Twin: 55 lbs (25 kg)
• Twin XL: 58 lbs (26 kg)
• Full: 73 lbs (33 kg)
• Queen: 86 lbs (39 kg)
• King: 105 lbs (48 kg)
• California King: 104lbs (47 kg)

Since the mattresses can get quite heavy, get assistance when moving your new mattress into your bedroom or any time you have to transport it somewhere else.

How much weight can Nolah Mattresses support?

Nolah mattresses contain a deep supportive high-resilience foam, so they’re quite sturdy. The twin, twin XL, and full mattresses can carry up to 350 pounds of weight, while the queen, king, and California king mattresses can carry up to 700 pounds of weight. Sleepers heavier than these weights can technically still use the mattresses, but the mattresses will wear down quickly and no longer be as supportive or comfortable.

How does a lifetime warranty work?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has no strict definition of what a lifetime warranty is. However, it’s generally a warranty against defects with no time limits for when you can make a claim.

Are all-foam or hybrid mattresses better?

Choosing between an all-foam and a hybrid mattress comes down to preference and comfort. For reference, Nolah only sells all-foam mattresses.

All-foam mattresses score high in pressure-relief, limited motion transfer, and contouring. They also have a distinct, hug-like feel, while still being very supportive.

Conversely, hybrids are a combination of all-foam and innerspring mattresses and result in extra supportive, responsive, and breathable mattresses. Hybrid mattresses are cradling, but not as much as all-foam mattresses, though this feature prevents plus-sized sleepers from sinking into the bed.