Purple is a unique mattress that uses special material and design to deliver a customized sleeping experience.
Puffy is a budget 3-layer gel-infused memory foam mattress with an industry-leading lifetime warranty.
So how do these two rockstar beds compare? Which one should you buy?
In this comparison, I'll cover how these two mattresses differ in half a dozen ways – so you can make your own decision.
What’s In This Mattress Comparison
This is an in-depth comparison between the Purple Original mattress and The Puffy’s original bed (not the Puffy Lux).
NOTE: Use the table of contents on the right to jump to a specific section that you want to learn more about.
The Original Purple mattress is one of three mattresses Purple makes. The other two are hybrid mattresses consisting of both foam and pocket coils (see my Purple Hybrid Premier review).
The Puffy original mattress is one of three mattresses made by Puffy. The others are the Puffy Lux and Puffy Royal, both all-foam mattresses.
Purple vs. Puffy Mattress Quick Summary
Don’t have time to read the full comparison. Here’s a quick summary of how Purple and Puffy compare.
| Mattress | Construction | Feel | Pricing | Summary | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Purple | hyper-elastic polymer Purple Grid and poly foam | Medium-firm | The 9.25” thick Purple mattress uses a special Grid layer to provide customized comfort. Highly recommended for hot sleepers. | 4.7 | |
Puffy | Gel-infused memory foam and poly foam | Medium | Puffy is a budget 10” gel memory foam mattress designed to last a long, long time. | 4.8 |
Buy the Purple mattress if:
- You or your partner move around at night
- You are open to their unique firm + soft feel (that we love)
- You don’t mind spending a little more
- You are a hot sleeper
Buy the Puffy mattress if:
- You love the softer feel of memory foam.
- You are a side sleeper or weigh less than 130lbs.
- You want to spend less than $1,000 on a new mattress.
- You want a mattress that will last a long time.
Keep reading to learn how Purple and Puffy differ in important areas, including comfort, firmness, and temperature control.
Purple Mattress
Best for:
- Folks that are not quite satisfied by memory foam or pocket coils. Purple offers a unique feel that’s unlike that of any other mattress
- Anyone not sure what kind of mattress they should get. Purple’s highly adaptive design suits all body and sleeper types
- People who sleep hot or experience night sweats
- People looking for a responsive bed but without the excessive bounciness of springs
- Couples
Purple’s Unique Construction
The Purple mattress has this almost magical ability to adapt to most people’s comfort needs. It varies from medium to medium-firm, depending on the sleeper’s weight and sleeping position.
The reason the Purple mattress can provide customized support is the hyper-elastic polymer Purple Grid layer on top.
The grid walls collapse or stay upright, depending on the amount of pressure on them. The mattress cradles your body under high-pressure points such as the shoulders and provides support for your back and lower body.
One advantage of the grid-like construction of the top layer is that there’s lots of space for air to flow about, which helps with cooling.
Below the 2” Purple Grid are two layers of poly foam.
The middle layer provides deep contouring and support. It has a density of 1.8lbs.
The lower layer is thicker and has a higher density of 2lbs, making it firmer and denser. It provides deep compression support and overall stability.
The Purple Cover is made with a special knit fabric that Purple calls SoftFlex. It is soft and stretchy. The soft feel comes from the viscose and polyester while the stretchiness is from the little amount of Lycra.
How the Purple Mattress Feels
If you’ve slept on a memory foam or innerspring mattress before, sleeping on Purple will be a whole new experience.
It conforms to your body but doesn’t have the close hug of memory foam. It’s also responsive but not as bouncy as a pocket coil mattress.
The general feeling most people have when sleeping on a Purple mattress is floating with only the pressure points – mostly shoulders and hips –sinking a bit into the mattress.
Purple is generally a medium-firm mattress. However, the feel can vary from a softer medium feel for heavier sleepers (because of how the Purple Grid responds to added weight) to medium-firm for light and average weight sleepers.
Your sleeping position also determines how the mattress feels. Back and stomach sleepers are more likely to describe Purple as medium-firm while side sleepers will experience a softer feel since they sink deeper into the mattress.
The adaptability of Purple makes it a truly universal mattress. Almost everyone, including back, stomach, side, and combo sleepers, will find it comfortable.
The only sleepers we don’t recommend Purple to are those who weigh more than 230lbs. The Purple mattress is thinner than most online mattresses and so may not provide adequate support.
Heavier sleepers should consider getting the Purple Hybrid or Purple Hybrid Premier mattress.
Purple is Great for Hot Sleepers
We’ve mentioned how the grid-like design of the top layer improved ventilation and thus heat dissipation.
The type of material – a special elastic polymer – used in the top layer also helps. It doesn’t retain heat like memory foam.
If you are a naturally hot sleeper, live in a warm climate, or experience night sweats, the Purple mattress is a great choice.
Purple for Couples
Between Purple and Puffy, we think Purple is the best choice for most couples for two big reasons.
One, it adapts to every person’s physique and sleeping position. Even if you and your partner have varying comfort needs, you’ll both find the Purple mattress comfortable.
Two, it does not transfer motion. If your partner turns and tosses a lot at night, it won’t bother you.
Oh, it’s also great for sex. It doesn’t have the swampy, stuck-in-the-bed feel of some memory foam mattress.
Puffy Mattress
Best for:
- Anyone looking for a good quality mid-range mattress.
- Folks who prefer the deeper hug of a memory foam mattress.
- Side sleepers and lighter than average individuals (under 130lbs).
Puffy’s Memory Foam Construction
If you are a big fan of memory foam mattresses, definitely go for Puffy. It has the classic feel of memory foam – a deep hug, excellent body contouring, and comfortable pressure relief.
Puffy’s 3-layer construction is simple and has no special material like Purple. But it works.
The top layer, consisting of 2” gel memory foam, gives the mattress its plush, quick pressure-relieving feel.
It cradles your pressure points and cushions any sensitive or painful joints or muscles.
If you have shoulder, back, or hip pain, the Puffy mattress will help you sleep more comfortably with less pain.
As with the Purple mattress, the two bottom layers are both polyfoams.
The middle layer is a type of poly foam designed to be heat-resistant. Puffy calls it ClimateComfort foam. It maintains a neutral temperature throughout the year.
The base consists of high-density polyfoam that provides deep compression support and ensures the mattress lasts for years without sagging.
The stain-resistant cover is made of 100% polyester that is Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Certified. It is not as soft or as stretchy as the Purple mattress cover, but it’s still comfortable and breathable.
How the Puffy Mattress Feels
The Puffy mattress falls smack in the middle of the scale – 5/10 – for a medium feel.
Unlike the ‘floating’ feel of the Purple mattress, Puffy has more of an ‘in the mattress’ feel.
While the extra softness does provide better pressure relief and contouring, it can make it harder to change positions at night or even get up from the bed. Keep that in mind if you are a combo sleeper (you constantly change sleeping positions) or are elderly or reduced mobility.
In terms of sleeping position, Puffy is best for side sleepers. It easily contours around their shoulders and hips to prevent uncomfortable pressure points.
Back and stomach sleepers can still find Puffy comfortable, but only those who weigh less than 130lbs.
If you are of average weight or weigh higher than average, you’ll experience deep sinkage, which will throw off your spinal alignment. This can lead to serious back problems.
Temperature Control is OK
If you are a hot sleeper or live in a hot climate, get Purple. Yes, the Puffy mattress has gel-infused memory foam. But that’s usually not enough for hot sleepers.
If you don’t get particularly hot at night or are a cold sleeper, Puffy is a good choice. For these types of sleepers, Puffy feels comfortably warm without getting too hot.
Motion Transfer
Couples will love how still the mattress stays when one person moves. The motion-absorbing foams ensure you keep sleeping no matter how much your partner tosses and turns.
The motion dampening effect is also handy if you or your partner wakes up earlier.
Purple vs. Puffy Verdict
Purple and Puffy are both great mattresses, but they are not ideal for everyone. The best choice will depend on your budget and the type of sleeper you are.
If your budget is under $1,000, the best choice is Puffy. But if you don’t mind spending a bit more, go for Purple. A Purple Queen size costs just a bit over $1,000.
Do you want a soft or firm mattress? If you prefer a softer one, Puffy is the best choice. If you prefer a firmer mattress, go with Purple.
If a cool mattress is very important for you (you sleep hot or live in a hot climate), we recommend Purple.
Shipping & Delivery, Returns, and Warranty
Purple
Shipping: Free shipping to all contiguous states. Additional shipping costs apply to Hawaii and Alaska.
Delivery: Curbside delivery for the Purple mattress. White glove delivery is available for the Purple Hybrid and Purple Hybrid Premier mattresses.
Returns: a 100-night in-home trial with free returns.
Warranty: 10 years, non-prorated.
Puffy
Shipping: Free shipping to all contiguous states. Additional shipping costs apply to Hawaii and Alaska.
Delivery: Curbside delivery. White glove delivery not available.
Returns: 101-night trial period with free returns.
Warranty: Lifetime, non-prorated.
Other Purple Mattresses
Previously, Purple sold two mattresses: the original Purple and Purple 2-3-4. The numbers signify the size of the grid layer in inches.
They recently split the Purple 2-3-4 into two mattresses: Purple Hybrid and Purple Hybrid Premier.
The Purple Hybrid mattress has a 2” Purple Grid and a pocket coil base.
The Purple Hybrid Premier is available in two options: a 3” Purple Grid or 4” Purple Grid, both with a pocket coil base.
The thicker the Purple Grid, the plusher, and more luxurious the mattress. Price also goes up. This makes the 4” Purple Hybrid Premier the softest and most expensive of Purple mattresses.
Other Puffy Mattresses
Like Purple, Puffy also sells two mattresses in addition to their flagship mattress. They are the Puffy Lux and Puffy Royal.
Puffy Lux is very similar to the original Puffy, with the main differences being that it’s 2” thicker and has an extra layer of soft Cloud Foam.
Puffy Lux has the same excellent pressure relief as the original Puffy mattress but with better support for heavier sleepers, slightly higher responsiveness, and improved edge support.
Puffy Royal is even thicker at 14”. Its thicker profile makes it a better choice for heavier and average weight sleepers.
It also sleeps cooler than the original Puffy and has noticeably better responsiveness.
A zoned support layer provides targeted support and pressure relief at specific sections of your body, making for a more luxurious sleeping experience overall.
Where to Get The Best Deal
Visit Purple’s official website to order the mattress.
Visit Puffy’s official website to order the mattress.
More Purple Mattress Comparisons
- Leesa vs. Casper vs. Purple vs. Ghostbed
- Helix vs. Purple
- Loom and Leaf vs. Purple
- Nectar vs. Purple
- Leesa vs. Purple
- Ghostbed vs. Purple
- Casper vs. Purple
- Purple vs. Tuft & Needle
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I was having hip and shoulder pain so decided to get a new bed to see if it would help. I ordered the Purple and slept on it for the recommended 30 days before deciding whether or not to keep it. I loved the feel, thought it was very comfortable, and was fairly happy. But my left shoulder and hip still ached when I woke up. And I sleep very hot and the Purple was quite warm. So before the 100 day trial was done I ordered the Puffy Lux. I have had it for about 2 weeks now, and it is also very comfortable at first, not much difference in sleeping hot, and I liked the feel of it too. But my left shoulder and hip ached when I woke up. I’m wondering if there is ANY bed that will help with the aching. Maybe it’s not the bed but the joints, and there is not much I can do? Any suggestions? I have tried Emu oil and other topical creams and ointments, ibuprofen/acetaminophen/naproxin tablets, physical therapy and exercise, CBD oil, and pain patches. Help?
Hi Linda,
Sorry to hear about your pain. All too common, unfortunately (I have similar issues myself).
For side sleepers like me and for people who move around / shift positions at night, hip and shoulder pain can be relieved by sleeping on a thicker, softer mattress.
If you’re willing to pay for comfort, try a super-soft and thick mattress like the Purple Premiere Hybrid (choose the Purple 4 version) or the Nolah Signature 12.
Among budget foam mattresses, we think the Layla is one of the softest we’ve tried for the money. Excellent value!
For other good choices, check out our Soft & Plush mattress buying guide.
Best of luck!