It’s not unusual to find yourself swamped with options when looking for a new mattress. Types range from memory foam to latex rubber to pocketed coil systems, while parameters that must be looked after including but are not limited to firmness, durability, and breathability. And while the swell in online marketplaces has widened the available options, the decision-making process gets more complicated.
In this Avocado vs. Layla comparison, we put head-to-head two top-drawer products that aim to provide optimum comfort to avid sleepers, while carefully considering factors such as heat retention, investment-security, and affordability.
Avocado Breakdown
The Avocado mattress was designed in 2015 in New Jersey, USA, and envisioned to be an all-organic and non-toxic product. Handcrafted in the US without any flame retardants, petrol-based foams or pesticides, the mattress is a viable choice for people who are looking for luxurious comfort while steering clear of compounds that may affect their health.
Construction
Cover
Avocado has ensured they stay true to their mission statement from the very top. The mattress sports a GOTS-certified organic cotton and Joma® New Zealand Wool Cover, embedded with hand-tufted buttons. The mattress’ layers are tightly held through wool yarn rosettes, handcrafted without bringing any chemical adhesives in the equation. The layer of cotton is soft, light and aids in breathability. Under this is the layer of Joma® New Zealand wool, with a density of 1oz/sqft, which wicks moisture and acts as a fire barrier due to the wool’s intrinsic properties. In addition, the wool is anti-microbial, preventing the onset of any infestation and keeping your mattress free from contaminants as the years pass by. Finally, the wool also promotes breathability and keeps thermal regulation in check.
First Layer
The first layer is composed of 2 inches of thick, 100% Dunlop Latex rubber, with an ILD of 14 – 19, reflecting into the mattress’ medium firmness level. The layer is inherently bouncy due to the presence of rubber latex, keeping you from sinking too deep into the mattress, something that isn’t always the case with memory foam products. Latex, being a natural coolant aids in the overall thermal regulation while to take this a step further, a perforated design has been incorporated in this layer providing an outlet for hot air to the lower layers.
Second Layer (Pillow Top Version)
Only present in the Pillow Top Version of the mattress, the layer is composed of 2 inches of natural Dunlop Latex with an ILD rating of 20 – 25. This brings added conformity and firmness to the mattress. Sometimes called a Euro-style top, this addition is a good choice for people who carry extra weight.
Third Layer
An 8-inch pocketed coil system makes up this layer, with the Queen Size mattress featuring 1130 individually-tuned support coils. The system is claimed to be the most advanced in the market, with each coil moving independently, neutralizing the issue of sideways motion transfer, as well as aiding in proper spinal alignment. The coil system has been designed with three firmness comfort zones, each to provide targeted support to the body’s major portions, i.e. hips, backs, and shoulders.
The strategic zoning ensures that each part gets the right amount of plushness and conformity. For instance, the pelvic-area carries the most weight and therefore has a firmer response, while the hips- and shoulders- area offer lower resistance. By splitting the spring system into three portions, the mattress becomes a contender for people who sport extreme weight profiles.
Fourth Layer
A one-inch layer of 100% natural Dunlop Latex rubber forms the base layer of the mattress. Rated at 26 – 31 ILD, the function of this layer is to absorb pressure from the coil system, provide added support to sleepers and maintain the mattress’ overall structure.
Firmness and Feel
Comfort and Support
The non-pillow top version of the mattress consists of a 2” layer of Dunlop Latex followed by an 8” pocketed coil system. Compared to Layla which is a memory foam product and thus has a plusher initial response, Avocado generates a more conforming reaction as you lay on the mattress. This doesn’t mean that you would always find yourself pressed against the mattress’ surface. Instead, the contouring part is handled by the 3-zone pocketed coil system that generates a plush response suitable for each part of the body. In contrast, the pillow-top version contains an extra 2” layer of latex after the first one. The extra layer brings greater pressure relief for the sleeper, increases the bounciness and lowers the overall level of linkage.
Edge Support
People often like to utilize the entire part of their mattress, either because they plan on sharing their bed with their partner or want to spend some time reading, watching TV, etc. This makes it vital for proper edge support to be present in the mattress, otherwise, you would find yourself in a constant battle with the gravity not to “fall-over”. Edge support is taken care of by the support coils within the mattress that ensure that you get the same level of support no matter what your position on the mattress is.
Cooling
From the top, the mattress is covered by a layer of organic cotton followed by Joma® wool both of which add to the mattress’ breathability, with the later wicking away moisture. The wool acts as a temperature regulator making sure no part of the body is warmer/colder than the other. The latex rubber layers that follow have been aerated, and due to their inherent cooling properties take heat away from the body. Lastly, the 3-zone pocketed coil system has been designed to promote the flow of hot air from the top to the bottom, thus, keeping heat away from you as far as possible.
Motion Transfer
Waking up at night due to a sudden movement made by your partner can be annoying. You may think that the Avocado is a bad option when it comes to motion isolation due to the bounciness of the rubber, however, the truth is on the contrary. The innerspring units within the mattress have been wrapped individually which allows them to respond without affecting the adjacent unit. This results in minimal disturbance from the other person, as you sleep.
Unique Features
Natural Joma® New Zealand Wool
Joma® wool sports benefits that aren’t always present in synthetic materials. Shorn from crossbred sheep in New Zealand, the wool is soft, resistant to fire and wicks away moisture. On top of this, its antimicrobial properties keep your mattress safe from infestations even after years of use. That’s not all; the wool acts as a thermal regulator, trapping air within its fibers to make sure you get the optimum temperature level, whether its winter or summer.
100% Natural Latex Rubber
Avocado uses Latex rubber that has been harvested from sustainable sources. The material is extremely comfortable and is excellent at relieving pressure through a firm response. It also serves to cushion the body’s pressure points, e.g. hips and shoulders, making sure that you have ample freedom of movement as you sleep. In addition to this, the presence of latex rubber increases the overall durability of the mattress. 100% natural latex rubber is known to be resilient and more durable than other mattress materials. This allows the Avocado to retain its shape even after extended periods of usage, keeping your investment protected.
3-Zoned Spring System
The Avocado has an 8-inch pocketed coil system that has been designed with three strategic zones, each to provide maximal comfort to the pelvis, shoulder and lumbar area. Since each coil floats independently, the motion isolation is of the mattress is preserved, while airflow between them promotes thermal regulation.
Solid Edge Support
Edge support is a real issue for someone who plans to occupy the entirety of his/her mattress. Thankfully, Avocado deals with this problem through its innerspring unit combined with a reinforced parameter that allows you to sleep/sit on the edge without bottoming out.
Smell and Offgassing
The use of chemicals in themanufacturing process of any product adds a special smell to it that takes a couple of hours – days to go away. Since the Avocado is manufactured in an entirely natural manner, the product has no off-gassing period and can be used hours after its unpacking.
Layla Breakdown
Layla is an all-foam mattress, featuring two layers of memory and support foam each. The company has, however, made use of some innovative technologies such as copper infusion of the memory foam, which makes it different from an everyday mattress. Let’s take a deeper look into the mattress’ construction and functionalities.
Construction
Cover
Layla features a thermoGEL Cover that can be broken down into three different compositions:
- 66% polyester
- 30% viscose
- 4% lycra
The cover is soft, smooth and has a cotton-silk feeling to it. The thermoGEL cover helps to reduce heat buildup and when removed, can be dry cleaned as well. The Avocado fares much better as in addition to having a soft touch sensation, the cover wicks away moisture and prevents the onset of microbes.
Comfort Layer
The top layer has 3 inches of Memory Foam that absorbs the initial impact of the body, adjusting itself according to the body’s contours. Through this layer, you get the typical plush response associated with memory foam products. The memory foam layer has been infused with Copper, which through its heat transferring properties keeps the temperature regulated. The layer provides deep-compression support, and therefore even on the application of considerable pressure doesn’t create a contour that traps the body.
Support Layer
This layer is responsible for generating the bulk of support and keeping your body aligned as you sleep. 2 inches of 30 ILD convoluted support foam (classic egg carton foam) forms this layer. The foam is excellent at promotion airflow due to the ample spaces between each pocket. This is followed by 4 ½ inches of base support foam with an ILD of 36. This compliments the increased ILD of the previous layer and prevents the body’s contours from sinking too deep into the mattress.
Final Layer
The last layer of the mattress is made up of 1 inch of copper-infused memory foam, with the same ILD rating as the first layer. This allows the mattress to be flipped, giving it more conformity compared to the normal orientation. This makes it suitable for obese individuals who may find themselves trapped within the 3-inch memory foam layer.
Firmness and Feel
Layla’s unique design gives sleepers two different firmness levels, one that is plusher when placed in normal orientation, and one that is firmer when flipped over.
Normal Orientation
The top layer is composed of 3 inches of 10 ILD memory foam that generates a plush response to your body. This is different when compared to the initial response you get from Avocado, which is bouncier rather than contouring. There is a sharp increase in the ILD rating as you move towards the bottom layers of the mattress, reaching all the way up to 36. This generates resistance to your body’s load and prevents the memory foam layer from sinking too deep, therefore, keeping the enveloping feeling in check. To give you a clearer idea, you can expect to sink 7 ¼ inches on the plusher side.
Reversed Orientation
When flipped over, you get a 1-inch layer of 10 ILD memory foam followed by the middle layers. This allows overweight individuals to reap the plush sensation of memory foam mattresses without trapping themselves into the first layer. Even if you’re not overweight, the flipper over side provides a firmer experience and can be ideal for people who like to sleep on their stomachs. You would only sink by 5 ½ inches when sleeping on this side.
Cooling
The Layla incorporates both convoluted and copper-infused foam, both of which act to regulate the mattress’ temperature. In the top and bottom-most layers, the heat is transported away from the body through the conductive properties of copper, transported to the lower layers. The convoluted foam promotes the flow of hot air due to its pocketed shape, speeding up thermal regulation. This is also supported by the cover of the mattress which is made from a thermoGEL cooling agent that reduces the buildup of heat. Quantitively speaking, it took the mattress 3 ½ minutes more than the average time to cool down to room temperature. In contrast, the Avocado took average time to cool down. The reason as to why Avocado fared much better was the absence of any layer of memory foam, which inherently traps heat.
Edge Support
Layla provides average edge support, which is usually associated with all-foam mattresses. The level of support will decrease as you move to the edges, however, its rare that you’ll get a bottoming-out feeling. With that being said, if you wish to use the mattress’ edge then it’s better to choose Avocado.
Motion Transfer
The mattress performs well at keeping motion transfer to a minimum. The presence of memory foam absorbs any disturbances and prevents them from moving sideways. The Avocado, however, performs much better due to the presence of the individually-floating innerspring system.
Unique Features
Plush Memory Foam Response
The Layla is a typical memory foam mattress and thus provides a plush, contouring response as you lay down on it. The overall feel of such a hug is extremely relaxing and is preferred by some individuals, instead of the firmer response of latex mattresses. The contours are kept from going too deep through the presence of higher ILD layers, ensuring you get ample freedom to change positions while sleeping.
Affordable
Layla costs $899, which is several hundred dollars cheaper than the less-expensive Avocado variant. At this price, you get a comfortable mattress that provides classic memory foam experience, along with a choice for firmness. In addition, the lifetime warranty tag reiterates the manufacturer’s trust in its products and makes it a good choice for people on a budget.
Dual Firmness
By simply flipping over the mattress you can change the level of firmness it provides. With the normal orientation you get more hug, suitable for side sleepers while for people who’re stomach-sleepers, a firmer response may be more appropriate, provided by the flipped over side. Avocado does have a firmer offering, but for that, you should be willing to pay a little extra.
Longer Trial
While the Avocado features a trial period of 100 days, the Layla has a slightly better offering, i.e. 120 days.
Which One To Get?
Avocado
Here are some reasons to consider the Avocado:
- You want an anti-microbial layer: The Avocado mattress has a layer of Joma® wool that has intrinsic anti-microbial properties keeping your product free from infestations throughout its lifetime.
- You want both firmness and responsiveness: The mattress is made up of initial latex layers followed by a 3-zoned spring system that allows it to generate a response that is a cross between plushness and conformity.
- You want zoned transition: The innerspring system within the mattress is split into three zones, each one providing the right level of firmness to the pelvis, lumbar and shoulder areas.
- You want greater edge support: If you plan on spending a lot of time on the sides of the bed or if you wish to make good use of the entire mattress surface then Nest may be a better option since it sports Solid Edge Base Support Foam that helps retain the mattress’ shape along the edges.
- You’re looking for an environment-friendly product: Avocado follows strict environmental codes to ensure its product is natural and free from harmful chemicals. In addition, the company donates part of its profits to organizations that work for the betterment of the planet.
Layla
However, you might want to choose Layla if:
- You’re looking for a cheap mattress: The Layla provides a memory foam experience at an extremely affordable price, that too with two firmness options that can be switched over by a simple flip.
- You want a memory foam experience: The mattress is composed of memory foam layers while conformity is provided through stiffer layers underneath. As a result, you get the typical hug of a memory foam mattress (below or above average firmness), along with resistance from the lower layers.
- You want to keep your options open: Through clever design, Layla has managed to incorporate two firmness levels within a cheap mattress, allowing its customers to try out each side and choose which one suits them best.
I hope the post was informative for you. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please use the box below. Please don’t forget to share it with others who are facing similar problems!
Avocado vs Layla Comparison Table
| Avocado | Avocado (with pillow-top) | Layla | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layers Used | 5 layers
|
6 layers
|
5 layers
|
| Height | 11 inches | 13 inches | 10.5 inches |
| Firmness | Slightly above Medium | Above Medium | Medium and Below-Medium through flipping the mattress |
| Motion Transfer | Medium | Medium | Minimal |
| Breathability | Above Average | Above average | Below-Average |
| Trial Period | 100-day | 100-day | 120-day |
| Warranty | 25-year | 25-year | Lifetime |
| Pricing (Queen) | $1399 | $1799 | $899 |
| Shipping | Free | Free | n/a |