There will always be a debate on which type of mattress is the best overall choice. In the past, coil mattresses were pretty much the only option, and everyone who has ever owned such a mattress knows just how awful these feel after some wear and tear. Today, the mattress industry has research and developed mattresses made from a variety of materials and even combined them to create products that absorb the advantages of products made with just one of these materials.
A Closer Look
This race doesn’t have a winner, because every one of the three main materials (foam, latex, and innersprings) has its advantages and disadvantages. So, today, we’re going to compare two mattresses that come from very separate worlds. The first one is the DreamCloud, which is best described as a luxurious bed with an affordable price tag. It’s a hybrid mattress with a unique seven-layer construction. In some of our previous comparison articles, we’ve grouped the DreamCloud’s layers, to explain how they work together. Now, we’re going to talk about each of them in particular, so we can better underline how these layers work together.
The other model is the ZenHaven mattress. It’s an all-latex mattress with dual-sided firmness. The mattress was created in an attempt to eliminate the hassle of having to choose between two mattresses of different firmness levels. One side is advertised as being plush, and the other one as being firm. However, there were a bunch of surprises to be discovered as we unveil what the ZenHaven mattress is capable of doing. Stick around to find out!
A Breakdown of the DreamCloud Mattress
Construction
Top Cover – Hand-Tufted Cashmere Blend
A cover such as the one found on the DreamCloud mattress is a rare occurrence. It’s made with a fine cashmere blend, which gives the mattress that luxury feels we spoke of at the beginning of this article. Aside from being soft, it also bears a lot of craftsmanship, since it’s the result of a hand-tufting process that takes about two hours of each DreamCloud mattress. The number of individual tufts varies from one mattress to another.
First Layer – Gel-Infused Memory Foam
We usually combine the first layer of the DreamCloud with the other two ones below, because these three layers are actually part of the Euro Top layer. The gel infusion in this particular layer is meant to give foam some cooling properties, as this was never the strong point of memory foam.
Second Layer – Quilted Memory Foam
Next, we have a 1.75-inch layer of quilted memory foam. As with every other quilted fabric, this makes the mattress plushier, hence the cloud-like feel of the DreamCloud model.
Third Layer – Natural Latex
To top off the two foam layers above, we find a layer made from natural latex. As you know, latex has a pleasant bouncy property. Together with the innerspring layer, this fine sheet of latex makes it easier for the sleeper to switch from one position to another.
Fourth Layer – Supporting Memory Foam
If the first three layers are actually part of the mattress’ comfort system, the fourth and fifth layer are for support and transitioning. This layer is made from high-density memory foam, meant to contour the body and give it some extra support.
Fifth Layer – Super-Soft Memory Foam
This is the transition layer of the DreamCloud mattress, and it measures 0.5 inches in thickness. It’s interesting how a lot of these layers are thinner compared to what we’ve seen in other mattresses, yet manage to surprise us with a unique and comfortable combination.
Sixth Layer – Pocketed Micro-Coil Technology
We finally arrive at the core of the mattress: a layer made with the finest BestRest coils. This micro-coil technology not only provides support but also helps minimize motion transfer, making the entire construction of the DreamCloud model a perfect blend for a bed you want to share with a sleeping partner.
Seventh Layer – High-Density Memory Foam
To give the mattress full support and shape, there is another layer of high-density memory foam. This prevents the coil system from lying directly on top of the bed frame, protecting it for wear and tear.
Firmness
The firmness of the DreamCloud is nothing less than a pleasant surprise. You could be intimidated by the fact that the mattress is available in a single firmness level, but the construction manages to cover the needs of different types of sleepers, whether they prefer a medium soft or a medium firm mattress. On a scale from 1 to 10, the DreamCloud model is about a 7.5, which makes it a pretty firm mattress, considering that the industry standard for a medium one is 6.5.
Feel
In the end, the firmness rating of a mattress is just that: a rating. What’s really important is how the mattress feels when you’re lying on different positions on top of it. As you’re lying on the back, you can feel how the upper layers of the mattress fully support your body’s weight. The innerspring layer works to push your hips upwards, supporting your spine to rest in its natural position.
As you roll over to the side, you will notice very little pressure, which is quite surprising considering the firmness rating of the mattress. That’s precisely why we keep telling people that the firmness of the bed is often just a number, and the feel is the one that really counts. Stomach sleepers will find great joy in how the DreamCloud mattress performs. It doesn’t allow the hips to sink into the mattress, but keeps them “afloat”.
Unique Features
Five-Zoned Coils
The most important feature of the DreamCloud design is how well it performs in terms of support for key areas. Picture your body is divided into five main areas: the head, the shoulders, the hips, the knees, and the lower legs. Because each of the areas has a different weight, they normally need different levels of support. DreamCloud is looking to provide that support, so they have created an intelligent coil system, which is especially beneficial for people who carry an above-average body weight. Offering proper spinal support no matter your weight.
A Breakdown of the ZenHaven Mattress
Construction
It’s important to mention that the ZenHaven is a dual-sided mattress, with a different firmness level on each side. In the following paragraphs, you will discover the setup of the layers for the plush side.
Top Cover – Organic Cotton & New Zealand Wool
The cover of the ZenHaven mattress is made with organic cotton. In other words, it’s constructed with a fabric that was grown and processed without using any sort of insecticides, pesticides, or any other chemicals that could be inhaled or absorbed by your skin. The organic cotton is combined with New Zealand wool, leading to an all-natural cover for everyone who wants peace of mind knowing the sourcing of the materials. These two fabrics combined lead to a moisture-wicking cover, leaving the sleeper with a cool sensation.
First Layer – Soft Talalay Latex
Underneath every cover of a good mattress lies a comfort layer that’s designed to mold under the pressure of your body and provide a sense of pressure relief. This 1.5-inch layer of Talalay latex feels soft the second you apply pressure on its surface. When the mattress is flipped over, this layer acts as the base of the mattress, supporting all the other layers above it.
Second Layer – Bouncy Talalay Latex
Moving on, we have a 3-inch layer of latex, which works together with the comfort layer above it to provide additional support for the sleeper. Because it’s bouncy, this layer pushes the comfort layer to quickly return to its original shape. This means that transitioning between different sleeping positions is a breeze.
Third Layer – Transition Talalay Latex
Here we have a transitioning layer, also made with Talalay latex. This only acts as a transition layer if the mattress’ plush side is facing up. When the mattress is flipped over to the firmer side, this becomes the support layer.
Fourth Layer – Gentle-Firm Latex
The plush side of the mattress has a base layer that’s made with firm Talalay latex. Basically, the entire construction of the ZenHaven is like a pyramid of firmness: the top layer is the softer one, as the construction becomes firmer the closer we get to the base. When flipping over the mattress, the base becomes the comfort layer, suitable for people who need firm support depending on their favorite sleeping position.
Firmness
The reason why ZenHaven is a dual sided mattress is that it wants to cover a wider range of customer needs, eliminating the hassle of having to choose between a soft or a firm mattress. Since one side of the mattress is firm and the other one is soft, they obviously have different firmness ratings.
Tests have revealed that the soft side of the mattress has a rating of about 5.5, while the firmer side varies between 6 and 7. There are two obvious conclusions to draw from this. First, the soft side of the mattress isn’t as soft as we imagined but is closer to the average grade given for a medium mattress. Second, there isn’t a very big difference between the firm and the soft side of the ZenHaven. But let’s discuss this in the next section.
Feel
Firmness and feel go hand in hand, as they are both quite a subjective matter. While there’s an entire science behind choosing a mattress, it all comes down to how you feel when you sleep on it. This means that you can never trust a mattress review 100%, because your sleeping habits and body conformation may feel a mattress differently from the tester. That being said, let’s talk about the pressure points felt in different sleeping positions.
When you lie on your back on the plush side of the ZenHaven mattress, you will feel the comfort provided by the first two layers of Talalay latex. The softness molds to the shape of your body, feeling almost as if you were lying on memory foam. If you are a back sleeper, you will feel your body sinking into the mattress, but it doesn’t make you feel trapped in any way.
Rolling over to the side, you will feel a slight pressure at the hips and shoulders. While it’s nothing too alarming, these pressure points shouldn’t be felt at all on a mattress that’s advertised as being soft. This goes to show, once again, that the soft side of the ZenHaven is rather of medium firmness. Stomach sleepers will feel a little bit of resistance from the upper layers of the mattress, pushing the spine to a more natural position.
As for the firmer side of the mattress, we have better new. Back sleepers will enjoy sleeping on this side a lot more, because the firm Talalay latex base is now the comfort layer of the ZenHaven, meaning that you won’t get the feeling of sinking into the mattress. Same goes for stomach sleepers: the firmer side will push the hips out of the surface of the mattress, preventing the spine from bending inwards.
Side sleeping on the firm side of the ZenHaven isn’t that different from sleeping on the side on the softer side. There’s a little bit of pressure in both the hips and the shoulder areas, indicating that the ZenHaven isn’t the best choice for side sleepers, no matter which side of the mattress you’re sleeping on.
Unique Features
Dual-Sided Firmness
The ZenHaven is a flippable mattress with a mirrored construction. That means that the layers are replicated from top to bottom and bottom to top. However, since each of the two sides of the mattress has a different firmness, the layers are also denser and firmer as we move from the top of the plush side and get close to the bottom.
Which to Choose?
The DreamCloud Mattress
This mattress has one of the most ingenious and well-thought of constructions we’ve seen. Despite being firm, the layers are chosen and combine in such a way as to provide good support and pressure relief in almost every position. It’s true that it’s best for back and stomach sleepers, but we did expect to feel more pressure when lying on the side. The results were actually satisfying.
Because of its convenient price tag, lots of people can afford a DreamCloud mattress, a product with handcrafted details and gathering all the best materials that one could possibly find in a mattress. It’s a great choice for couples that prefer different sleeping positions because the individually wrapped coils and the latex addition both do a great job in toning down some of that motion transfer.
The ZenHaven Mattress
In order to give you accurate information in this section, we always look at the main features of the construction, firmness, and feel of a mattress. With the ZenHaven, we initially thought that it would be a great choice for people who sleep on the side, especially since the plush side is advertised as having a firmness level of 4 to 5. Truth is, the ZenHaven mattress is way better for back and stomach sleepers, especially when the mattress is flipped over to its firm side.
The mattress also makes a great choice for people who are looking to buy a more natural product in their bedroom. The organic and wool cover is a statement of how sturdy mattresses can be manufactured without using any harmful toxins because nobody wants to go to bed breathing that awful odor.
Dreamcloud vs Zenhaven Mattress Comparison
| The DreamCloud Mattress | The ZenHaven Mattress | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers Used |
|
|
| Height | 15 inches | 10 inches |
| Firmness | Firm | Plush or medium-firm, depends on the side chosen. |
| Motion Transfer | Good | Good |
| Breathability | Good | Good |
| Trial Period | 365 nights | 120 nights |
| Warranty | DreamCloud’s Everlong lifetime warranty | 20 Year Warranty |
| Pricing (Queen) | $1,399 | $2, 399 |
| Shipping | Free shipping and free returns in the US. | Free white glove delivery |
Bottom Line
I’m curious to know which one of these mattresses you found more appealing and why. It’s true that each of them has a very different construction, although they’re both looking to please pretty much the same category of people. Both the ZenHaven and the DreamCloud were conceived to cover a wide range of preferences, to please all kinds of sleepers. The ZenHaven planned on doing so by adding a different firmness level to each of the two sides of a mattress, mirroring the construction, only slightly changing the firmness and density of the latex. The DreamCloud, on the other hand, has designed a mattress that perfectly combines a firm and supportive core, with a soft comfort construction.