Tempur-Pedic Flex Elite Review

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When it comes to memory foam mattresses, Tempurpedic is the granddaddy of them all. Having introduced the first all-foam mattress in 1992, it’s fair to say they have an idea of how to work with memory foam.

Does that logic stand true, however, when it comes to their Tempur-Flex Elite mattress? Let’s find out.

Presenting the Flex Elite

The Elite Mattress is the most expensive of the base models in the Tempur-Flex line. It promises faster-adapting pressure relief, dynamic support and the thickest comfort layer of all their mattresses. Additionally, several of its features are designed to keep you dry and cool as you sleep, which is a plus for most folks.

Compared to other Tempur-Flex mattresses, the Elite is the softest, allowing your body to sink deeper into their Tempur material. It also features a removable fabric cover, something which isn’t found in the Prima, the least expensive of the Flex line.

If you’re looking for a mattress on the softer side, something you can sink into but still have decent support, the Elite seems to be something you might enjoy. People who tend to sweat during sleep may also find some benefit to this mattress. If not, however, you may end up paying extra for some things you don’t need.

Just for clarity’s sake, it’s important to note the Tempur-Flex line is right in the middle of the firmness level for Tempurpedic mattresses. If super softness is your jam, you’ll want to look toward the Tempur-Cloud line. For a firmer mattress, the Tempur-Contour line is what you need.

What It’s Got

What is easily the coolest feature of this mattress, to me, is probably the simplest: the EasyRefresh Top Cover. I’ve seen plenty of mattresses with the other features this one offers, but nothing quite like the special top cover.

It is a quilted, soft, durable mattress cover which can be zipped off the mattress to be washed. I sometimes sweat when I sleep, I’m pretty sure we all do, to some extent, so a mattress cover is a necessity, but they can also be a pain to deal with due to slippage and other issues. Being able to remove this layer and toss it into the washing machine, then zip it back on is a blessing. Now, I don’t know if it’s worth the extra cost, as the cheapest version of the mattress doesn’t include it, but I can say it’s an excellent feature.

Apart from that, the Elite has quite a few features you may have seen elsewhere, but with a Tempurpedic twist. Let’s go layer by layer on this thing.

First off, the (super cool) mattress cover works in tandem with the actual top layer off the mattress to keep you cool. Using what Tempurpedic calls its SmartClimate system, the top cover has fibers to help draw away moisture from your body (an excellent reason to remove it and throw it in the wash), while the inner mattress cover keeps you cool.

I was unable to find any specific information about how their SmartClimate system works, apart from calling it a “special treatment” for the material. Either way, it is designed to keep you cooler, which is a good thing, as memory foam tends to warm up over time.

The next layer down is the comfort layer, of which the Tempur-Flex Elite sports the thickest in its line. This layer uses what the company calls its Tempur-Es material, which is their fancy memory foam. It’s a little different from regular memory foam, as its structure allows for better sinking and adjustment.

The comfort layer works in tandem with the next two layers, the first being the response layer. This part of the mattress helps give a little support to the body and allows it to have a quicker response time, which is how long it takes the mattress to adjust to your body and return to normal after you adjust or get up.

The final layer is the support layer, which features coils that work with the response layer to adjust to your body as you’re sleeping. The idea is to have the bed always adjusting to match your body as you sleep so you have great support throughout the night.

The way they claim this works is their Tempur material is more sensitive to temperature than regular memory foam, so you’re able to sink in deeper, allowing the underlying layers to provide better support throughout your sleeping period.

One final bit of technology is the base layer, which surrounds the dynamic layer and works as the base for the Tempur material layers. Not only does this provide those layers support around the outside of the mattress, it also serves to disperse heat from the mattress, which is important if you want to stay cool.

Another thing to point out about the Temper-Flex Elite is it is designed to work with adjustable bases, particularly those offered by Tempurpedic, including the Temper-Up and Temper-Ergo models. So, if you’re considering a bed with movable parts, this is one you can put on your list.

Overall

At 12.5 inches thick, the mattress is a pretty decent height. Unfortunately, I was unable to tell the exact thickness and density of each of the layers, but Tempurpedic typically uses high-quality materials in their mattresses, so it’s a safe bet that the density of each layer should be high enough to give it good durability.

Price

As I said before, the Elite is the most expensive of the base Tempur-Flex models. The Tempur-Flex Supreme Breeze, a special model of the second-most expensive mattress, comes in a few hundred bucks more, but in that case, you’re paying for the Breeze technology.

What is What?

Memory Foam

If you’re considering this mattress, but don’t have any experience with memory foam, let me take a minute to explain what’s going on with it. You’ve almost definitely already had experience with polyurethane foam, or polyfoam. This is the stuff you’ve felt in the seats of your car or in your couch or chairs or pretty much everywhere. It’s common, and it’s comfy, but generally it isn’t especially durable or supportive, depending on its density.

Memory foam is a relative of polyfoam. It’s made of the same stuff, but has some extra chemicals thrown into it to increase its density and viscosity. This allows it to have an incredibly soft feel and allow you to sink in and give the mattress enough elasticity to pop back into shape. Because of that, this stuff is often referred to as viscoelastic foam.

It’s actually a pretty neat invention as it works primarily through your body heat. Because of the viscoelastic properties given to the mattress, when you lay on it, your body heat actually causes the area around you to become more viscous, which allows you to sink in. This sinking in shapes the mattress to your body so there are no odd pressure points.

For most folks, this works to relieve any sort of aches and pains they may feel when using a traditional spring mattress.

Memory foam also suffers from a heat issue. Since it is using your body heat, it tends to get warm and stay warm. There are multiple ways to alleviate this issue, much like the SmartClimate technology used in the Elite.

The Tempur-Flex Elite uses special memory foam designed by Tempurpedic which they claim allows you to sink deeper into the mattress, giving your body even more support.

Hybrid Mattress

The Elite is a hybrid mattress, which means it combines memory foam and the concept of traditional innersprings.

With its multiple layers, the Elite gives you the soft feel and sinking sensation of memory foam while still being able to provide deep support. One of the biggest issues with memory foam mattress is that by itself, it wouldn’t be able to provide enough support, so by combining the two technologies, a hybrid mattress is able to provide the best of both worlds, allowing you to have full-body comfort and support.

It’s important to note that, because of this, the feel is going to be closer to that of a traditional mattress, with a little more bounce than a hybrid memory foam, polyfoam mattress may have.

Density

Foam density is a big deal when looking into the longevity of your mattress, as it’s a direct correlation to its durability. Density of foam is measured in pounds per cubic inch, and there are some specific levels you want if you’re hoping to get a mattress which will last you a long time. For memory foam, you want at least 4 pounds per cubic inch. Some people say 3.5 is good, and they’re not wrong, but 4 is the magic number. When you hit 5 pounds per cubic inch, you’re up into the high quality stuff. It’s important to note that anything past 6 pounds per cubic inch is overkill, as you start seeing diminishing returns. If something is above 6, your best bet might be to actually look for something a little less dense, and thus cheaper, to save some money, because it’s not going to make a whole lot of difference.

For any polyfoam layers, which are sometimes used as deep support layers in mattresses, a density of 1.8 pounds per cubic inch is sufficient, but 2 pounds per cubic inch is idea. As far as the Elite goes, Tempurpedic does not like to share their foam densities, for some reason. They do, however, use some pretty high quality foam, so you’re likely to have a good experience in that regard. Your best bet when mattress shopping is to ask the salesperson about foam densities to make sure you’re getting a good product.

Off Gassing

Something to keep in mind when it comes to any type of foam mattress is off gassing. Some of the chemicals that go into these foams are pretty intense. Because of these, foam-based mattresses will sometimes have an intense chemical smell for a while. However, the amount of chemicals emitted won’t cause you any issues since they dissipate fairly quickly.

In addition, there are numerous companies out there who test for any volatile organic compounds, referred to as VOCs, released by products in order to make sure they are safe. Each of these companies has a certification mark, which is something you should look for when buying a mattress.

Also, higher quality foams are less likely to experience offgassing, as they use better materials. I’m happy to report, as far as the Tempur-Flex Elite goes, I’ve seen no reports of off gassing, so that’s a plus for this mattress.

What People are Saying

I’ve looked around a bit and, generally, the Tempur-Flex Elite has good reviews. People really seem to enjoy the feel of it, saying it’s a bit firmer than they had expected. Many of them say the mattress has helped them alleviate many of the aches and pains they used to feel after sleeping.

The cooling properties seemed to have mixed reviews. Some people claimed it was great, while others said it was hot until they removed the top cover. Another person complained of heat, but then said they slept with several blankets, so I’d chalk that up to a personal issue. Either way, reviews for the Elite are mostly positive, which is a good sign.

You may be interested in: Tempur-Pedic Weighted Blanket

Conclusion

The Tempur-Flex Elite mattress seems like a fantastic product. It’s got a great blend of technologies to give you a good night’s sleep, but the cost is pretty darn high.

I can appreciate some of the features, especially the removable top cover, but I don’t know that I would spend the money on this mattress when there are others out there with similar quality at a lower price, including the Tempur-Flex Prima, the least expensive of the line.

No matter what, though, if you decide on the Tempur-Flex Elite mattress, you’re going to have a good time. Between the SmartClimate cooling technology and the various Tempur-items, this mattress has a lot to offer.

Great support, cooling technology and, theoretically, durability will make the Tempur-Flex Elite money well spent.