Best Soft (Plush) Mattress Reviews 2023

Our best soft mattress reviews, or plush mattress reviews as they are also known, are intended to help you with what can sometimes be a problem for some people. That is choosing a soft mattress that also provides good support. Many compare sleeping on a plush mattress to sleeping on a cloud, but the cloud would give you no support, while the plush mattress should and will.

Here is our selection of the eight best soft mattresses we feel provides you with the comfort you seek plus the level of support needed to help keep your spine in the correct position. If your mattress is so soft that your spine is not properly supported, then you could develop back pain or make any pain you already have worse. Check out our Buyer’s Guide to Plush mattresses below.

Table of Contents

Best Soft (Plush) Mattresses 2023

* Softness is indicated on a 1 – 10 scale, where 1 is softest and 10 firmest.

** This mattress is double sided. One side is the soft side while the flip side is firm.

1. Brooklyn Signature Mattress – Best Soft Mattress for Young Couples

The Brooklyn Signature mattress is available in three comfort levels: Soft, Medium and Firm. Each has the same construction, and it is the density/hardness of the foams which is the difference between them. Layers 2 – 4 are made using proprietary foams and springs which have been designed to create the mattress that the designer intended. 

This 12-inch thick mattress consists of six layers which are:

• Layer 1: The top layer, which you lie on, is a 1-inch layer of gel memory foam which has been quilted to stop the foam from moving inside the cover. This keeps you cool and helps prevent body impressions from developing in the mattress.
• Layer 2: This is a 2-inch layer of a proprietary patented foam known as TitanFlex^TM foam. This foam possesses the responsiveness of natural latex plus the contouring to your body shape of memory foam. This is a comfortable form of support which enhanced by being infused with TitaniumGel^TM which keeps you cool at night.
• Layer 3: Then there is a 2-inch layer of a firmer type of TitanFlex^TM foam to enhance the support of the mattress. This prevents you from feeling as though you are sinking into the foam, as many memory foams can do. You get a soft mattress, but with good deep support.
• Layer 4: This is the spring layer in this hybrid mattress. It is 6 inches thick and consists of up to 1024 Ascension^TM steel coils, each of which is individually encased in fabric to keep motion transfer as low as possible.
• Layer 5: Finally, there is a bottom 1-inch layer of high-density polyfoam to support the compression of the steel coils and increase the mattress’s durability.

The overall result is a superb combination of latex, proprietary foams and spring coils that combines a lovely soft, yielding feeling with the spring and support normally associated with latex and innersprings. This 12” hybrid mattress is ideal for couples, young or old, and produces very little movement disturbance between partners. It is also a wonderful mattress for single people.

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2. Puffy Mattress

The Puffy Mattress is out final soft mattress choice of the eight. It may not be the best soft mattress available, although those who like the feel of memory foam might rate this at #1. However, we think it second to the Layla mattress since the latter has a 3-inch layer of memory foam vs. the 2-inch layer of the Puffy. Keep in mind that we are not discussing the firmer Puffy Luxe version here. The layers of the Puffy standard mattress are:

• Layer 1: Two inches of Cooling Cloud^TM memory foam. This contains a cooling gel that absorbs heat and dissipates it throughout the mattress and releases it into the atmosphere, keeping you cool while you sleep.
• Layer 2: Two inches of a proprietary foam known as ClimateComfort^TM foam. This means that the foam does not expand and contract as the foam heats up and cools down. This makes the foam more consistently supportive of your body’s pressure points as the mattress gets hotter and colder.
• Layer 3: The bottom layer of this soft mattress comprises six inches of relatively dense poly foam. While side and back sleepers will find this mattress among the most comfortable soft mattresses they have slept on, it also makes it suitable for side, back and stomach sleepers – in that order.
• The Cover: The stretchable cover can be removed and machine-washed. It can also be machine dried, then stretched over the mattress.

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3. Amerisleep AS5 Mattress

The Amerisleep AS5 is the softest of the Amerisleep mattresses and also the thickest at 14 inches. It is designed for comfort rather than support and is ideal for those who love to sleep on a cloud. It is manufactured using CertiPUR-US foams and an OEKO-TEX certified fabric cover. So let’s start with the cover:

Celliant Cover: The Celliant cover is FDA approved, and is a breathable polyester that converts body heat to infrared energy which is then reflected into your body to regulate your temperature. But it does more than that – it also improves the oxygenation of your body tissues and the circulation of your blood. This main use for Celliant material is in athletics apparel. So, fundamentally, it helps keep your body cool and oxygenated.

Top Layer: The 3-inch top foam layer is made using a proprietary plant-based material known as Bio-Pur® – a type of memory foam with open cells that allow a good flow of air which also helps keep you cool. This type of foam is more breathable than regular memory foam.

Second Layer: The next layer is a 2-inch thick layer of Active Flex memory foam. This foam conforms to the shape of your body, but rebounds immediately you move to keep you comfortable.

Third Layer: This is a 2-inch layer of proprietary HIVE® memory foam, shaped in the form of hexagons. The size and area of the hexagonal foam cells determine their level of support, so they can be used to provide more comfort or support where needed. Your shoulders and hips are given more cushioning and less pressure, while your head, back, and legs get the support they need.

Fourth Layer: The bottom layer is 7 inches of Bio-Core® high-density foam that acts as a base support layer. 

The result is a beautifully soft and comfortable 14-inch thick mattress, eminently suitable for back and side sleepers. It is also our preferred soft mattress for heavier weight sleepers who often find it difficult to find a soft mattress that doesn’t bottom out on them. Most front sleepers would find it too soft for them, putting pressure on their neck (cervical) vertebrae.

If you prefer a mattress with some spring in it, Amerisleep offers the AS5h hybrid version. This option is a soft, comfortable innerspring mattress with good bounce and enhanced motion separation. It offers the benefits of an innerspring mattress together with the advantages of the soft, cooling Bio-Pur® memory foam. It is also 14 inches thick.

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4. Nolah Mattress – Original

The Nolah mattress (original version) appears in our Top 15 Best Mattress Reviews for its benefit to animal welfare. The company donates 7% of its profits to American wildlife welfare, where you can choose your own animal to adopt free through the Defenders of Wildlife organization. Of the two Nolah mattresses available, we are reviewing here the 10-inch Original (firmness rating 5.0) and the 12-inch Signature 2 which is higher priced but not as soft.

Here is how the Nolah Original mattress is structured:

• Layer 1: The top layer is 2-inches of Nolah Airfoam^TM, which is memory foam that is infused throughout with tiny air pockets that add to your comfort and helps keep you cool. The small air pockets absorb the pressure of your body, reducing stress on your shoulders, hips and lower back. It also absorbs the pressure of your buttocks if you lie on your back. The air pockets also provide some bounce, which is great for active couples.
• Layer 2: This is an inch of durable, responsive foam that transitions between the top and bottom layers. It is responsive to movement and also contributes to the bounce.
• Layer 3: A seven-inch support layer of high-density polyfoam which helps make the mattress more durable and longer-lasting.

The cover is viscose and is very soft and comfortable to lie on. It also helps you stay cool by wicking away moisture and keeping you dry and cool while you sleep.

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5. Helix Sunset Luxe: Plushest Mattress in the Large Helix Range

The Helix Sunset Luxe is a soft mattress with a very comfortable plush top surface, but also good deep support where you need it. When you buy a Helix mattress you can choose the Helix Sunset Plush immediately, or can go through the company’s questionnaire system. This system suggests the best mattress for you once you have answered a few questions regarding the type of mattress you wish. It is a 14-inch deep memory foam/innerspring hybrid mattress with individually wrapped steel coils.

The firm has nine mattresses to choose from, six coming with soft, medium and firm feel. The different comfort levels are based on the firmness level of the foams used in each option. The construction is the same for all three comfort levels, but use three different foam densities.

We have chosen the Sunset Luxe model because it is the plushest in the Helix range, with both the soft and medium feel being softer to sleep on that most other mattresses. The Luxe version of the Helix Sunset hybrid mattress has zoned lumbar support coils. This gives you a softer surface beneath your shoulders and a firmer feel under your hips. This helps cradle your body in the correct position for a good, well-aligned spine. It also comes with a quilted pillow top for extra comfort and added luxury. The Luxe cover is ultra breathable with a good flow of air to help keep you cool.

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6. Layla Mattress: Best for Motion Isolation and Cooling Properties

The Layla mattress is double sided, with a soft, comfortable sleeping surface on one side and a firmer surface on the flip side. The soft side, which we are interested in here, has a comfort level of 3-4 on a 1-10 scale where 10 is firmest. The firmer side is rated at 7-8 which not particularly hard, but is fairly firm. So you can turn the soft side, but not flip the mattress – because then you would be sleeping on the firm side! Here is the construction, with the soft side on top:

The cover of the Layla mattress is a soft gel-infused polyester fabric that helps keep you cool at night. It is zippered, and you can remove it for dry cleaning. It covers the entire four layers that comprise the mattress:

• Layer 1: The soft side of the mattress is on top for our purposes. The top level, just beneath the cover, comprises 3 inches of 3.5 lb/cu.ft density memory foam infused with copper. The copper conducts the heat away into the body of the foam.
• Layer 2: The third layer is the second layer of foam. It is a 2-inch transition layer of 1.8 lb polyurethane foam between the soft and support layers when sleeping on the soft side of the Layla mattress. It is made using a convoluted (egg crate design) foam that enables a good flow of air through the mattress and contributes to the mattress’s cooling properties.
• Layer 3: This is a high-density 2 lb polyurethane foam. This rapidly responds to pressure and acts as the support layer when you sleep on the soft side.
• Layer 4: The bottom layer is a 1-inch layer of copper-infused 3.5 lb memory foam. Its one-inch thickness means that this side is firmer to sleep on than the soft side with 3 inches of the same foam.

Given that you sleep only on the soft side, this is an excellent soft mattress for those that prefer comfort to firmness. Check out your Buyer’s Guide for information of who would prefer a soft to a firm mattress, or for whom it would be healthier to sleep on a soft mattress.

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7. The Zenhaven Luxury Plush Mattress

The Zenhaven mattress is available in Luxury Plush (4.5) and Gentle Firm (7.0) levels. It is the softer Luxury Plush version we are looking at here. It is made using a layer of organic wool and four layers of American Talalay latex foam. If you like latex mattresses then this may be your choice. You can read more about Talalay latex later in our Buyer’s Guide – suffice it to say that Talalay latex is bouncier and cooler than Dunlop latex. That means it is the best latex for sex (the best foam for sex to be truthful), but tends to lack motion isolation because of this.

Here is how the Zenhaven Luxury Plush mattress is constructed. We start with the flame-retardant barrier immediately under the cover:

• Layer 1: A 1-inch fire-retardant layer of 100% organic New Zealand wool. This also wicks away moisture to keep you dry and cool when sleeping.
• Layer 2: A 1.5-inch layer of Talalay latex, poured and set to have five areas with different densities of pinholes in it. These change the density and softness of the foam to promote a proper alignment of your spine when you lie on it. Most support is in the shoulder and hip areas. This is Zenhaven’s proprietary ‘5-Zone Comfort Layer’.
• Layer 3: A 3-inch layer of denser Talalay latex for greater support.
• Layer 4: This is a firmer 3-inch layer of Talalay latex. You can flip the mattress to provide firmer support for those who need or prefer it, such as belly sleepers. This is not relevant to this review of soft mattresses.

This mattress envelopes your body with soft, comfortable foam while providing extra support for your pressure points. It is ideal for side sleepers, and back sleepers may also appreciate it. It is also good for scoliosis sufferers.

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8. The Winkbed Softer Option: Softest Mattress For Back Pain and Scoliosis

The Winkbed is a hybrid mattress that is available in Soft (4.5), Luxury Firm (6.5), Firm (7.5) and Plus (8): the softness figures are based on an 1 – 10 scale where 10 is firmest. It is the Soft version we are reviewing here. This option is designed for side sleepers who want to sleep on a cloud-like surface, scoliosis sufferers and lighter-weight back sleepers. It is an excellent choice for anyone suffering back pain who can sleep on a soft mattress. 

It is 14.5 inches thick. Here is how it is made up:

• Top Layer: This is actually a 3-layered Euro extra-plush pillow top provides pressure relief for your shoulders and hips, and makes you feel as though you are sleeping on a cloud. It contours to your body to help support your pressure points.
• Layer 2: Micro Air Springs^TM – Micro air springs enable a good flow of air through the mattress, and in addition to providing comfort, help keep you cool while you sleep.
• Layer 3: This is a 2” layer of self-adjusting specialty foam that provides excellent body contour, and maximizes pressure relief, even for those lying on their side.
• Layer 4: This is a layer of individually wrapped steel coils. It is separated into seven zones to provide support where needed, such as your shoulders and hips, and also to yield to pressure where less support is needed, such as the lower back or lumbar area. The springs, and space between them, also help dissipate heat.

The Winkbed mattress is also fitted with an Edge Support System known as extraEDGE that provides excellent edge support for sitting on, and which also adds 15% to the sleepable area of the mattress.

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9. Saatva Plush Soft Mattress

The Saavta Plush Soft option (level 3.0 – 3.5) is ideal for those who prefer a soft, deep cushioned feel and who like to sleep cocooned in the mattress. It is a great choice for those who are lighter weight and for side sleepers who like a soft mattress and also like to sink deeper into the surface. It is not good if you prefer to sleep on top of your bed rather than in it. This Saatva mattress has a deep feel to it that hugs your body.

The Euro organic cotton-topped pillow top provides a good level of cushion contouring to help relieve back pain or to prevent it. The cushioning layer is precompressed in the lumbar area (lower third) of the mattress and an extra layer of memory foam is added here to provide additional pressure relief in this area.

Below this top layer is a layer of individually wrapped 14.5 gauge comfort coils. These are designed to respond to the shape of your body and minimize motion transfer. Then there is a layer of steel support coils (4-inch coils in the 11.5-inch thick mattress, and 7-inch coils in the 14.5-inch thick mattress. The entire perimeter is encased in the company’s Dual Perimeter edge support system for superb edge support.

The mattress is available at 11.5” and 14.5” thick – there is no price difference between them. The 14.5” version has 7-inch steel support coils while the 11.5-inch version comes with 4-inch steel coils.

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A Buyer’s Guide to the Best Soft Mattress

This guide will take the form of a “Buyer’s Guide to Soft Mattresses” rather than as a Guide to the Softest Mattresses”. This is not to choose the best soft mattress, or even the softest mattress available today, but to provide you with a good idea of what makes a soft mattress and how to choose such a mattress to meet your personal needs.

First, let’s look at who would sleep best on a soft mattress. We first have to describe ‘Soft’ in this context. People generally apply mattress comfort ratings on a 1-10 scale where is 1 is softest and 10 firmest. The vast majority of Soft mattresses are rated at between 3.0 and 5.0. There are a few reasons why people would sleep on a soft mattress rather than on a medium or firm mattress. Some are physiological and others medical.

 Here are some major reasons for you wanting to start sifting through the various mattress softest/hardness factors.

Do You Sleep Best on a Hard Mattress or a Soft One?

Body Weight

Let us first look at bodyweight. Heavyweight people tend to prefer firm mattresses. That is because if they lie on too soft a mattress they may compress it down to the firmer layers and miss on the comfort. They would be better lying on a firmer mattress (6 – 8 level), which would compress less and provide better support for their pressure points before reaching the firmest support layer.

At the other end of the scale are people who weigh very little, and who would prefer a soft mattress somewhere in the region of 3 – 5. In February of last year, the average weight of an American male and female was reported to be around 198 lb and 171 lb respectively. They might regard a mattress with a comfort level of around 5 as soft for them. In fact, it is generally accepted that people below 130 lb would prefer a mattress with a firmness level of 3-4. Those between 130 lb and 230 lb would prefer a level of 5-6, and those over 230 lb would prefer a mattress of 7 and over.

Sleeping Position

Side and stomach sleepers sleep in unnatural positions for the shape of their spine while this is less true of back sleepers. If you sleep on your side, you will require enhanced support for your neck, shoulders, lumbar (lower back) and hips to reduce pressure on these areas with consequent pain. A soft mattress is best for providing this support since it conforms to the shape of your body. Your spine should be straight when sleeping, and proper pressure point support can promote this.

Back sleepers need to have the natural curvature of their lumbar (lower) spinal region supported to maintain the natural curvature of their spine in that area. Sleeping on a pillow or rolled towel may be good enough for this, though however, you achieve this, you must sleep in a position that naturally keeps your spine straight. A soft mattress can assist with this if you choose the correct firmness level. 3.5 should be OK for lower weight people, while 4 to 5 should be OK for medium weight people and 5-7 for back sleepers.

Stomach sleepers have to sleep without turning their heads too much, or they would be liable to have to turn their heads to avoid lying nose and mouth down, obstructing their breathing. This would also put too much pressure on their neck. Such sleepers would be best to sleep on a mattress with a firmness rating of 6 – 8. That said, the above information is for advice only.

Other Factors in Buying a Soft Mattress

• Sleep Trials: Your comfort is the main determining factor so sleep on whatever mattress is most comfortable for you. Your sleep trial is an important factor in this, but keep in mind that you will only get a trial once for any purchase. This means you have to keep the replacement mattress you choose once you have returned the first one.
• You May Need a New Pillow: You will sink more into a soft mattress than a firmer mattress. This means that you will likely need a lower loft pillow than normal. If you have never slept on such a soft mattress before, then you would be best to buy a lower loft, or thinner, pillow than you have now.
• Flippable Mattresses Offer an Option: Some soft mattresses are flippable to a firmer surface. The Layla mattress is one example. Such mattresses are made to be double-sided with a shared central support core. If you want a firmer surface then simply flip the mattress.
• Soft Mattress for Couples: Some companies offer a different comfort level on the right and left sides of the bed for couples where only one partner needs the soft mattress. Helix offers such mattresses in its Dual Balanced and Dual Extra range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions we are often asked by our visitors.