Nolah Mattress Review

Nolah is an online bed in a box brand that offers a variety of mattresses, including the Nolah Original, Signature 12″, the Signature 12″ All-Foam Hybrid, and the Evolution Hybrid. Designed as an alternative to memory foam, all of the Nolah mattresses feature their proprietary AirFoam™, which they claim provides superior pressure relief, lasts longer, and stays cooler, and more comfortable than memory foam.

In this review, we take a look at the Nolah Original 10” mattress. We’ll cover things like construction, best sleep positions, cooling benefits, purchase details, and more. We’ll also compare it to the Signature 12” so you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Last Updated: May 12, 2023

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Who It’s Ideal For –

Side, Back, and Combination Sleepers.
Individuals who struggle with shoulder and hip pain.
Couples and Co-Sleepers.
Budget Shoppers – a queen cost just over a $1000 before discounts.

What It’s Not Ideal For –

Returned mattresses will incur a $99 fee.
Sleepers are required to keep the mattress for a minimum of 30 days before initiating a return.
May be too soft for strict stomach sleepers.

Mattress Type

AirFoam

Firmness

Medium

Sleep Trial

120-Nights

Warranty

Lifetime

Shipping

FREE Standard

Price Range

$699-$1798

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Nolah Mattress Review Summary

The Nolah Original 10″ is a popular alternative to memory foam that offers deep pressure relief without leaving you feeling stuck in the mud. A great option for side, back, and combination sleepers, Nolah does an excellent job of easing aches and pains. And after discounts, a queen sized Nolah costs just under a $1,000, making it accessible for most budget shoppers!

Nolah Original 10" YouTube Review

Firmness and Feel

Before choosing a new mattress, it is important to consider the firmness and feel as well as your sleep position. Eager to see how Nolah compares to the competition, we put it to the test. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the firmest, we rated Nolah about a 5.5-6 (medium). One of the softer mattresses we’ve reviewed, but surprisingly still very supportive.

What Sleep Position is Nolah Best For?

After reviewing the Nolah mattress, we felt it was best suited for side sleepers and combination sleepers. Let’s take a look!

Side Sleepers

Soft and responsive, Nolah relieves painful pressure points through the hips and shoulders, both of which are common trouble spots for side sleepers. Traditional memory foam often achieves this through deep contouring, which can cause you to sink into the mattress but, Nolah kept us lifted, providing a weightless sensation. In fact, of the many mattresses we’ve reviewed, Nolah provided some of the best relief from hip pain. Overall, we think Nolah is an excellent match for side sleepers.

Back Sleepers

Overall, Nolah should work well for back sleepers, in particular, petite and average-sized back sleepers. Heavier sleepers (230lbs and above), however, may find Nolah a bit too soft for proper spinal alignment, allowing the hips and midsection to sink below the head and shoulders.

Stomach Sleepers

The Nolah Original 10″ is least suited to stomach sleeping. While side sleepers benefit from ample cushioning through the hips, stomach sleepers don’t. Dedicated stomach sleepers typically need more support through the hips to keep them from sinking into the mattress and putting pressure on the low back.

We’d recommend the Helix Dawn for strict stomach sleepers.

Combination Sleepers

The High-Resilience foam acts similarly to latex, providing responsiveness and bounce which kept us lifted, eliminating that “stuck in the mud” feeling and allowing us to transition easily from one sleep position to the next. Overall this caused fewer sleep disturbances and indicated that combination sleepers are likely to really enjoy the Nolah Original 10” mattress.

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Nolah Mattress Review Summary

Nolah Original 10" Mattress Performance

Sleep position isn’t the only factor to consider when testing a new mattress. Are you a hot sleeper? Do you share your bed with a partner? Are you sensitive to allergies and respiratory conditions? Knowing the details before you buy a new bed can help you make an informed decision.

Edge Support

Unfortunately, all-foam mattresses don’t tend to have the best edge support. This is a fairly consistent trait of foam mattresses though not likely to be a deal-breaker.

Good edge support is important for those who may need a bit of extra support getting into and out of the bed, such as seniors and the elderly. We felt quite a bit of compression on the mattress when sitting on the edge of the bed or leaning into for support. Hybrid mattresses generally provide better edge support than all-foam mattresses and may be your best bet if this is a priority. Nolah recently launched their first hybrid model, the Nolah Evolution Hybrid.

Couples sharing a Full or Queen size bed will also want to pay attention to edge support. When edge support is lacking it can make a mattress feel smaller than it actually is. Interestingly, this wasn’t a problem with Nolah. We were able to lay right on the edge of the bed without feeling like we would roll out of it. This suggests that couples sharing a bed should get on just fine with Nolah. Still not sure? Opt for a King or California King if possible, you won’t regret it. 😊

Motion Transfer

Nolah does a fantastic job of isolating motion. This all-foam mattress dampens movement making it ideal for those that share their bed with their partner, kids, or pets. Overall, we think Nolah is a solid option for couples.

Off-Gassing

While off-gassing is typical with any new mattress, it is most prevalent in all-foam mattresses. This was true for Nolah as well, we did notice a minor smell after unboxing it. You can expect the odor to dissipate within a few hours to a couple of days. If you are especially sensitive to harsh smells or odors, you can leave the mattress in a well-ventilated area or crack open a window for some fresh air.

Is Nolah Good For Hot Sleepers?

Achieving an ideal sleep temperature is crucial to getting a good night’s sleep. While Nolah isn’t the coolest mattress we’ve tested it did a pretty good job of remaining temperature neutral. In other words, Nolah doesn’t actively cool you down but it also shouldn’t trap heat.

If you tend to sleep hot you may also want to consider your sleep accessories. Picking the right sheets, pillows, and pajamas can make or break your sleep experience. Or check out our favorite bedroom must-have cooling accessory!

Related: Nolah Bamboo Sheets Review

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Nolah Mattress Review Summary

Nolah Mattress Construction

Nolah stands at a height of 10” and features 3 layers of CertiPUR-US certified foams. Foams with this certification are made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP, or TCEP (”Tris”) flame retardants, formaldehyde, mercury, lead, or other heavy metals and have a low VOC emission for indoor air quality.

Mattress Cover- The Original 10″ mattress cover is a custom-made, ultra-soft, Tencel cover made from botanic origins. Tencel is a naturally breathable, viscose material that wicks away moisture and keeps you cool and dry.

Comfort Layer- This layer is comprised of 2” of Nolah’s proprietary AirFoam™. Designed for 4x better pressure-relief and enhanced cooling, AirFoam™ is a popular and effective memory foam alternative.

Transition Layer- 1” of High-Resilience Foam makes up the transition layer. Said to be more 300% more durable than latex or traditional memory foam, this layer provides a healthy and responsive bounce.

Support Layer- 7” of High-Density foam make up the base layer. This layer is breathable, supportive, and durable for long-lasting comfort.

AirFoam™ VS Memory Foam

One of the most popular mattress materials available today, memory foam mattresses are loved for its ability to provide deep-contouring and pressure relief. Unfortunately, memory foam is also known for some common pesky problems. Slow to respond, memory foam can leave sleepers feeling stuck in the mattress. While that deep contouring can provide much-needed relief for chronic pain sufferers, it also tends to sleep hot.

AirFoam™ is Nolah’s solution to these common problems. Unlike memory foam, AirFoam™ is not temperature-sensitive. As such, AirFoam™ is intended to dissipate heat faster and help you sleep cooler because it does not use heat trapping viscoelastic chemicals used in memory foam.. At the same time, Nolah’s AirFoam™ is designed to provide 4x the pressure-relief of traditional memory foam meaning it could be a great choice for anyone who suffers from shoulder and hip pain or chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.

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Nolah Mattress Review Summary

Nolah Purchase Details

Sleep Trial

Nolah offers a 120-night risk-free sleep trial which is fairly standard for the bed in a box industry. However, Nolah offers consumers the opportunity to save an extra $100 off their mattress if they choose to waive the sleep trial. Nolah is the first mattress company that we’ve reviewed that has left this option up to the buyer. So, for budget-conscious shoppers or those who may already be familiar with the bed, this is an excellent chance to save a few extra dollars.

For those that prefer to opt for the sleep trial, there are a few details to note. Adjusting to a new mattress can take some time, as such, Nolah does require a minimum 30 night break-in period. This is pretty also pretty standard, most bed in a box companies have a similar requirement though the length of time may vary.

Warranty

The Nolah Original 10″ mattress comes with a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser only. For more information about the warranty visit nolahmattress.com.

Shipping & Returns

Shipping and returns are free when you purchase a Nolah mattress. Each mattress is made to order so expect shipping times to run between 5-10 days. At this time Nolah is only available to the contiguous US.

If you find you are unsatisfied with your new Nolah mattress, returns are eligible after 30 nights but before the 120th night. Nolah will even arrange for pick up of the returned mattress. Be aware, returns will incur a $99 fee.

Pricing & Bed Sizes

By operating 100% online Nolah cuts out the middleman and delivers the savings straight to you. This could be a good choice for the budget-conscious shopper, as the Nolah Original is priced just over $1,000 before discounts. See the latest coupon for Nolah or check out our mattress coupons and deals page.

Price

Bed Dimensions
(W x H x L)

Twin

$699

38 X 75 x 10

Twin XL

$899

38 X 80 x 10

Full

$999

54 X 75 x 10

Queen

$1149

60 X 80 x 10

King

$1349

76 X 80 x 10

California King

$1349

72 X 84 x 10

Split King

$1798

38 x 80 x 10 – (2)

Mattress Coupon

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Nolah Mattress Review Summary

Compatible Bed Frames and Mattress Foundations

Nolah is compatible with most bed frames and mattress foundations. While a box spring or foundation isn’t required, choosing a firm, flat surface will help extend the lifespan of your new mattress. Suitable options include:

Adjustable Bases (see Nolah’s selection)
Platforms
Box Springs
Slatted frames (slats should be no more than 3-4” apart)

Though Nolah says you can place the mattress directly on the floor they don’t recommend it. If this is your only option be sure to thoroughly clean and dry the surface before unboxing your new bed. In many cases, placing your new mattress on the floor can void the warranty as keeping your bed on the floor can result in mold and mildew and increase the likelihood of insects and dust mites.

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Original 10" vs Signature 12"

The big difference between the Original 10″ and the Signature 12″ is 2 additional inches of foam and a flippable mattress construction. The Signature 12″ is designed to capture sleepers who prefer one extreme or the other. One side of the mattress is soft (4-5), an excellent choice for side sleepers while the other side is firm (around a 7), better suited to dedicated stomach sleepers.

We did find the Signature 12″ seemed to retain more heat than the Original 10″ and this is mostly due to the deep contouring you’ll experience when sleeping on the soft side of the mattress. For more information check out our Nolah Signature 12″ mattress review.