An organic mattress can come at a premium cost considering the quality materials inside and a brand’s close attention to sustainability. Awara offers comfortable mattresses made with the same natural and organic materials like latex and wool at an entry-level price. In our Awara mattress review, I break down the scores and insights from our seven panel testers who evaluated the against 23 top-rated mattresses.
Overall, it proved most comfortable for back, stomach and combination sleepers, offering a medium-firm profile and unmatched ease of movement. For side sleepers seeking a more plush and cushioned construction, consider perusing our list of recommendations for the best organic mattresses.
Our Initial Thoughts On The Awara Mattress
A majority of our seven testers agreed that the mattress has an “airy and soft feel” that immediately bounces back after pressure is released, which is a stark contrast to the slow-moving nature of memory foam. “Super plush and airy,” says one tester, adding: “It has a broken-in feel, meaning it feels soft and immediately comforting.” Another praises its great ease of movement compared to the other 23 mattresses analyzed during our panel. “It’s a little bouncier than most of the other models I’ve tested,” he says. Made with a strong pocketed coil base layer and responsive latex foam (more on its construction later), this natural mattress appeases those who like pressure relief without sinking into a mattress’s layers.
Awara Mattress Construction, Firmness And Feel
With only three layers inside, part of the bed’s charm is its no-frills, clean approach to comfort. Its latex is certified organic, while the wool is sourced from responsible farmers in New Zealand, a region known for its high-quality material.
- Cover: Its quilted pillow top and cover are made from wool and rayon from bamboo, which are both naturally breathable and moisture-wicking materials.
- Comfort layer: Next is a 4-inch layer of GOLS-certified latex for ample cushion, support and airflow.
- Support layer: Holding up you and the mattress’s top layers is an 8-inch-thick system of pocketed coils, which are reinforced to be stronger around the perimeter to boost edge support.
Medium-Firm Support With Little Sinkage
Sometimes we stray from a brand’s firmness rating of a mattress, but we think the Awara is spot-on with its medium-firm evaluation. While I was testing, I also placed the profile around a medium-firm; it’s balanced between supportive and pressure relieving, though there is more lift and bolster than cushion. Home and kitchen editor Monica Petrucci agrees, adding: “There’s a soft, bouncy feeling at the top but structured support coming underneath.”
Its latex foam and coil construction gives it a particular feel that’s not nestling or conforming. Instead, as one panelist puts it, it’s best for “someone who wants a mattress that’s more plush and airy, but doesn't typically like the feel of memory foam.”
Awara Mattress Features
Pressure Relief
A side sleeper should look for a medium to soft mattress, and the Awara doesn’t offer enough pressure relief for this posture. I initially thought it may be accommodating enough during testing, but it wasn’t long before my shoulder and hip felt pressure buildup. Back and stomach sleepers, on the other hand, should enjoy its structured feel. “I almost felt weightless,” says one panelist. “While the sinkage isn’t ideal for side sleeping, it seems great for a back sleeper. All of my joints feel like the pressure has been taken off of them.” All things considered, the Awara received a high 8 out of 10 score in this category.
Cooling
All of our testers agreed that the mattress isn’t immediately cooling upon first impressions. “The top layer seems to have a light and breathable feel, but I don’t notice any glaring temperature effects,” says one. With that said, its breathable blend of latex foam, wool and pocket coils makes for a mattress that doesn’t retain heat, easily lets air pass through and dissipates night sweats. While latex foam is more expensive than memory foam, it’s also better suited for hot sleepers.
Motion Transfer
One unavoidable characteristic of a hybrid latex mattress is its bounciness, which can be an advantage in some cases or a hindrance for some. Motion isolation can be an important feature for co-sleepers who are easily disturbed by their partner or couples with different sleep schedules. Our team scored this feature below average due to its responsive profile. After putting it to the test where we make movements around a strategically placed water glass, I barely had to shift and the glass wobbled, even when I was on the other side of the bed. “It’s a little too bouncy for peak motion isolation,” adds another.
Support
Back, stomach and plus-size sleepers should find the Awara offers a comfortable level of support that promotes neutral spinal alignment. While lying supine, deputy sleep and wellness editor Bridget Chapman says, “This is an excellent choice for back sleepers. It’s light and cushioning but very supportive.” I was also most comfortable sleeping on my back. I could feel tension ease between my shoulders and my spine stayed lifted throughout my test.
We found edge support is average, as a majority of testers felt decently sturdy when they sat along the bed’s perimeter. “It holds strong and doesn’t sink or slope when I lie on my side toward the edge,” says one, while Chapman notes there is some buckling when lying near the edge, though not enough for concern.
Ease Of Movement
Combination sleepers and those living with back or joint pain benefit from a mattress that easily lets you switch from one position to another without resistance or struggle. Four out of our seven panelists scored this metric 10 out of 10, and acknowledged its quick-moving profile. “This mattress is supremely bouncy and so easy to move around on. It's one of the bounciest beds of the panel and it keeps you lifted from the foams,” says Chapman.
Awara Mattress Pricing
About Awara
Awara is owned by Resident as the company’s organic leg alongside sister brands Nectar and DreamCloud. All of Awara’s mattresses are made with sustainability in mind, using natural and/or organic materials like latex and wool. Plus, ten trees are planted in Kenya, Senegal, Uganda or Tanzania for each mattress sold.
Shipping And Delivery
The brand provides free shipping in the contiguous United States via FedEx, and your mattress arrives densely packed inside of a cardboard box. Simply unbox the mattress, remove its packaging and watch it decompress into its intended size—but give it at least two days to fully take shape.
Trial And Returns
The brand offers a year (much longer than the 100-day industry standard) to test your Awara mattress before you have to decide if you want to return it. Your trial begins on the date of delivery.
Warranty
The brand offers a generous “forever” warranty, which covers your mattress for manufacturer defects the entire time you own it. In the case of excess sagging, indents or foam cracking, Awara replaces or fixes your mattress for free.
Other Mattresses From Awara
Unlike many mattress brands on the market, Awara keeps its catalog short and sweet with just three offerings that follow a good, better and best model.
Final Thoughts On The Awara Mattress
The Awara Premier Hybrid Mattress matches the quality of premium organic mattresses while offering a more competitive price, making eco-friendly sleep accessible for most. The Classic Hybrid Mattress has a medium-firm feel that’s soft, airy and very responsive.
Who We Recommend The Awara Premier Hybrid To:
- We think people who favor their stomach or back should enjoy its balanced profile
- It excels in ease of movement for combination sleepers and people living with back or joint pain
- It’s suitable for petite to plus-size individuals
Who We Don’t Recommend The Awara Premier Hybrid To:
- It loses points in the motion isolation category
- If motion isolation is your most sought-after feature, I’d consider one of the best mattresses for couples
- It’s not ideal for side sleepers, as it lacks the plush comfort they need for hip and shoulder support
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
- In-person panel testing: We had a diverse roster of seven panelists put the Awara Premier Hybrid through our testing process. They represented a range of genders and preferred sleep postures and differed in body type from under 150 pounds to above 250.
- Analyzing and comparing features: Volunteers on the Forbes Vetted team compared the Awara Premier Hybrid to 23 other popular mattresses while they paid close attention to feel, firmness, ease of movement, edge support, motion isolation and pressure relief.
- Expert knowledge: Chapman and Dillon have over a decade of collective experience professionally testing mattresses and sleep products. They applied their previous expertise to creating a fair and thorough testing methodology.