==> Visiting this review from NZ? Read this article especially kiwi readers <==
If you want an Ecosa mattress review from someone who has used it as their own bed for more than a year, you’re in the right place. Did I like it? Yes. Am I still sleeping on it now? Actually no. Find out all the details in this thorough Ecosa mattress review.
As well as my own experiences, I’ll give you a summary of what others think of the mattress too, based on my research on independent review sites. This is important, because you need to know what a range of people think of a mattress before you decide if it’s right for you, not just one opinion.
My reviews are long and thorough, so if there is a particular section of information you’d like to read about straight away, please click on the links below to go straight to what you want to know.
- Overview
- Technical info
- Warranty, trial period, and shipping info
- What does the Ecosa mattress feel like to lie on?
- Who is the Ecosa mattress best suited to?
- Pros and Cons
- How to use
- Any problems?
- Real comments from users who gave Ecosa 5 stars
- My personal opinion of my own Ecosa mattress (including the reason we changed our mattress)
Ecosa Overview
Ecosa was founded in 2015 with one simple goal: to help people sleep better. Ecosa originated in Australia, but they soon expanded: they ventured into the Hong Kong and New Zealand markets in 2016, followed by the United States in 2017. Ecosa mattresses are manufactured in China with materials mostly sourced from Germany. Ecosa makes one mattress, which is their specialty flagship product, but they also make:
- ergonomic memory foam pillow
- mattress topper
- bamboo sheets
- silk pillowcase
The Ecosa mattress is a memory foam mattress that comprises of three foam layers. It is a firmer mattress that has some cool technology inside (find out more in the technical info below). It has been rated as “very good” for durability and firmness by Consumer New Zealand; the trusted consumer watchdog here in New Zealand similar to Consumer Reports in the United States.
Want to see the Ecosa come to life before you go on to read all about it? Here’s a video of me and my husband unboxing ours after it arrived.
Ecosa Mattress Technical Info
This mattress has three internal layers. One of the things that really drew us to the Ecosa mattress when we were deciding what to purchase was the fact that you can adjust the firmness level by changing around the layers inside the mattress. We thought this sounded like a really clever design that would allow one mattress to cater for a variety of sleeping preferences and needs. Ecosa describes it as a “3 in 1 adjustable firmness mattress”. I’ll let you know what I think about that in the following section of this review. Let’s take a look at the breakdown of the materials and construction of the mattress:
The total height of the Ecosa mattress is 10 inches. It has a cover and three layers of foam.
Cover: the cover of the Ecosa mattress actually has two layers:
- The removable, breathable outer which is machine washable
- The waterproof and dust mite repelling inner cover (also removable so you can switch the mattress layers around as desired)
Foam layers:
The first two layers I describe are what are known as the comfort layers. The third layer is the support core layer, but if you want to sleep on a really firm feeling mattress you can move this layer to the top (you’ll read why you shouldn’t just flip it over in the foam description).
- The blue layer is named “G-7”, and is a gel memory foam. Gel memory foam is known for its cooling properties. Ecosa gave me a measurement breakdown in cm, and this layer is 3cm thick. Keep this layer on the top of the mattress for the “softest” medium feel this mattress can give you. This is how we have our own Ecosa mattress configured.
- The white layer is a memory foam that Ecosa have designed themselves. Called Eco-Tex, this foam is designed to mimic the feel of latex (which is known for it’s cooling, durability, and bounce). This layer is 4cm thick, which means the two comfort layers combined make up 7cm or about 3 inches of the mattress total. Put the white layer on the top of your mattress to give it more of a medium-firm feel.
- The largest section of the mattress is the high density support foam, made from plant based polyurethane. It makes up about 7 inches of the mattress height. This layer is what you would put at the top of the mattress if you wanted it to feel really, really firm. This layer has some convolutions in it as you can see in the picture. These are designed to contour to your spine and will also contribute to air flow. It’s important these are pointed upwards as shown, which is why you should not just flip the mattress upside down to lie on this foam layer.
It is not clear from the information on the website, but I confirmed with Ecosa that the foams used in their mattresses are indeed CertiPUR-US certified, among other environmental certifications (Oeko-Tex standard 100 as well as ISO9001, SA8000 and CFR1633 for the peace of mind for customers outside of the USA). I found this out via their instant chat, which was indeed instant. Chat is available from 6am ’til midnight so no matter what timezone you’re trying to contact them from, you’ll probably strike a time when the team is there.
The federally required fire retardant barrier is a woven silicone sock. This is a good advantage over some of Ecosa’s competitors, who use materials such as fiberglass or chemicals as their fire retardants.
Warranty, Trial Period, and Shipping Info
- The Ecosa mattress has a 15 year warranty, which is longer than the more common 10 year warranty many competitors come with. Ecosa has created materials it believes are especially durable, and claim their Eco-Tex foam is more durable than latex, which is commonly called the most durable mattress material.
- It comes with a generous 100 night sleep trial. This is really important when buying a mattress online, as you need to be sure you are able to give the mattress a good try with as little risk as possible. I recommend you try a mattress out for at least 30 nights before you make a decision on whether it is right for you, as it can take your body time to adjust to the feel of it. I found that it took me a couple of weeks to get used to how my Ecosa mattress felt, this was for two reasons:
- I had never slept on a memory foam mattress before so it was a totally different feel of mattress for me
- The mattress was firmer than any other mattress I had ever chosen and I needed time to figure out if it was comfortable enough
Shipping
Shipping is free via FedEx Ground (for US customers), and your order will be dispatched the next business day after you place your order. Ecosa advise your mattress will take 1-7 business days to reach you.
What Does the Ecosa Mattress Feel Like to Lie On?
I am going to give you my personal opinion for this part of my Ecosa mattress review.
I find this mattress to be firm. To be completely honest, it is a bit firmer than I would choose if I was able to again. I prefer a medium feel mattress I believe, and one that offers a bit more contouring for my shoulder. Ecosa is a pretty flat mattress to lie on, despite the fact it contains memory foam.
HOWEVER, while we owned it, we slept well. My husband likes memory foam and he likes a firm mattress, and he liked it for a while. I find the firmness is not uncomfortable at all, perhaps just not as “cozy” as I might prefer. I sleep really well on the mattress so even though we have different preferences and it’s not my first choice of mattress feel, it’s actually working well for both of us.
The mattress is described as firm around the internet, and many one star reviews have been given to it for being too firm, so the general consensus from most other users is ALSO that this mattress is firm.
You’ve probably got the message by now that this mattress is FIRM, no matter how you configure the layers. If you like firm mattresses, you’ll like Ecosa.
Even though the mattress contains a “bouncy” layer, I would not say this mattress has any bounce at all. It is very responsive and springs back quickly when you put pressure on it, which I prefer over that sinking memory foam feel some mattresses have, but no bounce that I can detect.
A small gripe I have with this mattress is the way Ecosa says you can change the feel of the comfort layers. While I agree that you absolutely can make the surface feel a bit more forgiving by putting the softer layers at the top, ultimately the two comfort layers are both thin and the mattress will inevitably end up feeling reasonably firm to lie on once all your body weight is putting pressure through it.
Who Is the Ecosa Best Suited To?
By now, you can probably tell that the Ecosa mattress is going to work great for you if you are looking for a firmer feeling mattress.
It is also a great choice for those seeking a memory foam mattress that responds quickly, skipping the “stuck” feeling some memory foam mattresses give. (If you’re on the market for a true memory foam sinking feel mattress, then the Nectar mattress is going to be a better choice for you, read my review of it here).
The great thing about Ecosa being a firmer mattress is that it makes it an excellent choice for stomach sleepers. Stomach sleepers generally need a firm mattress to make sure their hips don’t sink and put their spine out of alignment as they sleep.
Back sleepers should also find this mattress works well. I go to sleep on my side and wake up on my back, so I guess I’m a combo sleeper. I feel well supported in both sleeping positions on this mattress. However, if you are predominantly a side sleeper, you might want something a little softer as you might find you get a bit of a numb shoulder due to the firmness of this mattress. I think this would happen to me if I did not shift to my back during the night. If you are looking for a mattress that has more of a medium feel and can be customized to you for free, you might prefer a Snuggle-Pedic mattress, which you can read about here.
Ecosa can take a total of 660lb combined weight, or individual weight of 330lb. This weight limit, combined with its firmer feel, make it a good choice for heavier people.
If you are concerned about buying a mattress online and are dubious about not being able to try it out before you buy, Ecosa is a great choice. The 100 night sleep trial totally removes that risk for you, and Ecosa make returns easy: they’ll arrange for the mattress to be picked up and issue you a refund if you find it’s not for you.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Good quality materials for the price
- Thousands of positive reviews
- Generous warranty and trial periods
- Suitable for a wide range of sleepers
- Excellent motion isolation
- Cover is removable and machine washable
Cons
- May be too firm for some, even if you switch the layers around
- Minimal bounce despite a latex like foam layer
- Manufactured in China
How To Use
- Ecosa instruct that you can use this mattress on any type of supportive base, they even say you can use it on the floor. However, I would recommend you never put any mattress on the floor that you intend to sleep on for the long term. If you do, you will invite dirt, creepy crawlies, and cut off air from flowing around the mattress.
- For the softest feel the mattress can give, have the blue foam layer on top (note: the mattress will still feel quite firm).
- For a firmer feel, have the white foam layer on top.
- For the firmest feel, have the yellow support layer on top.
- Do expect a slight off gassing smell from your Ecosa mattress. I was bracing myself for this, as I do not particularly like plastic or chemical type smells, but the smell from Ecosa as it expanded was incredibly mild. We opened our mattress up on a summer evening (watch our unboxing here) in a well ventilated room, and the smell was virtually gone by the time we went to bed (also, the mattress was fully expanded).
Any Problems?
I read through the one star reviews and some people seemed a bit confused about the fact that giving a product one star means you don’t like it or don’t want to recommend it: there were many one star reviews raving about the mattress!
From the one star reviewers who actually didn’t like the mattress, the main complaint was that they found the mattress too firm. This was also the resounding theme through the two star reviews, so please only buy this mattress if you want a firm feeling mattress. Even with the adjustments. However, do keep in mind that it’s easier to make a firm mattress feel softer than it is to make a softer mattress feel firm. Even though my husband and I also find the mattress to be quite firm, it is not uncomfortably so. We are about to add a wool topper to it (it is coming into winter right now in New Zealand where we live) which we expect will make it just that little bit softer. Ecosa also sell a great mattress topper which would soften it up too.
Since Ecosa is originally an Australian company, I decided to look at the independent reviews on major Aussie review website productreview.com.au. While 86% of people were pretty happy with their Ecosa purchase, again, I found that pretty much all the negative reviews were about the mattress being firmer than the customer preferred. Unfortunately there were also some complaints about how long the returns process took. To outline the process so you know what you’re in for: it takes 1-10 business days for collection to be arranged and then a further 1-10 days for the refund to be processed.
Real Comments from Users who Gave Ecosa 5 Stars
“It took me about a month to get used to, but now I wake up feeling great, and my back is straighter”
“A comfortable mattress with very little partner disturbance and good support”
“Firm (which we like), and cool to sleep on. It feels like we are sleeping on a cloud”
“From day one I’ve slept better and I no longer get any joint pain. I’m a convert!”
“I have back problems and have struggled for a long time with mattresses that are too soft. Now I finally have my firmer Ecosa I don’t get back pain any more.”
“I have been getting more deep sleep since buying this mattress”
“I sleep on my back and my side. Between this mattress and my Ecosa pillow I feel like the most well rested person in the world”
My Personal Summary
To sum this Ecosa mattress review up, I’ve got a list of points to share with you, including the answer to why I no longer sleep on Ecosa.
- Ecosa is an efficient company to deal with, with good customer service and fast shipping
- The Ecosa mattress itself is of high quality and seems durable (it looked good as new when we sold it after 18 months of daily use)
- The Ecosa mattress is very firm, no matter how you configure it. I’d only recommend it to people who really like a firm mattress or are predominantly stomach sleepers.
- In the end, I got to try out a Winkl mattress and it was the amazingly comfortable feeling of that, with the extra softness I’d been seeking, that made us switch away from Ecosa.
- So, if you like the idea of a memory foam mattress but you think Ecosa might be just too firm for you, here are my recommended alternatives:
