Memory foam is a blend of polyurethane (a polymer made as a byproduct of petroleum refining) and additional chemicals that give the memory foam its low-resilience. It was originally developed by NASA in the 1970s for airplane cushioning and has since become one of the widest materials used in mattresses and pillows.
In plain English, what makes memory foam is its ability to contour to pressure and return to its original shape slowly after pressure is released. This process allows for it to react to pressure differently across its surface and provide a contoured, but aligned feeling for sleepers.
In mattresses, older or lower quality memory foam may sag from the repetitive pressure of laying or sitting. For this reason, those that are heavier should do additional research about soft memory foam bedding as they will sink more than alternatives and could lead to discomfort for some body types.
Lastly, over the recent years, there has been reports of off-gassing and toxic odors released from memory foam. Some lower quality or treated memory foam may have this problem and cause respiratory inflamation. It is important to make sure that memory foam is high quality.
Pros: Contouring comfort, competitive pricepoints, and widespread options.
Cons: Sagging and off-gassing problems with lower quality foams.
Pocket springs are individually wrapped coil systems that are stitched into mattresses below a comfort layer of foam or other material. Unlike traditional innerspring systems that are interconnected, pocket springs are entirely independent allowing for added contour and pressure point relief than older innerspring models.
The general rule on pocket coil systems is the more coils, the more responsive and motion controlled the mattress is, while still providing support. This directly translates to more comfort.
In most pocket spring beds, there is a layer of memory foam or latex foam above the pocket spring array so that the sleeper gets both the benefits of contouring foam and the comfort of the pocket springs.
Pros: Durable materials and superior comfort to traditional innerspring systems.
Cons: Sleepers should be equally as interested in the foam that is wrapped around the coil system - if that is low quality, the bed still may be uncomfortable.
Overall Score:
Memory Foam: 9.3/10
Pocket Spring: 9.8/10
Comfort:
Memory Foam: 9.4/10
Pocket Spring: 9.8/10
Softness:
Memory Foam: 9.5/10
Pocket Spring: 9.4/10
Cooling:
Memory Foam: 8/10
Pocket Spring: 9.8/10
Hypoallergenic:
Memory Foam: 8.1/10
Pocket Spring: 9.8/10
Odor:
Memory Foam: 8.4/10
Pocket Spring: 9.8/10
General Support:
Memory Foam: 8.7/10
Pocket Spring: 9.6/10
Eco-Conscious:
Memory Foam: 8.5/10
Pocket Spring: 8.7/10
Price Value:
Memory Foam: 9.4/10
Pocket Spring: 9.8/10
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