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.
Reflex foam is commonly found in the transitionary and base foam layer of foam mattresses. It is higher density than memory foam, but still has enough give to it where it isn't as hard as a solid surface.
Reflex foam, like memory foam, is a polyurethane foam blend, which has been adjusted for higher density during its manufacturing.
Although some very firm mattresses are made completely of reflex foams, most foam mattresses are a blend of memory foam on the top layer followed by reflex foams in the middle and bottom layers.
Pros: Firmer, supportive foam that enables enough contour for heavier sleepers and support to traditional memory foam mattresses.
Cons: Lower quality foams can offgas toxic chemicals and sag faster than alternatives.
Overall Score:
Memory Foam: 9.3/10
Reflex Foam: 8.6/10
Comfort:
Memory Foam: 9.4/10
Reflex Foam: 8.7/10
Softness:
Memory Foam: 9.5/10
Reflex Foam: 8/10
Cooling:
Memory Foam: 8/10
Reflex Foam: 8.1/10
Hypoallergenic:
Memory Foam: 8.1/10
Reflex Foam: 8.1/10
Odor:
Memory Foam: 8.4/10
Reflex Foam: 8.9/10
General Support:
Memory Foam: 8.7/10
Reflex Foam: 9.5/10
Eco-Conscious:
Memory Foam: 8/10
Reflex Foam: 8.1/10
Price Value:
Memory Foam: 9.4/10
Reflex Foam: 8.1/10
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