Lull Mattress Review | 2024 Update | TheSleepStudies

Lull mattress testing

What’s different about the Lull?

Lull mattress – review of the construction

Why is this important?

The difference here comes down to the distance between the body axis and the furthermost points (like hips and shoulders).

So, unless you belong to one of the two groups of people mentioned above, the Lull is likely to provide a good balance between support and comfort.

That’s probably the main reason behind the fact that Lull mattress has a user satisfaction rating of 95%.

Layer 2 – support / transition

One more layer of foam with the same thickness as the cooling foam but somewhat denser. It’s meant to be a transition between the cooling layer and the core (bottom layer).

Layer 3 – core

Seven inches of extra dense foam of the core are there as the main supportive element. The foam used is strong, much denser than either of the two layers we mentioned above, and works with them to balance out the lower density of the cooling and the transitional layer.

The three layers together “work” together to offer proper “sinkage” for the joints and align the spine.

Based on what we’ve seen, Lull has done a very good job balancing the 3 layers.

Lull mattress – review of foam quality

If you’ve done your homework researching mattresses, you probably know that judging the quality of the foam is tricky.

Things got especially complicated with the growing trend of shady outsourcing practices.

We’re not saying that outsourcing is a bad thing per se or that you can judge the quality of the foam based on where it comes from.

We’re saying not to take any claims about “high-quality foam” at face value, because anyone can make them.

What to look for instead?

Look for things that are backed up and proven, like:

• Warranty
• Testing (independant)
• 3-rd party certification

Unless a mattress ticks all the boxes above, any claims about the quality of the foam are moot, whether they’re positive or negative.

So, let us analyze and review the Lull mattress from that precise “angle”.

Warranty and Trial

The trial

Let’s separate two things here – the trial period of hundred nights and the 10 years of warranty.

The trial is just meant for the potential buyer to protect themselves from ending up with a mattress they don’t like.

In the modern, online-mattress-shopping market, a company wouldn’t get very far without offering a trial period that lasts long enough for you, as the potential owner, to be sure whether their product is right for you.

During this period, you can sleep-test the Lull mattress and simply return it if you don’t like it.

It’s a big plus but not something that separates the Lull from similar brands.

The warranty

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the foam quality comes down to the warranty.

There’s simply no way for the company to offer a 5 or 10-year testing-backed (this is an important one and we’ll get back to it in a minute) warranty while using sub-par foam for their mattresses.

The math doesn’t add up.

That’s why we’re stressing the 10-year warranty of the Lull. There’s no foam expert that can tell you more about the foam quality than the warranty terms.

Independent testing – beyond the warranty

One of the pieces of advice we always give to people buying a mattress online is to go with a brand of mattresses that are backed up by independent testing.

Lull is one of those brands.

What does that mean exactly?

It means that the mattress is tested by a 3-rd party lab in conditions designed to mimic the use within the warranty period.

Why is this important?

Lull is a big player and a stable company.

We see them maintaining the status for decades to come, so the following scenario doesn’t refer to the company but other sub-par mattress sellers.

Imagine this scenario – you get a mattress based on the warranty terms and you see an issue with it halfway through the warranty period. What if the company is not there anymore?

In this scenario, you would have bought a mattress based on numbers on a paper.

Safety of the Lull mattress

Safety is still a big factor when choosing memory foam. That’s why we avoid even reviewing mattresses that are not CertiPUR-US® Certified.

Lull is not only certified for safety from any fumes or potentially harming agents by the CertiPUR-US label, but it’s also a certified member of the Sustainable Furnishing Council (SFC) and Mattress Recycling Council (MRC).

There are mattresses out there with some of these certificates, but you rarely see a brand certified with all the 3 safety and environmental labels.

The cover

If you think that a cover of the mattress bears little importance, you didn’t stumble upon a bad cover.

The quality of the cover is especially important for the Lull because of their selling points is the cooling property of the top foam layer. The breathability of the end product largely depends on the quality of the cover (as defined on the Lull website).

To put it simply – you can use whatever foam type you like, but if the materials of the cover are not top-notch, the mattress will still trap heat.

Why we like the Lull cover

With the combo of polyester, polypropylene and rayon, Lull seems to have found the sweet spot with the cover. We didn’t notice any breathability, durability or longevity issues that would be a red light or deal breakers.

The part we especially like is the easy maintenance and how well the combo of the materials responds to different types of cleaning (like machine washing or dry cleaning).

Lastly, the patterned surface with side panels and the combo of white and gray does look stylish and worthy of a high-end product like Lull.

The balance between heat dissipation and shape retention

To get to the ratings of the cover, we look at the temperature footprint of the mattress with and without the cover. With mattresses like Lull, the lower the difference, the better the cover. It’s all about allowing the cooling layer to breathe and do its job of heat dissipation.

This means striking the right balance between shape retention, the thickness of the cover and its seamlessness. We also look at issues like pilling or shape change and we saw none of that with the Lull…to be honest, we didn’t expect to see it either (having in mind the reputation of the company).

On top of it all, the cover is fire resistant. Nice work with this one, Lull.

“Pushback” (bounce) vs. “Hug” (contouring)

We’ve seen this quality category “break” the ratings of some otherwise outstanding mattresses.

First things first – let’s explain what this rating is.

It’s pretty self-explanatory but let’s take a moment to precisely define it.

We defined “pushback” as an aspect of support. Mattresses with solid pushback will not allow you to sink in and will make it easy to move without feeling trapped. It’s more than just about the firmness – it’s about how well the thickness and the density of the foam are combined.

It’s critical for all-foam mattresses like Lull

You could say that “hug” is the opposite of the pushback. It’s a way to describe how well the mattress contours to the body of sleepers with different body types.

The balance

Our rating algorithm does not include hug and pushback as separate quality categories, but the balance between the two…which is, for most people, all that really matters.

Better edge sturdiness than a vast majority of all-foam mattresses

Again, the importance of this rating is higher in all-foam mattresses because if the balance is off here, you’ll end up with a mattress that feels like you’re sleeping on a bouncy inflatable bed or you’ll find yourself sinking too much, feeling “trapped” and difficult to move.

Motion transfer & edge sturdiness

As we said above, Lull is not a firm mattress but one that’s finely balanced between firmness, comfort, pushback and hug.

That also means that it has a somewhat higher motion transfer than firmer mattresses and it’s a bit less supportive around the edges (much like most all-foam mattresses are).

However, the ratings in the edge support and motion transfer category are on the higher end among the all-foam mattresses.

Our conclusion about motion transfer of the Lull mattress

We’ve said it many times and we’ll say it again, we feel that “motion transfer” is an overrated quality aspect. That’s why we have an adjustment coefficient for the category, and this rating has less impact on the Overall rating then quality aspects we feel are more important.

We’ve all witnessed the frenzy of ads of demonstrating the quality of the mattress by jumping on one side or throwing a bowling bowl while keeping, say, a glass of vine on the other unspilled.

These tests look dazzling, but what do they prove?

We’ve introduced the adjustment coefficient to tweak our rating formula because, at one point, we saw mattresses that are obviously inferior getting a higher score because they had low motion transfer. We see it more as an indicator of other quality aspects than a rating that’s meaningful on its own.

With all that said, the rating we reached in this Lull mattress review is 92 / 100 for motion transfer.

Somewhat sturdier edges than similar mattresses

We don’t expect the edges of all-foam mattresses like Lull to be close to innespring or even hybrids. It’s physics 101. No matter how you combine the layers or how thick you make them, the foam cannot hold an edge like a steel coil.

The ratings of the Lull in this category (86/100) put it in the top 5 % of mattresses (of its type) we ever tested or reviewed. It’s due to the very dense and unyielding core.

Off-gassing of the foam and initial odor

This category is somewhat subjective because it comes down to the perception of the user. With that said, we do have extensive experience with reviewing similar mattresses.

During the period of testing and putting together this Lull mattress review and analysis, we have seen no red lights or deal-breakers.

There was a slight odor on-arrival (the kind you’d expect from any new mattress of this type), but it was fleeting. The odor did not resemble any of the smells we’ve seen over the decades that would indicate a presence of harmful chemicals. It was more of a new mattress smell than anything else.

This comes as no surprise since we know how rigorous CentriPur is with their certification. Our rating in this category is 96/100. You can read more about the connection between odor and safety here.

Note: This rating is provided for reference and it’s included in the Overall safety rating above. This means that it contributes to the overall rating indirectly, not on its own.

Heat dispersion test of the Lull

When we mentioned factors like motion isolation not getting equal “treatment” as some of the more important ones, we had quality aspects like temperature regulation in mind.

With the cooling being one of the selling points, the results we’ve seen here are nothing to write home about and we deem them as average.

Our notes based on Thermal imaging are that the average time for the Lull to return to room temperature after an average person laying on it for 25 minutes in a room of 70 Degrees F is about 15 minutes. As we said, these results are nothing to write home about but are not a deal-breaker either (for most people).

Higher heat retention is to be expected from mattresses like Lull compared to innerspring. This means that Lull might not be the choice for you if you are an outlier and an especially hot sleeper or have hot flashes. For an average person, we don’t see it as a significant issue, but the ratings do reflect the results – 84/100.

Sizes & surface compatibility review of the Lull mattress

Without spring getting in the way, Lull makes for a “malleable” mattress that easily adjusts to any surface.

Ratings in this category are less about the versatility of being used with different fixed bed bases (like slated bars or flat boards) and more about the flexibility and ease of use with adjustable bed bases.

Lull outperformed 94% of similar mattresses here, “molding” to the base and moving with it with ease. We rate it at 97/100 here – there are very few beds we know of that adjust better, and they cost 2 or 3 times as much as the Lull.

Value for money

Lull is not a cheap mattress, but this category rating is not about price but about the balance between value it offers, how it compares to similar mattresses (both online and at retail stores).

The value rating of the Lull (94/100) puts in the top 7%, meaning that if you do find it to be a right fit for you in the warranty period and decide to keep it, you will have saved a nice amount.

Specs of the Lull mattress

Protection & cooling

In spite of the 10-years warranty, you can always use some sort of protective mattress topper or pad to increase the lifespan of your mattress.

When we say “lifespan,” we’re not necessarily referring to the absolute lifespan but prolonging the period during which the Lull has that familiar “new mattress” feel. Adding a topper can also adjust the firmness to your liking (if you like the Lull but find it too firm or soft).

For some recommendations, you can see our full guide on mattress toppers here.

Cooling it down

Lull comes with its own cooling layer but, as we reported above, the breathability can’t really be compared to different mattress types (latex, innerspring, hybrids).

To add a touch of cooling, you can pair the lull with a cooling mattress pad.

Lull mattress complaints

Most of the Lull mattress complaints we’ve seen when analyzing the review of existing owners are from people who found it to be either too soft or too warm. The high user satisfaction ratings on the Lull are mostly (in our opinion) a result of the fact that Lull works for most people and the reviews are coming from people who understood what kind of mattress it is.

The second factor here is the customer service (especially the trial) and Lull policy about posting each review (even the complaints). They go as far as to promise a full refund to people who bough their mattress, wrote reviews or a complaint that wasn’t posted on their website.

FAQs

Updates and summary

We typically update our guides on a quarterly basis, which is also the case with this one.

That doesn’t mean that we update the ratings of each airbed – our statistical model is based on gathering data and if we don’t have enough of new information for a specific bed, this update might happen once every 6 months or yearly.

What this means for this guide is the ratings of the more popular beds, like the Classic raised or EZ, are updated every six months, while the less popular models “wait” until we share enough new info for an update to make sense.

If you have any dilemmas, questions or any thoughts at all about the information we presented, please do share them in the comment section at the end of this page.