Is Avocado Mattress As Cozy As It Sounds? We Review

Why Organic Mattresses Matter

No one ever tells you, when you’re young, how much of your adult life will be spent thinking about mattresses. I grew up sleeping on the same spring twin mattress, followed by various dorm beds before my husband and I purchased our first new mattress nine years ago. It was a Full size foam IKEA mattress that cost us around $500—only barely fitting into our budget at the time. After only the first year of usage though, we noticed a droopy middle, and eventually, indents where each of our bodies went.

Now that I’m in my 30s and am getting a hang of this “adulthood” thing, I’m investing more in my wellbeing by prioritizing fewer, better things. Which is why I was all-too excited to review a sustainable mattress from Avocado Green Mattress®.

Avocado is a California-based B Corp founded in 2016 that’s well known for its responsibility and sustainability, through certifications like Climate Neutral Certified (they’re actually now carbon-negative, see the 2021 Impact Report here). The brand is also the most vertically integrated mattress company in the US, since they own their ethical factories and organic farms. I even just learned that the brand is using blockchain technology to verify the origin and processes of all the materials. I could go on—Avocado has more certifications than any other brand I’ve ever come across.

For this review, I tried Avocado’s Eco Organic Mattress, which is less firm and (more affordable!) than their beloved flagship Green Mattress. I also had the opportunity to pair it with the brand’s minimalist City Bed frame. Here’s how they’ve performed, one month in.

Avocado Mattress Delivery & Setup

“Avocado mattresses ship in recyclable plastic for vacuum sealing the mattress, and recyclable paper wrapping for protection in transit.”

I started with white glove delivery for the Eco Organic Mattress, which meant two people came and carried the mattress up my front steps for me, unboxed and placed it, and took my old bed and all the recycling away. It was fast, and super courteous; while this wasn’t Avocado’s team directly, I was happy with the service the brand chose for me. The bed came rolled in a hefty amount of plastic, though, so I read more about the packaging the brand uses—recyclable plastic for vacuum sealing the mattress, and recyclable paper wrapping for protection in transit!

While I waited for the bed to unroll completely, I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of that “new mattress smell.” There was a little bit of a wooly scent when the bed first arrived, but none of that polyurethane glue-y smell that permeates mattress stores. That’s because Avocado doesn’t use glue, opting for recycled steel rings instead.

Overall, shipping was quick and straightforward, although you will want to check in with the brand’s current timelines when ordering—supply chain disruptions in recent years have affected delivery times for everyone around the world. But it is a nice bonus that Avocado is made in, and ships from, California!

“There was a little bit of a wooly scent when the bed first arrived, but none of that polyurethane glue-y smell that permeates mattress stores.”

*These wrinkles smoothed out quickly once the mattress unrolled!*

A week later, I received Avocado’s City Bed frame. I told the lone, weary FedEx driver to leave the giant packages at the bottom of the steps for me and my husband to handle. And whew boy, they were heavy—it took two of us an enormous amount of effort to even get them up the steps and laid out on the porch.

I decided to set it up myself while my husband was at work, carrying the pieces in small batches back to the bedroom. 😅 While moving the parts was strenuous, the assembly was actually quite easy. The hex key I needed was provided, and the pieces slid together with a satisfying swoosh before I bolted them all together. I liked that they even included a few extra bolts and even support slats in case I needed them.

It’s a gorgeous and simple frame that feels sturdy and like it will be easy to move with us (if we ever do). I recommend going with white-glove delivery if you need help assembling or carrying up steps. I’d also suggest measuring your underbed storage before you order. The City Bed frame has an edge of 5”, but does get deeper under the mattress itself—just good to know if you already have underbed storage set up!

Finally, when you set your bed on its frame, you may notice some mattresses having slight variations in length (because Avocado mattresses are made by hand here in California, but this can happen sometimes no matter which brand you choose), and it should expand more with a bit of regular use. If you have any concerns, contact their super-responsive customer service!

Is the Avocado Eco Organic Mattress comfortable?

The first time I laid down on the king-sized bed was blissful—the top of the mattress features a thick and cozy wool layer (from a certified organic wool farm), and the whole mattress is wrapped in a GOTS Certified Organic Cotton cover that, frankly, I want to wear as a coat. We didn’t have king-size sheets the first night, so while I covered the bed with a flat sheet as best as I could, I couldn’t help but sneak my toes out onto the cotton cover of the mattress. It’s just such a pleasant texture. The cotton and wool combination also makes it very cool to sleep on—I haven’t had any of my occasional intense night sweats while sleeping on my Avocado mattress.

“The top of the mattress features a thick and cozy organic wool layer and the whole mattress is wrapped in an organic cover that, frankly, I want to wear as a coat.”

Now that it’s been nearly a month on this bed, it’s only gotten better from there. I’m 5’4” and 135 pounds, and my husband is 5’6” and 155 pounds. (We are compact people, another reason why a Full size worked for us for so many years!) He’s a side sleeper, too, so this mattress suits us quite well—rated at a 5 out of 10 on firmness, it means we’ll get better hip and shoulder support, as well as spinal alignment.

I’ve read other reviews that say this particular mattress is too firm (or not firm enough, to each their own). I actually had no qualms getting used to the bounceback of the latex (GOLS-Certified Organic, of course) and the targeted supportiveness of the steel coil combination. The mattress hugs without stifling, but you don’t sink into it like a super feathery-soft bed. If you’d like more support, more cushion, or extra protection, Avocado makes organic toppers and protectors, too. The one drawback I’ve noticed is that the edges of the mattress aren’t as upright or solid as I’m used to coming from an all-foam mattress, but since we got a king size, we don’t notice it!

And if that’s not proof enough that we were truly sleeping better, after the first week, my Fitbit sleep score looked less erratic than before. Both my husband and I were noticing fewer interruptions in our sleeping schedule throughout the night, too. In general, it’s been easier getting into—and out of—bed each morning since we’re getting better rest.

Is Avocado Mattress Worth It?

Ah, the question of the hour! In my experience, with Avocado’s sustainability and nontoxic standards (and a month of sleep on the bed), you can’t even compare them to supercheap discount mattress stores. It’s like comparing apples to orange snow cones. If you are able to invest a bit in your night’s of sleep upfront, you’ll be able to stay comfy-cozy on your mattress for much longer than ones from big box stores. And I’m especially excited that Avocado is offering a mattress that doesn’t skimp on standards and certifications, but also has a more achievable price point.

“[The Eco Organic Mattress] doesn’t skimp on standards and certifications, but also has a more achievable price point.”

The Eco Organic mattress still costs $1,599 for a king ($1,299 for a queen), so my advice is to watch prices of these mattresses like you would track prices for a flight. There are usually sales around Memorial Day, Fourth Of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday, so if you’re looking to invest in a new mattress, set a goal date and contribute bits to your savings in the months and weeks leading up to it. (Still doesn’t hurt to keep an eye out for discount codes and other price dips in the meantime). Avocado also works with Affirm, where you can get a 0% APR or pay as low as $78 a month which can make the price point a little less intimidating.

In Emily economics, I sorted it out this way—our $500 IKEA bed lasted us nine years, which is $55 a year or 15 cents a night. For a much higher quality bed that will give us at least 10 years of good sleep (or more!) that’d total out to $159 a year, or 43 cents a night. An increase from IKEA, yes, but it feels like an appropriate reflection of how I want to invest in my health and wellbeing as I age.

If you’re still not sure, Avocado also offers a 100-night sleep trial and ten-year warranty—if you find the mattress isn’t for you after the first 30 days, the brand will donate it to a local shelter and offer a full refund.

These beds, especially the Eco Organic Mattress, are worthy of the hype in my opinion—and certainly worth the investment for their longevity, and the attention Avocado pays to sustainable and nontoxic materials. I’m so excited to see what’s next for Avocado’s family of brands, but you know what I’m more excited about?

Going to sleep in my cozy bed tonight!

Key Takeaways:

If you want an all-organic, made in the USA mattress—you’re not going to get a better mattress for a cheaper price than Avocado’s Eco Organic Mattress. While the price is higher than discount retailers, it also comes with a 100-night sleep trial and ten-year warranty so you can make sure it’s the right fit for you, plus Avocado works with Affirm to create payment plans that work for you.
This is a medium-firm mattress with a cozy organic wool padding and organic cotton shell that doesn’t get too hot or too cool. The materials feel sturdy and premium and have all the certifications and traceability I’d want from an organic brand!
We love that there’s not a bunch of motion transfer thanks to the organic latex, but still get the cushy bounce of the springs. The edges of the mattress aren’t as stiff as others I’ve tried, so I recommend a supportive, flat-slat bed frame! (I tried Avocado’s City Bed frame as well—and recommend it for lovers of minimalist design).

THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT AVOCADO

Emily Torres is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. Born and raised in Indiana, she studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, caring for her rabbits, or gaming.