I Tested Both the Budget and Luxury Version of Helix's Best Mattress for Side Sleepers — Here's How They Compare and the One I'd Buy in Labor Day Sales

If you're a side sleeper shopping for a mattress in the Labor Day sales, two made-for-side-sleeping beds will have likely piqued your interest: the Helix Midnight and the Helix Midnight Luxe.

The Helix Midnight Luxe soothes side-sleeping pressure points with its luxuriously plush hybrid design. Meanwhile, entry-level Helix Midnight offers a slice of the Luxe's support at under $999 for a queen, all thanks to a Labor Day deal where you can save 27% on all mattresses with code TOMS27 at Helix.

But with a price difference for a queen of roughly $800, is the Luxe really worth the extra money? The Helix Midnight Luxe tops our guide to the best mattresses for side sleepers, but the Midnight is often touted as an excellent alternative if you’re working with a smaller budget.

As a team, we test scores of mattresses in our quest to help guide shoppers towards the best mattress for their sleep needs and budget. I’ve personally slept on and tested both versions of the Midnight and, for me, there’s only one mattress for side sleepers I’d really consider buying in the Labor Day mattress sales. Here’s which one I preferred and why, plus a closer look at how the two compare.

Helix Midnight vs Helix Midnight Luxe mattress: Price, trial & warranty

• Both mattresses come with a limited lifetime warranty
• Discounts typically range between 20% - 27% during sales
• The Luxe occasionally also comes with free bedding during major sales

Price is massively important when choosing a new mattress, so let's start there when comparing these two mattresses. The Helix Midnight starts at $998.66 for a twin at full MSRP, but regular Helix mattress sales range between 20% and 25%, hiking up to 27% off during major sales. Right now, there's 27% off the Helix Midnight when you use the code TOMS27, which brings the price of a queen down to $972.36 (was $1,332.)

In contrast, the Helix Midnight Luxe starts at $1,436 for a twin at full MSRP. With the current 27% off for Labor Day discount in play, a queen comes down to $1,751.03 (was $2,398.66.) Taking into account the current discounts, that's a price difference of $778.67 for a queen.

Both mattresses now come with a limited lifetime warranty and a 100 night sleep trial. Granted, there are other mattress brands which will give you a lengthier sleep trial (Saatva and DreamCloud offer a full 365 days.) But I'd argue that 100 nights is more than enough time to work out if a mattress feels comfortable or not.

Shipping is free and fast, with an option to pay extra for white glove delivery, the cost of which varies depending on your location.

Image 1 of 2

Helix Midnight vs Helix Midnight Luxe mattress: Comfort & support

• The Luxe gently cushions your shoulders and hips when side sleeping
• In comparison, the Midnight compresses under your weight
• I struggled to sleep comfortably on my side or back on the Midnight

Much like price, comfort and support is another area where the Helix Midnight and the Helix Midnight Luxe really differ. In my Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review I've written at length how the mattress provides blissful sink in support when lying on your side. The dense pillow top cushions around the touch points of the mattress, leaving you feeling weightless and properly supported.

However, this top quality hybrid mattress is by no means soft (we give it a firmness rating of 6/10, making it medium firm), and is also supportive for back sleepers too. A recent design refresh (more on that below) includes a 4lb titanium and graphite infused memory foam layer which lifts and supports the lumbar region.

As a result, we rate it as one of the best mattresses for back pain you can buy. And, as someone with recurrent back issues, I can vouch for that. Lying on my back on the Luxe during back pain flare ups feels instantly relieves my discomfort.

Image 1 of 2

I want to say that the Helix Midnight provides a similar level of comfort to the Luxe, but that wasn't my experience. After sleeping on the Helix Midnight for a month I found that the mattress compressed beneath my weight as opposed to cushioning around my body. This resulted in a gradual build up of pressure along my shoulders and hips, making side sleeping for long periods of time uncomfortable.

However, when I shifted onto my back I felt my lumbar region sink into the mattress, causing my spine to dip out of alignment. It could be because I'm prone to back pain anyway, but I felt the mattress lacked sink in cushioning support for side sleeping but wasn't firm enough for back sleeping either (we rate it as 6.5/10 for firmness.)

My resounding takeaway after sleeping on the Midnight was shifting between my side and my back but not really being able to sleep comfortably in either position. For context, I'm an average weight side sleeper so lighter weight sleepers may fare better.

Image 1 of 2

Helix Midnight vs Helix Midnight Luxe mattress: Materials & design

• Both Midnight mattresses are hybrids, crafted from comfort foams and coils for support
• The new Midnight Luxe design upgrade means denser pillow top and transition layer
• The Midnight now comes with the option to upgrade to ErgoAlign layer for back support

When it comes to materials and design, the Helix Midnight and Helix Midnight Luxe share several similarities. Both are hybrid mattresses, which means that they are crafted from a combination of a coil support layer and foam for support. Both begin with a sturdy base foam layer and up to 1,000 durable steel coils, and both underwent a recent redesign.

In the Helix Midnight Luxe, next you'll find a blend of cradling support foams, including a new 4lb titanium and graphite-infused memory foam comfort layer, as well as a new, slightly denser premium pillow top layer.

These design elements work in tandem with each other to provide the body contouring support, with the pillow top layer comfortably filling the curve of your spine. There's also the option to upgrade to an ErgoAlign comfort layer, which provides further lumbar support, as we as a CoolForce cooling layer that dissipates heat for very hot sleepers.

Image 1 of 2

The Midnight underwent fewer changes in the re-design. On top you'll find the new BreatheKnit cover, along with a thin layer of quilted gel memory foam. Next, Helix's proprietary Responsive Foam, which is designed to contour to the body. However, I found that the mattress collapsed, as opposed to contour, around my weight.

The most significant change to the Midnight is the new option to upgrade to an ErgoAlign layer, which was previously only offered as an upgrade option for Luxe or Elite models. The ErgoAlign layer is a zoned top layer of denser foam to help support the lumbar region and prevent the hips from sinking. You can expect to pay an additional $249.33 for a queen at full MSRP, but is currently down $187 in the Labor Day sales.

Hot sleepers still have the option of upgrading to a GlacioTex cooling pillow top layer for an extra $280 (in the Labor Day sales (was $373.33.)

Helix Midnight vs Helix Midnight Luxe mattress: Which should I buy?

Buy the Helix Midnight mattress if...

If you're a side sleeper looking for a reliably comfortable mattress for under $1,000 for a queen, there are plenty of other options I would recommend over the Helix Midnight.

Most notably, the Brooklyn Bedding Copperflex Pro, a cooling hybrid pillow top mattress with lumbar support, which currently costs just $905 for a queen. Or the Nectar Premier, an excellent pressure relieving memory foam mattress down to $949 for a queen.

The Midnight does have its moments — motion isolation and support on the sides of the bed are both decent, which is excellent news if you share a bed. Reliable motion isolation means you're unlikely to feel movement across the surface of the mattress (such as when someone else gets in or out), while a sturdy edge support means you can sleep right up to the bed's edge.

Do these two features make up for the lack of comfort and support? In my opinion, no. If budget is your key driver, I'd recommend checking out our guide to the best mattress for under $1,000, all of which have been tested and approved by our team of sleep experts.

Buy the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress if...

If you're a dedicated side sleeper with a healthy budget looking for phenomenal comfort and support, buy the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress. As well as blissful pressure relief across the shoulders, hips and knees, it's also a great option for combination sleepers who shift between their back and sides, with the targeted lumbar support (bolstered by a blend of Helix Responsive Foam, Gel Memory Foam, and up to 1,000 individually wrapped coils for support) lifting and supporting the lumbar region.

Motion isolation is excellent, edge support is great and the tall 13.5" loft means you'll feel like you're crawling into a luxurious hotel mattress every night.

That said, at the current sale price of $1,751.03 for a queen, the Luxe isn't a cheap mattress. And it isn't the only mattress within this price bracket to provide phenomenal support for side sleepers (the Saatva Classic and Bear Elite Hybrid are both outstanding mattresses with a similar spec level but come with the added perk of customisable firmness options.)

However, having slept on the Helix Midnight Luxe for several months, I find it difficult to find a single reason not to buy it if you can afford to. If you're a side and back sleeper, particularly one who experiences back pain, I would recommend the Luxe in a heartbeat.