Tom's Guide Verdict
The Tempur-Cloud mattress is Tempur-Pedic’s take on a memory foam bed-in-a-box. It's a fast and convenient way to experience the brand's famous NASA-developed foam, with good pressure-relieving comfort to ease you into sleep at night. Although we slept well on the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud, there is nothing in particular that stands out with this mattress to justify the higher price tag. Still, if you want to sample Tempur-Pedic's famous beds but on more of a 'budget' (at least, in Tempur-Pedic terms), the Tempur-Cloud is the way to go.
Pros
- +
Good motion isolation
- +
Great pressure relief
- +
No off-gassing smell
- +
A comfortable sleeper
Cons
- -
Our test bed retained some heat
- -
Lack of edge support
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Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress review in brief
Tempur-Pedic is one of the world's leading sleep brands, known firstly for its luxurious, more traditional-style mattresses focused on cooling and pressure relief. The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud memory foam, which we we're reviewing here, is the brand's more affordable boxed offering. When we say affordable, we mean in the context of the brand's other much more expensive beds.
Our official best mattress guide ranks the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt mattress very highly, so we were keen to review the all-foam Tempur-Cloud mattress. Especially as the MSRP is higher than the average memory foam boxed bed. We slept on a queen size Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress for three weeks, testing it in all major areas including temperature control, pressure relief, comfort and edge support.
Type: Memory foam
Materials: Tempur foam
Firmness: Medium-firm
Depth: 10"
Trial period: 90-night trial
Warranty: 10 years
MSRP: From £1,699 at Tempur-Pedic
First impressions? We found the Tempur-Cloud to be "just okay", which was surprising considering this is a Tempur-Pedic mattress; a brand that has impressed us deeply before. Overall, the 10" Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress was very comfortable once we settled in.
It was easy to set up, although it was heavy (it weighs between 39lbs and 85lbs, depending on the size) to drag into a bedroom and place on a box spring. Be aware that Tempur-Pedic's site states how, “Tempur-Pedic mattresses need a solid, elevated surface to deliver your best sleep ever.” They recommend their own Power Base, or a flat foundation or platform bed.
Straight away we noticed that there was no off-gassing, so no pungent smells to disturb us during our first night of testing. We found that it lacks edge support and isn’t ideal for relaxing in bed in a reclined position while reading, but overall it has a comfortable and deep-sinking body hug feel, so if that’s what you’re looking for from a bed, and you want our bed to be a Tempur-Pedic, then this is the best mattress in a box for you.
Tempu-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress review: Price & trial
- Tempur-Pedic's cheapest mattress
- Regular 30% off sales reduce a queen to $1,399
- The trial period is shorter than average at 90 nights
The Tempur-Cloud is the cheapest Tempur-Pedic mattress you can buy right now, but in the context of the wider American mattress market we'd describe it as a mid-range bed. Monthly Tempur-Pedic mattress deals and sales reduce the cost of a queen size Cloud to $1,399 (was $1,999), saving you 30% off the MSRP.
That big price drop makes the Tempur-Cloud much more competitive, yet still one of the most expensive memory foam mattresses you can buy online. Here's how much the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud costs at MSRP and when on sale:
- Twin MSRP – $1,189 (normally sells for $1,699)
- Twin long MSRP – $1,189 (normally sells for $1,699)
- Full MSRP –$1,329 (normally sells for $1,899)
- Queen MSRP – $1,399 (normally sells for $1,999)
- King MSRP – $1,679 (normally sells for $2,399)
- Split king MSRP – $2,378 (normally sells for $3,398)
- Cal king MSRP $1,679 (normally sells for $2,399)
There is a hybrid version of the Tempur-Cloud, which costs an extra $140 in every size with a queen priced $1,539 ahead of the Presidents' Day mattress sales. The Tempur-Cloud comes with free shipping via UPS to the contiguous United States, but it isn't eligible for white glove delivery as the more expensive Tempur-Pedic beds are.
The Tempur-Pedic mattress trial is just 90 nights long. While that's three times the recommended length of time it takes your body to get used to a new mattress, it's pretty short compared to the average mattress trial of 180 nights. Some rival brands, such as Saatva, offer 365 nights and a lifetime warranty. The Tempur-Cloud warranty is 10 years.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress: from $1,699 $1,189 at Tempur-Pedic
If you want to experience the pressure relieving comfort of a Tempur-Pedic mattress but don't have the budget for one of their flagship beds, the Tempur-Cloud at 30% off is much more palatable. A queen is currently priced $1,399 (was $1,999), with free shipping and a 10-year warranty.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress review: Design
- 10" thick mattress made from NASA-developed Tempur foam
- Four layer mattress with a spot-clean only cover
- Expanded very quickly once unboxed
There are four distinct layers in the Tempur-Cloud memory foam mattress, starting with a 360-degree stretch cover. Tempur-Pedic describes this as being breathable and designed to maximize air flow, but we found it slept warm even in a cool basement bedroom during 40- to 50-degree weather. It's also designed to wick away sweat, but we were unable to test this claim fully as none of us testing panel sweat during sleep to a noticeable degree.
The comfort layer is a new formulation of the classic Tempur memory foam material, famous for its soft and responsive when you settle down. This is the layer that delivers that all-important body hugging feel, where you're properly cradled within the mattress.
The comfort layer is followed by a firmer support layer that conforms to your body in any position you sleep in, relieving all pressure points while you're lying down. If you were to opt for the hybrid Tempur-Cloud, you'd have an extra layer here sporting 1,000 spring coils. Instead, the memory foam Tempur-Cloud mattress is finished with a premium foam base layer to boost support and to ensure the mattress lasts as long as possible.
So as you can see, it's a fairly basic mattress design for the price. However, what you're paying for is a combination of Tempur comfort and support layers to deliver a superb balance of pressure relief and proper full body support during sleep.
Tempr-Cloud mattress review: Support & comfort
- A medium-firm mattress with a contouring, adaptive feel
- Quickly relieves pressure points along the body
- Difficult to move around on and change position
The first night we slept on our sides and were surprised by the sinking feeling that eventually evened out into supportive foam contouring around us. The brand says it’s medium-firm and overall, we’d agree.
When you lie on the mattress you sink into it, like quicksand. It’s hard to move around and roll from back to side to stomach. That’s not necessarily a bad thing–we found that we tended to stay in one position while sleeping on this mattress instead of moving around.
Tempur-Pedic is known for the pressure-relieving qualities of its mattresses but overall, it didn’t elicit that “ahh” feeling we're looking for in a mattress. The first layer is soft, quicksand-like foam that helps you sink deep into the bed.
It’s not easy to move around in the bed and we found it sank in a lot where our bottoms were positioned while our legs stretched out in front and rested on top of the bed when we reclined, scrolling our phones or while watching TV in bed or reading. It also felt too soft while attempting to sleep on our backs.
The 12lbs kettlebell we used to test went down about 2 inches in the middle of the bed and roughly 1.5" closer to the side of the bed and 2 inches on the edge.
Our primary tester is a woman of average height and found the mattress not to be that supportive. Other testers who slept on it only for one night (a petite woman and larger man) said it was comfortable once they settled in and they slept well on it. Another tester who’s an average build woman said she found the mattress hot and not as firm as other memory foam mattresses, like the Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam.
We will note that all- foam mattresses tend to be more comfortable after a longer time sleeping on them. We tested for the Tempur-Cloud for three weeks and Tempur-Pedic suggests a 30-night sleep trial before customers return it.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress review: Performance
- Minimal motion transfer makes it a good choice for couples
- Would best suit average weight side sleepers
- Edge support is lacking for a luxury memory foam bed
Our main reviewer slept on a queen size Tempur-Cloud mattress for three weeks and had three other members of our testing panel sleep on it during that time. All of the testers have previously slept on other memory foam mattresses so they were used to that feel and experience.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is indicative of a mattress’s responsiveness when one person (or dog or cat) gets in or out of bed. It’s something couples might look for in a mattress, particularly if you both don’t go to sleep and wake up at the same time.
When two people were on the mattress on their respective “sides” of the bed, we couldn’t feel the other person getting in or out on our side.
We tested motion transfer by dropping the kettlebell near a wine glass balanced on the bed. The wine glass didn’t move when it was dropped four, 10 and 20 inches away. In fact, we dropped the kettlebell right next to the wine glass and it only wobbled a little, still staying upright.
If you have a fidgety partner and/or someone who gets in and out of bed at different times than you, look for a mattress with good motion isolation so your sleep won’t be disturbed.
Score: 5 out of 5
Temperature regulation
Anyone who’s woken up feeling sweaty and trying to kick off covers to cool down, needing to get up to turn on a fan, and trying to find ways to get back to sleep understands just how disruptive a mattress that sleeps hot can be.
We tested all-memory foam mattress and will acknowledge that memory foam mattresses tend to feel warmer than hybrid or traditional inner spring mattresses. Tempur-Pedic has the Breeze mattress line that’s designed to help you sleep 10 degrees cooler. If temperature is your main concern, consider that line of products.
This memory foam mattress was tested in a basement bedroom so it was cooler than other areas of the home and overall, the outside temperatures were 30 to 60 degrees during the testing time. The mattress didn’t feel warm immediately but some of the testers who tend to “run hot” normally found that they woke up feeling warm. We slept with a sheet and a duvet cover on the mattress, both made from cotton/polyester blends.
Score: 2.5 out of 5
Edge support
Why should you care about edge support? For one, it’s pretty much how you get into bed—if you aren’t one of those run and jump into the middle types. Most of us sit on the edge of the bed and then ease our way in. If that side collapses when you’re sitting on it – and this one did – you might be wondering how the rest of the night’s sleep is going to go. Some of us also sleep on our sides, backs or stomachs on the edge of the mattress.
The first thing we noticed about the feel of the Tempur-Cloud mattress was the lack of edge support. We noticed it as soon as the bed was unrolled and inflated to regular size. Thinking it might be an ‘unboxing’ issue, we tried again a few hours later and again that night when sleeping on the mattress. The edge support still wasn’t good. (Comparing it to the Saatva innerspring mattress this reviewer sleeps on each night and that mattress’s edge support is still good four years later. Read our Saatva Classic mattress review for more.)
A 70-year-old member of our testing panel slept on it overnight and mentioned the lack of edge support immediately. This is worth noting if you’re someone who sleeps on the edge of the bed, who sits on the edge of the bed to get dressed and put shoes and socks on, or if you’re older/pregnant/have health issues that already make it harder to get in and out of bed. A supportive edge is better for that – read our Helix Midnight mattress review for a softer, side sleeper friendly bed with good edge support.
When we put a 12lb kettlebell on the edge of the bed for a few minutes, the space that it created in the mattress took over an hour to“bounce back” to the regular height after dipping down an inch. When we tested the kettlebell’s weight near the bed for a few seconds, it took less than 20 seconds for that foam to fill back in.
Delivery and setup
The Tempur-Cloud ships within three days from UPS and for my home in New York, it was estimated to arrive within five to seven business days after the order was placed. The mattress arrived in a black drawstring bag and was dropped off in my driveway by UPS near the garage door. I didn’t receive a notification that it arrived so I saw it a few hours later.
The queen size is heavy (40 to 50lbs) and kind of an awkward shape so we slowly dragged it inside and downstairs to the guest bedroom where testing takes place. With that heavy of a package, it would have been nice to have a white glove delivery option. Since UPS is delivering the product, Tempur-Pedic doesn’t offer services to take away your old mattress when you buy the Tempur-Cloud.
After pulling the mattress out of the bag, we placed it on the box spring and slowly cut through the layers and layers of plastic. It started to inflate as soon as it unrolled, so we moved faster to take it out of the packaging. It was nearly at 10” within a few minutes of taking it out of the packaging, which is fast for a memory foam boxed bed.
There was no off-gassing from our test model, but some reviews from earlier in the year said there was a smell that lingered when customers set up their Tempur-Cloud.
4 out of 5
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress review: Customer reviews
- 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 1,529 reviews on Tempur-Pedic's site
- Lots of praise for pressure relief and pain relieving support
- Some complaints about it sleeping warm and the lack of edge support
Many of the reviews of five stars for the Tempur-Cloud were for the hybrid model, which features innersprings. Comments about price were positive when compared to other Tempur-Pedic mattresses and other feedback tended to be along the lines of “worth the cost.”
Some customers who have other Tempur-Pedic mattresses noted that it was not the same quality as their other products but noted it was a more affordable line. Other reviewers mentioned the lack of edge support and there were a lot of comments about it sleeping hot.
But, these customers might not be aware that memory foam mattresses tend to run warmer than innerspring or hybrids. They’d probably be better off with one of the best cooling mattresses instead.
Should you buy the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress?
If you’re a fan of Tempur-Pedic mattresses and want to explore a lower-cost Tempur bed, we recommend this all-foam option. The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress is good for people who like that sinking in feeling of a mattress, who don’t care about edge support and who want good motion isolation for couples or sharing the bed with kids and pets.
It’s ideal for average weight sleepers, side sleepers and back sleepers who are looking for pressure relief. Our testers found it to be mostly comfortable overall, but the price is steep for a memory foam mattress in a bag/box that’s “just okay.” Someone who likes a more responsive mattress will find that they sink in too much.
The company’s website says that 95% of Tempur-Pedic mattress owners are satisfied with their beds. The brand runs a 90-night sleep trial but asks customers to try their mattress for at least 30 nights before returning it.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud mattress: Alternatives
If you’re looking for a budget memory foam mattress, consider the Zinus Green Tea. It’s a firm memory foam bed with decent edge support that’s comfortable for all kinds of sleepers and has held up well two years into testing. Read more in our Zinus Green Tea mattress review.
If you want a top-rated memory foam that won’t break the bank consider the Nectar Memory Foam, a medium-firm mattress that comes on a 365-night trial. It has pressure relief but you wont sink into it as much as the Tempur-Cloud above, making it an easy transition for innerspring mattress sleepers. Read more in our Nectar Mattress review.
If pain is an issue, also consider the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid. For a comparable price, it’s one of the top-rated memory foam mattresses in a box. We recommend it for side sleepers, back sleepers and hot sleepers. Our testers said it was good for pain relief and helped cure their insomnia. Comes on a 365-night trial and is covered by a lifetime warranty. Read more in our Dream Cloud Premier Hybrid review.
Diana is a trained journalist and experienced editor in the health and wellbeing and lifestyle sectors. Diana has created content for a range of leading brands including Real Simple, Bloomberg, Headspace, and WebMD. For Tom’s Guide Diana currently focuses on sleep, mattresses, and fitness equipment.
- Claire DaviesSenior Sleep Editor, Certified Sleep Science Coach