Tom's Guide Verdict
The WinkBed mattress is a well-made, competitively priced luxury hybrid. A balance of sturdy, zoned support and comfortable cushioning makes it an excellent choice for anyone struggling with back pain. The fact you can choose from four firmness options makes this luxe hotel bed a worthy rival to our top-rated mattress, The Saatva Classic. In fact, when comparing the versatility of WinkBed vs Saatva, WinkBed wins thanks to its extra option for plus-sized sleepers. Overall, the WinkBed will suit any sleep position and a wide range of preferences – with the possible exception of very hot sleepers.
Pros
- +
Four different firmness levels
- +
Sturdy, zoned support for the spine
- +
Good pressure relief
- +
Third-party tested for durability
Cons
- -
Good not great temperature regulation
- -
$49 fee to exchange
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WinkBed mattress review in brief
The WinkBed is a hybrid mattress made in the US, with a design that includes individually wrapped, zoned coils and gel-infused foam. It's designed to offer the right balance of targeted support and cushioning to anyone suffering with back, hip or shoulder pain, and comes in four firmness levels (from softer to plus-size) to suit a variety of sleep positions and body types.
For this review, we opted for a queen size mattress in the luxury firm version, and slept on the WinkBed for three weeks to give it a proper test. In addition to our lead reviewer, we also invited members of our testing panel to try it out to gain a wider picture of how the WinkBed performs. Overall, we were extremely impressed; this mattress has a spot high up in our best mattress guide. No wonder it's one of the mattresses hotels use, sitting in luxury hotel rooms across America, including The Time Hotel in New York City.
Type: Hybrid
Materials: Coils, memory foam, other foams
Firmness: 4.5, 6.5, 7.5 or 8
Depth: 13.5 inches
Trial period: 120 nights
Warranty: Lifetime
Price bracket: Premium
This well-made mattress in a box offers cushioned comfort and reliable support for the entire body, with lumbar zone technology promoting good spinal alignment during sleep. We didn’t wake up feeling stiff or uncomfortable at any point during our time testing The WinkBed. In fact, we'd consider this one of the best mattresses for back pain.
The ability to pick your firmness preference isn't unheard of, although brands generally offer three options rather than WinkBed's four, and don't cater to plus-sized bodies. This mattress can be tailored to suit a wide range of tastes and body types. (The range of firmness options is one of the reasons why we'd consider this a competitor to our #1 rated mattress – read about that one in our Saatva Classic mattress review.)
We were very impressed with how well this mattress isolates movements on the sleep surface (important if you're a light sleeper and/or share a bed) and how sturdy the edges are (important for anyone who likes to spread out in bed and use every inch for sleeping). Although the WinkBed doesn't feature the same tech as many of the best cooling mattresses, it still offers decent temperature regulation, and will be suitable for all but the hottest sleepers.
Overall, if you want a cushioned and supportive hybrid mattress that can be closely tailored to your sleep health needs, we'd recommend the WinkBed. We'll expand on all of these points in detail in our full WinkBeds mattress review – read on.
WinkBed mattress review: Price
- Sits at the top of the upper mid-range price bracket
- Permanent $300 off deal, never sold at MSRP
- Plus version is pricier, and sits in the Premium bracket
At full price, the WinkBed is a premium priced mattress, but it's never sold at full price. Since we've been tracking, there has been a permanent $300 off deal, and unless you're buying the Plus version, that takes this mattress to the top of the upper mid-range bracket.
Hybrids almost always cost more than all-foam mattresses, and with that discount the WinkBed is a very competitive option in the luxury hybrid market (in fact, it has earned a spot in our best luxury mattress guide).
Here’s the official pricing from the WinkBed soft, luxury firm and firm options, as well as the prices they're normally sold for:
- Twin MSRP: $1,149 (normally sold at $849)
- Twin XL MSRP: $1,249 (normally sold at $949)
- Full MSRP: $1,499 (normally sold at $1,199)
- Queen MSRP: $1,799 (normally sold at $1,499)
- King MSRP: $1,999 (normally sold at $1,699)
- Cal king MSRP: $2,049 (normally sold at $1,749)
The WinkBed Plus has a different design, and a different price structure. The best mattresses for heavy people almost always cost a bit more, and this one has latex in it, which is also an expensive material. Here's the official pricing from the WinkBed Plus, and what you can expect to pay:
- Twin MSRP: $1,349 (normally sold at $1,049)
- Twin XL MSRP: $1,449 (normally sold at $1,149)
- Full MSRP: $1,699 (normally sold at $1,399)
- Queen MSRP: $1,999 (normally sold at $1,699)
- King MSRP: $2,199 (normally sold at $1,899)
- Cal king MSRP: $2,199 (normally sold at $1,899)
Mattress sales happen all year round, and it's not unusual for a brand to never sell at full MSRP. What is slightly more unusual is that WinkBeds doesn't bump up its discounts around national holidays and other sales events such as the upcoming Presidents' Day mattress sales, Memorial Day mattress sales, Labor Day mattress sales, and of course the Black Friday mattress deals. The upside of that is that you don't need to worry about missing a discount or being strategic about when you buy, because in our experience, the pricing remains stable all year round.
When we first reviewed this mattress, it was around the same price as our #1 overall pick, the Saatva Classic, but now Saatva prices have risen and the WinkBed is typically a fair bit cheaper (unless you manage to snag a mega Saatva mattress deal).
WinkBed mattress review: Design
- Pressure relieving gel-infused foam
- Soft and breathable Tencel cover
- Multi-zone pocketed coils for targeted support
The WinkBed is a 13.5-inch tall hybrid mattress, available in four different firmness variations.
At the top of all models is a cover made from Tencel, a breathable material created from eucalyptus wood and cellulose. The soft, luxury firm and firm variations of the WinkBed are designed with a Euro-pillow top, the feel and thickness of which varies depending on the mattress firmness you opt for.
For example, the soft version has a three-layered Euro-pillow top to deliver pressure relief and gentle contouring of your body. The luxury firm and firm each have a two-layer Euro-pillow top, while the plus version skips the Euro-pillow top and goes straight in with a layer of anti-sag foam.
The Plus WinkBed sports a 2.5" layer of pure latex for extra support, while the soft contains a 2.5" layer of temperature regulating, pressure relieving foam. Each variation uses individually wrapped recycled steel coils to offer different levels of support and 'pushback' at different points across the mattress. The coils on the plus version are banded together and reinforced for extra durability.
The Tencel cover is OEKO-TEX Standard 100-Class 1 certified (guaranteeing it's safe enough even for children), while all foams used in The WinkBed are CertiPUR certified, which means they meet certain health and environmental standards. We were impressed with the quality when we reviewed this mattress, and it has also been third party tested for long-term durability.
WinkBed mattress review: Support & comfort
- Four different firmness options (soft, luxury firm, firm, Plus)
- Excellent support
- Good pressure relief and cushioning
The WinkBed mattress is available in four firmness options: soft (4.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale), luxury firm (6.5 out of 10), firm (7.5 out of 10) and Plus (8 out of 10). After sleeping on the luxury firm, we would rate it as a 6-7 on the firmness scale, depending on your body weight.
Soft - designed for side sleepers and people seeking a very cushioned mattress.
Luxury firm - ideal for most sleepers and designed to recreate the feel of a luxury hotel mattress.
Firm - for back and stomach sleepers to sleep on top of the mattress, rather than sinking in.
Plus - created for people weighing 250lbs and higher.
The soft version is ideal for side sleepers and lightweight bodies, while luxury firm is suited to most people. Firm would suit stomach and back sleepers who need to sleep on top of the mattress, and avoid sinking in too much, while the Plus version is specifically for people who weigh 250lb or more (we rate this amongst the best mattresses for bigger bodies). WinkBed does clarify that if you weigh 200lb or less, the Plus will feel like a true 8 out of 10 in terms of firmness, but if you weigh 300lb or more, it will have more of a luxury firm feel.
Our reviewers agreed that the WinkBed luxury firm was the perfect firmness, and agreed with WinkBeds' of it as around a 6-7 out of 10. The WinkBed's individually wrapped coils are zoned to deliver targeted support and pushback in specific areas, so the pressure will feel firmer in some spots and lighter in others. In particular, there are sturdier coils in the centre third, to support the lumbar and ensure the spine doesn't come under strain and cause back pain. As well as offering excellent support, the sleep surface also helped relieve pressure points such as the knees, hips and shoulders.
Be aware that comfort and support will vary depending on body type and sleep position, so take time to pick the right firmness level for your needs. Lighter-weight stomach sleepers may find the luxury firm too firm for a comfortable sink-in feeling, while heavier back sleepers may prefer the firm or Plus option to feel fully supported.
WinkBed mattress review: Performance
- Minimal motion transfer – good news for couples
- Breathable, but not cooling enough for very hot sleepers
- Excellent edge support system
We slept on a queen size WinkBed mattress for over three weeks, testing it across all key areas of performance and rating it on motion isolation, temperature regulation, and edge support.
Our main reviewers for the WinkBed are side, combination, and back sleepers, but we also had stomach and combi sleepers on our wider testing panel. One of our reviewers sleeps warm to hot, so testing the cooling abilities was foremost. Here’s what we discovered during the review process…
Motion isolation
Motion transfer is about how much you feel your bed partner (or pet) shifting around on their side of the bed. Restless sleepers might also want to prioritize finding a mattress with good motion isolation, because it can lead to a better night's sleep. The combination of stabilizing foam and individual springs mean the WinkBed absorbs motion very well (the brand calls this its 'SleepCalm' motion isolation technology).
In addition to our physical testing, we performed a series of drop weight tests to help us gather data on the motion transfer of the mattress. We dropped a 10lb weight 4 inches away from an empty wine glass to simulate the effect of a partner tossing and turning in bed. To recreate the effect of someone getting into bed, we dropped the weight 8 inches away from the glass.
During the 4 inch drop test, the wine glass didn't budge, indicating minimal motion on the other side of the bed. For the 8 inch drop test the wine glass barely stirred, backing up our experience during physical testing that you hardly feel any movement when your co-sleeper gets out of bed or comes in later than a person already sleeping.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Temperature regulation
Overheating can be a major sleep disruptor. The WinkBed is designed to actively shift heat away from the body. The spring layer also creates space where air can circulate within the mattress.
During our testing period, we were fairly impressed with this mattress' temperature regulation. It remained mostly neutral to cool during sleep. One of our testing panel members is a warm sleeper, and they never felt overly warm during their testing time with the WinkBed. (We used cotton bed sheets on the WinkBed during the review period and they may help keep some warm sleepers cooler as well.)
If you’re a very warm sleeper or suffer from night sweats, it might be worth investing in a more specialist model. The WinkBed offers decent temperature regulation, but it doesn't sleep quite as cool as many of the models in our best cooling mattress ranking.
Score: 4 out of 5
Edge support
How the edge of the bed acts under compression is called edge support and it's one indication of a quality mattress. No one wants to feel as though they could tumble right off the edge while sleeping, or that a portion of the mattress is unusable because you feel unsupported when sleeping close to the edge. With WinkBed, there are no such issues. This mattress offers top-notch support around the full perimeter.
We tested edge support on the Winkbed mattress with a 50lb weight, in addition to our main reviewer sitting on it. When the 50lb weight was placed near the very edge, it sank in 1.5-2 inches, which is barely anything.
That's backed up by our real-world experience. Our testers could sit comfortably on the edge of the WinkBed, without ever feeling like they might slide off.
Score: 5 out of 5
WinkBed mattress review: Delivery & setup
WInkBeds offers free shipping via UPS within the contiguous US. The WinkBed is a mattress-in-a-box, which means it's vacuum-packed and rolled up into a box for shipping. The free shipping will only take the box to the ground level door of your house or apartment building – the delivery people won't install or it or carry the box up any stairs. There's no option to upgrade your delivery to something more comprehensive.
When our box arrived it was a little beaten up in one bottom corner and was also damp. Luckily, The WinkBed is so well-packaged in plastic inside the box that the actual mattress was unaffected by the state of the outer box.
As with other mattresses we've reviewed, the WinkBed comes with a small plastic cutting tool to help you open the vacuum-sealed, tough plastic. The mattress is fairly heavy (with a queen size weighing 135lb), so you might need a friend or family member to help you unbox and unroll it onto your platform or bed frame. (In comparison, a queen size DreamCloud mattress weighs 85lbs, while a queen size Saatva Classic weighs 120lbs.) Once free of the plastic and on our bed frame, the mattress started springing to full form.
Some vacuum-packed mattresses containing foam are prone to off-gassing, during which a chemical or plastic smell is released into the room after you open the mattress. It's a normal process, but we always recommend opening your window before unboxing your new bed and leaving the window open for a few hours afterward if possible.
While experiences can vary person-to-person, we didn't have any issues with off-gassing from our review model. It had a slight 'new car' smell that was noticeable for 15-30 minutes after unpacking but it wasn't bothersome.
The WinkBed comes with a 120-night sleep trial period. That's about the average – some brands offer longer and some a little shorter, but it's still enough time to get a good idea of if it's working for you. You are required you to sleep on the mattress for at least 30 nights before initiating an exchange or return, to give your body time to adjust. If you do need to exchange your model for a different firmness, you'll have to pay a $49 fee. Returns are free.
WinkBeds provides a lifetime limited warranty. We recommend you read the WinkBeds warranty before purchasing so you know what protection you'll get against defects in materials and workmanship (or if you need extra insight into coverage, read our feature answering how do mattress warranties work?).
WinkBed mattress: Customer reviews
- An average 4.8 out of 5 over ~8,400 reviews (June 2023)
- Lots of praise for pain relief, comfort and cushioning properties
- Most complaints are around it being too soft or too firm
In addition to our physical testing, we analyzed user reviews of the WinkBed to try and spot any recurring complaints or feedback about the mattress. User reviews also help us to get a better understanding of what the WinkBed is like to sleep on long-term, and if there could be any issues with durability.
The WinkBed has ~8,400 reviews, scoring an average 4.8 out of 5 (June 2023). You can view cherry-picked reviews relating to each firmness option, but there's no way to filter all reviews by which specific version of the mattress they're talking about.
The majority of WinkBed mattress user reviews are positive, with customers praising its high levels of comfort and cushioning. Perhaps unsurprisingly, WinkBed has attracted a lot of people experiencing hip, shoulder and back pain. We spotted quite a few user reviews saying that the mattress reduced the number of night-time wake-ups due to physical pain, and that people felt more comfortable and well-rested when sleeping on it.
Not all reviewers had the same opinion though, with some customers saying the WinkBed was too firm or too soft to be supportive. We suspect they may have chosen the wrong firmness for their body type and sleep health needs, so we encourage you to read WinkBed’s description of its firmness levels and to really use the trial period to make sure you’ve tested your new bed fully.
Should you buy the WinkBed mattress?
The WinkBed mattress is a luxury hybrid innerspring mattress for a competitive price, and we'd recommend it especially to anyone suffering from back pain. The mattress was supportive in the right places, a design that helps promote natural spinal alignment, and pressure point relief.
The fact that you can tailor the firmness level to suit your specific preferences and body type means this mattress can suit a wide range of people. Strong edge support means it'll work for anyone wanting to be able to use the full sleep surface, and we were also impressed with the motion isolation, which is important for those sharing a bed. In fact, the only real people who we might not recommend this model to are very hot sleepers – although we had no particular issues with overheating on this mattresses, other models offer more effective cooling.
Overall, if you're looking for a good-quality, customizable hybrid mattress that won't break the bank – and especially if you struggle with back or shoulder pain – the WinkBed is well worth a look.
First reviewed: July 2022
The WinkBed mattress review: Alternatives to consider
