My In-Depth Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress Review for 2024

Written by Julia Forbes, Lead Product Tester

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In This Article

Learn more about the Emma Hybrid Comfort mattress. Is this the best hybrid bed for your needs?

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Hybrid mattresses combine a layer of innerspring coils with top layers of comfortable foam to create a bed that can deliver great support and pressure relief. However, this enhanced design often comes with a higher price tag.

Luckily, an international mattress company called Emma has created a more affordable option that still provides plenty of support for most body types. I recently tested their new Emma Hybrid Comfort mattress and was pleasantly surprised with how it performed in multiple categories. In this review, I’ll get into the details of this bed’s pros and cons, as well as who I think it will work well for and who should keep on looking. 

My Video Review of the Emma Hybrid Comfort

Who I Recommend The Emma Hybrid Comfort For:

• Back and stomach sleepers – I felt the most comfortable lying on my back and stomach and would recommend this bed to those who sleep in either of these positions. 

• Shoppers on a budget – A lot of mattresses with this many comfort layers, design elements, and features can cost upwards of 2,000 dollars. The Emma Hybrid Comfort is a good option for those on a tighter budget. 

• Heavier people – This bed was designed to support sleepers of all sizes and weights. Because of its firmness and supportive coils, I would say it’s a good fit for heavier sleepers.

Who I Don’t Recommend The Emma Hybrid Comfort For:

• Lightweight sleepers – We had some of our lightweight testing team members try out this mattress and the general consensus was “too firm” in all sleeping positions. Adding a soft mattress topper could help some petite sleepers feel more comfortable here.

• Those who prefer a soft bed – Emma’s website does say this bed should feel medium firm, but to me, it felt more like a true firm. Its surface also doesn’t have a whole lot of give or contour, so you’ll feel very much “on top of” this bed. Therefore, it might not suit those who enjoy softer mattresses.

First Impressions of The Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress: Firmness & Feel

Firmness Scale: 7/10

Please remember that firmness is a subjective characteristic and your shape will dictate how you experience a bed. A heavier person whose weight can more easily push through softer comfort and support layers may experience a bed as softer than a lightweight person. The way you are shaped could also play a role here. Consider your weight, shape, and size when evaluating firmness scores.

Based on our mattress firmness scale from 1 to 10, where 10 is as firm as sleeping on the floor, I’d give the Emma Hybrid Comfort a 7. Though the website describes this bed as a 5, the team and I found it firmer than that. 

The surface of the bed is also rather bouncy, responsive, and not very giving, which adds to the firmer feel. I felt completely aloft lying on this bed, which is great for spinal support and for those who love the feel of a firm mattress.

How Does The Emma Hybrid Comfort Feel?

As I mentioned, when I first lay down on the Emma Hybrid Comfort, the biggest thing I noticed was how aloft I felt on the bed. My spine was lifted and supported in all positions – side, back, and stomach – because there really isn’t much sinkage with this mattress. I also noticed that it felt very bouncy, and the cover felt temperature-neutral, though I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily cooling.

Pros: What I Like About the Emma Hybrid Comfort

• Works well for heavier sleepers – It can be difficult to find a mattress that supports all body types adequately, but I think the Emma Hybrid Comfort does a good job of this. 
• Supportive and pressure relieving – This mattress not only supports the spine’s alignment but also provides good pressure relief, which was surprising considering its perceived firmness. 
• It’s very bouncy – For combination sleepers, those who have trouble getting out of bed, and sexually-active couples, a bouncy bed can be a good thing, and the Emma Hybrid Comfort is very bouncy.

Cons: My Emma Hybrid Comfort Complaints

• Makes some noise when moving around – I noticed some noise when moving around on this bed. When we cut it open to investigate, it looks like it’s because the center foam layer has a texture similar to styrofoam and makes some noise. 
• Doesn’t feel as high-quality as other beds – If you’re looking for a high-quality, luxury bed, this isn’t the one for you. However, for the price, I’d consider it a good deal. 
• Edge support – The edge support on this mattress is fine when lying down on the bed, but when sitting on the edge, it does sink beneath my weight.

Testing the Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress: How it Performed

Whenever I test out a bed, I’m looking at some key factors like pressure relief, bounce, support, motion isolation, and other preference-based features. I also lie on the mattress in different positions as well as have some team members with different body types try out the bed to see who it will work best for. 

For more on our testing methodology, visit our product review process page.

Sleeping Positions for Different Body Types

According to Emma, their Hybrid Comfort mattress is specifically designed to accommodate all body types and can comfortably support up to 1,000 pounds. Remember, different body types will either feel more aloft or sink down into a mattress more, and different sleep positions will also impact how the bed feels. Here, I’ll go over how this bed performed for both different body types and sleep positions.

Weight	Side Sleepers	Back Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers
Lightweight Sleepers (-130 lbs)	★☆☆	★★☆	★☆☆
Average-Weight Sleepers (130-230 lbs)	★☆☆	★★☆	★★★
Heavyweight Sleepers (+230 lbs)	★★☆	★★★	★★★

Side Sleepers

• Lightweight Sleepers – Lightweight sleepers shouldn’t experience a lot of pressure on their sides, and their spines should be well supported. However, it simply didn’t feel cushy enough for side sleeping according to our lightweight testers.
• Average-Weight Sleepers – This bed still feels very firm around pressure points for average-weight sleepers. Personally, I would want something at least 6.5 out of 10 in terms of firmness. My spine’s alignment felt superb, though.
• Heavyweight Sleepers – Again, more weight for plus-size side sleepers may equate to more give, but it doesn’t feel like a cushiony memory foam hybrid.

Back Sleepers

• Lightweight Sleepers – Lightweight sleepers who love the feel of a firm mattress should sleep comfortably on their backs. There was no pressure buildup detected with our pressure relief map and weight distribution largely helps with that. 
• Average-Weight Sleepers – Similarly here, responsiveness, lumbar support, and pressure relief aren’t an issue. This is a good fit for back sleepers who prefer a firm bed. 
• Heavyweight Sleepers – I think heavyweight sleepers will feel comfortable on their backs as their weight should be evenly distributed and the lumbar area well-supported.

Stomach Sleepers

• Lightweight Sleepers – Even though it does a good job of supporting the spine in this position, this bed feels too firm to be comfortable for lightweight stomach sleepers. 
• Average-Weight Sleepers – The spine alignment is excellent, no doubt about that. If you’re a stomach sleeper with back pain and simply need to ensure alignment, this bed works.
• Heavyweight Sleepers – This bed has minimal sinkage combined with strong support and pressure relief. For this reason, I think it should work well for heavyweight stomach sleepers.

To test out the pressure relief of this mattress, I used a pressure map to measure whether or not there was any pressure buildup along my body when lying on my back, side, or stomach. Since this mattress is so firm, I was expecting there to be some pressure shown on the map, however, I was surprised to see that this bed did a great job relieving pressure from sensitive areas like my shoulders and hips.

Is the Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress Good for Pain Relief?

This bed should work well for pain relief, depending heavily on your body type and preferred sleep position. For example, side sleepers with hip pain will probably feel an increase in their pain, whereas stomach sleepers with hip pain should do well with this firmer bed.

Back Pain

The Emma Hybrid Comfort may be a firm mattress but that also means it excels at fostering proper spinal alignment. In all positions, I felt my spine was kept in a comfortable, neutral alignment, which makes me think it would be a good choice for those with back pain.

Hip Pain

This mattress will either hurt or help with hip pain depending on your sleep position. If you’re a side sleeper with hip pain, this mattress will likely exacerbate the issue because it is so firm. However, if you sleep on your stomach, it will do a good job lifting the hips and preventing them from sinking into the mattress, which should feel comfortable for those with hip pain.

Shoulder Pain

Side sleepers with shoulder pain should opt for a much softer and more contouring mattress than this one. Back and stomach sleepers with shoulder pain shouldn’t be too affected by this firm mattress, but I will say, you’ll have to prefer the feeling of a firm bed.

When talking about support, I’m talking about how well the bed keeps the spine in a proper, neutral alignment. Sometimes a too-soft mattress can allow the spine to arch at the lower back, which can not only feel uncomfortable but can do damage. 

The Emma Hybrid Comfort is firm enough that it excels at supporting the spine. In fact, my spine felt lifted in all positions with no dip whatsoever, largely because there was no real sinking with this bed.

When a bed has a lot of motion transfer, you’ll be able to feel every movement of your sleeping partner. Good motion isolation, on the other hand, means their movements will be less obvious. 

With this bed, big movements, like getting in and out of bed, shake things up a bit. However, it isolates smaller movements just fine.

The website describes this bed as cooling, however, I would describe it as more “temperature neutral.” The cover doesn’t necessarily feel cooling, but it doesn’t trap heat either because the foam top layers of the bed are not thick enough to trap heat. The coils also provide some good breathability. 

If you sleep hot and you want a mattress that will help cool you down, I’d recommend one of these cooling mattresses instead.

I would describe the Emma Hybrid Comfort as very bouncy. When I moved around to get into a new sleep position, I could feel the bed’s bounce and responsiveness to my movements. I also tried bouncing a lacrosse ball on its surface, and it sprang right back up.

This is a great feature for combination sleepers who don’t want to feel “stuck” in the bed, for those with issues getting out of bed, and for some sexually-active couples.

When I lay at the edge of the bed, I felt well-supported. However, when I sat on the edge of the bed, I felt myself sliding off quite a bit. This means you should be able to use the entire surface of the bed comfortably while sleeping, but it may be difficult, especially for heavier folks, to sit on the bed’s edge comfortably.

Typically, when couples share a bed, they’re looking for some key features, like good motion isolation, good edge support, and a good amount of bounce. 

This bed’s motion isolation should be good enough for sleepers who aren’t too easily disturbed, the edge support should work well enough for both partners to use the entire surface comfortably, and it has a high level of bounce, making it specifically good for sexually active couples. Overall, I’d say it’s a good bed for couples who prefer a firm mattress.

Emma Hybrid Comfort

With three foam layers for comfort and a zoned innerspring unit, this hybrid mattress from Emma can support sleepers of all shapes and sizes.

Sleep Advisor Score

3.7 / 5.0

Check Price

Preference-based Features

Bed-in-a-box

Emma ships their beds for free to your home, compressing them in a box for delivery. Setup is simple and can be done conveniently on your own schedule.

High Bounce

People who change positions a lot or struggle with mobility typically prefer beds with a bit of “push back” or bounce that assists movement. Sexually-active couples can also benefit from this feature.

Adjustable Base Compatible

According to Emma, all of their beds, including this hybrid, are compatible with adjustable bases. They recommend the Emma Powerbase Adjustable Bed.

Construction: What’s Inside the Emma Hybrid Comfort?

The Emma Hybrid Comfort will arrive at your doorstep compressed in a box. Once you’ve unpackaged the mattress and it has decompressed, it will measure 13 inches tall. 

The first thing I noticed about this bed was the soft cover, which is designed to wick away moisture and heat. Beneath the cover, the mattress itself contains five layers, which I’ll detail below. 

• The top layer is made from Emma’s signature Point Elastic Airgocell technology. This thin foam layer is meant to absorb excess body heat. In my experience, it created a temperature-neutral surface. 
• One layer down, we have another section of foam. This memory foam is designed to provide some pressure relief and motion isolation. 
• The third layer from the top is made from durable HRX foam. This layer is meant to be supportive and likely gives the bed some of the firmness I felt. 
• Going deeper, there is a layer of individually-wrapped coils, which provide the mattress with its bounce, spinal support, and airflow. These coils are also zoned to better support the heavier or more sensitive areas of the body, like beneath the hips and lumbar spine. 
• The stabilizing layer sits beneath the coils to provide a solid foundation for the entire mattress. 

All of these layers sit within a durable, anti-slip lower cover. This cover includes two handles so you can more easily maneuver the mattress when needed.

Unboxing & Off-Gassing

As mentioned, this is a bed-in-a-box, which means it will ship to you compressed into a box. Unpackaging the mattress is simple and should take about 15 minutes, though once it is unwrapped, it will have an off-gassing period, in which it will emit a slightly chemical smell. This should dissipate within a few days, and keeping the mattress in a well-ventilated room should help with this process.

Certifications

• CertiPUR-US® certified: The foams in this bed are CertiPUR-US® certified. CertiPUR-US® is a third-party program that ensures the foams meet rigorous health and safety standards. This means they don’t contain harmful substances like ozone depleters, PBDEs, heavy metals, formaldehyde, and phthalates. They should also have low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

Coupons, Trials, Warranties, and Shipping

• Shipping – Shipping is free within the United States.

• Trial – Emma offers a competitive 365-night sleep trial for this mattress. This means you can try it out for up to 365 nights, and if you don’t love it, return it before your trial is up for a refund.

• Warranty – There is a warranty on this bed for 10 years.

• Return Policy – If you don’t love your Emma Hybrid Comfort,  you can contact customer service to arrange a return at any point during your 365-night trial. They will refund you the full amount of the bed, and will even cover the cost of shipping.

Emma Hybrid Comfort Sizes & Prices

Size	Dimensions (inches)	Price (w/o discount)
Twin	39” x 75” x 13”	$739
Twin XL	39” x 80” x 13”	$999
Full	54” x 75” x 13”	$1,049
Queen	60” x 80” x 13”	$1,199
King	76” x 80” x 13”	$1,499
Cali King	72” x 84” x 13”	$1,499

Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress FAQS

Is the Emma Hybrid Comfort softer than the Emma Original? 

We have reviewed both mattresses at Sleep Advisor and found the Emma Original mattress to be softer than the Emma Hybrid Comfort. The Original is made entirely of memory foam, whereas the hybrid includes a layer of innerspring coils, which likely give it a bit more firmness. 

Do hybrid mattresses get softer over time?

You should give your hybrid mattress about 30 to 60 nights to break in a bit. After this, you should have an accurate idea of how firm or soft your mattress will be. 

Should I flip my Emma Hybrid Comfort?

The Emma Hybrid Comfort is designed with comfort layers on top and support layers on the bottom, so you should not flip this mattress.

Emma Hybrid Comfort vs. Other Brands

Emma Hybrid Comfort vs. Saatva

Who I Recommend the Emma Hybrid Comfort For

• Stomach and back sleepers
• Heavyweight sleepers
• Budget shoppers

Who I Recommend the Saatva For

• Side sleepers
• Eco-conscious shoppers 
• Those who want a lifetime warranty

Read our Saatva mattress review if you think the Saatva is right for you.

Emma Hybrid Comfort vs. Nectar

Who I Recommend the Emma Hybrid Comfort For

• Those who prefer a firm mattress
• Sexually-active couples
• Stomach sleepers

Who I Recommend the Nectar For

• Sleepers with joint pain
• Couples who are light sleepers
• Side sleepers

Read our Nectar mattress review if you think the Nectar is right for you.

Emma Hybrid Comfort vs Other Emma Models

Emma Hybrid Comfort vs Emma Original

Who I Recommend the Emma Hybrid Comfort For

• Heavyweight sleepers 
• Fans of firmer mattresses
• Sleepers with mobility issues

Who I Recommend the Emma Original For

• Budget shoppers
• Side sleepers
• Lightweight sleepers

Read our Emma mattress review if you think the original Emma is right for you.

My Verdict of The Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress

Overall, the Emma Hybrid Comfort was a good mattress, and I’d give it a 3.7 out of 5. To be honest, it was a little too firm for me personally, and it felt firmer than the website’s description of the bed. However, if you prefer a firm mattress, I think this will be a good choice for you, especially if you’re looking for something more budget-friendly. 

More than anything, this bed does a great job evenly distributing my body’s weight and supporting my spine, and though it felt firm, it did a surprisingly good job of relieving pressure.

Julia Forbes

Lead Product Tester

About Author

Julia is the Lead Reviewer at Sleep Advisor, specializing in testing out mattresses and sleep accessories – she’s in the right line of work, because she loves to sleep.

Stomach Sleeper