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Brooklyn Bedding Essential
Overall Rating 7.8

25% off storewide/sitewide. Code: cyber25


Price Range: $372 – $792

Mattress Type: Hybrid

Firmness Options: Medium Firm (6)

At a Glance

This no-frills version of a Brooklyn Bedding mattress offers many of the same features for which the brand has earned its respected reputation. The medium firm (6) feel is designed to work for a wide range of sleeping positions and body types, but especially well suited to side sleeping.

Ratings Summary

ratings/sf-mattress-motion-isolation Icon Motion Isolation

6/10

ratings/sf-mattress-edge-support Icon Edge Support

7/10

ratings/sf-mattress-temperature-control Icon Temperature Control

7/10

ratings/sf-mattress-ease-of-movement Icon Ease of Movement

7/10

ratings/sf-mattress-off-gassing Icon Off Gassing

6.5/10

ratings/sf-mattress-pressure-relief Icon Pressure Relief

6.5/10

Pros

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    Solid support for back sleepers under 230 pounds and side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds
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    Accessible price-point for budget shoppers and value seekers

Cons

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    May not offer enough support for back and stomach sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds
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    Doesn’t have the deep hug of memory foam
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    Noise-sensitive sleepers could be disturbed by motion transfer across the mattress surface

Established in 1995, Brooklyn Bedding is an Arizona-based mattress brand that features in-house manufacturing. Since 2008, the company has been shipping beds directly to consumers through the mattress-in-a-box model. Brooklyn’s mattress lineup includes the cooling Sedona Elite, the all-foam Plank Firm, and the Spartan, a hybrid mattress available in three firmness options that’s aimed at sleepers with active lifestyles.

The majority of Brooklyn Bedding’s models feature hybrid constructions that combine foam comfort layers with a pocketed coil support core. Alongside the Signature Hybrid and the Aurora Luxe, Brooklyn Bedding offers the Essential, its value-priced hybrid option.

Our review focuses on the Brooklyn Essential Mattress. We’ll cover its performance in seven key categories before delving into its construction and how it rated during tests in our sleep lab for people with different sleep positions and body types.

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Sleeping Style and Body Weight

Brooklyn Bedding Essential

Sleeper Type

Under 130 lbs

130-230 lbs

Above 230 lbs

Side Sleepers

Side Sleepers

5.5/10

7.5/10

7.5/10

Back Sleepers

Back Sleepers

5.5/10

7.5/10

7.5/10

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach Sleepers

5/10

7/10

7/10

Side Sleepers

During our tests, the Essential performed best for side sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds. These testers found that the mix of lightly conforming polyfoam and responsive coils offers very good pressure relief around the shoulders and hips.

For side sleepers weighing less than 130 pounds, the Brooklyn Essential’s medium firm (6) feel may offer insufficient cushioning. These sleepers might find the polyfoam layers and sturdy coils overly firm with too little contouring to mitigate pressure buildup.

Side sleepers weighing over 230 pounds may sink too far into the sleep surface despite the steel coils and dense foams.

Back Sleepers

The Essential’s hybrid construction makes it a great fit for back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. These sleepers benefit from the mattress’ balanced feel, which provides plenty of support to the lower back without sacrificing comfort. 

Our back sleepers over 230 pounds said they prefer a firmer model with greater support. These testers sank too far into the Essential, negatively impacting spinal alignment and overall comfort.

Stomach Sleepers

Our testing team found that the Essential is moderately comfortable for stomach sleepers under 230 pounds, but it did not perform well for testers over that weight level.

For stomach sleepers over 230 pounds, the Essential lacks enough firmness to maintain proper spinal alignment. These sleepers may experience sinkage, especially around the midsection, which can create pressure on the lower back and contribute to aches and pains in the morning.

Mattress Performance

In addition to the hands-on feedback from our team, we conduct a number of quantitative tests in our Test Lab. The below ratings are based on the experience of our testers.

Motion Isolation

6 / 10

More than 2 inches of polyfoam in the comfort system helps absorb vibrations across the surface of the mattress, while pocketed coils in the support core reduce internal motion transfer.

However, the motion isolation is less pronounced than in hybrids with comfort layers that are thicker or made with memory foam.

Pressure Relief

6.5 / 10

Dual polyfoam layers in the comfort system gently conform to the body, while individually wrapped coils in the support core provide pushback. This hybrid construction reduces pressure by cradling heavier parts of the body such as the shoulders and hips.

Temperature Control

7 / 10

Lightly conforming foams combined with ventilated pocketed coils in the support core allow air to flow around sleepers, which means less heat buildup.

That said, without added thermoregulating materials in the foam or other special features often found in cooling mattresses, the Essential may not have the cool-to-the-touch feel that some temperature-sensitive sleepers seek.

Edge Support

7 / 10

During our tests, the Essential’s high-density foams were resistant to compression, holding their shape better under pressure than softer, more pliant foams. Reinforced steel coils around the perimeter of the mattress also help keep the edges from excessive sagging.

It’s worth noting that sleepers who weigh more than 230 pounds and those with mobility issues may prefer a firmer mattress with a sturdier perimeter.

Ease of Movement

7 / 10

Our testing team gave the Essential high marks for ease of movement. With responsive coils and resilient polyfoam, the Essential springs back quickly after pressure is removed.

This construction results in less inhibited movement on the mattress surface. The effect is particularly noticeable when compared to other hybrids that have softer foams in the comfort system.

Off-Gassing

6.5 / 10

Off-gassing is the term for the chemical smell that results from the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when products containing synthetic foam are unboxed. Since the Essential has a hybrid design, it contains less foam than some competing memory foam models.

Additionally, the foams are certified by CertiPUR-US to be low in VOC emissions and free of heavy metals and other potentially harmful substances. You may notice an odor after unboxing, but it should dissipate within a few days at most.

Brooklyn Bedding Essential Mattress Review Breakdown

The Brooklyn Essential Mattress is a hybrid model that combines foam layers and pocketed coils. The bed has a firmness level that rates as medium firm, or a 6 on our 10-point scale.

The Essential’s comfort system consists of two layers. The top layer contains 1.5 inches of high-density polyfoam quilted into the surface of the mattress. This layer delivers light contouring for pressure relief. The second layer contains 0.75 inches of transitional polyfoam that offers a responsive feel and helps prevent excessive sinkage into the bed. 

The support core is made of an 8-inch layer of Ascension X steel coils. Each coil is individually wrapped to decrease motion transfer. A final quarter-inch polyfoam layer creates a sturdy base.

Firmness

Medium Firm – 6

Mattress Type

Hybrid

Construction

Cover Material:

Cotton, Polyester

Comfort Layer:

1.5″ Polyfoam
.75″ Polyfoam

Support Core:

8″ Pocketed Coils
.25″ Polyfoam

Brooklyn Bedding Essential Sizing

The Essential comes in all six standard mattress sizes. Its 10.5-inch profile is considered average and shouldn’t require deep pocket sheets.

Sizes Dimensions Height Weight
Twin 38″ x 75″ 10.5″ N/A
Twin XL 38″ x 80″ 10.5″ N/A
Full 53″ x 75″ 10.5″ N/A
Queen 60″ x 80″ 10.5″ N/A
King 76″ x 80″ 10.5″ N/A
California King 72″ x 84″ 10.5″ N/A

Trial, Warranty, and Shipping Policies

Availability

You can buy the Essential Mattress through the Brooklyn Bedding website and in the company’s brick-and-mortar showrooms in Arizona. Mattresses from Brooklyn Bedding are also sold in select partner stores across the United States.

Shipping

Mattresses purchased online from Brooklyn Bedding ship for free within the contiguous U.S. Shipping is available to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada for an additional cost. For other international locations, customers can request that Brooklyn Bedding ship to a freight forwarding service that delivers to your home for a fee.

The mattress is shipped compressed and rolled inside a box. Setup requires removing the packaging so that the mattress can expand to its full size.

Additional Services

Brooklyn Bedding does not provide White Glove delivery or in-home setup services. California residents can request old mattress removal by filling out an online form or contacting customer service.

Sleep Trial

The Brooklyn Essential comes with a 120-night sleep trial with a mandatory 30-night break-in period. During this window, customers receive a full refund for returned mattresses, minus a $99 removal fee that covers mattress pickup and recycling or disposal. The sleep trial only applies to orders in the U.S. and Canada.

Warranty

Brooklyn Bedding offers a 10-year limited warranty that covers repair or replacement costs for eligible defects in workmanship or materials.

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