Helix Plus Mattress Review: Insights From Our Test Lab
Executive Product DirectorJackson Lindeke
Jackson Lindeke
Executive Product Director
Jackson leads editorial product recommendations at Sleep Foundation, transforming the data from our sleep product test lab into real world takeaways for consumers. He has spent over half a decade developing protocol to evaluate and measure the impacts of products on sleep quality. As a cited sleep product expert, Jackson helps guide millions of shoppers to find personalized recommendations for everything from pillows to bedding to mattresses.
Who It’s Best For: Side, back, and stomach sleepers in larger bodies.
At a Glance
The Helix Plus provides extra support for sleepers over 230 pounds, with dense foam over thick coils. Its Dynamic Response Foam combines conforming, responsiveness, and support, while the quality coils and high-density foam provide above-average durability.
Ratings Summary
Motion Isolation
7.5/10
Edge Support
9/10
Temperature Control
8/10
Ease of Movement
7/10
Durability
8.5/10
Pressure Relief
7.5/10
Pros
Robust design that supports up to 1,000 pounds
Reliable edge support
Provides a flat and supportive sleep surface that’s great for back and stomach sleepers
Cons
Not an ideal fit for sleepers who want deep contouring
Movement on one side of the mattress causes vibrations on the other side
The Helix Plus Mattress is geared toward sleepers who require strong support from their bed. Its sturdy, dependable design is engineered to accommodate up to 1,000 pounds of body weight.
With a hybrid construction, two foam layers lightly cushion the body and thick coils provide a steady base of support. Optional add-ons include a cooling cover with a quilted pillow-top.
We brought the Helix Plus into our Test Lab for an in-depth look. We’ll cover our testing team’s conclusions and go over the design of the Helix Plus as well as its sizing, pricing, and performance ratings we awarded the mattress after testing it.
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Testing Team Takeaways
To test the Helix Plus Mattress, we had three people on our testing team each take the bed home with them for one week. Here are their initial observations.
Logan Foley
Editorial Director
Side sleeper
140 lbs.
Has too many dogs in bed
This mattress felt a bit too hard for me personally, but I can see why it appeals to people who want a sturdy and dependable bed.
Jeremy Klein
Senior Product Testing Manager
Side sleeper
160 lbs.
Nightly melatonin user
Like Logan, I usually lean toward a mattress that has deeper contouring for my hips and shoulders. I did like the ability of the Helix Plus to stay cool and its stable edge support.
Brad Nehring
Senior Product Analyst
Side sleeper
215 lbs.
Sleeps with a weighted blanket
While it’s definitely on the firm side, the overall design of the Helix Plus Mattress is really effective at ensuring that the bed cushions the joints without caving in beneath you.
Sleeping Style and Body Weight
Helix Plus
Sleeper Type
Under 130 lbs
130-230 lbs
Above 230 lbs
Side Sleepers
7.5/10
8.5/10
9.5/10
Back Sleepers
7.5/10
8/10
7.5/10
Stomach Sleepers
8/10
8/10
7/10
Side Sleepers
In our Test Lab, the Helix Plus was a hit with side sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds, especially those over 230 pounds. Most of our side sleepers under 130 pounds thought the mattress felt too hard.
Side sleepers need the most cushioning of any sleeper type. When you sleep on your side, much of your weight rests on your hips and shoulders. This position can lead to uncomfortable pressure points when sleeping on a mattress that’s too firm.
The Helix Plus has the right firmness and overall performance to suit side sleepers with a higher body weight. Among those who weigh 230 pounds or less, side sleepers may find that the mattress lacks an optimal level of cushioning for their joints.
Back Sleepers
Like side sleepers, back sleepers need a balance of pressure relief and spinal support. However, back sleepers tend to prefer a firmer mattress that doesn’t compress too much beneath the midsection.
During our hands-on tests, the Helix Plus met these needs for most back sleepers. It was especially popular among back sleepers over 130 pounds who appreciated its sturdy feel and light cushioning to support the lumbar region.
Stomach Sleepers
The Helix Plus Mattress delivers firm support that our stomach sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds found exceptionally comfortable during our testing.
Stomach sleepers need the most support and lowest amount of contouring of any sleeper type. A mattress that’s too soft won’t hold its shape under the abdomen, causing the body to bend into an uncomfortable U shape.
The firm foam layers in the Helix Plus don’t allow stomach sleepers to sink into the mattress the way they might on a softer model. The pocketed coil core also helps keep stomach sleepers feeling as if they’re sleeping on instead of in their mattress.
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
7.5
/ 10
“Since you don’t sink into the foams much, it’s easier for vibrations to move from one side of the mattress to the other.” – Logan
In our testing, one of the weaker points of the Helix Plus was its tendency to transfer motion across the mattress.
The coils and resilient materials generate a bounciness that makes it more likely to notice small vibrations when someone moves on the other side of the bed.
Based on the feedback from our testers, this shouldn’t be a huge concern for most people. But the Helix Plus may not be the optimal mattress for people who want to limit potential disruptions to their bed partner when they get in and out of bed.
Pressure Relief
7.5
/ 10
“There’s enough cushioning to prevent harsh impact against the surface of the mattress, but there’s less contouring than you’ll find on many other foam hybrids. That can be either good or bad depending on your preferences.” – Brad
Most of the pressure relief in the Helix Plus comes from the foam layers. The foam compresses under the heaviest parts of the body to help provide essential cushioning.
That said, the mattress has a firm (7) feel, which limits how much the foams conform to your pressure points. Ultimately, this reduces support for some people but increases it for others. In our testing, people over 230 pounds were most likely to value the pressure-relieving abilities of this mattress.
Temperature Control
8
/ 10
“I had no issues with the temperature of this mattress. I found that it slept cool, and the optional cooling cover is just icing on the cake.” – Jeremy
Our temperature control testing showed solidly above-average results for the Helix Plus. Since you don’t get hugged by the foam, there’s lots of space for air to move over your skin and resist heat buildup.
At the same time, air can flow through the pocketed coils, reducing heat buildup in the mattress. For hot sleepers, the optional cooling cover may be a worthwhile investment to get even better temperature regulation.
Edge Support
9
/ 10
“Everyone who tested this mattress noted that the edge support was a huge strength. The firmness level plus the reinforced perimeter really make the edge feel sturdy.” – Brad
Strong edge support is a standout characteristic of the Helix Plus. The support core of this mattress is lined with thicker coils to deliver more pushback around the edge. According to our testers, this extra reinforcement had a noticeable positive impact when they wanted to sit or sleep near the perimeter.
Ease of Movement
7
/ 10
“Given the firmness and minimal sinkage, I found that I could switch sleeping positions without much resistance.” – Jeremy
In our testing, most sleepers were able to move easily across the mattress. This is largely a function of the firm (7) feel and the fact that you don’t sag down into the foam layers. The pocketed coils also add a degree of bounce that enables easier movement.
Durability
8.5
/ 10
Designed for heavier bodies, the Helix Plus Luxe is a hybrid mattress that features a highly durable construction and multiple layers of high-density foam for comfort. What really powers its strong score and pushes it past a 10-year lifespan are the 8-inch TitanCore durable steel coils that form the sturdy support core and give the bed a reinforced perimeter.
The Helix Plus Mattress is 11.5 inches tall. Our team rated it as firm, or a 7 on our 10-point firmness scale. This makes it firmer than most competing hybrid mattresses, which is a deliberate aspect of its design. The Helix Plus is built to support people with a higher body weight, giving them a supportive and durable mattress.
The cover of the Helix Plus is made with a knit fabric, but you can choose to upgrade to a GlacioTex cooling cover that uses special fibers to help dissipate heat. That optional cover also adds 2 inches of height to the mattress in the form of a quilted pillow-top.
Interested in learning more about what goes into a good mattress?
Check out our guide on mattress construction here.
The top layer is made with Helix’s Dynamic Foam, a type of adaptive polyfoam that reacts to the body’s weight to offer tailored cushioning. The next layer is a denser polyfoam that helps resist sagging and sinkage.
The support core of the mattress has two components. The top part is 8 inches of pocketed innerspring coils that are reinforced around the perimeter. These coils give the mattress its sturdy feel and strong edge support. Beneath the coils is a thin layer of high-density polyfoam that absorbs noise and enhances stability.
Firmness
Firn (7)
Mattress Type
Hybrid
Construction
Cover Material:
Tencel or GlacioTex cooling cover
Comfort Layer:
Polyfoam Polyfoam
Support Core:
Pocketed coils (reinforced perimeter)
Helix Plus Mattress Sizes
The Helix Plus Mattress is offered in all of the six primary mattress sizes. The standard version of the mattress comes with a knit cover, but you can opt to upgrade to the GlacioTex cooling pillow-top cover.
Sizes
Dimensions
Height
Weight
Twin
39″ x 75″
11.5″
70 lbs.
Twin XL
39″ x 80″
11.5″
70 lbs
Full
54″ x 75″
11.5″
90 lbs
Queen
60″ x 80″
11.5″
100 lbs
King
76″ x 80″
11.5″
125 lbs
California King
72″ x 84″
11.5″
125 lbs
Trial, Warranty, and Shipping Policies
Availability
You can purchase the Helix Plus directly from the manufacturer’s website. Helix products can also be found in some partner retail stores.
The company offers shipping to all 50 U.S. states and provincial Canada. Helix does not ship to Canadian territories.
Shipping
Helix offers free shipping to the contiguous United States. Shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada is available for an extra fee.
In most cases, the Helix Plus ships three to five business days after you place an order. It should arrive a few business days after that.
Each mattress arrives compressed and rolled in a box that will be left at your door. The Helix Plus Mattress is fairly heavy, and moving the box may require help from another person. To set it up, you lay the rolled mattress on your preferred foundation and carefully cut the sealed plastic. Allow the mattress to expand for at least 45 minutes before using it.
Additional Services
For many zip codes, Helix offers optional White Glove delivery services at checkout. If you select this option, a service provider will come to your home, and, depending on the services you request, install the Helix Plus and, upon request, haul away your old mattress.
Sleep Trial
If you want to try the Helix Plus Mattress, you can take advantage of its 120-night sleep trial. You may initiate a return after the mandatory 30-night break-in period. Mattresses returned within 100 nights qualify for a full refund, and Helix will help coordinate the logistics of returning the mattress at no extra cost to you.
Warranty
The Helix Plus comes with a 10-year warranty that covers splits, cracks, and similar manufacturing defects. The warranty does not extend to normal wear and tear or accidental damage.
If your mattress is found to be defective, Helix will repair or replace it at no charge.
FAQs
Is the Helix Plus a good mattress?
The Helix Plus is a good mattress for people who want a well-rounded bed and anyone seeking strong edge support and a cool sleep surface. Though this bed is designed for people over 230 pounds, the testers on our team between 130 and 230 pounds liked it the most, with side, back, and stomach sleepers all giving it high scores for comfort and support.
The Helix Plus was also a hit for side sleepers over 230 pounds. Our testers in this range gave it nearly perfect scores. Back and stomach sleepers above 230 pounds found it a bit too soft, while side and back sleepers under 230 pounds would have preferred more cushioning.
What is the difference between WinkBed Plus and Helix Plus?
The WinkBed Plus and Helix Plus mattresses are both high-quality hybrid beds made for people over 230 pounds, but they do have some differences. The WinkBed is slightly firmer than the Helix and is 2.5 inches thicker. The WinkBed has a latex layer and zoned support system that make it a bit bouncier and more responsive than the Helix.
The majority of our testers found the WinkBed Plus comfortable and supportive, with the exception of side sleepers under 130, who reported they could use more pressure-point relief at the hips and shoulders. The Helix Plus is ideal for side sleepers over 230 and people who weigh between 130 and 230 pounds.
What is Helix good for?
Helix mattresses are good for shoppers seeking a crowd-pleasing mattress that’s supportive and comfortable for many types of sleepers and people with a range of body weights. The Helix Plus is an excellent choice for side, back, and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds. Our testers above 230 pounds found it most comfortable for side sleeping.
The Helix Plus sleeps cool and has strong edge support. It’s also decently pressure-relieving for being a firm mattress with minimal compression.
Which is better, Helix Plus or Big Fig?
The Helix Plus and Big Fig are mattresses designed for people over 230 pounds. We found that they have similar characteristics, though there are some differences between the two. The Big Fig performed better for stomach and back sleepers over 230 pounds, but it lacks the pressure relief and motion isolation that the Helix Plus offers. The Big Fig is better if you like a responsive, bouncy sleep surface, while the Helix Plus is better for people who prioritize cushioning.
Both beds sleep very cool and are an excellent choice if you’re a hot sleeper. The Big Fig Firm and Classic are comparable price-wise to the Helix Plus, while the Big Fig Luxe will cost you at least $500 more because it contains latex.
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Jackson leads editorial product recommendations at Sleep Foundation, transforming the data from our sleep product test lab into real world takeaways for consumers. He has spent over half a decade developing protocol to evaluate and measure the impacts of products on sleep quality. As a cited sleep product expert, Jackson helps guide millions of shoppers to find personalized recommendations for everything from pillows to bedding to mattresses.
