We slept on a king-size Helix Midnight mattress for three weeks, following our methodology for mattress testing to thoroughly put it through its paces and help you decide if it’ll be right for your sleep needs. If you like the sound of our review, you’ll be able to try the Helix Midnight risk-free at home via a 100-night sleep trial — with a full refund and free returns if you’re not satisfied. Otherwise, your purchase will be backed by a 10-year warranty. Keep reading to learn all about our experience with the Helix Midnight mattress, the brand’s best-selling mattress in a box… On top, a breathable, stretchy, soft-touch cover is optimized for improved airflow. Inside, meanwhile, the mattress is packed with pressure-relieving materials. First there are two comfort layers, starting with a slab of Helix’s bespoke memory plus foam. This relieves pressure, providing soft sinkage and deep body contouring, while cradling pressure points along your shoulders, hips and lower back. It’s also more breathable than some of the best memory foam mattresses. Next, a transition layer of responsive high-grade polyfoam provides a little bounce and helps absorb sinkage from the top layer of memory foam, while offering extra cushioning for your body. After that comes a support layer with hundreds of individually wrapped coils: these cradle your body, while also limiting motion transfer and reinforcing edge support around the perimeter. They boost airflow too, helping make the Helix Midnight cooler than an all-foam mattress might be. Finally, a solid base layer lends durability and stability across the mattress.
Helix Midnight mattress review: review in brief
Helix’s most popular mattress, designed for side sleepingDespite cost increases, still more affordable than most of its rivalsExcellent motion isolation, but edge support could be better
The Helix Midnight mattress is the brand’s most popular choice, which is one of the reasons we wanted to review it – just why is it so popular, and does it live up to the hype? The Helix Midnight is a straight-down-the-line solution for side sleepers who want a medium-feel mattress, or if you’re not sure which of Helix’s mattress is the best fit for you, then this is a good starting point, too. How much does the Helix Midnight mattress cost? It starts at a great price, from $799 for a twin, but keep an eye out for offers – our guide to the best Helix mattress sales and deals contains the latest savings. There’s plenty to choose from across the entire Helix range, so if you wanted to upgrade the Helix Midnight mattress to include a plush top and even more support, then the Midnight Luxe is a better choice. It will set you back a few hundred dollars extra though, with a starting price of $1,199. During our review period we were pleased to report that it felt supportive during sleep from the start. It’s cozy to the touch, and comes with adequate bounce, but also delivers enough firmness and excellent pressure relief across the entire body – especially along along our back, hips, and knees. Unsurprisingly, our reviewers were happiest sleeping on their sides when reviewing the Helix Midnight mattress, but we also slept comfortably on our backs, with pressure points well-cushioned and cradled by memory foam. However, we think stomach sleepers might prefer the firmer Helix Twilight (opens in new tab) or the Helix Dawn (opens in new tab) instead. The temperature regulation of the Helix Midnight mattress was particularly impressive, and none of our reviewers felt overheated during sleep. The hybrid construction features an 8-inch layer of coils that allows for decent airflow, while the breathable cover keeps the surface cool to the touch. We also noticed how silent the Helix Midnight is in use, with no noise from the coils. Even better, there was little in the way of motion transfer, making it a good choice for restless sleepers and couples with different sleep schedules. There was little to complain about with the Helix Midnight mattress, although because it’s handmade, you may notice a few irregularities, such as slightly bunched-up stitching here and there. Whether you feel that adds charm is down to you, but it in no way affects the performance of the Midnight. When it came to edge support, it was fine for sleeping, although if you sit on the edge of the bed for extended periods of time then you might start to slope off a little. The Helix Midnight mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, a 100-night sleep trial and free shipping for all orders within the US. If after at least 30 days you decide the mattress isn’t for you, then Helix will arrange for it to be collected and they will do their best to donate the mattress to a local charity or recycling center.
Helix Midnight mattress review: materials
The 11.5-inch Helix Midnight mattress is made up of four layers. On top is Helix’s proprietary Memory Plus Foam for pressure relief. Underneath that is a transitional layer of high-grade polyfoam for all-body support, followed hundreds of 8-inch individual pocketed coils. At the base is DuraDense Foam for stability. All of that is wrapped in a breathable, soft-knit fabric that stays cool to the touch. If you tend to sleep very warm at night and have the budget to upgrade, you can spend an extra $199 for a GlacioTex Cooling Cover with more enhanced temperature regulation to wick away body heat. It’s worth noting that no harmful chemicals, ozone depleters, PBDE flame retardants or heavy metals are used in the Helix Midnight mattress – the company prides itself on its OEKO-TEX and Certi-PUR-US certified materials. We explain more about these materials in our best organic mattress guide.
Helix Midnight mattress review: price and deals
Good value, mid-range mattressCheaper than rivals Casper and PurpleFrequent sales cut up to $200 off and include freebies
The Helix Midnight sits at the lower end of the mid-range mattress market. At full price, it costs between $799 for a twin size and $1,549 for a Cal king. Although that’s a $100 increase across the board (due to inflation), those are still competitive prices for a hybrid bed-in-a-box, which is typically pricier than all-foam options. Here’s the official pricing for all sizes:
Twin: $799Twin XL: $899Full: $1,049Queen: $1,199King: $1,549California King: $1,549
However, there are frequently Helix mattress deals that cut between $100-$200 off the price of the Helix Midnight mattress – and you’ll often get two free pillows added to your order too. Typically these offers run during the Black Friday mattress deals bonanza, Memorial Day, the July 4th sales, and on Labor Day, but you’ll find plenty of offers happening between those events too. If you don’t immediately see a discount, it probably won’t be long until the next sale launches. How does that fare versus its rivals? A queen Helix Midnight hybrid retails for $1,199. That’s well under the costs of its queen-sized hybrid rivals: the Casper Original ($1,295) and the foam-and-grid Purple mattress ($1,399). It also undercuts the handcrafted luxury hybrid Saatva Classic mattress, which retails for $1,795 in queen. Saatva allows sleepers to choose the firmness and height they want so it’s a better fit for those who need extra customization; learn more in our Saatva Classic mattress review. Meanwhile, the Helix Midnight is priced similarly to the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid mattress, which retails for $1,199 in a queen. However, regular mattress sales drop that price to as low as $899 and includes hundreds of dollars in freebies, but it’s a firmer bed that may not appeal to all side sleepers. Read our DreamCloud Mattress review to learn more.
Helix Midnight mattress review: performance
We rate it a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scalePlush and deceptively supportive, but not for stomach sleepersSleeps comfortably cool with minimum motion transfer
Weighing between 100-110lbs, the king-sized Helix Midnight mattress isn’t quite the heaviest bed-in-a-box mattress we’ve tested (that crown goes to the Purple mattress, at 140lbs). But it’s still extremely heavy for one person to move, so we tipped our delivery person to help us carry the box into the right room. It was then fairly easy to unpack and unroll the mattress with two people. Helix says the Midnight needs 30-45 minutes to unwind and fully expand, and our mattress fell within that bracket - just - taking 45 minutes to reach its full dimensions. We heard a slight wheezing as the vacuum seal released, but there was no noticeable off-gassing or odor from the packaging or mattress (although some users have reported a light off-gassing that dissipates within a few hours). Helix classifies the Midnight as between 5 and 6 (medium) on the firmness scale, with 10 as the firmest. The company describes it as “pretty much smack in the middle - not too soft, not too firm” and we’d just about agree, categorizing it as 6.5. It’s deceptively soft at first - cushy with a little bounce; but when you lie down it feels surprisingly firm. Bear in mind that firmness is subjective, though. Your exact experience will vary depending on your height, weight and other personal factors. We gave the Helix Midnight mattress a thumbs up in most areas. Both our reviewers were comfortable from the first night and found the mattress to be genuinely supportive. It’s plush to the touch, and a little bouncier than we expected, but it’s also firmer than it initially appears, and we found that it delivered deep pressure relief. Helix says the Midnight is best for side sleeping, and that tallies with our experience. Both our reviewers found sleeping on their backs and sides to be extremely comfortable - even cozy. Pressure points including lower back, knees and shoulders were well-cushioned and felt cradled by the foam. For extra pressure relief, consider partnering it with one of the best mattress toppers for your bed. However, one reviewer did feel the mattress wasn’t quite as supportive as they’d typically prefer (our other reviewer had no complaints). Some stomach sleepers will likely find the Midnight too plush, as well. If you’re a fan of a firmer mattress, take a look at the Helix Twilight (opens in new tab) or Helix Dawn (opens in new tab) mattresses instead. One area where we were particularly impressed with the Helix Midnight is its temperature control. During our three-week test period, the mattress never felt too warm, or caused us to overheat. The breathable cover and airflow through the coils kept us at a cool, comfortable temperature throughout the night - even somewhat alleviating one of the reviewer’s “hot sleeping” issue. The mattress also didn’t make any noise - there was no creaking from the coils - and had very little motion transfer, making the Midnight a good choice for anyone with a restless partner.
Helix midnight mattress review: what we didn’t like
Some irregular stitching on one sideEdge support could be sturdier
We couldn’t find much to err over with this comfortable mattress, although it’s worth being aware that Helix mattress dimensions can vary by up to one-inch on either side because all the company’s mattresses are handmade. This didn’t cause any performance issues with our Helix Midnight review mattress, but as a minor cosmetic complaint, we did notice an area of irregular stitching on one of the sides. There were 12 inches of bunched-up fabric that weren’t as smooth as the three other sides. We also felt that edge support - while adequate - could be marginally better for sitting on the side of the bed for longer periods of time. For sleeping, though, edge support was fine. We don’t have any complaints about sagging edges or rolling off while we slept.
Helix Midnight mattress review: customer reviews
We highly rate the Helix Midnight mattress, but mattresses are subjective - you’ll have a different experience depending on your height, weight, sleeping style and a range of other factors. So to build a more rounded picture of what this mattress is like to sleep on, we researched hundreds of user reviews online to see what other people say about the Helix Midnight. On the Helix website, the Midnight mattress has an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 5,000 user reviews (November 2022) - with nearly 3,900 five-star reviews. There’s no way to filter according to a reviewer’s sleep style or body type, but you can input search terms that’ll help you find what you need. Satisfied customers commented that the Helix Midnight mattress alleviated their back and shoulder pains, and praised the bed’s cushioned pressure points. Side sleepers were also well-represented among the 5-star reviews, along with back and combination sleepers who were looking for something that could adapt to their movements. We haven’t been able to easily find any feedback from long-term users, although those who have owned their Helix Midnight for several months claim it’s quite durable. Of all the reviews we saw that gave the mattress a lower score, being too soft was the number one complaint. Many exchanged it hassle-free for a different Helix mattress, such as the Twilight. Another user reported that they didn’t find it firm enough, so Helix sent them a mattress topper free of charge, which helped. (These mixed responses illustrate, again, that firmness is subjective. We recommend taking the Helix Sleep quiz (opens in new tab) before purchasing a Helix mattress to increase your chances of choosing the right one.) Meanwhile shipping delays and delivery problems were usually cited for the smaller amount of more negative reviews.
Should you buy the Helix Midnight mattress?
If you sleep on your side or are prone to sweating overnight, the Helix Midnight is one of the best mattresses you can sleep on, and it’s a great choice if you feel you need an orthopedic mattress. Couples will also want to give it some consideration due to its slight bounce and low motion transfer. Best of all, the Helix Midnight is one of the most affordable mattresses-in-a-box out there, undercutting many of its rivals. For stomach sleepers or individuals who weigh over 300 pounds, the medium firmness of the Helix Midnight probably won’t cut it for you. We’d recommend the Helix Twilight (opens in new tab) instead, with its no-sink-or-give top layer, or the Helix Dawn (opens in new tab), which comes with extra support for back and stomach sleepers. Both mattresses cost the same as the Helix Midnight. Alternatively, if you have a higher budget, consider the Helix Midnight Luxe (opens in new tab), which starts from $1,195. This is the premium version of the Midnight, with zoned lumbar support, enhanced contouring, a quilted pillow and other luxury features. Otherwise, we thoroughly recommend the Helix Midnight mattress: it’s a comfortable, cozy and supportive mattress straight out of the box. To keep it cleaner for longer, invest in one of the best mattress protectors for keeping stains, spills and bugs at bay. Read more:
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