Review: Avocado Green Mattress

The Avocado Green Mattress was my introduction to organic mattresses, and after testing nearly a dozen others, it's still my personal favorite.

Avocado's organic, nontoxic mattresses are made in the USA from GOLS-certified organic latex, GOTS-certified organic wool, and GOTS-certified organic cotton. While the sustainable, organic materials and eco-friendly construction were definitely part of the initial appeal, what really stands out about Avocado in all my testing is the comfort.

Construction and Materials

Avocado makes a few different mattresses: the original Avocado Green Mattress, which is what I've tested, along with a Luxury version (which adds Hemp and is overall a plusher, softer mattress) and a lower-priced Eco version. Avocado also offers a vegan mattress that is the same as the original, but does not use wool.

One of the standout features of the Avocado Green Mattress is the company's use of high-quality organic and sustainable materials (see Avocado’s various eco certifications here). The mattress uses 100 percent GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certified latex, which is sourced from organic rubber trees. The processing of rubber into latex is not the happy organic process some would like to claim, but at least in working with GOLS, Avocado is meeting the permissible limits for harmful substances and has to test emissions, as well as meet polymer and filler standards. It is, in short, as safe and nontoxic as latex can be.

The latex is really the core of what provides the comfort in this mattress, helping it to shape to the contours of your body but without the suffocating feeling of sinking into a toxic quicksand, which is what I think of every time I sleep on memory foam. Organic, natural latex has the support and softness of foam, but without the chemicals. Avocado uses organic Dunlop latex in the Firm mattress (which is more than 95 percent certified organic material), while the Plush model uses the softer Talalay latex.

Organic latex is also hypoallergenic, making it a great option for anyone with allergies triggered by indoor pollutants like mold and mildew, or dust mites, all of which organic latex is less prone to than chemical foams.

Another way Avocado avoids the chemicals is by using organic wool, which acts as a natural flame retardant, meaning the mattress doesn't need harmful chemicals or synthetic fire barriers. Wool is an amazing fiber, and here it also helps your body naturally regulate its temperature, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer. More on that in a bit.

The structure of Avocado's mattress comes from the pocketed coils, which are steel coils wrapped in a sleeve (the pocket) made of fabric. With pocketed coils, each coil moves independently, which increases motion isolation. That means you get the support of an innerspring mattress while minimizing what mattress makers refer to as “motion transfer,” meaning you don't feel like you're on a trampoline every time your partner rolls over. My 8-year-old has climbed onto our Avocado in the middle of the night without waking me, which, given that his normal nighttime mode of travel closely resembles a herd of stampeding elephants, is something of a miracle. That said, if you're coming from a memory foam mattress, there is more motion transfer than that, but much less than many other mattresses I've tested. In a queen-size mattress I find the motion transfer of the firm variant to be almost nonexistent.

The final bit of material is GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton, which is used for the cover and gives the mattress a soft, breathable layer for comfort (don't worry wool haters, you never actually touch the wool in this mattress, it's below the surface under the cotton cover).

Sleep Experience

There are three firmness options available in the Avocado Green Mattress: Firm, Medium, and Plush. If you're a stomach or back sleeper you'll likely enjoy the firmness level of either the Firm or Medium, while side sleepers might favor the Plush. To give side sleepers some relief at pressure points, like the shoulders and hips, the Plush pillow-top version includes an additional layer of latex for extra cushioning, offering that softer feel, but retaining the nice support of the Firm (if you have lower back pain or other back issues, have a look at our guide to the best mattresses for easing back pain).

That said, I am a combination sleeper, which is a nice way of saying I sleep in a chaotic variety of ways including on my side, and I still prefer the Firm. The latex in the Firm offers enough comfort for me but retains that slightly bouncy feel, which helps those of us who move a lot during sleep. Another thing I like about the Firm is the additional edge support, which helps prevent sagging on the sides, meaning you can actually sleep across the entire mattress. I should also note that if you opt for the Firm and it proves too firm, you could add one of the company’s organic toppers.

Possibly I like wool too much. Unlikely, because wool is amazing, but either way I'd be remiss not to point out that the Avocado mattress is somewhat magical in its temperature regulation capabilities, at least for me. I am a hot sleeper. A “furnace” according to my wife (camping in the winter, I am totally comfortable in a 10-degree sleeping bag, even when temps drop well below 0). The Avocado mattress is one of the few mattresses I've ever used where I hardly ever wake up sweating. Something about the combination of the latex layer, which allows for more airflow than foam, with the organic wool layer, which wicks away moisture and helps regulate your body temperature throughout the night, makes the Avocado excellent for anyone who sleeps hot.

Conclusion

Mattresses are a significant investment and will ideally last 15 years or more. I have slept on the Avocado Green Mattress for well over a year in my original testing, and recently started testing again, which gives me a total of about 16 months of sleeping on this mattress. In that time there has been no sagging or wear at all, so far as I have been able to feel or observe. That's not to say that there won't be given another 14 years of use, but at least in my testing, it's off to a strong start.

Avocado offers a 25-year warranty that covers any defects or issues, including visible indentation “equal or greater than one and a half inches.”

The mattress arrives compressed and should be opened and released within 30 days. Since it’s made entirely of natural materials, there’s no new-mattress off-gassing to worry about. Just remove your old mattress and release the Avocado from its plastic wrapping. Avocado also suggests rotating your mattress head-to-toe once a month for the first six months, then every other month for the life of the mattress to ensure even wear.

Avocado offers free shipping within the United States, and the mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial, which is one of the most generous trial periods in the industry. This trial allows you to test out the mattress in the comfort of your home and return it for a full refund if it’s not right for you.

Overall, the Avocado Green Mattress Firm is my favorite mattress and the one I return to when I'm not testing other organic mattresses. It offers excellent support, softness where you want it (and plusher variants for those who want them), and enough firmness that you aren't bouncing when your partner tosses and turns. The icing on the cake is the eco-conscious organic latex, wool, and cotton, which all help make your sleep environment healthy and free of harmful chemicals and toxins.

The price ranges from $1,400 for a twin to $2,700 for a California king, although the mattresses are often discounted. There are additional costs for Medium Pillow-Top and Plush Box-Top that vary based on size.