Layla Essential Mattress Review: Takes From Our Test Lab

“Although the memory foam layer isn’t extremely thick, it does a good job of absorbing vibrations from movement.” – Jeremy

The Layla Essential’s all-foam construction makes it effective at isolating motion. In particular, the memory foam helps keep vibrations from rippling across the mattress surface when a bed partner rolls over or gets in or out of bed.

While the Layla Essential won’t eliminate all motion transfer, it can prevent movement-based sleep disruptions for the majority of couples. And its motion isolation is better than what you get from most other mattresses at this price-point.

“I would have liked a more robust comfort layer to cushion my shoulders and hips, but I think the pressure relief from this mattress is good enough for most side sleepers.” – Brad

During our pressure relief testing, the Layla Essential received roughly average scores. It doesn’t have the deep contouring that you’ll find in many other memory foam mattresses, which is a result of the relatively thin comfort layer.

Although the memory foam can reduce pressure buildup, it may not work as well for people who have a higher body weight or sharper pressure points. We found people under 130 pounds were most likely to give this mattress high marks for pressure relief.

“The heat buildup was about what I expected from a memory foam mattress. It got warmer over the course of a few hours, but, at least in my case, never became suffocating.” – Mary

Mattresses made from foam tend to absorb body heat, and the Layla Essential Mattress isn’t an exception. We found that it performed about average during heat mapping trials, which means it didn’t feel excessively hot or especially cool.

Hot sleepers and people living in warm climates may prefer a mattress with more cooling features or a design that more effectively resists heat retention. However, people who don’t tend to sleep too hot should be comfortable on this mattress.

“I could feel the memory foam compress more around the edge – but at the same time, you can feel some underlying support from the denser foam base.” – Jeremy

While the edges of the Layla Essential have a bit of extra sinkage compared to the middle of the mattress, our testers didn’t find the edges to feel unstable.

Ultimately, like most memory foam mattresses, there’s noticeable compression along the perimeter. For most people, that’s not a problem, but it could be a concern for sleepers with limited mobility and those who frequently sit on the edge of the bed. The foam compression around the edges may also be more significant for people over 230 pounds.

“I didn’t feel stuck in this mattress, but I also didn’t find it to be totally resistance-free when I wanted to adjust my sleeping position.” – Brad

Our testers found this bed relatively easy to move around on, especially considering its memory foam comfort system. Most often, memory foam mattresses inhibit movement by giving sleepers the feeling that they’re being embraced by the mattress. While many enjoy this feeling, moving on the surface can be difficult.

The Layla Essential has a surface that allows sleepers to move around on the bed without sinking too deeply into the foam. So while it’s not bouncy or springy, it also doesn’t feel like quicksand.

“For me, the Layla Essential was pungent, but thankfully the smell was only really concentrated for a few hours and then gradually faded away.” – Mary

After unboxing this mattress, you’ll likely notice a chemical-like smell. It’s not harmful or lasting, but it can be unpleasant until it dissipates.

When foam is manufactured and shrink-wrapped, trace amounts of tiny volatile organic compounds (VOCs) get sealed in with the mattress. These are released into the air when you cut away the plastic. Any smell from this off-gassing can be expected to go away within three to four days.