Hybrid vs. Gel Memory Foam Mattress – What’s the Difference?

If you’re in the market for a new bed, two of the best developments in the sleep technology space in recent years are hybrid and gel memory foam mattresses. Each of these technologies brings a lot to the table, and they’re both capable of giving you a good night’s sleep, depending on your needs and preferences.

But if they’re both so great, how do you choose between them? Below, we’ll go through the strengths and weaknesses of each bed and how to pick the right one for you.

Hybrid Mattress

Hybrid mattresses are among the most popular types of mattresses on the market today—and with good reason. They combine a pocketed coil support system with at least 2 inches of foam (memory foam, latex foam, or poly-foam). This combo offers the support and cushioning of foam with the airflow and responsiveness of a traditional spring mattress.

Hybrids often have several different layers of foam on top of or even underneath their coil support layer. Some hybrids might have a supportive base of hard foam to reduce motion transfer in the coil layer. Many hybrids also have a transition layer of durable polyurethane foam between the coil support and the plush foam comfort layer.

Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Mattress

Hybrids are great if you like the cushioning of foam comfort layers but want a bouncier, cooler feel than what an all-foam bed can provide. Some hybrids even feature gel memory foam, so you don’t have to choose between cooling mattress types.

However, hybrids do have a few drawbacks, the main issues being their price and their reduced durability. The coils in a hybrid mattress lose their tension over time, eventually leading to sagging and limiting the mattress’s overall life expectancy.

Pros

• Higher responsiveness than foam
• Gives contouring pressure relief without sacrificing bounce
• Improved airflow and coolness
• Better motion isolation than straight innerspring coils

Cons

• Often the most expensive mattress type
• Heavy and cumbersome to relocate
• Coil system increases the tendency to retain allergens
• Springs lose tension and sag

Hybrid Mattress Cost

Hybrid beds are expensive to manufacture, and that means they’re expensive to purchase. A high-quality hybrid will cost you a minimum of $1,000. Depending on the size and additional sleep technologies, you could wind up paying a lot more than that. It’s not uncommon to find hybrids going for upwards of $3,000.

While this may seem high, you have to keep in mind the same coils and different foam layers that keep you cool, cushioned, and comfortable also cost a ton of money to process and put together. Despite the cost, hybrids are worth it if they can help you get a night of pain-free sleep.

Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Gel memory foam isn’t all that different from regular memory foam except for one key alteration—the addition of gel microbeads during the manufacturing process. The gel beads have a cool-to-the-touch feel, so they’re especially beneficial for hot sleepers avoiding night sweats. And since memory foam does have a tendency to retain heat, these gel microbeads work to minimize memory foam’s biggest con. While standard memory foam might feel too warm for you if you’re a hot sleeper, a gel foam mattress will sleep cooler.

Pros and Cons of a Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Gel memory foams have a lot to offer, improving on the design of traditional memory foams and helping make for a cooler and more enjoyable sleeping experience. Gel-infused foam still molds to your body, cradling your pressure points and conforming to your curves in the way only memory foam can.

However, gel foam does have a few drawbacks in comparison to hybrids. A lot of people don’t like the slow responsiveness of memory foam, and gel-infused foam still just doesn’t bounce back the way pocketed coils do. Also, despite its enhanced cooling ability, gel foam still doesn’t have the circulation offered by the innerspring system of a hybrid.

Pros

• Improved airflow over traditional memory foam
• Best contouring power
• More durable than mattresses containing coils
• Isolates most motion
• Hypoallergenic

Cons

• Even gel retains more heat than a hybrid mattress
• Memory foam won’t bounce back quickly
• Just as heavy as a hybrid

Gel Memory Foam Mattress Cost

Gel memory foam might be more expensive than a traditional memory foam mattress—depending on its materials, quality, and size—but they’re almost always a more budget-friendly mattress option than a comparable hybrid. Prices can vary from a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars.

FAQs

What are pocketed coils?

Pocketed coils improve upon the open coil system of a traditional innerspring bed. In a classic innerspring, the coil support layer is a network of springs wired together to make a mesh that supports the comfort layer and the sleeper(s).

Pocket coils aren’t interconnected. Rather, they’re each wrapped in individual sleeves made of fabric or foam. This construction allows for greater durability and less motion transfer than the more traditional open coil system.

Note it isn’t just hybrids that have pocketed coils. Many innerspring mattresses also now feature this technology. They might have an entirely pocketed support layer, or they may combine the open coil support core with a transition layer of pocket coils.

Can I get a gel-infused mattress topper?

There are a lot of great gel-infused mattress toppers if you want to add some gel to your life without replacing your whole bed. Keep in mind gel foam toppers, like all mattress toppers, will come in a range of firmness levels and feels. That means you’ll need to be aware of your firmness needs and personal preferences before buying a mattress topper. Not all gel-infused foams are created equal.

Does gel memory foam have a problem with off-gassing?

All memory foam mattresses are prone to off-gassing, or releasing harmful gasses called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. That’s why you get that unpleasant “new mattress smell” from a lot of memory foam mattresses. While this smell doesn’t normally mean your mattress is emitting dangerous levels of VOCs, it can still give some people mild symptoms like nausea or headache.

To ensure off-gassing is minimized, you’ll want to buy a mattress with a CertiPUR-US® certification. The CertiPUR-US® certification deals specifically with how memory foam is processed, manufactured, and stored. It regulates levels of toxic compounds used in the manufacturing process, including VOCs. CertiPUR-US® often demands VOC levels be much lower than legally mandated limits.

Can I use box springs under a hybrid?

In short: no. Box springs really aren’t suitable for any mattress type other than a classic innerspring because foam and hybrid mattresses are much too heavy to go on top of a support as flimsy as box springs.

Mattress foundations and platform beds are much better alternatives because they’re rigid and strong enough to take the weight of heavy foams and pocketed coils. In fact, even if you have a traditional coil mattress, you could still benefit from the solid support provided by a foundation or platform. These bed bases offer firmer support than box springs, helping offset the coil mattress’s tendency to sag and maybe even lengthening its lifespan.

Which mattress is best for back pain?

Memory foam can help a lot with back pain because it offers full-body support. Everyone needs their mattress to keep their spine aligned during sleep, but this is especially true if you need a mattress for a bad back. Memory foam supports the heavier portions of your body whilst rising up to meet the lighter parts. This allows it to conform to your body’s shape and fill in its gaps, like the one at side sleepers’ waists or back sleepers’ lumbar regions, helping keep the spine neutral and relieving pain.

Bottom Line

Both hybrids and gel memory foam mattresses can be great options if you’re looking to upgrade from your innerspring or replace a saggy, aging mattress. If you’re a hot sleeper, you’re probably better off going with a hybrid. While if you need extra cushioning, gel memory foam is probably best for you.

Regardless of which mattress type you choose, one of the most important parts of the mattress shopping experience is the trial period. Every new mattress takes some getting used to, and this process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. That means whatever mattress you buy should come with a money-back-guaranteed trial period of no fewer than 90 days. Three months will give you plenty of nights to sleep on your new bed and decide if you’ve found the best mattress.