Jump to:
- What’s in a Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
- What Can Be Used with the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
- What’s the Weight Capacity of the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
- Does Brooklyn Bedding Offer a Sleep Trial, Return Policy and Warranty?
- How Much Does the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress Cost?
- Final Words on the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress
Brooklyn Bedding is not your typical online mattress startup. This Arizona-based company began in 1995 as a mattress liquidation store called R&S Mattress. In 2000, they changed gears and became Brooklyn Bedding, manufacturing their own mattresses and expanding later on by putting up their products online.
These days, Brooklyn Bedding ships more than a thousand mattresses daily, and employs a staff of more than 100 people. With over five different mattress models, it seems the company has a product for every kind of sleeper.
The flagship model (check out what we have to say about the Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress) is arguably the most popular, but this particular review is about the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery mattress. Does this mattress model stack up well against other Brooklyn Bedding offerings? Let’s find out together below.
Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress Specifics
Even though Brooklyn Bedding is mostly known for their hybrid spring and foam mattresses, the affordable Brooklyn Bedding Bowery is actually an all-foam mattress product. Note there’s a hybrid version of the Bowery, though—but we’re not reviewing that right now.
Like all Brooklyn Bedding mattresses, the Bowery is custom made from high quality materials in the company’s own factory in the US. All foams used are CertiPUR-US approved—including the patented Energex foam that is at the core of the mattress and its unique blend of comfort and responsiveness.
What Is Energex foam?
This trademarked material is a viscoelastic foam alternative emulating the pressure relief of memory foam without the typical excessive sinkage or quicksand feel.
Instead, the open cell structure of the polymer adds cool and responsive characteristics that make the foam both comfortable and supportive. Brooklyn Bedding further notes that Energex foam is meant to bridge the gap between two common mattress materials: visco and latex.
What’s in a Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
Three foam layers make up the interior of the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery mattress, adding up to 10 inches. No surprises when it comes to construction—no convoluted shapes, holes or infused materials. Just a simple stack of foams wrapped in a high quality, chemical-free fire retardant sock made of a fabric blend containing cotton, polyester, rayon and silica.
Let’s go from top to bottom and into more detail regarding the separate foam layers below.
- 3 inches of Energex foam. This top layer provides cooling, comfort and bounce. The relatively thin mattress cover means that the Energex foam is what makes up the initial feel of this product. Pressure relief is felt immediately, as well as body heat dissipation.
- 2 inches of transitional polyfoam. This foam is firmer than the Energex foam above, and softer than the support foam below. Its job is to provide additional support to the sleeper/s and to be the middle ground that connects the two very different feels of the foams surrounding it.
- 5 inches of base support polyfoam. If the upper foam layers support the sleeper/s, this bottom layer supports the mattress structure itself. Making up half of the interior, the high density foam increases the product’s durability and stability.
After these foam layers are covered in a fire sock, they’re also wrapped up in a two-tone mattress cover that is made of a premium fabric blend of stretch-knit cotton. Soft and smooth to the touch, the fine fabric is also snug and a little elastic. It doesn’t bunch up or feel loose in places.
The mattress cover is spot-clean only and definitely not hand or machine washable. Brooklyn Bedding recommends using a mattress protector to facilitate easier cleanup.
Can You Customize the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
The Brooklyn Bedding Bowery is available in six standard US mattress sizes! Like many mattresses of comparable construction and price point, you can get it in the following dimensions: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king.
Apart from choosing the hybrid Bowery version—which is a different mattress model entirely—there are no customizations available for standard sales. No cover, comfort level or thickness options. You may contact Brooklyn Bedding directly if you want to inquire about custom sizes, though; but be aware that this will likely cost more.
As far as measurements go, the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery sticks to what’s industry average. As mentioned above, it’s a standard 10 inches thick. Weight wise, it’s similarly unremarkable. To illustrate: the Bowery’s queen size is about 70 pounds—comparable in weight to the flagship Casper and Leesa mattresses.
What to Consider Before Choosing the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress
Let’s talk about what we like first. For us, the most notable positive quality of the Bowery has to be the affordability! Its price point goes toe to toe with budget options like the Casper Essential and the Endy mattresses; making it a perfect starter model.
The average size and weight also makes the Bowery easier to move around—if you’re similarly of average build and strength. Brooklyn Bedding recommends rotating their mattresses 180 degrees every six months or so to prolong usable lifespan, so this is huge consideration. However: If you’re not as strong or as able-bodied as you’d like, a lighter mattress or one with side handles might be better for you.
The pressure-relieving and responsive nature of the mattress makes the Bowery great for side and stomach sleepers. If you enjoy the memory foam contouring feel but also want a bit of bounce, this mattress is a great choice.
Does the Bowery have negative aspects that you should take into consideration? Of course. With any budget choice, there’s going to be a trade-off. The most obvious one here is the fact that the Bowery is half high density support foam—great for structural support, but not so great for a universally comfortable feel.
What do we mean by this? While pressure relief is one of the strong points of the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery, we’re not so sure that sleepers of every size and weight will have the same experience. Heavier sleepers may sink more into the mattress, and end up having the very firm base foam inadvertently be part of the feel of the mattress.
What Can Be Used with the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
Like all foam-only mattresses, the Bowery works best when place over a surface that offers no flex. This rules out traditional box springs! However, most box foundations, platform beds and slatted frames will work perfectly.
As Brooklyn Bedding has an extensive product line, it may be worth considering pairing your Bowery with a matching Brooklyn Bedding foundation or base. While not required, it may make it easier to maintain warranty conditions in the long run.
How Do You Set Up the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
Once you’ve ordered your Brooklyn Bedding Bowery mattress online, all that’s left is to wait for it to be delivered to your doorstep. Remember that it will arrive compressed in a box.
Brooklyn Bedding does not recommend keeping the compressed product sitting in an unopened box for more than three weeks. Technically, it can stay packed up for three months, but after three weeks, the quality and speed of decompression of the mattress upon unboxing may be affected.
To set up the mattress, just take it out of the delivery box, lay it on the intended surface, carefully remove the plastic packaging, and then wait. It should start to decompress as soon as you begin the unwrapping process. The Bowery should reach its full size in minutes—though it should be noted that complete decompression can take up to 24 hours.
Regardless of whether or not you notice a new mattress smell, it’s a good idea to keep the bedroom well ventilated for the first few days after unboxing and setting up the Bowery. Brooklyn Bedding also notes that there is a break-in period of 30-45 nights for their mattresses.
What’s the Weight Capacity of the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress?
In our experience, Brooklyn Bedding has never been transparent about the weight capacity of their mattresses. When we initially did research on Brooklyn Bedding Signature, we couldn’t find this information anywhere on their official website or social media. We ended up having to go through customer support to find out the answer, and we’ve done the same for this mattress model, as well.
“Twin, Twin XL, and Full size is about 450lbs, Queen size and up is about 900lbs”… is what Brooklyn Bedding told us in 2018. When we checked back with them to update this review for 2019, however, here’s what they said: “In a King or Queen size all of our mattresses are good for up to 900lbs total. The Twin, TwinXL, and Full size are good for up to 600lbs total.”
How Does the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress Feel?
The Bowery has a medium feel, according to the company. The numerous customer reviews and other anecdotal feedback we’ve come across online seem to support this claim. There are slight variations—most obvious when it came to heavier sleepers that noted a firmer feel.
As for other tactile qualities: Heat is not an issue at all. The Energex foam does a good job of dissipating body heat, and the responsiveness makes sure that there’s no excessive hug that may make sleepers feel uncomfortably warm. The bounce makes for some motion transfer, but not enough to be a real issue, unless you share the bed with a very active sleeper.
What to Expect When Purchasing a Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress
Brooklyn Bedding isn’t a new company by any means. What does this mean for prospective customers? This may be subjective on our part, but we tend to think of established brands like this as more reliable and reputable.
On top of their track record of over 20 years in the industry, we also like that Brooklyn Bedding mattresses are made in the US—in the company’s own manufacturing facility. They also display an inclination to keep on improving their designs! Over the years we’ve seen multiple mattress models change slightly to address customers’ issues with Brooklyn Bedding products.
At the very least, expect professional service and quality products. Should your experience prove otherwise, rest assured there are very easy ways to contact the company regarding your problems.
How Is Brooklyn Bedding’s Customer Support?
Customer support is easily contacted. Brooklyn Bedding provides a contact form on their website, as well as a telephone hotline and live chat support. Their office address in Arizona is also clearly stated, should you feel like visiting them in person. They also have a permanent showroom in Las Vegas.
Brooklyn Bedding’s customer service doesn’t always respond instantly or quickly, but they’re always helpful. We also appreciate the well-done FAQ section on the official website.
Does Brooklyn Bedding Offer a Sleep Trial, Return Policy and Warranty?
Yes, yes and yes. Brooklyn Bedding includes a full 10-year mattress warranty with your purchase. Note that it is more strict that other warranties out there! Make sure that you’re using an appropriate foundation, frame or bed. You may coordinate with customer support to figure out a setup that satisfies both your budget and the warranty.
The 120-night sleep trial is longer than the standard 100-night period most online mattress startups give you, but it is by no means the most generous in the business. One of our small qualms about Brooklyn Bedding is that you need to wait at least 30 days into the sleep trial before you can activate the return policy included.
Of course, if you like the bed anyway, you don’t need the return policy, anyway—but the 30-day requirement is not an industry standard by any means.
How Much Does the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress Cost?
As of this writing, the queen size Brooklyn Bedding Bowery mattress is available on Amazon for $559. It’s slightly more expensive on the official website: $699. Shipping and returns are also said to be free nationwide!
Important to note: There’s no mention of the sleep trial on Amazon, so it may not apply unless you purchase from the official Brooklyn Bedding website. That may be the reason for the price difference.
Final Words on the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery Mattress
For all intents and purposes, the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery mattress is a great starter model. The price point is very attractive, and the quality is worth more than what you end up paying for. We especially like that the mattress rates right when it comes to temperature control, pressure relief and responsiveness.
If you’re in a hurry and are pretty sure that you won’t need to avail of the return policy—if you’re installing this mattress in a guest bedroom, for example—the Amazon price point can’t be beaten. However, if the Bowery is set to be your first mattress and you’re looking for something that’s compatible with the way you sleep, you may want to make sure you have the sleep trial to fall back on.
Why not offer the sleep trial for Amazon customers? (If this is already the case, why not make it more obvious?) That’s something that contributed to our lower rating. There’s also the fact that heavier sleepers may find this mattress firmer and less comfortable.
Bottom line: The Bowery offers great comfort and great value, but we caution you to read the fine print on everything—from the warranty conditions, to the availability and coverage of the sleep trial and return policy. It only takes one misunderstanding to turn a good deal into an unintended headache.