We Slept On It: Avocado Green Mattress

My 62-year-old father had been sleeping on his coil king mattress for more than 10 years. When he started waking up with back pain each morning, we knew it was time for an upgrade. With the promise of ergonomic support—all while using eco-friendly materials—the Avocado Green Mattress seemed to meet all of his criteria. (Note: Avocado provided a free mattress to test for this review.)

What is the Avocado Green Mattress?

The Avocado Green Mattress is a luxury take on a standard hybrid mattress, constructed with coils, organic latex rubber foam (in lieu of the memory foam you find in most hybrid mattresses) and a breathable organic cotton cover that’s stitched and tufted by hand. 

But the mattress’s big draw is the natural materials it’s constructed with: The company raises sheep for organic wool and grows cotton on its own farms, while the natural latex rubber the company uses is grown on organic-certified family cooperatives that Avocado directly manages. 

Avocado also claims that its green mattresses are the world’s first climate-neutral certified mattresses, meaning the company offsets more greenhouse gas emissions that it generates in their production. (The company even offers an entirely vegan mattress, replacing wool with cotton.)  

The Avocado rep I spoke with prior to testing said their mattresses tend to be firmer than most, which appealed to my dad, who is a side sleeper. For those looking for a softer mattress, Avocado also offers a model with a pillow topper for an additional $1,105 (for the king size; prices vary depending on the size of mattress). 

Setting up the Avocado Green Mattress

Like most hybrid mattresses, the Avocado Green Mattress comes tightly packed in a cardboard box. A courier delivered the mattress to my parents’ home within two weeks of ordering. A word of caution: This mattress is heavy. (As some mattress experts note, the heavier the mattress, the better quality it likely is.) But maneuvering this 135-pound box into my parents’ bungalow was a workout for both the courier and my dad, who wound up assisting in the delivery. 

For an additional $449, Avocado offers “White Glove Delivery,” which includes setup. Given the weight of the mattress, it’s probably worth the splurge if getting your mattress into your bedroom requires climbing a set of stairs, or if you’re ordering a larger mattress. (Avocado also offsets the carbon emissions of all deliveries.)

(Photo: Courtesy Avocado)

Once the mattress was in his room, my dad sliced open the vacuum-sealed packaging, and the mattress quickly unfurled itself. One of the best features of the Avocado, according to my dad, is the set of handles sewn on the side of the mattress, making moving (or in the future, rotating) the mattress a lot easier.

My dad placed the mattress on his pre-existing box spring. Despite being a hybrid mattress, the Avocado sat around the same height as his previous coil mattress, and all of his king-sized sheets fit snugly. 

Our Avocado Green Mattress Review

My dad’s old coil mattress was sagging quite a bit by the time he upgraded, so he was keen to find a mattress with more support. After one night, he said the Avocado Green Mattress felt immediately more supportive. Avocado says its mattresses’ 1,459 individually wrapped support coils are arranged for support in seven ergonomic zones, and that tracked for my dad—he woke up without a backache for the first time in more than a year. While my dad is a bigger guy, he said the mattress never felt like it was sinking under his weight.

The Avocado Green Mattress offers ideal support for my dad. (Photo: Erica Lenti)

His first impression of the mattress was that it was super well-built: You could see the quality in the hand-stitching, and the cotton cover felt breathable and soft. 

Upon unboxing, the mattress emitted some off-gassing, with a slight chemical scent. That dissipated by the second night, and it never affected my dad’s ability to sleep.

My dad also tends to sit on the edge of his bed to get ready in the morning. He especially loved how supportive—and not “flimsy,” in his words—the edges of the Avocado mattress were.

Our final verdict on the Avocado Green Mattress

After two weeks, my dad felt that the mattress was a bit too firm for his liking—he liked the support, but was craving a bit more softness. He added a memory foam topper and found it was the perfect combo for him. He says he’d opt for the medium-firm option, with the built-in pillow topper, next time. 

My dad doubts the Avocado Green Mattress will wear down nearly as quickly as his old coil mattress, and he’s satisfied with both the quality of its build and the natural materials it’s constructed with. (And if you aren’t satisfied, every Avocado mattress comes with a one-year trial period; returned mattresses are donated to verified charities, nonprofits and people in need.)

If you’re looking for a luxury, eco-friendly mattress, the Avocado Green Mattress is for you. The mattress does come at a hefty price tag ($3,899) that won’t be accessible for everyone. But my dad feels confident this mattress is built to last—and it’s been built in an environmentally conscious way.

The Avocado Green Mattress is also puppy-approved. (Photo: Erica Lenti)

Pros:

• Great edge support
• Made with natural, organic, quality materials that keep you cool overnight
• One-year trial period, with returned mattresses donated 
• 25-year limited warranty against manufacturing defects or defects in workmanship 
• Fits standard sheets
• Incredibly heavy (!), which suggests high-quality build 

Cons:

• Slight off-gassing upon unboxing, which lasted until the second night
• Very heavy and difficult to maneuver into a home without assistance, and pricey delivery and setup if you can’t do it yourself
• Firmer than a lot of other hybrid mattresses, which may not be a perfect fit for some side sleepers
• Much higher price point than most hybrid mattresses

How We Test Mattresses At Chatelaine

Our testers sleep on each mattress for a minimum of 30 days, which experts recommend as a decent window for determining whether a mattress is the right fit for your needs. (For more expert insights on mattress shopping, see our post on buying a mattress below.)

Aside from comfort, we evaluate each mattress on the following criteria:

Edge support What is the degree of support around the edges of the mattress? This is important for people who frequently sit on the edge of the bed, as if there isn't strong edge support the edges will start to sag over time.

Motion isolation Could we feel our partner's movements—whether it's tossing and turning or getting up in the middle of the night? A mattress with strong motion isolation will prevent this.

Off-gassing How long did it take for the mattress to lose any noticeable odour after being unpacked? Clean, easy-to-breathe air is important to us.

How well it kept us cool Did the mattress trap heat as we slept, or did we feel cool throughout the night?

Return policy Does the company allow for at least a 30-day trial period?

Did our standard sheets fit? Some mattresses are deeper than others, which can interfere with how sheets fit.

Weight How much does the mattress way? Some experts correlate mattress weight with mattress quality, meaning a heavier mattress is likely to be made with better quality materials.

Above all, please note the mattress-buying process is highly subjective and it's a big purchase. This is why it's crucial to buy a mattress with a generous exchange or return policy.

Find more expert advice for buying a mattress online or in-store.