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Helix Midnight mattress review – hands-on performance tests

Helix Midnight mattress in the Sleepline studio

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Out of Helix’s extensive mattress lineup, the Midnight range is one of their most popular. But the line’s base model, the Helix Midnight, is setting out to be a bit of a dark horse – promising to deliver contoured comfort, targeted support and yes, even extra cooling. But does it deliver on that promise? I decided to run it through a series of tests to find out.

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Helix Midnight Review and Performance Test Results



Pros

  • Pressure relieving 
  • Perfect for side sleepers
  • Great for couples
  • Offers responsive support

Cons

  • Slight off-gassing
  • Not suitable for heavier-set back sleepers

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Our experience with Helix Midnight

Let me give it to you straight: I liked the Helix Midnight – for the most part.

Hear me out.

You certainly get that contouring comfort from the memory foam layer but not exactly deep compression. You get responsive support but not necessarily zoned (read: targeting specific areas of the body). You definitely get breathability and that cool to the touch cover, but if you’re someone who tends to sleep extremely hot – no matter the ambient temperature – then you’ll have to shell out the extra buckaroos for an active cooling cover upgrade.


Testing out the Helix Midnight
Ethan testing out the Helix Midnight…

Do you see what I’m getting at?

The Helix Midnight mattress is great. It does the job. But it’s far from perfect. And if you’re reading this Helix, please do something about the off-gassing. It’s our only real complaint.

Firmness Test

helix midnight mattress firmness guide

The Helix Midnight mattress touts itself to be a true medium but we found it more to be around a 6 on the mattress firmness scale, which gives it more of a medium-firm feel.

Medium to medium-firm mattresses can accommodate most sleeper types including back and stomach sleepers as well as combination and side sleepers

However, if you are a strict stomach sleeper and you weigh a little over the average, you may find the Helix Midnight to be a little too soft.

Cooling Test

We rate the Helix Midnight a 6.5 out of 10 when it comes to cooling.

Sure, the Helix Midnight mattress has a cover that’s breathable and moisture-wicking and its coil unit allows continuous air flow, but if you’re a hot sleeper then you’re going to have to cough up the extra dough to upgrade to a GlacioTex cooling pillow top cover.

Motion Isolation Test

We rate the Helix Midnight an 8.5 out of 10 when it comes to motion isolation.


motion isolation test on helix midnight mattress
The water didn’t spill (that’s a good sign)…

For a mattress that contains such thick innerspring coils, one would think that the motion isolating capabilities of the Helix Midnight would be atrocious but I’m pleased to say that it is most certainly not.

I barely felt any movement when I tried the mattress out with a partner.

Edge Support Test

We rate the Helix Midnight a 7 out of 10 when it comes to edge support.

The edge support on the Helix Midnight mattress is not the best we’ve tried, I must say.

The mattress does contain reinforced edge coils, but I found it to be a little wobbly for my taste. For someone who likes sleeping close to the edge of the bed, this could be a bit of a problem.

Pressure Relief/Comfort Test

We rate the Helix Midnight mattress a 9.5 out of 10 for comfort and pressure relief.

This is where the Helix Midnight mattress shines. 


Pressure test
The Helix Midnight is excellent at relieving pressure…

The combination of memory foam, Helix’s proprietary responsive foam, and the coil unit helped this mattress do VERY well in my pressure relief test.

Contouring and responsive enough that you get relief from all your main pressure points, the Helix Midnight mattress is a champ when it comes to comfort.

Construction

There are 5 layers to the Helix Midnight mattress.

All these layers come encased in a cotton knit cover that’s breathable and moisture-wicking.

As I’ve mentioned previously, if you prefer an actively cooling cover, you have the option to upgrade to a GlacioTex cooling cover for a fee.


side edge of helix midnight mattress
The Helix Midnight is made out of five different layers…

The first comfort layer is made up of a special blend of Helix memory foam that offers contouring and pressure relief.

The second comfort layer is made up of Helix responsive foam, a memory foam alternative that still offers contouring and compression but without that sunk-in feel of traditional memory foam.

Another layer of Helix responsive foam lies underneath, but instead of contouring, this layer provides ergonomic support while also acting as a transition layer between the comfort layers and the coil unit.

Up to 1000 individually wrapped steel coils make up the Helix Midnight’s coil unit. This layer provides responsive support for all areas of the body. 

The base layer of the Helix Midnight mattress is made up of a high density foam that offers stability and helps hold all the top layers of the mattress in place.

We did experience a significant amount of off-gassing when we first unboxed the mattress and although this does dissipate over time, if you are the type of person who is sensitive to smells then this could be a problem.

Durability

Even though the Helix Midnight is a base model, it’s still made with premium and high quality materials.

With proper care and mattress maintenance, the Helix Midnight mattress can last you a very long time.

Sizes

helix midnight mattress size guide

The Helix Midnight mattress comes in 8 mattress sizes, including 2 that are not very common such as a Short Queen (for use in an RV).

It measures 11.5 inches in thickness and is compatible with most bed bases, frames and foundations.

  • Twin
  • Twin XL
  • Full
  • Queen
  • King
  • California King
  • Short Queen
  • RV King

Financing 

Helix Sleep offers financing for all of their mattresses through Affirm.

Shipping

Helix Sleep offers free shipping for all of their mattresses within the contiguous United States.

Trial Period

You get a 100 night risk-free sleep trial with the Helix Midnight mattress.

Return Policy

If you decide that the Midnight isn’t what you’re looking for, you have 100 days to return it.

All you need to do is contact Helix on their official website and their customer service team will walk you through the entire process.

You will receive a full refund to the original mode of payment that you used when you purchased the mattress.

Bear in mind that Helix Sleep will not acknowledge any return requests past the 100th day mark.

Also, Helix recommends adhering to the 30 day break-in period to allow your body to adjust to the mattress before making any decisions.

Warranty

Helix Sleep offers a limited lifetime warranty for all of their mattresses.

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Evolution of the Helix Midnight and Previous Versions

The Helix Midnight mattress, being the baseline model, has not gone through any changes or iterations since it was first introduced.


About Helix Sleep

Founded on January 5, 2015, Helix Sleep is a bed-in-a-box company that offers premium, high quality mattresses in different price ranges.

Headquartered in New York City, Helix Sleep currently has over 100 employees.

All Helix mattresses and bedding products are produced in their factory in Arizona.

Aside from mattresses, Helix Sleep also offers kids’ mattresses, bed bases and bedding such as pillows, sheet sets and mattress protectors.


Contact Helix Sleep Customer Service

You can contact Helix Sleep via phone or through the contact form on their official website.


Similar Mattresses to Consider

If you are not quite sold on the Helix Midnight mattress, you can check out these alternatives.

Helix Dusk Luxe

helix dusk luxe mattress
Helix Dusk Luxe

If you’re a heavier-set sleeper and need the extra support for your back, check out the Helix Dusk Luxe mattress.

Featuring Helix’s very own ErgoAlign comfort layer and Dynamic foam, the Helix Dusk is a hybrid that’s perfect if you suffer from back pain.


Sweetnight Prime

man lying down on sweet night prime mattress
Sweet Night Prime

If you’re looking for something way more affordable, check out the Sweetnight Prime.

Unlike the Helix Midnight, the Sweetnight Prime features 4 different firmness option.

It’s an all-foam mattress though, which means it may not be suitable for heavier-set people.


Birch Natural

man sleeping on his side on birch luxe natural
Birch Luxe Natural

If you prefer something natural and all-organic, check out the Birch Natural mattress.

Made with natural latex, the Birch Natural offers responsive and zoned support as well as compression – without the sinkage.

Pure latex is naturally cooling and hypoallergenic, which makes the Birch Natural a good choice if you tend to sleep hot.


Additional Resources: Learn More About the Helix Midnight

  1. Better Business Bureau
  2. Trustpilot

Where to buy the Helix Midnight mattress

The best place to purchase the Helix Midnight mattress on Helix’s official website.


Conclusion

Remember: The Helix Midnight mattress is the baseline model.

Even though it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of its swankier siblings (the Midnight Luxe and Midnight Elite), the base model Helix Midnight does offer good comfort, pressure relief and support.

Made in the USA with premium, high quality materials, the Helix Midnight mattress is a solid choice for an entry level online mattress.


How We Rate Mattresses

We personally test and rate mattresses using the following strict quantitative criteria:

  1. Comfort
  2. Structural integrity and durability
  3. Firmness and support
  4. Cooling capabilities
  5. Pressure relief
  6. Edge support
  7. Motion isolation

Learn more about our mattress rating process and methodology here.


Michelline Norton

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