DreamCloud Mattress Review 2024: The Best Luxury Bed for Budget Shoppers, Tested by Experts

Here at CNET, we’ve spent years rigorously testing a wide range of mattresses, so we know how to spot the ones worth your money. We also know not all mattress brands are created equal. We’ve been reviewing DreamCloud mattresses for the better part of a decade. Over the years, we have seen various models come and go. We still remember when there was only one DreamCloud, and it was tan instead of dark blue — man, those were the days.

Today, there are six different DreamCloud beds to choose from, each varying in construction, firmness and feel. The DreamCloud is currently the brand’s most affordable offering but since everyone has their individual sleep preferences, it might not be the right fit for all. In this review, I’ll cover the key things to know before buying it, including who it’s best suited for.

Disclaimer: The Federal Trade Commission recently sued DreamCloud's parent company for falsely advertising that its mattresses are made in the US. 

Watch our very own CNET senior video producer, Owen Poole, review the DreamCloud mattress. 

First impressions of the DreamCloud

Credit: Jon Gomez/CNET

This bed arrived at our office with completely free shipping, packed inside of a large box. The unboxing process was straightforward: We took it out of the box, removed the packaging and watched the mattress quickly inflate. Initially, we noticed the bed was slightly misshapen, but after a night on our foundation, it fully expanded and took its proper shape.

When we came back in the morning, the bed was ready to be tested. Compared to older DreamCloud models, this one has much less of a memory foam feel. The neutral foams in the quilted cover and the support coils provide a quicker response time. It also felt noticeably firmer than other DreamCloud beds we’ve tested in the past.

The DreamCloud mattress firmness and feel

What does the DreamCloud mattress feel like?

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This bed has less of a memory foam feel than previous versions, but we’d still describe it as having a responsive memory foam touch. The support coils and neutral comfort foams help balance out the memory foam sensation. There’s a slight sink-in effect, but overall, the DreamCloud Hybrid feels more like a neutral hybrid mattress than a traditional memory foam bed.

Other DreamCloud beds have more of a predominant memory foam quality. Since the DreamCloud Memory Foam uses support foam instead of coils, it has more of a memory foam feel comparatively. The DreamCloud Premier and Premier Rest beds also have thicker layers of memory foam for comfort, which gives them a softer, body-conforming quality.

How firm is the DreamCloud mattress?

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This is probably one of the firmest DreamCloud mattresses I’ve ever laid on. On our scale, it sits between a medium-firm and a proper firm. This makes it best for strict back or stomach sleepers looking for support over pressure relief, or for those who just want a firmer bed.

While firmness is subjective from person to person, we have a machine at CNET that can pinpoint the objective firmness of a bed. The Mattress Smasher 9000 gave this mattress a firmness rating of 7.1 out of 10. That’s a bit softer than we felt the bed to be, but not by much -- what does a robot know, anyway? We’re the ones who actually have to sleep on it.

DreamCloud mattress construction

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This is a premium memory foam hybrid bed with a relatively simple construction. It’s 12 inches thick and comprised of the following layers:

1. On the bottom, you’ve got a thin layer of support foam that acts as a base for the bed’s main support system of pocketed coils. Those coils are extra-reinforced along the edges to provide a sturdy perimeter.

2. Next, there’s a Dynamic Transition layer that acts as a buffer between the support and comfort layers of the bed. It also has Zoned Support to help keep your back aligned while you sleep.

3. Above that, you’ve got the bed’s main comfort layer. In this case, it’s around 2 inches of dense, viscous memory foam.

4. Rounding everything out is a breathable, cashmere blend quilted cover. It feels nice and luxurious, with tufted mounds to go along with the notion of the bed’s “cloud-like” comfort.

The DreamCloud mattress performance

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Motion isolation

Memory foam beds usually perform the best in this department, and we’d say the DreamCloud mattress does a fine job at isolating motion. If you or your partner is a light sleeper, you’ll want a bed that doesn’t reverberate a ton of motion. Luckily, this bed absorbs a good amount of cross-mattress movement on both sides. It might not deaden as much motion as a dense memory foam mattress like a Tempur-Pedic, but it will likely work fine for couples with light sleepers.

Edge-to-edge support

The DreamCloud mattress has great edge support. This is mostly due to the reinforced coils that run along the edges of the mattress. They definitely help to prop you up more when you’re on the bed’s perimeter. We often observe firmer beds to have stronger edges than softer ones, since they have more rigidity and provide more support than pressure relief. And sometimes, softer beds bow on the sides more than you’d like -- that puts us on edge.

Temperature

The cashmere blend quilted cover on the DreamCloud is designed to be breathable and soft to the touch. However, compared to beds that are designed to sleep actively cool, we’d classify it as a temperature-neutral sleeping option. Though DreamCloud, along with many other brands, claims its beds sleep cool, a lot of that is just marketing noise. None of the DreamCloud beds offer active cooling, but they also shouldn’t sleep too hot.

Durability

Since this is a premium hybrid bed with reinforced edges, I’d say it’s plenty durable to last most couples for several years. In the long run, hybrid mattresses typically last longer than all-foam beds because support foams can degrade faster than coils, especially underneath heavier people. The DreamCloud’s hybrid design should be durable enough to last all body types for seven to 10 years -- and that’s at the bare minimum.

Who is the DreamCloud mattress best for?

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Though the bed’s design is durable enough to handle all body types, its firmness and feel might not be right for everyone. Here’s who we think this bed is best for.

Sleeping position

Keep in mind, this is a firmer style of hybrid mattress. Since it’s so firm, it’s best for strict back and stomach sleepers or those who prefer a very firm sleeping surface. (The same goes for the memory foam version of the bed.) If you’re a combination sleeper looking for a bed that’s around a medium firmness, I’d steer you towards the DreamCloud Premier beds. If you’re a strict side sleeper who wants a lot of pressure relief, I’d consider the DreamCloud Premier Rest instead of the flagship DreamCloud -- trust me, you’ll thank me in the long run.

Body type

As mentioned, the construction of this bed makes it supportive enough to handle all body types, including heavier people. If you’re more petite or average-sized, the DreamCloud mattress's support could be overkill for you. In that case, you could save money by going with its memory foam version.

This is currently the most affordable mattress offering from the brand. For a more luxurious hybrid bed, it’s very reasonably priced. Plus, apply a discount to the queen-size version and you can expect to pay right around the $665 mark. Any queen-size hybrid bed that’s available for under $1,000 is a great value in our book. 

Trial, shipping and warranty

DreamCloud backs this bed with some of the most generous policies found within the online mattress space. Its beds ship to you in a box for free, and once it arrives, you get a 365-night trial period to try it risk-free. If you don't like it within that timeframe, you can return it for free. If you decide to keep it, you’re backed by a forever warranty. Just be sure to use the right foundation for the bed. Otherwise, you could void its warranty.

How does the DreamCloud compare to other mattresses? 

The DreamCloud vs. Saatva Classic

If you’re looking for a more luxurious online bed, these are two top choices to consider. The DreamCloud is the much more affordable option between the two, but with the Saatva Classic, you're spending up for a more tangible sense of luxury. With its dual-coil construction, organic cotton cover with golden embroidery and the appearance of a luxurious five-star hotel bed, it exudes elegance. Plus, it’s available in three firmness options whereas the DreamCloud only comes in one profile. The Saatva Classic also has a more traditional feel. But if you’re looking for a bed with more of a memory foam feel, it could be worth checking out DreamCloud over the Saatva Classic.

The DreamCloud vs. Nectar Classic Hybrid

Now, let’s compare two of the most affordable memory foam beds available online. Both have coils for support, are on the firm side and are similarly priced for a queen size. That said, there are still some major differences between the two. The DreamCloud has less of a pronounced memory foam feel than the Nectar Classic Hybrid, which has a responsive memory foam quality. The Nectar bed also has a flatter sleeping surface, while the DreamCloud has a tufted, quilted cover. Long story short, if you want more memory foam, go with Nectar, and if you’re looking for luxury, go with DreamCloud. 

The final verdict

There’s no denying that the DreamCloud mattress is a quality bed for its price. I’d look into it if you want a premium hybrid bed with a slight sink-in quality that's on the much firmer side. If you don’t end up liking it, you can always fall back on the great return policy it comes with.

You might like this mattress if:

• You want a supportive hybrid mattress
• You want a responsive memory foam mattress
• You like a much firmer mattress style
• You want a bed backed by great policies

You might not like this mattress if:

• You're looking for an all-foam mattress
• You prefer the feel of a neutral or latex foam mattress
• You want more of a pressure-relieving mattress