Purple vs. Lull

Purple and Lull are both bed-in-a-box brands in roughly the same price segment, but they're solving the same problem in completely different ways. Purple's GelFlex Grid is a hyperelastic polymer that collapses under pressure and supports everywhere else — a genuinely novel material with no real substitute. Lull is a classic three-layer memory foam mattress executed well at a lower price. The choice is essentially: do you want the unique grid feel, or do you want a familiar memory-foam hug for $600 less?

Purple wins on cooling decisively. The 1.8°F surface-temperature rise at 60 minutes is the lowest we've measured in this entire category — a full 2.9°F better than Lull. Hot sleepers will feel this within a week. The GelFlex Grid is also dramatically more responsive (0.3 sec rebound vs. Lull's 1.2 sec — almost trampoline-like by comparison), which combination sleepers who change positions all night will feel every night. Purple also wins on durability (0.3 in body impression vs. Lull's 0.6 in after 30,000 cycles — meaningful at year 5+).

Lull wins on motion isolation and price. Lull's memory foam transmits half the partner motion of Purple's grid (0.06 g vs. 0.12 g) — a real difference for couples with mismatched sleep schedules. At $795 vs. $1,399 at Queen on sale, Lull is $600 cheaper for what most shoppers will perceive as 'a comparable all-around mattress.' That's real money.

Shoulder pressure relief is essentially tied (Lull 23 mmHg, Purple 24 mmHg). Both work well for strict side sleepers under 200 lb. Heavier side sleepers should consider stepping up to Purple Hybrid Premier 3 or 4 — the standard models on both sides aren't engineered for sustained loads above 230 lb.

The polarizing factor with Purple is the feel. Two of our three testers loved the buoyant grid immediately; the third called it 'sleeping on a giant fly swatter' and never adjusted. Lull's memory-foam feel is universally familiar — if you've slept on any bed-in-a-box, you'll know what to expect. If you can possibly test Purple in-store before committing, do that — the 100-night trial works but a 15-minute test-lie can save you the return hassle.

The honest framing: Purple's premium is justified for hot sleepers, combination sleepers who want responsiveness, and anyone specifically intrigued by the grid feel. Lull is the smarter buy for couples, cool-sleeping side sleepers, and budget-conscious shoppers who don't have strong cooling needs. The $600 saving with Lull is real money the right buyer should pocket.