Mattress Forum

From what I've been able to gather, here are the chief differences between the Novaform Gel and iComfort:

iComfort Insight: 2.75" gel memory foam, 6" ComfortLast foam core; total mattress height of 8.75"; 25-year warranty

Novaform Gel: 2.5" gel memory foam, 2.5" air channel foam, 7" base foam; total mattress height of 12"; 20-year warranty

Overall, at least on paper, the iComfort advantages are a slightly thicker gel foam and longer warranty by 5 years. On the other hand, the Novaform advantages are cost and a thicker mattress (by a full 4 inches), although the gel foam isn't as thick and the warranty isn't as long.

I sent an e-mail to Advanced Urethane Technologies to request info and see if they are the same manufacturer of both the iComfort and Novaform gel lines, and I am hoping for a response. If I get one, I'll post an update here. Now here's where things get a little tough...I have a local mattress company here willing to give me the iComfort Insight full mattress, foundation, free delivery and setup, AND 2 free Tempurpedic Symphony pillows for $1,099. If I get the Novaform, I am looking at $475 for the mattress, $250 for a Tempurpedic foundation (which seems a LOT sturdier than a box spring), about $150 for the 2 Tempurpedic pillows, and about $40 for a Luna waterproof mattress protector. The total Novaform package cost would be about $915 as opposed to the $1,099 for the iComfort package (which is most likely excluding sales tax). Of course, the Novaform package would NOT include the delivery and setup and I tend to be a little bit clumsy, so I would be nervous about possibly breaking the Tempurpedic foundation while trying to set it up.

So in light of this, I'm definitely thinking the Novaform might have a SLIGHT edge in overall value over the iComfort. What do you guys think? Has anyone here had personal experience with the Novaform gel mattress compared to the iComfort?

For those people looking for objective data on the bed, I hope that you will find this thread helpful for I was very close to buying a Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe (also strongly considered Sealy - Embody).  I decided to try the Serta Icomfort because of the full replacement warranty if I did not like the bed after 30 days and the dealer that I bought it from also sold Termpurpedic Cloud Luxe.

My History
I made the switch to memory foam roughly 8 years ago.  At the time, Tempurpedic was very expensive and it appeared that Visco Foam was Visco Foam.....so we bought an off brand "King Coil".  This matress was great and provided excellent nights of back pain-less sleep for about a 3 year period of time.  I have had a lower back surgery (L4 & L5 discs) so my old spring coil matress was not doing the job at the time of post-back surgery.  The King Coil was the solution for about 3 years and clearly served the purpose.  King Coil only had a 5 year warranty and cost me at the time $1000 all-in compared to the $5,000 plus tag on the Tempurpedic at the time.  The King Coil matress began to sag and clearly lost the memory foam properties and over the last several years I have been waking up with back pain.  My wife and I did not begin to look for another memory foam matress because...1.  The bed did sleep hot and 2.  The high cost of tempurpedic and our worry about the same issue as the off brand matress (sagging over time).
Note:  The warranty on all memory foam beds now (Serta, Sealy, Tempurpedic...the big brands) are 20 years.  The warranty basically states that if the memory foam sags more than 1 1/2 inches, they will replace at no cost.  It does not include body impressions.  I called on the warranty of my off brand and gave up....dont know what the big 3 will do....

5 Days of Results of Serta Icomfort Revolution
The matress was stiff compared to the one that we tried at the store.  After 5 days it is loosening some.  My wife and I are not bothered by stiff matresses, so I cannot say this is an issue for us right now.  For the last 5 nights, I have not woke up with any back pain....just like my old King Coil when first purchased.  The bed sleeps MUCH COOLER than my old King Coil.  My parents bought a Tempurpedic Cloud 90 days ago that I slept in while they were out of town for a weekend (no back pain after a night of rest from the Tempurpedic).  The Serta sleeps much cooler than Tempurpedic and my old King Coil.  I am very impressed with the cool nights sleep that I get from the bed, hopefully this will continue with the aging of the matress.  During the warmer months the Tempurpedic and my old King Coil, I would wake at night to turn from the heat from the matress.  At home, I would turn down the air conditioning to off set this somewhat when I had my King Coil.

The Serta Icomfort is sleeping a little stiffer than the Tempurpedic and the matress I laid on at the store, but I believe this is due to age.  My parents had the same issue for about 2 weeks when they bought their Tempurpedic (at the store it was less stiff from people using the bed).  I live in Texas and do believe that the coolness of the Serta Icomfort is a big selling point for me, you can actually feel a slightly cooler temperature on your skin....just like when you laid down on the bed in the store.  I am extreamely happy with my purchase and would recommend the purchase of the bed for six reasons: 1.  Cost over Tempurpedic...same cost roughly as the Sealy - Embody  2.  Serta is a well know name brand  3.  Much cooler night of sleep compared to other memory foam beds  4.  Comfort is the same as the other name brands (Tempurpedic & Sealy) 5.  Same warranty terms as other name brands   6.  No back pain in the morning and five rested nights of sleep in which I did not wake up to toss or turn.

Note:  I only considered after a month of looking 3 memory foam manufacturers.  Sealy (Embody), Tempurpedic (Cloud) and  Serta (Icomfort).  The Sealy also appeared to be a good choice for less money and there are multiple reviews on the matress.  The Sealy Embody claims to address the "hot bed" issue.  Objective internet reviews show that their attempt did not address the issue adequately; however, the matress was rated very well.  I only chose the Tempurpedic second because of objective internet ratings and my parents own one that they were happy with. 

In fact some ComforPedic (Simmons) already has this and has for years.  Nothing new.  I give Serta credit for the creative spin, but it is WAY overpriced for what it is.  As others have mentioned, Sleep Innovations makes this product for Serta and is BRANDED Serta at Sam's Club.  Same product is branded "NovaForm" at Costco.

iComfort looks pretty, great story...but the data simply isn't there from what I can find.  I don't want to hear it is 30% gel vs 10% gel in NovaForm.  That is not accurate.  I say the less the better.  In fact there is not a single piece of info that we have found to substantiate gel offers any measurable advantage.  Gel isn't breathable, it is inconsistent in structure.  Take a close look for yourself at the samples in stores.  I never felt the difference and was disappointed.  Statistics in the industry from what I could gather on Gallup is 10% of all people (no matter the brand) say the product slept warmer.  I can't argue with those numbers in my opinion.

This product is destined to have breakdown and lack of support from my experience in foam industry.  Foam companies are simply trying to sell this product to mattress companies to make money on the gel-making machines they have had for years and have been losing money on.  So think twice before settling.  Lipstick on a pig....it is still a pig.

Overall, the Costco Novaform gel sample felt less dense than the iComfort and the recovery time was noticeably different than the iComfort. The iComfort foam seems to recover a bit more slowly than the Novaform, and the iComfort foam just feels more dense. The cover on the iComfort is WAY nicer than the Novaform, so I'm not sure if that has something to do with the way the foam feels. I recognize that it is difficult to get a true sense of how the Novaform gel compares to the iComfort because there was no full mattress sample for the Novaform. I also tried out the Novaform pillows and was not impressed at all! The Tempurpedic pillows blow the Novaform pillows away in quality and feel, so that may be a good indicator of how Novaform/Sleep Innovations foam products really stack up.

My impression is that the iComfort feels thicker and the foam definitely feels more dense than the Novaform. In light of my observations, I'm thinking that the iComfort may just win me over and I may just go ahead and take the plunge on the iComfort Insight. If anyone has directly compared a Novaform gel mattress and the iComfort, please post your thoughts!

Sleep Innovations does not make the foam either.  As a reminder....I work for a foam manufacturer.  Show me evidence Serta makes ANY foam and you'll win me over.  They don't.  I make foam for them...and I make a LOT of it.  And I agree with gel and that it doesn't break down...that isn't my point.  Forgive my lack of articulation, but thank you for your sarcasm.

The gel "infused" claim simply means we are adding gel SCRAPS into the material as it is made.  No consistency to the gel particles or their distribution. There is ZERO evidence that gel provides additional benefits.  Where is the proof?  I make it and I know this.

No medical claims or 3rd party endorsements/backings to the warranty on this product.  I think tempurpedic appears to be the only ones with that.  I haven't seen any data online stating the Novaform is any different than iComfort material.  Possibly a different density...but I mean really...enough for a $1,000 difference?  Same warranty and everything.  Same story, same look, same manufacturer.

Gel doesn't make foam any more "open cell" structured.  That is a FACT.  ZERO data supports that claim.  Is it open cell?  Yes.  Is it MORE open cell than any other domestically-made visco product like ComforPedic, Tempurpedic, etc....absolutely not.  Now if you're talking about low-grade imported foam product...that you have a point.  Maybe that is what iComfort's statements are all compared to "ordinary memory foam" in the fine print.  Not sure what defines that, but maybe it is compared to cheap imports.

Reality is the bed looks great...but the proof is in the pudding as the saying goes.  We will continue to make the gel product with my company as long as people buy it.  No complaints!  But we have studied it and there is simply no benefit.  But the mattress people buy it and we make it.  That's how us foam manufacturers operate I guess.  Thank you for the business!  I just feel bad the consumers are being given poor information and half truth marketing.

That is just my experience as a foam manufacturing company.  I know what I know.  I see what I see.  The foams (not the gel) break down.  There is simply not enough gel to make it more durable.  Gotta admit though...a great story if you want to believe it!