Are Avocado mattresses any good? Your guide to this eco-friendly brand

(Image credit: Avocado)

last updated 5 May 2021

Head straight to our Avocado mattress review to find out what we thought when we tested the latex model out.

Over the last few years, manufacturers across the world have come under increasing public pressure to create products with more environmentally friendly materials, both in terms of protecting the planet as a whole and safeguarding our immediate environment and health. The mattress industry, however, has been relatively slow to act in this regard. So it’s been up to new startups to act as disruptors, and one of the best mattress brands to take up the eco-friendly mantle is Avocado.

Founded in 2016, Avocado manufactures mattresses made from non-toxic, natural and organic materials, such as latex, wool, and cotton, from sustainable sources. Its products are entirely free of petroleum-based polyurethane foams, chemical adhesives, chemical flame retardants, phthalates, heavy metals and formaldehyde, all of which are regularly used in the mattress industry. For instance, while it’s normal to bind the layers of a mattress together using chemical adhesives, Avocado mattresses are button-tufted by hand.

Designed in New Jersey and handcrafted in California, Avocado mattresses have been given the Climate Neutral Certified label, awarded only to brands with the most stringent environmental standards. So they’re clearly on the side of the angels… but what are their mattresses actually like? And will you have to pay a premium for a greener option (if you can't get your hands on a Black Friday mattress deal)?

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What kind of mattresses does Avocado make?

Since its founding, Avocado has focused its attention on one main mattress: the Avocado Green mattress. This is a medium-firm, hybrid ‘mattress in a box’, constructed using a combination of innerspring and latex layers.

The design is based around a support core consisting of 8 inches of zoned pocketed coils, and a 1-inch layer of Dunlop latex, certified by Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) and harvested from Avocado’s own rubber farms.

Above this lies a 1-inch transitional layer of memory foam, topped with a 2-inch comfort layer of Dunlop latex. The cover is made from a combination of organic cotton and organic wool fire barrier, sourced from a Himalayan collective and certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

The mattress is medium-firm, but if you prefer a softer sleep surface, you can add a 2-inch latex pillow top for an extra cost. There is also a variation on this mattress for vegans, where the wool is replaced by USDA-certified organic cotton batting. This model is approved by the animal rights group PETA.

Recently, Avocado has launched a new model, the Avocado Latex Mattress. This is not a hybrid mattress but all-foam. This 9-inch thick mattress is made up of three layers of organic latex: two inches of Contoured Comfort Latex (D65), three inches of Transition Density Latex (D75) and four inches of Base Density Latex (D85). These layers are encased in an organic cotton cover, which has four handles.

Avocado also sells two varients of a crib mattress: the standard Organic Crib Mattress and the premium Luxury Organic Crib Mattress. Handmade with certified organic cotton, wool, and latex, these mattresses can be trusted to be safe and nontoxic for your little ones. They're also dual-sided – one side for infants and another for toddlers – for longer lasting use.

Avocado mattresses ship to all 50 states, and come with a full 10-year warranty and a one-year trial period, after which you can return them and get a full refund if you’re not happy. Avocado does not ship outside of the USA.

Are Avocado mattresses good quality?

Young woman using phone while lying on bed and laughing

It’s clear that Avocado mattresses are eco-friendly, but will they help you sleep better at night? Well, whether you’re looking at expert reviews or customer feedback, you’ll hear the same story again and again: people really like these mattresses. Not just because they’re made of non-polluting and non-toxic materials (although who wouldn’t like that?), but because they offer a high quality, luxurious sleeping experience as well.

The materials are soft and luxurious to the touch, and the high quality construction offers goods level of support and comfort; particularly for people who like a firmer style of mattress. These mattresses score highly for temperature regulation, which is not surprising as natural materials are always a good option when it comes to keeping cool. Their emphasis on zoning leads to great results when it comes to motion transfer, preventing the problem of sleeping couples rolling into each other. And as you'd expect, they’re hypoallergenic and so a great choice for allergy sufferers seeking sniffle-free nights.

On the downside, Avocado mattresses are a fair bit pricier than the average mattress: the Avocado Green mattress, for example, costs $1,399 in a Queen size. That said, when compared to other mattress in the (still sadly niche) eco-friendly section of the market, Avocado mattresses are competitively priced. So we'd argue that overall, Avocado mattresses represent good value.

What's the best Avocado mattress?

Young woman sat in loft apartment next to bed

Our favourite Avocado mattress is the standard Avocado Green mattress. The combination of a firm latex layer and the bounciness of 1,414 tempered steel coils, along with a reinforced steel perimeter for edge support, really does provide a superior level of comfort. And the use of zoned support, with coils arranged into five areas to add extra support to specific parts of the body, makes it a good mattress from anyone who’s suffers from back, neck or joint problems.

The mattress offers a slightly firmer feel than medium-firm, which makes it a good choice for sleepers of average or heavier weight. Sleepers who weigh less, conversely, will benefit from adding the optional pillow top to bring it closer to a medium-firm.

The five ergonomic zones also means motion transfer is absorbed well, stopping couples from rolling together. The reinforced edges guard against sinking and sagging. Given that it only uses non-toxic, organic materials, you know it’s going to be good for the environment and your family's health. And we also love that there's a vegan version available for those who want a wool-free mattress.

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Tom May is a freelance writer and author of the book, Great Ted Talks: Creativity. He has been editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. He has also worked for a wide range of mainstream titles including Radio Times, NME, Heat, Company and Bella.