Tuft and Needle Nod Mattress Review | Reasons to Buy/NOT Buy

The Tuft & Needle Nod mattress is a simplified version of its Original mattress offered for a much lower price. However, unlike the Layla Essential mattress, the Tuft & Needle Nod is only available at specific retailers and not directly from Tuft & Needle. We occasionally see this with brands offering exclusive beds to retailers, such as Purple and Casper partnering with Costco.

Currently, the Nod mattress is available in limited quantities at Amazon and Walmart. It may soon be replaced by a new model designed as a more affordable version of the Tuft & Needle Original. If that happens, this article will link to the updated model.

First impressions of the Tuft & Needle mattress

The Nod mattress is what I would describe as “nondescript.” It has a light gray cover that’s nice and soft, but you can tell it isn’t trying to do anything fancy to indicate luxury. 

I also noticed the mattress is relatively thin, around eight inches. Since it’s designed as a more affordable version of the Tuft & Needle Original, this wasn’t surprising, but most beds we test are at least 10 inches thick.

After letting the bed off-gas for a day, we were able to start testing it. It has a similar feel to the Tuft & Needle Original, which is a very good thing. 

Is the Tuft & Needle Nod mattress right for you?

Anyone looking for a new bed on a budget or a quality mattress for their guest room should consider the Tuft & Needle Nod mattress. It’s affordable, comfortable and accommodating — all from a trusted brand. 

While some of the beds that sell exclusively (or nearly exclusively) on Amazon tend to be lower quality, our testing found that isn’t the case with the Nod.

Tuft & Needle Nod mattress firmness and feel

Tuft & Needle Nod feel

The Nod mattress feels very similar to the Tuft & Needle Original, which means it has a very neutral feel. A neutral-feeling mattress balances slow-to-respond memory foams, also known as “viscofoams,” and bouncy latex foams. The T&N Adaptive foam used as the bed’s primary comfort layer feels great, and most people find it comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep.

Lots of sleepers have a specific feel preference. I’ve recently become accustomed to a dense memory foam feel, and others on our team love the super responsive feel of a Purple mattress. If you have something specific in mind for your next mattress, something like the Nod might not be ideal. But for sleepers who just want something comfortable and don’t have a set preference, a bed like the Nod would work very well. It’s also a great choice for guest rooms, as visitors will likely find it comfortable.

Tuft & Needle Nod firmness

The Nod mattress has a balanced medium firmness, making it a good fit for all sleeping positions — back, stomach, side and combination sleepers alike.

A medium isn’t ideal for every sleeping position, but it works well for most and is good for combo sleepers who split time between different sleeping positions throughout the night. 

A medium firmness profile also works well for guest rooms, as it provides a comfortable option for visitors regardless of their sleep preferences.

Tuft & Needle Nod mattress construction

The construction of the Nod mattress is pretty much as simple as it gets. It’s about eight inches thick and has only two foam layers, roughly six inches of dense support foam and then two inches of “T&N Adaptive Foam” as the primary comfort layer. 

Previously, this was essentially a slightly thinner version of the Tuft & Needle Original mattress, which had just two layers of foam. However, the Original has since been updated with additional layers.

The simple construction is not a bad thing by any means — the design provides the accommodating firmness and feel of the mattress. Eight inches of height is fairly thin in comparison to the majority of beds that we test, which means it might be a bit less durable. 

Tuft & Needle Nod mattress performance

Edge support

Beds with poor edge support make you feel like you’re going to roll off the mattress near the outer edge, and it’s easy to sleep near the perimeter of your bed if you’re sharing it with a partner or pets.

The performance of the Nod mattress when it comes to edge support is very average. Heavier individuals may compress the edge and experience some “roll-off” sensation, but we generally don’t recommend the Nod for heavier sleepers. Most people shouldn’t have issues, though this may vary by body type.

Motion isolation

A mattress’s ability to deaden the impact of your sleeping partner’s tossing and turning is important for restful sleep. Foam beds like the Nod generally perform very well in this category, and we observed this in testing. 

If you’re a light sleeper who wakes up easily, the Nod should help prevent that and lead to more restful sleep. 

Temperature regulation

The T&N Adaptive Foam used in the Nod mattress and cover is nice and breathable, so this bed is temperature-neutral. 

Some people who ordered this mattress on Amazon reported sleeping warm on the Nod in the reviews section. I would take that with a grain of salt because, generally, sleeping warm has way more to do with your sleeping environment than your mattress, but just know some sleepers report sleeping hot on the Nod.

The price of the Tuft & Needle Nod is a tricky subject. As of writing, queen-size Nod mattresses are in low stock on Amazon for $659, including two free pillows.

It’s also available in full sizes on Walmart.com for $637 with no extras. It seems like Tuft & Needle may be slowly replacing the Nod mattress with the “Kin” mattresses (which are available in six-, eight-, 10- and 12-inch models), and the prices are elevated because of the low stock. 

We intend to test the new Kin mattresses soon, but we guess the beds are quite similar to the Nod in terms of comfort, accommodation and affordability. 

Tuft & Needle Nod mattress policies

Free shipping

The Nod mattress ships right to your door at no extra cost in the contiguous United States inside of a box. Unboxing a mattress is a quick and easy process; we’ve done it literally hundreds of times.

This shipping policy should be the same whether you buy this mattress from Amazon or Walmart, along with the rest of the policies. I’d recommend quickly double-checking the details before purchasing, as policies may change unless you’re buying directly from the brand.

100-night trial 

Tuft & Needle offers the standard in-home sleep trial of 100 nights. This means you get roughly three months to test out the bed to see if it’s supportive and comfortable enough for you. 

Keep in mind that it can take a month or longer for your body to adjust to a new mattress, no matter how well-suited it is to you. So, if you struggle to get a good night’s sleep in the first week or two, don’t panic.

Most brands will ask you to sleep on the bed for 21-30 nights before initiating a return — I don’t think Tuft & Needle has this requirement, but it’s best practice regardless.

Return policy

Tuft & Needle, despite more brands introducing return fees, still offers completely free returns on all of its mattresses within the provided trial period. 

Returning a mattress is usually straightforward — just contact the company, and a team will typically pick it up from your home. It’s often donated or, in some cases, resold by a third party.

Warranty

All Tuft & Needle mattresses, including the affordable Nod, are backed by a standard 10-year warranty. If you buy a mattress online, a 10-year warranty is the minimum you should expect.

How does the Tuft & Needle Nod compare to similar mattresses?

Tuft & Needle Nod vs. Dreamfoam Essential

The Dreamfoam Essential is one of the most affordable beds we’ve tested and is also very customizable. You can get it in many different heights; thinner models will be firmer, thicker models will be softer, and many different sizes, including RV sizes. 

The Dreamfoam Essential uses memory foam as its primary comfort layer and has a very dense feel. The eight-inch model of the Essential costs around $450 for a queen-size after discount and is available on Amazon and directly from Dreamfoam.

Tuft & Needle Nod vs. Siena Mattress

The Siena Mattress is another affordable option available on Amazon. This bed uses memory foam as its main comfort layer and much more affordable than the Nod mattress at only $349 for a queen-size at the time of writing. The other key difference is that the model of the Siena we tested is firmer than the Nod, at a proper medium-firm on our scale, which means it’s ideal for back and stomach sleepers and less so for side sleepers. The company has since added many different models of Siena but the one we tested is the 10-inch foam model. 

Final thoughts on the Tuft & Needle Nod mattress

I think the story of the Nod mattress is as simple as its design — it’s affordable, comfortable and accommodating. There are certainly nicer beds out there, and a lot of beds compete at this price, but few are as universally comfortable as the Nod. 

There are some drawbacks, of course. As an everyday mattress, it may not last as long as thicker options. However, given its affordable price, that might not be a major concern if you can get a comfortable bed from a reputable brand at a low cost.

You might like this mattress if:

• You want a neutral feel
• You enjoy a mattress with a medium profile
• You want a mattress without coils
• You’re shopping on a budget

You might not like this mattress if:

• You prefer a coil bed
• You want an especially soft or firm mattress
• You prefer the feel of memory foam
• You’re heavier and need more support

Other mattresses from Tuft & Needle 

Tuft & Needle Original: This is the flagship mattress from Tuft & Needle, and the most popular and most affordable Tuft & Needle mattress. It has fewer foam layers and is thinner than the Mint mattress, but it has the same accommodating, neutral feel. It’s a bit softer than the Mint but still in the medium range, scoring a 5.3 out of 10 on our Mattress Smasher 9000.