Birch Mattress Review – All-Natural Support And Comfort?

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It seems like a new latex mattress comes out every week. This is not very surprising, as more and more sleepers are understanding the benefits of this material and all-natural mattress in general. In short, all-natural mattresses are free of harmful chemicals, durable, and eco-friendly.

Now, Helix has released its own latex hybrid mattress, the Birch Natural. It’s made with coils and memory foam, making it a good option for a variety of different sleepers.

This unbiased Birch mattress review will cover everything people need to know, including a full breakdown of the construction, pros and cons, firmness and feel, comfort, support, motion isolation, edge support, breathability, durability, and much more.

Read on to see if the Birch is the right fit for you!

Birch Mattress

Birch mattress

Birch is an eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box that’s made with natural latex and organic cotton and wool. It has a base layer of individually wrapped coils and comfort layers made with chemical-free latex foam.

Clarity Score 4.5/5

Material

Hybrid

Trial Period

100 nights

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Warranty

25-year warranty

Price Range

$1399 - $2099

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.8/5
Watch Our Video Review

Birch Mattress

Birch mattress

Birch is an eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box that’s made with natural latex and organic cotton and wool. It has a base layer of individually wrapped coils and comfort layers made with chemical-free latex foam.

Clarity Score 4.5/5

Material

Hybrid

Warranty

25-year warranty

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Trial Period

100 nights

Price Range

$1399 - $2099

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.8/5
Watch Our Video Review
Birch mattress

Birch Mattress

Birch is an eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box that’s made with natural latex and organic cotton and wool. It has a base layer of individually wrapped coils and comfort layers made with chemical-free latex foam.

Clarity Score 4.5/5

Material

Hybrid

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Trial Period

100 nights

Warranty

25-year warranty

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Price Range

$1399 - $2099

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for average weight stomach sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.8/5
Watch Our Video Review

Birch Mattress Overview

Birch is an eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box that’s made with environmentally friendly materials such as natural latex and organic cotton and wool. It has a base layer of individually wrapped coils and comfort layers made with chemical-free latex foam.

Although Birch only sells two mattresses, customers have some customization options. If you prefer a firmer mattress, the original Birch Natural is the way to go. Those who want a softer mattress with a plush comfort layer can order a mattress cover or opt for the Birch Luxe mattress.

Just for context, you should know that we tested the Birch Natural mattress without a plush mattress topper.

Who Might Like The Birch Mattress?

  • Back sleepers and stomach sleepers
  • Larger people over 230 lb
  • Those who want an all-natural mattress
  • People who sleep hot at night

Who Might Not Like The Birch Mattress?

  • Those who want a very soft mattress
  • Those who like to sink into their mattress
  • Those who don’t like a bouncy mattress
  • Those who prefer a traditional memory foam feel

Birch Mattress Video Review

Take a closer look at the Birch mattress in our video review below!

Birch Mattress Firmness and Feel

Overall firmness and feel are two of the most important factors when deciding on a new mattress. Let’s dive a little further into how the Birch performs in these areas.

How Firm is the Birch Mattress?

We tried the Birch without the pillow-top and thought it was close to a 7/10 on our mattress firmness scale. The industry standard for medium firm is a 6.5/10, so the Birch is slightly firmer than average. The wool layers and latex are somewhat soft, but once you push down into the mattress, you hit some firmer support layers.

Sleeping On The Birch Mattress

While back-sleeping, the Birch is a good fit for me. My hips sink into the wool and latex layers, but they don’t sink in too far. In addition, I feel the latex foam pressing up into my lumbar area to give me some cushioning and help prevent lower back pain.

man laying on his back on the Birch Natural mattress

When I’m side-sleeping, the mattress is too firm for me. So if you’re a side sleeper, it might be worth opting for the pillow-top. This will give you much better pressure relief on your shoulders and hips. In fact, the pillow-top version often lands on our roundup of the best mattresses for side sleepers.

While I’m stomach-sleeping, the Birch without the pillow-top is very supportive. I feel well-aligned, and the mattress does not allow me to bow in at the hips. We find it to be one of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers.

Birch Mattress
Birch Mattress

Birch is an eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box that’s made with natural latex and organic cotton and wool. It has a base layer of individually wrapped coils and comfort layers made with chemical-free latex foam.

Get 25% off sitewide + 2 free Eco-Rest Pillows

Clarity Score
4.5 / 5.0

What Does the Birch Mattress Feel Like?

The Birch has a feel that you find with most latex mattressesvery bouncy. The combination of latex and coils make the mattress extremely responsive, so it’s easy to move around. You should sleep on top of the mattress without sinking in too far.

However, if you do decide to go with the pillow-top, this will give the mattress a plusher feel on top.

Average-Weight Sleepers: 130 lb–230 lb

Average-weight back sleepers should feel very comfortable on the Birch mattress. The latex foam provides nice contouring for the lower back, and the latex layers allow hips to slightly sink into the mattress.

Those who weigh between 130 and 230 lb may find the Birch mattress feels too firm while they’re side-sleeping. People who prefer this sleeping position may prefer the Birch mattress with the optional mattress topper, because this adds an extra layer of plush pressure relief.

Stomach sleepers should feel well-supported on the Birch mattress without the pillow-top. The firmness level prevents hips from dipping too far into the top layer, which helps keep the body in alignment. The additional pillow-top, however, could make the bed feel too soft for stomach-sleeping.

Heavyweight Sleepers: Over 230 lb

Heavyweight back sleepers should find that the Birch mattress offers a great deal of comfort. The firm construction can easily support heavier weights, and it allows heavy sleepers’ hips to sink into the top layer the right amount.

While side-sleeping, heavyweight sleepers may find that the Birch mattress adds too much pressure to their shoulders and hips. Generally, side sleepers will want a mattress with a substantial comfort layer that can ease pain on pressure points. Heavy side sleepers may want to consider getting the additional pillow-top for more comfort.

The Birch mattress may not be a great fit for heavier stomach sleepers, as the mattress isn’t supportive enough to keep the body in proper alignment. Instead, they should take a look at the best mattresses for heavy people.

Lightweight Sleepers: Under 130 lb

Lightweight sleepers should find the Birch to be very comfortable while they’re back- and side-sleeping. In fact, we named it one of the best mattresses for teenagers. Lightweight people aren’t likely to sink deeply into the initial comfort layer, so it should provide enough comfort and support. That said, the Birch may not be a great fit for lightweight stomach sleepers because they may not feel the full support of the coils underneath.

Birch Mattress Construction

What’s the Birch mattress made with, exactly? Let’s take a look at its construction, layer by layer.

Cover

The cover is made of organic cotton and feels soft, stretchy, and breathable.

Comfort Layers

There’s a layer of wool underneath the organic cotton cover, which helps keep the top of the mattress soft and breathable. It also makes the Birch a flame-retardant mattress, which should give you peace of mind when it come to sleeping not only soundly, but safely.

up close image of the Birch Natural mattress

Next, you’ll find a layer of ventilated Talalay latex for even more pressure relief. Like most latex, this layer feels responsive and allows people to sleep on top of the mattress rather than “in” it.

You can choose to add a mattress topper to your Birch Natural mattress. The pillow-top adds 3” of comfort, so you should feel better pressure relief on your shoulders and hips.

Support Layer

The support layer consists of individually wrapped coils, which are highly supportive, durable, and breathable. They rest on a base layer made of wool batting.

Mattress Height

The Birch mattress is 11” tall. The additional mattress topper will add another 3” to the height of the Birch mattress.

Birch Mattress Size Options and Price

Check out our handy chart to learn more about Birch’s size options and price levels.

SizeDimensionsPrice
Twin39" x 75"$1498.80
Twin XL39" x 80"$1399.00
Full54" x 75"$1599.00
Queen60" x 80"$1799.00
King76" x 80"$2099.00
California King72" x 84"$2099.00

Want to learn more about your options? Check out our full Birch Luxe mattress review. Once again, this has several upgrades compared to the original Birch, including the pillow-top.

Birch Mattress
Birch Mattress

Birch is an eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box that’s made with natural latex and organic cotton and wool. It has a base layer of individually wrapped coils and comfort layers made with chemical-free latex foam.

Get 25% off sitewide + 2 free Eco-Rest Pillows

Clarity Score
4.5 / 5.0

Birch Mattress Performance

Now, let’s take a deeper look at the Birch mattress’ performance. Read on to learn about its cooling features, motion transfer, and edge support.

Sleeping Hot or Cold

The Birch should be a cooler-sleeping mattress. The Birch is a hybrid mattress, and the coils promote airflow through the mattress, making it very breathable. The wool and aerated latex also add some breathability to the top of the mattress. Hot sleepers should take a look at the Birch without question.

Motion Transfer

When it comes to handling motion transfer, latex and coils are not really the best materials. If you want a mattress to cut down on the disturbances made by a sleeping partner, memory foam or some soft foam is usually a better choice.

To test out the Birch’s motion-isolation capabilities, I placed a glass of water on the mattress. When I pressed into the other areas of the mattress, I saw quite a bit of disturbance. Also, I laid down on the mattress while Marten got in and out of bed and mimicked the movements of another sleeper, and I definitely felt his movements on my side of the bed. This is fairly common with latex mattresses, as they tend to be more responsive and springier than other beds.

All of this is especially worth considering if you sleep with a partner, and one or both of you is easily woken up at night. Those who want the best mattress for couples will probably some motion transfer on the Birch. While that may not be a deal-breaker for many folks, it’s still something to keep in mind.

As you’ll see, the Birch has some selling points for couples as well. So let’s go into some of those.

Edge Support

If you’re looking for a couples mattress, you should also think about edge support. Will you be able to sleep toward the edge of the mattress, or will you have to sleep closer to the middle?

When I sit on the edge of the Birch, I don’t feel like I’m going to pitch forward. I feel secure enough to lean over and tie my shoes. I also feel like I can lie down close to the edge without feeling like I am going to fall off.

People can see the good edge support in the photo below.

man sitting on the edge of the Birch mattress

Durability

The Birch Natural is made with high quality and durable materials that shouldn’t sag over time. Because of this, we expect it to last 7–10 years.

RELATED: Best Mattresses that Won’t Sag

Off-Gassing

It’s common to notice a slight smell when opening a new mattress. Because the Birch is made with all-natural materials, however, we did not smell any chemical odor. Off-gassing should not be an issue with this mattress.

Noise

The only component that could possibly create sound is the coil layer, and it was not squeaking when we tested the Birch mattress. Overall, we think this will be a quiet mattress.

Sex

Couples looking for one of the best mattresses for sex should consider the Birch. This mattress is very firm and bouncy, making it easy to move around and change positions. Partners will feel like they are lying on top of the mattress rather than inside it.

Overall Rating

How does the Birch rank overall? Check out our tallies below!

Birch Mattress
4.5 Overall
Support
Edge Support
Cooling
Motion Transfer
Durability
Trial Period
Warranty

Company Policies

Before investing in a new mattress, it’s always a good idea to read the company’s fine print. Let’s take a closer look at the Birch’s warranty information, sleep trial, and return policy.

Warranty Info

Birch offers a 25-year warranty. For the first 10 years, Birch offers a full warranty. From years 11–25, customers will have limited prorated coverage.

Sleep Trial

Birch offers a 100-night sleep trial.

Old Mattress Removal

Birch has partnered with LoadUp to give customers the option to add a mattress removal service to their purchase. This way, customers don’t have to deal with the hassle of getting ride of their old bed.

Return Policy

If you aren’t happy with your Birch mattress during the sleep trial, you can return it for a full refund. Birch recommends customers try out their bed for at least a month, because it often takes a few weeks to determine whether a new mattress is a good fit.

How Does The Birch Natural Compare To Other Mattresses?

There are tons of bed-in-a-box brands out there. Before pulling out your wallet, it’s a good idea to check out some of the mattress’ competitors. Let’s see how Birch stacks up in comparison to other popular options.

Birch Mattress Vs. Avocado

Both the Birch and Avocado mattresses are made with organic materials, so they’re great options for those who want to be green. We found the Avocado mattress to be slightly firmer than the Birch, making it a better option for stomach sleepers.

The side of the Avocado mattress

In terms of construction, the Birch and Avocado are very similar. Both options have layers of coils and memory foam. The base models are both 11” tall, with the option to add an additional pillow-top. The Birch mattress topper is more plush than the Avocado, making it a great option for side sleepers. We found the Avocado mattress is better at isolating motion, while the Birch has better cooling features.

The two mattresses have similar price ranges, but the Birch is slightly more affordable when you apply coupons. Before the coupons, a queen-size Avocado mattress costs $1599.00 and a Birch of the same size costs $1799.00.

Read our full Avocado mattress review.

Birch Mattress Vs. My Green Mattress

Both the Birch and My Green Mattresses are great picks for those who want a bed made with non-toxic materials. Those looking for a variety of options may want to consider My Green Mattress, because they have all-foam, latex-free, and hybrid mattresses.

My Green Mattress

My Green Mattress’ Natural Escape is the most similar to the Birch because it’s made with coils and memory foam. Both mattresses feel responsive and bouncy, but we found the Birch mattress feels more supportive. The Birch has better edge support and cooling features, while My Green Mattress is better at isolating motion.

My Green Mattress is slightly more affordable than Birch, with a queen-size Natural Escape coming in at $1499.00.

Read our full My Green Mattress Natural Escape review.

FAQs

Now, let’s check out the answers to some of the Birch Mattress’ most frequently asked questions.

How firm in the Birch mattress?

In our testing, we found the Birch mattress to be slightly firmer than average, making it a good fit for back sleepers.

Can you flip the Birch mattress?

No, you cannot flip a Birch mattress. It is designed with coil layers on the bottom and memory foam on top. Flipping it would alter the intended firmness and feel.

What if I don't like my Birch mattress?

If, during the initial 100-day sleep trial period, you decide you don't like the Birch mattress, you can return it for a full refund. Birch Mattress asks its customers to test out the mattress for at least a month before returning, because it often takes people several weeks to determine whether it's the right fit for them.

Joe Auer

Joe Auer

Joe Auer is the editor of Mattress Clarity. He mainly focuses on mattress reviews and oversees the content across the site. He likes things simple and takes a straightforward, objective approach to his reviews. Joe has personally tested nearly 250 mattresses and always recommends people do their research before buying a new bed. He has been testing mattresses for over 5 years now, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to mattress selection. He has been cited as an authority in the industry by a number of large publications. When he isn't testing sleep products, he enjoys working out, reading both fiction and non-fiction, and playing classical piano. He enjoys traveling as well, and not just to test out hotel mattresses! Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University.