Surprisingly firm and comfortable mattresses right out of the box.
Novilla is the latest company to join the world of compressed, easy-ship mattresses. We had the opportunity to review two of their hybrid mattresses: the 10" Serenity and the 12" Vitality.
Both mattresses were impressively firm just moments after coming out of the box-a feature that still boggles our minds. After allowing each to expand fully for a few days, the mattresses felt identical to a typical innerspring mattress.
Both mattresses utilize the same base construction. Where they differ is in the padding included.
The Serenity, the thinner of the two, has a medium-firmness. The core mattress is topped with a 1-inch cooling gel-infused memory foam that helps cradle the body to prevent pressure points during sleep. This mattress is excellent for those who prefer a firmer mattress without a lot of frills.
The Vitality has a thick 3-inch cooling gel-infused memory foam layer on top of the same medium-firm mattress core. This extra cushioning adds comfort without dulling the support brought by the firmer mattress. The extra padding is noticeable and perfect for those who want to be pampered every time they jump into bed.
Both mattresses had noticeably reduced motion transfer compared to a typical innerspring mattress. The plush, fast-response foam lived up to the hype and added a lot to the sleeping experience.
Overall, both mattresses we were surprised and impressed. You don't imagine something that comes in a box that small could possibly be more comfortable than the typical bulky luxury mattress. After sleeping on these Novillas, I may never buy a traditional mattress again!
Keep reading to see our full Novilla Serenity review and our full Novilla Vitality review.
Disclosure:It is important you understand that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. All opinions are our own we pride ourselves on keeping our articles fair and balanced. For more info see our disclosure statement.Product Overview
Both the Novilla Serenity and Novilla Vitality are made to give people the indulgence and comfort of a high-end mattress for a fraction of the cost. They are also
environment-friendly and great for those sensitive to dust mites and other allergens.
Both options are hybrid mattresses, meaning the multiple layers use different types of material.
The first layer for both mattresses is made up of independent foam pocket springs. These offer exceptional motion isolation and firm support. Unlike traditional innersprings, this choice of material allows nearly flat compression to enable the mattress to be shipped rolled up.
On top of the pocket springs is a layer of cooling gel-infused memory foam. This top layer adds exceptional comfort while keeping you from overheating as you sleep.
The only difference between the Serenity and Vitality is the thickness of this top layer. The less-expensive Serenity includes about one inch of memory foam, while the more expensive Vitality has two inches more - that's 3 inches of memory foam! The slight difference may not seem much, but it's noticeable.
Both mattresses are made with Certi-PUR-US certified safe materials. The top cover of these mattresses utilizes a low-allergen bamboo rayon that repels dust and pet dander.
Features and Benefits of the Novilla Serenity and Vitality
I'll be the first to admit that I have always been skeptical about the "mattress in a box" phenomenon. It's just hard to believe that something that can compress so much could offer adequate support.
I don't know much about the other brands of boxed mattresses out there, but these Novilla mattresses certainly proved me wrong.
In addition to all-night support, I found both types to be surprisingly comfortable and loaded with additional features and benefits that I didn't expect.
Let's take a closer look at why you shouldn't overlook these boxed mattresses when looking to upgrade your sleeping situation.
Unboxing
Both of these mattresses were delivered to my door by a standard FedEx shipping truck. We were easily able to move both boxes into the house without issue. However, it is worth mentioning that the Vitality is significantly heavier than the Serenity (by about 13 pounds according to the website, but it feels like more).
Inside each box were the compressed and rolled-up mattress, an instruction card, and a handy bag cutter.
The instructions tell you to place the rolled-up mattress where you would like it positioned (on the bed frame, box spring, or-in our case-the living room floor) and then cut the bag open.
What the instructions failed to disclose was just how dangerous this task could be!
When I cut through the bag on the Serenity, the mattress sprung to life with such force that it ended up climbing our wall about ten feet from where I had laid it down. If it had jumped in any other direction, it would have flattened my TV or my three-year-old.
We were much more careful in opening the Vitality. If you cut through just the top layer of plastic, the mattress will slowly uncurl. At which point you can slice away the inner layer to allow it to decompress.
Aside from that one minor, almost-incident, I was very impressed with how easy it was to move these mattresses where I wanted them and get them unboxed.
Learn more: The best mattress' for sleeping on the floor
Decompression and Set-Up
The company recommends that you let these hybrid mattresses decompress for over 72 hours before you put them to use.
Because of this, I expected them to slowly rise over a few days. But they seemed more-or-less firm enough to sleep on after only a few minutes. By that night, they felt as firm as any standard mattress, so we slept on them anyway.
While I didn't notice any issues with firmness that night, looking back, I would say that I slept better the third night than I did that first night.
Another worthy note of the unboxing process was the notable lack of smell from these mattresses.
I didn't notice any odor at all from the Serenity, even though it had been rolled up in an airtight plastic bag for who knows how long. I did notice a little plasticky/skunky odor from the Vitality, but it was minor and dissipated in a manner of minutes.
In terms of getting these mattresses set up and in place, they were one-hundred times easier to deal with than any mattress I've had before. They bend easier than a traditional innerspring mattress, which makes maneuvering them much less complicated. This is especially true when they first come out of the compression bag.
Additionally, each mattress has four handles sewn into the sides. I cannot get over how much I love this feature. These handles made it so easy to move the mattresses around. I don't know why all mattresses don't come with handles, but they should!
Materials and Manufacture Quality
All Novilla mattresses are made with Certi-PUR-US certified safe materials. This means that the foam inside them is free from heavy metals, toxic flame retardants, formaldehyde, and phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. These foams are also more environmentally friendly and produced without ozone depleters.
You can learn more about Certi-PUR-US here.
The top cover of each mattress is made with breathable, hypo-allergenic, antibacterial bamboo rayon. It's soft to the touch and looks pretty durable.
All Novilla mattresses are manufactured in Vietnam and Malaysia.
Overall, these mattresses appear to be well made, and I would expect them to last for years. The fact that the spring system can be completely compressed and bounce back the way it does makes me believe that these mattresses are less likely to sag over time.
For added peace of mind, all Novella mattresses come with a 10-year limited warranty.
Motion Transfer
It was my three-year-old daughter who did most of the experiments on motion transfer for these two mattresses. She spent ample time hopping around and leaping off our couch onto them.
I was quite impressed with the lack of motion transfer, even during these "advanced tests."
I could hardly feel her jumping around and didn't notice my husband moving around at night at all. This was true of both the Serenity and Vitality.
Stability
One of the great things about hybrid mattresses is that you get the stability of an innerspring but the added comfort of a foam mattress. This is certainly true of these two hybrids.
The pocket springs within the mattress core provide firm support and hold their shape under even extreme stress. If you didn't know that these mattresses had arrived rolled up like a carpet, you certainly would never suspect that such a thing would be possible.
While there is a little more give in these when you carry them around, they feel just as stable as any traditional mattress when laying flat.
The stability provided by the inner pocket springs helps support spinal alignment regardless of your sleeping position. Though, side sleepers, like me, are more likely to prefer the extra cushion provided by the Vitality. Stomach sleepers, on the other hand, may appreciate the firm support of the Serenity.
Edge Support
That stability extends right up to the edges of each mattress, a marked difference from simple foam mattresses.
Now that doesn't mean you should expect to sit right on edge without slipping off. There is still some give there. But I found this give to be no different than our innerspring mattresses.
If you enjoy hugging the edge of the mattress as you sleep, you should have no problem sleeping comfortably on either one of these two.
Overall Comfort
At the end of the day, the most important thing about any mattress is how comfortable it is to sleep on. Of course, this feature is also highly subjective.
I personally love an uber-soft mattress. My Sleep Number, for instance, is 30. That's below the lowest setting the company recommends using!
Considering that, I actually slept pretty well on both these mattresses.
Both are firmer than my regular mattress but, for me, the added foam layer on top was enough to keep pressure points to a minimum.
The Serenity, which only has about an inch of padding, didn't feel as comfortable to the touch as the Vitality. Still, I slept well on it and woke up without any aches or pains.
I also liked how easy it was to shift positions on this bed. The amount of padding is noticeable but not overwhelming.
It doesn't take much comparing to figure out that the Vitality mattress has a lot more padding. That extra two inches of memory foam really does make a difference in how coddled and pampered you feel as you fall asleep.
Mattresses with a lot of foam padding can feel almost suffocating because of how far you sink into them. These types are often hard to move around on because of the lack of support. I didn't notice this problem at all with the Vitality, though it is not relatively as easy to roll around on as the Serenity.
I would be happy to sleep on either one of these mattresses night after night. But if I got to choose one, I would go with the Vitality because I prefer a cushier feel. My partner, who suffers from a lot of joint pain in the shoulders and elbow, would pick the Vitality hands down.
Overall, I think if you enjoy a firm mattress, you'll be happy with either one of these two. But if you really love your foam tops or suffer from joint pain, the Vitality is well-worth the extra money.
Alternatives
One feature I really like about Novilla is how they've designed their mattresses to be less toxic and better for the environment than the typical mattress. Of course, when it comes to this kind of thing, there are always more steps a company can take. If natural materials and an Earth-conscious design are important to you, you may want to consider a PlushBeds brand mattress.
This company goes above and beyond to make sure its products are green and chemical-free. Their most popular product, the Botanical Bliss, is made of organic latex and other all-natural materials. These latex beds feel slightly different from hybrid or innerspring mattresses, but most people find them very comfortable.
If getting a good night's rest is the most important thing to you, then you may want to consider an Amerisleep mattress.
These are similar to Novilla's in basic design but are made with premium materials that offer extra benefits. Their AS5 Hybrid, in particular, is an excellent choice for those comfort seekers who like the Novilla but want a softer, higher-end mattress. This mattress also features better cooling ability and a 20-year warranty.
Hybrid mattress
Latex mattress
Hybrid mattress
Certi-PUR-US certified safe materials
Organic and natural materials
Eco-friendly Bio-Pur foam top
Medium-firm with 3-inch memory foam
Adjustable firmness from medium-soft to medium-firm
Medium-soft with a foam top
Warranty: 10 years
Warranty: 25 years
Warranty: 20 years
Things to Consider Before Buying a Mattress
Buying a new mattress used to be a hassle. You'd have to go down to the furniture store, awkwardly try out different options in front of the sales associate, and then wait for days for your new mattress to arrive on the back of a semi (or take it home from the store strapped to the top of your car).
Boxed mattresses offer the comfort of traditional innersprings without all that hassle. And some of them, like Novilla, come at a far more affordable price than traditional options.
Before you commit to a new boxed mattress (or any other type), you'll want to consider these aspects:
- Your budget
- Your preferred firmness level
- Allergies and sensitivities to certain materials
- How important eco-friendly materials are to you
- How any current injuries or chronic pain might be affected by your mattress choice
- Your mobility and how easily you'll be able to move around on and get off of an extra-soft mattress
- How many bodies (furry and otherwise) share your bed
- How difficult getting a traditional mattress in the room would be
Conclusion
It used to be that if you wanted a great night's sleep, you needed to spend a fortune on a bulky mattress that was a pain to purchase and a pain to move. After trying out my first boxed mattresses, I can tell you with confidence that those days are no more.
Both the Novilla Serenity and Novilla Vitality offer the comfort of a quality innerspring memory foam mattress without the hassle. They arrive in easily transportable boxes and firm up to the level of a standard mattress within minutes of unpacking. And both offer a comfortable night's sleep that easily compares to what you would get from a mattress four-times as expensive.
If you prefer firmer mattresses, the Serenity is a great choice. If you like a little extra padding and luxury, the thicker Vitality is the one for you.
Click to learn more about Novilla mattresses or to purchase your new perfect night's sleep.
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