If you know anything about bed-in-a-box mattresses, chances are you've heard of the Helix brand. Known for their unique sleep quiz that matches you to your ideal mattress, Helix offers a large collection of mattresses—six base models and six luxe models. So if you're ready to kick your current mattress to the curb (old, sagging mattresses can affect your quality of sleep), you might want to consider what Helix has to offer.
In this Helix mattress review, we discuss how each of Helix's standard mattresses performed in the sleep lab with a little help from our friends over at Mattress Advisor. We collaborated with these sleep experts to learn what makes each Helix mattress stand out and what type of sleeper(s) each bed is best suited for.
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MA Score: The Mattress Advisor Score is a weighted score that takes into account 14 different factors related to the mattress' performance, function, and convenience, as well as the brand's social responsibility.
The Helix Lineup
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Founded in 2015, Helix is one of the top brands in the bed-in-a-box industry. With a collection that contains six high-quality hybrid mattresses (plus luxe options available for each), Helix offers a wide variety of options to suit different kinds of sleepers. Helix also uses a unique sleep quiz that asks questions about your sleep habits, comfort preferences, and physical characteristics as a sleeper in order to match you to your ideal mattress(es). And all of Helix's (non-luxe) beds are reasonably priced at just under $1,000 for a queen size.
Helix Sunset
SPECS
- Mattress Advisor score: 8.4/10
- Material: Hybrid (coils and foam)
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Firmness: Soft
- Warranty: 10-year limited warranty
How It Feels
Falling somewhere between a 2 and a 3 out of 10 on the firmness scale, the Helix Sunset is the plushest Helix mattress available. Two soft layers of foam cradle your body as you sink into the mattress, but thanks to the bed of individually-wrapped coils beneath, you don't have to worry about a total lack of support. However, because this is such a plush mattress, the edges might falter when you're getting into and out of the bed.
Who It's Best For
If you love to burrow into your bed (i.e., you enjoy sleeping “in'” your mattress rather than “on”' it), the Helix Sunset is for you. Because this mattress is so soft, we think it's best suited for lightweight sleepers; heavier sleepers might sink too far down into it. We also think the Helix Sunset is a great bed for offering relief to athletes and active individuals who routinely struggle with pressure-point pain or soreness around the hips and shoulders.
What We Like
- Softer feel accommodates those who like to sink into their mattress for a huggable sensation
- Scored high in spine alignment (8.5/10); good option for back sleepers
- Responsive and quickly adapts to changes in position
- Breathable thanks to hybrid construction
What We Don't Like
- Lackluster pressure relief (7.5/10)
- Doesn't offer great edge support (7.5/10)
- Too soft for stomach sleepers who need more support
Helix Moonlight
SPECS
- Mattress Advisor score: 8.5/10
- Material: Hybrid (coils and foam)
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Firmness: Soft
- Warranty: 10-year limited warranty
How It Feels
The Helix Moonlight is rated a 3 on the firmness scale, similar to the Helix Sunset, and provides the same type of huggable sensation. However, we noticed that the Moonlight feels a bit more responsive compared to the Sunset, thanks to two layers of dynamic memory foam designed to bounce back against your movements. But the Moonlight's higher scores in spinal alignment and pressure relief are what really makes this mattress stand out.
Who It's Best For
We recommend the Helix Moonlight for all types of sleepers except stomach sleepers. Because this mattress is on the softer side, stomach sleepers might not get the support they need. And due to the soft, plush feel of the Moonlight, we also believe it's a great option for those who love to feel cradled by their mattress.
What We Like
- Soft feel works well for those who like a plusher mattress
- Offers great spine alignment (9/10) and pressure relief (8/10)
- Good option for combination sleepers who change positions
- Cooling
What We Don't Like
- Didn't perform well in edge support (7/10), might make it harder to get in and out of bed
- Heavyweight stomach sleepers will want a more supportive mattress
Helix Midnight
SPECS
- Mattress Advisor score: 8.7/10
- Material: Hybrid (foam and coils)
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Warranty: 10-year limited warranty
How It Feels
Firmer than both the Sunset and Moonlight, the Helix Midnight scores around a 6 or 7 on the firmness scale, indicating a balanced, medium-firm feel—not too soft and not too firm. The Midnight contains more dense memory foam than either the Sunset or the Moonlight and is supported by a base of individually wrapped coils.
Who It's Best For
The Helix Midnight is an incredibly versatile mattress—it works for nearly every type of sleeper. Due to its high scores in almost every category, we recommend this bed for all sleep positions. We also recommend this Helix mattress for hot sleepers since it is made of materials that promote cooling. And last but not least, its excellent performance in motion isolation makes it a good choice for couples. Helix also makes a Luxe version. Read our complete Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review.
What We Like
- Scored high in motion transfer (9/10); great option for couples
- High scores in nearly every category
- Medium-firm feel works well for all sleep positions
- Cooling
What We Don't Like
- Might emit some off-gassing when initially unboxed, but the smell should dissipate within a few hours
Helix Dusk
SPECS
- Mattress Advisor score: 8.8/10
- Material: Hybrid (foam and coils)
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Firmness: Medium
- Warranty: 10-year limited warranty
How It Feels
The Helix Dusk offers a nice, middle-of-the-road firmness level. Rated about a 5 on the firmness scale, the Helix Dusk feels slightly less firm than the Helix Midnight.
Who It's Best For
We recommend the Helix Dusk for back, side, and combination sleepers. We also recommend it for hot sleepers and couples as a result of its high scores in cooling and motion transfer, respectively. If you want a bed with a "balanced" feel to it but find the Helix Midnight to be too firm, then the Helix Dusk could be the right fit for you.
What We Like
- Works well for all body types and sleep positions
- Scored high in nearly every category (9/10 in spine alignment, pressure relief, responsiveness, and motion transfer); great mattress overall
- Couples who rest together won't feel their partner's movements
- Cooling
What We Don't Like
- Sleepers who prefer an ultra-soft feel might not like this bed's medium-firm to firm feel
Helix Twilight
SPECS
- Mattress Advisor score: 8.8/10
- Material: Hybrid (foam and coils)
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Firmness: Firm
- Warranty: 10-year limited warranty
How It Feels
The Helix Twilight scores an 8.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, making it one of the firmest beds Helix offers. This mattress is designed with two high-density memory foam layers on top of a bed of coils that creates the sensation of sleeping "on" your mattress rather than "in" it.
Who It's Best For
Because it provides such a high level of firmness and support, we recommend the Helix Twilight for stomach sleepers and heavyweight back sleepers. Its high scores in pressure relief make it a good choice for average to heavyweight side sleepers. The Helix Twilight could also be a great option for other types of sleepers who prefer mattresses with a firmer feel, while its cooling qualities make it a sensible choice for hot sleepers as well.
What We Like
- Especially suited for back and stomach sleepers, thanks to firmer feel
- Incredibly supportive
- Offers deep pressure relief
- Cooling
What We Don't Like
- Firmer feel (8.5/10) not well-suited for lightweight sleepers or for those who prefer a soft to medium-firm mattress
Helix Dawn
SPECS
- Mattress Advisor score: 8.7/10
- Material: Hybrid (foam and coils)
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Firmness: Firm
- Warranty: 10-year limited warranty
How It Feels
The Helix Dawn is the firmest mattress offered in Helix's lineup, scoring about a 9 on the firmness scale. This mattress feels sturdy and supportive as you lay on it, with the foam comfort layers providing the right amount of cushioning to ensure that you sink in just enough to experience contouring pressure relief.
Who It's Best For
We recommend the Helix Dawn for all sleep positions, but especially for back and stomach sleepers. If you like a firm, supportive mattress, the Helix Dawn is the bed for you.
What We Like
- Excellent scores in spinal alignment (9/10), pressure relief (8.5/10), and responsiveness (8.5/10)
- Great option for back, stomach, and combination sleepers
- Sleeps cool
- Isolates motion well (9/10); works well for couples
What We Don't Like
- Too firm for lightweight side sleepers
Helix Warranty, Trial, and Shipping Policies
Each Helix mattress comes with the same purchasing policy. When you place your order, you can expect the mattress to arrive in about one to four weeks. Shipping and delivery are free.
Your Helix mattress will show up on your doorstep compressed and rolled in a box. Once you unbox, you may notice some off-gassing, which is the release of vapors trapped in the mattress from the foam manufacturing process. This is to be expected since each Helix bed contains foam. Any off-gassing odors should dissipate after a few hours. We recommend letting your mattress air out for at least 24 hours before sleeping on it.
The 100-night sleep trial comes with every Helix mattress, which means you get 100 nights to test out the mattress. If you decide it's not the right bed for you, you can return it for a full refund during this trial period.
Helix's warranty policy is pretty standard. You get a 10-year limited warranty with your mattress, which covers manufacturing defects like tears or cracking in the mattress's base. If you file a claim and it gets approved, Helix will send repair parts or a replacement mattress at no cost to you, minus shipping and delivery fees.
FAQs About Helix Mattresses
Are Helix mattresses good?
Helix mattresses are some of the best beds the Mattress Advisor team has ever tested. Each bed features a hybrid construction, a mix of coils and foams, that creates a sturdier, more supportive mattress overall.
How long do Helix mattresses last?
All Helix beds come with a 10-year warranty and all perform well in durability. A mattress's durability rating indicates how long you can expect a mattress to last. Mattress Advisor testers were happy to report that each bed scored at least an 8 out of 10 in durability, meaning you can expect your Helix mattress to last a solid 10 years or more, depending on how well you take care of it.
Can you flip a Helix mattress?
Helix mattresses are not flippable (flippable mattresses feature two different firmness levels in a single mattress, one on each side). However, the Helix mattress collection includes a range of offerings that vary in firmness, which means you can find a Helix mattress at a firmness level (soft, medium, or firm) that fits your needs.
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