Avocado Green Mattress Review
My search for a natural mattress seems never ending. I currently have a latex mattress that I love. But my husband prefers a more traditional bed with springs. Among the best natural mattress companies that I could find, Avocado Green Mattress stood out as one of the clear contenders.
We bought one of their mattresses when we were living in a temporary rental home and all of our belongings were in storage in another state. It was a great time to try out a new mattress, because the ones that were supplied in the fully furnished apartment were HORRIBLE! (They were 4 inch thick “mattresses” from IKEA – never buy those if you value comfort!)
So I decided to switch things up and try a different brand from what we already owned so that I could let you know an honest review.
Buying a Natural Mattress Online
Ordering a natural or organic mattress online without laying on it first is not for the faint of heart. It’s just not.
You spend ⅓ of your life in bed. So making the wrong decision can be scary.
The great thing is that many natural and organic mattress companies offer generous money back guarantees if you don’t like the mattress.
That’s one of the BIG reasons why I bought an Avocado Green Mattress. They offered a 100 night trial and money back guarantee.
Some natural and organic mattress companies DON’T offer money back guarantees, which makes me never want to order from them, honestly. I would if I could try out the bed in a showroom, but that isn’t always possible for most mattress buyers.
In case you are wondering, my other top natural mattress options for a bed that doesn’t cost too much and wasn’t going to be a long-term investment were going to be:
- Happsy
- PlushBeds (the Organic Latex)
- Latex for Less Reversible Mattress with two different firmness levels
For a long-term investment great quality bed, I would have given way more thought to:
Avocado Green Mattress Reviews
In researching Avocado Green Mattress before buying one, I found some reviews online. None of them seemed to be extremely helpful.
If you look at reviews on the major bed review websites, all they do is talk about specifications, costs, materials used, etc. They make it seem like they’re giving individual reviews, but I’ve found that usually it’s just a laundry list of information from a website, along with a review after laying on a bed for a few minutes or putting some dumbbells on a bed and calculating measurements.
None of the Avocado Green Mattress reviews that I found were from actual real people that actually slept on the bed and bought it.
Which I think is horribly unfair to anyone looking for nontoxic mattress reviews online in order to buy a natural bed.
So those online reviews were unhelpful.
What was helpful was really investigating Avocado’s transparent website.
I was really, really impressed with Avocado Green Mattress after studying their website and mission. And so I ordered a bed online and hoped for the best.
FYI: Here’s my personal mattress review video:
A Natural Mattress: The Nontoxic Bed from Avocado Green
I was comfortable ordering a natural mattress online after reading Avocado’s extensive listing of materials used and their mission as a company.
Here’s what’s in a nontoxic bed from Avocado Green Mattress:
- eco-INSTITUT certified 100% natural dunlop latex rubber foam
- OEKO-TEK standard 100 certified Joma New Zealand Wool
- GOTS Certified Organic Cotton
- Fabric encased inner springs (up to 1,414 of them in a bed)
- Hydrated silica (a natural fire barrier)
Yep, that’s it. All natural materials with no worries.
In fact, the natural mattress is GREENGUARD Gold Certified (a certification that I actually like and respect when it comes to buying products for my home).
Wait, are you vegan and don’t want to sleep on a bed with wool? Avocado Green’s new Vegan Mattress uses cotton instead of wool.
My Mattress Experience with Avocado Green Mattress
I easily ordered my mattress online with just a click or two. In fact, I had a discount code which gave me either $150 off or two free natural pillows. I wanted to see what the pillows were like, so I chose that sale option (my other beloved natural pillow had just become unbearable to use after four years.)
Delivery of a Bed in a Box
The mattress is made by hand in California, so it didn’t start being made until I ordered the bed. Which meant that for me (living in Florida and taking a week of shipping time from California) I didn’t receive the bed for another full 30 days.
I was hoping the bed would arrive sooner, but it didn’t. However, the two pillows that I got for free with my discount code were sent in a separate shipment early. I received them in a couple weeks.
As was expected, the delivery guy would not bring my 80-lb. bed up the stairs to my second floor condo. He literally looked at me and said “It’s too hard” to bring the mattress upstairs. Then he told me (I’m not even making this up…………) that it looked like it was going to rain soon and that I should figure out how to get the bed inside the house.
You might imagine what my response was.
Avocado Green Mattress has no control over the helpfulness of delivery people unless you pay extra for the White Glove delivery service, which means you can schedule the time for the mattress to arrive and it will be delivered and set up in your home. I know it’s an extra cost, but it’s worth it.
Allergic to an Organic Mattress
Once the bed was dragged in my home (no small feat), we eagerly unrolled it since I had been sleeping on an absolutely horrible mattress in our furnished rental home for two months.
And then I noticed the smell.
It wasn’t a horrible smell. It just smelled earthy. I think I’d compare it to mushrooms or cardboard.
Since it was all natural materials, I didn’t think I’d have any problems with the odor.
Boy, was I wrong.
Now, to be fair, many people have never noticed a smell, according to Avocado Green Mattress reviews that I’ve read like crazy.
Other people do state that there is a distinct smell which disappears in under a week.
So, who’s to say if you are going to have a smell with your brand new natural mattress or not. It’s up to your specific body chemistry.
The problem was, even though it was natural materials off gassing, for some reason they really affected me. Like migraine within 30 minutes, throat swelling and itchy and eyes puffy and swollen.
The first night was absolutely miserable. But I thought I just had to get used to a new bed.
The second night was horrendous as well. I woke up feeling like I’d been through a battering ram.
The third night, I laid down for 30 minutes and when the pounding pain started in the base of my neck, I instantly knew that I had to get out of that bed and sleep somewhere else. (Which included sleeping upright on the couch for several hours.)
I contacted Customer Service asking what other materials could possibly be in the bed. Seriously, I wanted to know so that I never would have this allergic reaction again.
They were absolutely wonderful! Never questioning my reaction to the bed, giving me tons of specifications and materials information. Truly, they responded immediately and effectively to every request that I had.
Clearly I was having some sort of unique reaction to something. I still don’t know what. (I’ve slept for years on a mattress made with natural latex, organic wool and cotton, so I’m baffled as to why I had this reaction.) So the bed definitely had to be returned ASAP.
Firm Natural Bed
I ordered the Avocado Green Mattress with the additional pillow top, adding an extra 2 inches of natural latex on top of the bed. I personally like a little bit of cushion on the bed, so I thought this would be the ideal combination for my nontoxic mattress.
However, even with the additional pillow top, the mattress was just entirely too firm for me.
If you like a firm bed, then maybe you’d have no problems. Mattress firmness is such a unique and personal thing that there is no way that I can say what I feel was too firm wouldn’t be just right for you.
My unique situation, though, is that I’ve had Fibromyalgia in the past, still have a lot of pressure point issues, and go to a chiropractor because of scoliosis.
This bed was just TOO firm for my specific medial needs. As a side sleeper, my shoulders and hips ached because there was no “give” when sleeping on my side. I read many reviews where other side sleepers have said the same thing.
Returning a Bed in a Box
While many companies claim that they offer no hassle money back guarantees, I always had a feeling that it wouldn’t be easy when it came time to actually returning the bed in a box. (I’m not the only one thinking returning a mattress can be too good to be true. This news station tried it with three different bed in a box mattress companies for an investigation.)
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Avocado Green Mattress customer service was amazing when it came to returning my bed. My mattress return experience was WAY more civilized than I thought it would be!
Because I had a pretty unique reason for returning a bed in a box, I thought I would need to argue my case about getting a mattress return.
But the amazing customer service reps at Avocado (I know them by name, now) responded to my email in an hour and said of course I could return my mattress for a full refund.
WOW!
Avocado Green Mattress said that because they were an eco-friendly company, they would prefer the mattress be donated to a charity or a low-income family instead of going to the landfill. If I could arrange for donation to either option (with appropriate paper work and receipts), then I’d be given the refund very quickly.
If you don’t know, donating a mattress can be more difficult than you might think. Not a lot of charities are willing to accept used mattresses. It’s very much a health and safety issue. However, some state mattress return laws allowed used mattresses to actually be RESOLD if they are sanitized and disinfected.
Avocado Green Mattress does NOT resell used or returned mattresses.
After posting on my Facebook page requesting any leads for mattress donations near where I live, I found a woman’s shelter that could pick up the mattress and use it for good. The wait for pick up was 3 weeks, though, which meant that I wouldn’t get my refund until the pick up was completed.
If I hadn’t been able to find a mattress donation site, Avocado did say they’d help arrange pick up and transportation for alternate disposal.
Pros and Cons of Avocado Green Mattress
So, to wrap up, here’s what the pros and cons of the natural mattress from Avocado Green were for me.
Pros
- CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AWESOME!
- All natural materials
- Great transparency from the company
- Affordable price point compared to other natural bed companies
- Great quality craftsmanship
Cons
- Length of time to receive mattress
- Firmness even with a pillow top
Do you need a new bed? If cost is a concern, check out my helpful tips on how to get a nontoxic mattress on a budget (you might be surprised at some of the tips) and how to make a bed more comfortable for cheap.
Are people having problems with the smell of the Avocado Vegan mattress too or just the Avocado Green? We recently got an Avocado Green mattress and after weeks of airing out in a room with the windows open 24/7 the smell is still there and is too strong to be in the same room with. I think it’s very musty and earthy and I immediately thought of a barnyard so I assumed it was the wool but Avocado customer services says it’s the latex (so the vegan one would be no better). Would love to hear from others so we know whether to try to exchange it for the vegan one or just return it.
(I should also point out that their customer service has been super and friendly and very helpful – and the mattress itself, in the five minutes I was able to test it out, seems very comfortable).
Chad, there are comments on the YouTube video, which you might find helpful. You can read them here: https://youtu.be/XVSMqmPPW9M
I got an avocado mattress recently and it was way too firm and I normally like firm but I had no idea this was really firm, so I ordered the plush topper and it is super smelly also all the wool is coming out everywhere and poking me through my sheets and is super itchy. Has anyone had this wool coming out everywhere problem? I am going to give it a little more time and get a mattress cover but I am so bummed because I spent so much money and really want to love this mattress but I’m not loving it yet. It is way more comfortable now with the plush topper for sure tho. I had to wait about a month on each order. I am worried that if I do a return I won’t be able to find anyone to donate it to especially during this pandemic. I am now wishing I ordered the vegan one.
My experience with Avacado was very similar. Once it arrived and was installed, the smell was instantly overbearing. To me it smells like a goat farm. Yes I grew up partly on a farm with a goat. Additionally the mattress was Very firm- even with the pillow top option. I tried it only for one night and had no sleep because mostly of the smell. I’m in the process of returning it right now. They can’t do phone calls because of the virus. They said no one ever complains about the smell, however apparently they do. It’s now been sitting in another room in my house Waiting to be picked up for a week , and it still smells. In fact my cat was sitting on it a little ago, and he smells like it now!
@Debbie,
Did they make you wait one month before you could return the mattress? This is what my daughter was told. Her green king size mattress also stinks like a pig farm. They told her that it was natural.
My husband and I absolutely love our California King pillow top Avocado mattress! They are such a wonderful company to deal with. They are prompt in texting and calling you back.
I have asthma and very bad allergies , but had no reaction to the mattress. We didn’t find any odor from the mattress when we got it and immediately put sheets on the bed.
My husband and I have bad backs but the Avocado was perfect! My husband has said many times that waking up from the Avocado is so nice because his back does not hurt nor does mine!
I was worried about the pillow top being too soft but it was perfect for both of us!
Can’t say enough good things about Avocado. We love our mattress. I just reread what I wrote. Everything I wrote is true. You can get in touch with us to verify if you wish.
Vivienne
Yep, I agree that Avocado is a great company! But some people are just more sensitive to some materials. I had the same reaction as many other users have had. But am glad that there’s lots of people that have no reactions at all! Enjoy your nontoxic bed!!!
We have had our Avocado Mattress for about 1 month. We did not get the topper as we prefer a firmer bed. Both my husband and I are very happy and sleeping well. We also have the pillows and for the first time in years I do not wake up with a stiff neck. My only comment is that I can’t get rid of the smell. It is not the packaging odor but rather what you described as hay or cardboard. It is not bad enough to stop sleeping on it but I sure wish the smell would go away. Overall, the good outweighs the bad and we would recommend this product.
Yes, there are many people that love their Avocado mattress! Interesting that you can smell it, too, but don’t have the reaction that other people do. Yes, I wish that smell was not there, as well. Glad you are enjoying yours! I really do love the mission of the company.
Thanks for the detail! Do you know of another latex mattress that doesn’t have the wool flame retardant barrier? I checked Sleep on Latex out, but they all had the wool. Can you tell me why you decided to get rid of your Sleep on Latex mattress? I remember you said they were great and you had no allergic reaction.
Hi Christine! I do still have my Sleep on Latex mattress. Yes, it is a wool and cotton cover on the mattress. I would recommend this Natural Bliss Latex Mattress with Organic Cotton Cover (affiliate link): http://shrsl.com/1p6y7 I have worked with this company for a while, and this particular mattress is wool-free and animal-free. The fire protection comes from a blend of plant fibers. Otherwise, it’s very similar to what I use. And their return policy is very good, so if you find that you don’t like it, no worries!
I just bought an Avocado Vegan mattress and have been having allergy symptoms. Immediately upon laying on it, my right nostril clogs up. I get so congested! I never get headaches, and I usually get a slight one when I’m on it any length of time. I had welps all over my torso after sleeping on it one night. I was afraid it may be bedbugs, but it wasn’t. I chalk it up to allergic reaction. In addition, I go into such a deep sleep, I can barely get myself out of the bed. I am not sure that’s a good thing. It’s almost like I’m drunk. If I sleep on it more than two nights in a row, I getting ill like I have the flu. You’re right – customer service is amazing. I am going to the doctor to see if I truly have a latex allergy or something else. I’m allergic to wool as well, and the Avocado customer service rep advised that the tufts are made of cotton, not wool. I don’t know what it is. I am heavier, so I find the bed extremely comfortable and am sad that it looks like I am going to have to give it up. Can you give more detail about your symptoms when you slept on the Avocado? Did you have congestion? Was it hard for you to wake up and move?
Christine, I understand! I don’t know why some people have such allergic reactions to this bed and others love it. If I could pinpoint the allergen (and I have tried), it would be beneficial to know.
For me, the pounding headache and sinus congestion pretty much summed it up. I was so disoriented and had such a stuffy head that I felt I couldn’t think straight. And since I wasn’t sleeping at night (unlike you), it was dangerous to try to function like normal for days feeling so bad. I was so exhausted after sleeping on the bed for 3 days that I just couldn’t stand it anymore.
Flu-like symptoms sound about right, but I never felt as bad as the flu where I couldn’t get up and out of bed. I think my skin itched, but quite honestly I can’t remember. I do know that I tried one of their pillows a few months later (I like to be able to review natural bedding for my readers) and had the exact SAME experience just having the pillow near my head and not sleeping on it. Instantly started coughing and got a scratchy throat.
The brand has very high safety standards for being non-toxic from some very reputable certifying agencies. So I don’t doubt that the materials are among the best. However, something in the materials used is creating an allergic response in some people, and I would like to know what that is to avoid it. (I did have the wool one, so if you tried the vegan mattress and had the same reaction, that is interesting. The pillow doesn’t have wool, either, and I had the same reaction to it.)
Sending you a different email address because I’m not getting yours.:(
Thanks again for reply! Feel free to email me (if you have access to my address) if this isn’t the best place for all these questions. Sounds like we have similar pillow issues too. I need a lot of support also. I will keep an eye out for any future pillow reviews from you.:) I’m about to order the SOL mattress. Trying to decide between King or split king & which firmness. I am leaning towards medium but am nervous because the reviews are confusing. The Avocado (no topper yet) is causing numbness in my back & hubby’s limbs because it’s so firm!
Will email you now! I have walked many people through the process of buying their beds and always recommended a medium. No one has come back and said it was too hard or too soft. But that’s everyone’s judgment call.
Not sure if you’ve had time to email or not (no worries if you haven’t – I just haven’t seen one come through). But I am curious if sleeping on a mattress that works better for you (SOL) has improved your fibromyalgia symptoms?
I did email this morning! It shows sent. I don’t think that the mattresses necessarily totally improved my fibromyalgia symptoms. I think cleaning up my home environment in general, which also includes a more natural mattress, is what really has been the key to clearing up fibromyalgia symptoms. Which is why I’m so passionate about the blog and sharing information on how to create a non-toxic home. But certainly a natural mattress has been a key component. (If you didn’t get my email, send me an email through the contact form on my website and maybe I can reply easier.)
Just wondering if you got my email? I’d love to know how you like your new bed and mattress topper!
Can I ask what mattress did you go with? I’m on my third mattress trying to find the right one and my story is similar to yours , I need a soft non toxic mattress but the price for all the ones recommended are outrageous.
Hi Pam! Yes, I ended up buying another Sleep on Latex mattress. I found their prices have come down recently and they are affordable. Here is my Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2Nx7DvA I already had tried their mattress years ago, but it is in storage. That’s why I had to buy another. My original review of Sleep on Latex can be found on this site – just search for Sleep On Latex in search bar (upper right on desktop, at the bottom of the page on mobile).
Hi – I just stumbled on your review & so glad I did. We have had the Avocado mattress for several weeks now & as much as I REALLY want to LOVE it, we are struggling. Both my husband & I have had increased allergy symptoms since sleeping on it. Not as severe as yours but very distinctive (& he rarely gets a sniffle). I just couldn’t believe that we would both be sensitive to a “natural” mattress so I have been writing it off to the high ragweed pollen count in Tennessee currently. Like you, I have multiple health & sensitivity issues & didn’t realize that our old Tempurpedic could be contributing to some of my problems until recently. So, I really want to get this mattress choice right & am now more confused than ever since a lot of the more natural choices have similar ingredients (latex, wool & cotton.) So, I suppose my question for you is do you still LOVE the Sleep On Latex mattress that you got? (Oh, the Avocado is much too firm for us as well. We are waking up hurting or numb in places that we were not before. But I am not waking up hot & sweaty like I was on the Tempurpedic.) I’m just afraid to take the plunge on another latex mattress but it sounds like it works for you.
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Julie! So glad to hear that I’m not the only one although I wish you weren’t having problems as well. Yes, I really want to love Avocado Green mattress, too, and I think they’re a great company with a great mission! But something in that mattress set me off just like it apparently is setting you off as well. Yes, there’s a lot of mattresses that all have the same ingredients, including the Sleep on Latex mattress that I currently am using. However there’s got to be some sort of difference in the processing or ingredients. I wholeheartedly and still very happily am sleeping on my Sleep on Latex mattress and I encourage anybody else to do so, too. I agree that the firmness of the previous mattress of a different brand was causing pain and health problems that I never had had before. The Sleep on Latex mattress, I have the medium firmness in a 9 inch thickness, is one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept on. With my back issues and fibromyalgia and joint pain, I do not have any pain and I sleep well without pain. Bonus points that if you order with them you get shipping usually within 48 hours, as well, depending on the mattress size. I do not get any money from recommending Sleep on Latex unless you buy it on Amazon (I wish I could!) it’s just the one bed and mattress that I’ve had the most success with over more than a decade, and I’ve been researching a lot of beds. But I do you have plans to try a few more different types of mattresses in the future, perhaps, so I will definitely keep everybody updated on new blog posts!
THANKS so much for your reply! I think we are going to give SOL a try. Also need new pillows. Are you still on the Naturepedic?
Julie, It’s so weird that you ask! I have been on Naturepedic since I got their pillow. But I feel the cushioning and support has finally given out. I am thinking of trying Sleep on Latex’s pillows. I have tried Essentia’s pillows (search the site for that review), too. I just need a lot more support than most pillows provide. I can’t stand the flat pillows. So that’s on my list of things to try out.
Wow. What an experience. So sorry it didn’t work out for you. I’m sure that was frustrating. Hope you have a found a mattress that works for you.
Awwww, thanks, Mikki! Yes, it was frustrating but a learning experience. I have found a mattress that I love now. And the Avocado Green Mattress has been donated to a family in desperate need, so it’s a win-win situation now!
I have an Avocado mattress now for 2 weeks and have never slept better. I purchased the separate Pillow top. Sorry you had a negative experience.
This is the best mattress I have ever slept on and only problem is that I find it hard to get out of bed in the morning. The customer service was excellent and patient with all my numerous questions. I am a side and back sleeper. I am using it with an adjustable bed frame.
Phyllis, I’m glad to hear that you are enjoying your Avocado Green Mattress! I have no doubt that they are perfect natural beds for many people! I’m just not one of those people, but I highly recommend the company due to their customer service!
Can you please describe the smell? Was it like hay or a “barnyard” smell? Mold?
Saro, I would say more like hay or cardboard. I wouldn’t say mold. But definitely earthy and like mushrooms or hay.
In fairness, although there is a standard FTC disclosure on this page, it should be noted that Get Well Be Green is a paid affiliate for Naturepedic and Happsy, and not for Avocado.
I am a paid affiliate for your brand, as well, Mr. Abrials. In fact, your company reached out to me to be an affiliate. I have sold multiple beds as people appreciate my honest review. I am an affiliate for all natural bedding products that I believe in. I have said repeatedly that I believe in Avocado Green Mattress as a great alternative. It’s just not a great fit for me because of allergies.