In pursuing the best mattress, it’s essential to know your options and how they stack up against each other. That way, you avoid trying out a mattress that doesn’t suit your sleeping preferences.
This is why I’ve compared the Emma Comfort vs Koala mattress, showcasing their strengths and weaknesses. You’ll see how each mattress feels and behaves to pressure and weight, helping you choose which would serve you better.
Let's take a look.
Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress: Our Rating
| Emma Comfort Score | Koala Score | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 9.5 | Off-gassing |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | Firmness |
| 8.5 | 7.5 | Cooling |
| 9 | 9 | Sinkage |
| 10 | 9 | Response |
| 9.5 | 9 | Bounce |
| 8.5 | 9.5 | Edge Support |
| 9 | 10 | Motion Transfer |
| 9 | 8.5 | Sex (Sinkage + Edge Support + Cooling /3) |
| 8.77 | 8.72 | Overall Score |
Emma Comfort Versus Koala Mattress: Construction and Design
Our comparison between the Emma Comfort and Koala mattresses starts with their construction and design and how they differ and are similar.
| Layer | Emma Comfort | Koala |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | The Emma Comfort’s cover is made of polyester and elastane for an excellent mix of stretch and softness. The polyester doubles as a moisture-wicking fabric, keeping you dry and comfortable at night. I enjoyed how the cover was easily removed in less than 10 seconds, allowing me to wash it and keep my bed feeling fresh. | The Koala’s cover is made of Tencel and polyester, which blends a mix of coolness, softness, and moisture-wicking properties. It wasn’t as stretchable, but its cool-to-the-touch sensation was pleasant. The polyester and Tencel combination also helped to keep me feeling dry and cool. |
| 1st Layer | The Airgocell memory foam felt conforming and soft, molding quickly to my pressure points. | The Kloudcell memory foam felt spongy and soft, with a slightly firmer feel on the other side as I flipped it. |
| 2nd Layer | The HRX foam base with zoning made me feel evenly supported, and my spine was free of tension. | The 3-Zone Support foam offered well-balanced support that aligned my hips and neck with my spine and lumbar. |
The most prominent differences between the Emma Comfort and the Koala’s construction and design lie in its cover and first layer. The Emma Comfort’s cover is removable, while the Koala’s is not. That makes the Emma Comfort the better choice for sleepers who want an easier time keeping their bedroom clean.
Regarding the first layer, The Emma Comfort’s Airgocell feels more conforming and soft, while the Koala’s Kloudcell is dense, spongy, and flippable. The Koala is the winner in adjustability. However, the Emma Comfort wins in fast-adaptive, pressure-relieving comfort.
That makes the Koala better for sleepers who prefer flexibility in their comfort levels, and the Emma better suited to sleepers who want a soft, unrestricted feel.
The most significant similarity between The Emma Comfort and the Koala is its supportive layers. The HRX foam in the Emma Comfort and the 3-Zone Support foam in the Koala share similar zoning technology. I noticed both collapsed more under my shoulders, so I was more comfortable sleeping on my side. That makes both suitable for sleepers who want ergonomic, targeted support that can make side sleeping more comfortable.
Also Read: Emma Comfort Mattress Review
Unboxing and Off-Gassing of the Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress
The unboxing and off-gassing of the Emma Comfort and Koala were very similar, with the Emma Comfort taking 2-3 hours and the Koala mattress taking 1-2 hours.
The Airgocell memory foam has more of a ‘manufacturer’ smell than the Koala’s Kloudcell foam initially, contributing to its slightly longer off-gassing period. However, I had both in a well-ventilated room while reviewing each mattress, which helped speed up the process.
The Koala scored slightly higher than the Emma Comfort in this category, taking about 1 less hour to off-gas completely. It earned a slightly higher score of 9.5, 0.5 points higher than Emma Comfort’s rating of 9. That makes the Koala better for sleepers who are sensitive to off-gassing smells.
Also Read: Koala Mattress Review
Firmness of the Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress: How Does it Feel?
The Emma Comfort and Koala feel incredibly similar, with some slight variations noted below.
| Emma Comfort | Koala |
|---|---|
| The Emma Comfort has a rating of 6.5 for comfort, with an excellent amount of sinkage that cushioned me in a cloud. I felt like I was ‘in’ instead of ‘on’ my mattress, yet I still had enough support for my spine. | The Koala has a rating of 6.5 on its firm side and 7 on its firm side. I felt incredibly spongy on the dense memory foam, sinking in slightly less on its firmer side. There was an emphasis on spinal support that my back enjoyed. |
Airgocell foam is softer than Kloudcell foam, giving the Emma Comfort a more conforming and cradling feeling than the Koala. That makes the Emma Comfort the better option for fans of a pressure-relieving, soft, cradling foam feel.
Koala’s versatility gives it both a softer and a firmer side. However, both sides feel slightly firmer than the Emma Comfort, which helps encourage healthy spinal alignment. The Koala’s firmness best suits sleepers who prefer one of the best firm mattresses and more emphasis on a straighter spine.
Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress: Cooling Features
Coolness is critical to avoid waking up hot and sweaty at night. This chart shows the similarities and differences between the Emma Comfort and Koala regarding cooling features.
| Model | Temperature | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Emma Comfort | 31.7 Celsius | The Airgocell memory foam is open-cell, helping to channel heat away. I felt reasonably cool, and my temperature remained neutral, earning a rating of 8.5. |
| Koala | 31.6 Celsius | The Tencel cover is cooling, and the Kloudcell foam is open-cell, helping to disperse heat. I never experienced night sweats and was comfortable and dry at night, earning a rating of 7.5. |
Cooling is incredibly similar between the Emma Comfort and Koala. The critical difference between the two is that the Emma Comfort is more conforming, leading to more skin contact and heat build-up. The Koala has less sinkage and a cool-to-the-touch cover, making it slightly more cooling.
Out of the two, the Koala is the slightly better option for hot sleepers, despite its scoring. However, both options offer a moderately cool surface and avoidance from heat and moisture build-up thanks to the polyester in both covers. So, both options will work for sleepers who prefer staying dry at night.
Sinkage of the Emma Comfort and the Koala Mattress
Sinkage is critical for the comfort of a mattress and is heavily determined by the type of mattress firmness a bed has. More sinkage typically means more weight redistribution, while less is better for spinal support. Typically, a good rule of thumb is having 2 inches of sinkage, which gives the shoulders and hips enough space to sink in and feel relieved of pressure.
The Airgocell foam layer of the Emma Comfort is very cradling. However, I felt balanced out by the HRX foam below for an even, cushioning effect. I was softly held and cushioned in these layers, and was very comfortable. In light of my tests, I measured a sinkage of 2.2 inches, earning the Emma Comfort a rating of 9.
The Kloudcell foam layer of the Koala is incredibly dense, leading to less sinkage than other memory foam models like the Emma Comfort. I felt spongy and cushioned on its soft side and more spinal support and uniform stability on its firm side. From my tests, I measured a sinkage of 2.05 inches on its medium-firm side and 1.93 inches on its firm side, earning an overall rating of 9.
Despite the similar rating, the Emma Comfort has more sinkage than the Koala’s both firmness sides. That makes the Emma Comfort the better option for fans of a soft, enveloping memory foam feel.
Response of the Emma Comfort Versus Koala Mattress
Response ties into how easy it is to move across the bed’s width and how pressure-relieving a mattress is. The Emma Comfort has a slightly faster response due to its Airgocell foam, while the Koala has a slower response timing.
My tests indicate it took the Emma Comfort only 0.2 seconds to recover from compressions, earning a rating of 10 in this category. I had incredible ease of movement despite enjoying the soft sinkage of this model.
From my tests, it took the Koala 0.7 seconds to bounce back on its medium-firm side, and 0.5 seconds on its firm side. I gave this model a 9 in this category, as I felt more of a body cradle with a slight delay that I could sink into.
Despite having more sinkage, the Emma Comfort is easier to move around and shift positions in. The Emma Comfort better suits sleepers who enjoy a fast-acting feel and effortless movement.
On the other hand, the Koala’s slightly slower response is better for a pressure-relieving feel that doesn’t inhibit movement much. The Koala better suits sleepers who prefer a traditional memory foam feel.
Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress: Bounce
Bounce is a challenge for some of the best memory foam mattresses to pull off due to the lack of coils, but the Emma Comfort and Koala do well in this category. The Emma Comfort has more bounce, while the Koala has less.
In light of my tests, the Emma Comfort had a bounce height of 11.5 inches. This is incredibly high, rivaling even latex, as the Emma Comfort has a higher bounce than the Peace Lily, an all-latex model, by 1.74 inches. I gave the Emma Comfort 9.5 in this category and enjoyed the slight springiness of the foam that made shifting positions effortless.
The Koala focuses on spinal support, so it's firm and dense foam doesn’t lend itself as well to bounce. From my tests, I measured a bounce height of 7.4 inches, which earned a rating of 9.
Regarding bounce, the Emma’s Airgocell foam is more responsive, making the Emma Comfort the better option for sleepers who need effortless movement across the mattress width.
Edge Support of the Emma Comfort and the Koala Mattress: Is it Supportive?
Edge support ties into how stable and secure the edges feel when sitting or lying along the edges and is critical for a safe and reliable bed. The chart below shows how the Emma Comfort and Koala mattresses in a box perform in the edge support category.
| Model | Edge Support | Score | How it Felt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Comfort | 4.6 inches | 8.5 | There is slightly extra sinkage that makes the edge sink further than the recommended 4 inches, but I still felt moderately stable and secure. |
| Koala | 3.5 inches on its medium-firm side, 3.2 inches on its firm side | 9.5 | The firmness of the Koala translated to sturdy edges, and I could sit on the edge without worry. |
The Koala has better edges than the Emma Comfort due to its firmer Kloudcell foam, making it the better option for sleepers who need stable, reliable edges and worry-free sitting. This also allows sleepers to hug the edge of the bed while lying down without worrying about accidentally slipping off.
Excellent edge support is more prominent in top-rated twin and queen mattresses, where edge support is consistent no matter the size of the mattress.
Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress: Motion Transfer
In this Emma Comfort vs Koala comparison, motion transfer directly relates to how easy it is for light sleepers to be disturbed by the movements of a restless partner. The Emma Comfort scored slightly lower in this category, while the Koala scored higher.
Derived from my tests, the Emma Comfort absorbed motion up to 3.5 inches from my glass of water, which is moderately high. My partner could feel when I got in and out of bed but remained undisturbed with smaller movements, such as changing my sleeping position. This fair motion isolation earned a score of 9 in this category.
In my other tests, the Koala absorbed up to 2 inches on its medium-firm side and 2.5 inches on its firm side. To my delight, my partner couldn’t feel it when I got in and out of bed. I gave this mattress a solid 10 in this category due to its dense foam that isolated motion excellently.
The Koala performs slightly better than the Emma Comfort for motion isolation, making the Koala a better choice for restless couples or sleepers who get disturbed by a partner’s movements easily.
Also read: Ecosa vs Koala
Emma Comfort vs Koala Mattress: Performance for Sex
Performance for sex heavily relies on a mattress's sinkage, cooling, and edge support. In this Emma Comfort vs Koala comparison, we will discuss how each mattress scores in this category.
| Category | Emma Comfort | Koala |
|---|---|---|
| Sinkage | 9 | 9 |
| Cooling | 8.5 | 7.5 |
| Edge Support | 8.5 | 9.5 |
| Score for Sex | 9 | 8.5 |
Despite having better edge support than the Emma Comfort, the Koala’s coolness causes its score to dip down slightly lower than the Emma Comfort. Considering these factors, the Emma Comfort is a slightly better option for active couples who want a responsive, well-rounded mattress.
How It Feels for Different Types of Sleepers
A mattress differs widely in terms of comfort depending on how heavy a sleeper is or if they prefer a softer or firmer mattress.
A preferred sleeping position also factors in, as some mattresses work better for certain sleeping positions than others.
I test and compare the Emma Comfort and Koala in the side, back, and stomach sleeping positions, sharing which works best for which type of sleeper. For reference, I am an average-weight sleeper.
Side Sleepers
While on my side, the Emma Comfort felt comfortable and relaxing, with enough sinkage to cushion my shoulders and hips. I could lie comfortably without tension or pressure build-up, and I felt the HRX foam firming up nicely under my hips.
The Emma Comfort suits light, average, and heavy-weight side sleepers comfortably.
The Koala mattress feels spongy and firm under the shoulders and hips, with enough cushioning for moderate weight redistribution and pressure relief. I felt comfortable while being cradled by the dense Kloudcell foam.
The Koala mattress may feel slightly firm to lightweight side sleepers under 130 pounds, but well suits average and heavyweight side sleepers.
Out of the two, the Emma Comfort suits side sleepers more due to its deeper sinkage and soft, cradling effect.
Back Sleepers
The soft cradling of the top layers of the Emma Comfort was well-balanced out by the HRX foam. I felt excellent support for my spine and hips while on my back. I also enjoyed cushioning that filled the lumbar of my back, and I was evenly supported.
Lightweight and average-weight sleepers will enjoy sleeping on their back with the Emma Comfort. However, heavier sleepers over 230 pounds may find their hips sink in too much.
I was straight and evenly supported while lying on my back with the Koala mattress. The bed felt firmer, especially on its firm side, which helped keep my hips, lumbar, and spine in ideal alignment.
Sleepers of all weight categories will enjoy sleeping on the Koala while on their back.
Stomach Sleepers
The HRX foam felt more supportive in the center third of the mattress, keeping my hips suspended and supported while on my stomach. I enjoyed adequate support while sinking into the soft layers.
Light and average-weight sleepers will feel enough support when stomach sleeping on the Emma Comfort. However, heavier sleepers over 230 pounds may find their hips sink too much.
Out of the medium firm and firm sides of the Koala, the firmer side is better suited to supporting a stomach sleeper. However, I felt adequately supported with my hips lifted while resting in the stomach sleeping position.
Lightweight and average-weight sleepers will feel enough support when sleeping on their stomach with the Koala. However, heavier sleepers over 230 pounds may find the Kloudcell foam compresses too much for their hips to get the right level of support for a neutral spine.
Sleeping Positions: Summary
| Sleeping Position | My Experience with the Emma Comfort | My Experience with the Koala |
|---|---|---|
| Side Sleepers | I experienced excellent pressure relief for my shoulders and hips that was ergonomically sound due to its HRX foam. | I was comfortable enough on both firmnesses of the Koala, with enough sinkage to keep my shoulders and hips free of tension. |
| Back Sleepers | I experienced excellent spinal alignment while on my back and was cushioned and free of tension. | I felt pleasant and firm support for my spine while on the Kloudcell foam and supportive base. |
| Stomach Sleepers | I was well-supported, without my spine bending awkwardly, and could comfortably rest while on my stomach. | While stomach sleeping on the Koala, I preferred the firmer side. However, both sides were adequate to keep my hips lifted and spine neutral. |
Emma Comfort, Recommended For:
- Sleepers who prefer a budget-friendly price. The Emma Comfort is slightly more affordable than the Koala, making it more suitable for tight budgets.
- Active couples. The Emma Comfort has an excellent bounce, making movements easier for active couples.
- Sleepers who prefer ease of movement. The fast-acting Airgocell foam is better suited to fans of a modem memory foam feel.
Koala, Recommended For:
- Restless partners. The Koala’s dense, spongy Kloudcell foam absorbs movement incredibly well, making it better suited for restless partners.
- Fans of a firmer feel. The Koala’s firm and dense foam layers can provide better spinal support, ideal for sleepers who prefer a firmer sleeping surface.
- Sleepers who prefer robust edges. The Koala’s durable edges can ensure there is no accidental slippage when sitting at the edge.
Other Important Information
Essential information to know about the Emma Comfort and Koala mattresses resides in their pricing, warranty, and sleep trial.
Price
In the Emma Comfort vs Koala comparison, the Emma Comfort comes out on top for having a better price. This is a difference of $240, making the Emma Comfort a slightly better option for budget-conscious sleepers.
Warranty
I’m happy to point out that both mattresses come with a 10-year warranty. That means, whether you prefer the Emma Comfort or the Koala, you will be covered for 10 years when choosing one or the other. It also means both companies will stand by their products, designing them to outlast their warranty.
Sleep Trial
The Koala is the victor regarding the length of sleep trial at 120 nights. This is 20 nights longer than the Emma Comfort’s trial, which lasts 100 nights. If a longer sleep trial is preferred in your home to try the mattress risk-free as long as possible, the Koala is the better option.
Summary
It can be a challenge to decide between two excellent mattresses. Hopefully, this comparison has helped determine which mattress suits specific sleepers better.
In general, the Emma Comfort scores slightly higher and is a softer and more comfortable mattress that I prefer over the Koala. The Emma Comfort suits budget-conscious sleepers more, while the Koala is better for restless partners who want more motion isolation.
What are your thoughts on the Emma Comfort and Koala mattresses? Let us know in the comments below!
Emma Comfort Pros:
- Excellent price point;
- Excellent bounce for active couples;
- Excellent pressure relief from its cradling sinkage;
- Easy-to-remove cover;
- Excellent fast-acting foam for ease of movement.
Emma Comfort Cons:
- No dedicated cooling technology, like Tencel;
- Heavier stomach sleepers don’t get enough support.
Koala Pros:
- Excellent motion isolation;
- Excellent spinal support from its firmness;
- Excellent edge support from its dense Kloudcell foam and base;
- Excellent slow-adaptive foam for a pressure-relieving response;
- Excellent zoned support for ergonomic cradling.
Koala Cons:
- Non-removable cover;
- Too firm for lightweight side sleepers under 130 pounds.