Our Zenhaven vs. Helix Bed Comparison for 2024

Written by Jill Zwarensteyn, Editor

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In This Article

Zenhaven vs. Helix: which mattress is better for you sleep needs? Our team of experts is here to help you decide.

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Looking for a bed that’s as unique as you are?

This Zenhaven vs. Helix comparison will look at an all-foam item with the bounce of an innerspring and a hybrid with the motion control of a dense memory foam bed. Made by Saatva, Zenhaven strives to provide a dual-sided luxury experience at an affordable price point. Helix believes everyone sleeps differently and created a wide range of products to suit every color of the sleeper rainbow … with a helpful quiz to help guide you to the proper bed for you.

We also have in-depth reviews for each item available so you can get a better look at the features of each mattress:

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Comparing Construction (Materials & Quality)

Zenhaven Construction

This latex mattress will ship uncompressed so you should be able to use it immediately.

The cotton cover of this 10-inch mattress features a 1-inch wool fire barrier quilted into it to promote temperature regulation. This bed has a Gentle Firm feel on one side, and a Luxury Plush comfort option on the other. We will discuss this mattress as though Gentle Firm is top-side up, as that should be most comparable to the Standard Dusk Helix bed.

• The first layer contains a 1.5-inch Natural Latex Gentle Firm Comfort Layer. This material features 5 zoned areas that should provide both support and pressure relief where your body needs it most.
• The second layer holds a 3-inch Natural Latex Firm Base Layer. This is a Talalay latex material that should provide bounce and conforming support that fills the lumbar region, promoting proper spinal alignment.
• The third layer consists of a 3-inch Natural Latex Plush Base Layer. This section acts as a base for the upper comfort materials. When the bed is flipped to the Luxury Plush setting, it should provide pressure relief to the sleeper.
• The last layer is made up of a 1.5-inch Natural Latex Luxury Plush Comfort Layer that should provide a soft and plush feel when used as the top layer.

Helix Construction

This company offers 9 different feels, 6 of which are available in Luxe versions. Each design is meant to cater to a specific type of sleeper’s needs. We will look at the construction of the Standard Dusk, a medium feeling bed that should offer support for all types of position preferences.

The Dusk uses a latex alternative, foam, and coils. It ships compressed and boxed right to your door.

Related: Best Mattress in a Box

There are two separate covers, combining to create the Helix Two Touch Design cover, on this 12-inch bed. The top is a polyester cover that should feel soft and inviting. The bottom cover is a Jersey knit material.

• The top layer is comprised of a pressure-relieving Helix Dynamic Foam that is 2 inches thick. This is a latex alternative blended with polyurethane. Luxe versions feature a Gel Visco material on top of this to promote cooling.
• The second layer is a 1-inch thick High-Grade Polyfoam. This material is designed to be adaptive, it should compress or pushback depending on the sleeper’s weight to provide personalized pressure relief and support.
• The third layer boasts a Wrapped Coil system that is 8 inches in height. A pocketed design should help the coils to move with you, which should minimize motion transfer while reinforced edges should promote an even feel all the across the bed. Luxe models contain 8-inch coils that featured zoned comfort.
• The base layer 1-inch DurDense Foam that should provide a stable foundation for the upper materials and further dampen vibration from the coils above.

Note: Most of the materials inside the Helix beds should be similar. However, the construction for each model may vary slightly to create each individual feel. The Luxe will be 4 inches taller and contain zoned coils.

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Comparing Firmness (Support & Feel)

Our comfort (firmness) scale should give you an idea of how each mattress should feel. This scale uses a system of 1-10 to determine whether each product should feel soft, medium, firm, or somewhere in between each comfort setting.

Zenhaven’s Gentle Firm boasts a 7 on this scale, while Luxury Plush is rated 4.5. These should feel firm, or medium to medium soft depending on the sleeper’s weight, body shape, and position preference. The upper layers of each side are zoned to provide pressure relief in some areas or firmer support in others.

Helix’s Standard Dusk is scored as a 6, which should feel medium to medium-firm. This company’s line of products lands anywhere from a 2 to a 9 on this scale. Lying on the Dusk should feel soft with ample pressure relief as the materials conform to promote solid lumbar support.

Both brands feature materials that should be quick to respond, which should help to eliminate body impressions right away so that shoppers don’t become trapped as they try to move around. This should be a benefit to combination sleepers who switch positions frequently.

The Gentle Firm version of the Zenhaven is recommended for heavier sleepers as it should provide enhanced support. Helix suggests a weight limit of 300 pounds for an individual shopper, or 500 total for couples. However, Helix does provide the Plus, a Big and Tall model for people with significant weight concerns.

Comparing Sinkage and Bounce

Shoppers should experience a gentle cradle from Zenhaven’s Gentle Firm and a deeper hug when using the Luxury Plush side. Similarly, Helix offers a gentle cradle in their firmer beds, while the softer ones allow the sleeper sink into a deep hug.

Zenhaven and the firmer Helix products should provide moderate bounce, the softer beds should feature minimal bounce but the quickly responding materials should allow combination sleepers to reposition easily.

Comparing Motion Transfer

Traditionally, all-foam beds contain very little motion transfer as the foams absorb energy very well. However, Zenhaven’s latex is quite springy with good bounce, which should allow for medium motion transfer. Innerspring mattresses and hybrids often allow more motion transfer than all-foam products, but the dense layers of surface memory foam in the Helix products should keep motion transfer to a minimum.

Comparing Edge Support

The latex in the Zenhaven item should be quite supportive, which should allow shoppers to lie along the edges of the mattress with a minimal amount of compression that doesn’t cause them to sink too deeply or feel as thought they might slide out of bed. The reinforced edge coils in the Helix products should provide a consistent feel all the way across the bed’s surface. If enhanced edge support is a major concern for you, Helix may be the way to go.

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Zenhaven vs. Helix Compared Side-by-Side

Features	Zenhaven	Helix
Height	10”	12”
Cover	New Zealand wool and cotton	Two covers, one polyester, one Jersey knit
Materials	Talalay latex	High-grade poly foam, micro coils, memory foam, dynamic foam
Cooling	Pinholes in latex, wool	Breathable construction, optional cooling cover
Firmness	4.5/10, 7/10	2-9/10
Support	Great	Great
Motion Transfer	Medium	Minimal
Edge Support	Good	Great
Sinkage	Deep Hug	Gentle Cradling/Deeper Hug
Bounce	Moderate	Minimal/Moderate
Warranty	Lifetime	10 years
Trial Period	365 nights	100 nights
Certifications	OEKO-TEX®	CertiPUR-US®
Adjustable Base Compatible	Yes	Yes
Shipping	Free White Glove delivery service available to the continental United States and parts of Canada	Ships within the United States and Canada
Made in the USA	Yes	Yes

Size	Zenhaven Price (w/o discount)	Helix Price (w/o discount)
Twin	$1,795	$699
Twin XL	$1,995	$799
Full	$2,595	$949
Queen	$3,195	$1,099
King	$3,695	$1,449
Cali King	$3,695	$1,499
Split Cali King	$3,990	N/A

Jill Zwarensteyn

Editor

About Author

Jill Zwarensteyn is the Editor for Sleep Advisor and a Certified Sleep Science Coach. She is enthusiastic about providing helpful and engaging information on all things sleep and wellness.

Combination Sleeper