Review: DreamCloud Classic Hybrid Mattress

I’ve written numerous reviews of the DreamCloud Classic Hybrid mattress over the past six years of my mattress testing career. It was on my short list of favorites then, and its newest iteration, released in May, still is. This is no small feat, especially given the current supply-chain issues, tariffs, and price increases, all of which can affect the materials (and thus, the performance) of a mattress. Plus, I’m like the Simon Cowell of mattress world—a bed has to work really hard to impress me. And after all this time, DreamCloud is still chugging along.

Dream Build

Photograph: Julia Forbes

DreamCloud follows a hybrid makeup, which means you're getting a combination of foam and coils. In short, that's a whole lot of support. The quilted top provides pressure relief, as well as temperature regulation through its “CloudQuilt” cooling fiber cover. Frankly, it's not outright cool to the touch, but it does a good job of keeping you comfortable. The quilted top isn't exactly a pillow top; it's more like a thin sliver of foam. If you're looking for a true pillow-top experience, consider exploring other DreamCloud models or our other top mattress picks, such as the Bear Elite Hybrid.

The initial CertiPUR-US certified “therapeutic” memory foam layer is what really comes through for you with pressure relief, keeping excess weight from burdening your joints. Beyond that is a foam layer that is designed for spine alignment. It's meant to keep weight distributed, so while the top layer is keeping things cushy, you aren't sinking in so far that your spine is bent out of alignment. This is supplemented by pocketed coils, which rest on a foam base.

Pocketed coils respond directly to the heaviest areas of your body, keeping them lifted. The ones in the DreamCloud Hybrid are also reinforced along the edges, providing double the support when you sleep or sit on the edges. One thing I miss from previous versions of this mattress is the handles that were sewn into the sides. They make setting up and moving on the frame infinitely easier (and that goes for any mattress), so to see them gone on my reliable pick was disappointing.

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Photograph: Julia Forbes

At first glance, DreamCloud's box threw me for a loop when it first arrived. It was shorter and more squatty than the mattress boxes I've received from them in the past—and from other brands, for that matter. I'm 5'10," so mattresses in a box usually come to my chest. DreamCloud's box barely made it to my waist. Looks are deceptive, though, and any time coils are involved with a mattress, it's going to be heavy. The DreamCloud Classic Hybrid and its cute little box were no exception.

I never can seem to resist cheeky, witty marketing, especially when it comes to branding and packaging. Whenever I encounter it, I'm like, “Dang, you got me again” as I add it to my cart. As you unbox the DreamCloud, you'll notice a “3 … 2 … 1” printed on each of the cardboard flaps as you lift them. It's a really unique touch! But DreamCloud seems to have taken a detour to the glue factory when they were getting ready to ship this out—the package wasn't at all easy to open and required a lot of elbow grease. If it wouldn't have meant the end of the mattress, I'd have ditched the box cutter and gotten the axe out of my garage. I'm not exaggerating—it was a lot.

As standard procedure, I got everything set up on the DreamCloud frame (which looked pretty swanky altogether, I must say—like a matching Juicy Couture tracksuit. Check out our whole guide to Japanese joinery-style frames for more). After a solid 24 hours had passed to let the mattress fully inflate, it was time to test. Sleepy time, if you will.

Photograph: Julia Forbes

With previous iterations of the DreamCloud Classic Hybrid, the brand consistently classified it as a medium-firm mattress. In my previous reviews, I usually ranked it as a 6.5 out of 10 in terms of firmness. The brand lists this latest model as just a straight “firm." After sleeping on it for a week, I'd say it's now about a 6.75 out of 10. It's a hair firmer than it was in the past, but I'd put it as neck-and-neck firmness-wise with the Wolf Memory Foam Hybrid Premium Firm. What I would classify as a truly firm mattress is the general firm side of the Plank Firm mattress (which also has an extra-firm side to it, given the flippable design).

I slept on my side, back, and stomach without any problems or pressure relief issues to complain about. However, I don't think there would be enough cushion here if you're of a smaller stature and weigh under 120 pounds. Even the DreamCloud's slight increase in firmness may not be well-suited for your hips and shoulders. But everyone else, listen up. The DreamCloud Classic Hybrid's firmer surface is ideal for weight distribution, so your hips and shoulders should stay grooving on the same level. If one half of the body is sinking in more than the other half, or your hips and shoulders are both sinking in too far, your poor spine's going to let you know at some point via back pain.

This firmer surface is right on target for keeping a surface bouncy (shoutout to my couples in search of the best mattress for sex), which keeps you from feeling stuck in place. If you're like me, flipping among sleeping on my side, back, and stomach, depending on which of my dogs is tagging along, this is a big win.

Value Add

The bottom line: Regardless of one's tax bracket, we all appreciate bang for our buck, and DreamCloud has always delivered in that regard. Whether you decide to get one for yourself or your guest room, I don't think you can do wrong with this mattress. Especially given the fact it's regularly on sale for well under $1,000 for a queen size, has an outrageously long sleep trial, and offers a lifetime warranty. I've never doubted DreamCloud's commitment to quality beds, and I'll continue to recommend them.