GhostBed Mattress Review | Reasons to Buy/NOT Buy

The online brand GhostBed offers a wide range of mattresses. From more affordable, all-foam beds to high-tier hybrids with patented cooling technology, the brand really does seem to have something for everyone. Nowadays, its lineup even features some quality RV mattresses.

Out of all the beds to pick and choose from, the brand’s flagship mattress is probably the GhostBed Classic. This is a simple, all-foam choice with an accommodating firmness but a rather nuanced construction and feel. In this review, I’ll cover everything that you should know about this surprisingly one-of-a-kind bed. 

First impressions of the GhostBed Classic

Shortly after ordering online, this bed arrived at our space with completely free shipping. It showed up in a tall cardboard box, and similar to any other bed-in-a-box, we dumped out the contents, ripped off the plastic and watched the bed inflate. Since it’s an all-foam mattress, we noticed it looked a little misshapen right out of the box, but it looked completely normal after giving it a full night to sit out on our foundation and expand. 

In the morning, it was mattress testing time. Upon testing responsiveness, it felt a lot different than your average all-foam bed. It was surprisingly quick to respond but also felt dense and viscous the more I pushed into the bed. This was further confirmed when I hopped on. On my back and stomach, I experienced lots of push-back and support, but when I turned to my sides, it conformed to my shoulders and hips nicely with lots of cushion — to me, it felt more nuanced than neutral.

Video: GhostBed Classic Review

Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the GhostBed Classic mattress.

GhostBed Classic mattress firmness and feel

What does the GhostBed Classic mattress feel like?

We’d classify this type of mattress feel as a mixed foam one. The bed’s memory foam transition layer gives you sink-in, pressure relief for your sides, while the top layer of latex foam offers plenty of responsiveness for when you’re sleeping on your back or stomach. Beds like this one, with two completely different types of foam in their constructions, often end up having more of a blended foam feel — while it might sound weird, it is super cozy.   

How firm is the GhostBed Classic mattress?

This bed is right around a medium on our scale, give or take. It presents sleepers with equal parts pressure relief and support, making it versatile enough to work for all sleeper types. Regardless of whether you like to sleep on your back, sides, stomach or some sequence of all three throughout the course of a night, you should be plenty accommodated by this option.

Getting a bed with a neutral firmness level like this is often a safe way to go, especially if you’re unsure as to how firm you want your bed to be. A medium firmness is pretty much the best of both comfort worlds, soft and firm at once. I personally sleep on a bed that’s around a medium, and I really enjoy the level of comfort it provides me with. If you want a super soft option, this isn’t necessarily it, but feel free to check out our Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers list to see some other suitable beds for that preference.

GhostBed Classic mattress construction

This mattress is 11 inches thick and composed of three foam layers:

1. On the bottom, you’ve got a thick layer of dense support foam. This gives the mattress its main support base.
2. Then you’ve got the bed’s transitional layer of gel-infused memory foam, which provides pressure relief for side sleeping and acts as a buffer between the bed’s support and comfort layers.
3. On top, the GhostBed Classic has a layer of latex foam for comfort. This balances out the dense feel of the memory foam below with some responsive and springy comfort.
4. The bed is wrapped in a breathable, soft cover. It’s quite cozy and should help you stay temperature-neutral while sleeping on the mattress at night.

GhostBed Classic mattress performance

Motion isolation

This is an important thing to consider in your next mattress if you or your partner is an especially light sleeper. Sometimes, one person can wake up the other if they move around excessively or get up in the middle of the night. In that case, you’ll want a bed that deadens motion well. We’d say the GhostBed Classic performs fine in terms of isolating cross-mattress movement. I highly doubt you’ll be jostling anyone awake on this particular bed anytime soon.

Edge-to-edge support

For an all-foam mattress, we’d say the GhostBed Classic has good edge support. When you apply your weight to the bed’s perimeter, its support foam and responsive latex foam on top help keep you placed firmly along those edges. If edge support is a key consideration for you or your partner, I’d look into a hybrid mattress that has reinforced coils along the edges instead of just foam. Still, you shouldn’t feel like you’re about to fall off the mattress at any point — phew, what a relief. 

Temperature

As I’ve mentioned, the GhostBed Classic should sleep around the temperature-neutral range. It’s not going to actively cool you down while you’re sleeping on it, but it shouldn’t really warm up on you, either. Most online mattresses perform similarly when it comes to regulating temperature, and it often depends on exterior factors — not just the bed itself. That said, GhostBed as a brand has some other active-cooling beds to consider, and if you want to see even more, you can always check out our Best Cooling Mattress for Hot Sleepers list. 

Durability

The GhostBed Classic should be durable enough to last average body types for at least the next seven to 10 years, if not longer. When it comes to online mattress durability, we usually say that hybrid beds with support coils beat out all-foam support bases in the long run — foam degrades a bit faster than steel coils over time. That said, compared with an ultra-cheap option found on Amazon, this mattress is constructed of a higher quality, which should help to reduce long-term durability issues.      

Who is the GhostBed Classic mattress best for?

Given its nuanced construction and feel, this is not going to be the most suitable bed for absolutely everyone. While most people will find the bed generally comfortable and accommodating, here’s who we think will love it the most.

Sleeping position

Combination sleepers who switch between different positions at night will likely get the most out of the GhostBed Classic. Its medium firmness profile is supportive enough for back and stomach sleepers while being pressure-relieving enough to accommodate most side sleepers. All sleeper types should work out fine on this mattress.

When it comes to more specific sleeping preferences, that’s where things get a bit tricky. If you want an ultra-firm or soft mattress, this isn’t necessarily going to be the bed of your dreams. Most of the beds from GhostBed range around a medium firmness to accommodate a broad spectrum of sleepers, but maybe not all of them. You can always check out our Best Extra-Firm Mattress list if you prefer sleeping on a much firmer style of mattress.

Body type

This mattress is best for supporting average to petite size individuals. Heavier people could get by on this style of all-foam bed, but may prefer a more supportive, hybrid mattress with coils. If you’re on the much heavier side and you’re interested in checking out other ultra-supportive options, feel free to peruse our list of best beds for heavy people. 

One of my favorite things about this mattress is how affordable it is — especially after a discount is applied. As a brand, GhostBed is usually great with the promotions it runs on its beds year-round. Right now, you can expect to pay just shy of $900 for a queen size, which is a great deal for a mixed foam bed of this quality.   

Trial, shipping and warranty

GhostBed also goes above and beyond with its policy set. The Classic mattress ships for completely free in a box, and once it’s in your possession, you get a 101-night trial period to try it at home risk-free. If you happen not to like it within that time frame, you can return it for free and get a full refund. On the other hand, if you decide to keep it, you’re backed by a 20-year warranty. Just be sure to use the right foundation for the bed. Otherwise, you could void your bed’s warranty.

How does GhostBed Classic compare to other mattresses? 

GhostBed Classic vs. Nectar Classic

Aside from the flagship GhostBed, another popular online mattress consideration is the Nectar Classic. Unlike the GhostBed Classic, you get a choice between an all-foam or hybrid version of the Nectar Classic. Compared with the mixed foam feel of the GhostBed Classic, the Nectar mattress has more of a responsive memory foam quality. It’s also a bit firmer, with either support option you go with, and considerably more affordable after a discount. If you’re searching for the option backed with the most consumer friendly policies, Nectar is the clear winner between the two in that department.  

GhostBed Classic vs. Bear Original

Another comparable bed to the GhostBed Classic is the Bear Original, another popular all-foam choice. It’s another three-layer foam mattress, but instead of having a mixed foam feel, the Bear Original presents sleepers with sink-in, memory foam quality that’s also a bit firmer. Bear backs its mattresses with slightly better policies, and it’s also more affordable after a discount. You also have the option to spend up to get the Bear Original with a Celliant cover, which could move the needle for more athletic types.  

The final verdict

The GhostBed Classic is such a popular online mattress for a reason: it presents sleepers with generally accommodating comfort with a twist on mattress feel, which sets it apart from the fray. I’d consider it if you want a bed with a mixed foam feel that’s around a medium, and you’re also on more of a budget when it comes to your next mattress.

You might like this mattress if:

• You’re looking for an all-foam mattress
• You want a mixed foam feel  
• You want a bed that’s a medium firmness
• You want a quality mattress that’s also affordable

You might not like this mattress if:

• You’re looking for a more supportive hybrid bed
• You prefer the feel of a neutral feeling mattress
• You want to spend up on a more premium option
• You’re on a super tight budget