Score Breakdown
Pros and Cons
The famous saying goes, "Money can’t buy happiness," but those who know the full quote understand it certainly helps. A recent CNET survey found that six in 10 Americans would consider investing in a better sleep setup. More specifically, 46% are willing to spend on better mattresses or bedding for a good night’s sleep.
We've always appreciated Nolah's mattresses' signature memory foam feel and reliable structure. Throughout the years, we've recommended its Original 10" and Signature 12" to side sleepers and we've only heard positive things back. If you find yourself on the hunt for a mattress that works for just about everyone, check out the Nolah Evolution Hybrid. We recently gave it a try, and it’s different from what Nolah usually does: it comes with a soft pillow-top and lets you pick from three different firmness options.
First impressions of the Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress
When we first received the Nolah Evolution Hybrid, I wasn't sure what to expect from Nolah's first hybrid mattress. I have seen quite a few brands simply take one of its all-foam models and replace the support foam with a layer of coils before making a hotel-style pillow-top mattress -- but Nolah did things differently.
After unboxing the mattress and giving it some time to fully inflate and firm up, I was immediately impressed with its look and feel. How a bed looks isn't all that important because the only time you will typically see the exterior of your mattress is when you're swapping your sheets, but having tested hundreds of beds over six years, I appreciate a nice-looking mattress, and the Nolah Evolution is certainly that, in my opinion.
Despite using the same type of foam, it didn't feel much like the previous Nolah models at all. Instead of having a blended feel somewhere between memory foam and a more neutral, responsive foam, the Nolah Evolution felt like a hotel mattress, and I had a great impression of this mattress from the get-go.
See more: Our Experts Visit 3Z Brands' Factory to See How Mattresses Are Made
Video: Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress review
Watch me review the Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress in this video review.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid construction and feel
The Nolah Evolution Hybrid is a thick mattress, measuring in at 15 inches tall, which means you might want to invest in some deep-pocketed sheets, should you decide to get the Nolah Evolution or any other bed with comparable height.
The bottommost layer is a thin layer of high-density support foam. You won't be feeling this layer when you sleep on the mattress. It's only here so the 8-inch layer of pocketed coils has a stable foundation. These coils are a thicker gauge along the perimeter of the mattress and in the center third to provide reinforced edge support and zoned support. I was recently able to tour the factory where Nolah makes this mattress, along with dozens of others, and see how the coils get made. The coils are exactly what Nolah says they are.
Above the coil layer are two different layers of responsive transition foam, and above the transition foam is a layer of zoned AirFoam. This foam is similar to the main comfort layers found in the Nolah Original 10 and Signature 12, and it has some unique characteristics. It has a similar body-conforming quality to a more traditional memory foam while being much more responsive, providing those other Nolah beds with more of a mixed or blended foam feel.
The Nolah Evolution has a thick pillow-top above the AirFoam, providing a fluffy, responsive pillow-top feel that I would compare favorably to beds I have slept on in hotels. I have a hard time picturing people trying this bed and flat-out finding it uncomfortable.
Firmness and sleeper types
The Nolah Evolution Hybrid is available in three different firmness options: a plush model, a luxury-firm model and a firm model. These firmness profiles give sleepers plenty of options that should fit most sleeping preferences.
The plush model we rated between a medium-soft and a medium on our firmness scale, closer to the medium-soft end of the spectrum. This option will appeal to side sleepers looking for maximum pressure relief.
The luxury-firm model is noticeably firmer than the plush, landing at flat medium, which should work well for most sleeper types, especially couples and combination sleepers.
The firm model will be around a medium-firm, which will appeal to back, stomach and combination sleepers.
The luxury-firm is the most popular and the one I recommend for people sharing this mattress and people who favor their side, like myself, but I think having specialized firmness profiles available is a big bonus.
There is also a variant of this mattress called the Nolah Evolution Comfort Plus that uses extra thick gauge coils and is slightly firmer than the firm model of the base Nolah Evolution (but not by much). This bed is designed to be extra durable and supportive for heavier individuals.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress performance
Edge support
The edge support on this mattress is excellent thanks to the reinforced perimeter coils that I mentioned earlier. Having good edge support is important for couples sharing a mattress because one or both of you could wind up sleeping close to the edge of the bed, and if the edge support is lacking, it can feel like you are going to roll off the bed which is not conducive to good sleep. I don't think couples will have any issues with the Evolution Hybrid.
Motion isolation
If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night because your partner tosses and turns a lot, having a mattress that does a good job of isolating cross-mattress motion is important.
The Nolah Evolution Hybrid is average overall in this category. The support layer is pocketed coils, which have almost entirely replaced traditional innersprings in mattress design. These coils do a much better job at isolating motion, so we don't see this being a deal-breaker for the vast majority of sleepers. But if you're a really light sleeper who wakes up easily when your partner tosses and turns, it could happen more on this bed than others. In that case, you might want to opt for a foam mattress like a Tempur-Pedic.
Temperature regulation
The original model of the Nolah Evolution Hybrid had a darker cover that was cool to the touch. The current model has a different cover that is made of organic cotton and we didn't observe it to be active cooling.
I don't think the cover swap impacts the temperature regulation of the mattress all that much -- the previous version was a bit cooler but the new version should still sleep temperature neutral and not heat up on you much at night. If you do sleep hot on this mattress I think it will have more to do with your overall sleeping environment than the mattress itself.
If you're a hot sleeper and want help from your mattress to sleep cooler you should check out our best cooling beds list.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid pricing
| Size | Measurements (inches) | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38x75 | $1,499 |
| Twin XL | 38x80 | $1,599 |
| Full | 54x75 | $2,299 |
| Queen | 60x80 | $2,499 |
| King | 76x80 | $2,699 |
| Cal king | 72x84 | $2,699 |
| Split king | 38x80 | $3,198 |
As a brand, Nolah tends to set its retail prices fairly high and then offer heavy discounts on its beds for pretty much the entire year. That means the price you see for Nolah is not what you'll likely be paying.
I've watched prices for online mattresses for over six years now and for at least the last two years the typical discount for this mattress is 35% which brings the price down to $1,624 for a queen size. At this price I think the Nolah Evolution is an excellent value. It has a comfortable and accommodating feel with lots of features including multiple firmness options, organic materials and reinforced coils.
Nolah will sometimes sweeten the deal with free pillows and sheets with a mattress purchase, so be sure to check out our mattress deals page for the most up-to-date Nolah deals.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress policies
Free shipping
The Nolah Evolution Comfort Plus is a big, burly and heavy mattress that's roughly 15 inches thick, but it still ships in a box right to your front door, and shipping is always free in the contiguous United States. Because of its size and weight, we recommend having someone else to help you get it out of the box, especially if you get a larger size.
120-night trial
Nolah offers a longer than standard in-home sleep trial of 120 nights. So you get roughly four months to really test out the bed to see if it's supportive enough for you and is comfortable.
Nolah does do something interesting though: It gives you the option to waive the trial period when you order any of its beds to save $100. We wouldn't necessarily recommend this because the trial period makes buying a mattress virtually risk-free, but if you're supremely confident you will love the mattress, the option exists with Nolah and no other brand we've seen so far.
Return policy
Within the 120-night trial period you can return the Nolah Evolution Comfort Plus and get a refund. There's no upfront fee to initiate a return, but it will deduct $99 from your refund, which helps facilitate the mattress pickup process.
Like most brands, Nolah will ask you to sleep on the bed for at least 30 nights before initiating a return. That's because, no matter how nice and well-suited your new mattress is to your sleep type, your body needs a bit of time to adjust to it.
Warranty
All Nolah mattresses are backed by a lifetime warranty, which is above and beyond the usual online mattress standard of 10 years. Keep in mind that with this warranty, and almost every lifetime warranty, the protection is tiered with the most protection in the first 10 years.
Final verdict
The Nolah Evolution Hybrid is a bit of a departure from Nolah's other mattresses, but it's a welcome one. This is a fantastic mattress that will appeal to a wide variety of sleepers thanks to its comfort and accommodating pillow-top feel. It has quite a few features and lets sleepers pick and choose their firmness level. The discounted price also makes it a solid value so I think lots of people will be interested in and happy with this mattress.
If you're seeking out more of a classic memory-foam mattress, a latex foam mattress, a firm bed or a bed without coils, this mattress will probably not be your first choice. But for anyone who wants hotel-style comfort at home, the Nolah Evolution Hybrid is an excellent option.
You might like the Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress if:
- You are a combination sleeper
- You want a responsive pillow-top feel
- You want a mattress with coils for support
- You will be sharing this mattress
You might not like the Nolah Evolution mattress if:
- You are seeking a firm mattress
- You are seeking a foam mattress
- You want a classic memory foam feel
- You are shopping with a tight budget
Other mattresses from Nolah
Nolah Original Hybrid: The newest mattress from Nolah and the most affordable hybrid in their lineup. It uses pocketed coils as its main support layer and a layer of Nolah's proprietary AirFoam as the primary comfort layer. It's about a medium on the firmness scale, so it should work for most people well enough, and it has a neutral hybrid feel that's also accommodating. It is thinner and has fewer comfort layers in comparison to the Nolah Evolution.
Nolah Original 10: The first mattress Nolah ever released is a three-layer foam mattress that's also affordable. It features the proprietary Nolah AirFoam that gives this mattress a unique feel. It's a cross between memory foam and a responsive neutral foam in terms of feel because sleepers will get some of the sink-in, body-conforming quality of memory foam with none of the "stuck" feeling some people experience.
Nolah Original 10
Nolah Natural 11: This bed is the only bed for Nolah that uses natural latex foam in its construction, and it is the primary comfort layer that gives this mattress a distinctive and super responsive feel. Latex foam provides lots of comfort and cushion, but it feels like the polar opposite of memory foam because it's responsive, you don't really sink into the foam and it doesn't conform to your body's shape. Latex foam is a naturally derived foam, although the latex used in this mattress is not certified organic. Other materials in the mattress are certified organic.
How does the Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress compare to similar mattresses?
Nolah Evolution Hybrid vs. Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid
The Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid is a newer mattress from the Leesa Chill line and there is a lot to like about it and it's similar to the Nolah Evolution. The foams are different, but we put the feel in the same category of responsive, fluffy pillow-top, which many sleepers love. The Sapira Chill also comes in three different firmness levels that correspond to the firmness levels of the Nolah Evolution. The biggest difference between the two is that the Sapira Chill is noticeably cooler to the touch and slightly more expensive after discount.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid vs. Winkbed
The Winkbed mattress is one of our favorite pillow-top beds and is also pretty similar to the Nolah Evolution Hybrid. It also comes in three different firmness options and has a comfy, responsive pillow-top feel. It also uses reinforced coils along the perimeter of the mattress and in the center to improve the edge support and provide a bit of zoned support. Both the Winkbed and the Nolah Evolution have a different model that's designed for heavier people. The Winkbed is usually a bit more affordable after discount than the Nolah Evolution, but not by much.