Nolah Evolution 15 mattress review 2024

Nolah Evolution 15 Mattress: two-minute review

Nolah is a well-known sleep technology company in the US which crafts premium hybrid bed-in-a-box offerings at more affordable prices. Launched in 2015, the brand has carved out a niche for itself, using the latest sleep technology to design its superior foam formulations, all backed by a lifetime warranty. But how does the Nolah Evolution 15" mattress fare? 

Extremely well, I think. Thanks to its thick seven-layer construction, those with bad backs and achy joints can expect a good night’s sleep thanks to its firm-but-supportive layers that slightly contour to your body as you dream the night away. The best way to describe a good night’s sleep in the Nolah Evolution 15” mattress? It feels like you're floating. But this sturdy hybrid bed won’t suit everybody. 

I tested out the Nolah Evolution 15” mattress in ‘firm’ – which is the brand’s firmest mattress offering, measuring in at 8 on the firmness scale. It’s great for those who sleep on their back (you'll find it in our selection of the best mattresses for back pain) and it could suit some front sleepers. However side sleepers might find this mattress too firm for their shoulder, hip and knee joints. But one of the best things about this mattress is its customizable firmness options as it’s available in Plush (4-5), Luxury Firm (6-7) and Firm (8). 

Motion isolation-wise, I found the Nolah Evolution 15” mattress to absorb movement really well, so it would be perfect for couples. However, despite its cooling properties, I found the mattress ran hot a few times; adding the Nolah Bamboo Mattress Pad to the mix could help make things more comfortable.

Like many of the best mattresses, Nolah offers a sleep trial for all its beds. While you won’t get a full year to try this out, you will get 120 nights to decide whether it’s for you. If you change your mind, you can return the mattress and get a refund, although $99 will be deducted for shipping. 

• Read more: Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow Review

Nolah Evolution 15” mattress review: Price & value for money

• Premium price tag, even with regular 30% off discounts
• Comes with two free Nolah Squishy Pillows
• Feels high quality, and comes with a lifetime warranty

The Evolution 15 is Nolah's most luxurious, and expensive, bed-in-a-box offering. Officially, the MSRP for a queen size is $2,499, but it's never really sold at that price. Expect around 30% off, which takes that price down to around $1,599 (you won't usually need a Nolah Mattress discount code to save; the promo will be applied automatically). That's in the premium price bracket. To sweeten the deal a bit, you'll get a pair of Nolah's Squishy Pillows for free. 

Here's the pricing for the Nolah Evolution 15, and what you can expect to actually pay:

• Twin: MSRP $1,499 (usually sold at $1,049)
• Twin XL: MSRP $1,599 (usually sold at $1,119)
• Full: MSRP $2,299 (usually sold at $1,609)
• Queen: MSRP $2,499 (usually sold at $1,749)
• King: MSRP $2,699 (usually sold at $1,889)
• Cal King: MSRP $2,699 (usually sold at $1,889)

If you want to shave a bit off that price, you can opt to forgo your 120-night sleep trial, and pay $100 less. This is the only mattress brand I've seen to do this. If you decide to opt for the trial and return the bed before the 120 nights, you’ll get $99 deducted for transportation costs. 

If you're looking for a bigger discount, a good bet might be around national holidays. During the 2023 Black Friday mattress deals, the Nolah Evolution 15 got a 35% discount, which meant a queen size cost $1,624. Nolah also threw in a sheet set and mattress protector, as well as the usual pillows, to amp up your value for money. 

Outside of Black Friday, good times to shop include the Labor Day mattress sales in September, the Presidents' Day mattress sales in February, the Memorial Day mattress sales in May, and the 4th of July mattress sales.

In terms of the wider market, I'd say this mattress offers decent value for money. The materials are high quality (we rate it amongst the best luxury mattresses we've tested), and although it's hard to make a call on durability after just three weeks, I feel like this is a mattress that's built to last. The fact that it comes with a lifetime warranty is also reassuring (not many bed brands offer this). 

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Nolah Evolution 15 mattress review: Design & materials

• 15 inch thick, hybrid mattress 
• Design includes pocket coils and various foams
• Euro-top with organic cotton and cooling fibres

The Nolah Evolution 15 is a 15-inch tall, hybrid mattress, that's available in three firmness options. It ranks amongst TechRadar's best hybrid mattress picks.

At the top, you'll find an organic cotton cover, woven with 'ArcticTex' fibres, designed to promote cooling. It's not removable for cleaning, so you'll want to add a mattress protector. Note that the design of the cover has changed since I reviewed it. 

Beneath the cover, you'll find three layers of different foams, with various cooling and comfort properties. These foams are wrapped in a 'Heat Escape Gusset', designed to allow air to escape (and creating that luxurious Euro-top look and feel). 

Beneath your foams comes the coils – here, eight-inch, pocket coils. These will further boost breathability, by creating space for air to circulate within the mattress. Thicker coils are used around the entire perimeter, as well as in the central third, to offer improved support in these areas. Finally there's a recycled plant fiber foundation layer, which further strengthens its support. The lower cover is made from sturdy fabric, with carry handles and non-slip base. 

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Nolah Evolution 15" mattress review: Firmness & comfort

• Three firmness options: Plush, Luxury firm, or Firm (reviewed here)
• Excellent spinal support and light contouring
• Different options means it can suit pretty much anyone

The Nolah Evolution 15 is available in three feels: Plush (rated 4-5 out of 10 on the firmness scale), Luxury firm (6-7 out of 10) and Firm (7-8). I reviewed the Firm option, and agree with that rating – I think it's an 8 out of 10. To judge the pressure relief more objectively, I placed an 8kg weigh in the middle of the bed. It sank half an inch, which shows how sturdy the surface is.

From the very first moment I first sat on the Nolah Evolution 15 mattress, my body felt comforted and cradled. Because I was reviewing the firmest version, I expected to be greeted by something sturdy, but when I lay down I felt a dreamy balance of comfort, firmness and support. I found the seven-layer construction helped align my spine by allowing my pelvis to ease into the surface, and easing tension through any achy joints. 

As the main tester (around 5ft 5, 132lbs) I tend to switch between sleeping on my back, stomach and side, and I found the Nolah Evolution 15" mattress offered unparalleled support when it came to spinal alignment. I found that this bed-in-a-box offered total pressure relief. When shifting from my front to my back or side, the Nolah mattress seemed to evenly disperse body weight and prevent pressure from building up. 

I also asked a second tester (6ft, around 175lbs, back / side combi sleeper) to try out the mattress. He described the mattress as having some sink to it, without it feeling like he was being swallowed whole. 

Firmness and comfort levels are subjective and can vary from person to person, and differing weights, heights and sleep preferences all have some part to play in this. The great thing about having three firmness options is that you can choose the one that suits you and your sleep style. Typically, this firmest option would be recommended for back/stomach sleepers and those who weight on the heavier side. The Luxury Firm option would suit a wide range of people and positions, while the softest version would only really be a good recommendation for lightweight side sleepers.

Nolah Evolution 15" mattress review: Performance

• Motion isolation was first class; ideal for couples / restless sleepers
• Edge support was up to scratch even when sitting on the border
• Fluctuating levels of cooling 

I slept on the Nolah Evolution 15" for three weeks to test all major areas of performance, from the pressure relief to motion isolation and edge support to cooling. Keep reading to find out what I learned. 

Motion isolation 

Motion isolation is particularly important for those who sleep with a partner, especially if one of them tends to toss and turn in the night, or you have different sleeping schedules. Too much motion in the bed can wake the other person up. 

To test out the motion isolation, I placed a wine glass on the bed and dropped an 8kg weight at 25 inches, 10 inches and 4 inches away from it. This helped to reenact a partner tossing and turning, someone getting out of bed and someone hopping out of bed with some force. 

When the weight was dropped at both 25 and 10 inches away, the wine glass didn’t tipple or move. While when it was dropped from 4 inches away, it did move and eventually topple. 

In the real world, I found this mattress did a good job of absorbing movements, and all but the lightest sleepers will get on well with it. For complete motion isolation, you can't beat one of the best memory foam mattresses – coils do tend to make things a touch more bouncy. Be aware the pay-off will be that all-foam models often sleep a bit warmer. 

• Motion isolation score: 4 out of 5

Temperature regulation 

Those who are hot sleepers will know that being too warm to sleep can be a major sleep disruptor. Which is why many sleep brands focus on creating a bed that disperses the heat as you sleep. 

The Nolah  Evolution 15 has three different layers that work towards cooling. It comes with a high thermal conductivity euro topper and organic cotton ArticTex cover which draws heat away from the body. Its AirFoamIce layer is infused with cooling graphite. While its breathable border gusset helps to rid excess heat. So it’s fair to say it runs cool to the touch. 

But despite sleeping in cotton pajamas, and using a 12 tog duvet with a cotton sheet, I found the Nolah mattress did run hot a few times. So while I'm confident this mattress lives up to its pain relieving and joint supporting qualities, in terms of temperature regulation, it can't begin to compete with today's best cooling mattresses.

• Temperature regulation score: 3.5 out of 5

Edge support 

If you sleep on the edge of a bed, you’ll know how important edge support is. Plus, mattresses don’t come cheap. So for the high price tag, you’ll want to be able to use 100 per cent of the bed’s surface, rather than just the middle. Great edge support also enables the durability of a mattress by preventing premature sagging around the perimeters. 

Nolah’s edge support was more than adequate, giving you the space to sleep on the full perimeter of the mattress without feeling like you’re going to roll off. This was even the case when sitting on the edge of it. This, however, may differ depending on the firmness option you choose. 

To see the edge support with my own eyes, I placed a 8kg kettlebell on the edge of the bed. Much like when I placed the weight in the middle of the bed, the mattress only sunk by half an inch. 

• Edge support score: 4 out of 5

Noah Evolution 15 review: Customer experience

I received a Queen sized mattress in a box and it weighed 115 lbs. Two people were needed to get the mattress upstairs and into the correct room. Once the box was opened, the mattress was rolled and tightly sealed in plastic packaging. I've tested a fair few mattresses and found the levels of packaging to be in line with most other bed-in-a-boxes. However, the hardest part about setting up this mattress was getting it out of its inner wrapping. 

My review model didn't come with handy safe blade to help rid it from its tight air-sealed packaging, so I had to make do with scissors – a task made trickier once the mattress started rapidly expanding from its packaging.

Once all the packaging was carefully cut, the mattress inflated in seconds. It looked almost ready to sleep on, although Nolah recommends leaving the mattress for a couple of hours before sleeping on it. 

My review model emitted some pretty strong odors once the packaging was removed. This is known as off-gassing, and it's harmless but a bit unpleasant (this mattress uses CertiPUR-US certified foams). Off-gassing experiences can vary from person to person, so you might not have the same issue with this mattress. In my case, it took a few hours to dissipate. I cracked open a window and let my mattress breathe before adding my mattress protector and sheets. 

All in all, the setup took around 30 minutes. But if you're short on time, you could opt for the brand’s ‘white glove service’, which means experts will remove your old mattress and set up your new one. There is a fee for this service, but it's good that there's the option there if you need it.

A 120 night trial is included, to give you time to make sure your chosen mattress suits you. That period is about standard, although some brands offer longer. What's more unusual is that you can choose to forgo this trial for a $100 discount on your purchase. If you do decide to return the mattress, there's a $100 deduction for shipping costs (most brands don't charge for returns). 

• Customer experience score: 4 out of 5

Nolah Evolution 15 mattress specs

Nolah Evolution 15” mattress review: User reviews

One of the best ways to see how a mattress fares, is to head straight to the user reviews. The bed is only sold on Nolah’s website where the mattress scores a brilliant average of 4.9 stars out of 5, with pages and pages worth of reviews.

One particular highlight which kept on coming up amongst users was how good the bed-in-a-box was for joint pains and pressure. Many users said that within a week of using, the mattress seemed to ease pains and discomfort, particularly in the pelvic region and back. While some likened the mattress to sleeping on a cloud of comfort thanks to its supportive but cradled feel. 

As to be expected on a brand page, users didn’t highlight many downsides to the mattress. However, a handful claimed they would like this mattress to be a couple of inches thinner, so it would fit their ‘regular’ mattress sheets edge to edge. 

Should you buy the Nolah Evolution 15” mattress?

There’s a lot to love about the Nolah Evolution 15” mattress and at points, it left us wondering what exactly were the downsides. If you suffer with joint pains, a bad back or poor spinal alignment, the Nolah Evolution 15” mattress could help you sleep easily. I thought it was second-to-none at offering the correct spinal alignment along with cradling your body, without feeling like you were being swallowed by its plush and comfortable layers. 

Plus, if you have a sleep partner, I found the mattress to absorb all motion, while providing a comfortable base to sleep on. And the edge support was more than adequate, giving you the space to sleep on the full perimeter of the mattress without feeling like you’re going to roll off. This was even the case when sitting on the edge of it. 

While Nolah claims this mattress to be cooling, it did run a little hot a few times. But that’s not to say I didn’t have many peaceful nights' sleep. We’d also highlight that some side sleepers may find this mattress a little too firm. So do make use of Nolah’s offering of firmness levels. Smaller sleepers – along with most side sleepers – may want to consider the plusher version of this mattress, while heavy sleepers might benefit from the firmest option. 

If you’re still undecided on this mattress, do consider looking at the Saatva Classic Mattress as both beds have many similarities. It comes with great pressure relief from memory foam layers, a 14.5” frame and three levels of firmness to choose from. But you could also consider the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress which offers stable motion transfer, excellent pressure relief and cooling gel foam ideal for hot sleepers.