As a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, I've tested and reviewed my fair share of mattresses (150 in the past year alone!). But there's one specific mattress people always ask me about: The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress. It's an insanely popular model (three of my friends bought one during their last move) and boasts thousands of ratings on Amazon. Plus, it's under $500 for a Queen; a rarity in the mattress industry, where the average price of a Queen-size foam mattress was $1,050 just two years ago.
In this review, I'll break down how it's performed in our tests — including my personal thoughts after sleeping on the mattress — and who it's best for, so you can decide if it's worth the buy.
Zinus Mattress overview
Zinus (pronounced zeen-us) is the most popular mattress brand on Amazon, and the Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress is the number-one best-selling mattress on Amazon. It's also our choice for the best value memory foam mattress.
| Height | 5 in., 6 in., 8 in., 10 in. or 12 in. |
|---|---|
| Mattress type | Memory foam |
| Firmness level | Medium Firm |
| Sizes | Narrow Twin, Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, Short Queen, King, California King |
| Shipping options | Prime shipping or free shipping within a week |
Materials and construction
The mattress uses three layers of foam — including a plush foam on top with a more supportive foam on the bottom — which vary in height depending on the model you choose. Here are the specifics from top to bottom:
- A top layer of contouring memory foam that's infused with green tea and charcoal
- A middle layer of soft, perforated foam for airflow
- A base layer of a high-density supportive foam that acts as a foundation and makes up the majority of the mattress
Note: Although the brand makes certain claims, like having a green tea infusion to keep the mattress fresh and charcoal to absorb moisture, we couldn't validate these in our evaluations.
Firmness and feel
Boasting a medium-firm feel, the 10-inch model is the most popular. The 12-inch style offers a plusher feel, while the shorter models have a firmer feel. Because of its construction, the mattress has an initial soft feel when you first lie down but firms up as the foam sinks in and adjusts to your body.
Who it's best for
I'd recommend the Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress to someone who loves the cradling feeling of memory foam. It performed best for side sleepers and young adults in our tests (so many of my friends bought this as their first mattress out of college). Plus, it comes in a good number of height options from 5 to 12 inches with different weight capacities, so you can choose between a high- or low-profile bed, which is great for someone who uses an adjustable base, trundle or Murphy bed.
How it performed in our tests
We reviewed feedback from over 240 people that own a Zinus mattress (including both our survey panelists and consumer testers), with this model being the most popular amongst the brand's many mattresses. The brand overall received mixed feedback: Some loved the mattress, while others didn't feel like it was the right fit.
The good:
✔️ Comfortable cushioning: The majority of our survey panel loved the cushioning feel of this model, with many praising how "comfortable" it felt. One panelist shared, " I am a side sleeper and it is very comfortable as it just forms around my hip." Another told us, "My joints and back do not feel sore when I'm sleeping or when I wake up."
When I tried out the mattress for myself, I liked how it slowly adapted to the shape of my body for precise pressure relief and support. I found it most comfortable when sleeping on my side and was shocked to find that I didn't wake up in a new position when I typically move around a lot throughout the night.
✔️ Plush yet firm foam: Most users loved the medium-firm feel, calling it "not too hard and not too soft." The top layers of foam slowly sink in around you for an ultra-conforming feel, while the firmer base provides solid support underneath. The caveat is that this makes it feel less responsive, so combination sleepers who often change positions may have trouble doing that with this bed.
✔️ Motion isolation: Foam mattresses excel at isolating motion, rather than transferring it, so you won't feel a partner (or pet) move around on the bed. This was a highlight amongst many of our survey respondents, especially for those who share the bed with someone who wakes up earlier or moves around at night.
The bad:
✔️ Edge support: On the downside, we found it to lack edge support (meaning it sinks in when you sit on the sides). Because of that, it's not ideal for those who need a sturdy edge to sit on when getting in and out of bed or anyone who prefers to sleep close to the edge.
✔️ Not enough support for some: While our testers liked how the mattress contoured to their bodies, not all found it sufficient in terms of support. I personally liked sleeping on my side on this bed, but I wished there was more lumbar support when sleeping on my back and when laying down on my stomach. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the sink-in foam.
✔️ Potential odor: While we didn't notice it in our review, some owners told us the initial smell can take a while to dissipate.
Things to know:
✔️ DIY setup: This mattress comes compressed and rolled up in a box for you to set up at your leisure through standard shipping rather than white-glove delivery. The box I received was tall (about the width of the bed) though slim. The setup process was similar to other boxed mattresses I've tried: You pull out the rolled-up mattress and put it on the bed base, snip and pull away a few layers of plastic before lying it flat and cutting away the plastic. It took me about six or seven minutes to unbox on my own, but your timing may vary. I recommend unboxing with another person if you can.
The annoying part about the Zinus mattress is that you'll need to wait 72 hours for it to fully expand to its intended height before you can start sleeping on the mattress.
Still, many of our testers and panelists preferred this process to traditional delivery, since you don't have to wait around for a scheduled delivery. One said the mattress was "easy to set up and move around the house if needed."
✔️ Longevity: This was a major topic of contention amongst our survey respondents. One user who has slept on it for four years told us, "It doesn't get lumpy or bumpy as the years have gone on." Others noticed dips at the three-year and seven-year points. Another shared, "It has held up well. After six years, [there is a] very slight sag in the center. I sleep well for the most part."
Based on these inconsistencies, it's hard to put a number on the lifespan of this bed, but foam mattresses typically last around five to 10 years in my experience. They're usually not as durable as innerspring beds or hybrid options.
✔️ Sleeping temperature: Memory foam is notorious for trapping heat, and while this model uses a green tea- and charcoal-infused foam on top, we’ve received mixed feedback from users. Some told us it slept hot, while other others said it stayed cooler than other foam mattresses they’ve tried. The brand does sell a cooling memory foam mattress, a version of this model, which has earned good feedback from hot sleepers in our tests.
✔️ Fiberglass controversy: Since last year, Zinus has fully transitioned away from using fiberglass as a flame retardant in its newly manufactured mattresses, and has instead opted for a carbon-rayon sleeve.
There was previously a class-action lawsuit filed against Zinus, which has since been dismissed. Users had said they unzipped the mattress and found that fiberglass — which was used as a flame retardant inside of mattresses — had caused health issues and product damage. At the time of the lawsuit, a Zinus spokesperson told Good Housekeeping that customers should follow label instructions, which includes not removing the outer mattress cover (and the company still stands by this advice, according to the website). The brand also encourages customers to contact customer service if they have questions about how to care for their mattresses.
Bottom line: Is the Zinus Mattress worth it?
Though it got mixed reviews overall, we feel this one is a great pick for someone who's looking to spend as little as possible on a memory foam mattress. Mattress prices have skyrocketed in recent years, with most foam models now costing over $1,000 for a Queen.
It's a good option for those that like the cradling feel of memory foam but still want a medium-firm bed. In our tests, it received the best feedback from side sleepers and young adults, including couples.
On the other hand, the jury is out on longevity, and it might not be supportive enough for some users, so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, especially those with a history of chronic back or hip pain. For someone looking for a bit more support, I'd recommend the Allswell Luxe Hybrid, which has a medium feel and includes coils, though it costs a bit more than the Zinus.
Still, we think the Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress is a solid option in a pinch, especially for a guest bed, and the speedy shipping is hard to beat.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, we've been testing home products for 125 years. We've closely followed the online mattress industry's rapid expansion since 2014 and test dozens of mattresses each year to find the best of the best.
Textiles Product Reviews Analyst Grace Wu currently oversees mattress testing at Good Housekeeping. Wu regularly evaluates mattresses herself, coordinates consumer testing and writes about beds for every type of sleeper. Prior to joining GH, she earned a Master of Engineering in materials science & engineering and a Bachelor of Science in fiber science from Cornell University.
For this review, Wu reviewed feedback from over 240 Zinus mattress owners, including both survey panelists and GH consumer testers, and personally tested it out herself.
Grace Wu (she/her) is a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she evaluates fabric-based products using specialized equipment and consumer tester data. Prior to starting at Good Housekeeping in 2022, she earned a master of engineering in materials science and engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University. While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway.
