Beautyrest Black

Black Series Two 16.5" Medium Pillow Top (Model Code: 144073P)

Beautyrest Black Black Series Two 16.5" Medium Pillow Top (Model Code: 144073P)

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Overall

#742 in

Mattress

according to Reddit Icon Reddit

Sentiment score43% positive
3
2
2
Last updated: May 21, 2026

Reddit Reviews

Reddit IconAnime-Fr3Ak365
9 months ago

So with the $700 one, it may have been a used model or possibly a discontinued model. I know with Kingsdown they are made to last 14-20 where as everything else is made to last 7-10 years. Kingsdown is also made with pressure relief in mind. 4k means you are probably looking at the W series at mattress warehouse. It’s got reinforced foam from head to toe (different levels of support) along with a luxury support band in the middle third of the bed for lifted lumbar relief. This isn’t to say the other beds are bad (I sleep on a series 2 medium pillow top but my mother sleeps on the medium Kingsdown in question), but Kingsdown is a cut above the rest. They have been around since 1904 and DO NOT ADVERTISE. What company do you know has successfully been around for over 100 years with no advertising? Because Mattress Warehouse has the Kingsdown, go there. Get a mattress protector with the bed and try it out. They have a comfort exchange. If after 30 days you get it, you get up to date 120 to do a switch. You get full access to what you spent the first time to go toward the second bed of equal or greater value (unlike mattress firm who takes 10-20%). So if you don’t LOVE the Kingsdown, you can upgrade to the series 3 Beautyrest or the sterns. Plus mattress warehouse gives you a price match guarantee. First year from purchase if the bed goes ANY cheaper during a big sale, you call and get a price match refund. Give them an email and you get an email every time there is a new sale. You just call and ask if it’s cheaper, when it is you get a refund. Kingsdown is also known for having amazing support with differing comfort feels. Same pizza, different topping. Their firm plush and euro top models all have the same support system with a different comfort feel. And they are also the only beds that are TESTED before leaving the factory. Every single bed goes through a machine which pressure tests it to the original spec beds that they update every now and again. If it doesn’t pass they doesn’t sell it.

Reddit Iconmusicislife04
27 days ago

Try Beautyrest Black medium pillowtop or medium flat top series 3 or series 2 - husband just got after a long search and he loves it

Reddit Iconrunner1683
2 months ago

Currently dealing with this now. My husband and I purchased a Beautyrest Series Two Plush for $3500 back in late December. Absolute junk!!! We seriously found it comfortable for maybe 4 nights before we started experiencing incredible sinkage with a hump in the middle of the bed. Completely unsupportive and awful back pack ensued. Whats even more alarming is we haven’t even owned it 90 days. Reached back out to our store where we purchased and they “determined” the mattress was defective. Yes, we did our research, yes we spent time at multiple stores and yes, we were willing to shell out the money for a good quality mattress. In the process now of switching to a Firm mattress and just putting our own mattress topper on it. Truly, I think it’s the only way to go with the quality and pricing of mattresses today.

Reddit IconLindenTeaJug
about 2 months ago

I just bought a mattress that I don’t like because it has an awful chemical smell even after a month. At the store they told me I could exchange it (one time) after 30 days, but before 120 das are up. I never bothered to ask about the details on that. I spent more than I normally would and then found out the policy is exchange it for something “equal or greater value, paying the difference” which makes it really annoying because there is really nothing at the store that is equal value, just more expensive, or it jumps down to less expensive. I would ask their very specific policies. After lying down on all these mattresses I got a little too distracted and forgot to ask those questions. In hindsight, I could’ve started at the lower price one I liked and then upgraded it if I didn’t like it.

about 2 months ago

Beautyrest Black 2, I made a post on here and others thought maybe the one I have is defective. I just don’t know. I had a Beautyrest before it and it did not smell at all.

about 2 months ago

Furniture store, it’s regional in only a few states. I bought my last mattress from them and loved it so I don’t think it’s a problem with the store. I was moreso wondering if it had anything to do with the manufacture date of the new one I bought. It was manufactured end of December so it was less than two months old when it was delivered to me so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it.

about 2 months ago

I actually think it could possibly be so many layers of memory foam, maybe they’re glued together and that’s what I’m smelling. Anytime I press on it I smell more chemical.

Reddit Icondarkknightreturns7
3 months ago

Well, not the co-founder, but an integral part of their management team and I would be happy to help. I have slept on and tested several versions of the BR PS 1 and 2. I am a little heavier at 6' and 220 lbs, and for me, I was not impressed at all. That does not mean others will not have success with it, but it simply did not work for my wife and me. I have also found that many people who report issues with this series tend to have very similar complaints. I have coined what I experienced the “swimming pool cover” effect. The mattress uses a perimeter foam encasement, meaning a thick, high-density foam surrounds the spring support system. This is intended to provide a clean, squared-off look and firm edge support, something you are supposedly able to sit on comfortably while putting on shoes or socks. One of the primary issues is the stark contrast between the very firm edge foam and the primary sleeping surface. Once you move off the edge and onto the mattress, the experience changes significantly. The memory foam in the comfort layer is not particularly high quality, and as it warms up, it softens quickly and allows the sleeper to sink too deeply. Over time, this repeated sinking causes the mattress cover to stretch excessively. After several months, the stretched cover begins to take on a permanent sag in the main sleeping area, while the portion of the cover stretched tightly over the firm edge foam remains taut. Most people get into bed by sitting or leaning on the edge, placing a leg, hip, knee, or backside there, before rolling toward the center. By that point, the center has already softened and sunk, much like a swimming pool cover that sags in the middle after rain or snow collects on it. The result is that sleepers tend to roll toward the center, which has become the lowest point of the mattress, and gradually sink together. Great for newlyweds, perhaps, assuming you do not mind overheating while slowly sinking into softening memory foam. I also do not like the fact that when sleeping near the edge, you can end up with part of your body on the very firm perimeter foam and the rest on the much softer main sleeping surface. That mismatch in support and feel is uncomfortable and, in my experience, contributes to soreness. This is not just theory for me. I have a relative and a couple of friends who have purchased this series for their guest rooms, and whenever we stay with them, we consistently wake up with sore bodies. The foundation is your unsung hero of you bedding system. Most mattress folks find that sleepers will spend thousands on a mattress, and then go and by a poorly constructive and supportive foundation, that cripples the mattress. If you had the choice, finding a mattress that is a few bucks less expensive and transferring that expense to the foundation is a much safer and prudent option. An inadequate foundation will kill a good mattress, but a good foundation, can sometimes make an average at best mattress, seem like a luxury.

2 months ago

Do not swap anything yet. 1 week is not enough time to evaluate firmness. It will soften. Call them and ask them to send you a free topper, temporarily, while you adjust. I am very familiar with the Midnight Elite and I own a ThermoBalance Elite (firm) for our guest room, it is a great comfortable mattress. Depending on your height and weight, that will determine how long it will take to adjust to. It’s important to remember that new mattresses often go through a break-in period. The firmness you feel in the first week is usually not indicative of how it will feel once it has settled; most mattresses soften slightly as the materials adjust to your body. Replacing it too soon with a softer mattress/comfort layer can create bigger problems later, like hammocking in the middle or relying on a topper that won’t adequately fix the support issues when a mattress is too soft. Give it a few weeks to fully settle before making any decisions, what feels too firm now may become perfectly comfortable once it has had time to adjust. I have posted about this previously. My daughter tested a Twighlight Luxe and Midnight luxe in a showroom. The Midnight felt firmer because it was new to the showroom floor and the Twilight had been there for almost a nine months. She is \~5'3 135, He is \~5'6 165. I ended up buying them the Twilight Luxe, knowing it would be firm for her. For him the Twilight was great right after expansion, it too her about 3 weeks to adjust (coming off an old mattress that had lost all support- that matters too). Now they both love it. I know everyone wants to feel great right out of the gate, and with some natural fibers that might happen, but synthetics are a bit different. Hang in there. I know it is easy for an outsider to say it, but you will be happier in the long run. Let the trial run 3/4's of it's course, then decide. You can always get a softer insert, but ask them for a topper it should help.

2 months ago

We like a firm mattress. We sleep on the Plank Luxe. I 6' 220 and my wife is 5'4 135. So were are on different sides of the weight spectrum. Having experienced the Helix Plus Elite and the Thermobalance Elite, although they both have heavy duty spring support systems, they are both in the medium-firm 7/10 level. Many folks automatically equate Plus sized mattress with super firm mattresses and that is not the case. I have to say the Thermobalance Elite and Helix Plus Elite feel quite similar. Whereas the Titan Plus Elite (our other guest room mattress) feels more luxury plush before you get to the support layer. Between the Helix Elite and TB Elite, they feel very similar to me. I like them both. Compared to my Plank Luxe, the Helix and TB are much more cushioned. Luxury Firm. Remember the Helix Elite line (except the plus) has ergoalign layer that adds lumbar support in the comfort area and in the spring support layer. This may be adding to the firmness you feel. I would not place much stock in the cooling ribbons. There is certainly science behind the concept, but when you dress the bed up, it is questionable that any of these types of cooling mechanisms as a solution for a hot sleeping bed. You are very light, so it ***will*** take longer for you to break the Midnight in. The gently crawling around on the bed might be a good idea to speed up the softening, but it will take longer at your weight.

2 months ago

Look, the S brands aren’t horrible, but they’re not as good as they once were. They still outsell most other brands, largely because their marketing is very good and they do an excellent job positioning their products. They capture a lot of buyers that way. That said, there’s still a pretty common theme when it comes to complaints. Good spring support, too much foam above them. More foam ends up having more sinkage. Personally, I’m not a big fan of Beautyrest or Sealy and most of the S brand lineup, even as a former owner of Sealy and Serta, but that goes back to 1980's until early 2000's, but not any more, hard pass. My previous mattress was a Sealy Posturepedic, and before that Serta Perfect Sleeper so I do have firsthand experience with them. My mother-in-law had a Beautyrest Black several years ago and the mattress only lasted about 14 months before it developed a pothole in the hip area. She bought it without asking me first. A painful disaster. After that, I ordered her a DLX Mattress Premier Hybrid. I went with a split-internal queen, firm on one side and medium on the other. She ended up loving the firm side. Unfortunately she only got about a year and a half on it before she passed away in November. But the mattress itself was still in perfect shape, no dips, no sagging, no soft spots, nothing. Still like new. That’s one reason I think it’s a great option. Being able to split the internal comfort layer is really useful, and they’re a great company to work with. I also like the GlacierSleep Apex. It has a nice 2" cushion top and sits around a medium firmness. Another one I think you might actually like is the Titan Plus Elite from Brooklyn Bedding. If you want to go outside BiB, there are some other solid companies worth looking at. BackScience makes a really good mattress and will customize each side, which can be a big plus for couples. Charles P. Rogers also makes a very nice mattress, and their Lifetime 8 is a mostly natural option. Then there is the latex lineup. Companies like European Sleep Works, Diamond Mattress with their Ethos Hybrid line, SleepEZ, Natural Dreams, and Arizona Premium Mattress all offer good latex options. Winndom is another brand worth mentioning. Their Azalea isn’t an all-natural mattress, but it’s still a solid product. There are honestly a lot of good options out there. When it comes to latex, though, you really have to try it first. Even if for a half hour in a showroom. It can be a bit tricky. Latex is extremely durable and offers great longevity, but it feels very different from traditional foams. You get a lot more pushback, even in softer to medium feels. Whatever you choose, take a close look at the construction. That matters more than the marketing. The mattress should be using quality foams, such as at least 1.8 lb high-density polyfoam in the comfort layers. If memory foam is used, I usually like to see a minimum of 4 lb density, and it’s important to know where they are using it in the mattress. Viscoelastic memory foam used as the comfort layer will usually sleep a bit warmer unless the mattress is designed with airflow or heat-dispelling channels. You may also get that stuck in quicksand hot lava feel. Some manufacturers place memory foam deeper in the mattress so it only engages during deeper compression, which can help with durability and temperature. I am a big fan of Shifman Mattresses, ViSpring, and I love the oh so expensive Hastens, cant say enough about the Hastens 2000T. If you want a mattress that you feel nothing, like floating on a cloud, keeping your body in alignment without feeling any pressure, for a mere $82k, this Hastens is the one you want.

Reddit IconDue-Formal6680
23 days ago

Beauty rest is no longer something worth considering, long gone are the days they make good beds. The reason for the mixed reviews about aireloom is they do “hotel” collections for big box stores. The hotel collection beds suck, the ones they make in their national collection are pretty solid.

Reddit Iconsydillant
3 months ago

I really like Stearns and Foster for innerspring. They use tencel in some of their mattresses which I feel is a little cool to the touch. Sealy and Beautyrest are good too! All three use some memory foam unfortunately and most S&F uses Tempur foam which I feel is warmer than most. I wouldn’t do S&F in a pillow top cause it would be a lot of memory foam.

Reddit IconthatissomeBS
3 months ago

I think the Series 3 is the sweet spot. I'm a side sleeper that normally likes a soft, but the series 3 medium pillow top is super supportive (soft has the plush coils, medium and firm have the firm coils) and there is plenty of pressure relief even in the medium. Of course, everyone sleeps different, which is why they make 9 different feels in the series 3. I can't speak too much towards the hybrids if that's what you're looking for, as I'm not familiar with the series 3 hybrids (and wasn't a big fan of s1 or s2 hybrids). The series 2 in your budget, medium pillow top, it's a good bed, but it's closer to the series 1 than the series 3. They're a lot of money, but they have the warranty, and generally stand behind it. I'm not sure what else you tried, but in that range the only other thing that compares for me is going up to a Tempur Luxe Adapt.

24 days ago

This is exactly the reason for the split king though. I'd just make sure you're hitting the same profile. You don't want the bigger partner on a 13" extra firm and the lighter one on a 15.5" soft pillow top. You could have a soft luxe adapt and they could have a firm luxe breeze, same profiles but completely different feels and temp sensitivity. Or you could get a Stearns Estate soft pillow top and they a Stearns Estate firm pillow top. Or a Beautyrest Black Series 3 Plush pillow top and Firm pillow top (this will probably be the biggest difference in feel and support of any mattresses from the same line, because Beautyrest actually has a plush coil for the plush BR Blacks and a firm coil for the medium and firm BR Blacks). Although you both might actually like the BR Black Series 3 medium pillow top, because it does have a pretty cushy immediate feel, and the lighter partner may not even engage the support coils.

2 months ago

> I want a firm or medium firm mattress. I’m a side sleeper & I just don’t want my back hurting anymore You're a side sleeper, you can't find a mattress you like because you're looking for firm or medium firm, which is the wrong mattress. Those mattresses will almost unanimously make your shoulders and/or hips hate life, and will cause your back to sag between your shoulders and hips. If you're on the lighter side you're in the soft pillowtop range, if you're more narrow maybe a soft tight top or hybrid, if you're on the heavier side you're still probably looking for medium pillow top or soft or medium hybrid, and if you have very pronounced shoulders and/or hips you probably need something that can conform a lot (which probably means softer pillow tips). And just so you know, most lines of mattresses have similar amount of support. They'll usually have the same coil /base foam system whether it's the firm or soft, the difference is the pressure relieving matters on top of that which is what you need for side sleeping.

2 months ago

Whatever it is it needs to be soft. This might be one of those scenarios where all the high density foams they talk about in this subreddit might be too dense for you to even imprint reasonably, so might be better off with a lower end version of something than the mid or high end (like a Sealy Posturepedic Plus instead of the Pro or Elite lines, for a less dense foam and skipping the extra lumbar support). Otherwise if you're going higher end probably something with some sort of fluffy wool or cotton pillow top. I definitely agree with the head boss of this subreddit though, that the best thing anyone can do before buying a mattress is going to one of those big mattress stores to actually try some stuff and see what you actually like. And if you find something you love for the right price, then you don't have to worry about mattresses anymore.

2 months ago

The one that's right for you is always the most important part. Not all people are built the same, and not all firm mattresses are built the same. Those BR Blacks are nice mattresses, and especially if you're in a Series 2 or 3 the firms can very much still work for some side sleepers.

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