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Euro Top Mattress Vs Pillow Top: Which is Better?

Picture of Jessa Taash
Jessa Taash

May 30, 2024

Euro Top Mattress Vs Pillow Top

Have you ever dreamt of sinking into a luxurious hotel bed night after night? Both Euro top and pillow top mattresses offer that plush feeling, but how do you decide which is right for you?

Don’t worry; tossing and turning over this choice is a thing of the past! This guide will help you to understand the critical differences between Euro top mattress vs. pillow top. We’ll answer all your burning questions: 

Do they feel the same? 

Which offers better support? 

How long will they last?

Euro-top mattresses and pillow-top mattresses both promise plush comfort. But beyond the surface-level similarities, key differences exist in construction, feel, and longevity.

By knowing the construction and benefits of each type, you’ll be a mattress mastermind in no time, ready to choose the perfect one for sweet dreams every night!

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Euro Top Mattress Vs Pillow Top Overview

Both Euro top and pillow top refer to the plush comfort layers added to the top of new mattresses. These layers are typically 1 to 4 inches thick. The primary objective of these additional padding layers is to enhance initial comfort and cushioning. Despite sharing a similar purpose, Euro tops and pillow tops differ in their designs.

Euro tops are characterized by seamless integration with the mattress edges, ensuring a smooth and uniform appearance. This design helps prevent the formation of gaps or indentations around the edges, which can occur with traditional pillow top mattresses.

In contrast, pillow tops feature a distinct layer sewn onto the top of the mattress, often creating a visible border. This design variation can impact the overall aesthetic and functionality of the mattress.

What is a Euro Top Mattress?

A Euro Top Mattress is a type of mattress construction that features an additional layer of padding sewn onto the top surface of the mattress. This layer is typically made of memory foam, pillow-top, or other soft, conforming materials. This layer is designed to enhance the comfort and support of the mattress. 

Unlike its pillow-top cousin, the Euro top’s secret lies in its hidden comfort layer. Instead of sitting on the mattress, the plush padding is cleverly integrated beneath the cover, creating a smooth, unified look.

This eliminates any visible gaps or dips around the edges, which can sometimes be an issue with pillow tops.

The Euro top’s softness is also subtle. Its thinner, denser comfort layer provides a touch of luxury without sacrificing support, perfect for those who want a comfortable yet firm mattress. 

Pros of Euro Top Mattress

  • Euro top mattresses provide a plush and luxurious sleeping surface, offering extra cushioning and comfort.
  • Due to their flush stitching, Euro tops have excellent edge support, ensuring stability and minimizing the feeling of rolling off the bed.
  • Euro tops offer a firmer feel with minimal sagging, making them ideal for back and stomach sleepers and those weighing over 250 lbs.
  • Made from high-quality materials and stitched beneath the mattress cover, Euro top mattresses last longer than surface pillow tops, with an average lifespan of 10 years or more.
  • Euro tops can be paired with various mattress types, catering to different sleep preferences, whether innerspring, hybrid, or foam.
  • Euro tops offer a balanced combination of softness from the top layer and support from the underlying mattress, providing a comfortable and supportive sleep experience.

Cons of Euro Top Mattress

  • The additional layer in Euro Top mattresses can sometimes retain more heat, which might be uncomfortable for hot sleepers.
  • The premium materials and construction of Euro-top mattresses often result in a higher price tag than traditional mattresses or pillow tops.
  • Due to the additional layering, Euro Top mattresses can be heavier and more challenging to move or rotate.
  • While Euro Top mattresses are known for their plush feel, they may offer different firmness options in other mattress types.

What is a Pillow Top Mattress?

A pillow top mattress is a type of mattress that features an additional layer of padding sewn onto the top of the mattress. This extra layer, the pillow top, is typically made from soft materials such as foam, fiberfill, cotton, or wool, providing a plush and luxurious feel.

The pillow top is distinguished from the main body of the mattress by a slight gap around the perimeter, created by the stitching. The thickness of the pillow top can vary, but it is usually around 2 to 4 inches thick.

Underneath the pillow top is the support layer, which can be made from various materials such as innerspring coils or foam, providing the necessary support and stability.

Pros of Pillow Top Mattress

  • The extra layer of plush padding in a pillow top mattress provides a soft, conforming feel that can help alleviate pressure points and improve overall comfort.
  • The pillow top’s conforming properties help it mold to the curves of the body, promoting better spinal alignment and support.
  • These mattresses’ plush, pillow-like top gives them a more luxurious and inviting appearance than a standard flat-topped mattress.
  • Pillow top mattresses typically do not require flipping, as the pillow top layer is attached to the mattress, simplifying maintenance and care routines.

Cons of Pillow Top Mattress

  • Pillow top mattresses lack sufficient edge support, which results in sagging over time.
  • Pillow top mattresses are single-sided and not designed to be flipped over, which means that the wear and tear is concentrated on one side of the mattress.
  • Pillow top mattresses retain more heat due to the extra cushioning, which can be uncomfortable for hot sleepers.

Euro Top Vs Pillow Top Mattress: Similarities and Differences

Similarities

The pillow top and Euro top mattresses share several similarities, as they are both designed to provide a plush, contouring sleeping surface. Here are the key similarities between the two mattress types:

Additional Comfort Layer: Both pillow-top and Euro-top mattresses feature an extra layer of padding sewn onto the top of the mattress. This padding enhances comfort and provides a plush sleeping surface.

Materials: Pillow top and Euro top mattresses are made from a variety of materials such as memory foam, latex foam, wool, or fiberfill, allowing for customization based on individual preferences and needs

Softness and Plushness: Both mattress types are known for their soft and plush feel, providing a cozy and luxurious sleeping surface that can enhance overall comfort and relaxation

Similar Purpose: Both pillow top and Euro top mattresses aim to enhance the cushioning of the mattress without compromising its support level, offering a balance between comfort and support for a restful night’s sleep.

Differences

Euro top and pillow top mattresses may sound similar, but beneath the surface of plush comfort lie distinct design choices. This breakdown of the difference between euro top and pillow top mattresses will help you pick the perfect sleep experience.

Construction:

    • Euro Top: Euro tops have an additional padding layer sewn beneath the mattress cover, creating a seamless, uniform appearance without any visible gaps.
    • Pillow Top: Pillow tops have a distinct, visible layer sewn directly onto the top of the mattress, creating a noticeable gap between the pillow top and the mattress cover

Feel:

      • Euro Top: This style offers a subtler touch of plushness. The denser comfort layer provides a luxurious feel without sacrificing much support, which is ideal for those who prefer balance.
      • Pillow Top: This provides a more noticeable sink-in sensation. The thicker pillow top layer offers deeper cradling comfort, perfect for side sleepers seeking pressure relief.

Edge Support:

        • Euro Top: The seamless integration of the comfort layer with the core creates a uniform surface, leading to excellent edge support. You can utilize the entire sleeping area without feeling like you’re rolling off.
        • Pillow Top: The separate pillow top layer can sometimes create a softer edge compared to the core, potentially feeling less supportive if you sleep close to the sides.

Durability:

    • Euro Top: The hidden comfort layer is less prone to shifting or sagging over time, potentially leading to a longer lifespan for the mattress.
    • Pillow Top: The thick comfort layer in a pillow top can be more susceptible to sagging, especially with lower-quality materials.

Price:

    • Euro Top: The premium materials and construction of Euro-top mattresses often result in a higher price tag than pillow-tops.
    • Pillow Top: While high-quality options exist, pillow tops can be more budget-friendly than Euro tops.

Ultimately, the choice between a Euro-top and pillow-top mattress boils down to your sleep style and preferences. Consider whether you prioritize a subtle touch of plushness with excellent support (Euro-top) or deeper cradling comfort with potential trade-offs in edge support (pillow-top).

Motion Isolation

Euro-top mattresses are known for their excellent motion isolation. An additional layer of padding is stitched beneath the mattress cover, reducing the transfer of motion from one partner to the other.

This makes them ideal for couples who share a bed and want to minimize disruptions during the night.

Pillow-top mattresses, on the other hand, are less effective at isolating motion due to the visible gap between the pillow top and the mattress cover. This gap can allow motion to transfer more efficiently, potentially disrupting the sleep of one or both partners.

Softness

Pillow-top mattresses are generally softer and more plush, providing a cloud-like feel that benefits side sleepers and those who prefer a softer sleeping surface. The added layer of padding also helps to alleviate pressure points and provide extra comfort.

While still soft, Euro-top mattresses tend to be firmer around the edges and have a more balanced feel, offering both support and comfort. This firmer edge support benefits back and stomach sleepers who need more stability.

Support

Euro-top mattresses are designed to provide better support around the edges. This support is particularly beneficial for couples who share a bed and need to utilize the full surface area.

While pillow-top mattresses provide support, they tend to lack consistent edge support, which can lead to a less stable sleeping surface.

Durability

Euro top mattresses are generally more durable than pillow top mattresses due to their integrated design, which reduces the likelihood of sagging or shifting over time. This durability results in a longer lifespan for the mattress.

While still durable, pillow-top mattresses are more prone to sagging and flattening over time, especially if the added layer of padding is not well-integrated with the mattress.

Feel

Euro top mattresses offer a more balanced feel, combining softness from the top layer with support from the underlying mattress. This balanced feel is beneficial for a wide range of sleepers.

Pillow top mattresses are softer and more plush, ideal for side sleepers and those who prefer a cloud-like sleeping surface.

Appearance

Euro top mattresses have a sleek, streamlined appearance due to the seamless integration of the additional layer of padding. This design enhances the overall aesthetics of the bedroom.

Pillow-top mattresses have a more traditional appearance, with a visible gap between the pillow top and the mattress cover. This gap may create a domed or fluffy appearance, but it may not be as visually appealing as the Euro top design.

Price

Euro Top: The premium materials and construction of Euro-top mattresses often result in a higher price tag than pillow-tops.

Pillow Top: While high-quality options exist, pillow tops can be more budget-friendly than Euro tops.

Material

The materials used in constructing Euro top and pillow top mattresses impact their performance and overall quality.

Memory Foam

Both Euro top and pillow top mattresses feature memory foam as the primary comfort layer. Memory foam is known for its ability to conform to the body’s curves, providing pressure relief and reducing the feeling of pressure points.

In Euro top mattresses, the memory foam layer is often integrated seamlessly with the underlying support system, enhancing the overall stability and durability of the mattress.

Wool

Wool is a popular material used in both Euro-top and pillow-top mattresses. It is naturally breathable, moisture-wicking, and temperature-regulating, making it an excellent choice for hot sleepers.

In Euro-top mattresses, the wool layer is typically quilted into the top, providing a plush and luxurious feel without compromising support.

Latex

Latex is another material that can be found in both Euro top and pillow top mattresses. Latex is known for its responsiveness, contouring properties, and durability.

In Euro top mattresses, the latex layer is often integrated seamlessly with the underlying support system, providing a balanced feel of comfort and support.

Fiberfill

Fiberfill, such as polyester or cotton, is a common material used in the construction of pillow top mattresses. Fiberfill provides a soft, plush feel and can be more affordable than other materials like memory foam or latex.

However, fiberfill may be less durable and supportive than other options and may be more prone to compression and flattening over time.

Euro Top Mattress Vs Pillow Top: Which should you buy?

Choose Euro Top Mattress if you’re 

Back & Stomach Sleepers: Euro top mattresses offer a firmer feel compared to pillow tops. That makes them ideal for back and stomach sleepers who desire a supportive surface to maintain proper posture. Their sturdiness also makes them a good choice for heavier sleepers.

Want Luxury: Euro tops often incorporate premium materials, creating a luxurious sleeping experience. While they may have a higher price tag, they can be seen as an investment in long-lasting comfort.

Want Durabile Bed: The comfort layer in a Euro top mattress is less prone to sagging over time.

Choose a Pillow Top Mattress if you’re 

Side Sleeper with lightweight: Pillow tops excel at pressure relief, making them ideal for side sleepers. The plush top layer cradles your hips and shoulders, making you feel comfortable all night.

On Tight Budget: If affordability is a concern, pillow tops might be your sweet spot. 

Looking for Cloud-Like Feel: The pillow top’s separate comfort layer isn’t hidden, so you’ll experience its full plushness right away. It’s perfect for those who crave a genuinely cloud-like sleep experience.

FAQs: Euro Top Mattress Vs Pillow Top

Pillow top mattresses are ideal for side sleepers and lightweight individuals. They offer excellent contouring and pressure relief, especially for those who weigh under 130 lbs, providing comfort for pressure points in the hips and shoulders.

No, you cannot flip a Euro top mattress. The design has a specific top layer for comfort and a supportive base layer, so flipping it would compromise its intended structure and comfort.

Euro top mattresses are generally considered the better choice due to their enhanced edge support, durability, motion isolation, and luxurious feel.

No, Euro top and plush mattresses are not the same. Euro top mattresses have an additional layer of padding sewn beneath the cover, providing a balanced feel with firmer edges and a plush center.

On the other hand, Plush mattresses have extra padding on the top layer, offering a uniformly soft and cushioned feel throughout the surface. While both provide comfort, their construction and overall feel differ.

Yes, pillow top mattresses can wear out faster due to the extra plush layer, which may develop indentations and sagging over time, especially if made from lower-quality materials.

Euro Top Mattress Vs Pillow Top: Final Verdict

Both Euro top and pillow top mattresses offer plush sleep experiences but cater to different needs. Side sleepers and budget lovers will find bliss in a pillow top’s cloud-like comfort and pressure relief. Back and stomach sleepers, or those seeking luxury and support, will appreciate a Euro top’s firmer feel, edge support, and durability.

Both mattress types offer unique advantages, so consider your sleeping style, support needs, and budget when deciding.

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