In college, an ex-boyfriend introduced me to egg crate foam mattress toppers from Wal-Mart. The mattresses in the dorms were awful and I didn’t have much money so an egg crate foam mattress topper had to do.
That was my only experience with a mattress topper until I tried the PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper. To be honest, I didn’t understand the appeal of the wool topper before it arrived. Why would I need a topper if I already loved my mattress? Was it even necessary?
I’m glad I got the chance to try the PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper or else I wouldn’t have understood how a mattress topper can offer more benefits than just comfort. Below, I share my experience with the Natural Wool Topper and why it remains on my mattress today.
Plushbeds Natural Wool Topper specs:
Firmness: I would rate it as a 3 on a scale of 10
Type: Wool
Construction materials: 100% virgin wool and 100% GOTS-certified cotton
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
Thickness: 3"
MSRP: $686–$1,249
Who will the Plushbeds Natural Wool Topper suit?
- Sleepers who get too hot or too cold: Natural wool is a natural temperature regulator, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter and saves the need for a cooling mattress pad.
- Sustainable, organic, and environmentally-friendly buyers: The wool in this topper has been ethically and sustainably sourced, as has the organic cotton cover.
- Those who need a different sleep experience than their partner: If you prefer a plusher sleep experience compared to your partner, order a smaller size of the wool topper, and put it on your side of the bed.
Plushbeds natural wool topper: construction
The PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper’s 400 thread count outer cover is made with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton sateen. Inside the cotton cover is three inches of 100% natural wool that is free of scouring agents, dyes, and chemicals.
The wool has been ethically sourced, naturally wicks away moisture, regulates temperature, and prevents dust mites, mold spores, and allergens. The topper comes together with a hand-tufted design that helps to keep the topper’s shape. The topper sits on top of the mattress without any straps.
What is the Plushbeds Natural Wool Topper like to sleep on?
The PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper arrived in a large square box and was wrapped in plastic. I tested the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress first before putting the Natural Wool Topper on the bed a few weeks later. The wool is encased in a soft organic cotton cover, resulting in a three-inch topper. I ordered a king size and it sits perfectly on my bed.
My immediate impression of the Natural Wool Topper was that it lacked any kind of smell and kind of looked like a very old-fashioned mattress in how it’s tufted. (Please don’t use this as a mattress – it’s meant to be on top of a mattress!) I was worried that my fitted sheet wouldn’t fit over the wool topper, but it did with no problem at all.
Upon lying on the Natural Wool Topper for the first time, I found it to be plush and cozy. I felt like a cat curling up in a soft and buoyant bed. My body sunk into the topper creating an incredibly wonderful feeling. That said, I did not sleep well with this topper for the first five days.
I prefer a medium-firm or firm mattress and even though the mattress under the topper was exactly that, I felt like my lower back and hips were sinking too far into the topper to be comfortable and it made for some restless nights. But each night, my body seemed to get more and more comfortable with the wool topper until I started to like it quite a bit. Now, I can sleep on my stomach, back, or side without any issues.
Natural wool toppers are meant to regulate your temperature, which means it’s supposed to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I live in Texas, and it has been over 100 degrees for the past few weeks. I set my temperature at 77 degrees at night and put on the fan in my room. Not only that, but my bed has a thick comforter. With the natural wool topper, I have never gotten hot or sweaty at night.
According to PlushBeds, the Natural Wool Topper can be good for joint and muscle relief and induce a deeper REM cycle. I can’t say for sure if I’m in a deeper REM cycle, but I do sleep pretty deeply on the topper. I have noticed that my body feels very refreshed in the mornings, and I don’t have many hip or muscle aches when I awake.
I am curious about how long the plushness of the wool will hold. According to PlushBeds, I need to turn the topper around every once in a while, so my body impression doesn’t break down the materials too quickly. I plan to do this each time I wash my sheets, so I can hopefully keep this mattress topper in tip-top shape for a long time.
In truth, I did not think I’d keep the mattress topper on my bed after I was done testing it, but I still have it on there. There is something nice about crawling into bed at night and feeling like I’m sleeping on a cloud or in the soft arms of a teddy bear.
Ordering, delivery and warranty
My PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper arrived at the same time as my PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress. According to the PlushBeds website (opens in new tab), a Natural Wool Topper may take up to seven to nine business days to arrive. It is custom handmade to order in California.
Shipping is free for Natural Wool Toppers, and it comes with a one-year warranty for manufacturer defects. However, take note that the Natural Wool Topper is not returnable. The website notes: “Due to safety and sanitary regulations, this product is not returnable.”
I find this non-returnable policy to be a big drawback, especially because the natural wool topper is very expensive and if it is not to your liking, you would lose out on a lot of money. As for their ‘safety and sanitary regulations,’ this also does not make much sense to me since it’s not uncommon for brands to accept returns on bedding – including PlushBeds which offers a full refund on mattress returns as long as you test it out for 30 days.
How does the Plushbeds Natural Wool Topper rate online?
The PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper has a 4.9 rating out of 189 reviews on the PlushBeds website. Customers have rated the wool topper as a four or five-star buy. (There are no lower ratings.)
Among the four-star ratings, reviewers had extremely positive things to say about the topper and didn’t mention their reasoning for their rating. Only one person explained why their rating was a four-star rather than a five-star. They wrote: “Didn't give five stars since I don't know the longevity of the cushion.”
Is the Plushbeds Natural Wool Topper worth it?
A few weeks ago, I would have told you that a topper was only a necessary buy if your mattress was poor, and you couldn’t afford to invest in a new mattress. After testing the PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper, I know that’s not the case.
The Natural Wool Topper has been a welcome addition to my sleep experience. Sure, my body needed some days to get used to it, but now I look forward to sleeping on it every night.
Hypoallergenic qualities and the ability to regulate your temperature any time of the year make this natural wool topper a great buy. Not to mention that it can alleviate stress and pain in your joints and muscles!
I’m not incredibly satisfied with the fact that it’s not returnable or that it’s quite pricey, but I’m fairly confident that if you do invest in one, you’ll see that the PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper is a fantastic buy and will exceed all your expectations.
Where to buy
About this review and the reviewer
Alex Temblador is one of Real Homes' mattress experts — which is a good role for someone who needs over 8.5-hours of sleep each night. The Dallas-based freelance writer has covered home, design, architecture, and art in publications like Homes & Gardens, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Artsy, Neighborhoods.com, Culture Trip, among many others. In addition to her mattress reviewing duties, Alex loves to try other products for Real Homes buying guides and reviews so that she can continue to expand the richness of her first-time homeowner life.
As with all our reviews, the PlushBeds Natural Wool Topper has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand unless we are able to keep it as we are with this mattress. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.