Beautyrest Silver vs Beautyrest Level One

sThe Beautyrest Silver BRS900 and Beautyrest Level One are two affordable mattresses that look very similar at first. Both are hybrid mattress that combine foam comfort layers with individually wrapped coils beneath a traditional quilted cover. However, after testing both mattresses, we found meaningful differences in comfort, motion isolation, edge support and value.

Mattress Millionaires Quick Verdict: Beautyrest Silver vs Beautyrest Level One

The Beautyrest Silver is the better value and has stronger edge support. We paid $549 for a queen from Costco and felt it delivered excellent support, stable edges, and was responsive for a price that was considerable less than other hybrids with similar performance.

For a more details on performance, read our full Beautyrest Silver BRS900 review.

The Beautyrest Level One was more comfortable with better pressure relief and more noticeable cushioning. We purchased a queen from Macy’s for $699 and the memory foam and comfort layers were more noticeable than the Beautyrest Silver.

Both arrived through scheduled delivery, wrapped in plastic and fully expanded. Neither mattress was compressed into a box.

Here is a comparison of each mattresses based on our hands-on testing:

The Bottom Line:

• Choose the Beautyrest Silver BRS900 if you want a supportive, flat surface with strong edges for the lowest price.
• Choose the Beautyrest Level One if comfort and pressure relief are your top priorities and if you are a couple who needs solid motion isolation.

Who Should Buy Beautyrest Silver vs Beautyrest Level One?

Buy the Beautyrest Silver if you want

• The lowest price and strongest overall value
• A responsive mattress that is easy to move around on
• Excellent edge support for sitting or sleeping near the side
• A traditional mattress feel without deep memory-foam sinkage
• A practical mattress for a guest room, teenager’s room or vacation property
• Balanced support for back and combination sleeping

Buy the Beautyrest Level One if you want

• More cushioning around the shoulders, hips and lower back
• Better motion isolation for sharing a bed
• A slightly more refined comfort system for nightly use
• A balanced medium feel with some memory-foam contouring
• Strong support for back sleeping without an especially hard surface
• A current entry-level Beautyrest model with a 10-year non-prorated warranty

Neither is ideal for

• Side sleepers who want a deeply plush or body-hugging surface
• People who expect an actively cool-to-the-touch cover
• Shoppers looking for natural, organic or latex-based materials
• Heavier sleepers who need a reinforced mattress built specifically for higher weights
• Anyone expecting the thick Euro top and premium finish of a luxury hotel-style mattress

Mattress Millionaires Scorecard: Beautyrest Silver vs Beautyrest Level One

Both mattresses are well-constructed hybrids that deliver great value at a price point under $1,000. The BRS900 performs especially well for support, edge stability and responsiveness. The Level One provides better comfort, pressure relief and motion isolation.

Firmness and Feel Comparison

The most noticeable difference between these mattresses is their feel.

Beautyrest and Costco describe the Silver BRS900 as medium or medium-firm. In our testing, it felt like a 5.5 out of 10, with 1 being extremely soft and 10 being extremely firm. The quilted surface has a soft initial touch, but the foam layers are relatively thin. You quickly feel the stable coil system underneath.

A biomechanical review of mattress design and evaluation found that mattress support needs can vary based on body build and sleeping posture. The researchers also noted that there is not yet one universal target for ideal spinal alignment or pressure distribution. That helps explain why the same “medium” firmness label can feel different from one sleeper to another.

The Beautyrest Silver feels more like a traditional, innerspring mattress. It is supportive without feeling hard, but it does not provide the deep hug of memory foam. It also responds quickly when you change positions.

The Level One is also categorized as medium, although its tight-top construction can feel firmer at first. Macy’s notes that the mattress may initially feel firmer than expected and can take up to 60 days to adjust. Its ActiveResponse memory foam creates more contouring than we experienced on the Silver, but the mattress still keeps you lifted rather than deeply cradled.

If you prefer a flatter, springier surface, choose the Silver. If you want a little more cushioning without losing the traditional Beautyrest feel, choose the Level One.

Construction and Materials

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the Beautyrest’s materials and constructions:

We reviewed the Beautyrest Silver’s specs, and want to emphasize that the “900 density” does not mean the Silver queen necessarily contains 900 coils. Density is a product-family specification, while Macy’s separately identifies an actual queen coil count of 672 for the Level One.

For more details on materials and construction, see our complete guide on what Beautyrest mattresses are made of.

Pressure Relief

Pressure relief is one of the clearest differences between these mattresses.

When you try out a new mattress, the pressure relief can affect how comfortable a mattress feels during the first few minutes. A PLOS ONE study on pressure distribution and sleep quality found that appropriately distributed pressure was associated with more deep sleep and fewer micro-arousals than pressure that was concentrated into a smaller area. This supports why a mattress needs to balance cushioning with stable support rather than simply feeling as soft as possible.

The Beautyrest Silver provides light cushioning, but it does not contour deeply around the body. We felt it was most comfortable sleeping on our backs because the surface supported our hips and provided a small amount of lumbar cushioning. It was less comfortable while side sleeping. The thinner comfort layers created more noticeable pressure around the shoulders and hips.

The Level One does a better job softening those pressure points. Its quilted surface and ActiveResponse memory foam provide more contouring without turning the mattress into a slow, sink-in memory-foam bed. This makes it the better choice for sleepers who rotate between their back and side.

Dedicated side sleepers with sensitive shoulders or hips may still want a plusher mattress. The Level One is more forgiving than the Silver, but it remains a medium tight top, not a thick pillow top or heavy memory foam mattress.

Pressure-relief winner: Beautyrest Level One

Cooling: Which Sleeps Cooler?

Neither mattress is a true specialty cooling model. Temperature regulation can have a measurable effect on sleep quality. A scientific review of the thermal environment and sleep found that heat exposure can increase wakefulness and reduce slow-wave and REM sleep in real-world conditions where bedding and sleepwear are used. A mattress does not necessarily need to feel cold, but it should avoid creating excessive heat buildup around the body.

Both sleep reasonably temperature-neutral because air can circulate through the pocketed-coil core and neither mattress allows extremely deep sinkage.

The Silver uses a DualCool fiber cover and has relatively thin foam layers. During our testing, it did not sleep noticeably hot, but the surface did not feel actively cool.

The Level One also avoided excessive heat buildup, but its extra foam contouring can hold slightly more warmth around the body. Beautyrest reserves its cool-to-the-touch surface technology for Level Two models, so shoppers should not expect the Level One cover to feel cold.

The difference is small, but very hot sleepers may prefer the Silver’s shallower hug. Anyone who regularly wakes up sweating should consider a mattress designed with more advanced cooling materials.

Cooling winner: Tie, with a slight practical edge to the Beautyrest Silver

Edge Support

Edge support is one of the Silver’s best features. The perimeter remained stable when we sat and lay near the side, making it easier to use almost the entire width of the mattress. This is especially helpful for couples and for people who sit on the edge while getting dressed.

The Level One also provides very good edge support, but it allows slightly more compression through the quilted comfort layers. It still feels secure, just not quite as firm around the perimeter as the Silver.

If edge stability is your deciding factor, the Beautyrest Silver is the stronger choice.

Edge-support winner: Beautyrest Silver

Durability and Lifespan

Both models are entry-level Beautyrest mattresses, so expectations should remain realistic. Pocketed coils give each mattress a durable support core, but the useful lifespan will also depend on foam quality, body weight, nightly use, foundation support and mattress care.

We estimate that many sleepers can expect approximately six to eight years from either mattress. That is an estimate, not a guarantee. Couples with higher combined body weight may notice foam softening sooner, while occasional use in a guest room may extend the lifespan.

We like the Level One’s dense base foam and updated comfort system for better durability, but we would not claim that the extra $150 guarantees any length of additional life. Both include 10-year manufacturer warranty coverage, although warranties generally cover qualifying defects rather than ordinary softening or a change in comfort preference.

To ensure a long lifespan of your mattress, make sure to use a sturdy, compatible foundation, protect the mattress from moisture and keep your receipt and law tag.

Durability winner: Tie

Pricing and Value

We paid $549 for the Beautyrest Silver queen at Costco and $699 for the Beautyrest Level One queen at Macy’s. At those prices, both are competitive, but the Silver is the clear value winner.

The $150 difference buys better pressure relief and motion isolation with the Level One. For a couple or a primary bedroom, that is a reasonable upgrade. For a guest room, teenager, vacation home or budget-conscious solo sleeper, the Silver gives you most of the core support for less.

Delivery also affects value. Both of our mattresses arrived during scheduled deliveries, wrapped in plastic and ready to use. They were not compressed or rolled. Many other boxed hybrids we have tested cost much more and don’t include home delivery.

Pricing and promotions can change, so our pricing guideline is simple:

• At $549 or less, the Beautyrest Silver BRS900 is an excellent value.
• At about $699, the Beautyrest Level One is worth considering for better everyday comfort.
• If either model approaches $900 or more, compare it with newer hybrids that include thicker comfort layers or longer sleep trials.

Value winner: Beautyrest Silver

For more shopping tips and a deeper look at the value, read our full article on is the Beautyrest Silver BRS900 worth buying at Costco.

Best Sleep Positions

The Level One’s additional contouring makes it the better option side sleepers, although strict side sleepers may prefer an even softer mattress. It also offers the better balance of lumbar cushioning and alignment for back sleepers.

The Silver is exceptionally easy to move around on and responsive, making it the better choice for combination sleepers.

Final Verdict: Beautyrest Silver vs Beautyrest Level One

Choose the Beautyrest Silver BRS900 if you want the better bargain. It provides strong support, stable edges and easy movement for $549. It is particularly well suited to back sleepers, combination sleepers, shoppers who prefer a traditional mattress feel, and anyone looking for the lowest price for a secondary bedroom.

Choose the Beautyrest Level One if comfort matters more than saving $150. Its pressure relief and motion isolation make it the better everyday mattress for many couples, back sleepers and people who sometimes sleep on their side.

Our overall winner is the Beautyrest Level One by a small margin. It is the more comfortable and complete mattress, while the Silver remains the smarter value. If we were furnishing a primary bedroom, we would pay the extra $150 for the Level One. If we were furnishing a guest room or trying to stay close to $500, we would buy the Silver without hesitation.

Beautyrest Silver vs Beautyrest Level One FAQs

Is the Beautyrest Level One better than the Beautyrest Silver BRS900?

The Level One is better for overall comfort, pressure relief and motion isolation. The Silver is better for edge support, ease of movement and value. The best model depends on which performance areas matter most to you.

Which mattress feels firmer?

The two mattresses fall in a similar medium range, but the Silver feels flatter and more directly supported by its coils because its cushioning is thinner. The Level One may feel firm when new, but its memory foam provides more contouring as the surface breaks in.

Which is better for side sleepers?

The Beautyrest Level One is the better choice for side sleepers because it provides more cushioning around the shoulders and hips. Strict side sleepers who need a very plush surface may want to consider a softer or pillow-top model instead.

Which is better for couples?

The Level One is generally better for couples because it isolates movement more effectively. The Silver has stronger edges, but a motion-sensitive sleeper is more likely to notice a partner changing positions.

Do these mattresses arrive compressed in a box?

Ours did not. Both were delivered through scheduled service, wrapped in plastic and fully expanded. This eliminated the unboxing and expansion period associated with many bed-in-a-box mattresses.

Are the Beautyrest Silver and Beautyrest Level One good values?

Yes, at the prices we paid. The Silver is an excellent value at $549, while the Level One justifies its $699 price with better pressure relief and motion isolation. Their value becomes less compelling if the price rises close to $900.