Mattress Vocab Defined: What are individually wrapped coils, and why should you care?

So, you’re shopping for a new mattress and keep seeing the term “individually wrapped coils” popping up everywhere. But what does that actually mean? And does it even matter?

Fret not! This is a common mattress lingo question, so let us explain (in English) to help you decide if this is an important feature to consider for your new mattress.

Want more mattress lingo defined? Learn all about another oft-asked about term, Edge support, and why you should look for it in your next mattress!

What does individually wrapped coils mean?

This term has to do with how the coils or springs inside a mattress are designed. Imagine the inside of a typical “innerspring” mattress (a fancy word meaning mattresses that have wire springs inside). You’re probably seeing a mattress made up of a skeleton-like wire cage of metal springs (aka coils) that are then wrapped up in layers of padding (like memory foam) and fabric. In these typical innerspring mattresses, all of the coils are connected and act as one big wire cage. 

Fun fact: These coils are usually made of steel and they are what give innerspring and hybrid mattresses their signature bounce and “springy-ness.”

By contrast, inside a mattress with individually wrapped coils, each of those springs are wrapped in their own individual “tube” of fabric. This allows them to move more independently from one another, as each coil creates an individual column of support within the mattress. 

Are individually wrapped coils better?

Individually wrapped coil mattresses offer many benefits, and are generally considered superior to standard innerspring mattresses, which is why all Allswell mattresses have them. Here are a few more of our favorite reasons to consider a mattress with individually wrapped coils.

Reduced Motion Transfer

Individually wrapped coils are a must-have for couples who share a mattress because they reduce "motion transfer." This industry term refers to how much movement is shared from one part of a mattress to another. Picture your partner tossing and turning or getting up multiple times during the night. Don’t want to be bothered by every movement made on their side of the bed? You need a mattress that reduces motion transfer. This is where those precious individually wrapped coils make all the difference, because the individual wrappings allow them to move independently, rather than as one uniform entity.

Better Body Contouring and Pressure Relief

With coils that are independent of each other, like those in individually wrapped coil mattresses, each coil can contour to your body for even weight distribution and pressure relief. This can help eliminate back pain from sagging, sinking, or (what feels like) laying in a ditch all night!

Reduced Noise

No squeaks about it! One of the benefits of each spring being wrapped in its own fabric is that you won’t get those loud squeaky sounds typically associated with old innerspring mattresses. Hear that? It’s the sound of uninterrupted sleep.

Do all mattresses have individually wrapped coils?

The answer is no—not all mattresses have individually wrapped coils! Foam mattresses, which have become popular in recent years, are made purely of memory foam and have no inner springs at all.

Hybrid mattresses, including all Allswell mattresses, instead feature a combination of coils and memory foam for advanced comfort. All of our mattresses also have individually wrapped coils and start at just $379 for queen sizes, so you can experience this premium mattress feature without the premium price tag!

Now that you know all about individually wrapped coil mattresses, you’re ready to start shopping for your dream bed. Just make sure you read our guide to buying a mattress online first!