Is the Mattress Egg Test a Real Thing, or Just a Scam?

Choosing the correct mattress plays a big role in the quality of sleep that you get every night, and the type of mattress that you choose should be based on your own preference and sleeping style. While some prefer a soft mattress that sucks you into it at night, others prefer a mattress that is firm and will not sink down on certain parts of your body, such as your back and shoulders.

Whatever the case may be, the most important thing is that you are comfortable in your selected mattress.

There are many ways to “test” your mattress to determine whether or not it is the one for you. Many places that sell mattresses, both online and in-store, will usually offer a return guarantee that allows you several months to try it out. But there is one test that will usually grab people’s attention the most when it is brought up.

We are talking about the egg drop test.

The Egg Drop Test

Many of you may have seen that commercial from a few years ago that was advertising for the Purple Mattress. If you have not seen it, here is a quick breakdown.

The commercial features a young, curly-haired blonde standing next to a bed with the Purple Mattress. She claims to know a way to determine whether or not your mattress is “awful.”

Immediately after, the bed is stripped of its comforters and sheets until only its “guts” are exposed. She then pulls a rope, dropping a 330 pound slab of tempered glass with 4 raw eggs attached to the underside from 3 feet above the bed. The eggs land on the mattress, and absorb into it so well that not a single egg breaks, proving that the foam in their advertised mattress is one of the best.

Does It Really Work, or Is It Just a Scam?

So, is it time for you to find yourself a 330 pound piece of tempered glass, attach eggs to the bottom, and slam it down onto your mattress to test whether or not it is truly worthy?

Not exactly.

Allow us to give credit where it is due: the Purple Mattress is one of the best on the market and has very high comfortability ratings with a superior ability to absorb your body weight. However, the simple fact that eggs were able to absorb into it without being broken does not necessarily mean that it is the right mattress for you. And it also in no way means that the Purple Mattress would be able to pass the test were you to try it at home.

The purpose of advertisements is to entice viewers into purchasing the product that is being marketed. Because of this, many advertisers will alter a situation for “maximum marketability,” meaning that what you perceive as the truth is not always the truth.

For example, a professor and stuntman took a closer look at the egg test that was advertised, and were immediately able to conclude that the mattress would not be thick enough to drop your body weight on in an attempt to break the eggs.

Because not everyone is capable of accessing a large piece of tempered glass, your own body weight can be substituted for the test.

“This mattress is not thick enough to be dropped,” stuntman Bob Cotter said.

The Purple Mattress that is featured in the commercial has extra layers of padding so that it could absorb the impact better.

Lisa Guerrero, an investigative correspondent, asked Cotter: “You’re saying I could get hurt because I could hit the hard ground below?”

“You’re gonna hit the ground hard,” Cotter responded. Experts advised that serious back and neck injuries could occur from performing this test with only the Purple Mattress to land on. Therefore, it is tough to determine whether or not the egg test was legitimate or not, due to the several factors that will differ when you attempt this from home.

“So what we saw in the commercial is slightly deceiving?” Guerrero asked Professor Ali Sadegh of New York’s Grove School of Engineering.

“Exactly,” Sadegh replied.

Knowing How to Choose a Mattress

Just because a mattress can pass the egg test does not mean that it is the best option for you. A mattress should compliment your sleeping style and mold to the shape of your body with the perfect balance between soft and firm.

It can be tricky to find an exact match, so here are a few good methods to help you choose the right mattress.

• Try Sleeping on It- The best way to know if you will sleep well on a specific mattress is to actually sleep on it. As we mentioned at the beginning of the blog, most places that you purchase a mattress from will have a return policy that allows you to be fully refunded if it does not meet your needs.
• Read Reviews- At times, a stranger’s opinion can mean a lot. This is also true when you are thinking about making a purchase. Reading comments and reviews on a product can also help to answer a lot of your questions.
• Know What You Are Looking For- Before you can begin shopping for a mattress, it is vital to know what you need to be looking for. In order to do this, it is important to consider many factors, including the position you sleep in, whether you prefer a soft or firm mattress, and if you need help regulating your temperature when you sleep.

Conclusion

Although the egg test that was demonstrated on the Purple Mattress commercial is not going to be easy to replicate at home, it does not necessarily make it a scam. Technically speaking, the eggs truly did not break, even with the immense weight on top of it. This does not, however, hold any credibility when deciding whether or not a particular mattress is a good fit for you.

To make it simple, we will call the egg test a “marketing hyperbole.”