Panda Classic Queen Mattress Review Pt. 2: The First Week, Pros & Cons, and New Mattress vs. Old Mattress

With multiple layers of next-generation memory foam certified by OEKO-TEX and CertiPUR-US, the Panda Classic Mattress is a delight to sleep on. From my first night, I knew that the Panda Classic was going to change the way that I slept, but it was only after a full week had passed that I was able to truly grasp the benefits of my new mattress and discover its full benefits.

In part two of my Panda Classic review, I’ll give you my impressions after week one of sleeping on my new mattress, and I’ll also cover the pros and cons of the Panda Classic that I’ve identified so far. My new Panda Classic has proven to be quite a bit different from my old mattress, so I’ll also provide you with an idea of what to expect when you make the switch.

Week one

After just a single night of sleeping on my queen-sized Panda Classic, I was able to identify that my new mattress provided impressive softness coupled with a surprising amount of support. While I enjoyed the body-molding attributes of my new mattress, I was slightly concerned by how deeply my body sank into the Panda Classic.

Regardless of having some difficulty changing positions, I woke up after my first night sleeping on the Panda Classic feeling unusually rejuvenated, indicating that my body had truly benefited from the extra support my mattress provided. Overall, my impression of the Panda Classic hasn’t changed considerably, but I’ve deepened my understanding of the benefits this mattress provides while also acclimating to the changes in my nightly sleeping experience that the Panda Classic has provided.

After the third night

After sleeping on my Panda Classic for three nights, I had already made some changes to my sleeping habits. Over the last year or two, I had developed a habit of sleeping with two pillows under my neck. Since my body sank into the Panda Classic significantly further than it had with my previous mattress, however, I found that I only needed a single pillow to be comfortable.

Also, I had previously had the habit of falling asleep on my stomach only to turn onto my side or my back as the night progressed. After only a few nights of sleeping on the Panda Classic, however, I started falling asleep on my side in the “pillow hugger” position. With the added softness and support, I found myself much more comfortable on my side, and I now usually stay on my left side throughout the night.

After the seventh night

It was only after a full week of sleeping on my Panda Classic that I was fully able to appreciate the impressive benefits of my new mattress. Over the first few nights, I woke up each morning with a progressively increasing feeling of rejuvenation and energy, and this increase to my energy levels appears to have capped out following the fifth morning. While I no longer notice a nightly increase to my energy levels upon waking up, this benefit has not decreased either.

Every morning that I wake up, I enjoy a solid, healthy feeling throughout my body that I attribute to the cradling effect provided by the soft, upper layers of the Panda Classic. The best analogy at my disposal is the way that my body feels after light exercise such as taking a walk around the block, but I don’t feel tired or like I’ve been working out. Rather, my body is filled with a glow that makes me feel youthful, fresh, and invigorated.

After sitting at my computer for long hours, I sometimes experience mild lower back pain, and with my old mattress, this discomfort occasionally persisted until I stretched and worked out before breakfast. Thanks to the Panda Classic, however, I wake up without any discomfort or tension throughout my body whatsoever. I haven’t been sleeping any longer than usual, but I feel unusually refreshed and rested.

Brief Panda Hybrid Pillow review

It’s worth taking a moment to review the Panda Hybrid Pillow, which I received along with my Panda Classic Mattress. I may provide a more detailed review of this pillow in the future, but suffice to say that I’ve never owned a pillow like this in my life.

I washed my Panda Hybrid Pillow after it arrived, and it took a few days for the ventilated memory foam to entirely dry. Once the pillow was dry, however, I swapped it with my usual contoured memory foam pillow, which I bought a few years ago on Amazon for around $20.

I continue to enjoy switching between the two sides of my pillow, and I think that I like the solid memory foam side the best. The Panda Hybrid Pillow is now the only pillow that I sleep on, and the ideal amount of support this pillow provides while I sleep on my Panda Classic mattress shows that these two products were truly made for each other.

Highlights vs. lowlights

After a full week, I’ve had plenty of time to fully assess the benefits and detractors of my new mattress. To be perfectly honest, I was expecting to find more problems with the Panda Classic mattress than I did.

It’s been a while since I slept on a memory foam mattress, and I was unaware of the differences between a multi-layer mattress and a solid-chunk mattress like the one I used to sleep on. While it’s been hard to find any significant faults with my Panda Classic, I'll do my best to educate you on the benefits and detractors that I’ve found to be the most important:

The pros

  • Flawless fulfillment: My mattress arrived quickly, it was packaged perfectly, and setting it up was a breeze. I was very impressed with how easy it was to invite my Panda Classic into my home.
  • Impressive comfort: The Panda Classic is, by far, the softest and coziest mattress I’ve ever slept on. I enjoy an instant feeling of relief whenever I get between the sheets, and I sleep sounder and more comfortably than I did before.
  • Substantial softness: The upper layers of my Panda Classic are like a marshmallow. The memory foam doesn’t feel at all thin or cheap, however, and there’s plenty of substance underneath to back up the soft upper layers.
  • Undeniable results: My Panda Classic mattress does what it’s intended to do: provide a comfortable, rejuvenating place to sleep at night. It might not be perfect for everyone, but it works great for me.
  • The cons

  • Might be too soft for some sleepers: It took me a while to get used to the softness of my Panda Classic. Even though I now love how soft my mattress is, it might not be right for people who want more support. Thankfully, the Panda Premium mattress has a significantly higher firmness rating, making it an easy alternative for people who want more supportive sleep.
  • Lack of hypoallergenic layer: I like that the Panda Premium mattress features a hypoallergenic bamboo charcoal memory foam layer. Even that probably wouldn’t be enough for my family’s germophobic sensibilities, but having a hypoallergenic layer may have made me less likely to enclose my mattress in a full cover, which I’m sure has reduced some of the airflow benefits provided by the Panda Classic’s ventilated memory foam layer. 
  • New mattress vs. old mattress

    Let’s close with a brief comparison between the Panda Classic and my previous mattress:

    Comparison to a standard foam mattress

    For over two years, I’ve been sleeping on a thin, futon-style foam mattress specifically because my wife and I believed it to be beneficial. I’m still not sure which type of mattress is best for your body, but I’m certain that I feel more rested after sleeping on my Panda Classic mattress. I might switch back to sleeping on my futon-style mattress at some point to derive a clearer comparison.

    Comparison to another memory foam mattress

    Prior to switching to a thinner mattress, I slept on a king-size memory foam mattress that consisted of a single, solid chunk of memory foam. While I thought my old mattress was comfortable, I had no idea how much difference a multi-layer mattress can make.

    The combination of ultra-soft upper layers and a firm bottom layer provide vastly better support and comfort than a single, uniform chunk of memory foam. I’d strongly suggest that anyone sleeping on an outdated or low-quality memory foam mattress upgrade to a Panda Classic of Panda Premium as soon as possible.

    My overall impressions of the Panda Classic Queen Mattress

    All in all, my Panda Classic mattress has far exceeded my expectations. My only frame of reference for the benefits of memory foam mattresses was my previous Amazon-bought, chunk-style memory foam mattress, which was nowhere near as comfortable and rejuvenative as my new Panda Classic.

    Only time will tell, but I fully expect to sleep on my Panda Classic for years, and I may even buy Panda mattress toppers for my family’s beds. I feel genuinely comfortable sleeping on my Panda Classic every night, and I’d recommend this mattress to anyone looking for a high-quality, eco-friendly upgrade.