Hi all, I’ve been lurking around for a while and am curious to hear this forums thoughts on Nest’s Alexander line and the Leesa bed. I’m 170lb side sleeper and am looking for a medium firmness bed. Would appreciate everyone’s feedback 
Hi upintheair52,
There is more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase in post #13 here which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well you will sleep), durability (how long you will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists (based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you).
I don’t have any personal experience with either of them but you can see some comments about the Leesa Mattress along with the other “simplified choice” mattresses in post #2 here.
There are also some comments about the Alexander in post #2 here and in post #2 here.
Both of these mattresses are “somewhat” similar in that they both use more resilient foam in the top layers to provide some resilience and “spring” and ease of movement to the sleeping surface on top of a memory foam layer which adds some of the “slow response” and the slower sinking in “feel” of memory foam underneath it. The Leesa uses lower quality/density memory foam than I would be completely comfortable with (see the quality/durability guidelines here). NOTE: The Alexander used to use Talalay latex in the top layer for the soft and firm version but now uses a combination of 4 or 5 lb memory foam in both of the top layers in all firmness levels.
Like most of the “single firmness choice” mattresses … the Leesa is in a medium firmness range which is the firmness level that targets the widest part of the bell curve that would be suitable for the largest number of people. The Alexander has 3 firmness options which are soft, medium, and firm.
I would also keep in mind that there are no “standard” definitions or consensus of opinions for firmness ratings and different manufacturers can rate their mattresses very differently than others so a mattress that one manufacturer rates as being a specific firmness could be rated very differently by another manufacturer. Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that feels firm for one person can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress as well (see post #15 here) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses compare in terms of firmness as well and some people may rate one mattress as being firmer than another and someone else may rate them the other way around. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science.
When you can’t test a mattress in person (and if you have more than one firmness choice or option) then the most reliable source of guidance is always a more detailed conversation with a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or manufacturer that has your best interests at heart who can help “talk you through” the specifics of their mattresses and the options they have available that may be the best “match” for you based on the information you provide them, any local testing you have done or mattresses you have slept well on and liked that they are familiar with, any special considerations you may have, and the “averages” of other customers that are similar to you. They will know more about helping you to “match” their specific mattress designs or firmness options to different body types, sleeping positions, and preferences or even to other mattresses that they are familiar with than anyone else so that in combination with your own personal testing you can make the “best possible” choice with the highest chance of success.
Phoenix