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The CPSC says the beds fail to meet a mandatory federal flammability standard; owners should stop using the mattresses immediately

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers to immediately stop using particular mattresses from Classic Brands Holdings. The Cool Gel Ventilated Memory Foam mattresses pose a fire hazard and fail to meet the mandatory federal flammability standard for mattresses.

The announcement involves nearly 22,000 Classic Brands 10-inch Cool Gel Memory Foam mattresses that were made in Spain between January 2021 and August 2022. The mattresses in Twin, Twin XL, Full, King, and California king sizes were sold on Amazon, homedepot.com, macys.com, target.com, walmart.com, and wayfair.com from March 2021 through October 2022. The beds in question have “Cool Gel Memory Foam” printed on the side.

According to the CSPC, the importer, Classic Brands Holdings, based in Columbia, Md., is going out of business and has chosen not to recall the mattresses at this time.

Consumers who purchased a 10-inch Cool Gel Memory Foam mattress should inspect the mattress for the manufacturer’s location and date, which is found on the mattress label (shown below). If the mattress label indicates the mattress was manufactured in Spain and the date of manufacture is not present, or if the label was previously removed by the consumer, the mattress is within the scope of this safety notice and consumers should stop using it and dispose of it immediately. Mattresses with labels indicating they were manufactured in other locations or manufactured in Spain on other dates are not included in this warning.

Source: CPSC Source: CPSC

In addition to the immediate termination of use, the agency is urging consumers to dispose of them promptly in accordance with municipality and state recycling programs. (To find a mattress-recycling facility near you, check the Bye-Bye Mattress database.) Consumers should not purchase, sell, or donate these mattresses, either. Report any incidents or injuries involving these mattresses to the CPSC at saferproducts.gov.

“This is a serious warning for consumers and a stark reminder for manufacturers to remain vigilant and comply fully with federal safety standards,” says Oriene Shin, policy counsel for Consumer Reports. “Mattresses need to be flame retardant and meet these standards to help prevent fast-moving mattress fires from spreading quickly in people’s homes and putting them at risk of injury or death. Mattress fires pose a life-threatening danger, and people who own these mattresses should not wait but dispose of them immediately.“

Mattresses sold in the U.S. must comply with two federal mattress flammability standards: 16 CFR Part 1632 (Standard for the Flammability (Smoldering) of Mattresses and Mattress Pads) and 16 CFR Part 1633 (Open Flame Standard for Mattress Sets). The CSPC determines compliance by running two separate tests. One involves the use of smoldering cigarettes and the second, a gas burner with open flames.

CR has not tested the exact model in question, but we previously tested the Classic Brands Cool Gel 1.0 Ultimate Gel Memory Foam Mattress, which has limited distribution. All mattresses in Consumer Reports’ ratings go through a basic flammability screening—a method that is different from the official CPSC tests.

Tanya A. Christian

Tanya Christian joined Consumer Reports as a multimedia content creator in 2021, bringing with her more than a decade of experience in the home and lifestyle space. As a content manager for small kitchen appliances, home remodeling products, and the sleep category, she’s happy to provide readers with recommendations on great design, helpful cooking tools, and smart ways to achieve better sleep. Follow her on Twitter @tanyaachristian.