Egg crate foam can be any type of foam where one side has an 'egg crate' shape. The purpose of this kind of foam is two-fold. It tends to be more responsive and distributes weight better than a thick layer of foam, and also it has cooling advantages because of the air flow that it provides.
Egg crate foam can be either memory foam or reflex foam, which are both blends of polyurethane foams and could be prone to off-gassing and odor.
The egg crate foam is generally found in the top comfort layers of the mattress, though they could be used in the base layer as well.
Pros: More response and more airflow than flat foam layers.
Cons: Comfort is entirely dependent on the quality of foam -- lower quality foams can be uncomfortable and break down faster.
Open coil mattresses are also called traditional innerspring mattresses. They have interconnected coils in a metal mesh that provide even support across the mattress surface.
Many open coil systems use hour glass shaped springs in their interconnected systems so that the evenness is distributed from the top to bottom.
Though this system is good at providing even support, there are complaints of aggravated pressure points and discomfort with open coil systems.
Pros: Durable materials and traditional even feel.
Cons: Pressure point discomfort and motion transfer issues.
Overall Score:
Egg Crate Foam: 9.2/10
Open Coil: 8.7/10
Comfort:
Egg Crate Foam: 9.2/10
Open Coil: 8.7/10
Softness:
Egg Crate Foam: 9.4/10
Open Coil: 8.4/10
Cooling:
Egg Crate Foam: 8.9/10
Open Coil: 9.5/10
Hypoallergenic:
Egg Crate Foam: 8.6/10
Open Coil: 9.4/10
Odor:
Egg Crate Foam: 8.6/10
Open Coil: 9.4/10
General Support:
Egg Crate Foam: 8.9/10
Open Coil: 9.5/10
Eco-Conscious:
Egg Crate Foam: 8.7/10
Open Coil: 8.7/10
Price Value:
Egg Crate Foam: 9.2/10
Open Coil: 9.5/10