Best Mattress in a Box of 2023

Over 164 million Americans struggle with sleep, and the problem could stem from sleeping on the wrong mattress. With so many online mattress brands available on the market, and the pressure to buy from in-store salesmen, mattress shopping can get overwhelming. It seems nowadays the best way to go is choosing a mattress in a box— compressed mattresses made of high-quality materials that arrive in a box at your door.

In our article, we share our favorite options and provide a guide to help you find the best mattress in a box.

Our Top Mattress In a Box Recommendation

View on Amerisleep
Read AS3 customer reviews

AS3 Highlights

• 100-night sleep trial
• 20-Year Warranty
• Designed to reduce pain points
• Heat reducing mattress cover
• Comes in King, Queen, Twin, Full, and Splits

Our Runner-Up

View on ZomaRead Zoma customer reviews

Zoma Highlights

• 100-night sleep trial
• 10-Year Warranty
• Designed for faster recovery
• Triangulex™ technology promotes healthy posture
• Comes in King, Queen, Twin, Full, and Splits

Best Mattress in a Boxes

The Amerisleep AS3 is a great first choice for a mattress in a box since it suits so many different sleepers and is affordable. It has the most balanced feel compared to other Amerisleep mattresses, with equal levels of cushioning and support.

Amerisleep includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty with the purchase of the AS3. The warranty covers sagging greater than an inch. During the first 10 years, Amerisleep will replace the mattress at no cost to the customer. During the last 10 years, Amerisleep will choose to either repair or replace the mattress at a prorated charge.

How Lying Down Feels

The Amerisleep AS3 mattress is the perfect choice for side and combination sleepers— the medium feel of the bed offers exceptional pressure relief in the shoulders and hips while keeping the body resting on the surface. Real AS3 customers have talked about how the mattress stopped their muscle and joint pains in the mornings and gently cushions their curves while still being supportive.

Inside the Mattress

The Amerisleep AS3 mattress is 12 inches tall and contains three layers of CertiPUR-US® certified foam— 3 inches of Bio-Pur®, 2 inches of Affinity with HIVE® technology, and 7 inches of Bio-Core®.

The mattress cover incorporates a soft, breathable fabric that is designed to keep air moving throughout the mattress so you sleep cool and wake up refreshed.

Bio-Pur® is plant-based memory foam— manufacturers partially replace petroleum with castor oil, resulting in a mattress that is breathable and responsive than traditional memory foam.

Affinity uses HIVE® technology for a 5-zone support layer where hundreds of hexagonal-shaped segments form softer support under the hips and shoulders and firmer support under the head, back, and legs. HIVE® technology provides even pressure relief in the body.

Bio-Core® supports the body by evenly distributing weight across the sleep surface without the risk of sagging.

Zoma creates their mattresses with athletes and active adults in mind, but you don’t have to be in tip-top shape to enjoy Zoma’s mattresses. All Zoma Mattresses—the Zoma Start, Zoma Mattress, and Zoma Hybrid—are designed to boost muscle recovery, physical performance, and sleep.

The medium feel of the Zoma Mattress makes it perfect for most sleepers. The Zoma Mattress is also great for athletes and those who lead an active lifestyle— gel-topped Triangulex™ pulls heat away from the body to reduce inflammation and improve muscle recovery.

The Zoma Mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. The warranty covers sagging greater than an inch. Zoma will repair or replace the mattress at no cost to the customer during all 10 years.

How Lying Down Feels

The Zoma Mattress is one of our favorite Zoma beds since it suits most sleepers, is affordable, and can do so much for your sleep quality. As a medium, the Zoma Mattress is slightly softer than the Zoma Start, but also firmer than the Zoma Hybrid. Since it’s made entirely of foam, the Zoma Mattress provides extra pressure relief compared to the Zoma Hybrid.

The Zoma Mattress scores a 4.8 out of 5 stars based on nearly 500 reviews. User reviews mention how the mattress provides cushioning for their body’s curves to prevent pressure and tension, yet it’s still supportive so they don’t wake up with back pain. When sleepers shift positions or get out of bed, the mattress snaps back into shape, ensuring they don’t feel “trapped” in bed. And for the price, customers are impressed.

Inside the Mattress

The Zoma Mattress is 12 inches tall and contains 2 inches of Triangulex™, 2 inches of Reactiv™, and 8 inches of Support+. The soft polyester knit mattress cover wicks away moisture to keep the sleeper cool.

Triangulex™ uses hundreds of triangular-shaped segments to form a 3-zone support system— softer support for the head, shoulders, and legs, and firmer support under the back and hips. Triangulex™ keeps the body resting on the surface without deep sinkage for even pressure relief.

Reactiv™ has a latex-like feel with a responsive bounce to encourage spinal alignment and to prevent you from sinking through the top comfort layer and bottoming out on the firm core below.

Support+ reinforces the two layers above, preventing sagging and prolonging the lifespan of the mattress.

The Zoma Hybrid is a breathable, bouncy counterpart to the original Zoma Mattress. It features the same rejuvenating gel memory foam with targeted support, with a coil base instead of a bottom foam layer.

Like the classic Zoma Mattress, a Zoma Hybrid comes with a 100-night sleep and a 10-year warranty. You can return your hybrid for a full refund if it doesn’t feel right to you after using it for at least 30 days.

How Lying Down Feels

The difference between the Zoma Hybrid’s coil base and the Zoma Mattress’s foam base is the coils provide more bounce and airflow. Some sleepers may also prefer the support of pocketed coils over the support of foam.

Zoma Hybrid users talk about how the bed’s soft foam has improved their nightly pain and discomfort greatly, recommending the bed to others who suffer from nonstop pain or aches. Customer reviews also mention how sleeping on the bed has helped with their sleep quality.

Inside the Mattress

The 12-inch hybrid contains four layers.

The top gel memory foam layer is 2 inches thick and contains a zoned support system. The triangular cutouts in the mattress’s head and foot increase pressure relief to sensitive areas. Plus, the cutouts make it easier for air to flow through the mattress and wick away heat.

A 2-inch layer of Reactiv™ foam is next. Reactiv™ foam prevents sinkage and responds to your every movement, providing support no matter your sleep position.

The bed’s support comes from its 7-inch pocketed coil core. The coils are wrapped to isolate motion, keeping your every movement from rippling across the mattress. The coils rest on an inch-thick foam base.

If you’re looking online for the best mattress deal, the Vaya Mattress is one to keep an eye out for—at only $599 for a queen, the Vaya is one of the best mattresses for its price. We love this bed because it’s designed with two sleep-promoting layers and is comfortable for nearly all body types and sleep styles.

Vaya sells their bed online-only, so they offer free shipping and a 100-night sleep trial with every purchase. If you order the Vaya and find it’s not a fit for your sleep needs after a couple of months, they’ll initiate a free mattress return and issue you a full refund.

How Lying Down Feels

The Vaya Mattress is a medium firmness to best suit all sleep positions. What we really love about this foam mattress is its breathability—Vaya’s foams are notably porous and trap virtually no heat.

Based on customer reviews, it’s also a great first “big kid bed” for children. Other reviews mention how, unlike some other affordable mattresses, the Vaya is bouncy and maintains its shape rather than sagging.

Inside the Mattress

The Vaya contains 3 inches of Vaya Comfort Foam and 9 inches of sturdy core foam. When you lay down on the Vaya, the comfort layer contours to your body and adapts with your every movement to keep you lifted on the mattress.

The base of the Vaya Mattress is firm and supportive to keep the comfort layer and sleeper lifted. Vaya also designs this core foam to resist sagging and prevent wear and tear so the Vaya can provide comfortable sleep for years. They even back their affordable mattress with a generous 10-year warranty.

The Nolah Natural 11 is an excellent eco-friendly mattress for sleepers who want a bed free of synthetic foams and fabrics. With a top of cushioning, breathable, and natural materials and a base of pocketed coils.

The 120-night sleep trial of the Nolah Natural 11 can be removed at checkout for greater savings. The Nolah Natural 11 also includes a lifetime warranty.

How Lying Down Feels

This eco-friendly mattress was designed to offer a medium feel to best suit all potential sleeping styles. It’s neither too soft nor firm, and its materials establish a naturally buoyant, cooling feel. Numerous consumer reviews have praised the Natural 11 for its cool feel and pain-relieving qualities.

Inside the Mattress

The Nolah Natural 11 has an organic cotton fabric cover, a durable material with natural yarn that moves heat and moisture away. Underneath this cotton cover is organic wool, boosting the bed’s breathable cushion while also helping the mattress resist an open flame.

The mattress’s comfort comes from combined layers of Talalay latex foam, which is typically more conforming than Dunlop latex. These layers ease pressure points across the body, ensuring the sleeper wakes up refreshed.

The support core consists of carefully arranged pocketed coils, split into three support zones. The torso area has back support to maintain a healthy spine alignment, while the head and foot areas provide contouring relief.

These coils rest on a foundation of organic cotton and wool, providing a stable surface for the coils. The bottom of the Natural 11 is extra-sturdy cotton fabric, with handles for easier carrying and lifting.

For some shoppers, their priority isn’t just finding a mattress that is comfortable, durable, and supportive, but also one that’s sustainably produced. Shoppers interested in an organic mattress would be well-served by the affordable Spindle.

Of course, the Spindle has more to offer than natural materials, as it features a unique, customizable design that lets owners play around with its layers and find the most comfortable feel.

How Lying Down Feels

The exact firmness of the Spindle can vary widely, thanks to its customizable design. Side sleepers can enjoy a medium feel that lets them sink in just enough, while back and stomach sleepers can experiment with firmer feels.

Inside the Mattress

There are essentially three parts to the Spindle mattress: its cover fabric, its underlying flame protection, and its re-arrangable latex foam layers.

The cover is cotton fabric, certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Aside from the resilience that organic cotton offers, the fabric is also naturally breathable, with air flowing through and wicking away heat and moisture. This cover has a zipper so sleepers can easily shift around the mattress’s layers.

Next is the organic wool batting, certified by both GOTS and Oeko-Tex. The wool not only assists with the cotton’s heat dispersion but also acts as a flame barrier to ensure sleepers’ safety without relying on chemical retardants.

The Dunlop latex foam layers are certified by GOTS, Oeko-Tex, and Global Organic Latex Standard. Dunlop is a sturdy, resilient material that provides conforming pressure relief.

SEE ALSO: What Is an Organic Mattress?

Sleepers in warmer climates or people with naturally high body temperatures need a way to keep cool during the warm summer months. Enter the GhostBed Luxe, designed to provide an unparalleled cooling experience and a mildly soft feel that suits a side sleeper’s needs perfectly.

How Lying Down Feels

With a mildly plush surface, the GhostBed Luxe is the perfect “soft, but not too soft” mattress. A person’s shoulders and hips can dip pleasantly into the mattress’s surface while their overall body will remain lifted, ensuring they won’t wake up with an achy back or other pains and stiffness.

Inside the Mattress

The surface of the GhostBed Luxe is the cooling GhostIce fabric with specialty airflow fibers woven into its underside. These fibers and breathable fabric work with the first layer of gel memory foam to promote cool, undisturbed sleep.

Next is the main material that helps the bed stay cool throughout, GhostIce foam. The following layer of gel memory foam completes the bed’s cooling focus, while also increasing its compressions capabilities.

The last two layers are the transition foam of Ghost Bounce and the base foam layer of dense foam that keeps the bed strong after years of use.

Mattresses for recreational vehicles and campers typically need to be smaller than standard size mattresses. A more compact design places less stress on the vehicle, improving gas mileage and decreasing wear and tear. However, not every brand produces these smaller sizes and it can be a challenge to find a quality RV mattress.

One of our favorite mattresses available in RV sizes is the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid. Naturally, it’s also available in the expected standard sizes.

How Lying Down Feels

Thanks to its cooling materials, sleepers will find themselves enjoy a near-instant chill as they stretch out. This pleasant chill makes it easier to relax and drift off.

A persistent “fresh” feel is also tied to the Aurora Hybrid, as its copper infusions keep smelly microbes from making a home in the bed.

Inside the Mattress

The cover fabric of the Aurora Hybrid features a phase change material infusion of TitanCool™, engineered to work at maintaining a bed surface temperature of 88 degrees.

The first layer is CopperFlex™ foam, with, as you might expect from the name, a copper infusion. Copper is a versatile material that not only moves heat away, but also increases the foam’s responsive contouring for more adaptable cushion.

The second and third layers depend on what firmness of mattress is selected at checkout. The medium and soft mattresses have hyper-elastic foam for the second layer, and gel memory foam for the third layer for greater pressure relief. The firm mattress has a second layer of supportive foam and a third layer of transition.

The mattress’s core is pocketed coils with zoned support on a dense foam base. The wrappings of the coils minimize motion transfer and help every coil independently contour to the body.

Most mattresses focus on offering one firmness, one feel. For many shoppers, this is enough, particularly if they know exactly what they want in a mattress.

The Layla Hybrid, however, is excellent for shoppers who are unsure and want to try out different firmnesses, or those who want to keep a versatile mattress on hand for guests.

One side feels plush, focusing on cushioning for sensitive areas of the body, while the reverse firm side is excellent for sleeping styles that need support.

How Lying Down Feels

The soft side of the Layla Hybrid is quick to yield to the body, letting sleepers sink in. The surface offers different “sink” for the areas of the body, ensuring heavier parts are cradled and lighter parts buoyed. The firm side has similar zoned support, though naturally there’s much less give to the surface.

Some shoppers noticed instant improvement in their sleep after they started using this Layla mattress.

Inside the Mattress

The Layla Hybrid has five layers, wrapped up in a soft fabric that has handles along the sides for easier flippability.

Both comfort layers are gel memory foam with copper infusions. Copper is a special cooling material as it not only conducts heat away from the body, but also repels microbes and concentrates under sensitive areas when a sleeper lies down. Naturally, the soft side has a thicker layer of copper gel memory foam.

The transition foam on either side has surface cutouts, placed to offer zoned support under the body. These cutouts also double as cooling channels, helping heat dispersion.

Sandwiched between the transition foam is a layer of pocketed coils, adding bounce to each side. The coils along the perimeter are reinforced for edge support.

The Tuft & Needle Mint mattress is an upgrade from the everyday foam bed, containing gel poly-foam and bouncy gel beads. With its medium-firm feel, it’s a great option for people with back pain, hot sleepers, and couples. Based on customer feedback, it’s not the best choice for side sleepers or petite people, as the bed may cause soreness around the hips and shoulders.

Tuft & Needle’s mattresses also include a thinner foam mattress and a hybrid model, along with a few other sleep-related products.

Tuft & Needle includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. The warranty covers sagging greater than 0.75 inches, with Tuft & Needle replacing the bed at no extra cost to the customer.

How Lying Down Feels

The medium to medium-firm feel of the Tuft & Needle Mint mattress makes it a great option for side and combination sleepers. This all-foam mattress features Tuft & Needle’s proprietary T&N Adaptive® foam to enable movement and prevent overheating.

Inside the Mattress

Tuft & Needle Mint is 12 inches tall and contains 3 inches of T&N Adaptive® foam, 2 inches of gel poly-foam, and 7 inches of high-density poly-foam. The polyester-polyamide blend mattress cover provides a soft and breathable sleep surface.

T&N Adaptive® foam is a responsive, breathable poly-foam with added graphite cooling gel to pull heat away from the body. This top layer conforms to the body and relieves pressure points for a restful night’s sleep.

Gel poly-foam is a transitional layer containing ceramic gel beads for both cushioning support and temperature regulation.

High-density poly-foam supports the body and provides good edge support, so sleepers won’t have to worry about rolling off the mattress.

Purple® is a mattress company known for their innovative designs and the proprietary Purple Grid™ foam in all of their beds.

The Purple® Hybrid is the hybrid variation of Purple’s flagship model, the Purple® Mattress. The hybrid model is thicker than the foam model, but they both have a medium feel. However, the Purple® Hybrid contains pocketed coils rather than the Purple® Mattress’s dual-layer support foam.

Purple® includes a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. Purple® will repair or replace the mattress at no extra cost, the warranty covering any manufacturing defects and sagging greater than 1 inch.

How Lying Down Feels

The Purple® Hybrid mattress has a medium feel, ideal for most sleepers. The temperature-neutral Purple Grid™ doesn’t retain heat and keeps sleepers cool with its open-air channels.

Purple customers mention how the responsive, cushiony Purple Grid™ improves their back pain. Not only that, but even in the hottest climates, sleepers found themselves comfortable, dry, and cool while sleeping on the Purple® Hybrid.

Inside the Mattress

The Purple® Hybrid mattress is 11 inches tall and contains 2 inches of the Purple Grid™, 1 inch of poly-foam, and 7.5 inches of pocketed coils. The Lycra® blend cover offers a plush sleep surface and wicks away moisture.

The Purple Grid™ is a gel-like material called Hyper-Elastic Polymer™ set in a grid system— this material gives under body weight, relieving pressure points while remaining supportive. The open channels improve airflow inside the mattress, regulating temperature.

The poly-foam transitional layer encourages healthy spinal alignment and prevents the sleeper from bottoming out.

Individually wrapped innerspring coils reduce motion transfer and noise potential while supporting body weight.

What is a Mattress in a Box?

A mattress in a box is a bed compressed and rolled up, shipped directly to the customer in a box. Most mattress in a box brands are sold online only. These types of mattresses have a lower price tag and are more convenient, both for customers and mattress companies.

Online vs. In-Store

Because mattress in a boxes are sold directly to the customer, these online mattress brands save money by cutting out the middleman (sales commissions, stocking fees). They can create beds made of higher-quality materials for a lower cost. Online mattresses also come with extended sleep trials if the customer doesn’t like the bed.

Traditional mattresses sold through brick-and-mortar stores charge more for their beds to make a profit. While customers get an advantage in trying out a new mattress before buying, they do so under pressure to buy from salesmen and may receive a limited sleep trial. For many, these advantages make online stores one of the best places to buy a mattress.

Plus, shoppers can save even more on online mattresses by browsing the big mattress sales:

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White Glove-Delivery

Some mattress companies, both online and in-store, may offer a white glove delivery service, either free or for an extra charge. White glove delivery assembles the new mattress in your home and removes your old mattress, taking the hassle out of setting everything up.

What to Look for in a Mattress in a Box

Before purchasing the most popular mattress brand on the market, make sure it’s the right one for you by considering mattress type, quality, body weight, sleeping position, cooling features, and available sleep trials, return policies, and warranties.

Mattress Type

Each mattress type provides their own unique feel and include both benefits and drawbacks. Some sleepers may want a mattress with excellent motion isolation like memory foam or latex, while others may prefer a bouncier mattress, like an innerspring.

Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam is one of the most popular mattress types in the industry due to its conforming, pressure-relieving properties. Memory foam also sleeps silently and has excellent motion isolation. A drawback to memory foam mattresses is heat retention because of its dense structure.

A memory foam mattress contains a comfort layer of memory foam and a support layer of high-density foam.

Innerspring Mattress

Innerspring mattresses are commonly found in most households. Innerspring mattresses have a bouncy surface and exceptional cooling through the coiled support layer. Some drawbacks to an innerspring mattress include little to no pressure relief, less motion isolation, and noise potential.

An innerspring mattress contains a thin comfort layer of foam or fiberfill (usually in pillow top form) and a support layer of innerspring coils.

Latex Mattress

Similar to memory foam, latex also conforms to the body’s natural curves to relieve pressure points. Unlike memory foam, latex is cooler and has a responsive bounce. A typical latex bed contains a comfort layer of latex and a support layer of either high-density foam or latex. Latex mattresses can be expensive, depending on the type of latex they contain.

Latex foam comes in two forms— synthetic and natural. Synthetic latex is made through a chemical process, while natural latex is created from rubber tree sap. The most common types of natural latex are Dunlop and Talalay. Dunlop is denser and more durable than Talalay. Talalay has added polyurethane fillers for its signature soft feel.

Hybrid Mattress

A hybrid mattress combines memory foam and innerspring coils to form the perfect bed. Memory foam relieves pressure points and isolates motion while innerspring coils provide edge support and cooling. While hybrids provide the benefits of both mattress types, they also give drawbacks including overheating, less pressure relief, and motion transfer.

A hybrid mattress contains a comfort layer of either memory foam or latex (must be at least 2 inches) and a support layer of pocketed coils.

Quality

Mattresses are a big investment— it may be tempting to choose a bed at a lower price point to save a few bucks, but the quality may not be as good. Low-quality mattresses break down within 1 to 2 years of regular use, and you may end up spending more to replace the mattress sooner.

The average price tag for a high-quality mattress is $1200. To determine mattress quality, look at the foam’s density and ILD rating, and the coil’s gauge and count. These factors will determine if a mattress lasts 7 to 9 years or less than 2 years.

Foam

In determining foam quality, check the foam density and ILD rating.

Foam density determines how the foam supports the body by measuring how long it takes for the foam to spring back to its original shape. Foam density is measured in pounds per cubic foot (PCF). The higher the density, the slower the recovery. Memory foam mattresses contain a mix of low- and high-density foams. Memory foam comfort layers vary in density depending on the brand.

• Low-density: 2.5 to 3.9 PCF
• Medium-density: 4.0 to 5.9 PCF
• High-density: 5.5 PCF or higher

ILD, or Indentation Load Deflection, rating determines the foam’s firmness by measuring how much pressure it takes to make a 4-inch indentation on the surface. The higher the number, the firmer the foam. Most foams range between 8 to 20— 10 is the ideal number for the best support in a comfort layer.

Coils

To determine coil quality, take a look at the coil count and coil gauge.

Coil count is the amount of coils in a single layer (usually in the support layer). A high-quality mattress contains 500 to 1,000 coils. Avoid mattresses containing less than 300 coils— it could be the sign of a poor-quality bed.

Coil gauge is the thickness of a coil, measured in millimeters. The thicker the coil, the more durable the material. Lower measurements have thicker coils, with softer coils from higher measurements.

• Thickest: 12mm
• Thinnest: 18mm

While thinner coils aren’t a bad thing— especially since some mattresses have innerspring comfort layers— be careful of mattresses with support layers containing only high-gauge coils. It may lead to premature sagging and breakdown of materials.

Body Weight

Body weight has a great influence on the mattress you choose. Body weight is divided into three groups; light, average, and plus-size. Choosing a mattress based on your current body weight and sleep position will ensure a better night’s sleep. For example, a plus-size sleeper may feel a medium-soft bed is too soft and lacking support.

Light

Light sleepers weigh less than 130 pounds. They need a softer mattress to enable body-contouring pressure relief.

Average

Average sleepers weigh between 130 pounds and 230 pounds. A medium feel is the best choice for an even balance of comfort and support.

Plus-Size

Plus-size sleepers weigh more than 230 pounds. A firm mattress might be the best option to provide support without risk of sagging.

Sleeping Position

Each sleep position requires a certain level of comfort and support to fill in the gaps between the body and the sleep surface. Keep your favored sleep position in mind when looking for a new bed.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is the most common sleep position. It allows for better breathing, less pressure on vital organs, and reduces acid reflux symptoms. Placing a pillow between the knees prevents spinal misalignment.

If you need a mattress for side sleeping, choose something soft to medium in firmness for optimal pressure relief in the shoulders and hips.

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping enables natural spinal alignment because of the back’s direct contact with the sleep surface. Back sleeping comes with the risk of developing sleep apnea— gravity causes the tongue to fall back, obstructing airways, and the collapse of soft tissue at the back of the throat.

A medium to firm mattress is the best mattress option for back sleepers for enhanced lumbar support and pressure relief in the shoulder and hips areas.

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleeping is the least common sleep position and the unhealthiest because of the amount of pressure placed on the spine. This pressure may lead to neck strain (twisting and holding the head at an awkward angle to breathe) and back pain (gravity pulls weight down, forcing the spinal curvature to straighten). Placing a thin pillow under the hips eases spinal pressure.

The best mattresses for stomach sleepers are typically medium-firm or firm, as these beds keep the body resting on top without deep sinkage.

Combination Sleeping

Combination sleepers switch between 2 to 3 sleep positions each night, tossing and turning regularly. Combination sleepers may receive the benefits of each sleep position, like better breathing and natural alignment, but they also get the drawbacks, including risk of developing sleep apnea and back pain.

A good mattress for combination sleepers maintains spinal alignment and provides even comfort and support for each sleep position. Usually, combination sleepers choose medium mattresses to achieve good sleep.

Cooling Features

Hot sleepers or those who prefer a cooler sleep surface may want to look for a mattress in a box with cooling features like breathable, plant-based foam or innerspring coils.

Foam

Since traditional memory foam is known to retain heat, choosing a mattress with cooling memory foam, like plant-based or cooling gel regulates temperature and reduces the risk of overheating.

• Plant-Based

Partially replacing petroleum with plant oils produces a breathable, more responsive memory foam. Plus, plant-based foam has little to no off-gassing odor.

• Gel

Gel is either mixed in or swirled during the manufacturing process. Some gel memory foam contains gel beads. Gel foam absorbs and disperses body heat.

• Open-Cell

Traditional memory foam does have a small amount of open-cells, but not enough to combat heat retention. Injecting memory foam with air creates more air pockets, enabling better air circulation inside the mattress.

• Copper or Graphite Infusions

Infusing copper or graphite into the memory foam pulls heat away from the body and may improve local blood flow.

Coils

The open structure of innerspring coils allows for better airflow inside the mattress. Both innerspring and pocketed coils have more space for air to pass through, though it might be less inside a pocketed coil layer because of the extra fabric.

Sleep Trials, Return Policies, and Warranties

Sleep trials, return policies, and warranties are ways manufacturers reassure customers of a quality mattress purchase. Mattresses are a big investment, and ways to protect that investment and ensure it lasts makes the cost worth it.

Sleep Trials

A sleep trial is an at-home trial period where the customer can try out a new mattress within an extended time. Most mattresses with sleep trials last between 90 to 120 nights. Should the customer not like the mattress, most mattress companies will issue a full refund.

Return Policies

A return policy is an okay substitute if a sleep trial is unavailable. Return policies last about 30 days, allowing a good amount of time to adjust to the new mattress. If the customer isn’t happy with the bed, they can return it for a full refund, but be cautious and read the fine print— some companies will only accept returns if the mattress is inside an unopened box.

Warranties

A mattress warranty covers any manufacturing defects which could cause damage to the bed and sagging greater than 1 inch (measurement varies depending on the brand). Most mattresses come with a standard 10-year warranty, though some mattress companies provide longer warranties. A warranty only applies to the original purchaser and can’t be transferred to another person.

Other Things to Consider

How long do mattress in a boxes last?

Mattress in a box mattresses last just as long as beds you can buy in-store, so their expected lifespan more or less depends on the materials used in the mattress. Most high-quality foam mattresses last between 7 to 9 years, while hybrids and innersprings usually only last 5 to 7 years. You can also check out reviews of the product to see how long other customers have owned their mattresses.

Does a mattress in a box need a box spring?

It depends on the type of mattress— memory foam and latex mattresses typically don’t need a box spring, but innerspring and hybrids might. Double-check with the mattress manufacturer before committing to a new mattress.

Can you sleep on a mattress in a box right away?

Generally, you should wait between 24 to 48 hours to allow the mattress to fully decompress before use, but most mattress in a box beds on the market today have a shorter resting period, depending on the brand.

What is the number-one selling mattress in a box?

It’s hard to say, but currently, the best-selling mattress in a box on Amazon is the Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam mattress. Zinus’s mattress is so popular because it comes in different firmness and thickness options, so sleepers can really customize their new mattress. Plus, people love it because it’s infused with green tea extract to wick away body heat and keep the bed smelling fresh and clean.

Are spring mattress in a boxes better than foam models?

Not necessarily, spring mattresses have plenty of benefits, but so do foam beds, so to determine if one is better than the other, it’s best to compare benefits and choose which one interests you more. Spring mattresses are not as common as foam mattresses when looking at mattress in a box brands, simply because foam is easier to compress than springs, but that doesn’t mean that one type of mattress is necessarily better than another.

Conclusion

The convenience of a mattress in a box makes it the best choice for any type of sleeper. Mattress in a box mattresses are made from quality materials with extended sleep trials to ensure a good fit. If you struggle with sleep, a mattress in a box might be the solution.