We’re also into how cool this bed stays throughout the night; its individually encased coils allow for airflow throughout the mattress, so no need to crank up the AC before you tuck yourself in. We recommend adding on the GlacioTex Cooling Cover that the brand offers for an additional cost, which uses polyethylene fibers to pull heat away from the center of the bed—our testers say it’s literally cool to the touch.
Product specifications
Material: Hybrid | Firmness: Firm (7.5 out of 10) | Trial period: 120 nights | Warranty: 10 years | Shipping: Free shipping
Best Memory Foam Mattress in a Box: Layla
Pros
- Plush memory foam construction feels cozy, according to testers
- Stays nice and cool, particularly for a memory foam mattress
- Great motion isolation
- Flippable design allows for multiple firmness options
Cons
- Squishiness could make you feel “stuck” in the foam
Each side of this memory foam mattress has a different firmness level: one is a plush, soft medium-firm, the other more supportive and firm. So if you’re a gold-medalist in the sport of indecision, this flip-flopping mattress has your name all over it.
It’s not uncommon for memory foam mattresses to be warmer than other options since foam naturally traps heat. Luckily, Layla stands out in this respect; we scored it at a 4.5 out of 5 for thermal regulation. Its layer of cooling copper memory foam helps keep the bed relatively chilly from night to morning.
Product specifications
Material: Foam | Firmness: Flippable (medium-firm side: 6/10; firm side: 7.5/10) | Trial period: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Shipping: Free shipping
Best Mattress in a Box for Back Pain: Bear Elite Hybrid
Pros
- Pressure-relieving foams may help relieve back pain
- Its three firmness options will suit most sleeping positions
Cons
- More expensive than most bed-in-the-box mattress
The Bear Elite Hybrid has three cushiony foam layers and two layers of sturdy pocketed spring coils that use targeted zone support to relieve pressure that can contribute to back pain. It comes in three firmness options; we recommend the medium or firm options if you sleep on your back or stomach and the soft option if you prefer to sleep on your side.
“The mattress felt buoyant yet still pressure-relieving. For me, a back-side combination sleeper, the Elite Hybrid seems like an excellent match,” says one tester, who tried the medium version.
Product specifications
Material: Hybrid | Firmness: Multiple firmness options: soft, medium, firm | Trial period: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Shipping: Free shipping
Benefits of buying a bed in a box
The best mattress-in-a-box options can go toe to toe with traditional beds on a number of fronts: both types are available in a range of firmness levels and materials and they have similar expected lifespans. But a big added win for boxed beds is the convenience of not needing to leave your house in order to actually get one—and with extended trial periods, there’s no need to worry about changing your mind if it ends up not being for you. Here’s a closer look at some of the key reasons to choose this style of mattress:
Convenience
Put simply, ordering a bed in a box streamlines the mattress-shopping experience. Since you can order them online, you can completely opt out of driving to different showrooms. The bed arrives right on your doorstep (or, in certain cases where white glove delivery is an option, right into your bedroom). Plus, many brands give you time to see if your new bed is a good fit. “Most manufacturers offer a prolonged trial period during which the consumer can try the bed at home and if they don’t like it, it can be easily returned,” says Dr. Mesiwala.
Price
Sometimes, a bed in a box can be more affordable than traditional options. The full-price range of mattresses in our list go from $1099 (Nectar and Layla) to $2499 (Nolah Evolution) for a queen-sized model. Non direct-to-consumer brands also span a range of prices, but some luxury options cost over $3000.
A range of options
Beds are like a box of chocolates—not because you never know which you’ll get, but because there’s something for every taste. Whether you’re a hot sleeper looking for a cooling bed, or you deal with back pain and need a pressure-relieving option, there’s a bed in a box for you. “Each manufacturer has its own unique blend of materials, which may be better for certain types of sleepers in terms of whether you sleep supine, prone, or on your side,” says Dr. Mesiwala.
Long lifespan
In general, you’ll want to consider getting a new mattress every eight or so years, SELF previously reported. And your bed in a box will most likely be able to keep pace. “[These mattresses] are as durable or, in some cases, more durable than conventional mattresses,” Dr. Mesiwala says.
Drawbacks of buying a bed in a box
Nothing’s perfect, so here are some reasons a boxed mattress might not be the best fit for your needs.
They’re heavy
Bed-in-the-box options can be heavy and difficult for one person to carry despite their compact packaging. Some brands do offer white-glove delivery for a fee (like Bear and Nolah, for instance), which means someone will install the new mattress on your bed frame and take your old one away. In our experience, offering a few buddies pizza in exchange for their help tends to do the trick, too.
They might trap heat
Most bed-in-the-box mattresses are made with memory foam in some of the layers—the material is known to trap heat more than innerspring or hybrid mattresses.
You have to wait for them to air out
When you unbox a mattress, it might stink a little because of a factor known as “off-gassing.” Basically, the polyethylene materials used many foam beds have a distinctive odor that takes a few days to fade. Because of this, brands normally suggest you wait for your bed to air out before hopping in it.
How we tested these mattresses
Our testers have tried out more than 500 mattresses, including many bed-in-the-box options. They score them on a number of factors (check out our methodology to peep our full process), but here are three criteria especially relevant to picking the bed-in-a-box options:
