11 Mattresses in a Box That Deliver on Comfort and Price

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IT WASN'T THAT long ago when we had to go to a brick-and-mortar mattress store to pick out a new bed. Remember throwing that sucker in the back of your friend's SUV and driving it home? What about stuffing it through a series of doorways before it finally arrived in your bedroom? Thank goodness we now live a more civilized world where we can buy a mattress in a box online.

For the past three years, the editors and writers at Men's Health have been testing and reviewing mattresses in a box (the kind that are compressed, rolled up, and then packed into a carry-friendly box). A good mattress in a box provides quality comfort for a much lower price than a premium bed. You also get a pain-free setup—there's no need to assemble a team of three to four people just to get your mattress from doorstep to room.

Do Mattresses in a Box Last?

Since mattresses in a box are often cheaper and made of mostly foam (the material makes it possible for a company to compress the mattress down and package it) there are often questions about how long it will last. Sleep scientist Dr. Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN, told us the ideal scenario when a mattress in a box is worth considering, "They [boxed mattresses] are what I call 'hassle-free' mattresses, ideal for people who may move or need something different within one to two years," says Dr. Weiss.

If you want to hack the lifespan of your boxed mattress, Dr. Weiss notes you can opt for a hybrid mattress in a box instead of an all-foam model. Hybrid mattresses incorporate innerspring systems with a foam construction, boosting durability and support of the mattress, thus potentially extending the life of the mattress for more than a couple of years.

Who Should Buy a Mattress in a Box?

Below, we've rounded up the top mattresses in a box for you to consider in your new sleeper upgrade. If you are someone looking for a quick mattress fix that's easy to set up and budget-friendly, then this roundup is for you. At the same time, if you're someone who is in a short-term living situation, then you will find our picks to be in your wheelhouse too (it's oftentimes much easier to donate your old mattress and grab a new bed when moving to a new place).

If we are being completely honest, though, several of our favorite mattresses in a box have been featured in other stories because they're just that good. There's no shame in buying a mattress in a box. In fact, it's a glorious experience that can save you a ton of time, and money. Ready to see the list?

T&N Original Mattress

Tuft & Needle's Original Mattress hits all our best marks for a Goldilocks sleeper. The mattress has a medium-firm feel with a memory foam top layer and a supportive foam stability layer. Our favorite small detail is the cooling knit top of the mattress, which helps make the memory foam mattress layer feel 10x more comfortable. But best of all about this sleeper is its price point: Tuft & Needle has found the perfect sweet spot for providing a whole lot of value for under $1000.

Tuft & Needle's mattress-in-a-box products have always provided incredible value. Its Original Mattress packs a whole lot of mattress into an amazing (sub-$900!) price point. What you get is a medium-firm sleeper with a cooling knit top and memory foam layer, followed by a foam comfort and stability layer. Thanks to a supportive design, the mattress caters to both back sleepers and stomach sleepers exceptionally well.It's also worth mentioning buying mattresses for stomach sleepers can be difficult, so it's nice to see the T&N Original provide enough support to keep most sleepers' hips from sinking down too far into the bed. (Allowing the hips to sink too far when sleeping on your stomach can result in some nasty back pain.)

The only qualm about the T&N Original is that some side sleepers may want to opt for something a tad more plush. The good news is the 100-night sleep trial gives plenty of time for personal testing. The 10-year limited warranty is solid bonus, as is the free delivery and free returns.

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Nectar Premier Copper Mattress

This Nectar mattress caters to those who want a plush, luxurious feel. Thanks to a cooling copper cover, the 14-inch, five-layered sleeper will prove to feel especially great for side sleepers and hot sleepers. Most of Nectar's mattresses lean firmer, but the Premiere Copper is the softest mattress the brand offers.

The Premiere Copper model is a solid mattress-in-a-box pick for hot sleepers and those who like their mattress to contour to their body. Most of Nectar's mattresses lean firmer, but the Premiere Copper is the plushest mattress the brand offers. In terms of sleep positions, side sleepers will likely enjoy the locked-in feel the foam creates. Back and stomach sleepers who prefer firmer surfaces might want to look elsewhere, though.

Hybrid Luxury Mattress

Dreamcloud's Hybrid Mattress has a firm base and plush top, making it great for giving a supported feel while still incorporating a solid level of comfort. To elaborate more on the base, individually wrapped innerspring coils are used to limit motion transfer and increase airflow. And to speak more on the plush top, the mattress uses a final layer of gel memory foam before finishing with a cashmere quilted fabric.

Most surprising, however, is the free delivery and free returns you get with Dreamcloud. Oh, and there's also a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty. You get all this for less than $1,000, mind you.

Luxe Hybrid

Allswell's mattresses work especially great for those who are looking for a memory foam sleeper on a budget (think under $600). The Luxe Hybrid is a mattress that will appeal to most sleeping positions, but we found it especially nice for side sleepers due to its ability of the foam to gently contour to your body.

The big bonus: The CertiPUR-US® certified foams are made without toxic chemicals like mercury, lead, formaldehyde, and phthalates. This sleeper shows you don’t necessarily need to “invest” thousands in a mattress for it to be just what you need for a good night’s rest. A Queen-sized option is available for less than $400 delivered.

Wave Hybrid Mattress

The Casper Wave might cost a pretty penny, but if you're wanting the best-of-the-best at potentially helping relieve back pain, then you'll want to take a hard look at this mattress. Five layers are combined on the Wave Hybrid to give you comfortable, pressure-relieving support. Around the waist and lower back area, Casper added cooling gel pods to help prevent sinking and provide temperature regulation on the spots that need attention the most. Mattresses for back pain need careful testing, so it's also nice to see Casper offers a 100-night trial period for you to decide if you like it or not.

Casper mattresses are known to last longer than most competitors. The trade-off? You'll pay handsomely for the premium, high-quality construction. The Wave Hybrid retails for more than $3,000, although you can frequently score it on sale for closer to $2,100. Free delivery and a 100-night sleep trial sweeten the deal.

Studio Mattress

If you're looking for a mattress that provides a medium level of firmness, then the Leesa Studio is a solid pick. The mattress is a 10-inch thick all-foam that caters to all types of sleeping positions. If you're someone who sleeps in multiple positions throughout the night, then you'll likely appreciate the versatility of the Studio.

What's great is the affordability of the mattress. A Queen-sized option runs less than $800 delivered, so you it's possible you will still have some leftover cash in your budget to pick up a new piece of furniture.

Luxe Natural Mattress

The Birch Luxe is one of the more expensive mattresses in a box, but when you consider how great this organic mattress feels you'll find it's a worthy investment. For starters, the natural materials used in the Luxe Natural carry some of the highest eco-friendly certifications (GOTS and GREENGUARD Gold Certified). The result is an plush, breathable top-layer made from a blend of organic cashmere and wool.

Individual steel coils are incorporated in the base of the Luxe Natural for just the right amount of support. Birch also zoned off a part of the mattress to especially cater to lumbar support, thus providing a boosted level of comfort. Birch offers a 100 night trial and a 25 year warranty on this bed. As for delivery? Fast and free, with an option to do an in-home setup, plus a removal of your old mattress.

Bear Original

For an affordable mattress that lies medium-firm, you can't go wrong with the Bear Original. It's made with two layers: the top is made with gel-infused memory foam and the bottom is made from a dense foam support core. The Bear Original is great for back sleepers and ideal for stomach sleepers—the mattress is firm enough to keep a stomach sleeper's hips from sinking down and putting pressure on the spine.

What really stands out with this and all Bear mattresses, however, is the after-sale extras. Free delivery and free returns are both nice to have in a mattress that often stickers for less than $700 on sale. Plus, Bear adds a lifetime warranty to every sale.

Plank Firm Luxe

If you're looking for supported sleep, you're going to get it here with the Plank Firm Luxe. The Plank Firm utilizes high density foam to create a thick, pressure relieving top. At the base of the bed is an array of six-inch long coils that are individually wrapped to provide support and limit motion transfer. Side sleepers are going to want to probably steer clear here due to the emphasis on the firm design, but if you're a back sleeper or stomach sleeper then the Plank Firm Luxe could help deliver the best sleep yet.

What makes this bed even more unique is there's a hidden feature where you can reverse the mattress to a plusher side (what Brooklyn Bedding calls a "traditionally firm" side), so you're essentially getting two beds in one. Brooklyn Bedding also offers a longer trial than what we normally see at 120 nights.

Avocado Green Mattress

Designed with over 14,000 pocketed support coils that offer pinpointed comfort, the Avocado Mattress is an eco-friendly sleeper that appeals to individuals and couples looking to get responsive, but more specifically side and combination sleepers since it contours to the body and provides superior pressure relief. As far as materials go, this mattress might have the most comfortable and softest fabric combination around; we're talking 00% GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certified organic latex, 100% GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic wool, and 100% GOTS certified organic cotton.

What's cool is if you want a more plush-feeling mattress, you can upgrade to an attached European-style pillow-top filled with an additional two-inch layer of GOLS organic certified latex rubber foam. With a starting price of $2,000 (closer to $3,000 for the plush version), it ain't cheap. But Avocado does throw in free shipping and a 25-year warranty to protect your investment.

Moonlight Luxe

Named our "Best Plush Mattress for Sex", the Helix Moonlight is a comfortable sleeper for couples that doesn't lean too soft for, well, intimacy. Pressure-relieving foam layers, motion-limiting springs, and adequate edge support appeals to young couples looking for a premium-feel mattress that doesn't break the bank.

Plush mattresses are hard to nail down when it comes to design. The Moonlight Luxe delivers the proper blend of softness without being too soft. Back sleepers and stomach sleepers will appreciate the Moonlight Luxe the most. Stomach sleepers might want something more firm. You do pay a premium for this bed, but along with comes two free Dream Pillows from Helix. A breathable TENCEL top cover is the status quo on the mattress, but if you want to upgrade the comfort you can add a GlacioTex memory foam cooling topper cover for $265 extra.

Why Trust Us?

Retailers, manufacturers, brands, salespeople, and PR folks never dictate the products we cover. Everything we recommend is editorially selected. Occasionally, our staff receives press samples of the products we test (typically on a “loaner” basis). But it’s important to note that we never guarantee a mention, a positive review, or a recommendation for any product. In most cases, our staff personally buys the products they test. However we come about the products we review, we treat them all the same for testing purposes. They’re all subjected to the same honest review.

Read more: How We Test Products

When it comes to covering sleep at Men's Health, our editors and writers are regularly in-the-know about the latest sleep innovations and product releases. Aside from our expert-aided sleep roundups, we also host our annual Sleep Awards, where we highlight our top sleep products of the year.

Meet the Expert

Dr. Carleara Weiss, PhD, MS, RN, is a sleep scientist who focuses on sharing educational content about sleep and circadian rhythms for quality life and wellness for adults, shift workers, parents, athletes, and older adults.

Dr. Weiss is a Sleep Science Advisor for Aeroflow Sleep and Pluto, as well as a Research Assistant Professor at SUNY Buffalo.

What to Consider When Buying a Mattress in a Box

As mentioned earlier, you want to look for a mattress in a box that's got a quality level of construction and a generous trial period. The main downside to buying a mattress in a box is you have to wait and test the mattress out once it's done setting up (about 24-48 hours), but if you buy a trusted mattress with a good trial period then you shouldn't have any anxiety about getting your money back if you want a refund.

In terms of construction, a mattress in a box is going to be made largely out of foam. Make sure you read about the features of the mattress to see if it has any support coils in the base or any special toppers that could provide added cooling and comfort. Mattresses in a box have become so popular and common today, that you should really adhere to buying them just like you would for all mattresses; make sure you know your sleeping position and the kind of sleeper you are. Do you sleep hot or cold? Do you toss and turn, or are you someone who sleeps in the same position all night?

How Much Do Mattresses in a Box Cost?

A mattress in a box is cost-effective, as they are much easier to ship and unpack than the traditional method. Brands take these savings and then pass them on to the consumer, resulting in a reasonably priced mattress, for the most part.

If you stick to the best mattresses in a box we've rounded up above, then you can expect a quality mattress in a box to cost you anywhere between $500-$1200. Some of the top high-end picks might cost $2,000, but that's usually only if they're a premium mattress that's designed exceptionally well.

How to Find the Right Mattress

There are a few structural points to consider when you look at buying a new mattress (and more specifically, a mattress in a box). Do you sleep better on a firmer mattress, or one that’s got a little bounce? Do you have specific needs, such as a mattress to help alleviate occasional back pain? Do you sleep hot? We’ve got all the answers right here. Let’s start with the basics.

Mattress Type and Material

There are, generally, three different types of mattresses: foam (including memory foam) mattresses, innerspring mattresses, and a hybrid of the two. In general, foam mattresses tend to be a little firmer, innerspring models a little bouncier, and hybrid mattresses tend to be a mix of the two.

Innerspring mattresses: No matter which type of mattress you choose, almost all are made with two separate sections. The first is a support core or base that serves as the "foundation" for the rest of the mattress. The second is a softer comfort section near the top that's typically made with materials that are softer, more responsive, and more comfortable than those in the core. Innerspring mattresses are unique in that they rely on rows of metal coils to provide a strong, durable base. The comfort layers in an innerspring mattress are typically no more than two inches thick (any thicker and they're usually considered a hybrid mattress).

Foam mattresses: Foam (including memory foam) mattresses rely on layers of foam throughout the construction, including for the support core. Instead of metal coils, they use high-density foam as the base of the entire mattress. This is usually topped with additional layers of memory foam. The best memory foam mattresses are soft yet supportive, and made to naturally contour to your body's size and shape. This results in a more "body-hugging" feel than traditional innerspring mattresses. Although, in lower-quality memory foam mattresses, that "contouring" can lead to a feeling of sleeping in rather than on the mattress. Whether that's a good thing or not is usually a matter of personal preference.

Hybrid mattresses: As the name implies, hybrid mattresses combine an innerspring coil support base with a thick memory foam comfort layer. In the best hybrid mattresses, the result is a "best of both worlds" mattress that's extremely supportive and contouring enough to please a wide range of sleep styles and preferences.

These days, memory foam mattresses have largely overtaken innerspring mattresses as the sleep surface of choice. But, hybrid models that combine memory foam and innerspring construction are fast gaining in popularity. They offer the support and rigidity of a traditional mattress with the plushness, comfort, and temperature-regulating properties of memory foam. Again, it’s all a matter of personal preference, so there really is no one “best” type of mattress. It's all about what's best for you.

Temperature RegulationThe best mattresses provide solid temperature regulation, which is especially important for "hot" sleepers. The most premium quality models feature memory foam top layers designed to draw heat away from the body, so you stay cool and comfortable all night long.

Motion Isolation

For couples where one or both partners toss and turn during the night, that motion/vibration can be a real problem. Look for a mattress with solid motion isolation which allows each partner to flip and flop all night long without disturbing their significant other. The best way to test this out, of course, is to do so in person.

In-Home Sleep TrialIt's best to shop in person whenever possible. If you can't or just don't want to, be sure to shop mattress brands with a solid in-home sleep trial of at least 90 nights. Three months is plenty of time to test out a new mattress in your own home to make sure it'll work for you. Check the fine print, too, to confirm what fees are involved with returning your mattress after the trial. Some brands and retailers offer free shipping, but not free returns, and some charge additional return/restocking fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars.

WarrantyAny mattress worth buying should come with a minimum 10-year warranty. The best mattress brands even offer 25-year or lifetime warranties, so you know they really stand behind their products.

BudgetThe best mattresses (from the likes of Tempur-Pedic and Purple) often require a significant investment, with some priced at four to five thousand dollars or more. But the truth is you don't have to spend that much. If budget is your main concern, start by shopping for mattresses in your price range. There are a variety of great mattress options starting at less than $400 delivered.

How We Selected

For the past three years, a suite of Men's Health editors are writers tried and tested tons of mattresses in a box. Editors, including Deputy Editor of Commerce Christian Gollayan, and our Senior Gear and Commerce Editor John Thompson, put these beds through the wringer, evaluating each one on support, comfort, and set-up and assembly time. We also considered price point, as some mattresses in a box provide a better overall value than others.

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