Top 9 Mattresses-in-a-Box
These top bed-in-a-box brands make shopping easier and deliver quality sleep.
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You spend a lot of time (about a third of your day) on a mattress, so choosing which to buy is an important decision. The Good Housekeeping Textiles Lab has been evaluating mattresses for years by researching the brands, trying the beds out first-hand, having testers sleep on them for extended periods, and surveying our panel to get in-depth reviews from thousands of real users. The picks ahead offer unique features, excellent service, and great feedback from our reviewers. But in short, these are the top mattresses in a box to buy online.
Casper Sleep Foam Mattress
The name Casper is synonymous with "mattress-in-a-box" and it's the most frequently purchased online brand by our panel, helping it to earn the top spot on our list. The majority of our reviewers love this all-foam bed, especially the price, ease of buying, firm support, and overall comfort. Some mentioned it feels a little warm and few didn't find it to be comfortable, but the brand lets you return it within 100 nights if it's not a good fit.
If you want to save money, the Essential Mattress has less layers and is $600 for a queen. On the flip side, the Wave Mattress is a pricier $2,250 for a queen, but is ergonomically designed so you get more pressure relief in areas like your hips and shoulders.
Trial period: 100 nights
Allswell Luxe Hybrid Mattress
Allswell's mattress is packed with features, but it's also one of the most affordable brands in our roundup. It's not the cheapest, but for what it offers, we think it's the best value. It has memory foam to give you support, coils for extra comfort, and a plush topper to make it even more luxurious. Our panel unanimously said this mattress was worth the price, and several even said it got rid of their neck and back pain.
If you're looking to save even more, the brand also has a less expensive mattress that's just $345 for a queen. It has less features (there's no topper and it's not as high), but a reviewer told us it's comfortable and said she's happy with it, except for the lack of support around the edge.
Trial period: 100 days
The brand is online-only, but unlike the others, Saatva's bed is not compressed into a box: It's made with innersprings and is more like the traditional mattresses you'll find in stores. A free delivery service sets it up for you and can take away your old mattress, but you still get the online perks of trying it out for 4 months without penalty.
Our panel gave it high scores for comfort, support, and overall sleep quality, with additional comments like "the best mattress ever" and "the best sleep I've ever had." They noted that it does feel especially firm, which they like – especially around the edges for getting in and out of bed. If firm isn't for you, the brand also has a less-popular plush option.
Trial period: 120 days (though there's a $99 return pickup fee).
Zinus Green Tea Mattress
This foam bed has over 24,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.1-star rating and is listed as the Amazon Choice for mattresses. It's also a popular pick among our panel, who said they bought it mostly because of the low price and positive reviews. Some users did notice a smell at first (though it went away) and not everyone thought it was super comfortable, but the majority had no issues at all and said it was both comfy and convenient.
There are four mattress heights available, from 6-inch through 12-inch, and the 6-inch option is just $156 (yes, really!). The brand makes some suspicious green tea antioxidant claims and we don't recommend you buy it for this reason, but the bottom line is the price can't be beat.
Trial period: N/A
Tuft & Needle Original Mattress
This simple mattress has two layers of foam: a firm, support layer on the bottom and a cushy, cooling layer on top. It's inexpensive, and on average our panel gave it good marks across the board – from the ordering process and set up to the comfort and support. One thing in particular that stood out was the customer service: There were no issues to report and several people even mentioned how friendly and helpful the representatives were.
The main complaint was that the edges lack support, so if you're sitting on the side it may sag. Only a few users told us they didn't find it comfortable, and the brand says 95% of buyers end up keeping the mattress.
Trial period: 100 days
It's pricey, but this hybrid bed is personalized and can grow with you: the innersprings on each side can be removed and replaced with firmer or softer options. Choose from four firmness levels per side and the bed gets shipped in multiple boxes. This model is fairly new so there aren't as many people using it to provide feedback just yet, but we've had several testers try it out and so far they're happy with it.
One even said "I laid down on it and almost fell asleep, which never happens. The whole unboxing part was pretty fun and super easy too." They also thought modular design would be good for moving homes, so this bed's ideal if you're frequently relocating.
Trial period: 100 nights
This mattress offers the best of both in-store and online shopping: You can test it at any Mattress Firm location before buying online, but can still take advantage of the trial period. It gets delivered compressed in a box, but the company sets it up for you and hauls away your old mattress.
There are three foam options: soft, medium, or firm. Multiple people on our panel said that the medium option was firmer than they expected. Otherwise, it got good scores in all categories, from ease of buying to comfort and sleep quality. Our reviewers also praised the bed for how supportive it feels. One even said it got rid of her neck pain as well as her husband's back pain.
Trial period: 120 nights
Unsure if you need a soft or firm option? This foam style gives you both: Just flip the mattress to change the support level. It has copper built-in to prevent the overheating that is typically associated with memory foam, and several users told us they find the bed to have good temperature control.
Most reviewers said they love the mattress and gave it high ratings for comfort and support. Some specifically said it conforms nicely to your body and is great for side sleepers. Use the code "GH100" for $100 off any size mattress.
Trial period: 120 nights
This brand stands out for its grid-shaped elastic material in the top layer that's designed to provide both support and pressure relief. Our panel describes it as the perfect combo of soft and firm and users say they can't feel their sleeping partners move during the night. Some of our reviewers noted the delivery took longer than expected.
This original model has just foam below the grid, but hybrid models with foam and coils are also available for added pressure relief and airflow. The main callout for this brand is that the mattresses are very heavy, but the pricier (and heavier) hybrid models come with free setup.
Trial period: 100 nights
KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY
Don't shop online without checking these factors first:
Delivery Options: Some ship in boxes (you set it up yourself), while others have white glove service (they do all the work and take your old mattress). Interestingly, most testers found the DIY set-up to be less of a hassle than scheduling a delivery.
Return Policy: There should be a trial period so you can sleep on it for at least a month. If you don't like it, most brands will pick up the mattress and donate it.
Certified Materials: Many are made with foam, so look for legit certifications like CertiPUR-US (all of these picks have it) or GreenGuard to avoid unsafe levels of chemicals.
Your Bed's Base: Some materials, especially foam, work better on a flat, hard surface. If you have slats, they should be close together to avoid mattress sagging. Typically you won't need a box spring. And don't forget to measure the frame to ensure the mattress will fit: Though sizes are typically standard, one tester found out the bed was an inch too narrow.
Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.
