The mattress industry was pretty – forgive me – sleepy before the arrival of the first box mattresses in 2016. Undercutting the big mattress retailers, young-gun brands like Casper, Nectar, and DreamCloud offered low prices and convenient delivery that traditional stores couldn't match.
The industry has exploded since then, with dozen of companies competing to make the best box mattress. With so much on offer, it can be difficult to see which bed matches your needs.
Thankfully, we've tested plenty of mattresses, so we know exactly which are best. After whittling down our list of the best, these are the best box mattresses you can buy.
Alex is Head of eCommerce at Homes & Gardens and spends his days trawling the internet for the latest product launches and deals, as well as testing homes products in our specialized test facility.
Best box mattress 2023
Why you should buy it:
Not only the best box mattress, but the coolest mattress we've ever tested.
Why we love it:
The Wave Hybrid Snow lives up to Casper's claim that it'll keep you cool for at least 12 hours. Tested in a steamy summer down in Georgia, this mattress passed our tests with flying colours. If you sleep hot, this is the mattress for you.
It's not just cool, however. The Snow technology is an add-on to the Wave Hybrid Mattress, which is itself a fantastic bed. A combination of 3 different zones keep your spine aligned; softer foam toward the top of the bed gently sinks the shoulders, combining with a denser foam in the middle to support the waist, as well as gel pods for lower back that add further support.
Good to know:
The edge support on this mattress could be better as it gets a little mushy at the corners. What's more, despite box mattresses tending to be a cheap option, this bed is very expensive.
Our Casper Wave Hybrid Snow review goes into more detail.
Why you should buy it: Incredible value
Why we love it:
The best thing about this mattress is value for money. In our rundown of the best mattresses, it was narrowly beaten by a mattress that's almost $1000 more expensive. DreamCloud run sales all the time, which means that this mattress is routinely under $800. A decent mattress under $1000 is a rare thing, and not only does it cost less, but you'll also have an entire year to trial whether the mattress is for you, and it's backed by a lifetime warranty, so it's a safe investment too.
But don't think this is just a cheap option. This is a high-quality mattress, with a 14-inch profile. It looks indulgent and comfortable on almost any bed frame. Not only does it look the part, but its cashmere-topped cover will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and the quilted memory foam offers great pressure relief.
Another great feature is that it suits pretty much any sleep style. It skews to medium-firm, sitting in the sweet spot between too-firm and too-soft. Our reviewer Camyrn found that it was well-suited to both her and her husband, who have drastically different sleeping preferences.
Good to know:
The motion isolation isn't the best, so while it's well suited for couples, light sleepers might notice if their partner turns over in the night.
Camryn's DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Review goes into more detail.
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Why you should buy it:
The best mattress for tackling back pain, and the best memory foam mattress
Why we love it
This firm mattress helped alleviate the pain of a bad back. It starts of firm, and as the memory foam heats up it gently molds to your body for excellent support.
It’s slightly on the firmer side of medium-firm – with the website ranking as a 6.5 on a firmness scale of 1-10. Users who like soft mattresses found it way too firm, so this is a great choice for front and back sleepers but not best for heavy side sleepers.
It also features a cooling cover, so if you run hot, this is a good option. We also loved that it also had almost no motion transfer, so it's great for couples.
Good to know
This mattress helped relieve some of our tester's pain, but don't assume it will work for you. You should always discuss back pain with a doctor, and a mattress can only help relive symptoms; it's not a miracle cure. We also noticed some off-gassing, but it ended by by day two. This bed also gets mushy at the edges - you might not notice it as you sleep, but you might when sitting on the edge of the bed.
Our Nectar Memory foam mattress review goes into more detail.
Why you should buy it
A soft box bed if you like to sink-in
Why we love it:
This mattress has a high 'sink in' factor. If you like a soft bed, this mattress will contour around your body, offering relief beneath achy joints.
This is thanks to a mix of mattress layers. The top comfort foam provides extra airflow to keep you cool, the pressure-relieving memory foam contours gently to your body and the dense 6” core adds support and durability for joints. We also like the super soft knitted top layer, which sleeps cool despite the soft memory foam.
A big draw to the Leesa mattress is Leesa’s risk-free 100-night trial, free delivery, and their charitable contribution of donating one mattress per ten sold.
Good to know:
The mattress initially feels quite firm but becomes incredibly giving as it warms to your body temperature. If you like a firm mattress, you'll find this far too soft. This softness also means that the while others note the edge support and motion isolation leave something to be desired.
Our Leesa Original Memory Foam Mattress review goes into more detail.
Box mattresses: FAQs
Should I go for a box mattress or buy one in store?
Some readers will simply want to see their mattress in person before buying it. That's a perfectly smart move; outside of a home, a car, or a degree, a mattress is one of the biggest single purchases most of us make in our lives.
The advantage of box mattresses, however, is that they're cheap. Because it's such a competitive market, there's mattress sales almost constantly and the big manufacturers are always dropping their prices to try and get the better of each other. Box mattresses can be hundreds of dollars cheaper. In some cases, you could save thousands.
There's also the advantage of not having to go through a salesperson. In a store, no matter how nice they are, the person selling your mattress will be upselling and trying to get as much money out of you as possible. If you hate to haggle, this can be a little stressful. With a box mattress, you can shop around at your leisure and do your own research. You can find a bed that suits you, not the bottom line of a mattress company.
How long does it take to deliver a mattress in a box?
It will vary by the brand and where you're based, but the brands like Nectar tend to deliver in 3-5 days. It's common to wait between 7-10 days for your new bad.
Where to buy the best box mattresses
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