Saatva Mattress: A 25 Year Industry Expert’s Review And Report On Popular Online Brand
My Saatva mattress reviews for 2023 always circle back to similar comments I’ve made in previous years about the brand. I spent 25 years designing my own line of mattresses, and the one obvious difference from Saatva’s mattress lineup is that the company does not compress, vacuum package, or roll up their mattresses.
You’re going to pay a bit more, but you will also receive free in-home delivery and setup. The reason for this is the design of their mattresses, all of which have an innerspring component that is not designed to be rolled or folded up.
Even as a former competitor of Saatva, I considered the brand to be superior to almost all other hybrid manufacturers (that’s a mattress made of both coils and a variety of foams and textiles, in combination with each other).
Saatva builds 7 different mattresses, but we are going to take a look at the 3 most popular models. I have personally tested each of the models, and I’ll touch on the characteristics you should consider when shopping for a premium mattress brand.
Here are some hallmarks of the Saatva lineup’s design:
- Handcrafted, each mattress bench built
- Strategic network of factories in USA
- Designed to offer pressure and pain relief
- Good edge support for sitting, transfer
- Cooling components for hot sleepers
- Firmer option for heavier people, couples
- One year in home trial period
- Lifetime warranty
- Free shipping and in home setup
- Free removal of used mattress
They’ve maintained for years that delivering their product to your door exactly as it left their factory is critical for durability, comfort, and support. They describe the process of mashing a mattress fascinating and technically glamorous, but “hardly the mark of luxury”. Is that the reason they have a huge following of devoted customers? As an impartial reviewer, I wanted to know more.
Also, first off, I should tell you that the most popular Saatva model, The Saatva Classic, is pretty reasonably priced at $1345 for a queen, with free setup service and old mattress removal. Saatva bills it as the web’s “most popular innerspring mattress”, and it receives
handcrafted to order and not stockpiled in boxes or kept in warehouses
I wanted to find out, so I put my 25 years of industry experience to the test to find out what they do that’s different from every other bed in a box that’s out there. First off, I’m going to warn you ahead of time that their mattresses are a bit pricier, but include free shipping and setup in your home.
Saatva claims that a mattress has to be mashed and compressed down to the thickness of a yoga mat to be rolled up into a shippable container (at least by FedEx or UPS, where the dimensions generally fall into the 20″ x 44″ range.
I owned several online mattress companies myself, and throughout the early 2000’s was shipping hundreds of my brand via ground shipping using the same bed in a box shipping techniques- but none of my mattresses had a pocketed coil system inside.
Was it the best idea for to do this with my own brand? Probably not, in hindsight. I had to replace a lot of mattresses that were mashed and never expanded back to their full original size. Saatva completely circumvents this mattress shipping “flaw”.
In the end, buying a pre-compressed mattress robs of you of many of the subtle elements of comfort and support you paid for. Saatva delivers a bench built mattress exactly the way it leaves the hands of the craftspeople that built it.
Marc Anderson, Mattress Designer And Manufacturer For 25 Years
The company is known for posting videos showing other brands of innerspring mattresses being mashed as thin as a welcome mat, and makes claims that specialized high density foam and other textiles can be damaged during this process.
In my experience as a mattress designer, using high density polyurethane foams as layers inside of a mattress for support (most online bed in a box companies work with the same foam materials, just arrange them differently in various “cake recipes”) is industry standard.
If you are shopping on the low end, say, under $800 for a queen size mattress, the foam, fabric, and even the pocket coils inserted inside the mattress are typically not designed to be mashed to a mere fraction of their thickness.
I know from first hand experience and my own product testing, that the longer you leave a mattress inside of a bag, rolled and compressed, the more likely there will be permanent damage– most of which a typical consumer will never even know about.
In the end, buying a pre-compressed mattress robs of you of many of the subtle elements of comfort and support you paid for.
I Wanted To Learn More About The Saatva Company, From Materials To Factory Floor, To Shipping
Saatva is known amongst its own competitors (of which I was one) for maintaining high industry standards. They sew, fit, laminate, assemble, and ship from satellite factories that they own.
Once you place an order for a new mattress, it takes about 9-13 days to receive your shipment (as it has to be scheduled after contacting you for in home delivery).
Note: Saatva uses a network of reliable delivery pros that owners consistently rate as excellent.
The textiles, foam, and even the pocket coil system they use are all sourced from suppliers in the USA. If this is important to you, like it is to our team here, keep this in mind- mattresses made in the U.S.A. must meet strict health, safety, and environmental standards.
The U.S. and Europe have the toughest mattress laws, though other countries may have very limited laws or standards.
As Saatva themselves state, “knowing where your mattress is made makes it easier to ensure that the manufacturer adheres to guidelines that protect workers from danger and exploitation, such as labor regulations and minimum-wage laws”.
Because Saatva uses a closely managed in house manufacturing network, things like environmental impact, staff working conditions, and the use of recycled materials can all be closely monitored and controlled.
I’ll take a look at each model and give you the features and benefits of each model below and give you my own insider advice that only an expert with 25 years of mattress designing and manufacturing experience can provide. I also scour reviews online and let you know what actual owners think of each of the models we’ve reviewed and tested ourselves at our sleep lab in New Orleans.
Saatva Mattress Reviews By Model: Which Model Is Best For You And Why
1. Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress
- Oustanding Pain, Pressure Relief
- $1495 in Queen
- Body Contouring
- Pocket Coil Support
- Antimicrobial
- Hot Sleeper
- 365 Day Trial
- Lifetime Warranty
2. Saatva Classic Mattress
- Choose From 3 Firmness Options
- $1695 In Queen
- Responsive, Plush On Top
- Pain Relief
- Lifetime Warranty
- 365 Day Trial
- Firmer Support
3. Saatva Loom & Leaf Mattress
- UltraPremium 5lb Memory Foam
- Gel Infused Cooling Foam
- Body Hugging
- Plant Based Thistle Fire Barrier
- Antimicrobial
- Soft & Firm Options
1. Saatva Classic Mattress Review
Unlike other “bed in a box” options, The Saatva Classic Hybrid Mattress gives you the option of three models offering different levels of soft vs. firm.
You can the responsive, lively feel of an innerspring mattress (not a dead memory foam sensation), but with more plush and nestle factor up top.
Built using a unique “cake recipe” of body contouring layers, the Saatva Classic Hybrid relies on pocketed coils and specialized memory foam to offer precision spine alignment and cradling support.
I felt it had a more traditional mattress feel, but also enjoyed the fact that you don’t feel like you have to dig your way out of your mattress just to turn on your side or back.
When very little effort is required to turn, you tend to remain in deep, restorative sleep, and don’t wake up as often. This results in a refreshed and well-rested sensation upon awakening.
During our Saatva Classic Mattress review, edge support and the ease of turning ranked were important criteria to consider because many customers switching from all foam mattresses are looking for better overall support.
The first thing I noticed doing my Saatva mattress reviews, is that The Saatva Classic Mattress is designed to keep you cool and comfy. They do this by using textiles that breathe and quilted foam layers built into the top section of the mattress. This keeps body heat from collecting in pits right next to you as you sleep.
One thing I’ve always found with American made Saatva mattresses I’ve reviewed is the consistent craftsmanship, the even handed sewing of the outer and inner quilting, and the level of sophistication you get with any model.
The Saatva Classic sells for $1,570 in queen, less than half of Signature Black models of big box retailer brands, and they’re more comfortable, too.
You also can choose from 3 levels of firmness, plush soft, luxury firm, or firm. While I personally preferred the plush soft version as I didn’t experience much sink factor at all, most owners whose reviews we studied seemed to prefer the luxury firm option, which does give a little bit better lower back support. The plush option though, fills in pockets and void areas more effectively.
In any of the firmness options, the mattress has a little bit of bounce to it, as well, and most people enjoy a mattress with a livelier feel rather than a dead, beach sand kind of feel I’ve noticed while reviewing many memory foam mattresses.
In fact all of my Saatva mattress reviews reveal the same livelier, lifted and elevated sensation that keeps you above the mattress rather than buried inside.
Each Saatva Classic Mattress is outfitted with a plush Euro style pillow top that is sumptuous, nest like, and embracing, without suffocating you or burying you or making you feel trapped.
Inside, there’s a well thought out design that is specifically targeted at providing excellent spine alignment to relieve nerve compression and improve circulation, relax and calm limbs, and reduce pressure specifically on shoulders and hips.
Underneath, a continuous layer of Bonnell style coils (4) provides the substrate or foundation for the mattress.
Immediately above the foundation coil layer are several layers of buffering and impact absorbing foam, over which is the signature pocketed coil system (1) which give the Saatva its unique qualities.
Each pocketed coil operates independently, like a finely tuned automotive suspension. This allows each area of your body to receive isolated and differing levels of pushback to cradle and levitate areas like hips, shoulders, and even fills in void areas such as the lumbar region of your lower back.
The sumptuous top section also fills in between shoulder blades and the lumbar area of your back, as well.Underneath, each pocketed coil operates independently, like a finely tuned automotive suspension.
The pocketed coil system in the Saatva Classic Mattress is what likely what makes this mattress so popular with people who suffer from back pain and sciatic nerve pain, which can be life altering and a chronic problem for many.
Our review and test revealed that because of the added extra comfort layers right up top, our tester observed less muscle fatigue and soreness during the night.
Above the pocketed coil system in a Saatva mattress are the several proprietary memory foam layers (3) used to minimize motion transfer and to provide excellent pressure relief, by distributing pressure sideways, not downward, much like spreading pizza dough across a pan, outwards and away from the weight placed on the mattress.
To add additional comfort and pressure relief, the mattress is topped off with Saatva’s handcrafted Euro pillow top (5), filled with several layers of comfortable and cushy high density foam layers. Crafted from organic cotton, the top of the mattress soft and breathable. The cover is also tufted and quilted with a soft foam to provide the Saatva with a pillow top look and feel.
Here are the three firmness options you can choose from in the Saatva Classic Hybrid lineup:
- Plush Soft: preferred by side sleepers and occasional back sleepers, great if you like feeling enveloped in your mattress. Most owners describe this version as having a medium level of support and softness. Just cushy enough to be inviting, but not too soft.
- Luxury Firm: definitely their most popular version, preferred by all types of sleepers, great if you tend to switch positions in the night. More of a medium firm, but not resilient or excessively firm. Owners describe this variation as not being “stiff” or “rigid”.
- Firm: preferred by back and stomach sleepers, great if you like the feeling of floating on your mattress instead of immersing in your mattress. Typical sensation of a very traditional and firmer innerspring mattress that does not tend to yield much. Excellent for back sleepers, or those with chronic thoracic or upper back pain. Side sleepers may not find it embracing or soft enough.
Our Saatva Classic Mattress review dug deep to find out why this mattress has such a huge following, and owners that go out of their way to write reviews and share their experience with friends and family rate it a 4.9 out of 5 stars, consistently. I know I’m getting long winded, but honestly, this is one of my favorite all time mattresses.
THE SAATVA CLASSIC SERIES OFFERS BUILT-IN EDGE SUPPORT THAT IS TYPICALLY LEFT OUT OF MANY BED IN A BOX OPTIONS
One of the characteristics of the Saatva lineup is the built perimeter edge support system. This is a wrap around edge of firmer and more resilient foam designed to support your body while sitting on the edge of your mattress. It makes it easier to transfer in and out of the mattress, which make it ideal for persons with limited mobility issues.
Even taking your shoes on and off can be an issue in mattresses that are poorly designed and don’t have a specific element at the edge of the mattress that can accommodate weight.
Most mattresses run the comfort layers out to the edge of the mattress and these layers are typically too soft to handle the weight of a seated individual, and can result in a sliding sensation off of the edge of the mattress.
THE SAATVA CLASSIC DELIVERS ON MOTION ISOLATION AND IS EXCELLENT FOR LIGHT SLEEPERS AND COUPLES
In addition to offering excellent edge support, the Saatva mattress, despite having a coil system as the principle element of its design, offers outstanding motion isolation characteristics. This is due to the buffering qualities of the memory foam used in both the mattress interior as well as the Euro pillow top piece.
Couples who prefer to sleep adjacent to each other will find that they will not easily disturb their partners, and light sleepers will find that they sleep deeper, and maintain uninterrupted sleep for much longer than when using other mattress designs. Our Saatva Classic Mattress review found far less motion transfer even when turning and getting in and out of bed.
WHAT SETS THE SAATVA CLASSIC MATTRESS APART: A MATTRESS DESIGNER’S OPINION
While I’m not generally a fan of innerspring or coil mattresses, the Saatva design is an exception and an example of engineering a mattress so that the appropriate use of different elements delivers more than just the sum of tis parts.
It has a sturdy, durable construction, it’s available in several different comfort options, and it accommodates almost every conceivable body type. While the lineup may not be among the softest or the most plush mattresses, there is a Saatva army of satisfied owners who write fantastic reviews about this well thought out program. But why is the mattress so hugely popular?
For one, their web site is brimming with valuable information. There is almost no- what we call in advertising- “fluff” or “weasel words” and honestly, you’ll get flat out, the best education about mattresses you’ll get on the web. Most retail sites don’t offer the backstory about mattress construction and design like Saatva offer.
Another feature we like about the Saatva web site and product descriptions are that their content is backed up with facts, spec by spec, and apples to apples, making it simple to compare their mattresses with other brands. In fact, there is a detailed comparison chart between the Saatva mattress and other high end mattresses.
When I personally called to ask detailed questions about the coil system, the foam densities, even the gauge of the springs, for example, they were carefully and expertly handled by the phone rep and a chat rep I spoke with. The staff is thoroughly trained and prepared to answer technical questions.
The few times there was a question that couldn’t be answered (since they were questions only a mattress designer or engineer could answer) I would be transferred to someone who could. You just don’t find this kind of knowledge base at most e-commerce mattress stores, and certainly not in a retail brick and mortar setting.
SAATVA CLASSIC PLUSH SOFT OPTION: REVIEW
If you’re a petite individual or you spend a lot of time sleeping on your side, you’ should probably opt for the plush soft model. This model is the softest bed Saatva offers, and overall, we think it fits right around a medium on the firmness scale. It has a soft to the fingertips feel, and you can easily immerse your hand deep into the Euro pillow top. This translates to excellent weight distribution qualities and pressure relief for your hips and shoulders.
SAATVA CLASSIC LUXURY FIRM OPTION: REVIEW
The Luxury Firm model delivers on both offering a comfortable, immersive sensation which is nest like and easy on the shoulders and hips when on your side, but still offers excellent straight and level support for aching backs, and insures that you’ll maintain good spine alignment while sleeping both on your side or your back.
Imagine a traditional innerspring mattress but with the ability to nestle into it, and still feeling the pushback that keep you on top of the mattress and not buried inside of it. The Luxury Firm is Saatva’s most popular model, with over 65% of customers purchasing this model over the other two.
SAATVA CLASSIC FIRM OPTION: REVIEW
The firm model that Saatva offers is likely the best bet for heavy individuals, let’s say people over 225 pounds, or for people that sleep primarily on their back and belly. Of course, there are a lot of people out there that love to sleep on an ultra-firm, rigid and flat surface, and if that is you, the firm option is definitely the way to go.
2. Saatva Loom & Leaf Mattress Review
If I had to sum up my Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress review in just a few words, I’d simply say that customers love it because it’s unlike any mattress they’ve ever owned.
The reverence for this mattress by its owners is a bit unusual, but the reviews we’ve studied as well as our own research and tear down of this luxury memory foam mattress back up some pretty wild claims.
Because the Loom And Leaf Mattress is made a using vastly superior grade of memory foam than less expensive popular brands, owners often refer to them as “their best investment” or “an investment grade mattress”.
Because shopping for a memory foam mattress is so exhausting, and because the use of the term “memory foam” is kind of annoying and ubiquitous, this brand gets overlooked simply because it requires more of a financial commitment that the standard “slabs of foam” option that sell for $700-800.
If you want to learn more about memory foam and the features and benefit the material offers, especially for both pressure relief, body conforming support, and spine alignment, check out this page. It’s highly detailed, but worth the read, especially if you love the tekky details.
Bottom line, The Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress is made using a much higher density of visco-elastic “memory foam”, lasts far longer without mashing down and compressing that less dense versions (such as 3lb., typically used in memory foam mattresses selling for under $800), and gives better pressure relief.
At 12″ tall, the mattress is a bit sleeker in design that overstuffed and taller designs, making transfer in and out the mattress easier.
If you want to learn more about memory foam and the features and benefit the material offers, especially for both pressure relief, body conforming support, and spine alignment, check out this page. It’s highly detailed, but worth the read, especially if you love the tekky details.
Bottom line, The Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress is made using a much higher density of visco-elastic “memory foam”, lasts far longer without mashing down and compressing that less dense versions (such as 3lb., typically used in memory foam mattresses selling for under $800), and gives better pressure relief.
The higher the density, the slower that “melting in ” sensation takes when lying on a mattress made with the stuff, and The Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress , because it is made using superior memory foam layers, is designed to embrace you rather than suck you into it. It’s also made with cooling gel foam layers strategically stacked in “cake layer” fashion to have an additive effect.
This means that each layer above the bottom support layer compliments what’s underneath. Unlike a typical memory foam mattress, which is made with two, maybe three layers of material covered with a simplistic outer fabric cover, the mechanics and material used to create the Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress has a certain alchemy to it not found in stamped out imitators.
Two Firmness Options, Relaxed Firm Or Regular Firm
In a queen, the Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress costs $2,099, but if you compare it to retail store brands for their so-called “Black” models, which are overstuffed innerspring mattresses, the price is comparable.
Why do actual owners consistently rate it around 8.5-9 out of 10 stars consistently? I wanted to find out myself, and field testing the mattress for comfort and support involved breaking down what is inside of it first.
You can choose from two options when you purchase a Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress- relaxed firm, or regular firm. I tried them both, and here’s what I found.
If you consider the softer of the two options, relaxed firm, it’s important to remember that because this mattress is made using a higher density memory foam architecture, it’s not going to feel soft. You’re not going to bottom into it, and you won’t feel like you have to dig your way out of it to simply change positions.
Also, if you are sleeping with a partner, you won’t find yourself rolling into the middle of the mattress in one big ball, trapped inside. Rather, the experience if definitely like a beach sand sensation, a subtle melting in, with an easy, softer, yet supportive elevated feeling underneath.
Actually, even if you opt for the regular firm option, which is truly what I would call “medium firm”, you won’t feel like you’ve hit a dirt floor as you lie on your side, for example, which is the “knife’s edge” of your body at hips and shoulders.
From top down, the outer quilted top piece ( I call it the body contact section of the mattress) is crafted from organic cotton, so there is a really nice, softer feel to the mattress right from the get go.
It is also very breathable, and didn’t feel hot, even after lying on it for more than 30 minutes. Organic cotton helps with cooling, which is something many sleepers should really enjoy. Organic cotton helps to wick moisture away from the body as well, promotes evaporative cooling, and this keeps heat from stockpiling under your body through the night.
Comfort Layers: Cooling Gel Foam And 5LB Density Premium Memory Foam Layers
The Loom and Leaf mattress features a fairly complex blueprint, with four foam layers, the first three built in for comfort.
Underneath the quilted top section, the first layer is 2” of gel memory foam which has a 5 lb density and is convoluted, which assists with passive air movement.
Designed To Cool, Support, And Move Weight To Outside Edges
Using convoluted foam in a mattress design has always been the thing mattress designers like myself argue about.
After designing over 150 mattresses of my own over 25 years in the business, I can say that if a layer is 2″ thick and fairly dense, the benefit is pretty good.
Hot air will get pumped to the outer edge of the mattress. It’s a little like a built in AC system that can push out hot air every time you move.
The middle third of the comfort layer in this mattress has what Saatva calls a proprietary gel foam, and this helps to distribute weight horizontally rather than downward.
Beneath that, there is a 2” layer of denser memory foam, which is made using 5 lb density material, which is very durable and should provide amazing body contouring. This means that it will comfortable wrap up around the edges of your body and fill in those void areas such as lumbar regions between hips and middle to upper back.
For the money, getting ultra-premium 5lb density memory foam in the recipe is hard to find. It costs much more than the industry standard 3lb density material, which compacts and can eventually form ruts and depressions.
In writing my Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress review, I wanted to be sure and emphasize that you won’t typically find as much complexity in the design of a mattress, and that the overall effect on your body will be more pronounced than in other foam mattresses without a coil system.
Support Layer On The Bottom Made Using High Density HD Foam
The Loom and Leaf mattress is supported by a a thick layer of high density poly foam designed for support that is found generally, in other foam mattresses available online. The overall height of The Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress is 12″ tall in either firmness option.
Made In USA, Delivery Experience, Warranty, And Trial Period Explained
Saatva builds their mattresses using a network of factories and assembly facilities throughout the USA. They even claim to have, on average, a facility within 100 miles of most urban centers, which means you can get your mattress shipped out and hand delivered to your bedroom within days.
Once your Saatva Loom And Leaf Mattress has been purchased, you’ll receive a phone call to schedule an in home setup, and the tech crew will even remove your old mattress at no extra charge.
The company offers a solid 180 night no questions asked trial period as well, though they do charge a $99 processing fee to cover the cost of gas and labor.
These are my thoughts on not offering the standard “free return shipping” policy that almost every company offers. Let’s say you pay $800 for a typical memory foam mattress purchased from one of hundreds of online stores.
Shipping and delivery return costs average around $250 for any typical mattress. Bottom line, these companies have to sacrifice on materials and complexity, and there is no way around this. You’ll get a mattress made with far more inferior components than a company who charges a nominal fee to cover expenses. It’s worth it.
3. Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress Review
The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress is a medium firm mattress option that has a layer of highly breathable memory foam atop a pocketed coil support system.
In addition, the quilted outer cover, which adds a softer initial feel without feeling like you are sinking, offers a floating sensation.
The top quilted section is one of the real hidden gems in this popular memory foam mattress option, because a special cooling gel/memory foam is sewn inside and effectively cools your body by pulling heat away.
MY CHOICE FOR BEST PRESSURE RELIEVING MATTRESS
- Outer quilted cover of organic cotton
- Guardin™ nontoxic, botanical antimicrobial treatment
- CertiPUR-US® certified foams that meet their standards for health and environmental safety.
- Flame retardant barrier made from natural thistle pulp & wool (rather than chemical sprays)
My review of The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid included a thorough evaluation of the memory foam that is used in the design, mostly because there are hundreds of memory foam mattresses sold online. Usually the memory foam that is found in lower cost mattresses are made using what’s called 3lb. density urethane foam, typically just a slab, with not shaping or specialized treatments.
I’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of memory foam layers and nothing compares to the way it wraps around your body to cradle and fill in pockets and void areas. The trick is to build a mattress using the right “cake recipe” so that your body is “floated” evenly to keep your spine level.
This means allowing your hips and shoulder areas ( I also am big on a mattress providing good leg support as well) should be kept slightly buoyancy while still immersing just enough to keep muscles and connective tissue from struggling during the night.
What most people don’t know when buying a memory foam mattress is that virtually all manufacturers use 3lb. density foam which is less supportive, breaks down substantially faster, and at a thickness of 2″ really doesn’t float or suspend your body. Instead, you kind of just collapse right through it.
The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress incorporate 4lb. density foam as well as much firmer high density foam for sidewalls and edge support.
The piston like individually pocketed innerspring style coils underneath are stiff enough- and yet yielding enough- to properly suspend your body where it needs the support.
Known for designing a mattress with just the right sweet spots and comfortable “tucked in” sensation, this mattress compares easily with big box retail store costing three times as much.
4.9 out of 5 stars for comfort and support
With lots of competition in the marketplace for a really great mattress without a lot of silly frills, this mattress is a great options. It also gets excellent points for owners who say it’s perfect for sex and snuggling, and makes a great couples bed as well.
We tested it and found it works well for couples up to 475 lbs. combined weight, and it’s perfect for larger folks, family bed use- and of course, with pets.
Made using hypoallergenic materials and CertiPurUS foams, It’s a winner overall.