[dropcaps type=’normal’ font_size=’65’ color=’#232323′ background_color=” border_color=”]O[/dropcaps] nce upon a time we wouldn’t have dreamed of buying a mattress without trying it out first. But circumstances have changed completely, owing to a combination of factors: the rise of buying pretty much anything online, the availability of quality direct brands, and the decreasing prevalence (and appeal) of local mattress stores.
Establish your budget – knowing how much you are willing to spend can save quite a bit of time browsing.
Know your softness – and know your sleep partner’s preference too. If you both prefer soft and plush, memory foam is probably not the way to go. If you have very different preferences, you may want to consider a more personalized option.
Pick your type – decide whether. you want foam, innerspring or hybrid. And go from there.
The key to buying a mattress online is to approach it as a trial. Be prepared to test it out at home, and therefore also be prepared to send it back if it’s not quite right. Therefore, it is of utmost importance when buying a mattress online to make sure to purchase from a site that has great customer service and a generous return and exchange policy.
Direct-to-consumer mattresses have become a very competitive market with many competing brands, which means expect competitive discounting. Holiday weekends are a dependable time to get a great discount across most brands. If timing a purchase to a sale isn’t possible, most sites will at least offer an email signup discount of 15% or so, year-round.
Parachute Home
Best known for luxurious modern bedding, Parachute Home offers one mattress. At $1,899 for a queen it is comparable in price to other premium innerspring mattresses. The Parachute mattress is made of natural materials including organic cotton and New Zealand wool, and is free of foams, adhesives, petrochemicals, chemical flame retardants. This mattress is based on a variable support system, offering more lumbar support in the middle. It is made to order and includes a 10-year warranty. Plus, it is made in the USA.
Saatva
Saatva’s original Classic mattress is a hybrid innerspring available in three softness options and starting at $1,299 for a queen (less any discounts). The Saatva product lineup is comprehensive, including a natural & organic hybrid, a customizable comfort model, the Loom & Leaf memory foam mattress and a youth mattress. The overall look and feel of Saatva’s mattresses is more luxury than start-up, and their innerspring mattress do not come compressed in a box. So the delivery is in-home, which means they will take away your old mattress. The Saatva trial period is 120 days, but they charge a $99 fee for return pickup.
Casper
Perhaps the best-known of the direct-to-consumer mattress startups, Casper is a reliable go-to for a classic foam mattress-in-a-box. Casper offers free no-contact delivery, a 100-night trial and 10-year warranty. Mattress models include the original foam mattress plus two hybrid foam and coil models with varying amounts of cooling foam layers. Prices for a queen start at $931 (including a 15% discount) for the original foam mattress to over $2,000 for the Wave Hybrid mattress.
Nectar
Nectar offers a very robust value proposition, with pricing a bit lower than Caspar and Purple, plus a slew of freebies. Right now Nectar is offering a free set of bedding including a mattress protector, sheet set and two pillows. Nectar’s mattress trial period is a year, plus a lifetime warranty.
