The top mattress-in-a-box options help you cut out the hassle of actually getting a new bed into your home. If you’re looking for a bed in a box, and looking to spend less, now’s the time to snag a premium product from a well-known brand. From hauling it home to finding someone to help you move it in, getting a bed into your place can be a real headache. It might seem strange that something so big can be compressed down into a manageable box, but it can, and this naturally makes a big difference when it comes to ease of delivery and setup.
We’ve rounded up the best mattresses in a box, to help you find one that’s right for you. My team of sleep experts and I have tested hundreds of mattresses, including some of the best mattress-in-a-box options and some not-so-great ones. All the beds on this list will arrive in a box on your doorstep and come with free shipping and generous trial periods. Many brands offer free returns too.
Want more options? CNET’s hard-workin’ mattress experts have also put together this list of the best mattress deals around.
What is the best mattress in a box?
The DreamCloud Premier Hybrid mattress has an accommodating firmness and feel that suits most sleepers.
We’re awarding the title of best mattress in a box overall to the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid. This mattress boasts a luxurious look and is incredibly comfortable. The cashmere blend quilted cover and soft foam layers make it feel like you’re floating on a cloud. With a medium to medium-firm profile and a responsive memory foam feel, this bed in a box is widely appealing to most people and can accommodate most sleeping positions.
Note all prices shown below are for queen-size mattresses. You can also check out new deals on the best beds on our best mattress deals page.
Video: Best mattress in a box
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the best mattresses in a box.
Best mattress in a box for 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Type Responsive memory foam mattressFirmness Medium to medium-firm or 5 to 6Trial 365 nightsWarranty Lifetime warranty
Why we chose the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid mattress: The DreamCloud Premier Hybrid is a 13-inch thick premium mattress constructed with layers of soft foam, gel memory foam and individually wrapped innerspring coils. Thanks to this design, these memory foam mattresses offer plenty of pressure relief, responsive contouring and enhanced support. It does have some of that sinking-in quality typically associated with memory foam, but overall, it has a more responsive memory foam feel, making it our choice for best mattress in a box overall.
When testing the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid mattress, we found it to be around a medium or medium-firm. It’s soft enough to cradle your shoulders and hips and supportive enough to promote spinal alignment. This mattress also provides reinforced edge support and reduced motion transfer, making it easier to switch your sleep position at night without disturbing your partner. The average sleeper will be happy with DreamCloud’s quality and comfort, not to mention their competitive pricing. This mattress is also available in an all-memory foam construction.
Pros:
- Supportive and responsive
- Suitable for any body type
- Accommodating for most sleeping positions
Cons:
- May not be soft enough for strict side sleepers
- Not everyone likes the feel of memory foam
DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress
Type Memory foam mattressFirmness 6 or medium to medium-firmTrial 120 nightsWarranty Lifetime warrantyPrice $
Why we chose the Bear Original mattress: When it comes to mattresses in a box, the Bear Original is a unique bed-in-a-box mattress with a price tag lower than most of its competitors. Bear offers the option to add its Celliant-infused cover to this mattress — a material meant to boost blood circulation and promote muscle repair. Bear was one of the first companies to use this technology, which has become popular among athletes like runners, weight lifters and swimmers.
You certainly don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy this mattress. It offers excellent value; it’s a quality mattress at a wallet-friendly price tag. It’s also comfortable. The dense foam contours around your body and offers pressure relief to your joints, providing that traditional, sinking-in feeling that memory foam lovers will enjoy. Its firmness level makes it great for back and stomach sleepers. Some combination sleepers can get away with it if they spend most of the night on their stomach or back.
The Bear Original mattress is available in all standard sizes. Prices start at $748 for a twin and go up to $1,284 for a California king. Bear and most online mattress brands often run promos so that you can get the mattress even cheaper.
Pros:
- Optional Celliant-infused cover to help boost circulation
- It’s a great value
- Ideal for back and stomach sleepers
- Excellent motion isolation
Cons:
- It’s a little too firm for strict side sleepers, especially under 150 pounds
- Not as durable or supportive for heavier sleepers
Read our Bear Original review.
Bear Original
Type Flippable memory foam mattressFirmness Firm: Medium to medium-firm or 6 | Soft: 3 or medium-softTrial 120 nightsWarranty Lifetime warranty Price $$
Why we chose the Layla mattress: For side sleepers, there’s nothing like the feeling of a plush, pressure-relieving, memory foam mattress. A firm mattress can push into your side and throw off the natural curvature of your spine. If you primarily sleep on your side, you’ll want a soft mattress that cradles and contours your body’s curves — that’s where Layla comes in.
Laying down on the Layla bed-in-a-box mattress makes soft, memory foam mattress lovers sigh in relief as they sink into the light and airy top foam comfort layer, which is why I had to add it to our best mattress-in-a-box list. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s flippable; both sides are meant to be slept on. One side of the bed has a softer profile, while the flip side has more of a medium-firm or middle-of-the-road feel. This gives you two chances to find your perfect sleep firmness level; if you don’t like one side, all you have to do is flip it over. I prefer the “firm” side because I’m a combo sleeper, but the “soft” side is extra plush for strict side sleepers or lightweight body types looking for a softer mattress.
The Layla bed-in-a-box mattress is available in sizes twin to California king, and its retail prices range from $749 to $1,699.
Pros:
- Good for all sleeping positions, especially side sleepers
- Two firmness levels in one mattress (flippable design)
- Great motion isolation
Cons:
- Heavy sleepers should consider the Layla Hybrid model for more support
Read more in our Layla Mattress review.
Layla Memory Foam
Type Latex HybridFirmness 7 or medium-firm with the pillow top (9 or firm without)Trial 365 nightsWarranty 25-year limited warranty Price $$$
Why we chose the Avocado Green mattress: Like organic produce or cosmetics, you can also find natural and organic mattresses that are safer for your body and manufactured more sustainably. The Avocado Green mattress made this list as the best mattress in a box made with organic materials, as well as the best firm mattress and it’s perfect for eco-friendly mattress brand shoppers. It also has a more organic, outdoorsy smell than other bed-in-box mattresses I’ve tested, which have an off-gassing odor right when you pull them out of the box.
The bread and butter of this mattress in a box is its certified organic materials. You can find organic Dunlop latex foam in Avocado’s comfort layer, which is made from the baked sap of a Brazilian rubber tree. It may sound strange, but this latex mattress foam is bouncy, supportive and breathable; essentially the exact opposite of traditional memory foam. It also has up to 3,136 pocketed coils made from recycled steel, and the pocket spring layer tends to promote good airflow.
It’s the best firm mattress on the list, so it’s an ideal boxed mattress for people who favor their back or stomach when they sleep. I think it’ll be supportive for any body type, whether you weigh 110 or 240 pounds. Read more in our full Avocado Green mattress review or check out our list of the best organic mattresses to see more options. The Avocado Green mattress is available in sizes twin to California king and its retail prices range from $1,399 to $2,299.
Pros:
- It’s made with eco-friendly and organic materials
- Hypoallergenic, antimicrobial and doesn’t off-gas
- Good for back, stomach and some combination sleepers
- Suitable for all body types
Cons:
- Side sleepers may want a softer mattress
- If you want the topper for added soften, it costs a few hundred dollars
- The mattress is on the expensive side
Avocado Green
Type Responsive memory foamFirmness Medium-firm or 6 to 7Trial 100 nightsWarranty 20-year warrantyPrice $$
Why we chose the AS2 mattress: Amerisleep’s AS2 bed in a box is a firm mattress designed to support and provide relief for those suffering from back pain. The AS2 lands on the firmer end of the scale around medium-firm. Amerisleep claims this bed is the best for back and stomach sleepers, and I’d have to agree. Its foam comfort layers mold around your body’s curves yet provide enough support to keep your spine in neutral alignment.
The firm bed boasts cooling technology such as its Bio-Pur® memory foam, an open-cell material designed to keep hot sleepers cooler throughout the night. Thanks to its responsiveness, you won’t feel as “stuck” in this mattress as you might in a traditional memory foam bed. Amerisleep’s Bio-Pur® is also made with more eco-friendly materials and fewer chemicals, so it won’t off-gas as much as other comparable mattresses.
The AS2’s transition layer provides enhanced pressure relief, while the durable base layer offers enough support to keep the bed from sagging over time. Read more in our full Amerisleep mattress review.
Pros:
- Its medium-firm mattress profile is good for back and stomach sleepers
- Provides targeted pressure relief and durable support
- Breathable foam to keep hot sleepers cool
Cons:
- Not ideal for side sleepers
Amerisleep AS2 Mattress
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness Medium-firmTrial 100 nightsWarranty 15-year limited warranty Price $$
Why we chose the Helix Plus mattress: There are a lot of hybrid mattress-in-a-box models out there that suit larger and taller sleepers, but Helix Plus stands out as one of the best for several reasons. This hybrid bed is designed with durable layers of high-density foam and individually wrapped coils in the foundation layer for added support. If you weigh more than 230 pounds, support and durability are characteristics that should be high on your mattress type list. The Helix Plus mattress checks both of those boxes.
This bed-in-a-box mattress has an amazing value (especially if Helix is running a promotion). The feel is also really comfortable and neutral; it isn’t like traditional memory foam where you slowly sink into the layers and create a body impression. It’s bouncy, responsive and pressure-relieving, making it easy for combination sleepers to switch positions without feeling “stuck” in the foam mattress layers.
Read more in our full Helix mattress reviews or check out our list of the best mattresses for heavy sleepers to see more options. It’s available in sizes twin to California king and its retail prices range from $811 to $1,899.
Pros:
- It’s designed with extra supportive pocketed coils
- Great for back, stomach and combination sleepers
- Good value for such a durable, long-lasting bed
Cons:
- May be overkill for those under 230 pounds
- Might be too firm for strict side sleepers
Helix Plus
Why we chose the Midnight Luxe mattress: Finding a mattress in a box that’s perfect for you is hard enough, let alone a bed that accommodates two different sleepers. The trick is to find a comfortable, widely-accommodating mattress like Helix Midnight Luxe. Helix Sleep set out to make a mattress for everyone and even has its own Sleep Quiz to match you with one of its 10-plus beds. This model contains six layers and stands at 14 inches tall. This makes it a comfy mattress for any body type, regardless of how much your significant other weighs.
The Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid bed in a box mattress has a middle-of-the-road firmness level that will appeal to all sleeper positions: back, side, stomach and combination. I’m in love with the feel of this Helix mattress bed. It’s not like memory foam mattress, which some couples don’t find mutually agreeable, but it’s a responsive and soft mattress. The large pillow-top on Helix Midnight Luxe gives it a fluffy, luxurious feel and look that you just want to dive into. Read more in our full Helix mattress reviews.
The Helix Luxe is available in sizes twin to California king and retail prices range from $1,374 to $2,299.
Pros:
- Medium firmness level accommodates all sleeping positions
- Strong hybrid construction suits all body types
- Helix has its own quiz that matches you with a bed
Cons:
- It’s more expensive than your average online mattress
Helix Midnight Luxe
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 5 or mediumTrial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warrantyPrice $$$
Why we chose the Leesa Legend Chill: If you’re a hot sleeper, you know the struggle of trying to stay cool or at least temperature-neutral at night. The Leesa Legend Chill is a truly cool-to-the-touch mattress that uses cooling fibers in the cover to keep body heat under control. Under the cover are five other layers, including a quilt gel memory foam layer, a layer of micro-springs, a comfort foam layer, a zoned support layer of up to 1,032 individually wrapped coils and a final layer of high-density foam.
With the Lessa Legend Chill, you get the comfort of foam and increased airflow due to its structure and materials. This mattress is around a medium or a 5 on a firmness scale. That makes it ideal for combination and side sleepers. Some back and stomach sleepers who don’t need extra support should also find this mattress comfortable. Bigger sleepers should look into the Plus Hybrid mattress.
Pros:
- Unique micro-coil construction for extra support
- Comfortable cover that’s cool to the touch
- Great motion isolation
Cons:
- Only available in one firmness level
- On the more expensive side
Read our full Leesa Chill mattress review.
Leesa Legend Chill Mattress
Type Memory foam mattressFirmness 5 or mediumTrial 365 nightsWarranty Forever warranty Price $$
Why we chose the Nectar Premier mattress: I know some die-hard memory foam mattress fans love the hugging, conforming feel that memory foam provides. Nectar Premier, the brand’s upper-level foam option, does just that. This Nectar mattress is dense and takes a few seconds for your whole body to be cocooned by the material. While this Nectar mattress is not as soft as Nectar Lush, the bed that Nectar Premier was designed to replace, it feels really pressure-relieving against your joints.
The Nectar Premier is 13 inches thick, made entirely out of foam, and it’s one of the thicker foam beds we’ve tested out (the average is around 11 inches). I think this foam mattress is best for individuals who weigh under 230 pounds, but with that said, some larger body types can get away with it if a foam bed is what you’re after. It’ll also suit most sleeping positions, including back, stomach, side and combination. It’s supportive, but that contouring memory foam feel gives it a cozy, plush feel we didn’t necessarily expect.
The Nectar Premier is available in sizes twin to split king and retail prices range from $799 to $1,698. Keep in mind that Nectar usually runs a promotion that adds free accessories and drops the price to around $500. Read more in our full Nectar Premier mattress review or check out our list of the best memory foam mattresses to see more options.
Editor’s note: The US Product Safety Commission recently issued a recall for Nectar Premier king and queen-sized mattresses manufactured on Sept. 24, 2021. Look for a model number CHILL and Prototype ID:ECS2003RHCH on a tag on the bottom of your mattress to find out if yours has been recalled. We have reached out to Nectar for comment and will update the story if they respond.
Pros:
- It has a hugging memory foam feel
- Accommodating firmness level is good for most sleeping positions
- It’s a thick foam mattress
Cons:
- Not quite as supportive as a bed with coils
- Might be too firm for petite side sleepers
Nectar Premier
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 3 firmness levels | Medium-soft or 3 | Medium or 5 | Medium-firm or 7Trial 120 nightsWarranty Lifetime warranty Price $$$
Why we chose the WinkBed mattress: Aside from being one of the most beautiful beds I’ve ever seen, the WinkBed is also very comfortable and reminiscent of a luxury hotel mattress. It combines two mattress characteristics everyone wants: support and pressure relief. The foundation layer is made with strong pocketed steel coils with zones meant to be softer and firmer where you need it. Then, the several foam layers and fluffy pillow top make it feel plush and incredibly inviting.
There are three firmness levels to choose from, giving each sleeping position a chance to cater to their specific needs. Side sleepers can opt for the “Softer” option, which feels more like a medium-soft, while back and stomach sleepers will probably find the “Luxury Firm” or “Firm” models more comfortable. The firmer the mattress, the more support it’s going to offer. Whichever you choose, your bed will come with a lifetime warranty, an impressive offer that speaks to the durability of the mattress. Read our full WinkBed mattress review.
Pros:
- WinkBeds are ultra-durable mattresses
- Sleepers can pick between three firmness levels
- Good for all body types
Cons:
- It’s a luxury mattress, so you can expect a higher price tag
WinkBed Mattress
Other mattresses we’ve tested
Our CNET Sleep editors put together this list by rounding up their favorite picks from the more than 100 mattresses they’ve tested. While this list highlights some of the best, several quality mattresses were close to making it and deserve an honorable mention.
Purple mattress: One of the most popular bed-in-a-box mattresses on the market is the (non-hybrid) Purple mattress. Most people either love it or it’s a little too different for them. Its main comfort material is hyper-elastic polymer, which is gel-like and extremely springy. It makes you feel like you’re floating, but you can slightly feel the grid of small squares shifting underneath you as you move. It feels pleasant and comfy, and appeals to most sleeping positions, but it’s unlike any mattress you’ve slept on before. Feel free to reach out to Purple for a sample of its special hyper-elastic polymer material.
Tuft & Needle mattress: Like Casper and Purple, Tuft & Needle started off as a bed-in-a-box brand but has since become so well-known and well-received that you can find the brand’s products in popular brick-and-mortar bedding stores. It’s a simple and affordable two-layer mattress with a generally comfortable neutral foam feel. It’s great if you’re looking for a safe pick that won’t break the bank.
Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress: Brooklyn Bedding manufactures its own mattresses, something many mattress brands don’t do. It’s for this reason I think it’s able to sell its beds at such great prices. Its Signature mattress is a basic but quality hybrid mattress with a supportive pocketed-coil base layer. This makes it ideal for all body types. In addition to that, its three firmness level options make it appealing to all sleeping positions.
DreamCloud mattress: DreamCloud offers luxurious mattresses you can barely believe came out of a box. I personally know two people who sleep on a DreamCloud mattress and they love it. It’s made with pocketed coils in the base layer for added support and memory foam that’s more responsive than the typical material. Not to mention, it’s made with premium materials that make it up to par with luxury hotel mattresses.
How we test mattresses in a box
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
We test bed-in-a-box mattresses the same way we test any mattress. Most of the beds I’ve personally tested are online beds. Some of the primary features we look for when testing are:
- Firmness: After testing the mattresses, we can determine how hard or soft we think a mattress feels. We use a one to 10 scale with 10 being the firmest and mattress industry terms to describe the firmness. This includes the soft-to-firm scale, including medium, medium-firm and medium-soft. Firmness helps determine the type of sleeping position the bed is best for.
- Feel: Feel is different than firmness. This refers to the way you perceive a mattress when you lay down; what do all the materials together feel like? Many beds boast a slow-responding memory foam feel, while others have more of a neutral feel. Some beds have a mixed foam feel that offers the best of both worlds. Whatever it is, we’ll describe it in detail for you considering you can’t feel the bed over the internet.
- Construction: We take a deep look at the construction of each mattress and the materials it uses. This helps determine how durable a mattress will be and the kind of body type the bed will be most suitable for.
- Motion isolation: Nobody wants a mattress where you can feel your partner’s every move. We test motion isolation by lying on a mattress with our partner or placing a glass full of water at the end of a mattress to see how much it moves when we bounce around.
- Edge support: If you co-sleep with somebody, you want a strong mattress edge so you don’t feel like you’re going to roll off if you end up near the side. In the course of our testing, we laid on each edge and bounced to see how sturdy it felt.
- Temperature: We test how hot a mattress sleeps by using our own experience on the mattress. We utilize hot sleepers who offer their perspective and will even pull out the temperature gun if necessary. Materials largely influence how hot a mattress is going to sleep.
Read more on how we test mattresses.
Factors to consider when choosing a mattress
When you’re looking for a new bed to replace your old mattress, there are a few key things to consider: your favorite sleeping position, your body type, relevant health conditions, materials and your budget. Your most dominant sleeping position should help dictate your best bed mattress type and firmness level of your bed. Your body weight, on the other hand, should help you determine whether you’d be OK on a foam mattress, or if you should opt for the extra support of a hybrid mattress bed. Your budget will help you narrow down the best mattress-in-a-box type you have the means to spend money on. Lastly, different health conditions require different mattress needs, and materials help determine whether or not you’ll find the bed comfortable.
Sleeping position
- Side sleepers usually sleep best on a medium to soft mattress. They typically need a bed that gives underneath the shoulders and hips to prevent joint pain and offer pressure relief.
- Back and stomach sleepers may want to consider medium to firm beds that provide back and spinal support. Soft mattresses that give may cause back pain.
- Combination sleepers should cater to their dominant position, or go for a bed with a medium profile that offers both support and pressure relief.
Body type
- The more body weight you have, the softer a mattress is going to be and the more support you’ll need. Hybrid mattresses tend to be the best for individuals over 230 pounds because steel is stronger and more durable than foam. Foam mattresses, on the other hand, won’t be as supportive or long-lasting.
- Average to petite individuals can sleep just fine on a foam or hybrid mattress. Just remember, the lighter you are, the firmer a bed is going to feel.
Health conditions
- People who sleep hot or women suffering from menopause should opt for a cool sleeping mattress to help keep body heat down. Either a bed like a Purple mattress which is made with a special gel-like material that offers airflow and doesn’t retain heat, or a bed like GhostBed Luxe that has special cooling tech throughout the bed.
- Those with arthritis or joint pain should consider a mattress that will relieve pressure on the medium to soft side that cradles the pressure points.
- People who suffer from back pain may sleep most comfortably on a medium-firm mattress profile. It offers ample support and will relieve pressure at the same time, to prevent the back from sagging and cradle pressure points.
Materials
- Memory foam is typically a pressure-relieving material and responds slowly to pressure for a hugging, conforming feel. It can be hard to switch your sleep position, especially if you’re a combination sleeper.
- Latex foam is either synthetic or naturally sourced from the sap of tropical rubber trees. Latex foam beds are bouncy, durable and supportive. They are also hypoallergenic and antimicrobial. The downsides? Natural and organic latex mattresses can be pricey, and they aren’t as good as memory foam at isolating motion.
- Poly foam is a synthetic foam that bounces more than memory foam but is softer than latex foam. Most comfy couch cushions are made with this foam. it’s breathable and affordable, but may not be as durable as other foams.
- Innersprings or coils are found in traditional and hybrid mattresses. They make a bed more supportive and durable.
Trial, shipping and warranty
Every online mattress brand offers some level of a trial and warranty for its beds. However, the duration of the trial will vary by the brand you choose. Most mattress trials are around 100 nights, though some brands offer an entire year, like DreamCloud or Avocado. Trial isn’t something that should make or break your buying decision, but it is something to keep an eye on so you have enough time to decide if the bed is right for you.
Most online mattress brands offer free shipping, though that’s not always the case with returns. Pay attention to each brand’s return policy as some will charge a processing fee if you return them. Thankfully, there aren’t that many that charge you for returns.
Budget
- You can find mattresses at just about any price. Cheap bed-in-box mattresses can go for a few hundred dollars.
- The average bed in a box is around $850 to $1,200.
- Premium beds that are of the highest quality or designed with extra bells and whistles usually go for over $1,200.
The term “bed in a box” encompasses mattresses that are compressed and rolled up inside of a cardboard box. The concept has blown up in the last five-plus years because of how much more convenient the online process is.
Just because your bed is delivered inside a box doesn’t mean it’s poor quality. Your average bed in a box should last around seven to eight years, and even longer if you have a hybrid mattress with coils.
If you’re waking up with back pain you didn’t go to bed with the night before, that’s a good indicator. Keep a lookout for sags, deep imprints, body impressions and the overall quality of your bed. If you bought your mattress a decade ago, it’s probably time to replace it with a new one.
You can wait a few days to a week to unbox your new mattress, but brands suggest you unbox within one to two months to avoid damage. You should also give it a few days to fully decompress and inflate, but you’re able to sleep on it in the meantime.
Some of the best mattresses that come in a box include the Casper mattress, Purple mattress, Nectar mattress, Helix mattress and Avocado mattress. These are some of the biggest names with the most popular mattresses, and for good reason.
Most bed-in-box mattresses are sold online through the different brands’ websites, but you can get the most popular brands at retail stores such as Target or Costco, like the Purple mattress or Casper mattress.
There’s a wide spectrum of bed-in-a-box mattresses prices from budget to luxury. Most fall within these ranges:
- Budget: around $200 to $600
- Average: around $700 to $1,200
- Affordable luxury: around $1,300 to $1,800
- Luxury: around $1,900 and up
