AT A GLANCE | PRICING | HEADLINE | |
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![]() | Most Popular | See on Amazon | Possible the most popular budget bed-in-a-box mattress available. And we can see why. It performs well in almost all categories. |
![]() | Foam Hybrid | See on Amazon | Hybrid mattress that has more of a soft neutral-foam feel. Plus, the coils give the bed added support and help with long-term durability. |
![]() | Latex Hybrid | See on Amazon | If you like the feel of latex foam, it's hard to find a better, more affordable option than the Linenspa 10" latex hybrid. |
![]() | Budget | See on Amazon | If price is your main concern, it's hard to argue with the Zinus Green Tea mattress. It has a soft, memory foam feel and you can sometimes find a queen size below $200. |
![]() | Neutral-Foam | See on Amazon | If you're not really sure what you want, but you're on a budget, this mattress is a safe option. It has a dense neutral-foam feel and it's really affordable. |
Mattresses Considered
Brands
Made
the List
Number of Contributors
Alright, so there are mattresses all over the internet nowadays because those darn youths don’t want to go to actual stores anymore. Or, you know, maybe it’s because technology is very cool and has made things like shopping for home goods incredibly convenient. And one of the forefathers of online shopping is the one, the only, Amazon.com. What a place, man. You can get literally anything on Amazon (have you noticed that their logo points from A to Z?), so why not a mattress?
However, before we jump into the beds, let’s just quickly cover how we selected this list. First and foremost, we disregarded the major brands (Casper, Leesa, and GhostBed) with the exception of Tuft & Needle (we’ll explain later) that also sell on Amazon.
Why? Well, we felt if people were going to buy one of these mattresses, they’d probably just buy directly through the brand’s site so they don’t have to worry about how Amazon handles trial periods, warranties, and all that stuff (more information on that down below). For this list, we wanted to focus more on the lesser known brands that tend to be more affordable.
First, let me just clear the air. Even though Tuft & Needle is one of the most popular online mattress brands, we decided to include them on this list since Amazon appears to be their main distribution/retail channel, whereas Casper and other popular brands sell the majority of their beds through their own websites.
So now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about the actual bed. The Tuft & Needle mattress is a 10″ all-foam mattress that is comprised of just two layers. Its top layer is proprietary foam that has a soft neutral-foam feel.
It’s very comfortable and responsive, so you won’t get any of that stuck-in-the-mud feel like you’ll get with some of the memory foam beds on this list. This will make switching between sleeping positions effortless.
Overall, we think the T&N mattress comes in right around a medium on the firmness scale, maybe a tad bit firmer. We see it being best for back, stomach, and combo sleepers right off the bat.
The bed provides a decent amount of support and you don’t really sink in all that much. This should ensure that your spine stays in proper alignment. We wouldn’t recommend the bed for strict side sleepers. However, keep in mind the bed will soften over time. As such, side sleepers may find the bed starts to provide more pressure relief the longer they have it.
When it comes to body type, since this is a 10″ all-foam bed, we don’t think the T&N mattress is the best option for heavier folks. That’s the case with most all-foam beds under 12″ thick, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Heavy people will be better off with other beds on this list that contain coils. Petite and average sized sleepers will be just fine on this bed, though.
Lastly, the T&N mattress performs pretty well in terms of edge support and motion isolation. That’s good news for couples who share a smaller size bed. You won’t feel as if you’re going to roll right off as you approach the edge and you won’t be disturbed if your partner moves around a lot.
So, as you can tell, we like Tuft & Needle a lot, as do a lot of people. After all, it has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon with over 6,500 reviews for a reason.
It has a nice, comfortable feel that we think the majority of people out there will like and performs well in almost all categories. And even though it’s not as affordable as some of the other mattresses on this list, it’s still priced very affordably compared to the rest of the bed-in-the-box industry.
Free Shipping & Returns
100 Night Trial Period
10 Year Warranty
For people who prefer hybrid or coil beds, the Lucid 10″ Memory Foam Hybrid is a solid option. The 5.5″ individually encased coils not only provide the bed with a solid support structure (great for heavy folks 250 lb+), but also give the bed a little bit of bounce.
On top, the mattress uses a 2.5″ layer of memory foam, but don’t let the name fool you—it’s actually more of a responsive memory foam that has a firm neutral-foam feel.
Overall, we think the bed comes in around a medium on the firmness scale. It strikes a nice balance between support and pressure relief.
As such, we think this bed is ideal for all kinds of sleepers (back, stomach, and side) and body types, given the coils in the bed.
Overall, if you prefer more of a neutral feeling foam over memory foam and you want coils for added support, it’s tough to beat this mattress considering you can sometimes snag a queen size below the $300 mark.
Free Shipping
30 Night Trial Period
10 Year Warranty
We’ve been pretty impressed with the Linenspa 10″ Latex Hybrid. If you like the feel of latex foam, it’s hard to find a better option on Amazon.
Latex foam, for those of you who don’t know, has a lighter, more responsive feel than memory foam and other types of foam. It’s sort of bouncy and really doesn’t contour or hug your body like other foams do. Some people really like this type of feel. So if that’s you, you’re in luck.
Plus, as you can see in the title, this is a hybrid mattress, so it contains coils, which is better for heavier people or people that just want/need extra support. In general, coils are also more durable than dense foam support structures, so this combined with the fact that latex is one of the more durable foams means this mattress will likely have a long lifespan.
Overall, we’d rate the Linenspa Latex Hybrid at about a medium on the firmness scale. Back and stomach sleepers will find the mattress provides more than enough support and side sleepers will find the mattress to be fairly accommodating when they’re on their side.
We also found that this mattress has pretty solid edge support. That’s a big plus for couples with one partner who constantly finds themselves pushed towards the perimeter of the bed. On the downside, as I mentioned earlier, latex is quite responsive and bouncy, so it’s not the best mattress we’ve ever tested at deadening movement (i.e. when one partner tosses and turns a lot, some of the motion transfers across the bed).
All in all, if you’re a fan of latex foam, the Linenspa 10″ Latex Hybrid has a lot to offer. It’s one of, if not, our favorite budget latex bed out there.
Free Shipping
30 Night Trial Period
10 Year Warranty
Look, if price is your main concern, you don’t really care about longevity or finding a mattress that accommodates all sleeping positions, the Zinus Green Tea Mattress is a great choice. It’s one of the cheapest beds you can buy on Amazon, yet it’s comfortable and solid enough to get the job done (at least for a few years). You can often find a queen size below the $200 mark.
The Green Tea mattress has a soft, prototypical memory foam feel in that you immediately sink into the mattress and it starts to conform to your body’s shape. You definitely get a bit of that stuck-in-the-mud feel. Some people don’t mind that, others hate it. It’s really a personal preference thing. However, keep in mind, that since you do sink into the mattress quite a bit and it uses traditional memory foam, this mattress isn’t the best option for people that heat up at night.
Overall, it comes in around a medium-soft on the firmness scale. The bed provides a ton of pressure relief for side sleepers. However, given how much you sink in, we wouldn’t recommend this bed for strict back and stomach sleepers. We just don’t think the bed will provide the necessary support for these types of sleepers over the long haul.
Same thing for heavier folks—there’s just not enough support. Heavy people will be better off with one of the hybrid beds on this list. Combo sleepers who are on the lighter side, though, may find the bed provides just enough support.
In conclusion, as long as you know what you’re getting with the Zinus Green Tea mattress, we think it’s a solid value play. In our eyes, it’s best for memory foam lovers who weigh under 250 lb and spend a lot of time on their side. If you don’t fall into that category, we also think this a perfect mattress to throw in your guest room.
Free Shipping & Returns
30 Night Trial Period
10 Year Warranty
The DreamFoam Arctic Dreams mattress (cool name, right?) is a fan favorite on Amazon. Last we checked, it had a 4.5 star rating with over 2,500 reviews, which is pretty solid.
It’s a 10″ all-foam bed comprised of just two foam layers (dense polyurethane support foam on the bottom and energex foam on top). The energex foam gives the bed a firm neutral-foam feel. So that’s good news for people who dislike memory foam and actually prefer a slightly firmer feeling mattress.
Overall, we’d place this bed around a medium to medium-firm on the firmness scale. We see it working just fine for all types of sleepers—doesn’t matter whether you’re on your side, back, or stomach.
However, like Tuft & Needle, considering it is a 10″ all-foam mattress comprised of just two layers, we wouldn’t recommend this bed for heavier people. These types of sleepers would be better off with one of the hybrid mattresses on this list that are more durable and provide more support.
It’s also worth mentioning that we found the edge support on the DreamFoam mattress to be just average. As you approach the edge, you’ll notice quite a bit of compression and you’ll start to get a little of that roll-off sensation. As such, couples who share a smaller size bed may want to opt for another bed on this list.
Still, we can see why this bed has such positive reviews on Amazon. Yes, maybe it doesn’t have any real standout features, but it’s just a solid performer, especially if you’re not really sure whether you want memory foam or coils.
The bed’s slightly firmer neutral-foam feel sort of reminds us of the popular Leesa mattress. As such, we sort of view this mattress as a cheaper alternative to Leesa.
Free Shipping
30 Night Trial Period
10 Year Warranty
Matt Ross
Back Sleeper
Jeff Rizzo
Combo Sleeper
Kaite Johnston
Combo Sleeper
Carla Thrower
Back Sleeper
You’ve already decided to go the online route in your mattress-buying endeavor. Maybe that’s because you like the bed-in-a-box concept. Maybe you want that industry standard risk-free trial period. Maybe it all comes down to the convenience of being able to shop for a mattress from the comfort (or discomfort, more likely) of your current, soon-to-be-replaced bed.
Narrowing down the search to beds available on Amazon has the benefit of easy and familiar navigation, Amazon pricing (which can differ from the MSRP), and that nifty little “compare to similar items” button. Of course, you can check out online mattresses by visiting the company’s website, but if you want to see a variety of brands all in one place, Amazon can do that for you.
Amazon also houses reviews from verified buyers. And being a consumer review business over here, we’re pretty big proponents of doing your research and comparing mattresses.
Tip One: Read everything. Seriously, read everything. Most online/bed-in-a-box mattresses come with the industry standard free shipping, risk-free trial period, free returns, and extended warranties. But if you decide to go the Amazon route, as opposed to ordering directly from the company, it’s a good idea to double check all of those things. Sometimes, purchasing a mattress on Amazon will negate that 100-night trial period that a lot of brands offer on their website. If that’s the case, you’ll most likely be stuck with Amazon’s 30-day return policy as your “trial period.”
Also, we have heard that you might have to jump through some extra hoops in order to return a mattress via Amazon. So again, it might be a good idea to email the seller before you actually purchase a mattress to inquire about how they handle trial periods, returns, and warranties via Amazon.
Tip Two: Pay attention to the seller. Just because you’re looking at nice, pretty, studio-shot photos of a mattress, doesn’t guarantee that’s what you’ll actually get. There are heartless scammers out there, people. Don’t let yourself be a victim of their disreputable ways. Check out the seller ratings and read the comments. Be safe, not sorry. Be conscious, not conned.
Tri-Tip (get it?): Don’t be seduced by low, low prices. You can find really affordable stuff on Amazon, but you still get what you pay for. Going for a cheaply priced bed on Amazon can save you a lot of money, and you’ll technically have a new mattress, but don’t expect to get something well-made. There might be a few exceptions, but as a general rule, assume the quality will match the price.
Tip Four: Do your research outside of Amazon, as well. Amazon reviews are convenient and can be a good place to find red flags, like we mentioned, but they’re rarely comprehensive. It’s always a good idea to look for information on products from sources other than the seller or maker. And seeing as you’re here at the Slumber Yard, you’re already doing that. Look at you go.
Regardless of where you decide to do your mattress shopping, you’ll want to have a general idea of what kind of bed is comfortable for you. This is especially true when shopping online for a bed because you can’t actually feel the mattress, so you have to know what to look for in the description and reviews.
Here’s a breakdown of the basics, the need-to-know, the general info that all people who sleep on beds should have in regards to sleeper type:
Back and stomach sleepers should look for beds with ample support around your hips and trunk area. You want to be sure you keep your spine in alignment, which means you can’t have an uncomfortable gap under your lower back and you don’t want a bed that sinks too much all over. This generally means something on the firmer side, as opposed to a bed described as soft or medium-soft. Here are our lists of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers and best mattresses for back sleepers.
Side sleepers need to look for mattresses that provide pressure relief. When sleeping on your side, you still want to keep your spine straight to prevent waking up sore. That means you need the bed to give around your shoulder and hips and you don’t want to have a gap under your stomach. Side sleepers usually need a softer bed than back and stomach sleepers.
Combo sleepers (those who switch positions throughout the night) will want something that caters to both the need for support and pressure relief. Look for a mattress in the middle-ground in terms of softness/firmness and pay attention to the material used for each layer of the mattress. Here’s our list of the best mattresses for combination sleepers.
Say it with me: Mattresses feel different to different people.
If you’re a heavier person, a mattress may feel quite soft to you, but that same mattress will feel a lot firmer to someone who’s very light. It’s not a complicated thing to understand, it’s just something that can easily be forgotten when you’re reading comments or descriptions, or watching a video review.
Be sure to always interpret descriptions of feel, firmness, and support in relation to your own body. Generally speaking, 225 lb+ is considered a heavier individual, while 115 lb and below is considered very petite.
For reference in regard to our content, when we talk about feel and firmness, we’re speaking from the mixed perspective of people between 150-200 lb, and then we’ll add caveats from our 200 lb+ and sub-100 lb team members.
Very few mattresses have a removable cover, which in turn means that very few mattresses have a machine washable cover. That leaves you to spot clean whatever messes you make. You dropped your cup of coffee? Gonna have to spot clean. Sleeper Jr. had an accident? Gonna have to spot clean. You put a wall garden above your bed because you saw it on Pinterest, but now you have damp soil and a straight up #PinterestFail soaking through your sheets? Gonna have to spot clean.
Spot cleaning is easy, though. All you need is warm water and a mild detergent. Use a cloth and press at the stain, but avoid getting the mattress too wet. In the case of most little spills and whatnot, spot cleaning will suffice, but it probably won’t prevent staining.
Amazon’s got a lot of stuff (A to Z, remember?), so you might as well shop for some other mattress-related goods while you’re there.
Our suggestion is to check out mattress protectors on Amazon. Like we said, very few mattresses have removable covers, so you end up having to spot clean. And even if you do have the option of taking the mattress’s cover off, it’s often a hassle and isn’t actually an added convenience when it comes to cleaning.
But with a mattress protector, you can easily take it off and toss it in the wash. That’s really nice. Plus, it protects your bed from stains and prevents liquids from seeping into the materials. It also helps cut back on general wear and tear, so your mattress can really fulfill its lifespan potential.
You can also find decently priced pillows, sheet sets, bedding, and even bed frames on Amazon. Whatever bed-related stuff you need, I’m willing to bet that you can find it on Amazon. And if you have Amazon Prime, you may be able to get some of those items with Prime benefits.
You have a lot of options when it comes to choosing what you want to put your mattress on. Or more than likely, you already have a bed frame or foundation and are replacing or trying to find your new mattress. Either way, you’ll want to be sure whatever mattress you buy will work with your bed frame situation.
Some bed frames are slatted, some have boxsprings, some are adjustable, and sometimes you just moved out of your parents’ place and your mom kept your bed frame for the new guest room, so you’re putting your mattress on the floor in the one-bedroom apartment you share with two roommates.
And in most cases, with the majority of mattresses that we’ve reviewed, all of those options are fine. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry, and by that I mean it’s better to spend a few minutes checking the company’s website than to end up having to either buy a new bed frame or return your mattress.