Forget strapping the old-school innerspring mattresses to the roof of your car to get them home or doing some Ross from Friends style pivoting up the stairwell. A bed-in-a-box exists to make your journey to better sleep easier. Yes, there is such a thing! Rolled, packed, and delivered straight to your door, these mattresses in a box are the convenient — and often cheaper — way to make your most adult purchase yet.
And while this bed concept is certainly having a trending moment RN, these mattresses are just as good (if not better) than most other original models your mom may have picked up in store. In fact, our top-rated mattresses are actually bed-in-the-box types. Surprised? Don't be.
Order from the comfort of your couch — as I'm presuming your bed isn't that cozy — wait for it to arrive, then once delivered, roll it out flat on your bed frame and watch it expand to its full mattress potential. From big-named bedding brands, these are the six mattresses in a box we've tried, tested, and recommend for better sleep, without the hassle.
6 best mattresses in a box
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Casper is the leading OG when it comes to mattresses in a box. And the Casper Original, an award-winning memory foam mattress, lands as our top choice for a bed in a box. It scores BIG on comfort and coolness and is bound to be loved by any side sleeper who suffers from joint pain or stomach sleepers seeking proper spinal alignment.
Convenience and more
The best part of all is its cooling layer. It's breathable, which is another perk that aids in having an undisturbed, blissful slumber. Thanks to its handles, you'll have full maneuverability, too.
How we slept
Our Casper memory foam mattress reviewer found the Casper mattress to be softer than any other memory foam on the market. But don't worry, plushness doesn't mean there will be motion transfer. Our reviewers felt equally supported as they did cozy on the soft sleep surface.
Read the full Casper memory foam mattress review.
If you are searching for a trustworthy memory foam mattress that won't lose its shape (even after many years of use), then this Nectar mattress is your match! Impressive considering it comes in a box, it's top-rated for providing support and a great choice for anyone who's after a mattress that will help alleviate back pain. The best part is it's suitable for all sleep positions.
Convenience and more
On top of all the fab features this mattress already offers, it also comes with an adaptive cooling cover designed to draw heat away from your body and circulate fresh air every time you move.
How we slept
Thanks to its pressure-relieving foam layer, the tester in our Nectar mattress review claimed her joints felt cushioned night after night. On the firmness front, Nectar is rated 5.5–7.5 on the website, which the company claims is "just right." Users will find this option is not too soft, not too firm — what could be better than that?
Read the full Nectar mattress review.
If you're a lover of memory foam but are on a tight budget, then the Siena memory foam mattress is almost half the price of sister brand Nectar's award-winning memory foam option. It's a new brand on the mattress-in-a-box scene and we think it offers everything you need to upgrade your sleep setup for less.
Convenience and more
I can't get over the price! Compared to Nectar's $899 queen-size memory foam, the Siena is only $499 and offers a sixth-month trial and a standard 10-year warranty.
How we slept
Due to its five layers consisting of three variants of foam, this mattress has wonderful motion isolation that allows you and your partner to sleep soundly. The medium-firm mattress is rated a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, with users and us describing it as feeling like you're sleeping in the mattress as opposed to on top.
Read the full Siena mattress review.
Looking for the best organic mattress on the market? The Avocado Green mattress wins the title in our books. It's an eco-friendly bed-in-a-box option from top to bottom, made with GOTS-certified organic cotton and wool and sustainably harvested latex foam. Sure, it might be one of the most expensive mattresses on our list, but it's well worth the price if it's within your budget.
Convenience and more
Its organic elements, of course. Instead of chemical flame retardants, the Avocado green mattress meets U.S. flammability standards with an all-natural fire retardant wool. It's also one of only three mattress brands worldwide to be MADE SAFE Non-Toxic certified.
How we slept
This mattress is divided into five ergonomic "zones" designed to prioritize comfort and keep motion transfer at bay. Fancy! In simpler terms, side and back sleepers will love this most — just like our tester did.
Read the full Avocado Green mattress review.
Looking for an all-natural alternative to memory foam? A latex mattress is your best bet. We love the Awara mattress for its purity and comfort. It's all-natural, organic, and non-toxic. Constructed of organic Dunlop latex and innerspring coils, it leads to a cool, calm, and collected night's sleep.
Convenience and more
The certified-organic cotton cover is also filled with a naturally fire-retardant wool comfort layer that's free of chemical flame retardants, formaldehyde, and polyurethane-based foams. Impressive!
How we slept
The Awara mattress is a medium firmness mattress and provides more "give" than other latex hybrids on the market. Why? It's a direct result of its 4-inch layer of latex at the top (the thickest of any latex hybrid on the market), making it great for all types of sleepers.
Read the full Awara Organic Luxury Hybrid Mattress review.
Zinus is the de-facto number-one seller when it comes to the best cheap mattresses. The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress has over 80,000 five-star ratings and you can buy it on Amazon, meaning you can get even more convenience for less.
Convenience and more
The gel foam is infused with green tea that neutralizes odors and keeps your mattress feeling fresh. It also features moisture-absorbing ActivCharcoal.
How we slept
We have to admit, our reviewer felt super supported — like being cradled in a cloud. Featuring a combination of conforming memory foam, soft, airflow-enhancing comfort foam, and durable, high-density base support foam, the Zinus offers a coveted sink-in feeling without skimping on spinal support. The memory foam design is ideal for those who suffer from aches and pains and are looking for pressure relief.
Read the full Zinus Green Tea review.
Our mattress reviewing process
FYI: The products are given to us free of charge and we're often able to keep each mattress after review. This gives the opportunity to return and update our verdict depending on how they've fared over time.
Wondering how we test mattresses? Yes, you guessed it, these lucky mattress reviewers get to sleep for a living — well, not quite. They have slept on these mattress-in-a-box options for at least four weeks, which gives them enough time to compare and judge what each mattress is like to sleep on. During the process, they've also put various tests in place to assess how good the product is for edge support, motion transfer, and spinal alignment. We understand firmness is subjective, as is sleep position, so we ensure to review mattresses against their claims, rather than personal experience, in this case.
All our mattress reviews are based on the real-life experience of members of our team using these products at home. They take into account value for money, construction, comfort, and support. In each individual review, they've been transparent about their sleep habits, position, and circumstance, so you can relate (or not). To get a good idea of how every kind of sleeper may experience the mattress, we encourage our testers to invite friends, family, and others to try it out and give their first impressions.
Meet our mattress testers:
Jaclyn used to be our sleep commerce editor, frequently testing out and staying up to date on all things mattresses and bedding. She often struggles to get her full eight hours and won't settle until she finds a mattress that helps her, too. Not willing to sacrifice comfort for value (and vice versa), she's after a mattress that makes it easy to sleep through the night. She's slept on a few of the mattresses on this list and loves the Saatva Original.
You can find her work in Homes and Gardens, Livingetc, Apartment Therapy, MyDomaine, and The Spruce. She lives in Atlanta, GA.
Linda has been writing about homes and interiors for nearly 20 years, working for publications such as Homes & Gardens, Country Homes & Interiors, Real Homes, Ideal Home, Livingetc, and House Beautiful. In reviewing mattresses for us for more than a year, she has become something of sleep expert. Linda and her husband spend between five and 10 nights sleeping on each mattress, and she has taken the time to compare and assess the products on this list you'll also find available in the UK. If there's anyone who knows what to look for in a new mattress, it'll be her.
Alex is one of Real Homes' expert reviewers. The Dallas-based freelance writer has covered home, design, architecture, and art in publications like Real Homes, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Artsy, Neighborhoods.com, and Culture Trip, among many others. In addition to her mattress reviewing duties, Alex has tested out everything and anything from hot tubs to small appliances. She's a real thorough tester, so rest assured she's been sleeping away to help you find your dream mattress.
She's a first-time homeowner, so you can trust she knows what it means to buy once and buy well.
How to choose a mattress in a box
We've broken down what to look for when ordering your mattress in a box online in our five-step guide on how to choose a mattress.
PS: The pillow you sleep on will also impact your sleep position and quality. It might be worth looking into how to choose a pillow as well.
What is a mattress in a box?
A mattress in a box is as simple as it sounds. It's a mattress that you can order online from the comfort of your couch. It comes compactly rolled for you to unwrap, unroll, and put on your bed frame. Thinking about how a huge mattress can fit into such a small box? Once laid flat, they can expand to full mattress thickness in a matter of a few hours. You heard it here first! Intrigued? Try it for yourself.
