The best mattress in a box | TechRadar

The best mattress in a box

With the best mattress in a box, you can score a top-quality bed with convenient delivery plus plenty of other perks. These mattresses, which are delivered rolled up in sturdy cardboard packaging, are available in the same sizes and firmnesses as a standard bed and use the same high-quality materials. They're often cheaper, too, and many brands offer risk-free sleep trials to help you make up your mind.

We’ve chosen five of the best beds in a box from top sleep brands, including Nectar, Helix, and DreamCloud – brands that also appear in our best mattress guide. What's more, our experienced team of testers has slept on and reviewed each of these mattresses (or is in the process of doing so). 

In addition to listing today’s best prices for each featured mattress, we’ve also rounded up this month’s biggest mattress sales to save you more money. For now, let’s take a look at the best mattresses in a box and all the great features they each offer to help you get the sleep you deserve...

The best mattress in a box in 2022 - as chosen by experts

(Image credit: Nectar)

With a comfortable feel and a comfortable price to match, this option from highly-rated sleep brand Nectar offers plenty for your money when it comes to design, features, and coziness.

At the top is a breathable cooling cover that wicks away excess body heat to keep you sleeping comfortably. This covers two inches of pressure-relieving, gel-infused memory foam, which contours to your body and offers further cooling. Next, a more supportive foam layer adds to the comfort and helps align the spine. These foam layers then sit on a firm foam base for a stable feel throughout the mattress. 

In our Nectar Mattress review, we found this bed delivered minimal motion transfer, a cradling comfort feel, and enough support for side and back sleepers of average body weight. It does sleep a bit warm so you may want to upgrade to the Nectar Premier Copper Mattress if overheating is one of your primary sleep issues.

This well-made bed also rightly earns its place in our guide to the best memory foam mattresses. It uses quality materials and comes with a Forever Warranty to demonstrate the brand’s trust in the product. Plus, there’s a lengthy 365-night trial so you can see for yourself, risk-free, if it’s a good fit for you. Best of all, Nectar mattress sales run constantly, making this already-affordable bed even more accessible.  

• Read more: Nectar Mattress review

(Image credit: Helix)

Helix’s hybrid Midnight mattress has foam layers for pressure relief, stability, and comfort – plus a layer of wrapped coils to cradle the body and keep motion transfer to a minimum. And, as one of the best mattresses for side sleepers, there’s plenty of cushioning here to keep pressure points comfortable and the spine well-aligned.

While this bed in a box sleeps softer than most others on this list, it’s a smart choice if you require extra pressure relief along your shoulders, hips, and knees when resting on your side. With its cooling cover, it’s a great option if you sleep hot, as we found out in our Helix Midnight mattress review. However, if you need even more chill then the Midnight can be upgraded with a specialized GlacioTex Cooling Cover at checkout for an extra fee.

There are other options in the Helix range so if during the 100-night trial you find the Midnight too soft, then you can try the firmer Helix Twilight instead. Or if you want to go even softer, the Helix Sunset might be a better fit for you. Overall, with its medium feel, the Helix Midnight will be a comfortable choice for the majority of side sleepers.

Price-wise, the Midnight falls in the mid-range bracket. You can find regular money-off discounts during the Helix mattress sales, often with a pair of free Dream pillows bundled with purchase.

• Read more: Helix Midnight mattress review

(Image credit: DreamCloud)

The DreamCloud mattress brings hotel-level comfort and luxury into your bedroom without an exorbitant price tag. There’s top-notch pressure relief, temperature regulation, and minimal motion transfer. The construction, design, and materials are high-quality, too, as we found out in our DreamCloud mattress review.

Under the quilted foam and cashmere-blend cover, you’ll find a pressure-relieving layer of gel-infused memory foam. Next, layers of 'sink-in' foam and support foam offer comfort and stability. All these layers combine to offer superior pressure-relief right where you need it at the shoulders, hips, and knees. This hybrid also has a layer of wrapped 8-inch coils, allowing the body to sink in slightly while still maintaining comfort on the pressure points and bringing in good airflow to help you stay cool. 

As one of our best hybrid mattress choices, the DreamCloud doesn’t disappoint. With a medium-firm feel, it’s suitable for most side and back sleepers. The 365-night trial also means there’s plenty of time to see if it’s the right fit for you, and your purchase will be backed by a lifetime warranty should you elect to keep it.

With DreamCloud deals and sales taking place throughout the year, it's easy to save money on this luxury bed in a box. Hundreds of dollars worth of free bedding and pillows are also included with purchase.

• Read more: DreamCloud mattress review

(Image credit: Purple)

If you need extra pressure-point relief to help you sleep comfortably, then the Purple Plus mattress is the bed-in-a-box you need. This mattress pairs the brand’s own GelFlex Grid with a triple-layer comfort core for a stable feel that supports the body while cradling pressure points. What sleepers experience is a mattress that is firm where it's needed, yet soft enough at the hips, shoulders, and knees for cushioned comfort.

The mattress features what Purple calls a ‘SoftFlex’ Cover that responds to movement, keeping you (and your sleep partner) sleeping steadily through the night. This is a suitable mattress for hot sleepers too. With more than 1,400 open-air channels in the grid and breathable foams in the base, you'll be able to keep your cool. 

While this mattress is on the pricier side, you are paying for plenty of sleep innovation and long-lasting comfort. However, Purple mattress sales pop up frequently so keep an eye out for huge savings throughout the year. You'll have 100 nights to trial it at home.

• Read more: Should I buy the Purple Plus mattress?

(Image credit: Avocado)

Premier sleep brand Avocado has an excellent reputation when it comes to promoting a healthy planet and healthy sleep. With high-quality eco-friendly materials, the Avocado Green Mattress uses certified organic latex to offer superior resilience and durability. This hybrid bed-in-a-box also features organic wool and cotton for cooling, breathable comfort and a layer of tempered steel coils, in three gauges, arranged across five zones to provide ergonomic support exactly where you need it.

As one of Avocado’s more popular beds, the Green Mattress has a great balance of comfort and support, with a slightly firmer feel suitable for back and stomach sleepers (as well as larger and taller sleepers). If you need extra cushioning, then there’s also the option to add a cozy pillow-top, which takes the firmness down to a ‘gentle firm’. We're in the process of reviewing the Avocado Green Mattress so stay tuned for our thoughts on this organic mattress.

With minimal toxins, eco-friendly materials, and plenty of luxurious comfort, this hybrid latex bed in a box is a natural fit when it comes to superior sleep. Of course, as with most organic mattresses, the MSRP is on the higher side. Fortunately, Avocado mattress sales take place throughout the year so you can save some cash. You'll also get a 25-year warranty, a one-year sleep trial, and free returns.

What is a mattress in a box?

A mattress in a box, also known as a bed in a box, is exactly as it sounds. The mattresses are folded, rolled, and vacuum-packed tightly to fit into a sturdy cardboard box, which is then delivered straight to your doorstep (or your room of your choice).

There is usually a simple cutting tool provided so you can remove the vacuum-packed seal and allow the mattress to expand. It can take from a few hours to two days for a mattress to fully fill out, but they are usually ready to sleep on within a few hours.

You may experience what is known as off-gassing, where the mattress expels some of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process. This is usually harmless, although you may notice a slight smell. Opening windows and making sure the room is properly ventilated will soon clear the air. Note that memory foam mattresses are more prone to off-gassing than other types.

The convenience of having a mattress delivered in a box means no more carrying a cumbersome mattress up the stairs or around tight corners. Simply unbox the mattress in the room of your choice and you’ll soon be good to go.

(Image credit: Future)

Are mattresses in a box any good?

In a word, yes. The best bed in a box offers all the same great qualities and materials as a standard mattress, but with the added convenience of more practical delivery. Also, a boxed mattress is often more affordable than a standard bed. Many of the companies are online-only, so there's no overhead for running a bricks-and-mortar store.

Mattresses in a box come with the same range of sizes as standard beds – from twin to California king. Many of the top mattress manufacturers offer free delivery and returns, at-home sleep trials that can last upwards to a year, and excellent savings all year round. You'll often receive free gifts with purchase, too, ranging from the brand's best pillows to premium bedding.