Saatva Mattress Review

The last few years have been big for mattresses, with several new factory direct start-ups launching. Most of these new mattress companies, like Casper and Leesa, are 100% foam beds. However, Saatva is taking a bit of a different approach.

Saatva is an ultra-premium mattress built with foam wrapped coils. Their multi-layer coil-on-coil system incorporates memory foam, individually wrapped coils, and a sleek euro-style pillow top for a comfort experience rare today, and all at a competitive price point.

Continue reading for my full review of the Saatva mattress. In a bit of a rush? You can skip to the bottom and check out the review summary.

Rather watch than read? Watch our comprehensive Saatva mattress review video below:

Construction

Layers

Unlike most factory direct mattresses that are built from 100% foam, Saatva uses a different construction method known as “coil on coil”. The mattress is built from 2 layers of steel coils, a foam encasement, and pillow top.

• Top layer (comfort) – Cover & euro-style pillow top – The top layer is an organic cotton cover, making it breathable and soft. Additionally, the cover includes a euro-style pillow top. This pillow top adds great comfort and softness.
• Second layer (lumbar support) – Memory foam lumbar support – sitting on top of the edge support layer, but below the cover, is a thin layer of memory foam. This layer helps to provide additional lumbar support. Very thick layers of memory foam can create heat retention issues or an excessive hug on your body. However, the layer is far too thin (only 1″ thick) for either of these to be problems.
• Third layer (comfort + support) – Contour coils wrapped in foam – On top the support base is a layer of individually foam wrapped contour coils. The coils are wrapped with foam, designed to contour to your body, and minimize motion transfer. This is the layer that really takes this mattress from just a good mattress to a great mattress. Each coil molds and contours to your body, much the same way a foam mattress would. The end result is great support and comfort no matter what position you like to sleep in. There are 884 individual coils (Queen size).
• Fourth layer (support) – High profile steel coils – The bottom layer of coils is the support base. These are traditional hourglass shaped steel coils and act as a foundational layer, providing great support and shape for the mattress at large. There are 416 individual coils (Queen size).
• Edge layers (support) – Edge support system – this is a layer of foam that wraps all of the coil layers. It protects the coils, while also providing a more luxurious feel. However, it also improves support for both sitting and sleeping along the edges. Note the image below. The head and foot have a tall piece of poly foam that’s 2″ thick. The sides of the mattress have even greater edge support, with a tall foam that’s 5″ thick.

Cover

The cover is extremely well made and is constructed from 100% organic cotton. The organic cotton makes it highly breathable and also quite soft. It has a nice texture and feel. It’s very similar to the cover Saatva uses on their high-end luxury foam mattress, the Loom & Leaf mattress. When I initially saw them I thought they were identical.

What really makes the cover special is the euro-style pillow top. The pillow top adds a great softness and comfort to the mattress. Euro-style pillow tops differ from traditional pillow tops in how they are built and aesthetically look. Traditional pillow tops are literally sewn on top of the mattress and look like a large pillow sitting on top of your mattress. The euro-style is inserted underneath the organic cotton cover and seamlessly aligns to the edge of the mattress.

This gives the euro-style a cleaner aesthetic, but it also offers advantages in terms of longevity. Traditional pillow tops have a tendency to lose their shape over time, the euro-style design offers greater longevity.

In 2016, Saatva decided to update their cover. With this update came some aesthetic and functionality differences as compared to the original cover. Saatva does still use a euro-style pillow top, but the center section of the pillow top now contains a tighter quilting pattern. This tighter quilting pattern helps create more lumbar support, which tends to be the area where sleepers need the most support. The improved cover creates better support in the mid section and helps sleepers maintain a better spinal alignment.

It’s important to note that this change only applies to the Saatva Luxury Firm and Firm versions. The Plush Soft version of the Saatva still uses the original cover for more of a universally soft and plush feel on top.

Firmness, Feel, & Support

Most factory direct mattresses offer a standard “one-firmness-fits-all” approach. Saatva has decided to buck this trend and offer 3 different levels of comfort.

1. Saatva plush soft (their most soft mattress) – 3.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale (where 10 is the most firm)
2. Saatva luxury firm (the middle of the road softness) – 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale
3. Saatva firm (the most firm option) – 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale

Saatva Plush Soft

This is the ultimate in softness for Saatva. The Saatva plush mattress aims to hug sleepers in a “supportive embrace”. The top-layer of coils are wrapped with a softer conforming foam, giving it a softer feel than you’ll get in the luxury firm or firm mattress options.

Who is the Saatva plush soft best for?

• If you prefer a super soft mattress, something in the 3-4 range out of 10 on the firmness scale
• You’re a side sleeper or more rarely, some back sleepers
• You like to feel the mattress “hug” you

Saatva Luxury Firm

The Saatva Luxury Firm mattress is the middle of the road in terms of overall firmness. If you don’t sit at one of the extremes in terms of softness or firmness, chances are you’re going to like the luxury firm. 75% of sleeper prefer a mattress within the medium firmness range. The luxury firm bed is very similar to what you’d sleep on in a nice hotel.

Who is the Saatva Luxury Firm best for?

• All sleeping position preferences – stomach, back, and side sleepers
• If you don’t like very firm or a very soft mattress. The Saatva Luxury Firm is in the 6’ish range out of 10 on the firmness scale
• If you like to switch sleeping positions during the night
• You sleep with a partner and you’re looking for a good compromising firmness

Saatva Firm

The Saatva Firm mattress is the firmest option that Saatva offers. Just like with the plush soft option, the Saatva firm mattress wraps the top layer of coils in slightly firmer foam than what you’ll get in the Saatva Luxury firm mattress. The mattress has an initial plush feeling when you lie down, but it’s promptly followed up with the stronger support that a firmer mattress offers.

What is the Saatva firm mattress best for?

• Back and stomach sleepers
• If you prefer to float on top of the mattress
• If you prefer a very firm mattress – it’s an 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale

When you initially lie down on the Saatva mattress you’ll feel the immediate softness and comfort from the cover and pillow top. The euro-style pillow top looks and feels great. Generally, I’m not a big fan of traditional pillow tops because the pillow top material keeps me elevated so far from the actual supportive / contouring layers of the mattress.

However, I found I really like the euro-style. Aesthetically, it has a sleek look to it. In terms of comfort, the Saatva has a nice plush feel on top, but allows enough give that you feel well supported by the pocketed contour coils below. Additionally, Saatva’s newly renovated cover created better lumbar support due to the tighter stitching throughout the midsection. This update certainly made a difference in terms of support in all three sleeping positions.

The coil-on-coil construction is quite interesting. During my sleep test I slept on my back, side, and stomach. All positions offered excellent support and comfort. What makes this mattress the most unique is the simple fact that it uses springs. Quite frankly, there just aren’t that many manufacturers selling spring mattresses online (at least at reasonable prices). Having the option for a quality coil mattress available online makes for a great choice for those who prefer a more traditional feel.

I’ve slept almost exclusively on foam mattress for the Sleepopolis mattress review series, so the Saatva was a nice breath of fresh air. My favorite part? The bounce. I had almost forgotten what great bounce in a mattress feels like. For sex and other amorous activities this makes the Saatva an extremely enjoyable experience.

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As it is a spring mattress this means that you do get more motion transfer than you would with a foam mattress. However, it’s not extreme. The wrapped contour coils and foam support system help to minimize the motion transfer by a fair margin.

Lastly, cooling. Again, being a spring mattress there are definite advantages with respect to cooling. The minimal use of foams and coil-on-coil construction mean excellent airflow and overall cooling. If you are a warm or hot sleeper, or are otherwise concerned a foam mattress will sleep too warm, the advantages of coils and pillow top can create a great compromise. You’ll still get some of the foam feel from the pillow top, but ultimate the primary support coil support materials ensures better cooling than foam mattresses can provide.

For more information on mattress cooling, see here – best mattress for cooling.

Sinkage Tests

All mattress reviews on Sleepopolis go through a series of sinkage tests. I created these tests to help my reader’s better compare the level of sinkage, hug, and contour across a range of mattresses.

• Lying on back – while lying on my back in a normal lying position I experienced 2″ of sinkage
• Lying on side – while lying on my side I experienced 3″ of sinkage
• Sitting near edge – while sitting near the edge, several inches in from the absolute edge, I experienced 3″ of sinkage
• Sitting on absolute edge – while sitting on the absolute edge I experienced 4″ of sinkage
• Standing in middle – while standing in the middle of the mattress I experienced 5.5″ of sinkage

Bear in mind on these sinkage tests that they will vary based on body type and weight. As a reference point, I am fairly uniform from top to bottom and 140 pounds.

Pricing

Saatva mattresses vary in price based on on the size. The larger mattresses are going to cost incrementally a bit more the larger you go. The 3 levels of firmness are priced the same (see above for the specific details about each firmness level). Additionally, Saatva offers two thickness levels, 11.5″ and 14.5″, both thickness levels are priced the same and sleep the same (the thickness levels are purely aesthetic). So you can get the 11.5″ and 14.5″ inch Saatva mattresses at any level of firmness at the exact same price, the only pricing variable is based on the size you decide to go with.

Size	Price
Twin	$599
Twin XL	$699
Full	$849
Queen	$999
King	$1399
California King	$1399

One other side note, you don’t have to pay sales tax with Saatva. That’s an extra $50-$150 off depending on your local sales tax rate and size of mattress.

Lastly, if you are doing some comparison shopping you can download and print the Saatva spec sheet here. You can use this to compare online or in-store. Most of the comparable in-store mattresses I’ve seen are in the $2,000-$3,000 range.

Other Details

• Shipping – $99, usually takes 7-15 days, includes full service delivery (they setup in your home and remove packaging). You can also pay $39 extra and they will take your old mattress away. Saatva mattresses are never compressed for shipping.
• Warranty – 15 years, non-prorated, covers any body impression 1.5″ or greater
• Trial Period – 120 nights
• Made in the USA – Saatva uses 19 different factories across the US and Canada to create and assemble this mattress
• Weight – 110 pounds (11.5″ version, Queen size) and 120 pounds (14.5″ version, Queen size)
• No sales tax – excludes Canada
• Adjustable Base Compatible

Should you buy the Saatva mattress?

I would recommend the Saatva mattress to sleepers who:

• Want a soft, medium, or firm feel – the Saatva is available in soft (3.5), medium (6), and firm (8) firmness feels. This gives you a lot of flexibility to make sure you are getting the right firmness for you. If you aren’t sure what firmness you need I would recommend the medium version. 75% of sleepers need / enjoy a medium firmness.
• Want a traditional luxury feel – the Saatva has a very traditional luxury spring type of a feel. The mattress uses a coil-on-coil design for great comfort and support. Adding the pillow top rounds out a balanced and comfortable feel overall.
• Want great edge support – Saatva utilizes foam encasement around the coils to both improve the feel, but also to create amazing edge support. The thick and dense foam layers along the edge make both sitting and sleeping near the edge perfectly fine.
• Want great cooling – the coil-on-coil design and minimal use of heat retentive foams create a mattress that’s highly breathable. This helps improve airflow and better regulate temperatures at large on the mattress surface.
• Want more natural and healthy materials – the Saatva utilizes natural thistle as a fire barrier, an organic cotton cover, certified Certi-PUR memory foam, and springs constructed from recycled steel. It’s certainly not a 100% organic / all natural mattress, however, the Saatva does do many things right when it comes to using healthier materials.

Overall, I found the Saatva to be a very well made and comfortable mattress. I am a big fan of the euro-style pillow top and I loved the bounce. Saatva’s a good choice for most sleepers. If for whatever reason you don’t think Saatva is right for you you should consider checking out Saatva’s sister brand, the Loom & Leaf, a luxury memory foam mattress. Or see our full list of mattress reviews here.

For more information or if you’re ready to purchase visit SaatvaMattress.com.