Saatva Solaire Mattress Review

| Updated:

July 12, 2024

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Written by Nichole Mondshein

Updated on July 12, 2024

If you’ve been having trouble finding the exact level of firmness you need in a bed, you might like the Saatva Solaire. This high-tech air bed allows you to choose your preferred firmness level. Better yet, each side of the bed is adjustable, making the Solaire a great option for couples who have different sleep preferences.

So, what exactly does an air bed feel like, and will it provide pressure relief, motion isolation, and comfort? I ran a series of tests to answer those questions for you.

Keep reading for my entire, in-depth Saatva Solaire review! If you’re short on time, head over to my review summary.

If you’ve had trouble finding the exact level of firmness you need in a mattress, you might like the Saatva Solaire. This high-tech air bed allows you to choose your preferred firmness level.

Sleepopolis Score

3.7 / 5

Read Saatva Solaire Mattress Review

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Product Details

Material

Other

Firmness

Multiple firmness options

Sleep Trial

365 nights

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Shipping

Free white glove delivery

Price

$$$$$$

Our Recommendation

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Side Sleepers

This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.

Back Sleepers

This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.

Stomach Sleepers

This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.

Hot Sleepers

This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.

Hip Pain

This bed should be comfortable for anyone struggling with hip pain since it contours the hips and keeps them supported.

Couples

This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

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Average Customer Rating

4.9 / 5

Watch Our Video Review

Where the Saatva Solaire is Featured

Here at Sleepopolis, we use a series of hands-on tests to determine which mattress roundups a bed belongs on and who it might be good for. Here are some of our 2023 mattress roundups that include the Saatva Solaire:

Saatva Solaire Mattress Overview

The Saatva Solaire mattress offers extensive customization options with 50 firmness settings. This mattress is particularly suited for couples with different comfort preferences, offering individual controls on each side (Queen size and larger) for personalized sleep experiences. The Saatva Solaire includes a remote that makes it easy to experience a range of firmnesses from plush to firm support.

Constructed with an organic cotton cover that promotes breathability and hypoallergenic latex, the Solaire enhances airflow for cooler sleep. It features an exclusive botanical antimicrobial treatment to prevent bacteria, mold, and mildew growth. The Solaire also features additional cooling layers, such as gel-infused memory foam, to dissipate body heat, contributing to a comfortable night’s rest.

Saatva Solaire Mattress Review Video

Want a quick look at the Saatva Solaire mattress before reading the full review? Check out my review video for an in-depth look at its materials and the tests I performed on it.

Saatva Solaire Mattress Sleepopolis Score

Poor

Average

Excellent

What is the Saatva Solaire Mattress Made Of?

The Saatva Solaire is an air bed, but it’s not like any air mattress you might have slept on while glamping. Above and below the air chambers are various layers of memory foam, latex, and poly foam that promote pressure relief, comfort, and support.

Let’s dive into bed to see what this looks like:

A close up look at the Solaire’s air chambers.

Cover — The Solaire’s organic cotton cover is quilted with some memory foam to offer initial pressure relief.

Comfort Layer — Below the cover, you’ll find a plush top layer of gel memory foam, which has a slow response to pressure points and offers body-contouring and sinkage. This foam is also CertiPUR-US® Certified, which means it’s free of harmful chemicals and heavy metals.

Transition Layer — A five-zone layer of talalay latex foam offers some bounce and support to the mattress. Below the latex is a thin moisture barrier that will prevent any condensation.

Support Layer — Up next are the Solaire’s vulcanized air chambers! These chambers are surrounded by a power edge enclosure to prevent any sagging. The air chambers are adjustable and controlled via remote. Sizes queen and up feature two air chambers, so you can set each side of the bed to a different firmness level. The air chambers feature a multi-directional box baffle design which prevents deflating overnight.

The materials used in the layers of the Saatva Solaire.

Base Layer — All of the layers above are supported by a section of high-density poly foam, which provides a strong foundation.

Saatva Solaire Mattress Firmness

As I tested the Saatva Solaire mattress, I found its 50 firmness options to suit a wide range of preferences. Using the remote control, I adjusted the firmness level to find my ideal comfort setting.

On the lowest setting, I experienced a plush and soft feel, comparable to a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It was comfortable and supportive without being overly soft. At its highest setting, the Solaire felt much firmer, approximately a 7.5 out of 10.

Sleeping Position and Body Weight

We recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call “average” (130 to 250 pounds).

As a general takeaway, lighter sleepers don’t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.

As far as sleeping positions go, side sleepers tend to need a softer mattress while stomach sleepers usually need a firmer, more supportive one. Back sleepers are usually somewhere in the middle.

Is the Saatva Solaire a Good Mattress for Light Sleepers (Under 130 pounds)?

Light Back Sleepers – These sleepers should enjoy a setting of about 30, which has a medium-firm feel.
Light Side Sleepers – I’d recommend that these sleepers try a setting on the lower end of the 20s to experience the right amount of pressure relief and sinkage.
Light Stomach Sleepers – I think that these sleepers will find their sweet spot at about 40, which should offer enough firmness to keep the spine neutrally aligned.

Is the Saatva Solaire a Good Mattress for Average Weight Sleepers (130 – 250 pounds)?

Average Weight Back Sleepers – I think average weight back sleepers will be happy on this bed, anywhere from setting 30 to 35, for a classic medium-firm.
Average Weight Side Sleepers – For deep pressure relief and a bit of sinkage, these sleepers will prefer a setting somewhere in the 20s.
Average Weight Stomach Sleepers – These sleepers will find relief in the 40 to 50 range, where the hips and shoulders should align comfortably to avoid back pain.

Is the Saatva Solaire a Good Mattress for Heavy Sleepers (over 250 pounds)?

Heavy Back Sleepers – I’d recommend these sleepers shoot for a setting of 40 to 45 or higher to find a firmness that suits their liking and keeps them supported.
Heavy Side Sleepers – These sleepers should find comfort anywhere between 30 and 40, to ensure there isn’t too much sinkage.
Heavy Stomach Sleepers – Since these sleepers will require an especially firm setting to keep them lifted and supported, I’d recommend trying out 50.

Saatva Solaire Mattress Performance

I ran the Solaire through a few tests to give you an idea of the pressure relief, motion transfer, and edge support capabilities this mattress offers. I also took a look at how this mattress performs for a variety of sleepers and their preferences.

Saatva Solaire Mattress Pain Relief Performance

Pain and pressure relief go hand in hand. To test a bed’s ability in this department, we conduct a pressure map test. This shows us how much discomfort a sleeper may experience in different positions, and where pain may occur.

Regardless of the firmness setting, I thought the Solaire provided satisfying pressure relief as I didn’t really experience any points of tension at my low back, shoulders, or hips.

I placed a pressure map down on the bed and it recorded how my body interacted with the mattress in real time. Blue and green areas indicate low pressure and yellow and red areas indicate high pressure. I ran this test twice, once with the firmness level set at 20 (medium–soft) and once with it set at 40 (firm).Pressure map for the Saatva Solaire set at 40 out of 50.

Pressure map for the Saatva Solaire set at 40/50.

Back Pain – With so many settings and the ability to find your personal level of medium firmness, I think this mattress does a great job for all sleeper types. No matter your preference, any back pain sufferer should be able to find the right combination of pressure relief and support.

Shoulder Pain – With a foam comfort layer and cover, all sleeping positions should be able find their own comfy cradle in the Saatva Solaire. For me, the level 20 setting proved to contour and relieve pressure to my liking, combating against shoulder pain.

Hip Pain – The foam in this mattress should also benefit those with hip pain. I would also recommend a setting of 20 to provide the right amount of sinkage to contour and comfort you all night long. However, if you sleep on your stomach, you may want to hike up the setting a bit to avoid the hips sinking too far into the mattress.

Motion Transfer

Next up is a motion transfer test, which will uncover the amount of movement you’ll likely detect from one side of the bed to the other. If you sleep with a partner who loves to move around a lot at night, you’ll definitely want a mattress that absorbs and dampens motion.

Human Test

The first test is simple: I lie down on the mattress with a colleague, switch between sleeping positions, and see how much of each other’s movement we feel.

When we first hopped into bed, we could barely detect each other’s movements. However, when it came to rolling around and switching sleeping positions, we could notice just a little bit of movement.

Water Test

During the water test, I place a full glass of water on the mattress and observe how much the liquid moves around with us. If the liquid has zero to little movement, then the mattress has low motion transfer, which is what you want to see. Despite us rolling around quite a bit, the water barely moved, indicating low motion transfer.

Seismometer Test

Finally, there’s our seismometer test. To perform this test, we drop a 10-pound steel ball from heights of four inches, eight inches, and twelve inches. Next, we measure the disturbance it causes: the bigger the lines on the graph, the bigger the disturbance and the higher the motion transfer.

The Solaire’s motion transfer test results.

These are great motion transfer results! Looking at the results of these motion transfer tests, I’d say you won’t feel disturbed by a partner switching between sleeping positions and getting in and out of bed.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness refers to how quickly a mattress returns to its original shape after applying pressure. We test each mattress’s responsiveness by pressing down on its top layer, removing our hand, and seeing how quickly the surface returns to its original shape. Memory foam usually has a low response to pressure, while hybrid mattresses with coils tend to have a high response to pressure.

The Saatva Solaire is fairly responsive across all its firmness options, making it a solid choice for combination sleepers who switch between multiple positions at night.

Cooling

There are many factors that go into how cool a mattress will sleep. The materials inside the mattress largely contribute to whether the heat will be trapped or flow freely. Memory foam is generally prone to trapping heat, while hybrid mattresses tend to have better airflow.

I tested the Saatva Solaire with a thermal gun, a device that uses color-coded imaging to measure how much and how quickly a mattress heats up when someone lies down on it.

If it heats more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, I consider it to have poor cooling capabilities. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.

After laying down on the Solaire, its temperature only went up 6 degrees, making this mattress a good choice for most sleepers.

Edge Support

Edge support is a measure of whether or not you’ll be able to sleep all the way on the edge of the bed without feeling like its sides might collapse under your weight. I tested out the edges of the Solaire, and was pretty happy with what I found.

When sitting on the edge and corners, I observed hardly any sinkage and felt stable and supported the entire time. Similarly, lying on the edge provided a stable experience with minimal sinkage.

When I measured the sinkage with a yardstick, the layers sank only one inch when weight was applied to the edge.

Saatva Solaire Mattress Performance for Couples

Now, let’s talk about couples! When it comes to these duos, we find a slew of additional factors to consider. We’ll get into aspects like transfer of motion, sex capabilities, edge support, and of course, cooling! Couples require a mix of motion transfer and responsiveness when it comes to sex. The transitional layer includes some latex foam that traditionally creates some bounce, but overall you’ll find that you sink a bit into the mattress while moving about. Though the Solaire is a great choice for couples sleepwise, I wouldn’t recommend it for sex specifically.

My Final Thoughts about the Saatva Solaire Mattress

Before I finish up, let’s quickly review who might most enjoy the Saatva Solaire — and who should probably look elsewhere.

Who I recommend the Saatva Solaire for

The Solaire offers personalized support, and can be set to 50 different firmness levels. So, it should feel comfortable in almost any sleeping position.
If you buy a queen size or larger, you can set each side of the Solaire to a different firmness level. This is a huge advantage for couples with different sleeping preferences.
The Solaire sleeps cool thanks to a breathable latex foam layer (and plenty of airflow).

Who I don’t recommend the Saatva Solaire for