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The 9 Best Beds-in-a-Box for Better Sleep

Get the best sleep of your life delivered to your doorstep.

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Staff, Courtesy of Purple

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Buying a new mattress can be difficult enough as it is, but the prospect of purchasing a bed-in-a-box online—often sight unseen—can make it a more daunting prospect. On the other hand, spending an afternoon awkwardly shirking an overzealous salesperson at the mattress store, then lugging the thing home on the roof of your car, isn't ideal either.

Luckily, more and more companies are realizing how much we hate buying mattresses in person, from newer, direct-to-consumer brands to trusted mattress brands traditionally sold in stores. Beds-in-a-box are lauded for their convenience, arriving at your doorstep rolled up in neat, vacuum-sealed packaging, and these mattresses are just as comfortable and long-lasting as mattresses you'd buy in-store. They're easier and more efficient to ship due to the square packaging, meaning they often arrive quicker than traditional mattresses ordered online (some options ship to your door in less than a week).

Most of the mattresses on our list are made of memory foam as it's easily compressible for the whole in-a-box shebang, but we made sure to include some spring-loaded picks for the traditionalists out there. Read on for our recommendations for the best mattresses-in-a-box of the year.

The 9 Best Beds-in-a-Box of 2023

What to Consider

Firmness

Most bed-in-a-box sets are either completely or partially made from memory foam since it easily re-inflates prior to use. However, this doesn't mean every mattress-in-a-box is soft and squishy. Memory foam is more structured than you might think and can actually produce a very firm, supportive bed if you choose the right one. Some options have springs or coils inside the foam, which can provide extra firmness and a bit of bounce if you don't like to sink into your mattress while you sleep.

Cooling Properties

Consider how warm of a sleeper you are before you buy. If you tend to find run hot at night, you may want to invest in a mattress designed to keep you cool, especially since memory foam is notorious for trapping heat. Look for infusions of copper, bamboo, or gel for a cooling effect.

Your Bed Frame

Keep in mind that lots of mattresses-in-a-box are made entirely of foam, which can warp and sag when used directly on the slats on your bed frame. If you already have a bed frame with slats, choose an option with springs that give the mattress structure or buy a box spring to go with your mattresses. Alternatively, splurge on a new bed, because you deserve it.

How We Selected

To find the best options among the many mattresses-in-a-box on the market, we researched the most popular models available. We looked at expert reviews from trusted sources like Good Housekeeping and CNET, as well as reviews from people who’ve bought these models on sites like Amazon. We chose mattresses compatible with a variety of sleeping positions, firmness preferences, and budgets to find an option that ships right to your front door for every type of shopper.

Looking to replace your whole bedding setup? Check out our top picks for mattress toppers, memory-foam pillows, and bedding sets.

1
Most Affordable

Linenspa Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress

Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress

Pros

  • Available in multiple stack heights
  • Long warranty

Cons

  • Not the most supportive

This bed-in-a-box is super affordable, coming in at under $300 for a queen-sized mattress. It’s made with a hybrid design that incorporates a layer of springs on the bottom, topped with memory foam for ultimate comfort.

This is a great option if you’re looking for a budget mattress for yourself or need an extra mattress for a guest bedroom that won’t break the bank. It’s available in three different stack heights of eight, 10, and 12 inches and it comes with a 10-year warranty if it doesn’t live up to expectations.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium firm
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Short Queen, Queen, King, California King
2
Best Cooling

Cocoon by Sealy The Chill Mattress

On Sale
The Chill Mattress

Pros

  • Reasonable price
  • Very cushioned and supportive

Cons

  • May be too soft for some

If you find yourself overheating at night, seek out bedding and mattresses designed to keep you cool. This mattress has a cooling cover, as well as a top layer of cooling memory foam that allows air to flow through it.

For comfort and support, there are two more layers of foam. This mattress also has a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty—which is around when you should be replacing your mattress anyways.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King
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Pros

  • Very soft and cushy
  • Addition of firm foams makes it supportive

Cons

  • Super tall stack may not fit all bed sheets

This mattress lives up to the company name. And not only is it puffy, but it's soft, incredibly plush, and probably the closest you can get to feeling like you're sleeping on a cloud. It's made of six layers that provide support without feeling stiff and uncomfortable. The foam conforms to your body, giving you a contoured feel that's great for alleviating back and joint pain.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium Plush
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split King
4
Best Pillow Top

Allswell Home The Allswell

The Allswell

Pros

  • Great value for price
  • Soft and comfortable but still supportive

Cons

  • May not be enough support for bigger people

Don’t let the budget price fool you: This bed-in-a-box is a dream to sleep on every night—and I’m speaking from personal experience, having used this mattress myself for the past three years.

Since the day I bought it, this mattress has tested my will to get up in the morning. The pillow top makes it just soft enough to subtly hug you while you sleep, while the coils give it support and keep your side of the mattress from shifting if your partner gets up or rolls over in the night.

Underneath the pillow top is a memory-foam layer, which provides some soft support and ensures comfort no matter what position you sleep in.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium
SizesTwin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
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5
Best All-Foam

Purple GelFlex Grid Mattress

GelFlex Grid Mattress

Pros

  • Breathable and cool
  • Hypoallergenic

Cons

  • Sections of firmness may cause discomfort for some

This memory-foam mattress is made of up multiple types of foam: a breathable, comfortable top layer; a proprietary grid layer that provides support where you need it most; and a bottom layer of firm foam to help give it more structure.

Thanks to the grid technology, it's breathable and stays cool during the night. It’s also hypoallergenic and doesn’t have a strong plasticky odor, a common complaint about memory-foam mattresses.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
6
Best Overall

Casper Sleep Original Foam Mattress

Original Foam Mattress

Pros

  • Firmer foam where you need more support
  • Fast shipping

Cons

  • A bit expensive for all foam

Casper was one of the first companies to popularize the mattress-in-a-box concept, and after almost eight years in the business, it remains an industry leader. The company's original foam mattress is one of its most popular models, and for good reason.

This mattress is medium firm, which makes it a good pick for a wide variety of beds and sleepers. It's made from 100% foam, with firmer foam near areas that need the extra support like the hips, waist, and lower back. It is also available on Amazon and ships to you in less than a week.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium firm
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
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7
Best Splurge

Tempurpedic Tempur-Cloud Compressed Mattress

Tempur-Cloud Compressed Mattress

Pros

  • Great for alleviating joint and back pain
  • Plush and supportive

Cons

  • Expensive

If you like a soft mattress, this Tempurpedic might be your pick. While it is quite a bit pricier than some of the other options on this list, you're paying for super high-quality foam that gives this mattress its signature plush-yet-supportive feel. According to Good Housekeeping, it was designed by NASA to absorb the pressure of G-force while in space!

This bed-in-a-box is a great option if you suffer from joint pain, back pain, or any other type of discomfort that keeps you up at night.

Key Specs

Firmness Medium
Sizes Twin, Twin Long, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
8
Best Dual-Sided Mattress

Layla Copper-Infused Memory Foam Mattress

Copper-Infused Memory Foam Mattress

Pros

  • Flippable for either firm or soft feel
  • Keeps you cool while sleeping

Cons

  • Some customers complained about scent

This memory-foam mattress is among the most unique on the market. Not only does it have a distinct honeycomb pattern on top, it’s also flippable, with a firm side and a soft side depending on your preference.

The unique padding and design combine to create breathable pathways on the surface of the mattress, plus it’s infused with copper, which helps you stay cool. Copper absorbs thermal energy, drawing heat away from your body to regulate your temperature.

Key Specs

Firmness Firm and soft
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
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9
Best Sustainable Option

Avocado Latex Mattress

Latex Mattress

Pros

  • Firm and supportive
  • Handles on side make it easy to move

Cons

  • Very expensive
This mattress by Avocado was designed with both comfort and sustainability in mind. It’s made with nontoxic and biodegradable materials, including nine inches of plush latex foam and a cotton-and-wool pillow top.

This mattress is on the firmer side, so despite being memory foam, you won’t sink so much as float on top of it. It has handles on the sides that make moving it around a breeze, and it’s designed to dampen movement so you won’t notice if your dog gets up in the middle of the night. (Yes, we know you let your dog sleep in the bed with you.)

The company even offers a vegan version made without wool if animal byproducts freak you out.

Key Specs

Firmness Firm
Sizes Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King, Split King
Headshot of Gabrielle Hondorp

Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College where she also ran cross country and track. 

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