Mattress shopping can be a painful experience, which could explain why some consumers would rather spend decades sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress than shop for a new one.
Shoppers who try to purchase a new mattress at annual Labor Day or Presidents Day sales my find that comparing prices and testing mattresses is a challenge. It is hard it is to compare products across retailers that may often stock different versions of mattresses made by the same manufacturers.
In the past few years, a crop of startups specializing in sleep — including at least one based in Atlanta — have set out to change the way we shop for mattresses. Most of them offer one type of mattress — with a proprietary foam construction, a 100-night sleep trial, a 10-year warranty and a low price — delivered to your door free of charge in a box about the size of a mini fridge.
“It takes away the anxiety of mattress shopping,” said Diane Silver, spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Yogabed. “Consumers get more choice, better value and the convenience of a mattress being shipped to your front door.”
The downside for most consumers is not having the chance to try out the mattress before buying. But can a 15-minute nap in a store really give a true read of how comfortable a mattress is?
The sleep startups say the 100-night in-home trial is the solution. If the mattress doesn’t work out, they pick it up for free and you get a full refund. That’s not bad considering the markup on store-bought mattresses can be six to 12 times the manufacturing cost and you may have to pay for a return or restocking fee. You will, however, have to get rid of your old mattress on your own since you won’t have white-glove delivery service to take it out for you.
Ready to consider a mattress by mail? Here’s how four of the startups stack up:
Casper: This New York-based startup launched in 2014 offers one mattress made of three layers of foam including latex, memory and polyurethane. A 1.5-inch layer of latex is over supportive memory foam. A queen costs $850. It comes with a 10-year warranty and a 100-day return policy. Free shipping and returns. Made in the USA. www.casper.com.
LuxiSleep: Mattresses from California based LuxiSleep can be re-assembled to suit your sleeping needs. You can split, flip and adjust the mattress to suit your desires by making a soft, medium or firm surface based on how you assemble it. A queen size mattress costs $999 and comes with a 10 year warranty, a 100 night trial and 1,000 days of support. www.luxisleep.com.
Tuft & Needle: A two-layer mattress made of blended foam including polyurethane foam (not memory foam or latex foam) has been around since 2013. A queen costs $600. You get a 10-year warranty, 100-day return policy (they help you donate the mattress; you send them the receipt), free shipping and returns. Made in the USA. www.tuftandneedle.com.
Yogabed: An Atlanta-based startup founded in January by two mattress industry veterans uses a four-layer system for its mattresses including a cooling layer and a top layer of response foam, but it does not include latex foam. A queen is $849. You get two free pillows, a 10-year warranty, 101-day return policy, free shipping and returns. Made in the USA. www.yogabed.com.
