The Saatva Classic mattress is a popular innerspring mattress, and the flagship model from New York-based company Saatva. One of the first brands in the affordable luxury online mattress space, Saatva’s name has become synonymous with high-end mattresses at reasonable prices.
It achieves its competitive pricing by being online-only, enabling the company to avoid storefront costs such as rent, bills and so on. Instead, Saatva claims to put those savings into materials and manufacturing – and certainly its mattresses do cost less than its rivals.
The Classic is Saatva’s most affordable and best-selling mattress, with three firmness options to choose between, and a customizable depth: 11.5 or 14.5 inches. It boasts a range of industry accolades – including a sustainability award from the Business Intelligence Group, and approval from the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations – and thousands of positive user reviews, too.
So what’s it actually like to sleep on? We tested the Saatva Classic (luxury firm version) to help you decide whether it’s the best mattress for you. Two of our reviewers slept on the Classic for two weeks, recording their initial thoughts – and two have slept on it for over a year, including during a pregnancy.
You can try it yourself at home if you like the sound of it – it comes with a risk-free 180-night trial, and you’ll find today’s best Saatva mattress deals below. Read on for our in-depth Saatva Classic mattress review.
What is the Saatva Classic mattress?
- Luxury hybrid innerspring mattress
- Three comfort levels: soft, medium firm, and firm
- 11.5 or 14.5 inches deep
- White glove delivery as standard
The Saatva Classic is a hybrid innerspring mattress, made from eco-friendly foams and a durable dual steel coil support system. It’s the company’s most popular mattress, designed to offer optimal spine support, while reducing back and joint pain.
One area where the Saatva Classic mattress stands out immediately is the level of customization on offer. Available in a twin size, all the way up to split California king, it comes in two different depths – 11.5 inches and 14.5 inches – and a choice of three firmness levels: soft (Saatva calls it ‘plush soft’), medium (‘luxury firm’) and firm. For our Saatva Classic mattress review, we tested the 11.5 inch luxury firm version.
3 different comfort levels
Saatva Classic plush soft: 3 out of 10 (soft). Best for: side sleepers, lighter weight people, people who prefer a soft mattress.
Saatva Classic luxury firm: 5-7 out of 10 (medium firm). Best for: most people; back pain; couples with different preferences
Saatva Classic firm: 8 out of 10 (firm). Best for: lower back or neck pain, stomach sleepers, bigger body types.
Another key area where Saatva stands out is that unlike many of its online-only rivals, the Saatva Classic mattress isn’t a mattress in a box, so it won’t arrive rolled up in a package on your doorstep.
Instead, Saatva offers free white glove delivery as standard: a local shipping company will hand-deliver and set up your mattress in the room of your choice, and remove your old mattress if you choose.
That makes it more convenient – but it also means that Saatva can give the Classic more springs than bed-in-a-box mattresses, resulting in a bouncier, more traditional innerspring feel. (More on that later.)
Inside the Saatva Classic, there are five distinct features. On top, a luxury Euro pillow top made from organic cotton provides more cushioning than a standard pillow top. This has an antimicrobial fabric treatment to help it stay fresh.
Next, a layer of individually wrapped 14.5-gauge coils is designed to contour to your body, providing tailored support and easing pressure points, while reducing motion transfer across the mattress.
Saatva Classic: specs
Depth: 11.5 or 14.5 inches
Firmness: Soft Plush, Luxury Firm and Firm
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, Cal King and Split Cal King
Material: Foam and innersprings
Flip? No
Delivery fee: Free
Return fee: $99
Trial length: 180 nights
Warranty: 15 years
These sit on top of a strong, durable base of 13-gauge tempered steel support coils that have been oven heated and aim to prevent the mattress from sagging over time. Together, these two coil layers create a responsive, dual support system that help air flow through the mattress, keeping you cool at night.
In the centre of the Saatva Classic mattress, there are two back support enhancements to provide increased pressure relief. One delivers Saatva’s ‘lumbar zone’ technology via an active wire support in the center of the mattress; the other – a memory foam layer – helps relieve tension from your lower back.
Finally, a foam encasement wraps around the mattress, offering edge support, preventing sagging, and helping stabilize the entire mattress.
All of Saatva’s mattresses come with a 180-night risk-free trial, so you have plenty of time to decide if the Classic is right for you. If you choose not to keep the mattress for any reason, Saatva will collect it, donate it to a Veteran’s shelter and refund your money – less a $99 transport fee. You can also exchange your mattress for a different firmness level or depth for the same $99 fee during your trial period.
Saatva ships its mattresses with a non-prorated 15-year warranty. Under this, if there’s a defect within the first two years, you’ll get a free replacement. In years three through 15, Saatva will repair or replace your mattress for the $99 transport fee.
Sizes | Dimensions | Height | Weight | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
Twin | 38 x 75 inches | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 100 lbs | $799 |
Twin XL | 38 x 80 inches | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 105 lbs | $999 |
Full | 54 x 75 inches | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 110 lbs | $1,299 |
Queen | 60 x 80 inches | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 120 lbs | $1,399 |
King | 76 x 80 inches | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 145 lbs | $1,799 |
California King | 72 x 84 inches | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 145 lbs | $1,799 |
Split King | 76 x 80 inches (2pcs) | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 145 lbs | $1,999 |
Split Cal King | 72 x 84 inches (2pcs) | 11.5 or 14.5 inches | 145 lbs | $1,999 |
Saatva Classic mattress: price
- Cheaper than most luxury rivals
- Regular discounts between $100-$200
The Saatva Classic mattress sits at the lower end of the luxury mattress market. Officially priced between $799 (twin) and $1,999 (split Cal king), it’s the cheapest Saatva mattress you can buy, and undercuts many of its rival luxury hybrid innerspring mattresses by up to a few hundred dollars.
For example, a queen size Saatva Classic mattress costs $1,399 at full price. That’s $200 cheaper than the same size luxury Winkbed ($1,599); $300 cheaper than the Layla Hybrid ($1,699); and $450 cheaper than the Helix Midnight Luxe ($1,849). Casper’s Nova Hybrid mattress, meanwhile, costs $1,995 for a queen; and the new Purple Hybrid Premier starts from $2,299 – over $900 more Saatva’s hybrid innerspring.
At the other end of the scale, the Saatva Classic – with its high-end features and white glove delivery – comes in at around $200 more than the best mid-range mattresses. The Purple mattress costs $1,149 for a queen, for instance, while the Nectar mattress is officially priced at $1,198 (though usually sold at $799).
Here’s the official pricing for all sizes
- Twin: $799
- Twin XL: $999
- Full: $1,299
- Queen: $1,399
- King: $1,799
- Cal King: $1,799
- Split Cal King: $1,999
However, frequent Saatva mattress sales make it possible to save between $100-$200 on most sizes of the Saatva Classic mattress. For much of the time between now and last summer, for example, Saatva has been offering a $200 discount when you spend $1,000 or more.
That means there’s no discount on the twin size, but it applies from a twin XL size upwards – making this already competitively priced luxury mattress even better value.
Saatva Classic mattress: performance
- 7 out of 10 on firmness scale
- Buoyant, with a little bounce
- Still fantastic over a year later
For clarity, we’ve split our performance review into two sections. The first records how two of our reviewers found the mattress after sleeping on it for two weeks; the second looks at how our other two reviewers are finding the Saatva Classic one year on.
Saatva classifies the Saatva Classic luxury firm mattress as medium, and says it measures between 5-7 out of 10 on the firmness scale (with 10 being the firmest). We found that the mattress initially falls on the firm side of medium-firm, classing it between 7 and 7.5 out of 10.
Two of our reviewers slept on the Saatva Classic luxury firm mattress for over two weeks, and having been used to spring and coil system mattresses, it took no time to break in or adjust. It was extremely comfortable and supportive from the first night.
They found that their lower spines and pressure points – including shoulders, hips and knees – felt cushioned and supported, with their weight distributed evenly. The soft pillow top cover was supple, without too much sink; while the dual-coil system provided buoyant, firm support, and a little bounce.
The trade-off to this bounce is that the Saatva Classic doesn’t isolate all movement. We found that there is a little motion transfer compared to, say, a memory foam mattress – but not enough to disturb us while we slept. We think it’s a good choice for couples. However, if you have a particularly restless partner who’s prone to lots of tossing and turning at night, you may want to consider a memory foam mattress instead.
In terms of edge support, the Saatva Classic mattress felt sturdy, and enabled our reviewers to sleep right up to the edge without it sagging or feeling like they would roll off. There was no uncomfortable heat retention, either. They found the temperature remained neutral throughout the night, with the mattress not becoming too hot or too cool at any point.
Overall, during the two weeks we tested it, our Saatva Classic review mattress delivered a firm, supportive and comfortable sleep, with a little bounce. We give it very high marks for side and back sleeping in particular.
Saatva Classic mattress review: one year on
We speak to Saatva Classic mattress owner Diana Kelly Levey to see how she likes the mattress after sleeping on it for over 12 months.
Diana Kelly Levey
A freelance writer, content marketing writer, and digital strategist, Diana Kelly Levey lives in Long Island, NY, with her husband, son and adopted dog. She’s been sleeping on a Saatva Classic mattress for over a year. We asked her what the mattress is like – and if anything has changed…
How long have you had the mattress?
Diana Kelly Levey: A little over one year
What firmness score would you give it?
DKL: It felt like a 7 [out of 10] when I first got it. I might say it’s about 6.5 now. It felt quite firm at first after sleeping on a seven-year-old innerspring mattress so the support was noticeable. Now, it still feels supportive but not quite as firm, but I’m okay with that. In terms of temperature, I don’t think it sleeps warm or cool.
What’s it like to sleep on?
DKL: You sleep on top of this mattress. I’m a side sleeper and stomach sleeper, but when we got this I was in my second trimester of pregnancy so I needed to sleep on my side. I noticed the support and pressure relief instantly.
My husband mostly sleeps on his back and switches to his side. He has back pain and was experiencing more aches on our old mattress. Once we started sleeping on the Saatva he noticed some of that pain decreasing.
Is there any motion transfer? Has this changed over time?
DKL: Motion transfer was one of the main reasons I sought out this mattress. My husband and I sometimes have opposite sleeping schedules and I didn’t want one person getting out of bed to wake up the other person.
With the initial firmness of the mattress, I didn’t feel any movement on my side of the bed when he would get in or out. Now, I’d say the pressure change in the mattress feels a little different if I’m awake and he gets in or out, but when I’m sleeping well and he gets up, I don’t notice it at all.
How good is the edge support?
DKL: Edge support was important to me as well, and the Saatva Classic offers that in spades.
We got a king-size mattress so we’d each have more room to spread out. My husband is 6’3” and spends a lot of time sleeping near the edge of the bed, and so far it’s still firm and supportive. I put my side through the wringer, bouncing and rocking a screaming newborn while sitting on the side of the bed and it’s still firm.
How well has the Saatva aged in the time you’ve had it?
DKL: I like it more as the firmness has decreased a bit – I’m sleeping on top still, but sink in a bit more. It’s challenging to say though because I was pregnant when I first got this so sleeping was a different experience. (The support and pressure relief was amazing during pregnancy, but getting in and out of a bed that’s over 3’ high was a bigger challenge later in pregnancy.)
Would you recommend this mattress to others?
DKL: Yes, it’s very supportive and comfortable but also plush with the pillow top. It’s good for couples, people who sleep in different positions, and those looking for a medium firm option from an innerspring mattress that has a pillowtop.
What score would you give it out of 10?
DKL: I’d give it an 8 because it offers good pressure relief, customer service was great and I liked their white glove delivery service. It’s also nice that there wasn’t any off-gassing and we could sleep on it right away. I’m hoping it holds up well since it was a costly purchase, but with a 15-year warranty, I felt comfortable making the decision. Not knowing how well it holds up in a few years keeps me from giving it a 9 or 10.
Saatva Classic mattress: anything not so good?
- $99 return or exchange fee
We couldn’t find much to fault with the Saatva Classic mattress at all. If you’re coming from a memory foam mattress, it may take you a little time to adjust to the slight bounce of the springs, but otherwise you should find very little adjustment needed.
We really enjoyed sleeping on the luxury firm version. If you’re a stomach sleeper who prefers extra support, though, or weigh over 230 pounds, Saatva recommends choosing the firm version instead for better pressure relief. Alternatively, lighter weight people (under 130 pounds) may find better support from the soft Saatva Classic mattress.
If you do decide to try a different firmness level, it’s very easy to arrange and a new 180-night trial will start once your exchanged mattress is delivered. However, it’s worth noting that Saatva charges a $99 transportation cost for exchanges and returns – not all mattress companies do this.
Another aspect to watch out for is body indentations over time. These are a fact of life for most mattresses, and while the Saatva Classic’s steel coils will do much to protect against this, the Euro pillow top (although denser than a standard pillow top) is likely to imprint eventually, when you’re sleeping on it for six-eight hours each night.
The risk is a lot lower here than for a pure foam mattress, but we would recommend rotating your Saatva mattress regularly, especially for the first six months, and trying not to sleep in exactly the same spot each night.
Saatva Classic mattress: user reviews
- Average score of 4.9/5 from over 17,000 user reviews
- Some had to change firmness before finding the right one
- Many say back pain has gone
Our reviewers loved the Saatva Classic mattress, but mattresses are subjective: your experience will depend on your body shape, size, weight, whether you sleep hot and what type of mattress you previously slept on. To build a more rounded review of what the Saatva Classic mattress is like to sleep on for most people, we researched thousands of customer comments and pulled out any recurring themes.
The vast majority of feedback is exceptionally positive, with the Saatva Classic mattress boasting an average score of 4.9 out of 5, from around 17,000 user views (October 2020) on independent sites including Google Reviews, Consumer Affairs, Reseller Ratings and TrustPilot.
Many reviewers mentioned alleviated back and joint pain due solely to the mattress. Some commented that they’ve had their mattress for over five years and say it’s still very comfortable. Saatva’s customer service, too, receives glowing praise throughout, with users praising the speed of response and willingness to help.
Of the few negative comments we found, many were due to the customer initially choosing a firmness level that wasn’t right for their preferences. Many of these followed up by saying that Saatva quickly swapped the mattress and they exchanged it without problem (for a $99 delivery fee).
Some customers have reported issues with body indentions appearing and sagging occurring over time, usually several years in. Many used their warranty for replacement and still raved about customer satisfaction. Other than these, there were few complaints about any other aspect of the mattress including pillow top, edge support, heat retention and comfort.
Should you buy the Saatva Classic mattress?
Our reviewers say it’s a resounding yes. If you’re looking for an extremely comfortable high-end hybrid that provides great support across the mattress and on the edges, doesn’t retain heat, has minimal motion transfer and gentle bounce, the Saatva Classic mattress is an excellent choice.
We like the customization options – and Saatva’s willingness to help customers find exactly the right version too. It’s also well priced, under-cutting the competition, and we love the convenience of the free white glove delivery, which leaves nothing for you to do but make the bed.
If you don’t like your mattress to have any bounce, we’d recommend choosing Saatva’s Loom and Leaf mattress ($849 – $2,379) instead – a premium memory foam model that comes in two versions: relaxed firm or firm. Or, for an even more durable option, try the all-natural Saatva Latex Hybrid ($899 – $$2,199). However, for comfort, design and all-round great value, we think the luxury Saatva Classic mattress is an excellent choice for most people.
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