Saatva Classic mattress review: hotel-quality luxury beds without the markup

Saatva has carved a space in the direct-to-consumer mattress market for combining the best in luxury and eco-friendly practices, as evidenced by its flagship mattress, the Saatva Classic. The innerspring hybrid model is designed to emulate the satisfying experience of sleeping in a luxury hotel bed and is created with an emphasis on durability and support, comfort, craftsmanship, and eco-friendly materials wherever possible.

The company name, Saatva was inspired by the Sanskrit word sattva, referring to  the quality of 'purity, wholesomeness, and virtue.' From manufacturing to business practices, Saatva as a company aims to be ethical, transparent, and sustainable, which is noticeable in all the details, big and small, that go into the mattress.

The Saatva Classic should appeal to most and is available in three comfort levels: Soft Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm, designed to cater to side, back and combo, and stomach sleepers, respectively. It's also available in two depths, 11.5" and 14", which comes down to personal preference in your bed's height.

I've since spent nearly two years sleeping with my Luxury Firm Saatva Classic mattress, and as a consistent back sleeper, I need a mattress that will keep my spine aligned and reduce any discomfort around my lower back and neck.  All in all, it's held up, provided support, and the comfort I can't wait to climb into at the end of the day, as I expect this hand-made mattress to do for many more years to come. 

My experience with Saatva puts itself at the top of our best mattresses list. Keep reading to see why the Homes & Gardens team is so impressed. 

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About this review

About this review

Jaclyn Turner

Jaclyn frequently tests out and stays up to date on all things mattresses and bedding. She's not willing to sacrifice comfort or value and is after a mattress that makes it easy to sleep through the night.  But because she could literally nap anywhere, anytime, and really needs a full eight hours of sleep to function, the opportunity to test out mattresses for our readers brings a new definition to the title of a dream job! In what other world would she get the chance to sleep on the job!  

Jaclyn has been sleeping regularly on the Saatva mattress for nearly two years and has been able regularly to provide updates on how it has fared over time. The Saatva Classic was initially provided for product review, of which it still receives regular use.

Who will the Saatva Classic mattress suit?

• Those looking for a luxury mattress: A comfy Euro-top reminiscent of a luxury hotel stay, high-quality materials, and White Glove Delivery makes for a hassle-free experience
• All sleep types: With three comfort levels to choose from, the Luxury Firm is the ideal sleep surface to support front, back, side, and combo sleepers.
• Couples with different sleep styles: Again, those who sleep differently can settle on the happy medium of the Luxury Firm
• Hot sleepers: The dual-coil design and organic cotton cover promote breathability and airflow to help you sleep cooler. 
• Those avoiding chemical flame retardants: Saatva mattresses use a natural, plant-based thistle flame retardant made of wood pulp bonded with a small amount of polyester.
• Those looking for an ethically manufactured mattress: Saatva mattresses are made to order in the USA and rarely travel more than 100 miles to reduce carbon emissions from factory to your home and utilize CertiPUR-US foams and organic cotton and recycled steel. 

What’s the Saatva Classic mattress like to sleep on?

Overall comfort and firmness
The luxury firm is designed to suit every sleeper like a luxury hotel bed would.  It's a true medium that gives you a touch of softness, without the sink-in feeling. The built-in Euro-top adds immediate cushion and plushness for a luxury feel that had me drifting off to sleep very quickly.

I typically fall asleep and wake up on my back, but I'll also spend time on my side and occasionally in some contorted 90-degree angle front position. I slept most comfortably on my back and side, though a strict stomach sleeper will likely prefer something firmer. Meanwhile, the mattress is not overtly plush, if you're looking for something with a cradled, cloud-like feel. 

Pressure relief and support
Expectations were high that this mattress would go easy on my pressure points as the Saatva Classic is recognized with a seal of approval from the Congress of Chiropractic State Association. As my first experience with a hybrid and coming from an innerspring that was well past its prime, it did take a while for my body to acclimate, and woke up the first few weeks with neck pain, as my body was effectively relearning what it meant for my body to have good alignment. I also had to reconfigure my use of pillows to a less is more approach. Eventually, the stiffness wore off (it can take anywhere from a month to six weeks to fully get used to a mattress) and the time since has been sweet dreams.

Breathability and cooling
By default, the hybrid design sleeps cooler than any all-foam setup, thanks to better airflow from the dual-coil design that helps disperse body heat and a breathable organic cotton cover. And yes, even with one of the best mattress protectors – a Saatva of course – it still sleeps very comfortably.  Where I have felt the bed feel a little warm, would be directly under my lower back if I haven't shifted in a long time, which is understandable as this is a load-bearing part of my body, but overall, I can't say I've felt overheated. 

Motion transfer
Being a hybrid design with a heavy innerspring focus, some motion transfer is inevitable. It's definitely softened by layers of dense foam. You'll likely notice someone shift around or your partner gets in and out of bed, but I would not describe it as disruptive.  

Edge Support
The Saatva Classic gets high marks for its reinforced edge support, thanks to the inclusion of high-density foam rails around the perimeter of the bed. This makes getting in and out, sitting on the edge of the bed, or even sleeping close to it, comfortable. It feels secure to sit on the edge of the bed, and does not sink or dip like other mattresses I've tried. 

Saatva Classic mattress design and construction

Dubbed an innerspring hybrid, the Saatva Classic combines the supportive structure and breathable qualities of individually wrapped coils with the comfort and contouring of high-density foam across five layers. 

All of the main components for Saatva mattresses are sourced and handcrafted in the U.S.

The built-in 3" Euro pillow top uses pressure-relieving foam for extra comfort and is covered with a breathable GOTS-certified organic cotton outer cover that is treated with Guardin, an exclusive botanical antimicrobial treatment to fend off odors . Below the Euro top, a layer of durable, slow-response memory foam contours and offers support to the hips and spine. 

The dual-coil design uses an upper 14.5-gauge recycled steel system to respond and contour to your body's movements and minimize motion transfer. A  memory foam layer with Saatva's Spinal Zone technology for enhanced back support and maximum pressure relief likes in between. In the center third of the mattress where the core of our bodies lay, active wire and a 1/2-inch layer of memory foam create lumbar support. Finally, the second layer of coils and base of the mattress uses individually wrapped tempered steel, 13-gauge support coils for maximum durability, a bouncy, responsive feel, and to prevent sagging over time.

The mattress is available in two depths, 11.5" and 14" which comes down to personal preference, with no difference in feel, quality, or price. In terms of construction, The 11.5” tall Saatva has a 4” support coil layer, while the 14.5” tall version includes a 7” support layer. The 14" side additionally, has built-in side handles, which make moving the mattress easier, but may require deep-pocketed sheets. Choosing among Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, or Firm is where you will notice a difference in feel, as differentiated by foam densities.

Materials
While using eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, CERTI-PUR foams that contain natural ingredients derived from soybean and corn oil, recycled steel coils, and a flame retardant barrier made from natural thistle pulp, the Saatva is not organic. 

Ordering, delivery, and set up

The Saatva Classic is purchased directly through Saatva.com, but they do have a few showrooms called Viewing Rooms (opens in new tab) where you can preview the mattress in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and others planned. 

Online ordering is pretty standard, and if you have any questions about which options to choose, you can choose from a live chat or phone support to answer any questions. At checkout, you'll also be presented with the option to add on pillows, a foundation, and a mattress pad. 

Each mattress is made-to-order, taking an average of 9-21 days from creation to delivery. Mine took eight. Saatva utilizes a network of 19 mattresses across the country and 150 delivery partners for its White Glove Delivery to reduce carbon emissions and overproduction.  This strategy enables Saatva to be within 60 miles of 85 percent of households in the continental U.S. For instance, my mattress was made in Rome, Georgia, about 70 miles shy of its final destination: Atlanta. 

Once the mattress was ready, I was called to schedule a delivery date for free White Glove Delivery. This process was swift, COVID-friendly, and I didn't have to lift a finger! They clean up all the packaging and will even remove your old mattress for free, just tick that option at checkout. As the mattress arrives in its fully expanded condition, there were also no off-gassing odors to even think about. One of my most breezy delivery mattress experiences to date. 

The mattress will work with most bed types. If you're using a traditional metal frame, Saatva suggests adding on their wood-slatted foundation, as box springs are not recommended, which is the route we went.  The mattress is also ideal for platform beds as long as the horizontal slats are spaced less than 4 inches apart and adjustable bases. Queen and larger sizes also need proper center support, otherwise, the warranty could be voided. 

From here, the mattress was immediately ready for a test run.

Saatva warranty and trial period

Saatva offers a lifetime warranty on its mattresses in its warranty program dubbed "Friends for Life." The warranty covers body impressions over an inch, if within the first two years of ownership is deemed defective, Saatva replaces it free of charge. Between years three and the end of your individual ownership, Saatva will repair and recover your mattress for free, but you will be responsible for transportation costs of $149 each way. They also offer an option to get an entirely new mattress at a percentage of the original price you paid, varying from 40% to 80%, depending on how many years you've owned your mattress.

Saatva's offers a year-long trial period, but if you do decide the mattress is not right for you, Saatva deducts a $99 return fee to cover the cost of picking up the mattress. Returned mattresses are donated to veterans' shelters or offered to employees and associates across their network of more than 150 delivery centers. 

How does the Saatva Classic rate online?

Online is where Saatva mattresses are most buzzed-about.  Directly on Saatva's site's the Classic mattress pulls in a near perfect 4.9 out of 5 stars across over 2,000 reviews. The top reviews praise the quality materials for the value, customer service interactions, and of course, better sleep and chronic pain relief while the most critical complaints are that the soft is not soft enough while the firm was too firm, which can be subjective.  

 While the mattresses are available exclusively through Saatva, on the third party consumer site Trust Pilot (opens in new tab), the company holds a 4.5 out of 5 rating for its excellent customer service and product quality.

How does the Saatva Classic compare to other Saatva mattresses?

Saatva offers a number of mattresses in its lineup to suit a number of preferences across a number of innerspring, latex, memory foam, and even adjustable models. 

Despite using eco-friendly materials, the Saatva Classic can not be considered an organic mattress because it incorporates memory foam, despite being a primarily innerspring design. 

The Saatva Latex Hybrid swaps memory foam for latex support, which offers a responsive, ultra-breathable feel. Like the Classic, it has a Euro Top, but it is cushioned with GOTS-certified, organic New Zealand wool, followed by a 3" layer of natural latex and pocketed coils. It's fully organic, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic. 

Meanwhile, in 2022, Saatva introduced the Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid (opens in new tab), the most affordable option among its hybrid mattresses. This version does not have a pillow-top design and incorporates additional memory foam into the design with comfort and support layers of AirCradle memory foam for a body-contouring feel & excellent pressure relief. It also has one layer of individually pocketed coils as opposed to the dual layer of the classic. It's recommended for side sleepers.

Both the Saatva Latex Hybrid and Saatva Memory Foam Hybrids are available in medium-firm and one-height options. 

Saatva also offers the Saatva HD, which combines memory foam, latex, and coils to offer superior support for heavier individuals over 300 lbs. 

For those looking for a purely latex or all memory foam design, Saatva offers those too in its Saatva Zenhaven and Saatva Loom & Leaf mattresses, respectively. 

Is the Saatva Classic mattress worth it?

There's really a lot to love about the Saatva Classic. In addition to adding an element of luxury to your routine, the mattress is an incredible value with its focus on high-quality, made-to-order materials, customizable options, and of course, the perk of Free White Glove Delivery.  The Saatva Classic is that perfect blend of comfort and support, cozy and cooling, with enduring pressure relief. 

The year-long time is a generous amount of time to give the mattress a test run, and if you've found you've chosen a mattress that is too firm or soft for your needs, Saatva's customer service will work with you to help solve the solution. Though, if you do decide to return it, it's one of the only DTC internet brands that we can think of that deducts a fee for the pick-up (i.e. labor and gas). It's $99, which isn't the end of the world, especially since they handle all the logistics of removing it for you. 

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