Saatva Classic Mattress Review

In This Review
Performance Tests | Firmness | Support & Sleeping Positions | Design | Materials | Comparisons | FAQs

If you would prefer to watch rather than read we’ve got our complete Saatva Classic mattress review video below:

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We test 10 different factors that impact the performance, comfort, and value of the mattress. We then take the results of that test and compare to every mattress we’ve tested to date.

Check out the full performance table below to see how this mattress ranks:

Factor	Saatva Classic	Average
Overall Score	9.74	8.57
Price (Queen)	$1,795	$985 (Coil only)
Cooling – Score	10	8.7
Sinkage – Depth	2.40″	2.14″
Sinkage – Feel	Deep	Moderate
Motion Transfer – Score	9.6	8.2
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	5.86 m/s²	8.78 m/s²
Response Time – Score	8.7	8.9
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.4 sec.	0.4 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	0.8 sec.	0.9 sec.
Bounce – Height	14.67″	9.53″
Bounce – Feel	Extremely High	Moderate
Edge Support – Score	10	8.6
Edge Support – Sitting	3.00″	4.04″
Edge Support – Lying	Outstanding	Good
Sex – Score	9.9	8.4
Pressure Relief – Score	10	8.7
Comfort Layer Thickness	4.5″	4.1″
Mattress Thickness	11.5″	12.0″
Off-Gassing – Score	10	8.1
Off-Gassing – Smell	None	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	0 days	7 days
Company – Score	9.4	8.7
Trial	365 nights	177 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	25% have lifetime warranties, average of other 75% of mattresses is 13 years

How is Saatva Different?

The Saatva Classic has an overall performance level that is above the average mattress and a price tag that is also above average. Compared to the average coil mattress, the Saatva is 70% more, costing $738 more than average.

Advantages

Despite the higher cost, the advantages of the Saatva Classic are numerous. This mattress has better-than-average cooling performance, lower motion transfer, and faster material response time. Saatva also maintains better edge support, better sex performance, and faster off-gassing as well.

Company policies are also better than average with a 365-night trial period and lifetime warranty.

Across the board, this mattress is a solid win and offers exceptional performance in nearly every category.

Neutral Factors

The Saatva has deep sinkage and extremely high levels of bounce. You will need to prefer a deeper sinkage surface that has a highly responsive, active feel.

Disadvantages

While there aren’t many disadvantages for the Saatva, price is one of them. This mattress is 70% more expensive than the average coil mattress. That being said, the performance is phenomenal so you really do get what you pay for with this mattress.

The Saatva has outstanding cooling performance.  During our tests, I did not feel any significant level of heat retention around my body.

• Baseline Temperature – the temperature of the mattress before anyone lies on it
• Maximum Temperature (0 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after lying on it for 15 minutes
• Ending Temperature (5 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after being lied upon and having no one on it for 5 minutes

In our tests, we started with a baseline temperature of 77.5° F. After lying on the mattress for 15 minutes the mattress got up to 88.6° F. At that point, we got off the mattress and waited 5 minutes to see how much the mattress would cool down over time and found it was able to reduce the temperature from 88.6° down to 79.7°.

The max temperature of 88.6° F is 1.1° cooler than the average max temp of 89.7° F, based on all of our tests to date. After getting off the mattress the temperature declined by 4.8 degrees from minutes 0 to 1, which is 0.1 degrees cooler than average 0 to 1 minute decline.

The 0 to 5 minute decline was 8.9°, which is 1.2° cooler than the average 0 to 5 minute decline of 7.7°.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

Overall, I am exceedingly pleased with these results. Not only was the max temp below average, but the 0 to 1 minute and 0 to 5 minute heat dissipation curves were better than average. This is exactly what we hope to see, as it indicates a mattress that avoids heating up, but also one that is able to rapidly disperse heat and remain breathable.

When we consider the complete picture of objective temperature data, my subjective experiences, and an analysis of the materials, I’m confident in my view that cooling performance is outstanding.

The Saatva has a deep level of sinkage. Our pressure point sinkage test revealed a maximum sinkage depth of 2.40″.

This is slightly more than the average of 2.14″, based on all of our mattress tests to date. However, at 2.40″ of sinkage it’s still very much within a reasonable range that will be comfortable for most sleepers.

Of course, heavier weights will experience more sinkage than lighter weights, as shown above. This would also be true if you sleep on your side, as side sleepers see more sinkage where there is more weight (namely in the hips and midsection).

The top layer of the Saatva is 3″ of euro-style pillow top, which will allow for relatively easy sinkage, thereby providing pressure relief and comfort.

The Saatva Classic has a very low level of motion transfer. During our tests, we measured a total acceleration range of 5.86 m/s². This is 33% less motion transfer than the average of 8.78 m/s^2.

The level of motion transfer is documented in the video below.

As you can see in the table below, the initial bounce is fairly intense, but subsequent bounces get increasingly less impactful. By the 0.2 second mark, the motion is minimal.

The entire span of this chart is less than 0.5 seconds. So while it is definitely a high bounce, motion transfer duration is fairly quick.

The Saatva has a very fast responsiveness. In our tests, we measured a mostly recovered time of 0.4 seconds and a fully recovered response time of 0.8 seconds.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

This is a faster recovery time compared to memory foam, and is similar to other high-response poly foams.

As with any mattress, your exact position and weight may also impact the overall response time. Heavier weights will take longer to respond compared to lighter weights.

The Saatva has an extremely high level of bounce. During our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 14.67”. This is 5.14” more bounce than the average of 9.53”, based on all of our tests to date.

On the Saatva mattress, the ball sank to a maximum depth of 5.73″ before rebounding upwards.

The rebound proved that this mattress is bouncy, as the ball ended up around 8.94″ above the height of the mattress, which was a 14.67″ span between max sinkage and max bounce.

The level of bounce is documented in the video below.

As you can see, as soon as the ball hits the mattress it experiences a decent amount of sinkage followed by a pretty large bounce upward.

Because of the range, I would say that the overall level of bounce on the Saatva is extremely high.

The Saatva Classic has outstanding edge support both for sitting and lying.

In our sitting edge support tests, we measured a sitting sinkage compression of 3.0”. This is 1.03” less sitting sinkage than the average of 4.03”, based on all of our tests to date.

The level of edge support while seated is documented in the images below.

As you can see from the photos, the edge support is excellent. There is certainly a little compression into the plush cover, but that compression is met by support from the layers below.

The level of edge support while lying is documented in the images below.

The edge support is stronger on the Saatva because of two things:

1. Reinforced cording designed along the edge of the cover
2. Dense foam layer along the edge perimeter of the mattress

This perimeter foam provides more support than the pocketed coils could provide alone and helps to enhance the edge support around the entire mattress.

The Saatva has excellent sex performance in our tests. This mattress has extremely high bounce and outstanding edge support. It is active and highly supportive, two of the most important things we look for in mattress sex performance.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Rating
Bounce	65%	10	Extremely High
Edge Support	20%	10	Outstanding
Noise	5%	8.0	Moderate
Pressure Relief	5%	10	Outstanding
Cooling	5%	10	Outstanding

This performance is better than most other mattresses that we’ve tested and it has a lot to do with the coils.

By nature, coils generate more bounce than foam in most cases. Coils help provide better airflow and cooling as well as better edge support.

Saatva also uses a reinforced perimeter for stronger edges as well.

Typically mattresses with coils are notably louder, but with Saatva, the coils are encased in foam so they are not as loud as traditional coils or springs.

The Saatva Classic has an outstanding level of pressure relief. During our tests, I did not feel any significant level of pressure points build up on my body. The mattress is equipped with 4.5″ of comfort material.

The 4.5″ comfort layer makes upt 35% of the total 11.5″ tall mattress. With 4.5″ of material it is 0.4″ thicker than the average comfort layer thickness of 4.1″, based on all of our tests to date.

The mattress has a plush Euro pillowtop cover that further alleviates pressure points.

The core of the mattress is a blend of foam and foam-encased pocketed coils (7″ in total on the 11.5″). This combination helps to relieve pressure by independently responding and adjusting to the contours of your body as needed.

In our pressure mapping tests, we measured a max PSI of 1.31. A PSI at 2.0 is considered a high pressure point and none of our pressure mapping tests measured anywhere near those levels.

The only notable pressure spot was while lying on my side, where you can see there was a modest increase in pressure in the hip. Beyond that, the mattress does an amazing job at alleviating pressure.

Pressure Map – Side Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Side Sleepers	0.19	1.31

Pressure Map – Back Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Back Sleepers	0.11	0.85

Pressure Map – Stomach Sleepers

Pressure Relief (PSI)	Average	Maximum
Stomach Sleepers	0.10	0.95

When I consider our objective pressure maps, material thickness, material quality, and my subjective experience on the mattress, I’m confident most sleepers will find the pressure relief to be outstanding.

Off-gassing on the Saatva Classic is none. This mattress ships uncompressed. As a result, by the time it arrives at your home any off-gassing that may have occurred is already finished.

If you’re ultra-sensitive to off-gassing smells, buying a mattress that is never compressed can be a great way to avoid this issue altogether. Comparing over 270+ mattresses tested to date, the average off-gassing period is 7 days.

Saatva offers a 365-night trial period with a lifetime warranty.

Shipping is free, however, if you decide at any point during the 365-night trial that Saatva isn’t for you, they’ll send a team to come and pick up the mattress for you.

You will have to pay a $99 handling fee, however, this seems reasonable in the case of Saatva since the full-service delivery of the mattress is free.

Company Factor	Factor Weight	Score	Data
Trial Period	15%	10	365 nights
Warranty	10%	10	Lifetime
Shipping	5%	10	$0
Returns	20%	7.0	$99
Trust	50%	10	Outstanding
Country of Origin	0%		USA

Comparing all mattresses tested to date, the Saatva trial is over twice as long as the average mattress trial period (177 nights).

Concerning the warranty, 25% of all mattresses tested have lifetime warranties and the average of the other 75% of mattresses is 13 years.

What is the Fairness Replacement Option?

If at any point during the 15-year warranty your mattress is deemed defective, Saatva has the Fairness Replacement Option.

Under the terms of this program, Saatva will offer you a new mattress and you get to keep your own mattress. Depending on what point during the warranty the mattress fails, your mattress may be subject to the following offers.

After Years	You Receive	You Pay
3-5 years	A brand new mattress	40% of original cost
6-10 years	A brand new mattress	60% of original cost
11-15 years	A brand new mattress	80% of original cost

You can take advantage of the Fairness Replacement Option once with any Saatva mattress.

In addition to receiving a new mattress, you’ll also get to keep the original mattress to keep in a spare bedroom, give it to a relative, or donate it to the charity of your choice.

To take advantage of this program you simply pay a percentage of the original cost (which varies depending on how old the mattress is) as well as a $99 shipping fee.

The Saatva mattress comes in three different firmness levels:

The Saatva ‘Plush Soft’ is a 4 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It’s significantly softer than many other mattresses we’ve tested and tends to be best for side sleepers, as soft mattresses may lack sufficient support for most stomach or back sleepers.

The Saatva ‘Luxury Firm’ is around a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This firmness is great for most sleepers, combination sleepers, or anyone unsure of what firmness would be best.

Lastly, the Saatva ‘Firm’ is closer to an 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale. It’s the firmest mattress that Saatva Classic offers and is best for heavier sleepers and or those who exclusively prefer sleeping on their stomach or back.

NOTE: In this review, we tested the Luxury Firm version.

The Saatva Classic has outstanding levels of support. During our tests, I felt well-supported in all sleeping positions.

This mattress is available in three firmness levels and two mattress heights (11.5″ or 14.5″), although the height really has nothing to do with overall support or performance.

The height is more of an aesthetic choice. For reference, we tested the 11.5″ mattress in this review.

Tables below show who would be best suited for each firmness level on the Saatva.

Saatva Classic: Luxury Firm

Sleeper Weight	Stomach Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Back Sleepers
Under 150 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes
150-250 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes
250-300 lbs.	Yes	Yes	Yes

On the heavier side? For sleepers over 300 lbs., check out the Saatva HD, tested to support sleepers up to 500 lbs. (per side).

The Saatva Luxury Firm is good for all sleeping styles and the vast majority of sleeper weights.

Saatva Classic: Firm

If you’re a heavier sleeper (but still under 300 lbs.) or simply prefer a firm feel, you may find the Firm version to be better suited to your needs.

Sleeper Weight	Stomach Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Back Sleepers
Under 150 lbs.	Maybe	No	Maybe
150-250 lbs.	Maybe	No	Maybe
250-300 lbs.	Yes	Maybe	Yes

Saatva Classic: Soft

If you are a petite sleeper or simply prefer an ultra-soft feel, the Plush Soft could be a good option.

Sleeper Weight	Stomach Sleeper	Side Sleeper	Back Sleeper
Under 150 lbs.	Maybe	Yes	Maybe
150-225 lbs.	No	Yes	No
225-300 lbs.	No	No	No

Design

The Saatva lineup has a pretty broad range of mattress types spanning coil-on-coil, foam, latex, and hybrid models. This particular mattress is the Saatva Classic, which is their flagship coil-on-coil mattress.

It is designed with a blend of traditional coils, pocketed coils, and a foam top layer.

Saatva comes in two different thicknesses—11.5″ or 14.5″.

What’s the difference?

Not much honestly. The different thicknesses offer the same performance and it really comes down to aesthetics only.

FAQ: Do you have a high frame? A thick boxspring? Adding all of the separate pieces together will give you a better idea of how high your bed will be when it’s all together and help you select the right mattress height.

Here are some quick specs about the Saatva mattress we tested in-house:

Materials

The Saatva Classic is an 11.5-14.5″ coil mattress with a Euro-style pillow top, foam-encased coils, and denser support coils.

The four main layers of the Saatva include:

1. Quilted organic cotton cover
2. Euro pillow top
3. Pocketed coils (14.5-gauge)
4. Support coils (13-gauge)

The Cover

The top of the Saatva mattress is an organic cotton cover with a quilted design that holds it in place.

The sides of the Saatva mattress have carrying handles for moving the mattress around as well.

Encased around the cover is an ultra-thick 3″ Euro-style pillowtop. This plush top layer gives the mattress excellent pressure relief and moderate contouring.

The Comfort Layer

This layer of pocketed coils is encased in foam and provides support like a traditional innerspring. Unlike traditional innerspring, which are all connected to work as one, pocketed coils are each individually wrapped.

These separate pockets allow each spring to work independently of each other and also prevent the coils from squeaking or causing pressure points.

How many coils are there?

The queen-size mattress uses 884 coils for more even support and pressure relief across the entire mattress.

The Support Layer

The bottom layer is made up of 13-gauge steel coils that provide a stable foundation for deep pressure relief and support.

On the queen-size mattress, there are only 416 of these coils so not only do these coils use thicker steel than the pocketed coils, but they’re also about double the size.

Edge Support

The edges are wrapped in a high-density foam that helps to firm up the sides and provide improved edge support. This is the same foam regardless of which firmness level you select.

The image below shows a cross-section of the mattress internals, highlighting the thick layer of foam that wraps the perimeter of the mattress.

Reinforced edges also help to provide support when getting in or out of bed as well.

Product Evolution

Since the Saatva Classic was first launched, there have been minimal changes made to the design.

In 2016, Saatva made updates to the cover. However, these were merely aesthetic changes. Design, materials, and overall functional performance have remained unchanged.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Frequently Asked Questions