Saatva Modern Foam Review

NOTICE – Saatva’s Modern Foam mattress has been discontinued. It was replaced by the Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid. See our review of that mattress here.

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

If you’d prefer to watch rather than read we’ve got our complete Saatva Modern Foam review video below:

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We test 9 different factors that impact the comfort and feel of the mattress. Testing categories include:

Test	Rating
Cooling	Excellent
Sinkage	Moderate
Motion Transfer	Low
Response Time	Fast
Bounce	High
Edge Support	Excellent
Sex	Excellent
Pressure Relief	Excellent
Off-Gassing	Exceptional

The Saatva Modern Foam mattress was excellent across our cooling tests. At no point during our testing did I feel warm or feel any significant heat retention.

• 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

The mattress was clearly designed with cooling in mind, as each comfort layer helps to improve cooling.

The top 0.5” euro-style pillow top is preferable to solid core foam in most cases, as the less dense layer breathes better and is less likely to retain heat.

Below that we have 0.5” of natural latex. Natural latex does not retain heat like poly foam and memory foams will. In addition, this layer is perforated to further improve airflow.

The 3rd comfort layer is a 2.0” layer of convoluted polyfoam. Convolutes are air channels cut into the foam to improve airflow.

Lastly, we have a 1.0” layer of gel memory foam. Gel memory foam is great for support, contour, and comfort, but any memory foam (even gel) is going to be worse for cooling compared to poly foam and latex foam.

By placing it further away from the sleeper Saatva is able to further reduce the chance of heat retention issues.

Heat Dissipation Over Time

Time Elapsed	Temperature
1 minute	80.5°
2 minutes	77.1°
3 minutes	76.3°
4 minutes	75.7°
5 minutes	75.3­°

Overall, I’m happy with the level of cooling performance. It isn’t as good as the Saatva Classic, as the airflow generated by pocketed coils is almost always going to be better than an all-foam mattress when it comes to cooling.

Even so, for the vast majority of sleepers, the level of cooling will be more than good enough.

In our pressure point sinkage tests, we measured a total sinkage depth of 2.08”.

This is a little below the average across all mattresses we’ve tested to date, which is 2.22”.

The level of sinkage is documented in the image below.

As you can see from the images and the data, the level of sinkage is fairly restrained. I would still call it a moderate sinkage depth, but the way the mattress contours to the body is more generalized (especially compared to mattresses with more memory foam).

Having a euro-style pillow topper and natural latex top layers help to create a less dramatic contouring hug, which for many sleepers is preferable.

A more generalized hug prevents sleepers from feeling stuck or overly enveloped.

If you find the hug of more traditional memory foam mattresses to be too much or if you’re making the switch from a traditional innerspring / pocketed coil mattress you will most likely enjoy the feel of the Saatva Modern Foam.

In our motion transfer tests, we measured an acceleration range of 6.13 m/s². This is slightly more than the average, which is 5.81 m/s², based on all of our mattress tests to date.

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

While it is indeed worse than the average, it’s not by much. In the case of motion transfer, being around average is still very good.

A motion acceleration range of 5.0 m/s² or less is a great performance that most sleepers will find comfortable. If you are highly sensitive to the motion of your partner (or vice versa) you might consider a mattress with even less motion transfer.

You can see in the chart below how the strongest motion transfer hits around 0.2 seconds and then is nearly cut in half almost immediately.

The time it takes for the remaining motion to disappear is a bit slower, but it does continue to gradually taper off.

What if you need ultra low motion transfer?

Among all mattresses we’ve tested to date, the least motion transfer we’ve seen is from Nectar’s Premier Copper (1.88 m/s²), Leesa (2.06 m/s²), and Amerisleep’s AS3 Hybrid (2.11 m/s²).

In our response time test, we found the Saatva Modern Foam mattress to be extremely fast. In our tests, we measured a mostly recovered time of 0.3 seconds, with full recovery taking just 0.4 seconds.

While that’s not the absolute fastest we’ve ever seen, it’s not far from it.

The level of responsiveness is documented in the video below.

The fastest response time we’ve tested to date comes in at 0.2 seconds to mostly recover and 0.3 seconds for a full recovery.

On average, we see a mostly recovered response time of 0.6 seconds, and an average full recovery comes in at 0.96 seconds.

In any case, response time should be a non-issue for just about every sleeper on the Modern Foam. The Saatva Modern Foam mattress rapidly changes form based on your movements, so you’ll never worry about feeling stuck or having difficulty moving on the mattress.

The Saatva Modern Foam mattress has a high level of bounce. In our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 12.35”.

This is a few inches more than average, which is 9.50″. Bounce is a preferential factor, more or less isn’t necessarily better or worse.

However, more bounce is a boost for sex, gives the mattress a more traditional feel, and also makes it easier to move around on.

The level of bounce is also documented in the video below.

In general, I view mattresses with 8-12” of bounce as being in the sweet spot. Not too much or too list. Saatva’s Modern Foam is on the higher end, but still not so much as to concern me.

Edge support was excellent. In our tests, we measured a maximum edge support while sitting at 3.0″. This is significantly better than the average across all mattresses we’ve tested to date, which is 4.70”.

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

At 3.0” of total edge support compression it’s tied for 4th best out of all of the mattresses we’ve tested.

Edge support while lying on the mattress was nearly as impressive. I felt well supported even when lying directly on the edge of the mattress.

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

I will say, it’s not quite to the level of the Saatva Classic when it comes to edge support while lying, but it’s not far off.

In any case, overall edge support is fantastic. Despite the all-foam construction, the Saatva Modern Foam did an excellent job at creating great support even when under direct edge pressure.

To score sex performance we look at a number of different factors that all play a role in quality sex. Three of the most important factors include:

In addition to the factors above, there are a few other things to consider as well, like pressure relief and cooling.

Here’s a look at our complete sex formula:

Sex Score Formula = (Bounce * 0.6) + (Edge Support * 0.2) + (Noise * 0.1) + (Pressure Relief * 0.05) + (Cooling * 0.05)

We use the following scores, plugged into the formula, to derive a sex score for each mattress.

Sex Factor	Factor Weight	Score
Bounce	60%	10
Edge Support	20%	10
Noise	10%	10
Pressure Relief	5%	9.5
Cooling	5%	9.5

For the Modern Foam mattress, these individual factors generated a sex score of 10.

This mattress is basically as good as it gets when it comes to good sex. The Saatva Modern Foam mattress offers high bounce, excellent edge support, and the discretion of minimal noise.

It loses a few points for cooling and pressure relief, but not enough to deny a 10 score (we round all scores to the nearest 0.1). Overall, this mattress is fantastic for sex.

Pressure relief on the Modern Foam mattress was excellent. Ultimately, the design and material construction of the mattress ensure it.

• A 0.5” euro-style pillow topper and 0.5” natural latex layer create immediate pressure relief and comfort.
• The 2.0” layer of convoluted poly foam help transition sleepers into the 1.0” memory foam layer for contouring hug. Together the 4.0” of comfort materials work together to great effect.

During my tests, I felt excellent pressure relief in all sleeping positions. The Saatva Modern Foam mattress isn’t too soft or too firm, but still has enough softness and give to create pressure relief where you need it.

There was no off-gassing and no smell on the Saatva Modern Foam. The mattress ships uncompressed.

What smell there may have been coming straight off the factory is long gone by the time it arrives.

If you’re sensitive to strong odors or smells, the Modern Foam or the Saatva Classic would both be excellent choices.

The Saatva company score was good. Their policies are consumer friendly, with the return fee being the only blemish.

Company Factor
Trial Period	180 nights
Warranty	12 years
Shipping	Free
Returns	$99 fee
Country of Origin	USA

How long is the trial?

The 180-night trial period is longer than many others that we’ve seen.

If you decide at any point during the 180-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, which isn’t necessarily ideal, but delivery the first time is free.

How long is the warranty?

The Saatva Modern Foam mattress comes with a 12-year warranty.

Foam mattresses tend to not last quite as long as coil-based mattresses, so a 12-year warranty is pretty good, based on what we know of foam mattress quality and comparable warranties from other brands.

The Modern Foam by Saatva is a medium firmness, around 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, where 10 is the most firm.

Typically, the 6 out of 10 is supportive enough for most body types, but heavier body types can sink too deeply and may cause support issues.

That being said, I don’t sense any of that with this mattress. It has incredibly robust support structures.

Because of the moderate firmness, the Saatva Modern Foam mattress would likely be a supportive choice for a wide range of sleepers.

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

At 140 pounds, I felt well supported in all sleeping positions. The 6 out of 10 firmness makes it a great option for most body types and sleeping positions.

Even for sleepers above 300 pounds, I am confident it still has enough support.

If you notice the image of lying on the edge of the mattress with a 60-pound weighted vest below, you can see just how supportive the mattress remains even when under increased pressure on what should be the weakest spot of the mattress (the edge).

Design

The Saatva Modern Foam mattress uses different kinds of foam to create a balanced and responsive feel. With moderate levels of sinkage, but also retaining a fast response time, this mattress offers a balanced feel.

It has an 11″ profile and is a solid choice for sleepers who aren’t 100% sure what kind of mattress they want or whole who want to appeal to a wider range, like for a guest bedroom or a mattress for sleepers with different preferences.

Materials

The layers of the Saatva Modern Foam mattress break down into five separate materials. You can see the complete assembly in the list and photos below:

• 0.5″ organic cotton, pillow-top
• 0.5″ latex foam
• 2.0″ poly foam (convoluted)
• 1.0″ gel memory foam
• 7.0″ support foam (open-cell)

The Cover

The cover is an organic cotton cover with lumbar zone quilting for more support around your core.

This cover is soft and stretchy to the touch. In addition, the sides of the mattress have reinforced handles, which make it easier to reposition the mattress or move it entirely

There is a top layer pillow-top that has a perforated foam for breathability. It has a restrained plushness and maintains a fast response time.

In addition, the cover also contains an antimicrobial treatment that helps to prevent the growth of mold or bacteria.

The Comfort Layer

Thickness: 4.0″

The main comfort layer includes three separate layers that are fused together. These layers break down as follows:

• Top: The top of the comfort layer is a 0.5″ pillow top followed by 0.5″ of latex foam. Latex foam is naturally derived and has a faster response time than classic memory foam. It also helps with heat dissipation.
• Middle: The middle layer is a 2.0″ layer of convoluted poly foam. Convoluted foams allow for more airflow and breathability throughout the mattress.
• Bottom: The bottom of the comfort layer is a 1.0″ layer of gel-infused memory foam. This layer is good for deeper contour and hug, and offers that classic memory foam feel. The gel-infused into the foam is great for cooling, as regular memory foam can sometimes struggle with excess heat retention.

The Support Layer

Thickness: 7.0″

The bottom layer is primarily for support and uses a high-density foam to support the layers above.

Product Evolution

Saatva first launched the Modern Foam mattress towards year-end of 2021. Being on the newer side, there have been no changes to the mattress since its launch.

Saatva, as a company, has been producing mattresses since 2010. They started out with the production of their Saatva Classic, which comes in three different firmnesses. Since 2010, they have added a few other models to their lineup including:

• Saatva HD: for plus sized sleepers
• Saatva Youth: for young sleepers
• Saatva Latex Hybrid: a blend of foam + coils
• Loom & Leaf: luxury memory foam

In addition, they also have a handful of specialty mattress models including:

• Solaire: customizable
• Zenhaven: latex mattress
• Crib mattress: for infant & toddler sleepers

How is Saatva Modern Foam Different?

The Modern Foam mattress by Saatva is new to the Saatva lineup, but also offers a few advantages over other competitive options. Check out the quick list of factors below.

#1. First Combo Foam by Saatva

The Saatva collection includes coil-on-coil (Saatva Classic), luxury memory foam (Loom & Leaf), and a handful of other blended options.

But the Modern Foam is Saatva’s first combo foam mattress. If you want to try out a combo foam, but want the option of exchanging it for a different mattress type within the same company, the Modern Foam mattress is a great option.

#2. Long Warranty

This mattress comes with a 12-year warranty, which is pretty long for an all-foam mattress (10 year warranty is the norm). It also qualifies for the same Fairness Replacement Guarantee that you’ll find with the Saatva Classic.

If deemed defective, Saatva offers the following solutions:

• For the first 2 years, Saatva will replace your mattress with a brand new one at absolutely no charge to you.
• In years 3-12, Saatva will repair and re-cover your original Saatva mattress. This option requires that customers pay shipping, $99 each way.

Saatva Modern Foam vs. Saatva Classic

For a complete comparison between Saatva foam vs. coil-on-coil, check out the Modern Foam vs. Saatva Classic below. While these mattresses use very different materials, they both offer a high-quality feel and at a similar price point.

Other Mattresses to Consider

Still not sure if the Saatva Modern Foam is right for you? Check out some of our other top recommendations below for other mattresses to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Check out some of the top FAQs on the Saatva Modern Foam mattress below and get the answers you’re looking for.