What exactly is a “bed in a box”?
Manufacturers vacuum-compress the mattress, roll it, slip it into a cardboard box and ship it via UPS/FedEx. You drag the box to your bedroom, cut the plastic, and the bed expands to full size within minutes to 72 hours.
Pros
- Convenience and speed – doorstep delivery in days; no scheduling a truck or movers.
- Lower prices – brands can bypass showrooms, so mattresses that would be $2,000+ in a store can be less than $1,000 after coupon codes.
- Risk-free trials – many brands offer 100 to 365-night sleep trials are standard. Often with free returns or exchanges.
- Choice – there are dozens of foam, latex and hybrid bed options that can now be compressed safely, so consumers are not limited to basic memory-foam.
Cons
- You can’t lie down on it first. You need to give it time to ‘relax’ and expand.
- Off-gassing – new foam and latex tend to smell and VOCs may linger 24-72 hours. Good room ventilation can help.
Is a Bed-in-a-Box Right for Me?
A mattress in a box can deliver showroom quality comfort for a lot less money and hassle. Be sure to pay attention to the mattress construction, its quality, firmness, trial terms and cooling features. The mattresses above are our recommendations. Doing your own research can ensure you find the one that fits you and soon you’ll be unboxing better sleep in about a week.