A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
This mattress promises “buoyant, cooling comfort.” I’m a hot sleeper, and I tested the Saatva latex hybrid mattress the only way I know how: by sleeping on it for six months.
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I’m an amateur sleep expert. I don’t want to be an amateur sleep expert, but I’ve bought (and replaced) no less than three mattresses in the past 10 years in search of a cooling mattress that delivers on its promise. I sleep hot, and so often, mattresses that claim to help you sleep cool don’t make much of a difference. I still wake up soaked in sweat, even with cooling sheets and blankets on the bed. (TMI, but I know I’m not the only one.)
Founder and CEO of NapLab Derek Hales says one of the most important factors to consider when looking for a cooling mattress is the material construction of the mattress. “Certain materials like memory foam can retain heat, making the surface feel warmer for a longer period of time,” he says. “Different materials like latex don’t retain heat like foams, allowing for a cooler experience overall.”
So, when I got the chance to test the Saatva latex hybrid mattress, I thought, why not? I had to know if this mattress could keep both my partner (who always shivers in bed unless she’s bundled in super cozy pajamas) and me comfortable all night long. Here’s my honest review.
LARA EUCALANO FOR READER'S DIGEST
This mattress was designed to keep hot sleepers comfortable, as it's made with layer after layer of cooling materials.
This hybrid mattress has support from an innerspring layer and comfort from a squishy latex layer. On a firmness scale of one to 10, Saatva says this model is a six. In real life, that means it’s on the firmer side without being stiff. You sink into the plush top layer, but not so far that it’s impossible to extract yourself from bed in the morning. In my experience, you’ll sleep soundly even if your partner is tossing and turning.
Like the top-rated Saatva Classic and the brand’s other models, the Saatva latex hybrid mattress is made to order in the U.S.
The Saatva latex hybrid mattress is this luxury brand’s “best cooling” product. It’s made with layer after layer of materials designed to help you sleep cool: a naturally breathable and hypoallergenic organic cotton cover, organic wool to help wick away moisture and regulate body temperature, natural latex with airflow channels for breathability, and individually wrapped coils to maintain airflow throughout the mattress.
This mattress is hand-tufted to prevent all the layers from shifting. If you’re unfamiliar with hand-tufting, it’s a traditional method of assembling a mattress. Saatva layers all the materials into an organic cotton base and then threads a lace through the layers to hold them in place. (The queen mattress has 30 individual tufts.) This method is key for a durable, long-lasting mattress and a sleep surface that stays nice and even.
If you’re allergic to dust mites, note that the mattress’s 3-inch layer of latex is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to mold, mildew and dust mites. Choose from the range of sizes, from twin to California king, and you’ll be ready for a good night’s sleep on this medium-firm mattress.
For my initial review, I slept on the Saatva latex hybrid mattress for one month. Here’s how I evaluated it.
Saatva offers free white-glove delivery on all its mattress orders, something I didn’t know I needed but was a major improvement over bed-in-a-box delivery. The transportation company called me to schedule a delivery window, and to my surprise, they showed up on time. The delivery guys unloaded and unboxed the mattress, then carefully maneuvered it into the house. (I had them set the mattress in my living room, though if we had already assembled our new bed frame, they would’ve put the 120-pound mattress right on the frame for us. Oops.) Saatva also offers free removal of your old mattress when they deliver your new one, but I held onto mine.
This mattress is a beaut! I couldn’t help but lay down and relax on the plush, tufted top. It’s soft without being too soft; there’s an exact right amount of firmness beneath the cloud-like top. Saatva advertises itself as a luxury mattress company—and I can say with certainty that this mattress feels luxurious.
This mattress didn’t need to be broken in at all. It was comfortable for the first night’s sleep (and every night after that). The real test for this mattress was when I unexpectedly tested positive for COVID. It hit me harder than I expected, and I wound up spending almost a week in bed. Even with a fever and body aches, I could sleep for 12 hours a night. I’ve never been more thankful to have a comfortable mattress to fall into. Based on that week alone, I’m a Saatva fan for life.
I usually sleep with a hypoallergenic mattress protector, but for this test, I put the fitted sheet directly on the mattress. I wanted to feel any cooling effects, and I was desperate not to wake up sweaty in the middle of the night.
I tested this mattress in August, a notoriously hot and humid month where I live. I didn’t notice feeling cooler right away, but then it dawned on me: It was 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the house, and I was sleeping comfortably. I couldn’t believe it! Saatva makes a cooling mattress that delivers on its promise. If, like me, your partner is chilled at night, rest easy—she was warm and toasty throughout the mattress test.
My previous mattress was a hybrid innerspring and memory foam. It was comfortable, but it didn’t take long for me to overheat in bed. Saatva offers free removal of your old mattress when they deliver the new one, but I opted to keep my mattress waiting in the wings. I wasn’t sure whether latex was the right material for me, and I wanted to be able to go back to my old, yet imperfect, mattress. By the end of my 30-day test of the Saatva latex hybrid mattress, I was completely sold, and I sent my last mattress off to a friend’s guest bedroom for a second life.
It’s been about six months, and in that time, the mattress has become more cloud-like. The latex smell is mostly gone, which was one of the few cons I noted for this mattress.
I will say that I added a mattress protector to the Saatva mattress after our dog peed on the bed. Thankfully, the stain came out, but the top layer of fabric stretched slightly with the spot cleaner I used to treat the stain. After that incident, I decided a mattress protector was necessary to avoid spot cleaning and damaging the mattress in the future.
The downside of adding a mattress protector is that it cancels out some of the cooling properties of the mattress’s top layer. You can always add a bed cooling system, though.
Other shoppers are sharing their Saatva latex hybrid mattress reviews; spoiler, it’s getting two thumbs up.
Five-star reviewer Lois says, “We had our new mattress delivered about two weeks ago. We absolutely love it. Back pain and general aches are going away!”
“I purchased this mattress three years ago, and I am still happy and satisfied with the decision!” writes five-star reviewer Candice. “My husband and I look forward to sleeping on the bed every night and notice a big difference in our sleep quality and how our bodies feel after being away a few days. The mattress is on the firm side with a nice give. I’m a stomach sleeper and don’t experience pain on this bed.”
Shoppers looking for a Saatva latex mattress will also come across the Zenhaven mattress. The Zenhaven has a natural latex core with no coil layer. It’s dual-sided, so you can choose your comfort level: one side is a softer four or five on the firmness scale, while the other is a seven or eight. Saatva recommends the Zenhaven’s plush side for side sleepers and the firm side for stomach sleepers. (The latex hybrid mattress is a six on the firmness scale and works for all sleep positions but is especially ideal for back sleepers.) Both mattresses have similar cooling materials: organic cotton and New Zealand wool.
The Zenhaven mattress is slightly more expensive than the Saatva latex hybrid: $3,399 for a queen as opposed to $2,499. As usual for a Saatva mattress, both models receive rave reviews.
The Saatva latex hybrid mattress is both plush and supportive and delivers on its promise to provide a cool, comfortable night’s sleep. It’s expensive but worth the investment if you’ve tried numerous other cooling mattresses with no luck. Take it from a notorious hot sleeper—it absolutely solves the sweating-at-night problem.
LARA EUCALANO FOR READER'S DIGEST
In addition to being cooling, this mattress is made with naturally hypoallergenic materials and resistant to mold, mildew and dust mites.
The Saatva latex hybrid mattress starts at $1,699 for a twin and goes up to $3598 for a split king. However, look for seasonal sales; we’ve seen discounts of $300 to $650.
This isn’t a cheap mattress, but it’s worth the investment if staying cool is a priority. You can purchase Saatva products only on the brand’s website, and the process is seamless.
Yes, Saatva has viewing rooms in 13 states and Washington, D.C. You can try out all the different mattresses and check out bedding and other home goods. There’s no pressure to buy anything—the employees are sleep guides there to answer questions, not salespeople. Before you go, just reference our guide to buying a mattress.
You can exchange or return a Saatva mattress at any point during the 365-night home trial. Either way, you’ll pay only a $99 processing fee.
Yes, Saatva mattresses (and foundations) have a lifetime warranty: The company warrants its products to be free from defects for as long as you own them.
Reader’s Digest goes beyond thoroughly researching a product—although we do that, too—and takes the time to get it in our hands. Our editors and testers have tried a range of mattresses, meaning we’ve experienced the brands’ ordering processes, delivery services, set-up protocol and, of course, the mattress itself. From the Nectar Premier mattress to the Helix Midnight Elite mattress to the Purple Restore mattress, our team has personally tested all kinds of mattresses.
For this story, I slept on the Saatva latex hybrid mattress for six months to provide real-life insight.
