Over the last decade, the mattress industry has seen significant changes. Not only are there a variety of mattress varieties to pick from, but manufacturers also appear to be getting more inventive with the benefits they provide to customers. It can be difficult to stay on top of everything the market has to offer, but you have to realize that these advancements benefit us as customers and sleepers. Bed-in-a-box is an idea you may have heard of, but what does it truly entail and what can it do for you?
What exactly is a mattress-in-a-box?
This is a novel approach in terms of how your mattress is packed and dispatched to you after your order has been verified. Because the mattress is rolled up and compressed to fit in a smaller box, these mattresses make the purchasing process easier. However, not every mattress can be packaged in this manner, since some bed structures do not allow for such material compression.
How does it work?
Memory foam is used in the majority, if not all, of these mattresses. These mattresses are compressed by manufacturers utilizing cutting-edge automated compression technology, which makes it easier for carriers to bring them to your door.
What are its advantages?
Admittedly, these mattresses that come compacted in a box have a number of benefits as well as a few drawbacks. Purchasing a bed-in-a-box provides all of the benefits associated with online mattress shopping:
- You avoid the hassle of having to go to a physical store. Trying out a mattress for a few minutes in a showroom isn't usually the most accurate way to choose a bed model. Because even the greatest mattresses require a break-in period to allow your body to acclimate to the mattress and vice versa, even the best mattresses require a break-in period. That's why some manufacturers insist on you sleeping on their mattresses for at least a month before returning them because they aren't comfortable.
- A mattress-in-a-box is more convenient to transport. The manufacturer or third-party delivery firm that delivers your mattress can fit many mattresses onto their shipping vehicles due to their compressed size. If you have to pay a delivery cost because the firm utilizes a courier service to deliver your beds, the delivery fee is usually calculated based on the size of the shipment. The shipping charge can be reduced if the shipment is smaller.
- You will have to set up your new mattress yourself if you do not choose white glove delivery options that offer this service. That entails dragging the mattress from your doorway to your bedroom, which becomes a two-man job if you have an "upstairs." If you get a mattress-in-a-box, however, you will find it much easier to move the mattress and transport it to your bedroom without the need for additional assistance. Once the mattress is in the correct room, you can simply unbox it.
- These types of mattresses are generally offered at very reasonable prices. That doesn't rule out the possibility of paying more than $1,000 for a mattress-in-a-box, but there are more affordable solutions if you know where to look.
- The materials and fabrics utilized by mattress manufacturers that can be compressed and sent in a box are of the highest quality. That means that if you buy this type of mattress, you're not getting a low-quality product made of low-end materials that no one would want to sleep on.
- The return process and free-night trial offers are very similar to those of a traditional mattress. You get at least 100 nights of free sleep trial with any mattress you buy online, which means you may get a refund without too much hassle if the mattress isn't to your liking.
What are its cons?
Admittedly, there are a few drawbacks to purchasing such a mattress, but this might happen with any other bed you buy, compressed or not:
- Because a mattress-in-a-box is almost always constructed of foam (though there are exceptions), individuals often detect a chemical odor when they first open their mattresses. That's a regular complaint among memory foam mattress buyers, and it's because the mattress is rolled up that you get the impression it's stronger. If you unbox the mattress in a well-ventilated environment, off-gassing should be minimal.
- The only genuinely bad element of getting a mattress-in-a-box is having to wait for it to return to its former shape after unpacking it. Manufacturers of these beds will state how long this takes, however we're seeing more and more versions that are ready to sleep on in less than 12 hours. This decompression process, however, might take up to 72 hours, which can be inconvenient if you want to sleep on your new mattress the night you get it.
Conclusion: Is it for you?
If you compare what a mattress-in-a-box has to offer to a typical mattress purchased online, you'll realize that there aren't many differences. People may be tempted to avoid making such a purchase because they believe the compression process and the fact that the mattress is rolled up in a box for a few days will harm it, but this is far from the case.
To actually harm the memory foam in a bed, you'd have to leave it compressed and rolled up for months. The only genuine drawbacks are the time it takes for the bed to recover to its usual shape and the mild off-gassing, whereas the rest of the complaints are essentially misleading claims that could happen with any mattress.