Saatva Classic Mattress Review: It (Actually) Got Rid of My Back Pain

Gotta be honest, folks: I slept on a 3-inch foam roll for about 11 years, and I loved it. Not for any aesthetic reason, or because I thought I was some sort of cool nomad, but because, my god, did sleeping on a hard, flat surface make my back feel good. However, my days of back-based bliss were numbered once my girlfriend moved in with me for a few months during the early days of 2020. (For some reason, she wasn’t a fan of feeling wooden slats digging into her back while she snoozed.) So, I begrudgingly switched to a cheapo spring mattress from a discount furniture store—since that was all I could afford at the time—and found that it brought big-time back pain and general malaise after a few weeks of (trying to) sleep on it. 

Then, unable to put up with it any longer, I made the swap to another

“affordable” mattress from IKEA, which got the job done, but wasn’t anything special. And that was pretty much it for a few years—I just accepted the fact that my mattress kinda sucked, and went on with my life. But today, I’m here to tell you: It doesn’t have to be that way. 

I’ve recently been yearning for the support that the foam roll gave me, but my girlfriend would leave me for sure. I’ve also grown accustomed to the comfort of a real mattress. For a while, I just thought I'd either have to choose between a girlfriend and a mattress that I liked. Low and behold, I present you this Saatva Classic Mattress review.

Saatva, the Austin, Texas-based mattress and bedding brand, launched in 2010 and is known for its high-end mattresses that get crazy-good reviews. While there are tons of direct-to-consumer mattress brands vying for attention in the market, Saatva consistently takes top marks over competitors and has been awarded Best Spring Mattress, the Best Mattress for Side Sleepers, the Best Firm Mattress, the Best Cooling Mattress, and the Best Mattress for Back Pain by US News & World Report. It was also named the Best Overall Mattress by Good Housekeeping and Tom's Guide, the Best Luxury Mattress according to the Sleep Foundation, and the Best Mattress for Back Pain by Forbes. Clearly, it has a seriously solid reputation to live up to, which is why I was genuinely curious to see how it truly compared to my 3-inch foam roll. 

The real question: What isn’t the Saatva Classic Mattress? Well, actually, it’s not a lot of things—it’s not the answer to your existential dread, nor is it a ticket to the next sold-out Harry Styles show. It is, however, a killer mattress. Saatva spared no expense when bringing this bad boy to market. Its cushiony comfort comes from the pressure-point relieving, 3-inch “Euro pillow top,” with three different levels of firmness to choose from. I went with medium to get the best sense of its overall construction, and even though I’m usually not a fan of cushion, the top layer was sturdy yet comfortable, providing support where it matters. Plus, Saatva’s patented Lumbar Zone technology helps you get a healthy spinal alignment, whether you’re a side sleeper, back sleeper, or long-Furby-tied-in-a-knot sleeper.

Another plus was the, erm, flatness (?) of the mattress; the sides do not droop at all. With the Saatva Classic’s dual-coil design—made of recycled carbon steel that's tempered three times for superb durability—I strangely never feel like I’m going to fall off the edge, since this thing refuses to sag. The brand says that the support coil base “offers superior durability you just can't get in a bed-in-a-box,” and I tend to agree—my last mattress was a bed-in-a-box and it felt like it was on its last legs from day one. 

If I’m being truthful, I was a little skeptical at first. I wasn’t sold on the idea of a luxury, premium mattress, and when I first laid down upon my giant sleep slab, I didn’t know what to think. However, when I woke up, sure enough, I felt exactly like I did when I was sleepin’ on slats—only I was way, way comfier. I got all the support that I needed without having to lay on a rock-hard surface, my back felt great, I didn’t wake up once during the night, and for the first time, I didn’t want to leave my bed—not because I was dreading starting the workday, but because my mattress was so freakin’ sweet. On top of that, my sheets fit perfectly on the Saatva Classic, and I didn’t have to get a whole new set. Coupled with my dope linen bedding, I never sweat the bed, thanks to the naturally breathable organic cotton cover and dual-coil design that allows for more airflow, which helps disperse body heat. 

But you know what the coolest part was? The white glove service. For those not in the know, white glove means that some brave, brave soul will literally bring the mattress into your bedroom and set it up for you—even if you, like me, live on the third floor of a walk-up apartment building. That means there’s literally no excuses left if you’re thinking about buying a mattress: You don’t have to rent a moving van, there’s no need to enlist the help of your strong friends, and you don’t have to settle for a mattress-in-a-box that never really unfurls to become what's pictured on the website.  

After sleeping on the Saatva Classic Mattress for a month, I can confidently deliver a resounding YES! It’s not the cheapest purchase, but it’s definitely not the most expensive mattress by a long shot—and, it’s an investment in your future, since you’ll spend about a third of your life laying on this bad boy. Along with the excellent white glove service, cooling tech, a firm yet comfy design, and an easy fit to existing sheets and bed frames, you really can’t go wrong with this mattress.

Here’s to some Saatva-induced sweet dreams. 

The Classic Mattress is available on Saatva.

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