
What is a Bed in a Box?
A bed-in-a-box is a complete mattress that’s ordered online and delivered to your home, generally in a box around the size of a mini-fridge. Most of them are made from comfortable but compressible materials like memory foam or foam latex, but they can also include a layer of traditional springs. When the beds are unpacked, they expand to conventional mattress sizes, usually over the course of a few hours. Latex and memory foam can have a slight smell during this process, but it’s generally gone in a day to a week after being opened.
What are the Benefits of Buying a Bed-in-a-Box?
There are a range of reasons to go for a bed-in-a-box over a traditional mattress, including price, convenience and shopping experience. Here are a few:
- Price – Beds in a box are available at pretty much every price point, from a few hundred dollars, up to several thousand. Within this range, they can be as basic or as complex as you want, with many very high-quality choices. Because they’re shipping from the manufacturer or an online distributer, there’s less overhead and they tend to cost less than the same choices in mattress stores
- Convenience – You can get a bed-in-a-box whenever you want it, and pretty much wherever mail is delivered. This means that there’s no reliance on the quality and inventory of mattress stores near you, and pretty much every location can have the same options.
- Shopping Experience – Like many businesses that operate on commission, buying from a mattress store can involve pushy sales people, hard to read contracts, and an upfront time investment. It can feel rushed, uncomfortable, and generally unsatisfying, especially for a big purchase that should last you 8 to 10 years.
What are the Downsides of Buying a Bed-in-a-Box?
The biggest downside here is pretty consistent with other online purchases – you don’t get to try the product in person before you buy it. This is a big drawback for a major purchase that you’ll be using for close to the next decade, and definitely one that shouldn’t be take lightly. It also makes doing your research important – this means understanding what kind of mattress you want, reading reviews, and looking at materials. It also means being willing to send your bed-in-a-box back if it turns out not to be right for you.
Because of this, all of the recommended options here will include a generous return policy, with the option to send your bed back for no reason other than comfort. Beds-in-a-Box can be a great way to pay less for the best mattress of your life, and you should find the one that works best for you without a big upfront risk.
With that said, here are the 6 Best Beds-in-a-Box with quality materials, great reviews, and an excellent return policy!