This article is not just about reviewing mattress-in-box brands but also offering the correct information on whether to go with a particular type of product. We referred to research and, notably, thousands of online reviews for different products to publish this article.
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Bed-in-a-Box mattresses have gained popularity in the last few years. The Indian market is dotted with many online sellers who have joined the mattress-in-a-box bandwagon offering double, single, diwan, queen & king sizes. This is fuelled by rising demand from consumers who now prefer buying online. There are several brands in the market including Sunday Mattress , which is considered a gold standard amongst the new age mattress brands.
This article is not just about reviewing mattress-in-box brands but also offering the correct information on whether to go with a particular type of product. We referred to research and, notably, thousands of online reviews for different products to publish this article. We also reviewed non-compressed mattress brands such as Sunday, which is the gold standard for quality.
Despite the craze around the bed in a box mattress, few people know that bed in a box mattresses are produced by compressing a large mattress into a small box (which is just 30% of the mattress size). To achieve this compression, 25000 kilos weight is put on the bed, and during this process, the mattress loses almost 30% of its life. Compressed mattresses become soft very fast. Even though brands offer a ten-year warranty, the warranty does not cover softening. We researched thousands of reviews and found long term issues with a bed in box mattresses. Most of these issues come up after 4-5 years of use.
Sunday mattresses are hands down the best choice in the market. It does not compress its mattresses and offers superior comfort with advanced sleep technology. Brands like Wakefit have become synonymous with bed-in-a-box in India, among other players. They are very popular because of the price. If you are looking for a short-term arrangement of 1-2 years, brands such as Wakefit or Amazon Solimo make a great choice.
Bed-in-Box – Best Brands Summarised Buying a mattress can be a confusing and exhausting experience since there are too many brands. Many of them provide misleading advertisement that makes it difficult to assess the truth of the company's claims. Our experts have curated this list of the best compressed and uncompressed mattresses. This list compiles trendy and affordable bed-in-a-box mattresses that have become very popular. We have also listed uncompressed options that are more durable and long-term investment options for people looking for premium and luxurious beds.
Even though Sunday Mattress is the overall best mattress, here is the summary of the bed-in-a-box brands followed by overall mattress brands reviewed later in the article in detail.
Wakefit Orthopaedic Memory Foam Mattress - Wakefit is the most known brand for selling compressed mattresses online. It targets young professionals who keep moving and do not need long-term durable bedding. Its Orthopaedic Memory Foam model is one of its popular products. The mattress provides specialised support to the different parts of the body.
SleepyCat Original Mattress - SleepyCat is another company that sells its compressed products online. It aims to provide a simplified and experience shopping experience to its consumers. The Original Mattress is a memory foam Bed-in-a-Box. With a breathable construction, it offers spinal support to the sleeper.
Amazon Solimo Memory Foam Mattress - Solimo is Amazon's in-house furnishing and bedding brand. Solimo Memory Foam mattress is a medium-firm orthopaedic mattress with a six-layer design. It uses a combination of memory foam, HR foam and convoluted comfort foam to build a sturdy mattress at an affordable price.
Sunday Mattress - Sunday is one of the popular online brands in India. It makes technically advanced and superior mattresses at an affordable price, and that too without compressing them. It has three top-quality models and offers a 10-year warranty and a 100-nights sleep trial for each of them. Sunday Ortho Memory 4 mattress is its most popular product. Providing therapeutic support to sleepers with back pain is an excellent memory foam mattress in the Indian market. It also offers enhanced comfort without compromising quality and at a competitive price. Sleepwell Durafirm Plus - Sleepwell is the most prominent mattress brand in India. An older player in the market keeps reinventing its product line to stay relevant. One of its newer mattress models is Sleepwell Durafirm Plus. It is an orthopaedic mattress and offers firm support and a plush surface.
Kurlon Mermaid Memory Foam Mattress - Kurlon is another established brand like Sleepwell in retail stores. Kurlon Mermaid is its memory foam mattress, which gives superior comfort and stress-free sleep to its consumers.
Bed-in-a-Box, also known as Mattress-in-a-Box, are compressed mattresses rolled and packed in a box. It is delivered to the consumer, and after unpacking, it decompresses and can be used for sleeping.
Traditionally, the experience of buying a mattress involved walking into a shop and testing each mattress that was on display. The salesperson would tell you about the specifications of the products and help you choose. Then the bed will be delivered to your house. In the American and European markets, delivery is expensive, and the shipping cost adds to the price of the mattress. So, the Bed-in-a-Box, wherein the mattresses are compressed and rolled to fit in a box, gained popularity with both sellers and customers in these markets. With the advent of online shopping, bedding also began to be sold online. As online shopping gained prominence in India, compressed mattresses found acceptance. Since then, this method of selling mattresses have become popular. And every day, you can find a new company selling bed-in-a-box mattresses on e-commerce websites.
How is a mattress compressed and packed in a box?
Firstly, the mattress is enclosed in a protective plastic cover. It is then laid out on a surface, and a compression machine compresses the mattress to squeeze out the air trapped in the foam. The compression is done using 25 tons of weight. Once the bed reduces in size, it is rolled and packed into a box. Since compression reduces the size of the mattress significantly, they can be shipped via standard methods. Therefore, the customers save costs on shipping and delivery of the bed.
No material as such lends itself to compression. It is because it compromises the structural integrity of the mattress. However, certain materials fare better in this respect than the others. Dense foam like memory foam and latex are the easiest to compress and pack. Memory foam has a distinctive cell structure, which lends the ability to retain shape even after applying pressure. Compression is done by putting 25-50 tons of pressure on the mattress. This crushes the bed and compromises its cell structure. It can reduce the overall life of your mattress by 30%. Once the product is received and unboxed, it decompresses slowly in a few hours or takes up to 48 hours.
Certain materials such as cotton, coir, and spring should not be compressed. Compressing them will do irreversible damage to the material fillings. Also, once unboxed, the mattress may not decompress completely. This will end up compromising the thickness and overall comfort of the bed. Therefore, you should be careful when buying your mattress via a bed-in-a-box delivery method.
How to Unpack a Bed-in-a-Box Mattress
Once you take the packet out from the box, put the rolled mattress on the bed or surface where you want to install it. On opening the vacuum cover, air starts to fill inside. This helps the mattress to regain its shape and size. However, it takes some time before you can start sleeping on it. Unlike the uncompressed mattresses, a Bed-in-a-Box needs a minimum of 4-6 hours to be of any use.
Compressed mattresses have their benefits and shortcomings. We have listed the significant pros and cons for you to consider carefully before finalising your pick.
Ease of delivery - Bed-in-a-Box has become popular because they are easy to transport and are deliverable at the consumer's doorstep. Compression reduces the weight of the mattress by half, making it easier to move. The rising demand for memory foam beds has also contributed to its adoption by many companies.
Cost Saving - Bed-in-a-Box companies generally function online, saving costs on many fronts. They can price their products lower and offer free delivery, and they are a good option for people on a budget.
Material damage - Once the mattress is compressed, it stays in that state till it is delivered and unboxed for use. Compression puts pressure on the material that can cause wear and tear to the mattress. The foam becomes soft and may lose some buoyancy, making the surface softer than required. Crushing the foam can prevent its capability to provide contouring. Studies have also found that Bed-in-a-Box mattresses have a shorter lifespan than non-compressed ones.
Size change - Sometimes, the mattress does not fully decompress after unboxing. For instance, a 6-inch mattress can lose up to 0.5 to 1 inches in height. This can compromise the quality and create unnecessary hassle of returning the product. A Bed-in-a-Box can also take much time to decompress and provide reduced contouring benefits.
Foam density - It is difficult to compress the high-density foam and roll it. Therefore, it is not possible to get a high-density foam via Bed-in-a-Box. If you are looking for a thicker mattress to withstand heavy weight, then a compressed bed might not serve the purpose.
Low Durability - The compression process might cause damages to the foam structure. The foam density is also not very high. As a result, bed-in-a-box mattresses do not have a long lifespan. The low density does not offer enough plushness, which might affect the comfort and support.
Off-Gassing - Off-gassing is when volatile compounds leave the mattress and get released into the air. This phenomenon is common in petroleum-based products like mattress foams. Off-gassing also produces a chemical smell that can last for many days. People who are sensitive to such odours may find the purchase experience of bed-in-a-box unpleasant.
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311582239_Compression_set_of_PU_foam_mattresses_with_self-clamping_joints_and_sandwich_structure
Buying a Bed-in-a-box? Tips to Follow
The Bed-in-a-Box mattresses generally have memory foam as their material. The comfort of these mattresses depends upon their thickness, foam quality, and density. A good bed should provide proper spinal alignment, comfort, and overall support. You should keep the following factors in mind when buying a new mattress.
Medium-firm mattresses are suitable for everyone as it provides a perfect balance between support and comfort. Both compressed and uncompressed mattresses are available in different levels of firmness. Choose soft, hard, plush, or medium firmness, as per your preference.
The comfort level of a mattress depends upon many factors. Some contributing factors include thickness, motion isolation, breathability, and reinforced edges. Be sure to check each of these before you finalise the mattress.
Compression is suitable only for foam materials, and other materials will break and get permanently damaged. So when it comes to bed-in-a-box-mattress, choose between either memory foam, latex variant, or a combination of both.
A long-term warranty on any product gives the assurance of quality. Most top manufacturers provide a warranty of more than five years. Always check for clauses that have information on inclusions and exclusions in the warranty. Sleep Trial
A Bed-in-a-Box mattress without a sleep trial is a risky purchase. It is difficult to assess a compressed mattress without trying it once. So, look for mattresses that offer sleep trials since you will have the option of returning them if it does not suit your purpose.
It goes without saying that when purchasing mattresses online, the product should be returnable and refundable. Do not forget to check the return and refund policy.
Why do the best brands not compress their mattress?
Despite the convenience and saving on costs, many established and big brands such as Sleepwell & Kurlon in India have not adopted Bed-in-a-Box. In addition, some of the quality-focused startups, such as Sunday, also do not compress the mattress. There are various reasons that companies still bank on selling uncompressed mattresses to consumers. Some of these reasons why brands selling top quality mattresses have not got on the Bed-in-a-Box bandwagon include.
Damage to the material - Compressing and rolling weakens the structure of the foam. It can even cause damage to its edges and surface. This process adds unnecessary risk both for the supplier and the consumer.
Lesser lifespan - The weakened cell structure of the foam due to compression lessens the durability. This reduces the lifespan of a mattress by two to three years.
Not very cost-effective - Although Bed-in-a-Box is known for reducing delivery costs, it is not precisely valid for the Indian market. That is because shipping and transportation costs in India are among the cheapest. So, while it saves you some amount on delivery charges, it is not a significant saving. Moreover, the reduced lifespan adds to the cost significantly in the long run.
Marketing gimmick - In the context of the Indian market, Bed-in-a-Box is more of a marketing move by companies rather than providing any real value to the consumers. Getting a mattress in a box is an idea that sounds attractive and may be convenient for some people. However, the trade-off is with the durability and quality of the product.
Best Mattresses in India - Detailed Review
We have curated this list of the best brands that sell their mattresses in a box. These are ideal for people who are on a tight budget or are not looking for a permanent investment for the time being. From the tens of brands competing in this space, these are the best mattresses in the market.
Wakefit Orthopaedic Memory Foam Mattress
Wakefit Orthopaedic Memory Foam mattress has a 7-pressure zone layer that provides targeted support to your body. The differential support ensures that the spine is aligned perfectly for a restful sleep. The top and the bottom sections are medium-soft to provide you with ideal comfort.
The mattress is medium-firm, suitable for all types of sleepers.
If the total body weight on the mattress is above 150 kgs, you should go for a mattress thickness of 8 inches. If it is less than 150 kgs, then a bed of 6-inches will be sufficient.
The Wakefit mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, which makes it an attractive option at this price point.
Wakefit offers a 100-nights trial period, within which you can return the product if you are unsatisfied. The company provides full refunds in such cases. Wakefit Orthopaedic Memory Foam mattress is best suited for people on a tight budget and looking for good deals and discounts. It is popular with students and people who have started working.
SleepyCat Original Mattress is a gel-based memory foam mattress designed for orthopaedic support. It is a versatile mattress that is suited for all kinds of sleepers. The bed is breathable and provides optimum comfort. It has excellent motion isolation so that your partner's tossing and turning does not disturb your sleep.
This mattress has a medium-firm feel for orthopaedic support. The edges of the bed are designed keeping in mind the comfort of side and back sleepers, and the edges are well built and do not plunge when shifting to the sides.
SleepyCat offers ten years of warranty on its Original mattress.
This mattress comes with a 30-nights trial period and offers a full refund in case of return.
Sleepycat Original is a versatile mattress that is suited to everyone's needs. Being orthopaedic and having high motion isolation is its key features.
Amazon Solimo Memory Foam Mattress
Amazon's Solimo memory foam mattress is an orthopaedic mattress designed to relieve pressure points and ease back pain. It uses medium-firm high-density memory foam, and it gives you zero disturbance sleep as it offers motion isolation.
This mattress has a medium-firm surface and is not very bouncy or plushy. It is designed for orthopaedic needs, and it may not be ideal for people looking for a bit of plushness for added comfort.
This mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, making it a safe bet.
Amazon Solimo does not come with a sleep trial, and however, the company offers a 10-days replacement policy.
Amazon Solimo memory foam mattress is ideal for people looking for an inexpensive bed. Amazon provides heavy discounts all year round.
The mattresses under this category are the best in class that match international standards. They do not come compressed, so their quality is not compromised from manufacturing till it reaches your doorstep. They are packed with features and also come at an attractive price point. In terms of durability and product satisfaction, these mattresses rate very high.
Sunday is a top-quality brand known for its superior mattresses. It uses advanced technology to make products with a perfect balance of support and comfort. It is the top pick of our experts.
Some features that place it ahead of other brands consist of:
Sunday Ortho Memory 4 Mattress is designed for providing spinal alignment and optimum support. It is ideal for people who suffer from chronic back pain. It is an affordable option, priced at par with brands like Wakefit that compress their mattresses.
The firmness level of this mattress is 7 out of 10. It is ideal for people who are looking for medium-hard surface mattresses.
Sunday Ortho mattress has excellent motion isolation. This ensures that your partner's tossing and turning does not affect your sleep. Even if you have agile pets who jump around on your bed, this feature will come in handy. Weight Supported Sunday Ortho Memory 4 is best suited to normal and slightly overweight people. The firmness level of the mattress and the comfort of the memory foam ensure it.
The top mattress cover is 100% GOTS-approved organic cotton. Additionally, the top cover and side fabrics are certified by Oeko-Tex 100. This standard tests every component in the material and certifies it harmless for human health.
Sunday provides a 10-year warranty on their products. It covers the sagging of the mattress before this period, and the Sunday mattress goes through strict quality and durability checks. With proper care, these mattresses can easily last for 12 years.
The company provides a risk-free 100 nights trial. If you are not satisfied with the mattress, you can request a return and full refund.
Sunday Ortho 4 mattress is ideal for people who are looking for a relatively hard-surfaced bed. It is best for orthopaedic purposes and has a significantly longer lifespan than ordinary mattresses. It packs all these features at an attractive and affordable price.
With 40 years of presence in the market, Sleepwell is an established player in the bedding market. Durafirm Plus is an ortho-care mattress. It provides proper contouring and ideal support and is apt for people looking for restful sleep. Infused with its Neem Fresche technology, the bed has antibacterial properties.
The mattress is has a firm feel, with a plush top. This combination provides gentle comfort with optimal back support.
Sleepwell Durafirm Plus offers a 5-year warranty. Although the warranty period is lesser than most players, Sleepwell mattresses easily last up to 7-10 years.
Sleepwell does not offer a trial period for its mattresses.
Sleepwell is known for its reliable products. Durafirm Plus is an excellent orthopaedic mattress, especially for people with back pain.
Kurlon introduced coir mattresses in India. However, now it makes foam, spring, and hybrid mattresses. Kurlon Mermaid is a foam mattress that promotes good-quality sleep. It helps to reduce body stress and maintain healthy blood circulation while sleeping.
The mattress has a dual firmness level, and it has a soft feel on one side and a firm feel on the other side.
Kurlon Mermaid has a warranty period of 7-years.
Kurlon does not offer a trial period.
Kurlon is an established brand known for quality products. However, its mattresses are costly compared with the new brands offering similar features and better quality.
Why should I buy a Bed-in-a-Box? If you are on a limited budget and want to buy a good quality foam mattress, Bed-in-a-Box might be suitable. Many new brands target college students, young professionals, and new parents in this space. A Bed-in-a-Box is also suited to people who want to move from the traditional mattresses made with cotton and cloth filling for the first time.
What is the average life of a Bed-in-a-Box? Compressing a mattress reduces its life up to 30%. While, in the short run, you save some costs but do not get a highly durable product. The average lifespan of a compressed mattress is up to 5-7 years. However, brands like Sunday sell uncompressed mattresses at similar price points.
Why do mattresses sag? Sagging refers to the softening and bulging downwards of an area of the mattress that is most frequently exposed to pressure. For instance, the regions supporting hips and shoulders are prone to more pressure than others. It results from normal wear and tear of the mattress, and it is one of the most common complaints among mattress users of all types. Several causes may lead to sagging but compressing mattresses cause the bed to sag earlier than it otherwise would.
How is Bed-in-a-Box rolled and packed in a box? The primary material used in Bed-in-a-Box mattresses is memory foam. The unique feature of the memory foam is its resilient structure. It can be compressed and rolled, and it will bounce back and expand into its original space once unboxed. For compression, manufacturers use a powerful hydraulic press to apply pressure and shrink the mattress into half its original thickness. It becomes more accessible for the machine to roll it then, and the rolled-up mattress is then put in a box.
How does a Bed-in-a-Box expand after taking it out of the packed box? Once you take the mattress out of the box, the air fills its cell structure. The viscoelasticity of the memory foam allows it to return to its original size. It generally takes around 24-72 hours for the mattress to reach its actual size fully. Although, it takes only 4-6 hours to expand to about 90% of its original size. Other factors also affect the expansion time. For instance, heat reduces the viscosity of the material. It increases fluidity, meaning memory foam will expand faster in a warmer room. Similarly, a mattress with more density is more firm. Hence, a denser product will take longer to expand, and a thicker mattress will also take longer to decompress.
Will my bed-in-a-box get softer? All mattresses have a break-in period, which usually lasts around 50 to 60 nights of regular use. Beds get a little softer within this period. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. It generally serves to temper down the extra firmness of a new mattress.
Do I have to wait for 48 hours to use my Bed-in-a-Box mattress? The first 4-6 hours after unboxing is when most of the expansion occurs, which is the off-gassing period. However, complete decompression takes anywhere between 24-48 hours. But you can use the mattress after the initial expansion itself. So, you can sleep on the new bed after 6 hours of unboxing it.
How long can memory foam stay compressed? Storing your mattress for longer than two months may significantly reduce its durability quality. This is true of both memory foam mattresses wrapped in packages and those that are rolled up. Therefore, we advise you to expand the product before two months of packaging.
A bed-in-a-box mattress is a suitable choice given a specific set of mobility, convenience, and cost limitations. However, non-compressed beds are available with free shipping and delivery at similar prices. Whether a customer should go for a compressed mattress depends on their budget and requirement. A Bed-in-a-Box usually has a life of up to 7 years, whereas a non-compressed mattress lasts for more than ten years.
It is important to remember that there is no "one size fits all" type product for mattresses. A choice needs to be made by the customer according to their own needs and circumstances. We hope that a guide like this one helps you make the right decision to make your nights peaceful and stress-free.
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