Is it time to evaluate the benefit of getting a new mattress? If you’ve had yours for more than 10 years, or if it sags or has broken coil springs, you should definitely look into replacing it as soon as possible. Technology has changed a lot, and while the average mattress used to only last 10 years, newer mattresses are built to last longer. But with so many choices available today, how do you start the shopping process?
First, consider the various types of mattresses – foam, latex, coil, hybrid – and learn more about the different materials so that you know how each function. That will help you figure out what mattress build will work best for you. Then, open your mind to other factors, such as firmness, edge support, and motion transfer so that you pick the features that are important to your level of comfort.
A Closer Look
Here, we’ve reviewed two very popular mattresses side by side for comparison so that you can see how they differ and get a better feel for the elements that will create your perfect sleep space. The Novosbed and Saatva mattresses are both high-quality options that are available online, without the hassle of shopping in a traditional store. Take a look and make an informed decision.
A Total Breakdown of the Novosbed Mattress
— Construction
The Novosbed mattress actually has a unique feature that helps you better adjust the firmness level of the bed, with an optional additional layer of memory foam, along with the traditional construction of the mattress itself.
• Cover
With 4 traditional layers, the Novosbed mattress starts with a very breathable cover woven from a polyester blend. Included in those materials is Tencel, which is part of the reason you get good airflow through the cover. Tencel is made from bamboo, which makes it durable, soft, and organic. It also means that it’s lightweight and breathable. When combined with the polyester and other elements included in this blend, you have a smooth surface and feel that also keeps you cooler through the night. There are also some moisture wicking properties to this cover that keep you from sleeping in a wet spot, should you sweat during your sleep.
• Top Layer
The Novosbed mattress is a memory foam mattress, so the next two layers are made of memory foam in a particular construction that creates support and comfort. The top layer is 2 inches thick and aerated to continue with cooling the sleep environment. This is necessary since memory foam has a reputation for holding a great deal of heat. The Novosbed mattress doesn’t seem to have that problem and actually remains comfortable, keeping the area and your body temperature regulated better through the night.
This top layer is a slow response foam, meaning it takes some time to conform to your body as you lie down. This helps it contour better to your body to create pressure relief on those important points, also assisting with spinal alignment, arthritis pain, and other specific aches and pains you experience both through the night and in the morning after a fitful sleep.
Also, this layer is part of what creates the 3 different firmness levels available and can be customized to soft, medium, and firm, giving you options based on your own personal desires and needs.
• Middle Layer
Another 2 inches of memory foam are beneath. This middle section continues the slow response method, transitioning your pressure through, but it regains its shape faster, offering the support you need for a good night’s rest without sinking too far into that top layer of memory foam. This is necessary because memory foam does tend to remove that ‘floating’ feeling in favor of the ‘wrapping around you’ sensation, and too much of that can make even the coolest environments feel closed in, hot, and even paralyzing. And sinking too deep actually does the limit movement.
Basically, this section of the mattress is a bit firmer than the top layer, which helps with support and an overall good feel that lasts longer rather than allowing your mattress to develop that sinkhole that tends to form over time in older and more traditional mattress designs. It also helps gradually transition into the very firm base layer without impacting the feel of the mattress underneath you.
• Base Layer
The final 7 inches of the traditional Novosbed mattress is made of high-density poly foam and is the support system for the comfort layers above, as well as the base of the overall mattress that helps hold the shape and create things like edge support. It exists in almost every latex or foam mattress on the market and, while density and thickness may vary, tends to be similar across most manufacturers. It’s also the surface that keeps the mattress settled, whether on the floor, a box spring, platform, or something else.
• Comfort+ Optional Layer
Maybe the 3 firmness options offered for the Novosbed aren’t quite right for you. At no extra cost, the manufacturer offers their Comfort+ layer, an additional option that will make your mattress slightly firmer or slightly softer than the original construction. It’s basically an additional layer of foam you can zip into the mattress so that you create an ‘in between’ firmness level that settles you about 1 point higher or lower than the mattress is made on a scale of 1 to 10.
This is a great option, since everyone prefers a different level of firmness, and offering it at no extra charge is a good way to make a customer for life.
— How Firm is the Novosbed Mattress
The way a level of firmness ‘feels’ has several caveats, not the least of which is the size and weight distribution. However, most people would agree to a particular scale, even if they experience it differently, and that scale can give you an idea of your preference. In measuring the firmness of the 3 different Novosbed mattress offerings, the Comfort+ layer is not included. For each evaluation, you can assume that the firm Comfort+ layer will add a point, while the soft Comfort+ layer will subtract a point from the initial evaluation.
Testing the medium-firm mattress, which is the middle option for firmness from Novosbed, people of all sleep positions placed the firmness around a 6.5 out of 10, which is pretty common for a mattress rated as medium-firm. The mattress top layer does a good job of giving when you press into it, contouring at a good rate to your body shape and position, so you get comfortable quickly without feeling like you’re sinking in.
When it comes to evaluating the other 2 firmness options for this mattress, you’ll find the soft version comes in at a solid 5 out of 10, while the firm mattress rates about 8 out of 10. What that means is that, with the Comfort+ options available, you can literally create a mattress of a firmness that ranges anywhere from a 4 to a 9 with ease.
— What’s the Feel of a Novosbed Mattress?
Perhaps the biggest problem you might find in a Novosbed mattress, more so with the softer version than the medium-firm of the firm, is that it has that ‘hugging’ feeling that a lot of memory foam mattresses have. If you prefer to sort of sit on top of your mattress, you might be better off with either a traditional coil spring mattress or, if you need the pressure relief, a hybrid mattress that offers both coils and memory foam.
— Unique Features – Novosbed Mattress
The ability to create a firmness level that is specific to your needs, down to a single point on the scale without customizing the mattress and paying a fortune, is something you don’t find elsewhere. With the bed in box options, you’re lucky to get 2 or 3 firmness levels. However, with Novosbed’s Comfort+ layer as an option at no extra cost, you can quickly and easily customize your mattress to rank anywhere from extremely plush at a 4 (the soft version with the soft Comfort+ layer) to a 9 (the film version with the firm Comfort+ layer). Such a variety should make the sleeping environment provided by this manufacturer work for almost anyone.
A Complete Breakdown of the Saatva Mattress
— Construction
When comparing the Saatva mattress to the Novosbed, you’ll find some very distinct difference, including the fact that the 13 inches of material in the Saatva is designed as a hybrid of memory foam and coil springs, with the springs being the thickest part of the construction. This creates a distinct feel that draws in people who like a firm mattress with a traditional feel plus the added pressure relief afforded by memory foam.
• Cover for Mattress
Enjoy the organic, cotton knit top cover of the Saatva mattress for its environmental safety as well s the Euro pillow top padding that’s included inside. It has a very clean and even appearance and, unlike most pillow tops that are simply sewn to the top of a mattress, this one is sewn entirely into the mattress. It means less discomfort from shifting around throughout the night and stabilizes your sleep environment for the ultimate night’s rest.
• Lumbar Pad
Beneath the cover is a very thin layer of memory foam that Saatva refers to as a lumbar pad. Made of Certi-PUR US Certified memory foam material, which means it’s safe for indoors without producing emissions as well as being environmentally friendly, this layer adds a smooth ‘cushion’ on top of the coil layer. It helps to ease the body into the mattress in a contoured way that keeps you from nothing the way the coils move, other than the smooth transition as they work to create the right level of support for your sleep position and needs.
• Comfort Coils
Interestingly, the way that some other mattresses have multiple layers of memory foam or latex to create the perfect appeal, the Saatva mattress has 2 layers of coils. The top layer consists of individually wrapped coils, working independently of each other to move and conform to your body. In older mattresses, the ‘bounce’ in every direction was created by coils moving together as a whole, and you had trouble with a spring popping and stabbing you. That’s not the case here.
The technology used with these coils creates a ‘wave’ that lets the coils move by themselves to contour to your sleep position and relieve pressure at particularly painful points, especially joints prone to aches and pains.
• Steel Coil Base
The 4 inches of comfort coils are then supported by another layer of steel coil base. This 7-inch layer creates a base for the entire mattress structure, holding its shape, building up edge support, and making sure you are properly aligned by not allowing too much give above. There is just enough movement in this layer of coils to assure you don’t feel like you’re sleeping on a steel shelf and to offer a slight bounce so that you get that more traditional mattress feel that some people crave and can’t find in the new all foam mattresses.
— How Firm is the Saatva Mattress?
The Saatva mattress, like the Novosbed, comes in 3 firmness levels, and you can choose the best one for your specific needs. In this case, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the firmest, the company rates its options as plush (3), luxury firm (5-6), and firm (8).
Back and side sleepers may find some comfort in the plush option, but more likely, you’ll feel as though you’re plunging down the rabbit hole and have trouble shifting to adjust your comfort and alignment. You’ll enjoy the two firmer options much better. By comparison, stomach sleeper should avoid the firm option, since this level of the firm does truly rate the 8 given and would not be conducive to your comfort. Whichever version is your preference, you’ll find all of the Saatva mattresses retain that pressure point support so that, while you have a bit of sinkage to assist with contouring, you mostly won’t feel more than a ‘pillowed’ effect surrounding you.
If you do want the firmest version, be sure you spend some time getting used to it, since it may take a few nights to acclimate to this truly firm mattress and the way it slowly contours to your form. Because Saatva offers a great trial period, you have more than enough time to decide if you’ve made the right choice, so take your time to evaluate your overall satisfaction.
— Overall Feeling of a Saatva Mattress
Every version of the Saatva mattress has incredible edge support, mostly due to the 7 inches of solid springs in the base layer. This makes the feel of the mattress solid and consistent from edge to edge and in between so you don’t feel like you’re dipping and falling if you sleep toward the edge.
You also get a small amount of bounce from the coil construction that is reminiscent of traditional mattresses without the overly responsive jumping of those older styles. The individually wrapped coils and the thin layer of memory foam reduce motion transfer so that it’s almost non-existent, so you never have to worry about you or your partner waking each other up during the night when you go for a drink.
The one thing the Saatva mattress doesn’t have is any specific feature included to reduce heat retention. However, your sleep environment should still stay cool based on the construction of the mattress. There isn’t a lot of memory foam, which is usually the culprit for overheating, so this isn’t a concern. And the steel of the coils tends to stay cool, so there is no radiant heat coming back to you. The cover is also highly breathable, which adds to the comfort of your cool sleep environment through the night.
— Unique Features – Saatva Mattress
Including 2 layers of coils is a unique approach to a mattress, and it works well in the Saatva mattress. It utilizes the same mechanics in theory as having different densities of memory foam, with a comfort layer and a base layer, so that you have the right motion and contour with the correct support.
The pillow top that is actually sewn into the mattress to avoid movement is also an innovative idea, which means you don’t feel like you’re swerving and falling or sliding every time you roll over or reposition yourself through the night, just because of the pillow top shifts beneath you.
Read our full Saatva Mattress Review here.
Which One To Get
— Novosbed Mattress
The Novosbed mattress probably offers the best versatility in the bed in a box category of mattresses when it comes to firmness, which is a great appeal to the masses. If you can look to a single bed or manufacturer to put anyone who had any preference in any sleep position at ease, then you’ve accomplished a great task. Novosbed has done this with their 3 different firmness options and the additional Comfort+ layers you can choose.
The edge support and overall feel of the mattresses mean that you’ll never have to worry about rolling off the side or feeling like you’re sliding when you sit on the edge to put your slippers on in the morning. You also get excellent airflow and breathability, both from the polyester blend cover that includes Tencel and from the aerated top layer of memory foam. You never have to worry about staying cool or sleeping in dampness through the night.
The price is affordable, and the shipping is free. Plus, you get a 15-year warranty, which is long coverage in the mattress industry. The manufacturer stands behind their product, and you can expect great customer service if you do have to call with any issues. The 120-night trial also means you have a hassle-free opportunity to decide if the mattress you ordered is right for you, or if you need to add the Comfort+ layer to customize the feel.
Read our full review here.
— Saatva Mattress
The Saatva mattress puts coils to the best use of any mattress on the market, dividing them into a comfort layer of individually wrapped contouring coils and a firm layer of support coils beneath. You have 3 options for firmness so you aren’t contracted into one simple firmness just because you want to experience this innovative design. With the memory foam layer on top, you’ll get the smooth surface and transitional feel of contouring that eases you into a nice, restful sleep.
You’ll get the best edge support, held up by the steel coils on the base, and you’ll find that the Saatva mattress is ideal for all sleep positions, with little motion transfer to interrupt sleep. And while it isn’t explicitly designed to do so, the Saatva mattress provides a fairly cool sleep environment that will promote comfort and heat dispersing through the night.
Novosbed VS Saatva Comparison
| Novosbed | Saatva | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers Used | 4 layers (5th optional)
|
4 seperate layers
|
| Height | 12-13 in | 13 in |
| Firmness | 3 Options + changes with the Comfort+ Layer |
three Options – Plush, Medium, and then Firm |
| Motion Transfer | Very Minimal | Very Minimal |
| Breathability | High breathability | Average-High breathability |
| Trial Period | 120 Sleep Nights | 120 sleep nights |
| Warranty | 15 years | A limited 15 years |
| Pricing (Queen) | $1399.00 CAN | $1,199.00 USD |
| Shipping | Free in the continental US and Canada | Free in the US |
Conclusion
Obviously, there are some similarities between the Novosbed and Saatva mattresses, such as a choice of firmness and multiple layers for pressure point support. However, the technology is very different, creating an entirely different sleep environment and feel. Knowing the difference can help you make an informed decision, whether you purchase one of these or use this comparison to mix and match some of the elements that you feel are necessary for your next mattress.
To be the best judge of the type of mattress you like best, spend some time shopping around. If you like the traditional shopping experience, go test several mattresses by lying on them. Know, however, that a few minutes won’t tell you anything compared to the in-home trial period offered here.
Learn more about your own needs and the features offered to meet those needs, including air flow and heat retention. Your sleep is important, and you can’t function properly if you aren’t sleeping your best, most restful sleep. Take the time to really choose right, and you won’t regret your decision. Remember, how you sleep affects everyday life and your ability to function to capacity, and you want to get the best start – and finish – to your day that’s possible!