Owing to development of e-commerce, a number of mattress makers have sprung up with online-only sales models that enable them to sell premium quality mattresses on a affordable price tag– they have challenged the monopoly of big brands such as Serta and Simmons because they offer comparable value at a fraction of the price that these giants ask for.
Saatva is one shining success story among the multitude of online-based mattress companies – its primary mattress (which shares the same name) is an innerspring/memory foam hybrid that challenges high-end hybrid mattresses because of its comfortable, supportive and reliable performance at a very cheap price point.
However, I recently came across Tuft and Needle – a manufacturer who had taken the ‘bang-for-the-buck’ to ano
ther level by cutting down on the bells and whistles and using a minimalist construction in their mattress to offer durable, pressure relieving support at an even more affordable price. I figured that it would make sense to compare these two products for my budget bound readers who are interested in getting a new premium quality mattress without breaking their wallets in the process.
Saatva Breakdown
The Saatva mattress is the combination of a true innerspring support core with a judicious amount of memory foam, all wrapped in an organic cover to create a simple yet feature-packed offering that has lots of spring combined with a dash of conformity that softens the hardness of the coils.
Construction
Cover
The cover is a complete organic cotton affair. Natural cotton is known for its soft, skin-friendly and breathable nature, as well as its simple yet appealing aesthetic flair. I suppose that both of these factors play a role in the manufacturer’s decision to incorporate it into the mattress, and it does show!
Euro top
To complete the air of luxury set up by the organic cotton, the mattress features a plush memory foam based Euro pillow top that absorbs the initial impact of your body (in conjunction with the next layer) and relieves your muscles of pressure. It is snugly stretched over the actual mattress, and it looks as much a part of the mattress as any of the underlying layers.
First Layer
The topmost (comfort) layer of the Saatva is a simple 3/8 slice of viscoelastic foam – this is so thin that one might wonder if it plays a role at all: it does. This slim viscoelastic padding prevents the underlying coil-on-coil structure from poking into your back (especially relevant for heavier individuals who may sink through the mattress’s Euro top!).
In combination with the Euro pillow top, this layer is responsible for offering initial adaptability for your sleep posture.
Second Layer
This is the first spring layer of the mattress: it is constructed from pocketed coils with a thickness of 14-gauges and length of 4 inches. They are designed to react to the application of pressure from the sleeper independently from each other, which is why they offer a highly personalized blend of pressure relief and support that traditional Bonnell coil spring layers cannot offer.
For the Saatva, these coils are wrapped in edge support foam that bolsters the sides of the bed and prevents it from giving way under your weight when you sit on the sides.
Third Layer
This is the true support platform of the mattress – it is made from conventional spring coils that are bound together by a helical steel wire. They are 13-gauge thick and 5.5” long – the greater thickness and length corresponds to the deeply supportive role they are intended for, as does the interlinked construction which helps to evenly distribute your weight across the bed and help your body maintain a proper spinal posture to minimize back pain.
Edge Support Boundary
The manufacturer has gone the extra length to minimize edge support in the Saatva: in addition to the edge support foam encasing the pocketed coils, there is also a rigid edge support perimeter encircling the mattress that strengthens the sides even further. Remember that this is a mattress that uses two coil layers and that alone would have made it better at edge support than the majority of the foam products out there!
Firmness and Feel
There are three separate firmness levels in which the Saatva is sold – each is designed to offer a particular mix of support and comfort. The manufacturer expresses this firmness on a relative 1 to 10 scale with 1 described as being as soft as quicksand and 10 being as hard as a wooden tabletop.
Comfort and Support
Edge Support
Thanks to the multiple edge support enhancement feature present in the mattress, and also due to the fact that the dual coil layers are already a bit stiff to react to pressure on their own, the Saatva’s edge support performance is superb. There is only a minimal amount of sinking (most noticeable in the Plush version), and it is definitely not significant enough to create a problem when you’re sitting at the sides of the bed for extended periods of time.
Cooling
The two coil layers of the mattress pack have plenty of free space for air to travel through, thus setting up enough ventilation to prevent the memory foam regions from heating up excessively. That said, you can’t eliminate heat retention from memory foam completely and that remains true for the Saatva – it may heat up the tiniest bit in hot weather – but unless you’re incredibly temperature sensitive, this shouldn’t pose an issue.
Motion Transfer
The Saatva is able to achieve solid motion transfer isolation despite the fact that it is predominantly made from steel coils that are notorious for their rapid transmission of motion into the surrounding regions. For the Saatva, the upper memory foam layers, as well as the independently acting pocketed coils, become the saviors in this regard: they are able to absorb the wide majority of impacts effectively and prevent them from reaching the lowermost interlinked steel coils that could transfer the impact elsewhere.
Unique Features
Resilient springiness with a dash of adaptability
It cannot be denied that the Saatva is first and foremost, an innerspring mattress, and for this reason, stiff springiness is an inherent part of its response in much the same way as any ordinary spring mattress. However, by tempering this behavior through the incorporation of a viscoelastic comfort core, the manufacturer ensures that the sleeper gets a pressure relieving yet resiliently supportive blend that’s impossible with either spring coil or memory foam alone.
Organic cotton cover
The Saatva’s cover is pure organic cotton – pliable and breathable, and it is soft to the touch. The cover lends the mattress a look of simplistic beauty that the Tuft and Needle with its synthetic cover simply cannot match. The synthetic Tactel employed in the latter’s cover may have (slight) breathability and durability advantages no doubt, but in terms of sheer softness and aesthetic appeal, the Saatva has it beat.
Euro pillow top
The sumptuous Euro top that is placed underneath the cover gives the Saatva a lightly cushioned initial response that is starkly different from the Tuft and Needle’s blend of latex-like and viscoelastic behavior. It is akin to sleeping on a soft cloud whereas the Tuft and Needle’s behavior is springier and more responsive to changes in your posture.
Superior edges support
The T and N’s edges won’t exactly melt under your mass the moment you set on them, but it is an all-foam mattress, and thus, it cannot compete with the stiff resilience of Saatva’s coil structure – especially when it has been bolstered by multiple targeted edge support mechanisms.
Longer trial period and warranty
The Saatva has a 120-day trial compared to the Tuft and Needle’s 100-day one, and its warranty period, too, is longer – 20 years compared to the latter’s 10. The T & N’s policies are quite justified considering that it costs about half the price of the Saatva, but if budget is not excessively constrained, the Saatva presents an opportunity to test out the new mattress for a considerably longer period of time.
For me, a policy going beyond 10 years is merely an advertising gimmick – it is quite unlikely that even a premium quality mattress can be in warrantable shape after 10 years. However, it cannot be denied that giving a 20-year warranty policy does indicate a certain degree of confidence in their product’s durability on part of Saatva.
Multiple firmness options
The Saatva is available in three different firmness levels compared to the Tuft and Needle’s single one, and it is, therefore, able to attract a larger consumer base i.e. those who are not comfortable sleeping on a medium firm mattress due to different preferences and body weights. Of course, this is an advantage only when the consumer is alright with sleeping on an innerspring mattress, to begin with.
Tuft and Needle Breakdown
Construction
The Tuft and Needle adopts a minimalist philosophy in terms of its construction. There are just two layers of the mattress, wrapped in a synthetic cover – but they are made using high-quality materials. The result is a mattress that is extremely affordable yet built to perform reliably for years on end.
Cover
A cover made from a blend of Tactel and polyester that stretch tight to fit the layers adorns the Tuft and Needle. The tight fit ensures that you aren’t disturbed by any slivers or wrinkles created by your movements in the middle of the night. The Tactel fiber imitates cotton and is thus quite breathable, so you don’t have to worry about the cover retaining heat as a result of the polyester it contains.
First Layer
The uppermost layer of the T & N is made from their proprietary Adaptive® foam. The layer is 3-inch deep and 2.9 lbs./cu.ft. dense, and the foam itself has been designed to reflect the best of both memory foam and natural latex. When you rest your body on the surface, this layer lets the mattress quickly adapt to your sleep position – however, as soon as there is a change in your posture, the foam rapidly readjusts to follow the change – quite unlike the behavior of memory foam.
This responsiveness also means that the mattress won’t crater under your weight and make you feel engulfed in your own heat. However, the manufacturer has also taken more concrete steps to minimize the heat retention issues – the heat wicking graphite and the cooling gel are incorporated into the Adaptive® foam to remedy the problem.
Second Layer
The next layer is high-density polyurethane foam – 1.8 lbs./cu.ft. thick and 7 inches deep. This is the support core of the mattress and prevents your pressure points from sinking further in the upper comfort layer.
Both layers have been designed to promote airflow to rid the mattress of trapped heat, and surprisingly for the small price tag, the foams used in each layer are dense enough to last many years of intense use.
Firmness and Feel
Comfort and Support
The T&N is available in just a single level of firmness – medium-firm, and the idea is to meet the needs (or get as close as possible to meeting them) of the average consumer. The mattress has an even distribution of comfort and support: the Adaptive® foam’s mimicry of latex ensures responsive pressure relief while the HD polyfoam base brings in the tough support needed by your frame.
The absence of a transition foam that had a firmness level between that of the two other layers is lamentable – for bulky individuals, this means a risk of sinking right into the stiff polyfoam base, which may become uncomfortable after a couple of nights.
Edge Support
Taking into consideration the fact that the Tuft and Needle is a rather simplistic all-foam product, its edge support is quite tolerable. Naturally, the Adaptive® foam layer compresses under your weight somewhat when you sit on the edges of the bed – but after a while, the hard polyurethane foam base kicks in so that the sinkage is contained, and you don’t actually slip down from the bed.
Motion Transfer
The Adaptive® foam layer does create a slight bounce after a sudden impact, but because of the fact that it also packs some memory foam-like plushness, the largest portion of the impact is absorbed locally and does not get transferred to the surroundings.
Cooling
The two layers of the Tuft and Needle support the flow of air, and together with the graphite and cooling gel embedded into the comfort layer, this enables it to keep things cool just as well as the next mattress does. Unless you’re disturbed by the slightest rise in temperature, you won’t wake up in the middle of the night because the mattress is too hot.
Unique Features
Extremely affordable
The Tuft and Needle, because of its simplistic construction that foregoes price escalating fancy features, costs about half the price of the Saatva. As such, it is one of the most dependable budget options available. It does not try to do more than providing you a comfortable, supportive bed, and thus, it achieves this with aplomb without inflating the price tag.
A response that combines viscoelastic and latex foam behavior
The Adaptive® foam layer has been expressly designed to embody the finer qualities of both materials while foregoing the negative aspects of either. For instance, the Adaptive® foam does not ‘stick’ to your body like memory foam does nor does it have a long break-in period like latex foam initially does.
Basically, you’re getting an artificial latex/memory foam hybrid at a fraction of the cost of what an actual mattress using these materials would cost.
Which One to Get?
Saatva
Here are situations where getting the Saatva is recommended:
You’re looking for an innerspring mattress that has a degree of contouring: The spring coil layers of the Saatva are sufficient to give it the signature springy resilience that has been the hallmark of innerspring mattresses for decades. However, it is the combined action of the viscoelastic topping and the personalized response of the upper pocketed coils that lend it the conforming action that sets it apart from ordinary coil mattresses.
If you’re looking for something more adaptive and pressure relieving than a simple innerspring but not so much that coils aren’t part of the formula anymore, the Saatva has plenty to offer via its three different firmness levels.
You’re overweight: The medium-firm response of an all-foam mattress such as the Tuft and Needle may not be enough to offer adequate support to the frame of a bulky individual – sooner or later, you would find yourself sunken into the mattress – and this in itself may lead to back pain issues.
The rigid support offered by the Firm variant of the Saatva, on the other hand, will be able to sustain the weight of an obese person much better – and for longer (steel is quite durable after all).
You’d like to sleep on an organic surface: If you are uneasy about sleeping on a synthetic surface (even though the materials present in the Tuft and Needle’s cover aren’t harmful), the Saatva’s pure organic cover makes it the only right choice in this context.
A Euro pillow top is important for you: If you’re willing to pay a little extra over the T & N, the Saatva’s Euro top brings plenty of luxurious, soft cushioning that is normally seen in elite hotel suites.
Edge support is critical: The Saatva’s solid edge support has already been mentioned above, and if you intend to use the sides of the mattress to read to your child, for instance, the Saatva is the better option compared to the Tuft and Needle.
A longer trial is needed: If you’re not certain of whether you need a new mattress or not, or you anticipate that your needs may change, the Saatva’s longer trial period (by 20 nights) gives you a greater timeframe to give it a try and judge its worth. Still, it is only a fair to point out that the Tuft and Needle also has a 100-night trial and is much cheaper – if you’re budget bound, that is almost as good an offer.
Tuft and Needle
Here are a few reasons to get the T & N instead of the Saatva:
You’re budget bound: The Tuft and Needle is one of the cheapest mattresses in the market which incorporates foams of such high density (which translates into durability and high performance), so if you’re restricted in your budget but still want to get a new mattress that will provide you a respectable level of comfort and support for many years, the Tuft and Needle may be the better choice over the Saatva.
You want an all-foam mattress that is highly responsive yet contouring: If you’re not interested in sleeping on a stiff, springy mattress (in relative terms, the Saatva’s spring coils make it so), then the all-foam construction of the Tuft and Needle mattress makes it the clearly better option. Plus, the proprietary foam used in the comfort layer makes it a lot more contouring and adaptive than an ordinary polyfoam bed selling it a similar price from a more reputed brand.
You tend to sweat a lot: The fact that I’m recommending a mattress with a synthetic cover over one with a pure organic cover is strange enough to hear, but the Tactel® fabric present in the former is simply more breathable than cotton, which translates into better moisture wicking. In other words, if you live in a warm or humid climate, or you have an inclination to sweat in your sleep, the Tuft and Needle could actually make for a better sleep experience.
Hopefully, you learned something useful from this Saatva vs Tuft and Needle comparison – if you did, please also share it with others who are looking to get a new mattress. If there are any further questions or perhaps some feedback, please leave it in the comments section.
Saatva vs Sleep Number Comparison
| Saatva | Tuft and Needle | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers Used |
|
|
| Height | 11.5 inches / 14.5 inches | 10 inches |
| Firmness | Soft, Medium-Firm, Firm | Medium-Firm |
| Motion Transfer | Minimal | Small |
| Breathability | Slightly below average (for an innerspring product) |
Slightly below average |
| Trial Period | 120-day | 100-day |
| Warranty | 15-year non-prorated | 10-year |
| Pricing (Queen) | $1,199 | $$$ |
| Shipping | Free across the US | Free |
| Discount | None at present | None at present |