The Best Place To Buy a Mattress

If you’re looking for the best mattress for your budget, taking the time to plan when and where to make your purchase could help you save big.

I recently reviewed the latest Consumer Reports recommendations on where to buy a mattress and started comparison shopping. While Consumer Reports members can view the full study online, you can also see the highlights below. At those retailers, and at other popular mattress stores, I looked at the lowest available price of queen-size mattresses to determine where you’ll find the best deal.

This article was updated in April 2024 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.

When and Where To Buy the Best Cheap Mattress

Money expert Clark Howard loves warehouse clubs for in-store mattress shopping, but online mattress companies have created fierce competition with solid return policies.

“The advantage of all the bed-in-a-box things is the ultra-long warranties,” says Clark Howard. “What I love about all of them is this range to try it for three months, six months or a year.”

As far as when you’ll be seeing the most deals, February, May and November are promising months. Look for deals around major holidays including Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, and Black Friday.

In this article, I’ll take a close look at the best stores to check out while shopping for a cheap mattress. I’ll cover where to buy a mattress online and when you’re most likely to swing a great deal throughout the year. 

The Best Place To Buy a Mattress

Where you decide to buy your new mattress not only affects the price you’ll pay, but it also could make a huge difference if you aren’t satisfied with your purchase.

Whether you’re shopping for a new or used mattress, you’ll most likely get the best deal by shopping online. If you prefer to try out a mattress in-person, you’ll be able to swing a reliable deal from warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam’s Club.

Based on ratings from Consumer Reports, here are a few of the most highly-rated places to shop for a new mattress that also have average or higher ratings in the “price satisfaction” category:

• Amazon
• Casper
• Costco
• Denver Mattress Company
• Macy’s
• Mattress Warehouse
• The Original Mattress Factory
• Raymour & Flanigan
• Saatva
• Tuft and Needle
  

I looked at some of the most affordable queen-size mattresses available online at these retailers as well as the prices at five other popular furniture stores. Here’s what I found in April 2024.

If you’re on a penny-pinching budget, you’ll most likely be able to find the cheapest mattress at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Mattress Warehouse, Walmart, Wayfair, or even Amazon.

Additionally, warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco also feature a great selection of affordable mattresses. Plus, for the most part, these warehouse clubs offer unbeatable return policies. 

Some of the pricier retailers, such as Tuft & Needle, Casper and Saatva, also offer great trial periods for their products. You should be able to catch deals and markdowns at these stores throughout the year.

When you find a mattress you like, take the time to comparison shop. You may be able to find a cheaper, similar alternative at a different store online.

Clearly, there are a few things to consider beyond the price when it comes to buying a mattress, especially if you aren’t able to test it out first. It’s important to read reviews and familiarize yourself with the store’s return policy on mattresses before making your purchase.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of the best places to buy a mattress.

The Best Places To Buy a Mattress

Buying a mattress online is one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting a great price. Since mattresses are such a crucial part of our health and comfort, it’s important that you’re happy with what you’ve purchased. 

Even after you’ve found what looks like the perfect mattress, take the time to read reviews and understand the store’s return policy. 

Here are a few things to know about some of the best, most affordable places to buy a mattress online. 

Mattress Warehouse

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $89.99-$8,699.99 Brands: Casper, Comfort Essentials, Nectar, Purple, Sealy, Sorta, Tempur-Pedic and more Trial Period/Return Policy: Comfort guarantee on most brands after 30 days of use for up to 100 days

When I checked mattress prices recently, Mattress Warehouse offered the second-most affordable selection for a 9”-10” queen mattress just behind Bed, Bath & Beyond. However, Mattress Warehouse offers a 100-day comfort guarantee for most mattress brands, which means you can easily return your mattress if you aren’t satisfied with it. 

Consumer Reports ranks Mattress Warehouse third in its mattress ratings and reviews just behind Original Mattress Factory and Saatva. Mattress Warehouse received perfect scores in the service, on-time delivery, quality of delivery and floor model cleanliness categories.

Walmart

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $148-$762 Brands: Linenspa, Sealy, Serra, Zinus and more Trial Period/Return Policy: 90-day trial period on mattresses sold by Walmart

Walmart offers some of the cheapest mattress options online, but it’s important to make sure you’re ordering directly from Walmart online. Third-party sellers, which also sell mattresses on the Walmart website, have their own return policies which can vary greatly. 

Mattresses sold by Walmart are eligible for a 90-day trial period. If you don’t like what you’ve purchased at any point during the first three months, you can call customer service to facilitate a return by freight. While you’ll be able to get a refund, you will have to pay return delivery fees. 

Wayfair

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $159.99-$11,502 Brands: Casper, Sealy, Serra, Tempur-Pedic, Wayfair Sleep and more Trial Period/Return Policy: 100-night trial

Wayfair also offers a huge selection of mattresses from several different popular brands. In addition to variety and great prices, you’ll find sales and markdowns frequently throughout the year. 

In order to ensure satisfaction, the company offers a 100-night trial. If during that time you decide to upgrade your mattress to a more expensive option, you’ll simply have to pay the difference. You can also choose to receive a full refund, though return shipping costs will be deducted.

Amazon

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $110.99-$3899 Brands: Amazon Basics, Casper, Lucid, Zinus and more Trial Period/Return Policy: Request a return or refund for any reason within 100 days of receipt of shipment

Amazon also offers a great online selection of mattresses at affordable prices. In fact, Consumer Reports ranks Amazon as one of the top ten places to buy because of its low prices and impressive selection. Plus, you can return your mattress for a refund if you aren’t happy with it within the first 100 days.

Since Amazon does allow third-party sellers, some shipping and return policies may vary from brand to brand. Be sure to read before you buy and determine the length of the trial period. Many of the mattress brands sold on Amazon offer free shipping and returns — but not all of them.

Sam’s Club

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $129-$4,699 Brands: Lucid, Novaform, Sealy, Serta, Tempur-Pedic, Zinus and more Trial Period/Return Policy: Trial period varies by brand; mattresses can be returned at any time

For a nice balance of affordability and a solid refund policy, warehouse stores are a great place to shop. Sam’s Club offers reasonably priced mattresses from brands including Serta, Tempur-Pedic, Zinus and more. Queen mattresses start as low as $130. 

As far as trial periods go, Sam’s Club offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee that allows you to return your mattress at any time. You can call customer service to facilitate a return for any reason, but you will be charged a return fee unless you’re a Plus Member. Select mattress brands available at Sam’s Club are also eligible for a trial period of up to 100 nights. Trial periods vary by brand.

Denver Mattress Company

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $274.99-$7,495 Brands: Aireloom, Denver Mattress, Purple, Sealy, Stearns & Foster and Tempur-Pedic Trial Period/Return Policy: 100% credit towards refund or exchange for the first four months after purchase

Denver Mattress Company may not offer the absolute cheapest selection of mattresses, but you will find an excellent selection and a decent return policy. 

According to Consumer Reports, Denver Mattress Company ranks fourth among competitors behind Original Mattress Factory, Saatva and Mattress Warehouse. It received above-average scores in the service, customer support, selection, on-time delivery, quality of delivery and floor model cleanliness categories. 

If you purchase a mattress from Denver Mattress Company, you’ll be covered by a 365 Night Better Sleep Guarantee and Warranty. However, that doesn’t mean you can return your mattress for a full refund a year later. Instead, you can get a full refund or exchange within the first four months after purchase. After four months, you’ll receive partial credit towards an exchange (no refunds).

Costco

Shop Now Price Range for a Queen Mattress: $399.99-$2,699.99 Brands: Casper, Kirkland Signature, Novaform, Purple, Sealy, Tempur-Pedic, Tuft & Needle and more Trial Period/Return Policy: Full refund at any time

While you can find cheaper mattresses online, mattresses at Costco are still among the more affordable options. It’s an especially great choice if you’re hoping to pick out a mattress in-person at the store. You’ll find great prices as well as peace of mind when it comes to returning a mattress.

“Any mattress you buy there, you can return it forever,” says money expert Clark Howard. “There’s no limit.”

If you make your purchase online, Costco will help facilitate the return for you. If you buy a mattress in the store and want to return it, you’ll have to bring it back yourself. For this reason, I recommend making your final purchase online (even if you visit the store first to shop for a mattress in person.)

Be sure to check out these tips for buying furniture at Costco before buying. 

The Best Time To Buy a Mattress

No matter where you decide to buy your mattress, you may be able to get an even better deal by waiting until the right time of year. 

Holiday weekends are always a great time to look for deals on major purchases. Specifically, you’ll see markdowns for mattresses around Presidents’ Day, the Fourth of July Memorial Day and Black Friday. Prices will also be more competitive during Cyber Monday, Amazon Prime Day and just before new inventory rolls out in June. 

To see how mattress prices vary throughout the year, I used Camelcamelcamel to track the price history of a few mattresses at Amazon. Even if you don’t plan on buying a mattress at Amazon, you can bet that the price drops are in line with other competitive retailers throughout the year. 

In April 2024, I tracked the history of a Lucid 10″ Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress using Camelcamelcamel. Here’s what I found:

As you can see, the price fluctuated several times within a year. The lowest price was $288.98 while the highest price was $385.24 for this mattress. That means there was an ultimate savings opportunity of $96.26 simply by making this purchase at the right time!

The lowest prices in the past year appeared in May, November, February and April. That means you’d likely find a great deal on this mattress during President’s Day, Spring/early Summer sales and Black Friday.

As of April 2024, the Novilla 12″ gel memory foam mattress seemed to be following a familiar pattern with the biggest price drop of the past year happening around Black Friday in November.

With this mattress, the price seems to change more regularly. For this reason, it’s important to check the price history to see if you may be able to get a better deal by waiting a week or a month for a price drop.

Let’s look at one final example. This Linenspa 8″ memory foam and innerspring hybrid mattress also experienced dynamic pricing in the past year. 

The lowest price on this mattress was available just around Black Friday: $159. Earlier in the year, prices began to drop around May.

You’ll see that prices begin to fluctuate on nearly all mattresses in late spring and throughout the summer. New models of mattresses start hitting the shelves around June. That makes Memorial Day another great time to find a deal.

Final Thoughts

If you’re shopping for a new mattress, it’s important to find what works best for you. For that reason, it’s important to consider the store’s return policy as well as the price of the mattress before you buy it. 

You’ll find the some of the most affordable mattresses online at Mattress Warehouse, Walmart and Wayfair with good return policies overall. Warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco also offer great prices in addition to full refunds on mattresses, which make purchasing there worth it. 

Consider buying a mattress during holiday weekends in February, May and November for the best prices of the year.

More Ways to Save: 

• Shop online. It’s easy to price compare, and you’re going to have access to more options and deals year-round. If you aren’t sure where to start, Clark recommends checking Consumer Reports. There, members can find the latest reviews and ratings on quality mattresses.
• Look for coupons, promo codes and discounts. In addition to holiday sales and clearance markdowns, you can often get a better price by searching for available rebates, promotions or additional savings.
• Get rid of your old mattress for free. You can donate your mattress to the Salvation Army for a tax deduction. They’ll accept a mattress as long as it’s newer than 2007 and has no rips, tears or damage. You can even call to schedule a free pickup or set one up online!

Be sure to check out ClarkDeals for the best mattress deals available now from around the web! You can also sign up for Clark’s free newsletters for more ways to save throughout the year.

What’s the best mattress deal you’ve seen? Let us know in the Clark.com community!