How to Buy a Mattress Online Without Trying It
- Match firmness to your position: side 3 to 6, back and combination 5 to 8, stomach 7 to 10 on a 10-point scale.
- Sticking with a mattress type you already sleep well on, such as memory foam or hybrid, makes an untested feel less of a gamble.
- Before ordering, read the trial length, any minimum nights before a return, pickup or restocking fees, and the sag depth the warranty covers.
To buy a mattress online without trying it, match the firmness to your sleeping position and weight, choose a type whose feel you already like, and order only after reading the home trial, return, and warranty terms. A home trial gives you weeks of real sleep to judge fit, not a few minutes on a showroom bed.
The steps below walk through each choice in order, with a firmness chart by sleeping position, a comparison of mattress types, what to look for in reviews, the terms to check before you order, and what to do when the box arrives. If you want the full decision process, start with how to choose a mattress.
Top Recommended Mattress: Amerisleep AS3
For side, back, and combination sleepers buying a mattress online without trying it first, my top mattress recommendation is the Amerisleep AS3, a memory foam mattress rated 5 to 6 out of 10. Its medium feel sits inside this guide’s firmness ranges for all three positions, the overlap that matters most when you cannot test a bed first. On my side, my shoulders and hips sank in just enough while my midsection stayed supported. It also suits couples. It comes with a 100-night trial and a 20-year warranty.
How to Buy a Mattress Online Without Trying It
Buying a mattress sight unseen comes down to eight steps, taken in order so each one narrows the field for the next.
- Take notes on your current bed. Write down what you like and dislike about the mattress you sleep on now: how firm it feels, how far you sink in, and whether you wake up warm.
- Set your firmness range. Start with your usual sleeping position, then adjust one step if your body weight falls outside the typical range.
- Pick a mattress type. Choose memory foam, latex, hybrid, or innerspring by the feel you want, and lean toward a type you already sleep well on.
- Measure for fit. Confirm the size and height work with your bed frame, your room, and the route from the front door to the bedroom.
- Set a budget. Decide what you will spend before sale banners pull you toward a pricier bed.
- Read reviews and spec sheets. Favor reviewers who sleep the way you do, and compare layers, height, and certifications rather than model names.
- Read the fine print. Check the trial, return costs, warranty, and delivery options before you pay.
- Give it time at home. Let the mattress expand fully, then give your body a few weeks to adjust before you decide to keep it.
Steps 1, 4, and 5 take only a few minutes. The sections below cover the other five in more detail.
Should You Buy a Mattress Without Trying It?
Yes, buying a mattress without trying it is a sensible choice for most shoppers, as long as the seller offers a home trial with clear return terms. A few minutes on a showroom bed tells you less than several weeks of sleeping on it at home, which is what a trial allows.
| Factor | Buying online | Buying in a store |
|---|---|---|
| Trying the bed | Not before you buy; the home trial is your test | Yes, though usually for only a few minutes |
| Selection | Many brands and models to compare in one sitting | Limited to what the store carries |
| Price | Often lower, since direct sellers tend to have lower overhead and run frequent discounts | Tends to be higher for a similar build |
| Sales pressure | None; you set the pace | A salesperson may steer you toward pricier models |
| Delivery | Usually ships compressed in a box | Often delivered full size, sometimes with setup |
| Returns | Set by the seller’s trial terms | Set by the store; some allow exchanges only |
If buying sight unseen still feels risky, a store visit can help even when you plan to order online. Lie on a few types to learn which feel you like, note the firmness ratings of the ones that suit you, and then compare those specs online.
What Firmness Should You Choose Without Testing a Mattress?
Choose firmness by your sleeping position, then adjust for body weight: medium-soft to medium (3 to 6) for side sleepers, medium to medium-firm (5 to 8) for back and combination sleepers, and medium-firm to firm (7 to 10) for stomach sleepers. These ranges come from Sleep Junkie’s mattress firmness scale, which runs from 1 (softest) to 10 (firmest).
| Sleeping position | Firmness | Scale range | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | Medium-soft to medium | 3 to 6 | Lets the shoulder and hip sink in so the spine stays closer to neutral |
| Back | Medium to medium-firm | 5 to 8 | Keeps the hips from sinking below the shoulders |
| Stomach | Medium-firm to firm | 7 to 10 | Holds the hips up so the lower back does not arch |
| Combination | Medium to medium-firm | 5 to 8 | Balances cushioning and support, and is easier to turn on |
These ranges assume a sleeper of about 130 to 230 pounds. Under 130 pounds, go one step softer; over 230 pounds, go one step firmer, and compare picks in the best mattresses for heavy people.
Firmness labels are not standardized across brands, so one brand’s medium can feel firmer than another’s. Go by the numeric rating rather than the label, and use your current bed as a reference point: if it feels too soft and you know its rating, shop one step firmer. Lying on my side, I pay attention to pressure at the shoulder and hip, which is usually the first place a bed that is too firm for side sleeping shows itself.
To compare finished beds by position, see the best mattresses for side sleepers, the best mattresses for stomach sleepers, and the best mattresses for combination sleepers. If you mainly sleep face up, the back sleeper guide covers how that position works. If you and a partner land in different ranges, a dual firmness mattress lets each side of the bed differ.
If you land in the medium range, the Amerisleep AS3 is rated 5 to 6 out of 10 and suits side, back, and combination sleepers.
Which Mattress Type Should You Buy Online?
The type least likely to surprise you is the one you already sleep well on, because you know its feel before the box arrives. If you want a change, match each type’s feel to what you want using the table below.
| Type | Feel | Heat | What to check online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory foam | Slow, close contouring that absorbs motion | Tends to hold more heat than other types; gel and open-cell versions feel cooler to the touch at first | Comfort layer thickness and how quickly the foam recovers |
| Latex | Buoyant and springy, quick to respond | Tends to trap less heat than memory foam | Natural or synthetic latex, and Dunlop or Talalay |
| Hybrid | Foam or latex over pocketed coils, with more bounce | Tends to trap less heat than all-foam beds | A comfort layer of at least 2 inches, the coil type, and edge support |
| Innerspring | Bouncy and traditional, with little contouring | Usually the most airflow | Coil type and how much padding sits on top |
When I change positions, I note how quickly the surface adjusts, and that is where memory foam and latex feel most different: memory foam lets you settle in slowly, while latex pushes back almost at once. If you change positions often and dislike a sinking feel, a latex or hybrid bed is usually the closer match.
For a closer look at each material, see what memory foam is, the latex mattress buying guide, and the hybrid mattress buying guide. Innerspring shoppers can go straight to the best innerspring mattresses, and the overview of types of mattresses compares every major build.
How Do You Read Mattress Reviews and Specs Before Buying?
Read reviews from people who sleep the way you do, and compare spec sheets by construction rather than model names, since you cannot feel the difference yourself. Favor reviewers who share your sleeping position and a similar body weight, because the same bed tends to feel softer to a heavier sleeper than to a lighter one.
Read the low ratings as well as the high ones, and look for patterns rather than single complaints: early sagging, a feel that runs softer or firmer than listed, or slow delivery and hard-to-reach service. Friends or family who own a bed on your list can tell you how it has held up, and a few minutes on theirs is better than none.
Independent reviews that test many beds the same way are easier to compare than one-off opinions. Sleep Junkie scores mattresses on value, edge support, trial period, response time, motion transfer, and cooling and breathability, and also assesses pressure relief and spinal alignment; the page on how Sleep Junkie tests mattresses explains each one. When I test edge support, I sit on the perimeter and watch how far it compresses, a check worth repeating at home if you sit on the side of the bed to dress.
On the spec sheet, check total height, what each layer is made of, the coil type in a hybrid, and any certifications. A certification covers only what it names: CertiPUR-US means the polyurethane foam was tested for content, emissions (low VOC), and durability by independent labs, while OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 means the textiles were tested for a list of harmful substances.
Before you order, send the seller’s customer service a question about firmness or delivery. A slow or vague answer now can hint at how a return might go later.
What Should You Check Before You Place the Order?
Before you place the order, check the trial and return terms, the warranty, the delivery method, old mattress removal, and whether the size and height suit your bed frame. These details decide what happens if the bed turns out to be wrong, which matters more when you have not tried it.
| What to check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Trial terms | The trial length, any minimum number of nights before a return, and whether you get a full refund or only an exchange |
| Return costs | Whether pickup is free or the seller charges shipping or restocking fees |
| Warranty | Its length, whether it is prorated in later years, and how deep a body impression must be to count as a defect |
| Delivery | Compressed in a box at your door, or full size with setup, and whether someone needs to be home |
| Old mattress removal | Whether the seller hauls away your old bed, and at what cost |
| Size and base | Standard dimensions (a queen is 60 x 80 inches), a height that suits your frame and sheets, and a base the mattress type can use |
For how trials work from start to finish, see the guide to mattress trial periods. To shop beds that come with a trial, start with the best mattresses with a free sleep trial. Online sellers run discounts often, so a sale deadline is no reason to skip these checks.
What Should You Do When the Mattress Arrives?
When the mattress arrives, unbox it on the base it will sit on, give it the expansion time the brand lists, and then sleep on it for about 30 nights before deciding whether to keep it. A boxed mattress is compressed and rolled for shipping, so it needs time to regain its full height and feel, and judging it on the first night can mislead you.
A new foam mattress often has a mild smell at first that tends to fade as the room airs out. Your body also needs time to adjust to a different surface, and new foam can feel a little firmer at first before it softens slightly with use. Sleep on it every night rather than switching back to the old bed.
On my back and stomach, I check whether my hips stay level with my shoulders, and that is an easy check to repeat at home. Note how your shoulders, hips, and lower back feel each morning, too, so you have a record if you decide to exchange it.
If the bed still feels wrong after the adjustment period, contact the seller well before the trial ends, since pickups can take time to schedule. The guide on how to return a mattress walks through the process.
Bottom Line
Buying a mattress online without trying it works best when you choose firmness by sleeping position and weight, stay close to a type you already know, and read the trial, return, and warranty terms before you pay. Then give the bed about 30 nights before you decide. When you are ready to compare boxed beds, start with the best mattresses in a box. If you want one medium all-foam bed to start with, the Amerisleep AS3 ships compressed in a box and comes with a 100-night trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you try an online mattress before you buy it?
Sometimes you can, because some online brands run showrooms or sell through retail stores where you can lie on a model before ordering it. A friend who owns the same bed may let you try theirs, too. Otherwise, the home trial is your test, since you sleep on the mattress at home and can send it back within the trial under the seller’s terms.
Are mattresses cheaper online than in stores?
Online mattresses often cost less than comparable store models, because brands that sell direct tend to carry lower overhead and run sales often. Price alone can mislead, though. Compare construction, height, trial length, and warranty side by side, since a lower price can mean thinner comfort layers or stricter return terms.
How long does a mattress in a box take to expand?
Expansion starts the moment you cut the plastic, but reaching full height and feel can take longer, so follow the wait time in the brand’s instructions before you judge the firmness. Open it in the room where it will stay, since a heavy mattress is easier to carry while it is still rolled up in its packaging.
How long does it take to get used to a new mattress?
Plan on about 30 nights to get used to a new mattress. That gives your body time to settle into a different surface and gives new foam time to break in a little. Judge the bed at the end of that stretch rather than in the first week, and make your keep-or-return call while the trial is still open.
What if a mattress you bought online feels too firm or too soft?
If it still feels too firm or too soft after the adjustment period, ask the seller for an exchange or a return before the trial ends. Some sellers let you swap for a different firmness, while others offer only a refund, and some charge pickup or restocking fees, so check the terms in your order confirmation first.
