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Bed in a box: What you need to know

The concept of a bed in a box has revolutionised the mattress-buying process. Here's everything you need to know about the trend that's disrupting the sleep industry.

Georgia-Rose Johnson
Georgia-Rose Johnson

Updated

Fact checked

The days of spending your Saturday mornings slogging around a mattress showroom, pursued by pushy salespeople are officially over. The concept of a bed in a box is being embraced by mattress retailers and consumers alike.

What's in this guide?

  1. What is a bed in a box?
  2. Pros and cons of buying a bed in a box
  3. Which brands offer a "bed in a box"?
  4. How to unbox a "bed in a box"
  5. Frequently asked questions

What is a bed in a box?

A bed in a box is exactly what it sounds like! It’s a mattress, usually made from a combination of high quality memory foam and springs, that has been compressed to fit neatly into a box perfectly sized for home delivery.

The idea of a bed in a box was made possible by new packaging techniques and advances in mattress materials that enabled the once-bulky mattresses of the past to be vacuum-packed neatly into a small, easy-to-manage box. Once the concept was proven successful, it didn’t take long for it to catch on.

Pros and cons of buying a bed in a box

Pros

  • Buy from the comfort of your home with a few simple clicks. No trip into town required
  • 100-night free trial offered by most brands
  • Free delivery offered by most brands
  • Direct-to-consumer sale cuts out the middleman and reduces cost
  • Compressed size makes moving the mattress around (for example, upstairs) much easier

Cons

  • You can’t try the mattress before you buy (although you will usually get a free trial period)
  • Without the advice of a mattress salesperson (even a pushy one) it can be harder to buy the right mattress for you
  • The mattresses cannot be re-boxed and so, once opened, are as hard to manoeuvre as traditional mattresses

Which brands offer a “bed in a box”?

eve mattress logo
Casper Sleep logo
Leesa logo
Simba Sleep logo
Dreams logo
wayfair mattress logo

How to unbox a “bed in a box”

Preparing your bed couldn’t be easier.

  1. Carry your new mattress in its compact box to your bedroom.
  2. Open the box and remove the rolled mattress.
  3. Unroll the mattress directly onto the bed frame.
  4. Remove the protective plastic from the mattress.
  5. Leave the mattress to expand – it may take up to 48 hours for the full shape to be attained.

Frequently asked questions

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