I'm a Sleep and Mattress Expert. Here Are the Best Retailers for Your Next Bed

I'm a Sleep and Mattress Expert. Here Are the Best Retailers for Your Next Bed

Planning to order your new bed from an online mattress store? Finding the perfect deal that saves you money can get tricky because of all the options out there. As a sleep and mattress expert, I know the best mattresses — but I’ve also learned that some of the best deals can be found at your favorite retailers and department stores. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, here’s why you might want to check out a high-quality mattress at Costco, Walmart, Target or Amazon.

How we sort our mattresses

MATTRESSES DEALS OF THE WEEK

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

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Cole Kan/CNET

What We Updated: June 2025

We added a direct recommendation section to each review and a comparison table. The beds on this list were updated.

Best mattress retailers

Pros

  • Extremely affordable hybrid mattress
  • Responsive and bouncy feel
  • Ideal for back, stomach and combination sleepers

Cons

  • Might be too firm for strict side sleepers, especially those under 130 pounds

Why we chose this bed: Allswell is another example of a retailer-exclusive mattress brand. While we knew this Walmart-owned brand back when it had its own website, it’s now sold exclusively at Walmart. Not only do I consider the Allswell mattress the best bed sold at Walmart, but it also made our Best Mattress list as the best value mattress. You sleep more on top of the bed rather than sinking into it like memory foam. I consider this a very simple mattress, similar to a traditional innerspring bed with an added cushion of foam — all at an unbeatable price. 

Who should get it: The Allswell mattress is 10 inches thick and has three layers of foam, pocketed coils and a knitted top cover. This construction, along with its high-density foam base, makes it ideal for those looking for support and a bed that’s medium to medium-firm. It’s one of the most affordable hybrid beds out there, so those on a budget will love it. 

Who shouldn’t: I find this bed to be slightly firmer since I’m on the petite side. Lighter, strict side sleepers also might find the Allswell mattress a bit too firm.

Pros

  • Excellent pressure relief, especially when side sleeping
  • You sink into the mattress rather than sleeping on top of it
  • Top-notch motion isolation

Cons

  • Minimal edge support
  • Not enough support for anyone over 230 pounds

Why we chose this bed: The Nectar Premier mattress is supportive, durable and a bit more responsive than traditional memory foam or its flagship Nectar mattress. Nectar recently gave this mattress a makeover, and you can find the new model on Amazon. For a high-quality memory foam mattress, it’s priced fairly and is often on sale. 

Who should get it: The Nectar Premier mattress is 13 inches thick. Although it isn’t as dense and slow-moving as the Nectar flagship mattress, it’s still great for memory foam lovers since it has that traditional feel. The Nectar Premier is around a medium firmness, making it suitable for any sleeping position.

Who shouldn’t: It’s available in an all-foam and hybrid construction, but I recommend the hybrid for heavier people or those around or over 250 pounds. It is also a bit more bouncy and a lot more supportive.

Pros

  • Medium firmness level is accommodating for all sleeping positions
  • Comfortable neutral-foam feel
  • Heavy-duty hybrid construction supports average to heavy body types

Cons

  • Not ideal for someone who wants a very soft or very firm bed
  • The two layers of coils may be overkill for people under 150 pounds

Why we chose this bed: Leesa’s Legend Hybrid mattress is a quality mattress that’s already fairly affordable, but those with a Costco membership can save even more. During a Leesa sale, you can save around $700 off a queen mattress, but Costco members can grab a queen-size for $800 to $1,000 less than that. Not only is that deal hard to pass up, but the Legend Hybrid is comfortable, supportive and great for all sleeping positions.    

Who should get it: Leesa is one of my favorite mattress brands. I love that the hybrid beds have very supportive coils, but they’re pocketed in a casing to optimize comfort. This Leesa mattress is for those who want the support of coils but don’t want to feel them while lying on the bed (like you would with traditional innerspring mattresses). Overall, the Legend Hybrid is around a medium-firm, making it great for back and stomach sleepers. Some side sleepers may also like how it cradles pressure points and is more responsive than memory foam.   

Who shouldn’t: The Legend Hybrid has two layers of coils — something very unique for hybrid beds. This makes the mattress extra supportive and durable. That being said, it might be too supportive for petite sleepers looking just for pressure relief.

Pros

  • Cool-to-the-touch cover 
  • Dense memory foam feel
  • Top-tier motion isolation

Cons

  • High price
  • Dense memory foam feel isn’t for everyone

Why we chose this bed: True memory foam lovers should be familiar with Tempur-Pedic. Known for its traditional memory foam feel, Tempur-Pedic also tries to combat dense foam’s heat retention with cooling features. The Tempur-Pedic Pro-Adapt mattress is no different. 12 inches thick, the mattress is made of three layers of foam, a layer of coils and a cool-to-the-touch cover.   

Who should get it: The Pro-Adapt from Tempur-Pedic is one of the few mattresses we’ve tested that’s actually cool to the touch, so it’s ideal for hot sleepers. The cover has phase-change materials woven into it, so it feels cool and helps dissipate heat throughout the night.

Who shouldn’t: While the foam version of this mattress is available in three firmness options, the hybrid is only available in medium. If you’re looking for a softer, hybrid mattress, I recommend the Helix Sunset Luxe instead.

Pros

  • Extremely breathable because of Purple grid technology
  • Soft enough to relieve pain around hips and shoulders, but firm enough to support your spine
  • It’s suitable for every sleeper type

Cons

  • Might feel too strange for those who want a regular foam mattress
  • Not quite supportive enough in the long term for people over 230 pounds
  • Not ideal for people on a tight budget

Why we chose this bed: Mattress Firm is known for carrying numerous mattress brands, and its brick-and-mortar stores give shoppers an opportunity to test beds in person. Mattress Firm offers a lot of brands I’ve tested over the years, but the best bed it has to offer has to be the Purple mattress. Purple’s flagship bed is made with its unique GelFlex grid that’s similar to a flexible gel shoe insert. It’s supportive, breathable and offers great pressure relief. 

Who should get it: If you’re looking for a unique, breathable bed, this is it. As a hot sleeper, I appreciate the open-cell material. When I lie on my side, the material gives and cradles my hips. It also supports my spine while I lie on my stomach. From petite to average body types, this bed will support every sleeper type.     

Who shouldn’t: The Purple mattress might not be for everyone, given that it feels very different from a traditional bed. It also isn’t for those on a budget.

Pros

  • Affordable for people on a budget
  • Fans of true memory foam will love the material
  • Slightly firm, perfect for a back or stomach sleeper

Cons

  • Not quite supportive enough for people over 230 pounds in the long term
  • Not soft enough for a side sleeper and may cause resistance for a combination sleeper

Why we chose this bed: The Nectar Classic mattress is Nectar’s new flagship bed. While it’s a step down from the Nectar Premier, it’s still a quality mattress that most will find pretty comfortable. It’s made of three layers of foam, including a sturdy foam base and a breathable cover.  

Who should get it: If you’re a true lover of traditional memory foam, this bed is for you. It’s also a fairly affordable memory foam mattress for those on a budget. Average body types who prefer memory foam and sleep on their back or stomach should love this mattress. 

Who shouldn’t: I’m a lighter combination sleeper — meaning I switch between sleeping on my side and my stomach — and when I’m on my side, I find the Nectar mattress too firm. If you’re on the lighter side or are a side sleeper, I recommend finding a softer mattress.

Pros

  • Zoned memory foam makes it softer where you need it
  • Excellent motion isolation
  • Budget-friendly
  • Ideal for most sleeping positions

Cons

  • Not for those who want to sink into their mattress rather than sleep on top 
  • Not enough support for anyone over 230 pounds

Why we chose this bed: While the Casper Original mattress has been discontinued (Casper’s flagship mattress is now the Casper One), some online retailers still carry it, including Target. The Casper Original mattress was incredibly popular for a reason — it’s reasonably priced, made of three layers of foam and has special zoned support to help keep your spine aligned. It’s designed to appeal to a large audience of sleepers. 

Who should get it: One of my favorite aspects of the Casper Original is its zoned support. The middle layer of foam is softer around your head and shoulders but firmer around your hips, waist and lower back to help support your spine. This bed should appeal to those looking for this type of joint support and pressure relief. 

Who shouldn’t: This isn’t a cooling mattress, and since it’s made of memory foam, it may heat up on you during the night. Hot sleepers should consider a cooling or breathable mattress instead.

Best mattress retailers compared

Mattress Retailer Type Price Trial period Warranty
Allswell Walmart Hybrid $294 90 days 10-year limited
Nectar Premier Amazon Memory Foam $949 365 nights Forever
Leesa Legend Hybrid Costco Hybrid $1,949 100 nights Limited lifetime
Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Wayfair Hybrid $3,399 100 nights 10-year limited
Purple Mattress Firm Hyper-Elastic Polymer $1,499 120 nights 10-year limited
Nectar Classic Best Buy Memory foam $649 365 nights Forever
Casper Original Target Memory foam $1,295 120 nights 10-year limited

You have many options when it comes to a quality mattress, and there are many places to buy a new bed. Here are a few I recommend. 

Online retailers

Most of the best mattresses that I recommend are beds-in-a-box, meaning that they are shipped directly to your house. Due to this, you no longer need to mattress shop in person. From the comfort of your own home, I suggest looking for your next bed online at Amazon, Wayfair, Target, Walmart, Costco, Mattress Firm or even Best Buy. You can also visit some of these retailers in person. These online retailers are great for someone new to the online mattress space because they carry numerous brands to choose from.  

Mattress brands’ websites

If you are already familiar with a specific brand, I suggest looking at its website since there are a few perks of going directly there. One, the return and warranty policies tend to be better when you buy from a brand’s website. For example, Amazon has a very different return procedure than Leesa or Helix. Some brands even remove your old mattress for you. Additionally, brands might have better yearly sales or discounts. Check out our best mattress sales page for more information. 

Brick-and-mortar stores

While I’m a big believer in shopping online for a mattress, sometimes you need to test the bed in person before you decide on your purchase. Brick-and-mortar mattress stores are great for checking out mattresses you have never seen or touched. For example, I encourage anyone to research Purple thoroughly before buying any of its mattresses. The material is very unique and might be too polarizing to someone who hasn’t felt Purple’s FlexGrid before.   

Trial and warranty 

Always check that the free trial periods and warranties are similar to the polices offered on the brands’ direct websites. If the policies differ, always abide by the retailer’s trial and warranty.

Shipping and returns 

Retailers like Costco, Target and Amazon may have different shipping and return methods than traditional mattress brands. Make sure to double-check with the retailer before you buy. While the mattress may be shipped to your house in a box, the retailer might require you to return the mattress to the store. Some online bed-in-a-box brands have return policies where a worker will remove the mattress from your home for you; however, most retailers won’t offer this.

Deals

When deciding between online brands or in-store retailers, it’s important to compare deals during holiday sales. For example, while Casper’s website may not honor Amazon Prime Day, you can get a Casper mattress on Amazon during that time for a better price. However, I have found that mattress brands typically have better Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Memorial Day sales than Costco, Amazon or Target during these holidays.

Discontinued and exclusive beds 

Whether online or in-store, your favorite retailer might be one of the best places to buy a mattress. Many carry discontinued models or exclusive beds made just for them. I used to sleep on the Casper Select from Costco, and while it isn’t my favorite mattress, I got it for an incredibly low price. And Costco is the only retailer that sells this mattress; you can’t even get it directly from Casper, one of the top online mattress manufacturers. Retailers may also sell discontinued mattresses that brands no longer offer. For example, Target carries the Casper Original, a bed that’s no longer available on Casper’s website.

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