‘Buying a mattress online, unseen and untested, takes a lot of courage’

I have to admit, I’m a little old school! Every mattress I have ever bought, until now, I have bought from a department store, taking my time to lie on each mattress and consider its strengths and weaknesses. I’m also a prolific traveller, well versed in which hotels have a ‘good bed’ that you can look forward to sleeping in. 

So when the time came to replace the mattress for my king-sized bed after more than a decade of use, it was uncomfortable to consider the many new ways people buy mattresses today. Should I really buy a mattress online, unseen and untested, just based on customer reviews or words on a flashy website? Should I buy my favourite hotel mattress from one of the hotel beds websites? Or should I go back to a department store to ‘try before I buy’, then wait six weeks for a new mattress to arrive? 

In the end, I made a list, sat down with my husband and had a discussion about the brave new world of mattress buying. He was sceptical about the ‘new ways’ to do this, but he humoured me and today we’re the proud owner of a mattress that can be ordered online from Eva Mattress and it costs less than $1,000 – but the sleep is as good as the Rydges hotel bed I used to look forward to on my stays in Sydney!

I had a few things on my list I needed us both to consider. Perhaps you can relate?

1. What features did we want in a mattress and what comes standard today, that didn’t 10 – 15 years ago?

It’s funny how far mattress technology has come in the last two decades. Even the most basic of mattresses seem to come with gel or latex memory foam toppers, low disturbance inner spring technology and breathable materials. So really, all you are left to consider is the firmness of the mattress core and softness of the topper. There’s not much else to worry about (unless you have a specific need outside this).

This left me considering the mainstream lines of mattresses from every retailer. Some are wildly expensive, but in hindsight there is not a lot of structural difference I can see. 

2. What price point is fair to pay?

A quick look around on mattresses showed prices upwards of $1,800 for most king-sized mattresses. This was in line with my expectations: I’ve always assumed I had to pay a couple of thousand dollars or more to get a good quality product that would give me years of great sleep; anything cheaper felt like I was ‘trading down’ for my sleep. 

However, I remembered an exclusive deal we’d recently negotiated for Starts at 60 members where you could get a king-sized Eva Mattress for $875. I was thunderstruck. Could I get the same quality at a lower price? Or was it too good to be true?

To help make up my mind, I read the reviews, asked friends what they thought and spoke to the team at Eva Mattress, who reassured me that their product was worth considering. I decided to take the plunge, and I’m happy to say I was wrong – my new mattress really is as good as they promised!

3. How would I buy the bed?

Buying a mattress online, unseen and untested, seemed really brave. I visited several websites, compared the hotel bed mattress I loved to dream about and contemplated a trip to the department store. But then, I read about the new-world process of mattress manufacturers and supply chains and considered how I would benefit from buying from the manufacturer direct. 

After all, when you buy from a store, everyone has their hand in your pocket – the manufacturer, the brand, the distributor and the retailer – it adds up! I read that Eva is the opposite: they’re able to give customers such good prices without compromising on quality because they own the whole manufacturing process and sell direct to you online. That means no middlemen and no jacked-up retail prices, but the same quality and 12-year warranty as a store-bought mattress. 

4. What if I didn’t like it? 

I checked with Eva Mattress what their trial and returns policy was, and whilst impressed at their 120-night trial, I didn’t really want the inconvenience (and potential humiliation in front of the husband!) in case I got it wrong.

I procrastinated a little, thought it through and eventually decided I had nothing to lose but my pride. So I ordered the Eva Mattress and held my breath with anticipation. 

5. How long would my new mattress take to arrive? 

I am a naturally impatient person. I get frustrated when I buy a piece of longed-for furniture then have to wait six to 10 weeks for delivery. But my experience with the Eva Mattress was awesome. I ordered it and it was delivered the very next business day! The delivery team texted me to let me know it was coming and it arrived right when they said it would. That’s rare! 

The unboxing

You have to laugh at this! The mattress arrived in a rectangular box about two metres long and 50 centimetres wide. My husband and I stood over the box and he rolled his eyes at me, saying “I’m not so sure about this”. It looked like we’d made a mistake. There simply could not be a good quality king mattress in this small box, surely?

We persevered. We lifted the 60kg box into position on our base and followed the unboxing instructions that said, “Stand back 3 metres”.  

Within minutes we were standing in front of a fully unfurled, hotel-quality, king-sized mattress with a dreamy mattress topper and amazing spring structure. 

I have to say, I’m a convert! 

The first night’s sleep

This was the first new mattress we have had in over 10 years, so the first night’s sleep was one we were nervous about.  

My husband is not small, so we’ve always been aware of the dip created in the bed that can become a gully over time and the powerful anti-disruption springs needed to hold the bed steady for a good night’s uninterrupted rest. 

I have to report a rave review. This mattress is extremely comfortable. In fact, it’s as comfortable as the hotel bed mattress I hoped it would match up to. The pillow top is not too soft and the mattress is not too hard. And the springs are as still as you desire! It didn’t dip, sway or sink either.

The conclusion 

After the first night’s sleep I do not regret my Eva Mattress at all. In fact, I’m now an enthusiastic champion of online mattress buying and encourage you to reconsider the traditional approach. If you don’t have to spend your hard-earned retirement funds on an overpriced mattress and can get a wonderful bed for much less, why wouldn’t you? 

If you’re interested in getting a mattress like mine, don’t forget to use your exclusive Starts at 60 member discount! Eva Mattress has given our members an exclusive coupon code for $125 off any size mattress – make sure you are logged in to our site and go to the member centre to obtain the code. 

Not a member yet? It’s free to join. 

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