ÌÇÐÄVlog

Is Aldi’s mattress-in-a-box worth buying? Here’s what our experts say

Need a new mattress? Aldi is selling its bargain mattress-in-a-box range on Saturday 18 July as part of its Special Buys sale.

The prices are $149 for a single mattress, $179 for a king single, $199 for a double and $239 for a queen. The low cost is certainly enticing, especially when you consider that mattresses from other brands can stretch into the thousands. 

Aldi offers their bed-in-a-box mattresses up for sale about twice a year. Last year ÌÇÐÄVlog purchased a queen-sized mattress in the sale and tested it alongside other brands in our mattress reviews.

We can’t guarantee that the mattress we purchased last year is exactly the same as the models available this year, however our results give a good indication of what consumers can generally expect from this product range.

While our test results are available exclusively to ÌÇÐÄVlog members, we can reveal that the Aldi mattress was a standout performer in our review, which includes an expert round-up of 67 mattresses, including 29 mattress-in-a-box models.

“Last year’s Aldi mattress was one of the top scoring mattresses in our test,” ÌÇÐÄVlog mattress expert Peter Zaluzny says about that mattress.

“And you can pick up onefor less than $250. The performance results alone are impressive; the fact that it’s so cheap is a very nice cherry on top.”

To help you decide whether you should queue for one of these Aldi buys, we speak to Peter about the pros and cons of mattress-in-a-box mattresses and how to weigh up Aldi’s offer compared to other brands on the market.

What’s to like about the Aldi mattress-in-a-box? 

So how does Aldi’s bed-in-a-box compare with other mattresses?

We put an Aldi mattress through a series of performance tests (the full results of which you can find in our detailed scoring of the Aldi ‘Estelle by Sohl’ mattress). Here are the some of the important takeouts about this mattress.

Price 

With the Aldi queen mattress-in-a-box coming in at just under $240, it’s one of the cheapest mattresses on the market. It also outperformed the next-cheapest bed-in-a-box we have tested (the Zinus Support iCoil Pocket Spring Eurotop, which is $349).

So, if you’re on a tight budget, it’s a tick. And no haggling with a salesperson required. 

60-day guarantee 

If you happen to get it home and you’re not happy with it, Aldi has a 60-day returns or refunds policy on Special Buy items. You must have your receipt though, and the original packaging is preferred, which is a bit of a problem with this one (see ‘What’s not to like’ below). 

Keep in mind that it takes at least a few nights to adjust to a new mattress. Most bed in a box retailers recommend trying a mattress for 30 days to determine if it’s right for you.

Comfort 

The Aldi mattresses has a medium firmness feel and combines a memory foam pillow top comfort layer with pocket springs. Some people prefer this over a spring mattress as it moulds to the body for added comfort. 

But comfort is obviously subjective and some people don’t like that “sinking in” sensation. The benefit of these types of bed-in-a-box mattresses that combine both spring and foam is that it can be said you’re getting the best of both worlds. 

Early mattress-in-a-box models were mostly made of foam. But these days, spring and hybrid models are widely available as well. Remember to double check the materials before you buy, to match your comfort preferences.

What’s not to like? 

Potentially limited availability

Snapping up one of these mattresses involves heading instore and hoping that your local Aldi has stock in the size you are after, and it’s often a case of first in, best dressed. 

You can’t try before you buy 

This is a big one as you can’t try it instore. You’ll have to save the “lie down and see how it feels” test for when you’ve already bought the mattress, taken it home and unpacked it. 

It’s bulky and heavy, and Aldi doesn’t deliver 

Though Aldi hasn’t specified the weight for the mattress in this Special Buy, previous models weighed around 38kg. It’s fair to assume that the new one will be the same, or very similar.

It’s a heavy boy, in other words, so you’ll need a friend to help you transport it, and an appropriate-sized car. The box does come with wheels and carry handles though. 

Returning it will be a pain 

The product is a compressed mattress that expands when unpacked so it can’t be repacked into the box, and you’d have to lug it back to the store yourself. Other online retailers such as Koala, Sleeping Duck and Eva will come and collect your unwanted mattress for no extra charge within the trial period. 

Limited one-year warranty 

When you consider the fact that many mattresses (admittedly at a much higher price point) usually have a minimum 10 years’ warranty, one year seems short, and could be an indication of the manufacturer’s faith in their own product.

Similar bed-in-a-box offerings have 10-, 15- or even 25-year warranties. 

What ÌÇÐÄVlog staff say about Aldi mattresses

We spoke to two of our staff who bought the supermarket’s discount mattress when it was on sale in previous years, and here’s what they say.

On getting the mattress home:

• “Getting the queen mattress home wasn’t too difficult. It was quite heavy, but nothing my partner and I couldn’t handle. It fitted nicely into the back of our small sedan once we put the seats down. Opening the mattress was kinda fun. We’d never bought a bed-in-a-box before, so it was quite remarkable that the manufacturer was able to pack a plush mattress into a much smaller box. Watch out for the rapid expansion and leave enough space, as the mattress becomes large and heavy surprisingly fast.” 
• “I’d organised to borrow a van to transport the mattress home in, but I didn’t consider how heavy it is. We got some help instore, thankfully, but definitely don’t try to buy this and get it home on your own.” 

On comfort:

• “We have it on our guest bed, so I’ve only slept on it a few times myself and I liked it. All my guests have thought it was comfortable, even one who stayed for three months (I made sure to check!).” 
• “I sleep on it every night and I never really think about it being uncomfortable. There are no lumps and it fits to the contour of my body. It feels plush and soft without being wishy-washy. I always get a good night’s sleep. I normally prefer harder mattresses but I like this one. Considering how little we paid for it, this is fantastic. My only small gripe is that the edges are quite soft, which can make moving around on the bed slightly more cumbersome over a mattress with hard edges.” 

Would you recommend it?

• “Definitely. For price, convenience and quality.”
• “Yes I would. Who knows what it’ll be like in a few years time, but for the price, it’s been perfect for our needs.” 

Mattresses-in-a-box vs traditional models: What you should know

Mattresses-in-a-box are deoxygenated – enclosed in vacuum-sealed packaging – making it possible for them be transported in a box, earning them their nickname. Here are some things we’ve noticed over the years we’ve been testing mattress-in-a-box products.

Price

This type of mattress first entered the market in response to the often eye-watering mark-ups made on traditional mattresses sold in bricks-and-mortar stores. 

But although they used to be cheaper than conventional mattresses, usually costing no more than a thousand dollars for a queen-size mattress, we have noticed that bed-in-a-box prices have crept up and even surpassed the RRP of some models sold by traditional retailers.

There are still some affordable products available, however, the Aldi mattresses are significantly cheaper than most of the models we’ve tested (the mattress-in-a-box products in our latest review range in price from $219 for the Aldi model up to over $2000 for ‘luxe’ models from Koala and Sleep Firm).

Performance

Back when we first started testing mattresses, our results found that old-school spring models were the way to go. Then mattress-in-a-box models came along and wiped the bedroom floor of traditional retailers with consistently higher scores. But now, both categories are fairly evenly matched.

Of the 26 mattresses we currently recommend, 10 are from bricks-and-mortar retailers and 16 are delivered or available roll-packed in a box. Some of the most well-known bed-in-a-box brands that we’ve tested include Koala, Macoda and Ecosa.

“This is great news for consumers,” says ÌÇÐÄVlog mattress expert Peter Zaluzny. “There’s a great range of options of various types, materials, and builds such as foam or spring that are recommended by our experts, so you can really find a good-quality mattress that feels right for a solid sleep.”

“One person’s idea of the perfect comfy mattress may differ from another’s, but we’ve found that a mattress that costs $1000 or less can be just as comfortable, and perform just as well over its lifetime, as one priced at $3000–$5000.”

Convenience

One of the key advantages of buying a bed-in-a-box is being able to buy them online (without having to deal with a pushy salesperson instore) and trying them at home. 

The free trial period often lasts up to 100 nights, with some running to 120 and even 365 nights. If you don’t like the mattress, you can usually return it easily at no extra cost if you live in a metro area. (Unfortunately if you live in a rural area you may have to pay to return it.)

“Mattresses-in-a-box tend to use more foam and foam-like materials than spring mattresses, so they may not be for you if you prefer the feel of a traditional spring mattress. But that’s what the free trial period is for,” says Peter. 

“However, we’re seeing more and more spring mattresses from these manufacturers. You can no longer assume that a mattress-in-a-box is made of foam, which is why we include the core type and construction information in our test.”

Increasing competition

While the mattress-in-a-box market used to be dominated by just a handful of online-only brands, there is now much more competition in this category.  

The online-only mattresses-in-a-box retailers still have the advantage over instore retailers with their home trial offers. 

Many mattresses that are sold in bricks-and-mortar stores don’t offer a trial period or, if they do, it’s quite short: many are around 30 days.

And some mattresses-in-a-box offer adjustable firmness, allowing you to customise your mattress at home by adding or removing foam layers that are included in the box. 

We haven’t come across any retail models that have this level of customisation yet.

Become a ÌÇÐÄVlog member to access our full reviews and test results of mattresses-in-a-box brands and see who comes out on top. 

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Pru Engel

Pru Engel is the Audience and Engagement editor at ÌÇÐÄVlog. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at ÌÇÐÄVlog.  She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaigns team on content covering issues such as grocery pricing, product safety and scams.  Prior to ÌÇÐÄVlog, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.  Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney. Find Pru on .

Pru Engel is the Audience and Engagement editor at ÌÇÐÄVlog. Her job is to ensure as many Australians as possible know about the great work we do at ÌÇÐÄVlog.  She works closely with our testers and experts to find the gems of information in our data and research that will resonate with Australian consumers and help them make the best decisions, whether they're purchasing an air fryer, looking for a new mattress or trying to find the cheapest car insurance. She also helps to drive meaningful change for consumers by collaborating with our Campaigns team on content covering issues such as grocery pricing, product safety and scams.  Prior to ÌÇÐÄVlog, Pru worked as an editor at many of Australia's leading food and lifestyle titles.  Pru has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Journalism) from the University of Technology, Sydney. Find Pru on .