Tom's Guide Verdict
The Saatva Contour5 is a luxury memory foam mattress available in two firmness options (medium, and firm). We slept on it for over three weeks and conducted multiple tests as set out in our mattress methodology. We can now report that the Saatva Contour5 offers excellent comfort, support, motion isolation and pressure relief, but the edge support is mediocre (this is a similar story with comparable memory foam mattresses we've tested). We therefore recommend the Contour5 as the best choice for couples where one or both partners is a restless sleeper, and where one or both are dealing with general aches and pains that often wakes them from sleep. While Saatva includes the Contour5 in its cooling mattress collection, we've tested more powerful cooling mattresses. However the Contour5 doesn't retain excess body heat and is therefore a safe choice for hot sleepers who love the feel of contouring foam. It's expensive at $2,695 for a queen, but we feel it's comparable in terms of performance with the more expensive Tempur-Pedic Tempur-ProAdapt (the Saatva is actually cooler), so the price tag is justified.
Pros
- +
Doesn’t trap body heat
- +
Excellent pressure relief
- +
Excellent motion isolation
- +
Free mattress installation
Cons
- -
Mediocre edge support
- -
$99 returns fee
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Saatva Contour5 Mattress: Review in brief
- A comfortable premium foam mattress that contours the body
- Designed with cooling materials to wick away sweat
- Excellent motion isolation, but edge support is mediocre
The Saatva Contour5 Mattress is an all-foam bed from luxury sleep brand Saatva. Our review team slept on a king-size Saatva Contour5 in a medium feel to see how it compares to the top recommendations in our guide to this year's best mattresses for all sleepers — and if it can rival the Saatva Classic, our current top recommendation.
Below is our full Saatva Contour5 Mattress review, but if you're short on time we've covered all the main points and test data in our review in brief below. Here's what we discovered about the Contour5 during over three weeks of sleeping on it and testing it...
Best for: Most sleepers; couples
Type: Memory foam
Firmness: Medium or firm
Materials: Eco-friendly memory foam, recycled polyester, organic cotton cover
Depth: 12.5"
Weight: 55-118lbs
Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king
Prices: From $1,895 to $3,595 (MSRP)
We opted to test a medium firmness Saatva Contour5 and found that it delivers a full-body contour with superb pressure relief. Our lead reviewer is primarily a side sleeper and an occasional back sleeper, while their partner (our secondary tester) is primarily a stomach sleeper. Both found the Saatva Contour5 exceptionally comfortable in all positions.
Memory foam can sleep warm, but the Contour5 isn't the heat-trapping cheap all-foam bed you might be imagining. The adaptive cooling technology effectively disperses heat, keeping our hot sleeping lead tester a neutral temperature overnight.
Like the best memory foam mattresses we've tested, the Contour5 has good motion isolation. Although our secondary tester has a tendency to toss and turn, our lead tester could sleep soundly next to them. However, the edge support is average. Not unexpected for an all-foam bed, but disappointing from a mattress in this price bracket.
Unlike many mattresses sold online, the Saatva Contour5 isn't a mattress in a box. It's delivered flat, and comes with free white glove delivery, including in-room delivery and setup, and removal of your old mattress. You also get exceptional benefits, with a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty.
Plus, this eco-friendly mattress is CertiPUR-US certified. We'll explain all of that in more detail below. With our overall rating of 4.5 out of five stars, the Saatva Contour5 is worth checking out.
Saatva Contour5 Mattress review: Price & deals
- Sits in the middle of Saatva's price range
- More expensive than the average memory foam mattress
- Includes free white glove delivery, lifetime warranty, and 365-night trial
The Saatva Contour5 Mattress sits at the higher end of the mattress market; it's considered a luxury mattress in terms of price. A queen-sized Saatva Contour5 retails for $2,995 though it is often on sale for a bit less. Below is a Contour5 price break down:
- Twin MSRP: $1,895 (on sale for $1,611)
- Twin XL MSRP: $1,995 (on sale for $1,696)
- Full MSRP: $2,795 (on sale for $2,376)
- Queen MSRP: $2,995 (on sale for $2,546)
- King MSRP: $3,595 (on sale for $3,056)
- Split king MSRP: $3,990 (on sale for $3,392)
- Cal king MSRP: $3,595 (on sale for $3,056)
Saatva mattress sales occur regularly throughout the year, with the best discounts typically around major holidays. The Saatva Black Friday sales have traditionally been the best time to invest in a premium Saatva mattress, but we've recently spotted excellent savings over other peak sales, such as Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The best Saatva sales offer either $400 off or 15% off all sizes of the Contour5 mattress. If you're after a queen size, the 15% off deal is the better option (just), but both deals offer a decent saving on this premium bed. Whatever the price, the benefits are exceptional, as you get a full year trial to test the bed, a lifetime warranty, and free white glove delivery including old mattress removal.
Even in the sale, the Contour5 remains in the high-end category. In comparison our best memory foam mattress pick, the Nectar Classic, generally retails at $649 for a queen. And the Saatva Loom & Leaf Mattress is a (slightly) cheaper all-foam bed from Saatva. Still, the Saatva Contour is such a comfortable mattress that it’s worth considering, especially if you can get it in a good sale.
Saatva Contour5 Mattress review: Design
- An all-foam mattress featuring dense memory foam
- Measures 12.5" tall with six internal layers
- Features a multiple foams including a dense 5lb memory foam core
The Saatva Contour5 has six internal layers, starting with a smooth knit cover. This cover is made from organic cotton, a naturally breathable and hypoallergenic fabric for a healthier and cooler night’s sleep. It’s also treated with a botanical microbial treatment to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. Beneath this sits a thin, non-toxic flame barrier that wraps all the way around the mattress.
Next is the zoned lumbar support and cooling layer, located in the central third of the mattress. This features a phase change material to absorb and dissipate heat for enhanced cooling, which, in turn, improves support (memory foam typically softens when warm).
After this is a 1.5-inch thick gel-infused high-density memory foam, for body contouring support and pressure relief. Airflow channels are found throughout this layer, to prevent you from sleeping hot. The next layer is the body-hugging, luxurious core of the mattress. It’s made from 3 inches of dense, 5lb ultra-premium memory foam that gives the mattress even more pressure relief and cradling comfort, plus improved durability.
The transition layer follows, and this two-inch foam layer varies depending on if you opt for the Contour5 in a Medium or Firm feel. Finally, a six-inch high-density foam layer provides a stable base and is designed to offer improved edge support, durability, and stability.
Saatva Contour5 Mattress: Firmness & comfort
- Available in a Medium (5-7/10) and Firm (8/10) feel
- Suits all sleep styles; Medium best for side sleepers, Firm for front sleepers
- Body-hugging pressure relief and adaptive cooling technology
The Saatva Contour5 comes in two different levels of firmness: a Medium and a Firm. We tested the Medium, which Saatva rates as 5-7/10 on the firmness scale. We found it at the firmer end of this scale, and consider it medium-firm. The Firm option is rated 8/10 by Saatva and, based on our experience, we expect this to be largely accurate.
Name: Karen Freeman
Sleeping position: Side sleeper, occasional back sleeper
Sleep issues: Occasional overheating, aches and pains
Shares a bed: Yes
Testing period: Four weeks
Bedding used during review: Nylon/spandex sheets and microfiber sheets; lightweight microfiber quilt.
Other mattresses tested: Beautyrest Harmony Lux, Stearns & Foster Estate, Casper Snow
Our primary reviewer is primarily a side sleeper, but also sleeps on her back occasionally, while our secondary reviewer primarily sleeps on his stomach. The Medium mattress is touted as being for all sleep styles and we found this to be true, with both lead testers sleeping comfortably on the Contour5.
Generally, stomach sleepers will look for a firmer mattress, while back and side sleepers should pick a medium to medium-firm mattress. That's one of the advantages of the Contour5; it has a feel for every sleep style (although Saatva's flagship model, the Saatva Classic Mattress, is available in three feels).
A mattress that is too soft may feel nice at first, but if there isn't enough support, you can wake up with back or joint pain. The Saatva Contour5 Mattress manages an excellent balance of support and comfort. The upper foam layers have a cradling softness but the dense foams beneath provide full-body support. It’s definitely a bed you sink into, but never too far. It's a Goldilocks mattress — just right.
Firmness and comfort are both subjective, and body type does play a role in how you experience a bed. Generally, those with a bigger build will want to look for a mattress on the firmer side, and smaller body types will be more comfortable on a softer mattress.
Saatva Contour5 Mattress review: Performance
- Does not trap heat
- Minimal motion transfer
- Edge support is middling for a luxury mattress
We tested the king-sized Medium firmness version of the Saatva Contour5 for four weeks. We tested the mattress in all major areas of performance, including pressure relief, motion isolation, edge support, cooling, and ease of setup, following our mattress methodology.
Set-up
Setup is incredibly easy, because you don’t have to do it at all. The price of the Contour5 includes free in-room delivery and setup, as well as removal of your old mattress and foundation. The mattress is delivered flat, so there's no need to unroll it or wait for it inflate.
In our experience, the delivery was easy and on time. The 116lb mattress was carried upstairs, the old mattress was removed, and the Saatva Contour5 setup on our reviewer's bed frame. Saatva also removed all the mattress packaging and took it with them when they left.
The Saatva Contour5 mattress can be placed on a platform bed frame, solid foundation, box spring, or even an adjustable base.
Score: 5 out of 5
Off-gassing
Off-gassing refers to a chemical smell that can occur when a mattress is unrolled, but this wasn't an issue with the Saatva Contour5. There was no noticeable smell when the mattress was delivered, and our reviewers were happy to sleep on it right away. The Saatva Contour5 is CertiPUR-US certified, which means it has been tested to meet rigorous standards for emission, and is made without formaldehyde, ozone depleters, phthalates, or heavy metals such as mercury and lead.
Score: 5 out of 5
Pressure relief
We tested the Medium version of this mattress, which Saatva rates as 5-7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. Our reviewer felt aligned and supported by the Contour5, with no pain at the shoulders or knees (but she did note the slightest bit of pressure in the hip area occasionally, after sleeping in the same position for many hours).
Our reviewer does have some occasional back pain, but she did not experience any on the Saatva Contour5, no matter what position she slept in. As the name suggests, the mattress contours to the body — our lead reviewer described it as the best pressure relief of all the mattresses they've tested.
We used objective tests to support our experience. We placed a 15lb weight in the center of the mattress, to simulate the feel of a person's body sinking into the bed. The weight sank by 2 3/8 inches, which shows good contouring without too much sink.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Motion transfer
Motion isolation refers to how well a mattress traps movement, and it's especially important for someone who sleeps with a restless partner or pet. Our reviewer does indeed have a restless partner, who often comes to bed much later or leaves earlier, which can create a disturbance. The Saatva Contour5 does a better job reducing motion transfer than any other mattresses our lead reviewer has tried.
We conducted some tests with a 15lb weight and a wine glass to get a more objective view. First, we placed the wine glass on the mattress and dropped the weight 25 inches away from the glass. The glass jiggled slightly but did not fall over. Next, we dropped the weight from ten inches away, which simulates someone getting out of bed. The wine glass jiggled but did not fall over. Finally, we dropped the weight just four inches from the glass, which recreates the feel of someone shifting position right next to you. In that case, it fell over.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Temperature regulation
Heat can be a major sleep disruptor, and memory foam mattresses do have a slight reputation for trapping warmth. However, the Saatva Contour5 is packed full of cooling tech, including a breathable organic cotton cover, a CoolVent system featuring phase change material, and a gel-infused memory foam with air channels.
You can't sense all of this cooling technology specifically, but you can feel the effects. Our lead tester sometimes overheats and found the Contour5 to be a temperature-neutral mattress. While it didn't actively cool sleep, it doesn't trap body heat either. Other mattresses this reviewer has tested have performed similarly, including breathable hybrids such as the Casper Snow.
Our lead reviewer used two sets of sheets during testing: upscale cooling spandex/nylon sheets and inexpensive microfiber sheets, plus a light microfiber quilt. Our testing took place during the rather comfortable and temperate September and October months, and the room remained cool in the low to mid-60s.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Edge support
Edge support is important for several reasons. Sturdy edges allow you to maximize your sleep surface and if the edges feel secure, you can sit on the sides or push against the perimeter to get out of bed.
Sleeping on the edge of the bed, our lead tester felt relatively secure. However, sitting on the bed was a different matter, as our reviewer felt the mattress sank pretty far beneath them. While we didn't struggle to get in or out of bed, if you’re looking for super firm edge support, this isn’t the mattress for you. Our reviewer found the the Beautyrest Harmony Lux to have far better edge support.
We did some objective tests to measure edge support. We placed our 15-pound weight at each edge of the mattress. The weight sank down 2 7/8 inches, which is about a half-inch lower than it sank in the center of the mattress, and backs up our subjective tests.
Score: 3 out of 5
Durability
While four weeks is not long enough to fully judge the durability of a mattress, we haven't noticed any mattress deterioration at all so far. The materials used to make the mattress seem high quality, designed to stand the test of time. In fact, one of the delivery people commented that the bed looked expensive compared to other mattresses he’d delivered.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
Saatva Contour5 Mattress: user reviews
Usually we can give you a summary of user reviews from the mattress website. But as of this writing, there are only a handful of reviews for the newly launched Contour5. These reviews are all good, with particular praise for the pressure relief at the joints. One reviewer does complain of feeling sweaty, but another reviewer found it a comfortable temperature. From this, it's likely that very hot sleepers should look for a dedicated cooling mattress.
Should you buy the Saatva Contour5 Mattress?
Memory foam mattresses can be simply a cheaper alternative to the best hybrid mattresses. Not so the Saatva Contour5. It’s pricey, yes, but well worth it if it’s a luxurious feeling memory foam you're looking for.
Saatva promises a luxurious body-hugging mattress with pressure relief, adaptive cooling technology, enhanced lumbar support, and strong motion isolation. In our reviewer’s opinion, the Saatva Contour5 lives up to the promises. It's an excellent pick for people seeking pressure relief for aches and pains, a cradling feel, but ample support.
It’s easy to recommend the Saatva Contour5 to just about anyone who prefers a memory foam mattress and has the budget for a high-end mattress. There are two different firmness options, so you’re covered regardless of body size and sleep position.
The one type of person we wouldn’t recommend this mattress for is someone with limited mobility that specifically needs very firm edges to get in and out of bed. While the edge support on this mattress is fine for sleeping, it’s not great for sitting. Other Saatva mattresses perform better in this area. And while we were happy with the temperature regulation, particularly hot sleepers should opt for the best cooling mattresses.
Saatva Contour5 Mattress review: Alternatives
