Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt: Which mattress should you buy if you have a bad back?

The image shows the Saatva RX on the left and the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt on the right in a side by side comparison
(Image credit: Saatva/Temour-Pedic)

In this Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur Adapt Hybrid mattress comparison, we’re comparing these luxury beds from two of the most popular mattress brands in the US. But the big question is, which will help ease back pain?

Saatva and Tempur-Pedic are the two recognizable brands behind some of this year's best mattresses for all sleepers, with both using high-quality proprietary materials to ensure sleepers get a supportive and comfortable night’s sleep. Both mattresses offer features to help with aches and pains, but it’s the Saatva RX that tops our best mattresses for back pain round up. However, the Tempur Adapt still has much to recommend it, and this comparison article should help you decide between the two.

With the Black Friday mattress sales now live, we’re already seeing discounts from major brands, including Saatva and Tempur-Pedic. Our exclusive Saatva Black Friday mattress sale shaves $400 off the Saatva RX, bringing a queen RX down to $2,895 at Saata, from $3,295. There are also decent savings on the Tempur-Adapt, with a blanket $200 off all sizes, which brings a queen Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt down to $2,299 (was $2,499.) Plus, you'll get $300 worth of free accessories. Not sure which to invest in? Here’s how to choose between the two…

Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Hybrid Mattress: Price & Trial

  • Saatva sales range between 12-15% off MSRP or a tiered money-off system
  • Tempur-Pedic sales usually occur during major sales events
  • Saatva offer a 365-night trial, while Tempur-Pedic offers 90 nights

Saatva mattress sales happen throughout the year, with only the summer months occasionally seeing no discounts at all. You’ll generally see 12-15% off MSRP, or tiered money-off discounts. As you’d expect, the biggest discounts are saved for major sales events. This Black Friday, there's $400 off the Saatva RX. This means a queen size is $2,895 (was $3,295),which is an excellent price. However, we have previously seen a queen go as low as $2,801, but we're unlikely to see savings drop that low again this year. 

Tempur-Pedic’s sales aren’t as ubiquitous as Saatva’s, but you will still find Tempur-Pedic mattress deals throughout the year, with the biggest discounts also occurring during major sales events. Tempur-Pedic Black Friday mattress sales are now live, with $200 off all sizes of the Tempur-Adapt, taking a queen down to $2,299 (MSRP $2,499). Again though, this isn’t the biggest discount we’ve seen on this mattress and, at previous sales events, the Tempur-Adapt has been discounted by $300. So, it might also be worth waiting to see if a bigger discount drops during the Cyber Monday mattress deals.  

Extras wise, the Saatva blows the Tempur-Pedic out of the water, with a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty. You’ll only get 90 nights to trial the Tempur Adapt, which we think is rather stingy for a luxury mattress. There’s also a 10 year warranty. Both mattresses do, however, come with free white glove delivery.

Saatva RX Mattress: $1,995

Saatva RX Mattress: from $1,995 $1,595 at Saatva
The Saatva RX is a luxury mattress that’s specifically designed for sleepers with chronic or serious back and joint pain. There’s always a mattress sale on at Saatva, with between 12-15% off mattresses, and right now the mattress is discounted to $2,945 in a queen size. The Saatva RX is one of the brand’s most expensive mattresses and prices are fairly eye-watering, but if you need the extra support, it’s hard to beat. There’s also a 365-night trial, lifetime warranty and free white glove delivery.

Tempur-Pedic Tempur Adapt Hybrid Mattress: $1,999

Tempur-Pedic Tempur Adapt Hybrid Mattress: from $1,999 $1,799 at Tempur-Pedic
The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt is one of the best luxury hybrid mattresses currently on the market. Designed to adjust to your weight, shape and temperature, this mattress offers exceptional pressure relief over three layers of foam and premium spring coils. Currently, the mattress is discounted by $200 across all sizes, bringing a queen down to $2,299. Tempur-Pedic also offer free shipping, a 90-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty.

Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Hybrid Mattress: Materials & Design

  • The Saatva RX is an innerspring hybrid and is 15” high
  • The Tempur Adapt Hybrid is 11” high
  • Both mattresses use a mixture of coils and foams

Like the best hybrid mattresses, both the Saatva RX and Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt are crafted from a combination of coils and foams. However, beneath their covers these beds are very different. The Saatva RX starts with an organic cover along with the brand’s patented lumbar crown – a 1” strip of gel-infused memory foam situated in the middle third of the mattress. Up next is a layer of 1” micro-coils supported between two slabs of high-density foam for pressure relief and support. Individual 2” foam modules made from an open cell foam similar to latex help enhance contouring and reduce motion transfer. 

Saatva RX mattress

(Image credit: Saatva)

They’re also infused with graphite and phase-change material or temperature regulation. These sit on top of individually wrapped 8” coils, with firmer spring coils around the perimeter for added edge support. The mattress is finished with a non-woven base layer to stabilize the mattress. You’ll also find Saatva’s Therapeutic Support Core technology, which enables the RX to adjust to your body every time you move. This helps to reduce pressure points and boost circulation.

The Tempur Adapt is a slimmer mattress with only four layers. Starting at the top, there’s a cover with cooling yarn woven into it. Up next is a 1.5” layer of softer open cell Tempur foam to contour to the body, followed by another 1.5” layer of supportive Tempur foam for support. Underneath is the spring layer, with over 1,000 individually wrapped spring coils. The coils have reinforced edge support to stop sleepers sliding off the bed and also help to provide pressure relief.

Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Hybrid Mattress: Comfort & Support

  • Our lead tester rated the Saatva RX as 7.5/10 for firmness 
  • The Tempur Adapt is rated at 6/10
  • Both mattresses offer excellent pressure relief

The Saatva RX has been specifically designed for sleepers with chronic or serious back and joint pain. In our Saatva RX mattress review our testers found that the mattress did a superb job of delivering balanced support and pressure relief for most sleepers with back and joint pain. Side sleepers felt the mattress provided the perfect balance of comfort and support, with the cushy top layers providing pressure relief around the shoulders and hips, although lightweight side sleepers may find it too firm.

Back sleepers and front sleepers also enjoyed the RX, with plenty of support to keep the spine aligned and the hips raised. Because it’s a responsive surface, it’s also easy to change positions meaning it’s ideal for combination sleepers as well. Although Saatva rate the mattress at around 4-6/10, we felt it was firmer and rated it at 7.5/10. The Saatva RX provides a magic combination of pressure relief, support and full body comfort, thanks to the LumbarZone quilting and Therapeutic Support Core that work together to provide superior lumbar support and react to your body’s movements.

The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt mattress on a bed frame in a bedroom, a man sits on top of the mattress holding onto his young child, who is standing on the mattress

(Image credit: Tempur-Pedic)

In our Tempur-Pedic Tempur Adapt mattress review, we tested the all-foam version of the mattress, but there are similarities between this and the hybrid version when it comes to support and comfort. Surprisingly, considering that Tempur mattresses are known for their sink-in feeling, the Tempur Adapt is a slightly firmer mattress that’s ideal for back sleepers as it provides plenty of pressure relief along the back, without allowing the spine to sink and fall out of alignment.

Stomach sleepers should also be supported, and average and heavier weight side sleepers should also get enough cushioning at their pressure points, but again, like the Saatva RX, lightweight side sleepers may find the mattress too firm. You will still get contouring around the body with the Tempur Adapt but the firmer layer of foam underneath the comfort layer, combined with coils, means that you won’t ever feel smothered.

Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Hybrid Mattress: Temperature Regulation

  • The Saatva RX has a breathable cover, gel infused foam and well-spaced coils to promote airflow
  • The Tempur Adapt has a cooling cover and individually wrapped coils for added breathability
  • Our reviewers found the Saatva RX did a better job of regulating temperature

If you experience back pain, staying cool and comfortable overnight is important. Tossing and turning as you throw covers off and on will only aggravate any ailments, so a mattress that provides good temperature regulation is important. The Saatva RX doesn’t contain a lot of foam, which helps enormously with keeping the mattress from retaining heat. The memory foam in the RX is gel-infused and the layer of coils help to keep air flowing. There’s also a breathable cotton cover that helps to wick away moisture and sweat.

In theory, the Tempur Adapt should do a good job of keeping sleepers cool as it has a cover made with cooling fibers. In reality, our tester found the all-foam version of the mattress slept incredibly hot, with the foams failing to absorb heat. However, we would expect the coil layer in the hybrid version to do a better job of keeping the mattress cool, although it’s still not a mattress we’d recommend to hot sleepers. If you do sleep hot, consider one of the best cooling mattresses instead.

The new Tempur-Adapt mattress in medium on display at the Tempur-Pedic retail store in Warrington, PA

(Image credit: Future / Alison Barretta)

Saatva RX vs Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Hybrid Mattress: Which should you buy?

Buy the Saatva RX if…

You suffer with severe and chronic back and joint conditions: The Saatva RX is specifically designed for chronic conditions such as sciatica and arthritis and is designed to give you maximum pressure relief to help alleviate pain.

You want a more traditional innerspring feel: The Saatva RX is an innerspring hybrid, using the modern technologies of hybrid mattresses, whilst providing a traditional innerspring feel to sleepers.

You sleep hot: Although it won’t keep you as cool as a specialist cooling mattress, the Saatva RX does an excellent job of keeping sleepers comfortable at night and prevents overheating.

Buy the Tempur Adapt if…

You want the comfort of memory foam: Although it doesn’t have as much sinkage as some Tempur-Pedic mattresses, the Tempur Adapt will still give you the comfort and support of memory foam, along with outstanding pressure relief.

You share your bed with a restless partner: Tempur foam does an excellent job of absorbing motion, meaning you shouldn’t be disturbed by a partner moving about during the night.

You want a slightly 'cheaper' mattress: Both the Saatva and the Tempur are big investments but the Tempur Adapt is ever so slightly cheaper at full MSRP, as well as with the current discounts on offer.

Jo Plumridge
Mattress tester and sleep writer

Jo Plumridge is an experienced mattress reviewer with several years' experience covering all things mattresses and sleep, and who tests memory foam, hybrid and organic mattresses. What Jo doesn't know about a boxed mattress isn't worth knowing, so naturally we tasked her with producing a series of features for Tom's Guide looking at all aspects of mattresses, from how to pick between latex and memory foam (it's a tricky one), to the seven mistakes people make when buying a mattress for the first time. When testing the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid for Tom's Guide, Jo said: "I loved the back support and pressure relief it offered. Plus, it looks far more expensive than it is." When she isn’t writing about sleep, Jo also writes extensively on interior design, home products and photography.