Should you buy the Saatva Classic in Labor Day sales? I'm a mattress tester — here's my take

A Saatva Classic Mattress on a bed frame outdoors on a platform by the sea, a Tom's Guide price drop deals graphic (right)
(Image credit: Saatva)

In all my years of testing mattresses, the Saatva Classic stands out as one of the most impressive I've tried. This handcrafted luxury innerspring mattress wouldn’t look out of place in a 5-star hotel, yet it's more than just its good looks.

The Saatva Classic is the best mattress of 2024 for all sleepers looking for a bed that delivers excellent lower back support and full body pressure relief. It comes in three firmness levels and two heights, so it can be tailored to different sleep positions and body types. The benefits are industry-leading too with a one-year trial, lifetime warranty, and free mattress installation and old bed removal.

Right now you can save $400 on Saatva Classic in this year's Labor Day mattress sales and deals, which is the best price I've seen on it since Memorial Day and Black Friday. Here's why I'd buy it this Labor Day...

Saatva Classic:$1,395 $995 at Saatva

Saatva Classic: from $1,395 $995 at Saatva
This year's Saatva Labor Day sale discount matches the best price we've seen this year, and given the gradual rise in Saatva MSRPs we don't expect to see it get any cheaper than this. A queen Saatva Classic is discounted to $1,695 (was $2,095), compared to $1,795 that we see in the monthly Saatva mattress sale outside of major holidays. You'll get a lifetime warranty, year's trial, and free white glove delivery with old mattress removal. It's excellent value for this year's best hybrid mattress for all sleepers.

Why I recommend the Saatva Classic mattress

I always recommend the handcrafted Saatva Classic to most sleepers because it can be tailored to anyone's preferences. It comes in three firmness options (Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm) and two height levels (11.5" or 14.5").

In the Tom's Guide Saatva Classic mattress review my colleagues praised the specialized lumbar support, excellent pressure relief, and sturdy edges – qualities that make it an excellent mattress for back pain. When I tested it in a Saatva Viewing Room, I found it performed well in all those areas too.

Since it has a dual layer of coils and minimal foam, the Classic also doesn't retain much heat so hot sleepers should sleep comfortably on it.

Saatva Classic

(Image credit: Saatva)

As someone who's unboxed and unfurled her share of heavy boxed mattresses, I appreciate Saatva's free White Glove Delivery, which includes mattress setup plus removal of your previous mattress and foundation at no extra cost. It arrives flat too so you can sleep on it right away.

All sizes of the Saatva Classic are currently $400 off, yielding the lowest prices we've seen since Memorial Day and Black Friday last year. I don’t expect prices to drop further before the holiday weekend, so if you’ve been eyeing the Saatva Classic, now is a great time to buy.

What it's like to sleep on

My colleagues reviewed a queen size Saatva Classic mattress in Luxury Firm, rated at a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The mattress softened slightly throughout a year-long testing period, but my colleague still felt as though they were sleeping on top of the surface rather than sinking into it. 

If you do want a deeply contouring bed with plenty of pressure relief I'd recommend buying one of this year's best memory foam mattresses instead.

The Saatva Classic scored high marks for support and pressure relief. One of my colleagues noticed an improvement in his back pain after switching to the Classic from his previous mattress. Another tester, who was pregnant for part of the review period, was able to rest comfortably on her side.

Saatva Classic Luxury Firm

(Image credit: Saatva)

The Saatva Classic hybrid also boasts strong, sturdy edges that you can sit on and sleep against without fear of falling overboard. Because it has more springs than foam layers, there’s less potential for trapped heat to disturb your sleep.

While the construction of the Saatva Classic promotes airflow, it does impact its ability to isolate movement. However, it still performed well in our objective and real-world tests. We’d only flag this as a potential issue for light sleepers who share a bed with a restless partner. 

Another potential drawback is its 600lb weight capacity. So if you and/or your partner are on the heavier side, I'd recommend the Saatva HD instead as it supports up to 1,000lbs in weight.

Design and materials

The Saatva Classic comes in three firmness levels and two height profiles – but no matter which combination you choose, the construction remains the same. Here's a breakdown of its design and materials:

  • 3" Euro Pillow Top: Wrapped in organic cotton and finished with an antimicrobial treatment, the pillow top features specialty quilting in the middle for enhanced lumbar support.
  • Lumbar Support Zone: This includes Saatva's patented Lumbar Zone Active Spinal Wire and a high-density ertiPUR-US certified, memory foam lumbar crown.
  • 14.5-Gauge Recycled Steel Coils: This top layer of individually wrapped innersprings provides contouring, support, and pressure point relief. They're reinforced in the center for added lumbar support.
  • 13-Gauge Tempered Steel Support Coils: This bottom layer of innersprings offers stability and edge-to-edge support.
  • High-Density Foam Rails: These wrap around the perimeter of the mattress for additional edge support and stability.

An exploded diagram showing the interior layers of the Saatva Classic mattress, including the double coil layer

(Image credit: Saatva)

The Saatva Classic is Greenguard Gold certified, ensuring low chemical emissions and non-toxic materials. Instead of fiberglass or chemical flame retardants, Saatva uses a plant-based thistle pulp flame barrier. Every Saatva mattress is handcrafted to order at one of Saatva's factories located throughout the USA.

Buy the Saatva Classic mattress if...

✅ You have back pain:  The Saatva Classic's high-density foam Lumbar Crown and Lumbar Zone Active Spinal Wire promote proper alignment to help alleviate discomfort. This was the case with one of our testers, who experienced an improvement in his back pain.

✅ You sleep hot: With a dual layer of coils and an organic cotton cover, air flows freely throughout the Saatva Classic. It's not a cooling mattress per se, but most hot sleepers should find it just as comfortable.

✅ You appreciate a great value: The Saatva Classic is more than a quality mattress – it also includes industry-leading extras like a one-year trial, a lifetime warranty, and complimentary White Glove Delivery with optional mattress removal. Plus, it's handcrafted in the USA using non-toxic materials, making it the total package.

Don't buy the Saatva Classic mattress if...

❌ You're on a tight budget: While the Saatva Classic is a great value for a hotel-quality mattress, it sits in the premium price bracket. For a mid-range alternative that delivers luxury sleep for less, read our DreamCloud Mattress review.

❌ You need a mattress with a high weight limit: With a max weight capacity of 600lbs, the Saatva Classic is a hair above average. Take a look at our guide to the best mattresses for heavy people for our top picks, which support as much as 1,100lbs.

❌ You want to sink into your mattress: Even the softest version of the Saatva Classic won't have that sink-in sensation. The Purple Plus mattress delivers the contouring of memory foam but without the heat retention.

Alison Barretta
Freelance reviewer and writer

Freelance writer and editor Alison is an expert mattress tester for Tom's Guide, and hails from Philadelphia, USA. Alison has reviewed a wide range of mattresses, pillows and other sleep accessories for Tom's Guide, putting the latest hybrid, memory foam and cooling mattresses from Casper, Nectar, Awara, Brooklinen and other leading brands through their paces. Alison has been sharing buying advice and retail news for over a decade. When she isn't reviewing mattresses, other home products or hunting for great deals to save you money, Alison can be found teaching/training in martial arts, fawning over skincare, and indulging in her quarantine-borne hobby: cooking.