Friends, I don’t know about you, but I’ve really been targeted by my FYP lately. I watch one video on how important sleep is while doom-scrolling at midnight and suddenly I’m being served everything from magnesium spray for sleep to the best-boxed mattresses. TBF, I was on the hunt for a new mattress, given I need to upsize because I currently share a queen-sized bed with my partner and his cute as fuck cocker spaniel (who gets a third of the bed to himself).
Anyway, it felt like the right time to buy into the boxed mattress hype. You know, the kind that come pressurised and rolled up, are cheaper than your average and get rave reviews online? Those kinds. Luckily for me, PTV’s got a shit-tonne of staff who own a variety of different boxed mattresses who, if HR asks, were more than willing to share their thoughts after a few (hundred) Slack callouts.
Some bed experts probably know better than this bunch of rascals. But I won’t be finding them bc who cares?! What you really need is us, a bunch of randoms you don’t know, telling you which ones are good bc we love our sleep.
So, in no particular order, here are the best-boxed mattresses in Australia.
Koala
“We love an affordable boxed mattress, and the SE is Koala’s most affordable design yet. It’s the new kid on the block and starts from like $575 for a single. We opted for the King (see dog-related intro as to why), and we’ve got zero regrets. It has all the trimmings of Koala’s OG mattress — three-zone support, fixed quilt topper, zero disturbance, Kloudcell tech — only it’s got fixed layer comfort and no edge support (aka the bit that stops your mattress from sliding around if you have a flat-bed base).
Overall, we’re super stoked. It’s just the right balance of firm and soft, like you melt into it but it still has a really good level of support. Plus, it fits all three of us comfortably.” — Bree
“I’ve said it before, but I really like this mattress. I’ve had mine for a few years now, and it’s as good as when I got it.
I find the Koala mattress REALLY firm (just how I like it, hehe) but some people think it isn’t? Are you sleeping on literal rocks in your spare time? The best way to describe it is that it’s firm, with a little give when you lie down. You don’t sink into it, so if you like to sink in all snuggly, this isn’t for you. But it has that “oh, yeah” moment where you lie down and it feels like it’s recalibrating your back. I’m a side and front sleeper if that helps your decision somewhat.” — Mel
The TL;DR
Price: Koala SE: Single ($575), King Single ($625), Double ($675), Queen ($800), King ($995). Koala Original Mattress, Single ($1,050), King Single ($895), Double ($1,000), Queen ($1,050), King ($1,300). But before you run off, make sure you save on your next mattress with one of our Koala discount codes.
Delivery: Free delivery. 4-hour delivery in metro areas via the Koala website and 1-10 days in regional and rural areas.
Trial Period: 120 nights.
Returns Policy: Free in metro areas.
Warranty: 10 years.
Vibes: The adjustable firmness of the OG makes this one great for all my indecisive queens, and the SE is for those of y’all who have champagne taste on a beer budget.
Emma
“While Emma is the newer kid on the Aussie bed in a box mattress block, they’ve been top-dog in the States for a while now, and it’s easy to see why. Emma is definitely more of a medium-firm mattress, which means if you like the best of both worlds, it’s literally what dreams are made of.
I love how you just melt into the mattress like you’re sleeping on a cloud. It’s great for all types of sleepers — side, front, back, all over the shop — whichever tickles ya fancy. Like you sink in a little but not to the point where your back cricks, just a bit more of an “aahh…” I’m never moving kinda vibes.” — Ally*
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($580, usually $769), King Single ($640, usually $829), Double ($750, usually $939), Queen ($810, usually $999), King ($860, usually $1,049).
Delivery: Free delivery. Usually 10-15 business days Australia-wide.
Trial Period: 100 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 10 years.
Vibes: This is one for medium-firm mattress lovers, leaning more toward the firm side.
Onebed
“There’s three different versions of this Onebed baby, but my personal fave is the middle-of-the-range ‘Original’. Not only does this one allow you to ADJUST the firmness (game-changer, I know), but it’s fitted with zero motion transfer, temperature regulation and alignment support. Slay, slay and more slay in my books.” — Tiff
The TL;DR
Price: Starting from as little as $445.50.
Delivery: Free delivery (timeframe dependent on location).
Trial period: 125 nights.
Returns policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 15 years
Vibes: This is one for firm mattress lovers.
Eva
“This mattress from Eva is one of those mattresses where you lie on your back, and you feel like you’re on a cloud. It’s medium-firm, but probably leaning more toward the firm side. The top layer is SO soft and lovely, if you’re a fan of that kinda squishy memory foam topper business — very “mmm, sleep.”
Again, Eva is a spring hybrid, so the box is bloody heavy but it’s also not too far removed from your OG mattresses if you’re scared of losing the springs.” — Taylor*
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($800), Long Single ($900), King Single ($950), Double ($1,050), Queen ($1,150), King ($1,350), Super King ($1,650).
Delivery: Free delivery (timeframe dependent on location).
Trial Period: 120 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 12 years.
Vibes: For medium-firm folks, leaning more toward firm here.
Ecosa
Ecosa G-7 Memory Foam Mattress
“I should preface this by saying I love a FIRM mattress, so the Ecosa It’s not firm in an uncomfortable way, just in that way where you feel fully supported when you lie on your side or your front — sometimes I find medium-firm mattresses will sink too much when I’m lying on my front, and I sleep like that a LOT.
Plus, It’s not bouncy at all — which is heaven if, say, you share your bed with a partner and hate when they roll over in the night and move you in the process.” — Blake*
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($445.50, usually $990), King Single (currently out of stock), Double ($567, usually $1,260), Queen ($612, usually $1,360), King ($715.50, usually $1,590).
Delivery: Same-day delivery for metro area orders placed before 1:30pm and 1-7 business days for non-metro areas.
Trial Period: 100 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 15 years.
Vibes: Another one for the firm mattress lovers.
Sleep Republic
Sleep Republic High Definition Pocket Spring Mattress
“The Sleep Republic mattress is a pocket spring hybrid (NFI what this means? Me neither except that it has springs and foam) and felt the most like an OG mattress — you know, like the one mum bought you when you moved out. It’s more of a medium-firm mattress but it’s still comfy as hell. — John*
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($799), Long Single ($849), King Single ($949), Double ($1,149), Queen ($1,399), King ($1,599), Super King ($1,799).
Delivery: Free delivery, Australia-wide.
Trial Period: 100 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 12 years.
Vibes: For anyone who is a bit scared of moving from OG mattress to bed in a box.
Noa
“When I first unfurled the Noa mattress, I was unimpressed. It looked kinda flat and was super squishy when I laid on it. This is because the first rule of bed in a box mattresses is this: never make an assumption on the wrinkly unfurled thing before you. I gave the Noa mattress the day to breathe. These things have all the air sucked out of them, ok? They need to recalibrate. And recalibrate it DID.
I’ve had amazing nights’ sleep ever since. Like, truly amazing. The Noa mattress was the perfect blend of firm, yet with a memory foam topper that was JUST squishy enough to feel like it gets into all my back grooves. It’s a hybrid spring mattress too, so if you’re a bit gun shy about moving away from the classic spring model, this is a nice balance.” — Ash*
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($899), King Single ($899), Double ($1,099), Queen ($1,199), King ($1,299).
Delivery: Free delivery, Australia-wide. A new mattress in 2-10 business days.
Trial Period: 120 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns, full refund.
Warranty: 15 years.
Vibes: I reckon this one is for firm mattress lovers who want a little softness in the mix.
Sleeping Duck
“This mattress is WILD. I want to warn you it’s really, really heavy — I needed both my sister and my dad to help me get it up the stairs. IN THE BOX. But it’s pretty genius — it’s probably the most adaptive of all the mattresses, in that you can order foam inserts to make it firmer or softer — for free.
That being said, even the firmest level wasn’t to my ideal firmness. So if you’re like me and enjoy sleeping on what is essentially the floor, this isn’t it. But if you like medium and medium-firm, this is HEAVEN. It was easily the comfiest mattress I tried for medium firmness lovers.
Something cool about the Sleeping Duck, too — when you move, it doesn’t go all bouncy. Heaven if you share the bed.” — Melissa
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($999), King Single ($1,099), Double ($1,349), Queen ($1,649), King ($1,999), Super King ($2,699).
Delivery: Free next business day delivery to most Metropolitan and some Regional suburbs. If delivery isn’t available in your area, the system will let you know during the checkout process.
Trial Period: 100 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns, full refund.
Warranty: 10 years.
Vibes: Medium firmness lovers, this has you written all over it.
Mattresses we haven’t tried (yet) but have still hear good things about
Ergoflex
Established in 2006, Ergoflex has been continually updating and improving its product offerings over the years. Made with a five-layer sleep system, each level works together to ensure adequate airflow, back support, breathability and structural longevity. According to the standard Australian mattress firmness rating, it’s a medium-firm mattress that strikes the right balance of firmness and meltiness.
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($649.35, usually $999), Long Single ($681.85, usually $1,049), King Single ($714.35, usually $1,099), Double ($909.35, usually $1,399), Queen ($1039.35, usually $1,599), King ($1,201.85, usually $1,849).
Delivery: Can usually deliver within 24 hours to Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney (if ordered Monday – Thursday before 14:00), regional areas may take longer. Use their handy postcode checker for precise delivery options and transit times to your address.
Trial Period: 30 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 10 years.
Macoda Mattress
Designed by two young Aussies, the Macoda mattress aims to strike the perfect balance between comfort and support. Attempting to hit the sweet spot with its four-layer design, it works to target a range of concerns like comfort, durability, body temperature and pressure relief.
The Macoda mattress uses bamboo fabric to help keep you cool in summer and warm in winter with advanced cooling gel technology constantly reading and responding to your body’s temperature. If you’re someone who often runs too hot or too cold during the night, this could be a great option for you.
Macoda has taken the BedBuyer award for ‘Australia’s Most Comfortable Mattress’ two years in a row against over 150 other mattresses.
The TL;DR
Price: Single ($800), King Single ($900), Double ($1,050), Queen ($1,200), King ($1,300).
Delivery: Free delivery (timeframe dependent on location).
Trial Period: 100 nights.
Returns Policy: Free returns.
Warranty: 10 years.
This post has been updated since its original publication. Some names have been changed*
Image Credit: Breakfast At Tiffany’s