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Tom's Guide
26-05-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Why you should buy a mattress in the Memorial Day sales — even though there are no epic deals
This is my second year covering the Memorial Day mattress sales and, compared to last year, the deals are… fine. Most of them are a repeat of savings I spotted last year, or during President's Day this year: they're not new deals. Bar a few cheap mattress discounts, nothing has blown me away. But if you've been thinking about buying a new mattress, I still recommend making the most of these deals. Because while they don't seem astounding right now, I predict they'll look a lot better in hindsight. Over the next few months, mattress tariffs are likely to have a major impact on the price of your bed. When the tariff pause is lifted in July, many mattress companies could face increased costs from their internationally sourced materials. That's because very few mattresses are made entirely from US materials, even those that are handcrafted here. 'Tariffs have the potential to impact the entire industry,' Byron Golub, Vice-President of Product and Merchandising at Saatva, explained to us. "Particularly brands that rely heavily on overseas manufacturing. Even US-based companies aren't completely immune, since many still source specific components globally.' Summer has always been a slow time for mattress sales, and in between the bookends of Memorial Day and Labor Day, many brands opt to briefly raise prices. I suspect that this year's summer price hike might turn into a more permanent, widespread increase. Is this the end of cheap mattress sales? Tom's Guide's Sleep Managing Editor, Claire Davies, says no, probably not. But she warns that next summer could be 'bleaker and more expensive for people wanting to buy a comfy mattress for less.' So, okay, the mattress deals in the Memorial Day sales this year might not be new. It's hard to call them 'good' right now. But in 12 months' time, it's very possible that they might, retrospectively, look a lot better. 1. Saatva Classic Mattress (twin): $1,399 now $999 at SaatvaThe Saatva Memorial Day sale is one of my favorite this year: you can get a $400 discount when you spend over $1,000. The Saatva Classic is the best mattress we've tested and, in this sale, a queen is $1,699 — that's only $4 more than Black Friday, and $100 cheaper than April. We awarded it top marks in our Saatva Classic mattress review, and after sleeping on it for seven months, it's transformed the sleep of our main tester. Saatva is upfront that tariff price increases are coming (a 'beat the tariffs' sale has been running for a while now), which means this may well be the best price you can expect this year for the Saatva Classic. Our review: ★★★★★ User score: ★★★★★ (5,700+ reviews) 2. Allswell 10" Hybrid Mattress (twin): $194 at WalmartWalmart's CEO has warned that the impact of tariffs is likely to be felt across the business, and there's a good chance this will affect budget-friendly (and Walmart-owned) mattress brand Allswell. Now's probably a good time to buy one of our favorite cheap mattresses, the Allswell Hybrid, before the "sensationally low price" we noted in our Allswell Mattress review comes to an end. We recommend this mattress for upgrading a guest room or dorm room, as it delivers reliable support at only $294 for a queen (although it lacks durability for regular long-term use). Our review: ★★★★ User score: ★★★★½ (5,700+ reviews) 3. Sleep Number c1 mattress (twin): $599 now $539.10 at Sleep NumberThe c1 is the cheapest model in the Sleep Number line-up but it's still loaded with the brand's signature smart bed technology. Adjustable firmness allows you to customize the feel to suit your needs, and while the mid-range design lacks the pressure relief of more expensive models, I still recommend it for anyone who struggles to get consistently comfortable on normal (read: low tech) mattresses. There's 10% off the c1 right now at Sleep Number, reducing a queen to $899.10 (was $999) and it comes with a 15-year warranty and a 100-night trial. Sleep Number has already spoken about the impact of tariffs, so I expect to see price hikes this summer. User score: ★★★★½ (500+ reviews) More top sales to consider
Tom's Guide
22-05-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Mattresses prices are expected to soar due to tariffs — what to expect and when
If you're in the market for a new mattress, you might want to keep an eye on more than just firmness and comfort. Rising trade tensions around the globe and President Trump's new trade tariffs could soon impact the price tag of your next bed. With a large portion of mattresses and their components imported to the US from overseas, especially from countries like China, Indonesia, Mexico, and India, tariffs can directly influence manufacturing costs and, ultimately, what consumers pay at the checkout. So, whether you're planning to buy now or hold off, understanding these changes could help you make a smarter, more cost-effective decision. We've taken a closer look at how the industry could be affected. A baseline 10% tariff on nearly all foreign imports to the US came into effect on April 5. But imports from certain countries are facing much higher tariffs once the '90-day pause' ends in July. Mexico, for instance, is facing a 25% tariff, while Indonesia is looking at a 32% tariff and Vietnam could be hit with a steep 46% tariff. Chinese imports are currently taxed at 30%, temporarily reduced from 145%. Given that many mattresses sold in the US rely on imported materials like memory foam and steel coils from countries including the ones mentioned above, manufacturing costs are likely to soar, which will have a big impact on the price you pay for your next mattress. 'Tariffs have the potential to impact the entire industry,' Byron Golub, Vice-President of Product and Merchandising at Saatva, told us. "Particularly brands that rely heavily on overseas manufacturing. Even US-based companies aren't completely immune, since many still source specific components globally. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 'Depending on the final structure of the tariffs, the mattress industry can expect to see increased input costs across the board, and for some brands, this could translate to higher retail prices or slower lead times.' Retailer giant Walmart has already announced that the tariffs are 'too high', and it will raise prices on some items as a result. 'We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible. But given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren't able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins,' explained Walmart CEO Doug McMillon in a recent Q1 earnings call. Meanwhile, a National Retail Federation study estimated that a $2,000 mattress and box spring set would end up costing $2,128-$2,190 thanks to the tariffs. Overall, it's likely that cheaper mattress brands that rely on imports of budget materials from China, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries, will be hit hardest. Even if a mattress is assembled in the USA, many of the most popular mattress materials used in the assembly process are often imported from abroad. Memory foam often comes from China, Indonesia and Vietnam, while latex tends to be sourced from places like Sri Lanka, Vietnam or Thailand. By contrast, luxury brands that source materials domestically, such as cotton, latex and American steel, could see less of an impact. So far, only a few mattress brands and retailers have gone public with price announcements – many of the brands we spoke to said they are continuing to monitor the changing landscape before committing. In its earnings call in April and March, retailer Sleep Number said around a third of its materials come from Mexico. It added that it's looking for ways to manage the impact of tariffs across the business, including looking at processing costs, and assessing its core pricing. Meanwhile, bedding manufacturer Downlite (which doesn't make mattresses, but does make mattress pads and toppers), has said that thanks to its 'USA-based manufacturing and sourcing strategy', it will only be hiking prices by 8%, rather than applying a flat 10% price increase. Saatva, which also handcrafts and assembles its luxury mattresses in American factories with mostly US-sourced materials, says it is 'dedicated to minimizing the impact on our customers'. 'While no final pricing decisions have been made," Golub told us, "we're actively monitoring the landscape and evaluating where modest increases may be necessary, particularly for products using imported wire, hardware, or specialty fabrics.' John Merwin, CEO at 3Z Brands, also told us: 'Brands that invest in domestic manufacturing, like ours, are better positioned to manage costs. Because we create our own components like coils and foam, we're even better positioned to control quality, cost, and supply chain stability.' While some retailers have already adjusted their prices, others are anticipated to follow suit in the coming months as existing inventories deplete, and higher production costs take effect. 'Price increases will vary by brand depending on supply chains and the degree of reliance on imported materials. The 90-day tariff pause has given manufacturers a brief window to plan, but if current proposals go into effect, we may begin seeing price adjustments as early as this summer," Golub explained to us. It's quite possible that this could impact prices in the Black Friday mattress sales at the end of November, once the full effect has hit. Discounts could be smaller than normal, or promotions could be focused on domestically produced mattresses less impacted by import tariffs. Given that some mattress brands have already indicated that price increases are likely to start from the summer, we expect the deals in the Memorial Day mattress sales to be some of the best prices of the year — so they're worth taking advantage of, if you think you'll need a new mattress in the next six-12 months. Here are our three key tips for getting a good deal on your next mattress:
