Why You Can Trust CNET Look out, Leesa: Amazon gets into the bed-in-a-box business
AmazonBasics memory foam mattresses are a thing now -- and they're some of the most affordable options we've ever seen.
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Online, direct-to-consumer retailers have all but upended the mattress industry in recent years. Now, Amazon wants in, too, and has already begun selling AmazonBasics-branded memory foam mattresses that compress into a box for easy shipping straight to your door.
More like AmaZzzon, amirite?
Costs range from $130 to $350 depending on size, which is right in line with some of the least expensive memory foam mattresses currently available. Many of those budget-brand mattresses are already available on Amazon -- as are trendier, more expensive mattresses from names like Tuft & Needle and Casper.
Now, they'll all have to compete with Amazon itself. The marquee seller will likely be the 10-inch queen, one of the most popular and common sizes on the market. Amazon's price: $230. For comparison, a 10-inch queen from Tuft & Needle costs $595, while Casper charges $995. Online sellers like Leesa and Purple charge about a grand for a 10-inch queen, too.
Meanwhile, that faint thumping you might be hearing is the sound of big-box mattress retailers banging their collective heads against the wall, as the rise of online sales has already proven to be a significant disruption to the business model. Amazon's entry into the mattress market will pour plenty of fresh gasoline onto that fire.
Like a lot of those popular, established online picks, the AmazonBasics mattresses consist of multiple layers of foam with a variety of densities, including a perforated middle layer that's supposed to improve airflow to keep things from getting too hot. The mattresses carry the CertiPUR seal, which means that they've been independently tested and determined to be free from harsh chemicals.
Amazon also offers a 1-year warranty -- much shorter than the 10-year warranty that's become all but standard among popular online sellers like Leesa, Casper, Purple and Tuft & Needle. I emailed Amazon support asking for more information, and was directed to Amazon's general warranty page, which reads:
"If the Product proves defective during the warranty period, and you follow the instructions that we will provide to you for returning the Product, we will, at our option, take one of the following actions: (i) replace the Product with either a new or a refurbished Product that is the same as or similar to the Product you purchased; (ii) repair the Product using either new or refurbished parts; or (iii) refund to you the purchase price of the Product."
"Amazon.com and many sellers on Amazon.com offer returns for most items within 30 days of receipt of shipment," an Amazon spokesperson also tells CNET.
Returning a 50-pound block of decompressed foam might sound daunting, but Amazon says you can arrange a pickup with a quick call to Amazon's customer service team. That's more or less in line with Leesa, Purple, Casper and Tuft & Needle, all of whom offer 100-night trials and the option to donate the mattress or schedule a pickup if you aren't satisfied.
Amazon's mattress prices across all sizes are listed in the table below.
| Twin | Full | Queen | King | California King | |
| 8-inch | $130 | $170 | $200 | $210 | n/a |
| 10-inch | $160 | $190 | $230 | $300 | n/a |
| 12-inch | $180 | $220 | $260 | $350 | $330 |
Editors' note: Updated Oct.4, 2018, to include details on Amazon's warranty and mattress return policies.