Sleep, comfort, and support go hand in hand yet are different elements that take care of your mental and physical health. These factors are solely responsible for how you perceive your overall well-being and rest. With comfort in mind, you also prefer comfort in all walks of life, and choosing the right mattress or how you shop are factors too. Your lifestyle relies on your sleep quality and quantity, whereas your mattress's comfort and support balance enhances your lifestyle and sleep quality. When you buy a mattress online, you're often looking to maximize your comfort and not pay too much heed to how your mattress reaches you. Best mattress brands in the market often want to make life better and easier for you.

At King Koil, we look to increase your sleep quality with high-quality luxury mattresses. But when you're buying a mattress online, you often look for the easiest payment options and easy shipping. In that process, often, mattress quality choice suffers because of how people buy mattresses online. Buying a mattress online also leads to you getting your package in a box that is easy to ship and open. This would be a great option to increase logistics and minimize costs without compromising on the quality in, an ideal world. But since mattress quality depends on its stitching, foam density, and quality, a mattress in a box takes all these away, among many other factors.

What is a bed in a box?
When you buy a mattress from any online vendor, manufacturer, or e-commerce dealer, there has to be an ease with which your huge mattress ships. From the factory to your home, with or without intermediate parties, a mattress is too big an item to ship easily. As a result, online vendors often sell their mattress in a box, and you get to experience easy hassle-free deliveries. However, this is half a picture, and there is more to it because of how mattresses work with your body. Here are the features and factors that you should keep in mind when buying a bed in a box online:

1. Mattress size and compression: To be able to fit in a box, your mattress has to be machine-pressed to be rolled and then fit in a box. It isn't something that can be undone with manual force. Instead, machines fold a mattress into either a single fold or double fold depending upon the size and compress them accordingly. Mattresses that come in a box can be compressed because their structure allows it too in addition to logistics requirements.
    
2. Removable zip cover: A bed in a box type mattress or pillow often come with removable zip covers. This helps the mattress avoid extensive stitching that can be damaged, but a flexible cover. The removable zip cover may be washable, depending upon the manufacturer's product, and is often the best way to preserve your mattress in shipping. Logistics can be rough, and any international or inter-state shipping can damage the mattress. A compressed mattress often comes with a removable zip cover on the compressed mattress package. The removable cover doesn't have any additional quilting, and it serves as a mattress protector to the internal layers.
    
3. Time to assume complete form: Since bed in a box mattress is machine compressed and vacuum packed, it often takes about 12-24 hours for a standard mattress to expand. In some cases, it may take as much as 48 hours for the mattress to assume its full shape, but that depends on mattress material, density, and manufacturer. You should avoid sleeping on a bed in a box till it takes its time to decompress entirely to avoid long-term mattress issues. Once it takes its time to expand and reinstate its initial size, you can use the mattress. Using it before could lead to body impressions or other issues because the mattress needs to expand to provide comfort and support.
    
4. Online dealers' preference: Most online manufacturers prefer to sell and ship their mattresses in a 'bed in a box' format. This procedure helps take out the substantial logistical costs and make it easier to ship many at a time. Small or big boxes, a mattress in a box is one of the best ways to sell online. However, this practice has its pros and cons, which you should keep in mind too.

Advantages of mattress in a box:
Your mattress in a box may be beneficial for the manufacturer and seller, and it comes down to the mutual benefits. While a luxury mattress is the best way to sleep, a bed in a box has its advantages:

1. Easy logistics: The shipping process of a bed in a box type mattress may be easier for the logistics and price, but it benefits both sides. For the company, it is much more efficient (cost and logistics) to compress and ship. On the other hand, online manufacturers may have limited factories or use outsourced manufacturing facilities, because of which the mattress can't be stored or sold in the usual form. Compression solves the problem or environmental or logistics damage, in addition to saving costs in different areas.
    
2. Washable zipper cover: The mattress zipper cover of your new bed in a box mattress is often washable. It acts similar to how a mattress protector prevents external agents from entering the mattress. Since it is the first layer of a guard that your mattress has, it may need regular washing. And you can take it off your new mattress by unzipping it without any machinery. It would be best to keep your bare mattress internals in the sun or vacuum from time to time as per the care/warranty instructions.
    
3. Cheap: Since a bed in a box mattress doesn't have stitching or other mattress durability enhancement features, it is possible to cut costs. Because of this conscious absence of different factors like stitching, high-density layers, manufacturers can make it cheap for everyone. This cost-cutting is excellent for some requirements but not ideal as customers may complain if the mattress doesn't enhance their sleep. Cheaper mattresses are suitable for the short term or move to a new place, but luxury mattresses take precedence in the long term. These cost-cutting factors may be insignificant for some while troubling for others. When you're moving to a new place and possibly short on budget, a cheaper mattress makes sense, and that is where a bed-in-a-box mattress helps.
    
4. Trial period: A bed in a box mattress may also come with a trial period scheme from some manufacturers. This trial run period is often reassuring to people doubting the cost and overall quality of the mattress. Unfortunately, in most cases, the trial period often enhances dissatisfaction because of company policies regarding return/replacement or other issues. But people looking for a bargain on a new mattress with excellent affordability may prefer it in the short term. This is because the trial period helps ensure that the mattress has no issues in its quality but acts as a short-term warranty.

Disadvantages of mattress in a box:
While there are many benefits that one may find in a bed in a box mattress, the cons often outweigh the pros. Your brand new mattress should work for your body's comfort and enhance support. But an online mattress delivered in a bed in a box category would have different issues that make it bad for overall long-term use. Nevertheless, your body's sleep is something you should take seriously and something you should look into with the help of a luxury mattress.

1. Material properties: Although it may rarely happen when compressing, folding, and roll packing, the mattress can damage it. This scenario usually doesn't happen but can happen to manufacturers outsourcing processes, especially if the raw material quality is not good. Materials like PU foam are especially prone to breaking and can often lead to your mattress arriving broken from the edges or having uneven compressions. These factors are more likely in a used mattress that has been refurbished and resold. Alternatively, a mattress may also show signs of breaking if it has low-quality foam used in the support or core. In some cases, your mattress also shows signs of wear and tear much sooner because of material properties, environmental factors, and manufacturing quality. These are signs of aging of your mattress you should keep in mind, especially if buying a bed in a box mattress. Materials like PU Foam, Latex Foam, or ultra-high density could break because of logistics or low-density foam usage.
    
2. Density and quality loss: Your bed in a box mattress may be advertised as high-density, but even high-density mattresses are prone to damage. When compressed with machines, high-density foams can lose their form and soften. In addition, the compression, folding, and fast decompressing can further lead to a loss of proper plushness and support. Moreover, most luxury mattresses have multiple layers, high-quality stitching, and high density, which are multiple factors one should avoid a bed in a box. Additionally, your bed in a box would also have innerspring or dual comfort mattresses, where rolling one side could damage the other or the innerspring system. That is why most mattresses with multiple layers or internal systems are best suited to standard delivery from your local store.
    
3. Zipper: Most beds in a box mattresses come with zipper covers as the only way to protect the mattress from external agents. That is why a luxury mattress that's good for your body can't fit in a box. In addition, most bed in a box mattresses sold online do not have any additional quilting in the cover to enhance comfort and overall plushness. It all comes down to the comfort layer, which becomes the primary layer for comforting you. The most concerning part about this is that comfort layers and zipper covers get dirtier in such mattresses and develop impressions quickly. Although the zipper covers are washable compared to the quilted stitched fabric of a luxury mattress, it is a disadvantage when considering long-term comfort. In the long-term, your mattress should require minimum maintenance and care while ensuring good as new quality for years. This scenario isn't possible in a bed in a box mattress with a zipper cover.
    
4. Cheap: One of the main cons of staying away from a bed in a box mattress is its material. Online manufacturers benefit from the volume sold rather than quality, and cutting costs helps increase volume for most people. Because of their intended shipping method and cost factors, the material is low density and often compromises on quality. The materials may be sourced from a third party and therefore not uniform or even high-quality. High-density materials often need to ship as it is to prevent permanent impressions and quality concerns. Materials like latex foam (especially Dunlop), memory foam, and ultra-high density materials like rebonded or HR foam cannot be compressed without damaging them. That is why online retailers often opt for lower density and sometimes low-quality foam to drive down costs substantially. Because of the raw material quality and density, overall mattress structure to fit cost-effectively, the cost of your bed in a box mattress may be substantially low. However, if we're talking long term, it is best to invest in a luxury mattress or an orthopedic mattress to prevent body pains.
    
5. Low on comfort and support: The low-density materials and often quality compromise lead to high dissatisfaction in your mattress. A high-quality mattress has the right balance of comfort and support for your body, and this overtakes any short-term benefits from cheaper models. However, since a mattress in a box is often highly compressed, they usually lack plushness and comfort in a high-quality luxury mattress. In addition, the lack of innerspring or appropriate height, density, and other factors often mean less support for your body. These issues lead to body pains, decrease in sleep quality and quantity, among many other issues. Moreover, when you buy mattresses online, you're going for the general reviews and ignoring the body type, weight, and personal preferences critical in deciding your mattress type. This generalized choice of a bed in a box type mattress leads to high dissatisfaction and inability to return the mattress in case of potential issues.
    
6. Manufacturer return policies: When you finalize a mattress online, you're often excited and tempted to fastrack your buying process because of attractive offers like- 100 day trial period and easy returns. But once opened, it's difficult to put the mattress in a compressed state or return it to its original box or state. Once your mattress is delivered and starts giving sleep or body pain issues, you think of availing and using these benefits only to discover the opposite. The return policies on most online sellers, e-commerce vendors, and manufacturers deal with these issues and keep policies to prevent customer abuse for their products. However, this also makes it difficult to return the mattress, and sellers' policies indicate an inability to accept the mattress out of the vacuum pressed state/original state. Additionally, the logistics costs may sometimes fall upon the customers, and there may be too much hassle to return the mattress, which leads to high dissatisfaction.

Should you buy a bed in a box?
It will help if you prefer a bed in a box where affordability or other lifestyle-related factors don't make a long-term investment feasible. If you're a bachelor and on the move any time soon, looking for a job, or having a tight budget, it is best to avoid long-term investments. That is where a bed in a box mattress is the best case for your short-term sleep and health.

1. Budget woes: You shouldn't lose sleep over money when investing money to enhance the same. That is why a luxury mattress is a good idea for long-term benefits, especially if you're short on budget for any issue. A bed in a box mattress is good to use as a spare after you're financially stable and secure. However, a tight budget shouldn't be the reason you settle for a bed in a box mattress for the long term. It is best to weigh your short and long-term options in such cases, where a mattress in a box would be ideal for anyone in the short term. Then, instead of throwing or discarding it, you can always use it as a spare for your guests.
    
2. Relocating: If you are relocating to a new place for a shorter duration, life is full of change, and relocating to a new place for a short duration might often lead to sleeping in uncomfortable sleeping environments. Although hotels may not allow you to use your own mattress, many people are working remotely and staying in different places in this pandemic. Therefore, to ensure maximum comfort and support with minimum financial stress, a mattress in a box is ideal in this scenario and life events. Furthermore, landing a new job or immigrating to another country may find themselves in some financial stress, and a bed in a box is the ideal solution.
    
3. Guest requirements: As mentioned earlier, your long-term investment in personal care items like a mattress and pillow should outweigh the short-term benefits. If you're on the lookout for a mattress that you need for the reasons above or just for your guest room, a mattress in a box is a great solution. The low density would mean that the mattress is soft yet comfortable in the short term while being disposable as something more affordable.

Factors to consider when buying a new mattress:
Your new mattress should enhance your sleep quality without changing the way you prefer to sleep. If you've been sleeping on a memory foam mattress for years without any sleep issues or other sleep environment woes, a high-quality mattress should be your new choice too. But the best way to choose your new mattress is with our SleepID tool that takes into account your BMI, sleeping position, personal preferences, age, and many other factors. This way, you get to choose a mattress that suits you rather than rely on opinions or general reviews. Here are some factors you should consider when buying a new mattress (especially if considering a mattress in a box):

1. Look for maximum durability without rigorous maintenance: Your mattress quality should be high enough to offer long-lasting benefits and not wither away within the first year or within months. Additionally, your maintenance requirements in a new mattress should be something you can take care of when cleaning up your room every once in a while.
   Most luxury mattresses have high-density materials in use that offer long-lasting benefits in addition to their comfort and support requirements. Moreover, the stitching, quality of innerspring, research, and developments that go into a luxury mattress are not something a mattress in a box can compete with. Most mattresses in box options have two or three layers that don't need extensive research, and the low density can make it seem comfortable when you use them. However, in the long term, they would start to show signs of aging within a few months and need extensive maintenance. Additionally, there is nowhere to turn to when you find issues after the trial or return period is over.
    
2. Affordability: The affordability of a mattress is one issue where many people may debate about quality over function. When a short-term mattress offers comfort, one may not even look towards higher-quality mattresses. However, the health issues that manifest because of using a low-quality personal care item end up more in doctor costs and personal sanity. You can look into high-quality luxury mattresses that not only aid your sleep but also alleviate or relieve your body pain. Affordable mattresses often cut costs in different areas, but the best way to sleep is one where you can sleep like a baby on a mattress that stays good as new for years. This is something that isn't possible in a mattress in a box because of its cost-cutting factors.
   The affordability is excellent, but the dissatisfaction just as high, and nothing to do about these. When you buy a luxury mattress that may be a more considerable investment, you can test it beforehand and resolve any potential issues without crossing cities. The overall benefit goes to the person that chases their health rather than short-term benefits.
    
3. Sleep quality and comfort: Your sleep quality and quantity are elements of your overall health you shouldn't ignore, similar to not ignoring the benefits of a good diet and exercise. Lack of sleep quality and comfort often invites more financial and personal issues that affect your health, including severe sleep disorders. That is why a high-quality mattress for your body may cost more but offers incredibly peaceful sleep for a long time. The benefits of a luxury mattress include enhancing your sleep quality, keeping physiological health issues away, extreme comfort, and body pain-free pain. But unfortunately, these issues are something you cannot get for sure when you buy a mattress in a box. So, the next time you buy a mattress for your long-term health, use our SleepID tool to ensure maximum satisfaction for years to come.
    
4. Mattress quality: Your mattress quality is one factor that you should keep in mind at all times. A low-quality mattress is similar to short-term gratification, seems easy on your pockets, and looks great on the advertisement but harmful in the long run. The low density of a mattress in a box means that the mattress lacks comfort and support, which is something your body needs at all times when sleeping. Without the proper comfort and support, your body is at a much higher risk for chronic muscle pains and even internal diseases. While it may come down to density as the prime quality factor, mattress quality depends on comfort and support, stitching, and layer arrangement, among many other factors. Mattress quality of a bed in a box type is often on the lower side because of cost-cutting, low-density materials, and issues discussed above.
    
5. Intended use: Do you plan on using your new mattress for your primary bedroom use, or your kids, or as a spare mattress for your guest room? Buying a luxury mattress for all rooms isn't possible for everyone, and a mattress in a box is ideal for such uses. The lower relative density, when compared to a high-quality luxury mattress, means that your mattress is going to be soft, lacking comfort and support. These factors are perfectly fine for when using it in the short term, similar to relying on a hotel mattress for the short term. Use a mattress that needs minimum maintenance in your spare room and is something you can afford to keep for your guests' comfort. It can be your place to relax and work in the daytime, but your body needs adequate comfort and support in the nighttime. For such uses, for your kids or your main bedroom, a high-quality luxury mattress is ideal.
    
6. Mattress, bed, and pillow size: Your mattress height, pillow, and bed compatibility are also factors to consider when buying a new mattress. Because of the lower density material in use in a mattress in a box configuration, it is quick to lose its height rather quickly. The same issues can also affect your bed frame's aesthetics, pillow use and lead to chronic pain due to uneven or fast sagging in a low-density mattress. Therefore, your mattress's height, density, the balance of comfort and support are factors you should consider before investing for the long term. That is why King Koil offers high-quality pillows and mattresses with customizable height, high-quality fabrics that look appealing no matter what.
    
7. Doctor prescription: A doctor-recommended mattress is something you shouldn't compromise on, no matter what. Your health is wealth, and without it, there's nothing to enjoy in the world. A doctor recommended an orthopedic mattress, or a doctor recommended hybrid mattress needs the configuration, density, and best materials to ensure your chronic pain or other issues do not aggravate further. Your physiological issues take precedence over anything else, and when a doctor recommends a high-quality orthopedic or dual comfort mattress, you should stick to it and nothing else. Cutting corners is only for your morning sandwich, and at King Koil, we provide the best mattresses for your doctor prescriptions and other orthopedic uses.

Conclusion:
Your brand new mattress is a change in your existing sleep environment for better or worse. So, you can ensure you upgrade instead of downgrading with a promise of great things that wades away quickly. That is why King Koil research and development spent years designing the SleepID tool and our products that aim for the best physiological health and customer satisfaction. So be it a bespoke mattress, luxury mattress for your bedroom, or orthopedic mattress for your parents, we offer the best quality you can find for your body's needs.

SleepID shows a range of mattresses that suit your requirements, and you can choose one as per your budget. A mattress in a box may be suitable for most short-term uses but lacks the reputation for the most comfort. However, you should choose carefully as per your requirement, budget, and balance of comfort and support in addition to your bedroom aesthetics. That is why buying our mattresses in-store helps ensure you have a safe sleep for years to come without the hassles of returning mattresses you haven't tried online.