Before I started testing the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress, I was sleeping on an old hybrid bed-in-a-box, which kept slipping off the wood slat foundation. The upgrade was immediately apparent. Founded on natural latex and filled with organic cotton and organic wool, the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress strikes a great balance between bounciness and firm support.
As a lifelong stomach sleeper, I need this kind of even support to feel cushioned, but not suffocated, and as a woman approaching menopause – who is occasionally joined by a 60-pound mutt who takes cuddling to an extreme – I require maximum airflow. The Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress impressed on both levels, particularly with its breathability, which was tested to the limit by two summer heatwaves.
When the mattress arrived, one of the delivery men told me that latex lasts forever. I don’t doubt it. The Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress is highly breathable and ultra-durable – it might be the best mattress I've ever tested.
Because the mattress is flippable, it is constructed with two premium latex cores. Then each side has a layer of latex foam that determines its firmness on that side. There are two main ways of making latex foam, and Zenhaven uses the Dunlop method, without adding petroleum-based chemicals. Saatva also adds ventilated pinholes through their latex cores to enhance airflow.
Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress review
The Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress is dual-sided with flippable firmness: Gentle Firm on one side and Luxury Plush on the other. I tried both but I preferred the cushion of the Luxury Plush, though I like to have the option for more support, particularly when an old shoulder injury flares up.
Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress Specifications
Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King, Upper-Flex King
Type: Latex
Firmness: Dual-sided (Gentle Firm and Luxury Plush)
Height: 10"
Sleep trial: 365 nights
Warranty: Lifetime
MSRP: $1,995 - $4,545
Who would the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress suit?
- All sleep styles: the whole point of a flippable mattress is to support all sleep positions. I'd recommend the Gentle Firm side for back and stomach sleepers and the Luxury Plush side for side sleepers and anyone who appreciates a softer surface.
- Eco-conscious shoppers: the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress is filled with organic latex and topped with organic wool and cotton. There are no foams, no fire retardants, and no shards of fiberglass. The mattress is made to order in the USA at factories within 100 miles of most shipping addresses to reduce carbon emissions.
- Hot sleepers: all those natural fibers are exceptionally breathable, working to dissipate heat and wick moisture while you sleep. The Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress sleeps a lot cooler than your average memory foam mattress.
What's it like to sleep on the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress suit?
- Comfort and support: the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress feels as good as it looks. Like any latex mattress, this bed has a bit of bounce, which gives you the feeling that you're lying on top of the mattress, rather than sinking into it. The quilted top adds another layer of comfort, while the lumbar support in the middle of the mattress helps to evenly distribute pressure and keep your spine aligned. As a lifelong stomach sleeper, this is exactly the wort of support I need to avoid back, hip, and shoulder pain. I slept really, really well on the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress.
- Cooling properties: the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress is filled with − you guessed it − natural latex, arranged in an open-cell structure so that air can flow freely through the bed. The comfort layers of organic wool and cotton help to enhance breathability. I slept on the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress through two summer heatwaves and now I am team latex for life. I'm a hot sleeper, and my night sweats are only getting worse as I approach the menopause, but I always woke up cool and dry on the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress. I'd put it up there with the best cooling mattresses.
- Motion isolation: like I said, latex always has a bit of bounce, but the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress manages to minimize motion transfer. To test the motion isolation of the mattress, I filled a cup with water and set it in the center of the bed, before tossing my 12-pound kettlebell on the other side. The water shook a little in the cup but never came close to spilling. This was true in practice, as well as in theory. I share a bed with my pet as well as my partner and I used to wake up throughout the night, whenever my dog stirred and settled herself. Now, I can sleep through her night-time ritual.
- Edge support: while the center of the mattress is where your body will rest, the sides of the bed determine how supported you'll feel. A lot of latex beds have insufficient edge support, but I'm pleased to report that the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress excels in this area. The mattress features high-density foam rails around the sides to reinforce the edges, which also helps to prevent sagging. To test the edge support, I placed my 12-pound kettlebell in the center of the mattress, then in the corner. As the photos demonstrate, the sinkage is roughly the same in each area, indicating excellent edge support.
- Sleep trial: the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress comes with a 365-night mattress sleep trial. That's gold-standard in this industry and gives you plenty of time to test your bed through all four seasons before you need to commit to your purchase.
- Warranty: the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress comes with a lifetime mattress warranty. If the mattress is deemed defective within two years from point of purchase, Saatva will replace it free of charge. After that, Saatva will repair and re-cover your mattress for free, minus a transportation fee of $149 each way. You can also opt to get an entirely new mattress at anywhere from 40 to 80 percent of the original price you paid (the price is pro-rated based on how long you’ve had the mattress).
How does the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress rate online?
The Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress boasts a 4.9 average star rating from 328 reviews on the Saatva site. Happy customers say that the mattress eliminates back pain and excels at temperature control. Almost everybody praises the quality construction and customer service you get from Saatva.
There are a smattering of more mixed reviews, most of which come from side sleepers, who claim that they need more cushioning to ease the pain in their shoulders and hips. As someone who suffers from shoulder pain, the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress has done a lot to ease my aches.
Should I buy the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress?
I couldn't review the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress without mentioning the price. A Queen-sized bed goes for almost $3,300, though you could get a deep discount when you shop the mattress sales. I'd encourage you to think of your mattress as an investment: you're spending now to avoid spending more later on cheap, synthetic substitutes that degrade and deform within a few years of use.
Given Saatva’s enduring reputation for excellent customer service and quality products, you can’t really go wrong even if the mattress doesn’t suit you, as you can return it easily. But I’m betting that you won’t return it: this bed is made to meet every conceivable sleep need.
How we test mattresses
We put a lot of thought into how we test mattresses. Our expert testers sleep on beds for months, if not years, to monitor their performance over time, with a special focus on thermoregulation.
We assess each bed against the same criteria: comfort; support; cooling properties; motion isolation; edge support; and weight bearing capacity. We'd expect a latex bed, such as the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress, to score highly for support and breathability. Some of our tests are highly subjective: the only way to assess the comfort of a bed is to lie on it and see how you feel. Others are more scientific: we use a system of weights and water glasses to measure the motion isolation of a mattress.
We like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to show you a range of perspectives with the same mattress. We consider all the practical points, from delivery details to mattress sleep trials, before we bring it all back to the price to help you determine value for money.
