Saatva vs DreamCloud – which mattress brand is best on test?

Saatva and DreamCloud are some of the biggest names in sleep, renowned for their wide range of memory foam and hybrid mattresses. So, to help you find the mattress that meets your sleep needs, I've set Saatva vs DreamCloud head to head.

For the sake of a fair fight, I wanted to test a similar mattress from each store. I landed on the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress and the Saatva Classic Mattress (which is our reigning champion for the title of best mattress).

Here at Homes & Gardens, we assess each mattress against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. We also consider the practicalities of buying a mattress, from the extent of the warranty to the length of the sleep trial, as well as the all-important costs. Although both mattresses excel in (almost) all these categories, the Saatva Classic Mattress takes the crown. If you come across any unfamiliar terms, you can cross-check them against my mattress jargon buster.

Saatva vs DreamCloud − which is best on test?

Before we begin, I'd like to introduce our two testers. Jaclyn Turner, our former Sleep Editor, is still sleeping on the Saatva Classic Mattress, almost five years after she filed her initial review. Camryn Rabideau started testing the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress in 2022, and it's still her favorite mattress she's tried.

Saatva vs DreamCloud – head to head

Saatva vs DreamCloud − Pressure relief

WINNER: Saatva

For custom comfort, I recommend the Saatva Classic. Available in three mattress firmness levels – Plush, Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm – the Saatva Classic is designed to suit every style of sleeper. As a combination sleeper, who cycles through all three sleep positions overnight, Jaclyn needs a mattress that's soft enough to cushion her joints and firm enough to keep her spine straight. She found her perfect match in the Luxury Firm Saatva Classic.

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress is only available in Medium-Firm. As a side sleeper, Camryn appreciated the top layer of plush quilted foam, which has just enough give to cushion her neck, knees, hips, and shoulders. Beneath that top layer is a firm mattress, which works to maintain the natural alignment of your spine. Most side sleepers need something a little softer to cushion their joints.

Saatva vs DreamCloud − Thermoregulation

WINNER: DreamCloud

Both of these beds are breathable, but only the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is actively cooling. The comfort layer is made from memory foam and infused with cooling gel to dissipate heat and wick moisture. Camryn is a hot sleeper, while her partner runs a little cold: this thermally incompatible couple appreciated the cooling properties of the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid.

As an innerspring mattress, the Saatva Classic is plenty breathable, if not quite as cooling. Jaclyn has slept in this bed through five summers in the heat and humidity of Atlanta. She finds she sleeps pretty cool, though the mattress sometimes feels a little warm under her lower back. You could always pair your Saatva Classic with one of the best cooling mattress toppers and pads.

Saatva vs DreamCloud − Motion isolation

WINNER: Saatva

With any sprung mattress, some level of motion transfer is inevitable. If you share a bed with a pet or a partner, and you don't want to be disturbed when they move around in the night, I recommend the Saatva Contour5. This memory foam model has the best motion isolation of any mattress we've tried.

Between the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid and the Saatva Classic, though, the latter boasts better motion isolation. Sampling the Luxury Firm Saatva Classic, Jaclyn experienced a low level of bounce, hugely softened by the pillow-top. Camryn conducted a motion transfer test on her DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid: she filled a glass with water and set it in the center of the mattress before tossing and turning beside it. The closer she came to the glass, the more it started to topple and teeter, indicating higher levels of motion transfer. This might not be a dealbreaker for you: sometimes, a bit of bounce makes it easier to get into and out of bed, especially if you struggle with mobility.

Saatva vs DreamCloud − Edge support

WINNER: DreamCloud

Good thing, too, because Camryn needs a mattress with excellent edge support. Sharing a bed with her partner and their dog, Camryn often ends up pushed to the side of the mattress, so she's had a lot of opportunity to test the edge support of the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid. She appreciates the heavy-duty gauge edge shield, which features thicker springs around the edge of the mattress for solid support. This should make it easier to get into and out of the bed.

According to Jaclyn, the Saatva Classic also has excellent edge support. This luxury innerspring is lined with high-density foam rails around the perimeter, which makes for more comfortable sitting and sleeping.

Saatva vs DreamCloud − Practical points

Both the Saatva Classic and the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid are covered by lifetime mattress warranties, covering all the usual defects in materials and workmanship. Saatva and DreamCloud each offer 365-night mattress sleep trials, which is gold standard in this industry. You get to sample your mattress through all four seasons before you commit to your purchase.

Each mattress is filled with CertiPUR-US foams, certified free from toxic chemicals so that you can breathe cleaner, healthier air in your sleep. While DreamCloud mattresses are finished overseas and made with some imported materials, the Saatva Classic is made entirely in the USA and lined with recycled steel coils. No fiberglass or toxic flame retardants here: just a natural, plant-based thistle pulp flame barrier.

The Saatva Classic wins for sustainability, but it's far from perfect. Eco-conscious shoppers and sensitive sleepers might sleep better on the best organic mattress, instead.

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid is far more affordable than the Saatva Classic: in fact, it's one of the best affordable mattresses on the market. A DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid costs just $699 for a Queen. That's $1,000 cheaper than the Saatva Classic, which is $1,785 for a Queen.

Saatva vs DreamCloud − Which should I buy?

If you just want a good mattress, get the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid. It's more than $1,000 cheaper than the Saatva Classic and offers comparable performance, with excellent edge support and superior breathability.

If you want the best mattress, bar none, you need the Saatva Classic. Admittedly, it's $1,000 more expensive than the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress, but you get the optimal balance of pressure relief, thermoregulation, motion isolation, and support.

How we test mattresses

As the resident Sleep Editor at Homes & Gardens, I lead a team of expert testers to rank and review mattresses. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, sleep styles, and body types, and we live right across the country in all sorts of climates. We sleep on each mattress for a minimum of 30 nights before we write our reviews: this accounts for the time it takes to get used to a new mattress and gives us a good indication of long-term performance. If you want to know more about how we test mattresses, you can consult our expert explainer.

We assess each mattress against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. We assess pressure relief by lying on the mattress and flipping between our stomach, back, and side, to see which position feels most comfortable. We assess thermoregulation by switching off our HVAC systems to sleep through heat waves and cold snaps, making note of any nights where we wake up in a sweat.

To assess motion isolation, we fill a glass with water and set it in the middle of the mattress. Then, we take a weight and use it to apply pressure to the mattress, moving incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the mattress for couples and light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the mattress and measure how far we fall. The further we fall, the worse the edge support, and the harder it might be to get into and out of bed.

We also consider the practical aspects of buying a mattress, from the details of delivery to the length of the sleep trial and the coverage offered by the mattress warranty. We like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to get a better idea of long-term performance. Finally, we consider the performance of the mattress against the price to help you determine value for money.

FAQs

Which Saatva mattress is best?

The Saatva Classic. Soft, yet supportive, and suitable for all sleep positions, the Saatva Classic isn't just the best Saatva mattress: it's the best mattress, period, with consistently impressive performance over five years of testing.

Still, you might find another Saatva mattress is a better match for you. The Saatva Latex Hybrid Mattress offers excellent pressure relief for anyone who suffers from back or joint pain, though the edge support leaves a lot to be desired. Naturally thermoregulating, the Saatva Zenhaven Natural Latex Mattress is a great option for hot sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers. If you like the look and feel of memory foam, I recommend the Saatva Contour5.

Which DreamCloud mattress is best?

The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress. It's filled with gel memory foam to relieve pressure, reinforced with stainless steel coils for support and covered in cashmere for plush comfort: all for less than $1,000 in a Queen size.

You could upgrade to the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress and get an additional inch in height, plus a cashmere blend cover, but I don't think that's worth the extra $300.

Once you've invested in the best mattress, it's important to take good care of it. I recommend you buy one of the best mattress protectors to safeguard against sweat, spills, and stains. Every so often, dust and dirt will slip through, so it's worth learning how to clean a mattress.