To those not in the know, a mattress is a mattress -- you either like it as soft as feathers or hard as rocks. But the reality is that a mattress can make or break a bed, and so it's important to choose one that suits you and your body.

Fortunately, the market offers several mattresses crafted with additional supportive and robust features, making them suitable for heavier individuals (supporting up to 500 pounds per person). Some examples of these beds are the Titan Plus and Titan Plus Luxe, the WinkBed Plus and the Big Fig mattress. The Saatva HD is also one of these beds and it just might be the nicest one in terms of quality and comfort. 

First impressions of the Saatva HD mattress

I was expecting to be impressed by the Saatva HD mattress prior to its arrival at our office and testing facility because of the pedigree of the Saatva brand. The Saatva Classic is one of CNET's favorite mattresses, the Loom & Leaf mattress and the Saatva Solaire mattress are also great for different reasons and the Saatva HD did not disappoint. 

All of Saatva's beds have a premium look, but in my opinion the HD mattress looks the best thanks to its organic cotton cover, golden embroidery and tall height profile. When we first started testing the mattress I found it similar to the Saatva Classic in terms of feel with subtle differences, which makes sense considering the HD is essentially designed to be a thicker, more supportive and durable version of the Classic. 

It also wasn't quite as firm as I expected -- often, beds that are designed for heavier people tend to skew firm, and while I would describe the HD as firmer than the average mattress, I was expecting something like the Titan Plus mattress which is among the firmest beds we've tested. 

Video: Saatva HD mattress Review

Watch me review the Saatva HD mattress in this video.

Saatva HD construction and feel

The Saatva HD mattress is very thick at 15.5 inches tall, which is among the thickest mattresses we've tested. Consequently, you might want to get deep pocket sheets to accommodate the mattress, and because of how thick the bed is and the materials it uses the Saatva HD is not compatible with adjustable bases which is something to keep in mind.

The bottommost layer is a 2-inch layer of dense, responsive support foam. You won't really be feeling this layer at all, its job is to provide the coil layer above a stable foundation. The coil layer is about 6 inches thick and is the primary support layer of the Saatva HD. It's constructed with extra thick gauge coils to improve the durability of the mattress.

Above the coil layer is a 2-inch layer of high-density responsive foam, which functions as a transition layer to help make sure you only feel the bounce and support from the coil layer, not the coils themselves. Above this layer is a 1.5-inch layer of memory foam for comfort and pressure relief, and above the memory foam is a 1.5-inch layer of zoned latex foam, and then the mattress is finished off with a 3-inch quilted European pillow top.

This bed has a lot going on under the cover and has a pretty strong resemblance to the Saatva Classic, with the key difference being the latex foam layer. On the Classic instead of a layer of latex foam it has another layer of coils. 

The construction gives the Saatva HD an accommodating, responsive pillow-top feel that I think pretty much everyone will find comfortable. Despite its layer of memory foam, it doesn't have the sink-in, body-conforming quality that memory foam is known for. If you're a memory foam lover, this feel might not appeal to you, but I have a hard time thinking people will find the Saatva HD uncomfortable.

Saatva HD firmness and sleeper types

Unlike the Saatva Classic which comes in three different firmness options, the Saatva HD is only available in one and in our testing we found it to be roughly a medium-firm on our scale, which makes it most ideal for back, stomach, and combination sleepers. People who spend a significant portion of the night on their side will likely want a mattress with a softer profile to provide more pressure relief. The brand agrees with our medium-firm assessment and lists it at the same level on its website. 

This firmness profile comes with a caveat though. Firmness is subjective and depends on a person's body weight, with heavier people generally finding beds softer than lighter people. If you're a heavier person, you may feel it to be closer to a medium than a medium-firm. This could make it more appropriate for side sleepers. 

I think it would be a nice addition to Saatva HD for there to be a firmer option for heavier sleepers who want very little give in their mattress. For now, though, there's only one firmness profile for this mattress. 

Saatva HD mattress performance

Edge support

The edge support of a mattress refers to how well the perimeter of the bed holds up under pressure. If the edge compresses too much, you can feel like you are going to roll off the mattress, which usually leads to poor sleep.

I thought the edge support on the Saatva HD was great. I didn't observe any roll-off sensation, and looking back at the construction of this mattress, there is dense foam reinforcement of the outer perimeter specifically to improve the edge support. 

Motion isolation

If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night because your partner tosses and turns a lot, having a mattress that does a good job of isolating cross-mattress motion is important. 

The Saatva HD is about average in this category. The support layer has some design elements to improve the motion isolation; however it can't really compete with a foam mattress in this category. 

However, if you are a really light sleeper who wakes up easily if your partner tosses and turns, it could happen more on this bed than others, but I don't see it being a dealbreaker for most.

Temperature regulation

The Saatva HD mattress should sleep temperature neutral thanks to its breathable layers like the coils, latex foam and organic cotton used in the pillow-top. It doesn't have any active cooling features like on the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora or Tempur-Pedic Pro Breeze that are cool to the touch. 

There are no red flags for sleeping hot on the Saatva HD, although in a recent 30-night home test of the Saatva Classic a member of our team did warm up a bit. 

Saatva HD pricing

There is no getting around the fact that the Saatva HD is an expensive mattress. It is significantly more expensive than the base model Saatva Classic, which is $2,095 for a queen size before discounts. The Saatva HD is also regularly discounted, which will lower the price a bit, but it is still a bed you need a sizable budget to consider. 

Make sure to check out our mattress deals page for the latest pricing and discounts on the Saatva HD or any other bed you might be interested in.

Saatva HD mattress policies

Free shipping (white glove delivery)

Unlike most online mattresses, which are rolled up and packaged tightly in plastic and then shipped to you in a large box, Saatva ships all of its beds fully expanded. You also get in-home setup and removal of your old mattress (if you choose). This is often called "white glove delivery."

This can be especially nice if you don't want to unpack your own mattress -- that isn't too difficult, but if you struggle to lift things, it can be a hassle. The bigger hassle is getting rid of your old bed, as it can cost a bit of money to dispose of a mattress. With any mattress from Saatva, you won't have to deal with it.

365-night trial 

All Saatva mattresses come with an extra-long trial period of 365 nights in comparison to the usual standard of 100 nights. So you have quite a while to really test it out and see if you like it. 

Keep in mind that it can take a month or longer for your body to adjust to a new mattress, no matter how well-suited it is to your sleeping preferences. The trial period begins the day the mattress is delivered, not when you actually start sleeping on it.

Return policy

At any point after the first 30 nights post-delivery you decide the Saatva HD mattress isn't for you for any reason, you can return it and get a refund. You just contact the company, and it will coordinate with a third party to pick up the mattress for you and then the bed is usually donated. 

There is a $99 fee to return any mattress from Saatva. It used to be one of the only brands that has a return fee but more and more online brands now have a similar fee.

Warranty

All Saatva mattresses are backed by a Lifetime warranty, which is above and beyond the usual online mattress standard of 10 years.

Like pretty much any warranty that lasts longer than 10 years, this warranty is tiered and offers more protection in the first 10 years in comparison to the years after but the Saatva HD mattress will likely remain durable over the long haul.

Final verdict

The Saatva HD is a high-quality mattress with premium materials and a design that will ensure long-term durability for heavier bodies. You don't necessarily need to be a heavier person to be interested in the Saatva HD, though, but if you are not the type of person this bed is designed for, I don't see why you'd buy this instead of the Saatva Classic. The Classic is more affordable, has more firmness options and is also durable and supportive. The HD does have a latex foam layer, which I could see some people gravitating towards, but with the extra cost and inability to work with an adjustable base, the Saatva HD is more of a niche choice. 

For heavier people looking for a luxurious mattress that's specifically designed to be super supportive and durable, the Saatva HD is one of the best beds on the market. The only potential downsides is firmness and price but it should work for the majority of people and it's also very comfortable.

You might like the Saatva HD mattress if

• You're a heavier person looking for a durable and supportive bed
• You want a neutral, accommodating mattress feel
• You're sharing this mattress and need excellent support
• You're seeking a firmer mattress

You might not like the Saatva HD mattress if

• You're shopping on a tight budget
• You use or want to use an adjustable base
• You want something plush

Other mattresses from Saatva

Saatva Classic: This is one of our all-time favorite mattresses, and we put it on many of our best lists for its comfort, versatility and price. It comes in three different firmness levels that work for most sleepers. It uses two layers of coils, it's plenty supportive and it has an accommodating and traditional pillow-top feel. There are just a lot of things to like about the Saatva Classic, and it is more affordable than the Saatva HD.

Loom & Leaf: This is the premium memory foam mattress option from Saatva. It doesn't feature any coils and instead uses dense foam for support and two different layers of memory as the primary comfort layers. The luxurious quilted cover is filled with a more responsive type of foam, so it has more of a responsive memory foam feel overall. It also comes in two different firmness levels that lean toward the firm end of the spectrum.

Saatva Rx: The Saatva Rx is a relatively new bed from Saatva, which is designed to provide targeted support for sleepers with chronic pain. It has two layers of coils, foam-tipped pocketed coils and micro coils to achieve that level of support. It also has a nice, comfy pillow-top feel. It only comes in one firmness level and it's a bit softer than a medium to make it a nice option for side sleepers looking for joint pressure relief.

How does the Saatva Soliare mattress compare to similar mattresses?

Saatva HD vs. WinkBed Plus

The WinkBed Plus is essentially WinkBed's answer to the Saatva HD, meaning it's a variant of its flagship mattress designed for heavier people. The WinkBed Plus is technically a different firmness option from the regular WinkBed mattress, but we consider it a different bed altogether because it's more expensive and has a different construction. Like the Saatva HD, the WinkBed Plus has a layer of latex foam for added bounce and durability and has the same type of responsive pillow-top feel and a similar medium-firm profile -- all while also being more affordable.

Saatva HD vs. Titan Plus

The Titan Plus mattress is another popular bed that's designed for heavier individuals. Like the Saatva HD, it uses extra-thick gauge coils for additional support and durability. It has fewer comfort layers than the Saatva HD, and instead of having a pillow-top feel, it has more of a responsive, firm foam feel that I don't think is universally comfortable. There's also a Titan Plus Luxe model that adds some memory foam, which changes up the feel. 

The biggest point in favor of the Titan Plus in comparison to the Saatva HD is that it's much more affordable. It's $1,249 for a queen size and has an optional cooling cover. 

Saatva HD vs. Big Fig

Big Fig is another mattress specifically designed for heavier people -- "Big Fig" is short for "Bigger Figure." It also has extra-thick gauge coils and has a feel more similar to the Titan Plus I just covered than the pillow-top feel of the Saatva HD. It has a cover that is somewhat cool to the touch, and Big Fig says it can support up to 1,100 pounds throughout the lifespan of the mattress. Big Fig is also more affordable than the Saatva HD, $1,899 for a queen and it has a firmer profile.