At Saatva, we know that most of our customers research a lot of mattress brands before making a decision. One of the brands we’re often compared to is Awara, a popular mattress in a box option. Below, we take a closer look at seven key differences between Awara and Saatva.
The Saatva mattress that most closely compares to the Awara Premier hybrid model is the Saatva Latex Hybrid. Latex hybrid mattresses, one of the newer mattress types on the market, are becoming increasingly popular.
For good reason: Latex hybrid mattresses offer the best of both worlds, combining the classic feel of innerspring with the responsive, body-hugging properties of latex. What’s more, they’re also good for your health-and the environment-thanks to the nontoxic, eco-friendly materials used to make them.
If you’re debating between Saatva and Awara, here’s what you need to know, starting with the biggest point of difference: how the mattresses are built.
Saatva vs. Awara: key points of comparison
1. Construction
Both the Saatva Latex Hybrid and the Awara Premier consist of a base coil unit with a layer of latex on top. Both have individually wrapped coils for maximum contouring ability and natural Dunlop latex for comfort and pressure relief.
The big difference between the Saatva Latex Hybrid and the Awara Premier is the way the mattresses are constructed: Awara is a boxed mattress, which means it’s compressed, folded, rolled, and drop-shipped to the customer in a 16x16x45-inch box.
Saatva Latex Hybrid is handcrafted in one of our 19 U.S. factories, delivered whole, and set up by a white glove delivery team.
Squashing, folding, and rolling make a mattress easy and cheap for the manufacturer to ship, but it doesn’t do anything good for the mattress. That’s particularly true when it comes to an innerspring mattress.
Coils that can be compressed, folded, and rolled have to be made of thin and flexible wire; thin wire doesn’t provide the same kind of long-lasting support as thicker and more durable wire.
Watch this video to see what can happen when a mattress is crushed:
Then watch this video to see how a Saatva mattress is handcrafted to understand the difference:
2. Materials
The materials used in the Saatva Latex Hybrid and the Awara Premier are very similar: steel coils, natural Dunlop latex, and a layer of New Zealand wool on top for comfort, breathability, and flame retardance.
Both mattresses have a Euro top, a type of cushioned pillow top that’s integrated under the mattress cover, and both use organic cotton in the outer cover. Saatva’s cover is additionally treated with Guardin®, a proprietary natural antimicrobial agent, to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria.
The latex layer in the Saatva Hybrid is zoned, with firmer areas in the center third for added lumbar support. It’s also made with ventilated pinholes to promote air circulation for cool sleep.
3. Comfort options
Both the Saatva Latex Hybrid and Awara Premier come in a single medium firmness, comfortable for most sleeping positions and a good compromise for couples with different firmness preferences.
Awara rates the Premier’s firmness at 6.5, and Saatva puts the Latex Hybrid at 5 to 7 on a 10-point scale, meaning that to some people Saatva Latex Hybrid might have a slightly firmer feel than Awara Premier.
But keep in mind that comfort is subjective, and what feels firm to one person may not feel the same to somebody else.
4. Off-gassing
Because Awara mattresses are shrink-wrapped inside a box, they may emit odors when first unwrapped. This off-gassing is caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) escaping from foams and other materials.
According to mattress review site Sleepopolis, you should wait at least 24 hours until the Awara Premier mattress is fully expanded and ready to use. Sleepopolis further suggests unzipping the mattress cover and leaving the bed in a well-ventilated room for a few hours while the smell completely dissipates.
You can nap on your Saatva the moment it arrives (though we recommend you put sheets on it first). Because our mattresses are made to order and not boxed, shrink-wrapped, or kept in inventory, any off-gassing of materials takes place in the factory, not in the customer’s home.
4. Delivery and setup
Both Awara and Saatva offer free delivery; the difference, as we’ve noted, is that you have to unbox and set up the Awara Premier yourself, whereas the Saatva Latex Hybrid comes with in-home white glove delivery and old mattress removal included in the price. (It’s worth pointing out here that a queen-size Awara mattress weighs about 90 pounds.)
If you want in-home delivery of your Awara it will cost an extra $149, provided the service is available in your area.
5. Cost
You might think a luxury mattress, made to order in the U.S.A. with premium materials and hand-delivered to your home, would be more expensive than a mattress in a box.
As of this writing, a queen-size Awara Premier costs $2,298 before any discounts or special offers. A queen Saatva Latex Hybrid, with free delivery and old mattress removal included, costs $2,195 before any discounts or special offers.
6. Policies
When it comes to post-purchase policies, Awara and Saatva both have 365-night home trials and lifetime warranties.
Both offer free returns within the trial period, with a slight difference: If for any reason you want to return your Saatva mattress, a white glove delivery team will pick it up and take it away for a full refund, less a $99 processing fee.
Awara doesn’t pick up returns. Instead, the company says it will work with the customer to find a local donation or disposal site and issue a refund only after it receives proof that the mattress has been donated. Additionally, Awara doesn’t accept returns before 30 days.
7. Customer satisfaction
Any mattress brand (including ours) will tout its positive customer reviews and high star ratings. But if you really want a view into customer satisfaction, look to independent third-party sources.
One such source is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). According to the BBB’s website, Awara is unaccredited and has no BBB rating. Customers who reviewed Awara on the BBB’s site give it an average of 1.47 out of 5 stars.
Saatva is BBB accredited, with an average customer rating of 4.77 out of 5 stars from more than 1,500 reviews. The BBB gives the business an A+ rating, which is a measure of how the company interacts with customers when it comes to complaints.
That’s no surprise when you consider that Saatva’s customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, by phone, online chat, and email.
For a closer look at the Saatva Latex Hybrid, check out our mattress page, where you can find full specs, a diagram of the layers, and more information about the mattress.
Improve your sleep with Saatva's latex hybrid
Latex Hybrid Mattress
This hybrid mattress combines the pressure-free support of natural latex with the classic innerspring feel. Handcrafted with pure materials for the ultimate in cool and healthy sleep.
Want to see how Saatva mattresses stack up against other brands you might be considering? We’ve put together these comparisons to highlight the differences:
- Saatva vs. Simmons
- Saatva vs. Sealy
- Saatva vs. Stearns & Foster
- Saatva vs. Casper
- Saatva vs. Helix
- Saatva vs. Dreamcloud
- Saatva vs. Nectar
- Saatva vs. Serta
