Saatva Contour5 Mattress Review

Written by Marten Carlson, Lead Reviewer

Methodology

Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed 600+ mattresses and accessories for over seven years using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief and more.
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In This Review

I go over my experience with the Saatva Contour5, a luxury all-foam mattress. I cover my testing assessments, from materials, how it works in each sleeping position, price, and more.

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Saatva is a popular online mattress brand known for creating a hotel-quality experience right in your own home. The Saatva Contour5 is the brand’s all-foam mattress that comes in two firmnesses. But for an all-foam bed, it doesn’t have a traditional slow-moving foam feel.

If this sounds like an all-foam bed you want to try out, I’m here to help. I personally reviewed the Saatva Contour5’s medium model and assessed its materials, firmness, feel, cooling properties, and more. Keep reading for the full scoop.

I recommend the Saatva Contour5 for…

• Back sleepers. This bed will do a good job of providing the necessary comfort and body contouring for back sleepers while still being supportive.
• Hot sleepers who want a memory foam mattress. This mattress features cooling materials in its cover and comfort layers to quickly dissipate heat.
• Those who want a luxury memory foam mattress. Saatva is known for providing a luxury hotel experience right in your own home. The Saatva Contour follows the same experience making it one of the best luxury mattresses.

I don’t recommend the Saatva Contour5 for…

• Budget shoppers. Before discounts, a queen-size Contour5 is about $3,000. You can finance the purchase, but this isn’t the most budget-friendly pick. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, consider our best affordable mattresses.
• You want something super bouncy. This bed is an all-foam mattress, so it won’t have the same bounce as a bed with coils.
• You want a super soft mattress. Saatva offers this bed in two firmnesses: medium and firm, and I tested the medium model. If you want something soft, you may want to take a look at my list of the best soft mattresses. 

How Firm Is the Saatva Contour5 Mattress?

Note: I reviewed the medium model of the Saatva Contour5. For me, this mattress felt like a 7/10 on our firmness scale. For reference, our firmness scale goes from 1 to 10, with one feeling like you’re sleeping on a soft, pillowy cloud, and with 10 feeling like hard concrete. The industry standard for a medium-firm mattress is 6.5/10, so this makes the Saatva Contour5 just slightly firmer than medium-firm.

Saatva Contour5 Mattress Test Performance: My Overall Thoughts

After conducting all my tests on the Saatva Contour5, it earned an overall score of 4.3/5. It earned high marks in support and motion transfer, and for an all foam bed, I think this is very durable. Some all-foam beds don’t have a super long life-span, but the Contour5 is made with high-quality materials that earned it a perfect score.

Take a look at my chart below to see each individual score, and keep reading to learn why I scored each category the way I did.

Poor

Average

Excellent

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1

2

3

4

5

4.3

4.5

3.5

4

4.5

3.5

4.5

5

5

Saatva Contour5 Mattress Performance 

Support: 4.5/5 

This category refers to how well supported you will feel in each sleeping position on the mattress. After testing the Saatva Contour5 on my back, side and stomach, I was surprised at how comfortable I felt in each. The Saatva Contour5 features some of the highest density memory foam I have ever seen. The only reason it didn’t get a 5/5 was because I think much larger people will still need something with coils. This is because coils, generally speaking, offer more support than a single layer of high-density foam.

Edge Support: 3.5/5

Edge support refers to how secure you’ll feel at the very edge of the mattress. This is important for couples because both partners will want to use the full surface of the bed and not huddle in the middle. To fully test this out, I sat and lay down along the edge of the mattress. But I also used a tape measure to put some hard numbers along with how I felt.

The mattress sagged about 3” when I sat near the edge. I will note that I weigh 270 lbs, and lighter people may not compress the mattress as much. Also, this is not too bad for an all-foam bed. Lying down, I didn’t feel like I was going to roll out of the bed, but it wasn’t as secure as some hybrids I have tried. Still though, if you’ve got a similar build as me, the edge support leaves a bit to be desired. For that reason, the score is about average.

Cooling: 4/5 

All-foam beds aren’t always a guarantee to be hot sleeper-friendly. I let the Saatva Contour5 get to room temperature, where my thermal gun read 71.3 F. I climbed into bed and after about five minutes, I checked the surface of the mattress. It had warmed up to 80.2 F, which is a pretty big jump. However, within seconds, it cooled down to 76.4. There is Phase Change Material (PMC) toward the top of the mattress, and it works quickly to dissipate body heat. 

So while the mattress did warm up a bit, it’s ability to quickly dissipate heat earned it a good cooling score.

Motion Transfer: 4.5/5

Motion transfer is another category that applies mostly to couples because they will likely not want to feel their partner toss and turn or get in and out of bed during the night. I test motion transfer in two ways: one with a coworker getting in bed and moving around, and with a glass of water.

For the first test, I got in on one side of the bed and my coworker, Tony, got in on the other. He lay back and started moving from side to side. I didn’t really notice much of his movement come over to my side of the bed. I would recommend the Saatva Contour as a good mattress for couples.

The water glass test is really more of a visual test, but it’s still a good indicator of how well a bed will absorb motion. I placed a glass full of water in the middle of the Contour5 and began pressing into the mattress around it. The water in the glass barely even rippled as I did so, again showing how well this bed absorbed motion.

Response 3.5/5 

The higher a mattress’s response score is, the easier it is to move around on top or get in and out of bed. The Contour5 is an all-foam mattress with a thick memory foam layer on top. It is not as slow-moving as a Tempur-Pedic, but it is not as bouncy as a latex mattress. I never felt stuck, but some people might have a bit of an issue changing positions. 

Durability 4.5/5

It’s hard to predict how long a mattress will last, but the Saatva Contour5 seems to be very durable. You’ve got multiple layers of high-density foam that shouldn’t sag too quickly. It’s not quite latex foam, which would be even more durable. But even so, I’d say this mattress could last around 10 years before needing to be replaced. Especially if you rotate it 180 degrees every six months or so. With this in mind, I rated durability quite high.

Saatva Contour5 Mattress Company Policy Scores 

Trial Period 5/5

Saatva offers a 365-night trial period on all its mattresses. Because you have a whole year to make return or exchange decisions, I scored this a perfect 5/5. I recommend testing the mattress out for about 30 days to break it in to get a good feel for it. But as long as you’re within the trial period, you can return or exchange the Saatva Contour5 for a full refund. However, there is a $99 processing fee.

Warranty 5/5

Saatva covers the Contour5 with a lifetime warranty. With such a broad time frame, here’s how the warranty breaks down. First, in order to be covered, the mattress has to be deemed defective, which Saatva defines as a result of manufacturing defects rather than general wear and tear.

For the first two years of the warranty, Saatva will completely replace or repair defective mattresses at no charge to you. Starting in the third year of the warranty, defective mattresses will be replaced or repaired, but with a $149 processing fee. Because of this, I rated Saatva’s warranty coverage with full marks, too.

For more information, check out the full warranty breakdown on Saatva’s website.

Saatva Contour5 Mattress – Other Factors to Consider

Two-Hour Nap 

No testing process is ever complete without a nap test. I got cozy and settled in, and I had a good experience during my nap. I tend to be a side sleeper most of the time, but I ended up sleeping on my back because I felt a bit of pressure on my shoulders and hips while side sleeping. But while resting on my back, I really felt that lumbar layer come into play. My back felt extremely well supported here.

It’s also not uncommon for me to sleep hot, but I really experienced the cooling features too. It was blisteringly hot when I reviewed this mattress, but I did not overheat while sleeping on the Contour5.

Off-gassing 

One of the best things about Saatva mattresses is that they are ready to be slept on the day you get them. That’s because Saatva doesn’t compress its mattresses into cardboard boxes. Because of this, you won’t have to worry about any chemical smell coming from the mattress.

Noise

Mattresses that make noise typically have squeaky coils. Because the Contour5 is an all-foam bed, you don’t have to worry about it making noise. During my tests, the mattress was completely silent.

Sex

The best mattresses for sex are ones that are very responsive and easy to move around on. The Contour5 is not the most responsive mattress, but it might not be a terrible match for some sexual partners. You shouldn’t have too much trouble moving around, but if you just want something for sex, I would look at a hybrid or innerspring mattress. The coils give those beds a good amount of bounce, making them easy to move around on.

Mattress Height 

The Saatva Contour5 mattress is 12.5” tall. This puts it just barely over the average height of a mattress, which usually ranges from around 10”-12” tall.

Sleeping Position and Weight 

The medium version of the Contour5 really shines for back sleepers across the board. It’s firm enough to keep you supported, but the top layers work very well to contour to your body, giving a good amount of pressure relief. But let’s break this down even further by explaining how it works for other sleeping positions and body types.

This bed is too firm to offer the pressure relief that side sleepers need. However, its firmness works in favor of lightweight stomach sleepers. The medium Contour5 is firm enough to keep hips elevated, which keeps the lumbar area of your spine from dipping. Average-weight to heavyweight stomach sleepers could find the support they need on the medium version, but should opt for the firm version for the most support.

Take a look at my chart below for a quick and easy reference to see how the Contour5 will work for your body type and sleeping position.

Sleeper Weight	Back Sleepers	Side Sleepers	Stomach Sleepers
Lightweight (130 lbs or under)	Good	Poor	Excellent
Average-weight (130 to 230 lbs)	Good	Poor	Good
Heavyweight (230 lbs and up)	Excellent	Poor	Fair

Heavyweight Tester – 6’7”, 270 lbs

“The Saatva Contour5 worked well for me on my back. I felt the top layers contour around my body, and could feel the extra lumbar support. As a heavier side sleeper, I felt some more pressure on my shoulders and hips, so it wasn’t the best match here. Stomach sleeping, I did not get enough support. I could feel my hips dip just a bit, so I would opt for the firm model of this mattress for this position.” – Marten

Average Weight Tester – 5’3”, 150 lbs

“I thought the Saatva Contour5 worked amazingly well while on my back. It was decently firm for me, but those top comfort layers do a good job of contouring my body. This mattress was too firm for me on my side. I think similar builds to mine will be OK on this mattress while stomach sleeping, but I would still recommend getting the firm version just to be safe.” – Elisa

Saatva Contour5 Mattress Construction 

Cover

On the outside, there’s a 100% cotton cover. This feels soft and breathable, and Saatva has treated it with an antimicrobial treatment to help prevent the growth of bacteria, mildew, and mold.

Comfort Layers

When it comes to the comfort layers, there’s a lot of high-quality materials, so let’s break them down layer by layer.

The first comfort layer is 2” of foam that incorporates Phase Change Material. This absorbs body heat and dissipates it quickly to help you stay cool. This layer also has a lumbar zone feature. This means that this layer of memory foam will be able to provide ample support for the lumbar area of your back.

Underneath, there is a 1.5” thick foam layer that is ventilated for airflow, which helps promote a cool night of sleep for you. This also gives the comfort layer some of its body-contouring ability, which can help relieve pressure in your shoulders and hips.

Finally, there’s a 3” thick layer of memory foam that acts as a transition layer. This is a bit denser than the top two layers, but it’s designed to help cradle your body. This layer also helps prevent you from sinking straight through those top layers.

Support Layers

At the bottom of the mattress, there’s a 6” thick layer of high-density memory foam. This is what provides the mattress its support and keeps you from bottoming out of the mattress.

How to Try and Buy the Saatva Contour5 Mattress 

You do have the option of visiting a Saatva showroom to try out the mattresses in-person before purchasing. However, there are only 18 of these spread across the United States.

Luckily, Saatva is also an online mattress brand, so you can purchase a mattress and have it arrive at your doorstep. It comes with free white glove delivery too, so you can have it brought into your room and set up. Saatva offers a 365-night trial period, so you have a whole year to decide if the bed is right for you.

We’ve also put together a guide on where to buy a Saatva mattress, so be sure to check that out and learn more.

Sizes and Prices of the Saatva Contour5 Mattress

Take a look at our up-to-date pricing chart for the Saatva Contour5. Note: These are the full prices and don’t include discounts.

Size	Dimensions	Price
Twin	38” x 75”	$1895.00
Twin XL	38” x 80”	$1995.00
Full	54” x 75”	$2795.00
Queen	60” x 80”	$2995.00
King	76” x 80”	$3595.00
Split King	76″ x 80″	$3990.00
California King	72” x 84”	$3595.00

Contour5

The Saatva Contour5 is a high-quality all-foam mattress. It has two firmness options and shouldn’t trap a lot of heat thanks to its cooling features.

Check Price

Mattress Clarity Score

4.30 / 5.0

How the Saatva Contour5 Compares

Not sure if the Contour5 is the right mattress for you? Let’s see how it compares to Saatva’s flagship model, the Saatva Classic, and two other mattresses from popular brands, Nectar and Helix. 

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

Contour5

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Contour5 Review

Product

Saatva Mattress

Firmness

Multiple firmness options

Score

4.3 / 5

Check Price

Read Saatva Mattress Review

Product

Nectar Luxe Mattress

Firmness

Soft: 6/10

Score

4.5 / 5

Check Price

Read Nectar Luxe Mattress Review

Product

Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Score

4.6 / 5

Check Price

Read Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress Review

Saatva Contour5 vs Saatva Classic 

Saatva makes a number of mattresses, and its flagship model is one of its best sellers. The Contour5 and the Saatva Classic are very different in terms of design, however. The Contour5 is an all-foam bed with a thick comfort layer, while the Classic is a hybrid mattress with a thinner comfort layer and coils.

This difference in construction leads to two very different feels in the mattresses. The Contour5 is going to have that contouring, soft memory foam feel to it, while the Classic is bouncy and responsive because of the coils.

Saatva is all about options, and it shows in the firmness options available. The Classic is offered in three different firmnesses, while the Contour5 only has two. The medium models of both work well for back sleepers, but the Plush Soft version of the Classic will be soft enough for side sleepers. Both mattresses should work well for stomach sleepers, as long as you choose the firmest option available.

Finally, let’s talk about price. The Contour5 is a good deal more expensive than the Classic. It costs while the Saatva Classic costs .

Read more about the Saatva Classic mattress in my full review.

Saatva Contour5 vs Nectar Luxe

Memory foam mattresses can feel very different depending on their constructions. And this difference is very clear when we compare the Contour5 to a popular brand, Nectar. Because the Contour5 is a luxury memory foam bed, let’s compare it to Nectar’s luxury bed, the Luxe.

Both have some cooling features built into their designs, and both feature phase change material, but in different places. The Contour5 has it infused into a foam layer, while the Luxe’s cover is made entirely out of it. The Luxe has a layer of gel-infused memory foam acting as its main comfort layer.

The Contour5 has two firmness options, while the Luxe only has one, which is considerably softer than the Contour5’s softest firmness (the medium model). Because of this, the Luxe works much better for side sleepers who want an all-foam bed for some much-needed pressure relief.

The Contour5 costs , which is a bit more expensive than the Luxe, which costs . However, after testing both, I would say that the Contour5 will likely last longer than the Luxe because it contains a good amount of high-density foam.

Read more about the Nectar Luxe mattress in my full review.. 

Saatva Contour5 vs Helix Midnight Luxe

If you’ve been shopping around for mattresses online, you’ve probably heard of Helix. This brand, like Saatva, has a number of options to choose from. But if you want to really go for that luxury experience, the Helix Luxe mattresses are the way to go. And a favorite of mine from Helix is the Midnight Luxe.

The Midnight Luxe is a hybrid mattress, so it’s bouncier than the all-foam Saatva Contour5. The Midnight Luxe has a soft, slow-moving memory foam comfort layer, but the coils at the bottom make it feel bouncy and responsive.

Both options have cooling features, but the presence of coils give the Midnight Luxe a leg up. Coils have space between them, which helps air flow through the bed. Overall, the Midnight Luxe is more breathable than the Contour5. 

If you’re a back sleeper looking for good lumbar support on an all-foam bed, go with the Contour5. But if you’re a side sleeper looking for some additional pressure relief on a softer mattress, go with the Midnight Luxe.

Read more in my Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review.

Saatva Contour5 FAQs

How long will the Saatva Contour5 last?

With good care, I can see the Contour5 lasting up to 10 years. Even though it’s an all-foam mattress, which typically doesn’t last very long, the Contour5 contains high-quality materials. Many of the foams are high-density and shouldn’t sag over time.

Can you flip the Saatva Contour5?

No, you can’t. This is designed with a thick layer of high-density foam at the bottom of the bed. This won’t feel comfortable if you turn it over.

Is the Saatva Contour5 a good mattress?

After my tests, I found that this is a very good, high-quality mattress. It really shines for back sleepers, offering the perfect amount of comfort and support. One of the top comfort layers is designed to feel firmer in the middle of the bed, offering great lumbar support. It shouldn’t trap a lot of heat, and should be a worthy investment.

Saatva Contour5 Mattress Video Review