Black Friday mattress deals 2021: the best early sales

Early Black Friday mattress deals are continuing to appear. Luxury hybrid mattress maker DreamCloud is one of the latest to launch an early bird Black Friday sale, with a special offer worth $599, while Layla's gone live with its full Black Friday event - there's up to $950 off bundles. 

Breaking: Nectar has launched a flash sale the cuts 25% off everything at Nectar for 25 hours. These are the lowest Nectar mattress prices we've seen all year, but they end at 11:59pm Saturday November 6 - and we don't expect Nectar to bring them back in the company's official Black Friday mattress sale later in the month (it didn't last year). So if you're looking to save money on a Nectar mattress, now's the time to do it.

Aside from Nectar, we expect most official Black Friday mattress pricing to appear a week or two before Black Friday 2021, which falls on November 26 this year. Despite the early bird offers, the lowest mattress prices and biggest bundles are usually reserved for closer to the day:

We're curating all the best Black Friday mattress deals from the best mattress brands as soon as they launch. We'll tell you how good they are, and whether we think prices will drop any further too. Just be aware that supply chain issues are continuing to squeeze manufactures and there's a chance some prices won't fall as low this month as they did last year. Some companies are also still battling delivery backlogs, and we anticipate this issue becoming worse during the holiday shopping season - so if you're in a hurry for a new mattress, we recommend buying now. There are some good deals around, especially on our top picks, the Saatva Classic and Nectar Memory Foam mattress.

Black Friday mattress sales 2021: quick links

Only a handful of early Black Friday mattress deals have launched so far. We've rounded up all today's best mattress sales, and highlighted the official Black Friday ones below.

The best early Black Friday mattress deals in 2021

Black Friday mattress deals: memory foam

Black Friday mattress deals: innerspring

Black Friday mattress deals: hybrid

Black Friday mattress deals: organic

Should you wait for a Black Friday mattress deal?

• For the lowest price, wait until mid-late November
• Buy now if you don't want to risk delivery delays 

Most of the best mattress deals are likely to appear in the week or two before Black Friday, if previous years are anything to go by - bar some flash sales that may happen earlier in November. So, if you're looking for the cheapest price possible, and can cope with your mattress not necessarily arriving on time, we'd recommend hanging on until at least early November to get the most value for your money.

We can't be sure prices will drop as low this year though due to supply chain issues, so waiting won't necessarily guarantee you a killer saving. Plus, if you're in a hurry for a new mattress, then we absolutely recommend buying now. There are good deals around - especially on our top picks, the Saatva Classic and Nectar Memory Foam mattresses. You're just more likely to save an extra $25-$150 in a few weeks' time. 

Black Friday mattress deals: our predictions

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

When will the best Black Friday mattress deals start in 2021?

Most leading companies officially launch their Black Friday mattress sales at the start of Thanksgiving week, and we predict we’ll see the same happening again this year. Early Black Friday mattress deals usually start creeping online from early to mid November, but in many cases these won’t be the lowest prices. 

The exception to this rule is the occasional flash sale - more on that below. Bar these, we recommend hanging on until the Sunday or Monday before Black Friday for the official sales to launch. Prices then tend to stay low for the week, before jumping back up again after Cyber Monday.

However, the mattress world is notoriously competitive and there are some good sales worth browsing now. Our top US picks are:

1. Nectar - Save $400 and get $399 of free gifts
2. Cocoon - Save 35% on Chill mattress + get free pillows and sheets
3. Helix - Up to $200 off mattress + 2 free pillows

And our top UK picks are:

1. Emma - almost half-price mattresses
2. Nectar - 40% off the Nectar mattress
3. Eve Sleep - up to 30% off all mattresses

Flash mattress sales before Black Friday

While the vast majority of the best Black Friday mattress deals will happen in Thanksgiving week, there were a few notable exceptions to this trend in the US last year. Nectar's cheapest prices of the year, for example, came via a flash sale on November 1. 

The company removed the free gifts from its usual offer, and instead dropped the mattress prices to their lowest ever. A twin-sized Nectar Memory Foam mattress cost just $374 (down from $499), while a queen dropped from $799 to $599. Prices then returned to usual and the normal deal resumed, and remained in place on Black Friday itself.

Luxury mattress maker Saatva, too, offered a huge $275 discount on its mattresses a few days before Black Friday - before then returning to its typical $200 discount. We're expecting to see more flash sales this year, so stay tuned... 

Another buck from the trend worth noting is that Purple offered a better-value deal on Cyber Monday than Black Friday. We saw it coming though, and if the same thing looks like it’s going to happen again this year, we’ll tell you.

We’ll be tracking all the best Black Friday mattress deals here, so if prices drop to their lowest ever before the event we’ll let you know. And if any deal looks like it might be better on Cyber Monday, we’ll give you a heads-up about that too.

Where will the best Black Friday mattress deals be this year?

If you’re looking to buy a mid-range or premium mattress, the cheapest prices are generally online - whether it’s Black Friday or not. That’s because without the overheads that come from running brick-and-mortar stores, online-only mattress companies have fewer costs to pass onto consumers and can undercut their physical-store rivals on price.

With that in mind, we’re expecting to see the best-value mattress deal over Black Friday at Nectar. We think the company will roll its current offer over into Black Friday, rather than launching a unique offer (there’s currently a $400 discount and $399-worth of free gifts with every mattress you buy from Nectar directly). That deal is phenomenal value, and we don’t expect another company to beat it in November.

Where else will we see the best Black Friday mattress sales? Well, Amazon often has some of the lowest prices on budget options, such as the Zinus Green Tea mattress, in November. Be aware that if you want a mattress with an extended sleep trial or warranty, we generally recommend buying from the mattress company directly, rather than Amazon, so there’s no room for error over those benefits being honored. (There are plenty of complaints on Amazon about this not being the case.) However, these features generally come with mid-range and premium mattresses, so if you’re buying a cheaper option, Amazon can still be a good bet.

Macy’s always has a strong selection of closeout deals over Black Friday on some of the major brands, too, including Sealy and Serta. So if you don’t mind choosing an older model, its Black Friday mattress sale is usually one of the best - it isn’t unusual to find discounts of over $1,000. These mattresses are classified as clearance merchandise, though, so you won’t be able exchange, return or receive a price adjustment on them if they’re not right, and they’re not covered by any warranties for existing or future damage.

What Black Friday mattress deals do we expect to see online in 2021? 

We think we’ll see many of the same online Black Friday mattress deals this year as in previous years. However, whether the actual prices will drop as low as they did last year, we don't yet know - material shortages and supply chain issues have forced some prices up as we've mentioned. Still, Nectar's current sale is a good omen. 

Here are our top predictions for the US:

• Nectar: $400 off mattresses + $399 of free gifts
• Cocoon by Sealy: save 35% + two free pillows and sheet set
• Saatva: $200 off luxury mattresses when you spend $1,000
• Leesa: up to $500 off mattresses + 2 free pillows for Black Friday
• Purple: save up to $500 on mattress and sleep bundles
• Tempur-Pedic: save 40% on the new Tempur-Essential mattress
• Ghostbed: get 30% off everything in the Black Friday sale
• Allswell: 25% off the Luxe and Supreme mattresses
• Awara: $300 off all mattress + 25% off bedding
• Avocado: $200 off the latex mattress
• Helix: save up to $200 on mattresses + 2 free pillows
• DreamCloud: $200 off mattresses + $399 of free gifts 
• Layla: up to $200 off mattresses + $300 of free gifts
• Casper: up to 30% off everything in the Black Friday sale

And for the UK:

• Emma: 35% off everything in the Black Friday sale
• Nectar: 40% off the mattress + two free pillows
• Simba: save 35% on mattresses
• Brook and Wilde: 40% off both mattresses
• Eve Sleep: 35% off mattresses
• OTTY: up to 45% off hybrid mattresses
• Silentnight: mattresses from £146 at Amazon
• Dormeo: save up to £700 on mattresses
• Dreams: up to half price on mattresses, divans and beds 

Is Black Friday the best time to buy a mattress?  

Short answer: yes. Black Friday is a brilliant time to buy a new mattress in both the US and UK. That’s because, as a rule, mattress prices are the lowest you’ll find them all year. However, Black Friday isn’t the only time prices drop this low - we often see Black Friday pricing reappear during the President’s Day mattress sales in February, as retailers look to entice people to start spending again after the holiday sales period.

There are plenty of other big mattress sales throughout the year, too. Any national holiday normally has big mattress discounts - the classic is the Memorial Day mattress sales in May, but there are July 4th mattress sales, Labor Day mattress sales and so on. 

It's important to point out, though, that while the discounts may look the same in each sale, the actual prices often aren’t. Typically the best time to save money on a mattress is Black Friday and President’s Day; the next lowest prices are usually found on Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day; and the worst time to buy a mattress is in the summer sales and the end of October, when many companies hike up their prices before dropping them for Black Friday. Mattresses can cost up to $200 more over the summer and in late October than they do in late November (even if they have the same ‘discount’).    

Black Friday mattress deals: 5 top brands

There are some particular sleep brands that are well worth keeping an eye out for in the Black Friday mattress sales. These companies make superb mattresses that are normally fantastic value anyway, but with a big discount they are not to be missed. Here are the brands we'd recommend looking for… 

1. Nectar Sleep

Nectar offers a fantastic mattress deal all year-round, with a cash discount on its award-winning Memory Foam Mattress, plus free gifts. The Nectar mattress is suitable for most sleeping positions and is a firmer and slightly cooler alternative to the Emma Original below. Any Nectar Black Friday mattress deal saving you over $499 or £300 is well worth considering. We'll be tracking the best deals in the Nectar Black Friday mattress sale here and elsewhere on the site.

2. Emma

(Image credit: Emma)

Emma offers three mattresses in the UK and one in the US. We love the Emma Original memory foam mattress because it’s comfortable, supportive and affordable. In short, this is the one that proves good sleep needn’t cost the earth. We’ve previously seen discounts of up to 35% on the Emma range, with prices normally starting from £449 / $649 without a deal. So if you see them cheaper in the Black Friday mattress sales, don’t hesitate.

3. Saatva

(Image credit: Saatva)

One of the best American mattress brands, Saatva makes luxury sleep products designed to help you feel so comfy in bed, you won’t want to get up. Even though the quality is second to none, Saatva is able to offer lower prices on its mattresses because it doesn’t own any bricks and mortar stores. We’re predicting a discount of $200-$225 on qualifying orders this year, with a price drop on all of the Saatva mattresses. Check out our guide to the best Saatva mattress sales and deals for the biggest discounts.

4. Tempur-Pedic

(Image credit: Tempur-Pedic)

An excellent choice if you suffer from joint pain, or simply enjoy the feeling of being cradled during sleep. Tempur-Pedic’s Black Friday mattress sale offered up to 40% off select models last year, so we're hopeful of the same in November. While the mattresses are excellent, we’d also suggest looking at the brand’s mattress toppers. These fly off the virtual shelves and last year in America we saw a brilliant 40% discount on the Tempur Topper Supreme, with savings of up to $180.

5. DreamCloud

(Image credit: DreamCloud)

If you want a luxury hybrid mattress without the high price tag, DreamCloud should be on your wish-list. These deep, comfy and contouring mattresses support all sleeping positions and manage to stay breathable thanks to their use of coils (air moves more freely around them). DreamCloud offers similar sale offers to Nectar because it’s owned by the same parent company, Resident Home, which means you can normally look forward to money off and a free gift.  

Are Black Friday mattress sales only for the US?

You'll find plenty of Black Friday mattress deals in the UK as well as in the US, and in previous years we have seen very generous sales from the UK sleep brands. Some mattress makers offer free gifts in addition to a discount, while others focus on money off deals. The deals range from a couple of hundred pounds discount to over £1,000, depending on the brand you shop with. 

Last year, for example, Simba offered a 35% discount on all its hybrid mattresses during the Black Friday mattress sales, with a higher 40% discount on its Hybrid Sleep Bundle. That was a great deal for anyone looking to upgrade their mattress, pillows and duvet all at once. It is a deal we’ve seen from Simba before (away from Black Friday), but the price of the mattresses was cheaper, so the savings were higher.

The Tempur-Pedic Black Friday sale is another one to look out for, as you can usually make big savings on the brand’s super-comfy memory foam mattresses. We’ve seen deals of up to 40% off select Tempur mattresses during past Black Friday mattress sales, which significantly reduces the price of these famous beds. 

So whether you’re shopping for mattresses in the US or the UK, Black Friday traditionally offers some of the best sale offers of the year. We expect 2021 to deliver more of the same. 

5 tips for buying a mattress online

(Image credit: Cocoon by Sealy)

Buying a mattress online is quick, easy and often cheaper than buying from a physical store. Delivery is free, and all the best mattresses now come with long risk-free trials so you can test them properly - by sleeping on them - rather than lying on them for five minutes in a showroom. If you don’t like one, you’ll get a full refund and the company will collect it (usually for free; sometimes less a small collection fee).

We’re fully signed up converts to buying mattresses online: the home trials make it far more likely that you’ll end up with the right mattress, and we like that you get more for your money. We also love how easy it is. But if you've never done it before, the process might seem daunting - so to help you feel at ease, here are five pro tips for buying a mattress online on Black Friday. 

1. Look for at least a 60-night trial
The best way to know whether a mattress is right for you is to sleep on it - a quick showroom test just doesn't cut it. Most leading brands and retailers offer a risk-free trial for exactly this reason, and we recommend looking for a minimum trial period of least 60 days to give your body time to get used to a new mattress (more on that below). 

We'll make sure all the top picks in our Black Friday mattress sale round-up come with at least a 60-night trial. In fact, the majority will likely come with 100-nights, and some, such as Nectar, give you an entire year to decide whether you like their mattresses.

2. Check for free returns
Most leading brands offer a full refund and free returns if you decide a mattress isn't right for you, as part of their risk-free trial. However, some companies do charge a small fee for collection - Saatva charges a $75 pick up fee, for example -  so do check the policy first. 

3. Try a new mattress for three weeks
Don't give up on a mattress if it isn't immediately comfortable. It can take up to 21 days for your body to adjust to a new mattress - especially if you were previously sleeping on an older or less supportive bed. Even the best mattress in the world could cause aches and pains as your body gets used to it, so make sure you stick a new one out for three weeks before deciding whether you like it or not.  

4. Buy from the manufacturer directly (or read third-party T&Cs)
We usually recommend buying mid-range and premium mattresses directly from the manufacturer so that you can make the most of their generous sleep trial and warranties. Yes, the likes of Amazon and other retailers advertise the same trial and warranty - but if you buy through a third-party you're automatically subject to their return policy, not those of the manufacturer.

To be eligible for the manufacturer’s trial and warranty, you’ll need to register the mattress on their database after buying it. We've seen regular complaints in Amazon’s mattress listings from customers claiming to have been told by the manufacturer that their sleep trial and warranty won’t be honored on Amazon purchases. (So if you do buy through a third party, register your mattress with the manufacturer as soon as you can.)

5. Do the elbow test to get the right size
Not sure what size mattress to get? Do the elbow test. Lie back with your hands behind your head. If you share a bed, your elbows should be able to extend without touching your side of the bed or your partner's elbow; if you don't share a bed, your elbows should be able to extend without touch either side of the bed.

3 best mattresses to watch out for on Black Friday

(Image credit: Saatva)

The Saatva Classic is the flagship mattress from premium sleep brand Saatva, and we think it’s the best mattress you can buy. This luxury hybrid innerspring combines the superior support of traditional springs with the comfort and advanced features of the latest mattresses. It’s the best of both worlds: you get excellent pressure relief in all sleeping positions, while staying cool and well-supported at night. The Saatva Classic is competitively priced for a luxury hybrid too, starting from under $900 for a twin. 

We think you'll be able to buy a queen size Saatva Classic for between $1,199-$1,299 in the company's Black Friday mattress sale. That's considerably cheaper than it currently is: right now, a queen-size Saatva Classic is the most expensive it's been all year, at $1,394 (down from $1,595 thanks to a $200 discount). We do expect the price to fall over the coming weeks - hopefully to the same price as last year ($1,199 for a queen size) but supply chain issues across the mattress industry make this year's deals harder to predict.

(Image credit: Nectar)

The Nectar Memory Foam is a mid-range, all-foam mattress and one of the best in the US and UK for anyone on a tight budget. It’s the most popular and affordable option in Nectar’s range, offering strong performance in key areas including support, pressure relief and motion isolation, and is well-suited to anyone who loves the 'hugging' feeling of memory foam - you sink into this mattress when you sleep. If you're a particularly hot sleeper, though, we'd recommend the Saatva instead. The Nectar Memory Foam does have a cooling cover (and we didn't overheat when we tested it), but all-foam mattresses are warmer than hybrids and spring-based options as a rule. 

Where the Nectar Memory Foam mattress excels is value for money: it significantly undercuts many of its competitors on price. In the US, it's sold with a permanent $400 discount and $399-worth of free gifts (pillows, sheets and a mattress protector), while in the UK it's frequently sold with up to a 40% discount and a free pillow. There's also a generous year-long risk-free trial to decide whether it's right for you, and a forever warranty. Will these offers improve even more on Black Friday? We don't expect the current US deal to be beaten, no, and the current UK deal is already very strong too. 

(Image credit: Zinus)

The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam is the cheapest in our best mattress guide, and a top choice for anyone on a tight budget. This all-foam mattress has three layers, and comes in four different depths: 6, 8, 10 and 12 inches. The thinnest costs around $189 for a queen size on Amazon, while the thickest costs around $415.

Our reviewers tested the 10-inch version (we wouldn’t recommend anything thinner than 10 inches for most adults) and found it performed well for the price. The mattress has a classic memory foam feel, with good pressure relief, support and spinal alignment. We also found there to be minimal motion transfer, making it a good choice for couples.

Don’t expect to see the same premium materials and features here as with the other mattresses in our guide. Aside from the green tea and charcoal-infused memory foam - which is designed to remove odors and help keep your mattress feeling fresh - there are no bells and whistles. But the Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam does what it’s meant to do: it’s comfortable, supportive and the price is great. We think it’s one of the best budget mattresses you can buy.