Independence day is fast approaching — but is the 4th of July the best time to buy a new mattress? At Tom’s Guide, we’ve been covering the 4th of July mattress sales for over a decade. And as a sleep writer, part of my job involves tracking mattress prices. That means that there’s little we don’t know about this upcoming sale event.
While we can expect many of the best mattress brands to drop their prices, we shouldn’t expect all-time low prices that bigger sale events (like Black Friday) can bring. That said, the 4th of July mattress sales is the best time to buy a new mattress if you need a new bed at a discounted price before summer, as the next major mattress sale isn’t until Labor Day in September.
Here’s what you should expect from the upcoming 4th of July mattress sales, plus my top tips for shopping for the best mattresses come Independence Day.
What are the 4th of July mattress sales?
4th July marks the next mattress sale event in celebration of Independence Day. It isn’t one of the five key mattress sale events of the year, but you can expect better discounts than most standard summer sales. The 4th of July sales will start around a week or so before 4th July itself, depending on the manufacturer.
That gives you enough time to choose the best mattress for you and whittle down your short list so that when the 4th of July sales drop, you’ll be ready to buy.
Are 4th of July mattress sales the best time to buy a new mattress?
The best time to buy a new mattress is during the Black Friday sale event towards the end of November, which is when most mattress manufacturers roll out their biggest discounts. During last the last Black Friday sale event, we saw incredible savings, such as up to 50% off Sleep Number smart beds, a 25% off sale at Helix which included a free bedding bundle, and 40% off the best memory foam mattresses at Nectar.
Black Friday is then followed by four other major sale events; Cyber Monday, Presidents’ Day in February, Memorial Day in May, Labor Day in September.
The 4th July mattress sales do sit outside of the five key sale events, so while many mattress brands will offer reductions, we don’t anticipate seeing the record-breaking levels of savings that other major sale events can bring. That said, the 4th July mattress sales is certainly the best mattress sale event of the summer.
Not only are the 4th July mattress sales your last real chance to save on a new bed before Labor Day in September, many mattress brands increase the MSRPs of their beds over summer. That means that waiting until after 4th of July to buy your new bed could end up costing you even more.
4th of July mattress sales 2024 — what we can expect
As a team, Tom’s Guide has been covering the 4th July mattress sales for over a decade — which means we have a pretty strong understanding of what to expect from the sale event this year. We’re expecting to see a combination of dollar off discounts and percentage based sales off of some of our favorite mattresses in a box, as well as free or discounted bedding bundles, accessories and bed bases.
One of the standout savings from last year was a site-wide 30% off sale at Brooklyn Bedding, which brought the price of a queen size Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress (one of our best cooling mattresses) down to $1,585 from $2,265. Elsewhere, there was up to $1,200 off at Sleep Number and 33% off the Nectar Memory Foam mattress, plus 25% off at Helix Sleep, plus two free pillows worth $150. While these aren't record-breaking savings, they're certainly good enough-discounts if you need a bed before the summer.
How to buy the best mattress in the 4th of July sales
1. Go for dollar off discounts over percentages
Mattress brands are savvy and know that offering huge (often ‘up to’) percentage discounts on their homepage will entice you in. However, you can be left feeling disappointed and short changed when that discount actually translates to a fairly feeble saving.
Instead, look out for dollar off discounts so you know exactly how much the mattress you want has been discounted by. Saatva and Purple are just two of the leading brands that have a good track record for offering dollar-off discounts during major sale events, so you can quickly see at a glance how much the mattress you have your eye on has been discounted by.
If you do opt for a percentage-off discount, work out how much the mattress has been discounted by in order to establish if it’s a good enough deal to warrant buying now. For example, Helix Sleep often offer percentage off sales, which can work out to be pretty hefty savings.
2. Don't overlook free bedding bundles or accessories
In addition to money-off, mattress sales are a time when many mattress brands roll out discounts or freebies on bedding bundles, accessories and even bed bases. A mattress purchase that includes any of the above is a great way to maximize savings — but only if you’re in the market for any of those things.
Historically, Beautyrest mattress sales include greater discounts off of mattresses when purchasing alongside an adjustable bed base, with savings reaching a significant $1,200 off the Beautyrest Black. Meanwhile, Helix mattress sales have previously offered bedding bundles worth up to $418 alongside the purchase of the Helix Midnight Luxe.
3. Buy directly from the manufacturer
Occasionally, third party retailers like Amazon or Walmart will offer greater discounts on beds compared to mattress manufacturers. However, it’s not always clear whether these third party retailers will honor the sleep trial and warranty period that you would otherwise get when buying directly from the mattress brand. That means that if you later decide that the mattress isn’t right for you or it has been damaged, it can be difficult to return.
If you do decide to buy from a third party, protect your purchase by obtaining a copy of any warranty or sleep trial before buying. For context, ten year warranties are typical, but lifetime warranties are the longest. For sleep trials, 30 nights is the minimum you should accept, 100 nights is typical, but 365 nights is the longest.
4. Buy the best mattress for your sleep needs
Always go for the mattress that you (and anyone you share a bed with) needs, rather than the mattress that has been discounted by the most. Body type, comfort preferences and sleep needs should all be taken into consideration before buying a new bed. For example, how soft or firm would you like your new mattress to be? What position do you spend most time in?
Mattresses come with a firmness rating out of ten, with medium-firm beds sitting at around 5-7 out of 10. If you’re unsure of what firmness you need from a new bed, a medium-firm mattress is a relatively safe bet, as it caters to most sleep positions and body types.
5. Always check the returns policy
It’s always worth checking the returns policy of a new mattress, even when buying directly from the brand. While some mattress manufacturers offer free hassle-free returns, other brands will only offer an exchange or, in some cases, charge you to return your new mattress. If the option of being able to quickly change your mattress for something more suitable, or receive a hassle-free refund in full, is important, we’d recommend reading the small print before purchasing.
