Novaform vs. Serta

Novaform's Owner Satisfaction

Novaform's Supportiveness

Novaform's Durability

Serta's Owner Satisfaction

Serta's Supportiveness

Serta's Durability

Browse Novaform Customer Reviews

Good if willing to put a few extra bucks into it

Pros: Price, shipping, delivery, ease of getting into bed room, highly rated by consumer reports
Cons: Firmness is mislabeled, requires a memory foam topper to be comfortable

I did a lot of research before buying our new mattress. We had never done a memory foam mattress before and thought we would give it a try. We went to a department store and tried out their memory foam beds to make sure we thought we might like it and picked the right firmness.

I have traveled for a job and stayed in nice and bad hotels. I thought I was pretty experienced to differ mattresses and comfort levels. This one is rated medium firmness, I would say it is medium firm to firm. It is much firmer than any mattress I have slept on. I could see how it could be firmer so I won't say it should be rated firm, but it is at minimum medium firm. There is no feeling of memory foam. There is almost no give in the mattress. You expect a memory foam mattress to give to your body a little and you fit into it. This does not happen with this mattress. I was excited to see what the pearl gel memory foam felt like. There is no indication of pearls, gel, or memory foam on the top layer.

Awesome

After researching mattresses for months and with great fear I ordered this matress based on Costco's return policy, consumer reports rating, and customer reviews. It arrived by courier ( He even dollied it into our bedroom )! It unpacked as it should. No smell , no waiting - we slept on it that night. I had left the board that I had been using on the box springs but after a 2 weeks removed it because I read that it should not be used on the floor but on box springs. It went from firm to medium and viola. Perfect!!! I've had the matress over two months and purchased gel pillows. Honestly, I've never had anything this comfortable. The gel pillows work in sync with the matress. It's NEVER hot. But now that it's winter it's not cold either. I'm just in awe when I lay down at night and even more pleased when I wake up. Great job Novaform. Great Job Costco! My first purchase from your company has made me a life long customer.

Great Mattress and Price but too firm

I have had this mattress for @ 2 years. I think it will probably last forever, but it is NOT medium in firmness. I would say at least medium firm +. You do not sink in as you do on most memory foam mattresses, but surprisingly I do sleep very well on it. It really doesn't feel like a memory foam mattress. Seems good for both side and back sleepers. I do wish it was a little softer. Slept on a water bed with 'pillow top for years until the bladders could no longer be patched. They don't make water bed mattresses like this anymore (solid pillow top and sides that drop over base and bladders. Probably this was the most comfortable mattress I've every had. Unless you like a soft mattress you will be very happy with the Serifina' and at $650 ($799 Cal King which I have)nothing else comes close.

Bought it, returned it, opted for diff product

Lesson learned- don't skimp on a mattress you spend 7-8 hours using and if you have back/neck problems. Wife and I bought this and gave it a ride for 30 days. Felt it was too soft, did not hold form. Returned it after 30 days. It came in a box the size of a dorm room fridge. That should probably be a characteristic of caution in the first place. Might be suitable product for college kid looking for something that can ship easy. Not a great solution for neck/back problems.

Deserves 10 stars!

For years we wanted a Tempurpedic so when Costco.com offered them a couple of months ago, we took the plunge. For six weeks, I did not sleep. The Tempurpedic was hot, hard as a brick, and uncomfortable. It was also excessively tall.

We returned it and replaced it with the Serafina Pearl Gel Mattress. Oh. My. Gosh. It is like sleeping on a cloud. I like a softer mattress while my husband prefers a firm mattress. We are both happy and are sleeping through the night with no tossing or turning. Do not hesitate to get this mattress!

Too Firm

Costco service and delivery and price were all great. I just could not stand this bed. It was not medium. It was very firm. Felt like concrete. I switched to the Valentina and I love it.

Too Hard

I bought this mattress a month ago and haven't gotten use to it yet. Will probably send back. Will maybe try the more expensive softer mattress.

Extremely comfortable

Having had a 15 year old firm mattress the change to this memory foam mattress its everything I had hoped it would be. Sleep on both side and back, both very relaxing and comfortable.

Great mattress

We needed a new mattress, so I researched them starting with Consumer Reports, which rated this their top foam mattress. This is our first foam, so I really didn't know what to expect. Also, we have never purchased a mattress without first trying it out in a store. It arrived quickly and was fascinating watching it expand after to cut the plastic off it. I have to say that it's harder than I expected, but I am getting used to it after two weeks. My wife, who sleeps on her back, is sleeping noticeable better. There's also no movement transferred to the other person, which is a good thing. Neither of us noticed any unpleasant smell as some have reported.

HORRID!!!!

Relying on the glowing review in Consumer Reports, I purchased this mattress more than two months ago and believed the enclosures that said it could take a while for the mattress to fully set. Well, sufficient time has elapsed and it is still the most uncomfortable mattress I have ever slept on. (It replaced a 16- year-old mattress but thank goodness I hung on to that one because I plan to put it back on my bed and give this mattress away.) The mattress is so hard, I wake up with a backache every morning and my Activity Tracker shows I am having very restless nights. I actually have to fold up several blankets and use them as padding under me because the mattress is so hard and uncomfortable. I would not even call it 'firm,' it is the hardest mattress I have owned and I always buy firm models to provide more back support. Worst money I ever spent!

Great Mattress!!

I researched alot of mattresses on their comfort, side and back sleeping and reviews and price. This one came out on top. We used to have a waterbed and thought it would be difficult to adopt our lifestyle to a regular bed. We got flannel sheets and have slept like a baby ever since. It's hard getting out of bed in the morning. Very nice.

Great Bed, Great Price

I bought this bed in February 2016 and like the other reviews found it very hard. After about 2 months, it become much more comfortable. I love it now, find it very comfortable, doesn't make my back hurt and I would certainly buy it again. You have to give it a few months and then it's great. If you are looking for a pillow top snuggly bed, this is not for you.

Great Mattress

We bought this a month ago and cannot be more satisfied. We did think it was slightly more fim then we expected but after 2 nights of sleeping we realized it was a medium firmness. The most comfortable mattress ever. Havent slept this well in years.

Perfect for me

1. I read all the reviews on the COSTCO, other sites and checked consumers overall this bed seemed to be a good choice as far as quality. 2. As you can see from the reviews some people say this bed is to hard, some say it is to soft and others say it is just right. Depending on your weight depends on how much you 'sink' into any mattress that also effects how hard of soft the mattress 'feels'. 3. I enjoy a 'firm' mattress in which I do not sink a lot into it but I do expect it to conform to my body this mattress works perfectly form me. 4. Smell: Upon delivery I set up the mattress and aired it out for about 6 hours. I then put on a mattress pad and bedding. The only way to smell anything unusual was to put your nose to the mattress and that lasted about 2 days. 5. Price: After checking warranty and cost this bed via COSTCO gave me the best value.

Very firm

I did hours upon hours of research and thinking before deciding on this mattress I read every review posted. How firm a mattress feels is different for everyone so how can you yourself decide until you have one.? I needed a firm mattress for my back issues. This one was rated so well and it was a no risk purchase. I decided to give it a try. I am a woman approx. 130 pounds. My weight didn't put a dent in it anywhere! I felt like I was laying on top of it with little to no give at all. It also took a couple of days to expand to be able to press a hand impression into it. It did not get hot, The smell of it was minimal, it is very heavy, easy set up and this is an good quality mattress. I was hoping it would conform to my body a little but it didn't. For me, it's as firm as any Firm mattress without plush or a pillow top I've tried out there. The medium firmness rating doesn't feel accurate for me or my weight at least. It's harder than the highly rated Se@ly kelburn also recommended by CR. Hope that helps as a way to compare for you. Love Costco and always will!

Novaform @costco review

If you've owned a high end pillowtop mattress you will not be satisfied with this bed, If you haven't its perhaps doable, For the money right aroud 600 dollars its worth the money, It actually helped my wifes back, And she woke up without her usual discomfort, For me it felt to firm and lacked that luxurious feel and its not something i can imagine spending 1/3 OF MY LIFE ON FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, That being said again its still worth the money.

Promising

We have tried a number of the Novaform mattresses. Each one seemed to have great promise but fell just short. We love the affordability and potential of the mattresses. Our first Novaform serafina pearl gel memory was too soft (rated in top 4 on CR), but nice if you like plush. We then tried the Novaform firm memory foam, which was firm and comfortable but retained so much heat that I was waking at night changing shirts from sweat. And finally the serafina pearl firm with gel, once again too soft. I must admit, I have had lower back problems, so I look for firm to extra firm mattresses. For now, we are giving up on foam mattresses.

Provides support and gently hugs you

I've been sleeping on this mattress for a few weeks now and find it to be comfortable. The mattress is softer than I prefer with a very plush top layer that hugs your body and offers support (at the lower back). You do sink into the mattress a bit which can slow you down when changing sleep positions. Before this mattress, I slept on a foam mattress - it retained heat but I feel this mattress retains more heat. My spouse really likes this mattress though. There isn't any edge support. There is an off-gasing smell that lasted up to 48 hours after unpacking. Overall: nice support, a little too soft, retains heat but I like it.

Not Supportive

At first we thought this mattress would work for us, but after a week we knew it wasn't supportive enough. We are 60 and 59, 230 and 130 lbs respectively. I am a side and back sleeper, my husband a side and stomach sleeper. I noticed that the mattress didn't hug my lumbar region while sleeping on my back. I could feel a gap there and there shouldn't be. My husband thought it was too squishy, not firm enough. What we both disliked is that the sides cave in when sitting on the edge of the bed, so you basically slide off. We had to return it and we are now trying a Sterns and Foster pillow top firm. Back to basics for us.

The best purchase ever!

We were moving to Ireland and wanted to buy new beds for everyone but we had a budget as moving countries is expensive. We gone One queen and the kids got full size each. I was very nervous as we would not be getting to try them untill we were in Ireland. However, I need not have worried. They were the best purchase ever! I normally have back issues and have never woke up even once with stifness or soreness in my back. Still totally love this bed after nearly 10 months. My only issue is now when I visit friends or stay overninght else where, the beds seem completely sub standard.

Firm cradling comfort

My husband and I bought this to replace our 7 year old tempurpedic. This Novaform 14" Serafina is the most comfortable mattress my husband and I have ever slept on. That includes all mattress's at hotels, friends' and that we've owned. We're in the mid 50 to early 60's age range. It gives a firm but soft cradling support and is not hot like our previous memory foam. We read reviews in Consumer Reports and this met our budget and was one of the top rated mattress's. We got it on sale and is a great value even at full price. Highly recommend!!

Takes getting use to.

We purchased this mattress last year for a vacation cottage. We allowed it to sit opened on the bed overnight before we slept on it. We own a pillow top mattress at our home, so this was our first Memory Foam mattress and we purchased this based on good reviews and the price. The first few night we slept terrible! We both woke up sore each morning. After about 5 nights we finally started sleeping better. I do find it to be hot, especially if you are sleeping on your back. It is soft on the top, but very firm underneath so you have good support. We are going to buy a mattress topper to try and soften it even more to what we are used to sleeping on. Overall for the price it is a good mattress, but does take time to get use to.

More of a medium firm

I love having a king bed, it is lovely! First time trying out a memory foam mattress. My husbands only request was to get a firm mattress. I would say its more of a medium-firm. You do sink in a little right away. I woke up the first week with sore back, which I never have before on my other spring mattress, but I haven't recently, so I am wondering if my body had to first get used to it. I also am 19 weeks pregnant, which could have been part of it, or that the first week we didnt have a platform for it yet!! Me or my husband havent had any issues with overheating on it like I read in some of the reviews.

Great mattress

This was a first....after shopping all over for a firm mattress, (costs were &1200-$4800+). Reviewed Consumer Reports, this mattress was very highly rated and less than $1000. Then it went on sale in February!!! With Costco's return policy we decided to give it a try. Then we learned it would be coming in a box!!! A king mattress in a box!!??!! When it arrived...in a box...flat as a pancake...there was no way this was going to work.....wrong....within three hours this 'pancake' turned into a full size king extra firm mattress!!! No more tossing and turning it's the best nights sleep we've had in a very long time...granted, it's only been a week...but so far so good. Would and have recommended this mattress to everyone we know.

Excellent !

I researched mattress online. This one came in the top 10 at number 5 . I bought this mattress 3 months ago. I always had a coil mattress and needed a change. I knew I could return it if I was not happy. Costco is great to deal with if there is a issue. It is the best mattress I have ever slept on. Extremely comfortable, not hot, my back even feels better. My wife feels the same way and she was really concerned. She is not tossed around when I move or turn over.

Firm was better than medium firm

We tried both the firm and the medium firm version of this mattress. The medium firm was available in warehouse and the firm only available online. My wife chose the firm version do to less motion transfer and no sag/roll toward the center due to my laying in the bed. She was able to get rid of a boomerang pillow she previously needed for side sleep with our Sleep Number bed that we got rid of. It took about two hours, a roll of heavy duty packaging tape, clamps, 2x4's, and a vacuum to get the medium firm mattress small enough to return to Costco...but they did take it back.

Too Soft for Us

Frankly, my one star is probably unfair, but if you love a very hard innerspring, as my husband and I do, do not be lured in by the "firm" label. That's firm for a foam mattress, not firm for a mattress in general. We sunk into it as if it were a marshmallow. In fact, after trying it for a few nearly sleepless nights, we dragged our old rock-hard innerspring mattress onto our bedroom floor and there until we were able to lift it off our bed and arrange to return it to Costco. We are SO thankful for Costco's return policy. I cannot imagine sleeping on this huge marshmallow for another night.

Disappointed

We bought the mattress online through Costco only because they don't carry California Kings in the warehouse. It two weeks to get it. Unpacking it was not to difficult. It's been a week since we've had it and the mattress still hasn't fully reached its full shape. The bottom right side is still smashed. As for comfort, the only option was to go with firm in a cal king. It's like sleeping on flat mat, there is no give, no comfy feeling. I can't seem to find a comfortable position and my lower back is achy in the morning. Will give it one more week like the instructions recommend but doubt very seriously I will keep it. Not at all what I hoped it would be, the delivery time, the shape not right and the total lack of comfort, especially for the money.

Life Changing

My only regret is not buying one sooner! I'm so glad that I took the time to go lay on a few different beds first. I even got fitted by one of those computer beds that measure all your pressure points to figure out how firm of a bed you need. Being a big guy (6' 300lbs) I'm so glad I went with the firm Serafina. You do sink in a lil little, but only really enough to form to your body. I have nothing bad to say about this bed and would recommend it to anyone.

Finally a FIRM comfortable bed.

Many thanks to Costco for their return policy. This is the second mattress I have purchased from Costco in the last six months. It is quite firm which is what I needed. The first purchase seemed fine for about two weeks, but then the "sleep impression" began to appear...sort of like a troth.

I was hesitant about buying

I was hesitant about buying and surprised to receive it in a box, but what a great mattress. I am 6'4" 320lb and the firm is surprisingly comfortable for me and my 5'3" 123lb wife, We love it. A !2" mattress might have been better, our deep sheets are not deep enough for the 14" mattress

Great Bed

I bought this bed a couple of months ago and love it. It’s the perfect firmness. It’s very similar to the Tempurpedic medium firm and softer than the Sleep Science Black Diamond. I’m a side sleeper and it does not hurt my shoulder like the SS Black Diamond did. This bed is an incredible value, especially when it’s on sale. I highly recommend it if you have laid on the Tempurpedic medium firm and like that firmness level.

Serafina Ordered Accidently...

So we ordered a "bed-in-a-box" from Costco, thinking we had ordered the King sized Novaform Comfort Grande. Shortly after receiving an email confirmation, the email read "Serafina Pearl." Initially, i was scrambling through different websites to see a comparison of the 2 beds. The Comfort Grande was said to be less firm than the Serafina Pearl. I was thinking that the Serafina may be too firm as the Comfort Grande eluded to the fact that it too was a firm bed. Now that I have received the mattress and have slept on it for a couple weeks now, I am so happy that we stuck with our accidental purchase of the Serafina Pearl. The mattress has the perfect amount of firmness that my wife and I prefer. Also, the king size makes this bed even more amazing as we often share it with our 2 kids and a 70 lb dog.

Perfect Amount of firmness

Let me start this review by saying that everyone is different. Back problems run in my family. I am only 26 and I have back issues already. I workout, I stretch, I walk, I do yoga, but all of that won't matter unless I have a quality mattress. I tried an online mattress company, and it was super comfortable, but made my back pain worse because it was too soft. This is the perfect amount of firmness. Give it a few weeks as you would with any mattress. Your body may be sore because it needs to adjust to a new mattress. This was well worth the money and provides great support. The only con I can think of is the weight. It will be tough to move. But it is worth it!

My only problem...

My only problem is that there appears to be no way to determine before you purchase what firm means when comparing foam mattresses of different companies. Our first firm memory foam mattress from Costco was 7-8 heard old and finally lost its rebound. Our new foam mattress labeled firm is as soft as our sagging old memory foam mattress. Is possible it was mislabeled? Thanks for listening. W F Bolin

Heat - Heat - Heat!

Mattress gave off unbearable heat. Not sticky, sweaty heat - just steady, intense heat. Impossible for me to sleep. For ages, at home, hotels, friends' homes, I fell asleep very quickly after laying down - usually 1-5 minutes. With this mattress, if I was lucky, I'd finally fall asleep 90 minutes after laying down. Then I'd wake up every 60-90 minutes because I needed to sit up or turn to let my back cool off. (I normally sleep like a rock!) Tried for over 2 weeks thinking maybe it would ease. Extreme disappointment as quality otherwise seemed good. Minimal odor - way less than expected. Pretty firm but not overly. But the heat was crazy horrible. Had to return.

SOFT & HORRIBLE

I just bought this mattress less than 1 week ago. I desperately needed a firm mattress following a recent bad back injury. This mattress is NOT FIRM BY ANY MEANS!!!! You sink down into it, and it's difficult to get back out of bed. The sides cave in when you sit on the side of the bed.

Best Mattress Ever!

This is hands-down the best mattress that we've ever owned! We were a little hesitant to purchase a foam mattress, having heard stories of how hot they were to sleep on and how hard it was to move in the bed. However, we have experienced neither problem. The bed is not hot and neither of us have experienced any problems moving on the mattress. We both sleep better than we ever did on more expensive mattresses and for the first time in many years, I have no back stiffness when I wake. We bought the mattress to replace a Sealy hybrid that was only 3 years old but it was no longer comfortable to sleep on. I highly recommend this mattress.

An awesome bed!

My wife and I have had our bed for about 3 weeks now and we couldn't be happier! This mattress is top quality and is amazingly comfortable. No more neck, back and hip pain. Couldn't be more pleased with our purchase. This bed is "bang for the buck". Our last bed we purchased 10 years ago and paid 4 times as much. Our new mattress is so much more comfortable and the rest we get is incomparable. Highly recommend! Two thumbs up!!

DO NOT HESITATE TO BUY

My wife and I bought a Simmons BeautyRest Mattress two years ago for $1800. After 6 months our spine/hip health started decline. Going to orthopedics etc and spending money that wasn’t necessary to find out after buying this Novaform mattress, our 2 year old mattress was the cause of ALL of our issues. We got the firm mattress and it’s the most amazing sleep we’ve had in forever. Do not hesitate to buy this mattress. For $800, it saved our hip and spine health. Do NOT get caught up in the lies of mattress store prices or sales people.

Browse Serta Customer Reviews

Really nice when warm. Hard as a brick when cold.

Have a cabin where the bed room temp is around 60 in the winter. The upper 3 inches of gel memory foam is really ridgid when cold. Climb into a cold bed is more like climbing onto a piece of plywood. After about 10 minutes, your body temp softens the foam and it is really comfortable... until you roll over too far onto a cold slab and you are back on the plywood.

I sure hope summer is more comfy.

The Best Mattress!

This is a great mattress! My husband and I moved to our new house and bought this mattress for our room. The first bed that came did not open up all the way and was basically a taco. We called Amazon and they sent a replacement. We have been sleeping on this bed for about 3 months now and we can feel the difference from the traditional mattress we had prior. Our sleep is a lot better, we no longer feel sore, and we don't notice each other's movement during the night. Definitely get this mattress!

Firm enough for a big man like me!

I weigh a lot in comparison to other people so I was initially hesitant to buy a memory foam mattress as I feared sinking to the bottom or drowning. This mattress not only held my weight stiffly but it is super comfortable and probably the best mattress I have ever used. I bought the double and it worked so well that when I bought a king bedroom set I decided to buy the bigger exact same mattress in king size. It come in a big box compressed so you will want to get it upstairs on the bedframe before you open it up and let it absorb all the air around.

Great Buy!

I was uncertain about purchasing a mattress on-line, but the price was so much below what I found in stores that I went ahead and made the purchase. I'm glad I did. The shipping was easy, the mattress quickly expanded once in place. I did not notice any odor. I'm sleeping much better through the night and wake with less back/hip pain. This mattress is a great buy, especially for the price!

Amazing

My wife and I were looking to upgrade our bed to a king during a recent move. We looked at all the big named stores for furniture / mattress and were taken back by the price of the memory foam mattress. We tried out the I-comfort mattress Raymour and Flanagan's and really liked it. After spending hours researching this mattress, I came to the conclusion that this is similar to the Serta I-comfort and about 1/4 - 1/3 of the price. This bed is exactly as advertised and feels identical the the I-comfort we tried in the store. We could not be happier and it sleeps so much better than a traditional spring mattress. I would recommend to anyone.

Remember, you also need a box spring or foundation. This will add another $200 - $400 for the total cost of the bed.

A most fantastic mattress

Our new mattress is comfortable beyond words and so much lighter than the Tempurapedic we had before for many years. It feels like a heavenly cloud and we have slept so well on it and could not be more pleased with our purchase. The price of it is unbelievably low, I recall we paid $2,000.00 for our old mattress over 15 years ago.

Maria & Ted Phillips

I snore less.

One of the best beds I have slept on. I usually sleep HOT and was leary of trying the memory foam bed, but i was amazed at how cool it sleeps. My wife has also said that I do not snore as much.
I could not give the bed a 5 for one reason. I like to sit on the edge of the bed and put on my shoes, but this bed does not have the support on the edges to do that.

Hard, hot, and bumpy

I've had this mattress for 3 weeks now and I am not happy. It is very firm for a memory foam mattress (maybe it will soften up over time), so firm that my body doesn't sink far enough to fill in the lumbar space of my back. I wake up sore every morning, and it reminds me of sleeping on the ground (I camp a lot, so I know). It was shipped in a shrink wrapped container, folded in half, so there is still a noticeable ridge down the center of the bed that divides the two halves. Also, even after airing it out for a week, it does still have a noticeable plastic smell. Lastly, it does trap a heat a little bit.

Overall, I am really unsatisfied, and am contemplating returning it.

Very good mattress

I have had this mattress for a year. The mattress is very good. I read a ton of reviews before purchasing this mattress. A lot of mixed reviews when I researched this mattress. I could not see spending 1500 to 3000 dollars for a similar mattress. I was a little skeptical because this mattress was so cheap. Amazon Prime was a factor in purchasing this mattress. The mattress is very good. No issues with smell or sagging. I am very happy

Hard as a rock

Wow, what a disappointment. Sure wish I'd listened to the reviews that said this mattress was HARD. It's not just firm, it's like sleeping on a stone slab. I can't imagine the hassle to pack it up to return it, so after a week of suffering, we bought a 4-inch memory foam topper, which has helped tremendously. However, as soon as we can afford it, we're buying a real memory foam mattress.

Way to firm for Foam!!

If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't have bought this. It needs to be listed as an Firm mattress. Since I have it, I tolerate it. I went out and bought a 1inch foam topper to put on it to reduce the firmness. What I do find is as you sleep on it and it warms up it gets softer. So I bought a heated mattress pad and put it on also. About an hour before bed time I turn it on low and it does soften the mattress somewhat. Over all I would never recommend this mattress nor would I by it if I knew what I know about it now.

Great Sleep

We were a little worried to buy the bed online, but took the plunge. We were pleasantly surprise at how quick it was delivered. The queen size bed was heavy, but being boxed up made it easier to move. Once in the bed room, we unpacked it and let it return to its original shape. About two hours. The bed sleeps great. My wife and I both enjoy the fact that it adjust to our size. It does not wiggle when I get out of bed at night. I was expecting to sleep hot, but the cool gel works. Great purchase and great value. We priced similar beds at retail stores and they cost $1200. Very happy.

I love this mattress

I bought this mattress almost 2 years ago and I still love it.

That being said, I must disclose that I am somewhat cold-natured, so I don't mind that it retains heat, as the new memory foam mattresses do. This is the only reason this mattress gets 4 stars instead of 5.

When I purchased this mattress, I had done quite a bit of research on prices and quality of memory foam mattresses, and found this one to be one of the most economic choices for the quality. I am happy that I chose this one.

It arrived in a big square box. WARNING: Do NOT open the box until after you drag it upstairs and into the room where you want to use it. Opening the box in another room will create a lot of unnecessary work for you.

The instructions said it would take about 24 hours to completely assume its proper shape and size. In reality, it was ready just a few hours later.

My husband complained that it was not as soft as he liked, so we bought a memory foam/gel mattress cover for it at Costco. This helped make it softer and provided some relief for my husband from the heat retention.

If I had to buy another mattress, I would buy this one again.

Smart buy

The full size mattress is really comfortable. Bigger then a normal full size mattress. We had to replace the old boxspring to a sleep master smart base because of the size if the new Serta. Now we have more room under the bed for storage as well.

Great for sleeping, but quality a bit poor.

I was already to give this a 5 star rating. We bought it in june for our summer place. We have a temperpedic and home and never sleep well with out it. We could not justify the cost to buy one for the summer place. When we found this we were excited! The negative reviews sounded like the negative reviews for temper pedic, so we were not too worried. The box made it really easy to transport ourselves to our place. It opened and inflated great! We had all the windows open and fans going, but we never really noticed an odor. We even slept on it the first night!. It was close to the temper pedic sleep wise. Not quite as cloud like, a little harder, but it worked for us!

This weekend, I took off the waterproof cover that we purchased to wash it with the sheets. I found 4 places on the mattress where the seams were split and you could see the foam inside. Very dissapointing! We expected a little more from a Serta!

Love this mattress

Excellent mattress through and throughout..Amazon was super quick and mattress was in perfect shape..As I sleep on this mattress 2 yrs later all I can say is I sleep like a baby..It feels like you're sleeping on a cloud ..I wake up refreshed from a great night sleep day in and day out..

I'm lovin' it!

Researched loads of beds in my desperate attempt to get a good nights sleep and deep six the pillow top that was aggravating my already ailing lower back...........decided on the Serta icomfort since many people commented on how hot the memory foam gets.....and tried it out at my local store where they were upwards of $1600 depending on the depth. Arrived promptly, NO SMELL, easy set up and was sleeping in it that night....however my husbands initial comment before he had slept on it, was that it was like a slab of concrete.......... but once you're in it this is not the case... It is firm, yet neither too firm nor too soft and extremely comfortable altho it did take me 3-4 nights to get used to it having been sleeping on a pillow top, and I did find I had to adjust my mediflow pillow somewhat so it was flatter and lower...........the only down side I can see, is that both myself and my husband have been lingering in bed much later than normal, I used to be up at the crack of dawn since my back would be complaining and I needed to get up, but its oh so comfortable, and I'm loathe to get up when its so very snuggly and cosy....I'm sleeping much better with less tossing and turning due to pressure points.... if you're considering one, I'd say go for it, we both love it and were not dissapointed in any way!
**UPDATE** Oct. 2014 No sagging....best bed EVER!

Serta 12-Inch Gel Foam 3-Layer King Mattress

We received this mattress packed in its box and we took it to the bed and unboxed it accordingly to the instructions. Here is a short video of the process. [...] We then waited only a few hours, made the bed, and slept that night on it. Its been great this first week! Highly recommended and I will write another review after a few more weeks along with an updated video of it. It was awesome to see it take its shape! Thanks

Intelwalk

Great mattress. Unbeatable price.

Bought this mattress after trying out several different foam beds at various stores. Macy's had the Serta line of beds and I liked them much more than the others that were there. So I was very pleased to find the mattress on here.

I bought the full sized bed and it came in a box that's roughly 4' by 2' by 2'. The factory folds the mattress several times and then compresses it in a plastic wrapper. I put it on my existing box spring and opened it up and left it sit for about 6 hours for it to reach its full shape.

There was a slight smell to it but nothing unpleasant and by the time I put the mattress pad and sheets on it, I was sleeping on it the first night without any issue.

If this is your first foam bed it will take a few nights to a week to fully acclimate to the difference between this and a spring based bed, so dont give up on it too quickly.

I sleep on my back and side a lot and used to have horrible shoulder and hip pain from a conventional mattress and the pressure points. I am pleased to say this is entirely gone with this mattress.

I normally like a very soft squishy mattress and when you first sit or lay on this bed (especially if it's a bit cold) it's very firm. I laid on it and thought, "this will never work". Then it begins to conform to your body and supports you so well, you'll understand why so many people are switching to this type of bed.

With any foam bed, they hold a little more heat than a normal mattress. I havent had an issue with this one other than during the colder months I had to turn my electric blanket down than where it's normally set and I am fine. I would HIGHLY recommend this bed and at this price you just cant beat it.

Best mattress I have owned

I have had this mattress for over 3 years now and it is just like new. Would highly recommend if you are looking for a quality memory foam mattress at a great price. I have back problems and this has been wonderful.

This is a great mattress!

I was very skeptical when I ordered the product, and when the mattress was delivered in a 3 ft box and I pulled out the mattress folded over and shrink wrapped, I became even more anxious. When you first open the mattress and flatten it out, it will be hard as a rock. This is only because the gel becomes cold and needs time to reach room temperature. I let my mattress straighten out for around 5 hours, and by that time the mattress was completely flat and much softer. I wish the mattress was a little firmer, but all in all I am very happy with my purchase. The mattress is extremely comfortable and I love that the mattress retains my body heat, especially during the winter. If you're looking for a comfortable mattress at an affordable price, I highly recommend this mattress.

So far so good

You have to let this bed have a break in period. It was shipped in a little box and expanded very quickly. My husband built a platform out of wood for the bed. The product only had a smell for the first night or two but nothing like some of the reviews had mentioned. Now it did have a high spot for the first two weeks but after it began to break in things got better. I waited to review this poduct because I heard that these type of beds need to be broken in before you can have a real good nights sleep. We are both sleeping better. I love it even more because my husband wakes up earlier than me and I never ever feel him moving or getting up before me. I love that part. This was a good buy. I didn't give it a five becuse I am a hard grader.

Just Right

I ordered this bed in the offset chance that it would be comparable to the beds in the big chains (i.e. Macy's, Sears, Etc.). I was pleasantly surprised when it arrive on schedule and was set up and ready in minutes. There was no smell that a lot of other customers spoke of. It did have a slight crease for the first few days. However it has fallen and I assumed it was due to packing. I've only spent two nights on it as I'm not moved in yet, but it made for a comfortable sleep. Especially with my girlfriend. Having my arm under her pillow didn't come accompanied with the "dead arm" that happens on most mattresses. All in all it was a good experience and saved a new home owner a lot of money. Thanks!!

Just like the more expensive mattresses

We went to a department store to try out memory foam mattresses and got sticker shoch at the prices. We came home found this Serta on Amazon we ordered it right away. When it arrived we were very surprised to find that it feels like a nuch more expensive mattress. We are very happy with purchase of this mattress. Thanks so very much.

I am in love with my new mattress

I am in love with my new mattress. It's a whole lot firmer than my old one, but a whole lot more comfortable. I had the luxury of testing it at my parent's home first. I have already recommended it several times.

I like it, wife hates it

I purchased this mattress 6 months ago after trying out the Gel mattress in a local store. This mattress doesn't seem as soft as the one in the store. My wife liked it at first, but after a few weeks changed her mind. She now says it is the hardest mattress she has ever slept on, but she seems to sleep well. I have back problems, and I do think the mattress is hard but I also think it helps my back. The gel does help keep you cool, but the foam mattress does hold some heat.

Amazing mattress!

Greatest mattress I've ever slept on. I am about 205 lb and it hasn't had the denting problem other foam mattress suffer from even after a year of use. The gel also helps to keep it nice and cool during the summer months.

Also, there was no noticible smell when I opened it.

Love it!

I had read a lot of reviews before purchasing this mattress and I am so glad I did. It does take two people to set this mattress up, but easy to place, remove the package, and let it sit to expand. There was a slight odor of chemical, but it wasn't that bad. I opened the sliding door to let natural air in and seemed to be kind of gone by the evening. The bed was comfortable, firm, and felt very relaxed as soon as I laid in it. This was definitely a good purchase for the price!

For a great night's sleep.

This mattress is very comfortable - no pain from pressure points. It is quite firm but we use a fluffy mattress pad which makes it just right for us. The mattress is barely a month old but so far, we love it.

Amazon told me to wait and now i can't return this item.....NICE!!!!!!!

I purchased this bed and the first one came to me falling apart... The replacement one seemed to be ok... we set up the bed and it seemed to take it shape over the next 24 to 48 hours... it had a very high spot in the center on the fold that they put in it to box this item.... the high spot never went away... i spoke with a amazon rep. and the said that it should relax and lay flat... it has been almost a year am I'm still waiting for it to lay flat...i have to lay in the middle of the bed to cuddle with the wife!!! this don't make me happy... so it looks like I have to spend more money and get a new one...i just spoke with a Amazon rep. and he told me that the return window was only a few weeks from purchase... so i waited as asked and now i can't return this item...I to me seems like i was told to wait so that they didn't have to return this item!!!!! Amazon is usually good with things like this but per there request that i wait i loose out??? this just don't seem right in my eyes... i guess I'm out the 581.94 that i paid... YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED DON'T BUY!!!!!!

Gimmick product, period

I bought this in hopes of finally getting good night's sleep on a comfortable mattress. That didn't/hasn't happened. Hands down the dumbest purchased I've made off Amazon ever. This thing is HORRIBLE.
Main complaints:
*Stiff as a board.. No matter the temperature (they claim your body temperature will fix it as it heats up)
*Stinks of chemicals. Not sure what its made out of but WOW! Smells like I'm sleeping in an open can of paint.
*I weigh around 190lbs and I don't even make a dent in this thing. I don't sink in and it sure doesn't "form" around me.

Talking to a retail seller of these he told me more foam mattresses are returned than kept. The floor models are beat down versions of the real things so people can't feel the stiffness.

Gimmick product, period

Good company bad product.

This company is good but the mattress sucks. The first one we got we thought there was a defect because where we sleep there are large indentions but since they replace the mattress the same thing is happening .

If you buy this, don't plan on staying out of it for long.

If you buy this, don't plan on staying out of it for long. This mattress is so deliciously cozy that after the first night, I ordered one for my daughter as a birthday gift. No more legs cramps, neck pain from sleeping in the wrong position and the mattress doesn't heat up like the regular memory foam beds. SOOOO nice!

SERTA DOES NOT MAKE THIS MATTRESS. WARRANTY IS THROUGH OTHER MANUFACTURER. READ ISSUES BELOW

We purchased on 10/30/2011 and keep a protective mattress pad/cover and deep pocket fitted sheet on at all times. We paid $583 for a queen back them. We have just reported issues to Serta, who told us Sleep Innovations makes the mattress for them. Sleep Innovations are now Innocor Comfort out of New Jersey. We have to deal with them and not Serta. Wish I would of known that back then. The issues we are having is that the Gel Foam has shrunk 1.5 inches on the foot of the mattress and 1 inch on the one side, across the entire width and length of the mattress. In addition, the seams are coming apart and separating on the top of the mattress cover. Innocor emailed me a form to fill out and I have to send them a copy of the Amazon receipt and photos of the issues. We will see how the warranty comes into play and if they make good on a replacement or refund. Will keep everyone updated.

Not Bad for a Serta-ish Mattress

We had a spring mattress that was causing back problems, went to 100 stores and looked at the memory foam options, then decided to buy this one because it was less than half the price. The one caveat is - the mattress says it's Serta but it's not really. It's made by Sleep Innovations (who is not Serta). We talked to support about it when all the docs showed up in a Serta envelope but were labeled as Sleep Innovations and they seemed confused about it as well. Then we called Serta to ask about it and they said they sold the rights to Sleep Innovations to make the mattress and use their logo to help sell it. All very confusing and more complex than it needs to be - but at the end of the day, we like the mattress so far and it wasn't outrageously expensive. Now onto the actual mattress...

It's definitely pretty firm. I think we've had it long enough now that it's officially "broken in". We did add a topper to it to make it more comfortable. If you have a low bed platform, you'll probably want to buy a solid riser (unless you like doing an ab workout to get in an out of bed). So far, I'd say worth the money. Will come back and re-update in a few months.

4 years later and it's still wonderful

I waited to write a review ... and then I forgot about it. I bought the mattress in 2012 and today in 2016 it doesn't have dips or depressions where we sleep and is wonderfully comfortable. There are two things to consider about foam mattresses and it's a little confusing. 1) FIRMNESS - This is is ability of the mattress to support you body without sagging or forming depressions. This has to do with the density of the foam. That's why some reviewers talk about how heavy this mattress is - it's because it's so firm - and that's a good thing. It's why 4 years later the foam is still in good shape. 2) SOFTNESS - This is the Pillow Effect on the top of mattress that gives you comfort. This mattress is very Firm but not Soft on top. And that makes it feel a little "rock like" to some. If you like a lightly pillowed top I HIGHLY recommend a 2.5 inch gel mattress topper. (The one Costco sells is perfect). I know it seems like the whole mattress is now more expensive but too many other less expensive mattresses sag (are not firm enough) to hold up over the years, and that's false economy. Also trying to dispose of a heavy foam mattress is not fun. My husband and I think this mattress is wonderful.

Firm. Supportive. Not Plush.

We have been sleeping on foam mattresses for a long time and will never go back to springs. This mattress in particular has excellent support characteristics but if you are looking for a "plush" feel, you will need a topper. This is a firm mattress which supports the body. It is not a mattress you sink into like a cloud. Some will equate that firmness with being an uncomfortable mattress but really it is just for people who prefer firmness to plushness. Before you buy this one online, you should go to your local mattress store and ask to try their most firm mattress. You must lay on a foam mattress for more than a few seconds to give it time to adjust to your body. If the firm feels right, this will suit your needs. If you need plushness, keep shopping.

On a side note, another advantage to a foam mattress of this thickness is that you do not need a box spring. Whatever you put this on will be fine for a bed which means you can make a pretty cool artistic platform beds, or set it on a board or cinder blocks or whatever and as long as there is a flat surface directly under the mattress, the feel will be the same as if you used expensive box springs.

not for us

This gel foam mattress was really hard for me. I was 9 months pregnant when we got this mattress and I thought it would be good because it can help me get a good nigh rest by having a good support. Nope. I was wrong. It felt like I was sleeping on the floor. Every time I move it hurts. Plus it wasn't comfortable because it was hot. Don't know why since it's suppose to have a gel foam but I guess that doesn't work for me. If you prefer plush mattresses, this is not for you.

Comfortable

I've purchase memory foam toppers in the past and wound up very unhappy with them. I would sink in too much and wake up throughout the night just to turn over. I've had no problems with this and now realize there is a HUGE difference between toppers and a real memory foam mattress.

First off, this thing weighs a lot, nearly 100 lbs. If you don't have a strong man to help you with this, you will have trouble. UPS had to help me in the door with it on a dolly. It arrives in a box, contorted and airtight sealed. Unpacking was a two man job and we unpacked it right on the frame.

This mattress does not sink much when you lay on it and reminds me very much of quality mattresses of years past (prior to pillowtop.) No achy back from this mattress! The hardest thing we had was finding a proper platform for it. Wound up going with the Structures by Malouf HIGHRISE Folding Metal Bed Frame 14" High Bi-Fold Platform Bed Base, KING and didn't even need plywood or anything. We put the mattress straight onto it and this was an affordable option over a platform.

I will need a new twin mattress soon and I will definitely be getting one of these mattresses for that bed.

****UPDATE: Aug 14, 2012****
I now own two of these. After having owned the first one for quite a while, I felt the need to come back and clarify something.
Foam mattresses and toppers are hot to sleep on. I thought everyone knew this, but since they don't, I needed to let them know. If you are prone to being cold, you will like this mattress. If you are prone to being hot, you will hate this mattress and definitely wake up sweating.

GREAT MATTRESS

COULDN'T BE HAPPIER. I AM A SENIOR WITH SEVERAL ORTHOPEDIC ISSUES. BECAUSE OF PAIN IN MY HIP I WAS HAVING TO SLEEP ON THE COUCH, WHERE THE DEPRESSIONS BETWEEN SEAT CUSHIONS FIT MY CURVES. NOW I CAN SLEEP IN BED AND MY HIP DOES NOT HURT. I HAVN'T BEEN ABLE TO SAY THAT FOR 2 YEARS. SHOULDER PAIN ON THE SAME SIDE DID NOT RESPOND AS WELL BUT IT IS ALSO IMPROVED. SINCE I AM MENOPAUSAL, HEAT WAVES -NOT FLASHES- KEPT ME FROM TRYING THE ORIGINAL TEMPERPEDIC TYPE MATTRESSES, BUT THIS SERTA GEL FOAM MATTRESS DOES NOT TRAP THE HEAT, JUST LIKE THEY SAID. SINCE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT SMELL, (AND A SERTA PILLOW I PURCHASED DID HAVE A STRONG ODOR FOR A FEW DAYS) I CHOSE TO OPEN THE MATTRESS IN ANOTHER ROOM. THIS WAS NOT NECESSARY, ODOR WAS VERY LOW. I HAD LAID IT ON A SHEET AND WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE IT EASILY TO THE OTHER ROOM. GREAT PRODUCT!!