Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper review: for comfort like no other

If you're looking for a mattress topper, there's a good chance your current mattress has some life left in it, but just isn't quite giving you your best night's sleep. That's exactly what led me to try the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper, a three-inch graphite-infused memory foam design.

As a short-term rental host, I consider giving guests a good night's sleep to be pretty important, and I felt like the mattress in one of our guest rooms was a bit lacking. It was a basic innerspring mattress that didn't leave your back hurting but also didn't make you excited to crawl into bed at night. Instead of purchasing a whole new mattress, I figured I'd try one of the best mattress toppers, first. 

After our first guest spent the night (which happened to be my mom), she actually woke up and said 'I think this is what I need' and purchased the Saatva topper for her own home. Having slept on it a bunch myself, I totally agree with her conclusion that it's one of the best mattress toppers you can buy.

I find this mattress topper to be soft but supportive, and given that I tested it in a room with no air conditioning in the middle of one of the hottest summers on record here in New England, I can also attest to the fact that it lives up to its cooling claims.

If you're thinking about purchasing the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper for your bed, here's a closer look at my experience with it, plus all the stats and information you need to help make your decision.

Who will the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper suit?

• Back and side sleepers. Given its ability to relieve pressure and offer excellent support, memory foam tends to be best suited to back and side sleepers.
• Those looking for a soft, but not plush, mattress. I found this mattress topper to be happy medium between firm and soft. I added it on top of a firmer mattress to soften it up a bit. If you prefer a plush mattress, however, this may be too firm. 
• Coupled-up sleepers. Memory foam helps limit motion transfer, which means this topper will help you sleep even when your partner is tossing and turning. 
• Hot sleepers. If you tend to sleep hot, this mattress topper is for you. Unlike early memory foam mattresses that trapped heat, Saatva's high-tech topper is infused with graphite, which is deigned to draw heat away from the body. 
• Saatva and non-Saatva users. You don't need a Saatva mattress to use this topper. It has elastic tabs that are designed to fit over nearly any mattress. 

What's the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper like to sleep on? 

Overall comfort and firmness
From a comfort perspective, this mattress topper is a dream. It makes for the cozy type of bed that feels like a vacation as soon as you climb into it (plus one for a short-term rental property!).

I found it to be on the softer side of firm (on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being plush, I'd rank this topper a 5-6). Note, however, that this is coming from someone who sleeps on a firm latex mattress. If you sleep on a plush mattress currently, you'll likely find this to be on the firmer side, but I still wouldn't consider this to be a firm mattress topper.

One thing to note: I used this mattress topper on a bed that's on a box spring, and it makes the bed tall. At 5'7", I had no problem getting in the bed, but it's something to think about if you're on the shorter side. If you don't use a box spring, the height shouldn't be a problem. 

Pressure relief and support
At the top of my list of reasons why I like this mattress topper: Pressure relief. As a side sleeper (and sometimes stomach sleeper) there's nothing worse than being almost asleep when my arm, too, falls asleep. This mattress topper cradles your body (see photos above) without swallowing it (a sensation I've felt with too-soft memory foam mattresses).

Breathability and cooling
Heat retention was actually the reason I ditched my old memory foam mattress a few years back. It was just too hot. Since then I've been a latex mattress devotee, so I was intrigued by Saatva's claims of a cooling mattress topper.

I tried the topper in the middle of July in a room that only has a ceiling fan, and I was slightly surprised to find that I slept comfortably all night long. Or as comfortably as one can without air conditioning in the middle of July. 

Motion Isolation
The ability to limit motion transfer is one of the biggest benefits of purchasing a memory foam mattress or topper and was one of the big reasons I chose a memory foam topper for the innerspring mattress in our house. While it doesn't offer quite the motion isolation as a memory foam mattress, it did noticeably limit the bouncing sensation of an innerspring mattress enough to improve my night's sleep.

If you paired it with a memory foam or latex mattress, I imagine that the motion transfer would be excellent (akin to a standard memory foam mattress). 

Saatva memory foam mattress topper design and construction

I've tried a number of other high-end mattress toppers, and there were a few key design features that stood out about the Saatva.

The first was the straps that secure the Saatva mattress topper to the mattress.  

On each corner of the Saatva mattress topper, there is elasticized strap, which slips over the corner of the mattress to hold the topper in place. It's a simply and convenient design which makes setting up the mattress topper super easy, and also ensures the topper stays put. 

A couple of the mattress toppers I have tried didn't have any way to connect the mattress topper to the mattress, the topper simply sat on top. This is generally fine, but there have been occasions where the toppers slipped and needed to be adjusted.

As someone who hasn't always agreed with their partner about what a comfortable mattress feels like, I also appreciate that the mattress topper comes in a split-king option, so both partners aren't beholden to the same topper. 

As far as materials go, while the mattress itself isn't organic (since it's made of foam), the cover is still GOTS-certified organic, and the mattress is Certi-Pur US certified.

The topper lives up to its 'luxury' title, too. It's heavy, the stitching is tight and uniform, and the cover is soft and cozy. You can tell it's a high-quality product as soon as you take it out of the packaging. 

How does the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper compare to other Saatva mattress toppers?

Saatva offers three mattress toppers: the 3" Graphite, a 1.5" Latex and a 1.5" High Density Foam option. They all feature organic cotton covers and elastic bands to attach the topper to your mattress.  All are under the same product listing called the Saatva Mattress Topper, which can feel a bit confusing, as this means that all of the reviews of the three different models are combined together. 

The 3" Graphite option is the mid-range option and the thickest. The memory-foam is infused with graphite, which offers advanced cooling technology. 

Meanwhile, the Latex ($295-$650) is the most eco-friendly option, made of hypoallergenic all natural latex that promises buoyant support combined with excellent pressure relief.  It's perforated for added breathability, and is considered more durable and consistent than foam materials.

The High Density Foam option ($175-$390) utilizes body hugging high-density foam with a medium firmness for increased support and comfort. 

Ordering and delivery

The Saatva mattress topper is available to order through the Saatva website. Simply choose your size and checkout via credit card, Pay Pal, or Google pay. If you have an questions, customer service is available via a helpful live chat feature.

If you live near one of Saatva's Viewing Rooms, you can also make your purchase in-store.

Shipping is free, and the mattress topper arrived at my door in under week. Unlike the mattresses, there was no need to schedule the delivery, and it was dropped off by Fed Ex on my front porch.

The box was fairly large and definitely heavy, but I had no problem getting it inside myself. 

The topper comes vacuum packed, so I laid it on the bed before cutting open the packaging to make it easier to handle. Setup can be done by one person, but it's easier with two. My husband pulled the plastic out from under the mattress while I maneuvered it into place.

Warranty and trial period

Saatva virtually eliminated buyer's remorse with a 180-night in-home trial period. If you don't love the mattress topper after six months, you can return it for a full refund.

Saatva offers a one-year limited warranty on the mattress topper, which covers manufacturing defects and product quality issues. 

Is the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper worth it?

Overall, this mattress topper gets an A+ from me. It's high-quality, comfortable, supportive, and cooling. It's perfect for extending the life of a memory foam mattress a few more years or making a latex mattress a bit softer. The universal sizing and easy-to-use straps ensure that it'll stay put on almost any mattress.

It's definitely worth the purchase. 

Where to buy