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WIRED
15-07-2025
- General
- WIRED
Does Your Bed-in-a-Box Need a Box Spring?
If you haven't seen a box spring in a while, it's not your imagination—a mattress expert breaks down when you might need this dinosaur of the sleep world. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. You're probably familiar with a box spring, the simple wood frame with springs that acts as a support base under older mattresses. It's not a highly technical piece of equipment like a smart bed (or a trampoline, wouldn't that be fun)—this kind of mattress foundation has persisted through the ages solely due to its simple and durable design. But have you noticed you may not be seeing them as often nowadays? In my opinion as a career mattress tester, contemporary mattresses are on their way to making this furniture addition obsolete. However, that doesn't mean it automatically gets booted from your mattress setup scenario. Let's unpack what a box spring actually is, why you may or may not need one, and where it could set you and your mattress up for success. For this article, I'm relying on my own expertise as a Spencer Institute–certified sleep science coach and mattress tester of five years, as well as that of John Merwin, CEO of 3Z Brands (maker of Helix, Nolah, Bear, and Leesa) and founder of Brooklyn Bedding. The Box Spring's Backstory Mattresses back in the day weren't what they are now, and that time frame extends from the earliest iterations of mattresses to 50 years ago to today. Support was, let's just say, pretty abysmal. Think of a bed completely filled with hay, and more often than not that's what you had to work with. The box spring was meant to alleviate that lack of support with its introduction during the late 18th century. Engraving depicting a coiled spring mattress, demonstrating its lightness compared with a feather or a feather and spring mattress of a similar size. Its manufactures also recommended it as "it does not harbour vermin or dirt". (Photo by: Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images) UniversalA box spring involves a wooden frame or base that contains innerspring coils or has coils set atop the base. A fabric casing is often involved to keep everything contained. This is a deliberate design choice, because the coils in the box spring are springing up to meet the mattress atop it. The wooden frame has slats to ensure that no sagging is happening around the center of the bed, while providing some foundational backup to the coils. If we think back to the ye olde mattress days, or the time before mattresses in a box were a thing (which was 2004, to be exact), the box spring was the predominant piece of furniture that accompanied your mattress. As time went on, box springs evolved to support a specific type of mattress—traditional innerspring coils. 'Traditional coils are often referred to as Bonnell coils, which have been used in mattresses for generations,' says 3Z CEO John Merwin. 'They're designed in an hourglass shape where they're wider at the top and bottom with a thinner middle to offer a combination of support and flexibility." But why does this coil type need a box spring in the first place? Ultimately, it came down to making sure sleepers were truly getting support across the board, er, box spring. Traditional coils 'are designed to offer a combination of support and flexibility, but because these coils are connected by a network of wires, they tend to move as a unit rather than individually," Merwin says. 'This makes them more dependent on a box spring or foundation to provide proper support and absorb shock.' Beds with Bonnell coils are still out there, but usually not as the standout mattress material within a bed. Some hybrids may use it at the base of the mattress for durability, with pocketed coils and memory foam layered atop it. Still, in these cases, box springs aren't necessary, since the coils are doing the heavy lifting. An example of this would be the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid, which utilizes modern pocketed coils for durability and support. Box Springs and Your Mattress (in a Box) Owners of modern-day mattresses, either from a box shipped to your house or a brick-and-mortar mattress store, need to be extra careful when pairing a box spring with their bed, if it all. Merwin says the box spring helps extend the life of the mattress by reducing wear and tear, especially since Bonnell coils don't offer the same level of motion isolation or adaptive support as more modern pocketed coil designs. 'While still found in some entry-level models,' Merwin says, "Bonnell coils have largely been phased out in favor of more advanced coil systems that better align with today's comfort and durability standards." So, the reality is (A) you probably don't need a box spring, and (B) a box spring could actually be damaging to your bed. Not to mention, it could potentially void your warranty coverage. For memory foam mattresses or hybrids, the coil components within a box spring could actually wear down each respective material and counteract long-term durability and support. The usage of coils in a hybrid mattress actually mimics the performance of a box spring, so you don't actually need to use one. Pair a box spring with a hybrid and you've potentially got a 'too much of a good thing' situation on your hands. But let's say that you choose to continue down the path of the box spring—some brands may offer a version compatible with your mattress of choice. You can also cross-verify with customer service to see if a box spring would make an ideal pairing with your mattress. If your bed frame lacks slats or any sort of centralized support, that's a situation in favor of box springs. In that case, you can expect to shell out anywhere from under $100 to $300 for a box spring, depending on the size of mattress you have. But as a professional mattress tester, always keep the focus on the best mattress for you first, and then the subsequent accessories after. Your search shouldn't be, 'Can I find a bed to work with my box spring?' Support System FTW What should you be using for your mattress, then, if not a box spring? Plopping it on a bed frame with central support beams, a mattress foundation, or a smart bed base are all viable options. This is another warranty caveat—make sure that with whatever you choose, your base has the support required by your mattress's warranty coverage. This could mean the wooden slats are a certain number of inches apart, or confirmation that there's a support beam running vertically through the base to keep the center from sagging. Some models, like the Wolf Memory Foam Hybrid, actually supply a base with your purchase, so you're covered from the jump. Even better news: We're on top of testing bed frames, too.
Tom's Guide
26-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
What are microcoils and why are they suddenly in every mattress topper?
While mattress toppers typically consist of a single layer of foam, we're now seeing plenty of innovations being made to these bed boosters — from pillow-top designs to high-tech cooling covers. And now there's new material that's recently taken the mattress topper by storm: the microcoil. You can find microcoils in toppers from some of the most popular sleep brands in the US, Saatva and Helix included, and they're all vying for a place in our guide to 2025's best mattress toppers. But what are microcoils and why are they appearing in so many mattress toppers (and even in some of this year's top mattresses) these days? Here, we'll take a look at these innovative components, their pros and cons, and where you can buy a bed topper or mattress that uses microcoils in this month's mattress sales. Microcoils are small coils typically made from steel. They are like regular mattress coils, only shorter and typically used in mattress toppers, which are much thinner than mattresses and need smaller components. While mattress coils are around six inches tall on average, microcoils are usually around one inch (or even less) in height. Mattress toppers that use microcoils typically have two or three layers, and they use the tier of microcoils as a middle layer in triple-layered toppers or as a base layer in dual-layered toppers. Mattress coils in general have a lot of benefits. Their open design enables airflow for breathable comfort, while their durable steel build provides zoned support. However, as they're usually six inches or more in height, coils haven't always been used in bed toppers as these mattress enhancers are thin (usually around two to four inches) so aren't tall enough to contain full size coils. And that's where microcoils come in, to bring the benefits of coils without the height and finally allowing mattress toppers to utilize the humble coil's supportive pressure relief. While microcoils are mostly used in bed toppers due to their small height, they can also be used in mattresses in conjunction with larger coils. The addition of a microcoil layer can enhance both the comfort and support you'll get from a top-quality hybrid mattress. For instance, the Saatva RX mattress (which is currently #1 in our best mattress for back pain guide) uses a one-inch microcoil layer for flexibility and enhanced back support. Microcoil mattress toppers are available at many top mattress brands. They're particularly prominent at 3Z Brands (parent company of Helix, Nolah, and Brooklyn Bedding), which manufactures its own microcoils at its factory in Arizona. Saatva also utilizes the benefits of the microcoil, with its Micro-Coil Mattress Topper featuring a one-inch recycled steel microcoil layer. Saatva Micro-Coil Mattress Topper: twin $215 at SaatvaThe Saatva Micro-Coil Mattress Topper uses a one-inch tier of microcoils as a supportive base layer, topped by gel-infused comfort foam and an organic cotton cover. There's never a discount on this mattress topper (a queen is always $295) but you'll still get free shipping, a 1-year warranty, and a generous 180-night sleep trial. Helix Premium Mattress Topper with GlacioTex: twin was $373.33 now $272.54 with code TOMS27 at HelixWe recently tried this cooling mattress topper in our Helix GlacioTex Premium Mattress Topper review, and we found its 3.75-inch thickness really added a comfort boost to even the most worn-out mattresses. We tried the Luxury Firm (it's also available in Luxury Plush) and found that even this firmer version provided plush relief to our pressure points. Use code TOMS27 to get 27% off, taking a queen down from $498.66 to $364.03. Before shopping for a microcoil mattress topper, it's good to acknowledge both the pros and cons first. Weighing their benefits and drawbacks will help you to know how to choose the right mattress topper for your budget, sleep position, and body type, so here's a breakdown... Minimal height isn't the only unique selling point that microcoils have. They're also more flexible and responsive than traditional mattress coils, which is why they're also used in mattresses as well as bed toppers. Like most coils, they can boost air circulation for a cooler sleep and are often used in toppers that are billed as cooling. They also function as a transition layer between comfort and support layers, and can also provide zoned support (this means that it provides extra support in regions that need it, such as the lower back, to prevent aches and pains) and body-cradling comfort. A microcoils are a recent, premium innovation in the world of mattress toppers, they're mainly found in mattress toppers with a luxury price tag. That means microcoil mattress toppers are generally more expensive than toppers with more traditional fills such as memory foam or latex. Plus, as with all coils, microcoils are not immune to deterioration from everyday wear and tear, which can cause creaking and shorten the mattress topper's lifespan.
