The Best Bed Frame—And Mattress—You’ll Ever Have (An Avocado Review)
Summary: If you want an organic, made in the USA mattress — you’re not going to get a better mattress for a cheaper price than Avocado’s Eco Organic Mattress. While the price is higher than discount retailers, it also comes with a 100-night sleep trial and ten-year warranty so you can make sure it’s the right fit for you, plus Avocado works with Affirm to create payment plans that work for you.
Pros:
- Organic wool padding and organic cotton shell that doesn’t get too hot or too cold.
- Mattress feels sturdy and premium quality.
- Organic latex means minimal motion transfer, while maintaining the cushy bounce-feeling of springs.
- The bed frame is very easy to assemble or disassemble.
Cons:
- The bed frame is heavy, so ask for help assembling or moving!
- Pricier than discount retailers.
No one ever tells you, when you’re young, how much of your adult life will be spent thinking about mattresses. I grew up sleeping on the same spring twin mattress, followed by various dorm beds before I purchased my first new mattress ten years ago. It was a Full size foam IKEA mattress that cost around $500—only barely fitting into my budget at the time. After only the first year of usage though, the middle started drooping and there were noticeable indents where bodies slept. I resorted to putting old cardboard boxes between the slatted base and the mattress, just to give it some extra support.
Now that I’m in my 30s and am getting a hang of this “adulthood” thing, I’m investing more in my wellbeing by prioritizing fewer, better things. Which is why I was all-too excited to review a sustainable mattress and bed frame from Avocado Green Mattress®.
Avocado is a California-based B Corp founded in 2016 that’s well known for its responsibility and sustainability, through certifications like Climate Neutral Certified (they’re actually carbon-negative, see the 2022 Impact Report here). Avocado is also the most vertically integrated mattress company in the US, since they own their ethical factories and organic farms. I even just learned that the brand uses blockchain technology to verify the origin and processes of all the materials. I could go on—Avocado has more certifications than any other brand I’ve ever come across.
For this review, I tried Avocado’s Eco Organic Mattress, which is less firm and (more affordable!) than their beloved flagship Green Mattress. I also had the opportunity to pair it with the brand’s updated minimalist City Bed frame. I’ve now had the mattress for a year, and have enjoyed the frame for one whole blissful month—and I’ve never slept better.
“Avocado has more certifications than any other brand I’ve ever come across.”
Avocado Mattress Delivery & Setup
I started with white glove delivery for the Eco Organic Mattress, which meant two people came and carried the mattress up my front steps for me, unboxed and placed it, and took my old bed and all the recycling away. It was fast, and super courteous; while this wasn’t Avocado’s team directly, I was happy with the service the brand chose for me. The bed came rolled in a hefty amount of plastic, though, so I read more about the packaging the brand uses—recyclable plastic for vacuum sealing the mattress, and recyclable paper wrapping for protection in transit!
While I waited for the bed to unroll completely, I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of that “new mattress smell”—the offgassing that often comes with new, cheap mattresses. There was a little bit of a wooly scent when the bed first arrived, but none of that polyurethane glue-y smell that permeates mattress stores. That’s because Avocado doesn’t use glue, opting for recycled steel rings instead.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the absence of that ‘new mattress smell’—the offgassing that often comes with new, cheap mattresses.”
Overall, shipping was quick and straightforward, although if you’re on a tight timeline it might be a good idea to reach out and inquire about shipping times directly. But it is a nice bonus that Avocado is made in, and ships from, California!
The City Bed Frame Delivery & Setup
Avocado’s City Bed frame was a little different, as I wanted to do all the setup myself in order to give it a thorough review. The lone, weary FedEx driver was able to bring two of the three boxes upstairs to my apartment, but the third (the headboard) was too heavy for him to bring up on his own. Avocado’s site notes that the frame itself weighs 92 pounds and comes in divided up in the first two boxes, and my guess on the headboard would be around 50 pounds or more. Since I couldn’t handle it on my own, my friend Rachael came over and helping me haul it upstairs. (Don’t worry, she was properly compensated in wine and snacks—phew!)
I set the frame up entirely by myself the next day, carrying the pieces in small batches back to the bedroom. 😅 While moving the parts was strenuous, the assembly was so easy (and Avocado’s current patented design is easier than ever before). I didn’t need any tools, not even a hex key, and the pieces slid together with a satisfying swoosh. The hardest part, truly, was how heavy everything was, but I take that as a great sign of high quality thanks to this frame being made from beautiful solid FSC-certified sustainable hardwoods.
This frame is, undoubtedly, one of the best pieces of furniture I’ve ever had in my life to date. The hardwood, which I selected in the walnut colorway, is neutral enough to pop in both cool and warm-toned bedrooms, and the supporting legs have a slight taper that adds extra elegance. I feel like no matter how my style might evolve over my life, I’ll always be able to feature this frame in any type of bedroom. The headboard—oh, the headboard!—makes a beautiful statement without being commanding. (Anyone else feel weird when headboards are *too* tall and looming?) I especially love that the City Bed can be taken apart for easy moving, so I’ll always be able to bring it with me to a new home.
I haven’t had any issues with creaking, shaking, or wobbling with this frame and am excited to recommend it to anyone looking to update their bed frame.
“The City Bed frame is, undoubtedly, one of the best pieces of furniture I’ve ever had in my life to date. The headboard—oh, the headboard!—makes a beautiful statement without being commanding.”
If you need help assembling or carrying up steps, I recommend going with white-glove delivery since this is such a heavy piece, although it’d be much lighter to set up without the headboard. Also be sure to measure your underbed storage before you order; the City Bed has a clearance of 5 inches and didn’t fit with my 6 inch storage bins. My robot vacuum can get under it just fine, though!
Is the Avocado Eco Organic Mattress comfortable?
The first time I laid down on the king-sized bed was blissful—the top of the mattress features a thick and cozy wool layer (from a certified organic wool farm), and the whole mattress is wrapped in a GOTS Certified Organic Cotton cover that, frankly, I want to wear as a coat. We didn’t have king-size sheets the first night, so while I covered the bed with a flat sheet as best as I could, I couldn’t help but sneak my toes out onto the cotton cover of the mattress. It’s just such a pleasant texture. The cotton and wool combination also makes it very cool to sleep on—I haven’t had as many of my occasional intense night sweats while sleeping on my Avocado mattress.
Now that I’ve been sleeping on this bed for a year, it’s only gotten better from there. I’m 5’4” and 135 pounds, and my partner is 5’6” and 155 pounds. (We are compact people, another reason why a Full size worked for us for so many years!) He’s a side sleeper, too, so this mattress suits us quite well—rated at a 5 out of 10 on firmness, it means we’ll get better hip and shoulder support, as well as spinal alignment.
“The mattress hugs without stifling, and yet you don’t sink into it like a super feathery-soft bed.”
I’ve read other reviews that say this particular mattress is too firm (or not firm enough, to each their own). I appreciate the bounceback of the latex (GOLS-Certified Organic, of course) and the targeted supportiveness of the steel coil combination. The mattress hugs without stifling, and yet you don’t sink into it like a super feathery-soft bed. If you’d like more support, more cushion, or extra protection, Avocado makes organic toppers and protectors, too.
After the first week, my Fitbit sleep score looked less erratic than before, and over the past year have noticed fewer interruptions to my sleep. I look forward to slipping into bed each night thanks to how comfy my Avocado mattress is, and it’s easier to get out of bed in the morning since I’m getting better rest. (My cat is obsessed with the mattress too, hah!)
“I look forward to slipping into bed each night thanks to how comfy my Avocado mattress is, and it’s easier to get out of bed in the morning since I’m getting better rest.”
Is Avocado Mattress Worth It?
Ah, the question of the hour! In my experience, with Avocado’s sustainability and nontoxic standards (and a year of heavenly sleep on the mattress), you can’t even compare them to supercheap discount mattress stores. It’s like comparing apples to orange snow cones. If you are able to invest a bit in your night’s of sleep upfront, you’ll be able to stay comfy-cozy on your mattress for much longer than ones from big box stores. And I’m especially excited that Avocado offers a mattress that doesn’t skimp on standards and certifications, but also has a more achievable price point than the flagship Avocado Green Mattress.
The Eco Organic mattress costs $1,299 for a queen ($1,599 for a king), and the City Bed starts at $999 for a queen ($1,199 for a king). While those prices are still rather high, I’m thrilled with the quality of construction on both items. The bed frame, truly, will last me a lifetime, and the mattress has already proven itself to be a worthwhile investment.
My advice is to watch prices of these mattresses and frames like you would track prices for a flight. There are usually sales around Memorial Day, Fourth Of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday, so if you’re looking to invest in a new mattress, set a goal date and contribute bits to your savings in the months and weeks leading up to it. (Still doesn’t hurt to keep an eye out for discount codes and other price dips in the meantime). Avocado also works with Affirm, where you can get a 0% APR or pay as low as $78 a month which can make the price point a little less intimidating.
In Emily economics, I sorted it out this way—my $500 IKEA mattress lasted me nine years, which is $55 a year or 15 cents a night. For a much higher quality bed and frame that will give me at least 10 years of good sleep (probably more!) that’d total out to $159 a year, or 43 cents a night. An increase from IKEA, yes, but it feels like an appropriate reflection of how I want to invest in my health and wellbeing as I age.
“Avocado’s furniture is worthy of the hype—and certainly worth the investment for their longevity, quality, and sustainability.”
If you’re still not sure, Avocado also offers a 100-night sleep trial and ten-year warranty—if you find the mattress isn’t for you after the first 30 days, the brand will donate it to a local shelter and offer a full refund.
These beds, especially the Eco Organic Mattress and the City Bed frame, are worthy of the hype in my opinion—and certainly worth the investment for their longevity and the attention Avocado pays to sustainable and nontoxic materials. I’m so excited to see what’s next for Avocado’s family of brands, but you know what I’m more excited about?
Going to sleep in my cozy bed tonight!
THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT AVOCADO
Emily McGowan is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. Born and raised in Indiana, she studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, caring for her rabbits and cat, or gaming. Say hi on Instagram!