Sunday, March 19, 2023

Saatva Solaire Mattress and Adjustable Base Plus Product Reviews

My husband and I ordered our first Saatva mattress nearly two years ago. This is the sixth in my series of detailed reviews of our customer experience as first-time Saatva mattress shoppers.

I have already explained our product research process and reasons for choosing the king Solaire mattress and Adjustable Base Plus, why we opted to try the upper-flex configuration and our first experience with Saatva’s white glove mattress delivery service, as well as my review of our Saatva organic cotton sheets and mattress pad.

In today's post I’m sharing my candid feedback on what my husband and I loved about our new Solaire mattress and Adjustable Base Plus, as well as a couple of things about the upper-flex (aka head split, split-head, top split or split-top) configuration that didn’t work for our needs and led us to exchange our upper-flex mattress for a solid, standard king Solaire, which we have been sleeping on for nearly two years and absolutely love.

Saatva Solaire Mattress and Adjustable Base Plus detailed, candid product reviews

Disclosure: I have joined the company’s affiliate program, which means that if you choose to make a purchase through one of the links in this post I may be eligible to receive a commission, at no cost to you. I highly recommend the Saatva company and its products for their excellent quality, performance, price and customer service. The opinions, product reviews and recommendations in this post are my own and are based on my personal experiences. The decision to click on those links to learn more about the company’s products or make a purchase is greatly appreciated, but entirely up to you.

Saatva Solaire Adjustable Firmness Mattress Product Review

As I explained in a couple of previous posts in this series, my husband and I aren’t always on the same sleeping schedule. I often read in bed after he has gone to sleep, and on the weekend, he often reads in bed while I sleep late. So, the upper-flex configuration of the king Saatva Solaire mattress and Saatva Adjustable Base Plus (formerly called the Lineal adjustable base), which allows each sleeper to raise and lower the head of the bed on their side only, was very appealing.

Since we always gravitate to sleeping in the “spoon” position (even subconsciously, in our sleep), we had concerns about whether one of us would end up with our arm getting stuck in the center split along the top portion of the upper-flex mattress. However, since the mattress topper we purchased would fill in most of the split, we decided to give it a try, knowing that we could return it or exchange it for a solid king Solaire mattress, if we wished, thanks to the very generous Saatva in-home trial, warranty and return policies.

Saatva Solaire mattress in the split-top "upper-flex" configuration

The upper part of the upper-flex Saatva Solaire mattress is split to allow the head of each side of the bed to be raised and lowered independently


What We Loved About the Saatva Solaire Mattress

  • Very comfortable and supportive. Both my husband and I have back problems and joint issues, and we appreciate waking up with no aches and pains.
  • Individually customizable firmness for both sleeping partners. We love being able to set the mattress firmness for our respective sides to our individual preferences, and to quickly make it softer or firmer on the fly, if desired, when changing sleeping positions. Having 50 firmness settings that can be adjusted incrementally with the touch of a button on the remote gives us both true, precision customization!
  • Thoughtfully designed, six-layer construction. 
    1. The countouring 3-inch Euro pillow top with Lumbar Zone Quilting provides more support in the center. It is covered in a breathable, hypoallergenic organic cotton, treated with Saatva's exclusive Guardin botanical antimicrobial treatment. Saatva uses a Paladin flame barrier made of a poly & rayon blend instead of fiberglass or toxic chemical flame retardants.
    2. Next is a 1-inch layer of ergonomic 5-zone natural latex that provides enhanced lumbar support and pressure-point relief. This natural latex is naturally hypoallergenic, resistant to mold, mildew and dust mites and doesn't off-gas.
    3. Under that, a CertiPUR-US certified 2-inch gel-infused memory foam helps disperse body heat away for cooler sleep and contours to your body to relieve pressure points.
    4. Moisture barrier layers protect internal mechanical components to prevent bacterial growth.
    5. No-sink vulcanized air chanbers with multi-directional box baffle design provides consistent, edge-to-edge comfort by maintaining even firmness and support throughout the mattress, from side to side and from head to toe.
    6. Underlying it all, a reinforced power edge enclosure provides a stable base and houses the quiet air inflator and hoses out of sight.
Exploded diagram view of Saatva Solaire mattress layers
Each layer of the Saatva Solaire adjustable firmness mattress contributes significant benefits to the sleeping experience.
  • Doesn't feel like sleeping on an air mattress. The adjustable firmness layer with its inflatable vulcanized air chambers is the fifth layer down from the sleep surface. And, unlike an air mattress, the Saatva Solaire has firm, supportive edges.
  • No center dip.  Even with each side of our king Solaire adjusted to different firmness levels, the center of the sleeping surface is level all the way across.
  • Remote controls with large, easy-to-read buttons. We love being able to adjust the firmness without having to put on our glasses or accidentally pressing the wrong button.
Saatva Solaire remote control diagram and instructions card
Solaire mattress remote control instruction card
  • Surprisingly quiet firmness adjustments. The firmness adjustments on the Solaire mattress are made by inflating or deflating the reinforced, vulcanized air chambers via the remote control. The air inflator and hoses are enclosed in the bottom layer of the mattress, which not only keeps them out of sight but also muffles the noise of the motor, making the process of adjusting the Solaire’s firmness surprisingly (and delightfully) quiet.
  • Made in the U.S.A. from eco-friendly materials. This straightforward statement about the company’s values (from the Specifications/FAQ section of the product page) is one of the things that make us proud Saatva supporters: “Every Saatva mattress is made to order and handcrafted in America with care and pride, using only the highest quality, consciously sourced materials. We could have settled on cheaper materials and produced our products elsewhere for higher profits, but we've never wavered in our commitment to quality. We believe it's the right thing to do for our customers, our American workers, and our economy.”
  • Generous in-home trial period, pressure-free sales support and customer service, and hassle-free returns or exchanges. Here’s what the company promises: “At Saatva, we never pressure you to make up your mind quickly. All of our mattresses come with a 365-night home trial, so you have plenty of time to decide whether it’s right for you. If at any point during your home trial you’re not satisfied, just give us a call and we’ll come pick up the mattress and refund your money, less a $99 processing fee to cover our cost of gas and labor for the pickup. That’s it.” 
Based on my personal experience when my husband and I decided to exchange our upper-flex king Solaire mattress for a standard king, I found that promise to be sincere. In fact, the customer service representative who helped me arrange our mattress exchange and schedule the new pickup and delivery was terrific. (More about that in my next post.)

What We Didn’t Love

While we loved most aspects of our new king Saatva Solaire mattress, there were two issues with upper-flex option that turned out to be deal-breakers for us.

  • Top-split mattress issue for couples who like snuggling or sleeping in the “spoon” position. Our concerns about one of us ending up with a shoulder in the gap while snuggling together in the spoon position turned out to be justified.
  • Top-split bedding challenges. My husband and I found that it took both of us to successfully wrestle the mattress and bedding into submission when we wanted to put on or take off the split-top mattress pad and sheets. In addition, there are far fewer options on the market for split-top vs. standard, solid fitted sheets and sheet sets, and we weren’t able to find any high-quality flannel split-top sheets, which we prefer during our cold New England winters. 

For those reasons, after sleeping on our upper-flex Solaire for more than a month to give it a fair in-home trial, at the end of August 2021 we decided to exchange it for a standard (solid) king Solaire mattress.

Saatva Adjustable Base Plus Product Review

Most standard queen or king Saatva mattresses, including the Saatva Classic Luxury Hybrid Innerspring (11.5-inch height only), Loom & Leaf Ultra-Premium Memory Foam, Saatva Latex Hybrid, Zenhaven Latex, Memory Foam Hybrid and Solaire Adjustable Firmness mattresses, are compatible with any standard queen or king adjustable base.

If you don’t already own one, the company now offers two models. 
  • The Saatva Adjustable Base allows you to raise and lower the head and foot of the bed. The simple wireless remote has a built-in flashlight (handy for nocturnal trips to the bathroom or kitchen). The zero-clearance design and removable legs allow it to be used on most platform bases, if desired. However, it is not available in the upper-flex option.
  • The Saatva Adjustable Base Plus (formerly Lineal Adjustable Base) adds more advanced features, including full-body wave, leg and head massage with three speed options, an anti-snore preset that elevates the sleeper’s head to open up airway passages, a Zero-G preset for “weightless support” and under-bed lighting. It is available in a full range of sizes, including the upper-flex option for queen and king sizes. It also features a wall-hugging design in the standard configuration (but not upper-flex king or queen).
Side by Side remote controls for the Saatva Adjustable Base and Adjustable Base Plus
The wireless remotes for the Saatva Adjustable Base (left) and Saatva Adjustable Base Plus (right)

An upper-flex queen or king Solaire mattress with a top split needs to be paired with an adjustable base that allows the head of each side of the bed to be raised and lowered independently. For an upper-flex king Saatva Solaire mattress like ours, two twin XL adjustable bases (each with its own wireless remote) are joined side-by-side, sync’d with a special cable and configured to make the lower part of both bases respond in unison to either remote control, while the head of the bed on each side responds only to the remote assigned to that twin XL base. (The upper-flex queen base is configured the same way with two narrower adjustable bases.) 

If you purchase a compatible Saatva mattress and adjustable base at the same time, you also get a nice discount on the base.

Saatva Adjustable Base Plus upper-flex king configuration
If you buy a Saatva Adjustable Base Plus to go with an upper-flex (split-top) queen or king Solaire mattress, you get two twin XL adjustable bases (king) or two narrower bases (queen)—without the wall hugger feature—that are connected and sync’d with a cable so the head of each base operates independently while the lower parts move in unison

What We Loved About the Saatva Adjustable Base Plus

  • User-friendly remote controls with large, easy-to-read buttons. The buttons are also spaced far enough apart so we rarely press the wrong button by accident, as often happens on remote controls with small, hard-to-read buttons that are crowded together.
  • Ability to raise the head or foot of the bed to the desired angle. The Head button on the remote lets us raise or lower the head of the bed to whichever angle we find most comfortable for different activities, such as reading, watching TV or working on a laptop. When we had the upper-flex Solaire, we also really liked being able to raise or lower the head of the bed on our side without disturbing our peacefully sleeping partner (which is why it took us more than a month to decide whether to keep it or exchange it for the standard king Solaire).

    After a long, active day, it’s so nice to be able to lie down and put our tired, swollen feet up just by pressing the up arrow on the Foot button. There’s also a button for raising the head and foot of the bed simultaneously.
  • Customizable Snore and Zero-G presets. The Saatva Adjustable Base Plus remote has dedicated Snore (anti-snore) and ZG (zero-gravity) buttons with preset adjustments. Both buttons can also be reprogrammed to your personal preferences (and then reset to the original factory defaults, if you wish).
    • Pressing the Snore button elevates the sleeper’s head above their chest to reduce pressure on the airway and help increase airflow. Since my husband snores loudly (according to him, my snoring is much more “ladylike”), we find this preset comes in quite handy. (Elevating your head may also help mitigate acid reflux-related sleep disruptions.)
    • The Zero-G preset slightly elevates both the knees and the head while raising the feet to the same level as the heart. According to Saatva’s website, this preset “mimics the position astronauts take during liftoff, which eases the stress on their bodies as they escape Earth's gravity.” Both my husband and I have old back injuries that act up from time to time and the zero-gravity preset helps relieve the pressure on our spines. It’s also good for just relaxing and unwinding at the end of a stressful day or taking a quick, restorative break in the middle of one.
  • Return the bed to the Flat position at the touch of a button. Whether you have made manual adjustments to the head and/or foot of the bed or used one of the presets, you can use the Flat button to return the bed to its default, level position and shut off the massage (if it’s on).
  • Surprisingly quiet motor. The motor for raising and lowering the head and foot of the bed is much quieter than we had expected, which was a very welcome surprise! While not as quiet as the motor that inflates and deflates the air chambers in our Solaire mattress, we especially appreciated being able to raise or lower the head of the bed on our side (when we had the upper-flex Solaire) without the motor’s noise rudely awakening our sleeping “better half.” The constant hum of the motor when using the vibrating massage options can be a bit annoying, but since we rarely use those features, it isn’t a problem for us.
  • Under-bed lighting and remote controls with a built-in flashlight. The top left button on the remote control turns on (or off) an array of LED lights on the underside of the base that are bright enough to illuminate the few steps to our bathroom in the middle of the night, but not bright enough to awaken whichever of us is still asleep. If I decide to make a cup of herbal tea to help me get back to sleep, I can press the top middle button on my remote to turn on the built-in flashlight to light my way to the kitchen and back.
  • Designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S.A. Choosing a Saatva adjustable bed base, like choosing a Saatva mattress, supports American workers, jobs and companies.
  • Sturdy materials and construction. It was obvious at first glance that our new adjustable bed base was made of robust, high-quality materials and was built to last. 
  • Excellent manufacturer’s warranty. Since the Saatva Adjustable Base Plus is a final sale, it’s reassuring to have such a good full 5-year/limited 25-year warranty [https://www.saatva.com/warranty/saatva-adjustable-base-plus/] in case anything ever goes wrong. 
  • Compatible with most bed frames. Both of Saatva’s adjustable bed frames are compatible with most bed frames that are designed to accommodate an adjustable base. This includes all but one of the bed frames Saatva offers, which come in a wide variety of elegant styles that would look great in our bedroom. We’re hoping to purchase one in the future.

What We Didn’t Love

  • Vibrating massage. The remote control on the Saatva Adjustable Base Plus lets you select a full-body wave, head, or leg massage. Although my husband and I both love getting a massage, neither of us is a fan of the vibrating base “massage” features. However, many people love them and find that the vibrations relax their muscles, especially after a workout.
  • No wall-hugger technology in the upper-flex configuration. When we made our decision to try the upper-flex Solaire mattress and Saatva Adjustable Base Plus (then called Lineal), we understood that we would be giving up the convenient wall hugger-technology, which simultaneously lifts the head of the bed and glides it back toward the wall, so that your nightstands remain within easy reach. That technology wouldn’t work for the upper-flex setup, where the joined Twin XL bases operate independently at the head but in unison at the foot, so it isn’t included in the upper-flex configuration.
Since all Saatva adjustable bases are final sale, when we exchanged our upper-flex Solaire for a standard king we couldn’t do the same with our Saatva adjustable base. We knew that when we decided to try the upper-flex, so it was a calculated risk and the only thing we regret about that decision.

Next Up: Exchanging Our Saatva Mattress

In my next post I'll share our experience with exchanging our upper-flex king Solaire for the standard king Solaire.

Be sure to subscribe* to Review This Reviews to be notified when new posts in this Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper series (and my popular keto diet success series) are published!

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Saatva Solaire Mattress and Adjustable Base Plus Product Reviews by Margaret Schindel

Posts in This Series

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 1: The Journey Begins

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 2: How to Choose the Best Saatva Mattress for Your Needs

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 3: Ordering a Saatva Mattress and Adjustable Bed Online — A Candid Review

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 4: Saatva Organic Cotton Mattress Pad and Sheet Set Product Reviews

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 5: Saatva Mattress and Adjustable Base White Glove Delivery and Setup

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 6: Saatva Solaire Mattress and Adjustable Base Plus Product Reviews

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 7: Exchanging a Saatva Mattress: My Personal Experience

Confessions of a Saatva Mattress Shopper, Part 8: Which Queen or King Saatva Solaire Mattress and Adjustable Base to Buy

Read more product reviews from our Contributors at ReviewThisProductReviews.com.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


13 comments:

  1. Nice to know that you can exchange one type of mattress for another with the generous Saatva in-home trial warranty. I can see it might take some time to evaluate which type mattress best suits a couple. Thanks for your evaluation of the Solaire Mattress and Adjustable Base Plus.

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    1. Elf, sleeping on a new mattress takes some time to get used to, which is why trying to choose one after lying on it in a retail store for a few minutes isn’t a good way to make an informed buying decision. Being able to sleep on a new mattress for an extended period of time and see how our bodies adapt to the new sleep surface over time is the best way to find the right mattress for our needs, and even more so if we’re looking for a mattress for a couple whose mattress needs and preferences may differ. Saatva’s generous in-home trial period provides peace of mind, as Sam said.

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  2. I'm really impressed with Saatva's in-home trial and return policy. It really gives you peace of mind knowing you can try their mattress and if doesn't fit your needs you can return it. I'm glad to see that they adhere to such high quality standards, and the products are made in the USA.

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    Replies
    1. Sam, a lot of companies talk about their commitment to delivery superior quality products and services, but few deliver on those promises. Saatva is an impressive and unusual example of a company whose commitment to its values and high standards is in its management’s and employees’ DNA.

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  3. good tip to consider re wall hugger technology - I would not have thought of that for a bed (mom and dad's recliner chairs did that of course, but the bed she bought - like this - didn't) - I had no idea wall hugger technology applied to these beds as well. The split top probably wouldn't work for us either because although there's no spooning (lol), we like to steal sections of the other person's side from time to time in the form of legs, arms, rolling over - I am very hard to sleep with, I move all night long - so yah, the regular type mattress would be our choice - love the long trial period they offer, that's fantastic!

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    1. It was a tough decision for us whether to keep the upper-flex mattress, which had significantl advantages for us, or exchange it for the solid standard version. But we’re extremely happy with our decision. The Saatva Solaire adjustable firmness mattress with the Adjustable Base Plus is a fantastic duo for getting a great night’s sleep!

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    2. Sorry my previous reply appeared as Anonymous — I forgot to open the post in my browser.

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  4. This is the most important part of the series for me because I would have opted for the split mattresses as well for exactly the same reason you chose them. I stay up late reading while my husband sleeps. I know I would enjoy having the back support of the raised head, but I would also dislike the split for exactly the same reason you did. You spared me, and I'm sure other readers, the imposition of having a return/exchange.

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    Replies
    1. Sylvestermouse, thank you so much for your wonderful feedback. This is the main reason I went into so much detail in this product review — to help other couples decide which configuration of this excellent adjustable firmness mattress and adjustable base is likely to work best for their specific needs. I’m so glad it was helpful! Fortunately, Saatva’s generous in-home trial makes it convenient to try out one of their mattresses and minimizes the ridj if you decide it isn’t ideal for you.

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    2. Minimizes the risk (vs. “ridj”)

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  5. It is important to be able to try out mattresses especially if a type of mattress/bed base is new to you. As I have a back issue I am particular about mattresses/beds and it is never a great test just trying out in a store for a few minutes. So the long trial period offered and returns policy are very good. There is a lot to consider when choosing a bed these days !

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Raintree Annie, as a fellow back issue sufferer, I find it essential to try out a new mattress in my home for at least a few weeks to get my body acclimated to it and see how the mattress affects my back pain after the acclimation period. Saatva’s 365-day in-home trial period is as generous as they come! And, as I explain in the next post in this series, exchanging our Saatva Solaire mattress for a different configuration was a breeze.

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