The Only Big Lots Mattress Review and Guide You’ll Ever Need

Big Lots stores offer low prices on a variety of products, including housewares, school supplies, toys and a variety of food items. The stores also sell furniture and mattresses. The Big Lots mattress selection is vast and geared toward budget-friendly options. With a large number of retail outlets, an online store, and the well-known Serta brand, Big Lots mattress shopping gives consumers both quality and rock-bottom pricing.

The mattress market is on fire, with sales trending upward over the past decade. New suppliers such as those in the trendy bed-in-a-box sector are disrupting an industry. The demand for value-priced mattress options is the most significant driver of this market today. Industry experts suggest that consumers replace their mattresses every eight or nine years, and it seems that many follow this marketing prompt.

Today, consumers can buy their mattresses at furniture stores, mattress-specific shops, online and at a growing number of discount retailers such as Big Lots. Are you considering purchasing a Big Lots mattress? Here’s what you need to know before you buy.

About Big Lots Stores

Big Lots is a unique retailer. The company’s roots reach back to the late 1960s when they started out as Consolidated Stores Corporation in Ohio. It re-branded a few times over the years. Their retail outlets were called Odd Lots in the 1980s. Since 2001, all the company’s stores have been under the Big Lots brand. Big Lots is a closeout retailer. Many of its products come from factory or manufacturer overruns and unsold merchandise from prior seasons. Consequently, a portion of its product line is sporadic.

The hit-or-miss nature of some of its merchandise — flavors of potato chips, for example — make Big Lots somewhat similar to a thrift store. There are, however, a few departments that tend to carry discount products that are more consistent. The Big Lots mattress line is such a case. Big Lots has a marketing relationship with Serta and Serta’s website details the entire exclusive Big Lots mattress product lineup.

Buying a mattress at Big Lots

Why buy a mattress at Big Lots? Although you can buy mattresses online from Big Lots, for some, the ability to test a mattress in a low-stress environment is a plus. Try browsing for mattresses at a furniture or mattress store, and you’ll experience some high-pressure sales tactics. At Big Lots stores, salespeople help but are much less likely to interrupt your browsing.

Although there has been a huge marketing push on behalf of online bed-in-a-box companies, Big Lots mattresses are easy to test out in person. We’ve all seen the online ads and videos for delivered mattresses, such as Casper, Purple, and others, and while these brands offer low-risk try at home options, at Big Lots you can just walk in and test out a variety of mattresses. While Big Lots only sells two brands, the product range is comprehensive.

Big Lots Mattress Model Range

Big Lots carries a range of traditional innerspring mattresses, popular memory foam models and hybrids that combine the benefits of both styles. While Serta manufactures most of the models available, Big Lots also carries the Zeopedic memory foam mattress line. Here is a breakdown of the Big Lots mattress product line:

king size bed

Image via Pexel

Serta

Serta is a well-known brand that consumers trust. At Big Lots, customers have access to a comprehensive selection of Perfect Sleeper, Stay and Allerton mattresses. While availability and pricing vary depending on the store, you can generally find the following styles.

Memory foam

​MEMORY FOAM

Memory foam models include the Serta Stay and Perfect Sleeper Walnut Creek mattresses. These are available in sizes that range from Twin to California King. Serta Stay models have a gel memory foam that is copper-infused. This 12-inch model provides medium support through various layers that also add comfort and cooling. The comfort starts with its CoolFeel fabric cover, which also has an antimicrobial benefit. Prices for this mattress range from $500 to $800.

The Walnut Creek model is considered medium-firm and comes in all-foam construction and a hybrid foam plus innerspring coil configuration. The all-foam model features Serta’s soft foam technology with high compression foam core durability and Cool Twist gel foam. User reviews note the overall comfort of Serta’s memory foam line. Prices range from $400 to $1100, depending on size.

Innerspring and Hybrid Models

​INNERSPRING AND HYBRID MODELS

Serta Big Lots mattresses built with innerspring construction include the Allerton firm and plush models. These feature traditional springs that some prefer for cooling support. Innersprings provide superior back support and alignment. The Plush model includes a top layer of memory foam for a mixture of support and comfort. Most mattress models nowadays include some amount of foam for comfort. This can be a thin top layer or a six-inch-thick foam top core.

The Allerton is a basic, value brand twin mattress, ideal for children and small guest beds. Although the product line is varied, with models from plush to firm, consumer reviews are overwhelmingly positive. A basic twin Big Lots mattress can start as low as $90, with prices ranging to as much as $1300 for those with more features and in larger sizes.

Zeopedic memory foam models

​INNERSPRING AND HYBRID MODELS

Big Lots has more mattress options that just its Serta line. The Zeopedic mattress is aimed at those customers who would otherwise buy a mattress-in-a-box from an online source. The Big Lots mattress selection includes a range from twin to king in a 10-inch gel-infused construction.

Touted as being neither too soft nor too firm, the Zeopedic is a simple two-layer design. The first three inches of foam is ventilated gel. In memory foam mattresses, a common complaint used to be a too-hot feeling from sleeping on foam rubber. Modern memory foam models, such as the Zeopedic, counter this effect with cooling ventilated foam. Zeopedic takes cooling to another level with its gel-infused pearl beads and ventilated channels to promote consistent air flow.

The second layer is seven inches of firm supportive foam. Reviews for the Zeopedic Big Lots mattress are positive as well. Some refer to the mattress’s “marshmallowy softness” and ease of setup. The few negative reviews disliked the softness and noted that it was challenging to climb off of the bed. Prices range from $240 to $600.

Comparison to Other Bargain Shopping Options

While Big Lots offers a convenient and inexpensive method for mattress shopping, it is not the only bargain mattress choice. There are some similar shopping experiences where you can check out mattress inventory without high-pressure sales tactics and get discount prices. With the explosion of mattress-in-a-box options, there are many deals to be had online as well.

Review methodology

In comparing Big Lots mattress shopping with other outlets we looked at product range, pricing, availability and customer response. We considered positive and negative reviews, and also took into account the fact that a good night’s sleep is extremely subjective.

Costco mattresses: Sealy and more

Novaform

Shopping for a bed at Costco is similar to the Big Lots experience. Costco is a wholesale club, so while you can find low prices, many of the best deals are reserved for members. If you are not a Costco member, it may not make sense to purchase a membership just for mattress savings. Costco has a much broader product range. Its flagship brand is Sealy, which is quite similar to the Big Lots mattress line by Serta. At Costco, shoppers get the same wide range of firmness and size, but instead of just two brands, Costco features a few.

The Sealy brand is popular and wide-ranging. Some commenters rate the line less than Serta, noting that Serta has a longer warranty — 20 years versus Sealy’s standard 10-year warranty. Commenters also pointed out that the Sealy line tends to compress after just a short period of usage. Costco’s Sealy line ranges in price from $300 to $2000.

Costco’s main memory foam line is Novaform. Also similar to Big Lots’ Zeopedic line, Novaform enjoys decent customer ratings, earning about four stars on the Costco website. Positives note that the mattress line is surprisingly firm and supportive, while negatives liken the experience to sleeping in quicksand. Novaform mattresses are 12-inches deep, larger than the Zeopedic mattress. Prices range from $300 to $1,200.

Other brands carried by Costco include the luxury Thomasville, and Stearns and Foster lines, as well as Sleep Science, Simmons Beautyrest, Tempur-Pedic and Spring Air.

Novaform 14" Serafina Pearl Gel Queen Memory Foam Mattress
  • Novaform 14 inch Serafina Pearl Gel Queen Memory Foam Mattress
  • Gel Pearl Memory Foam Top Layer Cools You Down As You Heat Up
  • Plush, Medium, And Firm Options With Customized Comfort Middle Layer

Casper mattresses: sleep shopping from home

Casper mattresses

By now, most people are aware of the various mattress-in-a-box options from online retailers. Casper was one of the first of these brands to hit the market. The shopping experience for a Casper mattress is much different than shopping for a Big Lots mattress. Rather than checking out a mattress’ fit and feel in a store, consumers order a bed that the company delivers in a box right to their doorstep. Casper sells three basic models, ranging in thickness and features. The prices range from $350 to $2,400, depending on size and model.

While the Casper line is intended as a shop-from-home experience, there are a few ways to check out a Casper in person. First, there are a handful of Casper retail outlets in major cities, including some mall kiosks. Select Target stores also carry certain Casper products, such as pillows and mattress toppers and also are designated pick up locations for delivery. Like most online mattress retailers, Casper offers a 100-night risk-free trial, too.

Casper Sleep Foam Mattress, Queen, 2018 Edition
  • 4-layers of premium foam construction for support, breathability, and bounce
  • Breathable open-cell foams have tiny pores to let hot air escape, keeping you cool at night
  • Combination of softer foam for shoulder region and supportive firm foam for core and hip area

Big Lots Mattress Shopping: Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Shopping ease
  • Many locations
  • Rock-bottom pricing
  • Exclusive Serta product line

Cons

  • Limited to only two brands
  • Store selection can vary

Our Verdict

Shopping for a mattress is easier now than ever before. If you are looking for a value-priced mattress option, Big Lots mattress selection should be sufficient. The Serta product line is solid, well-reviewed and backed by a 20-year warranty. The Zeopedic model is also a good buy for those looking for a mattress-in-a-box bargain.

Last update on 2023-06-06 at 13:48 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API