
Yep, they will completely forego their mandated break-in period on a mattress if you switch to something else they sell. Both Helix and Saatva tried so hard to keep me in their mattress circle by offering an instant exchange for a different mattress. Now, a carrot that several companies dangled in front of me while I went through multiple levels of customer service hell is an exchange. And sometimes, even though the return is free, you’ll have to pay what’s called a re-stocking fee. So, you could be stuck with a mattress you hate for three months until it’s eligible for a return. Some companies say the break-in period is 30 days, some 90. While most mattress brands offer a flashy three-month or even a year return window, what they don’t tell you or what is only stated in the teeny, tiny fine print is that nearly every mattress brand has a “break-in period" for mattresses, meaning you can’t return a mattress until after the break-in period.

Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: Mattress returns are a nightmare.
