Saatva's adjustable bed frame may be worth it for people who want a fully-customizable sleep experience, but its high price isn't for everyone

• The Saatva Lineal Adjustable Base has strong massaging capabilities, operates quietly, and holds your mattress securely in place.
• Though it's in the middle of the pack price-wise (starting at $1,199 and goes up to $2,498), the base is backed by a 25-year limited warranty and comes with white-glove delivery and set up.
• I would only suggest the bed frame for those with a big budget and want something fully customizable.

As someone who's tested more than 50 mattresses and bed frames, I'd have to say that few people need an adjustable bed frame. Unless you have a few hundred or even thousand sitting around, I don't think I'd recommend it to the average shopper. But for someone who has the budget and wants a fully-customizable sleep experience, I'd recommend the Saatva Lineal Adjustable Base.

Adjustable bed frames are becoming more accessible (though still not truly affordable) and some of the basic models can cost just a few hundred dollars, which we lay out here in our buying guide. These frames work with an array of mattresses to offer inclined head and foot positioning for more comfortable lounging while reading, watching TV, or sleeping. Beyond these basic functions, the Saatva Lineal Adjustable Base also has massaging functions, a nightlight, and presets, such as "Zero G", that are easy to adjust with remote control.

I tested a Split King frame and Solaire mattress, both of which were sent to me for free to test. Below are my experiences with the frame, and you can read my review of the mattress here.

Specs of the adjustable base

Any mattress designed for use with an adjustable base will work with the Lineal. Saatva offers a variety of mattresses that are compatible with the Lineal. I tested it with the Solaire, an expensive but impressive option. If you're unsure about whether your mattress can be used on an adjustable base, contact the mattress's manufacturer.

The base is offered in the traditional sizes: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and Cal King sizes. Plus, you can get it in Split Queen, Split King, and Split Cal King. And, the Queen, King, and Cal King bed frames are available with "Upper Flex." This means that the head of the bed is separated so when one side of the bed is inclined the other side is unaffected. With Upper Flex, the foot of the frame is still one piece that doesn't adjust independently. I tested the Split King frame.

The base has a 25-year limited warranty with stipulations. A full warranty covers it for the first five years. After that, only the steel and mechanical base parts are covered, and that's on a pro-rated basis.

Set-up process

Set up is relatively easy since white-glove delivery is included with your purchase of the Lineal. All you need to do to prepare for the installation is to make sure you have cleared a space large enough for the frame and for the workers to move around in. Also, you should ensure there is an electrical outlet near the frame.

Unfortunately, the local delivery company in my area that Saatva contracted with for this service was inept. The company didn't show up with the right tools for the first appointment. And when the workers arrived for the second appointment, they claimed that the white-glove delivery didn't include setup.

I emailed my Saatva PR contact since I didn't want to confuse the usual customer support team as a member of the press and the company was quick to rectify the situation by hiring a new delivery company that did a solid job of assembling the bed and showing me how it works. The whole setup process took a little over an hour.

My experience seems like an exception and many reviewers on the Better Business Bureau say that the usual customer service channels resolved their issues quickly and efficiently.

Saatva Lineal Adjustable Base review

I like how much the bed inclines for a more comfortable experience watching TV, reading, or just scrolling endlessly on my phone. You can also choose a "Zero-G" mode that's designed to put your head and legs at an angle to make you feel weightless. Unfortunately, I never felt weightless, but I'm a big guy, and it was a comfortable angle nonetheless.

When sleeping, I kept the base mostly flat. I would sometimes incline the head just a smidge to mitigate a cough or if I happened to be testing a particularly unsupportive pillow.

Equally important, I appreciate that the mattress stays in place after several adjustments to the incline. With the other adjustable base I tested, the two sides of the Split King start to "walk" away from each other over time, and the mattress shifts to one side. This is not the case with the Lineal. The brackets on the corners keep the mattress in place, and the split base has stayed put.

The massage functions on the Lineal are also superior to what I've tested. There are three speeds with the most powerful level providing soothing relaxation. You can also choose between a full-body wave massage, leg massage, or head massage.

The incline adjustments are whisper quiet. I placed a sound meter 12 inches from the base and adjusted the positioning of the frame to Zero G. The sound meter registered 40 decibels, which wasn't more than the ambient sound in the room. This is a must when one person wants to adjust the bed while the other is sleeping — I could quietly incline the head without my sleeping wife noticing.

The sound produced by the massaging function was a different matter. On its highest setting, the sound meter showed a noise output of 52 decibels. This is quiet enough that it wouldn't interrupt any TV you may be watching, but loud enough to likely disturb a sleeping partner. Of course, the vibration would likely wake them up as well.

The wave massage was soothing, but when in the room beneath the bed, it sounded like there was a rave with thumping base going on overhead. This could be attributed to my old home, which was built in 1904 and long before massaging bed frames were invented, but definitely still something to consider if your room is on a second floor.

I also like that the Lineal has a light under the bed. This made it easy to see at night when I needed to find something and didn't want to wake my wife.

I've been using the bed frame for eight months now and the experience continues to be seamless. It has not malfunctioned or produced any off-putting sounds or jolting movements of any kind in the time I've been testing it — it's solidly built.

Cons of the adjustable base to consider

The biggest issues are that the Lineal does not come with a home trial period, can't be exchanged, and you can't return it unless there are issues that fall under the warranty. Furthermore, the Lineal isn't found in showrooms. This is disappointing because most consumers don't want to shell out thousands of dollars for an item they can't try first.

The base is quite heavy so don't plan on moving your bed often. If you do need to move it, try to disassemble it into multiple parts and get help from a friend or two.

Lastly, I don't like that I have to keep buttons depressed to flatten the bed. I wish I could just press the button once, and it would automatically return to its original flat position. This isn't a big problem in the grand scheme of things, but just a slight personal annoyance,

The bottom line

I was impressed with the array of comfort and customization options available with the Saatva Lineal Adjustable Base, but it's very expensive.

Should you buy it?

If I were not testing the base, I would not have purchased it. Even though the price works out to less than 30 cents per day over 25 years (the length of the warranty), I don't have that kind of money for anything that isn't a European vacation.

Consequently, I would not recommend this bed frame to the average shopper. This is a big-ticket item for people who are willing to pay extra for comfort that can be fully customized. In which case, the frame is worth the price tag, especially since it's easy to tilt the bed to find a position that addresses what ails you. For instance, I've found that I can mitigate snoring by inclining the head slightly. This also helps when I have a cough.

It's worth noting that Saatva provides financing for the Lineal with payments of about $117 per month for two years.

What model should you get?

The size you choose will depend on your mattress size. But, if you're buying a new mattress and frame, you'll want a queen or larger when sharing a bed. A King or Cal King is even better unless you sleep while holding each other or are a smaller couple. My wife and I are larger and share the bed with our dog so anything less than a King is uncomfortable.

If you sleep alone, the Twin, Twin XL, Full, or Queen will serve you well. These sizes are in order from smallest to largest. So, smaller individuals can get away with a Twin, but if you are larger, consider the Full or Queen.

Since the pricing is the same for the King, Cal King, Split King, and Split Cal King, I would recommend going with the split version. This gives you the option of adjusting the two sides of the bed independently, which may come in handy.

The Split Queen is much more expensive ($1,000 more) than the Queen. I don't think the added cost is worth the marginal increase in customization. For instance, my wife and I rarely have the bed frame in drastically different positions.

What are your alternatives?

I've only tested one other adjustable base: the Tempur-Ergo Power Base, which has a similar price at $2,398 for the Split King. The massaging capabilities of the Tempur-Ergo Power Base are weak, but it does have a built-in sleep monitor that pairs with your phone to offer recommendations to improve your sleep. Read my full review.

If the Lineal and Tempur-Ergo don't interest you, we encourage you to check out our guide to the best adjustable bed frames.

Pros: 25-year limited warranty, white-glove delivery and set up are included in the price, a built-in nightlight, three massage modes and speeds, quiet operation

Cons: No home trial or returns, isn't available for trying out in showrooms