It depends on the mattress. Mine does not take boxspring (tempur-pedic)

Keep in mind that under the warranty of most mattresses, use of a box spring is required.

Under the warranty of most mattresses, they are upselling the box springs. A platform is perfectly fine with most mattresses. We bought a new mattress a few months ago from a mattress manufacturer, and kept the old slats+platform. This company did not attempt the upsell, and thinks the platform is just fine.

A friend of mine went from a bed with a box spring and mattress to a platform bed with a mattress and finds it very uncomfortable. However, it could be strictly the mattress and have nothing to do with the lack of a boxspring.

There must be something to fully support the mattress a sheet of the proper thickness plywood, slats designed for the mattress support, etc. Most mattresses are not made to be used without some type of support. Some mattresses are specifically constructed to not require a lot of support. I would definitely use some type of support if it is going in a regular bed frame and not a platform bed.

We've used a Bunkie board with our last mattress ever since buying the mattress. We did use it with a box spring for one night.

Several years ago, bought a new mattress and springs for our four poster railed bed. I had probably laid on and tried a dozen before narrowing down my choices and having DH come with me to lay on the bed at the same time, make a final decision. A very deep, chiropractic approved mattress (that is a pain trying to fit with sheets but thats another story). The delivery people just about laughed themselves silly when they put it in place, made immediate arrangements to come back the next day and take the box springs, replace with Bunkie board. It was so high, normal sized adult people couldn't get in. Made up and with the comforter in place - about chest high ;) We aren't kids, we didn't want to pole vault into bed.

With a Bunkie board, the mattress top is 33" from the floor. It wouldn't work for everyone, but does work for us.

(bunkie board: 2-inch foundation that provides adequate mattress support to ensure you don’t void your mattress warranty, without adding extra height, rigid and upholstered)

The mattress label will usually specify whether it needs a foundation. This label is from 2009.

Most newer mattresses work well on slats spaced less than 3" apart or a ventilated wood slab. If you choose a wood slab, be sure it's ventilated.

Most newer versions of support bases are made of wood slats, no springs.

We use a Euro Slat foundation under our latex mattress.

I have two 1840 rope beds and have never used boxsprings with either or they'd be to the ceiling. My four poster one has a plywood platform for the mattress,and as it is ,I have to jump on the bed to get in. It's a custom mattress because of the odd dimensions. The other rope bed was modified for regular mattress and is on plywood base too. I haven't slept with a box spring forever.

At the house, we're still using the box springs from...whenever. We have two-sided mattresses, a pair of extra-long twins that we make up with a thick king mattress pad and king sheets.

At the condo, we have a one-sided king, also on a pair of extra-long twin box springs from 2001. This mattress is like Snidely's example -- says it can be used with or without springs. I don't like one-sided mattresses, but this is all that was readily available (4 weeks) on Maui.

I'd like 'the mattress people' to make a king that is *square* so that it could be rotated a quarter-turn at a time.

I used to sell Simmons and Sealy. They're coil-type mattresses. The purpose of the box spring is to absorb some of the shock of you moving on the mattress for eight hours. We were trained that the mattress was only as good as the box spring that supported it, so a new mattress should have a new box spring. A good quality coil spring mattress should last 15 - 20 years-- if it doesn't have a foam topper which prevents you from turning the mattress. That's assuming they still make them like they used to. I haven't sold or shopped for mattresses in over a decade.

They do still make quality coil mattresses, but they're expensive and a lot of people are choosing cheaper options.

I don't care for foam mattresses. I've slept on coil on box spring, on open springs (aka camp and dorms), on Euro slats (the kind that move), and on plywood. A well constructed mattress, designed to be fully supportive, on plywood is very comfortable, as people have said. I like box springs, though open springs will do. We have the Euro slats in the guest room, and I really don't care for them. It's a big space saver in the wall bed, but not so comfy.

As BSF's photo shows, some mattresses are made specifically to work without a box spring if you choose.