Choosing the Best Mattress in 2024 (Reviewed and Compared)

Reviews of the Best-Rated Mattresses

How We Put Together Our Best Mattress Reviews

– Our Ranking Methodology in Detail –

If you’ve started looking for a new mattress, you’ve probably already realized that a seemingly simple task can easily turn into a real nightmare as there’s an almost infinite number of companies offering a multitude of mattresses. That’s why we’re here! We hope our unbiased reviews will help you find the best mattress for your needs. 

In order to provide you with accurate, up-to-date information, our team has come up with a comprehensive approach to testing and reviewing mattresses. Our goal is to make it simple for you to pick the perfect mattress by quickly comparing a number of products and their features.

The Most Important Criteria When Choosing the Best Mattress in 2022

Below is a breakdown of all the aspects we take into consideration when reviewing a mattress. You can also use this as your ultimate mattress buying guide since you should take all these things into account when shopping for a mattress, no matter if you’re looking for the best mattress in a box or you’re planning to buy a mattress in a traditional brick-and-mortar store.

Construction

When it comes to mattress construction, there are basically five types of mattresses: memory foam, latex foam, polyurethane foam, innerspring, and hybrid. The material used in the mattress is one of the most important things to consider when buying a mattress because it affects its longevity, firmness, comfort, and temperature neutrality. Beds made of poor-quality materials may sag quickly, or their heat retention can increase, so our mattress ratings greatly depend on the quality of the materials used.

Natural materials are usually the best choice, especially for children. Some of the most durable mattresses include the ones made of latex and hybrids. Newer technologies use gels that enable foam mattresses to remain cool. Regarding innerspring mattresses, there are various types of coils, which greatly affect the mattress’s support and durability. Let’s see some of the key characteristics of the best types of mattresses.

Memory Foam Mattresses

Memory foam, also known as viscoelastic foam, was invented by NASA scientists. Thanks to the reduction in production costs, it has become a widely available, popular material for mattresses. However, you should keep in mind that memory foam mattresses aren’t purely made of this material. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be supportive enough. Instead, memory foam is used in their comfort levels to provide nice cushioning.

As a result, this is the best mattress material for sleepers who need a high amount of pressure relief. Since it closely conforms to a sleeper’s body, it also tends to retain body heat. However, new technologies, such as gel-infused foam and open-cell foam, address this problem quite successfully. Also, petrochemical-based flexible polyurethane foams are regularly being replaced with plant-based memory foam.

When reviewing this type of mattress, our team of experts considers all the important memory foam properties, such as density and the indentation load deflection rating (ILD), also known as the indentation force deflection rating (IFD). To learn more about this mattress material, you can check out our in-depth guide and our list of the top mattresses made of memory foam.

Latex Mattresses

Latex mattresses are typically constructed of several layers of latex. The best but also the most expensive option is natural latex, which is produced from the sap of Hevea brasiliensis, commonly known as the rubber tree. Depending on how it’s harvested and processed, latex can be Dunlop or Talalay. There’s also synthetic latex, which is a more budget-friendly option.

While some mattresses are entirely made of latex, there are also models that combine several materials in their construction. This type of bed might be the best mattress to buy if you need body contouring but prefer a bouncier sleeping surface than memory foam.

In general, it provides a good balance of spinal support and pressure relief. Plus, latex is a very pleasant material to sleep on since it naturally offers good temperature regulation.

Innerspring Mattresses

Innerspring mattresses feature a coil system in their support layer. Typically, they’re classified into traditional innerspring and hybrid models. The main difference is that traditional innerspring mattresses have a thin comfort layer while hybrid mattresses feature several layers of foam or latex. Therefore, the latter are often considered good mattresses for sleepers who need a higher level of pressure relief but don’t like memory foam mattresses.

When reviewing mattresses, we paid particular attention to the types of coils used. In short, Bonnell coils are usually found in inexpensive models even though they provide solid support. Offset coils are an improved version of the previous type of coils, while mattresses with continuous coils usually get high mattress rankings. Pocket coils or Marshall coils are another common type of coil springs. They’re most commonly used in hybrid models.

In addition to the coil type, the quality of innerspring mattresses depends on the coil count and gauge, or thickness. Our team of experts inspected all of these aspects when ranking mattresses.

Hybrid Mattresses

As we already said, hybrid mattresses can be considered a type of innerspring model since they also feature a coil system in the support layer. However, their construction also includes several layers of foam or latex. That’s why a hybrid model is often recommended as the best mattress for sleeping if you’re looking for the bounciness of a spring mattress and the contouring of memory foam.

Mattress Cover

Besides the mattress’s construction, it’s important to consider its cover because this also affects the mattress’s comfort. Plus, the fabric used for the cover can make the whole mattress more breathable, and thus improve its temperature regulation.

A number of different materials are used for mattress covers, such as polyester with rayon, cotton, and wool. In general, the best online mattresses feature a cover made of natural fibers. Also, some of the most luxurious brands offer mattresses with quilted covers, which add to their luxury look and make them even comfier.

Comfort

Mattress comfort is one of the most important features that we have to evaluate when preparing our reviews of mattresses. Although we all know what feels comfortable to us, this is a rather complex feature as it comprises several properties: firmness, sinkage, and support. 

Firmness should be one of the key features when choosing which mattress to buy. If you don’t find a product with the right level of firmness, you can’t expect to have a good night’s sleep. Moreover, a mattress that’s too soft or too firm can cause back pain.

It’s important not to confuse firmness with support, like many mattress comparison sites do, since both soft and firm mattresses can provide proper support. A mattress with good support is meant to keep the sleeper’s spine properly aligned. However, both of the features are crucial for mattress comfort. Therefore, when trying a mattress, pay special attention to how it feels at your shoulders and hips.

Finally, sinkage is another important feature that is tightly related to mattress comfort. A moderate sinkage level gives us a pleasant feeling as the mattress contours around our body, though many people don’t find it comfortable when mattresses let them sink too much. This is usually one of the major differences when you compare a memory foam vs spring mattress.

Temperature Neutrality

Temperature neutrality is another important feature that determines mattress quality. How cool the bed sleeps refers to the amount of heat it absorbs from the sleeper. If a mattress “sleeps cool,” it means that the material doesn’t retain heat and that it doesn’t get warmer than the room’s temperature.

Various technologies are used for achieving temperature neutrality. As you can see in many foam mattress reviews, gel infusions in foam mattresses and phase-change fibers in covers are quite effective. Some materials are naturally cooling, like latex foam. On the other hand, increasing the airflow is another effective way to deal with body heat. That’s why innerspring and egg-crate shaped materials are a good choice.

Edge Support

When you compare mattresses, you can notice that not all mattresses are equally supportive at their ends and sides. People who tend to sleep near the edge of the bed need a mattress that provides enough support in those areas. Also, if you use the side of the bed for sitting, you should opt for a mattress with sturdy edges. Some mattresses have a rigid frame around their edges to provide additional support. On the other hand, most foam mattresses don’t have this type of frame, but they use firmer foam around their edges.

Motion Transfer

The next property we need to evaluate when preparing our unbiased mattress reviews is motion transfer, which refers to a mattress’s ability to isolate the feeling of movement and absorb motion. If you sleep alone, this feature is of little importance to you. 

However, if you sleep with a partner, motion transfer might play an important role when buying a mattress. No one likes to wake up every time their partner turns or gets up. Generally, coil constructions don’t perform very well on motion transfer tests, while foam mattresses tend to considerably reduce motion transfer.

Durability and Maintenance

When we evaluate mattress brands for our reviews, we pay special attention to mattress durability and maintenance. Since you normally don’t buy a new mattress every month, or every year for that matter, it’s of great importance that the one you choose lasts for years to come. The lifespan of a mattress largely depends on its type, so this is the first factor we take into account when we’re evaluating mattress durability. Next, we inspect the materials used for mattress construction—both the type of material and its quality affect its durability.

Considering that proper mattress maintenance can make your bed last longer, we always inspect the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding maintenance. In our honest mattress reviews, we also point out if some of the materials used are particularly sensitive or difficult to clean and maintain. Usually the best way to clean a mattress is to spot-clean it with some lukewarm water and mild detergent. Some models come with a removable cover that you can machine-wash. However, if you want to avoid staining your bed, you might consider looking for the best mattress protector. This will also protect your mattress from dust and bed bugs.

Company

There are a number of online mattress companies that have already established their reputation and won the trust of their customers. However, there are more and more new manufacturers that don’t lag behind the competition in terms of their service and quality, although they aren’t as well-known. Therefore, we decided to include the following factors in our review process for the best mattresses: the quality of customer service, shipping, and social impact.

Since mattresses are pretty bulky and not easily transported, it’s always a good idea to consider shipping options. As far as customer service is concerned, we try to find out how helpful the support team is and what their response time is. In addition, we’re interested in the company’s charitable causes and sustainability efforts.

Trial Period and Return Policy

We check what the terms of sale are for all the mattress brands ranked on our website. Many manufacturers offer a trial period, meaning that you have a set period of time to test their mattress and decide if you like it or not. If the mattress doesn’t live up to your expectations, you can return it to the manufacturer and ask for a refund. However, companies have different return policies, and the length of the trial period usually differs, too. 

Warranty

In our review process for the top rated mattresses, we consider the length of the warranty and what it covers. Since mattresses aren’t cheap, it’s vital that the manufacturer guarantees they will last. Typically, a warranty will cover indentations and sagging in the first couple of years.

Price

Our reviews also provide a price list for all sizes and product options. In addition, we check if the manufacturer offers any financing options or coupons or if there are any other ongoing deals. This way, we ensure that you can find the best mattress for the money.

How to Choose the Perfect Mattress for Your Needs

– Buyer’s Guide –

Obviously, there isn’t one perfect mattress for everyone, but there’s definitely one that perfectly fits your needs. However, it’s not always that easy to find it since being surrounded by so many options can get confusing. Here are some of the factors that can help you narrow down your choice, along with our top picks for each of these categories.

Mattress Type

Before you start looking for the best mattress on the market, you should know that mattresses can be classified by their construction into several categories. Each type is suitable for a particular kind of sleeper, so you can start your decision-making process by selecting the mattress construction. There are three common mattress types: memory foam, latex foam, and innerspring. In addition, there are hybrid mattresses that combine some of the above-mentioned materials.

The Best Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam is a great choice if you’re looking for pressure relief and body-contouring properties. It’s often recommended for side sleepers since these mattresses are very cushiony and don’t cause additional pressure on sensitive points, such as the shoulders and hips.

However, memory foam might not be the best pick for hot sleepers because it tends to retain body heat.

The Best Latex Mattress

Latex mattresses are generally considered a great choice for people with allergies because they’re natural and have excellent air circulation. That’s why they’re also recommended for hot sleepers. In addition, they’re quite comfortable and durable.

The Best Innerspring Mattress

Innerspring mattresses are ideal for people who like a bouncy feel or for those looking for mattresses that sleep cool. They generally provide ample spinal support, but they’re not the best pick for sleepers who need a high level of pressure relief.

The Best Hybrid Mattress

Hybrid mattresses offer better contouring than traditional innerspring ones thanks to their thick comfort layers. Plus, they have better cooling properties than foam mattresses.

The Best Pillow Top Mattress

Pillow top mattresses are typically hybrid models with an added layer of comfort. Many sleepers like them for their luxurious softness and the high level of pressure relief they offer.

The Best Air Mattress

Air beds are a great option if you need a mattress for your guests or for camping. You can easily inflate them to the desired level of firmness and deflate them when they need to be stored.

Sleeping Position

When looking for a new mattress, it’s best to think about what your favorite sleeping position is. Even though you can find some high-quality mattresses that are suitable for several sleeping styles, most beds are meant for certain types of sleepers. That’s because each sleeping position requires different mattress characteristics.

In general, there are three common sleeping positions, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. Below, you can see what kind of mattress you need according to your preferred sleeping style.

The Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers need firm mattresses that provide strong support along the spine. It’s vital that a mattress doesn’t allow for a great level of sinkage since it can lead to back pain. This is because the hips shouldn’t sink deeply into a mattress, thus putting the spine in an unnatural position.

The Best Mattress for Back Sleepers

Back sleepers usually prefer something in the middle since they need consistent support without excessive sagging.

The Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

The most appropriate mattresses for side sleepers are the softer ones since they relieve pressure points in the shoulders and hips. That’s why these sleepers are often recommended memory foam mattresses, but other types of beds are suitable as long as their comfort layer is cushioning enough.

Find the Most Comfortable Mattress According to Its Firmness

Even though most sleepers prefer to sleep on a medium-firm mattress, we’re not all the same. Some need a softer touch, while others look for a firm mattress. So let’s see some of the best picks in both categories.

The Best Soft Mattress

As we already mentioned, side sleepers enjoy a high level of pressure relief. That’s why they often pick softer beds. In addition, sleepers of below-average weight also need a plush sleeping surface that will easily conform to their bodies.

The Best Firm Mattress

Besides stomach sleepers, whom we’ve already mentioned above, heavier people also benefit most from firm beds. This is because they need ample support without much sinkage.

Mattress Size

Mattress size is another important aspect you need to consider when looking for the best mattress online. When making this choice, you should answer several questions:

• Do you sleep alone or with your partner?
• Do your kids come to your bed?
• Do you like to sprawl out?
• How spacious is your bedroom?

Here’s a quick overview of the standard mattress sizes:

The Best King Size Mattress

If you like sleeping with your partner and have a spacious bedroom, a king size mattress might be the best option for you!

Other Sleeping Preferences

Looking for the best-rated mattress, but you can’t pick one sleeping position as your favorite? Or do you like to change positions throughout the night? Maybe there are some other factors that can help you decide what the perfect mattress for you is. So before you start shopping for a new mattress, consider the following sleeping preferences.

The Best Mattress for Back Pain

People with back pain should be particularly careful when choosing a mattress, as its construction, firmness, and thickness all affect how comfortable it will be. Mattresses that have exceptional support can help relieve backaches.

The Best Mattress for Heavy People

People above 200 pounds need thicker mattresses or ones with an extra-thick comfort layer. Plus, their beds should provide ample support to keep their spines in proper alignment.

The Best Mattress for Couples

When shopping for a new mattress, couples should pay special attention to motion transfer. Also, if sleeping partners can’t agree on the firmness level, there are mattresses with different firmness levels on each side.

The Best Mattress for Kids

When looking for a children’s mattress, numerous factors should be taken into account. One of the most important ones is that a mattress should provide adequate support for healthy posture.

The Best Cooling Mattress

For hot sleepers, a comfortable mattress is one with good air circulation. In addition, those made of cooling materials are also well suited for this type of sleeper.

The Best Mattress for Sex

Mattresses that are good for sex should be bouncy, since you don’t want to sink too deeply, but there are other important factors as well, such as noise and durability.

The Best Mattress for Allergies

People allergic to dust mites should look for naturally hypoallergenic mattresses, such as those made of latex or plant-based foams.

The Best Organic Mattress

Eco-friendly sleepers might choose mattresses made completely of organic materials.

The Best Cheap Mattress

If your primary concern is your budget, don’t worry! You don’t have to break the bank to get a quality mattress since there are plenty of models at affordable prices.

This quick guide to buying a mattress can be your starting point when shopping for a new mattress, especially since it outlines some of the most important things you need to keep in mind. Don’t be discouraged by all these factors and mattress features. Being presented with such a wide choice only means that there’s a mattress that will perfectly fit your needs. We hope that our comprehensive reviews will help you enjoy yourself while choosing your new mattress—the one that will make you sleep like a baby and wake up feeling fresh and energized.

The Best Mattress by Type of Bed

When looking for a new mattress, it’s crucial to consider your bed type. Not all mattresses are designed for all types of bed frames. Therefore, their performance might be poor if they’re placed on an inadequate surface. In addition, using a mattress on the wrong type of foundation may void your warranty.

The Best Mattress for a Platform Bed

Platform beds are increasingly popular thanks to their simplicity and lower cost compared to a box spring. Therefore, many mattress manufacturers offer a wide range of models for this type of bed. Keep in mind that a platform bed requires a mattress that provides a high level of support.

The Best Mattress for an Adjustable Bed

Adjustable beds come with a number of benefits since they allow sleepers to set them up according to their preferred sleeping position. However, you can’t combine just any mattress with this type of bed.

The Best Sofa Bed Mattress

Sleeping on a sofa doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. You just need to find the right mattress that works well with this type of bed.

The Best Crib Mattress

Choosing a high-quality crib mattress isn’t just about comfort, but also about safety. In order to lower the risk of SIDS, babies should sleep on a firm mattress that perfectly fits their cribs.