Christian is a professional chiropractic with a surgical background, so he knows what he writes about. Apart from medicine, Christian is obsessed with playing chess and backgammon.
Marcus is an orthopedic spine surgeon who knows for sure how to ease ache in your back, neck, and shoulders, and prevent meeting him in person.
Last updated: April 15, 2021
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When it comes to sleeping comfortably and soundly, there are few options better than a memory foam mattress. Memory foam mattresses are designed to compress around your body, providing cushioning and structure. At the same time, the conforming nature of memory foam relieves the pressure points that can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
To help you find the best memory foam mattress for your sleep, we considered a number of features of these beds. First, we looked at the type of memory foam used – some styles, such as gel-infused memory foam, provide cooling throughout the night, while others offer more bounce. In addition, we considered the overall construction of the mattress, including how thick the memory foam layers are. Of course, we looked at basic mattress features as well, including the available sizes of the bed, the weight of the mattress, and the price compared to what you are getting in return.
We spent tens of hours researching top memory foam mattresses, poring over technical specifications, and user reviews. The result is our list of the 15 best memory foam mattresses on the market today, highlighted in the table below. Continue reading for detailed reviews of each mattress, complete with pros and cons. Our buying guide covers everything you need to know when searching for the perfect memory foam mattress. Finally, we sum up our three overall favorite memory foam mattresses on the market today.
"The double-sided design of the mattress allows you to choose your ideal firmness level: top side plush like cloud, bottom side medium-firm with perfect support."
If you’re looking for a mattress that offers a bit more variety in terms of its firmness, the WinkBed GravityLux just might have the right kind of firmness you’re looking for. That’s because with a WinkBed, you can easily choose from a softer mattress to a much firmer one. In terms of a firmness scale, you can rate their softest one at a 4.5, which is what can be described as a medium-soft firmness, whereas their Firm option ranks at a 7–8. As for the mattress itself, it’s average in size and measures out to 12 inches in height.
The base of the mattress is made up of the 1.8-pound density Atlas Core foam that gives it durability and support. It is covered by the Zoned Progression Foam that sports five different zones with varying firmness, which gives optimal support to your whole body. The upper memory foam layer provides excellent cushioning and pressure relief together with support where you need it. On top of the mattress, there is a Tencel cover quilted with gel-infused memory foam for cooling. These layers help to wick away heat from your body while you’re sleeping and to keep it cool at night.
If you’re an edge-of-the-bed type of sleeper, you’ll be glad to know that this WinkBed has proper support and will prevent your body from sagging or the feeling of falling off the edge. A real nice touch that users love about this mattress is its motion isolation technology, which is a really fancy of way of saying that couples won’t be able to feel the other person tossing and turning during the middle of the night and thus, having their own sleep interrupted.
What are our favorite features?
Comes in different firmness levels
Offers great back support
Does a great job at keeping the body cool while sleeping
Extra-Edge support prevents sagging/falling off the bed
This copper-infused flappable memory foam mattress from Layla Sleep won our Editor’s Choice for its innovative design and spectacular comfort.
The mattress is topped with either one or three inches of copper-infused memory foam, depending on whether you are sleeping on the medium-soft or firm side of the mattress. Copper-infused foam is more expensive than gel-infused foam but offers highly superior heat dissipation. Thanks to its combination with the ThermoGel-infused fabric cover, users who frequently suffered from sweating during the night on past mattress found that not to be an issue at all with the Layla Sleep bed.
The medium-soft side of this flappable mattress is made exceptionally comfortable with a two-inch layer of convoluted memory foam. This layer is especially important for back sleepers who are looking to switch beds because of spinal pain and can even help attract side sleepers to the Layla Sleep mattress. The net effect of this foam layer is to eliminate pressure points almost entirely.
The firm side of the bed is much simpler – there is nothing beneath the thin memory foam layer. As with other two-sided mattresses, the construction of the firm side could be mimicked with a much cheaper mattress since it is essentially just memory foam on top of support foam.
Layla Sleep offers a 120-night sleep trial on this mattress, with straightforward returns – the company will arrange to have the mattress picked up from your home and delivered to a local charity. If you do opt to keep the bed, you can look forward to a 10-year warranty.
Why did it make our list?
Flippable mattress for optimizing comfort
Copper-infused memory foam provides superior cooling
ThemoGel-infused fabric cover
Convoluted memory foam eliminates pressure points
120-night sleep trial with simple returns
What is not ideal about it?
Firm side comfort could be achieved with a much less expensive mattress
Sometimes with mattresses it may take a long time before you really know whether you like it or not. With most mattresses, you’ll usually get a 120-night sleep trial. But if that’s not enough for you, how does an 18-month trial sound to you? 18 months is the equivalent to 548 nights and with a trial this long, you’re most likely going to know if you want to keep this Idle Gel Foam Mattress
or not. It would be hard to see why you wouldn’t though. This is a 12-inch mattress and comes in medium-firm firmness levels. It features your standard mattress sizes including twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and Cal king. As for the mattress, it starts with a fantastic 7-inch, high-density foam base that acts as the support of the mattress. On top of this base layer is a 2-inch supportive transitional foam layer. This layer comes with perforated holes that helps heat pass through and lets the mattress breathe. On top of this transitional layer is the gel-infused, 3-inch cooling buoyancy foam layer. Idle claims that this layer reacts faster than memory foam and has better support for more pressure relief and offers to help people sleep cooler. The mattress is topped off by a washable, quilted polyester cover that is designed to help you feel warm when you are cold and vice versa. Perhaps, one of the more notable criticisms of this mattress comes from stomach sleepers who say this mattress’ medium firmness isn’t particularly well suited for them.
What do we love it for?
Amazing 18-month sleep trial
Excellent high-density foam base
Perforated holes in the transitional layer helps with heat dissipation
Cooling foam layer reacts faster than memory foam
What were we disappointed with?
Only one firmness option, which is not great for stomach sleepers
Nest Bedding designed one of the first truly two-sided memory foam mattresses in their Alexander Series. On one side, the mattress is rated to be firm, while on the other side it is a more plush medium-firm. That allows back and stomach sleepers, in particular, to dial in the comfort level that feels right with this mattress, although side sleepers can also benefit from the bed by adding a soft mattress topper.
The bed starts out with 1.5 inches of plush quilting foam on either side, which offers a soft and comfortable surface to lie down on. Most of the construction beyond that – and all of the memory foam – is on the medium-firm side. There, you’ll find two inches of gel-infused memory foam and two inches of transitional foam that ease you down onto the firm support foam. Users found that this was similar in firmness to most standard medium-firm memory foam mattresses and that the gel-infused foam was quite effective at keeping the mattress cool during the night.
The firm side is relatively basic, so the main downside is that most sleepers who prefer this side could achieve it much more cheaply by opting for an inexpensive foam, innerspring, or hybrid mattress. That said, stomach sleepers, in particular, were happy with the firm support offered by the seven-inch thick support foam layer.
The inclusion of organic cotton in the cover of this mattress is a plus for sustainable mattress fans. Plus, the mattress is built in the USA and certified by Certi-Pur US. Nest Bedding offers a 100-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty as well.
What makes it special?
Two-sided to help tailor support level
Gel-infused foam provides cooling
Transitional foam offers excellent support
Organic cotton cover
100-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty
What cons did we find?
Expensive
The firm side could be achieved cheaply with a one-sided mattress
This premium memory foam mattress from Nectar may be somewhat expensive compared to the other options on offer, but anyone who has slept on a Nectar mattress will tell you it’s worth the price.
First and foremost, this mattress places an extreme emphasis on keeping you cool throughout the night. At the top of the bed, you’ll find a Tencel cooling cover that is specifically designed to keep air circulating while you sleep. Underneath that are two layers of gel-infused memory foam, which are much more effective than standard memory foam at dissipating heat throughout the night. Users found that the mattress kept them cool enough even during hot, humid summer nights and didn’t result in the feeling of being surrounded by the heat that is common among memory foam mattresses.
When it comes to comfort, this mattress offers just as much performance. The two gel memory foam layers distribute your weight across the bed to eliminate pressure points, while an adaptive foam layer above the support core provides some bounce, so you don’t sink too deeply into the bed.
Users loved that the Nectar bed comes with a lifetime warranty and a 180-night sleep trial – nearly twice as long as what most other premium mattresses offer. It’s worth noting that while users who did want to return the mattress at the end of the sleep trial were universally refunded, some were able to get Nectar to come and take the mattress away while others were responsible for disposing of the mattress on their own. The only real issue that users had with the mattress is that it is quite heavy, at nearly 85 pounds.
Why did it make our list?
Excellent cooling and air circulation
Adaptive foam layer provides bounce and edge support
Tencel cover repels bed bugs
Lifetime warranty and 180-night sleep trial
What is not ideal about it?
Expensive
Heavy
Some returns required disposing of the mattress yourself
If you’re concerned with the materials that are used to make a mattress, then there’s a good chance, you’re going to like the Bear Pro mattress. This mattress is made of CertiPUR-US certified foams and what this means is that it will produce a much cleaner sleep thanks to its antibacterial and antiviral environment. There are no heavy metals, ozone depleters, or formaldehyde materials used in this mattress. The Bear Pro comes in a height of 12 inches, which is a fairly standard size, and it only comes in a medium-firm firmness level. It also offers a good selection of sizes such as twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and Cal king. Now let’s talk about what’s inside this Bear Pro mattress. At the base, you’re looking at a very solid foundation with a 7-inch high-density polyfoam layer. On top of the base layer is 2.5-inch polyfoam which acts more as a transitional piece to the next layer: a 1.5-inch gel-infused memory foam, that adds a comfortable touch and slight contouring to your body’s natural sleeping position. The mattress is then finally topped off with a 1-inch layer of copper-infused polyfoam. Why copper? Because it helps remove unwanted body heat while you’re sleeping and it is a natural anti-microbial material that helps to prevent the build-up of unwanted particles on your mattress. The cover of the mattress is made of Celliant, which aids the body in muscle recovery. The Bear Pro comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year limited warranty. Despite the great features, a few people did mention that the Bear Pro mattress support wasn’t the greatest and noticed some sinkage in the mattress after about a year of usage.
Much like the Plank mattress, the Nolah Signature Mattress also features two different firmness levels depending on the side of the mattress you have up. On one side, the firmness level grades as a medium-soft, which is perfect for side and back sleepers, whereas, if you flip it on the other side, you’ll get more of a medium-firm firmness level, which is excellent for stomach sleepers. This mattress is more accommodating for all kinds of sleepers and those who prefer different firmness levels. The Nolah comes at a height of 12 inches, starting with a very solid 7-inch high-density foam base, that is complemented by a 1.5-inch layer of high-resilience foam, and a 1-inch AirFoam polyfoam layer, but this is only on the firm side. The crown jewel of their layers is the 2.5-inch AirFoam polyfoam which is on the soft side and this layer is particularly special because offers excellent pressure relief, contours to your body’s sleeping shape, and helps to keep the body cool while sleeping. Users particularly love the feeling of the cover and say that the organic cotton material feels incredibly smooth and comfortable to sleep on. As for sizes, the Nolah accommodates just about any bed size you may be looking for including twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and cal king. The Nolah also boasts that it can be used on any type of bedframe as well, including box spring, platform, slatted base, foundation, or adjustable bases. While many people that have bought the Nolah have been happy with it, a number of users did say that either side of the mattress was good but not great and that the firm side wasn’t the most comfortable for stomach sleepers and that the soft side wasn’t the most comfortable for side and back sleepers.
What makes it stand out?
Offers great versatility in firmness levels
Good choice for people that sleep in different positions
Two different AirFoam layers tailored to firmness level of each side
While many people may prefer a firmer or softer bed, there are still plenty of people who prefer something right in the middle. For that, lots of people are turning to the Amerisleep AS3 mattress. This mattress has a medium firmness to it which is exactly what you should be looking for if you want a bit of firm and soft in your mattress. This medium firmness mattress offers a perfect blend of support and comfort and can help to alleviate any pain-causing pressure points. The Amerisleep AS3 comes at a height of 12 inches and is made of three distinct layers. The first is the base which is a 7-inch high-density base foam; a very common height for a base layer in many of the best mattresses. This base layer is supplemented with a 3-inch Bio-Pur open-cell foam layer (memory foam) and in between these two layers is a 2-inch transitional foam layer. The open-cell foam layer is an interesting one because memory foam can tend to trap body heat however, the open-cell foam layer actually does the opposite, and reduces body heat and helps with cooling. People that have the Amerisleep AS3 mattress rave about the cover, which is made of a blend of materials including polyester, Celliant, and spandex. Celliant is an antimicrobial material that helps to keep unwanted particles off of your cover. This mattress comes in a standard range of sizes including twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, and cal king. It has 100-night trial for those that are unsure of this mattress and also has a 20-year limited warranty if you do end up buying it. The vast majority of users love this mattress however, a few did say that the motion transfer on this mattress wasn’t the best.
What stands out?
Medium firmness offers blend of comfort and support
If you’re looking for comfort but don’t want a mattress that is stable, durable, and not very thick, you might want to check out the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery. At only 10 inches tall, this mattress still packs a lot of comfort in this medium-firm mattress. Starting with its base layer, the 5-inch high-density base foam ensures that there’s a solid foundation here. On top of this HD layer, there’s another two layers, including a 2-inch contouring transitional foam layer, that offers a comfortable transition between the firmer HD layer and the next layer, a 3-inch layer of patented Energex foam, that is ultra-responsive and assists with pressure-point relief. The top of the mattress is smooth cotton layer that further adds more comfort to this mattress and better breathability during the night. This Brooklyn Bedding Bowery mattress comes in a wide variety of sizes too, starting from twin and going all the way up to Short King for bedrooms as well as RV King size options. For those that aren’t sold on the Brooklyn Bedding Bowery, they’ll have the chance to try it out for 4-months as it comes with a 120-night sleep trial. If you feel like this mattress isn’t for you, shipping it back is easy too as you’ll just need to roll the mattress up in the way that it came in and put it back in the box. If a purchase is made, this mattress comes with a fairly standard 10-year limited warranty. One downside that a few owners of this mattress pointed out is that they wish it was slightly thicker.
Mattresses that feature memory foam are a key feature that many people look for in a mattress. Memory foam tends to be very comfortable to sleep on as it easily contours to the shape of your body over time. One of the better mattresses that spotlights memory foam is the Novosbed Memory Foam Mattress. This 11-inch tall mattress comes in different firmness levels, such as soft, medium, and firm. This speaks to the versatility of the memory foam in that there really is a mattress option for everyone. In terms of layers, it starts with a very solid 7-inch, high-density base foam layer. On top of this base layer are two layers of memory foam each designed with a different purpose. The first layer is meant to provide pressure relief while the second layer helps with the contouring and ensuring the body is comfortable and that any tension in the back and shoulder areas are alleviated. On top of these two memory foam layers is a very breathable cover material made of stretch-knitted Tencel. Memory foam mattress lovers will also be able to get this mattress in a variety of sizes too including twin, twin XL, full/double, queen, king, and Cal king. This mattress comes with a 120-night sleep trial which can then be turned into a 15-year limited warranty if a purchase is made. Memory foam mattress fans love this mattress however, there were a handful of people who did say that this particular mattress wasn’t the best for bigger people as their weight is more prone to sinking through the first layer of the memory foam.
What makes it special?
Comes in all firmness levels
Different layers of memory foam that provides pressure relief and helps contouring
People that enjoy utilizing the entire mattress while they sleep will often tell you that they wished there was more edge support so that it didn’t feel like they were about to fall off the bed. With the Diamond Rally Foam Mattress, people can sleep all over this entire mattress without it ever feeling different, including on the edge of the mattress! This firm and plush mattress comes in a 12-inch height and features some really excellent layers. Starting with its high-density base foam, this layer is comprised of zoned pocketed coils that are made to offer ergonomic support for the body and to ensure that the entire mattress is even, edges included. On top of this foundational layer, you’ll find an incredible four more layers, with the highlight being its hyper-conductive copper foam layer. Copper is not used in many mattresses, but for this one, it helps to actively regulate body temperature while you’re sleeping. Owners of this mattress also very much appreciate the supercharged cooling cover this mattress has, which has a removable zipper so that you can wash it from time to time. This mattress comes in most of the standard sizes including twin, twin XL, full/double, queen, king, and Cal king. Like most mattresses, this one has a 120-night trial policy and comes with a lifetime limited warranty policy. Users of this memory foam mattress repeat the same complaint that most memory foam mattresses have over time and that is that the mattress is prone to sinkage after a few years.
What stands out?
Excellent edge support
Mattress is composed of five different layers
Utilizes a hyper-conductive copper foam layer to keep body cool
Supercharged cooling cover is removable and washable
If you happen to live in warm or hot areas, then there’s a good chance you’re probably searching for a mattress that helps to keep the body cool while sleeping. With the PlushBeds The Cool Bliss, your body is near guaranteed to stay cool during a night of sleep in warm and humid weather. That’s because this mattress features its own memory foam that is made with the latest technology to effectively make the mattress cool and comfortable. Memory foam tends to trap heat but with this mattress, it makes use of a special 3-inch gel memory foam layer that not only contours to your body but offers great air flow and dissipates heat and moisture so that heat isn’t being trapped. To go along with this 3-inch gel memory foam layer is a 5-inch high-density supportive polyfoam layer that does a great job at preventing sagging in the mattress. On top of this layer is a built-in internal ventilation layer that supplements the 3-inch gel memory foam layer. This 2-inch layer offers great air flow and helps to channel heat away from the body. These layers are topped off by a cooling cover that is made of organic cotton. In total, this 12-inch mattress comes in many different sizes as well including twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, and Cal king. For those that want to test out how cool this mattress is to sleep on, you’ll have 100 nights to be able to gauge whether or not it’s right for you and if it is, you’ll benefit from an excellent 25-year limited warranty on this mattress. One thing that users said could have been a bit better was the edge support but given that this is a medium-firm mattress, these people also understood that this probably would have been a bonus.
Why is it special?
All layers are focused on cooling and dissipating heat and moisture
The Lux memory foam mattress from Puffy is designed to be the single best mattress on the market today, and it largely succeeds – users love it. The mattress is described as medium-firm but targets the sweet spot at which side, back, and stomach sleepers are all comfortable. It accomplishes that using a dual cloud foam construction, which is essentially specialized memory foam that does an exceptional job of conforming to your body’s contours. The underlying support layer provides a slight amount of bounce, but most importantly cushions you as it pushes back against your sinking body.
The climate comfort foam layer operates slightly differently than standard gel-infused memory foam. In the hot summer months, it will allow heat to dissipate and air to circulate. But in the winter, when you need to keep that heat, the foam actually works to help you retain it and sleep through the night without reaching for an extra blanket.
It’s worth noting that this mattress comes with an initial sticker shock – it’s by far the most expensive bed in our review. But don’t let the price fully dissuade you, since there are a lot of helpful extras included for the price. First, the mattress includes a lifetime warranty – something matched only by the similarly pricey Nectar and Layla Sleep mattresses. Second, shipping is entirely free, which in itself explains some of the up-front pricing. Third, the Lux mattress comes with a 101-night sleep trial, so you can be fully certain that this is the mattress for you before committing. Finally, this mattress is made in the USA, and Puffy donates to children’s charities with every purchase – so you can feel good about buying this bed.
What are its best features?
Dual cloud foam construction
Comfortable for side, back, and stomach sleepers
Unique climate comfort foam cools in summer and warms in winter
Users loved the flexibility of this thick and relatively affordable memory foam mattress. While it’s constructed from top to bottom like most other multi-layer foam mattresses, it can actually be flipped over – giving you a choice between a soft memory foam sleeping surface and a firm foam surface.
When sleeping on the soft side, the two-inch breathable cover and two-inch gel-infused memory foam layers combine to create the feeling of sleeping on a cloud. Users report sinking into the mattress in a good way, with the foam serving to fill in gaps around the contours of your back and relieving pressure points. At the same time, these layers keep the bed relatively cool so that you don’t wake up sweating in the middle of the night.
The five inches of three-zoned comfort foam provides air circulation and eases heavier sleepers into the mattress, helping to make this bed comfortable for virtually anyone. Users note that the bed is easy to get out of in the morning, in large part because of the support provided by this comfort foam.
The firm side of the mattress seems like something of an afterthought – after all, you’re essentially sleeping directly on the base foam. However, back and stomach sleepers reported trying this side and finding that in many cases, they liked it as much or more than the memory foam side of the mattress.
The Sweetnight bed is somewhat expensive compared to its competitors, especially given that it doesn’t come with a sleep trial and only offers a 10-year warranty.
What are its best features?
Flippable for varying firmness
Gel-infused memory foam and breathable cover keep the mattress cool
Three-zoned comfort foam provides excellent support
10-year warranty
What could be improved?
Somewhat expensive
No sleep trial
The firm side is something of an afterthought with no special comfort layers involved
This mattress was beloved by users who suffer from back pain and typically find themselves tossing and turning on other mattresses. The medium-firm support (Live and Sleep rates it a 6-7 out of 10) combined with the 2.5-inch layer of conforming memory foam provides just enough cushioning and filling in of negative spaces to create the perfect back contour. While most back sleepers were able to get used to the firmness, many people opted to add a mattress topper to soften up the mattress to their liking.
The mattress is 10 inches thick in total, most of that height coming from a thick support foam layer. While support foam is normally uncomfortable for heavyset sleepers – particularly when it is covered by only a few inches of memory foam – heavier users felt that this mattress was comfortable. The only problem these sleepers reported was trouble getting out of the bed or rolling around once the memory foam had sunken in.
The main downside to this mattress is quality control by Live and Sleep. While most users who received a mattress of the advertised firmness were happy with the bed, many people received a much softer mattress from the company. These softer mattresses failed to fully inflate, leaving very unsupportive corners and edges, and did not work for relieving back pain as intended. Thankfully, Live and Sleep offers a 30-day trial period on this mattress so it’s possible to return it if you receive a poor-quality bed (although returns can be a hassle).
What makes it stand out?
Excellent at relieving back pain
Comfortable for heavyset sleepers
Medium-firm support
Inexpensive
30-day trial period
Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?
Quality control issues
May require a mattress topper to make the top of bed more comfortable
Things to Consider
When it comes to choosing the best memory foam mattress for your sleep, getting the right one is important. Your mattress needs to prevent pressure points and contour to the shape of your body to alleviate pain, all while keeping you cool throughout the night. While every memory foam mattress claims to achieve all of these things, not every mattress will feel comfortable for every person. With that in mind, how do you choose the memory foam mattress that’s right for you? Now that you’ve learned more about our 15 favorite beds on the market today, let’s take a closer look at what you need to consider when choosing the best memory foam mattress.
Features of the memory foam mattresses
Memory foam mattresses all have memory foam construction in common, but beyond that, they can differ widely. Different beds have different layers, cooling properties, comfort levels, and more, so it’s important to know what you need and what each mattress offers when you are making a choice.
Size
The first thing to consider when choosing a mattress is the size of the bed. If you’re sleeping by yourself, a full- or even a twin-sized bed may be large enough for you to sleep comfortably. On the other hand, if you sleep with a partner, a queen-, king-, or even California king-sized bed may be much more comfortable for two people to lie in. It’s also important to take into account the size of the room you plan to put the mattress in – you’ll need enough room for the bed, plus dressers, other furniture, and room to walk around.
Thankfully, most memory foam mattress models are available in most standard sizes from twin all the way through California king. That means that sizing options aren’t usually a major issue when looking for a new mattress. However, there are some exceptions to this, so it’s always important to check before falling in love with a particular mattress model.
Height
The height of memory foam mattresses can vary widely, from just six inches for the Zinus mattress to 14 inches for the Nest Bedding mattress. In addition, some mattresses, like the Zinus bed, are available in multiple heights, each with different thicknesses of memory and support foam layers. The majority of memory foam mattresses are between 10 and 12 inches thick.
Height isn’t hugely important unless you’re looking at a mattress that is either especially short or especially tall.
Short mattresses don’t leave much room for compression between the top of the mattress and the floor or box spring, and they necessarily have thinner layers of memory foam. For that reason, these mattresses tend to be very firm, and heavyset sleepers are more likely to find them to be uncomfortable. On the other hand, these mattresses are lighter in weight and often less expensive than their competitors since they require fewer materials.
Especially thick mattresses can be either firm or plush, but in either case, they are ideal for heavyset sleepers since they offer plenty of room for compression. The downsides to opting for a thicker mattress is that they are typically more expensive and can be quite heavy – nearly 100 pounds in some cases.
Firmness
When it comes to comfort, firmness is one of the most important qualities of any memory foam mattress. However, firmness is also a highly subjective rating and can be especially hard to pin down for memory foam mattresses since they are designed to compress easily. The only way to really tell if a mattress is as firm or plush as you prefer is to read customer reviews and to try it out – that’s why many companies like Layla Sleep, Nectar, and Puffy offer sleep trials with their mattresses.
In general, side, back, and stomach sleepers have different preferences when it comes to firmness. Side sleepers prefer soft and plush mattresses like those from LUCID and Classic Brands because they are able to distribute their weight better without causing pressure points. Stomach sleepers tend to prefer firm mattresses that don’t allow them to sink in too much since the sinking can contort their spines and cause pain. Back sleepers have the widest range of mattress preferences, and many can be comfortable on either firm or plush mattresses.
Keep in mind when buying a memory foam mattress that firmness is often measured after compression of the top layers of memory foam. A firm mattress may still allow you to sink into the bed but will be relatively firm underneath the foam. Plush mattresses will cushion you even further as you sink.
Cover
The cover isn’t the most important feature when choosing a memory foam mattress, but a well-designed cover can add significantly to the comfort of the bed. Budget mattresses will often use just a polyester or cotton mattress cover, which is comfortable but does not provide any additional qualities to help your sleep. Meanwhile, more expensive options like the Layla Sleep mattress come with a ThermoGel-infused cover that plays an active role in keeping you cool throughout the night for better sleep. You’ll also find organic mattress covers, like the one included with the Nest Bedding mattress.
Keep in mind that the cover may or may not be removable for washing. In some cases, the cover can be removed but should not be – there may be exposed fiberglass particles (a common fire-retardant material) that can get everywhere if you take the mattress cover off. If this is the case, you’ll likely want to invest in an additional washable mattress protector.
Prices
Memory foam mattresses range widely in price, and you don’t have to break the bank to get a comfortable mattress that will last for years to come. Budget options like the mattress from Linenspa start at just $130 for a queen-sized bed, and there are numerous inexpensive memory foam mattresses on our top 15 list that cost less than $300. On the more premium end, you’ll find memory foam mattresses like those from Layla Sleep and Nest Bedding that cost upwards of $1,000.
Keep in mind that size is a major influence on price. If you are flexible on what size of mattress you want, you may be able to get a higher-quality bed in a smaller size for the same price as a lower-quality mattress in a larger size.
Other features to consider
Features like size, firmness, cover, and price are the major factors that you’ll want to consider when choosing a memory foam mattress. However, it’s important to keep in mind some peripheral factors that can help you choose between two similar beds.
Type of base or foundation to place memory foam material
The support layers included beneath the top layers of memory foam in your mattress can make all the difference in how you’ll sleep. This is especially true for heavyset sleepers, who are more likely to compress the memory foam layers fully.
Many memory foam mattresses simply transition from memory foam to high-density support foam. This is fine and saves money for the manufacturer and for you, but the high-density foam can be very firm and somewhat uncomfortable for many sleepers.
Alternatively, some mattresses include additional support foam layers to help your body transition from the soft memory foam to the firmer support foam. For example, you’ll find two inches of transitional foam within the Nest Bedding mattress and one inch of charcoal-infused foam in the LUCID mattress.
Country of origin of the mattress
The country of origin of the mattress can also be important. Although most mattresses are made overseas, some, like those from Puffy and Nest Bedding, are made in the USA. While there shouldn’t be any difference in quality between mattresses made abroad and those made in the USA, you may find slightly better workmanship on USA-made mattress, and you’ll be supporting USA manufacturing jobs.
“Flip-ability” of the mattress
Two-sided mattresses like those from Layla Sleep, Nest Bedding, and Sweetnight are popular because they allow you to choose between two different levels of firmness. Essentially, this makes it more likely that you’ll feel comfortable on the mattress, even if your preferences change over time.However, keep in mind that flip-ability adds to the cost of the mattress. And, if you use the firmer side of these mattresses, you’re likely not getting any of the benefits of the elaborate, multi-layered memory foam construction. So, you could easily replicate the feeling of the firm side of these two-sided mattresses with a much less expensive hybrid or basic foam mattress.
Weight of the mattress
The weight of the mattress isn’t a huge deal once you’ve got the mattress into place – even rotating the bed every few months doesn’t require lifting it. But a heavy mattress can be a huge burden to carry from your door to your bedroom, especially if you have an upstairs bedroom. If you live alone and order a large, thick memory foam mattress, keep in mind that you may need to call friends for help installing it or to pay for movers.
Gel-infused memory foam is memory foam that has been injected with cooling gel during the manufacturing process. This style of memory foam is increasingly popular because it compresses and conforms to your body just like regular memory foam, but it is much more effective when it comes to dissipating heat away from your body. That means that gel-infused memory foam is better at keeping you cool, so that you don’t wake up sweating during hot summer nights.
Keep in mind, though, that gel-infused memory foam is less durable than regular memory foam. Whereas regular memory foam may retain its rebound for up to 10 years, gel-infused memory foam will often form indentations from your body after only a handful of years.
The firmness that is best for relieving back pain differs from person to person and according to what is causing your back pain. Many back sleepers find that a medium-firm mattress offers the most relief since the memory foam is able to conform to your back, but doesn’t fully give out beneath you. On the other hand, some people prefer the weight distribution and pressure relief offered by a more plush mattress. Side sleepers almost universally prefer a plush mattress for relieving pressure on their backs, while stomach sleepers often prefer firmer mattresses so that their backs remain straighter while sleeping.
Memory foam is designed to conform to the shape of your body each night and return to its normal, flat shape each morning when you get out of bed. In a perfect world, memory foam would always retain its rebound and would never form indentations. But in reality, memory foam will typically start to form body indentations after four to five years of use and the indentations may become problematic within ten years. For gel-infused memory foam, the indentation process may start after just two to three years.
Memory foam is generally not considered eco-friendly because it relies on a chemical manufacturing process. That said, there are now “natural” memory foam compositions that use plant-based materials rather than synthetic chemicals. These plant-based memory foams provide all the benefits of synthetic memory foam but are significantly more expensive to produce.
More layers aren’t necessarily better or worse. They just change how the bed will feel. At a minimum, memory foam mattresses need two layers – the memory foam layer and a support foam layer to provide a base. However, many manufacturers add a third layer or more to help with cooling, with the transition from compressible memory foam to high-density support foam, or to augment how firm or plush the mattress feels. It’s important to understand what the layers in your memory foam mattress are and what they do to get a sense of how the bed will feel when you lie down in it.
When it comes to supporting, the Signature Sleep mattress‘s convoluted foam layer makes this one of the most supportive mattresses on the market and the best memory foam mattress for sex. The Nectar mattress features an adaptive foam layer to provide a supporting transition between the gel-infused memory foam and support foam. Plus, Nectar is distinguished by the company’s outstanding 180-night sleep trial and excellent customer support.
We feel the Layla Sleep mattress is the overall best memory foam mattress on the market today because of its supportive construction and two-sided design that caters to a wider variety of sleepers. Plus, it comes with a 110-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty that the company actually stands behind.
