The Best Editor-Tested Mattresses You Can Buy Right Now

A mattress should last you about a decade before it needs to be replaced, so it’s important to take some time and figure out exactly what type you need. What sleeping position do you prefer? Do you sleep hot or need to cocoon for warmth? How about back pain? Do you sleep alone or with a partner? These are all questions you should ask yourself when you start your search for a new mattress, so it’s no surprise you might need some guidance along the way.

To help you sort through the many, many mattresses on the market today, we compiled a list of the best mattresses our editors and writers have tested. (And it’s been a lot!) You’ll find options for every type of sleeper, whether you’re a restless combination sleeper who prefers a freezing bedroom or a couple with very different sleep needs. Read on for all of our editor-tested picks below, plus tips on how to shop for a mattress like a pro.

There are four standard mattress types on the market: foam, innerspring, latex, and hybrid. Foam mattresses are great for pressure relief, spinal alignment, and motion isolation, but are known for trapping heat. Latex is similar to foam but is cooler, bouncier, and a tad firmer; it’s also more eco-friendly than foam.

Classic innerspring mattresses are typically the most affordable mattress type, and have great airflow and responsiveness. However, they’re not a good option for couples because they offer very little motion isolation. Hybrid mattresses that combine foam/latex and springs are a good option for just about anyone, since they combine the best of both types.

One of the most important decisions you’ll make regarding your mattress is the firmness level. Side sleepers need extra contouring and pressure relief, so a soft to medium feel is best. On the other hand, back and stomach sleepers need a firmer mattress that offers support so they don’t sink in too much. Combination sleepers and couples will do best with a medium feel that’s versatile enough for different positions. If you do end up with an uncomfortable mattress, though, fear not: You can always add a mattress topper to change the feel.

There are a few major certifications to look for when shopping for a mattress. If a mattress contains foam, ensure it’s free from harmful chemicals and has low VOC emissions by looking for the CertiPUR-US certification and/or the GREENGUARD Gold certification. If organic materials are important to you, GOLS certification for latex and GOTS certification for cotton are the ones to look for. Other general sustainability certifications include the OEKO-TEX Standard 100, MADE SAFE, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance.

We tested a wide range of mattresses and judged them on the following criteria:

• Feel: Is the mattress firm, soft, or somewhere in between? Does it have extra cushioning? Is it comfortable no matter the sleep position?
• Support: Does the mattress effectively cradle pressure points? Does it feel comfortable to lie on?
• Materials: What is the mattress made from? Is it a hybrid mattress? Does it have cooling properties?
• Safety: Do the materials in the mattress have any certifications?

No matter which type of sleeper you are, Brooklyn Bedding’s Aurora Luxe Mattress will keep you happy. It’s one of the most customizable mattresses on our list, with three firmness levels plus the option to add on a pillow top for extra pressure relief. That means that this mattress will keep you comfortable in any sleeping position — even if you struggle with back or joint pain. 

I tested this mattress myself and was immediately impressed by its feel. I thought my prior mattress was comfy, but the Aurora Luxe is on another level (I tested the medium firmness level with the pillow top). As a side and occasionally stomach sleeper, I feel completely supported. While my prior mattress was more plush, the Aurora Luxe is more responsive and contouring, making me feel almost like I’m gently suspended instead of fully sinking into the bed.

I’m also a hot sleeper and can confirm that this mattress lives up to its “cooling” name. The cover is made with cooling fibers that are designed to pull heat away from the body, and I did notice a difference right away — instead of waking up feeling too warm, I remained at a good temperature all night long. The copper foam also helps with breathability (it’s more cooling than standard foam) and adds an extra layer of responsiveness.

Overall, I think this mattress will work for just about anyone. Side sleepers will love the pressure relief ensured by the pillow top, while stomach and back sleepers can go without and still be supported and comfy. I also really appreciate the huge range of sizes offered by Brooklyn Bedding, including some unusual options like RV sizes. Whether you’re a hot side sleeper or a restless combination sleeper, this mattress delivers.

Read our full Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: People of all sleep types who want a cooling, supportive bed.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam hybrid
• Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split Cal king, short queen, RV king, RV bunk
• Height: 13 inches
• Firmness: Soft, medium, firm
• Features: Optional pillow top, cooling cover, copper-infused foam

If you’re not willing to spend over $1,000 on a new mattress, note that there are plenty more budget-friendly options on the market. In particular, we think the SweetNight CoolNest Mattress offers the most bang for your buck, thanks to the quality materials and cooling features. Unlike most of the mattresses on this list, the SweetNight CoolNest is an all-foam mattress, which means it offers excellent pressure relief and contouring for a soft, supportive feel.

The most impressive feature, though, is how cooling it is. Foam is naturally less breathable than springs, so an all-foam mattress isn’t typically recommended for hot sleepers. That’s not the case with this mattress, which includes a gel-infused memory foam layer that’s designed to dissipate heat and a special high-resiliency foam that is more breathable than standard foam. Plus, the cover is designed with thousands of microvents to increase airflow.

“As someone who has the AC blasting alongside two standing fans running pretty much 24/7 through the warmer months, it felt like I was doomed to sweat no matter what,” says Apartment Therapy Senior Lifestyle Editor Quinn Fish. “I’ve been sleeping on this mattress for three months now, and I’ve had the driest sleep of my life on it, even through NYC’s brutal heat waves.”

Although it’s available in only three sizes (full, queen, and king), this mattress comes in three heights and three firmness levels for a more customized feel. And even though it’s the cheapest mattress on this list, it’s made with high-quality materials: The foam is CertiPUR-US certified, and the fabrics are STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certified.

Read our full SweetNight CoolNest Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: Hot sleepers looking for a customizable budget-friendly mattress.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam 
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king, Cal king (depending on height)
• Height: 12, 14, 16 inches
• Firmness: Soft, medium, firm
• Features: Cooling cover, zoned support foam

Avocado is one of the best brands to shop for an eco-friendly mattress, and our favorite is the Luxury Organic Mattress. Instead of foam, it’s made with organic-certified latex, which is similar to foam but is bouncier, more cooling, and more sustainable. The top layer is made from a combination of organic wool, organic cotton, and alpaca fiber, while the cover is made from organic cotton. All of those materials are naturally breathable, especially when compared with the polyester that’s typically used in mattresses.

It comes in three firmness levels: The mattress on its own has a medium feel, but you have the choice to add on a plush pillow top or an ultra plush box top for better pressure relief. Avocado recommends the medium feel for back and stomach sleepers, while side and combination sleepers would do better with one of the toppers. Unfortunately, they do cost extra — we’re talking over $1,000 extra. Still, it’s worth the splurge if you’re looking for both sustainability and support.

“Let me just say this: I didn’t think ‘pillow-top’ and ‘solid back support’ could coexist this beautifully until this mattress came into my life,” says Apartment Therapy’s editor-in-chief, Charli Penn, who opted for the plush pillow top for her guest room. “The first night seriously felt like slipping into a luxury boutique hotel bed — the kind where you immediately relax your shoulders and exhale without realizing you’ve been holding tension. It’s incredibly soft on top, but your body never sinks awkwardly or loses alignment. My lower back felt supported, even after long workdays when it usually protests.” 

In all, the Avocado Luxury Organic Mattress lives up to its name. “If you love the feeling of a plush, cloudlike bed but still need proper spinal support, this mattress truly delivers the best of both worlds,” Charli says. “It’s especially ideal for side and combination sleepers who want pressure relief without that overly sunken memory foam feeling some people loathe. If organic materials and nontoxic construction matter to you, Avocado is hard to beat in this category.”

Read our full Avocado Luxury Organic Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: Sustainably minded shoppers who are willing to splurge on a customizable, cooling mattress.

Specifications: 

• Type: Latex hybrid
• Sizes: Twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
• Height: 13, 14, 15 inches
• Firmness: Medium, plush, ultra plush
• Features: Organic certified latex, alpaca, wool, silk, and hemp layers

For those who need to sleep with the window open or a fan blasting, we recommend Leesa’s popular Sapira Chill Mattress. The hybrid construction makes it more breathable compared with an all-foam mattress, and the foam that it is constructed with is designed to promote airflow, not heat trapping. The main cooling feature, though, is the cooling cover, which is made from temperature-regulating fibers that actually do keep you cool and comfy while you sleep.

The Sapira Chill is customizable, too, with plush, medium-firm, and firm feels available. We tested the medium-firm option and actually found it to be surprisingly plush and pliable thanks to the quilted top, which is not just cooling but also nicely cushioned. That’s good news for side sleepers and people who want extra pressure relief, but might not be as suitable for stomach or back sleepers. Speaking of support, this mattress also has zoned springs, which allow for targeted relief exactly where you need it. 

Who It’s Best For: Hot sleepers looking for a mattress that promotes breathability and pressure relief.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam hybrid
• Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king
• Height: 14 inches
• Firmness: Plush, medium-firm, firm
• Features: Cooling cover

Side sleepers need a mattress that promotes solid pressure relief and spinal alignment — which is why we recommend the Bear Elite Hybrid. It’s our favorite Bear mattress overall thanks to its customizable feel, zoned support, and excellent pressure relief, which make it a standout option for side sleepers and those who struggle with joint and back pain. It’s available in three firmness levels, but we think the soft or medium is best for side sleepers who need a plusher, more responsive feel.

It offers truly impressive support thanks to the zoned coil system, with each “zone” focusing on specific pressure points on the body. The coils themselves are individually encased, which means they react independently to provide customizable relief that minimizes movement. (There’s a reason this mattress comes with an endorsement from the American Chiropractic Association!) Hot sleepers will appreciate that the foam is infused with copper for better airflow, and you can add on a cooling cover for an extra fee.

“This mattress is a great, safe choice for people who might not know what kind of sleeper they are,” says our Style Editor Emma Dangel. “As a certified back/stomach/side sleeper, I’m here to say it might just be best for everyone.”

Read our full Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: Side sleepers looking for customizable zoned support and a cooling feel.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam hybrid
• Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
• Height: 14 inches
• Firmness: Soft, medium, firm
• Features: Optional cooling cover, copper-infused foam

If you’re someone who tosses and turns all night, you need a mattress that’s versatile enough to be comfortable in any sleep position. For that, we recommend turning to the experts at Tempur-Pedic — specifically, the brand’s TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress. It’s available in both all-foam and hybrid models, but we specifically tested the hybrid version, which offers easier movement and more bounce (another pro for combination sleepers). It contains two layers of TEMPUR-Material: one that provides extra cushioning and one that’s firmer and more pressure-relieving.

“This middle layer allows the mattress to stay delightfully firm underneath you and changes pressure points depending on your position,” says Britt Franklin, Apartment Therapy’s senior shopping editor. “As a result, my sleep went undisturbed because I wasn’t fighting to find the cozy spot on the bed — the cozy spot naturally found me!” 

The TEMPUR-Cloud only comes in one medium firmness level, which is comfortable enough for side sleepers and supportive enough for side and back sleepers. “It’s far more supportive than it seems at first touch,” Britt says. “It’s cushiony soft when you sit on it, which led me to believe that I’d sink deeply into the mattress, but once you lay down, you really get to feel how firm it is.” Plus, the individually wrapped coils prevent motion transfer, which will keep you (and your partner) from being disrupted while you toss and turn. 

Read our full Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud Hybrid Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: Combination sleepers and couples who need a versatile mattress that prevents motion transfer.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam hybrid
• Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king
• Height: 10 inches
• Firmness: Medium
• Features: Moisture-wicking cover

It’s no secret that Charli is also a fan of Purple mattresses when it comes to premium mattresses designed with pressure relief in mind. As someone with chronic lower back pain, she first found relief with the brand’s RestorePremier Mattress (you can read her review here), which allowed her to sleep more comfortably for the first time in years. She recently upgraded her primary bedroom mattress to the RejuvenatePlus, Purple’s most luxurious and pressure-relieving model.

“I didn’t think I could feel like I was sleeping on a cloud while simultaneously getting the best back support of my life, but this mattress makes for a truly luxurious good night’s sleep for anyone with back pain of any kind,” she says.

The RejuvenatePlus features the brand’s iconic GelFlex Grid, which is more adaptable, supportive, and breathable than foam. In addition, it’s topped with the comfy “DreamLayer,” a newer offering from Purple that gives the mattress a plusher feel and better temperature regulation. Combined with layers of responsive edge-to-edge coils and adaptive foam, this mattress offers incredible support and pressure relief for those who struggle with back and joint pain.

Who It’s Best For: People with back pain who are willing to splurge on a mattress that offers unparalleled pressure relief.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam hybrid
• Sizes: Twin XL, queen, king, Cal king, split king
• Height: 16.5 inches
• Firmness: Medium
• Features: GelFlex Grid

Although it may sound counterintuitive, a firm mattress isn’t a bad thing — especially if you’re a back or stomach sleeper who needs extra support. Our favorite firm mattress is the Stearns & Foster Estate Mattress, which is designed to be the ideal combination of supportive, comfortable, and cooling. It’s made with responsive TEMPUR-Indulge memory foam for excellent contouring, as well as Stearns & Foster’s proprietary coil system for extra support.

“My body feels supported, but this firm mattress isn’t so hard that I feel uncomfortable, like with my previous mattress,” says former Apartment Therapy shopping editor Alicia Kort. “It also isolates movement. I can still tell when my boyfriend rolls over, but if he shifts his sleeping position, the mattress doesn’t even move.” She adds, “The IntelliCoil system also keeps the memory foam cool — memory foam usually absorbs heat, which can be a disaster for hot sleepers.”

Another feature that helps with cooling is the TENCEL cover, which is naturally breathable (as well as being silky smooth). If you’re a side sleeper, you can also add on a pillow top for a softer feel and better pressure relief, or opt for the soft or medium firmness levels instead of the firm. If you’re willing to splurge, consider Stearns & Foster’s Lux Estate Mattress for a more premium feel — but we think the original Estate is more than worth the buy.

Read our full Stearns & Foster Estate Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: Back and side sleepers who prefer a firm mattress that stays cool.

Specifications: 

• Type: Foam hybrid
• Sizes: Twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king, split Cal king
• Height: 13.5, 14.5, 15 inches
• Firmness: Soft, medium, firm
• Features: Optional pillow top, TENCEL cover

Mattress shopping is hard enough, but add in another person and you’ve got a perfect storm brewing. One way to make the decision easier? Invest in a smart mattress that gives each person complete control over their side of the bed. Sleep Number’s c2 Mattress offers exactly that, with customizable firmness levels so both people are happy. You can even connect it with an app that measures your sleep quality and gives tips on how it can be improved.

“As someone who has struggled to find the perfect balance between comfort and support, this bed has been a game-changer,” says former Apartment Therapy social media manager Brian Wong. “The adjustable firmness feature is fantastic — I love being able to customize the bed to my exact preferences with just a few clicks. It’s incredibly easy to use and has significantly improved my sleep quality.”

One thing to note is that the c2 isn’t designed like a traditional with foam or springs. Instead, it contains air chambers that inflate or deflate depending on the feel you want (kind of like an air mattress). While other Sleep Number beds come with a comfort foam layer on top of the chambers, the c2 does not because it’s the brand’s entry-level mattress. Because of that, it’s pretty firm. If you want something more plush, we recommend upgrading to another one of Sleep Number’s mattress lines.

Read our full Sleep Number c2 Mattress review.

Who It’s Best For: Couples who have different mattress preferences; people who like a firmer mattress.

Specifications: 

• Type: Smart 
• Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king, FlexTop king, split Cal king, FlexTop Cal king
• Height: 8 inches
• Firmness: Adjustable
• Features: Adjustable firmness level for each side, app compatible

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