The Best Mattresses You Can Buy Online

According to Sleep Foundation, you should replace a mattress every eight years, or more often if you’re over the age of 40. Though that number is subjective to the sleeper, if you’re finding your quality of sleep has decreased and your body aches in the morning, you’re probably due for a new mattress.

The market for mattresses is oversaturated with brands claiming to give you the best sleep you’ve ever had. Some flaunt better materials, innovative fabrics, lower prices, etc. Independent of those brands’ marketing strategies, we took a hard look at some of the best mattresses in the game to find the ones that should suit even the most stubborn sleeper’s needs. From budget-minded mattresses to the best of the best, this definitive guide offers up the best mattresses for every kind of sleeper.

Mattress 101

Materials

To put it simply, mattresses can fall into three general categories: foam, innerspring or hybrid — a combination of the former. Your sleep preferences will dictate which material will best suit you.

Foam: Foam offers excellent support and body contouring. It’s notorious for trapping heat, but recent innovations allow for better body heat dispersion for cooler sleeping.

Innerspring, springs or coils: Think of your classic spring mattress. Typically, more springs in a mattress mean more support but a higher price tag, too.

Hybrid: Hybrid mattresses fold the strengths and weaknesses of foam and spring mattresses into a single product — the comfort of foam and the support of springs. Brands continually come up with inventive ways to mix materials for varying sleep preferences, and hybrids are easily the most popular with modern mattress brands. Hybrid mattresses can get pricey, but for those who have specific needs for their sleeping situation, hybrids typically check off the most boxes.

Sizes

Twin-sized mattress: What you’d find typically find in a dorm room. Measures 38 inches by 75 inches, and is fit for a single sleeper at most.

Full-sized mattress: Measures out to 54 inches by 75 inches, which adds enough width to a twin-sized mattress to comfortably sleep two people, or enough space for one person to sprawl across the surface of the bed.

Queen-sized mattress: Clocks in at 60 inches by 80 inches — comfortable for two people to move around freely without disturbing their sleeping partner.

King-sized mattress: Offers enough space, 76 inches by 80 inches, for two sleepers who tend to move a lot in their sleep. Also great if unexpected guests like pets or children want to hop into bed.

California king-sized mattress: Despite sounding like it would be the biggest option, a California king offers slightly less surface area than a standard king. A California-king mattress comes in at 72 inches by 84 inches, so compared to a king-sized mattress, you lose four inches in width but add four inches in length.

Sleeping Positions

Beyond personal preference, the way you sleep can affect how firm or soft you want your mattress to be and may even dictate whether you’d sleep better on a foam or hybrid bed.

Side sleepers: According to Sleep Foundation, most people are side sleepers. If you’re a side sleeper, you’ll want a mattress that provides support and relieves pressure to avoid pain in your lower back and shoulders. For example, we named the Helix Midnight Mattress the best option for side sleepers because it’s topped with two layers of foam that do just that.

Back sleepers: Those who sleep on their backs usually benefit from firmer mattresses to keep their spine aligned while sleeping. But we’re not saying go for the firmest option out there — personal preference and how much you weigh can affect the amount of support you need. The main thing is you want to avoid a bed with any kind of sagging.

Stomach sleepers: If you sleep on your stomach, you’re in the minority. But that’s ok as there are still plenty of mattress options to accommodate your sleeping routine. Like back sleepers, spine alignment is your main priority, so you’ll want to focus on finding a mattress with no less than medium firmness.

How to Clean a Mattress

Proper mattress maintenance will keep your valuable investment in your life for as long as possible (through the warranty, at least). Before you have your first sleep on your mattress, you should buy a mattress protector, a layer of protection between your messes and the actual mattress. Mattress protectors, which are usually machine washable, are easier to clean than a stained mattress. Should your mattress end up getting dirty, cleanup isn’t all that difficult. Wash your sheets, vacuum your mattress (paying close attention to grooves and crevices) and spot-clean stains with a stain remover.

Now that you have a clean mattress keep in mind that you can increase your mattress’ longevity further by rotating or flipping it. How often and which method depends on what kind of mattress you have. For example, a pillow-top mattress would be better off rotated than flipped. Many of the mattress brands recommended here will have guidelines for how to maintain your mattress.

How to Dispose of a Mattress

Each state has its own procedures for people to get rid of their mattress. For example, in New York, mattresses must be sealed in a plastic bag before being put on the street for disposal. You can donate a mattress to places like The Salvation Army, but consider this first: if the mattress is no longer good for you, would you expect someone else to use it? Check out websites like LoadUp or Bye Bye Mattress to see what options you have for disposing or recycling your old mattress.

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New and Upcoming Releases

Purple NewDay Mattress: Purple finally has a firm mattress option in the form of the NewDay. The mattress has a single, thick support foam layer under the brand’s signature GelFlex Grid for a firmer feel than the brand’s classic Purple Mattress.

Casper Element Pro Mattress: This foam mattress from Casper boasts extra breathability thanks to the perforated foam layer that tops the mattress.

How We Tested

Saatva

Best Overall Mattress

Saatva Classic Mattress

• $1,545.00 at Saatva
  $1,995.00 (23% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 15 years
• Trial Period: 180 days

Saatva’s classic mattress is a hybrid innerspring mattress with eco-friendly foam. The mattress utilizes a Euro pillow top, which unlike a standard pillow top, is stitched underneath the top cover of the mattress for a more seamless look that won’t shift around. A foam encasement around the perimeter creates a sturdy border so you don’t slide off the mattress if you get too close to the edge. A layer of 884 individually wrapped coils within the mattress minimizes motion transfer so you don’t disturb your sleeping partner if you’re an active sleeper. Available in three firmness levels and two thicknesses, the Saatva classic is customizable for optimal sleep conditions. Finally, it’s backed by a strong warranty and lengthy trial period.

Courtesy

Best Splurge Mattress

Airweave New Airweave Mattress

• $4,500.00 at airweave.com

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

Airweave’s innovative mattresses use neither memory foam nor springs — they’re actually made of a network of interwoven plastic, like a bundle of fishing line. (Airweave actually started out as a fishing line brand). Because of its construction, sleeping on the New Airweave Mattress is like sleeping on air. The brand comes out of Japan, and its mattresses gained notoriety for use in the Olympics. The New Airweave Mattress is harder and thinner than mattresses most Americans might be used to, but it’s for the best. These mattresses help with aiding temperature regulation at night, improve body support and reduce the number of times you toss and turn at night. Also, the outer mattress cover is removable and machine washable, so you can wash it along with your bedding.

Allswell Home

Best Budget Mattress

Allswell The Allswell Mattress

• $99.00 at Allswell Home
  $346.00 (71% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

The eponymous Allswell mattress is the brand’s entry-level mattress that delivers features usually associated with higher-end products. The hybrid mattress comes in at a medium-firmness — a solid middle ground between too soft and too firm. Individually wrapped coils ease the nuisance of motion transfer, and their placement along the perimeter of the mattress add greater stability. A graphite and copper — both heat sinking materials — foam memory foam topper nestles the body and prevents overheating while you sleep.

Nectar

Best Memory Foam Mattress

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

• $699.00 at nectarsleep.com
  $1,049.00 (33% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: “Forever Warranty”
• Trial Period: 365 days

Nectar’s mattress uses five layers foam, all of which meet CertiPUR-US standards. The mattress’s memory foam cradles the sleeper without completely enveloping the sleeper. The foam touts a soft, airy top that is firm enough to prevent sinkage when pressure is applied. A layer of gel memory foam helps distribute body weight evenly, which allows body heat to disperse from underneath you. A middle layer of adaptive memory foam alleviates pressure on the body, especially on the shoulders, hips and legs. The brand’s “Forever Warranty” only applies to the original purchaser of the mattress.

Tuft & Needle

Best Cooling Hybrid Mattress

Tuft & Needle Hybrid Mattress

• $1,456.00 at Tuft & Needle
  $1,995.00 (27% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

The thing about hybrid mattresses is that they take the best of memory foam and the best of innersprings to create a bed that’ll suit most people. The foam is Tuft & Needle’s trademarked Adaptive foam that is soft like memory foam but still has enough oomph to provide body support. The Adaptive foam addresses foam’s main pitfall, heat retention, by using a breathable open-cell foam and added graphite and cooling gel to disperse body heat so you can remain cool at the night. Layers of foam are alternated with wrapped coils for longevity, comfort and edge support.

Zoma

Best Mattress for Back Pain

Zoma Mattress

• $799.00 at zomasleep.com
  $949.00 (16% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

Zoma’s mattress was designed with athletes in mind, so the brand took special care to make a mattress that would alleviate body pain and facilitate muscle recovery. A layer of Triangulex memory foam acts as a pain reliever, comprised of hundreds of triangular segments strategically placed to target comfort zones. A dynamic second-layer, made of Reactiv foam, minimizes motion transfer while simultaneously contouring to the body for undisturbed sleep.

Helix

Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

Helix Midnight Mattress

• $1,099.00 at Helix Sleep
  $1,374.00 (20% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

According to an old national sleep survey from 2012, nearly 74 percent of the population sleep on their sides. And that select group of people will find great sleep with the Helix Midnight mattress. The Midnight’s outer cover is breathable and soft, while a layer of Memory Plus Foam is uniquely designed to relieve pressure on the body. Sandwiched between the Memory Plus Foam and a layer of motion transfer-reducing coils is a layer of polyfoam for ergonomic support and cushioning.

Casper

Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers

Casper Nova Mattress

• $1,721.00 at Casper
  $2,295.00 (25% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

The consensus is that cooler environments harbor better sleep conditions. So if you naturally emit a lot of heat, a cooling mattress like Casper Nova Mattress, should find its way into your bedroom. The hybrid mattresses use zoned support, which divides the mattress into seven zones for targeted relief. The plush top is soft and squishy, which feels good to sleep on. The mattress uses a layer of trademarked Airscape 2, and thanks to its tiny perforations throughout, it increases airflow and pushes hot air away from the body.

Helix

Best Crowd-Pleasing Mattress

Helix Dawn Luxe

• $1,849.00 at Helix Sleep
  $2,049.00 (10% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

If you’re not sure if you want a firm or soft mattress (or you’re basically the Goldilocks of mattresses), you’ll probably find the best comfort with the Helix Dawn Luxe. The mattress sits on the firmer end of the spectrum, but the “Luxe” upgrade offers a plushness that’ll accommodate those who want to sleep on something softer — in a way, it’s the best of both worlds. By turning the Dawn into the Dawn Luxe, the mattress adds zoned lumbar support, a quilted pillow top and a breathable cooling outer layer. Our tester said he and his wife have different mattress preferences, yet they somehow both loved sleeping on the Dawn Luxe. Our tester appreciated the balance of firmness and plushness in this mattress, saying that it had quality edge support and little motion transfer while still being comfortable.

If you have a guest room that needs a mattress, this would be a good one to get for it since it’ll be comfortable for practically everyone.

Read our full review of the Helix Dawn Luxe.

Leesa

Best Hybrid Mattress

Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress

• $1,599.00 at Leesa
  $1,999.00 (20% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

Before testing this mattress, I was convinced that no mattress should cost more than $500 — but I’ve been converted. Leesa’s Sapira model is the perfect hybrid mattress, combining the softness of memory foam with the supportiveness of its pocket springs. Adding a mattress topper would be overkill because the Sapira’s top layer acts as a pillowtop, while still offering edge support and just the right amount of firmness to minimize movement on either side of the bed. I tend to have back pain flare-ups every now and then, but this mattress always helps me sleep through the night.

Leesa offers three hybrid mattress models, and the Sapira is the middle of the road price-wise. (The brand also has an Original Hybrid model that’s $500 less and the Legend Hybrid that’s $600 more than the Sapira.) But I’ve been sleeping on the Sapira for a little over a year now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Purple

Best Mattress for Couples

Purple Hybrid Mattress

• $2,199.00 at Purple
  $2,399.00 (8% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

Purple’s mattresses are famous for using a thing called its Purple grid, which is neither foam nor spring. The grid is made from hyper-elastic GelFlex, which is made to move with you and to support you and all of your pressure points. Combined with its wrapped coils, for increased airflow, this mattress is excellent and minimizes motion transfer. Although at first our tester said the brand’s signature grid took some time to adjust to, he now looks forward to sleeping on the bed again after being away. Our tester also found that he wasn’t disrupted by his wife’s movements as much, despite her being a “restless sleeper.” Plus, they can get in and out of bed without disrupting the other. Because of its smart construction, from the grid to its StretchMax cover, the mattress is also excellent at helping those who overheat at night (like our tester) stay cool while they sleep.

Avocado

Best Organic Mattress

Avocado Green Mattress

• $1,999.00 at Avocado
  $2,099.00 (5% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 25 years
• Trial Period: 365 days

The Avocado Green Mattress is for those who want to know their mattress purchase is good for the world at large while providing optimal sleep support. The Green Mattress is GREENGUARD Gold Certified, made with organic cotton, latex and wool from responsibly sourced producers. Individually wrapped innersprings provide a standard bounciness and firmness associated with most innerspring mattresses. Avocado states that the springs are arranged in five strategic zones for support of the hips, back and shoulders. A steel perimeter gives the mattress support from edge to edge, and a layer of latex between the top cotton layer and innersprings soften the firmness of the springs.

Courtesy

Best Latex Mattress

Nolah Natural 11”

• $2,099.00 at nolahmattress.com

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: Lifetime
• Trial Period: 120 days

I’ll start off by saying that Nolah’s Natural mattress is a great quality bed, but my first impression when testing it was that it is exceptionally soft. So if you’re looking for firm support, then this may not be the one for you. But if you want to sink down in your mattress and feel like you’re being hugged by a cloud, then go for it. Layers of GOTS-certified organic cotton and wool as well as natural Talalay latex sit on top of the 11-inch hybrid mattress’s coils. The bed is hypoallergenic and the latex adds to its breathability. I also love the soft cotton cover — I almost felt bad covering it with my sheets. Because of its cushioning and bounciness, the mattress has very little edge support, so couples and twin bed owners be wary. But the upside is you certainly will not be needing a mattress topper for this one.

Amerisleep

Best Memory Foam-Alternative Mattress

Amerisleep AS3 Mattress

• $1,099.00 at amerisleep.com
  $1,749.00 (37% off)

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 20 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

The Amerisleep AS3 Mattress uses a plant-based material, Bio-Pur, with an open-cell design that’s more breathable than comparable memory foam. This material is also an improvement on memory foam’s tendency to sink, because the Bio-Pur has faster reactivity while still conforming to your body shape for relief on your pressure points. A middle layer of foam acts as a targeted pressure relief system designed to keep your body aligned regardless of your desired sleeping position. Amerisleep is so confident in its Bio-Pur material for its durability that the brand offers a 20-year warranty, nearly double the industry standard.

Tempur-Pedic

Best Mattress-in-a-Box

TEMPUR-Cloud Mattress

• $1,999.00 at Tempur-Pedic

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 90 days

You probably know Tempur-Pedic as one of the classic brands you’d see in a mattress showroom — but did you know they’ve transitioned to mattress-in-a-box models as well? Our tester tried out the TEMPUR-Cloud and found the memory foam mattress to be not only soft and responsive but also motion-stabilizing at the same time. Unpacking and setting up the bed was surprisingly easy, and it proved to be a great budget version of the brand’s traditional showroom models, according to our tester.

If a foam mattress isn’t right for you, it’s also available as a hybrid at the same price point.

Read our full review of the TEMPUR-Cloud Compressed Mattress

Boll & Branch

Best Sustainable Mattress

Boll & Branch The Mattress

• $2,600.00 at Boll & Branch

• Delivery: Free
• Warranty: 10 years
• Trial Period: 100 days

If certifications and ethical consumerism are at the forefront of your mattress search, then Boll & Branch’s mattress may be the one for you. Handmade in the US, this foam-free mattress is encased in a 100 percent organic cotton shell. It has two layers of coils, two layers of latex and a top layer of a wool and poly blend. Our tester found that the mattress did a good job of isolating movement and appreciated the stability of the thin, coil-lined edges of the mattress, making this a great bed for someone sleeping with a partner as well as side and back sleepers.

Read our full review of Boll & Branch’s The Mattress

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