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Best Memory Foam Mattress
The best memory foam mattress
- Editor’s Pick – Layla
- Best memory foam mattress for combination sleepers – WinkBeds Memory Lux
- Best memory foam mattress for back and stomach sleepers – Casper Wave
- Best memory foam mattress for side sleepers – Tuft & Needle Mint
- Best luxury memory foam mattress – Loom & Leaf
- Best budget memory foam mattress – Zinus
- Best gel memory foam mattress – Nectar
- Best cooling memory foam mattress – Tempur-Breeze
- Best memory foam mattress for athletes – Amerisleep AS3
- Best affordable cooling memory foam mattress – GhostBed Luxe
Quick overview
Editor’s Pick
- It’s a two-in-one mattress with two firmness sides to choose from
- It has pain-relieving properties
- It offers great value
- Superb motion isolation
- 120-night sleep trial, lifetime warranty
Save $150
Best for Combination Sleepers
- It’s got the contouring properties you love in memory foam – with Aircell responsiveness
- Durability
- It’s got zoned progression foam for support and pressure relief where you need it
- It’s a premium-quality memory foam mattress
- It’s got an accommodating feel and features for couples
- 120-night sleep trial, lifetime replacement policy, lifetime warranty
$200 Off – Code: SLEEP200
Best for Back and Stomach Sleepers
- It’s pain relieving and comfortable
- It’s a luxury memory foam option
- It offers zoned support
- It’s endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association
- 100-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty
Best for Side Sleepers
- Over 100 000 positive online reviews can’t be wrong
- It’s affordable
- It’s one of the best memory foam mattresses for side sleepers
- It’s a very comfortable neutral memory foam mattress
- Foams are CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold certified to be free from hazardous materials
- 100-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty
Best Luxury
- It’s a cut above the rest on the luxury scale
- It comes with free white glove delivery
- It offers great value for money
- It has cooling features
- Environmentally conscious construction and processes
- 120-night sleep trial, 15-year warranty
$100 Off
Best Budget
- It’s a great budget bed
- It offers loads of pressure relief
- The price makes it perfect for kids’ rooms, spare rooms, and camper vans
- It will keep most sleepers at a comfortable temperature
- 100-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty
Best Gel
- It’s got generous company policies
- It’s very affordable
- Fantastic pressure relief
- Gel memory foam promotes cooling
- 365-night trial, lifetime warranty
Free Accessories
Best Cooling
- You could sleep up to 8° cooler
- Premium construction
- It’s a match for all body types and sleeping positions
- Free white-glove delivery
- You can choose your coolness and firmness
- 90-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty
$200 Off
Best for Athletes
- They are made from largely plant-based, low VOC, CertiPUR-US certified foams
- The Celliant cover aids with rest and recuperation for active people
- It’s accommodating across all body types and sleep preferences
- It’s a good performer on motion isolation
- 100-night sleep trial, 20-year warranty
Save $200 – Coupon:TAKE200
Best Affordable Cooling
- It has effective active cooling features
- It is within the budget of most people
- Couples will enjoy the reinforced edge support and responsiveness of the foam
- It’s got a popular, accommodating feel – mitigating the risk around whether you’ll like it or not
- It will work for all sleeping positions.
- 101-night sleep trial, 25-year warranty
25% Off
The best memory foam mattresses reviewed
With so many memory foam mattresses to choose from, the online mattress world can be very confusing. We’ve had a look at the top considerations for people shopping for memory foam mattresses to come up with our favorites, where they perform well, who they are for, and any down sides.
1. Editor’s Pick – Layla
- Anyone who suffers with pain
- If you aren’t too sure of the firmness level you need
- If you’re easily disturbed at night
- If you are looking for cooling features
- Side and stomach sleepers under 230lbs
PROS
- Cooling cover and foams
- Great choice for couples
- Flippable for a choice of firmness levels
- Generous lifetime warranty
- Not the best mattress for heavy people
- Probably not for you if you’re looking for a true firm bed
2. Best Memory Foam Mattress for Combination Sleepers – Winkbeds
- If you are looking for a responsive memory foam mattress
- If you are worried about sustainable buying
- All sleeping positions
- Couples
PROS
- It’s got a really comfortable pillowtop
- Great choice for couples
- Different firmness options available
- Foams will get a thumbs-up from eco-conscious buyers
- It’s not the cheapest mattress if you’re shopping on a budget
- It doesn’t have a removable cover for cleaning
3. Best Memory Foam Mattress for Back and Stomach Sleepers – Casper
- If you need a bed with pain relieving properties
- All sleeping positions
- If movement disrupts your sleep at night
PROS
- It’s responsive – great for sex and changing positions during the night
- Accommodating feel for couples
- Zoned support for correct alignment
- It has a removable cover for spot cleaning
- It will be a little pricy for most people
- It’s not a true firm mattress for those who prefer to go firmer in these positions
4. Best Memory Foam Mattress for Side Sleepers – Tuft and Needle
- Side sleepers and combination side sleepers
- Value shoppers
- Anyone who shops by reputation and online reviews
- Anyone who enjoys a responsive memory foam feel
PROS
- It’s infused with cooling beads which keeps it temperature neutral
- The price is right for most people
- It’s a good choice for couples
- If your partner is a back or stomach sleeper, it may be too soft
5. Best Luxury Memory Foam Mattress – Loom & Leaf
- Petite and average sized people across all sleeping positions
- Heavier people looking for a foam bed
- Elderly people (or anyone who lives on the top floor of their apartment building)
- Luxury shoppers
PROS
- Free white-glove delivery
- You get a luxury bed at an affordable price
- It’s a good choice for couples
- It has a removable cover for spot cleaning
- Two firmness choices
- Returns aren’t free
- There isn’t a truly soft option for anyone who wants a soft bed
6. Best Budget Memory Foam Mattress – Zinus
- Anyone who loves the sinking, contouring feeling of traditional memory foam
- Strict side sleepers
- Budget shoppers
- Anyone who needs motion isolation in a mattress
PROS
- You can choose from a range of thickness profiles
- Its pressure relief cushions hips and shoulders
- Excellent motion isolation
- CertiPUR-US foams
- Gel foam materials promote cooling
- It’s not the most durable mattress in its price range
- Changing sleep and sex positions is not the easiest on this mattress
- It doesn’t offer much support for back and stomach sleepers
7. Best Gel Memory Foam Mattress – Nectar
- If you’ve never had a memory foam mattress and would like to give it a try
- If you like a classic memory foam feeling
- Budget shoppers
- Petite and average-sized people in all sleeping positions
- If your partner is a restless sleeper
PROS
- The company policies are very generous
- It’s a great value buy
- Very good motion isolation
- Gel memory foam promotes cooling
- It’s not responsive, which means changing position can be challenging
- Some people may not like sinking so deep into their mattresses
8. Best Cooling Memory Foam Mattress – Tempur-Pedic
- Hot sleepers
- Anyone who doesn’t mind spending for something special
- All body types and sleeping positions
- Luxury shoppers
PROS
- Three different models to choose from
- This could be the coolest mattress on the market
- Free white-glove delivery
- Premium materials and construction
- You get a choice of coolness and firmness
- The price will be prohibitive for some people
- There is a returns fee
9. Best Memory Foam Mattress for Athletes – Amerisleep
- Couples who are restless sleepers
- People of all sizes and sleeping positions
- Active people
- Anyone who wants a bed with health benefits
PROS
- Very good motion isolation
- Accommodating mattress for couples with different sleep preferences
- It’s Amerisleep’s most popular model
- It’s not the most affordable bed on the market
- It doesn’t offer the best support if you are in a heavy weight bracket
10. Best Affordable Cooling Memory Foam Mattress – GhostBed
- Hot sleepers
- Petite and average people across all sleeping positions
- Anyone shopping for price
- If you like a responsive foam feel
PROS
- Great for couples
- Its accommodating feel makes it less of a gamble
- It’s reasonably priced
- A good choice for sex
- Its 25-year warranty is above average
- At a medium firmness, it may not be firm enough for some stomach and back sleepers and may not be soft enough for some side sleepers
- It’s not the best option if you weigh in a heavy weight category
Memory foam mattress buying guide
If you’ve never owned a memory foam mattress, there are a few things that give it its appeal. Its unique contouring ability comes down to the substance of the foam changing shape as heat and pressure are applied. This has a number of sleep benefits for people who experience pain or have sleep-related conditions. If you’re not sure whether a memory foam mattress is for you, keep reading for the most important elements in this memory foam mattress buying guide.
Things to consider before buying a memory foam mattress
As a starting point, most people will look to price and shop within their budget – but where to from there? Next up, work out your sleeping preference and that of your partner, which will also help to narrow down the options. A big decider for many people as they shop for their mattresses will be special needs. Only you know what your body needs – and mattresses have been made around that to cater for different requirements.
What disturbs your sleep at night? Do you get hot easily? Look for a memory foam mattress with active cooling properties. Are you a light sleeper? Make sure your new bed has very good motion isolation to stop movement transferring to your side of the bed at night.
The following are a few additional points to think about as you shop for a memory foam mattress.
The advantages of memory foam mattresses
The feel
Lovers of memory foam enjoy how it conforms to the shape of the body, using the body’s heat to shape to your body. The different types of memory foams available offer a range of different properties. Traditional memory foam has that melting feeling as you sink into the foam and is slow to resume its original shape, leaving you feeling cradled by the mattress. There are also many more responsive foams on the market these days, which snap back into shape quickly and provide less sinkage and more bounce. No matter how you take your foam, there’s probably something out there to meet your preference.
Pain relief
This ability to conform to your shape has the effect of keeping your body well-aligned, which prevents pain. Sleeping on a natural curve is what every sleeper should try to do for long-term support and sleep quality. Memory foam offers lumbar support and alignment – fantastic for anyone who spends time on their backs or stomachs.
What about side sleepers? Ever gone to sleep on your side and woken up with pain in your hip or your shoulder all knitted up with ache? This is precisely what pressure relieving mattresses prevent – and memory foam is a favorite for its ability to relieve pressure by adapting to your form and cushioning these contact points.
Motion absorption
Light sleepers usually love memory foam. That’s because, across most varieties, memory foam has the effect of deadening movement transfer across the surface of the bed. This means a reduced chance of being disturbed at night if you are a sensitive sleeper – or if you sleep with a restless partner.
Hypo-allergenic
Most foams don’t attract dust mites and are resistant to mold, which is a big plus for anyone who suffers with allergies. Many mattress companies have developed their own eco-friendly foams with positive effects for allergy sufferers and general wellness.
The disadvantages of memory foam mattresses
Heat
While the temperature of memory foam mattresses is often overstated, memory foam can sleep hot. In using your body heat to contour around your form, some people overheat because of heat trapped in the foam around them. With traditional foam mattresses, sleeping ‘in’ the mattress – with more of its surface making contact with the skin – can also have the effect of heating.
However, this does not mean you will definitely sleep hot on every memory foam mattress. Not at all! Modern foam developments have done much to enhance airflow and promote cooler sleeping – and density and open-cell construction will play a role here. There are also mattresses with active cooling features to consider, some of which are highly effective cooling beds.
It doesn’t bear high weight well
If you are a heavy person, all-foam beds can have some drawbacks. The more you weigh, the softer a bed will feel. In the case of memory foam, this can leave you wanting support. In memory foam mattresses with a thinner profile, you can also find yourself sinking into the layers and ‘bottoming out’ quite fast.
There can also be issues around heavy sleepers and the long-term durability of all-foam mattresses. Opting for mattresses with a thicker profile and in a luxury tier are a few ways to work around this, but a hybrid will almost always be a better choice for heavy people.
Off-gassing
The smell from all-foam mattresses is probably the single greatest complaint about these beds. If you buy a bed-in-a-box mattress, this is usually that little bit more noticeable because of the compressed materials. Few foam mattresses will retain their smell in the long term and many companies have tried to alleviate this in a range of ways, but this is something to think about if you are sensitive to smell.
The sometimes industrial smell of memory foam also usually triggers worries around chemicals and toxins. Popular mattress brands have made a real effort to remove health hazards and ensure the safety of their foams – usually through independent certifications. While many continue to develop their foams around wellness and eco considerations, so memory foam mattresses evolve on this front too.
The different types of foam
There are a few different types of foams we would like to discuss here. Generally, in choosing a memory foam mattress, it is good to differentiate between memory foam, polyurethane foam, and latex foam.
Traditional memory foam
We’ve touched on memory foam throughout this guide. As mentioned above, there are different kinds of memory foams available – different densities and constructions which will have a bearing on comfort and cooling.
Open-cell foam
Open-cell memory foam is another form of traditional memory foam. As the name suggests, rather than the dense foam which probably comes to mind when one thinks of foam, open-cell foam has air pockets in its construction. This has some benefits like extra ventilation for cooling and reduced off-gassing, but can be known to sleep a little softer.
Gel-infused foam
Gel and gel memory foams are also another branch of traditional memory foam – with some differences. These foams behave like typical memory foams, but with cooling properties (and sometimes extended longevity). Gel conducts heat away from the body and is commonly merged with other materials to aid with cooling.
Convoluted (egg crate) foam
Convoluted foam is regularly used as a mattress topper and gets its name from its shape of dips and peaks. As yet another form of traditional memory foam, it is great for pressure relief and comfort – with the added bonus of cooling through good ventilation.
Copper-infused foam
Like gel memory foam, copper-infused foam has revolutionized memory foams when it comes to cooling. It also helps with dispersing heat rather than trapping it. It also has antimicrobial properties and the ability to wick moisture, which supports your body in regulating temperature and keeping you cool.
Polyfoam
Polyfoam is very similar to memory foam. It comes in different grades and constructions – all of which offer a different feel. Pure polyfoam mattresses exist, but these days it is more commonly used as one of a combination of foams in all-foam and innerspring mattresses.
Latex foam
Natural and latex foams are becoming the go-to mattress material for an emerging market of eco-conscious shoppers. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, it is the more environmental choice at a time when sustainability matters to people more and more. The second is that natural materials are usually better for our health. Latex foam is naturally springy and responsive and provides plenty of pressure relief, making it especially good for side sleepers.
Memory foam density
Memory foam density isn’t most mattress shoppers’ first consideration, but giving it some thought can make a difference to your experience. The density of the memory foam used in a mattress can make a difference in a range of ways. Density will affect memory foam durability, support, price, contouring and comfort, temperature, and responsiveness. While high-density foams are more durable and pressure relieving, low-density foams tend to be cheaper and more responsive – so you can see why many mattresses combine the two to get the right mix of comfort.
While it may seem like it, density has nothing to do with the firmness of a mattress. It is more about the amount of material used.
- Low-density: 3.5lbs per cubic foot and under
- Medium-density: Above 3.5lbs and below 5lbs
- High-density: 5lbs per cubic foot and above
Memory foam durability
It is reasonable to expect mid- to upper-tier memory foam mattresses to last for anything from four to ten years – sometimes more, sometimes a little less. How long your memory foam mattress will last will depend on a number of factors. When you’re shopping, something to remember when it comes to durability is that the layers matter. Looking at the construction of your potential new mattress is a must! Durability also comes down to density, with higher-density memory foams aging better than low-density foams.
FAQ
The best memory foam mattress will depend on your sleep preference. There are many good-quality memory foam mattresses available – and you tend to get what you pay for.
Memory foam mattresses are growing in popularity for their contouring, pain relieving abilities, and comfort. Some even attribute their best nights’ sleep to memory foam.
It depends on what you are looking for. Inner spring and hybrid mattresses can be a little more durable, but memory foam is often chosen for its comfort and feel.
Gel memory foam has our vote. In general, it seems to be the more durable and cooler option between the two.
Memory foam mattresses sag when the reflex layer fails from too much compression or use over time. In low-quality memory foam beds, this can happen very quickly.