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Best Plush Mattress
Best Plush Mattress

Best Soft (Plush) Mattress

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Review by Claire
OUR EXPERT ANALYST UPDATED 26.10.2020
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Buying a soft mattress to suit your preferences shouldn’t be hard. Best-suited to side sleepers, soft mattresses have the ability to cushion shoulders and hips for long-term comfort night after night. That doesn’t mean all soft mattresses are made equal. Find the best soft mattress to suit your unique sleep requirements with our top selection across a range of categories.

The best soft (plush) mattresses

  
  • Editor’s Pick – Brooklyn Bedding Aurora
  • Best Cooling Soft Mattress – Tuft & Needle Mint
  • Best Soft Hybrid Mattress – Puffy Lux Hybrid
  • Best Value Soft Mattress – Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Hybrid
  • Best Eco-Friendly Soft Mattress – Brentwood Home Oceano
  • Best Luxury Soft Mattress – Saatva Classic Plush Soft
  • Best Innovative Soft Mattress – Purple Hybrid Premier
  • Best Pressure Relieving Soft Mattress – Layla Hybrid
  • Best Flippable Soft Mattress – Zenhaven

Quick overview

Editor’s Pick

REASONS TO BUY
  • It’s a top value buy for its caliber
  • There are different firmness levels available
  • It works for all body types
  • It’s an accommodating bed
  • 120-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty

Best Cooling

REASONS TO BUY
  • It ranks as one of the best beds for side sleepers
  • It has cooling features
  • It’s within the price range of most shoppers
  • It has reams of positive reviews
  • 100-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty

Best Hybrid

REASONS TO BUY
  • Easy to clean
  • Cover is hypoallergenic
  • Suitable for all shapes and sizes
  • Many of the benefits of memory foam with a responsive feel
  • There is a charitable social impact from every purchase
  • 101-night sleep trial, lifetime warranty

Best Value

REASONS TO BUY
  • It is suitable for all body types
  • You get three firmness options to choose from
  • Excellent quality
  • It has features for couples
  • 100-night trial, lifetime warranty, lifetime comfort guarantee

Best Eco-Friendly

REASONS TO BUY
  • It has features which appeal to eco-shoppers
  • It has true luxury touches
  • It has dual coil construction for support
  • It offers incredible value for your dollars
  • 365-night trial, 25-year warranty

Best Luxury

REASONS TO BUY
  • You get free mattress setup
  • Positive reviews are evidence of its popularity
  • You get to choose between different height and firmness profiles
  • Its organic cotton cover is antimicrobial
  • 120-night sleep trial, 15-year warranty

Best Innovative

REASONS TO BUY
  • Purple delivers something different to the industry
  • Options around height profiles (and so firmness)
  • It offers extremely good pressure relief
  • Options cater to all body types
  • 100-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty

Best Pressure Relieving

REASONS TO BUY
  • It’s a good choice for anyone who suffers with existing pain
  • It’s flippable, with two firmness options
  • It isolates motion particularly well
  • Copper gel memory foam is contouring and cooling
  • 120-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty

Best Flippable

REASONS TO BUY
  • Saatva is renowned for their excellent customer service
  • You get the choice of two firmness levels to try out at home
  • It’s a luxury bed
  • It features organic materials and sustainable craftsmanship
  • 120-night sleep trial, 20-year warranty

The 9 best soft (plush) mattresses reviewed

1. Editor’s Pick – Brooklyn Bedding

Who is the Brooklyn Bedding good for:
  • All shapes and sizes
  • Hot sleepers
  • Shoppers looking for firmness options
  • All sleep positions (especially side sleepers)
  • Anyone who enjoys a responsive-feeling mattress
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is a true all-rounder – and its soft option could well be the best plush mattress for a few different reasons. Softness being relative, we love that there are different firmness options to choose from. This means, no matter your weight, there is a soft mattress in the range for you to rest easy. It also has an incredibly accommodating feel, so most people like it from the day it arrives. This hybrid mattress also has a cooling cover and cooling foams to keep you cool all night long. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Short Queen, RV King, and RV Bunk options.
PROS
  • It offers superb value
  • It balances pressure relief and support
  • It’s accommodating, which means there’s a higher chance of loving it from night one
  • It’s cooling
CONS
  • It’s not the best option for someone who needs a firm bed
  • It is out of the price range of some budget shoppers

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2. Best Cooling Soft Mattress – Tuft and Needle

Who is the Tuft and Needle good for:
  • Side sleepers
  • Shoppers looking for a reasonably priced mattress
  • Anyone who shops by review
  • Fans of responsive mattresses
  • Hot sleepers
Soft mattresses have a bad reputation for sleeping hot (because you sleep more ‘in’ the materials than on them). The Tuft & Needle Mint dispels the myth as one of our favorite cool, soft beds. People that love them rave about them so, if you’re someone who wants evidenced customer satisfaction, Tuft & Needle could be the brand for you. This responsive mattress provides stellar pressure relief for side sleepers. It also features gel and graphite foam which assist in cooling, with gel beads absorbing heat and graphite foam acting as a conductor to draw heat away from the body. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and Cal King.
PROS
  • It’s a great value buy
  • Its cooling features do the trick for most hot sleepers
  • It’s easy to shift sleep and sex position on this responsive bed
  • It’s got an accommodating feel
CONS
  • It’s not going to offer adequate support for anyone needing support

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3. Best Soft Hybrid Mattress – Puffy

Who is the Puffy good for:
  • People of all sizes
  • Side sleepers
  • Fans of a responsive foam feel
  • Anyone who seeks to do good through their purchases
While this is one of our top picks as a soft hybrid mattress, it is worth noting from the outset that this mattress is available in all-foam and hybrid construction options. The memory foam Puffy gives you the pressure-relieving benefits of memory foam, yet isn’t our best soft memory foam mattress – with the Puffy Lux Hybrid model coming in that little bit softer. With the added durability and support of coils, Puffy’s proprietary foams are exceptionally pressure-relieving – a truly meaningful feature for side sleepers. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King.
PROS
  • It’s ultra pressure relieving (a big plus for side sleepers)
  • Their company policies on this mattress mean it’s a low-risk buy
  • It has a removable, machine-washable, hypoallergenic cover
  • You do good for children’s charities with every purchase
  • Its responsiveness makes changing sleep and sex position easy
CONS
  • If you share your bed with a back or stomach sleeper (or if you need support in these positions as a combo sleeper), it doesn’t have adequate support for some sleepers

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4. Best Value Soft Mattress – Nest Bedding

Who is the Nest Bedding good for:
  • All weight categories
  • All sleeping positions
  • Couples
  • Anyone who loves a bargain
  • Shoppers who are mindful around durability
The Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Hybrid is an immensely impressive bed in terms of quality – so much so that its reasonable price is almost astounding. It features a soft, luxurious, gel-infused pillowtop, which is pressure-relieving on contact points for side sleepers. This is balanced with the support of coils. Remember softness is relative to your weight. The three firmness options (Plush, Medium, and Luxury Firm) mean there is a soft option for all body types and to accommodate diverse sleep preferences and sleep positions. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split King, Split Cal King.
PROS
  • Generous company policies
  • Three options around firmness
  • Split option available to cater for couples with different sleep preferences
  • Responsive enough to change sex or sleep position with ease
  • The pillowtop is incredibly comfortable – and adds to the true softness of the Plush option
CONS
  • This is not a budget tier mattress – so may be out of the price league of some shoppers

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5. Best Eco-Friendly Soft Mattress – Brentwood

Who is the Brentwood good for:
  • All sleeping positions (especially side sleepers)
  • All weights
  • Value shoppers
  • Sleepers who would benefit from zoned support
  • Eco-shoppers
The Nest Bedding Alexander Signature Hybrid is an immensely impressive bed in terms of quality – so much so that its reasonable price is almost astounding. It features a soft, luxurious, gel-infused pillowtop, which is pressure-relieving on contact points for side sleepers. This is balanced with the support of coils. Remember softness is relative to your weight. The three firmness options (Plush, Medium, and Luxury Firm) mean there is a soft option for all body types and to accommodate diverse sleep preferences and sleep positions. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split King, Split Cal King.
PROS
  • You get a lengthy sleep trial to make up your mind
  • It’s accommodating – and so comes with less risk
  • It provides very good pressure relief
  • It’s easy to change sleep and sex positions on this bed
  • It’s temperature neutral
  • There is a split option available for the King if you and your partner have different sleep needs
CONS
  • Some heavy sleepers may find it lacks support

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6. Best Luxury Soft Mattress – Saatva

Who is the Saatva good for:
  • All body types
  • All sleep positions
  • Anyone who feels daunted at the idea of setting up a new mattress (and removing their old one)
  • Shoppers looking for an affordable, top-tier mattress
  • Shoppers attracted to potential pain relieving properties
Saatva have refined the world of online mattresses – and the process of buying and receiving them – when it comes to luxury. While you can expect to get a top-tier mattress, you certainly don’t pay the price you’d expect. In fact, this mattress can be classed as affordable luxury. Another luxury is choice. There are two height profiles and three firmness levels to choose from, with the Plush Soft right on point for anyone looking for a soft mattress. With a comfortable pillowtop for pressure relief and dual coil construction for support, you get the best of both worlds in one great package from Saatva. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, Split King, and Split Cal King.
PROS
  • It’s a luxury bed without an exorbitant pricetag
  • You get options around height profile and firmness
  • Free white glove delivery and old mattress removal
  • Deadens motion transfer, so light sleepers aren’t disturbed
  • Dual coil support system
CONS
  • If you decide you don’t like it, returns come at a cost

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7. Best Innovative Soft Mattress – Purple

Who is the Purple good for:
  • All shapes and sizes
  • All sleep positions (especially side sleepers if you go for the softer option)
  • Couples
  • Shoppers who want to try new technologies
  • Anyone who values choice
Are you willing to take a gamble on something new and different? Purple’s creators have created something truly distinctive in their Purple Grid, made from their proprietary hyperelastic polymer. This rubbery grid gives way under the weight of your body and is uniquely pressure relieving. If you opt for the softer comfort option, you are investing in one of the best beds on the market for side sleepers, while the system of individually pocketed coils are supportive and durable. Will you be part of Purple’s ever-expanding following? Available in Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King, and Split King.
PROS
  • There are three and four-inch Purple Grid options, so you can choose your preferred height
  • You get two firmness options
  • Most people sleep at a comfortable temperature on this mattress
  • A split option exists to cater to couples with different sleep needs
CONS
  • It’s priced a little higher than similar mattresses in its class
  • Some sleepers may not adjust to its unique feel

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8. Best Pressure Relieving Soft Mattress – Layla

Who is the Layla good for:
  • People across all weight categories
  • All sleep positions
  • Anyone who likes memory foam
  • Light sleepers who benefit from motion isolating properties
  • Anyone unsure about which firmness to choose
How soft a mattress feels depends on your weight. If you’re unsure or you like the idea of options, a flippable mattress gives you two beds in one to try out in your own home. The Layla Hybrid mattress has a soft and firm side – and its soft side is notably pressure relieving. This means side sleepers can look forward to long-term comfort around their hips and shoulders and better sleep quality. Its pressure relieving capabilities come down, in part, to its copper-infused comfort layer. This layer is also effective at conducting heat away from the body and works with the breathability of this hybrid bed to help with cooling. Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cal King.
PROS
  • You get the choice of two firmness options in one bed
  • Deadens motion for anyone sharing a bed
  • It’s easy to clean
  • It can potentially ease aches and pains
CONS
  • Its memory foam feel makes it a little slow to change sleep and sex positions

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9. Best Flippable Soft Mattress – Saatva

Who is the Saatva good for:
  • Shoppers who value organic materials and sustainable practices
  • Combination side sleepers or anyone looking for support
  • Shoppers who like to have options
  • Luxury shoppers
  • Anyone who doesn’t want the burden of setup and old mattress removal
Zenhaven mattresses are made by leading mattress brand, Saatva, and appeals to shoppers in myriad ways. Firstly, it’s flippable, giving you two firmness options to try out on purchase (the Gentle Firm and Luxury Plush). It also features Talaylay latex, New Zealand wool, and an organic cotton cover. While neither of the sides are a true soft, this is a good option for side and combination sleepers for the duality between pressure relief and support, with the soft option being plush enough to hit the soft spot of many softies out there.  Available in Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, and Cal King.
PROS
  • Gets the nod from the Sustainable Furnishings Council
  • Two firmness options to choose from
  • Free white glove delivery, old mattress removal, and even a free flip
  • Offers adequate support for back and stomach sleepers
  • Most sleepers won’t overheat at night
CONS
  • It is a heavy mattress
  • Returns come at a cost

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Soft mattress buying guide

As we have mentioned before on this page, softness is a relative term depending on your body type. That said, it can make a big difference to your overall sleep quality. Read on to find out more about softness and sleep and let us guide you in your search for the perfect mattress.

Softness and sleeper types

63% of Americans are side sleepers. As softness plays such a big role in the comfort of hips and shoulders in this position, this guide is especially for you. If you are a side or combination side sleeper and you’ve woken up in the morning with bound up hips or shoulders, this is something which is alleviated by a softer, pressure-relieving mattress. Back and stomach sleepers, however, need support – and firmer mattresses are often (not always) better at achieving spinal alignment.

Weight and how a mattress feels

Most mattresses are marketed to average-sized people, which is something to keep in mind if you are a little weighty or petite. Your weight affects the feel of a mattress. This means mattresses feel firmer the lighter you are and, conversely, softer the heavier you are. What does this mean for mattress buying? Unless a bed is specifically made for your specific weight category, mattresses which are marketed as soft could be too soft if you are big and tall. If you are petite, you are more likely to get away with going softer if you are a side sleeper or need a bed that’s a little more plush.

Pros of soft mattresses

The benefit of a soft mattress centers around comfort for side and lightweight sleepers. The pressure of your body is neutralized on a softer mattress – and this alignment and comfort is a wonderful advantage of softer mattress models.

Cons of soft mattresses

There are a couple of disadvantages associated with soft mattresses. The first is that soft mattresses don’t always offer the right amount of support for some sleepers – and this can result in pain. Secondly, sleepers often sink into the materials of softer mattresses, giving them a reputation for creating a hot night’s sleep. While this is not always the case, it is worth keeping in mind if you are a hot sleeper.

What firmness should you get?

Unfortunately, there is no single way to answer this question. Assess your needs (and those of your partner) and be guided by your dominant sleep position. If you are a side sleeper, softness is probably going to work just fine for you. If you share your bed with someone who needs something a bit firmer, never fear. Many mattresses around the medium rating on the firmness scale are a happy balance for couples with different sleep preferences. If not, some brands offer a handy split option – something to consider if you have polarized sleep needs.