The Best Mattresses for 2024 (2024)

To shop successfully, you need to distinguish a mattress’s real benefits from all the marketing mumbo jumbo. In our guide to choosing a mattress, we show you how to determine whether a mattress will offer enough support and pressure relief for your body, what size mattress to choose, when to buy, and what to ask the salesperson (or live-chat attendant) to figure out if a mattress is durable.

Should you buy a trendy online-only foam mattress or a more-traditional innerspring? How about a so-called hybrid? What about latex foam? In this primer on mattress types, we unpack the pros and cons of what’s inside that shrouded rectangle so you can choose the bed that’s right for you.

If you like the feeling of sinking into your bed as opposed to resting on top of it, then a memory-foam mattress made entirely or mostly of polyurethane foam (aka polyfoam) may suit you best. Mattresses made from memory foam tend to conform to your body and provide a “hugging” sensation as you settle in, but they can also make you feel stuck in place.

Foam mattresses come in a range of prices. The memory-foam Leesa Original is a crowd-pleasing mattress that feels neither too sinky nor too firm. Our lower-cost memory-foam mattress pick, the Novaform ComfortGrande, is surprisingly comfortable for the price, and has the best return policy we’ve ever seen. Our higher-end memory-foam favorite, the , is more than double the price of the Leesa Original, but consists of longer-lasting materials.

Consider a foam mattress if:

Skip a foam mattress if:

Latex mattresses typically feel springier and are more breathable than mattresses made from memory foam or polyfoam, but some models can feel stiff or overly elastic. They also tend to be more expensive than regular foam mattresses. Because latex is intrinsically more durable, latex mattresses can be a good choice if you weigh more than 200 pounds or want a bed that lasts longer than the typical 10-year-warranty for foam beds. We’ve tried three all-latex mattresses over the years, and we found the Zenhaven (shown here with a box spring) to be more cushiony—and therefore more comfortable—than the others.

Consider an latex mattress if:

Skip a latex mattress if:

There’s no “official” definition of a hybrid mattress. In our guide to the best hybrid mattresses, we include foam beds constructed with steel coils and sock coverings, as well as a popular innerspring mattress designed with copious amounts of foam. Two of our favorite hybrid mattresses, the Leesa Sapira Hybrid and the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid), have consistently placed at or near the top of our foam-mattress tests for the past two years. The hybrid WinkBed (Luxury Firm), which has a quilted cover, polyfoam, and a layer of base coils, is a top pick in our guide to the best innerspring mattresses.

Consider a hybrid mattress if:

Innerspring mattresses provide a buoyant sensation, thanks to steel coils that bolster layers of fiber and foam under a quilted top. If you feel too sunk in or hot on an all-foam mattress, an innerspring can offer more resilience, along with firmer edges, and intrinsically more airflow. But innersprings can be notoriously difficult to shop for, traditionally requiring a trip to a mattress store to navigate dozens of different models that have confusing names, specifications, and features. The WinkBed (Luxury Firm) is a longtime favorite from our testing. Some innersprings,including the WinkBed, can be purchased online, often with generous trial and return policies.

Consider an innerspring mattress if:

Skip an innerspring mattress if:

Cheap mattresses (under $500 for a queen) tend to be pretty basic. They’re generally all-foam (or foam-forward hybrid) mattresses that have fewer layers, are made of less-dense foams, and offer fewer bells and whistles (like free trial periods) compared with more expensive options. The Zinus Green Tea Cooling Swirl Memory Foam Hybrid and the Novilla Bliss Memory Foam are two medium-firm mattresses that rated well in our testing, and hit a sweet spot between comfort and affordability.

Consider a cheap mattress if:

Skip a cheap mattress if:

Sometimes the best mattress for you really comes down to preference. For people who know they love an ultra plush, cushy feel, a good soft- to medium-soft mattress will contour the shoulders and hips comfortably while still offering solid underlying support. Side-sleepers will generally benefit from a soft mattress the most, as firmer options can create pressure on the shoulders and hips.

After comparing a dozen soft mattresses, including the softer versions of some of our picks, we have several to recommend. For a bouncier, classic innerspring that still offers a light cradle at the surface, try the Serta Perfect Renewed Night Plush. Our testers also loved the Winkbed in Softer, a plusher version of our pick in our innerspring mattress guide, for its deep, dense cushioning. The , our upgrade innerspring pick, has a cushioned, quilted surface that relieves pressure while still offering substantial support.

People shift positions more than they realize throughout the night. But choosing a mattress based on how you start out when your head hits the pillow may enhance comfort and help you drift off more easily. It’s mostly about matching your sleep position to the firmness level of the mattress.

Best mattresses for side-sleepers

Side-sleepers generally feel most comfortable on medium-soft to medium mattresses. These are plush enough to cushion the shoulders and hips, but supportive enough to keep the spine aligned. The all-foam has a cradling, not-too-sinky feel, and the Leesa Sapira Hybrid is slightly firmer and more resilient. Our guide to the best mattresses for side-sleepers has more recommendations.

Best mattresses for back-sleepers

Back-sleepers typically prefer medium-firm mattresses. These keep the spine from flexing while also cushioning the shoulders, lower back, and hips. Those who like a little plushness with their firm mattress might consider the Novaform ComfortGrande; those preferring pressure relief without the “fluff” might try the slow-sinking Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid). For a smoother, more supple feel, the slightly bouncier Charles P. Rogers Estate SE innerspring might appeal. Our guide to the best mattresses for back-sleepers has more recommendations.

Best mattresses for stomach-sleepers

Stomach-sleepers do best with mattresses that are medium-firm or slightly firmer. This keeps your back from arching while still cradling your belly. The does this with a classic-innerspring buoyant lift; the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid) offers support along with contour-curving pressure relief; and the all-latex Zenhaven offers good back support (for most people, anyway) along with supple cushioning. For more recommendations, see our guide to the best mattresses for stomach-sleepers.

People who have back pain need to pay particular attention to keeping their spines aligned. Research suggests that back-pain sufferers who slept on medium-firm mattresses felt more comfortable than those who didn’t. The fluffier-topped Novaform ComfortGrande foam mattress is on the medium end of medium-firm, while the flat-topped Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid) is on the firmer side. For a more supple feel (and a choice of firmness levels), try the innerspring Charles P. Rogers Estate SE or the all-latex Zenhaven; both are two-sided, with one side being medium-firm and the other a bit firmer. Our guide to the best mattresses for back pain includes more recommendations.

At Wirecutter, we’re always trying new mattresses and retesting our picks. Currently, we’re assessing a batch of hybrid mattresses, including:

Just because you might find raves on social media for a particular mattress brand doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a great mattress for you. What’s more, a brand’s most expensive model isn’t always its best offering, objectively speaking; sometimes you’ll get more for your money with an entry-level or mid-price design. In our mattress brand pages, we assess everything from the materials a company uses in its mattresses and the responsiveness of its customer service to online reviews and our own in-person testing—so you’re armed with the intel you need to make a smart decision.

Casper
Generally speaking, Casper mattresses are decent, but tend to be too expensive for what you get, with “special” features that probably aren’t that beneficial. However we think that the Casper Original probably has the most widespread appeal.

Helix
With mattresses for every firmness preference and sleep position, Helix offers more options than most online mattress companies.

Leesa
Over the years, Leesa has expanded from selling a single under-$1,000 all-foam mattress to offering hybrid, budget, and luxe beds. The reasonably priced, just-springy-enough Leesa Sapira Hybrid has consistently won over our testers since we first started assessing it back in 2018.

Purple
Purple’s unique line of mattresses is inspired by medical-grade cushions and designed with a proprietary gel foam. Most of our testers dismissed it as off-puttingly jiggly, but the two staffers and their spouses who’ve owned a Purple for at least a year say it has held up well. The Purple Mattress feels less jelly-like than the hybrid or the models above it.

The Saatva Company
The Saatva Company offers a range of mattress types, from innerspring, foam, and latex to a “plus-size” hybrid, an adjustable air bed, and kids’ beds. We think the Loom & Leaf has some of the best-quality materials you’ll find in an online all-foam mattress.

Tempur-Pedic
You can sample and compare all of Tempur-Pedic’s offerings at its many stores or partner retailers—which is a good thing, since people either love or hate its distinctive ultra-contouring, pressure-relieving sink. Our testers happen to love it, and even the entry-level Tempur-Adapt line offers an adequate taste of the technology.
Our pick: Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid)

Memory-foam haters looking for a cushiony bed that doesn’t have that sinky feel may appreciate Tuft & Needle’s offerings, which include two all-foam models, as well as a hybrid. So far we’ve tested the and the , and even though some of our long-term testers say theirs have softened over the years, they all like the foamy feel and think it’s a decent bed for the price.

Sleep Number
Sleep Number’s “smart” beds allow couples to adjust their sides to their firmness-level liking, as well as to track their sleep. The more cushioning you’d like, the pricier the model. If you’re accustomed to a plush bed, along with good support, we think you’ll have to skip the entry- and mid-level offerings and spring for the i8.

Worth considering: 360 i8 Smart Bed

Nectar
Nectar’s all-foam mattresses aren’t particularly distinctive, but their plusher feel, which is somewhat rare among memory-foam beds, may appeal to side-sleepers or those who prefer soft mattresses. We have concerns about durability, but Nectar’s beds come with a year-long trial and lifetime warranty. Of the three mattresses Nectar offers, the entry-level Nectar Original might be worth considering.