So you want to find the best mattress for your needs, but have no idea where to start. Not only are there choices to be found at brick-and-mortar establishments, but there are hundreds more swirling in the world of digital bed-in-a-box brands. So what are the best mattresses for 2023?
Well, keep in mind that the word “best” is somewhat subjective. Different sleepers require different characteristics from a bed, so what works for one person may not work for another. That’s why we kept a wide range of categories in mind when presenting our best mattresses. Our hope is that most folks should be able to find not just the “best” mattress, but the mattress that’s best for them.
Best Mattresses of 2023
- Best Overall Mattress – Helix Midnight
- Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers – DreamCloud Original
- Best Value Mattress – Nectar
- Best Affordable Luxury Mattress – Saatva
- Best Mattress for Couples – Emma CliMax
- Best Mattress for Heavy People – WinkBed Plus
- Best Cooling Mattress – Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
- Best Firm Mattress – Bear
- Best Mattress for Back Sleepers – Nectar Hybrid
- Best Hybrid Mattress – Nolah Evolution
Best Mattress 2023 Video Review
Compare the Best Mattresses of 2023
Helix Midnight Mattress
DreamCloud Original Mattress
Nectar Mattress
Saatva Mattress
Emma CliMax Hybrid
WinkBed Plus Mattress
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress
Bear Mattress
Nectar Hybrid Mattress
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Rating
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Medium-firm: 7/10
Soft: 6/10
Multiple firmness options
Firm: 7.5/10
Medium-firm: 7/10
Multiple firmness options
Medium-firm: 7/10
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Multiple firmness options
Material
Hybrid
Hybrid
Foam
Innerspring
Hybrid
Hybrid
Hybrid
Foam
Hybrid
Hybrid
Cooling
--
✓
--
✓
--
✓
✓
✓
--
--
Sleep Position
Back & Side
Back
Back & Side
Back & Stomach
Back & Stomach
Back & Stomach
Back & Side
Back
Back & Stomach
Back & Side
Helix Midnight – Best Overall Mattress
The Helix Midnight has a medium support level and bounce that will appeal to a wide range of sleep preferences. The Midnight also does an exceptional job of isolating motion, making it a great choice for couples that move around at night.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Helix Midnight has a medium support level and bounce that will appeal to a wide range of sleep preferences. The Midnight also does an exceptional job of isolating motion, making it a great choice for couples that move around at night.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Helix Midnight has a medium support level and bounce that will appeal to a wide range of sleep preferences. The Midnight also does an exceptional job of isolating motion, making it a great choice for couples that move around at night.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Helix Midnight Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Helix Midnight Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Helix Midnight Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Helix offers an extensive selection of mattresses, and the Midnight is right in the middle, firmness-wise. This hybrid mattress has a medium-firm feel that will appeal to a wide range of sleepers. It’s set at a great value for such a quality product; a queen size Helix Midnight can often be found for under $1,400 before discounts.
Why the Helix Midnight Suits Sleepers
Its memory foam will offer pressure relief while the coils below provide lots of support, creating a balanced feel that should suit most back and side sleepers.
Construction and Materials
Right off the bat, you’ll be greeted with a Tencel cooling cover that assists with temperature regulation. The cushioning feel of this mattress comes from the gel-infused pillow top and two additional foam layers. Poly foam, wrapped coils, and high-density foam provide support.
How It Tested
We like this bed for both back sleepers and side sleepers. It has a medium-firm feel that both of these sleepers should be happy with. The Helix Midnight probably isn’t a good fit for stomach sleepers or heavy sleepers who weigh more than 250 pounds. These folks will likely need a more supportive mattress. Check out the Helix Dawn mattress if you need something more stomach sleeper-friendly.
In terms of cooling, the Helix Midnight is a wonderful option. There are a number of cooling features in this mattress, including a cooling cover and cooling foam.
What else is there to know about this bed? Well, it’s a nice option for couples, thanks to great motion isolation, impressive edge support, and a breathable construction that keeps the bed cool. Plus, that medium-firm feel is the “universal comfort level,” meaning partners with slightly different firmness preferences will both likely find the Helix Midnight comfortable.
Learn more in our full Helix Midnight mattress review or click here for our best deal.
DreamCloud Original – Best Mattress for Combination Sleepers
The DreamCloud Mattress is a luxury hybrid mattress made with layers of memory foam and pocketed coils. It offers a great combination of support and pressure relief that back sleepers will really enjoy.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The DreamCloud Mattress is a luxury hybrid mattress made with layers of memory foam and pocketed coils. It offers a great combination of support and pressure relief that back sleepers will really enjoy.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The DreamCloud Mattress is a luxury hybrid mattress made with layers of memory foam and pocketed coils. It offers a great combination of support and pressure relief that back sleepers will really enjoy.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.DreamCloud Original Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Financing Options
DreamCloud Original Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Financing Options
DreamCloud Original Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for average weight back sleepers.
Financing Options
The DreamCloud is a luxury hybrid, meaning it’s similar to the type of mattress you’d sleep on in a high-end hotel. Even though it’s the brand’s most popular model, that doesn’t mean it comes with an exorbitant price tag. You can often find a queen size for under $1,000 after discounts.
Why the DreamCloud Suits Combination Sleepers
As a hybrid balancing both cushioning foam and sturdy coils, it offers a lot of firm support. This puts it at a 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale, which is just above medium-firm. The resulting “on top of” feel should help combination sleepers easily switch positions throughout the night.
Construction and Materials
Among the materials in this affordable luxury mattress are multiple layers of cushy memory foam, a denser poly foam toward the bottom, and a stretch of targeted coils as the support layer. To top it off, there’s a cashmere blend cover for an extra luxurious feel.
How It Tested
We think this medium-firm bed could be a great fit for back sleepers, as they need a lot of support to keep their spines neutrally aligned while also getting requisite pressure relief to prevent pain at the lower back. They should feel like they’re on top of the bed and, at the same time, get a little bit of a hug from the memory foam. Combination sleepers should appreciate how easy it is to switch positions on this mattress. However, some strict side sleepers will likely find this bed too firm, and strict stomach sleepers will find it too soft.
The memory foam has an infusion of cooling gel, keeping it from trapping heat like traditional memory foam does. And the bed’s coils make room for quite a bit of airflow.
This is a great choice for couples. Although it doesn’t isolate large movements, the DreamCloud does a decent job of trapping your partner’s small movements, promoting a restful sleep. This bed is plenty responsive for sex and boasts impressive edge support, so you can your partner can spread out on this mattress.
Learn more in our full DreamCloud mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Nectar – Best Value Mattress
The original Nectar mattress is a pressure-relieving, yet supportive bed. It’s also a good budget option made with a thick layer of gel memory foam, which allows the sleeper to really sink into its surface. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The original Nectar mattress is a pressure-relieving, yet supportive bed. It’s also a good budget option made with a thick layer of gel memory foam, which allows the sleeper to really sink into its surface. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The original Nectar mattress is a pressure-relieving, yet supportive bed. It’s also a good budget option made with a thick layer of gel memory foam, which allows the sleeper to really sink into its surface. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Nectar Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Nectar Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Nectar Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it — mattresses can be incredibly expensive. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune just to get some quality Zzz’s. For example, the Nectar mattress is an excellent value buy that packs a serious comfort punch without breaking the bank.
Why the Nectar Suits Budget Shoppers
Often priced at under $1,000 for a queen size after discounts, this memory foam bed is made with five inches of plush gel memory foam. This allows for ample sinkage and deep body-contouring.
Construction and Materials
A moisture-wicking cooling cover tops off a memory foam comfort layer, responsive transition foam, and high-density base foam.
How It Tested
The Nectar has enough support in its high-density foam below for back sleepers, who should enjoy the medium firmness of the mattress. Thanks to the memory foam, side sleepers should also feel some intense pressure relief and cushiony support at the shoulders and hips. The Nectar isn’t the best fit for combination sleepers, who usually need a mattress that’s springier and more responsive. Stomach sleepers require a more supportive mattress.
With cooling gel-infused memory foam, the Nectar sleeps a bit cooler than traditional foam mattresses. However, if you sleep especially hot, you’ll want a bed with a more breathable construction.
One great thing about memory foam is that it absorbs a ton of motion across the structure, which makes the Nectar a great pick for couples. And if anyone’s in search of a super-soft bed, they should check out the brand’s Nectar Premier, which has some additional bells and whistles.
Learn more in our full Nectar mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Saatva Classic – Best Affordable Luxury Mattress
The Saatva’s coil-on-coil construction provides a classic innerspring feel. It's a good option for combo sleepers, who will want to feel free to switch positions and avoid feeling “stuck” in the mattress. It comes in three firmness levels, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Saatva’s coil-on-coil construction provides a classic innerspring feel. It's a good option for combo sleepers, who will want to feel free to switch positions and avoid feeling “stuck” in the mattress. It comes in three firmness levels, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Saatva’s coil-on-coil construction provides a classic innerspring feel. It's a good option for combo sleepers, who will want to feel free to switch positions and avoid feeling “stuck” in the mattress. It comes in three firmness levels, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Saatva Mattress
Material
Innerspring
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free white glove delivery
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight, average weight, and heavyweight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.
Financing Options
Saatva Mattress
Material
Innerspring
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free white glove delivery
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight, average weight, and heavyweight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.
Financing Options
Saatva Mattress
Material
Innerspring
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free white glove delivery
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight, average weight, and heavyweight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.
Financing Options
When you test as many beds as we do, it’s hard to pick a favorite. But the Saatva Classic is such a sturdy, high-quality mattress that offers a luxury feel at a more affordable price, so it had to be our choice for Best Affordable Luxury mattress. The Saatva is an innerspring mattress that comes in three different firmness options: Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm.
Why the Saatva Suits Luxury Shoppers
Of course, the Saatva is a luxurious option because of its quality materials. But it has to be mentioned that the brand offers free white glove delivery service with every mattress. That means a delivery team will bring the (uncompressed) mattress into your room of choice, set it up, and remove your old mattress… at no additional cost. Now that’s quality customer service!
Construction and Materials
It’s made with an organic cotton cover, a 3-inch Euro pillow top, pocketed coils, zoned support memory foam, and a base layer of steel coils. Plus, there’s foam edge support wrapped around the coils. This reinforcement gives the Saatva some of the strongest edge support we’ve seen, allowing you to use the entire surface area of the mattress.
How It Tested
With its innerspring feel, the Saatva has fairly high motion transfer, which means if you sleep with a partner and are easily disturbed at night, you’re likely to feel their movements. Keep this in mind if you’re a couple. Still, the Saatva boasts a nice and bouncy feel for amorous activities, along with stellar edge support.
With so many coils in its construction, there’s a lot of room for airflow in the Saatva and it sleeps nice and cool.
Having three different firmness options, the Saatva can work well for a variety of sleeping positions and body types. The Luxury Firm model we tested is particularly well-suited for stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and heavy sleepers who weigh 250 pounds or more. Side sleepers may want to opt for the Plush Soft version for pressure relief around the shoulders and hips.
Learn more in our full Saatva mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Emma CliMax – Best Mattress for Couples
The Emma CliMax Hybrid is a firm, supportive, and bouncy mattress. Emma designed it with two specific groups in mind: couples and plus-sized sleepers.
The Emma CliMax Hybrid is a firm, supportive, and bouncy mattress. Emma designed it with two specific groups in mind: couples and plus-sized sleepers.
The Emma CliMax Hybrid is a firm, supportive, and bouncy mattress. Emma designed it with two specific groups in mind: couples and plus-sized sleepers.
Emma CliMax Hybrid
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Emma CliMax Hybrid
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Emma CliMax Hybrid
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
The Emma CliMax Hybrid mattress was designed specifically for couples and heavy sleepers over 300 pounds. But sleepers of other weights might find what they need on the Emma CliMax Hybrid if they prefer a firmer and more supportive mattress. This support is fantastic in many cases, especially if you share the bed with someone.
Why the Emma CliMax Suits Couples
When it comes to the best mattress for couples, they’re going to need something that’s supportive, cooling, and good for sex. The Emma CliMax Hybrid checks all three of these boxes. It boasts many cooling features and it’s very easy to switch positions on the mattress — a crucial element for sex.
Materials and Construction
Heavy sleepers can get more than enough support from the dense foams in the transition layer, individually wrapped coils, and high-density foundation foam. But sleepers can still receive adequate pressure relief from the breathable foam in the comfort layer and soft, hypoallergenic cover.
How It Tested
As we said, this bed was built with heavier sleepers in mind. For context, the mattress should feel about a 7.5 or 8 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale for lightweight or average-weight sleepers. So if you’re a lightweight or average-weight sleeper who prefers a softer feel than what this bed offers, you may want to look at one of Emma’s other mattresses, the Emma Original.
Of course, this is a great bed for cooling. The layer of coils is pocketed and zoned for dynamic support, and it has a soft and breathable cover.
We should also point out that the Emma CliMax’s coils are wrapped in foam, which gives the mattress increased edge support. That means couples can spread out on the mattress and still feel supported.
Read our full Emma CliMax mattress review to learn more or click here for our best deal.
WinkBed Plus – Best Mattress for Heavy People
Built with heavy people in mind, the WinkBed Plus has a bouncy and supportive feel, which is especially good for combination sleepers and back sleepers. It's also a great mattress for couples. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. Built with heavy people in mind, the WinkBed Plus has a bouncy and supportive feel, which is especially good for combination sleepers and back sleepers. It's also a great mattress for couples. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. Built with heavy people in mind, the WinkBed Plus has a bouncy and supportive feel, which is especially good for combination sleepers and back sleepers. It's also a great mattress for couples. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.WinkBed Plus Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight stomach sleepers.
Financing Options
WinkBed Plus Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight stomach sleepers.
Financing Options
WinkBed Plus Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight back sleepers.
Stomach Sleeping
Ideal for heavyweight stomach sleepers.
Financing Options
If you’re a heavier sleeper (250 pounds and over), then you need a mattress that’s going to adequately support you. Fortunately, the WinkBed comes in four firmness levels: Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, and finally, the Plus, which is made with reinforced steel coils designed for heavier folks.
Why the WinkBed Suits Heavy People
The WinkBed Plus includes many support layers and high-quality foams that handle the compression with heavy weights. It offers enough pressure relief for heavier side sleepers, but also plenty of support for stomach sleepers, who especially need their hips elevated and their spine aligned throughout the night.
Construction and Materials
The WinkBed Plus’ hybrid construction gives you some gentle pressure relief from its quilted pillow top layer and plenty of firm support from its pocketed coil support layer. The mattress also offers zoned support (a combination of softer and firmer foams, depending on the area) to help you alleviate aches and pains, especially on your back.
How It Tested
This luxury mattress has a bouncy and supportive feel, which is especially good for combination sleepers and back sleepers. Because it’s designed for heavier sleepers, the WinkBed Plus is likely going to be too firm for lightweight sleepers. However, they might be comfortable on the Luxury Firm or Soft model, which should allow them to compress into the bed’s layers and get some pressure relief.
Outside of the WinkBed Plus’ heightened support and durability, it should be extremely cool-sleeping. There’s a breathable cover made from eco-friendly Tencel, and the coils allow for a ton of airflow. This should help heavier sleepers keep a low temperature throughout the night.
With great motion isolation, bounciness for sex, and solid cooling capabilities, couples should adore this mattress. The strengthened springs also result in extra-strong edge support, allowing you to spread out all the way to the end of the bed.
Learn more in our full WinkBed Plus mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe – Best Cooling Mattress
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe is a hybrid bed-in-a-box mattress. It comes in three firmness levels, so sleepers can pick the best one for their needs. It also has cooling tech in nearly every layer, which means it sleeps super cool!
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe is a hybrid bed-in-a-box mattress. It comes in three firmness levels, so sleepers can pick the best one for their needs. It also has cooling tech in nearly every layer, which means it sleeps super cool!
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe is a hybrid bed-in-a-box mattress. It comes in three firmness levels, so sleepers can pick the best one for their needs. It also has cooling tech in nearly every layer, which means it sleeps super cool!
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from back pain.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for average weight side sleepers.
Financing Options
When selecting the best mattress, one of the most important factors to consider is cooling. If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night hot and sweaty, it poorly affects your quality of sleep. Sleeping with a partner also creates extra body heat. Luckily, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe is a hybrid bed with multiple firmness options and excellent cooling abilities.
Why the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Suits Hot Sleepers
As outlined in the next section, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe has an impressive set of cooling features that should keep you cool throughout the night. And because Brooklyn Bedding manufactures mattresses in their own factory, they price their models lower than other brands. Not only are you getting a high-quality cooling mattress, but also one at an excellent value.
Construction and Materials
Its cover includes Phase Change Material, which literally feels cool to the touch. The foam in the comfort layer and transition layer is infused with copper and gel for cooling. The support layer of the mattress incorporates pocketed coils for additional airflow.
How It Tested
Because you can select from a variety of firmnesses, most sleepers should find a version that suits their needs. However, we like it best for side sleepers, since its luxury comfort layers provide lots of cushioning and joint pain relief.
Of course, its cooling is absolutely stellar, and it should have everything you need to keep your body heat at bay.
This mattress is good for couples. The comfort layers trap movement well, but the mattress is still responsive enough for sex. However, the Aurora Luxe’s edge support was less than favorable. So, heavier folks, couples, or those wanting to make full use of the mattress surface might want to look elsewhere.
Learn more in our full Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Bear – Best Firm Mattress
Bear Mattress
I appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
Material
Foam
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Mattress
I appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Bear Mattress
I appreciate the firm and responsive feel of the Bear mattress. Its combination of support and pressure relief makes it an awesome option for anyone struggling with back pain. The Celliant cover also does a great job of keeping the mattress cool.
Material
Foam
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
If you often overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
At a 7 out of 10 on our firmness scale, the all-foam Bear should appeal to folks in search of a firm and supportive bed. It’s also a wonderful choice for athletes because of its Celliant cover, which is cooling and purportedly promotes blood flow and recovery.
Why the Bear Suits Those Wanting a Firm Feel
The firmness of this mattress comes from a thick layer of high-density support foam at the bottom, topped by a thinner layer of responsive transition foam. So, while it has a firmer feel, you should still get some cushioning and pressure relief.
Construction and Materials
As an all-foam mattress, the Bear uses layers of pressure-relieving foams and higher-density foams beneath its breathable cover. However, it may not be as durable as an innerspring or hybrid mattress. To give you some context, foam beds tend to last five to seven years, while beds with coils in them can last seven to 10 years.
How It Tested
There should be more than enough support here for back sleepers, and they’ll also get a little bit of pressure relief from the memory foam layer. However, because it has such a balanced feel, it may not be soft enough for strict side sleepers or firm enough for strict stomach sleepers.
The comfort layer of memory foam is infused with graphite gel. This helps the mattress stay cool, as does a cover of breathable, lightweight material called Celliant.
We think it’s a solid mattress for couples. Being a foam bed, the Bear isolates motion well, but it’s still responsive enough for sex. It sleeps pretty cool and even scored decently in edge support.
Learn more in our full Bear mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Nectar Hybrid – Best Mattress for Back Sleepers
The Nectar Classic Hybrid has the same popular layers of foam found in other Nectar beds that offer pressure relief and comfort, but the coils inside the hybrid also bring sleepers extra support and airflow.
The Nectar Classic Hybrid has the same popular layers of foam found in other Nectar beds that offer pressure relief and comfort, but the coils inside the hybrid also bring sleepers extra support and airflow.
The Nectar Classic Hybrid has the same popular layers of foam found in other Nectar beds that offer pressure relief and comfort, but the coils inside the hybrid also bring sleepers extra support and airflow.
Nectar Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Nectar Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Nectar Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping minus HI and AK
Price Range
$$$$$
When selecting a mattress for back-sleeping, perhaps the most important thing to look for is a bed with a more balanced feel. Back sleepers require a medium-firm mattress that provides pressure relief for the lumbar region but also keeps the hips elevated and the spine in proper alignment. The Nectar Hybrid, which offers that balance, is our top pick for back-sleeping.
Why the Nectar Hybrid Suits Back Sleepers
Responsive foam, supportive coils, and a layer of base foam all provide support and should keep back sleepers’ hips lifted throughout the night. With durable materials and a firmness of 6.5 out of 10, we recommend this mattress for back sleepers of most body types.
Construction and Materials
The Nectar Hybrid’s cover is made to be cooling. It also includes antimicrobial protection, which prevents bacterial growth. The comfort layer beneath is gel-infused for cooling and works to provide pressure relief. For support, there’s a responsive transition layer, an eight-inch section of individually wrapped coils, and one inch of base foam.
How It Tested
Its balanced feel should suit back sleepers of all body types. Stomach sleepers require a firm mattress, but lightweight stomach sleepers should feel quite comfortable. Generally, we’d recommend side sleepers select a more pressure-relieving mattress.
As far as cooling goes, the Nectar Hybrid should do a great job. It incorporates a number of cooling features throughout: a cooling cover, gel-infused foam, and breathable coils.
It’s also a great choice for couples because of its good motion isolation and solid edge support.
Learn more in our full Nectar Hybrid mattress review or click here for our best deal.
Nolah Evolution – Best Hybrid Mattress
The Nolah Evolution provides good pressure relief and body contouring. It’s a great choice for side sleepers, and back sleepers who like a softer mattress will enjoy it too. The soft pillow top is a great touch for shoulder or hip pain as well.
The Nolah Evolution provides good pressure relief and body contouring. It’s a great choice for side sleepers, and back sleepers who like a softer mattress will enjoy it too. The soft pillow top is a great touch for shoulder or hip pain as well.
The Nolah Evolution provides good pressure relief and body contouring. It’s a great choice for side sleepers, and back sleepers who like a softer mattress will enjoy it too. The soft pillow top is a great touch for shoulder or hip pain as well.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Being a hybrid mattress, the Nolah Evolution combines various foams with a bottom layer of coils for a mixture of comfort and support. It comes in three different firmness levels: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. We’d say the Luxury Firm is a tad on the softer side, scoring a 6 out of 10 on our firmness scale (for context, medium-firm is 6.5 out of 10). This makes the Nolah Evolution in the Plush and Luxury Firm models an especially good match for side sleepers, who should feel some fantastic pressure relief as their shoulders and hips sink into the comfort layer. Back sleepers should do best on the Luxury Firm model, while stomach sleepers should opt for the Firm model.
Why the Nolah Evolution Suits Hybrid Fans
The Nolah Evolution, especially in the Luxury Firm model, gets its balanced medium firmness from its combination of comforting and supportive materials. As a hybrid, the Nolah Evolution incorporates foam and coils in its construction. These materials are durable, helping this mattress last quite a while.
Construction and Materials
You’ll first meet a luxurious organic cotton cover, which is thick and should provide some initial cushioning. The comfort section is made of not one, but two layers of foam: two inches of ArcticTex fibers and a stretch of AirFoamICE. Both of these materials are designed to keep the sleeper cool. Beneath is a durable transition layer, sturdy support coils, and a high-density foam foundation layer.
How It Tested
As mentioned, the Nolah Evolution comes in three different firmness levels: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. While we tested the Luxury Firm and didn’t find it to be a good fit for average-weight stomach sleepers, the Firm model might work for these folks. That said, we wouldn’t recommend any of the Nolah Evolution models for heavy sleepers over 250 pounds. They’ll want to look for a more supportive mattress.
The Nolah Evolution has two different cooling foams in its comfort layer, as well as breathable cotton in its cover. So, hot sleepers should enjoy this mattress.
It’s also a comfy choice for couples. During testing, we found it had decent motion isolation, which traps smaller movements. Couples will be able to stretch out because of the bed’s exceptional edge support. At eight inches tall, the Nolah Evolution’s springs are wrapped in Edge-Tech support foam, which holds up the sides of the bed, as well as the middle.
Learn more in our full Nolah Evolution mattress review or click here for our best deal.
How To Find the Best Mattress for You
If you didn’t find a mattress you wanted above, you might benefit from one of our more specific mattress guides. Below are a few of my recommendations based on body type, age, sleep position, and pain management, and more. You can also take a look at our How to Choose a Mattress Buying Guide, and if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, consider taking our mattress quiz for a personalized recommendation.
Sleeping Position
- Side sleepers do best on soft to medium-firm mattresses that cushion pressure points at their hips and shoulders. Check out our best mattresses for side sleepers.
- Back sleepers need an appropriate balance of pressure relief and support to keep their spines in a straight line, and they’ll typically find that in a medium-firm mattress. They can find some high-quality options in the best mattress for back sleepers roundup.
- Stomach sleepers need a firm bed that keeps their hips aligned with their shoulders. Learn more about why that’s important in our best mattresses for stomach sleepers.
- Combination sleepers usually prefer mattresses that are easy to move around and change positions on. We recommend these sleepers stick to a bouncy mattress with a medium-firm feel, like the ones in our best mattresses for combo sleepers.
Mattress Construction
- Innerspring mattresses rely on coil support systems. They often have a firm, bouncy feel and work well for stomach, back, and combination sleepers. You can check out our best innerspring mattresses to learn more.
- Hybrid mattresses use a mix of foam and coil support, and their feels vary widely. Check out the best hybrid mattresses to find out more.
- Foam mattresses don’t include any coil support. They use layers of foam to both cushion and support the sleeper. Memory foam mattresses are a popular type of all-foam mattress that offer a lot of body-contouring and pressure relief. Take a look at the best memory foam mattresses to learn more about these beds.
- Latex mattresses are often made with eco-friendly Dunlop or Talalay latex foam. These beds are naturally cooling and bouncy. Combination sleepers and heavy people often like these beds. Check out the best latex mattresses for more on this natural material.
- Air mattresses use air to support the sleeper overnight! Some of the best adjustable beds are advanced air mattresses. Learn more in our roundup of best air mattresses.
Pain Management
Choosing a sleep surface that helps mitigate pain is especially important for sleepers who live with chronic pain. We’ve selected mattress options that could help with several different types of pain. Depending on what you need, we’d recommend looking at the best mattresses for shoulder pain, best mattresses for back pain, best mattresses for hip pain, or best mattresses for sciatica articles to learn more about pain management solutions.
Price
- If you want a durable value mattress, check out the best cheap mattresses.
- If you’re more interested in finding a high-quality bed that’s worth the price, take a look at the best mattresses for the money.
- If you’re on a strict budget, see our best mattresses under $1,000 and the best mattresses under $500.
Hot Sleepers / Cooling Technology
- If you’re looking for a mattress that sleeps cool, we’d recommend opting for a latex, hybrid, or innerspring mattress. These beds tend to promote airflow, which is important for keeping a low temperature at night.
- You can see our favorite breathable beds in our roundup of best cooling mattresses.
Body Type and Body Weight
- Light sleepers (under 130 pounds) will often find mattresses firmer than average-weight sleepers. We’d recommend these sleepers take a look at the best soft mattresses to make sure they get the pressure relief they need.
- Heavy sleepers (over 250 pounds) need a bed that offers extra support to prevent premature mattress sagging. Overall durability and edge support are usually important concerns. To learn how to choose a mattress for your body type, visit our page for best mattresses for heavy people.
- Kids have rapidly growing and changing bodies with specific sleep needs! Learn how to prioritize your child’s sleep health in our best mattresses for kids.
- Seniors (over 65) generally prefer more traditional feeling mattresses that offer mobility and support, but are still gentle on sensitive joints. We’d recommend taking a look at our best mattresses for seniors to find a feel that will work well for you.
- Teens are still growing, and they have specific sleep needs, too! Learn more about choosing a comfortable mattress for them in our best mattresses for teenagers.
Sleeping with a Partner
- If you share a bed with a partner (or pet!), it’s important to choose a mattress that features low motion transfer. We’d recommend taking a look at the best mattresses for couples for some examples, as well as beds with impressive edge support, cooling features, and other needs that couples may consider.
- Similarly, couples in search of the best mattresses for sex can check out our guide for beds that are responsive and comfortable enough for getting close.
How Do We Pick The Best Mattresses?
Our Testing Process
So, why should you trust our opinion on which mattresses are best? Well, the Sleepopolis team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches has tested more than 220 mattresses in our mattress lab with our tried and true methods. And, we often work with sleep experts to ensure we’re bringing you the most up-to-date info possible.
When we test a new mattress, we lie on it (obviously!) to give you our personal opinions on its feel, but we don’t ask you to take our word for it. Once we’ve tried the mattress ourselves, we test it with a pressure map, seismometer, and more methods to give you objective measures of a bed’s motion transfer, pressure relief, bounce, and edge support capabilities. We also evaluate our test mattresses layer by layer to examine their materials and cooling tech. This helps us ensure each brand is living up to its marketing promises. Take a look below to learn more about our testing processes!
Pressure Relief
One of our most important tests is for pressure relief. Pressure relief is a measure of how evenly distributed your weight is on a mattress. A mattress with great pressure relief cushions pressure points at the shoulders, hips, and lower back to prevent you from waking up stiff and sore in the morning. A few examples of pressure-relieving beds can be found in our best pillow top mattresses article.
To test out pressure relief, we use a pressure map test. A reviewer lies down on a pressure mat (like the one you see above) in several different sleeping positions. The mat records the pressure exerted and creates a “pressure map” that shows areas of low pressure in blue, medium low pressure in green, medium pressure in yellow, medium high pressure in orange, and high pressure in red. Those results let us know how pressure-relieving a mattress will be in each of the main sleeping positions. Take a look at an example of a pressure map result below!
Bounce
Our bounce test lets us know how responsive a mattress is. This is important for combination sleepers who need a responsive bed that’s easy to move around and change positions on. It’s also important for couples looking for a mattress that’s well-suited for sex.
Our bounce test is quite simple, we just drop a 10 pound steel ball onto the mattress and measure how high it bounces! The higher the ball bounces, the more responsive the mattress. Latex mattresses tend to do quite well on this test. Take a look at us performing the bounce test below.
Motion Transfer
Another important test is our motion transfer test. Motion transfer is a measure of how much movement travels from one side of the mattress to the other. If you sleep with a partner or pet, this is a measure of whether or not you’ll feel disturbed by them tossing and turning at night. We use a seismometer and a steel ball (like you see below) to measure motion transfer.
During this test, we drop the steel ball onto the mattress from heights of four inches, eight inches, and 12 inches to mimic various movements, from tossing and turning to jumping on the bed. The seismometer records all this motion and creates a graphic like the one below. A graphic with small lines tells us a mattress is good at isolating motion. Large lines tell us that you’ll likely feel disturbed by a restless partner on a certain mattress.
Edge Support
Our edge support test lets us know if you can sleep (or sit) all the way on the edge of a mattress without feeling like it might collapse. Innerspring mattresses often have very strong edges. Edge support is important because strong edges can make your mattress feel a little bigger since you can spread out across its entire surface area. Strong edge support also prevents premature sagging in the middle of your mattress, because you’re able to evenly distribute your weight.
Our edge support test is very simple, we just sit and lie all the way on the edge of the bed!
Materials
After all that testing, we open up each mattress’ cover to evaluate the materials inside. We go over each foam layer-by-layer to explain how the bed works to you. We also look for things like hypoallergenic covers, eco-friendly materials, CertiPUR-US® Certified foams, and cooling technology.
Value and Policies
Once we’ve tested out a mattress’ feel, materials, and performance, our team evaluates each bed’s price, mattress warranty, shipping policies, sleep trial period, and customer service teams in the context of the mattress industry overall. This is how we decide if you’re getting a good deal on your new bed! All of our reviewers have great mattress knowledge to share and strive to offer informative, honest reviews of all of the beds they test. From there, we come up with an overall score for every mattress.
Choosing the Best Mattress
After all of our tests and evaluations are complete, it’s time to actually choose the beds.
Since we wanted our roundup of Best Mattresses of 2023 to truly represent the best of the best, we took each bed’s overall score into account. All of the mattresses on this list have an overall score of 4 out of 5 or above. Click here to learn more about our methodology.
Buying a Mattress Online vs In-Store?
You might have noticed that all the mattresses we’ve recommended above are available online. That’s because the Sleepopolis team prefers buying mattresses in the digital space. But, whether you should buy a mattress online or in stores really depends on your preferences. To learn more about what works for you, check out our In Store vs Online Mattress Buying Guide.
We prefer buying online because online mattress retailers cut out overhead costs like salespeople and showrooms, which means you can normally save more money by choosing an online mattress. We also find buying online and having a bed shipped to my door more convenient! Regardless of what you decide, Iwed recommend checking out our mattress coupons and promo codes page before purchase to ensure you get a good deal.
FAQs
How much should I spend on a mattress?
While this is going to depend on your individual budget, a value mattress is generally considered to be one that's under $1,000 for a Queen-size. So set that as your spending limit if you're looking to save money. We think the Nectar is an excellent cheap mattress, and you can often get the luxury DreamCloud for under $1,000 after discounts.
When is the best time to buy a mattress?
Many bedding brands launch huge sales around federal holidays, so keep an eye out for deals around President’s Day, Memorial Day, and even Labor Day! You'll also naturally find a ton of deals around Black Friday. Check out our mattress coupons and promo codes page year-round to stay up to date on the latest discounts.
How often should I replace my mattress?
In general, you should replace your old mattress every 7–10 years. However, a mattress can sag prematurely if you don’t place it on a proper foundation or treat it roughly. You can also extend the life of an old mattress for a few months by adding a mattress topper. Whenever you're buying a new bed, it's important to take a look at its warranty, which can also give you a good idea of how long it should last.
What is the best mattress for back pain?
Most people who struggle with back pain find that a firm or medium-firm mattress is best for them. This type of bed will help you keep your spine straight overnight, which can help alleviate a lot of pain. To find a mattress that can help with your specific back pain, check out our roundup of the best mattresses for back pain.
What's the best mattress for stomach sleepers?
Of all the sleeping positions, stomach sleepers require the most support. With that in mind, they're best off with a bed that's reinforced with pocketed coils. If they're looking at the mattresses on this list, the WinkBeds Plus and the Saatva could be good options. For a more expansive selection, they can always check out our roundup of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers.
What's the best mattress for side sleepers?
Side sleepers are on the other end of the spectrum from stomach sleepers. While they still require some support, they tend to prefer softer beds (or medium-firm) that have a lot of cushioning for their shoulders hips. Many of the mattresses on this list should be a great match for side sleepers, most notably the Helix Midnight. We also have a roundup of the best mattresses for side sleepers.
The Best Rated Mattresses of 2023
That’s it for our breakdown of the best mattresses of the year! If you’re interested in a side-by-side comparison of these beds, take a look at the chart below.
| Mattress | Best For | Price (Queen) | Coupon | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helix Midnight | Best Overall | $1,374 | Helix Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| DreamCloud | Combination Sleepers | $1,798 | DreamCloud Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Nectar | Value | $999 | Nectar Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Saatva | Best Affordable Luxury | $1,995 | Saatva Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Emma CliMax | Couples | $1,599 | Emma Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| WinkBed Plus | Heavy People | $1,999 | WinkBeds Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe | Cooling | $1,874 | Brooklyn Bedding Coupon | |
| Bear | Firm | $998 | Bear Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Nectar Hybrid | Back Sleepers | $1,199 | Nectar Coupon | Read Our Review! |
| Nolah Evolution | Hybrid | $2,299 | Nolah Coupon | Read Our Review! |
