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Our Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed more than 300 mattresses in our lab, testing each one on its materials, comfort, cooling, support, and other categories.
We’ve recently re-evaluated our picks for the best cooling mattresses and added more insight from our testers in the lab. If it’s on this list, you can be confident we’ve personally tested it and the bed has gel infusions, coils for airflow, or another added feature that helps keep sleepers cool.
Are you a hot sleeper? You’re not alone! This is one of the most common complaints we hear about at Sleepopolis. Many factors can impact how hot you sleep, including the temperature of your home, the climate you live in, whether you share a bed with a partner or pet, or your sleeping preference. Fortunately, finding the best cooling mattress — combined with other cooling bedding accessories — can help you stay fresh and comfortable all night long.
At Sleepopolis, we put each of our reviewed mattresses through a series of rigorous tests to see how well they perform in a number of categories: motion isolation, responsiveness, pain relief, and more. Of course, for the best cooling mattresses, we wanted to pay special attention to the quality of each product’s cooling properties. All of the below mattress have either an added cooling feature or a construction that promotes airflow.
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors
Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers, Back Pain, Seniors, Hip Pain
Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Seniors
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers
Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors,
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Back Pain, Hot Sleepers, Seniors
Hot Sleepers, Back Pain, Side Sleepers
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers, Hip Pain, Seniors
Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers, Hip Pain,
What We Look For In The Best Cooling Mattresses
Breathable Materials
When searching for the best cooling mattresses, we paid special attention to construction to make sure the materials promote ultimate airflow. We looked for mattresses that contain coils, which help prevent hot air from getting trapped, and foams that designed to sleep cool.
Cooling Technologies
Many mattress brands have incorporated cooling technology in their beds specifically for folk who tend to sleep hot. Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches put these mattresses through rigorous testing to ensure these technologies are legit and can keep you cool all night long.
Motion Isolation
Motion isolation refers to how well a bed masks movement from one side of the bed to the other. We put each mattress through various tests to get an accurate picture of how likely you are to be disturbed by any tossing and turning from your partner, pet, or child. Through our human, red wine, and seismometer tests, we know which mattresses absorb motion and which don’t hide movement. We also made sure to use a pressure map to test how well each mattress performed at pressure relief while still isolating motion across the bed.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.3
Helix
Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress
Medium-Soft Comfort
Cooling Pillow Top
Zoned Support
Hybrid
100 nights
Free shipping
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Hybrid, combining foam and zoned support coils for a supportive feel.
Firmness
The Helix Midnight Luxe is a medium-soft to medium-firm bed in the brand’s luxury line of hybrids, coming in at a 6 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale (1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest).
Price
$1,373–$2,873 (before any discounts)
Size
Twin, twin XL, full. queen, short queen, king, California king, RV king
Back Sleepers
The springs in the Helix Midnight Luxe should help back sleepers maintain a neutral posture.
Side Sleepers
The pillow top and layer of memory foam should give these folks plenty of softness and contouring.
Pros of the Helix Midnight Luxe
The luxury version of the standard Helix Midnight comes with a pillow top and Tencel cover.
The Midnight Luxe should sleep fairly cool, thanks to its airflow-promoting coils and breathable Tencel cover.
The springs give the Helix Midnight Luxe a good deal of bounce and responsiveness that should make it easy for combination sleepers to change. positions
Cons of the Helix Midnight Luxe
The softness of this mattress isn’t going to be an ideal fit for stomach sleepers. They’ll need something more supportive to keep their hips elevated and in line with their shoulders. See our best mattresses for stomach sleepers for more options.
Likewise, heavy sleepers over 250 pounds will likely need a firmer and more supportive mattress. They should look at our best mattresses for heavy people.
Shipping
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Returns
Free refunds after 30 days, as long as it’s still within the 100-night trial period.
Helix has a line of six hybrid mattresses, each with a different level of firmness. The Midnight is one of their medium models. It has enough contouring for side sleepers, but should still be supportive enough for back sleepers, as long as they don’t mind a softer bed. Learn more in our video review.
Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress Scores
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
Our top pick for cooling mattresses for hot sleepers is the Helix Midnight Luxe. This hybrid mattress combines memory foam with pocketed coils to offer a supportive combination of bounce and pressure relief. When we lie down on it, we can tell that the coils have excellent airflow, and like all of Helix’s Luxe models, the Midnight Luxe comes outfitted with some additional luxurious touches. It even includes a special Tencel cover that’s ultra-breathable.
During testing, we liked the Midnight Luxe’s added pillow top (a feature of every mattress in the upgraded Luxe line). This provides more contouring and softness at the shoulders and hips, which is excellent for a lot of sleepers. We also noticed how cooling the mattress feels and stays during our temperature test. Overall, this is an excellent mattress for temperature regulation, support, and comfort.
How the Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress Performed In Our Cooling Test
While materials are important in determining a mattress’s cooling capabilities, we also test each bed with a thermal gun, which measures its temperature when no one’s lying on it and after one of our testers has laid on it for five minutes. This tells us how quickly a bed heats up. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
As you can see above, the Helix Midnight Luxe only heated up 3.3 degrees, indicating excellent cooling.
What Customers Say
The plush pillow top and comfort layer are positively commented on by many shoppers. Some report that the mattress helped a lot with joint pain. We think the most affordable and most convenient way to purchase a Helix is online, but if you want to test out the company’s mattresses for yourself, you can do so in the showrooms of many of their brand partners.
Highlights of the Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress
The coils in the bottom layer of the mattress promote consistent airflow throughout the night, which should help keep you cool for the entire night. They also help provide additional support and durability.
The foam layer on top has an infusion of copper, which should also help with cooling.
The mattress performed well in motion isolation, edge support, and even responsiveness, so it’s a fantastic option for partners who share a bed.
What to Keep in Mind about the Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress
Heavier sleepers (those over 250 pounds) may get the support they need on the Helix Midnight Luxe, but the materials might feel too soft. Luckily, Helix also has a mattress specifically designed for larger body types — the Helix Plus mattress — that’s worth looking into, or customers can take a look at our roundup of the best mattresses for heavy sleepers.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
The Nectar Luxe Hybrid is a supportive and comfortable bed with a medium-soft feel that works well for back sleepers. Some side sleepers or back/side combo sleepers could also do well on this bed. It also provides a cool sleep experience, thanks to breathable coils and effective cooling tech.
What our tester says:
“I like how this mattress can work for a wide variety of sleepers. It’s pressure relieving, supportive, and durable — which is great for back sleepers, side sleepers, and couples.” – Nichole Mondshein, lead reviewer and staff writer
Nectar Luxe Hybrid Mattress Scores
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
We’ve chosen the Nectar Luxe Hybrid (formerly known as the Nectar Premier Copper Hybrid) for this list because of its high-tech, high-quality features. Yes, its hybrid construction does allow for cooling, thanks to a layer of coils for airflow. But there’s more than the eye can see. When we lie down on its surface, we feel incredibly cool, thanks to its cool-to-the-touch, breathable cover.
One of the most luxurious parts about the Nectar Luxe Hybrid is its delicate balance of comfort and support. During testing, we performed our pressure map test, which entails using a special map that uses body heat to tell us exactly how much pressure a mattress puts on certain areas. For the Nectar Luxe Hybrid, the medium-soft feel should feel especially comfortable to back sleepers, as the map showed a lot of blue and green, indicating low pressure. For side sleepers, there was a bit more green at the hip, but it should still be nice and comfortable for these folks.
What Customers Say
Many customers comment how the Nectar Luxe Hybrid helped alleviate their back pain. We think this is probably due to its medium feel and balance of comfort and support. Even though Nectar doesn’t have its own brick and mortar stores, you can test out their products in over 4,000 showrooms of their brand partners across the country.
Highlights of the Nectar Luxe Hybrid Mattress
When placing a pressure map over the Nectar Luxe, the graphics show little to no pressure at the shoulders. This is means the Nectar Premier should be a solid choice for shoulder pain.
This bed has the classic feel of memory foam, allowing you to sink into its layers and feel like you’re getting a hug.
As long as they enjoy a softer mattress, back sleepers should be comfortable on the Nectar Luxe Hybrid, feeling the memory foam support their spine.
What to Keep in Mind about theNectar Luxe Hybrid Mattress
Stomach sleeperswill probably need a much firmer and more supportive mattress than the Nectar Luxe Hybrid.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
This is a hybrid mattress, meaning it combines soft foams and sturdy coils for a balance of comfort and support.
Firmness
We rated the DreamCloud a 7 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest. A 7 means that the DreamCloud is fairly firm.
Price
$839–$2,178 (before any discounts)
Size
Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king
Back Sleepers
You should get enough cushioning for your lumbar region and enough support for a neutral spinal alignment.
Hot Sleepers
The coils in the support layer leave plenty of room for airflow.
Combination Sleepers
The DreamCloud is responsive enough for you to easily change positions.
Pros of the DreamCloud
Soft memory foam for cushioning at the lumbar region and sturdy coils for spinal support.
Springs that provide a lot of bounce and responsiveness, both of which help you change positions.
Strong edge support, allowing couples to use the whole surface of the bed.
Free returns after at least 30 days and within the 365-night trial period
With soft foam and a sturdy layer of innerspring coils, the DreamCloud strikes a balance between comfort and support — a little bit of contouring up top and on-top-of-the-bed feel that comes from the bottom. It’s a fairly firm mattress that we think is most comfortable for back sleepers. It also has some luxury touches such as a cashmere-blend cover that are reminiscent of a high-end hotel. Learn more in our DreamCloud video review.
DreamCloud Mattress Score
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
The DreamCloud Original is an excellent bed, both for lovers of a firmer feel, and those looking for a cooling mattress. The hybrid construction helps keep it breathable, as air can flow all night through the pocketed coils on the bottom layer. The top layer of foam provides cushioning and contouring while still retaining some firmness. When we scored the DreamCloud Original on our mattress firmness scale — where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest — we gave it a 7.
The DreamCloud is also designed with luxury in mind, and its cover is made with a special cashmere blend that’s soft and cozy. It’s even quilted with foam for a bit of added comfort. However, the layer of foam beneath the cover helps to keep the mattress from feeling too hugging or soft.
What Customers Say
Over 8,000 reviewing customers agree that this bed is “wonderfully comfortable” and cooling, without being overly expensive, making it a great option for sleepers shopping within a budget. Many reviewers also say they got some of the best sleep of their life on the DreamCloud.
Highlights of the DreamCloud Original Mattress
The coils in the bottom layer of the bed help keep it from being too soft, and allow for optimal airflow throughout the night, making this a great bed for sleepers looking to stay cool.
The luxurious feeling of DreamCloud’s foam layer makes it comfortable, contouring, and almost dream-like. Even if you are not looking to break the bank, this mattress can give you a vacation feel.
The hybrid construction of the bed gives it a lot of durability and support.
What to Keep in Mind about the DreamCloud Original Mattress
Strict stomach sleepers may find this bed too soft. They may want an even firmer option to keep their hips elevated and in line with their shoulders, helping prevent back pain. Check out our top picks for the best mattress for stomach sleepers to learn more.
WinkBed Plus – Best Cooling Mattress for Heavy People
Best Cooling Mattress for Heavy People
Sleepopolis Score
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.6
WinkBeds
WinkBed Plus Mattress
Firm, Supportive Feel
Built for Heavy People
Zoned Support Layer
Hybrid
120 nights
Free shipping
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This is a hybrid mattress, meaning it combines soft foams and sturdy coils for a balance of comfort and support.
Firmness
We rated the WinkBed Plus a 7.5 out of 10 on our firmness scale. Since it’s designed for heavyweight sleepers, it’s appropriate that this mattress has a firmer feel.
Price
$1,349–$2,199 (before any discounts)
Size
Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Heavy Sleepers
This mattress was designed for them, and should give them the support they need.
Back Sleepers
Specifically average-weight and heavyweight back sleepers will find plenty of support.
Couples
The WinkBed Plus isolates motion quite well, especially for a responsive hybrid mattress.
Pros of the WinkBed Plus
Designed specifically to support heavy people
Bouncy surface accommodates combination sleepers, who often toss and turn throughout the night
It isolates motion quite well, making it a good option for couples
The WinkBed Plus is a firm, hybrid mattress designed specifically to accommodate heavyweight sleepers. Through our testing, we found it works best for back sleepers, particularly those over 250 pounds. It also does a good job of isolating motion, which will likely appeal to you if you sleep with a partner. If you want to learn more about the WinkBed Plus, check out our video review.
WinkBed Plus Mattress Ratings
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
The WinkBed comes in several different firmness levels, and to be honest, we’d be comfortable recommending several of them to heavy sleepers, as they each have a supportive innerspring feel. But we have to steer these folks toward the WinkBed Plus, the brand’s mattress designed specifically for heavy people over 250 pounds. In addition to being made with extra-durable materials, it has a breathable Tencel cover and coils that create a lot of space in the construction, both of which make it a truly cooling mattress.
To really test whether or not this mattress was good for heavy sleepers, we had our friend Paulie (a heavy sleeper) test out the WinkBed Plus. We also had him lie down the mattress using our pressure map, which is a device that measures how much pressure a mattress puts on the sleeper in different positions, with color-coded results. We determined that for each sleeping position, heavyweight sleepers should feel comfortable yet supported, as the map lit up bright blue, indicating low pressure. However, if you’re a stomach sleeper who carries more of their weight in their stomach, you may feel too much pressure buildup.
What Customers Say
Even though the WinkBed Plus is built to be firmer and more supportive, heavy customers commented that for their body type, it was pressure-relieving enough for back pain. And while they don’t have any of their own brick and mortar stores in the United States, you can try out a WinkBed mattress at 14 different brand partner showrooms in New York, Florida, California, and elsewhere.
Highlights of the WinkBed Plus Mattress
Stomach sleepers often have a hard time finding a supportive enough mattress, but the WinkBed Plus should keep them comfortable and properly aligned. It’s a good fit for stomach sleepers of all sizes.
The WinkBed Plus should help keep heavy back sleepers’ spines straight, with a Euro top for added pressure relief at the lower back.
The WinkBed Plus’ traditional innerspring feel creates a lot of responsiveness that makes it easy to move around on its surface.
What to Keep in Mind about the WinkBed Plus Mattress
Side sleepers will likely need a softer mattress than the WinkBed Plus, which comes in at a 7.5 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale for sleepers over 250 pounds, and an 8 out of 10 for lighter weight sleepers.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.4
Nolah
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress
Multiple Firmnesses
ArcticTex Cover
HDMax Support Coils
Hybrid Mattress
120-night Trial and Lifetime Warranty
Free shipping
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Hybrid, meaning this bed combines foam and coils in its construction.
Firmness
Multiple Firmness Options: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. We tested the Luxury Firm and rated it as 6.5 out of 10, meaning it is a medium-firm mattress.
Price
$1,499–$3,198 (before any discounts)
Sizes
Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king
Hot Sleepers
If you overheat while you sleep, this mattress may help you stay cool.
Side Sleepers
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.
Back Sleepers
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Pros of the Nolah Evolution
Great for couples due to its good edge support and low motion transfer
Works for back sleepers who need good lumbar support
Side sleepers should appreciate the pressure relief
Full refund after 30 days and within the 120-night trial period
The Nolah Evolution’s hybrid construction offers the cushioning of memory foam with the responsiveness of coils. The Luxury Firm model is a good option for side and back sleepers due to its medium-firm feel, though there are Plush and Firm versions as well. Those who share a bed may also appreciate its low motion transfer, so you won’t be disturbed by a partner’s movements and its solid edge support to allow you to maximize surface area. For more information, check out our video review.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress Scores
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
It goes without saying that a mattress, no matter how cooling or luxurious, is completely ineffective if it promotes or worsens your back pain. And if you’re rightfully concerned about spinal alignment, then we absolutely have to suggest the Nolah Evolution. It comes in three different firmnesses and even a model for heavy sleepers (the Nolah Evolution Comfort+), so regardless of your preferred sleeping position or body type, you should find pressure relief at your back throughout the night. The Nolah Evolution achieves this with its hybrid construction, which uses pressure-relieving foams and sturdy coils for proper support and lift. On the Luxury Firm model, we felt especially well-supported in both the back- and side-sleeping positions.
Once we checked the boxes on comfort and support, we moved onto cooling. Sure, this bed helped our testers with back pain, but we also wanted to know if the Evolution could keep night sweats at bay. So, we analyzed the construction by literally cutting a hole into the side of the mattress. Inside, we found Nolah’s proprietary cooling foam, a naturally breathable cotton cover, and lots of room between coils for airflow. So, hot sleepers should sleep soundly on the Nolah Evolution.
What Customers Say
While Nolah doesn’t list exactly how many customer reviews there are of the Evolution on its website, the mattress has an average customer rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. On the first page of reviews, several sleepers talk about how well the bed cushions joints and relieves pain. Others weren’t too satisfied with the firmness they chose, but luckily Nolah offers a 120-night sleep trial on every bed. So, there’s plenty of time for an exchange if your selected firmness doesn’t meet your expectations.
Highlights of the Nolah Evolution Mattress
This mattress tested well on our responsiveness test, and the ease of movement should really appeal to combination sleepers. We found that the Evolution made it convenient to switch sleeping positions.
Since we gave the Nolah Evolution some impressive scores in motion isolation, edge support, responsiveness, and cooling, we feel really comfortable recommending it to most couples out there.
The pressure map results in the back and side sleeping positions on the Luxury Firm model showed some impressive results, thanks to its cushioning comfort layer and plush pillow top. If you’re wanting even more pressure relief, we recommend the Plush model. And for additional firmness (we’re looking at you, stomach sleepers), there’s a Firm model.
What to Keep in Mind about the Nolah Evolution Mattress
Because of its high-quality materials, this luxury mattress runs a bit more expensive than other models on the market. It may not be the best option for anyone on a budget.
Saatva – Best Cooling Mattress for Stomach Sleepers
Best Cooling Mattress for Stomach Sleepers
Sleepopolis Score
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.8
Saatva
Saatva Mattress
Multiple Firmnesses
Cooling Mattress
Strong Edge Support
Innerspring
365-night trial and lifetime warranty
Free white glove delivery
Sale
$300 off $1,000 with mattress purchase See Details
Innerspring, for a bouncy mattress that’s easy to move around.
Firmness
Multiple firmness options. We tested the Luxury Firm model and scored it a 6.5 out of 10, meaning it’s the industry standard for medium firm.
Price
$935–$2,450 (before any discounts)
Size
Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king, split California king
Hot Sleepers
If you ever overheat while you sleep, this mattress should help you stay cool.
Back Pain
This bed is ideal for anyone suffering from back pain.
Back Sleeping
This mattress is ideal for back sleepers of all weights.
Stomach Sleeping
It’s also a nice option for lightweight and average weight stomach sleepers.
Pros of the Saatva
With three firmness options, most sleepers should find a Saatva model that works for them
The Saatva uses high-quality materials that will last you a long time
Its bouncy and responsive feel means it’s great for combination sleepers
The Saatva’s reinforced edges give it some of the best edge support we’ve ever seen
Cons of the Saatva
If you’re looking for lots of sinkage or amazing motion isolation, you’re better off with one of the best memory foam mattresses.
None of the Saatva Classic models will likely be supportive enough for heavy stomach sleepers. For these folks, we recommend the Saatva HD.
Shipping
Free white glove delivery
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Returns
Full refund within the 365-night trial period. Saatva charges a $99 pick-up fee
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. The white glove delivery Saatva provides is an added perk and will save you the headache of getting rid of your old mattress (they take it away for free!). For more information, watch our video review.
Saatva Mattress Ratings
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
If you sleep on your stomach, firm mattresses are the name of the game. If your bed is too soft, your hips can sink too for into the layers and cause your spine to be thrown out of alignment. If this continues, it’s likely to lead to lower back pain over time. The Saatva Classis is an innerspring mattress with a tall internal coil system that provides structure and support. It contains quality materials, boasts a luxury feel, and comes in three different firmness levels. We recommend the Firm model for stomach sleepers, as it can promote proper spinal alignment while providing pressure relief and comfort.
Innerspring mattresses like the Saatva are some of the best options for cooling. Unlike foam, innerspring coils leave a ton of room for airflow, helping dissipate body heat and imbue the structure with breathability. So when deciding on the best mattresses for cooling, we knew we had to include an innerspring mattress like the Saatva. In addition to considering the Saatva’s construction, we ran it through our thermal gun test. After we laid on the bed for 15 minutes, its temperature increased by 11.9 degrees. This indicates decent cooling. We think that, when coupled with the construction, this metric makes the Saatva a truly cooling mattress.
How the Saatva Mattress Performed In Our Cooling Test
In addition to looking at a mattress’s materials, we also test each bed with a thermal gun. This device reads the temperature of a mattress when no one’s lying on it and after one of our testers has laid on it for five minutes or so. That way, we can tell how quickly a bed heats up. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
As you can see above, the Saatva heated up about 6.7 degrees, which indicates good cooling. When combined with the bed’s airy innerspring construction, we can confidently say that this is an effectively cooling mattress.
What Customers Say
We definitely weren’t surprised to see good reviews regarding Saatva’s customer service. Saatva has free White Glove Delivery, where the company will set up your new mattress and dispose of your old one. There are many positive comments about this process, and many others about friendly and helpful customer service interactions. However, if you feel the need to try out the Saatva mattress in-store, the brand has several showrooms in major cities across the country.
Highlights of the Saatva Mattress
The Saatva is great for sleepers wanting to feel more “on” the bed than “in” the bed, as it does an excellent job of keeping the sleeper lifted up and out of the mattress.
The two layers of coils in this mattress promote excellent airflow, meaning that the Saatva will regulate your temperature throughout the night.
The quality of the materials and the construction help to make the mattress feel luxurious and comfortable, while still being durable and supportive.
What to Keep in Mind about the Saatva Mattress
Some sleepers found the Saatva has high motion transfer, so if you’re easily woken up and sleep with a partner, you might feel their movements at night. We’d recommend a mattress with a plusher comfort layer.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
Full refund within the 120-night trial. Brooklyn Bedding charges a $99 pick-up fee.
The Brookyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress is one of Brooklyn Bedding’s more high-end mattresses. It’s got a ton of cooling features in it that can help hot sleepers sleep cool all night. It’s also available in three different firmnesses, so it can accommodate all of the sleeping positions. For more information, check out our video review.
What our tester says:
“First and foremost, I’d recommend this mattress to hot sleepers. This bed sleeps nice and cool thanks to special phase change technology and gel infusions. The Aurora Luxe is also a nice pick for back sleepers. This mattress in the Medium model is medium-soft, so it should contour the hips while also lifting them into alignment.” – Nichole Mondshein, lead reviewer and staff writer
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress Scores
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
One of our favorite cooling features in a mattress is a gel infusion in the foam. These tiny beads of liquid are designed to absorb your body heat, then release it, as opposed to trapping it in the mattress. And when it comes to the best cooling gel mattress, one of our top picks is the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe, a hybrid bed with coils and a few different types of foam in its top layers.
A proprietary foam called CopperFlex has a copper infusion and is treated with Phase Change Material (PCM). There’s also a transition layer of viscoelastic gel memory foam to promote cooling, and the coils allow for plenty of airflow.
How the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress Performed In Our Cooling Test
Like all of the other mattresses on this lest, we tested the temperature of the Aurora Luxe with a thermal gun. It clocks the temperature of a bed when no one’s lying on it, as well as after one of our testers has laid on it for five minutes. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
From these results, we can tell that the Aurora Luxe heated up a little more than 5 degrees. This indicates good cooling, which is further bolstered by the mattress’s construction.
What Customers Say
Aside from cooling capabilities, customers tend to show strong support for the level of comfort they feel on the Aurora Luxe. Many customers speak highly of the cushioning that comes from the optional Cloud Pillow Top, available for an additional fee. Also, Brooklyn Bedding stands out from many other brands on this list in that it has many of its own showrooms across the country, from California to New York and the company’s headquarter state of Arizona.
Highlights of the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress
The mattress is available in three different firmness levels: Soft, Medium, and Firm. That means there’s a model for back sleepers, side sleepers, and stomach sleepers alike.
The mattress has impressive motion isolation, while still being responsive enough for sex. It also has strong edge support, so you can use the full surface of the bed.
The Aurora Luxe came in at a 6.5 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale, meaning it has a medium-firm feel.
What to Keep in Mind about the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress
The Firm model probably isn’t going to be supportive enough for larger sleepers over 250 pounds.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.6
Bear
Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress
Designed for Athletes
Soft Feel
Luxurious Foams
Hybrid mattress
120 nights
Free shipping
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Save 30% off sitewide + free accessories See Details
As a luxury mattress with many special features, the Bear Elite Hybrid is priced higher. Budget shoppers may want to check out the best cheap mattresses
Shipping
Free Shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Returns
If you return within the 120-night trial period, you can get a full refund.
The Bear Elite Hybrid uses foam and coils for a mix of support, cushioning, and cooling. While designed for athletes prioritizing wellness and recovery, sleepers of all activity levels can enjoy the many luxurious features. Enjoy zoned support for targeted relief, an “on top of” feel allowing for ease of movement, and cooling features throughout. For more information, watch our video review.
What our tester says:
“I’d recommend the Bear Elite Hybrid for most back and stomach sleepers.I think these sleepers will get the needed pressure relief and contouring around the lower back and hips. This mattress does a wonderful job at offering body contouring while still helping the sleeper stay elevated and lifted as well. The layers of foam should provide comfort while the coil system should offer lots of support.” – Nichole Mondshein, lead reviewer and mattress tester
Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress Scores
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
If you’re a hot sleeper who also wants a super cushioning mattress, then look no further than the Bear Elite Hybrid’s Soft model. The gentle top layers of memory foam provide soothing sinkage and pressure relief. It also sleeps nice and cool, thanks to a cover made of a material called Celliant, which is optional and available for a fee. If you decide not to add on the cover, individually wrapped coils and copper-infused foam assist with cooling as well.
To determine if this was indeed a soft mattress, we of course had to put it to the test. While testing the Bear Elite Hybrid, we saw little to no pressure in our lower back, which is likely thanks to the bed’s memory foam comfort layer. Still, the bottom layer of high-density base foam should provide plenty of support.
How the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress Performed In Our Cooling Test
In addition to examining a mattress’s materials and their relationship to cooling, we read each bed’s temperature with our thermal gun. This tells us how warm a mattress is with no one lying on it and after one of our testers has laid on it for five minutes. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
As you can tell from the graphic above, the Bear Elite Hybrid heated up exactly 10 degrees. While this just indicates decent cooling, we still think it’s an exceptionally cooling mattress when considering its airflow-promoting springs.
What Customers Say
Multiple customer reviews talk about how the Bear Elite Hybrid has helped with their joint pain and back pain recovery. We believe this to be because of this mattress’s pressure-relieving cover, thick memory foam, and its two supportive coil layers. If you want to test out these materials yourself, you can do so at select showrooms from Bear’s brand partners, including Brooklyn Bedding.
Highlights of the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress
As a material, Celliant is naturally cooling. Plus, some small studies suggest that it may help improve blood flow, making Bear mattresses popular among athletes.
The Soft model should contour well to side sleepers’ hip and shoulder joints for maximum pressure relief.
The Bear Elite Hybrid is good at isolating motion, so couples should be able to move around without disturbing one another.
What to Keep in Mind about the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress
The Bear Elite Hybrid is a bit too soft for stomach sleepers, and may not offer them enough pressure relief. They should try the Firm model of this mattress.
The cooling Celliant cover must be purchased separately four around $130.
We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more.
4.6
Leesa
Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid
Soft Comfort
Gel-Infused Foam
Zoned Support
Hybrid
100 nights
Free shipping
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20% off mattresses + 2 free pillows with mattress purchase See Details
Leesa doesn’t have the lengthiest trial period or warranty.
Shipping
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Returns
Free returns within 100-night trial period
The Leesa Sapira Chill is a hybrid mattress, available in three firmness levels. We tested the Medium-Firm model and felt it was just softer than average, but could still work for all three sleeping positions — a rare find among mattresses. It also has some effective cooling technology built into it, which helps to keep sleepers cool throughout the night. Learn more in our video review.
Leesa Sapira Chill Mattress Scores
Poor
Average
Excellent
1
2
3
4
5
Expert Opinion
Back sleepers need a mattress that’s sturdy enough to keep their spine neutrally aligned, while also giving them some contouring and pressure relief at the lumbar region. They may find this blend of comfort and support in the Leesa Sapira Chill. It has a cooling cover that works with the gel-infused foam comfort layer to keep folks cool and cushion the lumbar region. Sturdy zoned coils provide additional airflow and lift the hips into a comfortable alignment. We were also able to measure the Leesa Sapira Chill’s temperature with our thermal gun. After lying down on it for 15 minutes, it only heated up 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit, which indicates good cooling. When combined with the mattress’s construction and cover, we think it will have no problem helping you keep a low temperature.
One of the other tests we put this bed through is our pressure map. While back sleeping, the Leesa Sapira Chill showed almost no pressure at the hips. The graphic only showed blue and green, which is a great sign for this sleeping position.
How the Leesa Sapira Chill Mattress Performed In Our Cooling Test
While we unfortunately don’t have the thermal image results saved, we did run the Leesa Sapira Chill through our thermal gun test. Once again, this tells us how warm a mattress is with no one lying on it and after one of our testers has laid on it for five minutes. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
The Sapira Chill heated up 6.3 degrees, which indicates good cooling. We think that these results, along with the cooling materials in the mattress’s construction, show that it’s an excellent cooling mattress.
What Customers Say
If you’re looking for trustworthy delivery services and easy setup, the Leesa Sapira Chill might be the mattress for you. A lot of customer reviews comment how the mattress showed up on time and was surprisingly convenient to set up.
Highlights of the Leesa Sapira Chill Mattress
The Sapira Chill comes in three different firmnesses, but we tested out the Medium-Firm one in our mattress lab.
The responsiveness of the Leesa Sapira Chill’s foam should make it easy for combo sleepers to change positions.
Couples should enjoy this mattress, as it scored well in motion isolation, responsiveness, and cooling.
What to Keep in Mind about the Leesa Sapira Chill Mattress
Because it has so many luxury features, it is priced higher than other hybrids on the market.
A cooling mattress wicks heat away to keep you cool at night. It’s important to allow airflow throughout the mattress, which brands accomplish through a number of different materials.
While it’s important to understand how a mattress’s construction can impact cooling and heat performance, it’s critical to understand how these materials work together within the larger design of the mattress itself. For example, you will rarely see a mattress that’s 100 percent traditional viscoelastic memory foam from top to bottom. Instead, you’ll have a layer or two of memory foam and a layer or two of poly foam. These materials work together to create airflow and a comfortable cooling surface on the mattress.
Breathable Materials
A traditional spring coil can easily breathe, given that the coils are very thin and, at most, will be wrapped in a thin layer of foam or fabric. A material like memory foam may not breathe as well as a coil, as there’s more material preventing air from circulating in and out of the mattress.
Similar to breathability, a material’s heat conductivity and heat retention are important. A steel coil shouldn’t absorb your body heat or trap that heat. However, a traditional memory foam soaks up body heat and retains it, usually causing that memory foam to feel a bit softer and warmer.
Airflow
One way many companies keep their mattresses cool is by taking the material design to the next level by improving their airflow capabilities. These companies use special machines to mold, compress, or cut the foam into a design that allows greater air movement.
The most basic level of this technique is to punch holes within the top of the foam. These small holes allow hot air to flow through the mattress rather than be absorbed by it. More advanced techniques create deeper and more pronounced channels within the foam, dramatically improving airflow.
Gel-infused foam
When a mattress is specifically made to cool, many brands include a gel-infused foam layer in its construction to help disperse your body heat. This tends to increase the price of the mattress so keep that in mind, however if you are a hot sleeper this will be a huge help in keeping you cool.
Phase Change Materials (PCM)
Many cooling mattresses offer phase changing materials that are meant to absorb your body heat and spread it across the mattress so heat doesn’t build up anywhere. Typically we see a lot of heat build up in traditional foams which don’t have PCM materials.
What’s The Best Type Of Mattress For Cooling?
Coils and Springs
A traditional mattress uses one or more layers of coils/springs. This kind of construction not only provides comfort and balance, but also allows for airflow because there’s so much space inside the bed. Bear in mind, many coil mattresses contain some foams (usually poly foam or memory foam), which are often quilted within the covers of the mattress. Sometimes, these materials are not explicitly disclosed.
Latex Foam
Latex foam doesn’t change its feel based on how hot or cold the room is because it doesn’t retain much heat. Regardless of room or body temperature, a latex mattress will almost always feel the same. Most latex foam layers are also aerated, thus allowing for greater airflow, making latex a great option for cooling in a mattress. Note that this is only true of 100 percent natural latex and does not always apply to blended or synthetic latex.
Memory Foam
Memory foam is a type of polyurethane foam with viscoelastic properties, meaning they are slow to respond when pressure is applied and released (hence the name “memory”). This effect creates great hug and contour, but for some sleepers can lead to a trapped feeling that can diminish cooling. Note that “memory foam” is not one type of material but is simply a classification of viscoelastic polyfoam. There are many different types of memory foam with different cooling qualities and attributes. The same can be said about standard non-viscoelastic poly foams.
How We Test For The Best Cooling Mattress
Thermal Gun Test
In our Sleepopolis mattress lab, we recently started testing our mattresses with a thermal gun — a device that tells us how much a mattress heats up after we lie down on it. Once we’ve laid on the bed for 15 minutes, a color-coded graphic uses thermal imaging to show the temperature increase. If there’s an increase of more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, we consider the bed to have poor cooling capabilities. 10 to 15 degrees indicates decent cooling, 5 to 10 degrees indicates good cooling, and less than 5 degrees indicates excellent cooling.
Below is a thermal image of the Helix Plus — a mattress designed specifically for heavy sleepers over 250 pounds — before anyone has rested on it.
As you can see, the mattress has a temperature of 66.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Now let’s take a look at the graphic from after we’ve laid on it for 15 minutes. The number at the top of the image tells us that its temperature has increased by 10.2 degrees. This indicates decent cooling.
It’s important to note that this is a test we’ve only recently introduced. So only a handful of our mattresses currently have data from our thermal gun. But we’re gradually rolling it out across the rest of our reviews. Keep an eye out here for more results in the future.
Pressure Relief
How well a mattress relieves pain is also an important factor to consider. To measure how well these mattresses relieve pain, our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches test their pressure relieving abilities. Pressure relief refers to how evenly a bed distributes your weight. Evenly distributed weight relieves pressure (and pain) at sensitive areas like the hips, shoulders, and lower back.
To get an objective idea of how well a mattress relieves pressure, we roll a specialized mat onto the mattress’s surface and lay down on top of it. The mat records how much pressure builds up and then translates the results into an easy-to-read graphic via thermal imaging. Areas of blue and green on the map indicate low pressure while areas of orange and red indicate high pressure. We focus on three areas that sleepers struggle with, back pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain.
Pressure map results for each mattress can be found within its full review article.
Body Type
Lightweight Sleepers
Average-Weight Sleepers
Heavyweight Sleepers
< 160 pounds
160 – 230 pounds
> 230 pounds
We recognize that people come in all shapes and sizes, and people of every size deserve a mattress that works for their body type. We use the weight categories light, average, and heavy to more easily categorize sleepers based on how mattresses will perform for their body type, as most mattresses are designed for the group we call “average” (130 to 250 pounds).
As a general rule, lighter sleepers don’t require as much support as average weight sleepers, and mattresses will tend to feel firmer to them. On the other hand, heavy sleepers tend to need more support than average weight sleepers and tend to sink into the mattress more.
Sleeping Position
The perfect mattress for you is largely dependent on your preferred sleeping position. For example, a mattress that is perfect for a stomach sleeper might be a disaster for a side sleeper.
As a general rule, we recommend that side sleepers choose mattresses on the softer side. A mattress with lots of cushioning foams and body contouring will allow the sensitive pressure points at the shoulders and hips to be cradled nicely.
We recommend firmer mattresses for strict stomach sleepers. If a stomach sleeper’s mattress is too soft, their hips may sink too far into the mattress. This can cause the lower back to form a U shape, which can lead to pain over time. A firm mattress will keep the hips propped up and leave the spine in neutral alignment.
Back sleepers usually sleep best on medium-firm mattresses that provide an equal amount of comfort and support. Combination sleepers are people who switch between sleeping positions throughout the night. When searching for a mattress, these sleepers should pick one with a decent amount of bounce and responsiveness, as this will help them easily switch positions without feeling stuck in the bed.
Firmness
As a general rule, softer mattresses mean more sinkage and more hug, which in turn means more material coming into contact with your body. As a result, softer mattresses are usually going to be warmer than medium or firm mattresses. This isn’t to say that you can’t find a soft mattress that’s also cooling. However, you may want to invest in a higher-priced mattress to get the right combination of softness with impactful cooling features.
On the other hand, firmer mattresses are usually a little cooler for the same reason. With a firmer mattress, you’ll likely have a little more of a floating “on-top-of-the-bed” feel. The mattress isn’t likely to wrap around your body or envelop you in the same way that a soft mattress will. This means you have less material in contact with your body and more opportunity for air to easily flow into contact with your skin. This results in a cooler feel.
We score a mattress’s firmness by having several Certified Sleep Science Coaches lay on the mattress and give it a rating between 1 to 10 and then averaging the scores. 1 represents the softest mattress and 10 represents the firmest. A score of 6.5 is our standard for a true medium-firm mattress. Remember that firmness is subjective and is largely dependent on your body type and preferred sleeping position. For example, what feels firm to a lightweight sleeper may feel softer to an average or heavy weight sleeper.
Each mattress in this roundup has its own full in-depth review where we discuss each sleeping position for each body type and how it may feel for different sleepers.
Edge Support
Edge support is the strength and supportiveness of the edges of your mattress. The more supportive the edges of your mattress the more durable it is, as it will not be as likely to sag prematurely or deteriorate. It also helps keep your mattress usable for longer, and may be especially important for older sleepers who need more help getting in and out of bed.
We measure edge support by sitting or laying on the edge of a mattress and using a yard stick to measure the sinkage. Anything deeper than a 5 inch sink is considered bad edge support. Look out for words like “reinforced edges” or “strong edge support” on their site.