After Testing 132, Here Are The 10 Best Memory Foam Mattresses (2025)

My colleague and professional mattress tester Nichole Mondshein says she liked the balance of lumbar support and pressure relief, which helped alleviate her back pain. “This mattress offers the perfect combination of support and comfort, making it a great choice for anyone with back issues,” Nichole explains.

RELATED: Best Mattresses for Back Pain

The Nectar Classic was just as comfortable on my side. The memory foam struck a nice balance of softness and support, contouring my body and cradling my joints. I was also able to easily move around, which tells me that the Nectar is one of the best mattresses for combination sleepers who shift positions throughout the night.

Next, I assessed the Nectar bed’s pain relief performance with our pressure map, a graphic that uses color coding to show pressure buildup.

Good news for couples: The Nectar Classic hit high marks in our testing in edge support — scoring 4.5 out of 5 — and excellent temperature regulation — another 4.5 out of 5. This means you and your partner can get comfortable across the entire surface without feeling like you’re going to fall off.

Not-so-good news for couples: This bed scored just average in motion isolation with a 3.5-out-of-5 rating. To be honest, I still think most couples should feel comfortable, but if you or your partner wake up easily at night, you may want to explore some mattresses that are better at preventing movement.

For a closer look at my experience with the Nectar Classic and a deeper dive into its features, check out our full Nectar mattress review. If you’re looking for an alternative that has better motion isolation, check out the Nectar Premier.

When you’re sharing a bed with someone, you want to make sure both partners have ample space to move around without sacrificing support, and the Helix Midnight provides just that. “I felt stable and confident, even at the edge,” explains Nichole Mondshein, expert mattress tester who tested the Helix Midnight with me. 

Finally, it was time to take a close look at how the Helix Midnight handles motion transfer. For this test, I dropped a 10-pound steel ball on one side of the bed, then measured the vibrations with a seismometer. This test simulates various situations couples might experience while sleeping; for example, a partner tossing and turning in the middle of the night. During the test, I saw a noticeable ripple across the surface, but unless one partner is particularly sensitive to movement or wakes easily, this won’t be a dealbreaker. 

I should also say that the Midnight’s higher motion transfer isn’t completely surprising, as the springs in the construction technically make it a hybrid mattress, despite there being a substantial amount of memory foam. And, hybrids tend to have higher motion transfer than all-foam options. Also, the bed’s bounciness — while a detriment to motion isolation — makes it one of the best mattresses for sex, which is another plus for couples.

If you’re interested in hearing more about my experience with the Helix Midnight and exploring its features in greater detail, check out our full Helix Midnight mattress review. If the Helix Midnight isn’t quite right, Saatva’s luxurious Loom & Leaf mattress offers even better motion isolation and comfort for couples, but at a higher price point.

I also think this bed will work well for back sleepers. My colleague, Nichole Mondshein, a back sleeper with chronic back pain, said “I felt amazing pressure relief in my lower back while testing this mattress. It really helped soothe my lumbar area and made me feel more supported.”

Next, I tested the Contour5’s responsiveness, which refers to how quickly a mattress bounces back after removing pressure. This is important for combination sleepers who tend to gravitate toward their stomach, but may need extra help switching onto their side or back. After rolling around on this mattress, I found it was really easy to move between positions despite the bed not having as much bounce as a hybrid mattress.

Speaking of movement, one of the other advantages of the Saatva Contour5 is its strong edge support. The firm base makes this bed super stable, meaning I could spread out and lie near the edges without feeling like I was rolling off the mattress. This is particularly helpful for stomach sleepers, who often need more surface area to spread out comfortably without feeling the bed sag.

To get a more detailed look at my experience with this mattress and explore its features in-depth, be sure to check out our full Saatva Contour5 mattress review. If the Contour5 is out of your price range, check out the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud, which offers a firmer, supportive feel ideal for stomach sleepers.

After spending a few minutes on the DreamCloud, I felt the memory foam cradle my body just enough to alleviate pressure in key areas. Even though I would classify the bed as firm overall, there was almost no pressure buildup on my back, which is exactly what you want from a mattress that aims to provide both spinal alignment and pressure relief.

While this mattress is great for back sleepers, it may not be the best choice for side sleepers. “When I tested it on my side, I felt pressure buildup around my hips and shoulders,” explains mattress tester Ameila Jerden. “It wasn’t as comfortable as I expected for side sleeping.”

Another feature that impressed me is DreamCloud’s edge support, which earned a perfect 5 out of 5 during testing. Typically, foam mattresses can lack stability near the edges, but the DreamCloud Memory Foam performed exceptionally well in this area, offering solid support across the entire surface of the bed. I was able to lie close to the edge without feeling like I might fall off. 

I evaluated the temperature regulation of the mattress by measuring the increase with a thermal gun, and I was surprised to see that the temperature only increased by about 7 degrees, which is quite impressive for memory foam — a material known for trapping heat. This earned it a 4 out of 5 in cooling. 

For a closer look at how the DreamCloud Memory Foam performed and a detailed exploration of its features, check out our full DreamCloud Memory Foam mattress review. If you’re looking for a natural mattress with a similar feel, try the Avocado Green Mattress — a luxury hybrid option made with eco-friendly materials.

“As someone who tends to sleep hot, I really appreciate how cooling this mattress is,” says fellow mattress tester Madison Schaper. “It sleeps much cooler than a traditional memory foam mattress, which is a huge plus for me.”

Next, I tested the pressure relief on the Firm model of the mattress while sleeping on my back, side, and stomach. Based on the results of the pressure map test, I think this mattress is ideal for back and stomach sleeping — we rated pressure relief in the back position specifically as a 4 out of 5. Similarly, I was very comfortable in the stomach-sleeping position, and the mattress was firm enough to prevent my hips from sinking too far into the bed. 

However, while back and stomach sleepers should fare well, I wouldn’t recommend this mattress for side sleepers. The pressure map showed a bit of pressure forming at the hips and shoulders, where side sleepers already put the most pressure while resting. I’d recommend the Medium or Soft model to them instead, which should offer a bit more sinkage and body contouring around those sensitive joints.

I also think this mattress could be a nice choice for couples. It has solid motion isolation and earned a perfect 5 out of 5 in the edge support category, meaning both people can fully spread out and use the entire surface of the mattress.

For more about this mattress, read our full WinkBeds GravityLux mattress review. If WinkBeds GravityLux isn’t quite what you’re looking for, the premium Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-ProBreeze has plenty of high-end cooling technology for hot sleepers.

The Aurora Luxe also has tons of features that should appeal beyond side sleepers as well. I gave it a 5 out of 5 for cooling because of its cool-to-the-touch cover and foam layers infused with gel and copper. Gel absorbs and disperses heat, while copper helps with heat conductivity to keep the surface cooler throughout the night. Meanwhile, the breathable pocketed coils in its base layer enhance airflow to create a cooler sleep environment. 

RELATED: Best Hybrid Mattress

The Aurora Luxe also offers excellent motion isolation, so your partner’s (or pet’s) movements won’t disturb you while you sleep. Mattress tester Nichole Mondshein experienced this firsthand when testing the motion transfer with another colleague:

“When Nick got into bed, I could only feel him moving around just a little bit,” she says. “I could tell what he was doing, but it never really affected my side of the bed. This bed has some seriously good motion isolation.”

For those with mobility issues, this bed has excellent edge support; the edges only sank 2 inches when I sat directly on them. For reference, mattresses typically sink between 5 to 10 inches on average.

Want to know a bit more about this mattress? Head on over to our full Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress review. If you prefer a different Brooklyn Bedding option, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid offers great pressure relief and comfort for side sleepers at a more budget-friendly price.

When I tested the bed for pressure relief using our pressure map, I saw outstanding results on my back and my side. Mattress tester Bridget Chapman also felt super-comfortable on her back. “I felt some nice pressure relief on my back — the firmness graphic from our pressure map test was almost all blue,” Bridget says. “I think back sleepers and most side sleepers with back pain will feel comfortable on the Nolah Signature.”

However, I don’t think this mattress is suitable for stomach sleepers. While in this position, the soft foams caused my hips to sink in, which can throw the lower back out of alignment. Likewise, combination sleepers may find it a bit difficult to switch between sleeping positions.

Memory foam is typically pretty good at isolating motion, and the Nolah Signature is no different; I gave it a 4.5 out of 5 in this category. It displayed low vibrations during my seismometer test, when I dropped a 10-pound steel ball from various heights and measured the surface-level motion on the other side. Couples should be able to rest easy without disturbing each other with their tossing and turning. 

I also thought that the AirFoam slept cooler than traditional memory foam. This is aided by a breathable organic cotton cover that helps wick away moisture. All-foam mattresses also sometimes struggle to maintain strong edges due to the lack of supportive coils, but I was surprised to find good edge support on the Nolah Signature. Even when placing my full weight directly on the edges, I didn’t notice extreme sagging and I felt very secure and stable.

Think this could be the bed for you? Read more about it in our full Nolah Signature mattress review. If Nolah Signature isn’t a perfect match for you, the Purple Mattress is another excellent option that combines unique hyper-elastic polymer with foam for superior pressure relief.

I felt especially comfortable in the back- and stomach-sleeping positions, giving it a 4 out of 5 and 4.5 out of 5 for both categories, respectively. This mattress gave me enough lift to prevent my spine from bowing into it. I wasn’t so comfortable on my side, however. I wasn’t exactly surprised by this, though, as side sleepers typically need a softer mattress that gives them deep contouring at the shoulders and hips.

One other interesting thing to note about Bear is, as a brand, it caters to athletes and sleepers with active lifestyles. That’s why, for an extra charge, you can outfit your mattress with a cooling cover made of Celliant — a material designed to absorb body heat and redirect it back to you as energy, which can help with blood flow and recovery. While we haven’t confirmed these properties ourselves, there are several clinical trials out there that have, though we should note they’ve been sponsored by the company so take the results with a grain of salt. 

Check out our full Bear mattress review for more info about this bed, including how it performed in cooling, motion isolation, and more. If Bear doesn’t quite meet your needs, the Zoma Mattress is another bed that provides targeted support for athletes and those with back pain, thanks to its breathable, pressure-relieving foam layers.

My colleague, Bridget Chapman, noted, “The extra-firm side of this mattress is definitely one of the firmest I’ve tested — it’s surprisingly comfortable to sleep on.”

I also felt very comfortable on my stomach. The foams were so sturdy and supportive that I never once felt like I was sinking into the mattress. My hips were lifted and lined up with my shoulders, which is crucial for any stomach sleeper.

Because the Plank Firm is so, well, firm, I was curious how it would perform on our pressure map test. Despite there not being a ton of contouring, I still saw mostly blue, signifying low-pressure, on the reading with just a slight amount of pressure buildup on the upper and lower back, as well as at the hips. Side sleeping, however, was a different story. I saw some pretty noticeable flareups of yellow and orange at the shoulders, which tells me the mattress could cause pressure-related aches for these folks. And honestly, it’s just not very comfortable in that position.

But if you’re someone who wants one of the best firm mattresses, you can’t fare much better than the Plank. It’s also backed by a 120-night trial period, so you have a generous amount of time to see if this truly unique mattress is a fit for you.

Want to learn more about the Plank? Check out our full Plank mattress review. If you need something flippable but with a softer touch, try the Zenhaven, a mattress with one side firm and the other medium-soft.