Best Gel Mattress Topper

Do you sleep hot at night? Then you may want to consider buying a gel mattress topper. Typically made of gel-infused memory foam, these products work to dissipate body heat, neutralize temperatures, and bring a little extra contouring comfort to your sleeping environment. And since they’re usually less expensive than a whole new mattress, they allow you to modify the feel of your bed without breaking the bank.

In this guide, we’re going to introduce you to some of the best gel mattress toppers on the market. Though they differ in terms of style, design, and price, they’re all built to keep temperatures low so you can snooze comfortably all night long. We’ll also share the methodology we used to make our selections, which highlights all the most important factors to consider when buying a topper of your own. And at the very end, we’ll round things out with a few expert tips you can use to improve your search.

Best Gel Mattress Toppers

Best Overall – Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper
Best Memory Foam – Layla Memory Foam Topper
Best Value – ViscoSoft Select High Density Mattress Topper
Best for Pressure Relief – GhostBed Memory Foam Topper

Best Overall – Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper

The Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Topper is made with a 2.5-pound layer of gel memory foam pairs ultimate optimal pressure point relief with just the right amount of responsiveness.

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The Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Topper is two inches of high-quality memory foam with a gel swirl infusion. It’s designed to bring more pressure relief and contouring abilities to your mattress.

Pros of the Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper

The high-quality memory foam in this topper makes it a great fit for sleepers looking for pressure relief around sensitive joints like their shoulders or hips.
Couples should appreciate the low motion transfer in the topper, meaning movement won’t carry across the bed so much that it disrupts your partner.
Hot sleepers should enjoy how the gel infusion wards heat away from the body and bed to help bring a cooler night’s sleep.

Cons of the Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper

With the thickness of the foam, you’ll want to make sure your sheets can properly cover it.

For more, check out our full Brooklyn Bedding Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper review.

Best Memory Foam – Layla Memory Foam Topper

A memory foam topper from Layla is a great way to extend the life of your current mattress.

Sleepopolis Score

4.20 / 5

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The Layla Topper is two inches thick and infused with both copper and gel beads, keeping you extra comfy and cool throughout the night. Layla even offers a 120-night, money-back guarantee, which is quite long compared to the brand’s competitors. This should appeal to any sleepers who are hesitant and want to be extra-sure about their decision.

Pros of the Layla Memory Foam Topper

The copper infusion doesn’t just help with cooling — it’s also antimicrobial, helping it fight against allergens and bacteria.
Side sleepers should especially enjoy this topper, as the memory foam will cushion the shoulders and hips.
It’s also supportive enough for back sleepers. They should experience pressure relief at the lumbar region while also getting a proper spinal alignment.

Cons of the Layla Memory Foam Topper

This topper is a bit more expensive than others in the category.
It can be quite difficult to clean. Rather than being machine washable, the brand recommends spot cleaning the foam and dry cleaning the cover.

For more, check out our full Layla Memory Foam Topper review.

Best Value – ViscoSoft Select High Density Mattress Topper

The ViscoSoft Select High Density mattress topper features high-density gel-infused foam with perforations for airflow, as well as a bamboo rayon cover and adjustable no-slip straps.

Sleepopolis Score

4.50 / 5

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This ViscoSoft topper is made up of three to four inches of high density, gel-infused, memory foam, topped with a breathable and washable cover. The foam is designed to provide plenty of contouring to the neck and back without that dreaded “sunk” in feeling. Just select which level of thickness you want at checkout.

Pros of the ViscoSoft Select High Density Mattress Topper

The anti-slip mesh and adjustable straps help this topper stay in place on the mattress.
Back sleepers and side sleepers should both be comfortable on this topper due to its optimal blend of comfort and support.
The washable cover is a great bonus for keeping things fresh and clean.

Cons of the ViscoSoft Select High Density Mattress Topper

Those expecting a firmer topper should look elsewhere. Even though there’s plenty of support here, the surface is still pretty soft.

For more, check out our full ViscoSoft Select High Density Mattress Topper review.

Best for Pressure Relief – GhostBed Memory Foam Topper

The GhostBed Memory Foam mattress topper combines cloud-like memory foam and five zones of targeted comfort for the head, shoulders, torso, legs, and feet.

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Allow us introduce you to the memory foam topper from GhostBed. With three inches of memory foam and five zones of targeted comfort, it’s a no-brainer why it’s the only topper currently being offered by the brand.

Pros of the GhostBed Memory Foam Topper

The zoned support of this topper offers a great mix of contouring and pressure relief, making a good choice for sleepers who suffer from hip and shoulder pain, and are looking to enhance their current mattress.
Parents should appreciate the waterproof cover, which makes any spills or accidents easy to clean.
Hot sleepers should be comfortable, thanks to the cool-to-the-touch cover, gel memory foam, and airflow-promoting comfort zones.

Cons of the GhostBed Memory Foam Topper

With the thickness of the foam, you’ll want to make sure your sheets can properly cover it.

How We Picked the Best Gel Mattress Toppers

Now that we’ve gone over our picks, let’s dig into the methodology we used to choose them. In this section, we’re going to go over the most important factors to consider when buying a gel mattress topper of your own.

Gel-infused vs. Gel foam

There’s an important distinction to be made between gel-infused memory foam and gel memory foam. The former usually incorporates a gel “swirl” into the foam, which, though cooling, doesn’t necessarily have a uniform effect throughout the layer. The latter sees gel incorporated throughout the entire piece of foam, resulting in a much cooler sleeping experience.

Neither one is inherently better than the other, but if you sleep especially hot, you may want to stay on the lookout for gel memory foam over foam that’s simply been infused with gel.

Other Cooling Properties

Though gel is an effective and popular cooling agent, you may run across other infusions in your search for a mattress topper. Some others include graphite and copper, both of which work to absorb and dissipate body heat evenly throughout a structure. Copper infusions are especially interesting, as there’s some research to suggest that they’re antimicrobial, which makes for an overall healthier sleeping experience.

Thickness

The thickness of your mattress topper can make a big difference in how it feels. If you want a lot of deep sinkage, body contouring, and pressure relief, we’d recommend going with a topper that’s at least two to three inches thick. If you only want a little cushioning, you can reduce this down to one inch.

If you’re concerned about figuring out just how tall a mattress topper is, simply navigate to the “details” or “construction specs” section of the product description. Oftentimes, the brand will even incorporate the dimensions into the name of the topper.

Density

Density is another important factor to consider when buying a gel mattress topper. Highly dense materials tend to absorb and trap body heat more than less dense ones, so you’ll want to pay attention to the density of the foams being used in order to avoid ones that might overheat.

Speaking specifically about memory foam (which, again, is the primary culprit of overheating), you’ll want to stay within a range of about 3.0–5.0 PCF (or, pounds per cubic foot). This density will provide plenty of contouring and sinkage, but won’t be so dense as to counteract the cooling properties of your topper.

Design

While a mattress topper might seem like a straightforward product, the design can actually have a huge impact on how it feels. Though most cooling gel toppers utilize memory foam, it’s not always the only material at play, so it’s important to note what else is going on. If the memory foam is paired with ventilated foam, for example, it might be slightly more breathable. If it’s teamed up with a quilted fill layer, it might be slightly more cooling. It’s all about the details, so pay attention to them wisely.

Sleepopolis Tips

Still not sure how to secure a fantastic gel mattress topper? We’re going to wrap up this guide with a few expert tips you can use to improve your search.

Before you even begin to search for a mattress topper, think about the bed you have. What do you like about it? What do you hate about it? What parts of its feel would you like to change? Once you’ve answered those questions, you’ll be better prepared to find a topper to satisfy those needs.
Don’t forget trial periods. A topper can really change the vibe of a mattress, so you may want to try a few before you commit to one. In order to do this, you’ll want to find a topper backed by either a lengthy trial period or a solid warranty.
Since mattress toppers are usually made of a single layer of foam, it’s important to pay attention to how this foam is designed. Is it ventilated for breathability? Is it zoned for support? Hone in on these details to get a better sense of the topper’s overall feel.

FAQs

What is a gel foam mattress topper?

A gel foam mattress topper goes on top of an existing mattress to bring a little extra cooling and comfort to a structure. It’s typically made of gel-infused foam, so it is soft and breathable.

Are gel memory foam mattress toppers effective?

Yes. Not only do they feature plenty of body-contouring, pressure relief, and sinkage, but they’re also effective at dissipating body heat for a cool night’s sleep. They can also help extend the life of your mattress by insulating it from wear and tear.

What is the best gel mattress topper?

The best gel mattress topper is one that balances comfort with cooling by infusing a thick layer of pressure-relieving foam with a ton of gel. This topper will also likely be ventilated for extra breathability.

Logan Block

Former Content Director

About Author

Logan is the former content director of Sleepopolis. As content director, he reviewed new mattresses every week and curated the comparisons, best of pages, and video guides on the site. Logan perfected his method by personally testing over 200 different mattresses, so he’s not only able to discern the overall vibe of a specific bed, but to contextualize its feel within the bed-in-a-box market as a whole.

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Best Gel Mattress Topper