Best mattress 2024 – tested beds for better sleep

The best mattress should suit your exact sleep specifications, down to the letter. If you sleep on your side and you tend to run hot, there's a mattress for that. If you lie on your back and you're keen to shop sustainably, there's a mattress for you, too.

While the fit and feel of the best mattress will vary from person to person, some things remain the same: we're always looking for premium materials; expert craftsmanship; and value for money. When you shop with the specialist sleep stores, you get just that, but it can be difficult to know where to start.

As H&G's resident sleep writer, I've sampled some of the world's best beds from all the best places to buy a mattress. I've found the best mattress to suit every style of sleeper and size of budget, so that you can sleep better. I've ranked and reviewed each one to help you decide which mattress you should buy.

For the sake of a fair fight, I've assessed each mattress against the same criteria: comfort; quality of construction; cooling properties; motion isolation; edge support; and price.

Best mattress deals

To get the lowest price on the best mattress, I suggest you read the entire article. If you're in a hurry, and you're keen to shop the Labor Day mattress sales, then here are the best of the best.

Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress | Was $2,305, now $1,499 at Bear

When you shop with the code LABORDAY, you can save 35% on Bear's best-selling hybrid mattress. You get ergonomic support, contouring comfort, and cooling technology for $800 less than asking price.

You can find more detail in our Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress review.

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Nectar Memory Foam Mattress | Was $1,387, now $649 at Nectar

Our top-rated memory foam mattress is selling for less than half-price in the Labor Day mattress sales. I'd recommend this mattress for anyone who suffers from back ache – you'll appreciate the pressure-relieving properties of memory foam more than most.

You can find more detail in our Nectar Memory Foam Mattress review.

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Emma Original Mattress | Was $1,159, now $579 at Emma

The best box mattress is designed to deliver comfort and convenience on the cheap. Now, selling for just 50% of its RRP, the Emma Original Mattress is an outright steal. It's a medium-firm mattress with excellent motion isolation, though it does tend to trap a little heat.

You can find more detail in our Emma Original Mattress review.

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The quick list

If you've already got your eye on a particular mattress, you can skip straight to that section using our jump menu. If you'd rather take stock of your options, you can browse the best mattress for every sort of sleeper below.

Best mattress 2024: tried and trusted

The best mattress overall

I'd recommend the Saatva Classic Mattress for just about anyone. Whether you sleep on your front, back, or side, and run hot or cool, this hybrid mattress should meet your sleep needs. The Saatva Classic brings together all the best bits of memory foam and steel springs in one soft, yet supportive bed.

One of our sleep experts started testing the Saatva Classic during a long, hot summer in Atlanta, Georgia. She was seriously impressed with the breathability of the mattress, which is boosted by the compression and depression of the steel springs. Although the Saatva Classic comes in three comfort levels, our tester reckons the Luxury Firm should suit everyone but the most sensitive sleepers.

Only a few minor complaints. As a hybrid mattress, the Saatva Classic features hundreds of stainless steel springs, which gives it a lovely bounce, but leads to a little bit of motion transfer. If you're a seriously light sleeper, you might want to opt for a memory foam model to absorb more movement. On the plus side, the edge support is really remarkable.

Best of all, it's not even that expensive. Technically, a Queen-sized Saatva Classic goes for a little more than $2,000, but it's often listed for less in the mattress sales. At any rate, I'd be happy to pay full price for this mattress, safe in the knowledge that I'm buying the best of the best.

You can find more detail in our Saatva Classic Mattress review.

The best mattress for back pain

Let's be clear: even the best mattress can't cure back pain. That's the sort of thing you should take up with a doctor, rather than a mattress manufacturer. With that said, one of our sleep experts swears by the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress for pain and pressure relief.

Our tester, Casey, suffers from fibromyalgia, which is a chronic illness that causes musculoskeletal pain all over her body. She found that the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress was the only bed that helped her to sleep comfortably. That's because memory foam is made to cushion your body and relieve pressure from your joints. Also, as a hypoallergenic mattress, the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is suitable for sensitive sleepers and anyone who suffers from allergies: bonus.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Nectar rank their Memory Foam Mattress at a 6.5 in terms of firmness. This sort of medium-firm support is ideal for front and back sleepers to stop that sinking feeling, though it might not be soft enough for side sleepers. The edge support leaves a little to be desired, but you'd get that with even the best memory foam mattress, and it shouldn't affect your sleep.

You can find more detail in our Nectar Memory Foam Mattress review.

The best mattress for side sleepers

If you sleep on your side, you should look for a mattress that's soft enough to cushion your joints, yet sufficiently supportive to lift and lengthen your spine. The Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Medium Hybrid Mattress fits the bill.

This mattress is lined with more than 1,000 premium springs and filled with specialized TEMPUR-material, originally created by NASA to cushion pilots during space flights. If TEMPUR-material can absorb all the pressure changes of intergalactic travel, it can easily absorb any pain or pressure in your hips, knees, and shoulders.

Your average hybrid mattress falls down in the motion isolation test, since all those steel coils create an awful lot of bounce. That isn't the case with the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Medium Hybrid Mattress, which is topped with a thick layer of dense foam to absorb movement and promote restful sleep on either side of the bed.

There are only two things I don't like about the Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Medium Hybrid Mattress: the weight and the cost. This mattress is very heavy and proved awkward to maneuver around the room. If I were you, I'd opt for white glove delivery and in-room set up. Then, there's the cost to consider. A queen-sized Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Medium Hybrid Mattress goes for $3,400 outside of sales season. I think it's worth it, but only you know whether you can afford it.

You can find more detail in our Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt Medium Hybrid Mattress review.

The best box mattress

The best bit of buying a mattress online is the convenience. You don't need to walk all the way around the store to assess your options. Once you've chosen your mattress, you don't need to lift it up and carry it home with you. When you buy the best box mattress, it comes conveniently delivered to your door. All you need to do is unwrap it.

When it comes to beds in boxes, the Emma Original Mattress is as good as it gets. Our expert tester, Chiana, found that her mattress fully inflated within four hours, and any smells from the off-gassing dissipated soon after.

Chiana didn't know quite what to expect from a box mattress, so she was seriously impressed by the plush comfort of the Emma Original. She sleeps on her side and found that the memory foam molded to her hips and shoulders and eased her neck pain. Like a lot of memory foam mattresses, the Emma Original tends to sleep a little warm, but that's nothing that a set of the best cooling sheets couldn't fix.

If you're interested in the Emma Original, but you'd like to try before you buy, I recommend you take advantage of their 365-night mattress sleep trial. That way, you can test your mattress through warmer weather and cooler spells before you commit to your final purchase.

You can find more detail in our Emma Original Mattress review.

The best affordable mattress

Now, the Nolah Original 10" Mattress isn't the cheapest bed we've tested. That accolade goes to the Siena Memory Foam Mattress: prices start from just $199. The Siena is cheap, but you get what you pay for: this mattress tends to trap heat, and the edge support leaves a lot to be desired. If you're looking for plush comfort that won't break the bank, I recommend the Nolah Original, instead.

This mattress is filled with AirFoam, a patented material with a lot of the same pressure-relieving qualities as memory foam, only it's perforated with tens of thousands of tiny air pockets to boost breathability. Even hot sleepers can sleep cool on the Nolah Original Mattress.

Like a lot of foam mattresses, the Nolah Original is soft and squishy. That's good news for side sleepers, but front and back sleepers might prefer a firmer surface. If that sounds like you, I'd encourage you to steer clear of memory foam and opt for something with supportive springs.

You can find more detail in our Nolah Original Mattress review.

Nolah Original 10" | Was $1,449, now $942 for a Queen

The Nolah Original Mattress was already affordable. With this $500 discount, it's an absolute steal.

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The best hybrid mattress

One of our sleep experts, Alex, just finished testing the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress. As she filed her review, she told me that she'd found a new contender for the best mattress. Over the past few weeks, I've cross-checked her findings with verified customer reviews, and I think she might be right.

The Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress combines the plush comfort of memory foam with the airflow and support of an innerspring to deliver the best of both worlds. I'd recommend this mattress to anyone who sleeps on their back and side, though stomach sleepers might prefer a firmer surface.

Hot sleepers will find a lot to like about the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress. Each layer of memory foam is infused with copper to dissipate heat and bust the bacteria that breed in hot, damp environments such as bedrooms. If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, you could always pair your mattress with one of the best cooling mattress toppers and pads.

Now, the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress is on the more expensive side: we're talking more than $2,000 for a Queen. Then again, it's almost never selling at full price. Right now, you could take advantage of site-wide sales and bag the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress for less than $1,500.

You can find more detail in our Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress review.

The best mattress for stomach sleepers

A lot of people think they want a soft mattress. While the thought of sinking into plush layers of dense foam sounds appealing, it might not be the best thing for your body. If you sleep on your stomach, you need a firmer surface with springs that lift your lumbar region to maintain the natural alignment of your spine.

This isn't your average innerspring mattress. The Naturepedic Chorus isn't stiff and scratchy, but buoyant and bouncy. The spring coils are cleverly arranged to target each area of your body with zoned support. The mattress is topped with thick layers of organic wool and cotton to cushion your neck and shoulders.

The Naturepedic Chorus also has a lot to offer sensitive sleepers and eco-conscious shoppers. From the batting to the micro coils, this mattress is made with entirely organic materials. That means no unpleasant smells from off-gassing and no risk of ingesting nasty chemicals in your sleep.

You can find more detail in our Naturepedic Chorus Mattress review.

Naturepedic Chorus Mattress | $1,999 for a Queen

This is one of the more expensive mattresses on this list, but it's the best bet for sustainable shoppers and stomach sleepers.

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The best mattress for hot sleepers

Forget everything you think you know about memory foam. The Zinus Cooling Green Tea Mattress is designed to keep you cool. Each layer of foam is infused with green tea and charcoal to block odors, bust bacteria, and dissipate heat. The whole thing is wrapped in a breathable cover to keep it cool to the touch.

When it comes to memory foam vs gel memory foam, I'd opt for the latter every time. Gel memory foam tends to sleep cooler, so it's more suitable for hot sleepers, and it's got plenty of bounce to stop that sinking feeling.

The Zinus Cooling Green Tea Mattress comes in four different thicknesses for custom comfort. Our sleep expert tested the 12-inch option, but you could go for the 8, the 10, or the 14: whichever fits your bed frame.

There isn't much I don't like about the Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress. Really, it's just two things: the limited size range and the shortness of the sleep trial. You can only shop this mattress in Twin, Full, Queen, and King, and you get just 100 nights to trial the mattress before you commit to your purchase.

You can find more detail in our Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress review.

The best non-toxic mattress

If you're an eco-conscious shopper or a sensitive sleeper, you need a non-toxic mattress. That way, you can sleep easy in the knowledge that your purchase isn't harming your body or the environment.

Your best bet is the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Mattress. Filled with organic latex and topped with organic cotton and wool, this mattress is made with all-natural materials.

The PlushBeds Botanical Bliss comes highly recommended by orthopedic specialists and chiropractors for its custom comfort. You can choose any size, from Twin through to California King, with either medium or medium-firm support to suit your sleep needs and the shape of your space.

A few quick disclaimers: this is a latex mattress, so it won't be suitable for anyone who suffers from a latex allergy. Since the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress is topped with organic wool, it doesn't qualify as a vegan purchase. Vegan shoppers could consider the Avocado Vegan Mattress, instead.

You can find more detail in our PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex Mattress review.

Other options

Here at H&G, we've tested dozens of mattresses. We selected our top nine to suit every style of sleeper and size of budget. However, we recognize that which mattress is best is a deeply personal question, and our top nine might not meet your exact needs. You might find your perfect match in one of our other tested mattresses, instead.

How we test the best mattresses

We put a lot of thought into how we test mattresses. It's more than a matter of sleeping on the job. Our team of expert testers sample mattresses through all four seasons, through hot summers and harsh winters, to assess their thermoregulation and monitor their performance over time. We test each mattress for several months, if not years, before we write our reviews to give you the best sense of its durability.

As we test mattresses, we consider comfort; quality of construction; edge support and motion isolation; any cooling properties; and value for money. We expect different results from different mattress types. For example, a memory foam mattress is made to absorb movement, so it should score highly for motion isolation, but lower for edge support, since the foam feels soft and squishy around the sides.

Some of our mattress tests are simpler than others. To assess the comfort of a mattress, we sleep on it and see how we feel when we wake up. The best mattress should be soft yet supportive to ease any aches and pains. To determine quality of construction, we consider the materials that make up each mattress: whether the fabric and foam is ethically sourced and sustainably produced.

Then things start to get a little more scientific. To assess the motion isolation of a mattress, we fill a glass with water and set it in the center of the bed. Next, we toss and turn beside it to see whether the glass moves. The stiller the glass stays, the better the motion isolation, and the more suitable a mattress might be for light sleepers or couples who share a bed. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the mattress and measure how far we sink. The further we fall, the poorer the edge support, and the less suitable a mattress might be for anyone who sleeps on the edge of the bed.

Then, we take all of our findings and compare them against verified customer reviews. That way, we can offer a variety of perspectives and give you the fullest possible picture of what it might be like to sleep on this mattress. At the end, we consider all of our results against the cost of the mattress to determine value for money and help you decide whether the mattress is worth the price.

Meet the team

Emilia Hitching

As our resident sleep writer, Emilia leads a team of expert testers to rank and review the world's best mattresses. She spends her days tracking down the lowest prices on the best bedding and spends her nights testing it out in her own bed.

Louise Oliphant

Louise is one of our former sleep writers. She covered mattresses, mattress toppers, pillows, bedding, and everything else you need to get a good night's sleep. Before she joined Homes & Gardens, Louise worked as a PR representative for a luxury mattress company, so she's well versed in all things sleep.

Jaclyn Turner

Jaclyn is one of our former sleep eCommerce editors and perhaps our most prolific tester: she's sampled several of the beds in this buying guide, including the Saatva Classic, our reigning champion. Jaclyn developed our mattress testing process, so she knows a thing or two about what makes the best mattress.

How to choose a mattress

We've written an entire article explaining how to choose a mattress. If you don't have time to read the whole thing, don't worry: here's what you need to know.

When you're shopping for a mattress, size matters. The last thing you want is to spend hours considering which bed best meets your needs, only to find you've gone and bought a bed that's too big for your frame. If you're not quite sure which size you need, consult our mattress size chart before you shop.

Next, consider your normal sleep position. You might tend to lie on your front, back, or side, or a combination of the three. The position in which you sleep influences what kind of mattress might be best for you. Side sleepers need a softer surface with enough give to cushion their joints: I'd recommend a plush hybrid model or a supportive memory foam mattress. Stomach sleepers need something firmer to stop them from sinking in and maintain the natural alignment of their spine: avoid memory foam in favor of firmer hybrid or innerspring models. If you sleep on your back, you should look for a mattress with medium support to take the pressure off your spine.

Then, consider any additional sleep needs you might have. If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, you should seek out a specialist cooling mattress to dissipate heat and wick moisture. Steer clear of memory foam mattresses, which tend to trap heat. If you're keen to shop sustainably, you should forgo memory foam in favor of natural latex and organic wool and cotton.

Before you start to shop, it's worth working out how much you want to spend on a mattress. You don't have to drop thousands of dollars to get a decent mattress. If you know where to look, you can pick up the best affordable mattress for a few hundred dollars. If you can afford it, I'd always recommend investing the best mattress for your sleep needs, rather than the cheapest thing you can find. I'd also suggest you shop with a specialist sleep store, rather than a second-hand realtor: that way, you can take advantage of mattress sleep trials and water-tight warranties to protect your purchase.

Best mattress FAQs

Where to buy a mattress?

The best places to buy a mattress are specialist sleep stores. That way, you can take advantage of mattress sleep trials and water-tight warranties to protect your purchase.

To buy the world's best mattress, head to Saatva, where you can also pick up a set of the best bed sheets and the best pillow to rest your head. If you're buying on a budget, I recommend Emma: there always seems to be a sale on. Even a California-King-sized Emma Original comes in under $1,000. If you're keen to shop sustainably, you'll find a lot to like at PlushBeds. Their mattresses are filled with natural latex and topped with organic wool and cotton for deeper, cleaner sleep.

Why are mattresses so expensive?

Because that's the price you pay for premium materials, expert craftsmanship, and water-tight warranties. Sure, you could pick up a mattress for a couple of hundred dollars at your local home retailer, but it's unlikely to suit your sleep needs.

I'd expect to spend up to $1,500 to get a good mattress in a Queen size, though you could easily spend more. If you're buying on a budget, I recommend shopping the mattress sales. You'll find deep discounts around the federal holidays, as well as in the end-of-season sales.

Final thoughts

Once you've invested in the best mattress that meets your needs, it's important to take good care of it. It's worth picking up the best mattress protector to safeguard against sweat, spills, and stains. Some mattress warranties are only valid with a mattress protector, so make sure to read the fine print before you purchase.

You might have made it all the way to the end of this article in window shopping mode: you'd like a new mattress, but you just can't afford one. If that sounds like you, you might be better off buying one of the best mattress toppers. These lightweight layers could totally transform the feel of your bed for a fraction of the price of a new mattress.