When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Falling asleep is almost an afterthought when your body is perfectly cradled with optimal spinal alignment and pressure point relief. This contouring support is exactly why people gravitate to memory foam as one of the best mattresses.
I interviewed several experts, toured a mattress factory, and tested over 20 all-foam mattresses for support, cooling, comfort, and more to find the best memory foam mattress. Our top pick is the Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress; it contours to your body no matter your position, dissipates heat well, and offers outstanding motion isolation. We suggest the Zinus Green Tea Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress as a budget option. It costs under $300 but traps heat and might be uncomfortable for side sleepers.
Find out more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and reviews home products.
Our top picks for the best memory foam mattresses
Best overall: Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress - See at Tempur-Pedic
Best budget: Zinus Green Tea Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress - See at Amazon
Best for back pain: Nectar Memory Foam Mattress - See at Nectar
Best for back and stomach sleepers: Bear Original Mattress - See at Bear
Best for couples: GhostBed Luxe - See at GhostBed
Best firm: Serta iComfortECO Foam Mattress - See at Serta
Best overall
The Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress features contouring foam that cradles sleepers of all body types and sleeping styles while offering outstanding pressure relief and heat dissipation.
- Layers of conforming comfortable and supportive Tempur foam adjust to all sleeping styles
- Impressive motion isolation
- Excellent heat dissipation
- Unimpressive edge support
- Shipping fee deducted from refund
In addition to being the overall best memory foam mattress, the Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress is the memory foam pick in our best cooling mattress and best mattress for side sleepers guides. It's also one of the most comfortable beds I've tested. Each night, I was asleep within minutes and awoke refreshed.
The $2,000 Tempur-Cloud features three layers of CertiPUR-US-certified foam topped with a breathable, moisture-wicking cover. The top two layers are made of Tempur-Pedic's proprietary foam, popular for its ability to contour to your body for support. The base layer of foam is designed for durability and support.
The Cloud does an outstanding job of dissipating heat. I stayed cool while testing it. I also appreciated the motion-dampening properties. I barely noticed my kid jumping on the bed while lying on it, and it passed our bowling ball test. The only negative is the mattress's poor edge support. I felt like I would fall off when lying on the edge, which sank significantly when I sat on the side.
Read our full Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Mattress review.
Best budget
All sleep types will appreciate the average firmness and budget-friendly price of the Zinus Green Tea Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress.
- Outstanding edge support and motion isolation
- Medium firmness is great for all sleeping styles
- Stays cool
- Four thickness/height options
- No showroom availability or in-home setup options
- No Cal king option
- Short trial period
If you have flexible comfort preferences, the Zinus Green Tea Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress is a budget-friendly solution. The sub-$300 bed doesn't have the comfort of mattresses that cost three times as much, but it still features excellent cooling properties, thanks to the inclusion of gel memory foam. The Zinus was one of the top performers in our cooling tests.
The foam did an OK job adjusting to my body's contours, but it didn't feel as supportive or dynamic as pricier beds. I'd recommend skipping the Zinus mattress if you are prone to joint pain or muscle soreness. While lying on it, I had difficulty keeping my spine aligned. I had to shift positions between my back, stomach, and side throughout the night to ward off stiffness.
I tested the 12-inch-thick mattress, but it comes in 6-, 8-, and 10-inch thicknesses. I've found that beds thinner than 10 inches don't provide enough support, so I'd caution against buying the thinner models. If you share a bed with someone, you will appreciate the good motion isolation and edge support.
If the Zinus Green Tea isn't available, or you're looking for more budget-friendly alternatives, check out our best cheap mattress guide.
Best for back pain
The gel memory foam of the Nectar makes it a versatile mattress that conforms to the contours of your body to relieve pressure. It's a premium sleep experience, but with a price tag coming in way under a grand.
- Year-long home trial and lifetime warranty
- Lightweight
- Impressive heat dissipation
- Outstanding motion isolation
- The medium firmness is ideal for most sleep positions
- Poor edge support
Due to its medium firmness, the Nectar mattress will benefit most side sleepers. Some back and stomach sleepers may also find it firm enough. My back remained pain-free during testing, and I primarily slept on my side.
The Nectar's cooling cover is made of a Tencel-poly blend. The bed's three layers are made of CertiPUR-US-certified foams: gel memory foam on top; a pressure-relieving, adaptive-response transition layer; and a supportive foam base layer. While I often overheat at night, I stayed cool on the Nectar, even when the room was hot. The heat quickly dissipated when I got up.
The motion isolation is impressive, a plus for couples. However, the subpar edge support is a downside. Whether I was lying down or sitting on the edge, it sank significantly. However, at under $700, this is about as cheap as a good mattress for back pain gets.
Read our full Nectar Mattress review and guide to the best mattresses for back pain.
Best for back and stomach sleepers
The memory foam of the Bear mattress, combined with Celliant technology, makes this a great bed for active folks looking for some rest and recovery.
- Firm feel will appeal to back and stomach sleepers
- Greenguard Gold certified
- Uses Celliant fibers in the cover
- Decent edge support
- Fast heat dissipation
- Lifetime warranty
- Poor motion isolation
- May be uncomfortable for side sleepers
I usually recommend one of the best hybrid mattresses to people who sleep on their back (DreamCloud Premier Hybrid) or stomach (Awara) because the coils add the firm support needed to keep your spine aligned. Memory foam tends to sink in too much. However, the firmness of the Bear Original Mattress is ideal for stomach and back sleeping. I tested it while sleeping on my stomach, and my Garmin smartwatch sleep numbers (REM, deep, overall sleep) were terrific. I awoke feeling great.
The $700 Bear Original is Greenguard Gold and CertiPUR-US certified. Its three foam layers are covered by a breathable material called Celliant, known for dissipating heat. The top foam layer is graphite-gel memory foam designed to help you stay cool. Next is a responsive foam layer balancing support and pressure point relief. And the base is high-density foam for durability.
The cooling materials performed well during my testing. While the mattress got hotter than most others I tested, it also dissipated the heat quickly, showing one of the largest temperature drops in my tests.
The edge support was also pretty good. I didn't sink much when sitting on the side, but it did exhibit significant give when I lay on the edge. The motion isolation was among the worst I've tested, and the bed failed the bowling ball test and had high vibration meter readings.
Check out our guide to the best mattresses for back sleepers.
Best for couples
Couples shopping for a foam mattress will appreciate the medium firmness, great motion isolation, and excellent edge support of the GhostBed Luxe Mattress.
- Great motion isolation
- Outstanding edge support
- Great for all sleeping styles
- 25-year warranty
- Petite side sleepers may find this bed too firm
When assessing whether a mattress is right for couples, I look at the edge support (how supportive a bed is at its peripheries) and motion isolation (how well it keeps you undisturbed as your partner moves in the night). The GhostBed Luxe has excellent edge support and motion isolation.
From top to bottom, it features a quilted cover, gel memory foam, and a cooling fabric, all designed to reduce overheating. Next is another fabric layer meant to pull heat away from the body. Another gel memory foam layer follows that, then a foam comfort layer that lends bounce, and finally, a thick base foam layer for durability and support. While GhostBed markets the Luxe as a great cooling bed, it was just in the middle of the pack in our tests.
The mattress failed our bowling ball motion isolation test. However, I also put it through a more realistic test using a vibrometer to measure the vibrations on one side of the mattress while I dropped the bowling ball on the other. The GhostBed Luxe was among the best of the 60 mattresses I've put through this test. While lying on the bed, I wasn't jostled as my partner moved around. The mattress was great in other areas as well. I felt comfortable on my stomach, side, and back, suggesting it would appeal to a broad range of sleepers.
Check out our best mattress for couples guide.
Best firm
The Serta iComfortECO has the best edge support of any mattress we’ve tested, making it easier to get into and out of bed and giving couples edge-to-edge comfort.
- Firm is ideal for back and stomach sleepers
- Outstanding edge support
- Good motion isolation
- Assembled in the USA
- Our tester slept incredibly well
- Doesn’t dissipate heat well
- Doesn’t cradle the body as much as I would have liked
While the Serta iComfortECO comes in soft, medium, and firm, I tested it in firm to fill some holes in our coverage. I've only tested one or two mattresses this firm. Still, it kept my spine in a good neutral position and supplied decent pressure relief.
The iComfortECO gave me some of my highest sleep quality scores. Over the years, I've averaged a sleep score of 63 out of 100. However, while testing this mattress, I had a couple of 80+ nights and several over 70.
The Serta iComfortECO Foam Mattress comes in standard, enhanced, and ultimate versions, ascending in thickness and price. Depending on the version, it features up to 70% sustainable materials.
The standard version I tested features a top pressure-relieving layer partially made of plant-based material. A cooling layer of gel-infused memory foam is below that. Latex foam then provides support and breathability. Next, a layer of support foam keeps your spine aligned. The thickest part is the foam core offering durability and support. A durable, recycled fiber support base makes up the bottom. The cover is Repreve material, made of recycled plastic bottles. The costlier versions have additional foam layers for added pressure relief and comfort.
The iComfortECO's edge support was among the best I've experienced. Given the superb motion isolation, it's the perfect choice for couples who prefer a firm feel. Yet, the heat dissipation was poor, so hot sleepers may want to look elsewhere. I awoke sweating during particularly warm nights.
Read my full Serta iComfortECO Foam Mattress review.
What to look for in the best memory foam mattress
A mattress may be ideal for 99% of sleepers but awful for you. That's why one of your top considerations should be a long home trial. This allows you to try the mattress at home for several nights without committing to it.
Mark Goetting, MD, a board-certified sleep medicine specialist at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, suggests lying on the mattress as long as possible in a showroom before buying it.
If you don't know where to start shopping for a bed or feel uncomfortable in a showroom, here are a few tips for choosing a mattress based on how you sleep.
Side sleepers: Most people sleep on their side, and fortunately, "side sleepers find memory foam to be great because of the way it contours to the spine and creates neutral alignment," said Derek Hales, founder of the mattress review site NapLab. A softer-than-average mattress will let side sleepers sink in, helping them achieve spinal alignment. Zoned support is also helpful for side sleepers who need increased pressure-point relief to keep their spine aligned.
Back sleepers: Back sleepers don't want to sink in as much as side sleepers, so a medium-firm mattress is better. When you're lying flat, it will keep your back closer to neutral.
Stomach sleepers: Goetting said a firm mattress is important because stomach sleepers must rotate their head to breathe, leaving the spine out of alignment. Coupling this with a pillow that causes your head to flex backward makes you more prone to restless sleep and neck pain. A firm mattress reduces the degree to which your head flexes backward. The experts I've talked to recommend avoiding sleeping on your stomach if you can.
For more buying advice, check out our guide on how to choose a mattress.
How we tested the best memory foam mattresses
In addition to Goetting and Hales, I talked to Marilyn Li, MD, an allergist at the University of Southern California, and Tamara Huff, MD, a Georgia-based board-certified orthopedic surgeon and health disparities advocate.
The most important factors to consider when shopping for a memory foam mattress are comfort, breathability or heat dissipation), motion transfer, and return policy.
Here are some of the test results for the main attributes we tested:
Attribute | Tempur-Cloud | Zinus Green Tea | Nectar | Bear Original | GhostBed Luxe | Serta iComfortECO |
Firmness (1 softest to 10 firmest) | 6 | 5.5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
Motion isolation (1 awful to 10 best) | 7 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
Edge support (1 awful to 10 best) | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 10 |
Heat dissipation (1 traps heat to 10 stays cool) | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
Trial period (nights) | 90 | 30 | 365 | 120 | 101 | 120 |
Warranty (years) | 10 | 10 | Lifetime | Lifetime | 25 | 10 |
Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:
Comfort: Each morning, I note how comfortable I was on the mattress the night before, what sleep position I gravitated toward, and if and where I felt any pain. I also use the Garmin Forerunner 945 watch to track how much REM, deep, and overall sleep I had.
Motion transfer: Also called motion isolation, motion transfer is measured using the bowling ball test. I drop a 15-pound bowling ball from 4 feet above the mattress so that it lands 12 inches from a soda can. If the can falls over, the motion isolation is poor. If it stays upright, the bed does a good job of dampening motion. I also take a vibration meter reading from the opposite side of the bed from the bowling ball drop. Lastly, I note my subjective experience as others move around on the mattress while I'm lying on it.
Trial and warranty: The mattresses in this guide have a trial period of at least 30 nights. That should be long enough to tell if a bed is right for you. I read the fine print of the return policy to see if any fees are associated with returning the bed. I also note the warranty length. Our picks have warranties of at least 10 years, about how long you should expect your mattress to last.
Heat dissipation: The first thing I do each morning is use a laser thermometer to measure the mattress's surface temperature. Two minutes later, I measure the surface temperature again. The first measurement tells me how cool the mattress stays. When I compare it to the second measurement, I see how well the heat dissipates.
Edge support: Good edge support is helpful whether you are lying or sitting on the side of your bed. You want to feel supported. To test edge support, I lie on the edge of the bed and slowly roll off. I note the approximate angle of my body at the moment I fall. The closer I get to perpendicular, the better the edge support. I also sit on the side and measure how much the edge sinks. On average, mattresses sink about 3.5 inches.
Setup: I set up the mattresses myself (unless there's free in-home setup). I note how long it takes me, any unusual steps, if there's an initial odor and if it dissipates by bedtime, and if the mattress comes with directions or tools. Most mattresses take 5 to 10 minutes to set up but require several hours to expand fully. I strongly recommend getting help setting up your mattress.
Portability: I have to move the mattresses around more than the average person as I switch them out in my testing area. Portability is important if you move a lot or just want to regularly rotate your bed, an important step to prolong your mattress's life. When moving the mattresses, I note how heavy they feel, if they flop around, and if there are handles.
Learn more about how we test mattresses.
Memory foam mattress FAQs
Do memory foam mattresses get hot?
"Early memory foam would absorb heat and get warmer over time," said Hales. "But as memory foam has developed over the years, heat has become less of an issue." Hales noted that even the best all-foam mattresses will run hotter than hybrid mattresses, which are designed for airflow and breathability. I've found that hybrid mattresses are generally cooler than all-foam mattresses, but some outliers, including our top pick, the Tempur-Cloud, tend to stay cool.
How much does a memory foam mattress cost?
Our picks range in price from $295 to $2,000. You should expect to spend at least $1,000 for a high-quality, all-foam mattress but can get away with paying less if you don't mind a bed that sleeps hot or has poor pressure relief or support. Foam beds tend to cost less than other mattress styles, but they lack the durability and support provided by the coils found in hybrid mattresses.
Are memory foam mattresses more likely to cause allergic reactions?
According to Li, dust mites are the main source of allergic reactions to bedding. She pointed to a study that found 5% to 30% of the general population is reactive to dust mites. Li suggested covering your mattress with a mattress protector to ward off dust mites. Formaldehyde is another source of allergic reactions to bedding that Li sees. Formaldehyde is used as a preservative in some mattresses. Look for beds with CertiPUR-US and Greenguard Gold certifications if you are sensitive to formaldehyde.
Do I need to use a box spring or foundation with a memory foam mattress?
No. Memory foam mattresses require a solid or slatted foundation. If you choose a slatted foundation, ensure the slats are no more than 2.5 inches apart. If they are, add a bunkie board or extra slats. Placing your mattress directly on the floor is also an option.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
