How To Find The Best Mattress, According To A 25 Year Mattress Manufacturer And Designer
How To Score A Great Mattress, Without Breaking the Bank
If you’re searching for the best mattress online and want simple, easy to understand recommendations from someone who really knows what they’re talking about, you’ve come to the right place.
I’m Marc, and I spent 25 years as a mattress manufacturer designing foam, hybrid, innerspring, and natural latex mattresses for my own web sites. When I got out of the retail game, I wanted to take my knowledge and help people find their perfect mattress.
Most mattress review sites try to convince you that finding the best mattress means wading through tests with graphs, charts, bouncing balls, and endless videos, taking forever to get to the point.
On this page, I’ll give you the basics and offer up a handful of options I’ve chosen as the best mattress choices, after sleeping on them, cutting them open, eavesdropping on industry contacts, studying actual owner reviews.
If you want to but to the chase and check out my favorite best mattress online options, here’s a quick list with links to enhanced reviews on our site. You can also check availability and pricing. After spending 25 years as a mattress manufacturer, I started reviewing and testing mattresses to make it easier to shop.
Cutting To The Chase: My 7 Overall Favorite Best Mattress Online Options
 | Nolah Evolution Mattress-best for cooling, pain and side sleepers | Read My Review | $1,008 Off |
 | DLX Premier Hybrid Mattress-overall best for comfort | Read My Review | $500 Off |
 | Saatva Classic Mattress-best luxury innerspring | Read My Review | $600 Off |
 | Silk & Snow-best organic mattress | Read My Review | Pure Latex |
 | Sweetnight Prime Mem Foam Mattress-best pressure relief | Read My Review | $613 Off |
 | Puffy Cloud Mattress-best medium firm option | Read My Review | $1,350 Off |
 | Logan And Cove Hybrid Mattress-best back support | Read My Review | $600 Off |
 | Avocado Natural Latex Mattress-best for intimacy | Read My Review | 20% Off |
THE BASICS: WHAT AN EXPERT LOOKS FOR WHEN SEARCHING FOR A COMFORTABLE AND SUPPORTIVE MATTRESS
If I’m shopping for the best mattress online I can find for myself, or a family member, I’m going to look at several key elements that are part of the design of a mattress that contribute to its comfort, support, and durability. I’m also searching for components that I know will not fail over time, either by slowly mashing down, degrading, or absorbing moisture and disintegrating. I’m looking for:
- Supportive Core: A high-quality mattress should have a supportive core, or underlying superstructure if you will, that provides proper spinal alignment and distributes your body weight evenly. Look for materials like high-density foam or innerspring coils to ensure adequate support. these layers are generally thicker and a bit firmer than layers near the top and may include a section of individual pocket coils if the mattress is a hybrid.
- Comfort Layers: The comfort layers on top of the mattress core are responsible for cushioning and pressure relief. Common materials used in comfort layers include memory foam, latex foam, or pillow-top materials. Choose a mattress that offers a comfortable balance between support and plushness.
- Motion Isolation: If you share your bed with a partner, motion isolation is crucial. This feature reduces motion transfer, so you won’t be disturbed by your partner’s movements during the night. Memory foam and pocketed coil mattresses tend to excel in motion isolation.
- Temperature Regulation: Overheating during sleep can disrupt your rest. The best mattress online will have features that promote airflow and heat dissipation, such as gel-infused foams, open-cell construction, or breathable covers. Latex and hybrid mattresses often have better temperature regulation.
- Durability: A good mattress should be built to last. Look for high-quality materials and construction techniques that ensure longevity. Check for warranty details as well, as a longer warranty period often indicates the manufacturer’s confidence in the mattress’s durability.
- Allergen Resistance: If you have allergies or sensitivities, consider a mattress that is hypoallergenic or resistant to allergens like dust mites. Look for mattresses with antimicrobial treatments or natural materials like latex, which are less prone to harboring allergens.
- Edge Support: Edge support is important if you tend to sit or sleep near the mattress’s edges. A mattress with reinforced edges provides a stable and supportive surface, preventing you from feeling like you might roll off.
- Personal Preferences: Ultimately, everyone has unique preferences when it comes to mattress comfort. Consider factors like firmness level (soft, medium, firm), sleeping position (back, side, stomach), and any specific needs you may have, such as pressure relief for joint pain.
Remember to try out mattresses in person whenever possible, or take advantage of generous return policies to ensure you find the right mattress that suits your needs and preferences. Generally, the best mattress online will be backed up with excellent customer service because this shows up in a lot of actual owner reviews- and it’s highly important to new potential customers.
Is A Mattress With Foam Better Than Innersprings Or Coils?
Polyurethane foam is a common material used in mattress making due to its versatility, comfort, and durability. There are different types of polyurethane foam that you may come across when researching mattresses. Here are some of the most commonly used types:
- Polyurethane (PU) Foam: This is the basic type of polyurethane foam used in mattresses. It is made by combining polyols and diisocyanates, which react to form a foam. PU foam can vary in density, firmness, and overall quality, depending on the specific formulation and manufacturing process.
- Memory Foam: Memory foam, also known as viscoelastic foam, is a type of polyurethane foam that has additional properties to enhance its ability to conform to the body’s shape. It is known for its contouring and pressure-relieving properties, as it responds to heat and pressure, allowing it to mold to your body. Memory foam is often used in comfort layers of mattresses.
- High-Resilience (HR) Foam: High-resilience foam, also called high-density foam, is a type of polyurethane foam that has a higher density and greater responsiveness compared to traditional polyurethane foam. It provides better support, durability, and bounce. HR foam is commonly used in the support layers of mattresses.
- Gel Foam: Gel foam is a type of polyurethane foam infused with gel particles or beads. The addition of gel aims to enhance the foam’s ability to regulate temperature and improve airflow, thus promoting a cooler sleep surface. Gel foam is often found in comfort layers of mattresses.
- Eco-Friendly Foam: Some mattress manufacturers offer polyurethane foam options that are more environmentally friendly. These foams may use plant-based or partially plant-based materials, such as soy or castor oil, instead of relying solely on petroleum-based products. Eco-friendly foams aim to reduce the carbon footprint associated with mattress production.
Most Modern Day Bed In A Box Mattress Options Contain Foam To Deliver Comfort And Support
Safe, non-toxic foams are the workhorse of the modern day mattress industry, and the best mattress online options will likely include these materials. Because of the versatility of polyurethane foam, it can be used to created mattresses that are softer or firmer, relieve pressure and pain, offer more hygienic sleep surfaces, and even ward off infections and disease.
The Polyurethane Foam Association keeps a check on the industry, informs mattress manufacturing companies of new technologies, and keeps the industry at its cutting edge. For example, memory foam mattresses are more popular than ever, having been developed by NASA using polyurethane foam in its development.
Memory foam offers pressure relief because of its slow response and motion dampening ability. The best mattress online options often have memory foam or gel foam near the top of the mattress, and it’s a proven component that adds comfort and body contouring that relieves pain.
I recommend memory foam for pain and pressure relief when mattress shopping. Generally, it works best when there’s at least 3-4″ of the material situated on top of a pocketed coil unit, or a substantial layer of denser polyurethane foam that is 6-7″ thick.
For side sleepers memory foam works really well, providing pinpoint pressure relief at both hips and shoulders which can be hotspots since all of your weight is on the “razors edge” in this position.
The Best Memory Foam Mattresses
There are many specialized kinds of foams used in mattress manufacturing that have benefits, including copper infused foam.
Polyurethane foam can be mixed with finely ground copper metal powder and suspended evenly in the mixture. Copper is an excellent conductor of heat. Copper foam infused in mattresses helps to dissipate body heat, keeping you cooler and preventing overheating during sleep.
Hot sleepers can benefit from cooling foams and even cooling textiles, which provide effective heat elimination using phase change technology which can turn heat into cold almost instantly.
Copper also has natural antimicrobial properties that can help inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. By incorporating copper foam into a mattress, it may contribute to a cleaner sleep environment and reduce the presence of allergens, odors, and potential irritants.
A Whopping 70% Of People Are Side Sleepers- Which Mattress Is Best?
It is estimated that approximately 70-80% of people prefer to sleep on their side. This includes variations such as sleeping on the left side, right side, or in a fetal position. The remaining percentage includes back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and individuals who frequently change positions throughout the night. Sleep position preferences can vary among individuals and may be influenced by factors such as comfort, health conditions, and personal habits. You can check out my best mattress for side sleepers page here, or if you are already shopping for a side sleeper’s option, check out my top selections:
I Tested And Reviewed The Best Mattresses For Side Sleepers- Here Are My Top Favorites
| Nolah Evolution 15" Hybrid Mattress-best cooling | Read My Review | Up To $1,008 Off |
| Avocado Eco-Organic Mattress-best latex/coil | Read My Review | Up To 10% Off |
| Dreamcloud Premier Hybrid Mattress-best spine support | Read My Review | Up To $470 Off |
| Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid-best innerspring | Read My Review | Up To $600 Off |
| Nectar Premier Mattress-best all foam | Read My Review | Up To $600 Off |
| Plushbeds Botanical Bliss Mattress-best 100% latex | Read My Review | Up To $1250 Off |
| Nolah Natural Mattress-best pain relief | Read My Review | Up To 30% Off |
As a mattress designer and manufacturer myself, creating the best mattress online was a challenge that required knowledge of foam density and the correct “recipe” for combining the layers at the optimal thickness.
For proper spine alignment this means a medium or softer density 2-3″ layer up top as a body contact surface, a quilted foam and textile outer pillow top component, and a firmer foam layer at the bottom.
Some manufacturers will opt not to use a softer, upholstered pillowtop element at the very top, instead opting for a smoothtop fabric. These fabrics are thin and provide immediate contact with the foam or textiles below. This configuration is often done with firmer mattresses or with natural latex, to perceive the lively and bouncy nature of the latex.
Often, pillow top pieces can dampen motion, which is considered desirable for the most part, though it can impart a “dead” feel without any responsiveness.
Sleeping on your side, particularly in a neutral or slightly fetal position, can offer many benefits, and is considered healthier for you than sleeping on your back or belly. Because of this, the best mattress online options are designed to appeal to side sleepers. Here are a few of the reasons why:
- Spinal Alignment: Side sleeping can help maintain proper spinal alignment by allowing the spine to remain in a relatively straight position. This can help reduce the risk of developing back pain or discomfort.
- Reduced snoring and sleep apnea: Side sleeping can be beneficial for individuals who snore or have sleep apnea. By sleeping on your side, you may help keep the airways open and reduce the likelihood of airway obstruction, leading to less snoring and better breathing during sleep.
- Improved Digestion: Sleeping on your left side may aid digestion and alleviate acid reflux symptoms. The position of the stomach and esophagus when lying on the left side can help prevent stomach acid from flowing back into the esophagus, reducing heartburn and acid reflux.
- Reduced risk of sleep-related wrinkles: Sleeping on your side can help reduce the formation of sleep-related wrinkles, especially on the face. By avoiding prolonged pressure on the face that occurs with stomach or face-down sleeping, side sleeping can minimize the development of lines and creases.
- Comfort during pregnancy: Side sleeping, particularly on the left side, is often recommended for pregnant individuals. This position improves blood circulation to the fetus, kidneys, and uterus. It can also help alleviate pressure on the lower back and promote better sleep for expectant mothers.
Retail Store Or Online Web Site: Who Has The Best Mattress?
The decision to buy a mattress in a retail store or online depends on individual preferences and circumstances, and as a veteran online mattress expert, I’ve listened to a lot of customer feedback when it comes to mattress shopping. Here are some major differences between shopping brick and mortar mattress store or finding the best mattress online:
Retail Store Benefits:
- Hands-on experience: Shopping in a retail store allows you to physically try out different mattresses. You can lie down on them, assess their comfort, and get a better sense of their firmness, support, and overall feel. This can be particularly helpful if you have specific preferences or concerns about comfort.
- Expert assistance: In-store, you can often receive guidance from sales associates who can provide information about different mattresses, answer your questions, and help you find options that meet your specific needs. Cons: some find mattress store associates to be inexperienced and intrusive in what is considered an intimate purchase.
- Immediate availability: When purchasing from a retail store, you can often take the mattress home with you immediately. This can be beneficial if you need a mattress right away or prefer not to wait for delivery. Cons: You sometimes are responsible for strapping the mattress on top of your vehicles and assuming all risk if the mattress falls off or gets rained on.
Online Mattress Shopping Benefits:
- Convenience and broader variety: Online mattress shopping offers the convenience of browsing and comparing a wide range of options from the comfort of your home. Online retailers often provide detailed product descriptions, customer reviews, and specifications to help you make an informed decision. This allows you to explore a broader selection of brands and models that may not be available in local stores.
- Competitive pricing: Online retailers may offer competitive pricing due to lower overhead costs compared to brick-and-mortar stores. Additionally, online shopping allows you to take advantage of discounts, promotions, and easily compare prices across different retailers.
- Extended trial periods and return policies: Many online mattress companies provide generous trial periods, often ranging from several weeks to a few months, during which you can sleep on the mattress and determine if it’s the right fit for you. If you’re not satisfied, most online retailers offer hassle-free return policies with full refunds.
- Home delivery: Purchasing a mattress online usually includes doorstep delivery, often for free. This is convenient, especially for larger mattresses, as you don’t have to worry about transporting them yourself.