- Price: $1,373.80–$2,873.80
- Material: Hybrid
- Firmness: Medium
- Trial period: 100 nights
- Shipping: Free shipping
- Warranty: 15 years
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, short queen, RV king
- Mattress height: 13.5 inches
The Best Mattresses of 2024 Expert Reviewed and Approved
Searching for your next mattress can be daunting. Our Reviews Team asked a group of eight recent mattress purchasers around age 65 about their experience, and many participants waited at least a few months—or up to a couple of years—to make their decision. “A bed is like your underwear: It’s yours,” said one of the participants. “It has to feel good to you.” But with so many in-store and online options, how do you know which mattress is best for you?
We spent more than 1,000 hours researching and evaluating well over 100 models to develop a list of the best mattresses on the market. Each one has been hand-tested to determine overall quality and analyze each feature, including its firmness level, support, and pressure relief. This is detailed under each mattress we review, so you can see why it earned a spot in our list.
Ultimately, picking a mattress is a personal experience. You won’t know what works for you until you try the mattress yourself, which is why all of our picks meet or exceed the industry standard of a 100-night trial period with a clear return process. And if it’s time to upgrade an old mattress because it’s affecting your sleep quality, don’t wait to do something about it. Getting a good night’s sleep is too important to delay because it can affect your overall health.
If you’re looking for a new mattress to sleep better because of a condition, like insomnia or pain, talk to your doctor first. There may be other ways to get better sleep.
According to Dhaval Desai, physician at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, your sleep hygiene should be evaluated first. “We should really consider other factors, like bedroom lighting, screen time, room temperature,” he said. There are also treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) [1] Mitchell M, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: A Systematic Review. BMC Family Practice. May 25, 2012. , which has been shown to be superior to benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine medications in the long-term. To learn more, read our article on aging and sleep.
Best Mattress Overall: Helix Midnight Luxe
The Helix Midnight Luxe is our best overall mattress for its balanced feel. It offers a medium firmness level that supports many body types and sleep positions, zoned lumbar support to better reinforce the lower back, excellent pressure relief through its pillowtop layer, and responsive coils to boost bed mobility for easier repositioning.
Best mattresses in 2024
- Helix Midnight Luxe: Best Overall
- Nectar Premier: Best Value
- Saatva Classic: Best Affordable Luxury
- WinkBed: Best Pillow Top
- Bear Elite Hybrid: Best for Side Sleepers
- Nolah Evolution 15″: Best for Back Sleepers
- Titan Plus: Best for Heavier People
- Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe: Best Pressure Relief
Compare the best mattresses as of 2024
Mattress type | Hybrid | Foam | Innerspring | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
Firmness | Medium | Soft | Plush soft, luxury firm, firm | Softer, luxury firm, firmer, plus | Soft, medium, firm | Plush, luxury firm, firm, comfort plus | Firm | Soft, medium, firm |
Trial period | 100 nights | 365 nights | 365 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights | 120 nights |
Warranty | 15 years | Limited lifetime | Limited lifetime | Limited lifetime | Limited lifetime | Limited lifetime | 10 years | 10 years |
White-glove delivery* | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
*White-glove delivery: Free shipping and installation of new mattress and free removal of old mattress
Video: Best Mattress in 2024
Want to learn more about each of our top picks and why we chose them? Check out this short video, in which we show exactly how the best mattresses of 2024 stack up in key categories like lumbar support, pressure relief, cooling properties, and more.
Our best mattress picks of 2024, reviewed by experts
Helix Midnight Luxe: Best Overall
Nectar Premier: Best Value
Saatva Classic: Best Affordable Luxury
The WinkBed: Best Pillow Top
Bear Elite Hybrid: Best for Side Sleepers
Nolah Evolution 15″: Best for Back Sleepers
Titan Plus: Best for Heavier People
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe: Best for Pressure Relief
How to choose the best mattress for you
The best mattress on the market is the one you find most comfortable and helps you sleep well throughout the night. Based on our testing and brand research, we placed the Helix Midnight Luxe at the top of our pick, but you may choose another mattress that offers what you need. Shopping for a mattress is a highly personal experience, so make sure you consider the following before you buy.
Sleep is an essential function for everyone. The human body and all of its organs, tissues, nerves, and functions simply are not made to be operating 24/7. Sleep creates a function for the body to rest and recover. Our organs and bodies function better and more healthily if they get enough sleep.
Dhaval Desai, physician at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia
Sleep position
The type of mattress you need often depends on your sleep position, although there is no steadfast rule. A bed with medium firmness is a safe bet for most types of sleepers, but a softer or firmer feel may better cater to your comfort needs. Side sleepers often benefit from a softer and conforming mattress for pressure relief at the shoulder and hip, while stomach sleepers need a firmer bed to prevent their hips from uncomfortably dipping into the surface. Combination sleepers may be safe with a medium mattress, but they may want to consider a bed with coils to make repositioning easier.
Body type
Your weight and size may influence the type of bed you purchase. Lighter-weight sleepers (less than 130 pounds) often perceive mattresses to be firmer than they are, while higher-weight sleepers (more than 250 pounds) may perceive mattresses to be softer. Some materials, like memory foam, may not provide the support and durability many higher-weight sleepers need. And if you need more space on your bed, you may want to consider a larger mattress, like a king or California king.
Sleeping partners
Our team hosted a focus group of seven recent mattress shoppers. One participant regretted purchasing a queen-size mattress for himself and his wife. They both move often in their sleep, so their queen-size bouncy hybrid mattress would wake them both up throughout the night.
The lesson learned is how important it is to consider your partner’s sleep preferences when shopping for a mattress, as it may affect your sleep quality. Couples may need a mattress with adequate motion isolation to limit sleep disturbance. Good edge support is also beneficial, as it allows you and your partner more real estate to adjust and spread out without feeling like you’ll fall off the bed. And if you need more space, a larger mattress or a split king may be worth considering.
Cooling can be a consideration, but we don’t place too much emphasis on this feature because it’s easily influenced by other factors, like bedroom temperature and bed sheets. Cooling features are also a misnomer—they’re designed to prevent heat-trapping but don’t actively cool your body. If you’re a hot sleeper, mattresses with better airflow, like innersprings or hybrids, are your best bet. You can pair your mattress with “cooling” sheets like bamboo, phase-change materialⓘ A material that stores or releases heat to maintain a constant temperature. , or TENCELⓘ A brand of lyocell fiber made from wood pulp that’s known for being soft, breathable, and absorbent. .
Mattress types
Mattresses can be made of different materials, which can influence the feel and firmness of the bed. While there is no rule dictating which mattress composition is best for different sleep positions, the properties of each material could better suit some sleep preferences, as detailed below.
Innerspring
Innerspring mattresses are mostly made of coil layers, which provide a supportive, bouncy, and responsive feel. Coils also offer plenty of space for airflow, so innerspring beds can sleep cooler than other materials.
Many innerspring mattresses tend to be medium to firm, making them a good choice for back and stomach sleepers who like the springy feel. They’re also good for those who want a mobility boost as they move around the bed. But innerspring mattresses don’t isolate motion well, which means your movements could disturb a sleeping partner.
Foam
Foam mattresses contain layers of spongy material. Foams vary in density for different purposes—softer foams relieve pressure well, while denser foams provide higher firmness levels and more support.
People who like foam mattresses enjoy the feeling of a contouring bed, which is often good for side sleepers who need pressure relief from the hip and shoulder. But those with mobility issues or who change positions frequently may feel stuck in the material.
These mattresses are often preferred by light-sleeping couples who are easily disturbed by their partner’s movement because foam dampens motion well. Unfortunately, foam is notorious for heat-trapping, so keep this in mind and consider cooling bed sheets.
Hybrid
Hybrid mattresses combine foam’s pressure relief with innerspring’s support and responsiveness. Although the composition of a hybrid mattress varies across brands and models, the general formula is the same: foam layers atop coil. Firmness, support, cooling, and pressure relief also vary from mattress to mattress, but hybrids do a good job of accommodating a wide variety of sleepers.
Air Chamber
Air chamber mattresses are the most technical. They use adjustable air pockets in the mattress to control firmness level. Sleep Number is a classic example, using remote controls to customize the bed’s feel. But online mattress brands also offer air chamber mattresses, like the Saatva Soliare. Most sleepers should feel comfortable on this type of mattress, but it’s a costly option.
Latex
Eco-friendly brands and models often use latex, which is a natural alternative to foam. Latex is similar to foam because it offers high pressure relief, but it’s more resilient and responsive, making it a good option for those with mobility issues. It’s also better at dispersing heat away from the body than foam, but it’s more costly because latex is harder to source.
These mattresses could be all latex or incorporate coil, so the bed’s feel will vary between models. According to our testing results so far, latex tends to feel like a dense memory foam, so it’s often perceived to be medium firmness.
Buying a mattress online vs. in the store
It can feel difficult to commit to a mattress you’ve never tested to see if it’s comfortable for you. Purchasing a mattress in-store can give you some peace of mind, but ultimately, you’ll never know if it’s the best mattress for you until you take it home and sleep on it for a few nights. We like how many online mattress brands offer lengthy trial periods that meet or exceed the industry standard of 100 nights.
Online mattress shopping has its perks. You can compare features across more mattress brands than you would in a store without pushy salespeople. But if you aren’t sure what features and firmness levels you prefer, we recommend visiting a mattress retailer and comparing beds in person. You’ll feel more confident purchasing your mattress after testing a few out yourself, regardless of where you choose to buy.
Cost comparison of the best mattresses, as of May 2024
Mattress | Twin* | Full* | Queen* | King* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Helix Midnight Luxe | $1,373.80 | $1,998.80 | $2,373.80 | $2,873.80 |
Nectar Premier | $1,049 | $1,349 | $1,499 | $1,799 |
Saatva Classic | $1,395 | $1,995 | $2,095 | $2,595 |
The WinkBed | $1,149 | $1,499 | $1,799 | $1,999 |
Bear Elite Hybrid | $1,893 | $2,108 | $2,305 | $2,762 |
Nolah Evolution | $1,499 | $2,299 | $2,499 | $2,699 |
Titan Plus | $699 | $999 | $1,249 | $1,499 |
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe | $1,199 | $1,865 | $2,265 | $2,665 |
Mattresses we are testing soon
We have plans to continue to test mattresses throughout 2024 to bring you the best of the best. Here are some mattresses we are testing in the coming months:
- Bear Star Hybrid
- The GravityLux by WinkBeds
- Emma Original
- Nolah Natural
- Saatva Latex Hybrid
- Puffy Cloud
- Purple Mattress
Bottom line
Ultimately, weighing factors like cost, firmness levels, trial periods, and the type of sleeper you are will be critical when shopping for the best mattresses. While the Helix Midnight Luxe is our best overall pick, with the Nectar Premier and Saatva Classic mattresses close behind, all the mattresses on this list have been tested and approved by our Reviews Team. We hope our list helps you make an informed decision about which one is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
Aside from budget, your sleep position and desired firmness level ultimately determines which mattress is best for you. If it’s your first time shopping around, it’s a good idea to visit a showroom and lie on a few mattresses to understand what you prefer. But you’ll never truly know if you’ll like a mattress until you sleep on it at home, which is why it’s also important to choose a mattress with a lengthy trial period and clear terms of return.
Although online reviews aren’t always the best indicator of a good mattress, Saatva has one of the best reputations among online mattress brands. It earns 4.8 out of 5 stars on Better Business Bureau and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. When our team hosted a focus group, two of the eight participants raved about their Saatva mattresses (both the Classic and Zenhaven Natural).
The average mattress lasts between seven and 15 years, depending on wear-and-tear.
The best time to purchase a mattress is around major holiday sales, like Labor Day and Memorial Day, but most brands offer promotions year-round.
You should consider buying a new mattress if your current one is between seven and 15 years old, depending on the wear-and-tear. But if you’re thinking about buying a new mattress to address a condition like back pain, talk to your health care professional first. They may have recommendations based on your symptoms.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
Sources
- Mitchell M, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: A Systematic Review. BMC Family Practice. May 25, 2012. Found on the internet at https://bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2296-13-40
- NCOA Adviser Mattresses Survey. 600 respondents. Conducted using Pollfish. Launched January 2024.
- Caggiari G, et al. What Type of Mattress Should Be Chosen to Avoid Back Pain and Improve Sleep Quality? Review of The Literature. Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. Dec. 8, 2021. Found on the internet at https://jorthoptraumatol.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s10195-021-00616-5
- Bolton R, et al. Effects of Mattress Support on Sleeping Position and Low-Back Pain. Sleep Science and Practice. May 10, 2022. Found on the internet at https://sleep.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41606-022-00073-x