Mattress company advertising has all the wholesome integrity of a TV commercial for a local lawyer. If you ask them, every mattress company makes the best mattress in the business. Who cares what kind of proprietary spring they use, or whether or not their foam is the special kind of foam that the astronauts use? You just want to know how comfortable it is.
How does the average person find the best online mattress?
We’re going to cut through the marketing malarkey, and turn straight to the source: people who have actually used these mattresses. We’ve talked to the mattress experts at r/Mattress, caught 40 winks with the folks at r/sleep, and looked for the most long-lasting, durable options with the frugal folks at r/BuyItForLife.
Let’s sleep a mile in their shoes, and see which popular mattress brands make the cut.
Like many online mattresses, Tuft and Needle is constructed from polyurethane foam, which is easy to ship and has a medium feel.
Check Prices On AmazonTuft and Needle is an online bed in a box company that sells polyurethane foam mattresses and pillows.
Now, in and of itself, poly foam has gained a reputation for being cheap or chintzy. The truth is that while poly foam is cheaper than memory foam or latex, its durability and firmness depend on how dense it is. Tuft and Needle’s foam is twice as dense as the standard, at 2.5 pounds per cubic foot on the base model. If you really want good edge support, you can upgrade to the Mint, which weighs in at over 3 pounds per cubic foot.
What makes this mattress stand out from your run of the mill polyurethane foam mattress is the moisture wicking layer, which is designed to keep you cool in the summer and dry in the winter.
Other than their density, there are a few other between the Tuft and Needle Original and the Mint. The Mint has an additional 3 inches of foam, 30% more graphite in the moisture wicking layer, and an added gel layer that’s designed to provide support where the foam isn’t strong enough.
Both mattresses come with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. They also offer a 100-night free return window, which should be considered mandatory any time you’re buying a mattress without lying on it first.
All of that being said, Tuft and Needle mattresses are average in just about every regard. Average firmness, average bounce, and average durability. This can be a great compromise for couples, but if you need lots of support or lots of softness, there are more specialized mattresses out there.
Zinus offers a selection of hybrid and memory foam mattresses for far less cost than the competition. Their hybrid mattress in particular is the best cheap mattress on the market.
Check Prices On AmazonZinus produces two different types of mattress: a layered memory foam line, and a hybrid line with memory foam over inner coil springs. While both types are comparably priced, there are significant differences between the two.
Their hybrids are designed primarily for side sleepers. Essentially, these mattresses allow you to sink in — to a point — and the springs provide extra support to your hips and shoulders, relieving strain on your lower back. Their memory foam mattresses allow for lots of sink, but don’t offer as much support. This is ideal if you want to feel like you’re getting sucked into your mattress, but not if you need a lot of support.
There are two optional features on Zinus mattresses: a cooling gel layer and a green tea-infused foam. The cooling gel is a great choice if you’re a hot sleeper, since it draws heat away from your body without “feeling” cool. The green tea infusion is basically a way to cover up the smell of the memory foam for the first few days.
Speaking of smell, one thing many users complain about is the outgassing from a Zinus. While this is normal to some extent on any memory foam, it seems to be particularly bad on this brand. Zinus mattresses also wear out faster than many other brands, but considering the low price they’re a great bargain for what you get.
If you’re looking for a traditional mattress that you can buy from a local store, Simmons Bautyrest is a top quality choice that will keep you sleeping in comfort for years.
Check Prices On AmazonSimmons Beautyrest is a traditional mattress brand. This makes it different from most of the brands on our list, since you can’t order online. You have to go, in person, to a local dealer and buy the mattress the same way our parents or grandparents would have done.
But don’t get too disheartened. Shopping in person has its advantages. For example, you can actually lie down on the mattress — or compare several mattresses — before you buy. If you’re on the fence between a few different models, this is certainly more convenient than buying and returning two, three, or four online mattresses before you find the perfect one.
All Beautyrest models have a cooling gel layer to absorb heat. However, the other features depend on which product line you buy. Essentially, it’s a question of how many supporting springs are inside the shell. For example, the basic “Beautyrest” line is very lightweight, and is designed for kids. On the other end of the scale, the “Beautyrest Black” line offers 250 coils, providing excellent support.
It’s worth noting that Beautyrest also offers some bed-in-a-box options. We’d steer clear, since they haven’t got anything to offer in that category that beats their online competition.
If you want the absolute best mattress available and money is no object, consider a Tempur-Pedic.
Check Prices On AmazonIf you’ve watched any late-night cable TV, you’ve no doubt seen commercials for the Tempur-Pedic mattress. They’re the ones with the NASA foam, which is really only half true — NASA developed the original foam, but Tempur-Pedic reformulated it into their own unique product.
Much like the recipe for Coca Cola, the Tempur foam manufacturing process isn’t patented, because the company would have to describe how it’s made and risk Chinese-made knock-offs getting into the game. As it stands, the only place you’ll find a foam this luxurious is on a Tempur.
What does this mean for you as a customer? On the one hand, it means you’ll be paying a steep price. On the other hand, it means you’ll get the most comfortable mattress on the market, bar none. Stomach and back sleepers will love the pure memory foam models, which let you sink in until you feel like you’re floating in a sea of foam. Side sleepers will do better with their hybrid options, which provide extra support with over 1,000 pocketed coil springs.
One nice thing about this brand is that their mattresses are available in retail stores. You can go to your local mattress outlet, try them out to find the model you like best, then come home and order online to save money.
If you listen to any podcasts, there’s a good chance you’ve heard a commercial — or ten — for Casper. But any brand is capable of advertising. Casper is one of the top-selling bed in a box brands on the market.
Check Prices On AmazonAs with many discount brands, the answer is that it depends on what you’re looking for. Casper excels at soft, cushy comfort. Even their heavy-duty Wave mattress allows you to sink deep into the foam. If you want a deep-sinking mattress that doesn’t transfer motion from one side of the bed to the other, you’ve found one.
On the other hand, the memory foam and latex design isn’t as supportive as a pocketed coil springs or even a cheap polyurethane foam. If you need extra firmness, you’ll find yourself quickly taking advantage of Casper’s 100-night trial period and ditching it for something firmer.
This mattress comes in three variants: a 3-layer Essential, which is their budget model, a 4-layer Casper, their original model, and the 5-layer Wave mattress that’s as lush as they come. Be careful of the pricing, though. The two slimmer models are very budget-friendly, but the Wave is on the pricey side for what you’re getting.
One thing we like about this mattress is that it doesn’t contain any polyurethane foam. As a result, you won’t need to worry about odors and outgassing like you will with many foam mattresses.
Leesa is less well-known than many brands, but their hybrid mattress is very well-engineered.
Check Prices On AmazonLeesa produces two models of mattress: a layered polyurethane and memory foam mattress, and a hybrid mattress. We’ll be frank. The foam/poly mattress isn’t anything special, and there are better ones out there at a similar price point.
That said, Leesa’s hybrid mattress is exceptionally well-engineered, especially considering the price point. It features over 1,000 pocketed coil springs, comparable to what you’ll find on top-end premium brands. On top of the springs, a 1-inch poly foam layer provides a firm support base, and a 1.5-inch memory foam layer provides just enough sink to form to the contours of your body. The top layer is a medium density perforated foam that allows for plenty of airflow and cooling, so you won’t wake up with night sweats.
The Leesa hybrid mattress is an ideal choice for side sleepers, or for anyone who needs a little more support than average. It’s particularly well-reviewed by people who suffer from chronic back pain, although obviously that’s a matter of individual preference and not everyone will have the same experience. Thankfully, Leesa offers an industry-standard 100-night trial period, which is plenty of time to see if you’ve made the right decision.
One other feature we like about this mattress is the removable cover. It’s easy to throw in the wash, so bed-wetting kids, vomiting pets, and everyday sweat won’t wreck your investment.
Lucid manufactures a wide range of mattresses, as well as several different mattress toppers.
Check Prices On AmazonLucid mattresses have been around since 2010, making them one of the newer players on the mattress scene. They offer 14 different models, which is more than most online mattress companies. As a result, you’ll have plenty of options for thickness, firmness, warmth, and other attributes. You’ll also be able to choose between deep, sinking memory foam, firmer latex foam, or hybrid mattresses that provide a good balance of sink and bounce.
These mattresses are popular among all types of sleepers, since there are so many options available. Be careful when making your evaluations; the trial period is only 30 days, not the industry-standard 100.
If you’re looking to save money, Lucid has some of the cheapest offerings on the market. You’re looking at around $200 for their base model, depending on pricing and current promotions. This is good news for students, or for anyone who needs to buy a mattress in a hurry, but you get what you pay for. Don’t expect a ton of edge support or durability.
Lucid’s mattress toppers are of a higher quality, with 20 different options including memory foam, polyurethane, cool gel, and down. Even if you choose a mattress from a different manufacturer, a Lucid topper is a great way to put that perfect finishing touch on your sleeping surface.
BedInABox is the company that started it all, the very first online mattress company.
Visit SiteThe phrase “bed in a box” is often used to refer to foam mattresses that are sold online. But this generic term started with BedInABox, the company that first started offering this type of mattress and service.
Now, “first” isn’t the same as “best”, but BedInABox has a lot to recommend them. Not only do they have more experience than other online companies, but they offer the best customer service in the business. Specifically, their 120-night trial period gives you a full four months to decide whether or not you like the mattress, and their 20-year warranty is better than you’ll see even from a premium brand like Simmons or Tempur-Pedic. Not bad for a little online company.
The mattresses themselves are reasonably well-designed, with five versions available: the Original, a cool gel memory foam mattress, the Azul, a similar mattress with a soft knit cover, the Tranquilium, an extra-thick design, the DualHybrid, a pocket coil mattress with six inches of foam, and the Nimbus, a firm latex foam mattress with a soft memory foam top layer.
BedInABox offers competitive pricing, lower than most brands offer for a comparable mattress. On the other hand, their foam does seem to degrade and lose firmness fairly quickly. Good thing you’ve got that 20-year warranty to fall back on!
Purple mattresses are famous for their foam rubber top grid, which prevents motion from transferring from one side of the bed to the other.
Check Prices On AmazonIf the name “Purple” doesn’t ring a bell, maybe the words “human egg drop test” will jog your memory. Yes, these are the folks who dropped a guy four feet onto an egg just to prove how soft and springy their top layer is. The Purple grid is manufactured from foam rubber, and is available in 2, 3, or 4-inch thicknesses. Be careful when ordering, though. The 4-inch grid will more than double the cost of the mattress over the 2-inch version.
The grid not only prevents motion transfer, but its open design allows for plenty of airflow. As a result, this is one of the coolest-sleeping mattresses on the market. It also provides plenty of support, bolstered by two layers of dense polyurethane foam. Because of this design, it’s a great choice for back sleepers, but side sleepers will want something with a little more sink to it.
Purple also offers a hybrid mattress for people who want just that. It features pocketed coil springs instead of poly foam under the Purple grid, allowing for some forgiveness. Still, this hybrid is fairly stiff compared to others on the market, so keep that in mind when making your selection.
Depending on your individual needs, different mattresses may be the best. For example, if money is a concern, it’s hard to go wrong with a Zinus. Their mattresses are very comfortable for the price, and are well worth the investment as long as you’re willing to let them air out for a few days before you start using them.
That said, Tempur-Pedic is the best in the business. If money is no object and you want a mattress that’s going to last for years, with superior comfort and support. The reason for this is simple: nobody else uses the same proprietary foam. In Tempur-Pedic’s case, the mattress really is as good as the advertising.
