Thanks in part to a ’90s TV infomercial that featured an undisturbed glass of wine on a memory foam mattress as people jumped up and down on the bed and demonstrated its motion isolation, memory foam is one of the most widely known mattress materials.
In my experience as a mattress tester, I’ve found that not all memory foam beds are alike. Some foams feel firm and heavy, while others are plush and light. I like to compare foam density to freezer-stored Cool Whip versus the light whipped cream that you get from an aerosol can: One is more airy than the other, but both are tasty. Because there are so many mattress brand options on the market, it can be hard to find the best memory foam mattress out there, especially if until now you’ve been sleeping on an innerspring mattress and you’re not sure which memory foam mattress reviews to trust.
I slept on a significant number of memory foam beds to help you find the best-of-the-best. (It turned out to be a pretty nice gig.) The memory foam beds listed below stood out to me as the most comfortable, most accommodating or the most affordable. Here is my list of the best memory foam mattress options the internet has to offer.
Note that prices below are the manufacturer-suggested retail prices for the queen-size models and are subject to change with (frequent) sales and discounts.
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The Nectar Premier made my list for the best memory foam mattress because it reminds me of a foam TempurPedic mattress; it has that signature memory foam feel, but you won’t have to fork out nearly as much cash for it. It has a dense, slow, sink-in memory foam feel that takes a few seconds to activate. But once it does, the gel infused memory foam starts to hug your body, and offers a relieving feel around pressure points like your hips and shoulders.
The Nectar Premier is about 13 inches tall and features what the brand calls “ActiveCool HD” in the center of the bed’s top layer where most of your body heat collects. It also has a textured cooling cover for extra heat prevention. I wouldn’t say it sleeps cold because of these features, but it does make the Nectar Premier a temperature-neutral memory foam bed. This is in contrast to traditional or poor-quality memory foam beds that are known for heat retention.
For the average-weighted sleeper, this mattress firmness level will feel in between a medium to medium-firm. I think it offers a solid balance of support with pressure relief, and it’s most comfortable when I’m on my back, side, or a combination. I don’t recommend it, however, to heavy sleepers, because a hybrid mattress with a coil base will be more supportive and durable in the long-run.
The Nectar Premier is available in sizes twin to California king, and retail prices range from $1,297 to $2,097. It’s worth mentioning, though, that Nectar is usually running a nice promotion that brings the price down around $500 or so. Read our full Nectar Premier mattress review for more.
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Layla Sleep
The hexagonal, honeycomb-like design and split colors of the flippable Layla mattress caught my attention right away — it seems the mattress company paid a lot of attention to detail when it came to designing the cover. You also won’t have to play a guessing game to figure out which side is which; the soft side is labeled and colored light gray, while the firm side is charcoal and black. If you find you don’t think one side fits your sleeping style, all you have to do is flip this bad boy around to get a softer or firmer mattress feel.
The soft side feels plush and pressure-relieving, so it’s great if you’re a side sleeper. The flip side doesn’t have a true firm profile, but it does keep my back and spine supported when I sleep on my stomach and back. I’d say it’s a hair firmer than a medium.
Unlike the Nectar, both sides of the Layla mattress feel light and airy. It’s a soft memory foam that doesn’t provide resistance when you try to switch positions. It’s slightly more bouncy than other memory foams, which slowly morph back to shape after a few seconds. It’s one of those mattresses that might even appeal to avid memory foam haters because it doesn’t give you that “stuck” feel that some people dislike.
The original Layla mattress is 10 inches thick, so I primarily recommend it to people who weigh under 230 pounds. If you have a heavier body type and love the sound of the Layla, take a look at its hybrid mattress, which will be more supportive because it features pocketed coils in the base layer.
The Layla mattress is available in sizes twin to Cal king, and retail prices range from $899 to $1,349 at full price. Read our full Layla mattress review for more.
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Amerisleep
The AS2 mattress has two ideal characteristics most back and stomach sleepers look for: firmness and comfort. Beds with firm mattress profiles tend to be a sleep haven for back and stomach sleepers, because they keep the spine from sagging into the mattress, a recipe for lower back pain once you wake up in the morning.
When I tested out the AS2, my back stayed flat and in a comfortable alignment. My body also stayed more on top of the mattress, as opposed to sinking into the layers like you do with soft memory foam beds. I’d say it has a dense feel similar to the Nectar Lush, but firmer. I would rate the AS2 hybrid around a medium-firm firmness level, or around an 7 on a scale from 1 to 10.
Aside from its memory foam feel and supportive 12-inch design, the icing on top is quite literally the top of the mattress. You can remove the cover from the AS2 once it gets dirty and throw it in the washing machine for an easy clean. Stains on a mattress are almost inevitable, considering the fact that the average person sleeps on the same bed for around 10 years. Since I’m an impatient spot-cleaner, this was a big plus for me.
The AS2 Hybrid is available in sizes twin to split king, and its retail prices range from $1,049 to $2,198. Read our full Amerisleep mattress review for more.
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GhostBed
Aside from the fact the GhostBed Luxe mattress features an adorable ghost in the brand’s logo, I liked this bed for a number of reasons. For one, it has a comfortable memory foam feel similar to the Nectar and the Amerisleep in that it takes a few moments to respond to pressure being applied. Once it gives, however, it slowly hugs your body.
The second best thing about this mattress is how cool it sleeps. I usually sleep warm and have to blast the AC during the night, unless it’s winter. The GhostBed Luxe, on the other hand, has half an inch of cooling fabric within the cover and physically feels cool when I touch it. After looking into its construction, you can also find a thin layer of “Ghost Ice” on the top layer underneath the cover. It’s the brand’s own unique phase-change cooling technology, and actively works to clear away excess body heat.
The GhostBed Luxe is a thick all-foam mattress measuring 13 inches in height. This makes it an accommodating mattress for most body types, including individuals with large body frames. I also think it will suit every sleeper type, whether back, side, stomach or combination. It’s not a firm mattress, but it’s not super plush and soft either. I’d rate its firmness level right in the middle, around a medium.
The GhostBed Luxe is available in sizes twin to split king, and its retail prices range from $1,495 to $3,500.
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Saatva
Some people just want a mattress that’ll keep them feeling comfy throughout the night. Others want the same mattress they tried that one time on vacation at the Four Seasons. If you’re the latter, the Saatva Loom & Leaf literally looks like a five-star hotel mattress. But it doesn’t just look the part. It’s also really comfortable and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
It has a dense memory foam feel with an extra fluff component thanks to the bed’s Euro mattress topper. I tried the “Relaxed Firm” model, which is still on the medium-firm end of the scale, so I imagine the “Firm” model is a true firm mattress. The memory foam and plush Euro top does make the mattress pressure-relieving, but not enough that it’s a good mattress for side sleepers. It was just a little too firm when I slept on my side.
Another highlight of the Loom & Leaf is its special cooling tech. You won’t be able to see it from the outside of your mattress, but on the inside, the top gel foam layer features a cooling gel mattress pad to help regulate temperature. It’s supposedly made from the same material doctors use to treat burn victims in hospitals, so I think it’s pretty legitimate.
The Loom & Leaf mattress is available in sizes twin to split Cal king, and its retail prices range from $899 to $2,476.
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Bear Mattress
I was surprised to find out how affordable the Bear Original Mattress was when I first tested it out. It reminded me of the more popular bed-in-a-box mattresses like the Casper mattress or Puffy mattress, but retails for several hundred dollars less.
It’s about 10 inches thick and made with three different foam layers. It has a slow-responding feel that appeals to memory foam lovers far and wide, but it’s topped with a cover that’s pretty unusual. It’s Celliant-infused, which is a special fabric that absorbs your body heat and returns it back to you as infrared energy. You can’t see it or feel the material itself, but it’s supposed to improve blood circulation, and in turn, promote muscle recovery and boost energy levels.
I’m not going to lie, you probably won’t be waking up in the morning feeling like Superman. It does provide a phenomenal sleep, however, and the FDA has officially recognized it as a medical device. For that tech to be in the cover of an affordable bed-in-a-box foam mattress, I think earns the Original Bear Mattress a spot on this list.
Aside from the cover, it also has a supportive medium to medium-firm feel, or around a 6 out of 10, with 10 being the firmest. It works great when I’m on my back and stomach, and it’s pretty comfy when I’m on my side. Though, if you’re a strict side sleeper under 150 pounds, it may be a little too firm.
Bear mattresses are available in sizes twin to Cal king, and retail prices range from $695 to $1,095.
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Puffy
The majority of individuals who sleep on their side are coziest on a soft, plush mattress. One of my favorite soft memory foam mattresses is the 12-inch Puffy Lux, which gives off a light and fluffy vibe just by looking at it. Not only is it big and white like a cloud, but there are quite literally little clouds printed along the cover; a great added touch.
A majority of the beds on this best memory foam mattress list feel dense, but the Puffy Lux is much more airy and light thanks to Puffy’s special “Cooling Cloud Foam” in its top layer. I think it has qualities of polyurethane foam, which is a bit more aerated and light than memory foam. I felt like it was easier to switch positions on this mattress than other memory foam beds.
It’s definitely more on the soft side of the firmness spectrum. I think it feels like a medium-soft, or around 3-4 on a scale of 10. If you’re a side sleeper, I think this bed was meant for you.
Circling back to the cute cloud cover I mentioned, it’s also removable and machine washable like the cover on the Amerisleep. Puffy advertises it as stain-resistant, but I don’t recommend you challenge that claim unless you’re in the mood to deep clean your mattress.
Puffy Lux mattresses are available in sizes twin to Cal king, and retail prices range from $1,445 to $1,995.
What is the best memory foam mattress?
There are many different memory foam mattresses on the market, but some of the best and most top-rated include:
- Layla mattress
- Puffy Lux mattress
- Loom & Leaf mattress by Saatva
- Bear Original mattress
- Amerisleep mattress
- GhostBed Luxe mattress
- Nectar mattress
How long do memory foam mattresses last?
If your memory foam mattress is only made out of foam, it will probably last you around seven years. However, if it’s made with innersprings or coils in the bottom layer, it will last you around 10 years or more. Just make sure you’re taking proper care of your memory foam mattress, like rotating it every six months and keeping your bedding clean.
What is the best thickness for a memory foam mattress?
9 to 10 inches is an ideal thickness for your memory foam mattress that offers ample support, but you can also go even thicker if you’re looking for maximum durability and support. Thin memory foam mattresses are okay for the short-term, but may not last as long as you would hope. They tend to be more susceptible to wear and tear, sags, and imprints.
Are memory foam mattresses good?
Memory foam mattresses are great at providing pressure relief to your joints because the material gently hugs your curves, but some memory foam beds can give you a sinking feeling that causes resistance when you try to switch positions. If you’re a combination sleeper in the market for a memory foam bed, try to find one that’s more light and airy so it responds to pressure quicker.
More mattress advice
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
