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Our CNET experts have spent years putting all sorts of mattresses to the test. With that knowledge, we’ve perused all areas of the sleep landscape to bring you the top soft mattresses available today. We’ve taken into consideration the materials you should look for in a soft mattress and what qualities the product needs to truly make your bed the soft haven you wish it to be. Here are our top picks for the best soft mattresses you can buy.
What’s the best soft mattress?
The GravityLux is a luxury mattress from WinkBeds. It has three firmness options, allowing you to customize the mattress. The soft or medium option is good for people who want a bed with pressure relief. It’s the kind of mattress that could work for anyone. That’s why we think it’s the best soft mattress you can buy.
This soft mattress also has a “progressive support” design for all the layers, which is firm and soft where your body needs it most. The layers are thick, proprietary foam with cooling technology and extra durability.
Best soft mattresses video review
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the best soft mattresses for 2024.
Best soft mattresses of 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Type Memory foam hybridFirmness 4 or medium to medium-softTrial 101 nightsWarranty Lifetime warranty Price $$$
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 3 firmness levels | Soft: 3 or Medium-soft | Medium: 5 or Medium | Firm: Medium-firm or 7Trial 120 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $$$
Type Memory foam pillow top mattressFirmness Soft to medium-soft or 2 to 3Trial 100 nightsWarranty 15-year limited warranty Price $$$
Type Memory foam hybrid mattressFirmness 1-2 or softTrial 100 nightsWarranty 20-year limited warrantyPrice scale $$$
Why we chose the Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid mattress: The Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid mattress is the perfect soft mattress for strict side sleepers. It’s about as pressure-relieving as a mattress can get. The 14-inch thick Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid memory foam mattress features an airy, breathable soft feel cover. This is followed by a plant-based foam called Bio-Pur for contouring and pressure relief; this foam also has an open-cell design to promote airflow. Bio-Pur foam is mildew, mold and dust mite resistant as well as CertiPUR-US certified. It also tests low in emissions.
Below that, there’s a foam called Active Flex that adds a smidge more softness, and then a transition layer called HIVE for spinal alignment. Finally, the base is made of Bio-Core to promote durability and keep each component of the mattress together for years to come. Read more in our Amerisleep mattress review.
Pros:
- Exceptional pressure relief
- Bio-Pur foam is mildew, mold and dust mite resistant
- CertiPUR-US certified foam meaning it has low emissions
Cons:
- Not supportive enough for stomach sleepers
- Expensive
Amerisleep AS5 Hybrid
Why we chose the Layla mattress: The Layla mattress is a flippable mattress with two firmnesses in one. One side is around a medium to medium firm, while the other is a medium-soft. Soft bed lovers are going to love the plush side of the Layla mattress. It’s a light and airy memory foam with copper-infused material to help draw heat away from your body.
The original Layla mattress is made with just foam, so it’s going to be better for people who weigh under 230 pounds. If you’re looking for more support, the Layla Hybrid mattress is also an option. It has the same flippable design, but it’s made with strong pocketed coils to add more support and durability.
Pros:
- Two firmness levels in flippable design
- Airy memory foam feel
- Good temperature regulation
Cons:
- Not for people who want a bouncy mattress
Soft beds are best for side sleepers. If you sleep on your back or stomach, a firm bed helps prevent your back from sagging.
Besides being ultra comfortable to snuggle up in, the best soft mattresses are ideal for side sleepers and petite individuals who seek more pressure relief.
- Soft mattresses allow the hips and shoulders to press into the bed’s comfort layers, providing pressure relief to those joints.
- For side sleepers, a soft mattress will help promote proper spinal alignment because they are more contouring around the shoulders and hips and have more give.
- The lighter you are, the firmer a bed feels. Petite sleepers under around 150 pounds may want a softer mattress because the average “medium” firmness mattress will feel more like a medium-firm.
Best soft mattress FAQs
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Most soft mattresses are made with memory foam, polyurethane foam, or a blend of the two. These two materials are great for pressure relief and they can be manufactured to be ultraplush and soft. Latex hybrid mattresses, on the other hand, tend to be the firmest.
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Most soft mattresses are made with memory foam, polyurethane foam, or a blend of the two. These two materials are great for pressure relief and they can be manufactured to be ultraplush and soft. Latex hybrid mattresses, on the other hand, tend to be the firmest.
<div id="8e31e02a-f850-484f-b1e8-ddab160bf822" data-cy="shortcodeFaq" heading="Are soft mattresses bad for your back?" description="
If you strictly sleep on your side, a soft mattress will cradle your curves and give under your hips and shoulders to promote a neutral spinal alignment. When you’re sleeping on your back or stomach, a soft mattress allows your spine to sag into the bed. Beds that offer more support have proven to be more beneficial for people with back pain. If you want a bed that offers plushness and support, go for a medium firmness level.
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If you strictly sleep on your side, a soft mattress will cradle your curves and give under your hips and shoulders to promote a neutral spinal alignment. When you’re sleeping on your back or stomach, a soft mattress allows your spine to sag into the bed. Beds that offer more support have proven to be more beneficial for people with back pain. If you want a bed that offers plushness and support, go for a medium firmness level.
<div id="2d158deb-a6b3-4a26-8d33-cf6382f0f1bc" data-cy="shortcodeFaq" heading="Who are soft mattresses good for?" description="
Side sleepers tend to benefit from soft mattresses the most because they need a firmness profile that cradles the joints around your hips and shoulders. A firm mattress offers little to no give around the shoulders and joints, which can throw off your spinal alignment and cause back pain. People under 150 pounds also like mattresses on the soft side because they exert less pressure onto a bed, making it feel firmer than what your average-weighted sleeper feels.
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Side sleepers tend to benefit from soft mattresses the most because they need a firmness profile that cradles the joints around your hips and shoulders. A firm mattress offers little to no give around the shoulders and joints, which can throw off your spinal alignment and cause back pain. People under 150 pounds also like mattresses on the soft side because they exert less pressure onto a bed, making it feel firmer than what your average-weighted sleeper feels.
