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If you sleep with a partner, shopping for a mattress you’ll both be happy with requires more research and patience than for a solo sleeper. When it comes time to sleep, couples have different needs than people who sleep alone. Factor in varying personal preferences, and it becomes even more complex.
We all know that waking up on the wrong side of the bed is uncomfortable, but studies show that poor sleep quality when coupled can also negatively influence your relationship dynamics. Research shows that more than 60% of adults co-sleep with their partners and that a quarter to a third of those people say their relationships are negatively affected by their own, or their partner’s, sleeping issues.
If you’re newly coupled and looking for a mattress to share with your partner—or if it’s just time to replace your old one—doing your research is crucial. It’s important to remember that mattresses will feel different to everybody depending on their weight, preferred sleeping position, and the way each person likes their mattress to feel.
Considering those factors, our team evaluated the best mattresses for couples and narrowed them down. We focused on features like motion isolationⓘ The ability of a mattress to keep movement on one side of the bed from affecting the other side. 1, edge supportⓘ This refers to the bed’s stability along the edges. , cooling technology, responsivenessⓘ Responsiveness describes how much surface bounce a mattress has and how it responds to pressure or the sleeper’s movements, making it easier to move around and change sleeping positions. , support, and comfort to help you and your partner make the best choice.
“There is research that suggests that sleeping together can indeed support healthy relationships. Sharing a bed can promote physical closeness, intimacy, and bonding between partners, which can contribute to stronger relationship satisfaction.”
— Carli Streich, BCN, LPC, owner of Cognitive Neurofeedback in Colorado Springs, Colorado
These are our scores for the Nolah Signature 12” compiled during our extensive testing process.
Learn more about our testing and scoring methods.
Customer service
You can reach Nolah customer service by:
Nolah accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Shop Pay, and PayPal. Financing is available through Affirm.
The Nolah Signature 12” is a thoughtfully designed all-foam mattress. It contains layers of AirFoam, a type of foam exclusive to Nolah designed for side sleeping, pressure relief, and a cooler feel than traditional memory foam mattresses. We recommend the Nolah Signature 12” for couples interested in a supportive foam mattress without deep sinkage.
Our testers found the Nolah Signature 12” firmer than other foam mattresses but not so firm that it was uncomfortable. The supportive mattress has a cushioned, comfortable feel, but the firmer foam prevented testers from sagging into the mattress or feeling “stuck.” We think this indicates a more durable foam mattress, especially if you’re sharing the mattress with a partner.
The mattress contoured to our testers’ lower shoulder, knee, and hip areas when lying on their side. If you or your partner are primarily side sleepers, we believe the Nolah Signature 12” should offer nice pressure relief and cushioning comfort in this position. But don’t worry—you’re not limited to one position on this mattress. Our testers felt supported when lying on their backs too.
For couples concerned about motion isolation, the Nolah Signature 12” should ease those worries. One tester couldn’t feel their testing partner change positions on the other side of the mattress. As expected, the foam layers absorbed the motion, but we were also pleasantly surprised by the mattress’s slight bounce. You and your partner should be able to use the slight bounce to move around and change positions without feeling stuck.
The edge was as firm and supportive as the rest of the mattress, and testers felt stable lying near and sitting on the mattress edge. This is a plus for couples who like to spread out on the mattress and use its full surface area.
“I found it easy to move and roll around on the mattress. The material is responding pretty well to movement, but it takes a couple of seconds to settle into a new position.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more in our Nolah Signature 12” mattress review.
These are our scores for the Saatva Solaire compiled during our extensive testing process.
Learn more about our testing and scoring methods.
Customer Service
You can reach Saatva customer service by:
Saatva accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Google Pay and PayPal. Financing is available through Affirm.
The company offers $225 off orders of $1,000 or more for service members, teachers, health care providers, government employees, and people age 65 and older.
The Saatva Solaire is the most unique mattress in this review. It’s a hybrid mattress made with layers of latex and memory foam, and it also has air chambers that inflate and deflate so sleepers can adjust the mattress’s firmness as they wish. The Solaire has 50 firmness settings to choose from, with zero being the softest and 50 being the firmest, which you adjust with the included remote control. We recommend the Saatva Solaire for couples who can’t agree on a mattress due to drastically different body types or preferences. Separate air chambers are available on each side for queen- and king-size mattresses, allowing couples to choose individual firmness settings for their side of the bed.
With so many firmness options, it’s difficult for our Reviews Team to review the Saatva Solaire like we would a standard mattress. We focused on two of the firmness options—setting 20 and setting 40—when testing the mattress. Our testers felt comfortable lying on their back and side with both of these settings. They also didn’t feel any pressure buildup in their shoulder or hip when lying on their side. The plush cover and memory foam layer offered nice cushioning support, while the Talalay latex layer stopped our tester from sinking too deeply into the mattress.
We like that you can switch the order of the memory foam and Talalay latexⓘ A natural rubber material that offers breathability and temperature regulation layers. The Saatva Solaire mattress cover unzips, allowing you to easily remove and swap the two layers. If you’d like a more responsive, bouncier surface instead of sinking memory foam, we recommend putting the Talalay latex layer above the memory foam layer.
After testing level 20, we felt it may be too soft for stomach sleepers. Our tester felt their hips sinking into the mattress, moving their spine out of alignment. Since stomach sleepers need a firm surface that supports their hips and keeps their spine in neutral alignment, we recommend these sleepers use settings 40–50.
The mattress’s plush cover and memory foam absorbed movement well during our motion isolation tests. This is great for couples since you shouldn’t feel your partner’s movement even if you both have different firmness settings.
Our testers were also pleased with the mattress’s edge support. The Saatva Solaire has high-density foam lining the mattress edge, giving it a secure, stable edge that doesn’t sink when you sit on it or lie near it.
“I felt a bit of gentle sinkage while back sleeping due to the cushioning pillow top layer. It definitely felt like I was more on top of the mattress overall and well-supported, but I felt contoured in the right places (lumbar region, shoulders). It felt very cozy overall.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
For more information, see our Saatva mattress review.
The WinkBed is a hybrid mattress with multiple layers of contouring memory foam and a supportive layer of individually encased coils designed to be both cool and comfortable. The mattress cover contains Tencel. Beneath the cover is a pillow top containing gel foam. The WinkBed is available in four firmness options, but we tested the luxury firm, which we think feels like a medium mattress. The WinkBed luxury firm is a good middle-ground mattress that offers a blend of pressure relief and support for a comfortable sleep experience.
With The WinkBed, most sleepers will feel more “on” the surface than enveloped “in” it, but testers still reported a gentle cradled feel. If you and your partner are lighter-weight (less than 130 pounds) or average-weight (130–250 pounds) back or side sleepers, we think The WinkBed should contour your body and relieve pressure in both positions.
The mattress’s supportive bounce should help you change positions, and testers never felt stuck in the plush pillow top. To test the mattress’s motion isolation, we placed a glass of water on one side while a tester moved on and off the mattress on the other side. The glass barely moved during these tests, showing how well the mattress absorbs movement. The WinkBed luxury firm offers an excellent combination for couples—you shouldn’t be disturbed by your partner’s movements during the night while benefiting from a responsive surface that supports your movement.
Sleepers who like to spread out on their mattress may not feel as stable when sleeping near the edge—our testers felt like they would roll off the bed if they were close. The edge felt more secure when sitting or standing up from the bed, which is helpful for mobility.
Our Reviews Team was also impressed that the mattress surface stayed cool throughout testing, even with multiple testers on the mattress to mimic a couple, which is important for partners who sleep hot.
“I definitely feel on top of this mattress. I feel a little give when first sliding into position, likely due to the plush top and firm underneath. Once I’m in position, it doesn’t feel like it’s enveloping me.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
To learn more, see our WinkBed mattress review.
The DreamCloud Original Hybrid is ideal for couples because it scored high in motion isolation, responsiveness, and overall support. The mattress comes in a standard version, which we tested, as well as a premium version that features additional cushioning in the first layer and an additional level of cooling.
This model is made with six key layers wrapped in a cashmere-blend comfort cover that has a plush feel and is designed to be breathable. Underneath are layers of quilted gel memory foam, which sleeps cooler than other types of memory foam, contouring gel memory foam, a dynamic transition layer of gel memory foam, a layer of individually wrapped coils for support, and finally, the base of the mattress is made with high-density foam, which helps with stability and limiting motion transfer.
While hybrid mattresses typically offer good bounce to aid in mobility, the trade-off is usually a low score for motion isolation. But the DreamCloud Original Hybrid delivers on both, striking an equal balance. To test motion transfer, we placed a glass of water on the mattress’s surface and moved around to see how it would respond. We noticed little to no movement on the glass of water’s surface, which means you’re less likely to feel your partner toss and turn at night.
Couples who need pressure relief will also be happy sleeping on the DreamCloud Original Hybrid. Our testers said they felt cradled while in a side position, and although they felt a little bit of pressure at the shoulders, overall, they felt this mattress would be good for side sleepers of all body types. According to our testers, back sleeping felt the best, with the mattress filling in their lower back area nicely and distributing their weight evenly.
“Sitting collapses the edge a bit, but I still feel supported. I felt more support lying down than sitting. It was very easy to go from sitting to standing, and getting in and out of bed takes minimal effort.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
To learn more, see our DreamCloud mattress review.
The Titan Plus Luxe is a hybrid mattress designed for higher-weight sleepers. We had both a lighter-weight and higher-weight sleeper test the Titan Plus Luxe to get different perspectives. While we recommend this mattress for higher-weight sleepers, we think this mattress can still accommodate a lighter- or average-weight partner, making it a good option for couples with different body types.
Our higher-weight tester felt comfortable and supported on their back and side, but they felt some pressure buildup when lying on their stomach. Our lighter-weight tester felt comfortable lying on their back and stomach, but the mattress was too firm for side sleeping.
Our testers immediately noticed how comfortable the mattress cover was. The cover is quilted with gel memory foam, making it cool and soft to the touch.
We were impressed with how well the mattress isolated motion, especially since it has a firmer and more responsive surface. Both testers liked how easy it was to move on the mattress since it has a nice bounce that supported their movements when changing positions.This mattress is another example of a mattress that offers a great balance of bounce for mobility and motion isolation for couples who want both.
Finally, we also found that the mattress has a strong, durable edge that allows sleepers to use the entire surface of the bed, allowing partners to maximize the surface area.
“There’s a little bit of pressure on my shoulders while side sleeping. Lighter weight sleepers that need more cushioning while on their side should look elsewhere, but heavier weight side sleepers would get the cushioning they need.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
To learn more, see our Titan Plus mattress review.
The Leesa Sapira Chill mattress is a luxury hybrid mattress designed with elements to prevent sleepers from overheating. The mattress uses proprietary cooling technology, including a temperature-regulating cover. It’s also made with gel memory foam, which further helps regulate the mattress’s temperature, and a layer of “micro springs” that aid in breathability alongside the thicker layer of innerspring coils.
Our testers confirmed that the mattress’s cover was “extremely cool to the touch,” and they could tell it was breathable and ventilated. In addition to it being cooling, our testers felt the cover had a high-quality, plush, and luxurious feel to it. When our testers lay on the mattress to test cooling, the temperature rose less than 6 degrees. For context, anything less than 10 degrees is considered “excellent.” We gave the Leesa Sapira Chill a five out of five for cooling, which is great news for couples, as they tend to heat the surface of the mattress faster than one person would alone.
Couples should also enjoy limited motion transfer on this mattress due to its layers of memory foam that help isolate movement. When one tester rested on the bed while another tester moved, they detected little to no movement. This mattress also offers great bounce for couples who need a boost in mobility.
Our testers also felt the mattress offered great edge support and felt stable when they rested close to the edge of the bed, which is another important factor for couples to consider.
Side, back, and combination sleepers of all weight categories should feel comfortable and get the right amount of pressure relief on the Leesa Sapira Chill. But average-weight and higher-weight stomach sleepers may need a bit extra support to keep their midsection from
“There’s a creaking noise with any movement on the bed. Feel a little bit of sinkage from the plush top, but extremely responsive and easy to change movement.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
For more information, see our Leesa mattress review.
Our Reviews Team has dedicated more than 1,000 hours to researching the mattress industry, consulting at least 10 health care professionals, and testing roughly 40 brands and 130 unique mattress models for quality and comfort. We’ve also interviewed 16 older adults who recently purchased a mattress and surveyed more than 3,200 recent mattress customers to understand their experiences shopping for a new bed.
Each mattress undergoes a rigorous 36-page testing procedure to score its different characteristics, including firmness, support, and other aspects most shoppers consider. We choose the best mattresses for couples based on the scores of the relevant criteria.
Using this criteria, we rate the mattresses and determine what makes a great mattress option for couples:
Edge support
We score edge support on a scale of one to five, with five being the strongest. Our team tests this by sitting and lying on the edge to determine how safe it feels and measure how far it sinks. For example, if a short 11-inch mattress’s edge sinks about 2 inches, it may feel weak because it collapses under body weight. Edge support is important for couples because it allows them to use the entire surface of the bed.
Cooling
We use a temperature gun to determine how well a mattress disperses body heat. If the mattress heats up more than 15 degrees, it’s considered a poor score. If it only heats up 5–10 degrees, it’s considered a good or excellent score. The feel of the material under our body is also factored into the score, with one indicating a poor score and five indicating good cooling technology. We took cooling into consideration because two people sleeping together heats up a surface more than sleeping solo, which may be important to people who sleep hot.
Motion transfer
Motion transfer is scored on a scale between one and five, with five being the most motion-isolating. To score this, one tester lies on one side of the mattress while another changes positions while lying on the other side. We score this feature by how much movement we can feel across the mattress. If we don’t feel movement, the mattress dampens motion well, scoring a five out of five. Motion isolation is one of the most important considerations for couples who are easily disturbed by their partner’s movements during the night. Mattresses that absorb motion well are ideal for couples looking to sleep peacefully.
Bounce
Our team scores bounce on a scale between one and five, with five being the bounciest. We test this by dropping a 10-pound weighted ball on the mattress surface, recording how many times it bounces, and analyzing the sound of its landing. The ball will bounce multiple times on bouncier mattresses before cradling into the surface, while others thud onto the material, indicating low bounce.
A mattress that’s too bouncy can cause issues if movement is rippling across the surface and disturbing your partner. But when you get good motion isolation and bounce together, you have an ideal pairing. Bounce is helpful for combination sleepers who change positions throughout the night and aiding in mobility for getting in and out of bed.
To learn more about our testing, review our sleep methodology.
We continuously test new mattresses each month and make sure we give you the most up-to-date information possible. Each mattress goes through a rigorous testing process, and we evaluate them in terms of firmness, support, pressure relief, and other categories important to shoppers. We then choose our top picks based on our scores and share them with our readers.
To ensure you and your partner get the best sleeping experience, there are a few key factors couples will want to look out for.
A mattress that isolates motion well will prevent you from feeling your partner’s movements at night and offer a better night’s sleep. Memory foam is an excellent motion isolator since it absorbs movement. We typically recommend couples explore mattresses that are either made from 100% memory foam or hybrids that use memory foam in the top layers. Bouncy mattresses, like ones made from latex or innersprings, may not be the best choice since they tend to transfer motion easily.
Since there will be two people on your mattress instead of one, the likelihood of it heating up is greater. Couples will want to look for a mattress that either uses cooling technology or that’s constructed in a way to help promote airflow. Examples of cooling technology include cooling covers made with breathable materials, gel memory foam, perforated foams, or any other technology a mattress brand uses that’s designed to keep you cool. Due to their construction, hybrid mattresses also promote airflow which can keep you from overheating.
Edge support refers to how much support you feel at the perimeter of your mattress. This is especially important for couples since they tend to spread out more while they’re sleeping and need the edge of the mattress to maintain shape under their weight. We use various tests to evaluate a mattress’s edge support, and you can also check reviews to see what other sleepers have to say. Some mattresses are made with additional coils around the perimeter to help with edge support, so be sure to investigate this before you make your purchase.
Support refers to how well a mattress fills the gaps between your body and its surface, and it helps to reinforce the areas where you need it most. Support is an important factor for couples to consider since a highly supportive mattress is also less likely to dip under the weight of two people over time. Not only does support help you maintain proper spinal alignment, but it also aids in a mattress’s durability.
Motion transfer refers to how much movement can be felt across a mattress. If you sleep alone, motion transfer may not be a cause for concern. But when you sleep with a partner who will inevitably move around at night, those movements may transfer across the mattress and disturb your sleep. A mattress with good motion isolation helps limit the transfer of movement, so you won’t be so easily disturbed by your partner. Memory foam mattresses are well-known for absorbing movement, and hybrid mattresses that use memory foam can also help limit motion transfer.
Couples will want to make sure they’re sleeping on a bed that provides enough surface area for two people to sleep comfortably. Of course, everybody has a different body weight and size, so you’ll also want to consider that when you’re evaluating mattress sizes.
A queen-size bed measures 80 inches by 60 inches and offers enough surface area for each person to have their own space without feeling crowded. A standard king-size bed is 80 inches by 76 inches and offers the most space of all the standard mattress sizes. The best king-size mattress for couples will offer a blend of motion isolation, cooling, and support, so be sure to look for those qualities when shopping.
How close you like to be to your partner will also influence the type of mattress you choose. If you like to sleep close, a full-size bed may provide enough space for you to be comfortable. If you like to spread out, consider larger options, like a queen, king, or even a California king.
| Mattress type | Memory Foam | Air-chambers, latex, memory foam | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Mattress height | 12.5 inches | 13 inches | 13.5 inches | 12 inches | 13 inches | 14 inches |
| Trial period | 120 nights | 365 nights | 120 nights | 365 nights | 120 nights | 100 nights |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | 10 years | 10 years |
When shopping for a mattress as a couple, it’s important to consider that you and your partner will likely experience the same mattress differently, which means finding a middle-ground option that may require some compromise. You’ll want to consider factors like motion isolation, cooling, edge support, and overall support when deciding.
Ultimately, we chose Nolah Signature 12″ as the best mattress for couples because of its supportive yet contouring feel, excellent motion isolation, and responsive surface.
Remember, what’s best for our Reviews Team and testers may not be best for you, so consider our other top mattresses for couples, which include the Saatva Solaire for its customizable firmness levels, The WinkBed for comfort, and Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid for cooling.
Once you and your partner have decided on a new mattress, we recommend using it for at least one month before deciding to keep or return it. This gives your body time to adjust to the new mattress. Fortunately, our top mattress picks offer at least a 100-night trial—the industry standard.
We chose the Nolah Signature 12″ as the best overall mattress for couples. The right mattress depends on your weight, sleeping positions, personal preferences, and budget. The best mattress for you and your partner should isolate movement, have a strong edge and supportive surface, and provide a responsive surface.
If you and your partner have drastically different weights, consider the Saatva Solaire. The mattress has 50 firmness options, which are controlled by inflating and deflating the bed’s air chambers using the included remote control. You can also try a split king mattress if you prefer a more traditional hybrid or memory foam mattress. A split king is a king-size mattress made of two twin XL mattresses, which allows you and your partner to choose the firmness and feel for each side.
We recommend a medium-firm mattress for couples with slightly different weights who can’t decide on their ideal firmness level.
Memory foam mattresses can be a good option for couples since the material typically absorbs movement. Good motion isolation means sleepers won’t be disturbed when their partner switches positions or gets in and out of bed. One drawback of memory foam mattresses is that they generally trap body heat, making the bed uncomfortably warm for some people. Plus, sleepers may feel too “sunken in” or have trouble moving and changing positions on the soft surface.
We recommend a medium-firm mattress for couples who prefer different sleeping positions. This is a middle-ground firmness level that supports a variety of sleepers. Consider a split king mattress if you and your partner have extremely different sleep preferences. Depending on the brand, you can choose a different firmness for each side. A split king adjustable bed is another option. This allows you and your partner to adjust the mattress height and position on each side, an especially useful feature when one partner has conditions like acid reflux or sleep apnea.
Queen- and king-size mattresses are common bed sizes for couples, but many brands also offer California king and split king mattresses. The best mattress size for you and your partner depends on your budget, preferences, and bedroom layout.
We recommend shopping for a mattress constructed with memory foam or a hybrid mattress that uses memory foam in its top layers. While supportive, an innerspring mattress causes a lot of “bounce,” which translates into motion transfer, and, ultimately, an uncomfortable night’s rest for you and your partner.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
