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Sleep comfort is important for good sleep, and it usually starts with our environment, including our mattress. When it comes to finding a comfortable bed, it’s important to consider various factors, like firmness, body type, mattress composition (foam vs. hybrid), support, and pressure relief. Other elements may also be important depending on your preferences, mobility, and whether you sleep with a partner.
Our Reviews Team has spent more than 2,000 hours researching and testing sleep products, so we can recommend our top choices for the most comfortable mattresses. Keep reading for our picks based on our testing and extensive research.
While a comfortable mattress may help you sleep better, if you’re experiencing poor sleep and it’s affecting your health or ability to get through the day, see your physician for a health check.
The Saatva Classic has an innerspring-hybrid construction and three firmness levels (plush soft, luxury firm, and firm). We tested the luxury firm, which the brand rated five to seven out of 10 for firmness. Our testers found the Classic firmer and rated it seven out of 10 for firmness. The Saatva brand likely gave it a firmness range because firmness can be subjective based on a person’s body type and preferences.
Offering great overall support and edge support, the Saatva Classic provides enough support to prevent the sleeper from feeling stuck in the mattress due to too much
sinkageⓘ
Good contouring sinkage can give sleepers the feeling of being “hugged” by their mattress, but too much sink can result in misalignment of the spine, especially for stomach and back sleepers.
while providing good contour to not create tension on
pressure pointsⓘ
The parts of the sleeper’s body that are in direct contact with the mattress, such as the backside, shoulder, hips, and ribcage.
.
If you tend to sleep close to the side of the bed, the mattress should have a reinforced perimeter with enough edge support to keep you from rolling over the side. Tamar Amitay, PT, MS, physical therapist and founder of Thrive Integrated Physical Therapy in New York, explained that edge support is especially helpful for older adults with hip pain or who have had hip surgery. “A stable edge or firm edge allows [patients] to more easily push off [the mattress] and feel more stable. It also offers more support when they are sitting down.”
The Saatva Classic scored a five out of five for perimeter support. It actually has an extra-firm layer built in to help rock the sleeper back toward the center of the mattress if they get too close to the edge.
With the Saatva white-glove delivery option, your mattress will be personally delivered and installed in your preferred room. Unlike mattresses that come compressed in a box and require time to expand, the Saatva Classic arrives decompressed, allowing you to use it the same night it’s delivered.
“This mattress has a memory foam layer of lumbar support, which supports the lower back. It’s also bouncy, which makes it great for combination sleepers.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more in our in-depth Saatva mattress review.
The Helix Midnight Luxe features five layers that are comprised of foam, individually wrapped coils, and a soft pillow top. The foam layers of the Helix Midnight Luxe are designed to cradle the body while providing good support to keep the spine aligned, with the top layers of the mattress allowing for sinkage to provide comfort and pressure relief. Our testers found that the foam adjusts based on the sleeper’s movements, and its responsiveness makes changing sleeping positions less effortful. The Helix brand rated this mattress’s firmness as a five to six out of 10, and our Reviews Team agreed with the brand’s assessment, giving it a 5.5 out of 10.
The Midnight Luxe also offers excellent edge support, with our testers rating it 4.5 out of five. A strong edge can help prevent you from rolling off the mattress and also makes it easier to get in and out of bed. This can be particularly beneficial for older adults with limited mobility.
If you sleep with a partner or a pet, considering motion transfer is important. The Midnight Luxe scored low for motion transfer, which means light sleepers may be disturbed by a partner’s movements throughout the night.
The Helix Midnight Luxe is ideal for average-weight (130–250 pounds) back, side, and stomach sleepers. It’s also a good choice for lighter-weight sleepers (less than 130 pounds). But higher-weight sleepers (more than 250 pounds) may find that the Midnight Luxe does not offer enough support and may benefit from a firmer mattress.
Helix offers optional white-glove delivery through the third-party service LoadUp. If you opt to have it shipped, it will arrive compressed and rolled up in a box. Once you unpack it, it will take about 45 minutes to reach its full height.
While Helix offers a 100-night trial, you need to complete a 30-day break-in period before you can return it.
“I love this mattress’s soft pillow top and the responsive surface underneath. I think this would be great for stomach sleepers, and the pressure relief from the pillow top is ideal for back and side sleepers”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more about Helix mattresses in our in-depth Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review.
The Emma Hybrid Comfort has a breathable and moisture-wicking top cover, three foam layers, ergonomic pocket springs, a stabilizing layer, and an anti-slip lower cover with handles for easy maneuvering. The company rates the Hybrid Comfort as a medium-firm mattress (five out of 10), but our testers said it felt firmer (7.5 out of 10) and rather than sinking into the mattress, they felt like they were on top of the material.
Due to its zoned support and firmness, back and stomach sleepers of all weights should find the Hybrid Comfort a comfortable and supportive sleeping experience. While our testers felt mostly comfortable in the back sleeping position, they noted the material didn’t always conform to their lower back. But all testers of all body types felt comfortable when laying on their stomachs.
The Hybrid Comfort offers good bounce, which may make it easier to move around on and change positions. It also offers a good balance of motion isolation, although easily disturbed adults may need something with better motion dampening.
We also found the Hybrid Comfort scored well for cooling. This may be beneficial if you’re a hot sleeper or live in a hotter climate.
The Hybrid Comfort has average edge support, and our testers found it sagged considerably when they sat on it. But it performed better when laying spread out on the mattress, and our testers felt safer laying by the edge than sitting on it.
Like many mattresses you can buy online, the Emma Hybrid Comfort arrives compressed in a box. When you unwrap it, you may notice an odor. This is normal, and typically takes a few days to off-gas and go away.
Since a scheduled delivery doesn’t appear as an option at checkout, contact Emma customer service if you’d like to schedule delivery, which costs $69–$129 depending on where you live. For an additional $125, the delivery team will remove your old mattress, but this service is only available in certain locations.
“When lying on the mattress, I felt closer to the surface and only sank about half an inch. While it was comfortable lying on my back, it felt like the mattress was pushing my tailbone up, adding a little pressure to my lower back.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more about Emma mattresses in our in-depth Emma mattress review.
The WinkBed has a hybrid construction and four firmness levels you can choose from (softer, luxury firm, firmer, and plus), although we tested the luxury firm model. The mattress features a Tencelⓘ A brand of lyocell fiber made from wood pulp that’s known for being soft, breathable, and absorbent. cover to promote moisture-wicking and cooling. It also includes gel foam layers to reduce motion transfer and support your back, hips, and shoulders, and individually wrapped pocket coils offer zoned support for lower-back support. Our testers felt The WinkBed offered a high level of overall pressure relief overall, making it a great choice for back and side sleepers of all body types.
Our testers rated The WinkBed medium, giving it a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. While laying on this mattress, our testers sank slightly but were met with firm support. Our testers described the level of sinkage as a gentle, supportive cradle. While our testers felt comfortable in most sleep positions, higher-weight stomach sleepers may find that this mattress does not offer enough support.
Another factor to consider when choosing a mattress is edge support, which allows you to sleep close to the edge of the mattress. We found that The WinkBed offers strong edge support, which is also good for added stability when getting in and out of the bed.
In addition to providing above-average bounce to help with mobility, The WinkBed also has excellent motion-dampening features. Its stabilizing gel foam absorbs motion transfer, so you’re less likely to be disturbed if your partner is a restless sleeper. During testing, one team member sat on one side of the mattress and placed a glass of water on the opposite side. When our testers moved around, the water barely moved at all.
The WinkBed mattress is compressed, rolled, and shipped in a box to your door. White-glove delivery is not available.
“We’ve found that The WinkBed is ideal for most average-weight sleepers. It should also have enough support for higher-weight sleepers to feel comfortable, especially for back and side sleepers.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more about WinkBed mattresses in our in-depth WinkBeds mattress review.
The Nolah Original Hybrid has a hybrid construction consisting of pressure-relieving foam layers and 8-inch steel coils designed to support your spine and hips while comforting your shoulders. This makes it a particularly good choice for side sleepers. It also features a Tencel cover, which boosts breathability and makes for a cooler sleep experience. We found the mattress offered above-average cooling, although hot sleepers may want to opt for something cooler.
Nolah gives the Original Hybrid a firmness rating of six out of 10. Based on our testers’ experience, we gave it a five out of 10 for firmness, as our testers felt it was softer than advertised.
Average-weight back and side sleepers should enjoy a balance of support and softness. While the mattress’s sinkage was comfortable, it made it more difficult to change positions. This could be an issue for sleepers who move around a lot during the night. Our testers also felt that higher-weight sleepers and stomach sleepers may be better off choosing a firmer mattress.
While the Original Hybrid provides good pressure relief and support, it did not perform as well in motion isolation and edge support. Our testers noted that they could feel a little movement on the opposite side of the bed during testing, although they found the movement wasn’t that disruptive. But someone easily disturbed may want something that isolates motion better. When testing edge support, there was enough sinkage that they felt unstable sleeping too close to the edge. This may be a concern for those with limited mobility.
Nolah mattresses arrive compressed in a box. The brand offers offer white-glove delivery through LoadUp, which costs between $150–$300, depending on whether you need the old mattress removed, the new mattress set up, or both.
“I really like the balance between support and softness.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more about Nolah mattresses in our in-depth Nolah mattress review.
The Bear Original is a firm, 10-inch-tall foam mattress. Based on our tester’s experience, we gave the Bear Original an eight out of 10 for firmness. Most sleepers find that mattress firmness scores between six and seven out of 10 provide a comfortable sleeping experience, but weight can impact how comfortable you find a mattress. If you’re looking for a memory foam mattress that is less firm, we suggest the DreamCloud Original Foam mattress, which we rated a 6.5 out of 10 for firmness.
Our testers said the Bear Original would be a good option for higher-weight sleepers, as it may offer better contouring. They also noted that it would be good for most average-weight sleepers in back and stomach positions. Lower-weight and average-weight side sleepers likely need a softer surface for pressure relief.
The Bear Original may be particularly beneficial for adults with limited mobility. Our testers found it was easy to move around and change positions on this bed. It also offers excellent motion isolation, making it a good choice for adults who share a bed with a partner or pet.
When it comes to edge support, the Bear Original scored well. Our testers felt supported when lying on the edge of the mattress. Our testers also noted that the Bear Original was lightweight, making it easier to put on a fitted sheet. This could be beneficial for adults with limited mobility.
Bear mattresses arrive compressed in a box. They typically take about 24–48 hours to fully decompress. White-glove delivery service is available through LoadUp, including installing your new mattress, removing your old mattress, or both.
“Lower-weight sleepers may perceive this mattress to be much harder than it is, while it may offer better contouring to higher-weight sleepers.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more about Bear mattresses in our in-depth Bear mattress review.
The Birch Natural mattress is a hybrid construction made with natural latex comfort layers and breathable organic cotton. It also has a natural fire-retardant layer made from 100% organic wool. This bed contains up to 1,000 individually wrapped coils that cradle your body and are reinforced lengthwise for edge support.
Birch rates the Natural mattress as a six to seven out of 10 on the firmness scale. Our testers agreed with this rating and rated it a 6.5 out of 10 (a true medium, per industry standards). They felt that it’s an ideal mattress for back sleepers of all body types and lighter- and average-weight stomach sleepers. While higher-weight side sleepers should find this mattress provides good pressure relief, lighter- and average-weight side sleepers may not get enough pressure relief.
Our testers rated the Birch Natural high for edge support and bounce. They said it was easy to move around and change positions while still feeling protected by a strong perimeter. This may be especially beneficial for adults with limited mobility.
The Birch Natural scored slightly lower for motion transfer, but it still performed slightly above average. If you share a bed with a restless partner, you may feel their movements on the mattress.
Birch mattresses arrive compressed and rolled in a box. White-glove delivery including mattress setup and removal starts at $129.
“I was very impressed with the edge of the bed. It feels like if I roll over close to the edge, it pushes me back to the center—kind of like a little guard rail.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more in our Birch Natural mattress review.
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid features a premium quilted top designed to wick moisture and promote breathability. Next, it has two layers of comfort foam designed to respond to movement and up to 1,140 encased coils (depending on the bed size) designed to provide contouring, motion isolation, and edge support. Finally, it includes a flex base that reinforces the coils and adds durability to the mattress.
This model comes in three firmness levels (soft, medium, and firm), but we tested the medium version. While Brooklyn Bedding rates the medium mattress a five out of 10 for firmness, our testers felt it was slightly firmer and rated it six out of 10. While we think average-weight and lighter-weight stomach sleepers would do well on this mattress, higher-weight stomach sleepers may prefer the Plank Firm mattress. While testing the back-sleeping position, our team said they felt well-supported by this mattress, and their spine stayed aligned while the mattress provided enough contour they felt gently cradled. This mattress provided enough support and pressure relief, we think it works well for back sleepers of all body types.
This mattress performed reasonably well in motion transfer. While they felt some motion from the other side of the mattress, they were pleasantly surprised at the motion isolation for such a bouncy mattress.
The Signature Hybrid also performed moderately well for edge support, with a thin lip at the edge providing some security. But our testers noted they wouldn’t sleep right at the edge of the bed due to some dipping beneath their weight.
Shipping is free to all contiguous U.S. states. Your mattress will arrive compressed in a box. While most of the decompression will take place within minutes of unboxing the mattress, it takes about 24 hours to fully decompress.
“I feel a great balance between support and pressure relief.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more in our Brooklyn Bedding mattress review.
The Titan Plus by Brooklyn Bedding is designed to hold up to 1,100 pounds. It has a hybrid construction featuring a 1-inch quilted top with gel foam, a layer of comfort foam for contouring and pressure point relief, 8-inch individually encased coils for long-lasting support, and base foam to reinforce the coil core and add durability to the mattress. The foam used in the Titan Plus is firm and high-density to provide support for higher-weight sleepers.
Titan rates the Titan Plus a nine out of 10 for firmness. Our testers found it slightly less firm, rating it eight out of 10. While lower-weight and average-weight stomach sleepers may find it provides a good amount of support, back and side sleepers in these weight categories may find the mattress too firm. But our testers felt that the level of firmness would be ideal for most higher-weight sleepers due to its good support and conformity to the spine. An exception would be higher-weight side sleepers, who may not get enough pressure relief due to the firm construction of the mattress.
Our testers found it easy to move around and switch positions on the Titan Plus. They also noted that the mattress had good bounce. Combined, these factors make the mattress a good choice for adults with limited mobility.
The Titan Plus has excellent cooling technology, with our testers rating it 4.5 out of five for its cooling capability. If you get hot while sleeping, you can add the GlacioTex cooling cover for $100–$250 (depending on the size of your mattress).
Our testers found that the Titan Plus had average edge support and motion isolation. These factors make this mattress a good choice for adults who share a bed with a partner and may need to sleep closer to the edge of the bed.
Shipping is free to all contiguous U.S. states. Your Titan Plus will arrive compressed in a box. Although most decompression occurs within minutes of unboxing, it takes about 24 hours to fully decompress.
“This mattress is ideal for higher-weight people, and combination sleepers will like it because I found it easy to move around on.”
Who may love it
Who may want to avoid it
Learn more about Titan mattresses in our in-depth Titan Plus 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 chose the best comfortable mattresses based on the scores of the relevant criteria, including support, pressure relief, bounce, firmness, and cooling.
To learn more about our testing and scoring methods, review our sleep methodology.
We continuously test new mattresses each month to ensure we give you the most up-to-date information possible. We regularly update our “Best of” articles to include new testing data and newly released mattress models.
After testing and research, we settled on the Saatva Classic as the most comfortable mattress. Personal preference plays an important part in shopping for a mattress, and we know that our choice might not be right for all sleepers. As you’re preparing for your next mattress purchase, consider these suggestions before you buy:
Sleep position is often a factor when deciding which mattress is most comfortable. In general, adults who sleep on their back or stomach benefit from a medium-to-firm mattress that allows them to maintain a neutral spine. Those who sleep on their side may prefer a softer mattress to contour and hug their body while alleviating pressure on their shoulders and hips.
We believe everyone deserves a mattress suited to their individual size and weight needs. So we suggest taking your body type into account, as it changes how you experience a mattress. Higher-weight sleepers generally compress a mattress more, requiring a firmer mattress to maintain spine alignment. A lower-weight sleeper may perceive mattresses to be firmer, finding they are most comfortable in a softer bed.
Some body types need more space, and a king or California king can provide more room to stretch out before sleep. When it comes to mattress type, memory foam mattresses may not offer the support and durability higher-weight sleepers need, while the coils in hybrid and innerspring mattresses are a better fit. Although, we know of a variety of memory foam mattresses that do offer support, like the Bear Original or the Plank Firm.
Sharing a bed with another person may change your most important considerations. With two adults, there are two sets of preferences to consider and two sets of sleep habits to keep in mind. If you sleep with a partner, a bouncier mattress might not provide the motion isolation needed to avoid sleep disturbances when one person is restless or moving. At the same time, some bounce and responsiveness to movement are often preferred for mobility
Cooling capabilities, or how well a mattress regulates temperature, should be in mind if one or both partners sleep hot or are more sensitive to temperature changes. A mattress with enough space and durable edge support will allow both adults to stretch out and get comfortable before falling asleep.
Knowing that sleep environment is an important part of good sleep, it’s no surprise that finding a mattress most suited to your preferences and needs is only the first step in making your bed more comfortable.
You can support your new mattress purchase and your sleep hygiene beginning with a foundation. An adjustable bed can address more specific sleep needs like acid reflux, mobility limitations, chronic pain, and snoring.
One or more high-quality pillows can support your comfort in your preferred sleep position. For example, if you tend to sleep on your back, a pillow under your head and your knees can help with spine neutrality. Stomach sleepers may require a pillow under their hips to accomplish the same thing. The best pillow for side sleepers is often one that has a higher loftⓘ Loft refers to how tall or thick a pillow is. For instance, a pillow that’s 5 inches thick is considered high loft, while 1–2-inch pillows are low loft height.
High-quality pillowcases and sheets are worth considering when creating your ideal sleep environment. The best sheets are soft to the touch, durable enough to withstand regular washing and frequent movement, and breathable enough to help warm sleepers stay cool.
We know that buying a new mattress is a big purchase and that budget is an important consideration before you add a model to your shopping cart. Knowing this, our testing and research included looking at the affordability of a mattress alongside comfort. The Emma Hybrid Comfort, Bear Original, and Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid are three of the most budget-friendly options, especially when you shop discounts.
But if none of them is the ideal mattress for you, we suggest considering the following while you look for an option that fits your budget:
| Queen cost before discounts | $2,095 | $1,319 | $1,799 | $2,499 | $925 | $1,873.80 | $1,332 | $1,249 |
| Firmness | Plush-soft, luxury-firm, firm | Medium-firm | Softer, luxury-firm, firmer, plus | Plush, luxury-firm, firm, comfort plus | Firm | Medium | Soft, medium, firm | Firm |
| Mattress type | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Foam | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| White-glove delivery* | Yes, free | Only mattress removal in select areas | No | No | Yes, starting at $100 | Yes, in select locations | No | No |
We chose the Saatva Classic as the most comfortable mattress overall because it accommodates the widest variety of sleepers and is made by a company with a good reputation. We selected the other mattresses based on how comfortable they would be for specific types of sleepers. For example, we chose the Helix Midnight Luxe as the Best for Sleepers with Back Pain and The WinkBed as the Most Comfortable for Side Sleepers. All the mattresses on this list were tested by our Reviews Team.
Determining which mattress is most comfortable for you is highly specific to the type of sleeper you are and what level of firmness gives you the best sleep experience. When shopping for mattresses, other factors like cost, warranties, and trial periods are also important considerations. We found the most comfortable mattresses are the ones that score best in their ability to give targeted pressure relief, and those that support the body while giving room for contouring and proper alignment.
Our testing found innerspring, hybrid, and memory foam mattresses were the most comfortable types of mattresses for most sleepers.
After testing and research, we found that an innerspring core and memory foam add to a mattress’s comfort. Innersprings provide support and bounce, while memory foam contours the body and provides pressure relief.
The queen-size mattresses that made our list range in price from $998–$2,499. In addition to your budget, how much you pay for a mattress should be based on the length of the warranty, the trial period, durability, and how well the mattress suits your sleeping needs.
When choosing the best mattress for you, always consider what type of sleeper you are (side, back, stomach, or combination), how much you move while sleeping, what firmness level you prefer, and the cost you can afford to invest. Since testing a mattress in person is usually the easiest way to find out whether a mattress is best for you, consider purchasing a mattress with a lengthy trial period (we recommend 100–365 nights) so you can take time to see whether to keep it or exchange it for something different.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
