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1
Best Mattress Protector
Purple Mattress Protector
Currently
Unavailable
Purple's mattress protector is a lightweight option that managed to prevent liquid from seeping through, despite being only "water-resistant."
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Pros
Lightweight
Not bulky
Cons
Thin
Water-resistant, not waterproof
2
Best Value Mattress Protector
Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector
Currently
Unavailable
The Tuft & Needle mattress protector is easy to change and offers a waterproof barrier for the main sleep surface and the sides of your bed.
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The Casper waterproof mattress protector is a solid option with padding that helps it absorb liquid—but it's tricky to take on and off of mattresses.
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Pros
Waterproof
Cushioned surface
Cons
Sleeps warm
Difficult to put on and take off
4
Coop Home Goods Ultra Luxe Waterproof Mattress Protector
A great mattress will always serve you well, but a mattress protector is a key ingredient in keeping one of the most costly home furnishings in good shape for years.
Not to be mistaken for mattress toppers, which provide another layer of foam to cushion you overnight, the best mattress protectors provide a buffer between your sweat, drool, or even a kid's bed-wetting. They protect your mattress from spills, wear and tear, and dust mites.
The best mattress deserves a top-notch mattress protector. In our testing, the winner is the Purple Mattress protector , a light and thin water-resistant protector that nevertheless kept the mattress dry and has protective fabric all the way around for full protection to mattress sides.
Best Mattress Protector
Purple Mattress Protector
Material: 85% polyester, 15% spandex with thermoplastic polyurethane coating
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king
Pocket depth: Fits Mattresses up to 15 inches deep
Waterproof: No
Machine washable: Yes
The Purple mattress protector is light and thin, as it doesn’t have extra fabric or quilting on top. You might think these qualities make it ineffective, but liquid doesn’t seep through. It only feels cooler on the underside beneath where the liquid was dribbled.
Purple notes on its website that the mattress protector is water-resistant, not waterproof. In other words, it may not completely block a large amount of liquid and over time it may bleed through.
This product is great for someone who is less concerned with liquids on the surface of the mattress and wants greater protection on the sides of their bed. Other products we tested relied on mesh fabrics around the perimeter, but this one features the same material on all five sides.
Pros
Lightweight
Not bulky
Cons
Thin
Water-resistant, not waterproof
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
The Tuft & Needle mattress protector provides water protection to every exposed surface of the bed—even the sides.
Best Value Mattress Protector
Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector
Material: 100% polyester with thermoplastic polyurethane coating
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Pocket depth: Fits mattresses up to 14 inches deep
Waterproof: Yes
Machine washable: Yes
The Tuft and Needle Mattress Protector performs well, is easy to change, and fits securely on the bed—and it’s about half the cost of other products we tested. On top of it all, it has waterproof protection on all exposed surfaces so even the sides of a mattress will be protected from liquids or stains.
During testing, we experienced a slight increase in heat throughout the night, but it wasn’t enough to be bothersome. Also, this mattress protector makes a little noise when sleepers shift around, but not enough to wake most people.
While it has some padding, our tests say it doesn’t absorb moisture well. Instead, it allows moisture to puddle on the surface of the protector. The Tuft and Needle will still protect mattresses, though people who sweat a lot or heavy wetters may feel damp.
Pros
Waterproof sides
Easy to take on and off
Cons
Slightly warm
Other Mattress Protectors We Tested
Casper Waterproof Mattress Protector
Material: Polyester with thermoplastic polyurethane; polyester and spandex skirting
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Pocket depth: Fits mattress up to 16 inches deep
Waterproof: Yes
Machine washable: Yes
The Casper waterproof mattress protector is slightly thicker and has some cushion. The extra padding helps absorb liquid, dispersing it through the fabric and preventing the pooling we saw with others we tested.
This thicker fabric feels warmer while sleeping, but it’s not unbearably hot. The real deal breaker is that it’s extremely hard to get the mattress protector onto and off of the bed. Also, after doing so a few times, the side fabric begins to curl up at the bottom. It doesn’t grip the bed and slips off.
Coop Home Goods Ultra Luxe Waterproof Mattress Protector
Material: Viscose rayon
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Pocket depth: Fits mattresses up to 18 inches deep
Waterproof: Yes
Machine washable: Yes
Coop Home Goods uses its “Lulltra” fabric on the top of this mattress protector for an “ultra-luxe” feel. It’s made with polyester and viscose rayon from bamboo, making it one of the smoothest covers we tested. It prevented liquids from reaching the bed, but water tended to puddle rather than distribute through the fabric.
The fabric that covers the sides of the mattress is a thin and stretchy mesh. In this case, it was so flimsy that the protector didn’t fit securely on the bed. It didn’t bunch up underneath the sheets, but it didn’t exactly lay smooth. It may shift more over time.
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Pocket depth: Fits mattresses up to 18 inches deep
Waterproof: Yes
Machine washable: Yes
The AllerEase Perfect Protection mattress protector seemed similar in construction to others we tested, featuring a quilted top, stretchy mesh sides, and elastic banding. However, it fits loosely on the mattress and shifted during our sleeping tests. While it wasn’t uncomfortable, it could become a problem over time. Also, we noticed a slight increase in heat while sleeping on the AllerEase.
We liked that this protector had a label with “side” written on it, so there was no confusion as to which way to position it.
Material: 100% polyester, with polyurethane backing
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Pocket depth: Fits mattresses up to 14 inches deep
Waterproof: Yes
Machine washable: Yes
The Linenspa Premium Mattress Protector takes a solid amount of effort to get in the right place, and it doesn’t fit as snugly on the bed as we’d like. It also rustles more than the others we tested and doesn’t lay smoothly on the mattress. Additionally, we noticed a small increase in heat while sleeping.
During tests, the Linenspa protected the mattress from liquids, but the water pooled on the surface rather than absorbing into the protector. It is one of the few we tested that can be machine-washed in hot water, so it can be washed with other linens.
Available sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
Pocket depth: Fits mattresses up to 18 inches deep
Waterproof: Yes
Machine washable: Yes
The SafeRest mattress protector’s top cover is made of cotton terry cloth and absorbed liquids during testing. However, it wasn’t as comfortable to sleep on because the texture of the loops can be felt under the sheets. It was also stiff, warmer than other mattress protectors, and noisy.
The sides were made of a stretchy mesh and a thin elastic band, which made it easy to get on and off the mattress, but the materials were lower quality and not strong enough to keep it secure. In the lab, it stained more than most of the others we tested, retaining a slight discoloration from the pomegranate juice.
A mattress protector is different from a mattress pad. While a mattress pad is intended for added comfort, a mattress protector prevents damage and acts as a protective layer for your bed. There are some things to consider before you make your purchase, as there are a few types of mattress protectors to choose from.
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
Mattress protectors will help prolong the lifespan of your bed.
Waterproof vs. Water-resistant
Waterproof and water resistance are not the same thing. When choosing a mattress protector, you’ll want to know the difference—otherwise, you could end up with a ruined mattress.
Water-resistant labels mean a mattress protector will resist liquid up to a point, but it may eventually leak through. If you quickly wipe up a small spill, it may not seep into the mattress. However, if there’s a lot of liquid or if it sits for a long time, it may seep through. The trade-off is that water-resistant mattress protectors tend to be more breathable than their fully waterproof counterparts.
Waterproof protectors won’t allow liquid to permeate at all, regardless of how much liquid there is or how long it stays on the protector. These products may not have waterproof barriers on the sides, however. In general, if there’s a quilted top or extra layer of fabric on a waterproof protector, that fabric will absorb liquid, not repel liquids.
Fitted Sheet Protectors vs. Mattress Encasements
Fitted sheet protectors rely on elasticated edges to stay in place. The biggest difference between an actual fitted sheet and fitted sheet-style mattress protectors is that the protector’s sleep surface is made to be waterproof or water-resistant. This is usually done by adding a coating on the back of the fabric to prevent liquid from getting through. Occasionally, manufacturers will use a waterproof fabric such as vinyl, but there are often better options.
Some have waterproof or water-resistant properties only on the top, while others have additional protection around the four sides of the mattress. This is handy for a heavy wetter, if you’ve spilled coffee near the edge of the bed, or if pets jump on and off with dirty feet.
Encasement covers wrap around the entire mattress, including the bottom that rests on the box spring or platform. It’s a giant fabric (or plastic) bag for your bed, as no part is exposed. If you're looking for a hypoallergenic protector, these may be ideal. They're also great for folks worried about bed bugs as most are constructed in a way to not let these pests in or out.
Fitted sheet protectors are much easier to change compared to encasement covers. Because of this, we chose to focus our testing on fitted sheet protectors.
Caring for Your Mattress Protector
When washing a mattress protector, most recommend using cold water and tumble dry low. If you’re using it to protect against urine from bed wetting, you may be tempted to wash it hot or with bleach. However, heat can ruin a waterproof or water-resistant coating, as can chlorine beach.
It’s especially important to wash and dry your mattress protector per the care instructions to ensure it will work properly and last longterm. Some mattress covers we tested come with a 10-year warranty, but not following care instructions could void that protection.
How We Test Mattress Protectors
Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
One of the tests we used to assess mattress protectors included staining them with pomegranate juice.
We sleep on each protector for one to two nights and then assess any differences in our sleep comfort, increases in heat from the mattress protector, noise or fabric from moving, whether we can feel the mattress cover texture, and the overall experience.
Our lab team in Cambridge, Massachusetts, takes these for additional testing, subjecting them to a stain test with pomegranate juice and a sweat-like solution to ensure they won't stain or yellow.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
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Meet the tester
Jamie Ueda
Apparel Staff Writer
Jamie writes about clothing, shoes, and accessories for Reviewed. She loves apparel and doesn't like to sacrifice fashion, comfort, or quality in whatever she wears.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.