The Best Memory Foam Mattresses of 2024

The best memory foam mattresses contour to your body while you sleep, promote spinal alignment, and relieve pressure points by providing more cushion than other mattress types. Memory foam responds to pressure and body heat by molding around the body, but returns to its original shape after you get out of bed. This is why memory foam mattresses are popular: They can evenly distribute your weight as you sleep.

Memory foam is a popular choice for bed-in-a-box companies because of the way they can compress to ship and expand at home. While older memory foam mattresses had a problem trapping heat—a nightmare for hot sleepers—they’ve since evolved to accommodate all types of sleepers.

For this guide, we tested a few types of memory foam beds (traditional, gel-based, and latex) from popular mattress brands to find the best foam mattress. Our favorite, the Tuft & Needle (available at Tuft & Needle) , strikes an outstanding balance between being firm and soft. And for hot sleepers, it also does a great job of diffusing heat.

If you’re on a budget and prefer a softer mattress, you may want to consider the Nectar (available at Nectar), our best value pick.

If you tend to run hot at night and need a bed that can regulate temperature and keep you cool, then the Serta Arctic (Available at Serta) is the best choice.

Other Foam Mattresses We Tested

How We Test Memory Foam Mattresses

At Reviewed, we test every foam mattress we recommend in our lab. We evaluate each on several factors, including comfort, overall support, edge support, heat retention, and odor.

Testing foam mattress pressure points

We test mattress support using a weighted barbell with pressure sensors attached. We place the barbell on the mattress and measure the pressure readings. This roughly simulates a person sleeping on the mattress, making more intense contact at certain locations like the shoulders and hips.

Testing foam mattress edge support

Since foam mattresses don’t have the rigid support of innerspring coils, many of them struggle with edge support. Too little edge support can make it hard to sleep on the edge of the bed. It can also make it hard to sit on the edge or corner of the bed for tasks like putting on shoes.

To test edge support in our lab, we roll a heavyweight bag to the edge of the mattress until it’s about to fall off and measure how much of the bag is hanging over the side of the mattress before it gives.

Testing foam mattress heat retention

Foam mattresses have a reputation for trapping more body heat than other types of mattresses, which can be a nightmare for hot sleepers. While that’s become less of an issue in recent years, it’s still important to know that a mattress can diffuse heat.

To measure heat retention, we microwave silicone bead-filled bags and place them on the mattress for several hours as we monitor the temperature. A mattress that cannot disperse heat quickly enough could lead to a warm sleep experience.

Testing foam mattress smell and off-gassing

Foam mattresses also aren’t known for smelling like daisies, especially when first sprung from their packaging. The manufacturing and packaging process can trap smelly chemicals. once the plastic is opened, these VOCs are released into the air.

Our testing process takes note of the smell when each mattress is opened, and again 24 hours later (the time that companies recommend letting a mattress off-gas before sleeping on it).

Additionally, we consider motion transfer and bounciness, the moving and unboxing process, and the customer experience, among other things.

Types of Foam Mattresses

There are a handful of different foam types to know, each with different advantages. For example, if you're environmentally conscious,a latex mattress may appeal to you, as it can be sourced directly from rubber trees. However, it can feel firmer and more spongy than memory foam, which has that familiar sink-in sensation. Here's what you need to know:

Polyurethane Foam

Prior to the mass adoption of memory foam by bed brands, most cheap mattresses were made with or contained polyurethane Foam. These foams can be cooler than memory foam because you’re not engulfed in the material each time you lie down. Tuft & Needle is one example of a company that opts for this type of foam. One of the main ingredients in all foams (including memory foam) is polyols, compounds generally derived from petroleum. These mattresses may not be the best for acutely environmentally conscientious consumers.

Memory foam

Memory foam beds provide classic hugging, sink-right-in sensations, almost like quicksand, thanks to a compound called methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). Some companies make enthusiastic claims about the material's pressure-relieving properties ensuring a good night’s sleep. But in our experience, memory foam’s benefits depend a lot on your sleep preferences.

Back sleepers, for example, don’t always need memory foam for pressure points, whereas side sleepers are more likely to benefit from it. Though this material contours well to your body, it may feel too enveloping to some people. This thorough contouring can also means a lot of the mattress is in contact with your body, which can contribute to heat retention.

Latex

Latex is a type of foam preferred by a couple of prominent companies that focus on environmental claims, namely Avocado and Awara. These companies rely on naturally sourced latex, which they claim is better for the environment.

The two main types of latex available are Talalay and Dunlop. Talalay is usually softer than Dunlop. However, Dunlop has fewer steps in the production process and takes less energy to make.

Open Cell vs. Closed Cell Foam

Foam cell structure isn’t something you can see as a consumer. It refers to the final form of the bubbles created in the foam during manufacturing. However, it can dramatically change your experience when it comes to temperature.

There are two types of foam cell structures: open and closed. Closed-cell foams retain the bubbles in separated chambers and, as a result, have less space for airflow.

Open-cell foams, look more like webbing. Most of the bubbles pop, leaving behind an interconnected network that air and heat can easily move through.All latex foams fall into the open cell structure, which may be why companies claim they’re less prone to retaining heat.

Cell structure is somewhat technical; it won’t make or break a mattress alone. We’ve tested mattresses that use open-cell foam and still feel warmer—though it’s worth being mindful of if heat retention is especially important to you.

Memory Foam Mattress FAQs

Can you try the mattress in a store before you buy?

Most mattresses in a box come from online-only retailers. However, brands are increasingly turning up in showrooms and specialty stores. Casper, for example, has a handful of brick-and-mortar stores where you can feel its mattresses in person. Other companies partner with specific retailers.

What level of firmness do you want?

Mattress firmness options range from extra firm, almost like sleeping on a carpeted floor, to soft and squishy, like a cloud, to the sinking quicksand feeling of memory foam. Finding the right firmness level for you is essential to getting a good night’s rest.

Many of the foam mattresses we’ve tested (and even a handful of the hybrids) are softer than traditional innerspring mattresses would be. If you’re unsure what you want, consider stopping by a mattress showroom to understand your preferences before buying online.

Sleep position may also be a good place to start. You'll want a firmer mattress if you prefer back or stomach sleeping. By contrast, a good mattress for side sleepers is soft enough to cushion potential pressure points at their hips and shoulders, sparing them from joint pain. Combination sleepers may need something in between

Is it harder to share a bed with someone on a memory foam mattress?

It isn’t necessarily harder to share a memory foam bed. While there are always going to be exceptions, generally, memory foam mattresses do a better job of isolating motion than their hybrid counterparts.

The dense, vibration-absorbing materials used in memory foam mattresses dampen motion. That means that you’re less likely to feel the tossing and turning of a restless sleeper on your side of the bed.

Is foam the right fit for you?

Foam has some strong advantages and some frustrating drawbacks, like heat retention and lack of edge support. It can be great for side sleepers, or for people with joint or back pain, who may benefit from the cushiony cradling they can provide

While many newer foam mattresses are better at heat retention, you’ll want to be careful with it if you run hot at night or live in an area with warmer months and no AC. It also tends to have less inherent structure and support than hybrids (which combine foam and coils).

Hybrid memory foam mattresses are one solid alternative for folks who feel hot-blooded at night, as the airflow through the springs allows for greater heat dissipation and will likely leave you feeling less stifled.

If you’re an active sleeper, or your bed is home to a party of more than one or two you’ll want plenty of edge support to keep you, a partner, the kids, or even pets from rolling overboard. That means foam mattresses may not be a good choice. Innerspring and some hybrid mattresses have an encasement around the bed's periphery to provide support around the edges, whereas foam is, well, just foam.

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