Best Mattresses 2024 | Tested By Sleep Experts

Many of our favorite mattresses below are discounted for the 4th of July. Check out our list of the best 4th of July mattress sales for more savings opportunities.

After thousands of hours of testing, Forbes Vetted mattress experts have named the Helix Midnight Luxe the best mattress for 2024. This bed earned high marks during our analysis, plus it’s a personal favorite among several of our team members who sleep on it every night. While it’s especially great for side sleepers, the Midnight Luxe’s medium feel, plush pillow top and breathable construction make it suitable for most sleep styles—meaning we think just about anyone could be happy with this bed in their home. We also have suggestions tailored to more specific sleep needs, whether you want a cooling mattress, have a preference for memory foam or struggle with health concerns such as back pain. These picks are based on our rigorous testing criteria, which you can read more about below.

All of our picks are either beds-in-a-box mattresses or include complimentary white glove delivery so you don’t have to wrestle with a heavy mattress yourself. Most come with generous trial periods during which you can return the mattress, no questions asked.

• Best Mattress Overall: Helix Midnight Luxe
• Best Memory Foam Mattress: Nectar Premier
• Best Mattress For Pressure Relief: The Dreamcloud Premier Rest
• Best Hybrid Mattress: Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid
• Best Firm Mattress: Plank Firm
• Best Mattress For Back Pain: Saatva Rx
• Best Cooling Mattress: Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
• Best Soft Mattress: Amerisleep AS5
• Best Mattress For Couples: Bear Elite Hybrid
• Best Mattress For Heavy People: Helix Plus
• Best Organic Mattress: Avocado Green
• (PAID PLACEMENT) You May Also Like: Nolah Evolution 15-Inch Mattress

At 13.5 inches thick, the Helix Midnight Luxe is a couple of inches taller than the average bed-in-a-box, plus it comes with a strong pocketed coil layer underneath the pillow top and foam comfort layers. We found that this base layer provides great support under the hips and around the perimeter of the mattress, which is important for maintaining spinal alignment. The coil layer also makes this mattress easy to move around on—an essential feature for combo sleepers and folks with mobility concerns.

On top of all that support, the plush pillow top is a major differentiator between the Luxe and the flagship Midnight model. This was the first thing that stood out to us during testing, and gives the bed a soft feel that cradles the joints without being too cushy. You can read a deeper analysis of this mattress in our Helix Midnight Luxe review.

Other mattresses we considered for the best overall title were the Saatva Classic and the DreamCloud Premier Rest. The Saatva Classic comes in three different firmnesses, is extremely supportive and well built. We found it doesn’t offer as much pressure relief and motion isolation as the Midnight Luxe, but we still recommend it for an array of sleepers in our Saatva Classic Mattress review. The Premier Rest is also a high-quality option that’s accommodating for a range of sleepers, but we found it to be less cooling and supportive along the perimeter than the Midnight Luxe. Since it shined with pressure relief in testing, we decided to name it the best for that instead.

Expert tip: If you’re a hot sleeper, the extra $249 splurge on the optional cooling cover for the Midnight Luxe is worth it.

Nectar says both the foam and hybrid models are medium-firm mattresses, but we found the memory foam option to be softer and the best match for those wanting a traditional foam feel. Because its marshmallowy foams contour your pressure points while still offering support, we’d recommend it for side and back sleepers. Memory foam is known for trapping heat, but the Premier features polyethylene fibers and phase change materials that are designed to absorb and disperse body heat. We also love the Nectar Premier because of its budget-friendly price tag—it’s often on sale for less than $1,000 for a queen size.

Expert tip: Expect the Nectar Premier to get softer after the first month of sleeping on it.

Another reason it topped the list out of all the pressure-relieving options on the market is its high-quality, durable build. The Premier Rest’s cashmere-blend cover, contouring gel-infused memory foam and sturdy innerspring steel coils work together to give a luxury feel. It also tested well for motion isolation, cooling and overall support—though the edge support is just okay. If edge support is important to you, we recommend the Saatva Classic since its perimeter barely budges when you sit on it. Read more about how the Premier Rest performed after nearly a year of testing in our full DreamCloud Premier Rest Mattress review.

Expert tip: If you want a slightly firmer feel that still offers pressure relief for back and stomach sleepers, consider the original DreamCloud Hybrid or DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress instead.

The Plank Firm tested well for motion isolation, ease of movement and edge support (for an all-foam design). There’s zero to very little sinkage between the two sides of this mattress, but it’s not to the point where you feel like you’re sleeping on the floor. Rather, it keeps you entirely lifted on the bed with slight cushioning for comfort. Its all-foam design isn’t the best for cooling (nor the worst), but you can pay for an additional cooling cover if you tend to run hot at night.

Although there are other mattresses on this list offered in firm models, none compare to the Plank Firm’s more extreme level. If you’re transitioning from a soft or medium mattress and want a firmer feel that still offers solid contouring and plushness, the firm models of the Aurora Luxe or Bear Elite Hybrid may be better picks.

Expert tip: If you weigh more than 250 pounds, check out the Plank Firm Luxe because it has a more supportive pocketed coil base layer.

The Saatva Rx is packed with materials that are designed to promote proper spinal alignment and pressure relief—from durable coils and microcoils to pressure-relieving and spinal support foams. Along with featuring CertiPUR-US-certified memory foam, the Rx has endorsements from the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and Congress of Chiropractic State Association Seal Of Approval. It’s also worth noting the Saatva Rx comes with free white glove delivery, which means the mattress is never compressed in a box. Instead, movers deliver it, set it up and remove your old mattress for you if needed. Our full, in-depth Saatva Rx Mattress review is coming soon.

The main runner-up for the best mattress for back pain was the Saatva Classic, the brand’s luxury innerspring offered in three firmnesses and two heights. It features a supportive coil-on-coil design with zoned quilting for lumbar support and a layer of memory foam in the center third of the bed for extra contouring. However, it’s designed for more general aches and pains rather than chronic ones.

Expert tip: If you prefer a firmer feel over the Rx’s plush one, the Saatva Classic in the luxury firm or firm model may be a better choice.

The three different firmnesses (soft, medium, firm) offer different amounts of pressure relief, with the medium model offering strong pressure relief for back sleeping in our testing. The Aurora Luxe also isolated movement well, which is important for anyone who doesn’t want to feel their partner (or pet) moving around in the night. Since the Aurora Luxe is offered in multiple firmnesses and comes with the option of adding a “Cloud” pillow top, it can cater to most sleep styles and preferences.

The medium firmness is on the cushier side of medium-firm, but we found it to be supportive and comfortable for all sleep positions. We think back sleepers should do best on the medium or firm model, stomach sleepers on the firm model and lightweight and/or side sleepers on the soft model. See more of our insights in our in-depth Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress review.

Although we didn’t find them to be more cooling than the Aurora Luxe, the Helix Midnight Luxe (with the cooling cover upgrade), Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid and Bear Elite Hybrid are three others worth noting on this list with impressive cooling materials and abilities.

Expert tip: If you prefer a firm feel but want a little plushness, the firm Aurora Luxe model with the pillow top is the way to go.

Our testing found the advertised firmnesses for the different Avocado Green models to be accurate for all three, so you can pick the right one for your sleeping position. The firm base model tested well for responsiveness, cooling and edge support. The medium and plush models also tested well in these categories but with much plusher feels. In fact, the plush model is one of the plushest beds we’ve come across. You can read more about its performance in our Avocado Green Mattress review. Due to the latex in its construction, the Avocado Green offers a more buoyant, lifted feel than other options on this list like the Nectar Premier or Helix Midnight Luxe.

Expert tip: Choose the plush model if you’re a strict side sleeper or in need of deep pressure relief, the medium model if you’re a back, side or combination sleeper, and the firm model if you’re a back and/or stomach sleeper.

Why You Should Trust Forbes Vetted Mattress Experts

Thanks to our editorial team’s expertise in researching, testing and writing about mattresses and sleep, we’ve built a robust library of sleep guides including our top mattress picks for different sleepers and budgets, top bedding choices for various aesthetics and material preferences and expert-approved tips for better sleep. Here is specific information on why you can trust the team members who created this mattress guide:

About The Authors

• Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman, who wrote this story, oversees our sleep-related content. She has decade of experience as a journalist and holds a sleep science coach certification, which she leans on to weed out false advertising claims and real benefits in the online mattress industry. She has three years of mattress and product testing experience, and has analyzed all types of sleep products, from mattresses to weighted blankets, sleep trackers and pajamas. Because she’s used various tools for mattress testing, like pressure mapping devices and heat radar guns, she is adept at assessing firmness and feel, and knows how to accurately test for motion transfer, cooling, ease of movement, support and pressure relief.
• Mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon, who contributed testing and research insights for this story, is a certified sleep science coach and prolific mattress tester with five years of experience. Before writing and editing mattress stories for Forbes Vetted, she contributed mattress reporting to outlets including CNET and My Slumber Yard. She has personally tested dozens of mattresses from top brands, including hybrid, latex and memory foam models.
• Forbes Vetted contributor Alison Barretta, who has experience with back pain and has written over two dozen mattress and sleep articles for Forbes Vetted, contributed reporting and testing feedback for this story. Our network of contributors test mattresses for at least 30 nights at a time to provide insights for our mattress guides. We arrange for them to test mattresses best suited for their needs to gather the most accurate feedback for recommendations, allowing us to speak to the experience of different sleep positions, body size and considerations such as pain management.

About Our Editing Process

• Cory Baldwin, who edited the latest version of this mattress guide, is an editorial leader with over a dozen years of experience editing product reviews and shopping guides. She is the director of commerce content and strategy for Forbes and reviewed this story for accuracy, flow of information and consistency across our mattress guide content.
• We continuously monitor new developments in the mattress industry and keep tabs on the latest product recalls to verify that none of our picks have been affected. Like all our shopping guides, we routinely update this story to bring you the most current information. This story was refreshed in July 2024 to expand our shopping guide with tips on body weight and motion isolation, as well as to pare down recommendations and make sure information was presented in the most helpful way possible for our readers.
• Executive strategy editor Lindsay Boyers and senior strategy editor Katie Simpson, who oversee our mattress content updates, both have backgrounds in mattress testing and analysis. Boyers, who performed a final review of the latest content update after Baldwin, is a certified sleep science coach and has personally tested more than two dozen mattresses.

How We Tested And Chose The Best Mattresses

To determine a list of contenders for the best mattresses of 2024, our team first researched reputable mattress brands and compared aspects of bestselling models, as well as newly released versions of top sellers and improved models released by brands we trust. We considered which mattresses are most sought after and which sleep needs are most frequently clicked on among Forbes Vetted readers (both in this story and others) and sifted through hundreds of customer reviews to check that they’re overwhelmingly positive and there are not any disqualifying negative reviews.

We also drew on our deep previous experience testing mattresses for specific sleep needs including all of the preferences outlined in this guide: firmness preferences from soft to medium to firm; sleep style needs such as side sleepers, back sleepers and stomach sleepers; construction preferences such hybrid, inner coil, memory foam and latex; and other considerations such as organic materials or mattresses specifically designed to relieve back pain.

We then identified which models on our list of contenders had previously been slept on and tested by our team and which would need to be tested and considered for inclusion on the final list. We prefer to test every mattress the best way possible—by sleeping on them for at least 30 nights and reporting our findings. However, sometimes it is not possible to include insights for one month of testing for all newly released or updated models. To ensure mattresses tested for a few hours at a time and models tested for 30 nights at a time are both analyzed accurately and fairly, we have developed specific criteria and testing procedures for evaluating the most important performance factors. Below is a breakdown of the categories we test and how we measure them.

Pressure Relief

Pressure relief is a measure of how a mattress alleviates pressure points on your body. Different sleeping positions require pressure relief in different areas. Side sleepers need pressure relief along their hips and shoulders, while back sleepers benefit from it most along their back and hips. Stomach sleepers shouldn’t be as concerned about pressure relief, since spinal alignment is more important for healthy sleep posture in this position (more on this later), but it’s still helpful to know if a mattress can provide light pressure relief beneath the shoulders.

To test pressure relief, we lie on the mattress in each sleeping position and document where we notice pressure building—or on the contrary, where we feel relief. It’s common for a mattress to provide good pressure relief for the hips but not the shoulders for side sleeping, so we make sure to pay attention to each individual area in different sleep positions. Since varying body types and weights experience pressure relief differently, we compare and discuss results to make sure we’re confident in our recommendations.

Motion Transfer

Motion transfer is the degree of movement that travels through a mattress. This is important for people sharing the bed since you don’t want a restless partner to wake you up. Couples usually want to look for mattresses that isolate motion well instead of transferring it. We first test motion transfer by getting comfortable in a sleeping position on one side of the mattress. Then, we have another person mimic common movements sleepers make—rolling around, getting in and out of bed and even jumping into the bed with force. We take note of the amount of impact we can feel with each action and aim to have multiple people perform this test in order to compare results.

To supplement these testing results, we place a glass of water on one side of the mattress and perform all the movements mentioned above to see how it affects the water. It’s typical for large movements—like plopping into bed—to travel across the mattress. However, you shouldn’t feel the tossing and turning or getting in and out if a mattress has strong motion isolation.

Support

Along with how supported you feel in each sleeping position, support refers to the overall weight capacity and durability of a mattress. We take into account how much weight the brand says a mattress can support and test it by documenting how the support compares in the center to the edges. We also sit and press into the sides of the mattress while shifting our bodies to see how much sinkage or stabilization there is. Then we lie in a sleeping position near the edge of the mattress to document sinkage. Some mattresses have reinforced edges to enhance edge support, but we don’t always find it delivers.

Finally, we test for spinal alignment on a mattress in each sleep position. We pay attention to whether our hips are dipping in a mattress while stomach sleeping, whether our hips and shoulders sink too far into the bed while side sleeping or if our hips and back are curving too much while back sleeping—(these are all signs of poor support for these sleep positions). We ask testers to bring in another person to watch how our tester’s spine is impacted and whether it remains in a neutral line, which is the key for healthy sleep posture and pain prevention.

Ease Of Movement

Ease of movement is how easily you can move around on a mattress, or whether it takes effort to do so. We test this by settling into a sleep position and assessing the level of difficulty to move around into different positions or to get out of bed. If a mattress is bouncy it can help with ease of movement, so we also test bounce by jumping on the mattress and/or dropping large items on it to monitor the air they get. Keep in mind bounciness is not a necessary factor for ease of movement, but it can help. Mattresses with an “on top” feel are typically the best for ease of movement. If you sink too deeply into a mattress and the comfort foams are slow-moving, it may not be the best fit for combination sleepers or anyone with mobility issues.

Cooling

Mattresses can be actively cooling due to materials with high thermal conductivity that work to pull heat away from the body, or they can promote airflow and breathability with open-cell designs and lightweight fabrics. We first examine the materials in the mattress and see whether they live up to any cooling claims. For example, organic cotton is more breathable than polyester. If a mattress has pocketed coils, this naturally allows for air to flow through the bed more easily than a construction solely consisting of foams.

We examine whether the mattress’s cover has a cool-to-the-touch sensation and how long that sensation lasts. It’s common for the cooling feel to go away after about 15 minutes. We find the ultimate best way to test cooling is by sleeping on a mattress and documenting whether we wake up in the night feeling warm, how our body temperature feels in the morning and how the mattress’s cooling abilities compare to other models.

Best 4th Of July Mattress Deals

Dozens of mattress brands and retailers are offering steep discounts this Independence Day, making it one of the best times to buy a mattress. We rounded up the best 4th of July mattress sales we’ve seen so far this year below:

• Amerisleep: Take $600 off any mattress with code FORBES600 and 30% off pillows, sheets and mattress toppers with code FORBES30.
• Zoma: Use code FORBES30 to get 30% off any mattress.
• Helix: Score 25% off sitewide and 30% off Luxe and Elite mattresses.
• Nectar: Save up to 40% on a mattress from Nectar.
• Dreamcloud: Take 50% off any Dreamcloud mattress.
• Leesa: Save 30% on a Leesa mattress and get a free sleep bundle.
• Brooklyn Bedding: Take 30% off sitewide on mattresses and accessories.
• Saatva: Get up to $600 off a new Saatva mattress.
• Bear: Save 35% sitewide and score free sleep accessories.
• Avocado: Save up to $1,540 on a certified organic mattress.
• Winkbeds: Take 30% off all Winkbed mattresses.

How To Choose The Best Mattress For You

Buying a new mattress is a big investment, both for your wallet and overall health. When thinking about how to choose the best mattress for you (and, if applicable, your partner), consider these important points, including sleep position, mattress type and firmness level, before making your purchase.

Sleep Position, Firmness And Body Type

Your body type and sleep position play a major role in the mattress type and firmness level you should choose. Mattresses are rated on a firmness scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 the firmest. Brands typically rate medium-firm around a 6.5 on that scale. Mattresses are designed with different firmnesses and structures to benefit specific sleeping styles and body weights.

• Side sleepers usually do best with softer mattresses (3 to 6 on the firmness scale) that provide comfortable sinkage around the shoulder and hip. These sleepers don’t want to feel too “on top” of the mattress since it can cause pain around their joints. A memory foam or hybrid mattress with thick foam comfort layers is best suited for these sleepers. Since lightweight sleepers don’t sink as far into mattresses, they also benefit from plush firmness levels. Mattresses generally feel softer to heavier body weights, so side sleepers closer to 250 pounds may want to choose a medium-firm mattress instead.
• Stomach sleepers need the opposite firmness level from side sleepers, with firm mattresses and extra-firm mattresses being the best fits. These mattresses are around a 7 to 10 on the firmness scale and offer ample support. It’s important to have your hips lifted and in line with your shoulders while stomach sleeping to avoid back pain, so firmer choices help promote that neutral spinal alignment. Although there are plenty of firmer all-foam models, these sleepers typically prefer a hybrid or innerspring design for more support.
• Back sleepers need a solid blend of pressure relief and support in order to maintain spinal alignment without feeling pressure buildup around the joints and lower back. Because of this, back sleepers are generally most comfortable on a medium-firm to firm mattress with a hybrid design.
• Combination sleepers do best on hybrid mattresses that blend foams and springs in their design. This allows these sleepers to easily move around and switch positions comfortably. We recommend choosing a firmness level that suits the sleeping position you’re in the most, but if you can’t decide, medium-firm is a good option since it’s the most accommodating to different sleep styles.
• Body type, as mentioned, plays a role in how a mattress feels and supports you. Average-weight sleepers (130 to 250 pounds) typically do well on multiple firmness levels, as long as it’s geared to their sleep position. Mattresses generally feel firmer to lightweight sleepers (under 130 pounds) since they don’t sink into the mattress as much as other groups, so they usually want to stick with a plusher option that’s not too firm. Contrarily, mattresses feel softer to heavier sleepers (over 250 pounds) since they sink in more than lighter weights, so we recommend considering extra-firm mattresses for added support or ones specifically designed for heavier body weights.

Mattress Type

The best mattresses don’t all look the same; they come in several constructions with varying materials. Here’s a look at the most popular mattress types and who they’re best for:

• Memory foam mattresses are made of all foam layers and offer deep pressure relief and contouring. The thick foams do a great job providing pain relief and isolating motion, which can benefit couples. However, memory foam may provide too much sinkage for some people’s liking, creating a “stuck in the bed” feeling. They also tend to run hot, so it’s helpful to check if it has any cooling materials to prevent body heat from trapping.
• Innerspring mattresses traditionally consist of a coil-on-coil construction with minimal comfort layers. This allows them to be bouncy, firm and keep sleepers lifted on top of the mattress. One downside is this reduces the plushness found in other mattress types. However, modern-day innersprings often include more comfort layers to combat that.
• Hybrid mattresses combine both foams and coils in their construction to offer a balanced feel. The coils help promote airflow and support, while the foams provide pressure relief and comfort. We recommend hybrid mattresses often since they’re a great in-between option.
• Latex mattresses consist of latex foam, which is a bouncy, durable, cooling and eco-friendly material. Latex doesn’t offer deep sinkage like memory foam, but it does provide contouring that many sleepers enjoy.
• Adjustable mattresses allow you to change how your mattress is positioned by raising or lowering the head and/or feet of the bed. Sometimes they also allow you to adjust the firmness level of the mattress. This can be helpful if you’re trying to determine the best firmness level for you, or if you and your partner have different preferences.

Cooling Features

If you’re a hot sleeper or share the bed with a partner (two bodies tend to overheat more than one), it can be good to consider a cooling mattress. These mattresses consist of materials either designed to help with active cooling or to promote more airflow through the bed. The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe, our pick for the best cooling mattress, uses a mix of different materials to achieve this. It has a cool-to-the-touch cover, a proprietary foam with copper design to draw heat away and a base layer of coils that allow for airflow. In general, hybrid, latex and innerspring mattresses are going to be the most cooling options since memory foam tends to trap heat in its layers.

Pain Relief

Sleeping on the wrong type of mattress for your needs can cause or trigger pains along your joints or back. It’s important to find a mattress that isn’t too soft nor too firm for your sleeping position and body type. In general, medium-firm mattresses—typically hybrids—can help alleviate back pain since they provide a balance of support and pressure relief. We chose the Saatva Rx as the best choice for pain because it’s endorsed by the ACA and designed specifically for chronic pain needs. However, if you’re a side sleeper with shoulder or hip pain, you may need a softer mattress for more cushioning. If you’re a stomach sleeper with hip or back pain, a firmer mattress can help promote spinal alignment and prevent pains.

Trial Period And Warranty

Since buying a mattress online can feel risky, it’s helpful to find generous trial periods and warranties. All of the brands on this list offer risk-free trial periods of at least 100 nights where you can try the bed out at home to see if it’s a good fit for you. Keep in mind you may have to give it 30 nights before being eligible to return or swap it out, though. Mattress warranties are also essential because they cover manufacturing defects and other issues you may come across in the years to come, like premature sagging or broken coils. However, typical wear and tear is typically not covered, and it’s important to make sure you’re following the warranty’s guidelines to not void it. All of the brands on our list provide at least 10-year warranties.

Durability

A mattress’s durability depends on its materials and structure, along with how well you take care of it. If you’re wondering when is the right time to replace your mattress, know that most mattresses last around seven to 10 years, but the quality of materials impacts that span. For example, premium memory foams or organic latex foams last longer than low-quality polyurethane foams or synthetic foams. Overall, a hybrid or innerspring mattress is often more durable than a memory foam mattress since the coils offer extra support for usage over the years. Although you may find some great budget-friendly mattresses, it’s good to scope out the materials and construction for extra durability.

Other Mattresses We’ve Tested

We’ve tested several other mattresses that we recommend to sleepers but didn’t make the cut for the best ones of the year.

• Layla Hybrid Mattress review: With a flippable design that gives you a choice of firmness, this mattress appeals to a wide range of sleepers. However, it’s heavy to flip, and it didn’t impress us as much as others in terms of support or cooling.
• Purple RestorePremier Hybrid Mattress review: This mattress is an excellent fit for sleepers after a nontraditional feel—and it’s quite cooling. However, it only comes in soft or firm, and we didn’t have a spot for it at this time.
• Nectar Hybrid Mattress review: This hybrid is a great budget buy with a medium-firm feel. But it didn’t perform well for cooling and isn’t supportive enough for stomach or plus-size sleepers.
• Helix Midnight Mattress review: This is one of Helix’s bestsellers and is a nice fit for side sleepers or those after a medium-firm feel. Although it performed well in several categories, we think the upgraded model (the Midnight Luxe) outperformed it and offers a more luxurious experience.
• Bear Mattress review: The Bear is a nice all-foam option for stomach and back sleepers, but we found it to be firmer and less pressure-relieving than advertised in our testing. Although it softened a little over time, its overall support wasn’t strong enough to make the main list.

What Is The Best Mattress In 2024?

After testing dozens of different beds, we named the Helix Midnight Luxe the best mattress of 2024 out of all the options we tried. Its hybrid construction and plush pillow top balance support and pressure relief, while its medium to medium-firm feel appeals to a variety of sleeping positions.

How Much Should I Pay For A Good Mattress?

Mattresses can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to more than $5,000, and we think the sweet spot is around $1,200 for a queen size. Shopping around this price range allows you to get both quality and value. However, a more expensive mattress is usually made with nicer materials that last longer than competitors.