The 9 Best Mattresses Under $1,000 That Improve Your Sleep

Katie Simpson
·11 min read
Layla Memory Foam Mattress
Layla Memory Foam Mattress

Layla

Best Customizable

realsimple - 999 Available at Helix

Best Memory Foam

realsimple - 799 Available at Nectar

Best for Side Sleepers

realsimple - 949 Available at Puffy

Best Hybrid

realsimple - 832 Available at Brooklyn

Best Flippable

realsimple - 949 Available at Layla

Best Value

realsimple - 806 Available at Tuft & Needle

Best Latex

realsimple - 899 Available at DreamFoam

Best for Stomach Sleepers

realsimple - 799 Available at Cocoon

Best Cooling

realsimple - 747 Available at Bear

Has your mattress been causing you to wake with aches and pains, or is it sagging and cracking under pressure? If so, it's time for a new mattress. A new mattress has been shown to significantly improve sleep quality. But before you freak out over the thought of shelling out thousands on a new bed, know that the best mattress under $1,000 can solve your sleep dilemma for a budget-friendly price. When browsing low-cost beds, keep in mind that the price tag isn't everything. You'll also want to consider factors like the quality of the materials used, company policies, and the overall durability of the mattress to ensure you're getting the most bang for your buck.

RELATED: This Is How Much Sleep You Should Be Getting Every Single Night, According to Experts

Luckily, there are plenty of affordable options—still, how do you know which bed to choose? To help narrow down your choices, the experts at Mattress Advisor have tested hundreds of mattresses to find the top picks that deliver on both price and quality.

Our recommendations:

The 9 Best Mattresses Under $1,000

Best Customizable Mattress: Helix Midnight

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.9/10

  • Firmness: Medium (5.5/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

Helix helps you build your dream bed from start to finish without breaking the bank, thanks to a unique sleep quiz available on its website. By using information about your personal sleep style and comfort preferences, Helix matches you with your ideal mattress. For example, if you're a side sleeper, the Helix Midnight is perfect for you with its medium firmness and pressure-point relief at the hips and shoulders. It also boasts high marks in maintaining spine alignment with a 8.75/10 and alleviates back pain for a comfortable night's rest. The best part about Helix? All of its standard queen mattresses are available for just $999. While this price tag is just under $1,000, these hybrid beds use a mix of materials, like coils and foam, to help them hold up in the long run. Because of its superior support, the Helix Midnight is one of the best hybrid mattresses Mattress Advisor has ever reviewed.

Helix Midnight mattress
Helix Midnight mattress

Best Memory Foam Mattress: Nectar

  • Mattress Type: Gel memory foam

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.7/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 365 nights

Nectar is known for its commitment to making high-quality mattresses for an extra-low price, and its signature Nectar mattress tops the list for the absolute best bang for your buck. This memory foam mattress provides that huggable feeling, while also keeping you cool with its quilted Tencel cover and gel-infused comfort layer. And while it's unusual for an all-foam bed to score high in edge support, the Nectar impresses with a solid 9/10 in this category. This score, along with an 8.5/10 for durability, proves the Nectar will hold up over time. Plus, Mattress Advisor experts recommend this mattress for all sleeping styles—meaning it's a great fit for couples with different sleep positions. What really makes the Nectar stand out, though, is its generous one-year sleep trial and lifetime warranty. The low price point is the icing on the cake.

Nectar Memory Foam mattress
Nectar Memory Foam mattress

Best Mattress for Side Sleepers: Puffy

  • Mattress Type: Memory foam

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (7/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 101 nights

Puffy memory foam mattresses are the perfect match for side sleepers because they balance advanced pressure relief with proper spine alignment. While side sleeping, the spine should stay straight, meaning the hips and shoulders must cushion into the bed. Puffy's Cooling Cloud foam layer takes the pressure off the back and sore joints, while the firm core foam beneath it supports the spine—the Puffy earned an 8.75/10 for spine alignment in the Mattress Advisor sleep lab. It scored even higher, 9.25/10, for motion isolation, so couples should be able to sleep peacefully throughout the night. Add a stain-resistant cover, premium gel-infused foam, and a lifetime warranty, and you get a tremendous value for under $1,000.

Mattress Lifestyle Photos
Mattress Lifestyle Photos

Best Hybrid Mattress: Brooklyn Signature

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9.1/10

  • Firmness: Soft (4/10), medium (6/10), and firm (8/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 120 nights

Hybrid mattresses are typically on the pricey side ($1,200–$2,000), but thanks to the Brooklyn Signature's sale price, it provides all the pressure relief and support you could want for just $843 for a queen. A great bed for all sleep positions, the Brooklyn Signature combines a strong system of coils with three layers of memory foam. Earning a near-perfect score of 9.5/10 for pressure relief, this hybrid mattress even comes with a soft pillow top for the ultimate hotel-style sleep experience. Mattress Advisor testers told Real Simple that this bed is an especially good pick for back sleepers thanks to its performance on the spine alignment test—it scored a high 8.5/10 for keeping testers well-supported and comfortable. If you like to sleep "on" your mattress, rather than totally enveloped "in" the mattress, this budget-friendly hybrid is a good choice for you.

Brooklyn Bedding mattress
Brooklyn Bedding mattress

Best Flippable Mattress: Layla Memory Foam

  • Mattress Type: Copper-infused memory foam

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.8/10

  • Firmness: Soft (4/10) and firm (7/10) sides

  • Trial Period for Returns: 120 nights

Side sleepers should check out the Layla Memory Foam mattress, which uses 3 inches of cushioning memory foam to relieve pressure at the hips and shoulders. When lying on your side, your pressure points dig into the mattress, but Layla Memory Foam's intuitive design hugs your curves for exceptional pressure relief, earning it an impressive 9/10 in this category. Plus, its flippable construction makes it one of the best deals on this list: You get two beds for the price of one. One side is more plush, and the other is more firm. Back sleepers who require more support will appreciate the more firm-mattress feel. And side sleepers will love the plush side, which feels more like classic memory foam. The bed's near-perfect score for responsiveness also means this mattress is a good pick for those who move around a little more throughout the night.

Layla Memory Foam Mattress
Layla Memory Foam Mattress

Best Value Mattress: Tuft & Needle Original

  • Mattress Type: Foam blend

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.7/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

When it comes to which mattress boasts the best value for the price, the Tuft & Needle Original reigns supreme. This universally appealing foam-blend mattress uses premium materials like gel-infused memory foam and a dense support base to give sleepers lasting comfort. And even with its affordable price, this mattress scored well in durability with an 8/10, so you know it's made to last. It also earned high marks in spine alignment, and it excels at support. Plus, the Tuft & Needle Original scored a perfect 10/10 in customer service. Add the 100-night sleep trial and the fast shipping, and this mattress has incredible value for its low price of $806 for a queen.

Tuft and Needle Original mattress
Tuft and Needle Original mattress

Best Latex Mattress: DreamFoam Elements

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (latex foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.4/10

  • Firmness: Soft (4/10), medium (6/10), and firm (8/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 120 nights

Billed as "natural latex comfort at an affordable price," the DreamFoam Elements by Brooklyn Bedding sells for less than $1,000, which is unheard of for a latex mattress. And not just any latex, but 3 inches of premium Talalay latex atop 6 inches of individually wrapped coils. Combined with the quilted foam top, the mattress scores highly for motion transfer, spine alignment, pressure relief, and cooling, thanks to the naturally cooling qualities of the latex and the innerspring coils. The DreamFoam Elements should work for all sleep positions, especially for side sleepers. It comes in three firmness levels (soft, medium, and firm) and two heights (10 inches and 12 inches)—customization not often available at this low price. The only drawback is that it did not score as highly for durability, 7.5/10, but it does come with a 10-year warranty.

Dreamfoam Elements Latex Hybrid mattress
Dreamfoam Elements Latex Hybrid mattress

Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers: Cocoon Chill Memory Foam

  • Mattress Type: Memory foam

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.7/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

Stomach sleepers need a mattress that's supportive and durable to keep their hips elevated and their spine in its natural "S" curve––a bed that's too flimsy can cause the pelvis to bow down into the mattress, creating back pain. The Cocoon Chill Memory Foam mattress provides great support for stomach sleepers without the alarming price tag that typically accompanies high-quality, durable beds. Made from three layers of medium-firm memory foam, the Cocoon Chill responds to your movements, while contouring along your curves. This balance of contouring and support maintains spine alignment for stomach sleepers and also provides enough comfort for a night of blissful sleep. As an added bonus, Mattress Advisor testers awarded this mattress a 9/10 in motion transfer, so couples can sleep soundly knowing they won't disturb their partner.

cocoon mattress
cocoon mattress

Best Cooling Mattress: Bear Original

  • Mattress Type: Memory foam with graphite gel

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.6/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (6.5/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

Are you tired of waking with night sweats, but don't have room in the budget for an expensive cooling mattress? Not to worry––the Bear Original mattress has all the cooling features that hot sleepers dream of for just $747 for a queen size. Made from open-cell foam, the Bear Original allows more airflow than most memory foam beds, and its graphite-infused top layer helps you rest cool and refreshed. Mattress Advisor testers were so impressed with this mattress's ability to keep sleepers cool that they awarded this bed an impressive 9/10 cooling score—practically unheard of among all-foam mattress designs. Plus, it scored well in responsiveness with a 9/10, making it ideal for sleepers who move around throughout the night.

Bear Original mattress
Bear Original mattress

Factors To Consider When Choosing the Best Mattress Under $1,000

Mattress Type

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses contour along your curves, delivering pressure relief and plush comfort. They're also one of the least expensive types, making them a good choice for shoppers on a budget.

Innerspring

Innerspring beds contain springy coils topped with a thin foam layer, delivering great support and responsiveness. This is another low-cost mattress type.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses combine multiple materials, usually coils and foam, for a best-of-both-worlds sleep experience. While this mix of materials makes for a supportive and comfortable slumber, this type of bed is on the pricier side.

Latex

Latex mattresses relieve pressure like memory foam, only they have a naturally bouncy feel akin to innerspring coils. This mattress type is the most expensive, but it's also the most durable—an important consideration if you want to invest in a bed that'll last you much longer than other types.

Value

When you're shopping for the best mattress under $1,000, there's more to keep in mind than just the price. You want to make sure the bed you're purchasing is made with quality materials and comes with generous warranty and sleep trial policies. These factors increase the overall value of the mattress, making your purchase a smart investment in the long term.

Durability

Just because you're shopping on a budget, doesn't mean you can't find a mattress that'll hold up for the long haul. Ensuring the mattress is made of durable materials, like high-density memory foam or steel coils, will help the bed maintain its shape and structure for years.

Mattress Advisor's Review Process

Each mattress on this list was put to the test (literally) in Mattress Advisor's lab, which is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bedding experts spent over 1,200 hours evaluating and comparing mattresses using a 14-point testing methodology to find the best mattresses under $1,000 on the market.

While some of the factors tested are tied directly to performance, like responsiveness, edge support, and pressure relief, others are based around brand operations, such as customer service, shipping policies, and trial period. The Mattress Advisor team combines this proprietary methodology with in-depth interviews and customer experience to arrive at a weighted score out of 10.

Katie Simpson is an editor and lifestyle writer for Mattress Advisor.