It's Time to Switch to These Memory Foam Mattresses and Never Look Back

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Memory foam mattresses are super common nowadays—so much so that it can sometimes be hard to understand the differences while shopping. But not all memory foam mattresses are created equal—a Casper mattress isn’t just like a Saatva—and finding the best memory foam mattress for you is a bit more complicated than just closing your eyes and picking one. That’s where I come in.

As a side sleeper who has struggled to get the support I want from an innerspring mattress, I’ve searched high and low for the best memory foam mattresses on the market, testing out mattresses that range from soft to uber firm (most memory foam mattress companies rate its mattresses on a firmness scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the most firm). I also reached out to David Rubin, Director of Product Testing at TheSleepDoctor.com, to offer expert insight. "If you prefer sleeping 'in' a mattress, rather than 'on' a mattress, memory foam mattresses are your best bet," Rubin advises.

Rubin recommends memory foam mattresses for side sleepers "who experience pain points around the hips and shoulders" and might need "pressure release," but memory foam mattresses can work for all kinds of sleepers.

Keep scrolling to find the best memory foam mattress for every sleep need, price point, and preference below.

Green Tea Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress — Full 6"

This four-layer memory foam mattress is great for your sleeping habits and easy on your wallet. It features a strong base layer, followed by a "comfort foam" layer meant to mold to your body shape, and a gel and green-tea-infused memory foam layer on top to regulate your temperature. It's then all wrapped in a non-removable knit cover.

Glowing Customer Review: "Three years later, I still love this mattress. It's held up, is supportive and comfortable and never sleeps hot. It's a very good, inexpensive mattress that has proven to be a great value."

Loom & Leaf Mattress — Full

What sets the Saatva mattress apart from others is its lumbar zone quilting — two layers of comfort gel-infused memory foam to give added support in the center of the mattress. These extra layers are also meant to keep your mattress from caving in early. After the gel-infused memory foam layer, there is a layer of breathable foam to keep you from overheating, high-density foam for support, a transitional layer, and five inches of durable foam base.

Glowing Customer Review: "We have had the Loom and Leaf relaxed firm mattress for five years now," wrote one reviewer. "It looks just as new as it did when delivered. It is somewhat firm but yet cradling... I'd buy it again."

Hybrid Comfort

The Emma Hybrid Comfort memory foam mattress is perfect for side sleepers. Its super plush design includes four thin top layers of foam to help regulate temperature and mold to your body shape, followed by a layer of pocket springs and one last stabilizing layer of foam. At 13" tall, the mattress gives you added height, and makes you feel like you're sleeping on a fluffy cloud. My hips have never been happier.

Glowing Customer Review: "Wow, excellent product and great service and excellent quality made for the best price. This is what everyone should be sleeping on."

Essential — Full 6"

The Dreamfoam Essential is one of the most versatile memory foam mattresses, as it comes in a variety of sizes, thicknesses, and firmness options. Depending on the combo you pick, the price can vary from $274-1,149, so you can make your bed fit your budget. Mattresses 6"-10" thick feature two layers of foam, a larger base of high-density foam for stability and support, and a smaller (roughly 2") layer of gel swirl memory foam to adapt to your body and provide some added cooling.

Glowing Customer Review: "We purchased this for our RV. When it came we slept on it in our home for a week. Decided that the 8 inch Med/Firm was a little too firm and added an 1 1/2 inch topper," writes one reviewer who identifies as 65+. "When we moved it to the camper, we realized it was better than our old bed. So we brought it in the house to use and ordered another for our camper."

One Mattress — Queen

The Casper One Mattress is one of the brand's most basic offerings, but don't let the price tag fool you; this one's still got everything you want in a memory foam mattress, like a 3-zone support to relieve pressure and align your back by letting your shoulders sink a bit and cradling your hips, and what the brand calls their AirScape system, which allows for easy airflow.

Glowing Customer Review: "I was often waking up sore before getting a Casper, and never knew how much of a difference a great mattress could make. Now I sleep/lounge comfortably every single night and I'm always so excited to get home to my bed after a trip!"

Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress — Queen 8"

This mattress utilizes the same green tea memory foam as the other Zinus mattress on the list to keep your bed fresh. However, it lacks the cooling gel infusion, so it traps a bit more heat, and reviewers say this one has a softer base if that's more your speed.

Glowing Customer Review: "This bed is the Oprah of beds. This bed is freshly signed divorce papers. THIS BED IS ALL YOU NEED IN THIS LIFE."

Memory Foam Mattress

The Nectar memory foam mattress has five layers, including a shift-resistant lower cover on the bottom and a breathable cooling cover on top. In between, there are two layers of foam and one layer of gel-infused memory foam meant to give pressure-relieving support while also keeping you cooler than a traditional foam mattress. (Rubin at The Sleep Doctor also declared it the best overall memory foam mattress.)

Glowing Customer Review: "I'm a stomach sleeper and this is the first mattress I've ever owned that allowed me to sleep comfortably. I also have pretty serious back issues and sleeping is much less painful on this mattress than all my others."

Star Hybrid

Ideal for side sleepers, the Star Hybrid has five layers: high-density support foam, encased coils for increased support, comfort foam to adapt to your body, copper-infused memory foam to keep your bed fresh, and a moisture-wicking quilted cover.

Glowing Customer Review: "After 16 years of sleeping on a traditional spring queen, this mattress is fantastic. There is virtually NO motion when one of us rolls over or gets up in the night, which means much better, uninterrupted sleep. And it's REALLY comfortable."

10” Copper Infused Memory Foam Mattress

This unique, flippable mattress is perfect for those who aren't totally sure if they prefer to sleep on soft or firmer mattress. On one side, you have a layer of soft copper-gel memory foam covered by a cooling, removable cover. On the other, you have that same cooling cover over a layer of a thinner layer of soft copper-gel memory foam, giving it the same properties, but a firmer feel.

Glowing Customer Review: "This was by far the best mattress I ever used. The firm side wasn't for me, but the soft side was perfect. Adapting to it took about 2 weeks because my body was used to a horrible painful spring mattress. This one was amazing once my body got used to it!"

The GravityLux

WinkBeds' GravityLux is made from the brand's patented Aircell Memory Foam, a non-visco memory foam that the company says features microscopic shock-absorbing cushions designed to release pressure and provide support without retaining body heat. And a Tencel cover with gel-infused is designed to help you sleep cool.

Glowing Customer Review: "A lot of beds are not designed for bigger folks, but the Winkbed is. Its memory foam mattress gives me strong support and softness. It feels like it fits my body and actually makes me feel good about my body and the sleep I get."

Tempur-Cloud Mattress

Tempur-Pedic beds can be quite heavy, but this new Tempur-Cloud design was specifically created for fast shipping and easy delivery straight to your door. The mattress is made to feel medium firm, with three layers of foam wrapped in a moisture-wicking cover for breathability.

Glowing Customer Review: "I'm currently 8 months pregnant and my belly is fully supported like I'm sleeping on a floating cloud."

What is the best memory foam mattress?

The best memory foam mattress depends entirely on your sleep style, personal preference, and budget. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to mattresses, but regardless of what kind of memory foam mattress you get, know that it will require some upkeep, just like a regular mattress.

Most mattress brands encourage customers to rotate their memory foam mattress regularly for upkeep, and Rubin agrees. "We recommend regularly rotating memory foam mattresses from head to foot to help extend the life of your mattress and prevent consistent body imprints," he said, adding that purchasers should also invest in a mattress cover to protect the memory foam from any potential spills (not to mention bed bugs).

How to pick the right memory foam mattress for you

There are a lot of factors to consider when looking for the best memory foam mattress for you. To help narrow it down, here are some questions to ask yourself before buying:

Know the best memory foam mattress for every sleep position

Sleep position is E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G when it comes to picking a memory foam mattress. What position do you generally fall asleep in, and what position are you in when you wake up? Firm mattresses (i.e., thinner mattresses) are recommended for stomach sleepers, while medium-firm is recommended for side and back sleepers (or combo sleepers), and soft mattresses are recommended for back sleepers.

Know your firmness level preference

Memory foam firmness also depends on your own personal preference. Think back to all the mattresses you've ever slept on. Do you sleep better with more soft or firm support? Take that into account and make sure you look for firmness levels that align with your preference.

Know your sleep temperature preference

Memory foam is dense, which means it allows for less airflow than a traditional spring mattress and can trap your body heat while you rest. If you tend to sleep hot and sweat at night but still want the contouring support memory foam provides, Rubin suggests looking for a mattress with "a gel-infusion, copper or silver fibers, and a moisture-wicking cover."

Meet the expert:

• David Rubin is the Director of Product Testing at TheSleepDoctor.com. He's also a side sleeper and a Certified Sleep Coach.

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