The best products we tested in March 2024: Mattresses, umbrellas and more
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CNN Underscored is constantly testing new products spanning multiple categories — from electronics and gaming to health and fitness to kitchen and bedroom essentials — to find the absolute best products in each respective category.
Our testing process is rigorous; we begin by extensively researching to find the top products in each category. After creating a testing pool of products, we test each product multiple times in real-world settings over several weeks or even months. Last month, we tested tons of cool products — from body pillows to mattresses to umbrellas — and found the best products you need to make life better. Here are our winning products from March.
Body pillows
Coop Sleep Goods Original Body Pillow
Best body pillow
The Coop Sleep Goods Original Body Pillow ticked all our boxes for comfort, support, washability, returns and warranty. It was the only body pillow we tested with customizable firmness, which made it a crowd-pleasing winner. The filling can easily be removed or added for personal preference.
Snuggle-Pedic Body Pillow
Best budget body pillow
The Snuggle-Pedic Body Pillow was the most affordable body pillow we tested, with the shredded memory foam fill giving it a similar feel to the more expensive Bearaby pillow we tested. The main downside to the Snuggle-Pedic is its slightly lumpy feel and appearance.
Back Support Systems Body Pillow
Best body pillow for back support
The Back Support Systems Body Pillow wasn’t the best pillow we tried, but as the name suggests, it was highly effective for lower back support and comfortable enough to sleep with through the night. The only downside is that it doesn’t come with a pillow cover, and the matching one is an additional cost.
Mattresses
Saatva Classic Mattress
Best mattress for back sleepers
The hybrid Saatva Classic Mattress in Plush Soft uses a combination of buoyant coils and a soft foam top to provide solid yet cradling back support. Even in the softest firmness level, it feels closer to a traditional mattress than a memory foam mattress, so you lie on top of rather than sink into it. We also found it doesn’t overheat.
$1,781 (queen) at Saatva Mattress
Helix Sunset Elite Mattress
Best mattress for side sleepers
With a quilted foam pillow top and layers of foam and microcoils on top of a zoned coil base, the Helix Sunset Elite Mattress allowed our body to sink in, relieving pressure points on the shoulder and hip while still being supportive. We found we could sleep on our side longer, thanks to the soft support.
Nectar Premier Mattress
Best mattress for stomach sleepers
Stomach sleepers who need a firmer mattress will like the Nectar Premier Mattress. Even though it's labeled medium-firm, we found it on the firmer side, which can help with spine alignment in the facedown position. It's also a great value, coming in at a great price for a queen.
Mattress toppers
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress Topper
Best mattress topper for pressure relief
The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress Topper provides personalized pressure relief, thanks to its squishy memory foam. It molded to our body while we slept and didn’t cause overheating.
Helix Cool Mattress Topper
Best mattress topper for back pain
The Helix Cool Mattress Topper feels more like a mini mattress with its foam and microcoils. It offered extra-firm support while we slept on it, keeping our back from dipping into the topper and helping prevent backaches.
Mood Pod Moon Cloud Cover Mattress Topper
Best pillow-top mattress topper
Pillow-top fans will appreciate the unique feel of the Mood Pod Moon Cloud Cover Mattress Topper’s memory foam cluster and microfiber fill. We enjoyed the soft and cushy feel while we slept.
Casper Comfy Mattress Topper
Best firm mattress topper
The Casper Comfy Mattress Topper is for those who want a firm feel. Rather than sinking into the foam, we felt more like we were lying on top of it, thanks to its firmness.
Lift by Amerisleep Mattress Topper
Best cooling mattress topper
The Lift by Amerisleep Mattress Topper excels in heat dissipation, providing a cool-to-the-touch cover and open-cell memory foam construction. It effectively kept us cool while we slept and prevented heat buildup.
Sheets
L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set
Best cotton sheets
The L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set is the nicest-feeling sheet set we tested. Breathable and crisp, they’re great at regulating your temperature throughout the night. And the eyelet hem along the top sheet and pillowcases made these sheets feel straight out of a hotel.
Garnet Hill Hemstitched Supima Flannel Bedding
Best flannel sheets
Garnet Hill offers a delectably comfortable flannel sheet that's luxurious without feeling overly thick or weighty, at a mid- to high-end price for queen size. These flannels come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, and you can be confident you’re getting a quality product that will last for years to come.
Parachute Linen Sheet Set
Best linen sheets
The Parachute Linen Sheet Set has a unique texture and is among the most luxurious sheets we tested. These linen sheets come in a broad range of colors and sizes, and each different piece of the bedding set is available individually for replacements or to mix and match with other fabrics.
Snow shovels
True Temper 18-Inch Ergonomic Mountain Mover Snow Shovel
Best snow shovel
For a basic all-purpose shovel, this one checks all the boxes: It’s ergonomic, lightweight and durable; it has a decent scoop capacity; and it can be used on multiple surfaces. If you can invest in only one shovel, then the True Temper Ergonomic Shovel, coming in under $40, is your best bet.
Bully Tools 27-Inch Poly Snow Pusher
Best pusher snow shovel
If you’re clearing large areas, then this pusher gets the job done with minimal effort thanks to its solid polypropylene design, wide blade and no-slip fiberglass handle.
Umbrellas
Balios Folding Double-Canopy Umbrella
Best umbrella
Compact, affordable and sporting a polished wooden handle, the Balios Folding Double-Canopy Umbrella is a stylish and reliable option. It has the most comfortable handle of any umbrella we tested and a vented canopy that’s easy to fix if flipped inside out. With a 40-inch canopy and 13.8-inch length when closed, it also strikes a useful balance of functionality and portability.
Smart TVs
Samsung OLED S90C 4K UHD Tizen TV
Best smart TV
The S90C hits a sweet spot among current TVs, balancing performance and price. It impresses with vivid colors and intense brightness, making the images seem to jump off the screen. It’s packed with the latest tech, making it an excellent choice for gamers too.
$1,388 at Amazon
$1,700 at Samsung
Hisense U6K Mini-LED QLED 4K Google TV
Best budget smart TV
The U6K features high-end tech — mini LEDs and quantum dots — at a bargain price. You get impressive colors and contrast, though you’ll give up wide viewing angles and have to deal with a sluggish interface.
Sony Bravia XR A95L QD-OLED 4K HDR Google TV
Best luxury smart TV
If price is no object, then no TV delivers a more impressive viewing experience than the A95L. Everything looks superb, whether in 4K or standard HD, and it’s packed with more features than you probably need.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
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