We tested 20 memory-foam mattresses. These 4 are the best for any budget and sleep style.

The Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress offers outstanding pressure relief, heat dissipation, and body-contouring comfort, making it ideal for side sleepers of all body types while also appealing to other sleeping styles

Overview of the Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress

Our review of the Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress

Pros: The foam offers support and comfort for all sleeping positions, impressive heat dissipation, great motion isolation, lightweight

Cons: You pay shipping charges if you choose to return your mattress, no white-glove delivery, poor edge support

In addition to being the best overall memory foam mattress, the Tempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress is the best cooling memory foam mattress and the best option for side sleepers. It's also one of the most comfortable beds I've tested. Each night, I was asleep within minutes and awoke refreshed.

The Tempur-Cloud features three layers of CertiPUR-US certified foam topped with a breathable, moisture-wicking cover. The top two layers are made of Tempur-Pedic's proprietary foam, popular for its ability to contour to your body for support. I like how it provides cushioning and support in all the right places. The base layer of foam is designed for durability and support.

The Cloud does an outstanding job of dissipating heat. I stayed cool all night long while testing it. I also appreciated the motion-dampening properties. I barely noticed my son jumping on the bed while lying on it, and it passed our bowling ball test. 

The setup was effortless since the mattress is so light. I removed it from the reusable shipping bag, cut through the plastic, and laid it out on my foundation. There was an initial odor, but it dissipated by bedtime.

The edge support of the Tempur-Cloud is poor. I felt like I would fall off when lying on the edge, and it sank significantly when I sat on the side. 

If you decide to return your Cloud mattress during the 90-day trial period, Tempur-Pedic will deduct the cost of shipping from your refund. This contrasts with the full refund offered by other top brands, such as Casper and Leesa.

Back and stomach sleepers looking for a budget-friendly bed should strongly consider the Zinus Cooling Gel Memory-Foam Mattress.

Overview of the Zinus Cooling Gel Memory-Foam Mattress

Our review of the Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Pros: The firm support is great for stomach and back sleepers, excellent motion dampening, impressive heat dissipation, four thickness options, affordable

Cons: Poor edge support, needed a week to expand fully, may be too firm for side sleepers, no showroom availability

With its outstanding motion isolation and heat dissipation, the Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress is more comfortable than its sub-$700 price tag would suggest. 

The bed features four layers of CertiPUR-US certified foams, including the star: a top layer of gel memory foam. The gel memory foam contours to your body, providing pressure relief in the right places while also supplying excellent heat dissipation properties, keeping me from overheating at night.

You can pick from four thickness options: 8, 10, 12, and 14 inches. I only tested the 12-inch model, but in my experience, mattresses less than 10 inches aren't as supportive and durable as thicker ones. 

The Zinus mattress has a firmer-than-average feel, making side sleeping uncomfortable. Yet, when I rolled onto my stomach, I felt great. My wife, a back sleeper, liked the support and comfort.

The Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress passed our bowling ball test easily, and, subjectively, I didn't feel much motion transfer as my wife shifted positions in the night.

Two significant negatives stood out with the Zinus. First, the mattress was about half its full size out of the box and took a full week to expand. Fortunately, the rest of the setup process went off without a hitch, with the initial "new bed smell" dissipating by bedtime.

The second negative is the poor edge support. I felt like I would fall off the bed when I was on the side. And it sank excessively when I sat on the edge.

The firm support, eco-friendly materials, and unique Celliant cover make the Bear Original Mattress an outstanding choice for back and stomach sleepers.

Overview of the Bear Original Mattress

Our review of the Bear Original Mattress

Pros: The firm feel will appeal to back and stomach sleepers, Greenguard Gold certified, uses Celliant fibers in the cover, decent edge support, fast heat dissipation, easy to move, long home trial and warranty

Cons: Poor motion isolation, may be uncomfortable for side sleepers

The firmness of the Bear Original Mattress was too much for side sleeping, so I mostly slept on my stomach while testing it. Despite my less-preferred sleep position, my Garmin smartwatch sleep numbers (i.e., REM, deep, and overall sleep) were terrific, and I awoke feeling great.

The Bear Original is Greenguard Gold and CertiPUR-US certified, meaning it has low VOC emissions and is made without harmful chemicals. The three foam layers are covered by a breathable material called Celliant, celebrated for dissipating heat.

The top foam layer is graphite-gel memory foam designed to help you stay cool. Next is a responsive foam layer balancing support and pressure point relief. And the base is high-density foam for durability.

The cooling materials appeared to work. While the Bear Original got hotter than most mattresses I tested, it also dissipated the heat quickly, showing one of the largest temperature drops in our tests.

The mattress was easy to set up and move around. I had it unpackaged and airing out within five minutes of cutting into the box. The initial odor dissipated by bedtime. 

The edge support was also pretty good for the Bear Original. I didn't sink much when sitting on the side, but it did exhibit significant give when I laid on the edge, causing me to roll off easily. The motion isolation was among the worst I've tested. The bed failed the bowling ball test and had high vibration meter readings.

Bear offers a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty; both are among the longest in the industry.

With a medium-firm feel and special layer just for back support, the Saatva Modern Foam Mattress is an ideal choice for back pain sufferers.

Overview of the Saatva Modern Foam Mattress

Our review of the Saatva Modern Foam Mattress

Pros: Zoned support, free white-glove delivery and old mattress removal, great heat dissipation, the medium-firm feel is ideal for back pain sufferers

Cons: $99 fee deducted from refund if you return mattress 

Tamara Huff, MD, a Georgia-based board-certified orthopedic surgeon and health disparities advocate, recommends choosing a medium-firm mattress if you suffer from back pain. However, there is no standardized way to classify a mattress as "medium-firm," so Huff suggests picking a bed that feels medium-firm to you. "I recommend you not go for the firmest mattress," she said.

With its firmer-than-average feel, the Saatva Modern Foam Mattress will supply medium-firm support for most sleepers. I found it soft enough to keep my spine aligned while side sleeping and firm enough to support my back. I didn't experience any back pain during the testing period. 

The Saatva Modern Foam has four layers. The middle of the bed has a layer of latex for lower back support. Next, an egg-crate-like foam offers airflow and body contouring. The gel-infused memory foam helps with heat dissipation and pressure relief. And the base, high-density foam layer gives the mattress durability. The cover is made of cooling organic cotton. The cooling materials seemed to work as the mattress stayed cool and dissipated heat well. 

The setup was a snap since Saatva offers free white-glove delivery and old mattress removal with every mattress order. This is very rare for a bed at this price point. The delivery people were in and out in under 10 minutes. Since the mattress came flat-packed, there was no expansion period. 

Both the motion isolation and edge support are just so-so. When sitting on the side of the bed, it sank significantly. Yet, I didn't feel like falling off when lying on it. The Modern Foam barely failed the bowling ball test, and when I was lying on the bed, I couldn't feel my dog bouncing around. It also registered a low reading on the vibration meter, suggesting good motion isolation.

I considered 11 of the top memory foam mattresses I've tested over the years for this guide. Here are the ones we recommend but that didn't make the cut.

What else we recommend and why:

Memory foam mattresses under $900

Casper Element: The most budget-friendly Casper mattress, the Element is firmer than average, making it better for stomach and back sleepers. It has impressive edge support and motion isolation, helping you sleep better when sharing a bed. However, the foam traps heat, leaving me uncomfortable at night. And it doesn't have good pressure relief, giving it a stiff feel. Read our full review.

Nectar Memory Foam: The soft feel of the Nectar mattress may not provide stomach and back sleepers with the support they need. But most side sleepers will love the plusher-than-average firmness. It also has decent edge support, outstanding motion isolation, and exceptional heat dissipation. The 365-night risk-free home trial and lifetime warranty are more reasons to consider this bed.

Memory foam mattresses under $1,200

Helix Midnight: The Helix Midnight is the best budget pick in our guide to the best mattresses for back pain. We like that it's made without hazardous chemicals, and the firmer feel will support stomach and back sleepers. The edge support and motion isolation are perfect for couples sharing a bed. Yet, it had a strong initial odor that took a while to dissipate, and I overheated while testing it.

Bear Pro: Like the Bear Original, the Bear Pro is made in the US of non-toxic materials. It has the same long risk-free trial (365 nights) and warranty (lifetime). The cover is Celliant fabric for cooler sleep. The mattress also has excellent motion isolation, though the edge support is poor. Read our full review.

Casper Original: One of the most popular beds-in-a-box, the Casper Original has the medium-firm support that most sleepers like, and it dissipates heat well for hot sleepers. It's fairly light, so you can easily move it around. The bed also does a good job of limiting motion transfer. The biggest negative is the poor edge support. Read our full review.

Memory foam mattresses over $1,200

Purple: The Purple Mattress is an acquired taste. The unique, hyperelastic-polymer Purple grid is more responsive than memory foam, buckling immediately where your body applies the most pressure, producing a cradling effect. The average firmness will appeal to most sleepers, and it dissipates heat well. The edge support and motion isolation weren't outstanding. Still, the bed has incredible bounce.

GhostBed Luxe: If we had a category for best memory foam mattress for couples, the GhostBed Luxe would be our pick with its unparalleled motion isolation and impressive edge support. The medium-firm support works for all sleepers, and it dissipates heat well. The biggest negative is the price. If you're going to be spending that much, we think the Tempur-Cloud is a better bet.

I slept on all of the mattresses in this guide for at least 14 nights and put them all through a series of objective tests. I tested the queen size of each bed.

I'm a six-foot-tall, 205-pound side sleeper, but I also spend time on my back and stomach. I experience occasional lower back pain flare-ups and overheating at night.

I also talked to Marilyn Li, MD, an allergist at the University of Southern California; Tamara Huff, MD, a Georgia-based board-certified orthopedic surgeon and health disparities advocate; Mark Goetting, MD, a board-certified sleep medicine specialist at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine; and Derek Hales, founder of the mattress review site NapLab.

The most important factors to consider when shopping for a memory foam mattress are the comfort, motion transfer, and return policy.

Test results for the main attributes we tested:

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:

Comfort: Each morning, I note how comfortable I was on the mattress the night before, what sleep position I gravitated toward, and if and where I felt any pain in my body. I also used the Garmin Forerunner 945 watch to track how much REM, deep, and overall sleep I had. 

Motion transfer: Also called motion isolation, motion transfer is measured using the bowling ball test. I drop a 15-pound bowling ball from 4 feet above the mattress so that it lands 12 inches from a soda can. If the can falls over, the motion isolation is poor. If it stays upright, the bed does a good job of dampening motion. I also take a vibration meter reading from the opposite side of the bed from the bowling ball drop. Lastly, I note my subjective experience as others move around on the mattress while I'm lying on it.

Trial and warranty: All of the top mattresses in this guide have a trial period of at least 90 nights. That should be long enough for you to tell if a bed is right for you. I read the fine print of the return policy to see if there are any fees associated with returning the bed. I also note the length of the warranty. All of our picks have warranties of at least 10 years, about how long you should expect your mattress to last.

Heat dissipation: The first thing I do each morning is use a laser thermometer to measure the surface temperature of the mattress. The second thing I do is measure the surface temp again two minutes later. The first measurement tells me how cool the mattress stays. When I compare it to the second measurement, I see how well the heat dissipates. 

Edge support: Good edge support is helpful whether you are lying or sitting on the side of your bed. You want to feel supported. To test edge support, I lie on the edge of the bed and slowly roll off. I note the approximate angle of my body at the moment I fall. The closer I get to perpendicular, the better the edge support. I also sit on the side of the bed and measure how much the edge sinks. On average, mattresses sink about 3.5 inches. 

Setup: I set up all of the mattresses myself (unless there's free white-glove delivery). I note how long it takes me, any unusual steps, if there's an initial odor and if it dissipates by bedtime, and whether or not the mattress comes with directions or tools. Most mattresses take 5 to 10 minutes to set up. I strongly recommend getting help setting up your mattress. For white-glove delivery, I give the costs and details for that service in my reviews.

Portability: I have to move the mattresses around more than the average person as I switch them out in my testing area. Portability is important if you move a lot or just want to regularly rotate your bed, an important step to prolong the life of your mattress. When moving the mattresses, I note how heavy they feel, if they flop around, and if there are handles.

How do you choose a memory foam mattress?

A mattress may be ideal for 99 percent of sleepers but awful for you. That's why one of your top consideration should be a long home trial. This allows you to try the mattress at home for several nights without committing to it.

Mark Goetting, MD, a board-certified sleep medicine specialist at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, suggests lying on the mattress as long as you can in a showroom before buying it. 

If you don't know where to begin your bed shopping or just don't feel comfortable in a showroom, here are a few tips for choosing a mattress based on how you sleep:

Side sleepers: Most people sleep on their side, and fortunately, "side sleepers find memory foam to be great because of the way it contours to the spine and creates neutral alignment," said Derek Hales, founder of the mattress review site NapLab. A softer-than-average mattress will let side sleepers sink in, helping them achieve spinal alignment. Zoned support is also helpful for side sleepers who need increased pressure-point relief to keep their spine aligned.

Back sleepers: Back sleepers don't want to sink in as much as side sleepers, so a medium-firm mattress is better. When you're lying flat, it will keep your back closer to neutral.

Stomach sleepers: Goetting said a firm mattress is important because stomach sleepers must rotate their head to breathe, leaving the spine out of alignment. When you couple this with a pillow that causes your head to flex backward, you're more prone to restless sleep and neck pain. A firm mattress reduces the degree to which your head flexes backward. In general, the experts I've talked to recommend avoiding sleeping on your stomach if you can.

Do memory foam mattresses get hot?

"Early memory foam would absorb heat and get warmer over time," said Hales. "But as memory foam has developed over the years, heat has become less of an issue."

Yet Hales noted that even the best all-foam mattresses will run hotter than hybrid mattresses, which are designed for airflow and breathability.

I've found that hybrid mattresses are generally cooler than all-foam mattresses, but some outliers tend to stay cool, including our top pick, the Tempur-Cloud.

How much does a memory foam mattress cost?

Our picks range in price from $600 to $1,600. You should expect to spend at least $1,000 for a high-quality, all-foam mattress but can get away with spending less if you don't mind a bed that sleeps hot or has poor pressure relief or support.

Foam beds tend to cost less than other mattress styles, but they lack the durability and support provided by the coils found in hybrid mattresses.

Are memory foam mattresses more likely to cause allergic reactions?

According to Marilyn Li, MD, an allergist at the University of Southern California, dust mites are the main source of allergic reactions to bedding. She pointed to a study that found 5 to 30 percent of the general population is reactive to dust mites.

Li suggested covering your mattress with a protector to ward off dust mites. 

Formaldehyde is another source of allergic reactions to bedding that Li sees. Formaldehyde is used as a preservative in some mattresses. Look for beds with CertiPUR-US certification and Greenguard Gold certification if you are sensitive to formaldehyde.

Find more answers to your mattress FAQs in our main mattress guide.

CertiPUR-US certified: CertiPUR-US certification has become the standard for beds made with polyurethane foams, including memory foam. Before issuing certification, the nonprofit CertiPUR-US ensures the foam is made without ozone depleters, formaldehyde, flame retardants, phthalates, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals. The foam must also have low VOC emissions.

Edge support: If you've ever laid on the edge of a mattress and felt like you were going to fall off, you've experienced poor edge support. Edge support describes how well you feel supported on the periphery of a mattress.

Motion isolation: If someone moves around on one side of the bed, and you don't feel it on the other, the mattress has good motion isolation. Also called motion dampening, motion isolation keeps you from getting jostled when you share a bed with someone.

Zoned support: Today's high-end mattresses have different levels of support along the length of the bed to keep your spine aligned. Beds with zoned support typically have firmer support around the back and pressure relief around the hips and shoulders, which may help with joint pain.

Look at the warranty when you want to know how long you can expect a product to last. We only recommend mattresses with warranties of at least 10 years. Ten years is a reasonable time you can expect your bed to last based on our expert interviews. 

You can recycle your mattress once it no longer supports you. Find a facility near you using the mattress recycling locator or search "mattress recycling near me."

• The best mattresses
• The best mattresses for side sleepers
• The best mattresses for back pain
• The best hybrid mattresses
• The best spring mattresses