Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress review: A good cheap mattress, but we recommend upgrading to the 10-inch size

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Amazon has dominated the online retail space by offering what you want delivered to your door cheaply and quickly. That extends to mattresses. Like many of today's best mattresses, Amazon's memory foam mattress caters to a broad range of sleepers, coming in five sizes, four thicknesses from six to 12 inches, and a plush or medium-firm feel.

The Business Insider Reviews team has tested over 100 mattresses, including the Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress in two thicknesses. Former Insider Reviews freelancer Kylie Joyner tested the 10-inch and thought it was one of the best cheap mattress options she'd tested. I tested the 8-inch one and found it left much to be desired comfort-wise. Read on to find out which will better suit you.

Our review of the Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress

Setup

The Amazon Basics Memory Foam mattress ships for free, though it can take up to two weeks. Prime members get faster delivery. For example, as a Prime member, I could get the mattress in five days. 

The bed came in a long, narrow cardboard box that fell apart before I could bring it inside. Fortunately, the mattress inside remained vacuum-sealed and unharmed. While white-glove delivery isn't available, the mattress is lighter than most — less than 50 pounds for the 8-inch.

The light weight made the bed easy to move and set up. I removed the plastic and positioned the mattress on my foundation in under five minutes. It comes with instructions that recommend you wait up to 72 hours for the mattress to fully expand before sleeping on it. I unboxed it in the morning, and by bedtime, it had expanded, and the initial odor had dissipated.

Construction

The Amazon mattress consists of three layers of foam CertiPUR-US certified to be made without harmful chemicals and have low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. The fabric cover is free of harmful substances based on Oeko-Tex certification. It is also fiberglass-free. 

The top memory foam layer is designed to adapt to your body's contours, no matter what sleep position you're in. The middle layer is a soft foam with air holes for breathability. The thick hard foam base layer offers stability, support, and durability. Its wavy design is also supposed to help with airflow.

Comfort

While Joyner and I tested the Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress in different thicknesses, we both tested the queen size and plush feel. Based on my experience testing over 80 mattresses, I'd rate the bed's firmness as "medium-soft," or a little softer than average.

I sometimes sleep on my back and stomach, but I prefer to sleep on my side. While the softness of the Amazon Basics mattress should be ideal for side sleeping, I couldn't get comfortable in any position. I use the Garmin Forerunner 945 smartwatch to track my sleep stats, and on this mattress, my stats were pitiful. During the testing period, I only had one good night's sleep. I try to sleep on mattresses for at least 14 nights, but I had to call it quits after seven.

Though there's no scientific research to back this up, I've found mattresses less than 10 inches thick tend not to be supportive enough for me. In the future, I hope to test Amazon's memory foam mattress in 10 and 12 inches.

Joyner tested the 10-inch mattress and found it comfortable despite being a little too soft for her stomach sleeping. Her back-sleeping boyfriend found it incredibly comfortable. Joyner recommends the 10-inch version for side and back sleepers.

Heat dissipation

To test the cooling properties, I use a laser thermometer to measure the mattress's surface temperature before lying on it, right after I get up, and two minutes after. If the surface temperature doesn't increase much after I lie on it, it does a good job of staying cool. If the temp drops significantly after I get up from it, it dissipates heat well.

The Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress was among the best cheap mattresses at staying cool, and its heat dissipation was better than average. This aligned with our subjective experiences. Both Joyner and I stayed cool while testing it, making this bed a solid choice for hot sleepers.

Edge support

I test edge support by using a yardstick to measure how much the bed sinks when I sit on it. If the mattress sinks 3.5 inches or fewer, it has pretty good edge support. The Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress sank 2.5 inches.

I also lie on the bed's edge and see how far I can roll before I fall off. I felt supported on the edge and had to roll quite a way before I actually fell. The 8-inch-thick mattress has excellent edge support.

Joyner had a different experience with the 10-inch model. She didn't feel supported when sleeping on the edges and tended to gravitate to the middle. This may be due to the 10-inch mattress having thicker soft foam layers than the 8-inch version I tested.

Motion isolation

Motion isolation is important because it keeps your partner's movement from disturbing your sleep. I test motion isolation by dropping a bowling ball from 4 feet above the mattress so that it lands a foot from a soda can. If the can falls over, the motion isolation isn't very good. If the can stays upright, the bed has excellent motion dampening. The Amazon Basics mattress passed with flying colors. 

I also placed a vibrometer on the opposite side of the mattress from the bowling ball's landing spot. It registered a 7.3 — better than most mattresses.

The bed also did well stopping motion transfer in our subjective experience. Joyner noted that her partner's rolling over in the night had a minimal effect on her. If your sleeping partner regularly moves around in the night, the Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress should help keep you undisturbed.

Trial period and warranty

Amazon offers a 100-night return period for the memory foam mattress. It states that you can return the mattress within 100 days of receipt if it's in its original, unopened packaging. If the mattress is unboxed and expanded, you are eligible for a refund but can't return it. This means you're on the hook for disposing of the mattress, which can be a pricey hassle. The best mattress-in-a-box companies take care of mattress removal for you.

If you decide to keep your mattress, Amazon offers a paltry one-year warranty. For comparison, all mattresses in our best cheap mattress guide have warranties of at least 10 years. Fortunately, the warranty doesn't have any catches.

What are your alternatives?

If the Amazon Basics mattress doesn't sound appealing, Joyner and I both recommend The Allswell Mattress, the top pick in our best cheap mattress guide. It has a firmer feel, costs more, and sleeps hot. Yet, I slept much better on the Allswell, and it's backed by a longer warranty (10 years.) Read our full Allswell Mattress review.

If you want a soft alternative, consider the Siena Memory Foam Mattress. I found it much more comfortable than the Amazon Basics mattress. It has a longer trial period (180 days) and warranty (10 years), good motion isolation and edge support, and great heat dissipation. However, it costs $100 more than the Amazon Basics mattress.

For more recommendations, check out our best cheap mattress and best mattress guides.

The bottom line

You largely get what you pay for with mattresses. The Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress is only $300, so it's no surprise it has deficiencies. The 8-inch version is unlikely to be comfortable for full-grown adults, but it may work for youngsters. Side-sleeping adults might want to check out the soft 10-inch version. However, stomach sleepers may find it isn't supportive enough.