Memory foam mattresses are a popular choice thanks to their pressure-relieving comfort. CNET’s sleep experts have curated the best options to match your sleeping style.Memory foam mattresses are a popular choice thanks to their pressure-relieving comfort. CNET’s sleep experts have curated the best options to match your sleeping style. Memory foam mattresses are a popular choice thanks to their pressure-relieving comfort. CNET’s sleep experts have curated the best options to match your sleeping style.
When shopping for a new mattress, it’s important to consider what each option is made of. Different materials offer different levels of support and comfort. Memory foam mattresses have become a popular choice for their ability to offer exceptional comfort and pressure relief, adapting well to various sleeping positions with their dense, cushiony support.
Memory foam technology has come a long way, evolving into diverse options that cater to different preferences. From classic all-foam mattresses to hybrid models that blend foam with supportive coils, there’s something for everyone.
At CNET, our sleep experts have tested and reviewed hundreds of mattresses to help you find the perfect fit. Our list highlights the best memory foam mattresses across different categories, including top picks for side sleepers, back and stomach sleepers and budget-conscious buyers. Whether you prefer the cozy, sinking sensation of traditional memory foam or a lighter, more breathable feel, we’ve got recommendations tailored to your sleep style.
What’s the best memory foam mattress overall?
Although all the mattresses on this list are great options, the Nectar Premier mattress wins the title of best overall memory foam mattress. It’s a comfortable memory foam mattress that feels similar to the popular Tempur-Pedic mattress but is much more affordable. It has a slow-rising feel that hugs your curves and joints and helps regulate temperature better than your typical memory foam bed.
On this list, you’ll find the memory foam mattresses that stood out to me as the most comfortable, supportive, accommodating or affordable. Here are my picks for the best memory foam mattress options that you can purchase online.
Video: Best memory foam mattress of 2025
Watch CNET senior video producer and certified sleep science coach Owen Poole review the best memory foam mattresses.
Best memory foam mattresses of 2025
7.9
Why we chose the Nectar Premier: The Nectar Premier reminds me of a foam Tempur-Pedic mattress; it has that signature memory foam feel, but you won’t have to fork out nearly as much cash for it. It has a dense, slow, sink-in memory foam feel that takes a few seconds to activate. Once it does, the gel-infused memory foam starts to hug your body and offers a relieving feel around pressure points like your hips and shoulders.
The Nectar Premier is 13 inches tall, has multiple foam layers and features what the brand calls an ActiveSupport stability base layer, which is 8 inches of sturdy and supportive foam. It also has a breathable cooling cover for extra heat prevention. I wouldn’t say it sleeps cold because of these features, but they do make the Nectar Premier a more temperature-neutral memory foam bed.
This Nectar Premier memory foam mattress is available in sizes twin to Cal king, and retail prices range from $1,480 to $2,842 (although they are frequently on sale for significantly less).
Editor’s note: In April 2022, the US Product Safety Commission issued a recall for Nectar Premier king- and queen-sized mattresses manufactured on Sept. 24 and 27, 2021, because they posed a fire hazard. To find out if your mattress has been recalled, look at the commission’s recall notice and this page on the Nectar website.
8.1
Why we chose the Layla mattress: It seems the mattress company paid a lot of attention to detail when it came to designing the flippable mattress. If one side doesn’t fit your sleeping style, all you have to do is flip it around to get a softer or firmer mattress feel. The soft side is plush and pressure-relieving, so it’s great if you’re a side sleeper. The flip side doesn’t have a true firm profile, but it does keep my back and spine supported when I sleep on my stomach and back. I’d say it’s a hair firmer than a medium.
Unlike the Nectar memory foam bed, the Layla mattress feels light and airy. It’s a soft memory foam that doesn’t provide resistance when you try to switch positions. It’s slightly more bouncy than other memory foams, which slowly morph back to shape after a few seconds. It’s one of those mattresses that might even appeal to avid memory foam haters because it doesn’t give you that “stuck” feel that some people dislike.
The Layla memory foam mattress is available in sizes twin to Cal king, and retail prices range from $749 to $1,249 at full price.
8.0
Why we chose the Bear Original: When I first tested the Bear Original mattress, I was surprised to find out how affordable it was. It reminded me of the more popular bed-in-a-box mattresses like the Puffy mattress, but it retails for several hundred dollars less. It works great on my back and stomach, and it’s pretty comfy on my side. It may be a little too firm if you’re a strict side sleeper under 150 pounds.
It’s 10 inches thick and made with three different foam layers: cooling gel memory foam, Bear Dynamic foam and high-density support foam. Its slow-responding feel will appeal to memory foam lovers far and wide. You also have the option to top it with a pretty unusual cover. It’s Celliant-infused, a unique fabric that absorbs and returns your body heat as infrared energy. You can’t see it or feel the material, but it’s supposed to improve blood circulation, which promotes muscle recovery and boosts energy levels.
Bear mattresses are available in sizes twin to split king, and retail prices range from $699 to $1,690.
7.5
Why we chose the Tempur-Adapt: Tempur-Pedic’s Tempur-Adapt mattress is the best memory foam mattress for most back and stomach sleepers because the bed’s firmness, support and comfort complement these sleeping positions. It has a classic, dense memory foam feel that relieves pressure off your hips, shoulders and lower back.
When I tested out the Tempur-Adapt, the bed felt very firm at first. Then, my body slowly started to sink into the mattress. While the foam did conform to my body, it was still very dense and supportive. I’d say it has a dense feel similar to the Nectar but a bit more responsive. Beds with firm mattress profiles tend to be a sleep haven for back and stomach sleepers because they keep the spine from sinking into the mattress.
The Tempur-Adapt is available in an all-foam and a hybrid version, and the prices range from $1,299 for a twin to $2,248 for a split king.
8.4
Why we chose the Saatva Loom & Leaf mattress: Some people just want the best memory foam mattress to stay comfy throughout the night. Others want the same mattress they tried that one time on vacation at the Four Seasons. If you’re the latter, the Saatva Loom & Leaf mattress looks like those in a five-star hotel. It doesn’t just look the part; it’s also really comfortable and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
The Loom & Leaf mattress has a dense memory foam feel with an extra fluff component thanks to the bed’s Euro mattress topper. I tried the “Relaxed Firm” model, which is still on the medium-firm end of the scale, so I imagine the “Firm” model is a true firm mattress. The memory foam and plush Euro top do make the mattress pressure-relieving, but not enough that it’s a good mattress for side sleepers. It was just a little too firm when I slept on my side.
Another highlight of the Loom & Leaf mattress is its special cooling tech. The top gel foam layer features a cooling gel mattress pad to help regulate temperature. It’s supposedly made from the same material doctors use to treat burn victims in hospitals, so I think it’s pretty legitimate.
The Loom & Leaf memory foam mattress is available in sizes twin to split Cal king, and its retail prices range from $1,595 to $3,390.
9
Why we chose the Leesa Legend Chill: If you’re a hot sleeper, you know the struggle of trying to stay cool or at least temperature-neutral at night. The Leesa Legend Chill is the best memory foam mattress for those who need a truly cool-to-the-touch mattress that utilizes cooling fibers in the cover. Under the cover are five other layers, including a quilt foam gel layer, a layer of micro-springs, a comfort foam layer, a zoned support layer of up to 1,032 individually wrapped coils and a final layer of high-density foam.
With the Lessa Legend Chill, you get the comfort of foam and increased airflow due to its structure and materials. We find this mattress to be around a medium or a five on the firmness scale. This firmness is ideal for combination and side sleepers. Back and stomach sleepers who don’t need extra support should also find this mattress comfortable. Heavier sleepers may want to look into the Plus Hybrid mattress.
The price of the Leesa Legend Chill mattress ranges from $1,574 for a twin to $3,299 for a California King.
8.6
Why we chose the Nectar Luxe mattress: The majority of individuals who sleep on their side are coziest on a soft, plush mattress. One of the best mattresses for side sleepers is the 14-inch Nectar Luxe mattress. This bed has a white marshmallow-like cover that looks comfy at first sight. The cover is even noticeably cool to the touch, which is great for sleepers who heat up on memory foam.
A majority of the beds on this best memory foam mattress list feel dense, and while the Nectar Luxe mattress is still in the same dense category, it is a little more airy than the Nectar Classic. Additionally, the Luxe is geared toward side sleepers, so it is softer, thanks to its top layer of therapeutic memory foam. The second layer is made of support foam, and the bottom layer is a thick, stable foam base. We found this bed to be around a medium-soft or around 3-4 on a scale of 10.
The Nectar Luxe might seem pricey, but like many other brands on this list, Nectar often runs promotions to cut the price in half.
8
Why we chose the DreamCloud Hybrid: DreamCloud is known for its high-end beds, which you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for. The DreamCloud Hybrid mattress is its entry-level model, but the bed doesn’t skip out on luxurious features. This mattress is a thick hybrid bed made with pocketed coils over eight inches tall and reinforced sides for stronger edge support. Stacked on top are comfortable foam layers, including gel memory foam for temperature regulation.
It’s made with gel memory foam, but it doesn’t have an overwhelming memory foam feel. This is something I appreciate because it’s easier to switch positions on the mattress than it is with dense, slow-responding memory foam beds. The cover is also a bit unique, as it is made with a blend of cashmere that’s ultrasoft and luxurious. I don’t even own a cashmere sweater, let alone have it in my bed.
I know a few people who sleep on a DreamCloud, and they only have positive things to say about the bed and their sleep quality. It’s a generally nice mattress at a surprisingly great price. A queen size retails for around $1,300, but the brand often has deals and sometimes throws in a few free accessories.
Memory foam mattress FAQs
There are many different memory foam mattresses on the market, but some of the best include Layla, Puffy, Loom & Leaf, Bear, Amerisleep, DreamCloud and Nectar.
If your memory foam mattress is only made out of foam, it will probably last you around seven years. If it’s made with inner springs or coils in the bottom layer, it will last you around 10 years or more. Just make sure you’re taking proper care of your mattress, such as rotating it every six months and keeping your bedding clean.
Nine to 10 inches is an ideal thickness for a memory foam mattress that offers ample support, but you can also go even thicker if you’re looking for maximum durability and support. Thin memory foam mattresses are OK for the short term, but may not last as long as you would hope. They tend to be more susceptible to wear and tear, sags and imprints.
Memory foam mattresses are great at providing pressure relief to your joints because the material gently hugs your curves, but some memory foam beds can give you a sinking feeling that causes resistance when you try to switch positions. If you’re a combination sleeper in the market for a memory foam bed, try to find one that’s more light and airy so it responds to pressure more quickly.
Memory foam mattresses can trap heat, which can make hot sleepers even warmer at night. They also sometimes provide resistance to combination sleepers when they switch positions. Softer memory foam mattresses may also sag a bit too much for stomach sleepers or heavier sleepers.
For most buyers, a medium or high-density memory foam mattress is a good balance of comfort and support. Opting for a gel or graphite-infused option might be a good choice for those who need a cooling experience.
No, memory foam mattresses don’t necessarily need a box spring; it comes down to the personal preferences of the buyer. A box spring will impact the structure of the mattress and your decision to opt for one will depend on the kind of feel you prefer.
Solid bases or those with slates are the most popular bases for memory foam. Slates provide better air circulation underneath your mattress. Depending on your preferences, you can use a wood base, a metal base or even opt for an adjustable base with a memory foam mattress.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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