Here at the Strategist, we like to think of ourselves as crazy (in the good way) about the stuff we buy, but as much as we’d like to, we can’t try everything. Which is why we have People’s Choice, in which we find the best-reviewed products and single out the most convincing ones. (You can learn more about our rating system and how we pick each item here.)
And while we’ve written about lots of ways to get a good night sleep — including the best mattress toppers, the best pillows and the best sheets — here, we’ve rounded up the best mattresses, as praised by the most enthusiastic reviewers on Amazon. To even the playing field a bit, we focused on queen-size mattresses, but most of these mattresses are available in other sizes as well.
Best-rated mattress
Zinus Memory Foam 12 Inch Green Tea Mattress, Queen
With nearly 20,000 five-star reviews, this mattress gets top marks for value and comfort. One user who “had spinal surgery in 2010, I have 2 rods and 30 screws like Iron Man’s nephew,” says, “The comfort is great and I really have no trouble when I sleep.” A self-described “chubby guy with back problems that sleeps funny” says this mattress is a game changer, calling it “super comfy and has started making my back feel better slowly night after night.” Many think the high comfort factor comes from the firmness level of the mattress. “It contours to your body without you sinking in, but still supports you,” another reviewer writes. Strategist writer Karen Adelson tested this mattress for our guide on how to buy a mattress online, and describes the top layer as “definitely plush, but instead of sinking into it, I felt more like the mattress was rising up to meet me and fill in the spaces where I need some extra padding, like under my back and knees.” As one reviewer concludes, “This bed is the Oprah of beds.”
Best-rated (less expensive) mattress
LUCID 5 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress, Queen
Nearly 300 five-star reviewers use the word “firm” to describe this mattress, but that doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortable, even for the price. “To my surprise, this mattress is way more comfortable than I thought it would be,” one user who put this in their guest bedroom says. “All of our family that comes into town raves about how comfy the mattress is, and how good they slept.” Another admits, “Although it is a pretty ‘skinny’ mattress, and at first I was troubled it wouldn’t be able to do the job, I was pleasantly surprised.” Reviewers also say this mattress fits in an RV perfectly. “Purchased this mattress to replace our RV lift bed mattress due to same size and hoping not too thick to latch,” one writes, adding, “It fit fine.” Due to its relatively thin width, many also use it as a mattress topper. “I just put it on top of my mattress and I’ve been having the best sleep of my life,” one writes, adding, “I have back issues and it is firm but still curves to your body in all the right ways!” Another user who bought this for their guest bedroom says their husband “loves the spare bed more than out really expensive mattress,” which makes them regret their five-star rating. “Maybe I should rate this mattress a one so others don’t lose their mate to a different bed!”
Best memory foam mattress
Zinus Ultima Comfort Memory Foam 6 Inch Mattress
Over 9,000 reviewers give this memory-foam mattress five stars, and many note that they love the firm feel. “Let me tell you, this thing is like a spongy cloud from dreamland,” one user writes. “It envelopes you in, but allows you to escape without too much effort.” One reviewer thinks the mattress is so firm that they say it’s “not super-obvious that it’s memory foam and I don’t feel like I’m sinking into it like other memory foam beds I have seen.” Another says, “When you lay on the bed it’s a slow sink in, it’s firm but once you settle you feel it contour to your body.” Another describes it as, “a FIRM foam mattress but with a soft feel,” adding, “It supports me (230 pounds) and did not sag like some foam toppers do.” Even those with injured backs have positive things to say about this mattress. “My mother, who is in her 60s and has back problems, slept on it (in 2017) and she said it was the most comfortable mattress she’s ever slept on — and this is coming from a woman who bought new mattresses like crazy for years because they all failed to support her back,” one reviewer writes.
Best hybrid mattress
Linenspa 8 Inch Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress — Queen
“Avoid the ‘dead’ feel of a completely memory foam mattress AND the harsh ‘springs in your back’ feel of a just spring mattress by buying this,” writes one reviewer of this hybrid mattress, which uses both foam and springs for support. “This is the perfect marriage of traditional spring and foam,” one reviewer explains, while another says, “The foam topping is great and the spring base seems to keep you from sinking in too much.” In fact, the most common complaint among reviewers is that they’re getting too much sleep with this mattress. “It’s been less than a week since I started using this mattress and I’m very close to failing my classes because I keep oversleeping,” one user writes. They add, “I usually take evening naps and they used to be two hours and now they’ve gone up to five because it’s far too comfortable.
Best firm foam mattress
Modway Aveline 8″ Gel Infused Memory Foam Queen Mattress With CertiPUR-US Certified Foam
Over 300 five-star reviewers describe this mattress as firm. As one declares, “I enjoy firm mattresses and this is a firm mattress. So, if that is not your preference then this is not the mattress for you.” Another says, “I like sleeping on a firm surface and this is really incredible,” explaining, “It has just a little give with a little bounce but is over all firm.” While many agree that it is firm, they also say it eventually conforms to your body. “At first it seemed really firm which worried me, but after sleeping in it, it is soooo comfy and has gotten just a little bit softer,” one writes, while another says, “It is pretty firm at first but once you lay in it for a few minutes, your body heat will soften it up and then it just kind of molds into your shape and is so comfy.
Best plush mattress
Ashley Furniture Signature Design – 12 Inch Chime Express Hybrid Innerspring – Firm Mattress – Bed in a Box – Queen
“Plush” is used by dozens of reviewers to describe this mattress. “It is very supportive but so plush and soft at the same time,” one writes, adding, “ Like sleeping on a marshmallow.” Another describes it as “firm, but still has a small soft plush top to it.” They add, “It just feels like a cloud sometimes.” Dozens of reviewers also mention that this is great for plus-size people and those with back pain. “I bought it for my son who has back problems,” one user notes. “He’s a big guy and he woke up EVERYDAY in pain … except the two days he’s been on this mattress.” Another happy customer who “was around 430 pounds when I bought this mattress” says that after seven months of using this mattress, it “still feels wonderful. There is no sagging, compression, or loss of quality.” The one concern that a majority of users mention is how heavy the package is. “As a reminder the shipping weight is around 100 pounds,” one reviewer calls out. “You may need assistance moving it in place.
Best cooling mattress
Tuft & Needle Mattress – Queen
“My Back Thanks You,” one reviewer writes. They continue, “I had been having issues with lower back pain in the mornings. The first night I slept on this, I sat up on the edge of the bed, and stood up with absolutely zero pain.” They add, “I have noticed no issues with overheating,” echoing reviewers who agree that this keeps them cool. “The top layer of the mattress contains a cooling foam material,” one hot sleeper writes. “When you touch the mattress directly, you can definitely feel the heat being pulled away from your skin. This is awesome for people like me who can’t sleep when a mattress is too warm.” Another says, “It does not make you feel hot and sweaty and stuck in the bed if you need to change position,” while another says, “ It’s incredibly comfortable with good heat distribution.” Many reviewers are also impressed with the firmness of this mattress, including Strategist writer Lauren Ro who tested this mattress. “The textured fabric cover felt plush to the touch, and when I pressed my open hand down on the mattress, it bounced back with a friendly spring,” she writes in our guide to the best mattresses to buy online. “Lying on the Tuft & Needle for the first time, I immediately felt embraced. Sleeping on my back, I felt supported and cocooned at the same time, and when I turned to my side, the transition felt natural.
Best mattress for couples
Signature Sleep Memoir 8 Inch Memory Foam Mattress with CertiPUR-US certified foam, Queen
“The best part is there is hardly any transfer of movement if there are two people in the bed, which is great for light sleepers,” one satisfied reviewer writes of this Signature Sleep mattress, while another says, “My husband and I are amazed at how still the bed remains when one of us gets up, or rolls over.” They add, “The other person in the bed feels no movement at all.” Another attests that this mattress is “SO comfortable. Not so soft that I completely sink into the mattress, but still very soft and plush at the surface.” But like many other reviewers, they say, “The best part is that I can’t feel/hear my boyfriend get up in the middle of the night or in the morning. I am an extremely light sleeper — on our last mattress (spring mattress) I could feel/hear every move he made and I never slept completely sound because of it.” One word of warning from reviewers to future customers, however: Let the mattress fully rise before sleeping on it to get the full experience. One impatient user who didn’t wait reported some discomfort the first night, but adds “by the third night I was sleeping in heaven!
Best mattress for plus-size sleepers
Classic Brands Cool Gel 1.0 Ultimate Gel Memory Foam 14-Inch Mattress
Many plus-size reviewers love this bed for providing them equal amounts comfort and support. “We are both just over 200 pounds and didn’t want something that would not support us and fall apart quickly,” one user writes. “We don’t feel like this one will do that … We feel rested and not aching almost every morning. So far so very good.” Another says, “It is firm enough to provide support — my husband and I aren’t small people, but it is so comfortable.” They add, “We sink into the mattress just enough to feel comfortable, but not so much that we feel we have to crawl out of the mattress to get up.” Lots of other reviewers appreciate the cooling gel in this mattress, which helps one reviewer share a bed with a sweaty partner: “He sweats at night (nothing worse than waking up to a soaked bed) but this one has eliminated that.” A few reviewers also like this mattress because it is compatible with an adjustable bed frame. “After opening the box, I got the plastic-wrapped compressed mattress on top of my adjustable massaging bed frame (bought in 1990),” writes one reviewer, noting, “My bed raises up and down with not problem, and the massage vibrations works great through it.
Best reversible mattress
Signature Sleep Mattress, 8 Inch Coil Mattress, Queen Size Mattresses
“Side effects from use of this mattress include sleepiness, comfort, lack of motivation to start and or/conclude your day, short term comatose lasting up to 8 hours, and episodes of missing time,” one user warns. Beyond being comfortable, a word used in over 3,000 five-star reviews, this mattress is also described as durable, and many reviewers chalk that up to the fact that this mattress is easy to rotate or flip. “We have turned the mattress over 3 times since we received it, which is another great feature that the popular and more expensive pillow top mattresses don’t have — you can turn it over,” one reviewer writes, noting, “Being able to turn the mattress over extends the life.” Another reviewer says they have “had the mattress almost a year, flip it every few months and there are no ‘sunken’ spots or anything.” Users also like that this mattress has coils. “The springs are individually pocketed, which meant nothing to me until I layed down on it. Movement doesn’t transfer across the mattress like a traditional coil mattress. I wouldn’t try the ‘jump with a glass of wine on your bed’ trick that the memory foam commercials always show, but it does a good job of absorbing energy.” Another thinks this “has the perfect mix,” saying, “It’s firm enough so that you don’t sink in, yet it gives in all the right spots for support.
Best camper mattress
Best Price Mattress 6-Inch Memory Foam Mattress, Queen
“We ordered this mattress for our camper, we honestly weren’t expecting much from a 6-inch mattress, but this is so incredibly comfortable,” one reviewer writes. Another who lives full-time in an RV and has used this mattress for over three years says, “It’s not only comfortable as heck, it has [held] up very well as if it were like brand new.” They add, “This mattress shapes to my body so that my hips don’t hurt from sleep, my spine lays straightened without stress on it from the mattress being able to move with the natural curves of my body.” One says this mattress “fits our Attitude 5th wheel RV’s top bunk drop down queen bed perfectly,” and other notes they “use it in the gooseneck of my 2018 Lakota Horse trailer.” But homebound reviewers like it too: “I am bed-bound and have been for the past 11 years and this is the most comfortable I have ever been.
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