10 Best mattresses 2024 in the US

Sleep experts say that your functioning during the day depends very much on the quality of your sleep. A sleepless night will mean that functioning the next day will be mediocre, at best. Without proper sleep, you'll be more irritable, react slower, and not be able to think clearly. Your body also uses a proper sleep to recover and repair for the next day. A mattress with the proper support and firmness will help avoid back pain and other orthopedic problems.

A nice feature of the waterbed is that it assumes the shape of the body and relieves pressure to the spine. That lets your body's muscles relax during sleep. We can't expect you to supply your entire family with waterbeds. But you can find mattresses designed to imitate the waterbed's form-fitting quality. You'll find foam mattresses and adjustable air mattresses. These adjust to suit your desired firmness. And there are spring mattresses, which allow for good heat circulation, so you won't feel hot.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a mattress. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of mattress,

• See useful tips about that particular type of mattress,

• Read reviews of different mattresses, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of mattress, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

There are four popular constructions of mattresses available nowadays. Innerspring, latex, foam, and air-filled.

• Innerspring: These are the traditional form of a mattress, with metal springs providing the “bounce” to the mattress. They are the most inexpensive design, and also dissipate heat the best. That’s an advantage in hot climates. They also provide firm support--but they do not do as good a job as the foam mattresses of relieving pressure from parts of your body. They will typically be covered with a layer of foam or polyester so that you won’t feel the coils underneath.

  • Types of coils: There are three coils systems: Bonnell, Continuous, and Pocket. Bonnell spring mattresses have all the springs interconnected. When you get out or into bed, someone on the other side will feel it. That might not be so desirable. Continuous coil and pocket coil mattresses are made so that the springs move independently. This is preferable if there are two sleeping in one bed.

  • Spring gauge: You’ll see coil mattresses graded by their gauge. The gauge tells you the thickness of the metal of the springs. The gauge will range from 12 to 18, with 12 being the thickest metal spring, and 18 the thinnest. The thicker coils will give more support, while the thinner coils will conform better to your body. The number of coils also matters: A mattress with more coils will better conform to your body. The Signature Sleep Contour 8” reversible coil mattress has 480 15-gauge pocket coils.

• Memory Foam: Memory foam is principally made from polyurethane, although there is now a latex-based memory foam as well, using rubber tree sap. Memory foam reacts to body heat and distributes your body weight more evenly than a spring mattress. It also has the advantage of not transferring motion--so if one person gets out of bed, their partner will hardly notice it. It is recommended for side sleepers, because of its ability to conform to the body’s curves. Many memory foam mattresses will be formed in layers, such as the Best Price Mattress 10” version. It is 5” high-density base foam, 2” super soft foam, and 3” memory foam infused with charcoal, for its odor-absorbing properties.

• Latex: Latex mattresses are from an organic and natural rubber sap. They have the advantage of being cooler than memory-foam mattresses while offering similar posture support. They also share the fact that they eliminate the problem of dust mites, mildew, and mold.

• Adjustable Air-Filled: These have an air-filled core, that you can adjust to achieve the firmness that you want--much like inflating a football or basketball. They can have two separate air pockets so that each side of the bed can be customized for you and your spouse. But they may leak over time. Also, they don’t have the support that springs or foam offer.

We should also distinguish between different sizes of mattresses:

You’ll purchase a mattress to fit your bed frame. There is a standard measure for mattress sizes in the United States, and a different standard in continental Europe. The difference of a few centimeters can mean that the mattress won’t fit in the bed frame! Here are the U.S. and European sizes:

• Support: Firm support is better for overweight people since it allows them to get in and out of bed more easily. But if it doesn’t bend at all under your weight, it can prevent the spine from aligning comfortably. If a mattress is too soft, it will bend too much under your weight. This will cause your spine to be positioned in an uncomfortable position. Ideally, you should choose a mattress that lends support, but feels soft at the same time.

• Double-sided or single-sided: Some spring mattresses are only intended to be used in one direction, while some are reversible. Double-sided mattresses can and should be flipped periodically. This will allow the mattress to last longer without losing its shape. Single-side mattresses can’t be reversed, but they should be rotated 180 degrees, by reversing the position of the head and foot of the bed.

• Unpackaging memory foam: When you unpack a memory foam mattress, you’ll find that it comes compressed. It will typically come in a bag. When you rip the bag along its seam, the mattress will decompress. It should expand to full size within 48-72 hours.

• Mattress pads: There is a product called a mattress pad or toppers. They are made from either memory foam or gel foam. It is useful for protecting your mattress, since it will absorb sweat and dirt, keeping your mattress clean. They can also be used to extend the life of an old mattress, if the mattress has started to sag after years of use.

• Lucid--is based in Nibley, Utah. They make mattresses, mattress toppers, and bed bases. They make mattresses from memory foam, latex, bamboo charcoal, and other materials. They also offer a range of mattresses, depending on whether you want your mattress firm or soft.

• Best Price Mattress--was founded in 2013. They make mattresses, beds and bed frames, mattress toppers, and more. They make memory foam, gel foam, and innerspring mattresses.

• Classic Brands--are based in Jessup, Maryland. They make mattresses, pillows and toppers, mattress protectors, bed frames, and adjustable beds. They make mattresses for sofas, futons, and beds, from a number of materials and designs.

• Signature Sleep--is a division of Dorel Home Products, makers of small space living furniture. They make coil mattresses, foam mattresses, and hybrid mattresses. They are based in Montreal, Canada.

• Zinus--are makers of mattresses, bed frames and foundations, and platform beds. They make mattresses from both memory foam and springs. The spring mattresses provide both bounce and softness, and the memory foam mattresses provide pressure relief and cooling, as well as odor absorbent features.