mattresses

The Very Best Mattress Toppers

To turn your too-firm or too-soft mattress into one that is just right.

Photo: Marcus McDonald
Photo: Marcus McDonald

In this article

If your mattress is feeling a little too firm, or too soft, or you suspect that it’s making you sweat through your sheets, a mattress topper can be a relatively inexpensive fix. Most toppers won’t completely change the feel of your existing mattress, but they can make a dramatic difference by revitalizing one that’s lost some of its spring, adding extra pressure relief for achy joints, or helping you hone your comfort preferences until you’re ready to buy a new one.

Of course, the type of mattress topper you want depends on what you’re trying to achieve — whether it’s to make your mattress feel softer with a plush layer of foam, down, or fiberfill; add more support to help get back pain in check; or regulate your body temperature with something that’ll release heat rather than trap it. We started our process by interviewing a range of sleep experts, including sleep-science coaches and an occupational therapist, to guide us through the market. From there, Strategist staffers tested the most popular recommendations. We’ve also given details about how they sleep, so you can look for the person who sleeps most like you do.

Read on for more details about what to consider as you shop — and for ease of comparison, all prices are for a queen-size mattress topper, unless otherwise noted. Once you’ve selected a topper, I also recommend consulting our guide to the best mattress protectors to keep it clean and ensure any warranties remain intact until it’s time to replace your actual mattress.

What to look for

Material

The material a topper is made of is generally what determines its feel. Firmness can affect not only comfort, but back health, explains Alex Savy, a sleep-science coach. In general, side sleepers should go with softer toppers that will provide pressure relief for their hips and shoulders. Back sleepers should go with medium ones that keep their spines aligned without being too “sinky.” Stomach sleepers should also avoid too much sinkiness, with a medium or firm topper that has enough lift to keep their bodies in line with their head and neck when they’re lying prone.

Memory foam, one of the most popular materials for mattress toppers, usually feels soft but can sometimes run hot, so if you like the feel of foam, you may want to look for a cooling gel-infused variety or a topper with a fabric cover designed to react to your body temperature. Down-feather mattress toppers are soft and plush but can be more expensive and possibly trigger allergies, while down-alternative toppers offer the same softness in a hypoallergenic package. Fiber-filled mattress toppers (usually made from synthetic or polyester materials) are soft and often cheaper than down. Latex has a firmer feel and may be a good choice if your current mattress is too soft.

Thickness and density

The thickness, or height, of your mattress topper will help affect how it feels. Typically ranging from one to five inches in height, thicker mattress toppers tend to feel plusher and offer a more noticeable difference compared to your bare mattress. Thinner mattress toppers can still feel comfortable but will make less of an impact. For memory foam fans, the density of your mattress topper is another important feature. The density refers to the weight per cubic foot and basically translates to how solid the foam is. Imagine a plastic bag filled with 100 packing peanuts, versus the same size bag filled with 50 packing peanuts. The bag of 100 will have a firmer and more dense feel, while the bag of 50 will still feel cushioned but not as supportive. Higher-density memory foam weighs five pounds or more per cubic foot, while more moderate-density foam weighs around three to four pounds per cubic foot. Below, we’ve listed the thickness of each mattress topper, and the density when available, as not all brands provide that detail.

Care instructions and cleaning

A mattress topper doesn’t need to be washed as frequently as your sheets and pillowcases, but it’s still a good idea to clean it every couple of months. Some mattress toppers are entirely machine washable, though whether you can do that at home or have to drag it to the laundromat depends on the size of your machine (if you have one at all). Others have removable covers that are more manageable for cleaning.

Trial period and warranty

Sometimes what feels great on the first night can feel saggy or too firm after a week, so lots of companies offer extended trial periods (usually up to 100 nights). Some brands offer warranties that cover your topper from defects for additional months or years. Just be sure to read the fine print: Companies that offer 100-night trials on mattresses don’t always offer the same terms on toppers, and return policies may vary depending on whether you buy the topper directly from the brand or from a third-party retailer like Amazon.

Best mattress topper overall

From $335

Material: Memory foam | Thickness and density: 3-inch | Care instructions: Machine-washable cover | Trial period and warranty: Ten-year warranty

At three inches thick, the Tempur-Adapt topper will add noticeable plushness to any mattress. Compared to other toppers on the market, we think it offers the all-around best combination of comfort, convenience, and price — especially considering that Tempur often has sales. After sleeping on the Tempur-Adapt topper for two weeks, former Strategist writer Latifah Miles, a back and side sleeper, found the foam both dense and pliant, making it a perfect match for anyone who likes that “all-encompassing” memory-foam feeling. The difference will be noticeable on any mattress, especially if yours is on the firmer side.

Since the Tempur-Adapt topper is made of a heavy-duty foam, it is quite heavy — about 32 pounds — and required Miles and her husband to work together to drag it into place. But the weight of the topper and its wide, elastic corner straps helped secure it so that it didn’t shift throughout the night, something that tends to happen with lighter-weight toppers. The standard cover is a slightly meshlike poly blend that is dust-mite and allergen resistant, as well as moisture-wicking — or, for an extra $80, you can upgrade to a cooling cover, which is made of high-density “performance” yarns to create a cool-to-the-touch feel. This topper also comes with a ten-year warranty, the longest of the models on this list. And conveniently, the cover zips off for cleaning and can be machine-washed, which is another reason we’ve named the Tempur-Adapt topper our best-in-class pick.

Best (less expensive) mattress topper overall

Material: Memory foam | Thickness and density: 3-inch thickness, 3.5-pound density | Care instructions: Machine-washable bamboo-rayon cover | Trial period and warranty: 60-day trial, five-year warranty

Like our best-overall pick, this ViscoSoft mattress topper is three inches thick and made of memory foam. However, if you’re looking for a thicker or thinner topper, it’s also available in a two-inch version and a four-inch version. Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa, a side-and-stomach sleeper, bought the four-inch version of this topper in 2022 to add more comfort and pressure relief to a too-firm Ikea mattress that was giving him back pain. Even though Viscosoft recommends this topper to those looking to add firmness and support to a mattress that feels too soft, the responsiveness of the four-inch-thick memory foam has actually made Rellosa’s mattress feel more plush. He’s now been sleeping on it for over a year and a half and says he’s forgotten how uncomfortable the original mattress was.

Rellosa also sleeps very hot — “I usually have a fan on in the room, even when it’s in the 40s outside and my heat is off” — and finds this topper really does keep him cool at night. However, he does note that the pockets of gel used to keep the mattress topper cool get firmer when it’s cold and softer when it’s hot out. The result, he says, is that “sometimes it feels a little too plush when it’s warm,” so take note if you live in a climate with wild temperature swings or a home with a finicky thermostat.

If you aren’t sure what thickness to try, Nick Robinson, editor and publisher of the sleep-product review site Sleep Like the Dead, recommends the three-inch topper for a good balance between softness and support, and says it will add comfort while relieving pressure. Even at the lower price, the ViscoSoft topper has premium features like a machine-washable bamboo-rayon cover and straps that hold the topper in place on your mattress. However, it comes with only a five-year warranty.

Best multi-zone mattress topper

$216

Material: Gel memory foam | Thickness and density: 3-inch | Care instructions: Machine-washable cover, spot-clean topper | Trial period and warranty: Nonreturnable, 5-year warranty

This GhostBed topper has different zones made of different densities of memory foam to provide targeted support to the parts of the body that need it most. According to Savvy, “heavier parts sink in, while the rest is supported in a relatively straight line.” As chiropractors told us when we researched the best pillows for neck pain, maintaining proper alignment while sleeping is key to minimizing aches and pains. Plus the GhostBed topper boasts some classic memory-foam cooling features like gel-infused foam and increased ventilation to promote airflow. It also has a machine-washable cover and comes with a five-year warranty.

Best (less-expensive) multi-zone mattress topper

Material: Memory foam | Thickness and density: 3-inch thickness, 1.9-pound density | Care instructions: Spot-clean with a damp cloth | Warranty: 30-day return policy on Amazon, three-year warranty

At under $100, this topper isn’t just the cheapest option on our list, it’s a surprisingly good dupe for the pricier GhostBed one above. At the lower price point, you sacrifice the gel infusion for cooling, the machine-washable cover, and a two years’ worth of warranty, but you’ll still get a solid memory foam topper with different density zones to support your whole body. “This topper has five body zones that provide extra pressure relief in certain areas to help level you out across the mattress and maximize comfort,” says Ben Trapskin, founder of Yawnder. Trapskin likes the lavender-infused fragrance of this topper, which offsets the chemical smell that sometimes accompanies memory foam. It “provides a fresh-smelling mattress for many months to come,” he says.

Best cooling mattress topper

Material: Memory foam | Thickness and density: 4-inch | Care instructions: Machine-washable cover | Trial period and warranty: 60-night trial, five-year warranty

This four-inch ViscoSoft mattress topper has all the benefits of our best (less expensive) overall pick, plus some added cooling features and plushness. Annie Schlecht, an occupational therapist and sleep consultant, explains that the topper’s copper-infused foam “draws heat away from the body and dissipates it into the environment.” It has a sweat-wicking and machine washable cover that’s designed to keep you dry, and it feels cool to the touch. Sarah Riccio, a former bedding expert at Sleepopolis, adds that it “offers a classic memory-foam feel,” but the copper infusion helps prevent the foam from warming up.

Another cooling option that doesn’t really add height or thickness to your mattress, but could be paired with a topper that does, is the Slumber Cloud Core Mattress Pad. The fiber-filled pad is made from a proprietary viscose-based material called Outlast that was developed by NASA to regulate astronauts’ body temperatures in space. If you have a memory-foam topper that isn’t keeping the sleep sweats at bay, the Slumber Cloud pad can be placed on top for a comfortable and cooling combo.

Best plush mattress topper

Material: Cross-cut memory-foam and microfiber blend | Thickness and density: 5-inch thickness | Care instructions: Spot clean | Trial period and warranty: 100-day free return window, 5-year warranty

The extra-thick Coop Sleep Goods Retreat topper is stuffed with five inches of the brand’s signature cross-cut memory-foam and microfiber blend — the same one found in our top-pick pillows — with baffle-box stitching to keep the material in place. Similar to the Tempur-Adapt topper, above, the Retreat topper has a weighty denseness to it, but the fill of the Retreat topper has a fluffier feel since it’s filled with a blend of foam and fiber instead of a slab of foam.

Miles slept on both, and while she describes the Tempur-Adapt as a cushion-y topper, the Retreat topper is distinctly more plush and fluffy. Additionally, each of the baffle-box-stitched squares are robustly filled, so the topper actually looks and feels like several small pillows sewn together. Since the Coop Retreat topper is one of the thicker options on this list, it will provide a very noticeable difference in both the appearance and feel of your mattress — the potential trade-off for comfort is a slightly lumpier look under your sheets, but the topper’s brushed-microfiber exterior gives it a pleasingly smooth texture to lie down on. One downside is that you can only spot-clean this topper; it’s not going to make it through the washing machine.

Best soft mattress topper

Material: Open-cell foam | Thickness and density: 2-inch | Care instructions: Spot clean| Trial period and warranty: 100-night sleep trial, 3-year limited warranty

If your mattress is too firm for your liking or has become less comfortable over time, adding the two-inch Tuft & Needle mattress topper can give it a boost. This topper is made of cushiony, bouncy open-cell foam that is designed to respond to your body’s movement and offer pressure relief while allowing air to circulate so that the topper is less likely to trap your body heat. Since it is made of a slab of foam, it won’t have the dense fluffiness of the Coop Sleep Goods topper, but provides a smoother look and feel overall. The poly-blend cover adds an extra-soft and cooling layer, but it is not removable, meaning the entire topper can only be spot cleaned.

Best latex mattress topper

From $301

Material: Latex | Thickness and density: 2-inch or 3-inch thickness | Care instructions: Spot clean | Trial period and warranty: Nonreturnable, 5-year warranty

Savy ​​describes latex as more resilient than memory foam, meaning it will bounce back to its original shape quickly after you get up. Latex tends to be firmer and more supportive, too. This all-natural latex topper from PlushBeds is available in two heights (two inches for those who want to feel their mattress underneath and three inches for those who prefer more cushioning) and five different firmness levels. The brand recommends Soft or Medium-Soft for any sleeper who likes a plush feel, Medium for side sleepers looking for softness and support, the slightly denser Medium-Firm for back and stomach sleepers, and Extra-Firm for people who weigh over 250 pounds or prefer maximum support. “The latex can soften a firm mattress but still give you some bounce, and the aerated feature allows for consistent airflow to keep the sleeper cool throughout the night,” says Bill Fish, co-founder of Tuck. Latex is naturally cooler than memory foam, but small ventilation holes in the PlushBeds topper are a nice touch for those who sleep especially hot on any material. Since it’s made from 100 percent natural latex, this topper is on the more expensive end, but Savy says its durability makes it worth the investment. You can add an optional organic-cotton cover for an extra $112.

Best hybrid mattress topper

Material: Wool-latex hybrid | Thickness and density: 3-inch thickness | Care instructions: Spot clean | Trial period and warranty: 100-night trial, ten-year warranty

A pillow-top mattress topper made from all organic materials, this model from Birch Living blends wool and latex for a plush yet supportive feel. Since the topper contains latex (like the PlushBeds one above), Joe Auer, founder and managing editor of Mattress Clarity, says it “shouldn’t sag the way memory foam is known to do.” The high-density wool offers similarly lasting firmness. And though you might associate wool with warmth, it actually excels at temperature regulation (one reason it’s a popular material for activewear), so this topper won’t leave you sweaty. (If anything, it can wick away heat.) The top layer is made from organic cotton, and like our top-pick Tempur-Adapt, the topper comes with a ten-year warranty.

Best down mattress topper

Material: 85 percent European white down feathers and 15 percent down feather fibers | Thickness and density: 3-inch, 550 fill power | Care instructions: Dry-clean only | Trial period and warranty: Free returns within 60 days, three-year warranty

For that “traditional hotel-bed feel,” Logan Foley, a sleep-science coach and the editorial director of SleepFoundation.org, says you have to go with down, and she specifically recommends this topper from Parachute. Natural down is known for being ultra-plush and lightweight, lending a luxurious softness to any bed. Robert Pagano, a co-founder of sleep-product review site Sleepline, also likes Parachute’s version, which he says envelops sleepers without any of the heat-retaining properties of memory foam. Down toppers will need regular fluffing to help keep the filling evenly distributed, but this one has the added benefit of sewn baffle-box construction to prevent filling from shifting around too much as you sleep. The downsides of down include the potential for irritating allergies and the occasional feather poke-through. Additionally, this mattress topper is dry-clean only, which makes maintenance a little more difficult.

Best down-alternative mattress topper

Material: Down-alternative microfiber | Thickness and density: 3-inch | Care instructions: Dry-clean only | Trial period and warranty: Free returns within 60 days, three-year warranty

Designed to feel like down, down-alternative toppers (which are typically made from microfiber) are a good alternative to the real thing if you have allergies or want to save some money. Experts love this topper from Parachute for many of the reasons they recommend the brand’s down style: fluffy softness, a baffle-box construction, and a 100 percent cotton shell. Savy likes this topper because it’s hypoallergenic, durable, and “generously stuffed.” Former Strategist writer Lauren Levy tested this mattress topper firsthand and said sleeping on it felt like being “lightly sandwiched between layers of plushness.” Like its down counterpart, this Parachute topper is dry-clean only.

Best firm mattress topper

Material: Wool-latex hybrid | Thickness and density: 2-inch | Care instructions: Spot-clean | Trial period and warranty: One-year trial (with a 30-day minimum), 10-year warranty

Firm mattress toppers are ideal for people who are managing body pains and aches or just need some extra support. This organic-latex mattress topper by Avocado comes in two firmness levels, “plush” and “firm,” with the firm version designed to provide support while gently cradling your body. Similar to the Birch Living Plush Topper above, it is layered with moisture-wicking organic wool, latex, and cotton to create a buoyant sleeping surface. For sleepers who run warm, David Rubin, sleep-science coach and director of product testing at Sleep Doctor, says that toppers made of wool or latex are naturally cooling, since they promote more air circulation compared to memory foam and help to disperse body heat.

Best micro-coil mattress topper

Material: Micro-coils and latex | Thickness and density: 2.5-inch | Care instructions: Spot clean | Trial period and warranty: Nonreturnable, no warranty details

If you’re new to sleeping on memory foam or another type of all-foam mattress and missing the bounciness of your old innerspring mattress, Keith Cushner, co-founder of Tuck, suggests this “micro-coil” topper. It combines supportive latex with a layer of tiny coils and feels a little cooler than straight memory foam because air can flow more freely through the coils. While Cushner admits it won’t transform a foam mattress into a spring one, it’s an option if you prefer that bouncier feel. It’s also a topper you’ll want to aim to get on sale; with a regular price of over $1,000 for a queen size, it costs more than some of our favorite budget friendly mattresses.

Additional reporting by Latifah Miles, Ambar Pardilla, and Karen Iorio Adelson.

Some more mattress toppers we’ve written about

Our experts

Joe Auer, founder and managing editor of Mattress Clarity
• Logan Block, former director of content at Sleepopolis
• Keith Cushner, co-founder of Tuck
• Zoë Ettinger, sleep-science coach and former editor at Sleepopolis
• Bill Fish, co-founder of Tuck
Logan Foley, sleep-science coach and the editorial director of SleepFoundation.org
• Robert Pagano, co-founder of Sleepline
• Sarah Riccio, former senior writer and bedding expert at Sleepopolis
• Nick Robinson, editor and publisher of Sleep Like the Dead
David Rubin, sleep-science coach and director of product testing at Sleep Doctor
Alex Savy, sleep-science coach
Annie Schlecht, occupational therapist and sleep consultant
• Ben Trapskin, founder of Yawnder

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The 13 Very Best Mattress Toppers