Our favorite memory foam mattress is the Nectar mattress, which customers say sleeps cool and is easy to switch positions on. Our second favorite pick is the Layla mattress as it comes in two firmness options and with a lifetime warranty.
Memory foam is a material that responds to body heat by softening up, creating a contouring effect. It’s a popular choice for mattress customers, due to its ability to conform to the body, offering a cradling, hugging feel. As you lie on a memory foam mattress, your body sinks in, creating a weightless effect and reducing pressure.
Memory foam is also a popular bed choice for couples because the material absorbs motion vibrations, so you won’t be disturbed when you share your bed with a restless partner. People with back pain also report success and restful sleep with memory foam beds.
We’ll cover our favorite memory foam mattresses available on the market. Then we’ll go over everything you should know before investing in this type of bed.
The 4 Best Memory Foam Mattresses
Finding quality information can be a struggle in our day and age. We’ve done thorough research and poured over all the reviews to save you some time. Here, we bring you our top memory foam picks – each one suited to a different sleep need or comfort preference.
#1 Memory Foam Mattress for Combination Sleepers- The Loom & Leaf Relaxed Firm Mattress
Why We Liked It:
- Good motion isolation
- Easy to switch positions on
- Organic cotton cover
- 15-year warranty
Why We Didn’t Like It:
- May have an off-gassing odor
- Weak edge support
The Loom & Leaf Relaxed Firm mattress is our favorite pick for combination sleepers because it’s firmer than average (6 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale). While some memory foam beds can cause a lot of sinkage and make you feel stuck, this bed is easy to switch positions on. It has an organic cotton cover with a thin layer of plush foam stitched into it for additional cushioning.
Under the cover is a 2-inch, egg carton-shaped foam layer with enhanced lumbar support, which may be good for people with lower back pain. The lumbar region is made with a proprietary Spinal Zone Gel to enhance cooling and reduce heat retention.
After this layer is a 2.5-inch memory foam layer that contours to your body for pressure relief, then a 2-inch transition layer, and, finally, a 5.5-inch firm foam base.
Like other memory foam beds, reviews suggest that the Loom & Leaf Relaxed Firm mattress is good at absorbing motion and a good pick for couples. It comes with optional White Glove Delivery, so you can have professionals help you set up your bed when they deliver it. The mattress comes with a 120-night sleep trial and 15-year warranty.
#2 Best Budget-Friendly Memory Foam Mattress- The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Bed
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Why We Liked It:
- Budget-friendly price
- Good motion isolation
- Cradling pressure relief
- May help back pain
Why We Didn’t Like It:
- Not as durable as higher-end beds
The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam mattress is a good pick for people who want a memory foam bed but don’t have a ton of money to spend. It comes in multiple height options and the thicker the mattress you choose, the softer it will be. In this section, we’ll be focusing on their 10-inch version, as it’s described as medium-firm and should suit the widest range of sleepers.
The cover of the Zinus Green Tea mattress is breathable and stretchy, followed by a 2.5-inch foam layer for conforming comfort. Under that is a 2-inch transition layer of dense, aerated foam for further support.
Last is a 5.5-inch dense foam base with an egg carton-shaped design for increased airflow. Memory foam often comes with an off-gassing odor, so Zinus infused their mattress with green tea extract to counteract this smell. The infusion also contains castor seed oil and charcoal, which help discourage bacterial growth to keep the bed fresh.
Users report that the mattress helps with hip pain and is supportive enough to handle overweight sleepers. The Zinus Green Tea mattress also absorbs motion well, making it a good pick for people with partners and pets. The mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty.
#3 Best Memory Foam Mattress for People with Mobility Issues- The Nectar Mattress
Why We Liked It:
- Conforming pressure relief
- Contains cooling gel
- Forever Warranty
- Sturdy base
Why We Didn’t Like It:
- Weak edge support
The Nectar mattress is our favorite choice for people with mobility issues because it sinks less than other memory foam beds. Too much sinkage can be a problem for people with pain-related problems because it can make it harder to get out of bed in the morning. However, the mattress still provides a conforming, deep hug to relieve pressure in your body and is a 6 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale, which is a good pick for all sleep positions.
Memory foam mattresses often have an issue with retaining heat, which can be problematic for hot sleepers. But the Nectar mattress uses cooling gel to minimize this issue and customers report that the bed doesn’t get too warm. The Nectar mattress also has a breathable cover, followed by a breathable 2-inch open-cell layer of gel foam that conforms closely for pressure relief.
Next is a 3-inch memory foam layer for additional contouring, then a 5.25-inch dense foam base. Users report that the bed feels firmer than you might expect, so keep that in mind if you opt for the Nectar mattress. Customers also report that the bed isolates motion well and that it’s possible to sleep restfully while sharing the mattress.
Though the Nectar mattress does create some sinkage, it also responds quickly enough to switch positions easily. If you move around in your sleep, this is good news since you won’t feel stuck in the bed. The Nectar mattress comes with a year-long sleep trial and a Forever Warranty.
#4 Best Flippable Memory Foam Mattress- The Layla Mattress
Why We Liked It:
- Two firmness levels in one mattress
- Supportive for heavy sleepers
- Promotes airflow
- Lifetime warranty
Why We Didn’t Like It:
- Heavy (hard to flip)
- May have an off-gassing odor
The Layla mattress is a flippable bed with two firmness options in one. The softer side is rated at about a 4.5 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale and a good pick for lightweight sleepers since they won’t sink too far into the mattress, like a heavier person would. This firmness level is also a good pick for side sleepers who need more cushioning in their shoulder and hip region as they rest.
The firmer side of the Layla mattress is 8.5 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale. This is a better pick for heavier sleepers who need sturdy support or back and stomach sleepers who need their pelvis to stay in alignment with their spine.
The cover on this bed is made from a polyester blended material with a soft feel. The core of the mattress is an egg carton-shaped slab of foam that helps promote airflow.
On one side of the foam core, there’s a 1-inch copper-infused memory foam layer, which makes up the top of the firm side. The surface of the soft side has a 3-inch copper-infused memory foam layer that creates more sinkage. The Layla mattress comes with a 120-night sleep trial and Lifetime Warranty.
What is Memory Foam?
Online shopping gives customers more options than ever when it comes to buying a new mattress. Memory foam is one of the most popular materials out there for online mattresses. But what makes this type of bed stand out among all the others?
Memory foam is a conforming material that reacts to your body heat when you lie on it, allowing you to sink in. This sinking effect encourages muscle relaxation by reducing pressure on your body. Many people report that switching to a memory foam mattress helps immensely with their body pain.
In addition to these pressure-relieving qualities, memory foam absorbs motion. That means that, unlike innerspring mattresses, you won’t feel the vibrations if your partner moves around in their sleep at night.
Types of Foam
There are a few different types of memory foam commonly used in memory foam mattresses. Some beds even use multiple types of foam in one mattress to create different comfort and cooling effects.
- Traditional foam: When you see the words “memory foam” without any other qualifiers, it’s likely referring to standard foam. Introduced in the ‘90s, this material decreases stress on your pressure points and joints. One issue with traditional memory foam is that it retains heat more than updated versions of foam.
- Open-cell foam: Open-cell foam is basically regular foam with less density. As a result of being less dense, open-cell foam is more breathable and tends to be more responsive. This is a popular material for top layers in many memory foam mattresses.
- Gel foam: You’ll come across the term “gel foam” a lot when you’re researching memory foam beds. This type of material is better at sleeping cool than the standard type since gel is a semi-liquid and can pull heat from your body.
Most memory foam mattresses combine multiple layers of various types of foam, which work together to create different comfort and support levels. Typically, a memory foam bed will come with a dense foam base that helps the mattress maintain its shape, stability, and durability over time.
Cradling Pressure Relief
Perhaps the most appealing trait of memory foam is its ability to cradle the body and reduce pressure. Many describe the memory foam feeling like a sinking or melting sensation. This feature makes it an attractive option for people who suffer from pain or pressure in their body and need some relief.
Keep in mind, however, that this sinking effect can make it harder to move around in your sleep. If you tend to toss and turn a lot, you may want to choose a firmer or more responsive memory foam bed.
Mattress Durability
Longevity is definitely worth considering when it comes to mattress shopping and high-quality memory foam picks can last up to seven years. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for and higher priced models last longer than cheaper ones. However, the best way to figure out how long you can expect your memory foam mattress to last is to read user reviews and see what customers are saying.
Body Type
Your body type will impact the type of memory foam mattress you should select. Heavier sleepers will likely be most comfortable on a firmer mattress that evenly distributes their weight across the bed and prevents uneven sinkage. Lightweight sleepers will typically be most comfortable on a softer bed, as they’ll experience the mattress as firmer. And medium to medium-firm mattresses are the best for average weight sleepers.
Sleep Position
Another factor to consider is the position you sleep in at night. Back and stomach sleepers should choose a firmer memory foam bed so their hips don’t sink in too far and cause misalignment. Side sleepers can choose a soft, medium, or medium-firm bed, depending on their weight and preference, to cushion their hips and shoulders.
Combination sleepers can choose as per their preference, but should keep in mind that the softer a bed is, the harder it may be for them to switch positions in their sleep.
Sleep Temperature
Although memory foam comes with a lot of benefits, heat retention is more of an issue with this bed type than with others. Memory foam retains more heat due to the density of the material and the sinking effect it creates, which leaves less of your body exposed to the air. And, since your sleep temperature directly affects the quality of rest you get, this is worth paying close attention to.
Fortunately, most mattresses of this type come with cooling technology to combat this. However, if you struggle consistently with sleeping too hot, memory foam may not be the best pick for you. You may want to look into a latex mattress or hybrid bed, instead.
Odor
Another issue to keep in mind when buying a memory foam mattress is the potential of an off-gassing odor when first unpacking your bed. Memory foam off-gassing is a chemical smell that’s been compared to a “new car” odor. In most cases, leaving your mattress in a well-ventilated room for a couple days is enough to get rid of the smell. But it’s something to be aware of if you tend to be sensitive to chemical odors.
Final Verdict
Memory foam mattresses are a good pick for people who crave cradling pressure relief in their bed or who suffer from tension in their body. People who move around a lot in their sleep may feel trapped by memory foam with a lot of sinkage, and should instead seek out a firmer or more responsive mattress. If you struggle with sleeping hot, try to find a memory foam bed with cooling technology.
Our favorite memory foam mattress is the Nectar mattress. Customers report that it helps with their back pain and sleeps cool. Plus, it’s has a 6 out of 10 firmness level, which is a good, middle-of-the-road option that should suit all sleep positions well.
