The Best Game-Changing Mattresses You Can Buy Online
In case you hadn’t noticed, now is a really, really good time to buy a new mattress. In recent years, the historically-murky mattress industry has been disrupted by a host of startups that are taking the hassle — and the exorbitant price tag — out of the equation so you can sleep soundly at night. There are a slew of new companies that offer online ordering, 100-night (or more) trial periods, and generally high quality at direct-to-consumer prices. And a lot of the big guys (Amazon, Walmart, etc.) are getting in on the game too, offering their own proprietary mattresses at rock-bottom rates.
When it comes to buying a mattress online, there are a lot of questions you should ask yourself. First and foremost, you need to consider the best mattress size for you. If you’re a couple purchasing a mattress, it might be best to go big or go home and select a Queen-size mattress or a King-size mattress — more space in bed equals better sleep and a happier you! You’ll also need to consider the comfort level you prefer. Some people sleep better on extra firm mattresses that offer more support, while others prefer to have a little extra cushioning underneath them as they sleep.
Another important factor is whether the mattress comes with a trial period and warranty. Since mattresses are such a big investment, ordering one online without trying it first can seem risky. But most brands now offer trial periods that allow you to test out your new bed and return them for a full refund if you aren’t totally satisfied. You also want to select an option that has a warranty with flexible coverage so you don’t get stuck spending extra money on repairs and replacements.
So, yes, there is probably way more to buying a mattress online than you thought — the options can be overwhelming, so we’re here to bring you a handy cheat sheet of the best mattresses to know (and shop!) right now.
Best Overall Mattress: Casper
Meet the disrupter that launched 1000 disruptors. The Casper is its most popular model, known for its cleverly named “just right” firmness level that toes the line between softness and support. Part of the secret is in the trademarked “Zoned Support” system that offers squishier foam under the shoulders and firmer foam under the hips and core to promote proper alignment.
Each mattress is made from open-cell hypoallergenic latex that helps regulate airflow and keeps you cool all night long. Unlike other boxed mattresses that can take a few hours or days to expand, Casper mattresses are ready to sleep on within minutes of removing them from their box.
One customer raved, “It was so comfortable to sleep on. Husband’s a back sleeper, I’m a side sleeper. We both have hip and shoulder pain. The Casper king bed is supportive yet soft enough to cradle the body without sinking into the bed. Awesome night’s sleep. Glad I did my research for months before deciding on this winner!” Plus, each mattress also comes with a 100-night risk-free trial and a 10-year warranty.
Buy It! Casper Sleep Mattress, $995/Queen; amazon.com
Best Medium Firm Mattress: Allswell
This is Walmart's version of a mattress-in-a-box! The hybrid mattress, which launched last year, combines the best of both worlds: layers of innovative memory foam with individually-wrapped coils to give you the perfect blend of comfort and support. The 10-inch mattress delivers a medium-firm feel, meant to appeal to most sleepers at an incredibly low price. Plus, it gets delivered directly to your door, compressed in a large box. And it has hundreds of positive reviews, with an overall 4.8-star rating.
“It is so comfy and stays rather cool which is a major plus for me,” one reviewer wrote. “I am considering updating all our mattresses to the Allswell mattresses because I slept like a baby the first night and now after a few months it is amazing!” The Allswell mattress comes with a 100-night risk-free trial, so if you’re not completely satisfied, you can return it hassle-free.
Buy It! Allswell 10-Inch Bed in a Box Hybrid Mattress, $275; ($345)/Queen; walmart.com
Best Bang for Your Buck: AmazonBasics
Amazon’s bid to get into the direct-to-consumer mattress game launched recently and the price sure is right for this memory foam mattress! Not only can you choose from Twin, Full, Queen, King, and California King mattress sizes, but you can also select from eight, 10, or 12 inches of added cushioning. The plush mattress features a top layer made from memory foam that’s formulated to provide extra comfort while still providing adequate support.
The mattress is designed to keep you cool as you sleep thanks to the breathable holes and wavy designs in the foam layers that keep airflow circulating. One happy Amazon customer gave it a perfect five-star review, calling it “a great inexpensive memory foam mattress,” before adding “you can’t beat the price! $237.99 for a full-size memory foam mattress from a reputable company. If you’re looking for an inexpensive memory foam mattress I’d definitely consider this.”
Buy It! AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattress, 12-inch, $259.99/Queen; amazon.com
Best Eco-Friendly Mattress: Aviya Mattress
A foam-coil hybrid, this one comes in three firmness options (Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm) and has a 100-night guarantee. Each Aviya mattress is made from three layers of high density, upholstery-grade foam to give you long-lasting comfort and also features reinforced lumbar support to help your back and body.
The mattresses are made in Ohio from locally-sourced materials and eco-friendly foams. One satisfied customer referred to the mattress as “heaven,” while another said it was their “favorite mattress ever purchased.”
Buy It! Aviya Mattress, $999/Queen; amazon.com
Best Ethical Mattress: Boll & Branch
Transparency-focused bedding brand Boll & Branch is making a foray into mattresses with this newly-launched luxury entry. It’s made of five core layers topped with breathable organic cotton, and features include hand-pulled tufting and two different types of coils designed to “promote air flow and give extra support for spinal alignment.” The plush mattress is completely made in the United States and comes with a solid 10-year warranty.
Many customers who gave the high-quality mattress a five-star review said it “gave them the best sleep of their life.” One added, “My husband and I love this mattress!! Just the right mix of firm and soft for such an incredible night’s sleep!” Even better? The company offers white-glove delivery and will remove your old mattress for free. Breathability, stillness, and support are all part of the company’s ethos.
Buy It! Boll & Branch Mattress, $2,500/Queen; bollandbranch.com
Best Cooling Mattress: Ghostbed
If you tend to overheat while you sleep, Amazon customers suggest you invest in a Ghostbed mattress. “Sleeping on a GhostBed is like floating on air, cool and comfortable, free of pressure and the aches and pains that keep you up at night,” declare the brand’s marketing materials, and more than 350 Amazon reviewers agree. It has a medium-firm feel packed with “supernatural comfort” thanks to three layers of different foams.
The cooling gel memory foam layer will keep you cool as you sleep, while the high-density memory foam core offers ample support. One five-star reviewer said, “This bed is incredible. Being 9 months pregnant I wish I had this bed the entire pregnancy; it’s firm yet supportive and comfortable. My husband and I don’t roll into one another anymore, I can’t even hear/feel him get out of bed. It’s not warm at all like we were worried about with memory foam, we stay cool all night long!! There’s a reason there are so many amazing reviews for this bed. It is so worth it! we won’t go back.”
Buy It! GhostBed Mattress, $795/Queen; amazon.com
Best for Side Sleepers: Helix Sleep
This sleek mattress by Helix is specially designed with a MemoryPlus foam pressure relief layer that helps cushion your pressure points as a side sleeper. It works so well Mattress Advisor called it one of the “Best Mattresses for Side Sleepers” in 2019. It also features temperature regulation to keep the top of your mattress cooler throughout the night.
The thing that’s especially cool about this foam-and-coil mattress is that you can customize it online, so that your side of the bed is softer than your partner’s or vice versa. It has over 1,000 positive reviews with many customers calling it the “best mattress ever.”
Buy It! Helix Midnight Mattress, from $995/Queen; helixsleep.com
Best Flippable Mattress: Layla Sleep
The only copper-infused memory foam mattress that’s meant to be flipped, the Layla offers the best of both worlds in one mattress. One side is firm, the other, soft — a perfect solution for fickle sleepers. Its copper core not only removes excess body heat from the surface of the mattress, but it also kills bacteria and offers firmer structural support.
One happy customer raved, “I loved the idea that the Layla had 2 different firmness levels. Tried the soft first and was a little too soft. Then tried the firm side and fell in love. Now I sleep 8+ hrs no problem. So happy I found this mattress.” The mattress also comes with a lifetime warranty.
Buy It! Layla Sleep Mattress, $799/Queen (orig. $899); laylasleep.com
Best for Full Body Support: Leesa
A medium-firm foam mattress, the Leesa is lightweight and an ideal picky for sleepers who move around in their sleep. The mattress contours to your body and offers pressure relief so you’ll never wake up with aches and pains. The patented Avena top layer keeps you from overheating while also providing extra bounce. One customer wrote that they loved their Leesa mattress, saying, “No more lower back pain since purchasing this mattress. It conforms to your shape and is cooler than my old Tempurpedic mattress. I didn’t find it too firm or too soft. It is just right!”
All Leesa mattresses come with a 100-night in-home trial backed by a no-hassle, full refund policy. The company is also committed to creating a positive social impact. For every 10 mattresses sold, the company donates a mattress. They also plant one tree for every mattress sold, and the employees volunteer in their local communities.
Buy It! Leesa Mattress, 10 Inch Cooling Avena and Contouring Memory Foam Mattress, $845/Queen; amazon.com
Best Plush Mattress: Nectar
If you’re looking for an ultra-comfortable plush mattress, try this gel memory-foam option by Nectar. The mattress is specially designed to offer the optimal levels of firmness, coolness, breathability, and comfort. It also molds to your body, making it super supportive and comfortable at the same time.
This heat-regulating foam number is guaranteed forever and offers a 180-night home trial and two free Nectar pillows when ordered on Amazon. And who doesn’t want to order things on Amazon? (Hello, free two-day shipping for Prime members!) One customer called the mattress “life-changing,” before adding “This mattress is not too soft, but not too firm either. The foam kind of ‘absorbs’ any tension you might have and just perfectly supports your body ensuring a perfect night of sleep. I have never slept so well in my life! I can’t recommend this mattress enough.”
Buy It! Nectar Mattress, $699.99/Queen (orig. $850); amazon.com
Best Sleep Quality: Nest Bedding
This foam-coil hybrid mattress, from family-owned bedding company Nest, comes with a lifetime warranty and a 100-night trial period. The cozy mattress combines innovative copper-infused foam with a cooling fabric and super supportive, high-quality individual coils to offer maximum support and comfort.
It was designed with all types of sleepers in mind and offers a universal medium firmness level. One customer wrote, “This bed is fantastic. I did a lot of research into bed in the box options as well as in store mattresses and am very happy I went with Nest. The craftsmanship and materials used are both excellent. Set up was easy and it’s so comfortable. Overall I would highly recommend giving this bed a shot.” The brand is one of the original mattress industry disruptors (the company was founded in 2011), and it also offers a 100-Night Sleep Trial with a lifetime comfort guarantee and warranty.
Buy It! Nest Bedding Hybrid Mattress, from $1,049/Queen; amazon.com
Best Motion Absorbing Mattress: Purple
Also promising a 100-day trial period, Purple has cornered the market on motion absorption (e.g. you won’t be bothered when your restless partner tosses and turns in the middle of the night). It features a “pressure-erasing Smart Comfort Grid” that hits the right note between soft and firm, preventing dreaded overheating and overnight aches and pains.
One glowing five-star review said, “I can’t begin to explain how much I love my mattress. Everyone is different and I respect that. But this mattress is a game changer. It feels awesome. The second I laid down on it, I couldn’t get over how cool it really felt, and the zero pressure points when laying on it. I’ve had the mattress for just over 2 weeks and I have experienced the best sleep I have had in a long time.”
Buy It! Purple Mattress, $999/Queen; amazon.com
Best Firm Mattress: Saatva
Saatva mattresses are made with patented Spinal Zone sleep technology that helps reduce back pain and stiffness. One customer raved, “The Saatva Luxury Firm Mattress has made a remarkable difference in my wife’s back pain. I sleep like a rock on it too! Wonderful company, speedy delivery, and great price. Have already recommended it to multiple friends. Thanks for producing a quality product, in America for a great price point. Thanks for the peace you have given to us.”
The signature coil-on-coil technology makes sure any of your restless movements aren’t felt by your fellow sleepers. The finishing touch is an “advanced euro pillow top,” which the brand says rivals that of mattresses twice the price. The company also offers free mattress removal and in-home delivery and set up.
Buy It! Saatva Luxury Mattress, $1,099/Queen; saatvamattress.com
Best Pressure Relieving Mattress: Zinus
A budget-friendly take on memory foam, this Zinus mattress has over 2,400 rave reviews on Amazon and hits just the right softness level. Each mattress is made with a body-conforming green tea memory foam that adds comfort and pressure-relieving support. The natural green tea extract also helps the mattress maintain its freshness for years to come.
The beloved mattress has over 16,500 five-star reviews, with one customer raving, “First off, I’m a flight attendant. I sleep in a lot of hotel beds. I know what a good and bad mattress feels like. THIS BED IS AMAZING. This bed cured my boyfriend’s back pain. This bed cured my sleepless nights. I can sleep on my back or stomach no problem. I can’t remember the last time I slept through the night… Now I can’t wake up.”
Buy It! Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress, $279/Queen; amazon.com
Best Mattress for Comfort: Tuft & Needle
Touting itself as “The Internet’s Most Loved Mattress,” this Tuft & Needle order-online model features cooling technology coupled with its own proprietary take on memory foam to hit just the right softness level. As in, it’s nice and soft, but you won’t sink into it in an unpleasant way. You get 100 nights to test it out; if you’re unhappy with your slumber, the company will give you a refund.
Plus, it has earned itself a coveted Amazon’s Choice recommendation thanks to over 7,000 customers giving it an impressive 4.2-star rating. One perfect review said, “This bed is wonderful. It kinda feels like memory foam but it’s way more supportive. It’s not hot either. Memory foam beds used to burn me up but I’m perfectly cool in this bed. You’ll also notice that it feels like it’ll never wear out. Whatever it’s made out of will last for a very long time. The quality that I got with this bed for the money that I spent is simply remarkable. It’s the best bed I’ve ever purchased and oddly also the least expensive.”
Buy It! Tuft & Needle Mattress Bed in a Box, $595/Queen; amazon.com