What's The Best Memory Foam Mattress In 2018?
Finding a good and comfortable mattress is a challenge. There are so many different mattresses out there on the market, after all. How are you to know which one is the right mattress for you? Walk into any mattress store in the country and you are going to have all sorts of options, from classic mattresses to foam mattresses to gel mattresses to combination and even waterbeds (I would not recommend waterbeds.
They were a weird trend that is actually terrible to try and sleep on, and if you get used to sleeping on one, it becomes difficult to sleep on anything else ever again for years afterward). Picking the right one is a difficult task indeed.
Because there are so many different types of mattress out there, we’ll be concentrating on a very specific type of mattress today. We’ll be talking about memory foam mattresses, and how to find the best one for your needs. But first, what is memory foam?
As the name would suggest, memory foam is a kind of foam. It is made primarily of polyurethane in varying densities, along with other chemical treatments and materials that will make it more or less dense, and therein more or less firm. Discovered by NASA in 1966, it was released to the public domain in the 1980s, and has been used in everything from tables to helmets and beyond.
It is a very useful foam, and it can be made almost as soft or firm as you could want. Because of this, it is a great foam on its own for making high-quality mattresses, but if you’re looking for something that you can mix with, say, a gel, then you can utilize memory foam to make an extremely comfortable mattress.
Why Does Memory Foam Make A Good Mattress?
Contrary to popular belief (and the name), memory foam doesn’t ‘remember’ anything. Rather, it is a heat-activated foam. When your body heat warms the foam to a certain point, it is likely to mold to your body. As the foam cools back down, it slowly returns to the original position of the foam. Depending on the construction of the foam, it can do this almost instantly or over time, but it is made to contour to your body, and as anyone who has ever bought a mattress will tell you, this is exactly what you want when you are looking for a good mattress.
However, it is also, unlike many foams, capable of holding up a decent amount of weight. As a young man, I had a foam pad that I would sleep on in the back of my van when I traveled long distances; it saved money on hotels, and it allowed me to make sure my van was never broken into. It was kind of like camping, really. That mattress was ‘thick’, but it was not dense, and so laying on this pad basically caused it to compress and provide minimal support. Memory foam is both thick and dense, and because of this it provides decent support throughout the night.
What Are Things To Look For In A Memory Foam Mattress?
Even when you narrow your mattress search to only memory foam mattresses, there are still many options from all sorts of companies that are vying for your dollar. A few things to consider when you are looking to spend that dollar include:
- Quality of the foam. Not all foam is created equal, after all. There is high-quality, dense foam, and then there is cheap foam that compresses with the slightest provocation. The first is the kind of foam that will provide you a good night’s sleep for years on end, while the second is the kind of foam that will have you dreading bed time every night. Choose carefully, and you will find a mattress that is comfortable and will last for a decent amount of time. Choose poorly, and you’re going to regret the purchase for months or even years to come.
- Good feedback. If you’re in a mattress store, it is likely that the people working there are making their money on commission. This being the case, you are going to not want to trust what they say. But if you search online and you find that you find a lot of positive comments on this mattress you’re looking at, it’s a good sign that you’re going in the right direction.
- A Good Return Policy. A mattress can, on paper, look like the perfect mattress with you, and yet you can still find that you don’t like it after you’ve tried it out. Luckily, most mattress stores will offer you some sort of trial period, often with a promise to provide you store credit if you regret your purchase, or even a money-back guarantee. This is important, as is finding a decent warranty.
- Help For Pain Points. A mattress can press against pressure points quite easily, and that can cause pain in these sensitive areas. When that happens, you wake up uncomfortable to say the least. If the mattress is too firm, it pushes against these sensitive areas, and if it is too soft, it won’t provide you with the proper support and will cause pain due to the lack of support. A happy medium is best.
How Do I Find The Perfect Mattress For Me?
Though this may not be what you want to hear, there is really only one good way to find the perfect mattress for you. You are going to need to go out and test them out.
Mattress stores around the world provide sample mattresses in their shops for you to lay on for a few minutes. So take advantage of this! Go out, lay on a few, and see what works for you and what doesn’t. And then, if you find that the mattresses you like are a bit too expensive for your liking, go online and find something comparable that may be less expensive.
Though the list that will follow is a great list of fantastic mattresses, the fact is that we don’t all look for the same thing in mattresses. This being the case, you should most definitely test mattresses yourself before you ever spend so much money on a purchase.
Mobile Users: For optimal viewing, tilt your phone to landscape (wide-view) to see the entire table.
The Seven Best Memory Foam Mattresses
If you’re looking for a great mattress for your home use, here are just a few that will serve you well.
1. LUCID Plush 14
I’m a stickler for getting the most out of my dollar, and because of that, I tend to look for mattresses that give me a lot of bang for my buck. That being the case, I usually don’t go in for the ‘big’ names in an industry, but rather for someone who has been making products for a while, but who may be on the fringe of the industry and not as well known.
- This mattress stands out in a couple of ways, the first of which is the 25-year warranty. That is impressive to say the least, especially when you consider that most of the mattresses on the market right now, be they memory foam or standard mattresses, tend to last for something like 10 years, 20 years tops.
- Even better than that, the mattress is hypoallergenic, which is always a nice touch for anyone who is worried about their allergies.
- Another nice aspect of this mattress is that it isn’t simply memory foam. It’s become popular, of late, to combine memory foam with various gels, in order to make a mattress that is superior to a simple memory foam mattress. This gel allows the mattress to not only be more dense and to offer more support, but it also allows for more cooling. Even better, this mattress is ventilated, which means that when you’re laying on the mattress, you’re going to be able to stay cool. It may seem like something small as we begin to move into the winter months of the year, but there is nothing worse in the summer than having to try and sleep on a hot mattress.
- This mattress is great for those who want ventilation, which will allow the mattress to keep cool, but it is even better for those who have worries about comfort and need more back support. As we talked about earlier, a good mattress can walk the line between being so soft you end up with spinal pain and being so tough that you end up with pain from pressure, and this memory foam and gel mixture manages to walk that middle ground quite well.
This is a great mattress at a great price, and one that will do you a world of good.
Pros:
Cons
- A bit thick, but not so thick that your sheets won’t fit.
2. Best Price Mattress 12-Inch Grand
Anything that says it is the best price is a great thing in my book, and when it is so affordable, it’s hard to turn it down no matter what you know about the brand. However, not only is the ‘Best Price’ mattress a worthy mattress, it is a quality mattress at an affordable price.
- It is a mattress with four tiers to its construction. The first, the one that you lay against, is a 1-inch thick ‘premium comfort’ layer, which is designed to cushion you and to keep you comfortable, as the name would suggest. The next layer is a 2-inch thick layer of plant-based memory foam that has been combined with green tea extract, which is there to provide both comfort and support. Under that is two layers of support base, made from Bio Foam material.
- This mattress combines natural materials with fantastic support. If you have a history of back issues due to a mattress being too firm, you will find this mattress is just right; it allows you to sink in just a bit, but returns to its regular shape shortly after you get up. Green tea extract, charcoal, and natural castor oil combine to make a memory foam that not only provides you with proper support with just the right amount of give, but also with a mattress made using far fewer petrochemicals.
To top it all off, this mattress comes with a bamboo hypoallergenic cover, to make sure that you’re comfortable and that you’re kept safe from allergens like dust throughout the night. This mattress is a great choice for those who are looking for a good deal, but it is even better for those who care about being ‘green’. Personally, that’s not me, but if you’re the kind of person who eats a natural diet and who cares about being chemical-free and not polluting, then this is the kind of mattress you need to buy. Plus, it comes with a 10-year limited warranty, which is a nice touch.
Pros
- Made with all-natural ingredients
- Very affordably priced
- Eliminates pressure points with its multiple-tiered design
Cons
- Don’t really have any complaints, unless you need a lot of support when you sleep.
3. Zinus Memory Foam 12-Inch Mattress With Green Tea Extract
Keeping up with the theme of the last mattress, we have another mattress here that is perfect for those among us who like to live a ‘natural’ life and keep the chemicals in their lives to a minimum. This is another one of those foot-tall mattresses that provide plenty of support and manage to do so with materials that are made from natural ingredients.
- This is also another four-tiered mattress. The top three inches make up the first tier, which are made of memory foam. The second tier is the next two inches, and it is made with the use of comfort foam to support you and yet to let you be comfortable while it supports you. The third and fourth tiers are both 3.5 inches thick, with the top tier being AirFlow high-density foam, and the bottom tier being AirFlow high-density support foam. This makes for a great mattress, and one that is more than capable of providing the comfort that you will want and need, all at a price that will not break your wallet or your budget.
- It comes shipped in a tiny box, as the mattress is rolled up. This makes taking your mattress up the stairs a very simple thing, and it also makes positioning it a much simpler thing than it would normally be. Honestly, if you’re a decently-fit person, you can set this mattress up in your house or apartment entirely on your own, without any assistance.
- This mattress combines green tea extract and other natural materials to make memory foam that is capable of providing you with the support you need. The mattress is great for those who need a firmer mattress, with the two thick tiers of high-density foam and two top tiers of thinner foam to provide padding. It’s also a great mattress for those who are looking to avoid mattresses made by petrochemicals.
The only real downside is the five-year warranty. If you’re looking for a great and natural mattress, this is one that deserves your consideration.
Pros
- Easy to unpack
- Natural materials used in construction
Cons
- Only comes with a five-year warranty, which is well under the industry standard.
4. Sleep Innovations Shea 10-Inch Mattress
One of the first things that you may notice about this mattress is that when you buy it, it comes with two free pillows. That may not sound like a lot, but you have to understand; good pillows can run anywhere from 50 dollars on up for each pillow, so getting two for free is a nice touch, and a great deal. Couple that with a 20-year limited warranty, and you’re already looking at a mattress that is a good deal, financially speaking, and the price is right for what you’re getting, without a doubt.
- This is a great mattress for those who require a bit more comfort and a bit more support in order to be comfortable, too. It comes with a lot of support; two different layers of support, in fact. The top layer is a 3-inch tall SureTemp layer, which makes you feel comfortable, while the bottom layer is designed to make sure that you are going to feel supported, and is made with 7 inches of support foam materials.
- The Shea mattress combines these two layers into a mattress that is medium to firm. If you’re looking for a mattress because your old mattress doesn’t provide enough support, this is a good mattress for you. It is also a good mattress if you find yourself cold at night, because with a thick fitted sheet, it can retain a bit of heat.
Overall, this is a decent mattress, and provides a lot of value for the price. It’s nothing special as far as construction, but with a great warranty and with a couple of nice bonuses to purchasing the mattress, you will find that this is a decent option and one that you will not regret making. Plus, with a thinner mattress, you are not likely to run into issues with fitted sheets.
Pros
- Comes with two free pillows
- Comes with a 20-year warranty
- 10 inches of comfort
Cons
- Nothing special as far as construction, but with enough support to help those who weigh a bit more.
- Holds in heat a bit more than other mattresses we’ve reviewed.
5. Signature Sleep 12-Inch Memory Foam Mattress
Before we get too much into talking about this mattress, I just have to say that I love the name. Signature Sleep just sounds good, and the few that I have ever tried out have lived up to the name, providing the kind of sleep that I normally don’t get unless I’ve spent a long day working outside and then come to sleep in a nice, air-conditioned room.
- It’s another multi-tiered mattress, in this case with two different layers involved in the construction. The top layer is 3 and a half inches’ worth of luxury comfort foam, made to make you feel at home in your own bed and to make sure you are comfortable when you go to sleep. The bottom layer is 8 and a half inches’ worth of support foam, which is there to make sure that while you’re comfortable on that top layer, you’re still going to have plenty of support to make sure you’re not sleeping in an awkward or unusual position.
- It’s a good mattress for those who need a mattress that takes some of the stress off their pressure points. It’s medium in firmness, and the 3.5 inches of comfort foam on the top allow you to sink in a bit, taking the pressure off the points of contact with the mattress.
This is a nice and affordable mattress; there’s not much about it that stands out, other than its price, but it does ship in a compact package that you can move easily, and it is a mattress that is breathable, which means you’re not going to be sweating when you sleep on it, more often than not. Overall, a solid mattress.
Pros
- Affordable
- Ships in a compact package
- Breathable
Cons
- Middle-of-the-road support. Nothing special, but definitely a good mattress, especially for the price
6. Brentwood Home Cypress Mattress
This is one of the more expensive mattresses that we have looked at in this list, but it is also a quality mattress, and one that you will be quite happy with. It is not a standard memory foam mattress, but rather one that combines the best of memory foam with great gel to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night.
- This mattress is thirteen inches thick, and it utilizes that multi-tiered design that seems to be so common. The top layer is 3.5 inches of gel memory foam that will conform to your body while keeping your cool, and the 9 and a half inches below it are all designed to keep your body properly supported while you lie in repose. The mattress comes with a natural New Zealand Wool cover, which not just wick moisture and helps to transport heat away from you, but is also a nice touch to keep your mattress clean.
- The construction of this mattress makes it good for couples and for those who need a medium to firm mattress. The gel acts to both isolate motion (allowing you to get into or out of bed without waking all but the lightest of sleepers), as well as ensuring you have a firm support that will not cause you to heat up in the night.
- Something that blew me away about this mattress was the 25-year warranty. That is the lifespan of many other mattresses, so having a warranty, even a limited warranty, that will last for twenty-five years is almost unheard of. This shows a lot of confidence in the product that they put out, and I’m always a fan of anyone who is willing to stand behind their product like that.
So, if you’re looking for a good mattress with a lot of lifespan to it, this is a great place for you to search. This is probably the best value on the list, and if you are searching for a medium-cost mattress, this is one that you will want to look into, most definitely.
Pros
- Great value
- Great warranty
- Great support
Cons
- A bit pricier than most we reviewed
7. DynastyMattress Cool Breeze 12-Inch
For our final mattress, we took a look at the DynastyMattress Cool Breeze. This is a great mattress on its own, but it seems to really be designed with a specific purpose in mind. Namely, this mattress seems to have been designed for those who have an adjustable electric bed, to allow you to get the best of both worlds; the adjustability of the mattress, along with the comfort of a beautifully-made memory foam mattress.
- This is yet another multi-tiered mattress. In this case, the top three inches are made with the very best in gel memory foam materials, while the 2 layers immediately below that are constructed with AirFlow foam. This helps to keep you cool, while also ensuring that while you’re laying on your mattress, you won’t be likely to sweat. Finally, the bottom-most layer is five inches of high density support foam. This combines to make a mattress that will provide you not only with comfort, but with a good amount of support, no matter how much you weigh.
- This is a great mattress for those who have had issues with pressure points in their sleep. If your old mattress was too firm, this mattress will not only help provide a bit more ‘give’, but will also keep you cool while doing so. The gel-infused memory foam not only helps with heat dispersion, but provides superior support to what you get from foam alone.
- Though it may be on the pricier side of the mattresses we’ve reviewed, it also comes with a thirty-year limited warranty, which is guarantee enough of the quality of the mattress. If you are looking for a fantastic mattress at a good price, this is among the best that you will find.
Pros
- Fantastic warranty
- Great for those with an adjustable electric bed
- Fantastically comfortable
Cons
- Honestly, there is no downside to this mattress
So, if you’re looking for a great mattress, here are a few of the best on the market right now. If you don’t find something on here that you like, don’t fret; simply keep in mind the general guidelines to finding a good mattress for your needs, and you will find one that will be to your liking in no time. Whatever you pick, be sure that you test it out somewhere first, if at all possible, to make sure you’re getting a quality bed.