How to choose a mattress

Can’t decide on a new mattress? Let our sleep editor guide you

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I’ve been TechRadar’s Sleep Editor since the beginning of 2023, and I’ve been writing about mattresses and sleep-related subjects for the past couple of years. And in that time I’ve learned alotabout the mattress business, to the extent that I kind of resent the amount of space in my brain that mattresses are currently taking up.

Give me five minutes and not only can I recommend you the absolutebest mattressfor your sleep preferences and budget, I can also tell you everything you need to know about paying the lowest price, which can vary between different sleep brands. Obviously this makes me very popular at parties.

And the thing is, most of us don’t have the first clue about buying a mattress; it’s something we only do every few years at best, and I know from experience that we tend to go into it almost totally blind, without any real idea of the different types of mattress and how they can affect your quality of sleep.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably already set on buying a new bed in themattress sales, but you don’t know what you should be looking for and you’re maybe a little anxious about making a bad decision. I’m here to demystify the whole process; by the time we’re done here you’ll have a much better idea of the types of mattress on the market (and the main differences between them), you’ll have likely decided which type is best for you, and you’ll be armed with a shortlist of the top options to look for. Easy! So let’s start by looking at the main mattress types.

What to think about when you’re shopping for a mattress

Okay, so you’ve decided that you need a new mattress; what should you look for? There’s a lot of choice out there but I can help you narrow things down a lot, by suggesting the questions you need to ask yourself. Once you’ve had a think about these factors, you’ll be a lot closer to finding your perfect bed.

The different types of mattress

You might now have a better idea of what type of mattress you should be looking for; read on to learn more about each type and to find my top picks in each category.

Memory foam mattresses

Memory foam is the main reason why there seem to be so many more mattress brands around these days than ever before (which in turn makes it so hard to choose when the time comes to buy a new mattress). Memory foam mattresses are the most popular type on the market, and it’s easy to see why: their foam contours to your body shape to deliver personalized support and pressure relief, making them a great choice if you suffer from joint pain and want the ultimate in cushioning comfort.

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While memory foam is known for its ‘sink-in’ feel, making memory foam mattress a good choice for side sleepers, that doesn’t mean all memory foam mattresses are super-plush; they’re often made with a variety of foams of different densities, which means they can be anything from plush to firm.

The big drawback with memory foam is its tendency to trap heat, and while in more premium and recent memory foam this is less of a problem thanks to the addition of cooling gel and air channels to help dissipate heat, if you have a tendency to sleep hot – or if you live in one of the warmer states – memory foam may not be the best choice for you.

Many people love the enveloping feel of memory foam; personally, though, it’s not for me. I don’t get on well with the off-gassing smell of a fresh memory foam mattress, and while there’s a lot to be said for memory foam’s ability to absorb motion – which makes it a strong choice if you share a bed with a fidgety partner – I prefer a more responsive sleep surface (that is, something with a bit more bounce). Nevertheless I can point you at three of thebest memory foam mattressesthat I think are worth your attention:

Hybrid mattresses

If, like me, you’re not sold on the idea of an all-foam mattress, your most likely option is going to be a hybrid. Hybrids can generally be defined as being made up of a mixture of foam and springs, which can make thebest hybrid mattressesa best-of-both-worlds option; they’ll have the sink-in pressure relief of memory foam, combined with the enhanced support and added bounce that you get from springs.

The actual feel you’ll get, however, largely depends on the various component layers you’ll find in each mattress: things like the ratio of foam to springs, and the size and gauge of the springs used. Some hybrids have thin sprung layers made up of more responsive micro- or nano-coils, while others feature much bigger springs and some may have heavier gauge springs along the sides to provide betteredge support. Many sleep brands provide illustrations of their mattresses’ layers on their web sites, and it’s always worth taking a close look at these to get a better idea of what you’ll be buying.

Another advantage to having layers of springs in your mattress is that it’s less likely to heat up in the night; the springs allow air to circulate, which in turn can prevent too much warmth from building up. And while springs can be less effective when it comes to motion isolation, the right mix of coils and foam can mean that many hybrids have as little motion transfer as the best all-foam beds.

If a hybrid mattress seems like the best option for you, I think you should be looking for these models:

Innerspring mattresses

The other option I’d be looking at when shopping the mattress sales would be an innerspring (or pocket sprung) mattress; that is, one that’s largely (if not exclusively) made with springs or coils. It’s rare these days that you’ll find a mattress that’s filled entirely with springs; there’ll usually be some kind of comfort layer on top of them. I find there’s quite some gray area between innerspring and hybrid mattresses, and indeed a lot of mattresses I’d class as innerspring are actually sold as hybrids.

A badly-made innerspring mattress can be a terrible thing, with far too much bounce, inadequate motion isolation, not enough support and weak edges that could result in you rolling off in the night. But a really good one will be lovely and supportive, with the feeling that you’re lying on top of it rather than sinking into it, and because so much of the interior is basically air, you won’t find yourself getting overheated in the night.

Those springs can mean less effective motion isolation, but when they’re combined with well-balanced comfort and support layers you’ll get a much steadier bed. Here are my top innerspring picks right now:

Latex mattresses

A final option to consider is a latex mattress. Latex is a great all-natural alternative to memory foam, with a few important differences. It feels quite different and has much more bounce, so you won’t sink into a latex mattress like you would with a memory foam model, and you’ll experience firmer support. Latex is also a lot less likely to retain heat than memory foam, and you won’t experience the sort of off-gassing smell that you’ll get from a new foam mattress.

However latex tends to be much heavier than memory foam and you’ll pay a lot more for a latex mattress than a memory foam model. And because it’s so much more responsive, there’s also an increased danger of motion transfer in the night.

If you’re after the best organic mattress, chances are that it’ll have latex in it to some extent; you’ll find many hybrid mattresses with latex layers in them, but it’s also possible to get all- or mostly-latex models, often with wool or cotton comfort layers balancing out the feel. If that sounds good to you, I’d recommend these options:

Final thoughts

If you’re still not entirely sure which mattress you should buy, I hear you. The fact is that even with everything I know about the mattress business, I’m still not entirely sure which one I’d go for. During the part of the month when I’ve just been paid I’d probably opt for the Saatva Classic, but as the month wears on I might veer more towards the cheaper DreamCloud.

As I’ve mentioned, you should spend about as much on your new mattress as you can comfortably afford, and because you can’t try before you buy online, you really want a long risk-free trial with your mattress. Ideally, though, you want to avoid having to return it at all, by making the right choice in the first place. When you think about it, returning an unsuitable mattress can be an absolute pain. You’ll have to arrange collection and a refund from the company you bought from, and on top of that you’ll need to get another mattress to replace the one you’re returning.

So take a little time to make absolutely sure about your choice; make a shortlist and check out user reviews for each option, too. Whatever you do, don’t get stuck with a mattress you don’t like; thankfully there are enough excellent options here to make that unlikely, whatever your budget. Happy shopping!

A professional writer with over a quarter of a century’s experience, Jim has been covering mattress and sleep-related subjects for TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and T3 over the past few years, gathering an in-depth knowledge of the workings of the mattress industry along the way. Previously Jim has covered a wide variety of subjects, working widely in the tech and gaming sectors, and more recently covering the design and wellness industries.

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