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Honorable mentions
Not everything we test makes the cut as a choice, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad mattress topper. Here are a few that our testers slept with and got a good night’s sleep with, but didn’t love as much as the choices above.
Avocado Alpaca Topper for $1,313: If you’re looking for a mattress topper that’s extra soft, WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson recommends the Avocado Alpaca Mattress Topper. He says it’s one of the softest things he’s ever slept on, and that it’s like sleeping in a cocoon of fluff. Although only 2 inches thick, it still has that cozy sinking sensation of deeper mattress toppers. There are two options: medium-firm or soft, with the first using organic wool and the second using what Avocado calls “baby alpaca” fiber. Fortunately, this is a reference to how soft it is, not the age of the alpaca itself. It’s definitely a luxury purchase, but a good choice of you want something super soft. Currently only the twin and twin XL sizes are in stock.
Avocado Eco Organic Mattress Topper for $296: This is another good organic mattress topper, made of latex foam. It has a nice bouncy feel thanks to the latex, rather than a sinking feeling you’d get from memory foam. It’s softer than our main organic pick, which might be more your preference, but I really prefer it over memory foam when I’m not sleeping on the Birch topper.
Brooklyn Bedding 3-inch Latex Mattress Topper for $475: This latex mattress topper was fine, with a nice spring and a good softness without being too soft. But the Avocado Eco was more comfortable and almost half the price.
Helix Dual Comfort Mattress Topper for $374: If you and your partner have different sleeping surface needs—specifically, one of you likes a firm surface while the other wants a softer one—Helix made a top mattress with you in mind. The Helix Dual Comfort Topper has a softer side and a firmer side, so that each person can get their ideal mattress feel without having to splurge on a split king size bed. The softer side uses memory foam infused with copper gel, which promises the “Luxury Plush” feel that has a soft sinking sensation, while the firmer side uses high-density foam that kept my back sleeper husband’s spine nice and straight the way he likes it. Plus, it has a cooling lid that wraps it into one cohesive topper.
Helix Premium Memory Foam Mattress Topper with GlacioTex for $374: This memory foam topper doesn’t have as much of a sinking sensation as the Company Store or Tempur-Pedic toppers, for better or worse—my hips felt a little lower than the rest of my body, and I noticed more motion transfer than with the aforementioned foam. But this Helix topper is a great option if you don’t want that super sinking feeling. There is no heat retention whatsoever due to the hypoallergenic GlacioTex cover, and it has handy straps that attach to each corner of the mattress. Helix also has a trial period and limited lifetime warranty, so you can try this one and change your mind, unlike Tempur-Pedic, which has no return policy. —Kate Merck
Nest Soft Latex Topper for $599: Nest’s latex-based topper looks and feels like an incredibly soft pillow top has been added to your mattress. It’s one of the softest toppers I’ve ever tried, and it had a memory foam-adjacent feel to sinking into the topper, but with a little more spring and pillowy feel to it. However, it’s one of the most expensive we’ve tested, and isn’t much better, nor does it offer the most support.
Nolah Mattress Topper for $299: If you’re looking for that new bed feel, Nolah’s topper adds a fresh layer of a semi-dense proprietary foam inside an organic cotton cover to the top of any mattress. It’s only 2 inches thick, and the firm version softened WIRED reviewer Martin Cizmar’s bed, providing some pressure relief and a soft new bed feel.
PlushBed Natural Latex Mattress Topper for $301: If you like something firm but want a thicker option than 2 inches, Scott recommends PlushBed’s topper instead. It has five firmness levels, and he’s a big fan of the extra firm option. This is also a nice range if you want to choose a very specific level of firmness, as most other toppers only offer one or two options.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur Custom Mattress Topper for $249: According to WIRED reviewer Kat Merck, our resident memory foam fan and reviewer, this is a top-of-the-line memory foam topper for softening an overly firm mattress, and it works very well to prevent motion transfer. It doesn’t have his favorite iteration of Tempur-Pedic’s memory foam, but it still works well. It also has a washable cover that zips off, and corner straps keep the topper securely in place, plus a 10-year warranty (but no trials or returns).
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Cloud Topper for $179: I like a soft bed. In fact, if you asked me before, I tried the Tempur-Cloud topper or could be a bed also soft, i would have said no. But I changed my mind. There actually exists a top mattress that may be too soft. I’m a stomach sleeper, and this memory foam is so soft and so deep that during my week of testing I found that I practically had to throw my body if I needed to move at any point during the night. It also has a tendency to sleep hot, and because a user sinks so deeply, there is a potential for neck pain if they usually sleep with an overstuffed pillow. But other than that, the Tempur-Cloud topper is basically the last word for soft bed fans who want to completely eliminate both motion transfer and any trace of a hard mattress. — Cat Merck
Turmerry Latex Mattress Topper for $219: If you want something organic on a budget, this 2-inch latex topper is a great price and our favorite organic topper on a budget. You will have to buy the cover separately, but you don’t need it if you want to save the money. Turmeric uses a five-zone design to make the topper firmer in some areas, like your head, and softer around others, like your shoulders.
Toppers we would skip
Leesa Mattress Topper for $224: This mattress topper did not have good construction. We found it didn’t fit neatly on the bed, it had odd spots on the edges, and it was too soft.
Brooklyn Bedding 4 lb Memory Foam Topper for $271: Neither my husband nor I could get a good night’s sleep when this mattress was on our bed. It also doesn’t offer the same benefits as other memory foam toppers we’ve tested.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mattress topper?
A mattress topper is a sheet of supportive materials—options include memory foam, latex foam, cotton, or even coils—that you add on top of your mattress to change the feel without replacing the entire mattress. It is a good option to soften a mattress that is too firm or to add targeted support to a good mattress. Some toppers can also make a mattress firmer, like our favorite organic topper.
How do you know if you need a mattress topper?
This is a great thing to add if you need a surface change without replacing your entire mattress. A mattress topper won’t fix an old or unsupportive mattress (check out our guide to the best mattresses to fix it!), but it can take a good mattress and turn it into a perfect one with the right makeup.
I struggle with back pain and am a side sleeper, so I gravitate towards toppers that are gentle on my shoulders, but not so soft that my back isn’t supported. My editor Kat Merck has an overly firm mattress to which she likes to add a memory foam topper to achieve her ideal level of softness. What you want in a topper will depend on your sleeping preferences and what changes you want in the mattress you already have. But many people can benefit from a good topper.
What are the types of mattress toppers?
Wool: Wool mattresses are usually filled with wool batting or stuffing—think the stuff you fill a quilt or upholstered chair with—and wrapped in cotton. It is soft, but not as extremely soft as memory foam nor as resilient as latex. Wool is a good temperature regulator, so it’s a good choice for hot sleepers.
Pillow top: Pillow top mattress toppers are designed to have the fluffy feel of a pillow on top of your mattress. The inside of a pillowcase can vary: Some add a pillowcase design over layers of foam, while others are simply a pillow-like layer of down feathers between you and your mattress. Our favorite pillowcase uses latex, but still has a fluffy, slightly sinking feeling to lay on a pillow.
Latex: Latex is a manufactured substance, made from rubber trees. That rubber base gives it a nice bounce and spring compared to memory foam. Even if not labeled as foam, a latex topper usually has a foamy sheet similar to memory foam as a base. It is also sometimes referred to as man-made organic, as its base is a natural substance, but it does need to be processed to become the latex you will sleep on or use in other products. You will sink less with latex compared to memory foam, and less heat retention.
Memory Foam: Memory foam is actually polyurethane (a plastic polymer) foam, which is created by adding other compounds—the exact combination of compounds varies by company—to the polyurethane to create the memory foam itself. It is also known as “viscoelastic” polyurethane foam, or low resistance polyurethane foam (LRPu). It is designed to conform to your body, but then return to its original shape; the “memory” name comes from remembering its original form. Memory foam tends to be one of the softest toppers, and it has a lot of zinc (which you may love, you may hate) and tends to retain more heat. Some companies add extra ingredients, such as cooling gel or graphite, to help cool the memory foam.
Quiet foam: Serene foam is a newer brand material created by Carpenter Co., the parent company of Casper Sleep. It is made of billions of polyurethane bubbles like memory foam, but also consists of microscopic air capsules. It’s designed to address some of the drawbacks of traditional memory foam, including heat retention and variable firmness levels, while maintaining the same soft, pressure-relieving feel. A quick warning if you like a heating pad: Polyurethane Serene foam is not recommended for use with heated appliances such as electric blankets or heating pads.
Hybrid: Hybrid mattress toppers use multiple fillings that can be found on their own. These combinations may vary; our favorite hybrid topper from Helix uses coils and foam, while ViscoSoft’s hybrid topper uses a blend of memory foam and soft fibers for a pillow top feel. If you feel that a single type of topper doesn’t suit your needs—whether it’s too soft or not soft enough—a hybrid option may be best for you.
How thick should a mattress topper be?
Mattress toppers are usually available in 2- or 3-inch heights, and some even come in a whopping four inches. The inch isn’t necessarily an indicator of how good a topper will be for your sleeping needs, but if you know you want a super soft experience, you might want a thicker topper to get a softer feel.
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