We Tested the Best New Mattresses You Can Buy Online

2. Aurora Hybrid by Brooklyn Bedding

Best for: people with back pain and hot sleepers

It’s not just the stifling feel of a super-soft memory foam I dislike. I had spine surgery as a teen and still have some bulging discs, so a squishy mattress exacerbates my low-back pain because it acts like quicksand rather than a base of support. I tend to go for a medium feel, because it’s supportive in a range of sleeping positions and contours your body without letting your hips, shoulders, and low back sink too far. But this time I opted for Brooklyn Bedding’s Aurora Hybrid in firm, because it’s marketed as best for back sleepers (which I am) and provides greater lumbar support. 

Setup was a breeze. There are handles along the sides, which make hauling and moving a king-size mattress a much easier ordeal. Hot sleepers, rejoice: To keep your body temperature at the optimal 88 degrees, there are cooling gel beads in the top layer that liquefy if you get too hot, and it really does the trick. Underneath, there’s a hyper-elastic foam—a more affordable alternative to latex—that’s naturally antimicrobial and lends responsive cushioning, as well as memory foam for deeper compression. Below that, there are over 1,000 individual coils to better isolate movement transfer and provide total-body support. The edges don’t cave either, so you can utilize every square inch of the mattress.  

Overall, the firm option was a bit too hard for me. But my brother, who’s 6’4″ and 200 lbs, absolutely loves it. He’s a doctor who spends long days on his feet and also suffers from bouts of back pain, and this mattress has been a godsend for him. — Brittany Smith, Senior Editor

[From $999; brooklynbedding.com]

3. Hybrid Premier by Purple

Best for: hot sleepers and those who want supple support

A lot of people with foam mattresses complain about the heat they hold. For me, I never get over the sinking feeling—sort of like being in your own coffin. As someone who spends most nights on my side or stomach—and is prone to tossing—moving about at night was a chore on memory foam. I need more support, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a rock-hard mattress. Wondering if I should return to the spring-coiled bed of my youth, I tried the Purple Hybrid Premier. This is a unique build in the bed-in-a-box offering: it uses a spacey-looking purple grid below the surface to cradle and support your body, a thick layer of polyurethane foam under that, then a base consisting of dozens of 7.5-inch-tall pocketed springs. I didn’t think you could shrink-wrap a coiled bed and deliver it, but here we are. 

Now I’ve seen samples of this brand’s purple grid in stores, and truthfully it always looked pretty gimmicky. But after a few weeks, I found it to strike a great balance between the support of the springs and the give of the grid. That top grid also has tons of negative space, which means heat dissipates through the night and you sleep sweat-free. There’s a pleasant bounce to the bed that’s reminiscent of the one you jumped on as a kid. Of the three options in the Purple line, this one has the thickest grid layer—at 3 inches—with the option to upgrade to 4 inches for an even deeper cradling feel. If you’re looking to upgrade from a traditional coiled-spring bed, this one is worth checking out. — Sal Vaglica, Senior Editor

[From $1,599; purple.com]

4. TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt Mattress (Firm) by Tempur-Pedic

Best for: those seeking firm memory foam 

As a former spring-coil sleeper, I was eager to try the latest from the company who put memory-foam mattresses on the map: Tempur-Pedic. The TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt Mattress (Firm) is made from a proprietary form of viscoelastic material that was first developed to cushion NASA astronauts in their seats. 

The mattress was jarringly hard when I first sat on it—but when I got into bed at night, my body slowly settled into it. Night one, the jury was out. Night two, the jury came in, curled up, and was cradled like a five-star-hotel baby. Quite simply, this bed sleeps like a dream.

The secret lies in that slow-sink effect that comes from multiple layers of material that are sensitive to your temperature and weight. The cells inside the foam adapt to the contours of your body, softening only where and as much as needed. While it did feel warmer within the contours, it didn’t sleep hot—likely due to its Smartclimate cooling cover (removable and washable). Because the edges don’t droop under weight, my partner and I could stretch onto every inch of it, making the mattress feel about 20 percent wider than our last one. By the end of the first week, the mattress had also broken in enough, through heat and pressure, that it provided a softer first landing, too. In this case, the jury rests. Soundly. — Amy Spencer, Contributor 

[From $3,499; tempurpedic.com]

5. Bear Mattress

Best for: those who want an affordable memory-foam mattress

Some of the features that automatically stood out to me were the 10-year warranty, free shipping and returns, 100 night risk-free trial, and the fact the Bear Mattress is made from environmentally friendly materials. But the proof was in the test run—that first night was a game changer.

I usually wake pretty stiff with chronic low-back pain, but I felt surprisingly mobile. Even though it’s made from memory foam, it’s on the firmer end of the spectrum, striking the perfect balance between comfort and support—regardless of your sleep position. As someone who runs hot and used to keep the air conditioning running through the winter, I’ve found I no longer need it. I would allow for a breaking-in period before you determine if this is the mattress for you—but, in my experience, I loved this mattress from day one.

Pro tip: Add the Bear Pillow. I’m a slide sleeper, and this is the first pillow I haven’t had to manipulate to support my head and neck. A special layered material ensures the pillow stays cool and crisp all night, plus the outer shell is removable and washable. — Jennifer Santana, Director of Photography 

[From $540; bearmattress.com]

6. Luxury Hybrid Mattress by DreamCloud

Best for: side sleepers

I enlisted one of my brothers to test DreamCloud’s Luxury Hybrid Mattress to see how the medium-firm mattress would work for a side sleeper. True to its name, this bed errs on the side of ultra-plush, with a pillowy, quilted top that hugs a gel-infused memory foam. The initial feel is cushy. Your body sinks in, then settles into the contour layer. For me, it’s too soft, but my brother found it exceptionally comfortable (though he doesn’t tend to wake with any stiffness or an aching back). 

A supportive layer encourages proper body alignment and ensures your hips, knees, and shoulders have a forgiving foundation to alleviate pain points. My brother found himself deviating from his side-sleeping ways and comfortably waking on his back, but would want a firmer mattress in order to sleep on his stomach. 

Underneath, there are pocketed innerspring coils that enhance airflow and limit motion transfer between partners, which my brother and his fiancé found to be true. Even if you and your partner sleep close together, it won’t feel like the mattress is pooling you both toward the middle. While the Luxury Hybrid does stay cool, he’s tempted to try sleeping on the bed without a fitted sheet to really test its cool factor (he’s essentially a human furnace). One nitpick: The edge support is poor—as it is for most foam mattresses, so you won’t be totally supported sitting on the sides or end of the bed without feeling like you’ll slide off. — Brittany Smith, Senior Editor

[From $699; dreamcloudsleep.com]

7. Alexander Signature Hybrid by Nest Bedding

Best for: couples

One of the first things that attracted me to the Alexander Signature Hybrid was the internal split option. I’ve always been a fan of a more firm mattress, while my girlfriend prefers something a bit softer, so the ability to customize either side was instantly appealing. Nest Bedding offers three different “feels”: luxury firm, medium, and plush. After much debate, we decided to go with the plush/medium split.

This was our first mattress in a box (all foam), so we were curious to see how the bed would take shape. Although heavy, it was easy to unroll, set up, and the mattress unfurled without a hitch. From the onset, we could feel a major difference between the soft, plushy side and the firmer portion of the bed. I also noticed the height off the ground had increased from our previous mattress. The initial sensation was soft, like a memory foam, though my side didn’t have as much give. Even after several minutes, it still felt very cool. Nest Bedding markets this mattress as having an “always cool” feel, so it was refreshing to see that it kept to its word.

Next I wanted to check on the motion isolation, so I rolled around a good bit and asked my girlfriend to grade how much she felt on her side. Thankfully, it was minimal—a huge plus for her. Finally it was time to give the Nest its maiden voyage: After sleeping in it the last month, I find it’s a great mattress with a fantastic comfort-support tradeoff. And with the split option, it’s truly a mattress for everyone. — David Schlow, Creative Director

[From $899; nestbedding.com]

8. The Pod by Eight Sleep

Best for: hot, tech-obsessed sleepers who want a smart mattress

You’ve got a smartphone, smartwatch, and maybe even enough tech to constitute a smarthome, so why not invest in a smartbed? The Pod Mattress by Eight Sleep is the mattress to pick if you want to pore over your sleep analytics. Unboxing comes in two stages: One box has the mattress and the other contains the “Hub,” an intelligent heating-and-cooling system. You zip the grid system to the mattress, then connect the hose to the water pump system (which you’ll need to refill—yes, it’s a bit high maintenance). Then you can set your desired temperature in the well-designed app on your phone (available for iOs and Android). For further insights and enhanced temperature features, you can download 8PLUS (the membership is $240/year).

The app allows you to set two zones so both you and your partner can sleep at specific temperatures. I’m generally a hot sleeper, and compared to other mattresses I’ve had, I could tell this dissipates heat very well. That said, I’ve really enjoyed ramping up the heat after a workout to ease sore muscles and minor aches, then cooling the temperature when I’m ready to sleep. 

I also value the sleep metrics. Data tracking through the app has shown how much I toss and turn. It recognizes when I’m in my lightest sleep cycle, too, and begins to wake me up by slowly changing the temperature. The mattress is medium-firm and has great support. I mainly sleep on my back and have noticed reduced pressure on my lumbar. At times, I find myself sleeping on the edge of the bed, and the support near the sides is uncanny. I don’t sink into the mattress, so getting up and starting my day has never been easier. — Ashley Brinkley, Integrated Marketing Associate Director 

[From $2,295; eightsleep.com]

9. TEMPUR-LuxeBreeze Firm by Tempur-Pedic

Best for: hot sleepers who want a firm mattress

As newlyweds, the first bed my wife and I bought was an original Tempur-Pedic. And it was a decent sleep for a few years. But memory foam’s biggest drawback—it gets too hot for a comfortable, consistent sleep—became pretty unbearable. With the new crop of bed-in-a-box brands out there, we were curious to see if the original, which still ships in a full-size box, carried in by a delivery service, has evolved.

The LuxeBreeze still has a memory foam core, but its layered design has unique cooling properties so your body’s heat isn’t magnified or trapped by the foam. It claims to feel up to 8 degrees cooler than other foam beds, and that feels true. The zip-on cover has tiny dots intended to manage the micro-climate between the mattress and your sheets, because it allows air to flow between those hundreds of tiny gaps, though we found the effect is less pronounced.

The real magic lies in the layers below. There’s a phase-change material under the cover designed to stay cool for that initial 20 minutes after you get in. Once it absorbs your body’s heat, this layer changes, softening ever so slightly, maintaining coolness. Beneath that is a foam layer designed to release heat and humidity otherwise trapped under your comforter and body all through the night.

Available in two firmness levels (soft and firm), we found it far more responsive than our older bed, adapting to your body if you switch positions at night. That said, movement transfer is isolated—so if your partner gets up or shifts positions, you won’t feel it. Little details, from the chunky, easy-to-pull grips on the zippers to the nearly absent off-gassing, help give this expensive bed a premium feel you might not get from other brands. — Sal Vaglica, Senior Editor

[From: $3,999; tempurpedic.com]

10. Layla Memory Foam Mattress

Best for: indecisive sleepers

I’ve been wary of the bed-in-a-box trend and thusly have held on to my last mattress for too long. I’ve suffered the consequence of my skepticism, waking up with aches. Needless to say, I’ve been looking for a mattress to alleviate my pain but also keep me cool at night. If it didn’t put a dent in my finances, all the better. Enter the Layla Memory Foam Mattress, a dual-sided bed infused with copper. 

Its cooling cover comes in a handsome hexagonal pattern: the firm side is grey/black and the soft side is white. The first night, my husband and I decided to try the firm. I sleep on my side, and this was a bit too stiff for me, lacking the softness I personally need. The second night, we flipped the bed to its softer side, and it was a dream. I hadn’t felt that energized after a good night’s sleep in years.

This side has more copper-infused memory foam, so the bed hugs your body more. But don’t worry: You won’t suffer from pressure points, because this unique foam has “variable support,” meaning the foam has a firming response to deep compression areas like hips and shoulders. Copper is also naturally antimicrobial and conductive, so the gel helps carry heat away from your body faster. I added Layla’s soft, breathable Bamboo Sheets—because why ruin a temperature-regulating mattress with heat-trapping bedding?  — Jennifer Santana, Director of Photography

[From $599; laylasleep.com]

11. The Wave Mattress by Casper

Best for: hot sleepers who like to sleep on their back and prefer a soft to medium feel

When I think about what makes a great mattress, the first thing that comes to mind isn’t its comfort level or the latest memory foam. The only thing I’m truly concerned about is my wife. You see, she’s a notorious bed-sweater. Over the years, we’ve (yes, we—this has been a joint effort) tried everything to stop or at least minimize the sweat. For example, sleeping with a towel under the sheet and sometimes, on hot, summer nights, forgoing clothes altogether—but nothing has worked. Until I brought home the Casper Wave Hybrid. 

Casper’s Hybrid mattresses are designed to help you sleep cool through the night with breathable, open-cell foam, which has perforations to release heat, and airflow-friendly coils. The top cover is also infused with wool to wick excess heat and moisture. You’ll appreciate the bolstered edge support, too. It makes it easier to get in and out of bed. To be frank, it’s been a goddamn dream for us. Now, my wife sleeps soundly—and stays cool. And I sleep even better knowing I won’t accidentally roll over into a puddle of her sweat. — David Carr, Photo Editor

[From $1,345; casper.com]