And of course we considered Amazon return policies, trial periods, and warranties to determine if buying mattresses online would be just as convenient as purchasing in-store.
For more information on how we test mattresses, check out our sleep testing methodology.
What to Look for When Shopping on Amazon for a Mattress
Sure, it might be easy to go with the highest-rated or most popular mattress on Amazon, but you’ll want to consider a few additional factors to determine which mattress is right for you (and, spoiler, it may not be the crowd-favorite). Sleep is a highly personal thing, and what might feel like the dream mattress to one buyer could end in a night (or many nights) of tossing and turning for you.
Luckily, there are a few items that you can check off to help you find the right mattress on Amazon. Here’s how to find that perfect fit and, of course, your best night’s sleep.
Materials
Mattresses will come with a wide range of materials. Depending on the mattress, you may find memory foam, cooling gel, cotton, latex, silk, and even bamboo, or a combination of materials.
Materials each serve a different purpose. Some, like cooling gel and bamboo, offer breathability and temperature regulation to keep you from sweating at night. Others, like memory foam, help contour to the shape of your body to provide support and targeted pressure relief. People with allergies or who are sensitive to certain materials also gravitate towards latex, which is naturally hypoallergenic.
No one material is better than the other, but many buyers tend to seek out mattresses with cooling or contouring materials. Consider your goals for a new mattress (for example, do you sleep hot?) to determine which materials will help bring on some quality shut-eye.
Firmness
Most mattresses come with one of three levels of firmness, such as soft, medium, or firm, or a combination like medium-soft or medium-firm. Depending on the brand, these firmness levels may have different names (such as “plush” for soft), but all generally serve the same purpose.
The firmness in a mattress is essentially the support it provides, so think of soft mattresses as the least supportive and firm mattresses as the most supportive. Back sleepers tend to gravitate towards the firmer side for more lumbar support, while side sleepers may like something softer.
Sleep Position
Like firmness, sleep position is a personal preference that will ultimately determine what type of mattress feels most comfortable to you. If you’re a side sleeper, you’ll want to seek out a mattress with good hip support, while back sleepers may like the targeted lumbar support that memory foam (or a hybrid mattress, which blends innerspring with memory foam) provides.
If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, consider steering away from a mattress that’s too plush, which may cause your stomach and hips to sink into the bed, causing discomfort or soreness.
Cooling
Cooling is a key feature that many mattress shoppers seek out. We’ve all been there at some point—tossing and turning all night because it’s just too hot to sleep. Cooling features help prevent body heat from getting trapped in the mattress while also increasing ventilation. Some of the materials we mentioned above, like cooling gel, cotton, and bamboo, are naturally breathable. Some mattresses are also infused with copper, which helps disperse heat.
Trial Period and Warranty
A mattress is often a lofty investment, so it’s important to seek out a mattress with a generous trial period and warranty. After all, it can take several weeks to several months to fully break in a mattress, so there’s a good chance your mattress won’t feel the way it’s designed to right out of the box. Trial periods vary from brand to brand, but can range from 90 days to a full year.
