Humans need rest, and while you may not have considered whether your sleeping habits are being impacted by an old or worn out mattress, this is your cue. Having a bed that is both the right size, and firmness for you can ensure you get a proper night's rest, so you're invigorated for the day when you wake back up.
A king size bed gives you plenty of room for yourself plus pets (or partners) and allows you plenty of options when it comes to firmness, and height of your mattress. Everyone has a different preference—some folks love a plush, ultra-thick foam mattress to sink into, while others stick to firmly supportive ones instead. That's why we've done the hard work of narrowing down the best options to help you find the mattress you didn't know you'd been dreaming of.
Zinus 12-inch green tea memory foam mattress
Staff pick
Side sleepers, rejoice—Zinus' foot-thick, pressure-relieving memory foam mattress cradles achy joints.
Pros:
- Three foam densities
- Foam infused with green tea
- Can support up to 500 pounds
- Eight sizes and four thicknesses
Cons:
- Must be decompressed before use
- Takes up to 72 hours to expand
Back pain is a prevalent complaint, and sleeping on the wrong mattress can worsen it. Zinus is a foam mattress brand that's rapidly gained popularity, and their 12-inch memory foam mattress made it to the top of our list. Thanks to a wide range of sizes and four different thicknesses, Zinus has a bed for every sleeper. If a 12-inch mattress is too deep for your sheets, you can choose a 6-inch, 8-inch, or 10-inch one instead. It's designed to feel plush yet supportive via three layers of various density foams. Better yet, the middle layer provides improved airflow for a relaxed and comfortable night's sleep.
Linenspa 10-inch hybrid mattress with 14-inch folding platform frame
Best of both worlds
Replace two pieces of furniture for the price of one with Linenspa's 10-inch hybrid mattress and platform stand combo.
Pros:
- Seven mattress sizes
- Three platform sizes
- Foam and spring construction
- Three thicknesses
Cons:
- Needs to be aired out before use
- Springs might be squeaky
Hybrid mattresses are the perfect compromise for finicky sleepers. Individually wrapped coils provide support for side and back sleepers, and a memory foam pillow top lets you choose between firm, medium, and plush softness. What makes Linenspa's offering stand out is that you can add a 14-inch-high steel platform frame and still come out on top in terms of cost. Rolled mattresses like this one shift out of their compressed state reasonably quickly but may take up to an additional 48 to 72 hours for full expansion.
LUCID 10-inch split king gel memory foam mattress with adjustable base
Customize your slumber
LUCID's 10-inch plush split king mattress with an adjustable base is the perfect investment for long-lasting comfort.
Pros:
- Adjustable base with remote
- Hypoallergenic
- USB charging stations in frame
- Ventilated foam keeps you cool
Cons:
- Frame is upholstered in gray only
- Ideal for side sleepers, primarily
Nothing's worse than sharing a bed with someone that prefers the exact opposite sleep positions to your own. Split king mattresses solve that problem, but LUCID improved even further by offering mechanized bases for their memory foam mattresses. A wireless remote, including a flashlight, activates two different inclines—0 to 60 degrees for your head and 0 to 45 degrees for your legs and feet. Each base also includes dual USB charging stations to keep your devices charged and ready for relaxation. LUCID also designed this mattress with three layers of varyingly dense foam, allowing better support and ventilation for a cooler night's sleep.
Tuft & Needle Mint king mattress with adaptive cooling foam
Nixes motion transfer
Tuft & Needle's Mint mattress collection ensures that you'll never wake sweaty and hot, thanks to three specially designed layers of foam.
Pros:
- Antimicrobial protection optional
- Adaptive open-cell foam
- Edge support around base
- Antimicrobial protection
Cons:
- Weighs 82 pounds
- 10-inch thickness only
- Does not come with a frame
Tuft & Needle's adaptive foam mattresses provide a luxe sleep experience for roughly the same price as most standard coil mattresses. Their Mint mattress collection offers a unique way to cradle your body and relieve pressure at your hips and shoulders. Hot sleepers should give this mattress a shot—it utilizes three different foam densities, and its top layer is graphite-infused to draw heat away from your body. Next, the center tier contains ceramic gel beads that stack for support when pressure is applied. A 4-inch base layer provides edge support, a feature seldom found in memory foam mattresses. Best of all, that combination of stacked foams serves to eliminate motion transfer. This is crucial for uninterrupted slumber, especially if your bedmate is an active sleeper and tends to jostle the entire mattress.
Casper Sleep Element mattress
Balanced, firm support
Ergonomic sleep alignment has become much easier to achieve with Casper's dual-layer Sleep Element king mattress.
Pros:
- Perforated foam top
- High-density base
- Made from recycled materials
- Knit mattress cover
Cons:
- Pricing is on the high side
- Not for fans of firm mattresses
Casper was one of the first mattress companies to venture into the "bed in a box" trend. Suddenly, high-quality mattresses became accessible to everyone, thanks to reasonable pricing and compression-rolled shipping that won't get stuck in a staircase. Their Sleep Element king mattress shines in its simplistic (but by no means basic) design, with a top layer of proprietary AirScape perforated foam to keep sleepers cool on humid summer nights. Each Sleep Element mattress is sustainably made by reusing up to 121 recycled plastic bottles. The base foam is high-density and supportive but definitely tends toward medium firmness. If you're still searching for a truly firm mattress, this one isn't it.
The right type of mattress for you
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I don't know about you, but I'm a side sleeper. That means I need a specific firmness of mattress to make sure I don't hurt myself. There are a lot of different firmness measures, but the mains ones are;
Medium Soft: This is great for side sleepers (under 230 pounds) and smaller back sleepers. It helps cushion those points that extend past your body, like your hips and shoulders.
Medium-Firm: Medium-firm mattresses are great for back sleepers and the bigger side sleepers like me. Having a firmer mattress when you sleep on your back keeps your spine from curving too much as you sleep.
Firm: Firm mattresses are great for stomach sleepers and back sleepers. You put a lot of pressure on your lower back when you sleep on your stomach, so a firm mattress helps reduce that pressure.
Bottom line
Landing on the best king mattress for your needs is honestly exciting. Our best overall king mattress by Zinus is the cream of the crop. Zinus offers several thicknesses for truly customized comfort. Thankfully, there are seven other dimensions to choose from if you've measured wrong, and a king mattress won't fit in your bedroom (been there, done that). It can also support up to 500 pounds, which some foam mattresses simply can't match.
My boyfriend and I are actually shopping for a new mattress, and my favorite of the bunch is Tuft & Needle's Mint king mattress. Due to back and joint pain, it can be challenging for me to get a good night's sleep. The Mint stood out because it's engineered for adaptive support—stacking ceramic gel beads are integrated into the central foam layer and respond to your body pressure. Its overall design focuses on providing a cooling sleep experience. As we both sleep hot, it might just appear in our shopping cart.
Why trust us?
At Real Homes we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.
I'm not saying I'm an expert in sleeping, but I do spend 7-10 hours a day laying on mattresses. That's the kind of dedication you need in a reviewer.