Memory foam mattresses offer that sink-in feeling that molds to and cushions your body as you sleep. Sounds dreamy, yes, but memory foam often stirs up a little bit of debate — you either love it or you hate it. Well, you best believe it when I say some of our mattress testers are true memory foam converts after sleeping on some of these foam beauties.
That's right, we've given our toughest critics the task of trying out some of the best memory foam mattresses on the market to find our favorites. Compared and contrasted for how well they contour to the body, relieve back aches and pains, and offer all-around comfort, these are the top mattress contenders for 2023.
They're from big-name brands (with affordable price tags) like Casper, Nectar, and Tempur, and all of them feature in our best mattress guide, so you know you'll be buying a winner.
Our top 8 memory foam mattresses
Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
- Best overall memory foam mattress: Casper Original mattress
- Runner-up best memory foam mattress: Emma Original mattress
- Best affordable memory foam mattress: Nectar memory foam mattress
- Best eco-friendly memory foam mattress: Amerisleep AS3 mattress
- Best firm memory foam mattress: Tempur Cloud mattress
- Best cooling memory foam mattress: Tuft and Needle mint mattress
- Best mattress for sides sleepers: Leesa original mattress
- Best memory foam mattress on Amazon: Zinus Green Tea mattress
More about our favorite memory foam mattresses
The Casper Original, an award-winning memory foam mattress, lands as our top choice when it comes to the best mattresses available. It scores big on comfort and coolness and is bound to be beloved by any side sleeper who suffers from joint pain or stomach sleepers seeking proper spinal alignment.
How we slept
Our Casper mattress reviewer found the Casper mattress to be softer than any other memory foam on the market. This makes it a top choice for side sleepers since users will notice that their hips and shoulders sink lower than the rest of their torso, ensuring an ergonomically aligned spine. But don't worry, plushness doesn't mean there's going to be motion transfer. Our reviewers felt equally supported as they did cozy on the soft sleep surface.
What's so dreamy?
The best part of all is its cooling layer. It's breathable, which is another perk that aids in having an undisturbed, blissful slumber. Thanks to handles, you'll have full maneuverability. Getting your best sleep yet couldn't be easier with Casper's memory foam mattress — that's after the chemical smell from the packaging fades.
Read our full Casper memory foam mattress review
The Emma mattress is the best value memory foam mattress you can buy, in our opinion. Rated highly by others too, it's one of the top picks for its price. Earning top marks when it comes to motion control and support, it's well-suited to all sleep positions, including those who tend to move a lot in their sleep.
How we slept
Whether you're a side, front, or back sleeper, this mattress will suit you. It’s easy to switch positions and comfortable whichever way you choose to sleep that night. We’d rate it towards the firmer end of medium, but it’s certainly not too solid nor too soft. You could argue it meets the "Goldilocks standard" of being just right. This is ideal for couples with different sleeping styles, but it's also evenly supportive across the entire surface, so there’s plenty of room to spread out if you're a single sleeper.
What's so dreamy?
The top layer is an elastic foam called Airgocell, which relieves pressure and cradles the body. The memory foam layer is next and, like all memory foam, keeps you comfortable in any position. The base is made from cold foam that supports the above layers and you. It then has a breathable, removable top cover that can be washed at 60°C, this will bust dirt better than the standard 40°C guidance you find with other models. Handles make it easier to manoeuvre.
Read the full Emma Original mattress review
If you are searching for a trustworthy memory foam mattress that won't lose its firmness (even after many years of use), then this Nectar mattress is your match! It's top-rated for providing support and a great choice for anyone who's after a mattress that will help alleviate back pain. It's suitable for all sleep position types, and 90% of sleepers in a survey said it reduced overall aches, stiffness, soreness, and/or discomfort. The best part is you get all this for a more than affordable price.
How we slept
Thanks to its five-layer construction that does a remarkable job of conforming to your body, the tester in our Nectar mattress review claimed her joints felt cushioned night after night. The seven-zone base foam provides additional contoured support plus depth, despite there only being one option to choose from. On the firmness front, Nectar is rated 5.5–7.5 on the website, which the company claims is "just right." Users will find this option is not too soft, not too firm, and after all, what could be better than that?
What's so dreamy?
On top of all the fab features this mattress already has to offer, it also comes with an adaptive cooling cover designed to draw heat away from your body and circulate fresh air every time you move.
Read our full Nectar mattress review
Have your heart set on the feel of memory foam but don't want to contribute to unsustainable shopping habits? This Amerisleep mattress has all the eco benefits you're looking for. It utilizes plant-based Bio-Pur® memory foam, which contains a fraction of the petrochemicals used in other memory foams, making it completely free of harmful substances. You can save the planet and your sleep quality.
How we slept
First impressions from our reviewer state the mattress is a good combination of soft and firm, leading to a comfortable night’s sleep. Whether you sleep on your stomach, side, or back, you'll feel supported (as confirmed by our few reviewers). They also never woke with any aches or pains, which often happened to one who typically sleeps on a softer mattress. However, our reviewer did find the mattress to be too warm as the open-cell design struggled to compete with materials that dissipate heat better.
What's so dreamy?
Where to begin? Available in several comfort levels, the medium AS3 is what we consider to be the "Goldilocks" of mattresses, suitable for all sleep types. Thanks to the eco-friendly and buoyant Bio-Pur foam design, this mattress gives targeted support with better pressure point relief. You'll notice added contoured support under your head, back, and legs and extra cushion at the shoulders and hips.
Read our full Amerisleep AS3 mattress review
The Tuft & Needle Original mattress is a fantastic value for back and stomach sleepers with a price that's usually only slightly more than $600. Side sleepers may prefer a slightly more expensive version (still under $1,000) that has an extra layer of foam for more give.
How we slept
This mattress was reviewed by a total memory foam skeptic. Being someone who loved her current innerspring bed, she was intrigued to see how this one would compare. Well, she thought this mattress was totally cool — in both senses. She used to sometimes get hot at night but put it down to the weather. Turns out, all she needed to do was invest in a cooling mattress. The extra layer of T&N Adaptive foam reaches a happy medium firmness that is comfortable for most side sleepers, too.
What's so dreamy?
The T&N Adaptive foam is also infused with a very effective combination of graphite and cooling gel, making this mattress one of the best choices for those who want the comfort of memory foam performance without memory foam's tendency to retain body heat. You also have the option to add on HeiQ HyProTecht for an extra $50, which uses microsilver and vesicle technologies to protect your mattress from odor-causing bacteria.
Read our full Tuft & Needle mint mattress review
This luxuriously thick memory foam mattress, with an equally premium price tag, will soon have side sleepers sleeping like babies. With a rating of 5–7 on the firmness scale, we've ranked it as one of the best mattresses for side sleepers and those who get hot throughout the night thanks to its top cooling layer.
How we slept
This mattress is supportive but still soft enough to sink into, making it a fantastic choice for side sleepers. At first glance, however, you may notice that the Leesa is initially quite firm, and as our reviewer found, it easily softens as it warms to your body. During our review process, we had a back sleeper try it and confirm it's not one they should opt for. But hot sleepers, fear not: This mattress has carefully considered foam layers that are specifically engineered to regulate temperature and prevent overheating, too.
What's so dreamy?
As a certified B-corp, we love Leesa’s ethical values, which include donating one mattress to a child in need for every 10 sold. Better than that? It's also made to order in the USA, making it a mattress that produces less waste.
Read the full Leesa Original Mattress review
If Amazon is your go-to for purchases big and small, Zinus is the de-facto number-one seller when it comes to the best cheap mattresses. The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress has over 80,000 five-star ratings, meaning you can get great support for less.
How we slept
We have to admit, our reviewer felt super supported — like being cradled in a cloud. Featuring a combination of conforming memory foam, soft airflow-enhancing comfort foam, and durable high-density base support foam, the Zinus offers a coveted sink-in feeling without skimping on spinal support. The memory foam design is ideal for those who suffer from aches and pains and are looking for pressure relief. However, our reviewer noted the edge support could be better.
What's so dreamy?
The gel foam is infused with green tea that neutralizes odor and keeps your mattress feeling fresh. It also features moisture-absorbing ActivCharcoal. Available in a range of thicknesses for customizable comfort, the 6-inch and 8-inch models are recommended for back sleepers, and the 10-inch and 12-inch versions are best forside sleepers. Unless you're a front sleeper, there's no reason not to buy.
Read the full Zinus Green Tea memory foam mattress review
If you've got the budget, this Tempur mattress is perfect for helping with those aches and pains you've been waking up with.
What the reviews say
We're yet to have our full verdict on the Tempur Cloud, but rest assured one of our dedicated mattress testers is well underway sleeping on the job. We'll update you with a star rating and review in a few months' time. For now, it's worth knowing that Tempur has been bringing memory foam into our homes and changing the way we sleep since 1991. And the reviews so far, from side sleepers in particular, love how the foam molds to their body.
What's so dreamy?
On top, there are nearly two inches of TEMPUR® Extra Soft material, in the middle a two-inch layer of TEMPUR® Support material, and on the bottom there is a thick four-inch base layer fit with DuraBase technology — all encased in a fully removable cover that's washable up to 140°F.
Real Homes review process
Yes, you guessed it, our expert mattress tester Linda Clayton and her team get to sleep for a living — well, not quite. They have slept on these mattresses for at least six weeks, which gives them enough time to compare and judge what each mattress is like to sleep on. During the process, they've also put various tests in place to assess how good the product is for edge support, motion transfer, and spinal alignment. We understand firmness is subjective, as is sleep position, so we ensure to review mattresses against their claims, rather than personal experience, in this case.
All our mattress reviews are based on the real-life experience of members of our team using these products at home. In each individual review, they've been transparent about their sleep habits, position, and circumstance, so you can relate (or not). To get a good idea of how every kind of sleeper may experience the mattress, we encourage our testers to invite friends, family, and others to try it out and give their first impressions.
Meet our mattress testers:
Linda and her husband have been snoozing away, testing our top three memory foam mattresses (among other pocket-sprung and hybrid options).
"I've been sleeping on a vast range of mattresses and putting them through their paces to bring you a true picture of how comfortable each one is and how much support it provides. I've also roped in my husband Nick to create a balanced view of what each mattress is like for women (so often the purchasers) and men. I've also persuaded friends and family to try them out and have conducted some semi-scientific testing so that you can buy your mattress online with confidence."
Alex Temblador is one of Real Homes' expert reviewers. The Dallas-based freelance writer has covered home, design, architecture, and art in publications like Real Homes, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Artsy, Neighborhoods.com, and Culture Trip, among many others. In addition to her mattress reviewing duties, Alex has tested out everything and anything from hot tubs to small appliances. She's a real thorough tester, so rest assured she's been sleeping away to find you your dream mattress.
She's a first-time homeowner, so you can trust she knows what it means to buy once and buy well.
What to look for when it comes to memory-foam
Unless your mattress is older than the recommended replacement age, then it can be tricky to pinpoint what is it you're looking for in a new one, especially if you're yet to try memory foam. To help, we've spoken to Dr. Katherine Hall, a sleep psychologist at Somnus Therapy. "Crucial factors such as comfort, support, and durability, as well as your personal preferences and sleeping habits, are all essential considerations when picking out a mattress," she says. We've broken them down below:
1. Firmness and sleep position
Choosing a mattress according to how you rest is the easiest way to guarantee yourself great a night's sleep. The pillow you sleep on will also impact your sleep position. It might be worth looking into how to choose a pillow as well. For now, see which firmness rating you should choose based on your sleeping position:
Side sleepers can experience achy joints, especially around the hips and shoulders. Opting for a softer mattress you can sink into is the way to go, with medium-soft being the most recommended comfort grade.
Stomach sleepers might experience sore pressure points in the ribcage, knees, and elbows, as well as "general spinal discomfort." In order to alleviate this, you will need to find a firm mattress that wholly supports you but also provides targeted support in those sensitive areas.
Back sleepers are recommended a middle-ground mattress for maximum comfort: not too soft, not too firm. In the words of Goldilocks, make sure your mattress is just right.
2. Temperature regulation
Sweaty sleeper? Although it's a top choice for cushy comfort, memory foam also has a reputation for sleeping "hot" — or more accurately, making you feel hot as you sleep. But this material has come a long way in recent years, and many modern memory foam mattresses use special technology to help keep you cool. These include cooling gels, special heat-regulating fibers woven or infused throughout the mattress, and mechanical solutions, like punching holes in the foam for better breathability as you snooze. If you tend to get hot easily at night, consider one that features additional ventilation or a removable, breathable cover to maximize air circulation and heat distribution.
Or if this doesn't cut it, consider one of the best cooling mattress pads for guaranteed sweat-free sleep.
3. Budget
Finally, Hall notes that budget matters, too. "Different mattresses come with a wide range of prices, so consider what you're comfortable spending before making any decisions," she says. "Whether you're looking for a more affordable option or willing to splurge on a luxury mattress, there is sure to be something out there that meets your needs."
Is memory foam better than spring?
While spring mattresses were the original kind, and are still relatively popular for their low-cost and get-what-you-pay-for quality, memory foam is becoming the country's favorite. These mattresses tend to be more comfortable and longer-lasting as there aren't any coils to wear or compress over time.