The words “pillow top” conjure an image of plush, cushioning comfort, so it’s no surprise that this is such a popular mattress type. Those who have spent the night in a luxury hotel have probably experienced a pillow-top mattress firsthand. These beds are prized for their pressure relief and high-end feel, but you don’t have to book a night in a fancy hotel to try one out for yourself.
How do you distinguish a high-quality pillow-top bed from the rest of the competition? In our case, you rely on years of mattress expertise. Our team has tested over 500 beds and helped more than 35,000 people find their new mattress since we started reviewing beds, with nearly 6,000 people in 2024 alone.
Alongside our diverse group of testers, we also consulted with our Chief Medical Product Tester, Dr. Hannah Habeeb, DPT, who gave us her professional evaluation of a handful of these beds. The result is our list of the best pillow-top mattresses, organized based on who will love them the most.
Our Verdict: What’s the Best Pillow Top Mattress?
Our expert reviewers chose the Saatva Classic as the best pillow top mattress because of its durable materials, cooling ability, and high-end pillow top design. As an added bonus, it also comes in three firmness options, alongside free white glove delivery and a lifetime warranty.
The Best Pillow-Top Mattresses
- Saatva Classic – Best Overall Pillow-Top Mattress
- Helix Midnight Luxe – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Side Sleepers
- WinkBeds – Best Luxury Pillow-Top Mattress
- DreamCloud – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Back Sleepers
- Nolah Evolution Hybrid – Best Bed-in-a-Box Pillow-Top Mattress
- Helix Dusk Luxe – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Back Pain
- Bear Elite Hybrid – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Muscle Recovery
- Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid – Best Hybrid Pillow-Top Mattress
- Birch – Best Organic Pillow-Top Mattress
What Matters Most in a Pillow-Top Mattress
We put mattresses through the ringer in terms of testing, considering both performance and construction in our methodology. Our testers have a unique mix of body types, preferences, and individual needs, which allows us to conduct a holistic evaluation of each bed. When it comes to choosing the best pillow-top beds, we especially looked out for high performance in a few key categories:
- Edge support – The fluffy nature of pillow-top mattresses means that the beds can sometimes lose their shape around the edges. We favored beds with strong edge support that didn’t buckle or dip under our weight during testing. This should prevent sagging and help maintain the bed’s structure over time, allowing you to use your sleep surface fully and making it easier to get in and out of bed.
- Pressure relief – People considering a pillow-top mattress often want extra pressure relief. This refers to how comfortably you can sink into a mattress without pressure building up in sensitive areas, such as the hips, shoulders, lower back, and neck, depending on your preferred sleeping position. We use a pressure map to test pressure relief in the side- and back-sleeping positions, as these are the positions where folks need it the most. We also consider how each body type affects your overall pressure on the bed’s surface.
- Overall support – The beds we choose use high-quality materials (like dense memory foams and pocketed coils) that offer robust support. We had our testers of different body types and overall preferences try out each of these beds in every position, judging how supportive they were in each. The amount of support you’ll get from a pillow-top bed can change based on your individual needs, so be sure to check that your preferences align.
Compare the Best Pillow-Top Mattresses
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| Saatva Classic | Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress | WinkBed Mattress | DreamCloud Original Mattress | Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress | Helix Dusk Luxe Mattress | Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress | Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid | Birch Natural Mattress | |
| Rating | |||||||||
| Firmness | Multiple firmness options | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Multiple firmness options | Firm: 7.5/10 | Multiple firmness options | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Multiple firmness options | Multiple firmness options | Medium-firm: 7/10 |
| Material | Innerspring | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Cooling | — | — | — | ||||||
| Best For |
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers |
Back Sleepers,
Hot Sleepers, Seniors |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Hip Pain |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Stomach Sleepers |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Hip Pain |
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Hot Sleepers |
Our Best Pillow-Top Mattresses Video Review
The Best Pillow-Top Mattresses: Our Testing Experience
Saatva Classic – Best Overall Pillow-Top Mattress
The Saatva is a luxurious hybrid innerspring mattress that should be a great long-term investment. It is available in multiple firmness options, so it should work for the majority of sleeping positions, and its Luxury Firm model is one of the best mattresses for back sleepers. However, lightweight side sleepers and fans of memory foam should look elsewhere. Learn more in our video review.
Our pick for the best pillow-top mattress that money can buy is the Saatva Classic, an innerspring mattress with two layers of coils for durable support, topped by a soft Euro top for added cushioning. It’s one of our favorites to recommend, as it scored well across the board, earning an overall score of 4.6/5. More than that, it happens to be the mattress that I sleep on every night, so you can trust me when I say it’s one of the best pillow-top beds that I’ve encountered.
For me, Saatva’s biggest highlights are its edge support and response, two categories which coincidentally earned a perfect 5-out-of-5 score. I’m always able to sleep with one leg off the side of the bed, or lean over to plug my phone in before bed—all without risk of sliding off. And when it comes to bounce, switching positions as a combination sleeper is as easy as adoring your pet. I think the Saatva Classic has its own low gravitational field, as you can launch yourself across the surface with ease.
The Saatva also performed well in our cooling test. After lying down on the surface for about seven minutes, my heat gun recorded a 7-degree increase. This may seem high, but it’s actually a fairly typical score, and pretty impressive for a bed with such a cushy pillow top. The double-innerspring construction allows for plenty of airflow, and I’ve never had any issues with overheating on my Saatva. So, I gave it a 4/5 for overall temperature regulation.
As for which sleeper types will be most comfortable on the Saatva, most should be able to find something they like. I have the Luxury Firm, which is the middle-ground model that we’ve also tested in our studio. Our editor Melanie Kassel also has this bed, and said, “It’s just the right mix of upper softness with a sturdy core.” I’m able to sleep in every position comfortably thanks to the bed’s on-top feeling, which doesn’t cling to you or make you feel “stuck” in the bed’s pillow top.
It also performed well in our pressure relief tests, earning a score of 4.5/5. It’s no surprise, then, that our medical product tester Dr. Hannah Habeeb enjoyed the bed on her side. She said, “It’s very plush and adds a lot of contouring at my hips and shoulders. I feel no pressure at my joints, and it’s a good match for these sleepers.”
Where the Saatva Classic falters is in its motion isolation. Every time I have a friend sleep over, I can feel every little movement they make. As a light sleeper, this isn’t ideal, and if I slept with a partner every night, I might not choose this bed. I rated it a 2.7/5 in this category, for reference, and I might even consider that a bit generous.
Looking for better motion isolation? Check out the Nolah Evolution mattress. Or you can read more in our full Saatva mattress review.
Helix Midnight Luxe – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Side Sleepers
The Helix Midnight Luxe is a premium medium-firm mattress that offers a hotel-like feel for a relatively affordable price. Its zoned support and supportive coil layers make it a great option for back sleepers. It likely isn’t firm enough for most stomach sleepers, though. If you’re looking for a more supportive bed, check out the Titan Plus. Learn more in our video review.
Side sleepers and pillow-top mattresses can be a happy match as these folks need pressure relief and support, and these beds provide both. The Helix Midnight Luxe is one such pillow-top bed, a luxury mattress designed with side sleepers in mind. It earned a 4.1/5 in our pressure relief tests, contributing to the bed’s overall impressive score of 4.4/5.
I tested out this mattress and really enjoyed sleeping on my side. Dr. Habeeb also felt the same way, recommending the mattress for sleepers who have shoulder pain. She added, “The bed keeps you in a neutral position when you’re on your side. It keeps you supported and neutral, and as someone who has hip pain, I appreciate this.”
I also found the bed to be a touch softer than advertised as medium-firm, especially due to the cushiony pillow top. I put the overall firmness at a 6/10 on our scale, which is just a touch softer than the industry standard medium-firm (6.5/10). However, one of my colleagues sleeps on the Midnight Luxe and says it feels like the perfect medium firm to her. These kinds of varying opinions on a mattress’s firmness can often be tied to different body types or preferred sleeping positions. This is why we use testers of various weights and have them lie in different sleeping arrangements.
Despite pillow tops tending to sag around the edges, I was relatively impressed that the Helix Midnight’s perimeter stayed secure during our tests. As I sat and lay down on the lengthwise edges of the bed, I could feel the pillow top compressing, but not enough to feel like I was at risk for slipping off. So, I gave the bed an edge support score of 4.5/5. However, only the longer sides of the bed are reinforced. If you try to sit at the head or foot of the mattress, the entire bed collapses under you—something that some older folks or those with mobility issues should keep in mind.
The Midnight Luxe is a hybrid mattress, which means the coil unit should offer plenty of support while also allowing for bounce. In our responsiveness test, I noticed some sinkage from the pillow top itself. It has a doughy feel, and while it doesn’t “hold onto” you like most foam mattresses, I found it was more difficult to roll from my back to my stomach (and vice versa). I think most combination sleepers would be satisfied with the level of response, so I gave the bed an overall score of 4/5.
Where the Helix Midnight Luxe lagged in testing was motion isolation. When my testing partner was getting in and out of bed, I couldn’t really feel it, but when she moved around next to me on the mattress, I could sense it. As a very, very light sleeper, this would be enough to jolt me awake. Some deeper sleepers might be satisfied, though, so I gave this bed a motion isolation score of 3.8/5. It’s also considered a luxury mattress, so the higher price point may be difficult for some budget shoppers to justify.
If you’re looking for better motion isolation from a Helix bed, check out the Helix Dusk Luxe. Otherwise, read more in our Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review.
WinkBeds – Best Luxury Pillow-Top Mattress
The WinkBed is a versatile mattress that provides zoned support and cooling comfort for a fair price. This bed’s excellent responsiveness makes it a good fit for combination sleeper that want a bed that’s easy to move around on. For couples looking for motion isolation, though, this probably isn’t the best choice. Instead, check out the Nectar Premier Copper. Learn more in our video review.
The phrase “pillow-top” is synonymous with luxury for some, and the WinkBed mattress marries both seamlessly. This luxury mattress combines the plush comfort of its Euro pillow top with the solid support of the coils below, creating a balanced feel that should appeal to most sleepers seeking a luxurious rest. It scored high in edge support and cooling, earning a 4/5 and 4.4/5, respectively, achieving an overall score of 4.1/5.
The WinkBed has an “on-top” feeling thanks to the overwhelming support of its coils, meaning you shouldn’t sink into the surface or feel “hugged” by it. My fellow tester Melanie Kassel thought the WinkBed excelled on her back, felt great on her stomach, and was just okay on her side, blaming a lack of sinkage. Conversely, Dr. Habeeb recommends this bed for folks who sleep on their side or back. “Since the spine remains neutral, there’s not too much sinkage anywhere along the body,” she explained. “This spinal neutrality should also make this a good mattress for those with back pain.”
As mentioned, the WinkBed has pretty solid edges despite its cushy surface. Melanie noticed she was slipping off the edges of this bed, but blamed her silky pajamas, especially since when she lay down on the perimeter, there were no issues with sinkage at all. She said, “If my eyes had been closed, I would not have been able to tell you I was near the edge.” This helped the bed earn an edge support score of 4.4/5.
The WinkBed has cooling gel infused into its pillow top layers, helping to counteract the at times heat-trapping nature of foam. After lying on the surface for several minutes, Melanie recorded a 6.7-degree increase in the surface temperature. This is pretty average, but she noticed the reading dropping quickly as she aimed the thermal gun at the surface the second time, which is impressive. “It continued to feel nice and cool during my testing, which impressed me because the base feels so dense and solid under the nice plush pillow top,” she added, giving the bed a temperature regulation score of 4/5.
Unfortunately, the WinkBed scored just average in a number of other tests. Melanie noted a significant disturbance in our water glass test for motion isolation, meaning the water was rippling excessively as she moved around on the other side, contributing to the bed’s lower score of 3.7/5.
Most odd was the bed’s response score, which you would think should be higher based on how well we can feel the springs in each sleeping position. Melanie, however, felt she had to use a lot of effort to switch between these positions on the surface. She said, “The bed doesn’t trap me or leave me sunken into the surface, but it’s a lot less responsive than I expected.” This is where the bed earned its lowest score, a 3/5.
If you’re looking for a bed with better response, check out the Bear Elite Hybrid. Otherwise, read more in our WinkBed mattress review.
DreamCloud – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Back Sleepers
The DreamCloud is a hybrid mattress that offers great support for back sleepers and nice cooling for hot sleepers. Its mix of foam and coils ensures you get the right amount of support, while its breathable materials ensure you don’t sleep too hot. It is a bouncier mattress, and if you prefer more of a memory foam feel, consider the Nectar mattress. Learn more in our video review.
The DreamCloud falls right in that sweet spot of not-too-firm but not-too-soft, making it a great option for most back sleepers. Back sleepers need a little give in the mattress to allow their hips to sink just below the surface, as this provides pressure relief while keeping the spine aligned. This bed earned an overall score of 4/5 and came in at 7.5/10 on our firmness scale, indicating a well-rounded, if slightly firm, bed for these sleepers.
Despite its pillow-top construction, the DreamCloud provides sleepers with a lifted feel that should promote proper spine alignment as back sleepers lie down on the bed. Marten Carlsen, who tested the mattress, said he enjoyed the bed most in this position. He explained, “Because this mattress has a firmer feel, it offers plenty of lumbar support.” He’s also considered a heavyweight sleeper, which means sleepers above 230 pounds should be comfortably supported.
In addition to being good for back sleepers, the DreamCloud’s springiness makes moving around a breeze. If you switch between your back and another position during the night, you should find that the DreamCloud makes it easier to do so. During testing, Marten claimed he noticed the bed’s bouncy feel “right away,” and gave it an overall response score of 4.5/5 after moving around on the surface.
The breathability of this pillow-top mattress also means you likely won’t need to worry about overheating as you switch from one position to another. Marten recorded an 8.5-degree increase at the surface after lying on the bed for about five minutes, which we typically consider on the higher side—but he claimed that he didn’t get hot at any point during testing. So, he gave the bed a 4/5 cooling score.
Unfortunately, the DreamCloud transfers motion quite a bit, meaning when you sleep with a partner and they toss and turn throughout the night, you’re likely to feel it on your side of the bed. If you’re a light sleeper like me, this could be a big problem. Marten said he could feel all of his partner’s movements during our motion transfer tests, and thus gave the bed a lower motion isolation score of 3/5.
The bed’s firmer feel may not work for everyone, though. Sleepers under 130 pounds are unlikely to sink comfortably into the mattress and may find that the bed’s pillow top puts strain on common pressure points, rather than cradling them. For the same reason, it may not be the best mattress for side sleepers of any weight.
You can read more in our full DreamCloud mattress review. If you want a softer DreamCloud mattress, check out the DreamCloud Premier Rest instead.
Nolah Evolution Hybrid – Best Bed-in-a-Box Pillow-Top Mattress
The Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress is available in three firmness levels. The Luxury Firm model works well for many back and side sleepers. This mattress has many cooling features, and it isolates motion well. It’s not a great option for most people who weigh over 300 lb, though. If you fall in this category, you may need more lumbar support. Watch our Nolah Evolution mattress review video to learn more.
A bed-in-a-box is a great way to deliver a luxury mattress to your doorstep without the hassle of hauling it up too-tall, too-thin staircases. Nolah ships its mattresses compressed in a box to avoid this, but without sacrificing any quality with the added convenience. The Nolah Evolution is a pillow-top hybrid mattress with soft comfort layers on top balanced and supportive coils below. It’s a well-rounded bed across the board, including a notable 4.5/5 in pressure relief, earning an overall score of 4.6/5 after testing.
The Nolah Evolution is offered in three firmness options – Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. We tested the Luxury Firm version in our Charlotte, NC sleep studio. After testing it out, Dr. Habeeb summed up the bed’s feel best saying, “This bed offers a lot of support yet is still very contouring.” She added that “people with back pain could find relief” on the Luxury Firm version. We rated it at a 6.5/10, making it a true medium-firm on our firmness scale.. Although our testers enjoyed this model in practically every position, you can opt for one of the other firmness levels if you’re looking for something a bit firmer or softer.
This hybrid earned its highest scores in both edge support (4.6/5) and motion isolation (5/5). For the former, my fellow tester Cait Giddings said she only noticed the pillow top dipping a smidge when she sat on the bed, but it was not cause for concern. During the motion isolation test, she could barely feel her partner’s movements on the other side of the bed, calling it an “echo” when they got in and out of it, rather than jostling her. You can tell that the cushiness on top of the mattress is really pulling its weight to absorb motion before it moves across the surface.
The top layers didn’t cancel out the bounce of the coils beneath, either. Cait noticed she could definitely feel the foamy drag of the pillow top, but it wasn’t enough to keep her from comfortably moving around on the surface. Since she was able to switch positions with relative ease, she gave the bed a rating of 4/5 for responsiveness.
As if it couldn’t get any better, the Evolution also performed well in our cooling category with another 4/5 score. The bed’s surface temperature only increased 6.9 degrees after Cait lay on it for 7 minutes. She claimed that the dense pillow top might be why the bed didn’t have a lower temperature increase, but noted, “I didn’t feel the mattress getting warmer beneath me—it stayed at an even-feeling temperature.”
Unfortunately, although this mattress is a bed-in-a-box, which should make it more convenient, we can’t say our own unboxing process was seamless. The box itself arrived a bit banged-up, which was the case for many Nolah products we ordered to the studio, so we can’t say for sure it was the shipping company’s fault. Since you’re paying a lot for this luxury mattress, it can be annoying when it isn’t packaged with the same care with which it was constructed. The bed expanded quickly, but it was a bit cumbersome to move due to its weight. It’s something to consider if you plan on setting up this bed alone. After going through the unboxing process, we recommend having a helping hand on standby.
Want a cheaper Nolah mattress? Take a look at the Nolah Signature. Otherwise, read more in our Nolah Evolution review.
Helix Dusk Luxe – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Back Pain
If you like the sound of the Helix Dusk, but want a more luxurious version, the Helix Dusk Luxe is the perfect upgrade. It’s a bit softer than the base model, and has a few more features to elevate your sleep. The coils are zoned for extra lumbar support, and the comfort foam is thicker for some added pressure relief.
Studies have shown that an ill-suited mattress, especially one that doesn’t properly support your spine and accommodate proper alignment, can cause or exacerbate existing back pain, so, it’s important to find a mattress that works with you, rather than against you. The Helix Dusk Luxe is one such mattress.
This bed is designed for back and stomach sleepers who seek support, comfort, and a medium feel mattress. It indeed checks all of these boxes, and it has zoning in its coil layers (plus the optional Ergo-Align layer) for stronger support in the center of the mattress where you need it most. This bed also scored 4s and above across the board, earning an impressive overall rating of 4.7/5.
Pressure relief in a mattress is important for back pain, as having too much strain on areas like the lower back can make discomfort worse. Our testers in each weight category reported feeling comfortably supported and plenty of cushion, but our average-weight tester Sosha Lewis gave the bed a 5/5 for pressure relief on her back. She said, “There’s excellent support, it fills in the gap on my lower back, and my shoulders feel fantastic.” Overall, the pressure relief score for this mattress was a 4/5, brought down by our heavyweight tester’s concern that the bed was “too cushioning” for his liking.
As for other areas the Helix Dusk Luxe excelled, it earned perfect scores in both cooling and response. My fellow tester, Kayla Godfrey, performed the cooling test for this mattress, and as she lay down on it for seven minutes, she noted it felt “cool-to-the-touch.” She recorded only a 3.6-degree increase in the surface temperature after getting off of it, a sign of phenomenal cooling. The standard pillow top is covered with breathable Tencel, but you can upgrade to the cooling Glaciotex cover if you’re worried about sleeping extra hot, though it shouldn’t be a problem on this mattress.
For response, Kayla said that despite the soft and cushy feel of the pillow top, it was still relatively easy to move around on. It didn’t impede the bed’s ability to isolate motion, either. Kayla explained, “I did notice each movement of my partner, and it was more noticeable than an all-foam mattress, for comparison.” But she still wouldn’t say it was enough to disturb most couples, so she gave the bed a 4/5 in this category.
Pillow-top beds are prone to sagging at the edges because of their poofy nature. Kayla did notice the bed sinking under her weight as she sat at the perimeter, but it was not enough to cause any real issue. She recommended it as a great option for older adults or anyone who relies on the edge of their bed for getting in and out. The bed earned an overall score of 4.8/5 for edge support, just shy of perfect.
The Helix Dusk Luxe is such a high-performing mattress that it’s hard to find fault with it. The most glaring issue is the price. For some, over $2,000 for a queen-size bed is not feasible, and I definitely hear you. If you can spring for it, we say it’s worth every dollar.
If you want a similar bed for less, check out the original Helix Dusk from the brand’s core line. Otherwise, read more about this bed in our Helix Dusk Luxe review.
Bear Elite Hybrid – Best Pillow-Top Mattress for Muscle Recovery
The Bear Elite Hybrid is Bear’s most high-end mattress. It offers luxury features, like zoned support and extra height, while still offering the temperature regulation Bear mattresses are known for. Based on our testing results, we’d recommend this mattress to average-weight side and back sleepers, as well as hot sleepers. If you’re looking for a cheaper option, check out the Bear Star Hybrid. Learn more in our video review.
If you’re an athlete or a generally active person, you probably look forward to curling up in bed after a long, exhausting day. Did you know that there’s a pillow-top mattress geared toward rejuvenation? Meet the Bear Elite Hybrid. The upgraded cover for this mattress combines cooling phase change material (PCM) with Celliant, a performance textile that may absorb excess body heat to help muscle recovery. In addition to the cover’s potential ability to rehab muscles, the Bear Elite Hybrid is a great luxury mattress that scored high in a plethora of our tests, earning an overall score of 4.4/5.
The bed’s highest score was in responsiveness (a perfect 5/5), which isn’t too out-of-the-ordinary for a mattress with strong coils. My fellow sleep science coach, Cait Giddings, who conducted most of the Elite Hybrid’s performance tests, said,“Toggling between each sleeping position is easy.” Though the bed has a doughy feel from the pillow top at the surface in my own experience, you don’t find yourself getting “stuck” in the contours like most pillow-top beds.
With these results, I’d expect to feel my partner’s movements from the other side of the bed, but the pillow top came to the rescue. Cait tried out this mattress with another tester moving around on the other side and had this to say: “I could feel my fellow tester getting in and out of the bed, but when she simply lay down next to me, I could barely feel it—I don’t think I’d be awakened or disturbed by that level of movement.” So she gave the bed a respectable 4/5 score in the motion isolation category.
The edges of this mattress also held up great when bearing weight. Cait noted that she could easily “bounce” off the side of the bed when getting in and out. She added, “I could lie on the absolute farthest reaches of the bed without sliding or rolling out.” Again, this is another great sign for a pillow-top bed. The high edge support score (4.6/5) also suggests a decreased risk of sagging over time, a sign of longevity.
When it came to the cooling test, however, the Elite Hybrid choked. The bed’s surface saw a whopping 12.6-degree increase after Cait lay down on it for 7 minutes. This is double the average temperature increase we typically see. However, Cait wasn’t ready to write off the bed as a furnace. She explained, “I didn’t feel the mattress heat up at all while I was lying there, and it wasn’t noticeably warm or cool, so I was surprised it warmed up by as much as it did.” She said she wouldn’t say this bed “slept hot’ despite the cooling gun results, but some extra-hot sleepers may want to tread lightly.
Aside from that snafu, the only other negative of this bed is its price. Bear calls this bed a “high-end luxury cooling mattress,” so the cost reflects that. Some shoppers looking to save might want to look elsewhere.
The Bear Original is great if you’re looking for an affordable mattress by the same brand, and you can even add the Celliant cover. Otherwise, read our Bear Elite Hybrid review for more.
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid – Best Hybrid Pillow-Top Mattress
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature is an affordable, no-frills bed with a medium-firm feel that should work for a wide variety of sleepers. While it’s made with durable materials and should last up to 10 years, it isn’t the most luxurious option. If you’re looking for a premium bed, check out the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe. Learn more in our video review.
Many hybrid mattresses are outfitted with pillow tops to provide a softer, more luxurious feel to an otherwise springy and supportive mattress. Brooklyn Bedding’s Signature Hybrid is a deceptively simple hybrid that checks all these boxes. Though it’s considered a “value” option, it scored 4s and above in all our tests, earning an overall score of 4.3/5 and securing our best hybrid pillow top mattress title.
I found the Signature Hybrid felt just a smidge firmer than medium-firm at 7/10 on our scale. This didn’t affect the pillow top’s ability to relieve pressure, as it mainly received positive results from our pressure relief testers. Our average-weight tester, Kayla Godfrey, gave the bed a perfect score on her back, saying, “I have a longer and larger bottom half, and the mattress is sinking in enough to compensate for that and keep my spine aligned.” She added, “This is not something I normally feel on mattresses.”
Our heavyweight tester, Matt Schickling, also enjoyed this bed in both positions, something Dr. Habeeb agreed with in her assessment of the bed. She said the Medium model of the Signature Hybrid can work great for heavy sleepers, explaining, “If someone was heavier, they could find support from the springs while still getting cushioning from the foam.”
This hybrid also scored high in both response and motion isolation, which is rare for this mattress type. Oftentimes, a high response score means movement transfers more easily across the bed’s bouncier surface, leading to a lower motion isolation score. However, I was pleasantly surprised in my motion isolation tests. Though I could feel my testing partner as he moved around on the other side of the bed, it was much more muffled than I expected. So, I gave the bed 4s in both of these categories.
The Signature Hybrid scored the highest in its temperature regulation test, which is impressive as the bed has no dedicated cooling elements. However, its hybrid construction allows for airflow between the individually wrapped coils. After lying on this bed for 7 minutes, I was a bit surprised by the very small 4-degree temperature increase I recorded at the surface. I didn’t feel the bed heating up beneath me, but neither did I feel actively cooled by it. Still, I think most hot sleepers should be satisfied sleeping on this bed, so I gave it a 4.5/5 score in this area.
With how well the Signature Hybrid performed across the board, and the fact that it’s available in multiple firmness options to cater to various sleeping positions, it’s challenging to find something to complain about. However, this mattress is relatively simple when compared to the others on this list. Shoppers looking for all the bells and whistles of a high-end pillow-top mattress may want to look elsewhere.
Read more about this bed in our full Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid review. Or, if you’re looking for a more upgraded Brooklyn Bedding model, consider checking out the Aurora Luxe Cooling.
Birch – Best Organic Pillow-Top Mattress
The Birch Natural is a great option if you’re looking for a sustainable, responsive bed. It features natural latex and individually wrapped coils for comfort and support. Its firmness is best suited to back and stomach sleepers under 230 lbs, though, so side sleeepers should opt for a softer bed, like the Helix Midnight. Learn more in our video review.
Eco-conscious shoppers shouldn’t have to sacrifice comfort in a mattress, and that’s why the Birch Natural was created. This organic mattress is a latex hybrid built for bouncy support, topped with an organic cotton-covered pillow top for cushioning. With its numerous certifications highlighting safety and sustainability, all-natural components (including bouncy latex), and a medium-firm feel, this mattress should appeal to many nature-minded shoppers. It performed well in our tests, excelling particularly in the response department (earning 5/5), and rounded out with a respectable total score of 4.2/5.
My fellow tester, Nicole Davis, is the one who gave the mattress its perfect response score, and she had this to say about it: “It was actually pretty easy to switch around between all three sleeping positions, even from back to stomach, which can be the most difficult.” This is to be expected of latex beds, which tend to be more buoyant than their foam hybrid counterparts. It’s good news for combination sleepers and sexually active folks.
With this level of bounce from the latex, we would expect to see a low motion isolation score, but Nicole thought the bed performed well in this category as well. After placing a glass of water on one side of the bed and moving around on the other, she didn’t notice any notable disturbance. When her testing partner got in and out of bed, she saw some movement, but nothing that jostled the mattress. This contributed to her final score of 4/5 for low motion transfer.
Latex is also known for being more breathable than foam, and during our cooling test, we found this was true for the Birch. The surface temperature of the mattress increased by about 7 degrees after Nicole lay on it for 7 minutes, a relatively average score. Nicole said she could feel the bed heating up, but found it “cozy” rather than overwhelming, so she ultimately rated the bed at 4/5 for temperature regulation. Some especially hot sleepers might prefer a mattress with more active cooling features beyond the inclusion of latex and coils, such as a cooling cover.
Unfortunately, our pressure relief testers didn’t rate the mattress high in this performance category. Latex can be hit or miss when it comes to pressure relief, depending on the specific formulation of the latex foam. When our heavyweight tester Matt Schickling tried out the bed on his back, he said, “I feel supported, but I am feeling a bit of pressure buildup on my lower back.” All of our testers rated the pressure relief in the back- and side-sleeping position at an average 3/5. This means it might not work best for these sleepers, especially if they’re on the smaller side. However, the lifted feeling most stomach sleepers are likely to experience on this mattress should be appealing.
Want a softer latex mattress? Consider the Avocado Green, which has the option for an even plusher pillow top. Otherwise, read more in our Birch Natural mattress review.
Other Pillow-Top Mattresses We Researched
There is a swath of pillow-top mattresses out there, including the dozens we’ve tested. If you didn’t find what you were looking for in our list, here are some other beds with pillow tops that we enjoyed:
- Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling – Brooklyn Bedding’s Signature Hybrid is featured on this list, but the brand offers many hybrids with pillow-top designs. The Aurora Luxe Cooling is yet another model, a bouncy, breathable hybrid with more high-end features than the Signature Hybrid. However, it’s quite a bit more expensive, but if it fits your budget, we definitely think this mattress is worth every extra penny.
- Bear Star Hybrid – Another pillow-top hybrid offered by the Bear brand is the Bear Star Hybrid, just a step below the Elite Hybrid featured on this list. I tested out this mattress myself and found it to have a more medium feel with a comfortable amount of sinkage. I think it’s great if you’re looking for a luxurious-feeling hybrid, especially if you sleep on your back. It scored well across the board, except in pressure relief, which means it may not be the best choice for side sleepers who want a pillow-top mattress.
- Titan Plus Elite – If you’re looking for a luxury pillow-top that’s built for bigger bodies, you might like the Titan Plus Elite by Brooklyn Bedding. This is their most upgraded model in their Titan line, featuring a cooling pillow top and industrial-strength coils. It may be a tough pick for budget shoppers, but my fellow staff writer Kenny Timper sleeps on one every night and swears by it.
How We Tested The Best Pillow Top Mattresses
Pillow top mattresses are known for offering plush comfort, similar to what you might find in a high-end hotel. However, they are not all built the same, so we prioritized three key testing categories when selecting the best of the best pillow-top beds.
Edge Support
Pillow-top mattresses can sometimes be too cushy, as they may sag along the edges. This can be a negative for individuals who like to spread out or those who rely on the bed’s perimeter for getting in and out. This is why, in our search for the best pillow-top mattresses, we tried to find beds whose edges held up when we put weight on them.
To test edge support, we sit on the edge of the mattress, get in and out of it, and lie down in each position right at the perimeter. We judge how secure we feel during each step and whether there’s any noticeable sinkage beneath our weight. We also use weighted plates to simulate the edge support for sleepers of different weight categories, measuring the exact sinkage depth with a tape measure for a more objective evaluation. We use these two results to determine our final edge support score out of five.
Pressure Relief
A pillow top can provide added pressure relief with its thick, dense surface, which should cradle sensitive areas as you sink into it. Not all pillow tops are created equal, though, so we looked at how they scored on our pressure relief tests for an accurate reading of who will like them best.
Our pressure relief test is performed by three different testers, each representing one of the three weight classes: lightweight, average-weight, and heavyweight. First, we lay a mat out on the surface of the mattress. Then, our tester will lie down on their side and back on top of the mat, which records and maps out where pressure builds up along their body.
The image is color-coded to show areas of high pressure (reds and yellows) and low pressure (blues and greens). Generally, we want to see more of the latter. The mat also records the overall pressure across its surface, giving us an idea of how much the person is sinking into the mattress and how much pressure is spread across their entire body.
We also ask each tester for their observations as they lie down on the bed, asking them to rate how comfortable they feel on a scale of 1 to 5. These findings, combined with the pressure map results, are what determine our final score for pressure relief overall.
Support
Support, as a general concept, refers to how comfortable and aligned you feel on the surface of a mattress. You want to have the right balance of lift and give that keeps your spine in its correct posture, somewhat of a gentle S-curve. While support is not a 1-to-1 analog with firmness, firmer beds tend to be more supportive, hence why we wanted to make sure that a strong support core backs these plush pillow tops.
We test support by trying out the bed in each sleeping position, getting an impression of its firmness and feel. Though we don’t have a dedicated score for this category, our testers make note of their findings and overall comfort in each position to determine which sleeper types will find the beds most supportive.
What Else Is Important When Buying a Pillow-Top Mattress?
Before making your final decision, you may want to look beyond the parameters outlined above. I’ll go over some other common concerns and considerations for sleepers seeking a new mattress that may influence what kind of pillow-top mattress you find.
Materials
Many different materials can be used in the pillow top; some of the most common include cotton, wool, fiberfill, memory foam, latex, and down. This design provides an excellent balance of comfort and support, making it suitable for all three common sleeping positions: back, side, and stomach. Some pillow tops are also quilted or tufted in unique ways that create contours at the surface, which may be something you find comfortable or cumbersome, depending on your preferences and sleeping position.
In a similar vein, pillow-top mattresses can be all-foam or with coils, as “pillow-top” refers to the shape of the mattress at the surface. Memory foam mattresses are great if you’re on a smaller budget, you’re looking for more cradling, and you don’t sleep particularly hot. Beds with coils, like innerspring or hybrid mattresses, are better if you’re looking for bounce and breathability. Beds with latex in their construction can combine elements of both, creating a uniquely buoyant but pressure-relieving feel. The type of mattress that’s best for you depends on what firmness and feel you’re looking for—more on that below.
Firmness
Pillow tops are usually added to a mattress to soften it. Generally, pillow-top mattresses have a more plush feel on top, which may not appeal to every sleeper. If you’re looking for an extra-firm mattress, as an example, a pillow-top may not be right for you.
The best firmness for your needs depends on a mix of your body type, sleeping position, and any other preferences. As a general rule, we recommend medium-firm mattresses, which offer a versatile firmness that provides both softness and support.
However, some side sleepers tend to prefer softer mattresses, while some stomach sleepers may need a firmer mattress to keep their hips from sinking. The same is true for your body type. If you have a bigger body, you might also like a firmer bed for more support, while more petite sleepers may want a softer mattress that’s easier to sink into. Take all of these suggestions into account when deciding your final firmness.
Cooling
Hot sleepers may be wary of choosing a pillow-top mattress as they often come with thick, dense layers of foam at the surface, which tend to trap heat. Thankfully, manufacturers have begun to outfit their mattresses with special cooling technology to counteract any overheating. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of these materials, including phase change materials, gel-infused foams, and copper.
Cooling pillow-top mattresses do exist, as you may have noticed. They can include any number or combination of cooling materials in their construction or the cover itself, both of which can counteract the heat-trapping effect of cushy surfaces.
In our case, we test cooling using a thermal gun to measure the surface temperature of the mattress at two specific instances: before testing the mattress, and again after lying on it for about seven minutes. The increase in temperature on the surface speaks to how quickly a bed heats up. Most beds fall around the 6- or 7-degree increase mark, a sign of typical cooling that should satisfy most sleepers. Anything lower is generally considered great cooling for hot sleepers, while those above are considered subpar.
Motion Isolation
If you and your partner are eyeing a new pillow-top mattress for your bedroom, the good news is that these beds tend to be great options for couples. The reason is something called motion isolation, which refers to how well a bed absorbs movement. A bed with great motion isolation should prevent movement from transferring across the surface, disturbing whoever is sleeping on the other side. The cushy nature of pillow tops is generally designed to isolate motion, with a few exceptions.
At Mattress Clarity, we test motion transfer in two ways. First, we put a glass of water on one side of the bed while we move around on the other. From here, we’ll observe how the water inside behaves, and how much it ripples tells us how well or poorly the bed is absorbing motion.
We perform a similar test with a second tester, who gets in bed and moves around on the other side, mimicking typical middle-of-the-night movement. The other tester lies there blindfolded, raising their hand when they feel the other’s motions. From here, we combine the results to get our total motion isolation score for the mattress.
Price
Pillow-top mattresses can be more expensive, so be sure to set your budget and expectations beforehand. Creating a budget before shopping can also help you narrow down your options. Generally, high-quality queen or king-size mattresses fall around $1,500 to $2,000. Quality mattresses are available beneath this price range, of course, but be sure to inspect reviews before making a final purchase.
Company Policies
You’ll want to familiarize yourself not just with the particulars of the pillow-top mattress you’re looking to buy, but also the perks and services offered by the company that made it. Most online mattress brands, for example, offer a sleep trial period in which you can try out the mattress before you commit to buying it. Most offer free returns and refunds if you decide you don’t like the bed within the trial period.
The warranty that comes with a mattress can also be important to understand. Not only does it inform you of what to do when you notice defects in your mattress, but it can be a sign of how long a company expects their mattress to last. Most beds come with a standard 10-year warranty, but some retailers offer lifetime warranties, which speaks to the quality and longevity of their products.
Just be sure to read the terms and conditions, as you wouldn’t want to do anything to void the warranty. As a general rule, make sure to put your bed on the correct type of foundation or frame, outfit it with a mattress protector, and rotate (not flip!) the bed every once and a while to prevent indentations in the surface.
Best Pillow-Top Mattresses FAQs
Can you flip a pillow-top mattress?
Generally, pillow-top mattresses cannot be flipped, as this would put the pillow top on the bottom of the mattress and the support layers on top, which would be uncomfortable to sleep on. Always check the manufacturer’s description before flipping a mattress.
How do you clean a pillow-top mattress?
You should be able to spot-clean a pillow-top mattress as needed. You may want to consider using a mattress protector to diminish the likelihood of stains. Sometimes, using your bed without a mattress topper can also void the warranty.
How long does a pillow-top mattress last?
Most pillow-top mattresses should last anywhere from 7 to 10 years, depending on the quality of their construction. You can often use the length of the brand’s offered warranty as a guide. Otherwise, take a look at whether or not the edges of the mattress sag when you sit on them, as this can be an indication of how likely the bed is to sag in the future.
Recap: Best Pillow-Top Mattresses
| Mattress | Award |
| Saatva Classic | Best Pillow-Top Mattress Overall |
| [Name with Affiliate Link] | [Superlative] |
| Etc. | Etc. |
References
- Cary, D., et al. (2019). Identifying relationships between sleep posture and non-specific spinal symptoms in adults: A scoping review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6609073/
- Priego Quesada, J., et al. (2017). Assessment of a mattress with phase change materials using a thermal and perception test. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0894177716302941
- Zhu J, et al. (2022). Thermal conductance of copper-graphene interface: a molecular simulation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9654340/