Best Memory Foam Mattresses (2025)

Nectar’s flagship memory foam mattress is a staple recommendation at Mattress Clarity, especially if you’re looking for a quality bed at a reasonable price point. This bed wraps up everything you’d want in a foam mattress with a little bow: cushioning, support, and even some unexpected response and cooling. It performed generally well in all of our tests, earning an overall score of 4.4/5. 

Most folks might assume a memory foam mattress has uber-sink, but the Nectar Classic Memory Foam has a slightly more supportive feel. After testing it out, I rated the bed at a 7/10 on our firmness scale, just a touch firmer than medium-firm. I most enjoyed it on my back and stomach, an opinion corroborated by our medical product tester, Dr. Hannah Habeeb. “I would recommend this to back sleepers more than side sleepers since it’s conforming to my lower back and prevents too much dipping at the hips,” she said.

The Nectar also excelled in motion isolation, a common trait for foam beds. I’m an extremely light sleeper to the point where my partner breathing funny wakes me up, and I was relatively impressed by this bed in our tests. When my fellow tester moved around in bed, I could barely feel it, and I was only jostled a bit when he got in and out of bed. I gave this bed a motion isolation score of 4.7/5, since I think most light sleepers who share the bed will be able to sleep soundly. 

A surprising area that the Nectar performed well in is cooling. Most foam beds are known for trapping heat, especially when they don’t have any gel infusions in their construction. However, the Nectar is swaddled in a cooling cover, which counteracts any overheating with excellent efficiency. After lying down on this bed for just seven minutes, my thermal gun recorded a meager 4-degree increase in the surface temperature. This is well below our usual average of 6 to 7 degrees, a sign of phenomenal cooling. While I didn’t find the bed to be cool-to-the-touch, the results speak for themselves, so that’s why it earned a perfect 5/5 score for temperature regulation.

The Nectar also has some response to it, rather than the traditional slow-moving feel of memory foam. As a combination sleeper myself, I felt like rolling around on the surface of the bed was relatively easy. It wasn’t effortless, so I gave it a 4/5 for responsiveness, but the bed should satisfy most combination sleepers.

Unfortunately, despite the Nectar Classic excelling in many unexpected categories, I found it lagged in the edge support test, only earning 3.4/5. When I climbed in and out of the mattress, I noticed a little bit of slipping, which isn’t uncommon for foam beds. There was also quite a bit of sinkage beneath my weight when sitting down and lying on my side. Those who rely on sturdy edges may be disappointed by the Nectar’s below-average performance, so I’d recommend older adults and those with mobility issues look elsewhere.  

If you want a foam bed with stronger edges, consider checking out the Nolah Signature all-foam mattress. Or you can read more about the Nectar Classic Memory Foam in our dedicated review.

Memory foam mattresses are often great picks for couples because their cushy layers tend to absorb motion, meaning you shouldn’t feel your partner’s movements from the other side of the mattress. Brooklyn Bedding’s CopperFlex Memory Foam mattress is one such mattress that performed well in this category, scoring a respectable 4/5 for motion isolation. As one of the cheapest models offered by the brand, it’s also a great value option without skimping on quality: It still scored well in our tests, earning an overall score of 4.1/5.

My fellow tester Kayla Godfrey performed most of the tests for this mattress, including the motion isolation test. First, she placed a glass of water on one side of the mattress and then moved around on the other, observing how the glass and the water inside behaved. “While no water spilled, we could see the glass starting to lean to one side,” she said. It was a similar story for the partner test, in which a fellow tester climbed onto the mattress and moved around while Kayla was blindfolded on the other side. She said she noticed some movement but claimed it was nothing too disturbing, and she gave the bed an overall motion isolation score of 4/5.

Couples looking for a mattress for sex should also be pleased with the CopperFlex’s springy surface. Most memory foam beds tend to “hold onto” you as you try to move around on them, but this wasn’t the case here. While trying out different sleeping positions on the mattress, Kayla said, “It’s super easy to move around; the bed doesn’t cave in at all, and I don’t feel stuck.” This should please combination sleepers and sexually active folks alike. 

As for who else might enjoy the CopperFlex Memory Foam, folks who want a firm mattress should be pleased with this bed’s firm, lifted feel. Kayla rated it around an 8/10 on our firmness scale, which is relatively firm. She most preferred it while lying on her back, saying, “I carry more weight in my lower body and the bed is doing a good job lifting my hips and supporting my lower back.” This firmness should also work well for stomach sleepers and those over 230 pounds; however, note that most side sleepers and lightweight sleepers will want something on the softer side.

As expected of an all-foam mattress, the edge support was just average. There was quite a bit of sinkage when Kayla sat down on the CopperFlex’s perimeter, but lying down, she felt relatively secure, even as the bed dipped under her weight. Still, this may not be enough for folks who need rock-solid edges, especially if you sleep with one leg off the bed like me. 

Brooklyn Bedding also added copper to this mattress in an effort to counteract its all-foam construction, as copper reportedly assists with thermal conduction. In our experience, we didn’t see the effects. During our cooling test, Kayla said that the bed felt cool when she initially lay down on it, but she could definitely sense it heating up underneath her. After seven minutes, our thermal gun recorded a surface temperature increase of about 10 degrees, which is well above the 6- to 7-degree average. Since this is where the bed earned its lowest score (3/5), I’d recommend most hot sleepers stay away.

You can read more in our full CopperFlex Memory Foam mattress review. Want a cooler memory foam mattress? The Nectar has you covered.

Side sleepers may enjoy foam mattresses for the contouring and pressure relief they provide, which allows them to comfortably sink into the surface as they lay in this position. However, they also need the support to back it up, which is where the DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam comes in. This bed has more lift than most other all-foam beds, meaning side sleepers looking for firmer support should be comfortable on its surface. For reference, I rated it a 7/10 on our firmness scale, and it earned an overall score of 4/5 for its well-rounded performance.

Despite this aforementioned firmer feel, all of our pressure relief testers (in all three of our weight categories) rated side sleeping on this mattress at a 4/5. Our lightweight tester Riley Otis said, “I don’t feel pressure building anywhere, but it is on the firmer side,” while our heavyweight tester Matt Schickling only noticed a touch of pressure on his hip but plenty of relief around his shoulders. 

I tried this bed out on my side and didn’t feel any pressure, but I would’ve liked my hips and shoulders to sink in a bit more. However, the more you weigh, the more likely you are to sink into the Premier’s surface and experience deeper, more contouring pressure relief, so this should be a great bed for side sleepers over 230 pounds.

I was pleasantly surprised by the DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam’s edge support, as I tend to find memory foam mattresses leave me wanting in this regard. While I felt relatively secure when I lay down on the very edge of the mattress, I did notice some sinkage beneath my weight when sitting. However, because the bed is very lofty, it’s likely that most folks with mobility issues will struggle more with climbing into bed than with any lack of edge support.

This bed also kept relatively cool when I took a quick rest on it. I recorded the surface temperature with a thermal gun, and then again after 7 minutes of resting on the mattress, and saw only a 7-degree increase, which is about average. There’s reportedly cooling gel in the upper foam layers, but I wouldn’t say the bed felt cool-to-the-touch. However, neither did I really feel it heating up beneath me. That’s why I’d call it “temperature neutral,” and why I gave it an overall score of 4/5 in this category. 

The bed earned its lowest score in the response category with a 2/5. The Premier feels like a large, dense block of foam, akin to a stiff marshmallow. When I tried to move around on the surface, I didn’t feel “stuck” per se, but I did have to use quite a bit of effort to switch positions. As a combination sleeper, I like a bed with plenty of bounce, and the Premier just doesn’t deliver on this front.

Looking for more bounce? Check out the original DreamCloud hybrid mattress. Our DreamCloud Premier Memory Foam mattress review is currently in the works.

Combination sleepers are folks who switch between multiple sleeping positions (or all three) throughout the night. This sleep style requires a more responsive mattress, something with a bit more bounce, to make these transitions seamless. Memory foam mattresses are usually not the greatest choices for these folks as they tend to skew more slow-moving, but there are many beds with firmer, springy surfaces. Take the WinkBeds GravityLux as an example: This all-foam bed earned a perfect score in our response test.

My fellow tester Sosha Lewis performed the response test by moving around on the surface of the mattress and toggling between each sleep position. She found that it required little effort, explaining, “Although the bed is entirely foam, you don’t sink much.” You should be able to roll from your back to your stomach seamlessly on this bed—a rarity for foam mattresses but a definite perk of the GravityLux.

With this level of response, feeling your partner’s movements from the other side of the bed can sometimes be a problem. Thankfully, the GravityLux stunned in our motion isolation tests, too, earning a 4.3/5. As Sosha moved around on one side of the bed to simulate a restless partner’s movements, her fellow tester beside her claimed that it was only a slight disturbance and unlikely to wake her. This means the GravityLux should also be a great bed for combination-sleeping couples.

Combination sleepers and couples alike should also appreciate the solid edge support from the GravityLux, as it means they can spread out all the way over to the edge without risk of sliding off. Sosha said she had “no concerns at all about rolling off in any position.” She also didn’t notice too much sinkage when sitting at the perimeter, and felt it was relatively easy to use the edges to get in and out of bed without pressing down on them for support. Based on these results, she gave the bed a 4.6/5 for overall edge support.

Sosha reported feeling relatively comfortable in each position, despite the firmness rating she gave the bed: a 7.5/10, considered on the firmer side. She said she got plenty of support on her back and side, with only a twinge of discomfort in her lower back when she lay on her stomach. She added that lightweight stomach sleepers may really enjoy the supportive, lifted feel of this bed.

However, our team of pressure relief testers had different opinions. Our lightweight tester Kate Gorman found the mattress to be too firm for her liking on her side and back, while our heavyweight tester Matt Shickling noticed some uncomfortable sinkage in the latter position. This brought down our overall pressure relief score to 3.7/5. I wouldn’t recommend this bed for lightweight side sleepers because of this, nor to average-weight side sleepers who are looking for a plusher, doughy feel from their foam bed.

If you need a more pressure-relieving bed, take a look at the Leesa Original. Otherwise, read more in our full GravityLux mattress review.

Foam mattresses are generally one of the more affordable mattress types, with many queen-size beds available for less than $1,000. Still, budget shoppers have to be careful that they choose a quality mattress that isn’t cutting corners for a better cost. Thankfully, Bear’s original all-foam mattress is a great pick that won’t break the bank. This bed earned 4s and above in most of our tests, leading to an overall score of 4.2/5.

Affordability doesn’t always translate to durability, but that’s not the case for the Bear Original, whose firm, supportive feel adds longevity to its lifespan. One of my colleagues Kate Meier has had the Bear Original for many years, and even gave her queen-size model to her son to buy her own king size because she loved it so much. As someone who’s tested a range of different bed types, she was surprised by just how firm it was. “The brand advertises it as a firm mattress, and I would agree that it is; I think this is one of the most firm beds I’ve been on,” she said. This firm feel (which we rated 7/10 on our scale) should work well for sleepers seeking support, such as back and stomach sleepers, as well as those over 230 pounds.

Our tester Melanie Kassel performed most of our in-studio tests for the Bear Original, including edge support. While Melanie wasn’t exactly impressed by how much the Bear’s perimeter sank when she sat or lay on it, Kate had a different experience. “I’ve never had any issues sliding off the edge or feeling like I was going to fall off the bed,” Kate said. I believe that most sleepers will be satisfied by the strength of the Bear’s perimeter; however, those looking for rock-solid edge support might want to consider a hybrid instead.

The Bear Original also had a nice balance of both response and motion isolation, with both categories scoring 4s and above. Melanie explained that as she moved around on the top layer of the bed, it wasn’t exactly bouncy, but noted, “it didn’t ‘hold onto’ me or make me feel trapped.” During our motion isolation tests, she praised the bed’s ability to stifle movements from her fellow tester on the other side of the bed. “Multiple times, the other tester got up from the bed and I couldn’t tell that she had gone,” Melanie said.

Cooling can be an issue for foam beds, but the Bear Original doesn’t hold the same concern. Alongside a breathable cover, the bed’s first foam layer is infused with a cooling gel to keep temperature down. When Melanie lay on the mattress for our cooling test, she had this to say: “For a foam mattress, its temperature didn’t seem to fluctuate too much during the nine-minute cooling test.” The temperature gun recorded an increase of about 7 degrees at the surface of the bed, which is relatively average for most beds but pretty good for an all-foam mattress. I think most sleepers should sleep comfortably, but super-hot sleepers may want to upgrade to Bear’s quilted cooling cover.

As mentioned, the Bear Original is a pretty firm bed, so it’s not unsurprising that it earned its lowest score in pressure relief. Neither our lightweight nor heavyweight testers enjoyed this bed on their side, complaining of tension around their shoulders and other pressure points and feeling misaligned in their hips. I’d recommend side sleepers stay away from this mattress, as well as those on the smaller side, unless they sleep on their stomach.

You can read more in our full Bear Original mattress review. For a softer bed, you might like the Silk & Snow foam mattress.

King-size mattresses are a great way to upgrade your bedroom, as they provide more space for couples or solo sleepers who just want to spread out. Getting a king-size memory foam mattress is a great way to maximize luxury at a lower cost. 

The Nolah Signature is a mid-tier, all-foam model that costs just under $1,500 for a king-size bed. It’s no typical foam bed: Nolah uses a proprietary material called AirFoam, which is designed to have a higher porosity than memory foam for more breathability without sacrificing pressure relief. The Signature scored high in edge support, motion isolation, and response, which should all appeal to king-size mattress lovers. It also earned a respectable overall score of 4.2/5.

Our testers found that the Nolah Signature has a surprisingly firm feel, but opinions on how firm were varied. This firmness did contribute to the bed’s exceptional edge support, which my fellow tester Kayla Godfrey really noticed when lying down on her side. She noted that the perimeter was a bit slanted when she sat down at the edges, but the firmness still held up to keep her relatively secure.

This firm feel also contributed to the bed’s response, an area in which the bed earned a 4/5. Though Kayla didn’t find the bed to be particularly bouncy due to its lack of coils, she felt like she was “on top” of the bed rather than getting “stuck” in it. She said it was easy to switch positions, but added that it was “almost uncomfortable, because the mattress doesn’t assist you with any bounce or spring-like action.” This means that while it might be good for combination sleepers, those looking for a truly bouncy bed might be let down.

The Signature also excelled in motion isolation, even though we associate beds that perform well in this category with sinking, softer foams. Kayla said that she “did not feel a bouncing sensation or thumping sensation” when her fellow tester was moving around in the mattress alongside her, including getting in and out of the bed. So, if you and your partner are looking to share a king-size mattress, you can rest easy on the Signature knowing you won’t disturb each other’s sleep.

As mentioned, this bed is rather firm, almost deceptively so when you consider how Nolah markets it as solid pressure relief, which happened to be its lowest score (3.3/5). Our pressure relief testers are of varying body types, and all of them commented on the bed’s ultra-firm surface. Only our heavyweight tester Caine Wilkes rated the pressure relief at a 4/5 when he tried it on his side and back, but he did add, “I like the firmness, but it’s just missing the cushioning at the top.”

The copper-infused AirFoam in this bed (a more upgraded version called AirFoam ICE designed to dissipate heat) also wasn’t felt by any of our testers. Kayla found the mattress cool-to-the-touch at first, but also could feel it heating up under her. It heated up a whopping 9 degrees after she lay on it for about seven minutes, leading to a cooling score of 3.5/5.

Read more in our Nolah Signature review. Looking for a cooler bed? Though it’s a hybrid, you might like the cool-but-cushioning feel of the Nolah Evolution.

Saatva is a reputable name in the online luxury mattress game, so it’s no surprise that we chose one of their all-foam mattresses as our “best luxury” model: the Contour5. This bed is available in Medium and Firm firmness levels, giving you more options to ensure it works specifically for your sleeping needs.

We tested out the medium version of the Contour5 but found it to be a touch firmer than advertised at 7/10 (a half-point more than what we would consider medium-firm at 6.5/10). Marten Carlson, one of our testers who falls into the heavyweight sleeper category, said that he was impressed by the dense support the bed offered. He also found the bed offered nice contouring for his back, filling in the gap in his lumbar area. He suggested that side sleepers may look for something softer for more comfortable sinkage, while heavyweight stomach sleepers should upgrade to the Firm model, as he needed more support in that position on the Medium.

When testing the Contour5 for its cooling abilities, Marten rested on the mattress and then used a thermal gun to see how effectively it dispersed his body heat. He found that the bed’s surface rose quickly by 8 degrees after resting on it, but when aiming the gun at the bed’s phase change material (PMC) foam layer, the bed quickly dissipated heat back down 5 degrees within seconds. This impressed our testers, so we gave it a 4/5 score for its temperature regulation.

Couples seeking a luxury mattress may appreciate the bed’s 4.5/5 motion isolation score. When our testers rested next to each other on the Contour5, they tried moving around to see if they would disturb the other person next to them. Marten noted of his fellow tester, “I didn’t really notice much of his movement coming over to my side of the bed.” Fellow light sleepers, you should be able to share the bed with a restless partner without much risk of waking up.

As expected of a slow-moving foam mattress, even with its firmer feel, the Saatva Contour5 didn’t offer much in the way of bounce. Marten called it “not as slow-moving as a Tempur-Pedic, but not as bouncy as a latex mattress,” and gave it an overall response score of 3.5/5. Though Marten said he never felt “stuck” in this bed, I’m hesitant to recommend it to combination sleepers; as one myself, I generally prefer the ability to launch myself across the surface when switching positions.

The Contour5 unfortunately fell victim to another curse of all-foam beds: lackluster edge support. When Marten sat down on the edge of this bed, he found himself sinking quite a bit. Though he wasn’t slipping or sliding off the perimeter, he appraised the edge support as “just average,” giving it another 3.5/5 in this category.

Read more in our Contour5 mattress review. For a more responsive mattress, check out the Saatva Classic, one of the bounciest beds out there.

Firm memory foam mattresses are a great option for folks who are looking for support rather than the sink of softer beds. Stomach sleepers, folks over 230 pounds, or anyone who wants a super-firm mattress, should take a look at Brooklyn Bedding’s Plank Firm. As the name implies, this bed is as firm as a wooden board—on both sides. It’s a flippable mattress featuring a firm side and an extra-firm side, if you need options. Despite its ultra-firm feel, it performed fairly well in our tests, earning a total score of 4.1/5.

Our testers noticed the bed’s firmness right away, rating each side in the 8 to 9/10 firmness range and quickly writing both off as too firm for side sleepers. Opinions were mixed on back sleeping, with my fellow tester Cait Giddings saying that “the mattress feels slightly more forgiving but still very firm.” Our heavyweight tester Matt Schickling found the “traditional” firm side to be more comfortable in this position too, claiming it would be good for back sleepers over 230 pounds, provided they liked an extra-firm bed. Some stomach sleepers should find comfort on this bed, especially if they’re on the larger side or have smaller chests—because multiple testers found themselves feeling “compressed” in that area.

Dr. Hannah Habeeb tested out this mattress for insight on pain relief, since some folks herald extra-firm mattresses that keep your spine straight as a solution to back pain. “For these people, I think the Plank Firm could help because it’s very similar to sleeping on the floor,” she said. She also added that neck pain might also be addressed by the bed’s unyielding support. “Since the spine is in a straight line, the neck isn’t straining or extending, so I think people with neck pain could find relief,” she said.

With such a firm bed, even though made entirely of foam, it’s not surprising that the edges of the Plank Firm held up. Cait didn’t notice much sinkage when sitting or lying down at the perimeter, saying that the bed felt like “lying on a slab of concrete with defined edges.” However, our other tester, Melanie Kassel, noticed that the extra-firm side required her to use her hands to get in and out, a possible negative for those with mobility concerns. So, we gave the bed a score of 4/5 in this category. 

The Plank Firm also provided a pleasant balance of response and motion isolation. Cait praised how she felt like she was so lifted on this mattress that she couldn’t leave a dent. “If this mattress suddenly developed sentience, it would have no memory of me whatsoever,” she added. Cait added that she felt this hurt the motion transfer test, as she could still feel her partner’s movements, but mostly on bouncier “impacts.” This shouldn’t be enough to deter light sleepers, though particularly sensitive ones may want to look elsewhere. 

Find out more in our full Plank Firm mattress review. Want something firm but not so extra-firm? You might like the Bear Original.

Back sleepers need a balance of contouring and support, hence why memory foam mattresses are a popular choice for this sleeper type. Leesa’s all-foam Original mattress is one such option, earning a 4.5/5 for pressure relief, just one of many 4-and-above scores. We rated this well-rounded mattress at an overall score of 4.7/5, and it should appeal to memory foam shoppers seeking firm but comfortable support.

The Leesa Original came in as firmer than expected, an 8/10 on our scale. Despite this, all of our pressure relief testers enjoyed the mattress on their back and had positive things to say. Our heavyweight tester Caine Wilkes felt he sank in “just enough,” and experienced plenty of contour along his back. Our average-weight tester Sosha Lewis said, “Normally I don’t like all-foam mattresses, but this one feels really great.” And, finally, our lightweight tester Riley Otis praised the bed’s lumbar support and alignment. “My hips and shoulders feel level,” she explained. So, it’s safe to say that back sleepers of all sizes, so long as they are comfortable with a firm mattress, should rest easy on the Leesa Original.

The bed’s highest scores (perfect 5-out-of-5s) were in response and cooling, both often problem areas for foam mattresses. For the former, my fellow tester Kayla Godfrey found that there wasn’t any sinkage from the top that impeded her movements. “I didn’t notice any effort needed to lift my body out of the mattress,” she explained. Combination sleepers should be able to switch positions with ease. 

For cooling, Kayla said that the mattress was “almost a little chilly” to the touch. It did heat up somewhat when she lay on it for a few minutes, but never uncomfortably so. The thermal gun we use to measure the surface temperature only recorded a 4-degree increase, which is especially low for us. I’d say hot sleepers looking for a foam mattress with breathable layers will be pleasantly satisfied by the Leesa Original.

The bed’s edges are also surprisingly supportive, earning a 4/5 score for edge support despite there being no mention of any extra reinforcement in the bed’s construction. Kayla did notice some sagging under her weight when she sat down on the mattress, as well as a slippery effect on the cover itself, but nothing that caused her much concern. Lying down at the perimeter was a breeze, though. “I didn’t feel like I would tip over or slide off whatsoever,” she said. 

The only real negative of the Leesa Original is its firmer feel. Even though most of our testers had little complaints about lying on their side, the bed won’t have that cradling effect that’s common in most softer foam beds. Some lightweight side sleepers may not find it the most comfortable mattress for their needs.

Read more in our full Leesa Original review. Want a softer foam bed? Check out the DreamCloud Premier Rest Memory Foam.

Most memory foam mattresses trap heat in their dense, spongy layers. However, some manufacturers have worked to make these beds better for hot sleepers. The Silk and Snow Original is an all-foam mattress with multiple foam components constructed and designed to offer the pressure relief and ultra-comfort of memory foam while still being breathable and dissipating body heat. 

The bed’s breathable cover and cooling gel memory foam effectively prevent body heat from getting trapped at its core while also helping keep you cool on its surface. For reference, our testers gave the Silk and Snow a 4/5 for its cooling abilities, which is impressive for an all-foam bed. We think most hot sleepers should be able to rest on this bed without sweating through the night.

One of our testers Elisa Regulski said the Silk & Snow has a “stereotypical memory foam feel.” She explained, “You’ll gently sink into its foam layers and feel lots of body contouring around your shoulders and hips.” Despite lacking coiled layers, testers still found that the Silk and Snow mattress’s dense foam foundation offered a memory-foam sinking feeling without compromising spine or joint support. This combination should work best for side and back sleepers.

Couples who wake each other up at night should take note of the Silk and Snow due to its excellent ability to isolate motion. Testers gave the mattress a 5/5 for the bed’s ability to regulate disruptive motion after our water glass test. They put a glass of water on one side of the bed, moved around on the other, and saw little-to-no-movement—which indicates a lower likelihood of movement traveling across the surface.

This same slow-moving feel unfortunately doesn’t translate to bounce. You’re likely to feel “stuck” in this mattress if you try changing sleeping positions, as our testers found out. This might also be a negative for folks looking for a good mattress for sex, who may want something more responsive and easier to move around on top of.

The Medium model of this bed (which we tested) has a medium-firm feel that should appeal to most back and side sleepers, and there is a firmer option for those who need it. Despite this, we still think that most stomach and heavier sleepers will likely not get the support they need on the Silk and Snow. They might want an extra-firm mattress or something with coils to keep them from sinking in too far.

Read more in our full Silk & Snow mattress review. If you’re seeking a more responsive foam mattress, check out the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex.