Our tester notes how easy it is to move around on the Helix Midnight. It has a bouncy feel for those who cycle through different sleep positions. This responsiveness, or ease of movement, can help you get out of bed more easily or switch up your sex positions without sinking like you’re in a ball pit.
The sleep trial isn’t as long as some other brands—truly, how well can you get to know a bed in 100 days?—but you have ten years to report any wear and tear. Not the most comprehensive guarantee, but for just under $1,000, the Helix Midnight is still our overall top choice.
Saatva’s Memory Foam Hybrid mattress strikes a harmonious blend of cushioning and firmness, regardless of which sleeping position you settle into. In particular, combination sleepers (folks who cycle through different sleep positions throughout the night) will enjoy this model.
Our Tester’s Take
Saatva added a dense, gel-infused foam layer near the mattress’s center to actively reinforce the hips and lower back for those who move around a lot at night. “I sink comfortably into the cushioned top, but the lumbar crown layer lets me switch positions without too much effort,” our tester says.
She also found that the mattress has good edge support, which in mattress lingo means that it’s sturdy around the perimeter. It also scored highly for motion transfer, so you probably won’t notice if your partner gets out of bed for a midnight snack. If you’re an exclusive side sleeper looking for an answer to hip woes, we don’t think this model will alleviate the pressure that builds up overnight. But if you’re a frequent flip-flopper, the firm lumbar foam is key in keeping that area supported.
If there’s one detail that tips the scale for a Saatva purchase, it’s the free delivery and white glove set-up: no heavy boxes to deal with and no nose-scrunching odors accompanying your unboxing.
The Nectar Classic Memory Foam mattress is one of the best models on the market. It’s popular with side sleepers because it’s soft without feeling like quicksand and contours to your exact shape.
Our Tester’s Take
You’ve probably scrolled past the Nectar Classic Memory Foam mattress in your social media feed; it’s a clear fan favorite thanks to its plushness and comfort. The foamy layers mold to your body to reduce pressure while you sleep, allowing your hips and knees to comfortably sink into the foam, which is especially beneficial for side sleeping. The only catch is a slight lack of support along the sides.
Traditional memory foam loses points when it comes to its lack of cooling properties. But Nectar’s memory foam mattress doesn’t heat up too much, thanks to a gel-infused layer. In fact, our testing team found that the bed showed a mere 6-degree temp increase after a fifteen-minute nap (we consider anything under 15 degrees to be decent cooling, and under 10 degrees to be good). The cooling cover is a (DJ Khaled voice) major key here—one tester says it offsets the usual warmth of a foam-based mattress. We found it to be comfortable enough for all-day bed rotting, and you can always top it with some crisp bed sheets to keep things even cooler.
The Emma Hybrid Comfort mattress is firmer than many hybrids, which helps to keep side sleepers’ spines aligned. Still, it has enough sinkage and support to take pressure off the torso and its durable materials make this a smart long-term investment.
Our Tester’s Take
This hybrid from Emma is one of the best beds-in-a-box, and despite the vacuum-packed shipping that reduces it to a biscuit dough-like tube, it unfurls to be one of the top firm picks on the market, too. Our testers agreed on a 7.5 firmness rating after lying on it, which means it’s significantly firmer than the 6.5 median bed. This is largely thanks to its seven layers of stabilizing support that ergonomically align your head, shoulders, back, hips, and legs.
This model’s firmness can support more weight, but bear in mind that also means the mattress doesn’t provide as much cushion and contouring as others on our list. However, our tester liked that they didn’t feel as though they were sinking, and they still found it more than comfortable enough to get a good night’s rest. The Hybrid Comfort’s high-quality materials and solid structure should keep it from sagging over time, so you won’t have to replace it anytime soon. This unflagging support is particularly good for those over 250 pounds, though those who weigh less might find it too stiff.
You might agree to disagree on who’s claiming more than their fair share of the sheets, but you and your bedfellow will be on the same page when it comes to the DreamCloud Premier Rest’s high level of springiness and support for aching joints and extracurricular activities alike. Plus, the cashmere pillow-top will have both of you waking up on the right side of the bed every time.
Our Tester’s Take
Premier Rest is the most luxurious mattress on our list, but only the best for your better half, right? This model has at least three more layers of foam support than the average bed, with eight layers in total—and that means it can withstand double the action. And, while it won’t replace the cashmere sweater on your partner’s wishlist, the cashmere-blended pillow-top quilt still brings some romance to the act of mattress gifting.
