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A quick look at our top affordable mattress picks
- Best overall affordable mattress: The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
- Best affordable mattress for back pain: Saatva Classic Mattress
- Best affordable mattress for side sleepers: Helix Midnight
- Best affordable mattress in a box: Casper Element Mattress
- Best cooling affordable mattress: Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress
- Best latex affordable mattress: Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding Elements Latex
- Best affordable mattress on Amazon: Tuft & Needle Original Mattress
- Best natural affordable mattress: Avocado Green Mattress
- Best hybrid affordable mattress: The Allswell Luxe Hybrid
Picking a new mattress can feel confusing, overwhelming, and downright expensive. But, it’s still important to make a great decision that suits your individual needs as a sleeper — and it’s surprisingly possible to do so on a budget.
Many mattress companies offer mattresses with a luxurious feel at an affordable price point. We researched the best on the market to help you find an amazing mattress at an amazing price.
How we chose
- Affordability. The most important consideration was finding luxury performance at an accessible price. Each mattress is $1,400 or below, and most are below $700.
- Company reputation and transparency. We only included mattresses from reputable brands that are known for making high quality products and engaging in ethical and transparent business practices.
- Company policies. We made sure to recommend products that have great at-home sleep trials and warranties with purchase.
- Customer reviews. We considered user reviews from each company’s website and third-party sellers to make sure the mattress was as fantastic in real life as the brands say it is.
Pricing
Pricing for mattresses depends on what size you’re looking for. We based our price comparisons on a standard queen size mattress.
- $ = under $750
- $$ = $750–$1,000
- $$$ = over $1000
Healthline’s top affordable mattress picks
Best overall affordable mattress
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
- Price: $$
- Type: Foam
- Height: 11 in.
The Nectar Memory Foam mattress packs in a bunch of luxury features at a great price, such as a quilted cover made from super soft and sustainable Tencel fibers, as well as a gel memory foam layer to promote airflow and keep you cool. It’s great for nearly every sleep position since the gel memory foam provides close body contouring and great pressure relief. The all foam construction is also good for motion isolation, so you won’t get woken up by a partner or pet.
Not to mention, Nectar has an industry-leading 365-day trial period and a lifetime warranty, a huge perk when selecting a new mattress.
Buy the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress online.
Best affordable mattress for back pain
Saatva Classic Mattress
- Price: $$$
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 11.5–14.5 in.
A 2015
Even better, Saatva mattresses are specifically designed for a pain-free sleep, and this hybrid mattress is even approved by the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations. It has a unique memory foam layer designed to relieve lumbar tension. Reviewers with back pain and arthritis say this mattress balances softness and support.
This mattress is one of the more expensive options on our list — likely due to the hybrid construction and different materials used. Even so, it’s still priced lower than many luxury hybrids on the market.
Buy the Saatva Classic Mattress online.
Best affordable mattress for side sleepers
Helix Midnight
- Price: $$
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 12 in.
Side sleepers need a balance of pressure relief and support for their ideal mattress. Both the Helix Midnight and Midnight Luxe are made specifically with side sleepers in mind and have targeted support for the hips, shoulders, and neck.
The top memory foam layer relieves pressure and keeps your spine aligned, while the middle wrapped coil layer is designed to cradle and support your body. The result is an award-winning, but still affordable mattress.
Buy the Helix Midnight online.
Best affordable mattress in a box
Casper Element Mattress
- Price: $
- Type: Foam
- Height: 10 in.
Casper is a leader in the affordable bed-in-a-box marketplace, and their entry-level mattress is a simple, yet versatile, option. The top layer of foam in the Casper Element is perforated, promoting airflow to reduce heat. The second layer is a dense base to provide support.
Reviewers rave about the unbeatable price and smart packaging of the Casper Element, as well as the great motion isolation. But, this mattress may be too soft for stomach sleepers, who might feel extra pressure in their hips and lower back when sinking into a softer mattress.
Buy the Casper Element Mattress online.
Best cooling affordable mattress
Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress
- Price: $$
- Type: Foam
- Height: 10 in.
The Cocoon Chill is a bed-in-a-box option from Sealy, one of the oldest and most reputable mattress brands. Its unique stretch-knit cover is designed to respond to temperature changes, dissipating heat when your body feels hot and retaining heat when it feels cool. This three-layered mattress adapts to your body and sleeping style while still bouncing back and allowing movement.
The medium-soft option is best for combination or side sleepers, while the extra-firm option is best for back sleepers. Even though this mattress gets great reviews, some reviewers complain that this mattress doesn’t have the best edge support — which is how supported a mattress feels when you sit on or lie near the edge of it.
Buy the Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress online.
Best latex affordable mattress
Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding Elements Latex
- Price: $
- Type: Latex foam
- Height: 10–12 in.
Latex mattresses are known for their bounce and responsiveness, conforming to your body’s contours while also snapping back to shape when you roll over or get up. They can also be great for reducing pain: A 2017 study showed that latex mattresses can be better than foam mattresses at reducing pressure on the torso and backside.
The Elements Latex has impressive features at a stellar price point for a latex mattress. It comes in two thicknesses and three firmness options, all made with OEKO-TEX class 1 certified Talalay latex over a dense foam base. Reviewers liked this alternative to an all foam mattress for its firmness and gentle bounce.
Keep in mind that this mattress does not have an inner-spring system, so some people with higher body weight may not get the support they need.
Buy the Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding Elements Latex here.
Best affordable mattress on Amazon
Tuft & Needle Original Mattress
- Price: $
-
Type: Foam
Height: 10 in.
A high quality, affordable mattress with Prime shipping? Say no more. This adaptive foam mattress has over 10,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.5 star overall rating. Its proprietary foam adjusts to your sleep position throughout the night and helps distribute weight evenly, making it an excellent choice for back sleepers. This medium firm option provides good support for your back, shoulders and neck.
Tuft & Needle offers the same 100-night sleep trial on Amazon that they offer through their site, which isn’t always the case among other mattress brands.
Buy the Tuft & Needle Original Mattress online.
Best hybrid affordable mattress
The Allswell Luxe Hybrid
- Price: $
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 12 in.
Hybrid mattresses are made with both foam and innerspring elements. These are great for all body types because the springs offer more support than a simple all foam mattress.
The Allswell Luxe Hybrid is made of two top foam layers designed to relieve muscle and joint pain. The top memory foam layer is even antimicrobial and infused with copper to reduce heat. The third layer is made of 8-inch individually wrapped coils that provide great support, including exterior rows for extra edge support.
This mattress could be an excellent option if you’re a back or stomach sleeper, since the firmness will help to keep your back and hips elevated and help with alignment. Reviewers also say it works well for combination sleepers and partners with different sleeping styles.
Buy The Allswell Luxe Hybrid online.
Best natural affordable mattress
Avocado Green Mattress
- Price: $$$
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 11–13 in.
Every Avocado mattress is Greenguard Gold certified, meaning that they meet strict third-party emissions standards for chemical exposure and pollutants. The Green Mattress also features organic latex, cotton, and wool and comes in a vegan option without wool.
This hybrid mattress has a latex top layer and a second layer of individually pocketed coils, arranged in five ergonomic zones. Both the latex and coils provide bounce and support for your shoulders, hips, spine and knees.
The Green Mattress comes in a standard 11-inch style and a 13-inch pillow top version, which many reviewers say adds the necessary cushioning for side sleepers.
This is also another higher-priced option on our list — this tends to be typical of organic mattresses, due to the high quality nontoxic materials used in their construction.
Buy Avocado Green Mattress online.
How to shop
- Sleeping position. Mattresses are not one size fits all, so you should pick one that fits your specific sleep style. Side sleepers should look for a mattress that contours to their body and keeps their spine aligned, while back sleepers may want something firmer that supports their neck, back, and hips.
- Materials. Many affordable, bed-in-a-box mattresses are made of foam, like polyurethane, latex, or memory foam. The price tends to go up in hybrid mattresses with more advanced or intricate coil systems.
- Mattress performance. Figure out which mattress performance elements matter to you and narrow your search that way. If you want good motion isolation, your best bet is an all foam option. If bounce is important to you, a hybrid mattress is the way to go. For hot sleepers, look for cooling covers and designs that allow ventilation.
- Look for sales. Keep your eye out for mattress sales that fall along major holidays like Black Friday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, or New Year’s Day. You can save a lot of money by timing your purchase well.
- Skip the add-ons. Don’t feel pressured to buy the add-ons companies may suggest like pillows or bases, even if they frame it as a great deal. Almost every mattress these days, especially foam ones, just need a flat surface to perform well, not a box spring or fancy base. Think about whether your new mattress will work with your existing bed frame and linens.
- In-home trial and warranty. The best way to pick a new mattress is to try it out. Look for brands that offer extended at-home trials and have a simple and easy return process if it doesn’t work out. A good mattress should last around 10 years, so use that as a benchmark for warranty length.
Benefits of cheaper mattresses
Affordable mattresses are great options for college students, recent grads, people looking to furnish guest rooms and campers, or anyone on a budget.
The rise of bed-in-a-box options means there are luxury options at direct-to-consumer prices, and the marketplace is only getting more competitive.
Considerations for cheaper mattresses
Many latex and hybrid mattresses are more expensive, limiting options for a budget buyer. More expensive mattresses may include advanced features that target specific concerns like back pain and overheating.
Additionally, luxury mattresses tend to have longer warranties, ranging from 10 to 25 years — with some even having lifetime warranties.
Takeaway
With the affordable mattress market only getting more competitive, you have plenty of options to get the feel of higher-end mattresses at prices that don’t break the bank.
When you’re shopping, be sure to prioritize features that suit your sleep style and take advantage of generous at-home trials to find the right mattress to fit in your budget.
Sara Wilson is a freelance journalist interested in health policy, wellness, and politics. Her work has appeared in Morning Consult, MarketWatch, Sojourners, and others. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Northwestern University. She loves historical fiction, long trips to a museum, and chatting with her 8-year-old cat Ethel. Follow her on Twitter.
