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Mar 12, 2024

Best affordable mattress 2023: chosen by experts

Our panel of mattress experts picks the best affordable mattresses on the market, all of which hit the sweet spot between quality and price The best affordable mattresses are designed to offer you a

Our panel of mattress experts picks the best affordable mattresses on the market, all of which hit the sweet spot between quality and price

The best affordable mattresses are designed to offer you a comfortable and luxurious sleeping experience that won't break the bank. These mattresses will give you more lavishness than a budget option, but they're not the most expensive options on the market. All of our picks hit the sweet spot between price and quality.

Our expert testing panel has reviewed dozens of mattresses, so we have plenty of experience when it comes to helping you find the right mattress for your needs. Many of our picks here are included in our best mattress guide and all the mattresses featured here have great reviews from both us and customers.

For a mattress to be affordable on our scale, we'd expect you to pay between $500 and $1200 for a queen size. If that's too pricey for your budget take a look at our best cheap mattress guide, which rounds up models that cost less than $500 for a queen size. Mattress sales and deals can be found all year round, so in general you can ignore MSRP. We monitor prices closely and you'll find with each product entry. All clear? Let's take a look at the best affordable mattresses in 2023.

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Our expert review:

The best affordable mattress overall is the DreamCloud. This hybrid includes layers of soothing memory foam and bouncy springs, and delivers close to hotel-level luxury for a mid-range price. (We consider it the strongest alternative if you can't afford our top-rated Saatva Classic, which sits in the premium price bracket.)

DreamCloud rates this mattress a 6.5 out of 10 in terms of firmness, but our testers found it much firmer and would rate it as an 8. Although some of our panel took a few nights to adjust to the DreamCloud before finding it comfortable, in the end everyone agreed that it delivered excellent pressure relief and support.

One of the things you'll typically sacrifice in the mid-range price bracket is the ability to pick from a range of firmness preferences (this is available on pricier mattresses like the Saatva Classic as well as the Brooklyn Aurora Luxe, for example). However, the DreamCloud's medium-firm sleep feel will suit a wide variety of people – we'd confidently recommend it to average and heavier weight sleepers, whether they typically lie on their back, side or stomach. Lightweight people who like to lie on their sides might prefer something a little softer, to prevent pressure build-up in their shoulders and hips.

The DreamCloud also tops our ranking of the best hybrid mattresses. One of the benefits of a mattress with springs is that the coils create space within the mattress for air to circulate, making the mattress more breathable than all-foam models like the Nectar (#2). That's the case with the DreamCloud, which sleeps nice and cool.

We were also impressed with how the layers of adaptive foam and innersprings contoured to the sleeper's shape, providing sturdy yet cushioned support under the hips and lumbar. For that reason, we consider this amongst the best mattresses for back pain.

Both this model and the Nectar (#2) come from parent brand Resident Home, and as such come with the same extras – which are outstanding for the mid-range price. You'll have a full year's sleep trial to test out the mattress in all seasons before fully committing, as well as a lifetime warranty.

Our expert review:

If your preference is for an all-foam design, our top pick is the Nectar original mattress. In fact, we think it's the best memory foam mattress on the market today. This is one of the firmer memory foam mattresses we've tested, but you'll still get some of that memory foam 'hug' and plenty of contouring to offer excellent pressure relief. It'll be comfortable if you like to sleep on your side, with the memory foam layer allowing shoulders and hips to sink in comfortably (although dedicated side sleepers should also check out the Helix Midnight #3). Most back sleepers should enjoy it too, with tailored pressure relief around the shoulders, hips and back. The mattress does a great job of keeping the spine aligned.

Motion transfer is almost non-existent, so this is a great choice for light sleepers and those sharing their bed with a restless partner. Stomach and heavier sleepers are probably going to find the mattress too soft to provide proper support.

You can ignore the MSRP because there's a permanent Nectar mattress deal that knocks least 25% off. That lower mid-range price combines with industry-best extras like a full year's trial and forever warranty to deliver frankly incredible value for money. There's free delivery, and like all the best mattress in a box models (and all the beds in this guide), it comes vacuum-packed and rolled into a conveniently maneuverable cardboard container.

Our expert review:

The Helix Midnight tops our guide to the best mattresses for side sleepers, thanks to upper levels of memory foam, which cradle the shoulders and hips for dreamy comfort and pressure relief in this position. The brand's USP is that it makes mattresses for 'every body', with the Midnight mattress being ideally suited to side sleepers who like a medium sleep feel.

Stomach sleepers and those of a heavier build are going to find this mattress too soft, and although our testers slept comfortably on their backs, some might find that it doesn't offer adequate support under your hips in this position. If you want something firmer, either the hybrid DreamCloud (#1) or all-foam Nectar (#2) should fit the bill.

Motion isolation is excellent and temperature regulation is good for a mattress with memory foam. You can also upgrade to Helix's GlacioTex cover, which is a reliably effective cooling fabric. Again, ignore those MSRPs, there's always a Helix mattress sale on, knocking at least 20% off.

Our expert review:

Organic mattresses are normally very expensive, so the Awara's mid-range price tag is a boon for anyone looking to buy an eco-friendly bed without breaking the bank. Sitting in the mid-range price bracket (with regular deals and discounts), this is the most affordable pick in our best organic mattress ranking.

Although the mattress feels very firm when you first lie on it, the Dunlop latex foam is quick to adapt to your body. Don't expect the sink-in softness of memory foam – latex foam is much bouncier and more responsive, giving a buoyant, weightless sleep feel. It feels supportive from the off, doing a great job of keeping your spine aligned whatever position you sleep in – it's suitable for those suffering from back pain. However, lightweight sleepers of under 130lb may find the mattress just too firm, as there isn't a substantial amount of give in it.

Latex is a naturally bouncy material, so it's unsurprising that this mattress isn't the best at isolating movements. As such, it's not the best pick if you're a light sleepers or have a restless partner. Latex is typically much better at regulating temperature than memory foam. This, combined with well-spaced coils and a natural wool cover helps to wick away moisture and promote airflow, making this a great choice for those who sleep hot.

Our expert review:

The Chill's big selling point is its strong temperature regulation. Most of today's best cooling mattresses sit in the premium price bracket, but the Chill is impressively affordable. Most of this bed's cooling powers reside in the phase-change cover, which responds to your body to keep you at the perfect temperature. In our tests, we found it very effective. While it can't compete with specialist cooling mattresses that run into the thousands, this mattress offers the best temperature regulation we've come across in the mid price bracket.

We tested the all-foam version, but if you want the best breathability consider upgrading to the hybrid – the coil layer creates space for air to circulate within the mattress. There's less body contouring on the Cocoon Chill than you might expect, with a feeling of sleeping 'on' the mattress rather than sinking into it. Despite this, it's well-suited to most body types and sleeping positions, with our testers finding it particularly comfortable for side sleeping. If you want more of a sink-in feel, consider the Helix Midnight (#3). Motion isolation is excellent, but heavier sleepers may sink too far into the mattress for adequate support.

Our expert review:

The Bear Original is supportive in all sleeping positions but is particularly suited for back sleepers due to its excellent levels of support around the hips and lower back. It's firmer than many other all-foam mattresses, with our testers finding it took a little time to break-in.

This brand's USP is that its beds are geared specifically towards those who live an active lifestyle. All its beds have a cover made with Celliant, a specialist fabric designed to promote physical recovery. It's hard to judge exactly how well this part works, but our testers certainly enjoyed sleeping on it during our review period. Motion isolation is particularly impressive, so there's no danger of being woken up by a wriggly partner while sleeping on this, and the superior edge support means you can spread right out across the whole surface of the mattress, as well as sit on it comfortably.

Despite the memory foam being infused with gel and the cover containing Celliant fabric (which is designed to convert body heat into infrared energy), the Bear does sleep hot. So, if you're prone to overheating, opt for the DreamCloud (#1) or Chill (#5) instead.

Although we've labeled these mattresses as 'affordable', you can still expect them to last and provide a quality night's sleep. When choosing the best affordable mattress for you, consider the following:

Your sleep position – Do you sleep on your back, stomach or side? Or are you a combination sleeper who changes position throughout the night?

Your body type – Some materials are less suited to different body weights. For instance, a very soft all-foam mattress is unlikely to provide enough support for heavier weight sleepers, while firm mattresses may be too solid for lightweight sleepers.

Do you share your bed? – If you share your bed, particularly with a restless sleeper, you'll want to choose a mattress that has good motion isolation, so you're not disturbed. Consider what size will suit you, too – you'll need a full bed size or bigger. Our best queen mattress guide rounds up our top picks for the most popular size for couples.

Your bed base – Some mattresses can only be used on specific bed bases, so make sure you check the manufacturer guidelines to see if the mattress is compatible. Our best bed frame guide rounds up our top picks.

One of the other big things to consider when choosing a mattress is whether it comes with a decent trial period. Most mattresses in a box come with at least a 100-night trial period, which gives you time to try the mattress out and see if it's to your liking. Also check the return policy on the mattress – you want to make sure that this is free and easy to organize. For that reason we always recommend buying direct from the brand wherever possible – figuring out how to return a mattress to Amazon isn't always straightforward, for example.

How often should you replace your mattress? You can expect memory foam and hybrid mattresses to last around 10 years, while innerspring mattresses have a lifespan of around 5-7 years. Make sure that the warranty lasts as long or longer than the expected lifespan of your mattress.

And lastly, whatever you choose, make sure you invest in a great mattress protector to keep your mattress in like-new condition for as long as possible.

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Jo Plumridge is an experienced mattress reviewer with several years' experience covering all things mattresses and sleep, and who tests memory foam, hybrid and organic mattresses. What Jo doesn't know about a boxed mattress isn't worth knowing, so naturally we tasked her with producing a series of features for Tom's Guide looking at all aspects of mattresses, from how to pick between latex and memory foam (it's a tricky one), to the seven mistakes people make when buying a mattress for the first time. When testing the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid for Tom's Guide, Jo said: "I loved the back support and pressure relief it offered. Plus, it looks far more expensive than it is."

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