The 5 Best Mattresses in 2021

Top Product: Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress | $1,016 | Amazon

I am, historically, bad at sleeping. I belong in the Terrible Sleepers Hall of Fame, were such a thing to exist, in the event that an executive board was not too tired to organize it. But I love being in bed. So what I’m saying is, I understand the value of a quality mattress. If you’re on the hunt for a mattress that’s almost guaranteed to help you get a better night’s rest (or provide support for binge-watching television, or serve as the foundation for your daily workspace), here are the best mattresses I recommend.

Best Memory Foam Mattress: Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress

Memory foam is truly one of sleep’s modern marvels: It’s adaptable, plush, supportive, and often aids with overnight aches and pains. If you’re looking for an innovative foam mattress, the Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress is the way to go. It’s crafted with three layers of the brand’s patented foam technology and features a reinforced edge, so you’re less likely to toss and turn (but also won’t plumb roll out of the bed if you do). The website states that it’s designed for two sleepers, which means if you’re a get-up-and-use-the-bathroom-in-the-middle-of-the-night-person, the Mint Mattress should help prevent disrupting your partner. Tuft & Needle also addresses one of memory foam’s historic criticisms—it’s known to trap body heat—by infusing the Mint with “cooling ceramic gel” to promote a cooler sleep experience.

Best Hybrid Mattress: Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress

Springs, gels, foams … what if your answer is D.) All of the above? Enter Casper, the bed-in-a-box brand you probably weren’t entirely sure was real. But it is, and they are surprisingly legitimate. The Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress is certainly up there, price-wise, but it’s meant to cover just about every concern you may have. Casper designed it with alternating layers of materials and seven ergonomic zones to maximize your spine alignment overnight. What truly sets it apart is its proprietary polyurethane-foam blend: Made with recycled materials and cooling technology, it provides the soft support of memory foam without contributing to overheating. The Nova Hybrid also features a spring base, so you get one of everything. Plus, it’s not so bad for the planet. Everybody wins.

Best Pillow Top Mattress: Serta Perfect Sleeper Elite

The pillow top mattress may have fallen slightly out of vogue in recent years, but if you like a cushioned, firm sleeper, it’s still a classic. So much so that my top choice for it would be the Serta Perfect Sleeper Elite, despite its decidedly unhip status in the current market. This model features an ultra-plush pillow top over a layer of foam, that’s on top of a layer of balance foam, that’s on top of a bed of individually wrapped coil springs. Goldilocks herself would fall for this one. I recommend the Perfect Sleeper Elite not just for its cushy feel, but its firm support and stamp of approval from the National Sleep Foundation. (They partnered with Serta to create a mattress that addresses five common sleep disruptions at once.). Listen, comfort never goes out of style.

Best Budget Mattress: Zinus Cooling Green Tea Gel Memory Foam Mattress

The Zinus Cooling Green Tea Gel Memory Foam Mattress sounds like it was named by an algorithm, but it was designed by anything but. Many from this line end up on best-of lists, and it’s justified; the gel-infused wonder is made with moisture-absorbing activated charcoal that keeps you and your partner cool overnight. In layperson’s terms, it’s ideal for those who sleep hot but prefer the luxe feel of memory foam, which traps body heat. You can generally find the Zinus for $200-$300, which is a bargain for an investment piece. My only personal note is that mattress itself is covered in a knitted jacquard design, so you may want to add a mattress pad over it if you’re sensitive to texture.

Best Non Memory-Foam Mattress: Parachute Eco-Comfort Mattress

As lovely as memory foam and its ilk can be, it’s a design that’s not right for everyone. If you’re anti-foam for whatever reason, I’d recommend the Eco-Comfort Mattress from Parachute. (Yes, that’s the company that tries to sell you towels on Instagram.) The Eco-Comfort Mattress is the company’s first foray into the genre, and it nailed it. The mattress is proudly no-foam-whatsoever, crafted instead with tempered steel springs that are covered with organic cotton and finished with New Zealand wool. Additionally, the Eco-Comfort boasts ten times the amount of springs compared to other classic mattresses, which provides balance and support towards the center and a softer touch towards the head and feet.

Bonus: The Best Mattress Topper, Tempur-Pedic Tempur Supreme

Hey, maybe you like your mattress, but don’t love it. Maybe you hate it, but can’t spring for a total replacement right now. These things happen. So, what I’d recommend is meeting yourself halfway and picking up the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Supreme 3″ Memory Foam Mattress Topper. The just-thick-enough foam is sturdy, but soft enough to really cozy up in. And as the memory foam adapts to your sleeping patterns, the topper becomes more comfortable over time. It instantly upgrades any bed experience.