Best Foam Mattresses From the Most Comfortable Brands
We asked nearly 70,000 CR members how comfy their mattresses are, then used that data to zero in on the mattress makers that rate best. Here, we highlight their top-scoring models.
By Tanya A. Christian
From latex to memory foam, today’s foam mattresses run the gamut. Some include just one type of foam; others offer a combination of layers. And the marketing for different foam types doesn’t make it easy to know which will be comfortable for you.
Our most recent mattress survey might at least provide some insight as to where to start browsing, however. We asked 69,718 CR members to rate the comfort of mattresses bought between 2011 and 2021. With this data, we were able to discover which brands most consistently provided a comfortable bed for our members.
It turns out that less than a handful of brands earn the top score of Excellent for comfort among our members, though many brands receive the next best rating of Very Good. For this article, we feature six foam mattresses that not only score extremely well in our lab tests for back and side sleepers but are also sold by companies that rate well in terms of providing a comfortable product. These include models from popular brands such as Casper and Tuft & Needle, as well as lesser-known but quality names such as Essentia and Reverie.
Not sure if a foam mattress is right for you? Take a look at our mattress buying guide, which explains how foam varieties differ from innersprings (including hybrid mattresses) and adjustable air mattresses. It will also provide strategies on how to shop for a mattress in a store, so you can figure out if a particular model is, in fact, comfortable for your size and preferred sleep position. (Hint: You will need to spend at least 10 minutes lying on it.)
CR members who’d like to explore more options can check out our comprehensive mattress ratings. There you’ll find plenty more foam mattresses from brands that earn a comfort rating of at least Very Good, according to our member survey. You can also filter the mattresses to zero in on the best innerspring mattresses from brands with stellar comfort ratings. To receive customized recommendations based on such factors as sleep position and body size, try CR’s Mattress Selector.
How Consumer Reports Tests Mattresses
Comfort is a highly individual matter. The best mattress for you in terms of comfort may not be for someone else. But with laboratory testing on a range of sleepers of varying sizes and sleep positions, we can at least separate the better quality mattresses from the poorer ones.
Using lab equipment, we evaluate how well a mattress supports the body for both petite and large/tall back and side sleepers. (With this data, we calculate the support for average-sized sleepers.) We also test how easily sleepers can shift their weight without disturbing a partner, and how well a mattress keeps its shape over time. To simulate the typical eight- to 10-year useful life span of a mattress, we push a 309-pound roller over each model 30,000 times.
As for our member surveys, we focus not only on comfort but also on owner satisfaction. The latter captures a member’s overall judgment of such factors as firmness and softness, value, quality of sleep, and more. As with the feedback on comfort, we use the data to generate ratings by brand and type of mattress.
So far, we’ve tested more than 270 mattresses—foam, innerspring, and adjustable air. CR members can see how they compare in our full list of ratings.
7 Comfortable Foam Mattresses
These top-rated mattresses come from brands that earn a comfort rating of Very Good or Excellent, according to the CR members we surveyed. All of the mattresses here also receive an Excellent rating in terms of durability, and offer enough resilience so you’re less likely to feel stuck (a common complaint about foam mattresses).
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Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.
