Best Mattresses of 2021
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Firm or plush? Cooling gel layers? Natural or organic materials? Buying a new mattress can be a headache because it’s difficult to separate the marketing fanfare from a mattress’s true attributes.
“You might think you’re getting a superior product with all the hyped-up mattress claims you read or hear,” says Christopher Regan, who oversees CR’s mattress tests. “Our testing separates the good mattresses from the subpar.”
To make those distinctions, Consumer Reports gauges firmness and measures precisely how much support each mattress provides to people of different sizes, whether they sleep on their back or on their side.
Below, CR members can read ratings and reviews of top-rated picks from each of the three types of mattresses we test: adjustable air, innerspring, and foam. In our most recent tests, a Denver Mattress innerspring took one of the top spots in our ratings, performing better than the Casper Original Hybrid. (More details below.)
At CR we buy and test queen-size mattresses from well-known brands such as Beautyrest, Sealy, Serta, Stearns & Foster, and Tempur-Pedic, and from relatively new players including Avocado, Casper, Leesa, Reverie, and Tuft & Needle.
Using lab equipment and human test subjects, we evaluate how well a mattress supports the body for both back and side sleepers, how easily sleepers can shift their weight without disturbing a partner, and how well the mattress keeps its shape over time. For that last test, on durability, we pass a 308-pound roller over each mattress 30,000 times to simulate the typical life span of eight to 10 years.
And while our scientific ratings for support are a good proxy for how well you might sleep on a mattress, we also provide ratings for comfort and satisfaction that come from people who’ve actually lived with these mattresses—for up to 10 years in some cases. Our new comfort and owner satisfaction ratings are based on data from recent surveys on CR members’ experiences with more than 74,000 mattresses purchased within the past decade. We asked them to rate the comfort of their mattress, and used the data to generate ratings by brand and type of mattress. Owner satisfaction is based on a member’s overall judgment of such factors as firmness/softness, value, quality of sleep, and more.
CR members can read on for ratings and reviews of 11 top-rated mattresses. For even more options, check out our mattress buying guide and full mattress ratings.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Best Innerspring Mattresses
These traditional mattresses are composed of steel coils in various configurations. The most widely sold, they also tend to be the least expensive.
Tips for Buying a Mattress
Tossing and turning all night? Maybe it’s time for a new mattress. On the “Consumer 101” TV show, CR expert Chris Regan shares tips on what to look for when mattress shopping.
