To get to the top 5 we analyzed 42 products and rated them in five quality categories.

From a statistical perspective, the analysis is intricate and includes quite a few subcategories but, for the sake of simplicity, we summed it all up into 5 ratings and one main number – the overall rating. Without much ado, let’s get right to it.

Best RV mattress short Queen – Top 5

Top-rated overall – CoolBreeze Dynasty

Runner up – Travel Happy by Premium Sleep Products

Zinus Ultima RV short Queen innerspring mattress

Live and Sleep Resort – Classic & Ultra

Resort Ultra

Zinus Ultima (memory foam) review

RV short queen mattress – sizing

Most of the products are approximately of the same size, and when there is a difference it comes down to one or 2 inches in length.

To be specific, three out of five recommendations we listed above are 75 inches long and two of them are an inch shorter.

When it comes to the thickness, most of the better ones are in the range of 10 to 12 inches. Obviously, the thicker ones cost more.

There are two products we listed here with the thickness of 12 “ and one of them is the highest-rated overall – the Cool Breeze by Dynasty. As we mentioned, this kind of comfort is only comparable to the Serta Genius.

Classic vs. short Queen

The difference between these two sizes is one of the most common questions. Again, the answer comes down to length – the former is 80 inches long and the latter is, obviously shorter – 74-75 “.

Most common materials – memory foam vs. innerspring

Majority of the models with highest ratings are entirely made of foam. There’s only one RV short Queen innerspring mattress that made it to our top 5 – the Zinus deluxe.

People who are privy to the manufacturing processes can probably guess the reason – it’s more intricate (read: more expensive) to manufacture the innerspring models, which amps up the price.

If we take a broader look and consider the models that made it to our list of 20 products labeled as best RV mattress short queen, there were only two candidates in the group. The Zinus is significantly more budget-friendly.

Update policy for our reviews and ratings

We regularly update the ratings and reviews to reflect any changes on the market.

Sharon questions or thoughts you might have in the comment section at the bottom. We strive to respond within 24 hours.

If you are from the RV arena, drop us a line you can become our contributor/tester and qualify for our $1000 yearly giveaway.

Stay smart,

The Sleep Studies review team

Best floor mattress – Top 5

Top-rated floor mattress overall – big and folding

Milliard Tri-Fold

Thickness & comfort

It’s just as thick and comfortable as some classic foam mattresses but specifically designed for sleeping on the floor (non-slip bottom and soft jacquard top).

What you typically see in floor-dedicated mats and pads is 3-4 inch of foam – this Milliard boasts 3.5 inches of high-density in the support layer alone.

That paints a pretty clear picture of what’s better about it.

You can see all the ratings below.

Runner-up – Best Price

Enter active charcoal

The first question that likely pops to mind is what makes this mattress different (better suited for floor use) compared to other classics.

The answer lies is that this one is infused with active charcoal to minimize odor, moisture and dust-retention and keep the mattress “fresh”. The company calls the technology ActiveFRESH.

On top of that, if chemicals are a concern, it’s CertiPUR certified, which means that it adheres to strict safety standards of manufacturing and traces of chemicals.

On their own, the factors we described above are not a big deal because it’s not the only mattress to boast them, which brings us back to the price.

It’s what sets it apart – you don’t commonly see a combination of features we mentioned in its price range.

EMOOR floor sleeping mat

(Traditional Japanese)

Zinus Tri-fold

SleepReady floor sleeping mat

by Better Habitat

The SleepReady floor mat is in a category of its own and the comparison of floor mattresses don’t really apply.

It’s our top pick among all-foam floor sleeping mats for outdoor use.

Reference info – history, trivia & more tips on choosing the best floor mattress for your needs

In the rest of this guide, we’ll go over some reference information – history, some interesting trivia and specific tips on choosing right (if none of the products we listed above catch your eye).

History of the floor mattress

Digging into the history presents a bit of a challenge, primarily because of the very definition.

Where does one start?

Should we go all the way back to the Paleolithic times or start with the first instances in history where a mattresses we know it today was described.

Instead of dwelling between the two, let’s the both.

First floor sleeping mats go back 25 centuries

It goes without saying that these were primitive and can be only described as “mats” in a historic context.

The first is instances we found of people covering the cave floor go back Paleolithic times. These coverings were made using tree bark to craft a more comfortable sleep surface.

Granted, it wasn’t hard to put together a surface that would be more comfortable than a rock. To be precise, the coverings we’re talking about here were not even weaved – there were just a pile of bark in cave corners that are predecessors used to rest after long days of mastodon hunting.

First records of weaving

It wasn’t long after that people started weaving plants. This made life easier in many ways, but we’d say that the 3 most heavily impacted of Paleolithic life were clothes, gathering and sleep.

Clothes and gathering are pretty self-explanatory – the Neanderthal started crafting rugs for clothing and baskets for gathering.

In terms of sleep, this meant weaving plants into mats. On the timeline of human history, the Paleolithic times qualify as pre-history – so, long story short, a sleeping floor mat goes way back.

To be precise, the first description that would fit that awful floor mat as we know it today goes 6,000 years back to ancient Mesopotamia.

Biblical times

If you say “floor mat” without context today, you’d have to explain yourself further – are we talking about mats for cleaning footwear?

In this context, that would be a ,”no.”

Since the floor was still just dirt, the mats we’re talking about here refer to sleeping pads.

No significant change for 15,000 years

In the time range between 6,000 BC and 9,000 AC, these mats and pads have not evolved significantly.

The 9000 AC mark is a milestone because that’s when the nobility of Japan introduced what we today know as Tatami – a sitting and sleeping pad wall when using rice and rush straw.

Based on historic data, these were aristocrat-only for about eight centuries. One has to skip forward to the 17th century to see these mats were widely available to a “commoner.”

Thrum as a material for floor sleeping pads

Fast-forward about 1000 years and we see historic data a new material for floor mats known as “thrum.” It was made from the discarded parts used in fine clothes-weaving and straw base.

The discarded fiber was not only a smart use for the leftovers but, because it wasn’t so fine, it sturdier and more durable.

These fibers were interwoven into a strong base to craft a mat (rug) that retains shape well (because of the sturdy base) and yet has a soft finish of thrum. It became widely popular in England.

Buying a floor model mattress

The products we recommended above have a wide appeal, meaning that whatever your body type is, one of the mattresses is likely to be a good fit for you.

With that said, if none of these catches your eye, let’s take the time here to go over some paramount factors of choosing well.

While researching all aspects of choosing a good floor mattress, we’ve seen a lot of shallow information. We’ve seen articles talking about floor sleep as “getting back to our roots,” with little regard for the fact that our bodies evolved and adjusted to modern mattresses.

If you make a leap of faith based on information like this, you might end up giving up the “project” of transitioning to floor sleep altogether.

Instead, the choice should be made with due diligence and factor in the specifics of your body type and how experienced (or not) you are.

To make it all clear and precise, we’ll go over some questions that you need to ask yourself before buying.

After each question, we’ll mention a specific product that could be our recommendation in the different scenarios.

Have you ever slept on the floor before?

Most people simply skip this step which is, if you ask us, a huge mistake. For a newbie, the transition should involve a mid-step, like a floor sleeping pad.

If you’ve never slept on the floor, you don’t just dive in and opt for a thin pad. It takes a while for your body to adjust and for you to find the sweet spots and positions, especially if you have back problems.

This is one of the reasons that we included mattress models that are, strictly speaking, neither here nor there.

What we mean by this?

When we say “neither here nor there,” we’re referring to the type that’s not floor-dedicated.

In this class, our top pick is the overall runner-up. It’s a mattress that can be used on the floor, raised platforms or classic beds.

To sum it up, if you’re just making the transition or you want to be as comfortable as possible, we’d go with the second product in the list – the Best Price.

We did mention it being budget friendly as one of its main upsides but, just so that we’re clear, this is the actual name of the product and not our commentary.

Comfort-wise, the thinnest version is on-par with the top-rated Milliard foldable floor mattress and performs just as well in most aspects and even better in others.

One caveat would be that it’s not portable, since it’s primarily intended for home use.

How often do you plan to use it?

Another important question to ask yourself is the intended use.

Are you getting a floor mattress for guests / occasional use or daily use?

This is also where portability/storage comes into play.

Scenario one: You’re looking for it to be your main bed and have no plans to store it away on daily basis.

For long-term use, our recommendation model would (again) be the second one on the list.

Scenario two: For guests and occasional use

The choice in this scenario is pretty clear since the Milliard roll up floor mattress is the product that ticks all the boxes.

It’s portable, relatively cheap, comes in three sizes (Twin, Full & Queen). The cover is soft, retains shape & resistant to mold.

Scenario three: floor sleeping mat for outdoor use

For outdoor use, our recommendation is the SleepReady mat/pad by Better Habitat.

Side note: we already mentioned that we excluded inflatables from this guide on purpose, since we already have an existing guide in that arena (both classic and self inflatable).

If an air mattress is an option for you, you can see our picks by following one of the three links below.

Do you have back problems?

Another question that we rarely see addressed and research papers and articles.

Making general statements about a floor sleeping mat or pad being good or bad for people with back problems is misleading at best and downright wrong at worst.

That’s why we had to dig deeper and look into available large-scale studies on the topic. Some of our findings were surprising.

If you talk to people about back pain, the conversation is likely to touch on the matter of sleeping on a hard surface.

The evidence for this are mostly anectodal

If the pain is acute, you probably want to stay away from thin pads and mats. In most cases, the pain comes from nerve pressure. If this is the case, you won’t be doing your back and favors by sleeping on surfaces that don’t allow your shoulders and hips to sink in enough so that your spine is aligned.

There’s no widely accepted consensus among professionals when it comes to chronic back pain and the firmness of your mattress. Most of the data we found in our research suggests that a mattress of medium firmness offers more relief in the long run.

To quote a study we found to be most specific (published in the Lancet magazine, 2003 issue, PMID: 14630439):

“A mattress of medium firmness improves pain and disability among patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain”

You can see the full study here

What it means applied to foam models

Our top 2 picks qualify as “medium” firmness. There are models of similar foam density and structure, but it’s the thickness that makes a difference here.

Anything under 6 inches cannot be taken at face value because the floor surface underneath becomes a significant factor.

Summary and updates

To keep the ratings relevant, we do your best to stick to bimonthly or quarterly updates. Those include both new data and new arrivals to the market.

You can always use the comment section below for any questions, either about specific products or general. We aim to respond to all correspondence within 24 hours.

Become our contributor

If you have the time to share your experience, feel free to contact us and contribute with personal impressions.

This would qualify you for our annual giveaway sleep products ($1000). To do that, you can drop us a line right now or bookmark this page and do it at your convenience.

The Sleep Studies review team

Best rollaway & folding beds – top 11

What’s new in this update?

The third update of the brings new data, new beds and some changes in the way we test and rate.

A greater sample and a greater pool of information means we’re covering more of the market and our results are more reliable.

The highlight of this update tie for the runner-up spot between Quictent Cot and the Milliard Premium. These are wo very different beds, both solid in their own way. We tweaked the value for money ratings, so that boosted the Quictent a bit.

We stay committed to finding new ways to make the ratings more accurate – talk to more industry experts and do more testing.

All types and sizes included

With each subsequent update, we adjusted our picks to make the list as well-rounded (based on reader feedback) as possible. In this update, we added a few folding beds that we were analyzing over the past few months but still did not hav eenoiugh data on. This version is the most complete that this guide has ever been.

Not to toot our own horn but it’s fair to say that, whatever the type of foldable / portable beds for adults you’re looking for (including folding cots, which is our latest addition), you’ll find it represented among our picks.

Personally testing and working with featured testers of the beds

We’re personally testing folding beds and send them out to featured testers

The results you’re seeing here are based on first-hand experiences (both in-house and that of featured testers). We aim to test everything we talk about.

Best rollaway bed overall – EconoHome Folding Bed

This guide has seen about two dozen updates so far and things are moving and shaking. This is the first change at the very top since we first published.

It took about 7 months to initially publish our picks and it’s been well over 2 years since then.

We haver a new “king of the hill” in the category.

One main reason for the dominance

As we mentioned, both the formula and the product range are tweaked over time to paint a clearer picture. The tweaks in the statistical analysis are most frequent in the “value for money” category.

So, the explanation for the dominance of EconoHome can be summed up as it being at the sweet spot between price and quality. So, it earns the name.

Simply put, the beds that are similar in quality cost much more and the beds in its price range are sub-par in at least one aspect we rate.

Best cot/fold-away bed for Guests – Giantex heavy-duty collapsible bed

Milliard Deluxe Diplomat fold away bed – one of the better portable guest beds

Zinus Resort roll away bed

The main difference between Zinus Resort and other models that made it to the list our picks for the best roll away bed is obvious – it’s the design of the frame and the thickness of the foldable mattress.

The foldable bed frame is more intricate and includes side covers that hide the space under the bed and the mattress is 5 inches thick. Four inches out of five are high-density foam and one in which is memory foam.

Box-spring folding fed – Edward Britz Original

Lucid fold-up bed – most comfortable if you like soft and plush

A combo not many people think of

Our choice here comes from Lucid. It wasn’t a hard decision since the lucid also makes queen-size frames to go with it. As we mentioned, strictly speaking, there are no Queen or Full size rollaway bed that are of the same type we’re analyzing here (fold up).

On top of that, if you get two of these in Twin XL size, you get a King. This combo is a great idea for guest rooms – two nice sofas for the days and a guest bed for 3 adults (76 x 80 inches).

ibed in a box and ibed Corner collapsible

Zinus Premier Traveler folding bed

Folding ottoman beds

If you’re looking for a fold out ottoman bed, our top two choices are the Milliard guest hideaway and the Handy Living sleeper.

If company reputation is a concern, both companies are in good standings. The latter company is well-known for chairs and sectionals (like the Handy Living convert-a-couch).

Bottom line – both folding ottoman beds are top-tier and, ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference.

On the other hand, the Milliard is slightly bigger when folded into an ottoman.

It’s also worth noting that both have a maximum weight capacity of 300 lbs.

The difference is other aspects, like the material of the cover, sturdiness of the ottoman frame and the cushions are too small to report on.

Portable bed for adults – out top 2 picks

The category of fold up cot beds was is the “youngest” here. We only added it 6 months ago but that doesn’t take away from the reliability of our ratings.

In fact, it was the easiest to work with since we have many featured contributors in the outdoors arena.

Note: based on feedback, we decided to exclude inflatables from this category, if that’s an option for you, you can see our complete guide with top-rated air mattresses here.

Two obvious choices

The process of choosing came down to emailing 16 of them and asking about their experiences with fold up cots over the years. Thirteen of them gave their vote to either the Disc-o-bed or the the Coleman ComfortRest.

Granted, in the emails, we did mention that we’re looking for a cot that would perform well for indoor use, as a folding cot bed. We then proceeded to gather the necessary data to rate the two portable beds.

We ended up with a significant gap in ratings between the top picks and the runner ups.

Disc-o-bed

Coleman ComfortSmart

References – testing and rating

At any moment, you can use the orange button to skip back to the very top of the page.

About our ratings of the fold up beds

As you stressed a few times, we received no free products or testing samples to review. It’s a way of ensuring that the process is fully objective and based on tangible data.

We started out by consulting our panel of experts for the initial picks. The way we see it, this has two upsides.

First of all, it eliminates many sub-par products that would otherwise, to be honest, waste a lot of our time and resources.

Secondly, it allows us to be thorough in the analysis

Whenever we can, we buy the products we review. In the interest of full disclosure, this wasn’t the case with roll away beds because we simply didn’t have the resources. So the ratings is so rely heavily on the statistical model we developed years ago and tweaked over time.

Today, the core the analytics remains the same (when we can’t to buy all the beds and test them personally), but it’s tweaked to the specifics of the product. It’s only natural, because the same quality categories don’t apply for all bed types.

Even when we could buy and personally test the fold up beds we review, the analytics would still play a major role in reaching the ratings, simply because nothing beats volume. In other words, what we like is not necessarily what most people will like, no matter how objective try to be.

Bottom line, the larger the data-volume, the more accurate the ratings. It also means that each subsequent update paints a better picture about the quality of the beds.

What it all means applied to rollaway or folding beds

Primarily, it meant clearly defining what qualifies as “high-quality.” With “classic products”, things are not so intricate because there are more variables here.

Speaking in broad terms, all our ratings can be grouped into primary and secondary (by how much of an impact they have on the overall rating).

Just for reference, let’s take a moment here to look at a few.

On-arrival assembly

This is one of the quality categories that’s unique for rollaway beds. It doesn’t qualify as primary because it does this make much of a difference in the long run.

To be clear, but were talking about here is how easy/hard it is to put the bed together once it is on your doorstep (like frame and wheels assembly).

If there are on arrival problems with putting the bed together, those would be accounted for in the “on-arrival issues” along with any defects in the craftsmanship.

Stability

Stability is a primary factor with a few sub-factors. The crucial part is the stability of the bed frame and what qualifies as a sub-factor are ties (if any).

Plainly speaking, it’s meant to describe how well a bed performs in two aspects:

1. Subject feeling of frame stability (beds with a lower rating in this category would feel flimsy)
2. The “pieces” staying in place

Quality of the folding foam mattress

Another primary factor and possibly the most intricate one.

The grade of the foam used in fold up beds will not be as high as that used in classics.

That’s not a minus per se. Here’s why…

If the foam was of the same density and ILD (indentation load deflection) and thickness as that of a classic models, it would be much harder to fold and store the bed.

So, for a good guest bed, you’re aiming for density and ILD that would be at the sweet spot between comfort, support and malleability.

In terms of density, we found the sweet spot here to be around 2.5 lbs. The higher you go, the harder it becomes to collapse the bed away. This lowers the portability.

On this side note, this is one of the reasons we were so impressed with the Edwards original. If you know the manufacturing side of things, you know how hard it is to make portable bed for adults that includes springs.

To simplify it

Everything we said above might sound a bit too much to take in, so let us simplify it by summing it up into two factors of foam quality.

A great way to judge it are the warranty terms – it would make little financial sense for company to offer a long warranty if the foam in their products “breaks” after six months.

So if you don’t want to spend days researching, the shortcut would be looking at the warranty terms for the foam. Making a sturdy yet collapsible bed frame is not as hard as offering high-quality foldable memory foam mattress to go with the frame and base.

Sturdiness of the frame

Initially, we used durability and longevity of the frame as primary factors. That’s not the case anymore because there are too many products with similar frame quality.

Instead, sturdiness is a secondary factor included in all of the following ratings: stability, durability and longevity.

A side note

One of the more common questions we received pertains to the difference between durability and longevity. It’s pretty simple – durability describes the capacity of a bed to take on weight at one moment while longevity describes how well it performs long-term (without developing structural defects).

Customer service and Better Business Bureau rating

This is an important one – it goes beyond prompt replies to emails or return claims. Listing a warranty is one thing how efficient the company is when a customer wants to claim it paints a better picture.

It takes some elbow grease to get to this rating because we basically have to count every experience a customer had and how promptly it was addressed.

As we said, it goes beyond answering an email. To put it simply, what we like to see here is the company address them claims without giving you the runaround or avoiding your return request (if defined in their warranty policy).

To make it more accurate, we always take the time to look into the Better Business Bureau rating of the company that manufactures the foldaway beds we review.

Maintenance

The “ease of maintenance” is pretty self-explanatory. It comes down to a 2 things:

1. whether the bed comes with a cover and, if yes, whether it’s machine-washable and rated for the dryer
2. whether it comes with a bag/sack two-story the whole thing

Even the best folding beds often don’t include a storing bag for storing when not in use. You often have to get one separately.

Do the wheels lock in place?

Wheel-locks are not a must for a good rollaway bed for adults. If the frame is sturdy, the weight of an average adult will be enough to keep the construction stable.

With that said, if you’re an adult but on the lighter side, it’s probably a good idea to consider whether the wheels lock.

Updates policy and questions

We mentioned it at the very beginning, but let’s reirate here – to make sure the information you’re seeing stays relevant at all times, it’s our policy to update the ratings and ranking either when we add 10 % or on quarterly basis.

With any questions or simply comments, drop us a line in the comments – we never take longer than 24 hours to respond.

Stay smart,

The Sleep Studies team

Outsourcing is not a minus on its own but, based on what we’ve seen when it comes to memory foam, there is a pattern. The quality ratings of the foam with the same density and firmness start to vary with prolonged use.

We revisit and update the quality ratings at 1, 2 and 5-year marks. Based on what we’ve seen, the gap in ratings (shape retention and structural integrity) appears at these time milestones.

What we expected to see

Having in mind that Sleep Innovations are making an effort in their advertising to stand out from the crowd by stressing that there is no one-size-fits-all mattress, we expected the Shiloh to be top-tier.

Why?

Because a company like this wouldn’t risk their reputation by putting a product on the market that’s sub-par compared to the manufacturers they’re trying to distinguish themselves from.

What do we mean by that?

The Shiloh is designed to be a good fit for most people. In a market where many companies simply make one mattress and advertise it as one-size-fits-all, Sleep Innovations is an exception.

They make a range of mattresses for different body frames. The Shiloh is their flagship product with the widest appeal – average to large person.

In other words – it’s designed to find the sweet spot between comfort and support.

The foam used to make the Shiloh is patented, with cell structure designed to improve airflow and heat dissipation.

We wouldn’t go as far as describing it as “cooling”, but the heat dissipation numbers we’ve seen do justify the claims the company makes.

In that quality aspect, it belongs to the top 5% of mattresses we ever analyzed.

Here’s why

Shiloh is not just a lump of foam. The layers work together to balance between firmness and support.

This means that the top layer (2.5 inches thick SureTemp foam) is there to allow your shoulders and hips to sink just enough for proper spinal alignment. The SureTemp foam is trademarked by Sleep Innovations and 3rd-party tested to do what the company claims in the advertising.

The base layer is denser and thicker (9.5 inches). It’s the base that’s “responsible” for the structural integrity, shape retention and support.

Putting it simply – for body frames ranging from medium to large, the Shiloh is at the sweet spot. The base is just firm enough so that your spine doesn’t arch downwards, while the top has enough “give” to prevent the spine arching upwards.

That especially goes for side and back sleepers.

In terms of heat dissipation, the only scenario where Shiloh might not feel right is if you’re an especially cold sleeper and the temperature of your bedroom is also low.

In all other scenarios, the mattress does a solid job of both dissipating heat and not trapping the cold. The user satisfaction numbers we’ve seen were slightly higher with people more concerned about heat retention.

Before we get into this, let us just mention that we have separate statistical model when we rate all-foam products (different formulas from those we use for innerspring and hybrids).

This is where Shiloh truly shines. With the layered structure in mind, this doesn’t come as a surprise.

To be honest, the motion isolation properties contribute less towards our final ratings than other quality factors.

There’s confusion with the terminology here and we want to address that first.

You might see a Sleep Innovations Shiloh review on other sites lumping these two aspects together, which is not the way to go about it.

This is an important one because it’s not only about the smell. It’s more about long-term safety.

This is where the fact that the foam is US-made following strict safety standards is a big plus for the Shiloh.

Even the manufacturing process is environment-friendly. For the finished product that will arrive at your doorstep, this is not a big deal.

But, if you like the idea of sleeping on a mattress that was made with minimal footprint on the environment, this does deserve a mention.

Mandatory factory air out

With most foam products, there will be an initial smell that lingers around your bedroom. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to dissipate.

None of that here

This is one of the few mattresses we’ve seen with a mandatory factory airing out.

For you, this means that there is no initial smell and no need to wait or air out the mattress on your own. That part is taken care of in the factory and the product is shipped with zero smell.

No need for add-ons

We see this one way to often – you get the mattress and your enthusiasm about it is quickly curbed because you feel you need an extra topper or pad for it (most often because it feels too hot).

Here, the top layer is designed to eliminate the need for a topper. In fact, the company advises against using any add-ons because they can interfere with the breathability.

Since the structure is not symmetrical, the mattress should not be flipped.

Many of us are still trapped in the perception that flipping a mattress will prolong the lifespan.

With modern mattress technologies and materials, it’s not so simple.

Here’s why

With mattresses that shouldn’t be flipped, the manufacturer has to be extra careful, especially when they offer a 20-year warranty.

This means that they have to make sure that the structure can take the prolonged use and maintain shape.

Otherwise, they would be faced with people claiming their warranties too often, which would affect their bottom line.

The important part here is that the numbers we’ve seen when it comes to foam breaking or indentetion development with prolonged every-night use are low.

Rotation

The mattress is symmetrical (side to side) which means that you can rotate it but, based on what we’ve seen, the number of people who feel the need to do it is very low with the Shiloh.

This ties into the analysis above and means that the number of people who saw structural issues is also low.

To put it simply – there are no indentations or uneven surfaces forming over time that would call for the mattress to be rotated.

What does the 20-year warranty cover?

When you see a long warranty like this, you should be careful and make sure that you read the fine print. In some cases, a company can “dilute” the warranty terms and you might end up with additional cost when making the claim.

We looked closely and saw no red lights here, the company does what it promises – covering the full cost related to any warranty claim (replacing or repairing the bed).

These terms cover any issues with the fabric, stitching and, most importantly, potential structural defects.

What we mean by “bounce-back” is the time it takes for the surface to get back to its original shape when you get up.

There are two ways to look at this.

The mattress hit the market back in 2010 (May 15, to be more precise) and was initially known as the Sleep Innovations SureTemp. So if you see it under that name, don’t get confused, it’s the same mattress.

The name SureTemp was a way for Sleep Innovations to stress the trademarked foam used for the top layer.

The number of garment issues (stitching tears) reported by the owners we talked to was lower than those we’ve seen in 93% of other mattresses.

When all said and done, this is the category that probably does the best job of reflecting overall quality.

If you didn’t take the time to read the full analysis, let’s go over the basic takeaways.

As per our regular schedule, we update the ratings quarterly, unless we see an indication of a significant quality change or learn about a change in the manufacturing practices.

We do it to make sure that our ratings always reflect the actual situation on the market. This means that you can be confident that the information you’re seeing is fresh and relevant.

If you have questions or an experience you’d like to share, do get in touch – we run a $1000 yearly giveaway of sleep product for all interviewees who contribute to making our ratings more accurate.

To apply, all you have to do is contact us and we’ll take it from there.

We have been tracking the trends in the mattress industry since we first established the site. Things have been getting increasingly complicated over the past few years. The numbers for 2016 were surprising with ISPA reporting an all-time-high gross revenue and a growth of 3.4 %.

The most important factor causing this tectonic shift is the dynamic industry of “online mattresses.” It’s fair to say that, before the disruption, the trends in the industry were somewhat predictable with the big mattress companies dominating.

First things first

To kick off the analysis, we’ll start by taking a look at the freshest data available (sales stats for 2016 by manufacturer shale sales, channels of distribution and mattress type). We’ll then analyze some of the trends we’ve seen over the past year and use our statistical projection model to get an idea of what we might expect in the upcoming years.

Last updated: February 2018

Sales share by channel of distribution

Sales share of manufacturer

Satisfaction % by mattress type

Economic implications

The last graph shown above is probably the most important indicator of where the industry is going, although it might not appear so at first glance.

Cause of the shift

It’s the new business model of buying a mattress online that caused the increase in user satisfaction rate with memory foam mattresses. Most of these companies (like Casper, Leesa, Lull, etc.) are memory foam mattresses that can be packed and shipped efficiently.

We firmly believe that it’s the warranty terms (typically 100 nights to try the mattress out) that are causing the spike in user satisfaction percentages with these types of mattresses. The business model is simple – making the mattress so that it suits most of the population and then offering a return policy that most stores cannot match.

Note: the category of “air” includes both classic air mattresses and high-end products with an air chamber core (Sleep Number and their main competitor – Personal Comfort Beds have by far the highest market share in the latter category).

Spending trends of the average consumer

When we analyzed the market in 2015, we reached a conclusion that it plateaued. We were wrong. The substantial growth of 3.4 % in 2016 is an obvious indicator that the average consumer is spending more on a mattress (the trend is most notable in the US and southeastern Asia).

It’s not likely that the slight job market recovery has anything to do with it. The more probable cause is that an average user is encouraged to spend more by the new warranty terms that allow him to try the mattress out before committing to the purchase.

What we can expect in the short term

The trend of growth is likely to continue for at least 5 to 6 years as the new business model is yet to gain the trust of the more conservative buyers. Based on the indicators that we’ve seen over the last few years we expect a steady growth of 2.5 – 3.5% per year in the 2018 – 2024 period.

The long-term effects of the change

We mentioned that the new technologies and business models used in mattress manufacturing are already showing a significant impact on the mattress marketing in South Eastern Asia.

In the short term, this might not be a big deal, but in terms of long-term growth, it is probably one aspect of the mattress industry that should be followed with a keen eye by anyone looking to predict where the industry is going.

We’re saying that for two reasons:

1. With improvements in the shipping, it would not be a surprise for the mattress-in-a-box companies to turn their attention to the giant Asian market
2. We could also see the local mattress companies mastering the technology and materials used for the new business model

The two factors above could result in a big spike on the market in 5 to 6 years.

The bottom line

If you were to make a list of manufacturing industries being shaped by new technologies and business models, the mattress industry would likely be at the very top.

Speaking from the economic perspective and looking at the big picture, the impact of the changes that we describe above is yet to show its full impact on the market.

With new companies and improved technologies and materials arriving at the marketplace with each passing quarter, these are as exciting times as any.

That’s the main reason why we’re moving on from our regular scheduled updates of this report (annual) to quarterly updates on any significant news in the industry.

Lull mattress testing

What’s different about the Lull?

Lull mattress – review of the construction

Why is this important?

The difference here comes down to the distance between the body axis and the furthermost points (like hips and shoulders).

So, unless you belong to one of the two groups of people mentioned above, the Lull is likely to provide a good balance between support and comfort.

That’s probably the main reason behind the fact that Lull mattress has a user satisfaction rating of 95%.

Layer 2 – support / transition

One more layer of foam with the same thickness as the cooling foam but somewhat denser. It’s meant to be a transition between the cooling layer and the core (bottom layer).

Layer 3 – core

Seven inches of extra dense foam of the core are there as the main supportive element. The foam used is strong, much denser than either of the two layers we mentioned above, and works with them to balance out the lower density of the cooling and the transitional layer.

The three layers together “work” together to offer proper “sinkage” for the joints and align the spine.

Based on what we’ve seen, Lull has done a very good job balancing the 3 layers.

Lull mattress – review of foam quality

If you’ve done your homework researching mattresses, you probably know that judging the quality of the foam is tricky.

Things got especially complicated with the growing trend of shady outsourcing practices.

We’re not saying that outsourcing is a bad thing per se or that you can judge the quality of the foam based on where it comes from.

We’re saying not to take any claims about “high-quality foam” at face value, because anyone can make them.

What to look for instead?

Look for things that are backed up and proven, like:

• Warranty
• Testing (independant)
• 3-rd party certification

Unless a mattress ticks all the boxes above, any claims about the quality of the foam are moot, whether they’re positive or negative.

So, let us analyze and review the Lull mattress from that precise “angle”.

Warranty and Trial

The trial

Let’s separate two things here – the trial period of hundred nights and the 10 years of warranty.

The trial is just meant for the potential buyer to protect themselves from ending up with a mattress they don’t like.

In the modern, online-mattress-shopping market, a company wouldn’t get very far without offering a trial period that lasts long enough for you, as the potential owner, to be sure whether their product is right for you.

During this period, you can sleep-test the Lull mattress and simply return it if you don’t like it.

It’s a big plus but not something that separates the Lull from similar brands.

The warranty

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the foam quality comes down to the warranty.

There’s simply no way for the company to offer a 5 or 10-year testing-backed (this is an important one and we’ll get back to it in a minute) warranty while using sub-par foam for their mattresses.

The math doesn’t add up.

That’s why we’re stressing the 10-year warranty of the Lull. There’s no foam expert that can tell you more about the foam quality than the warranty terms.

Independent testing – beyond the warranty

One of the pieces of advice we always give to people buying a mattress online is to go with a brand of mattresses that are backed up by independent testing.

Lull is one of those brands.

What does that mean exactly?

It means that the mattress is tested by a 3-rd party lab in conditions designed to mimic the use within the warranty period.

Why is this important?

Lull is a big player and a stable company.

We see them maintaining the status for decades to come, so the following scenario doesn’t refer to the company but other sub-par mattress sellers.

Imagine this scenario – you get a mattress based on the warranty terms and you see an issue with it halfway through the warranty period. What if the company is not there anymore?

In this scenario, you would have bought a mattress based on numbers on a paper.

Safety of the Lull mattress

Safety is still a big factor when choosing memory foam. That’s why we avoid even reviewing mattresses that are not CertiPUR-US® Certified.

Lull is not only certified for safety from any fumes or potentially harming agents by the CertiPUR-US label, but it’s also a certified member of the Sustainable Furnishing Council (SFC) and Mattress Recycling Council (MRC).

There are mattresses out there with some of these certificates, but you rarely see a brand certified with all the 3 safety and environmental labels.

The cover

If you think that a cover of the mattress bears little importance, you didn’t stumble upon a bad cover.

The quality of the cover is especially important for the Lull because of their selling points is the cooling property of the top foam layer. The breathability of the end product largely depends on the quality of the cover (as defined on the Lull website).

To put it simply – you can use whatever foam type you like, but if the materials of the cover are not top-notch, the mattress will still trap heat.

Why we like the Lull cover

With the combo of polyester, polypropylene and rayon, Lull seems to have found the sweet spot with the cover. We didn’t notice any breathability, durability or longevity issues that would be a red light or deal breakers.

The part we especially like is the easy maintenance and how well the combo of the materials responds to different types of cleaning (like machine washing or dry cleaning).

Lastly, the patterned surface with side panels and the combo of white and gray does look stylish and worthy of a high-end product like Lull.

The balance between heat dissipation and shape retention

To get to the ratings of the cover, we look at the temperature footprint of the mattress with and without the cover. With mattresses like Lull, the lower the difference, the better the cover. It’s all about allowing the cooling layer to breathe and do its job of heat dissipation.

This means striking the right balance between shape retention, the thickness of the cover and its seamlessness. We also look at issues like pilling or shape change and we saw none of that with the Lull…to be honest, we didn’t expect to see it either (having in mind the reputation of the company).

On top of it all, the cover is fire resistant. Nice work with this one, Lull.

“Pushback” (bounce) vs. “Hug” (contouring)

We’ve seen this quality category “break” the ratings of some otherwise outstanding mattresses.

First things first – let’s explain what this rating is.

It’s pretty self-explanatory but let’s take a moment to precisely define it.

We defined “pushback” as an aspect of support. Mattresses with solid pushback will not allow you to sink in and will make it easy to move without feeling trapped. It’s more than just about the firmness – it’s about how well the thickness and the density of the foam are combined.

It’s critical for all-foam mattresses like Lull

You could say that “hug” is the opposite of the pushback. It’s a way to describe how well the mattress contours to the body of sleepers with different body types.

The balance

Our rating algorithm does not include hug and pushback as separate quality categories, but the balance between the two…which is, for most people, all that really matters.

Better edge sturdiness than a vast majority of all-foam mattresses

Again, the importance of this rating is higher in all-foam mattresses because if the balance is off here, you’ll end up with a mattress that feels like you’re sleeping on a bouncy inflatable bed or you’ll find yourself sinking too much, feeling “trapped” and difficult to move.

Motion transfer & edge sturdiness

As we said above, Lull is not a firm mattress but one that’s finely balanced between firmness, comfort, pushback and hug.

That also means that it has a somewhat higher motion transfer than firmer mattresses and it’s a bit less supportive around the edges (much like most all-foam mattresses are).

However, the ratings in the edge support and motion transfer category are on the higher end among the all-foam mattresses.

Our conclusion about motion transfer of the Lull mattress

We’ve said it many times and we’ll say it again, we feel that “motion transfer” is an overrated quality aspect. That’s why we have an adjustment coefficient for the category, and this rating has less impact on the Overall rating then quality aspects we feel are more important.

We’ve all witnessed the frenzy of ads of demonstrating the quality of the mattress by jumping on one side or throwing a bowling bowl while keeping, say, a glass of vine on the other unspilled.

These tests look dazzling, but what do they prove?

We’ve introduced the adjustment coefficient to tweak our rating formula because, at one point, we saw mattresses that are obviously inferior getting a higher score because they had low motion transfer. We see it more as an indicator of other quality aspects than a rating that’s meaningful on its own.

With all that said, the rating we reached in this Lull mattress review is 92 / 100 for motion transfer.

Somewhat sturdier edges than similar mattresses

We don’t expect the edges of all-foam mattresses like Lull to be close to innespring or even hybrids. It’s physics 101. No matter how you combine the layers or how thick you make them, the foam cannot hold an edge like a steel coil.

The ratings of the Lull in this category (86/100) put it in the top 5 % of mattresses (of its type) we ever tested or reviewed. It’s due to the very dense and unyielding core.

Off-gassing of the foam and initial odor

This category is somewhat subjective because it comes down to the perception of the user. With that said, we do have extensive experience with reviewing similar mattresses.

During the period of testing and putting together this Lull mattress review and analysis, we have seen no red lights or deal-breakers.

There was a slight odor on-arrival (the kind you’d expect from any new mattress of this type), but it was fleeting. The odor did not resemble any of the smells we’ve seen over the decades that would indicate a presence of harmful chemicals. It was more of a new mattress smell than anything else.

This comes as no surprise since we know how rigorous CentriPur is with their certification. Our rating in this category is 96/100. You can read more about the connection between odor and safety here.

Note: This rating is provided for reference and it’s included in the Overall safety rating above. This means that it contributes to the overall rating indirectly, not on its own.

Heat dispersion test of the Lull

When we mentioned factors like motion isolation not getting equal “treatment” as some of the more important ones, we had quality aspects like temperature regulation in mind.

With the cooling being one of the selling points, the results we’ve seen here are nothing to write home about and we deem them as average.

Our notes based on Thermal imaging are that the average time for the Lull to return to room temperature after an average person laying on it for 25 minutes in a room of 70 Degrees F is about 15 minutes. As we said, these results are nothing to write home about but are not a deal-breaker either (for most people).

Higher heat retention is to be expected from mattresses like Lull compared to innerspring. This means that Lull might not be the choice for you if you are an outlier and an especially hot sleeper or have hot flashes. For an average person, we don’t see it as a significant issue, but the ratings do reflect the results – 84/100.

Sizes & surface compatibility review of the Lull mattress

Without spring getting in the way, Lull makes for a “malleable” mattress that easily adjusts to any surface.

Ratings in this category are less about the versatility of being used with different fixed bed bases (like slated bars or flat boards) and more about the flexibility and ease of use with adjustable bed bases.

Lull outperformed 94% of similar mattresses here, “molding” to the base and moving with it with ease. We rate it at 97/100 here – there are very few beds we know of that adjust better, and they cost 2 or 3 times as much as the Lull.

Value for money

Lull is not a cheap mattress, but this category rating is not about price but about the balance between value it offers, how it compares to similar mattresses (both online and at retail stores).

The value rating of the Lull (94/100) puts in the top 7%, meaning that if you do find it to be a right fit for you in the warranty period and decide to keep it, you will have saved a nice amount.

Specs of the Lull mattress

Sizes of the Lull	Dimensions (")	Weight (lbs)
Twin	38 x 75 x 10	40.3
Twin XL	38 x 80 x 10	44.2
Full	54 x 80 x 10	57.6
Queen	60 x 80 x 10	69
King	76 x 80 x 10	87.5
California King	72 x 84 x 10	86

Protection & cooling

In spite of the 10-years warranty, you can always use some sort of protective mattress topper or pad to increase the lifespan of your mattress.

When we say “lifespan,” we’re not necessarily referring to the absolute lifespan but prolonging the period during which the Lull has that familiar “new mattress” feel. Adding a topper can also adjust the firmness to your liking (if you like the Lull but find it too firm or soft).

For some recommendations, you can see our full guide on mattress toppers here.

Cooling it down

Lull comes with its own cooling layer but, as we reported above, the breathability can’t really be compared to different mattress types (latex, innerspring, hybrids).

To add a touch of cooling, you can pair the lull with a cooling mattress pad.

Lull mattress complaints

Most of the Lull mattress complaints we’ve seen when analyzing the review of existing owners are from people who found it to be either too soft or too warm. The high user satisfaction ratings on the Lull are mostly (in our opinion) a result of the fact that Lull works for most people and the reviews are coming from people who understood what kind of mattress it is.

The second factor here is the customer service (especially the trial) and Lull policy about posting each review (even the complaints). They go as far as to promise a full refund to people who bough their mattress, wrote reviews or a complaint that wasn’t posted on their website.

FAQs

Updates and summary

We typically update our guides on a quarterly basis, which is also the case with this one.

That doesn’t mean that we update the ratings of each airbed – our statistical model is based on gathering data and if we don’t have enough of new information for a specific bed, this update might happen once every 6 months or yearly.

What this means for this guide is the ratings of the more popular beds, like the Classic raised or EZ, are updated every six months, while the less popular models “wait” until we share enough new info for an update to make sense.

If you have any dilemmas, questions or any thoughts at all about the information we presented, please do share them in the comment section at the end of this page.

Personal Comfort vs. Sleep Number – the backstory of a rivalry

In November 2017, the main Sleep Number competitor, Personal Comfort Beds, have won their second back-to-back lawsuit vs. Sleep Number.

The whole thing and it with Miller’s statement, “We were proud to show the jury and everyone in attendance the true difference in quality manufacturing, and it was great to have jurors approach me after the trial to and say our product was clearly better.”

The company describes their mattresses as “the last mattress you’ll ever need.” In this guide, we’ll analyze and review our top picks in 3 price ranges.

To put it simply, the lawsuit was about Sleep Number claiming that their competition is falsely advertising their beds by saying and they were “preferred over Sleep Number” and “upgraded versions” of the Sleep Number beds.

Craig Miller (President of American National Manufacturing) actually built 2 beds side by side (Personal Comfort A8 and Sleep Number i8) to prove that the advertising claims were not false.

Now, we have zero intention of getting into the whole thing beyond the facts of what happened.

That’s fow two reasons:

1. Legal stuff
2. It doesn’t help us choose you a bed today. This is the more important one and our main goal today.

The guide on beds like Sleep Number was long overdue

We had requests to analyze our top picks among Sleep Number competition since we first started reviewing adjustable airbeds (years ago).

So, before we even get to specific products, we’d like to stress 2 things:

1. We did not receive any free products for this guide
2. This guide is a result of our readers asking us to recommend beds like Sleep Number, but at a lower price

With that out of the way, let’s get back to our work, list our picks and analyze them top to bottom.

Lower price range
Personal Comfort A2
(Bed similar to Sleep Number C2)

Fact sheet:

Bed like Sleep Number in the medium price range
Personal Comfort A5
(similar to Sleep Number P5)

It’s one of the few models (A5 to A10) that has a reversible top panel cover as one its prominent feature.

The company calls it “seasonal” because the two sides offer different levels of breathability – more heat retention in the winter & more breathability for the summers.

They also recommend flipping once every six months to minimize the changes of the top surface. It might be worth mentioning that, since it’s removable, you can have it dry cleaned.

The A5 comes in Queen and King size – you can see what owners are saying about the bed by following the links below.

On the higher-end of the price scale
Personal Comfort A8
competition to Sleep Number i8

Beds like Sleep Number – reference info more details and other competitors

In the section below, we’ll go a bit more in-depth and explain what each of the features of Personal Comfort Beds means for the owners. So, let’s see what the mattresses of the main Sleep Number competition are “made of”.

First of all, the company makes a special point and stresses the fact that they are the only ones in the industry to have their products manufactured by medical device company registered with the FDA and the beds manufactured in the USA.

The hand controller of the Sleep Number competitor

The currently used generation III of hand controllers is based on touch screen technology and interface. The generation III made the firmness control more intuitive since it’s not just numbers but includes actual visualization of the firmness.

Each controller comes in its own protective encasement and allows the user to select two settings (per controller) and memorize them. What this means for the user is that, once you find your sweet spot, you can memorize the settings without meddling with the presets every time.

This typically involves a bit of experimentation on your side, but once you find that sweet spot, it’s all worth it.

Calibration

The air control unit currently used in Personal Comfort beds is also generation III. The advanced calibration makes the adjustments easier and the pressure readouts more accurate.

This might sound complicated but, for the user, it means that the controls adjust to the mattress elevation and size, simplifying the setup process.Two-zone comfort

Each of the Personal Comfort Beds that comes in either Queen King or California King size features two-zone personalization.

To put it simply, this means that all the settings available can be personalized for the two halves of the bed.

Top panel

We already mentioned that the models in the range of A5 to A10 feature a reversible top panel cover patented by the company. Let’s take a moment here to explain what it is.

The two sides are made of different materials – one more suitable for the winter and the other for the summer, which is why they call it a “seasonal cover.”

One of the materials is more breathable while the other traps more of your body temperature, but it’s not just about heat retention.

To maximize the lifespan of the surface, the company recommends flipping it twice a year.

The Poly foam

Any of the models starting from A3 uses some type of high-quality Polyurethane foam (either as one solid piece or convoluted).

The foam has contouring properties, meaning that it adjusts to the body type of the sleeper.

No risk of air leaks

The air chambers are made of vulcanized rubber (24-gauge) and are practically impenetrable.

The memory foam

Memory foam used for the Personal Comfort beds is trademarked by the company as ThermaPhase Gel™.

The main difference compared to other types of memory foam is that the structure is open-cell, which distributes heat much more efficiently.

Combined with the polyurethane foam, it’s designed to minimize any pressure points and improve your circulation.

The foam adheres to the strictest standards of CertiPUR-US® for safety and durability.

The hoses

The hoses that conduct the air from the control unit to the chambers are reinforced to be kink-resistant. It ensures that the air supply is uniform.

This is especially important if you have a split model since the movement of the mattress could compromise the hoses and interfere with the air supply.

The rail system

With all the sections of foam that are reversible and can move, it’s important to have a reliable rail system to keep it all tightly in place.

Starting from A4, each of the beds features “Wrapped Rails” that do just that.

Other Sleep number competitors

Main Sleep number competitors are: Personal Comfort, Saatva, Sealy, and Simmons Bedding.

Final thoughts & future updates

Since we first started our mattress review program, thesleepstudies.com has adhered to a strict objectivity policy. As we mentioned at the beginning, we did not receive any free products for this guide that might cast a shadow over that policy.

This guide was meant to take an objective look at the main Sleep Number competition – Personal Comfort Beds and point out some advantages and shortcomings.

We hope that we did that.

To make the information presented here fresh and relevant at all times, we update this guide on 6-month basis.

You can share any questions or dilemmas in the comment section or by directly emailing us, we respond to all correspondence within 24 hours. If it’s in within our area of expertise, we’ll do our best to help.

The Sleep Studies Team

Today, we’re setting an ambiotious goal – to look at the all the bed types that exist on the planet.

Some of these will make you nostalgic for the good ol’ days and some of these will widen your pupils and make you think, “somebody actually sleeps on that”.

Whatever the case, the list below has a little something for the most demanding of tastes.

Take that, Nepal.

Divan is the simply styled bed, it can be made with or without springs. It has a firm and stable construction which serves as a base for the mattress. It als features a for storage space, so you may have seen some divan beds with drawers.

This style usually includes comfortable headboard and there are a lot of different types to choose from, but sometimes they have to be bought separately.

A multi-functional bed, it’s ideal for small apartments or for when you have guests. They come in a variety of designs, colors and sizes and can easily be customized.

Usually it has easy pull-mechanism, so the transition from sofa to bed can be made in seconds and doesn’t take much effort.

Dating from 16th century this style is still very popular and has a lot of variations. It’s made of high quality wood, with four vertical columns placed on each corner.

The sides of the bed are decorated and artistically engraved. It has a traditional, antique feel and often is a central piece in the room.

Another very common version of a four poster bed, but in this case, the posts are not as high. All the posts have some sort of decorative top on them, in a round, square or other shape.

The base is same like in the standard poster bed, the wood is also engraved, but the footboard columns are shorter.

A Canopy bed is very similar to Poster bed, it has same luxurious look and four wooden poles, but in this case they are not there just for the decorative purpose.

Poles carry the upper panel or drape, usually made of chiffon, silk or net, which falls on the sides of the bed giving you comfortable feel and privacy. Usually they are huge, so we don’t see them much in homes nowadays.

This is a canopy bed with a modern twist. The frame is thin and it’s usually made of wood or metal.

Sometimes it’s draped but often it’s left open. It looks clean and sleek and it became very popular.

Platform beds are very popular due to their simple, non-bulky style.

There are no boxsprings, the panels of wooden slats provide flexible support and ventilation to the mattress, and that makes your mattress last longer.

They come in all sorts of elegant and modern designs.

This bed gives you smart storage solution and offers huge space to put your stuff in, which is often placed underneath its slatted base.

It comes in a wide range of styles and usually in simple, classic design.

It may look like a sofa but actually it’s a single/guest bed, and at daytime you can use it as a lounger or divan. Day beds are made of high quality wood or metal and can be wrapped with fabric or leather.

They come in variety of designs, are very comfortable and can really “beautify” your home.

Air beds are permanent form of air mattresses made from PVC or other types of plastic in combination with fabric.

They are for in-home use only. The softness of bed can be regulated and that’s why they had proven great in helping people with back pain.

Water beds are pads filled with water. Initially they were made for medical purposes but they become very popular in the 80’s.

They come in all sorts of sizes, types of firmness and with different frames.

Also known as Bunk beds are ideal for bedrooms that are shared by two or more children. There are two twin beds, placed one on top of other with a ladder leading to the top bed.

Over the years, we have been many variations of this bed.

This is just the top portion of the bunk bed with ladders and the open space where the bottom bed should be.

Bottom space is usually used as a working area with desk and shelves. It is ideal for small rooms because of its great use of space.

Like a traditional bunk bed only with addition of a third bunk that sticks out making an “L” shape. The bottom bed can be futon or regular twin.

In this variation of a double decker, the bottom bunk is a king size bed, so more people can sleep in it, and the top bunk is a twin sized.

It’s ideal for small spaces because it includes top bunk which is a standard twin size bed

The bottom bunk is a futon bed, which can be used as a sofa or extra bed when you have guests.

This is a traditional bunk style bed, but it also has a trundle, so it can accommodate 3 people instead of 2.

The Futon bed is a great solution for small space. They can be used as a couch or bed, by simple folding it up or down.

There are a lot of designs available and can be easily customized from frames to mattresses.

Similar to bunk bed, but for one person only, it contains one bed frame, with free space above, on the sides, and under the bed itself.

The space can be used for storage with shelves, drawers, or even a desk. It comes in all sorts of designs and colors and it’ very functional in places with limited space.

Made with flat, tall wooden panels for the headboard and footboard, and it has side rails so there is an option of using boxspring.

Very simple and elegant in design.

Named after William L. Murphy, these beds vertically fold into walls, that way creating space when you are not using them.

They often come with storage cabinets, shelves, and nightstands.

Dating back to 19th century, famous for its sleek curves and refined look, it is usually made from heavy wood, iron or steel.

These beds make quite a statement because of their massive design and will definitely bring a style to your home

Popular in teen and kids rooms, not bulky as bunk beds, trundle bed is a perfect solution for saving space and having an extra bend when your kids have friends stay the night.

The spare bed is tucked under the main one, and it can be pulled out very easily, literally like when you open the drawer.

Dated from 18th century, these wooden beds have four posts with points on top of them, giving them that “pencil look”.

Sometimes the frame is attached above so it can be turned into a canopy bed.

This is a true eye catcher, a very “posh” type of canopy bed, made of high quality wood or steel, heavily decorated, especially at headboard and footboard..

This beds are attached to the ceiling and you reach them with the help of ladders.

This is something not many people have in their homes, but sure is unique and interesting.

You can adjust how high you want it to be placed, so if you are afraid of heights but still want to be swing to sleep, this can be your dream come true.

Made from stretchy net and attached to the frame, this is not something you can call a bed, but if you are a fan of hammocks, here is an opportunity to have one in your bedroom and indulge in some unconventional sleeping.

Portable and handy, this can be your Plan C when you have guests, you just need to fold it open, put some pillows and you are all set.

Also, it can be used as a day bed when chilling in your backyard.

They can be a one-piece (like the one in the picture) or split so that the two sleepers can choose th position that works for them.

A great option for anything from using your bed as a lounger with a bowl-full of popcorn to help with medical issues like back pain or acid reflux.

Similar to cot bed, but during the day it serves as as sitting ottoman or foot rest. Fantastic use of space and it can be made from all sorts of fabrics.

Bed styles

Modern style beds are very simple in their form. White color is one of the most used, and there is a tendency to create a light feel of the furniture, especially when it comes to the ones in the bedroom.

Beds are often thin and flat, lines are straight, there is no decoration, or if there is it’s very subtle. Beds in this style can easily find their place in most of the modern homes.

This is an old fashioned style, it has a traditional feel, but with a fancy twist. There are lots of carvings and decorations on headboards and footboards, curvy lines and white finish over the wood.

Beds in this style can have painted decorations, or can be very simple, neutral and elegant in white and beige tones.

The style is distinguished by the use of horizontal and vertical lines on the flat panels.

The focus is on the wood and its grains. It can easily be mixed with all types of decors, and it has a modern feel to it, giving a room simple, yet unique vibe.

It’s the mix of styles from other eras, variations of poster beds, canopy and others. It has the elegance, and history, but also modern touches.

The key is to get that timeless look that is up to date now and 20 years from now. If you want to “play safe” and not risk while decorating your home, but still want something modern and beautiful, this bed style should work for you.

Country style beds have a rustic touch. The main theme is wood, and a lot of it. Usually they are made with tall headboards and can even feature posts.

There are even some examples made from wooden logs, and often they go with a fur as a part of bedding sets.

A mix of vintage designs (60’s, 70’s) and old fashioned details and decorations, packed in a modern form.

These beds are unique and really can change the whole room.

Nothing modern here, this is for the lovers of outdoors and mountains and probably hunting.

It certainly has its charm, especially in old, country houses. The style is very simple and usually there are no decorations.

French style beds have always been popular, we can say they are timeless. They are very elegant and have a romantic and comfortable feel.

Headboards are usually done in curvy lines, and if they are covered in fabrics, the pastel colors are dominant. This style is a good example of subtle ways in which traditional and modern can be mixed together.

This is a mix of designs from mid 1900’s with traditional style.

Usually they are made from wood and may have a very retro-like decorations or parts, like headboards. They give a room a vintage, comfortable feel.

Frame styles

These frames are very common, not as heavy and robust as wooden, there for easy to move around. They come at a really good price and usually are very adjustable, so they can go with a wide range of mattress sizes.

They are used with boxsprings, except when they are used for the bunk beds in which case they come with metal bars that will give support to the mattress.

The oldest material that has been used to make furniture goes with almost any style.

You can manipulate wood any way you want, wooden frames can be cut, carved and painted so they can make a beautiful, central peace in your bedroom.

They look very stable and give a room a warm, homey feeling.

Woven or wicker furniture has become very popular although it is old fashioned. It is used in indoor and outdoor decor, and gives a country feeling, although it can be very modern.

The woven frames are lighter than the ones made from wood, but very sturdy. Materials that are used in a production are plant based or plastic.

If you are looking for old fashioned and elegant look, this should be your choice.

The frames can be designed in many styles, but usually have headboard done in curved lines or with vertical bar on the top.

Very popular because of their soft headboards, that make sitting up in the bed more comfortable than with other frames. They can be quite beautiful and elegant and often done in buttoned look.

There are some luxury pieces done with Swarovski crystals, that speak for themselves.

Definitely one of the most beautiful styles of frames, often can be found in Victorian beds. They bring a touch of luxury to any place.

Easily recognizable for extreme use of details such as ornaments and elegant, curvy lines, they really stand out and are timeless.

This frame has a simple, vintage look. If there is a decoration, it’s usually a scrollwork on headboard and footboard.

These frames are durable, sturdy, but quite heavy.

Ideal for small spaces or children’s room, the frame features book shelves in the headboard and sometimes on the sides.

It’s made of wood and can be attached to many types of beds.

Purposely made to have worn out look, they have a very vintage feel.

The wood is made to look old, used and imperfect, and that’s usually done manually by using sandpaper.

These frames feature lights underneath the base. The illusion of floating is usually based on a sturdy base at the center of the frame.

Typically, they’re low-profile, which adds to the effect.

Work in progress

This list is pretty well rounded, but as our website grows and we do more research about all things sleep, including bed & mattress styles and types, we’ll keep adding to this page.

The goal here is to compile the most complete resource page out there on every type of bed that has ever slept a human, that’s why the next chapter added will be sub-types of beds and frames seen through the history with different cultures.

If you are a bed & mattress geek like we are, it’s fun.

Best futon mattress – Top 5 compared

Futon Mattress Reviews

Best overall – DHP Premium futon mattress review

Best futon mattress for sleeping – Serta Cypress

Signature Sleep Essential futon mattress review

Home Life Premium

Serta Chestnut – bonded foam core

Honorary mention –
Classic Brands Brown futon mattress

This mattress fell short from being included in the top five best futon mattresses by the thinnest of margins, so we felt it’s only fair to give it a place as an honorary mention.

It features a coil innerspring structure, with each of the coils being wrapped individually, making it one of the best futon mattresses we reviewed in terms of durability.

The finish is microfiber, and we feel like it’s sturdier and less stretchy than the microfiber we’ve seen used in sub-par products. Whether you like the finish will probably depend on the way you use it – with or without a cover.

Superior microfiber finish, but more expensive

It’s the thickness of the material that makes it easier to clean and maintain.

The bottom line is that, in terms of quality it stands its ground compared to any of the above listed models.

The fact that the overall rating is slightly lower is mainly because of the fact that it’s the most expensive option of listed, so its rating in the category of value for money is 84 / 100.

Types of futon mattresses explained

All the types, sizes, materials…we know it can be confusing to keep track of it all. So, let us present the information about types of futon mattress in a more synoptic and reader-friendly way.

Reference tips on choosing the best futon mattress

Adjusting the size

We don’t mean to sound cliché, but this one comes down to your purpose and needs.

Most common sizes are twin and full and not many companies make them in queen-size.

If you already own a frame

The most likely scenario if you’re a long-term user will be that the lifespan of the frame will be longer than that of the mattress

If you need a replacement you’re faced with a choice.

You can either keep the frame you own, if you’re satisfied with it, or you can start from scratch or choose both a new frame and mattress.

The cost of the mattress alone, for the better ones, can reach that of a new one-piece futon – if you think that might be an option for you you can see our guide on best futons here.

Feel of the cover

With most modern pieces, the cover that you made of cotton, microfiber or micro suede.

The products we looked at are not water-proof and if that’s a factor you’ll probably need to a water-resistant add-on.

The good news here is that this provides you with a chance to choose the colors and patterns that will tie-in with the color scheme and the style of the space.

Choosing the right thickness

In terms of style, wooden frame will look better with the more substantial, thicker mattress. On the other hand, metal frames are better paired with a lustrous mattress that’s not as tick.

Types of futon mattresses explained

Shape retention

This one is fairly subjective and we did mention that some of the coil-based models will hold shape very well, but you shouldn’t take that at face value.

Generally speaking, a one piece, foam-based products will be better in terms of shape retention.

Frequency of use

For a guest bed, one that will be used occasionally for weekend sleepovers, you might save a few bucks by getting a cheaper model.

These will usually be filled with cotton, which tends to compact and form lumps with frequent use, but will do just fine for a guest bed.

If the futon is one of the centerpieces and used daily as a sofa and nightly as a bed , we would recommend going with something better and more durable, like the DHP or the Serta Cypress.

Best futon mattress for sleeping

As you could see in the ratings, we think that the most comfortable and the best futon mattress for sleeping is the Serta Innerspring. It’s at the sweet spot between the support of the Bonell coils and the plush layer of the foam, which is the most important factor for sleeping on a futon mattress.

The balance is just right to keep your spine aligned and that goes for most body types, since it has just enough “give” to make the pressure points in the shoulders and hips minimal.

For kids

The choice here will be easier and will not make a significant dent in your budget since you can go with lighter, less expensive mattresses.

The cheaper options here are wool or cotton-filled.

For wooden frames

Wooden frames are the most popular choice because they look more stylish than metal.

Hardwood

A frame made of hardwood like cherry, maple, hickory or oak will call for special considerations.

If you make the mistake of pairing them with a thin mattress you will likely end up feeling uncomfortable with the hard wooden slats “protruding”.

To make sure you don’t feel the hardwood compressing against your body while sleeping, go with the sturdier innerspring mattress that’s at least 7 inches thick.

FAQs about our picks for the best futon mattress

FAQs about the DHP Premium

The specifics of the foam

The foam used here is free of any potentially harmful chemicals -Polybrominated Biphenyl Ethers (PBDE), TDCPP (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, which is a known flame retardant, and TCEP (tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine).

The manufacturing also includes no ozone-depleting agents, lead, mercury or traces of heavy metals.

Emissions and off gassing

This DHP has a very low admission level of volatile organic compounds (under 0.5 parts per tri-million, which is some standards set by the CentriPut-US).

Foam filling used for the DHP meets standards of flammability set by CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) in their laboratory test manual for flammability as per the last update.

Is the cover machine-washable?

It doesn’t include an additional cover and arrives as you see it in the images. To protect the mattress you probably need some set some sort of fitted cover that you can machine wash.

Is it comfortable for heavy people?

It’s pretty firm, so you will not see a lot of sinking, but the foam is thick enough -to the point that you don’t feel the coils if even if you’re in the heavier side or arresting sleeper.

With that said, heavy person who’s a sidesleeper and prefers a loftier, soft surface might not find it uncomfortable for long term sleep.

The bottom line is that it is not as comfortable as a regular mattress, especially goes for a heavy person. If you’re looking for something truly comfortable you can see our guide best mattresses for heavy people here.

What kind of frame to use?

We would recommend a metal frame with a minimal incline for the backrest.

It’s an innerspring mattress and, as you can see in the product specs, is pretty heavy and works best with the metal frame.

The most important part about this is that this type of frame will keep that safety in place.

An important consideration here is choosing a frame with slide-guards (these are usually placed on the front of the frame).

Is it comfortable used as a bed?

Among the products we looked at, this DHP is the closest as it gets to the comfort of a regular mattress – 91% of people, according to our stats, described it as comfortable when used for sleeping.

Choosing the cover

The cover that comes with DHP is part of the mattress but company makes covers for specific sizes. With that said, if you don’t want to spend any more money, pretty much any cover that fits the height of the mattress will do.

Another option that will work well are deep-pocketed fitted sheets.

If you go with the later, we would recommend going a size up and getting a Queen cover. This will give you the versatility to use a topper or a pad if you want to make it more comfortable.

The versions available

Apart from the 8 “ that were talking about here, there is also a thinner model (a 6-inch).

For most people the 6-inch version will be the better choice if the futon is used as a couch most of the time, simply because it’s easier to fold up.

But people who will be frequently using it as a bed will find the 8-inch model more comfortable.

Arrival and unboxing

As most mattresses these days, it’s sealed in a plastic bag to make it more compact for shipping.

It’s only expands when you open the bag.

We would recommend being careful when cutting the plastic so that you don’t cause any damage to the mattress.

Once opened and expanded, in becomes pretty firm and sturdy so the answer to the one of the more commonly asked questions (which is whether you can fold it up and store it) is probably a “no.”

What colors can you choose from?

It comes in seven colors: tan, cobalt, merlot red, chocolate brown, charcoal and black.

If you want more color options you can always get an extra cover.

The loook without a cover?

It looks pretty stylish so even if you don’t get an extra throw for it, the mattress itself paired with a good frame is still pleasing to the eye and will work with most spaces.

Can it sleep two people?

The answer to that depends on your weight and size -for 2 people of average build we would say yes.

For those on the heavier side (over 400 pounds combined) it still might be good to sleep on, but we don’t have enough data to judge whether it will retain shape under this weight in the long run.

Can be used without a frame?

Some models are designed to be “broken” into three parts so that they can be placed in the floor with the lower two parts used for sitting and the top third used for your back.

In this case we don’t think that’s an option, becauseit’s an innerspring mattress designed with comfort in mind (over versatility).

Weight limit

We have seen no listed weight limit with this DHP. But, based on our experience and analysis of the materials we would say that you’d see no problems with the structural integrity in the weight range of up to 400 pounds.

In terms of sleep, yes, it can be used without a frame by placing it directly on the floor.

Is it waterproof?

The finish is microfiber so if you spill something on it you would have to react quickly and remove the liquid -to make it water resistant we would recommend getting an extra waterproof cover to protect it.

Is there a tie or some other type of fixture to keep it in place?

There is no fixture like added straps of fabric that you would tie to the frame, but based on our tests, it’s less prone to slipping towards bottom side compared to similar products.

With that said, if you do see the issue it might be smart to use a linen on the frame -this will further minimize the chances of slipping.

The simplest way to make sure that it stays in place is to use it with a frame made by the same company -a good example of that the DHP Aiden metal frame.

We’d go as far as saying that this is the perfect frame for this DHP  – it comes in brown or silver, which complement the colors.

More importantly, it features two metal plates at the bottom that will prevent any slipping.

Is it resistant to cats and dogs?

Having in mind that the finish material is microfiber we wouldn’t describe it as resistant to pets and you’ll probably need extra protection. If you’re looking for a cat-proof couch you can see our full guide here.

Maximizing the lifespan

Since the bottom and the top are identical, it’s adviceable to flip it occasionally to minimize the wear and prolong its lifespan.

FAQs about the Serta Cypress

Firmness on our scale

Based on what we’ve seen and the measurements that we we’ve done after 1, 3 and 6 months of use we would give it a seven out of 10 on our firmness scale.

A bonus tip for improving support

Since this is a durable mattress and will probably be with you for a long time, it’s only common sense to take some extra measures to minimize potential structural issues.

Our tips here would be is adding a few slats beneath the bottom surface or, even better, using a piece of plywood between the base and the mattress.

Volatile organic compounds & off gassing

From all the products we looked at the Serta Cypress probably had the lowest initial odor and off-gassing is practically nonexistent.

Subjectively speaking, we would say that the Serta Cypress has the most natural “feel” from all the models we reviewed.

Compacting

The initial thickness is 8 inches but, like any innerspring model, it will slightly compact with prolonged use.

To lower the effects of material compacting, we would recommend both flipping and rotating it every now and then.

This will even out the wear and tear and increase longevity.

FAQs about the Serta Chestnut

Off gassing

We have seen a slight odor that lasts about a few hours after opening the package and we wouldn’t say it’s a significant issue.

Simply air it out for an hour or two after un-boxing and the odor goes away.

Ideally, you would give it a day to fully “plump” and set.

Shape retention

According to our measurements and tests we’ve seen no significant sagging, which is common with models that are not innerspring-based.

Yet, the ratings in shape retention are lower than the top 2 best futon mattresses (the DHP and the Cypress).

Our current rating of the Serta Chestnut futon in the category of shape retention is 88 out of 100.

What kind of base to use?

Both metal and wooden frame will work, as long as they are bi-fold.

We would not recommend it for tri- fold frames. Although it is pretty soft and yields well when folded, it’s not soft enough for a tri-fold.

What you might see initially is a slight gap (between the armrests of the frame and the edges of the mattress).

As it sets in and expands, those gaps will be filled.

Used as a couch

Compared to other products, the Serta Chestnut is a bit thinner, which makes the folding easier.

With sub-par models, we often see “breakage” in the middle of the mattress (when folded up and down on daily basis) but we’ve seen no similar issues with this Serta.

Storage

As opposed to innerspring models, this Serta is easier to fold and pack for storage. You can even fold it into a role and use a vacuum plastic bag.

Is the cover removable removal and machine-washable?

No, the cover is fixed, it doesn’t feature any zippers so it can’t be removed or machine-washed.

Sliding

Since the coils are pretty sturdy and there’s many of them (close to 300), it will be more difficult to keep it in place when, especially while it’s new.

What might help is adding a sure-grip material to the top of the frame or going with the frame that features slip-stops.

Keep it in place gets easier after a few weeks or months (depending on how often you use it).

Support

The Chestnut is not as suppotive as the inner-coil based models. For sleeping, you can improve the support by adding a few slats underneath – this will help with weight distribution.

Aftermath

Initially, it took about 5 months to put it to put this guide together.

From that point on, we made sure to stay on top of things by updating it with new relevant information on quarterly basis.

We do it because the market is volatile and we see new arrivals practically every month, but it’s our policy to wait until the product has “aged” and we have enough information to go on.

If you have a specific situation we haven’t addressed above, feel free to use the comment sections to ask us anything – we reply to all comments within a day.

It’s been just over 2 years since we set out to put this guide together. We have now refined it to recommend a mattress based on your BMI, which is the way it should be.

The goal was and is to craft the most precise guide out there on choosing the best mattress for heavy people.

This update is more granular. We added ratings and new categories to judge how good the mattresses are for overweight side sleepers (comfort and support) and couples.

The results you’re about to see are based on the statistical analysis of over 18,000 user experiences. But more on our rating methodology later.

Last updated: 2024

Now, let’s choose you a mattress.

Best mattress for heavy people – TOP 5

Firmness

As a rule of thumb, for optimal comfort and minimal pressure points, the firmness range for heavy people will be somewhere between a medium and a medium firm (4 to 7 our scale).

Last updated: 2024

Tuft & Needle

If you haven’t calculated your BMI, click here to skip back to the calculator

Signature Sleep Signature 12 Inch

If you haven’t calculated your BMI, click here to skip back to the calculator

Olee Sleep Box Top

If you haven’t calculated your BMI, click here to skip back to the calculator

Novosbed

It’s been almost a decade now since Novosbed decided to shake up the market by offering a new approach to the way business in the industry is done.

They did it by offering 120 nights trial before you decide if it’s right for you.

In the case of Novosbed, the model works because you can adjust the firmness of the mattress by including or excluding their trademarked top layer.

You just unzip the top cover and set the mattress up to your desired firmness.

That’s why the company can offer the 4-month trial period – because most people choose to keep it.

Natural Escape mattress

Choosing the right memory foam for heavy people

Let us take a moment to address the issue of the type of memory foam that will be at the sweet spot between the comfort and support for an overweight person.

Bear in mind that the foam that we’re talking about here are the top layers (usually 2 or 3).

Most of the information that you can get out there goes over the basic facts about the foam quality. You see information about thickness and density but not an in-depth analysis of how it affects the sleep of a heavy person in terms of temperature sensitivity.

As opposed to other types, memory foam becomes softer as it gets warmer.

The super dense foam

Typically used for the core, this should be ideally made of 6 inches or more of high-density foam (no lower than 2 pounds per cubic foot).

This kind of material will allow for the finishing layers to be supportive enough for the corpulent person.

Let’s precisely define what we mean by support.

If the core is not firm enough and the top layers are sub-par, a heavy person will see too much sinking and too much motion isolation.

Basically, you’ll feel trapped and find it hard to turn.

When looking at the advertising of the mattresses you’ll see the companies bragging about the motion isolation, but for a heavy person, high motion isolation is not necessarily a good thing.

This will be an especially important factor for an overweight couple.

What’s important here is the density

The top two layers should not be made foam that is less them 3.5 pounds per square foot. Anything lower than that and the surface will feel too soft.

On the other hand, anything over 5 LBS per square feet will feel too firm.

Density and temperature sensitivity

The denser the foam, the more temperature sensitive it is, which means that what might feel hard at room temperature will feel softer in a warmer sleeping environment because of the body heat.

As it conforms to the body shape, if not sturdy enough, it will form a cocoon-like “nest” around an overweight. That’s why heat dissipation is crucial when choosing the best mattress for a heavy person.

You shouldn’t think too much about the analysis above, we’re just providing it for reference purposes. The choices mentioned in this guide are already adapted to tick all the boxes for the type that will make for the best memory foam mattress for a heavy person.

Let’s simplify things

All the talk about the density and the quality will be unclear for an average buyer, so if you want a shortcut it’s smart to simply look at the warranty.

The two things that you should be aware of, apart from how long the warranty is, are whether it is prorated (and under what terms) and whether there is a defined minimum sag requirement.

The first one means that if you want to return or replace your mattress at some point some of the costs included will come out of your pocket. The second one defines the terms of minimum sagging in that qualifies for a return or replace.

Types of springs

If you look at the fact sheets of most models out there that include innersprings, you will likely see the company mentioning things like “independent encased” or “high quality.”

For the average buyer, especially a heavy person, these statements are too vague to understand, so let’s get let’s get into an in-depth analysis of the springs used.

Number of springs is an “oversold” feature

In the last decade or so, the space for improvement in quality was narrowing down and the companies kept coming up with new ways to describe their products using vague industry lingo.

The one area that’s rampant in that aspect is the number of coils.

Generally speaking, the higher the coil number, the better the weight will be distributed.

But that has its limitations

In our opinion once you to get over 1200 coils the added numbers become less relevant.

Once you get higher than 1,200, you should be focused on the thickness of the top layers and the quality of the cover.

What makes a good quality spring?

A superior mattress for a heavy person will be made using coils treated with heat or electricity. This is important because the treatment improves the ability of the steel to return to its original shape with prolonged use.

Clarifying the gauge of the wire

Ideally, you’ll want the gauge to be to be 13 or lower. It might sound counterintuitive but the higher the gauge, the thinner wire is. A mattress that’s more supportive in the knee-to shoulder range will be the better choice for overweight or obese people.

Types of coils

The coils used will belong to one of the following 5 groups:

• Continuous
• Karr
• Offset – noted
• Pocketed (Marshall)
• Knotted (Bonneill)

In the opinion of our mattress repair experts (the people that were consulted when putting together this guide) the last two choice s are superior for heavy people – Marshall or Bonneill coils.

Requirements checklist

To simplify things, we’ll provide a list of questions that you need to answer for yourself to make sure that you’re getting the best mattress for a heavy person (it applies to the range from overweight to obese).

• Is the coil system meeting the standards we set above?
• Minimum number of coils for specific sizes
• Full-sized – 310
• Queen sized – 400
• King-size – 480

Most modern mattresses will meet these minimum requirements but we’re providing them nonetheless. Let’s continue with our checklist

• Is the wire used treated with heat or electricity?
• Is the finished material (outer cover) made using tightly-woven fabric?
• Is the outer layer protected by some sort of material resistant to stains?
• Does the label feature both the name of the company and number (name) of the specific mattress?
• Does the warranty tick the boxes that you mentioned above – the minimum sag record requirement and terms of the prorated warranty?
• Is the warranty limited and how long is the period covered?
• Does the company specifically state that they will repair or replace a defective mattress?
• Is there an added support for the edges?
• How long is the mattress? A good rule of thumb here is that it should be 6 to 7 inches longer than the tallest sleeper will be using it
• Are the coils naked or coated? Ideally, they will be treated or covered by a protective layer that’s rust-proof.

You can see whether our top picks meet the criteria in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Thickness of the mattress

For people under 220 lbs. a 10” thick mattress will usually provide enough support. For those heavier than 220 lbs, you’ll want to go with a product thicker than 11.5 inches.

Support for the edges, loft & latex as an option

The best mattress for heavy people (including the range from overweight to obese) will have sturdy edges. It might not sound like a big deal but it has a profound impact on long-term shape retention.

What’s the best mattress for heavy people in terms of heat retention?

If you asked us a few years ago, we would frown upon the out-of-box models. We’d laugh at the notion that 2 out of 5 picks on this list will not be innerspring.

But, to be fair, we did see significant improvements in terms of breathability of the memory foam structure.

Loft

The ideal scenario is the top two layers of foam are lofty to accommodate the pressure points at the hips and shoulders but not soft to the point where they trap heat. That’s why I’m innerspring core is more efficient in the heat dissipation category. If you’re set on memory foam A heavy person should look for a model that features at least 5 to 7 inches of extra firm support core and at least 6 to 7 let inches of foam (multiple layers of different firmness and density).

Latex-only

Although latex has some great properties, we would not recommend latex-only mattress for heavy people. The reason for that is the fact that the firmness of the surface doesn’t allow your shoulders or hips to sink in and align your spine.

If you’re interested in latex, a good option is a hybrid between a latex core and a foam top.