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Our Sleep Experts’ Favorite Mattress Brands to Test [CNET]

Aly Lopez

View Article on CNET

our-favorite-mattress-brands.jpg
Cole Kan/CNET

Sound the alarms — a new bed just dropped. Hearing this is breaking news in the world of sleep experts and mattress testers. When a mattress brand releases a new or updated bed or lineup of mattresses, CNET’s sleep experts and certified sleep science coaches are usually the first to know about it (and likely the most excited). We immediately begin making predictions about the new bed and what we think its firmness, feel, look, price and so on will be. It’s like Christmas morning every time we receive and unbox a new bed at our mattress warehouse. 

We asked our sleep experts their favorite mattress brands of all time to test. Below are the brands we’re most eager to review, as well as our sleep experts’ favorite overall beds from each mattress maker.

Learn more: A behind-the-scenes look at how we test mattresses

Mattress price scale:

$ = Budget: $799 and below

$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699

$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up

These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.

Jon Gomez/CNET

“The bed-in-a-box movement took the world by storm over eight years ago, and DreamCloud immediately stole a piece of my heart. The first DreamCloud mattress I tested in 2017 was the brand’s flagship model, which gave me the luxurious feel at the affordable price I was looking for. I’ve since graduated to a king-size but still have DreamCloud in my guest room for all to experience,” — Dillon Payne, director of video production

Over the years, DreamCloud Sleep has expanded its offerings. It now has three collections of mattresses: DreamCloud, DreamCloud Premier and DreamCloud Premier Rest, each with your choice of hybrid or all-foam construction. If you are on a tighter budget but are looking for a responsive, luxurious mattress, DreamCloud could be a great option.

Dillon’s favorite DreamCloud mattress overall is the DreamCloud Premier. He enjoys its cushioning yet responsive memory foam feel and plush cloud-like cover. Landing around a medium firm, this bed provides plenty of spinal support for back sleepers like him.

Read more about the DreamCloud Hybrid mattress.

Jon Gomez/CNET

As one of the original bed-in-a-box brands, you’ve likely heard of Purple. Its beds feature a breathable and moldable GelFlex Grid, creating a distinct feel that people tend to either absolutely love or strongly dislike.

“I love to test Purple products because they are all so unique thanks to the hyper-elastic polymer material Purple uses. No other brand has anything quite like it, and Purple seems willing to push the envelope with its mattress design and make mistakes. Thinking back to Purple’s original pillow, it was just a huge, 10-pound slab of polymer that not many people liked, but it was an interesting idea!” — Owen Poole, senior video producer

Owen’s all-time favorite Purple mattress was the Purple Hybrid Premier 3, which is no longer in production. He still particularly enjoys its replacements, the Restore Plus and Restore Premier.

“The Purple Restore Premier has unique foam-tipped coils that I have only seen on one other mattress. In combination with the GelFlex Grid, the design makes this mattress one-of-one,” says Owen.

Owen is such a fan of Purple that he slept on the Purple Hybrid Premier mattress for five years, which says a lot for a sleep expert and mattress reviewer with access to dozens of other beds.

Wes Ott/CNET

When it comes to mattress company policies, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more generous brand than Nest Bedding.

“I appreciate that Nest offers a 365-night trial and a unique lifetime renewal exchange program that I haven’t seen with other brands. If you find that you need a different firmness level or it’s time for a refresh, Nest will send you a comfort layer replacement rather than having to get an entirely new mattress.” — JD Christison, senior video producer

Nest Bedding started in 2011, and its US-manufactured mattresses have high-quality, certified clean materials. “Nest offers a nice range of comfortable, premium mattresses at a competitive price point,” he explains.

JD’s all-time favorite bed from Nest Bedding is the Sparrow Signature Hybrid. He enjoys its super plush pillow top feel and the fact that it’s available in three different firmness levels. Learn more about the Nest Sparrow Signature Hybrid mattress and why we selected this bed as the best for couples in our best mattresses of 2024 list.

Jon Gomez/CNET

“Leesa actually listens to its customers about what they want to see improved for future beds. Each time Leesa releases a new mattress, it’s been better than before. As a brand, I also really like that Leesa donates beds to children and families in need.” — Dillon Lopez, senior video producer

The donation program Dillon refers to is part of Leesa’s social impact efforts. To date, Leesa has donated over 40,000 mattresses to those in need and partners with US nonprofits dedicated to improving communities nationwide.

Dillon’s all-time favorite Leesa bed is the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid. As a side sleeper, he prefers the plush version, which offers ample pressure relief for his shoulder and hip. It features a cool-to-the-touch cover and over 1,000 coils for enhanced durability.

Watch sleep experts Dillon Lopez, Owen Poole and Caroline Igo interview Jen Pressley, Leesa’s chief marketing officer, at the 3Z factory to learn more about the brand.

Aly Lopez/CNET

“Helix is an impressive brand, and I jump at the chance to test any of its beds. It has seven different mattresses, each available in three versions. While this may seem overwhelming, the brand has its line broken down into soft, medium and firm and then into mattresses for side sleepers, back and stomach sleepers and tall and heavy sleepers,” Caroline explains.

Whether you sleep alone or with a partner, Helix offers a sleep quiz to help you determine which mattress best suits your needs based on your sleeping positions and preferences.

Helix’s high-quality beds frequent our best lists. For example, the Helix Sunset Luxe was chosen as the best mattress for pressure relief, and the Helix Plus was awarded the best mattress for heavier couples.

“Even though I’ve had the opportunity to tour the 3Z mattress factory, test all the Helix beds and see how they are made, I’m fairly confident that I would come to the same conclusion — the Helix Midnight Luxe mattress is the one for me. It has a plushy foam pillow top, feels comfortable when I’m on my side and my stomach and is around a medium. I like a softer mattress, but my boyfriend likes a medium to medium firm bed. This bed is a great common ground for us and should be for other couples, too.” — Caroline Igo, sleep editor

Watch the Helix Midnight Luxe being tested in the mattress durability roller when our sleep experts toured the 3Z factory.

My Slumber Yard

Brooklyn Bedding is another brand that frequently appears on our best lists. In fact, it’s currently in the No. 1 spot as our best mattress overall. Brooklyn Bedding focuses on quality construction and puts a huge emphasis on durability and longevity — all while offering the beds at a more affordable cost. After factoring in Brooklyn Bedding’s frequent discounts, you can snag a queen-size Signature Hybrid mattress for just under $1,000, which we think is an excellent value for a bed of such high caliber.  

“Brooklyn Bedding is my favorite brand because it makes reliable beds at a good price. Mattresses are expensive, so you want to put your money where you’ll get the most value, and for me, that’s always Brooklyn Bedding. From the Signature Hybrid to the Aurora Luxe, you know you’re getting a bed that will stand the test of time.” — Taylor Leamey, senior writer

The Signature Hybrid is Taylor’s favorite Brooklyn Bedding mattress. It’s a simple yet durable and reliable hybrid bed with a neutral foam feel that comes in three firmness options, so it can comfortably accommodate pretty much any body type and sleeping position.

Learn more about this bed in our Brooklyn Bedding Signature review.

Jon Gomez/CNET

When our sleep experts think of original bed-in-a-box companies, Casper comes to mind. Over the years, Casper has used feedback from real customers to improve its mattress quality and construction. Recently released, Casper’s new line includes beds boasting cooling technology that actually makes the mattress cover cool-to-the-touch — a claim many brands make for their beds but rarely deliver on.  

“Casper always seems to be pushing to develop new and improved mattresses. I’m also a big fan of Casper’s accessories and enjoy trying everything from its mattresses to bedding like sheets and pillows.” — Wes Ott, senior video producer

Casper offers multiple mattress options at various price points and different feels and firmness levels, ranging from dense memory foam to a neutral hybrid construction.

“I like my mattress to have a soft, neutral feel like the Casper Dream Hybrid mattress. It’s an accommodating bed with pocketed coils, zoned support and a medium firmness level. That’s why I will go so boldly to say it will work for anyone,” he explains.

Jon Gomez/CNET

Bear offers an assortment of memory foam and hybrid mattresses, all GreenGuard Gold Certified and shipped directly from its Arizona factory. Our sleep experts recently visited the factory and laid down for an interview with Bear’s Founder, Scott Paladini, to learn more about the Bear mattresses.

“Bear’s beds have always been comfortable and supportive, and it’s hard to beat their price.” — Jon Gomez, video producer

Bear’s mattresses used to come topped with a Celliant-infused cover automatically. This patented technology is intended to enhance tissue oxygen levels and improve athletic performance, recovery and sleep quality. Now, it’s an optional add-on that Jon recommends getting for your Bear mattress.

“I like the Celliant cover on Bear. It’s great for athletes, and I think it does help regulate body temperature throughout the night. I’m actually considering getting that for my next bed,” says Jon.

Jon’s all-time favorite Bear mattress is the Bear Natural. It’s crafted with organic cotton yarn and 100% natural latex, and it has a super responsive latex foam feel, landing around a medium to medium firm.

Aly Lopez/CNET

“I have always admired Avocado as a brand. Environmental sustainability is important to me, and Avocado knocks it out of the park when it comes to using organic, natural, non-toxic and sustainably sourced materials. It has the most certifications of any mattress brand I’ve tested, including becoming a Certified B Corp and Climate Neutral, which are no easy tasks for a company to attain.” — Aly Lopez, sleep writer

Avocado’s beds have a more responsive latex foam feel. You can add a soft pillow top or plush box top for extra cushioning, which Aly would recommend if you are a side sleeper. She and her husband, Dillon, recently tested the Avocado Luxury Organic mattress for 30 nights. While it was a little too firm for Dillon’s liking as a side sleeper, Aly found it comfortable as a stomach sleeper.

“The Avocado Luxury Organic has to be my favorite bed from Avocado. It’s incredibly luxurious, and you can tell it’s made of high-quality natural materials. If we had added the pillow-top or box-top to make it softer, it probably would have been the perfect mattress for me and my side-sleeping husband,” she explains.

Watch Aly and Dillon test the Avocado Luxury Organic mattress.

Other brands we like to test

As expert mattress reviewers, napping on the job is our job, and we thoroughly enjoy testing beds from every brand. We particularly look forward to testing mattresses with unique features or specific purposes, such as the luxurious Saatva RX, designed for those with chronic joint or back pain, or the supportive Big Fig, created for heavier people.

testing the sonu mattress

Dillon tests the Sonu mattress, designed for side sleepers.

Jon Gomez/CNET

Sonu recently caused a welcome commotion in our testing facility with its never-before-seen construction explicitly designed for side sleepers. The incredibly firm Airweave 30 mattress, made of moveable AirFiber blocks, also created quite the test scene in our mattress warehouse.

In addition to mattresses, our experts enjoy testing sleep technology and bed accessories, such as the super cool Eight Sleep Pod cover, sleep masks or bedding such as pillows and comforters.


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