Our fave features: What’s especially cool about this mattress is that it’s flippable, and each side has a different level of firmness—either an 8 or 9 out of 10. Our testers say they felt no sinkage on the extra firm side; on the firm side, a layer of foam makes the mattress feel slightly more plush.
Material: Memory foam | Firmness: Flippable: Firm (and 8 out of 10) and extra-firm (a 9 out of 10) | Trial period: 120 nights | Warranty: 10 years | Shipping: Free shipping
Best Memory Foam Mattress Under $500: Siena Original
Pros
- Every size is under $500, including king and California king
- Good edge support to keep you from sliding off the sides
- Thick cover adds extra layer of cushioning
Cons
- Not the best for hot sleepers
- Side sleepers might need more cushioning
Why we picked it: Don’t let its lower price fool you—the Siena isn’t a flimsy piece of foam. It offers a slightly firmer than average surface that our testers like, especially for back and stomach sleeping positions that need some extra lift at the spine.
Who it’s for: If you’re a combination sleeper who rolls around in bed like a rotisserie chicken, this one might be for you. Our testers gave the Siena high scores for motion isolation and also noted how responsive it felt, making it easy to change positions and get in and out of bed—a quality that’s hard to come by in a marshmallow-y memory foam bed.
Our fave features: The Siena uses CertiPUR-US Certified foams, meaning its materials are free of harmful chemicals.
Material: Memory foam | Firmness: Medium-firm (7 out of 10) | Trial period: 180 nights | Warranty: 10 years | Shipping: Free shipping
Other mattresses we tried
The Nectar Premier seriously impressed a SELF staffer who’s also a fitness instructor and, thus, wants a bed that will ease muscle soreness and joint aches: “I wake up without back pain, regardless of my sleeping position,” she wrote in her review of the mattress. “This mattress gives the perfect amount of support for what I need.”
What are the benefits of memory foam mattresses?
Memory foam mattresses tend to be softer and less bouncy than hybrid mattresses or traditional innerspring mattresses, and they’re often described as having a squishy or sinking feel after you lie down on one. That’s a result of its materials, Dr. Russo says. The thick layers of foam respond to body heat and pressure by getting softer, so when you lie down on one of these beds, you’ll feel it molding to your shape. Memory foam can also help limit motion transfer, which comes in handy if you share your bed with a restless partner (or if you’re the tosser and turner).
The material may also do your spine a solid. “Memory foam mattresses can support spine health by conforming to the body’s natural curves, maintaining proper alignment, and reducing pressure points,” Robert McLaughlin, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Boston Concierge Orthopedics, tells SELF.
Types of memory foam
Memory foam mattresses aren’t a monolith. Nowadays, many brands have their own spin on the material. Below, we’ve broken down some of the most common types of memory foam available.
Traditional memory foam
Traditional foam is a doughy polyurethane-based material that might conjure the feeling of quicksand. It conforms to your body’s shape and is often pressure-relieving. While typically soft to the touch, the foam itself is dense and doesn’t naturally allow for airflow and may trap body heat. Basically, if you’re a hot sleeper, be sure to keep a fan on standby.
Cooling memory foam
Cooling memory foam offers the same benefits as traditional foam, but it’s infused with materials like gel, copper, or bamboo to help draw heat away from your body, regulate temperature, and keep swampy sleep at bay.
Proprietary memory foam
Some brands, like Nolah, create custom foams that are specially aerated to different degrees of density or take other twists on traditional foam to make its beds stand out from the rest. Proprietary foams often aim to add a cool feel to the bed or bounciness to the surface.
What to consider when buying a memory foam mattress
Sleeping position
Because they adapt to the body’s shape and weight, memory foam mattresses may be especially appealing to side sleepers, Kavita Trivedi, DO, a spine rehab expert at UT Southwestern’s O’Donnell Brain Institute in Dallas, tells SELF. Sleeping in this position places additional weight on your shoulders, hips, and knees, and a mattress with a little more give usually does a better job at preventing that pressure from building and getting uncomfortable or even painful, Dr. Baxi previously told SELF. For some side-sleeping people, a memory foam mattress has just the right amount of sinkage to provide them with the pressure relief they need.
