Best Memory Foam Mattresses Of 2022

Memory foam mattresses have come a long way since hitting the mainstream U.S. market in the 1990s—recall the TV commercials featuring a slab of memory foam with a wine glass perched on its surface while someone jumped in the background? Not a drop lost.  

The original style of dense, slow-to-rebound memory foam mattress has, over time, blossomed into a variety of consumer options. Foam blends, variations in density and competitive online pricing mean that memory foam enthusiasts now have many mattresses to choose from, all within the memory foam variety.

To make finding your perfect mattress a little easier, we’ve broken down our top picks for the best memory foam mattresses of 2022. Product rankings were determined solely by the DreamAdvisor editorial team, and were based on a price, mattress thickness, firmness, available shipping and warranty options and more. Prices are accurate as of publication and reflect queen sized options, and are subject to change.

Best Memory Foam Mattresses of 2022

Dreamfoam Chill Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $524.00 to $949.00 | Thickness: 6 to 14 inches | Firmness: Soft, medium, medium-firm, firm

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

The Dreamfoam Chill Memory Foam Mattress is highly customizable and comes with a high-density foam base for added structural support. The mattresses’ memory foam and gel- blended top layer allow for cooling, and multiple options for firmness and depth means sleepers can stay cool and comfortable in their preferred sleeping position.

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Lucid 14-Inch Plush Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $529.99 | Thickness: 14 inches | Firmness: Soft

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

With a top layer of latex-like foam, Lucid’s 14-inch Plush Gel Memory Foam Mattress was created with back and side sleepers in mind. Its quick-rebounding memory foam doesn’t leave impressions, so getting in and out of bed and adjusting positions is easier. Plus, bamboo and charcoal infusions in the memory foam base help with odor control.

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Casper Element Mattress

Price: $695.00 | Thickness: 10 inches | Firmness: Medium-firm

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

Casper’s Element Mattress uses many small perforations in the top layer of foam to increase airflow, making it a comfortable choice for hot sleepers. A firm base provides structural support, and a 100-night sleep trial allows users to make sure that support is right for them. Customers receive free shipping and returns, and a 10-year limited warranty.

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Bear Original

Price: $998.00 | Thickness: 10 inches | Firmness: Medium to medium-firm

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

This Bear mattress comes with a 365-night trial, which gives users ample time to decide if it’s right for their body. The Bear Original’s top layer of graphite-gel memory foam provides a cooler sleeping experience, and its materials are third-party certified for low emissions of harmful substances like VOCs and formaldehyde, giving it the GREENGUARD Gold Certified seal of approval.

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Tuft & Needle Original Mattress

Price: $895.00 | Thickness: 10 inches | Firmness: Medium-firm

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

The Tuft & Needle Original Mattress comes with a top foam layer blended with graphite and gel for a cooler sleeping experience. Medium-firmness support provides stability for back and stomach sleepers and doesn’t leave impressions, which makes it easier to move around.

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Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $1,398 | Thickness: 12 inches | Firmness: Medium-firm

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

Nectar’s 365-night trial gives consumers plenty of time to test this memory foam mattress, ensuring it’s right for them. Three layers of variable-density foam offer support and comfort, and a cooling top layer keeps temperatures regulated as you sleep. Nectar’s warranty is among some of the longest on our list, with its “forever” warranty offer, providing coverage for as long as you own the mattress.d The company offers two free pillows, a sheet set and mattress protector with the purchase of this mattress.

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Cocoon by Sealy Chill Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $1,239.00 | Thickness: 10” | Firmness: Medium-firm

4.5

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Why We Picked It:

This mattress by Sealy comes with a cooling cover to help dissipate heat away from the body as you sleep. People who run hot at night also have the option of adding an additional cooling layer. The Cocoon by Sealy Chill Memory Foam Mattress also comes in a box, so delivery and set up are simple and streamlined.

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Wayfair Sleep 8-Inch Firm Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $275.99 | Thickness: 8” | Firmness: Medium-firm

4.3

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Why We Picked It:

The Wayfair Sleep 8-Inch Firm Gel Memory Foam Mattress ranks for its affordability, being one of the lowest price mattresses on our list. A cooling gel-memory foam blend gives sleepers a cooler sleep and low motion transfer ensures partners won’t wake each other as they move. The mattress also comes with a 100-night trial, allowing consumers to test before they buy.

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Wayfair Arviso 10″ Medium Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $397.15 | Thickness: 10 inches | Firmness: Medium

4.3

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Why We Picked It:

For those looking for a softer feel to their mattress, the Wayfair Arviso 10-Inch Medium Gel Memory Foam Mattress presents a medium firmness option without sacrificing support and comfort. A cooling memory gel-foam blend lends to cooler sleep, and low motion transfer helps users stay asleep, even if sharing the bed with a partner who tosses and turns.

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Wayfair Sleep 10″ Plush Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Price: $349.99 | Thickness: 10 inches | Firmness: Soft

4.3

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Why We Picked It:

As the softest Wayfair mattress on our list, the 10-Inch Plush Gel Memory Foam Mattress offers a satisfying sleep for those who prefer a softer sleep. The mattress contours to sleepers, hugging their form and relieving pressure points and pain, while the cooling gel-memory foam assists with temperature regulation.

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Methodology

To determine our ranking of the Best Memory Foam Mattresses of 2022, the DreamAdvisor editorial team analyzed hundreds of mattresses across the market. Star ratings were determined solely by the editorial team and were considered based on metrics, such as price, size, firmness, warranty options, shipping and return options, special features, Better Business Bureau accreditation and more. 

What Is a Memory Foam Mattress?

Also known as viscoelastic foam, memory foam was originally created by NASA as a protective material designed to absorb impact. 

Memory foam has an open-cell architecture, meaning it’s not solid and contains many small air pockets. When it comes in contact with heat, the foam compresses away from the heat and those air pockets disappear—enabling the foam to conform to the shape of your body. However, this also makes memory foam a hotter material to sleep on. 

Benefits of a Memory Foam Mattress 

The benefits of sleeping on memory foam are support and comfort, according to Michael J. Breus, a fellow of The American Academy of Sleep and widely known as The Sleep Doctor.

“Memory foam provides tremendous support because it literally molds to your body,” says Breus, who is also the chief sleep advisor for the mattress brand Purple. This makes it ideal for relieving pressure points, which can be beneficial for side sleepers in particular. But, this unique property can also present problems for some sleepers. While memory foam may contour and cushion a side sleeper’s pressure points and body parts, such as shoulders and hips, it can also lack the necessary support to keep a side sleeper comfortable throughout the night, making it important to find the right firmness for the user. 

Disadvantages of Memory Foam Mattresses

Hot sleepers may find memory foam mattresses less than ideal, because as memory foam compresses, it loses airflow and keeps heat trapped around the body, which can disrupt natural heat cycles. “There’s no place for that heat to go,” says Breus.

Mattress companies have taken steps to combat these heat-trapping properties like blending foam with cooling gels or adding perforations to the foam, and some offer additional cooling layers for users who still find heat to be an issue. 

Memory foam—particularly of the firm variety that’s dense and slower to rebound—can make it difficult for some people to roll over or get out of bed, should the user’s body make a deep impression in the mattress, says Breus. 

This can also disrupt a healthy sleep cycle that’s meant to include turning over multiple times a night, Breus adds. For this reason he recommends customers weighing over 250 pounds opt for a different type of mattress that does not contain memory foam in its top layer.  

How to Choose a Memory Foam Mattress

There are great memory foam options out there for all sleepers across a range of budgets. 

If you’re on the hunt for a memory foam mattress of your own, consider your firmness preference. Firm mattresses generally provide more support, while softer mattresses contour your body more. There are a range of memory foam mattress options available in varying firmnesses.

If you’re a hot sleeper, look for a product that has cooling properties and pay attention to reviews that mention heat. And, if you’re looking for a mattress that provides support with a specific issue—like lower back pain, for instance—look for mattresses that offer support or cushioning in specific areas to relieve that type of pain. 

How to Purchase a Memory Foam Mattress

If you’re looking to purchase a memory foam mattress, Breus recommends waiting for a sale. “I’ve never seen the mattress industry not have a sale at least once every 60 days,” he says, specifically noting holiday weekends. Customers should choose a mattress from a company that’s been in business for a while, Breus adds, and pay attention to warranties, as they’ll be useful in the long term.

Emphasizing the importance of a good mattress for quality sleep, Breus also highly recommends taking advantage of products that offer longer trial lengths to ensure your investment in a memory foam mattress is going to work for your body.