Mattress Topper Reviews > Memory Foam Mattress Topper Reviews Based on 38,517 Actual Consumer Experiences THE GOOD: Most popular mattress topper • often highly effective at improving mattress comfort • available in several varieties to suit personal need and preference. THE BAD: Potential for initial odor and heat retention • can be too firm for people under 120 lbs • somewhat difficult to move on / get up off • squishy feel possible • fairly heavy. THE COMPETITION: See how other topper types compare to memory foam in the topper comparison. Ratings show how the various memory foam topper varieties compare to the average mattress topper. Ratings indicate what tends to be true; ratings for a particular model or individual topper may vary. The table below compares toppers with 89% or better owner satisfaction based on at least 500 consumer experiences. * Memory foam density indicates howFor example, foam with 3.0 lb (or lbs/ft) density means that a cubic foot of this foam weighs three pounds.
See the above grid and memory foam density: low vs high to learn more about differences in density. ** Gel-infused memory foam tends to sleep about 25% cooler longer than regular memory foam all other things being equal. *** CertiPUR-US certified foam meets standards for content, emissions, performance and durability. Memory foam is made from polyurethane with additional chemicals to increase density. The foam is made up of millions of spherical shaped, open cells. What makes memory foam unique is its temperature and weight sensitivity. Memory foam mattress toppers should generally be expected to last about three to four years with regular use – a rate somewhat better than that of the average mattress topper. Memory foam toppers with higher density foam (4 lbs/ft or more) may last somewhat longer than those with lower density foam (3 lbs/ft or less). As the toppers age and wear, they tend to lose their resiliency and support. They may also discolor and tear.
Memory foam toppers often have warranty lengths of 2-5 years. Owner experience data suggests that the likelihood of successfully filing a warranty claim is low. Consumers, as a result, should probably not place much emphasis on warranty coverage when shopping. When unpackaged, memory foam can initially give off a gas or odor which can last from hours to weeks. Off gassing is the main complaint by memory foam topper owners as about 18% report the problem. Off gassing can be a small annoyance to some people and unbearable to others. Learn more about memory foam off gassing. There is often randomness as to whether and how much a memory foam mattress topper will off gas. However, owner experience data suggests that off gassing tends to correlate with topper thickness. * Off gassing lasting more than 24 hours. About 7% of memory foam topper owners – vs about 4% for the average mattress topper – report that their topper sleeps hot or, in other words, fails to disperse body heat resulting in an unnaturally warm sleep surface.
Thicker memory foam toppers tend to have more heat-related complaints than thinner varieties. This appears to be due to the fact that the sleeper often sinks further into thicker toppers where there is less air circulation. High density foam toppers may also increase the potential for heat retention. * Heat retention is enough to undermine sleep quality at least some of the time. Gel-infused memory foam tends to sleep about 25% cooler longer than regular memory foam – all other things being equal. Memory foam toppers can often be added to just one side of a bed to, in effect, provide different firmness and feel for each side. This can make a mattress more suitable for couples. Learn more on how to have a topper on one half of a mattress. Higher-density and thicker memory foam toppers can impact romantic activity. While they offer some advantages such as improved comfort, they also may reduce bounce and make movement more difficult and awkward. Learn more about the pros and cons of memory foam on this issue.
Air beds used to be a fast-track ticket to a sleepless night and sore back the following day. Not so nowadays, with decent ones sending you swiftly off into the land of nod. Whether you want one for camping, sleepovers or just for the rellies staying over once in a while, our guide will help you find the right one for your needs. If you’re after a high-performance option for serious camping trips, you’ll probably want an air mat, in which case consider whether it’s self-inflatable or you have to blow it up yourself. Check the sizing too – some are on the narrow side – and how small and light it is to carry during the day. If it’s for kids, there are dedicated air beds available, that are well worth checking out. And for adults in the home environment, remember bigger usually means better – and that’s not just width, but height, with some now as tall as regular beds, with similar comfort levels. Consider how fast and easy it is to inflate and deflate, as well as how robust it is – you don’t want one that works wonders for a few nights, then punctures, leaving your guests waking up on a cold, stone floor.
Above all, check it’s comfortable. Every air bed claims to be snug and relaxing, but many are anything but. The best ones are well crafted with high quality air chambers and top layers consisting of the likes of memory foam, as well as allowing you to adjust the firmness or softness of the mattress. As with any mattress, you ultimately want one that supports your body, while providing enough “give” to conform to your natural shapes and curves. 1. Vango Flocked Airbed: From £25, Vango Who says you need to miss out on a headboard, just because you’re on an air bed? This bed, which is available in various sizes, has a headboard that also inflates. It’s comfortable and holds its air, even with reasonably heavy sleepers, and is pretty resistant to puncture. It packs back into the bag pretty easily and has a soft, flocked surface. 2. Aerobed Activeplus Dual Zone: £89.99, Ibex Camping Prefer a softer or firmer mattress to your partner? No need to argue anymore, with this high-quality, dual-control air bed that means you can inflate your side just as you like it.
There’s plenty of room for two adults and it has built in pillows, although we found we needed our own as well. It inflates in less than a minute, deflating in even less time. 3. ReadyBed Deluxe Airbed Junior: £49.99, Amazon No need for kids to miss out on the fun with this junior bed that also has a cotton, machine washable sleeping bag built into it. There are plenty of cheaper ReadyBeds, with themes ranging from The Gruffalo to Frozen, but for durability and comfort, we think this extra deep mattress is worth the money. Suitable from three years. 4. Intex Ultra Day Bed Lounge: £60, Tesco No need to save the luxury air bed for night-time with this funky purple day bed that looks as though it’s straight out of an Austin Powers movie. The backrest is detachable and there’s plenty of room for two people. The velvety finish means you can lie straight on it and the reinforced laminated bottom means it’s suitable for outdoors too. It’s easy to inflate and deflate and has good support, but you’ll need a separate pump.
5. Coleman Durarest Raised Double: £89.99, Go Outdoors Launched last year, this bed is available as a single, double and – our favourite – a raised double. Despite weighing just 3.5kg and storing into a tiny carry wrap, it’s huge when inflated, standing almost half a metre off the ground. Inflating within just six minutes into a robust, puncture-proof but extremely comfortable bed – even for two - with a velvety finish, it lacks that plastic smell that many air beds have. 6. EZ Bed: £159, JML Direct Unusually, this comes in a huge, wheeled storage box that you unzip, plug into the mains and watch as a full size air bed – complete with proper metal frame – reveals itself within around three minutes. It’s a joy to lie on, with just the right amount of bounce and it is just as simple to set the dial to deflate and fold itself up. We found it lasted well too. Available in single or double. 7. Outwell Dreamboat: £120, Go Outdoors Self-inflating mats are ideal for campers as they are much easier to store and carry in backpacks than full air beds.
This is one of the most advanced self-inflating mats out there, with quick inflation, superb comfort and support during sleep, along with extra depth and width, despite it just being a single. All this, and yet it’s one of the lightest and smallest on the market to carry. 8. Aerobed Luxury Inflatable Guest Bed: From £179.99, Bensons for Beds This is as good as a proper bed, in terms of stability, bounce, comfort and height, which Aerobed claims is all down to the four-layer construction. You can inflate, adjust and deflate with just one touch, so there’s no need to hold a button down. It comes in a handy carry bag which is great for storage and travel. Available in single, king and double. 9. Campingaz Covertible Quickbed: £34.99, Argos This comes as a set of two single mattresses that can be used independently or zipped together to make a double bed. Or you can stack one on top of the other to make a higher mattress. They inflate in just two minutes with an electric pump and although the mattresses look a bit thin and flimsy at 19cm, they are surprisingly comfortable and lose very little air in the night.
Great for those in need of versatility. 10. Snugpack Premium Airmat: £39.95, Snugpak This affordable single air mat has a brushed effect – and the base has a non-stick surface – both ensuring that you and the mattress don’t roll about. It packs pretty small into the stuff sac and is light at 500g, as well as being very comfy for the price. It’s quite narrow, though, and stick to lying on it, rather than sitting. It isn’t self-inflating, so you’ll need to get your lungs into action to blow it up, which might be tiring after a full day of hiking. 11. Outwell Cubitura: £49.99, Amazon This single air bed is supremely comfortable, thanks to it having a quilted microfibre topper. We found it soft, but supportive and a good pack size. It’s easy to clean, thanks to the removable foam insert and machine washable cover. It keeps your body temperature on an even keel too, rather than leaving you hot and sticky at night. 12. Robens Prima Core: £79.99, Robens
This compact air bed isn’t the lightest on the market (although it is one of the smallest), but it’s well worth carrying the extra few hundred grams in your camping backpack for a decent night’s kip. It honestly feels like a mattress you’d have at home – deep, snug and supportive, although obviously more narrow. It keeps you warm, even in cold weather or on cold ground and takes around three to four minutes of blowing to inflate. 13. Halfords Flocked Airbed: £8, Halfords If you want a cheap and cheerful single air bed that will do for sleepovers or short camping trips, this is a great buy. We found it doesn’t puncture anywhere near as easily as many others twice its price and it loses less air than many others too. The flocked surface means you don’t slide about and it’s easy to inflate and deflate. Available in single and double. If you’ve got the money, the Aerobed Luxury inflatable Guest Bed is a sound investment for a good night’s sleep. For a budget option, we love the Vango Flocked Airbed.
