Best memory foam mattress topper Memory foam mattress toppers are the most popular choice among users, and we found more reviews for them than for any other type of topper. A number of memory foam mattress toppers get very high ratings at different review sites across the Internet, but none fares better than the Serta Ultimate 4-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Est. $200 and up). Owners say the Serta Ultimate Foam mattress topper is very comfortable and supportive, and many report that it provides relief from pain and stiffness. This Serta is reported to be on the soft side, so it gets better ratings from back sleepers than from side sleepers. That's not unusual for softer mattresses and mattress pads as side sleepers tend to sink deeper into those. However, for those who love a soft bed, the Serta Ultimate is the "ultimate" in comfort, users say, with many likening it to sleeping on a cloud. For some, though, that cloud feels more like a giant sponge, and some say that this memory foam topper traps heat too much and also makes it difficult to move around.
This Serta memory foam mattress topper comes in a wide range of sizes, twin, full, queen, king and California King. The four inch thickness is a great choice if you're a heavier individual, or if your mattress is significantly hard or sagging. The 2-inch thick Serta only comes in three sizes, queen, king and California king. The Serta Ultimate mattress topper is a good choice for allergy sufferers as it's is hypoallergenic and antibacterial. Long-term reviews indicate that this mattress topper is quite durable, although some experts say that you can only expect a memory foam mattress topper to last about three to five years. Since the Serta comes with a long, three-year warranty, it seems that this one may be at the longer range of that scale. The Red Nomad 2-inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Est. $70 and up) is another great choice that gets raves from experts and owners. It also comes in a wider range of sizes, twin, twin XL, full, queen and California king. The Red Nomad also comes in a 3-inch thick size.
, where it earns an overall owner satisfaction sample of 94 percent. However, that is based upon far, far fewer owner surveys (for example, 788 surveys for Red Nomad, 25,542 for Serta; Serta earns a rating of 89 percent). That's significant because in our research on both mattress toppers and mattresses, which we cover in a separate report, the more input a manufacturer has, the lower their ratings tend to be. Still, owners at retail review sites love the Red Nomad mattress topper. They say it adds a lot of comfort to a too-hard bed and that it fits extremely true to size. Most say they noticed absolutely no odor upon unpacking the mattress topper; others say it had a slight odor, but that it aired out very nicely. , is another popular memory foam mattress topper. Owners give it high praise for comfort and pain relief. Many say that after trying this on their own bed, they have purchased additional mattress pads for other beds in the home. This mattress topper also comes in a full range of sizes, twin, twin XL, full, queen, king and California king.
The Memory Foam Solutions pad gets more durability complaints than the Serta or the Red Nomad, with some saying the foam disintegrates within a few months. gets good reviews for dealing with complaints. If you tend to get hot when you sleep, you might prefer the Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Est. $85 and up). This memory foam mattress pad is infused with a gel designed to disperse heat and improve airflow. Owners generally agree that the Lucid mattress pad doesn't make them too warm, and most say it's very comfortable, although, as with all memory foam mattresses, there are those who say it's just too soft. It gets raves from back pain sufferers who say that the supportive softness eliminated their morning pain and stiffness. The bamboo fabric cover on the Lucid Gel mattress topper gets good reviews for its softness and for protecting the mattress topper, but some say it makes the pad too slippery and that it slides around on the bed. We also read a notable number of complaints about the odor when this mattress pad is first unpacked.
All memory foam mattress toppers get those kind of complaints, but this one seems to garner more complaints than others for that particular issue. Many say they had to unroll theirs and air it out for several days before they could use it -- so you may want to factor that into your purchase decision if you need it for a specific time frame.Sleepopolis is supported by readers. Product links on Sleepopolis are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something Sleepopolis makes a little bit of money. See how it all works here. Major Update: Check out our updated Tuft & Needle mattress review here. T&N has made some major changes since I originally published this piece. For Sleepopolis regular readers you may already know that Tuft & Needle hasn’t always been one of my favorite mattresses. A little over 6 months ago I was in the market for a new mattress and a co-worker of mine recommended I give the Tuft & Needle a try, which I did. All things considered, it was a good mattress and a great company, but after just a few nights it was apparent that it wasn’t the right mattress for me.
The mattress at the time was quite simply too firm for my back. However, Tuft & Needle has been on the warpath these last 6 months and their mattress and foam formulation has gotten a complete overhaul. Tuft & Needle listened to their consumer feedback and went back to the drawing board. Within the last 6 months the team at Tuft & Needle has made more than a dozen major changes to the mattress addressing consumer feedback, complaints, and other issues.A completely new and dramatically improved mattress. ’s most popular rated mattress. So with that said, let’s dive in and take a look at the major changes to Tuft & Needle. The biggest complaint, by far, that Tuft & Needle has received within the last several months has been around the firmness. As I mentioned above, the mattress was just a bit too firm for me when I originally tried it. Tuft & Needle took this feedback from their customers and began to go back to the drawing board of their foam formulation. The new foam delivered the same great support that so many have raved about on Amazon, but with considerable improvement to the softness.
The new Tuft & Needle has a much softer feel and is closer to a true neutral firmness. This one isn’t as much of a change, but it’s so critically important, and it’s something I wasn’t aware of 6 months ago. Unlike most mattress companies Tuft & Needle doesn’t use latex foam, Avena foam, memory foam, or any other patented foam. Because they simply don’t have as much control over the support and comfort of those foams. Tuft & Needle’s foundation isn’t in design or marketing, and they don’t have an army of venture capitalists backing them. At the core they are engineers trying to solve the problems that plague the mattress industry, all from an engineer’s angle. And what do engineers want most? Formulaic control of their product, data driven feedback from their customers, and an experience that simply works. Since they make their own foam they have incredible control over every aspect of the feel. By changing certain variables in the formulation and/or pouring process they are able to dial in support, comfort, firmness, cooling, sinkage, and virtually every other criteria you could imagine.
Hybrid foam mattresses are fairly standard in the online factory direct mattress market. In fact, Tuft & Needle itself was something of a 3-layer hybrid mattress when they first launched. Their newest model has gone from 3-layers down to 2. Instead of having two separate layers, one for support and one for comfort, they have developed a foam formulation that combines these into a single 3 inch layer. In addition to simply being softer, the new Tuft & Needle foam formulation has been designed to promote additional cooling. The foams draw heat away from your body as you sleep and expel the heat through the sides and bottom, resulting in a mattress that sleeps cool immediately and constantly, even after laying down all night. The active cooling is aided by the reduced number of layers and glue in the mattress, both of which help air to flow more freely. Quite frankly, I’m impressed with the new Tuft & Needle. They have always been a great mattress, even when they were too firm for me, but their ability to quickly adapt to the needs of consumer and create a truly adaptive and dynamic product is something to admire.