If you have trouble getting a good night's sleep on your mattress, a mattress topper might be the perfect solution. It can boost the comfort level of an old mattress for a fraction of the price of buying a new one. Sometimes called a pillow-top mattress pad, a topper is a cushion you place on top of the mattress to add softness or support. The terms "mattress topper" and "mattress pad" are often used interchangeably, but the latter also refers to a thinner type of cover that's placed over a mattress to protect it from stains. This report focuses mainly on the type of toppers used for added cushioning, but we do recommend waterproof and non-waterproof mattress pads as well. The most common reason people decide to add toppers to their mattresses is to add new life to an older bed. Innerspring mattresses in particular tend to compress over time, losing their ability to shape themselves to a sleeper's body. A mattress topper can add an extra layer of cushioning, relieving pressure points and enhancing sleep quality.
However, mattress toppers can't compensate for major problems such as sagging, sinkholes or springs poking through the mattress cover. If your mattress is that bad, you need a new one. We have recommendations for the most popular types in our separate report on mattresses. Mattress pads aren't just for old mattresses, though. People often add a mattress topper to adjust the firmness level of a newer mattress. If you buy a new mattress and determine after a short time that it's too soft or firm for your taste, adding a topper can make it softer or firmer without the hassle and expense of trading in a nearly new model (returning a new mattress often involves shipping and restocking fees, not to mention the logistics of dealing with returning a large item). Placing a topper on just one side of the bed can also help couples who prefer different levels of mattress firmness. Memory foam is the most popular type of mattress topper, and it tends to be the most effective at improving mattress comfort.
Made from polyurethane, memory foam contains millions of open, spherical cells that respond to pressure and heat. It comes in many thicknesses and densities: In general, a thicker topper will have a softer feel, while a denser foam will provide more support. However, memory foam can trap body heat, and some say that the way it cradles the body can make it difficult to move around on. Many memory foam toppers also give off an unpleasant odor when new, although a good airing usually takes care of that. Latex foam is similar to memory foam, but it's made of either natural or synthetic latex rubber. It comes in many grades of thickness and firmness like memory foam, but generally tends to be a bit firmer. It's also somewhat less likely than memory foam to trap body heat and emit an unpleasant odor, but the "new mattress smell" can still be a problem for some users. Latex excels at providing both softness and support and it's a good choice for allergy sufferers because it's resistant to both mold and dust mites.
However, latex itself can be an allergen for some people and latex toppers are among the most expensive. Featherbeds are basically cushions stuffed with feathers or down. These add softness to a mattress, but not support. While they don't retain body heat as much as foam toppers do, they tend to compress under a user's weight and must be fluffed or shaken regularly to restore their shape. Featherbed mattress toppers are usually less expensive than foam ones. If you're sensitive to feathers, fiberbed and wool mattress toppers are very similar to featherbeds, but are made from hypoallergenic materials. Mattress pads are not mattress toppers, they are just a thin pad, with corners like a fitted sheet that go over your mattress to protect it from moisture and stains. Deep-pocket mattress pads can even fit over both a mattress topper and a mattress. Mattress pads are very affordable and there's little variation in quality. With the high cost of mattresses, we highly recommend that everyone protect their investment from spills, stains and other accidents.
analyze thousands of owner reviews and break down the data to provide specific information about different mattress topper types and brands. Our research turns up three main factors to consider when shopping for a mattress topper. Since a topper's job is to improve the comfort of a mattress, we give particular importance to how well each pad cushions and supports the body, as well as such criteria as whether it retains body heat. A good mattress topper also needs to stay comfortable over time, so we examine how well each model holds up with use and whether it needs special maintenance to keep it in good shape. Based on these factors, we identify the best mattress toppers of each type and list their pros and cons. One is sure to be the perfect choice for your best night's sleep.For those who like feeling as if they’re sleeping on a pile of feathers, or in a Ritz-Carlton penthouse suite, nothing will bring you there like a plush mattress topper. An extra (literal) layer of softness can be all the more necessary in this age of computer-generated comfort from bed-in-a-box brands like Casper and Tuft & Needle, which aim for a median level of comfort so that you don’t need to test out your mattress beforehand;
you can feel relatively sure, based on their extensive research, that it will feel “fine.” But what if you want to feel not just fine, but like you’re sleeping on a cloud? If you’re looking for plush, there are two options: down and alternative down, which mostly feels the same, but has no allergy-causing potential and is often much more affordable. What makes one cushiony fabric really stand out from the pack is the way it distributes the fluff. While in some cases a down filler will shift or bunch up, the best toppers are able to maintain an even distribution throughout the night. Others run into problems when the outer shell has a synthetic feel, which can seep through and affect overall softness, even when it’s beneath sheets. The happy medium here is Parachute, which is, of course, another sleep start-up. Instead of focusing on the mattress, though, Ariel Kaye founded Parachute two years ago to sell sheets and duvets she designed to mimic a hotel bed she first slept in during an Amalfi Coast getaway.
I was turned on to the brand during an informal survey of interior-designer friends and bedding experts. Two of them, interior designer Danielle Arps and home-goods designer Aelfie Oudghiri, said that Parachute’s down-alternative fiber bed, filled with a hypoallergenic microfiber and released this August, was the most natural and luxurious-feeling, like a super-dense comforter from below. So I decided to try one out.I sunk right into the Parachute and it shaped to the form of my body, following my every move throughout the night. While a memory-foam topper might act similarly, this felt light, airy, and cool, instead of thick. And there were no hot vibes like I get from foam. Kaye and her team developed this topper to solve the problem of down alternative often flattening quicker than real feather down; Parachute’s stands at three inches tall (they also offer a duck-feather option). And instead of bothersome synthetic coating, Parachute uses an Oeko-Tex certified cotton shell that’s both soft and free of synthetics and chemicals.