A memory foam mattress topper is the best choice for most sleepers, because the foam contours to the hips and shoulders and adds pressure relief an old mattress has lost.
Toppers
Toppers for mattresses, what is best?
The right topper still depends on how you sleep. Side sleepers usually do best with a soft to medium topper, while back and stomach sleepers need medium to firm. Hot sleepers should look at latex or gel-infused foam, since dense memory foam traps heat. A topper softens a mattress but cannot fix a sagging one.
- Most side sleepers prefer soft to medium toppers, while most stomach and back sleepers prefer medium to firm.
- A mattress topper with a cooling top layer, such as natural fibers, gel foam, or latex, suits hot sleepers best.
- Memory foam toppers can release VOCs when new, so CertiPUR-US certified foam is the safer choice.
- Latex toppers feel springier than memory foam toppers and breathe better, but cost more than comparable foam options.
01How to Choose
- Pick a soft to medium memory foam topper if: you sleep on your side and need pressure relief at the hips and shoulders, where a firm surface pushes back hardest.
- Pick a medium to firm foam topper if: you sleep on your back or stomach, so your hips stay level with your shoulders and your spine doesn't bow.
- Pick a latex topper if: you sleep hot or want a springier feel, and you can pay more for better airflow than dense memory foam allows.
- Pick a gel-infused or cooling-cover foam topper if: you like the slow contouring of memory foam but wake up sweaty on standard foam.
- Pick a CertiPUR-US certified topper if: you're sensitive to chemical smells or sharing a bedroom with kids, since new foam can release VOCs when unpacked.