How Do I Find a Mattress?

Buying a mattress is a huge investment. It’s difficult to know how to choose a mattress, and more importantly, a mattress that’s right for you. Not only are you spending a third of your life on it, but oftentimes spending thousands of dollars for a purchase you hope to sleep on for a decade or more. So, how to choose a mattress—or rather, the best mattress for your type of sleeper—is an important decision. Where’s a good place to buy a mattress? How do you buy a mattress online? Should you just Google “Mattress retailer near me”? Let me help you.

There’s a whole slew of new criteria you’ll have to consider in your search for the perfect mattress. Firm or plush? Coils, memory foam, or hybrid? Do you have back pain? Eo you sleep hot? How much should you spend?

Part of my job here on the WIRED Gear team is to test mattresses—not only do I sleep on every one of the mattresses we test for a minimum of one week, I look for things like edge support and motion transfer, as well as materials used, return policies, and warranties. Not to mention that I’ve unboxed, set up, and hauled almost two dozen mattresses over the past year. I’ve learned a thing or two. Let me share my hard-won knowledge so you can find the best mattress for you.

Be sure to check out our related stories, like How to Set Up a Mattress You Bought Online and How to Arrange Your Room for the Best Sleep, plus buying guides like the Best Mattresses, Best Mattresses for Back Pain, Best Cheap Mattresses, Best Cooling Mattresses, Best Organic Mattresses, and Best Bed Frames.

When Is a Good Time to Replace Your Mattress?

Generally, you’ll need to replace your mattress every five to 10 years. (Although more expensive mattresses have longer lives with decades-long warranties; more on that later). Indents from sleeping in the same spot for years, sagging, noticeable springs, or if you begin to feel back pain are all signs it may be time to let your mattress retire to a farm upstate. If you’re like me and have had hand-me-down mattresses or have only bought cheap mattresses for short-term convenience, it may be time to upgrade. Make sure you think about what you liked and disliked about your previous bed and take those factors into consideration.

Mattress Types

Photograph: the8monkey/Getty Images

There are a lot of potentially confusing terms used by manufacturers in describing mattresses; see our glossary below to know what type of mattress is best for your sleeping needs.

Foam: These mattresses are often made of latex or memory foam and have no coils for support. Oftentimes, they begin with a cooling or super-soft contouring foam on top and move to a super-dense bottom foam for support. They contour to the body, providing pressure relief and good motion absorption. They are usually best for side sleepers and combination sleepers without back pain. Although not always, you can find many cheap mattresses primarily made of foam, but these can be heavy, not provide enough support for back sleepers or those with pain, and can be a hot sleep since there isn’t much airflow with the dense foams.

Spring or coil: Often thought of as an old-school mattress style, this bed has a coil-based support system and is generally on the budget side. Springs often lack pressure relief, and aren’t recommended for sleepers with pain. Because of the coils, the bed is bouncier than other options and lacks motion isolation.

Latex: All of the layers of this mattress are made with latex rubber, and because of that it’s bouncy and durable. Like memory foam, latex contours to the body, but because of its density, it isn’t the coolest option and they tend to be heavier. Natural and/or organic latex beds are generally more eco-conscious. The only all-latex organic mattress I’ve tested is the pricey Essentia Tatami Organic Mattress, which was comfortable and not too hot because of drilled air holes (which isn’t always the case), but it was super unstructured (floppy and couldn’t stand on its side without buckling), dense, and heavy (nearly 100 pounds).

Hybrid: We at WIRED tend to think that, in general, hybrid beds are the best for most people. They combine the best elements of different beds—an innerspring support beneath a top foam for comfort (and often cooling). The top layers are super-comfy foam or latex, with coils (often individually wrapped) underneath for structure. All of my favorite mattresses have been hybrid—I find that the combination of top gel memory foams and wrapped coils beneath also help with airflow and have a cooler sleep. Plus, they can vastly vary on firmness to comfortably contour sleepers in most positions, and have a huge range in price (mid-$300s to thousands).

Understand What Type of Sleeper You Are

What type of sleeper you are affects what type of mattress you should buy. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to take into consideration sleeping type, budget, and what’s going to fit in your house and be easiest to move. I tend to go for more plush mattresses, but I’ve learned that beds get much softer over time. It’s easier to add memory foam toppers to a firmer mattress than to be stuck with a soft mattress that turns saggy and causes lower back pain (been there).

Side sleeper: The stats vary, but most people are side sleepers. Along with stomach sleepers, side sleepers need a little more give to their mattresses, with enough give to let your shoulder and hips sink to give spinal alignment, but not too much so that your spine (and limbs) are unsupported. If the bed is too firm or uses springs only, the less-distributed side weight can become a really painful position on a harder surface, even leading to limbs falling asleep (any side sleeper who has camped knows the feeling). Softer memory foam might seem like a good solution, but it can slowly but surely compress under you and become compacted and flat. Most often a hybrid mattress, using a combination of several layers of foam followed by coils or springs that let pressure points like hips and shoulders sink into the bed, work best. That’s why figuring out the best mattress for side sleepers is a bit like the Goldilocks parable—not too firm or too soft, but just right.

Back sleeper: People who sleep on their back typically need a medium-firm or firm bed, as this will keep you supported without too much give. A super-soft bed can create back pain because of the lack of support for the spine (which is completely lying on the mattress). Back sleepers need support, especially in the lower back, which means a medium-firm mattress that contours to the spine typically works best. In most cases, a traditional spring mattress will be too stiff and cause back pain. Note that the Mayo Clinic says sleeping on your back is the “worst position,” (not that you can usually help which way you prefer to sleep).

Sleeper with pain: People who live with pain have a lot of other factors to consider when choosing a mattress. You’ll spend roughly a third of your life on it, so it’s important to get one that doesn’t cause you more back pain. It’s generally recommended to aim for medium-firm beds and avoid both very soft and very hard mattresses if you have back pain. However, WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell, who experiences chronic back pain, was surprised to find that a more firm mattress helped her. Her favorite is the Bear Elite Hybrid in Firm. She found that a firmer mattress led to big improvements in her back pain by supporting her spine, and it kept pain away. If your pain originates in your spine or pain comes from pressure points you’re sleeping on, you’ll want to make sure you’re extra supported.

Stomach sleeper: Oftentimes, people subconsciously choose to sleep on their stomachs because of lower back pain. If that’s the case, see above or check out our guide to Mattresses for Back Pain. In any case, a firmer mattress that holds your body up is best for this position. A bed that’s too soft will make you sink and lead to more problems if your spine is unsupported.

Combination sleeper: We have a variety of mattress recommendations for every type of sleeper, but like side sleepers, combination sleepers sleep in all positions and need a mattress that strikes a middle-ground balance with softness for adjusting positions. I’d recommend a hybrid mattress that will need softness to let your body sink slightly, firmness while on your back, and not be too soft when you’re on your stomach.

Hot sleeper: We have a whole guide to the Best Cooling Mattresses, but I generally recommend hybrid or coil models because of the lower layers with airflow (although I think hybrids are much more comfy). Foam or latex models are usually so dense that air can’t circulate, and I found that the majority of the all-foam cheap mattresses I tested led to hotter sleep.

Mattress Size

I won’t waste too much time here, as you’re a human being who has slept on beds your whole life (most likely), changing mattresses as you grow.

I pulled this data from the Sleep Foundation. Sometimes, certain retailers adjust sizes, but these are generally standard sizes from most mattress manufacturers.

There are also less common, specialty larger sizes, like Olympic Queen, Wyoming King, Texas King, and Alaskan King, which is a whopping 9 feet by 9 feet (108 x 108 inches), that I suggest be changed to call a Utah King. (Big enough for the whole family!)

You’ll need to do your own research, like measuring your room and bed frame, and taking into account your or your family’s needs. Queen is the most popular size but can get cramped with more than two people. California King is best for tall people and those who share the bed with pets, because of the length, but it’s expensive and can be harder to find accessories and frames for (not to mention it’s bulky and difficult to move).

Photograph: Anton Porkin/Getty Images

Take these factors into consideration when deciding what size is best for you:

• Sleeping partners and their size: Also keep in mind your body size and preferred sleeping positions. (Take it from me, if your partner is a chaotic sleeper, you’ll want more room to avoid a foot in the rib.) Consider sizing up if you’re planning on growing your family or are purchasing for a child.
• Home measurements: Not only should you measure your bedroom dimensions but also doorways and any hallways or stairs that may need to be maneuvered around. (Remind me to tell you the story of the time I had to throw a mattress out of my second-story back window).
• Cost: A mattress is a long-term investment, as it’s something you’ll want to use for at least half a decade, in most cases. As mentioned earlier, many factors like size and materials used play a major role in cost, and most of the time a decent mattress can cost you anywhere between $400 and $3,000. (Although two of my favorite mattresses I’ve ever tested, the Bedgear Sport Performance and Wolf, are both under a grand.) The biggest factors that affect price are materials, construction methods, where it’s made, brands, and where it’s sold.

Where to Buy

As noted in our Best Mattresses You Can Buy Online, buying a mattress online is often the most convenient (and cheaper) way, but you’ll need to do more research since you can’t test it beforehand. Many top brands also sell their beds through other retailers like Amazon or Wayfair for added convenience. If you decide to buy in person, you can feel for yourself and an employee can answer your questions, but it’s often more expensive and there are fewer choices.

I’d also recommend looking at your favorite review sites, like WIRED, which have guides with testers who physically sleep on the mattresses and write honest reviews. Look at reviews of other Real People who’ve bought and slept on the bed for a lengthy period of time, too. Even researching certain mattress companies’ reviews and business scores can inform your decision.

Warranties, Returns, and Other Factors to Consider

Trial Period and Returns: Most mattress companies worth their salt offer some type of trial period, which is especially important when buying a mattress online. A lot of the cheaper, non-name-brand mattress brands don’t offer this. Or a brand will offer a trial period if bought directly through the brand’s website but won’t extend this trial period if bought through a third party like Amazon. Most name brands offer a trial period around 100 days to a full year. Make sure you look at any of the fine print with these trial periods to ensure you can truly return if unhappy after a prolonged period of testing (health concerns and factors like Covid have limited the grace period on many trial periods).

A lot of companies require you to keep the mattress for a minimum of 30 days before trying to return it and will charge you a hefty price to haul it away. In some cases, you won’t get the full amount refunded and can miss out on hundreds through the return process. Again, this varies by brand and seller, so check the terms and conditions before purchasing.

Warranty: The majority of mattresses have a warranty, but again, these vary drastically by seller and brand. Many warranties start at five years, with many around 10, and some, like Nectar, going up to 25 years. (On average, the lifespan of a mattress is between five and 10 years.) Warranties don’t just extend to if you don’t like something about your mattress, they are specific to defects in materials or construction.

The mattress company or manufacturer will need to verify the problem and that it’s their fault—something that they often fight tooth and nail (or foam and spring), so it’s good to document any potential issues. Touch, investigate, and take pictures of your mattress when you get it, keep this info in a safe place, and take note of any potential issues. If anything begins to break or feel different, take pictures for comparison and reach out to the company ASAP. Like with trial period fine print, make sure you understand the parameters of warranty and coverage, especially in regards to how long the warranty lasts.