Finding the right mattress can make all the difference in your life. When you wake up feeling rested, it can change your attitude and perspective on the day. While finding the right mattress might seem like a hard quest, we made it a little easier for you by sharing some of our favorites — and toppers — that we swear by.
Among these mattresses and toppers are award-winning brands and products that we have actually tried (aka slept on). We can confirm: We woke up with a pep in our step! Whether you like a firm mattress or a plush bed, we found options for everyone below.
Award-winning and Editor-loved mattresses
If you want an affordable mattress that doesn’t compromise on comfort, this is the one for you. Senior commerce editor Julie Ricevuto and her mother-in-law both have this gel memory foam option and are obsessed with how comfortable it is.
If you run hot during the night, this cooling mattress will be your saving grace this summer. It not only cools you but also helps relieve pressure points of pain on your hips and back, per the brand.
Editor Shannon Garlin tested this mattress for our Sleep Awards and said, “This hybrid mattress is comfortable, cooling and the perfect height without needing a box spring. I’m a hot sleeper and a side sleeper, and after sleeping on this mattress for two weeks, my hips already feel better and I haven’t woken up drenched with sweat.”
This mattress not only won a 2026 Sleep Award but is also a personal favorite of associate editor Lauren Witonsky’s. She said that her parents had bought the mattress in 2021 and they loved it so much she had to get one too. She says this is a great option for anyone who wants an eco-friendly mattress.
“I can sleep on pretty much any kind of mattress, but since I’m a stomach sleeper, it’s better for alignment if I sleep on a firm surface. I find Eco Terra’s medium-firm option to be very comfortable, and my parents’ 5-year-old mattress feels the same as my brand-new one,” she says.
Deputy managing editor Jess Bender loves this Leesa mattress that the brand says prioritizes comfort in its design so you can change sleep positions and still feel supported.
Bender says, “My sleep feels just as comforting as it did when I first bought this mattress over five years ago. Its biggest selling point for me, as somebody who tends to move into different positions — from the side to my back and repeat — when I sleep, is that the top layer easily conforms to and supports whatever position I’m in anywhere on the mattress (which is surprising considering how firm it is).”
Two of our team members are big fans of this versatile mattress. Deputy editorial director Alexandra Deabler says, “It has amazing lumbar support; you can feel it inflating under your back if you’re lying on your back.”
Associate editor Madison San Miguel is a back and stomach sleeper and says that this mattress helped relieve her neck pain. She says, “ I’ve enjoyed the quality -- and if you add the cooling layer, it really does keep your body cool and sweat-free!”
Witonsky also tested this organic Avocado mattress and was impressed with its craftsmanship, saying that it was well constructed.
She says, “You can tell that this mattress is very high quality. It has a nice soft layer on the side you sleep on, and it helped me sleep very well. Although the standard mattress has a cushy layer on top, it is still very firm.”
This bed was described as “the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on” by former associate editor Allison Wise. The mattress has gel foam inside, so it works to keep you cool and not absorb too much heat.
Editor-loved mattress toppers
Even if your mattress isn’t the most comfortable, a well-made mattress topper can help! Editor Vivien Moon said, “I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely this topper was and how it definitely made a difference in my sleep.” She says she wakes up feeling more refreshed after sleeping on this mattress topper.
Rest easy with this mattress protector that editorial operations manager Jill Ortiz recommends. During her testing, Ortiz was impressed by how cool the protector was. She says, “I could really tell a difference after just one night’s sleep on this thing. It’s not really that plush but it provides some extra cushion from my actual plastic mattress protector.”
Witonsky tested this mattress topper and said, “I think this mattress topper is extremely well-made and easy to fit over the top of the mattress with the thick corner straps. It’s super cushy with a memory foam filling, without adding too much height that my sheets don’t fit.”
She keeps it above her mattress protector and said it changed her life when it comes to getting a great night of sleep.
I tested this mattress topper during our 2026 Sleep Awards and I was blown away. I struggle with lower back pain and often find sleeping makes it worse because my mattress doesn’t support my back. One night on this topper and my pain was gone. I no longer experience that pain since I have had this topper.
If you and your partner prefer different types of firmness on a mattress, this topper is for you. It has a firm and soft side that means you and your partner won’t have to compromise. Moon tested it and says, “I am extremely satisfied with this mattress topper. Falling asleep is a breeze and setting it up took no more than five minutes.”
How we choose
All of these mattresses and toppers, our editors personally unboxed them, set them up and slept on them for multiple nights. They checked to see how well they slept on them and made notes for any things they liked or disliked when testing the products.
