8 Best Mattresses of 2022
While resolutions can be tough to keep, if you're looking to improve your sleep quality this year, a new mattress is a great place to start. We all know that sleep is integral to good mental, physical, and emotional health, and it's also a great way to ensure a full recovery from your workouts when you're in an intense training cycle.
While mattresses may not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of innovation, there have been a lot of changes in recent years to make them less expensive, easier to set up, and better designed for your individual sleeping experience. With lots of options out there, we've gathered up some of our favorites to help make the shopping process a bit easier. Look below for buying advice and reviews on some of our favorite mattresses.
(Looking for a whole new bedding setup? Check out our picks for pillows, bedding sets, and mattress toppers.)
What to Consider
When looking for a new mattress, the two most important aspects to consider are firmness and material. Most mattresses will either be entirely made from foam, or will at least have some foam element. This provides both support and cushioning. Some more traditional mattresses will have coils, which give it a firmer, bouncier feel, and some will have a pillow top, which adds to its softness, but doesn't increase the support of the mattress.
Even if you pick a mattress that's made entirely of foam, that doesn't mean it will necessarily be soft and squishy. Memory foam is more structured than you think, and can actually produce a very firm, supportive bed if you choose the right one. Memory foam can run a bit warm however, so if you are a hot sleeper and opt for a memory foam bed, make sure that it has cooling elements like infusions of copper, bamboo, or gel.
To determine the firmness that's right for you, consider your sleeping position. Back and stomach sleepers do best with a medium firm to firm mattress, as they need more support on their back and neck, while side sleepers can get away with a softer mattress that forms to the contours of the body. That said, if you know that you prefer a certain firmness for your best night's sleep, go with your gut.
How We Chose
To find the best options among the many mattresses on the market, we researched the most popular models available. We looked at expert-tested reviews from trusted sources like Good Housekeeping and CNET. We then took into account price, materials, size, firmness, and durability. Finally, we consulted more than 54,000 reviews, written by people who’ve bought these models, on sites like Amazon to settle on these eight.