The best mattress toppers
A softer bed without a new mattress: five toppers compared on filling, thickness, how they stay on and how they wash.
A topper sits on the mattress under the fitted sheet and changes how the bed feels on top. Fibre toppers (hollowfibre or microfibre) are soft and springy, and most go in the washing machine whole; memory foam moulds slowly around the body, and its cover comes off for washing.
Thickness makes the biggest difference: 2.5cm to 5cm freshens a firm or tired mattress, while 8cm to 10cm changes how it feels altogether. Then check how it stays on, with corner straps or a skirt like a fitted sheet, and allow a day or two for a vacuum-packed topper to reach its full depth. Every topper here is compared as a double; most come in other sizes too.
What matters
- Filling: springy fibre, or slow, moulding memory foam.
- Thickness: 2.5cm to freshen a mattress, up to 10cm to change it.
- Fit: corner straps, or a skirt that goes on like a fitted sheet.
- Washing: the whole topper, or a zip-off cover.
#1 of 5
Best overall
MightySoft 10cm Microfibre Mattress Topper (Double)
£46.99 RRP
The thickest here at 10cm: a deep, diamond-quilted layer of microfibre that makes a firm or tired mattress feel much softer, held on by four corner straps and washable at 40°C.
What owners say: Owners say it turns their bed into a soft, hotel-like one, fits well, and feels warm and cosy on cold nights.
A closer look: It arrives vacuum-packed, so give it a day or two to puff up to full depth before judging how thick it is. A deep-pocket fitted sheet then goes over the mattress and topper together without straining at the corners.
- 10cm thick
- Quilted microfibre fill and cover
- 4 elastic corner straps
- Machine washable at 40°C
- Also in king and super king
Best for: A much softer bed
- Filling
- Microfibre
- Thickness
- 10cm
- Stays on with
- 4 corner straps
- Washing
- Machine wash, 40°C
#2 of 5
Best memory foam
Degrees of Comfort 8cm Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Double)
£75–£100 Price range
Two layers of foam, 3cm of gel-infused memory foam on a 5cm support layer, in a cover with a U-shaped zip that comes off for the washing machine. Mesh sides let air through, and a grippy base with corner straps holds it on mattresses up to 25cm deep.
What owners say: Owners find it comfortable and well made, and say it revives a firm or worn bed for far less than a new mattress.
Heads up: Unbox it a few days before it’s needed: the foam takes 48 to 72 hours to reach its full depth, and the new-foam smell fades in a well-aired room.
A closer look: Memory foam can feel warm, which is what the gel and the mesh sides are there for; very hot sleepers may still prefer a fibre topper. It softens a firm mattress but, as the maker points out, it can’t make up for a broken bed frame.
- 8cm: 3cm memory foam on 5cm support foam
- Zip-off, machine-washable cover
- Non-slip base and 4 corner straps
- Mesh sides for airflow
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 materials
Best for: Memory foam feel
- Filling
- Memory foam, two layers
- Thickness
- 8cm
- Stays on with
- Straps and non-slip base
- Washing
- Zip-off cover, machine wash
#3 of 5
Silentnight Deep Sleep 2.5cm Mattress Topper (Double)
£44.99 RRP
A thin, soft layer of hollowfibre in a polycotton cover: enough to take the edge off a firm mattress without making the bed feel spongy. Silentnight has been making beds since 1946 and is based in Barnoldswick, Lancashire.
What owners say: Owners say it makes the bed feel soft and luxurious, and stays put with its straps, especially on an older mattress.
Heads up: At 2.5cm it softens the surface rather than adding real depth; Silentnight’s 10cm topper suits anyone after a thicker layer.
A closer look: Silentnight’s care advice is a machine wash at 40°C and no tumble dryer, so plan washing for a dry day. It suits a guest bed or a slightly firm mattress; a bed that needs a lot more cushioning is better off with one of the thicker toppers here.
- 2.5cm hollowfibre fill
- Polycotton cover
- Elasticated corner straps
- Machine washable at 40°C
- Single to super king
Best for: A light refresh
- Filling
- Hollowfibre
- Thickness
- 2.5cm
- Stays on with
- Corner straps
- Washing
- Machine wash, 40°C
#4 of 5
Best budget
Arlinens 5cm Box-Stitched Microfibre Mattress Topper (Double)
£20–£30 Price range
A 5cm hollowfibre topper with box stitching to keep the filling spread evenly, and the widest choice of sizes here, from a cot to a super king.
What owners say: Owners say it’s comfortable and a good fit, though a few expected it to be thicker.
A closer look: Its double measures 137 by 190cm, a touch wider than the usual 135cm double mattress, so it reaches right to the edges. Washing instructions are on the care label in the packaging, and Arlinens says it keeps its fluffiness after a wash.
- 5cm hollowfibre fill
- Box-stitched microfibre cover
- Elasticated corner straps
- Machine washable
- 7 sizes, cot to super king
Best for: Softness for less
- Filling
- Hollowfibre
- Thickness
- 5cm
- Stays on with
- Corner straps
- Washing
- Machine washable
#5 of 5
Easiest to fit
EHEYCIGA Memory Foam and Fibre Mattress Topper (Double, 3cm)
£30–£50 Price range
It goes on like a fitted sheet: a deep elastic skirt grips the mattress, so there are no straps to fix and it stays in place. Under the quilted top, EHEYCIGA layers gel-infused memory foam with soft fibre.
What owners say: Owners say it fits the bed well and softens it, and one finds they can change how firm it feels by turning it over.
A closer look: Because the skirt wraps round the whole mattress, it also guards it against everyday wear and marks. It arrives vacuum-packed and can look thin at first; EHEYCIGA says to allow 48 hours for it to recover its shape, and to wash it cold.
- 3cm quilted topper
- Memory foam and fibre layers
- Deep elastic skirt, like a fitted sheet
- Bamboo-derived viscose surface
- Machine washable
Best for: Quick, snug fitting
- Filling
- Memory foam and fibre
- Thickness
- 3cm
- Stays on with
- Elastic skirt
- Washing
- Machine wash, cold
How they compare
| Feature | #1MightySoft 10cm | #2Degrees of Comfort 8cm | #3Silentnight Deep Sleep | #4Arlinens 5cm | #5EHEYCIGA 3cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best memory foam | Best budget | Easiest to fit | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.4 |
| Price | £46.99 RRP | £75–£100 Price range | £44.99 RRP | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range |
| Filling | Microfibre | Memory foam, two layers | Hollowfibre | Hollowfibre | Memory foam and fibre |
| Thickness | 10cm | 8cm | 2.5cm | 5cm | 3cm |
| Stays on with | 4 corner straps | Straps and non-slip base | Corner straps | Corner straps | Elastic skirt |
| Washing | Machine wash, 40°C | Zip-off cover, machine wash | Machine wash, 40°C | Machine washable | Machine wash, cold |
| Best for | A much softer bed | Memory foam feel | A light refresh | Softness for less | Quick, snug fitting |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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