Top 5 compared
The best mattress toppers
A softer, more comfortable bed without buying a whole new mattress.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How this works
The top 5 at a glance
A topper is a layer laid over the mattress to change how the bed feels. Fiber pillow-top pads are soft and springy, go on like a fitted sheet and go in the washer; memory foam molds slowly around the body and lies under the fitted sheet. A thin layer of foam takes the edge off a firm bed, while a thicker one changes how it feels altogether.
Foam toppers arrive rolled up and need one to three days to reach full thickness and air out, so it’s worth unrolling one a few days before it’s needed. Every foam topper here is gel-infused and CertiPUR-US certified. Foam toppers give their thickness in inches; pillow-top pads usually don’t.
What matters
- A pad’s skirt depth against your mattress’s depth.
- A trial period or warranty, since comfort is personal.
- The care label: machine washable, or spot clean only.
#1EASELAND Cotton Pillow Top Mattress Pad (Queen)
$30–$50
A quilted pad with a 300-thread-count cotton top over down-alternative microfiber, and a stretchy fitted skirt that reaches mattresses 8 to 21 in deep, so it stays smooth however much you turn over. The whole thing goes in the washer on a gentle cycle.
What owners say: It stays put on the bed without sliding around, and owners like how soft it feels and how neat it looks. Thickness divides them: plenty of padding for some, thinner than pictured for others.
A closer look: Give it 20 minutes in the dryer on low before the first night, or four to six hours outside in the sun, to bring the loft up, and the same low tumble after each wash. On the bed it doubles as a light protector for the mattress underneath.
- 300-thread-count cotton top
- Machine washable on gentle
- Doubles as a light protector
Best for: A softer, tidier bed
- Filling
- Down-alternative fiber
- Thickness
- –
- Stays on with
- Deep pocket, 8–21 in
#2Linenspa 2 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper (Queen)
$50–$75
Two inches of plush gel-infused memory foam that molds to the body, enough to soften a mattress that’s too hard or give a tired one a few more years. It’s CertiPUR-US certified, fits under an ordinary fitted sheet and has a three-year limited warranty.
What owners say: Owners sleep better on it, some say it eased their back pain, and guests notice the difference too. Some find it sleeps warm, and a few say it sinks in the middle.
A closer look: Give it 24 to 48 hours after unrolling to reach its full height before the sheet goes on. It’s spot clean only, so a waterproof mattress protector over the top keeps spills and sweat off the foam.
- CertiPUR-US certified
- Full height in 24–48 hours
- Spot clean only
- 3-year limited warranty
Best for: Softening a firm mattress
- Filling
- Gel memory foam
- Thickness
- 2 in
- Stays on with
- Fitted sheet over it
#3Sure2Sleep Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper (3 in, queen)
$75–$100
Three inches of gel swirl memory foam, made in the USA and CertiPUR-US certified, that contours around shoulders and hips and refreshes a firm or aging mattress. Open-cell foam and the gel help it shed heat, and Sure2Sleep backs it with a 30-night trial and a 3-year warranty.
What owners say: Owners find it comfortable, say they sleep better on it and notice no smell. Feel is personal here: some find it just soft enough and cool, others too firm or too warm.
A closer look: Unroll it on the mattress and give it time to reach its full 3 in before the first night, then put a deep-pocket fitted sheet over the mattress and topper together. Memory foam feels firmer in a cold room and softens as it warms up.
- Made in the USA
- CertiPUR-US certified
- Open-cell foam sheds heat
- 30-night trial
- 3-year warranty
Best for: Easing hip and shoulder pressure
- Filling
- Gel swirl memory foam
- Thickness
- 3 in
- Stays on with
- Fitted sheet over it
#4COONP Extra Thick Pillow Top Mattress Topper (Queen)
$50–$75
An overfilled pillow-top pad with a 400-thread-count cotton top that makes the bed feel thick and cloud-soft rather than molded like foam. The deep elastic skirt grips mattresses 8 to 21 in deep, and the whole thing goes in the washer.
What owners say: For many it’s the best topper they’ve owned: soft, fluffy, a real difference to their sleep, and it fits the bed neatly. Value splits them, and so does the thickness, puffy to some and thinner than expected to others.
A closer look: Compressed for shipping, it looks flat at first, so shake it out and tumble it on low for about 20 minutes, as COONP suggests, before making the bed. A queen is a big load for a home machine, and COONP itself suggests a commercial washer.
- 400-thread-count cotton top
- Commercial washer suggested
Best for: A cloud-soft feel, no foam
- Filling
- Overfilled pillow top
- Thickness
- –
- Stays on with
- Deep pocket, 8–21 in
#5Best Price Mattress Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Topper (1.5 in)
$20–$30
A thinner, lighter layer: 1.5 in of ventilated memory foam with cooling gel, CertiPUR-US certified, that softens a dorm or guest-room mattress without adding much height. It’s cut an inch narrower and shorter than standard sizes, so ordinary sheets still fit over it.
What owners say: It fits well and turns a cheap mattress into a comfortable bed, owners say, with good support and better sleep. Softness and warmth split them: some find it too firm, and not everyone finds it cool.
A closer look: Allow up to 72 hours for it to rise and for any smell to fade, as Best Price Mattress advises. There’s no cover in the box, so the fitted sheet goes straight over it, and at this thickness the bed hardly gets any taller.
- Ordinary sheets still fit
- Allow 72 hours to rise
- CertiPUR-US certified
- No cover included
- 3-year warranty
Best for: Dorm and guest beds
- Filling
- Ventilated gel memory foam
- Thickness
- 1.5 in
- Stays on with
- Fitted sheet over it
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1EASELAND pad | #2Linenspa 2 in | #3Sure2Sleep 3 in | #4COONP pillow top | #5Best Price Mattress 1.5 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best memory foam | Best premium | |||
| Picked Rating | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $50–$75 | $75–$100 | $50–$75 | $20–$30 |
| Filling | Down-alternative fiber | Gel memory foam | Gel swirl memory foam | Overfilled pillow top | Ventilated gel memory foam |
| Thickness | – | 2 in | 3 in | – | 1.5 in |
| Stays on with | Deep pocket, 8–21 in | Fitted sheet over it | Fitted sheet over it | Deep pocket, 8–21 in | Fitted sheet over it |
| Best for | A softer, tidier bed | Softening a firm mattress | Easing hip and shoulder pressure | A cloud-soft feel, no foam | Dorm and guest beds |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
