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Helix / Serta
If you’re in the market for a new mattress and a topper just won’t cut it, a pillow top may be your best option. According to Kevin Lees, D.C., of The Joint Chiropractic, pillow-top mattresses “add comfort, extra padding, or a change in mattress material while still getting the benefits of their mattress support.”
After speaking with Lees to understand the benefits of a pillow-top mattress and what to look for, we researched dozens of pillow tops and scoured customer reviews to find the best ones on the market.
Take a look at the best pillow-top mattresses on the market.
Best Overall
Saatva Classic Mattress
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Saatva
Different height and firmness options
Lifetime warranty
One-year trial
Great customer service
Requires deep-pocket sheets
Doesn’t prevent motion transfer
If you’re on the lookout for a mattress that offers the responsiveness of an innerspring with the plush feel of other mattresses, then look no further. Saatva’s Classic mattress comes standard with a plush 3-inch Euro pillow top, and you can choose from three firmness options (plush soft, luxury firm, and firm) as well as two height options (11.5 and 14.5 inch). Additionally, the dual-coil design eliminates sagging. One verified reviewer referred to it as the “Best mattress I have EVER owned. Quality and durability are superb. So is customer service.”
Our own reviewer found it to be equally as comfortable for both side and back sleeping. The plush feel provides superior comfort but not at the expense of support, which is provided by the dual coil design made with recycled carbon steel underneath. Saatva also offers a comprehensive guide on its website to help you figure out which mattress is ideal for your individual needs.
Customers love Saatva for its high-quality products and exceptional customer service. It also doesn’t hurt that there’s free in-room delivery and setup, a 365-night home trial, and a lifetime warranty. Our reviewer felt the mattress didn’t do a great job of preventing motion transfer, but the plush feel of this mattress made that a worthy compromise.
Price at time of publish: $1,995 for a queen
Type: Foam, cotton, steel coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king, split California king | Firmness: Plus soft, luxury firm, firm | Trial Period: 1 year | Shipping: Free in-room delivery and setup | Warranty: Lifetime
Best Budget
Wayfair Sleep™ 12" Medium Pillow Top Hybrid Mattress
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Wayfair
Affordable
Hypoallergenic
Includes removable cover
Comes in a box
60-day warranty
Can compress over time
We love this Wayfair pillow-top mattress for a handful of reasons. The nearly 11,000 five-star reviews on the company’s website should begin to paint the picture. We were further enticed by the affordable price tag. But the best part is you aren’t sacrificing any sort of quality for a lower price when you choose this hybrid-style mattress. It’s hypoallergenic and includes wrapped innersprings that provide immense support, while three layers of support foam on top ensure conforming comfort.
This mattress also boasts minimal motion transfer and breathability for anyone who sleeps a bit hot. Some users have complained about its durability, stating that over time there can be some compression, especially along the edges.
Price at time of publish: $740 for a queen
Type: Foam, springs | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium | Trial Period: 100 nights | Shipping: Free | Warranty: 60 days
Best Pressure Relief
Tuft & Needle Hybrid Mattress
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Tuft and Needle
Great customer service
Responds to individual pressure points
100-night trial
Made without harmful chemicals
Too soft for some
More expensive
A medium-plush feel, breathable foam, and, most important, adaptive foam for pressure relief all combine to put Tuft and Needle’s Hybrid Mattress on our list. The individually pocketed springs provide support and just the right amount of bounce to respond to your pressure points while the quilted pillow-top cover limits indentations over time.
Some customers complained that this mattress was too soft for them. However, there’s no shortage of satisfied purchasers who found the customer service to be exceptional in the case of a return. There’s no bait-and-switch con here; a 100-night trial gives you a chance to let it break in and see if it's right for your needs.
Price at time of publish: $1,995 for a queen
Type: Foam, springs | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: 100 nights | Shipping: Free | Warranty: 10-year limited
Best Bed-in-a-Box
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
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Nectar
Under $1,000
Simple, convenient delivery and setup
Forever warranty
Limited motion transfer
Off-gassing smell
Not as breathable as other options
It’s hard to beat the convenience of a mattress coming to your home in a box, but not all mattresses in a box are built the same. We love the Nectar Memory Foam because it offers that convenience without sacrificing quality. A stable base layer made of 7 inches of conventional CertiPUR-US Certified foam sets the stage for a durable and comfortable mattress, while a dynamic response layer promotes better spinal alignment.
For some users, this mattress isn’t breathable enough, and it also has an off-gassing smell (but don’t worry, that dissipates over time). It’s a worthwhile investment as one of our more affordable options on the list, especially with its ability to keep you supported and motion-free while asleep.
Price at time of publish: $779 for a queen
Type: Memory foam | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: 1 year | Shipping: Free, except in Alaska and Hawaii | Warranty: Forever
Best for Back Pain
Avocado Green Mattress
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Avocado
Has retail showrooms
Pocketed back-support coils
GOTS- and GOLS-certified organic materials
25-year warranty
No free shipping to Hawaii and Alaska
Off-gassing smell
Finding a mattress that ensures a peaceful night of sleep and no back pain is great. Knowing that same mattress is made with all natural and sustainable products? Count us in. Avocado’s Green Mattress uses GOLS-certified organic latex and GOTS certified organic wool and cotton. The pillow-top option offers a plush feel and comes in at 13 inches thick. It also features 1,414 pocketed support coils structured in five zones to help alleviate back pain.
One drawback for this mattress includes an off-gassing smell that some customers found to be particularly unpleasant. It’s important to note, though, that the smell will go away. Additionally, free Zoom sales appointments are available to learn more and get professional input before buying, a detail that totally upgrades the purchasing process.
Price at time of publish: $2499 for a queen
Type: Latex, wool, cotton, coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Gentle firm | Trial Period: 1 year | Shipping: Free, except in Alaska and Hawaii | Warranty: 25 years
Best Medium-Firm
Serta Perfect Sleeper Mattress
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Serta
Handles for moving
HexCloud memory foam provides pressure relief
Free shipping and returns
Different layering options
Warranty leaves something to be desired
Can sag over time
Considering Serta’s been crafting mattresses for close to 100 years, it’s no surprise that the brand’s Perfect Sleeper Mattress is such a knockout. It uses HexCloud Gel Memory Foam for contouring pressure relief while also offering antimicrobial protection to keep your mattress safe and clean. Plus, for additional fees, you can upgrade to two or three layers of memory foam if need be to get exactly the level of comfort you’re looking for.
The medium firmness also makes this pillow-top mattress a great selection for side sleepers, as it offers enough support to maintain spine and neck alignment. Unfortunately, the warranty is limited, which has left some customers disappointed. However, a 120-night trial is a great way to see if it's right for you.
Price at time of publish: $1,199 for a queen
Type: Gel memory foam, individually wrapped coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: 120 days | Shipping: Free | Warranty: 10-year limited
Best Cooling
Winkbeds The Winkbed
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Winkbeds
USA made
Breathable, moisture-wicking Tencel construction
Lifetime warranty
Four firmness options
No handles
Heavy
When it comes to keeping you cool all night long, Winkbeds has it figured out. The brand’s signature mattress offers three layers of heat-wicking materials, including a cover that’s made from breathable Tencel, a eucalyptus-based fabric that absorbs moisture. Underneath, a series of pocketed coils promote airflow, and the uppermost layer—the pillow top—is made with a gel-infused Hypersoft Foam, which doesn’t retain heat around your body.
We also like the different firmness options you can choose from. Winkbeds offers the range of softer, luxury firm, firmer, and plus, which means there’s something out there for stomach, back, side, and heavier sleepers alike. One drawback for this mattress is its weight. It’s a bit heavy, and with no handles, that makes it a bit challenging to move.
Price at time of publish: $1,799 for a queen
Type: Gel-infused foam, individually pocketed coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Softer, luxury firm, firmer, plus | Trial Period: 120 nights | Shipping: Free | Warranty: Lifetime (full replacement)
Best for Side Sleepers
Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress
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Helix
Great customer service
Cooling
Quick expansion out of the box
USA made
Limited warranty
Not great for stomach sleepers
As Lees points out, pillow tops can be a good option for side sleepers to help in “reducing pressure on their shoulders and hips,” and the Helix Midnight Luxe offers just that with its memory foam construction. While some memory foam mattresses can be too plush, we love that this one features zoned lumbar support coils, which are firm under your hips to help keep your spine aligned all night long. It also doesn’t hurt that the Tencel cover provides airflow to keep you feeling cool.
Customers also like this bed-in-a-box for its free shipping and the back pain relief it provides. However, one complaint is the reinforced edges, which, as one user said, caused them “to roll toward the middle” of the bed.
Price at time of publish: $2,374 for a queen
Type: Memory foam, coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, King, California king | Firmness: Medium | Trial Period: 100 nights | Shipping: Free | Warranty: 10-15 years
Best Hybrid
DreamCloud Premier Hybrid Mattress
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DreamCloud
Includes handles for moving
Lifetime warranty
Cashmere blend quilted cover
Individually wrapped coils
Not as breathable
Expensive
Too firm for some
Using a combination of individually wrapped coils and pressure-relieving memory foam, the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid offers you the best of both worlds. All of the springs are individually wrapped for customized support, enabling this pillow top to contour to your body’s needs. This mattress is also thicker on the perimeter to ensure longevity and edge support. One inch of CertiPUR-US certified foam helps provide pressure relief for your back, shoulders, and hips, which is why many back pain sufferers have seen relief with this mattress.
One drawback for some with this mattress was less breathability than desired. Thankfully, a 365-night trial lets you see if that’s the case for you after purchasing.
Price at time of publish: $1,200 for a queen
Type: Memory foam, innerspring coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: 1 year | Shipping: Free | Warranty: Lifetime
Best King
Allswell The Allswell Mattress
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Allswell
Lower price point
Great customer service
Free returns
Cooling charcoal- and copper-infused pillow top
No handles
Shorter warranty
Limited edge support
When trying to figure out the best bed size for your needs, couples will generally benefit most from a king size. We love The Allswell King mattress because the pocketed spring coils do their part to ensure highly limited motion transfer, which means you won’t be disrupted by your moving partner in the middle of the night. Additionally, the pillow-top layer of this mattress is made of charcoal and copper gel, materials that provide a cool night of sleep by pulling heat away from the body.
The best part about The Allswell is that it won’t break the bank. A king comes in at under $550, making it one of our cheapest options on the list. One drawback for some customers was the edge support, but as noted by a customer, “Luckily, the Allswell customer service team is amazing, and they refunded my purchase without question within five minutes of my request.”
Price at time of publish: $449 for a queen
Type: Memory foam, coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: 100 days | Shipping: Free | Warranty: 10 years
Best Eco-Friendly
Keetsa Pillow Plus
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Keetsa
Made with sustainable, recycled materials
Oeko-Tex and CertiPUR-US certified
Suits all types of sleepers
Supportive for back pain sufferers
Fee for old mattress disposal
Heavy when moving
Enjoy all of the plush comfort of a classic pillow top and keep the environment in mind by choosing the Keetsa Pillow Plus. This medium-firm mattress is made with a 3-inch topper that includes a blend of foam—specifically, body-responsive BioFoam for cushioning and Comfort Foam for support—along with high-density foam and individually wrapped iCoils. Together, these materials balance your body and limit movement, making the mattress comfy for back, side, and stomach sleepers. But perhaps best of all, the materials used in Keetsa’s pillow top are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and CertiPUR-US certified, the fiberfill is recycled and made in a sustainable manufacturing process, and no fiberglass is used.
However, this mattress is heavy—moving it on your own can be challenging, so you’ll want to have help on hand when it arrives. Additionally, some customers take issue with the fees charged in addition to the cost of the mattress. You’ll have to pay a disposal fee for your old mattress, so factor that into your overall cost before checkout.
Price at time of publish: $1,090 for a queen
Type: Cotton, foam, coils | Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: None | Shipping: Free, except in Alaska and Hawaii | Warranty: 12 years
Best for Couples
Avenco 12'' Pillow Top Medium Hybrid Mattress
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Walmart
Affordable
Arrives in a box
Lighter weight
Antimicrobial
Limited sizing
May be too firm for some
Pocketed springs do their part to prevent motion isolation with this Avenco hybrid pillow-top mattress. Limited motion transfer means that even a partner who spends all night moving won’t disrupt you. Plus, a five-zone pocketed coil design and ergonomic contouring ensures your unaffected night of sleep is also one of supreme comfortability.
This mattress is unfortunately limited in its sizing options, with no twin sizes available, and some sleepers find it to be too firm for their needs. But, customers love that it comes matching the description exactly. Also, the lower price tag is definitely something that piques our interest.
Price at time of publish: $640 for a queen
Type: Foam, pocketed springs | Sizes: Full, queen, king, California king | Firmness: Medium | Trial Period: 100 nights | Shipping: Free | Warranty: 10-year limited
Best for Heavier People
Saatva HD Mattress
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Saatva
1,000-pound weight limit
Made with natural materials, including latex
Free warranty
Free in-room delivery and setup
Higher price tag
Doesn’t work with standard foundations or box springs
With Saatva’s engineering and quality plus a 1,000-pound weight limit (500 pounds per side), this mattress is a superb option for heavier people. 12.5-gauge recycled steel coils are 25 percent stronger than the industry standard, ensuring this mattress is durable and retains its shape over time. Hand tufting also helps eliminate body impressions over time. But make no mistake—durability does not sacrifice comfort. The 3-inch Euro pillow top includes plush fibers and comfort foams to make sure you feel comfortable all night long.
One drawback is this mattress isn’t compatible with regular foundations and box springs. When all is said and done, though, it’s a hit, with one customer saying, “I am so thankful for all the help of the Saatva team and thankful for them creating this mattress!”
Price at time of publish: $3,195 for a queen
Type: Cotton, foam, latex, steel coils | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, California king | Firmness: Medium-firm | Trial Period: 1 year | Shipping: Free delivery | Warranty: Lifetime
What to Look for in a Pillow-Top Mattress
Composition
In addition to the pillow top, you need to consider what the mattress underneath is made from. Today, most mattresses are made with innersprings, foam, or a combination of both. Foam mattresses contour to your body more readily but make it harder to shift around. On the other hand, innerspring mattresses are more firm and bouncy, which means it’s easier to disturb your partner.
Support
Pillow-top mattresses are inherently soft, but you can still choose different levels of support and firmness. Research suggests that a medium-firm mattress is best for back pain.
"It's important to have the comfort level be there; however, for longevity of the mattress I've found that the medium firmness tends to be more preferred by patients," says Samantha March-Howard, doctor of chiropractic at 100% Chiropractic office in Dunwoody, Georgia. "When it's too firm, it's just as bad as being too soft, and it's hard for the muscles to relax on any materials that are like that."
Trial period
If you’re buying a mattress online, there’s no way to know if you like it until it arrives. That’s why it’s important to see if the retailer offers a trial period so you can test the mattress out at home. Consider things like the trial length, refund policy, and shipping logistics.
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Can you flip a pillow-top mattress?
Old-school mattresses are the same on both sides and can be flipped and rotated at will to reduce wear and tear in a single area and increase their longevity. Pillow-top mattresses are another story. Flip a pillow-top mattress over and you have essentially robbed it of its purpose since it is by definition a one-sided proposition.
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How do you clean a pillow-top mattress?
To keep your pillow-top mattress free of dust, mites, hair, and other allergens, vacuum it regularly (advice ranges from every time you change your sheets to every three months). Regularly washing your sheets and pillowcases will also help keep your mattress clean by removing dirt, dust, and bodily fluids that can transfer from sheets. If your pillow-top mattress has a removable cover, wash that regularly as well according to manufacturer instructions.
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How long does a pillow-top mattress last?
The longevity of your pillow-top mattress will depend on a number of factors. These include the quality of the construction, the materials used, how many people are sleeping on it, and how much those people weigh, move around, and sweat. Use a mattress protector, and rotate your mattress 180 degrees on a regular basis. As a general rule, mattresses should be replaced every seven to 10 years, but pillow-top mattresses have a shorter lifespan and generally are made to last from between four and seven years.
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How do you fix a sagging pillow-top mattress?
The soft filling in a pillow-top mattress has a tendency to get compressed from the weight of the body that is using it, causing it to sag. One way to prevent sagging is to regularly rotate the mattress so that wear and tear is distributed evenly. You can also use the suction of a hand-held vacuum to pull the pillow-top filling back into shape.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written and researched by Justine Harrington, a product writer for The Spruce who specializes in home and lifestyle topics. Her work has been published in national outlets like Fodor's and Backpacker, among others. For additional background information about mattresses, we talked to Samantha March-Howard, doctor of chiropractic at 100% Chiropractic Office in Dunwoody, Georgia, who spoke about mattress firmness.