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What’s the Best Affordable Mattress for You? Shop Smart with the Sleep Doctor

September 28, 2020

How much would you be willing to pay for a really good night’s sleep? It’s not a rhetorical question. Actually, it’s the question that all mattress shoppers must face as they look to ditch their old mattress and replace it with something supportive, comfortable and new. Today’s mattress companies offer beds ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and shoppers can sometimes struggle to ensure they’ve chosen the best affordable mattress for their sleep needs.

If you’re searching for a new mattress that doesn’t break the bank, you’re in luck: Several bed-in-a-box brands offer their products for disruptively low price points, but without any compromise to important factors like motion isolation, edge support, durability or pressure relief. 

But, with so many inexpensive options out there, how do you discern between them? Not to worry—the Sleep Doctor’s already done the work for you. Michael Breus, Ph.D (aka, the Sleep Doctor) partnered with the expert review team at Mattress Advisor to round up the 10 best affordable mattresses. With their combined expertise, we’ve selected a few standout beds that don’t sacrifice quality for price, and also provided some recommendations on picking the best mattress for you based on your comfort preferences and sleeping position. We’ll start with a round-up of 10 top-ranking affordable mattresses.

Best Overall:

Honorable Mentions:

The team at Mattress Advisor performed hours of mattress testing at their lab in Raleigh, North Carolina to see which mattresses performed best in many different categories: durability, pressure relief, and spine alignment, to name a few. All mattresses tested by Mattress Advisor are scored on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the perfect score, based on 14 different pieces of criteria related to the mattress materials, performance, and brand overall.  

Learn more about the Mattress Advisor testing methodology.

Depending on what it is you’re looking for in a mattress, there’s a good chance you’ll find it in one of these 10 picks, and for a price that doesn’t induce sticker shock. But first, we’re taking a closer look at important factors to consider as you shop.

What to Consider When Shopping for the Best Affordable Mattress 

In considering a new mattress, there are multiple performance factors to keep in mind. And even more so for affordable mattresses–– you want to be sure you’re getting a good deal, but also a quality mattress. It’s only when you take into account your sleep position, the pros and cons of different mattress materials, and firmness preference that you can ensure you’re getting the best mattress for you and your wallet.

Sleep Position

Sleep position matters a great deal, not only for the quality of your rest, but also for your health overall. As the Sleep Doctor explains in his article about sleep position, different sleep positions have different benefits, and there also isn’t one perfect sleeping position: it varies from person to person, based on your unique physical characteristics.

With that said, some mattresses are especially well-suited for certain sleep positions. That’s something to think about when browsing for a new bed.

Side Sleepers

For side sleepers looking for the best affordable mattress, some important considerations are choosing one that will help maintain a neutral spine alignment, which prevents aches and pains in the morning; and, identifying a mattress that will relieve the strain on pressure points, particularly the neck, shoulder, and hip. When you lie on your side, most of your weight collects at your hips and shoulders, which is why it’s key to find a mattress that offers pressure relief.

“As far as health benefits connected to side-sleeping goes, this position in particular is apt for promoting blood flow and circulation, and is a good choice for anyone with high blood pressure.” says Dr. Breus. 

Back Sleepers

As for back sleeping, one major consideration is you’re less likely to experience neck pain because when you lay on your back, you’re supporting your spine. 

But as Dr. Breus notes, “back sleeping isn’t the greatest choice for those who have issues with snoring though, as it can lead to a higher risk for contracting sleep apnea.”

Affordable mattress shoppers who sleep on their back will want to seek something medium-firm or firm, allowing them to feel supported and maintain a natural curvature of the spine.

Stomach Sleepers

Positioning yourself on your side or stomach can help the airways stay open to reduce snoring and alleviate mild apnea. Stomach sleeping is also beneficial for those prone to indigestion and heartburn.

But sleeping on your stomach can also increase your risk for experiencing neck or muscle pain, so it’s crucial stomach sleepers find a firmer mattress that offers stability and support. This is so your hips don’t sink into the mattress, which can cause your spine to fall out of neutral alignment, causing an achy back or neck the next morning.

Learn more about finding the best firm mattress for back pain, as well as for your other sleep needs.

Combination Sleepers

Combination sleepers are those who change position during the night. For them, one of the key features of a mattress is responsiveness. A highly responsive mattress will have a buoyant, slightly bouncy feel, allowing it to adapt and adjust to your movements in the night. This is crucial for helping combination sleepers remain as comfortable as possible, even through changing positions.

Types of Affordable Mattresses

Another important consideration for shoppers looking for the best affordable mattress is type. 

“The type of ,attress you choose will determine the quality of the sleep you will get from it, if you match your needs to the bed. Each type has its own attributes and drawbacks, so they work for different types of people. This is really where the magic happens as far as lowering price, you try to only pay for what you and your partner actually need. You are not going to get all the benefits of a multi-thousand dollar product, but you will be efficiently spending your dollars, getting good quality sleep and still maintain a budget.” says Dr. Breus.  

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are highly popular in the online mattress space, and offer many selling points, including being some of the best affordable mattresses on the market today. They also tend to be cushioning and pressure-relieving, and excel in motion isolation. On the flip side, memory foam often traps body heat, which means this type of bed may not be the best option for those who are worried about overheating. In addition, memory foam also can have slow responsiveness, which is not fun for multi-positional sleepers. 

Hybrid

A hybrid mattress is made from two or more other materials, which might include polyfoam, innerspring coils, or latex. The goal here is to provide the best of all possible worlds; for instance, combining the contouring feel of foam with the breathability of innerspring coils. However, hybrid options are often more expensive than some of the other best affordable mattress options out there.

If a hybrid bed sounds right up your alley, learn more about how to find the best hybrid mattress for you.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses are made by placing a padded support layer over a system of metal coils; innerspring mattresses tend to be responsive and supportive, while also sleeping cool. Some sleepers love them, while others feel more comfortable being hugged and cradled by layers of foam.

Latex

Latex is an increasingly popular mattress type: It’s naturally breathable, which means it doesn’t absorb as much body heat, and it also has a buoyant feel that combination sleepers love. Natural Talalay latex, made from a rubber tree, is one of the top options among eco-friendly shoppers.

Mattress Firmness

Imagine a firmness scale between 1 and 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. A majority of mattress products fall somewhere between 5 and 8, which is known as ‘medium-firm’ in the mattress world, though there are occasional exceptions at both ends of the spectrum. Firmness is an important consideration for shoppers, with side sleepers generally wanting something in the middle that cushions their pressure areas, and stomach and back sleepers gravitating toward the higher end of the firmness scale for reinforced support.

Our Top Picks for the Best Affordable Mattress 

1. Expert Pick: Nectar

Nectar mattress

For those seeking a high-quality mattress for an outstanding value, the Nectar mattress rises to the top. Start with the price point, disruptively low; then factor in a full year-long sleep trial period and a lifetime warranty, both of which offer some peace of mind. Nectar is certainly appealing from a budgetary standpoint, and its performance metrics are equally strong. A medium-firm gel memory foam mattress, the Nectar is effective in easing the strain on pressure points, backed by its high pressure relief score of 8.5/10. This makes the Nectar an excellent choice for side sleepers craving that enveloping memory foam feel. Plus, the Nectar’s adaptive memory foam layers make it highly responsive and able to limit motion transfer: great news for combination sleepers and couples. And, its proprietary mattress cover helps keep dust mites at bay for clean sleep. As far as getting the most bang for your mattress buck, the Nectar reigns supreme as the best affordable mattress on the market today.

Learn more about this memory foam knockout in the Sleep Doctor’s Nectar mattress review.

  • Mattress Type: Gel Memory Foam
  • Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Buy it: Nectar, $799 (Queen), nectarsleep.com

2. Best Affordable Memory Foam Mattress: Casper Element

Casper Element mattress

Those who crave the cushioning layers of memory foam may want to consider the Casper Element, which is designed as their budget-friendly option, suitable for any sleeping position thanks to its universally appealing medium-firm feel. The Casper Element offers two foam layers that deliver the right balance of comfort and support. Our testers at Mattress Advisor found it’s outstanding in edge support, which is important for keeping you in the middle of the mattress. Edge support is also a chief consideration for seniors, who need a mattress that supports them as they get in and out of bed, which the Casper Element excels in. And, thanks to its low price point, it’s a popular option for parents seeking the best affordable mattress for kids. Keep in mind that the Casper Element had lackluster durability in our lab testing, so this bed is better for a short-term solution, and more compatible with a guest room or dorm.

  • Mattress Type: Memory Foam
  • Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: 10-year Limited

Buy it: Casper Element, $595 (Queen), casper.com

3. Best Affordable Mattress for Sex: Helix Midnight

Helix Midnight mattress

For times when you’re more active in bed, it’s important to have a mattress that supports your intimate moments, and doesn’t get in the way of your good time. The Sleep Doctor points to the Helix Midnight as the superior choice in this category. It’s an excellent best-of-both-worlds hybrid mattress that excels at isolating motion, responding to your movements, and keeping you cool––all of which are necessary mattress components for a steamy night with your partner. The more responsive a mattress is, the easier it is to move around, and the Helix Midnight’s 8.75/10 responsiveness score speaks for itself. Made with a base layer of individually-wrapped coils and topped with 2 foam layers, the foam serves as a buffer to the sometimes squeaky nature of coils, ensuring quiet, less noisy sex. 

Nothing kills the mood more than being hot and sweaty, but luckily, the Helix Midnight sleeps cool, backed by a 9/10 cooling score, thanks to the use of innerspring coils and its breathable mattress cover. And, the combination of materials coupled with the Helix Midnight’s medium-firmness also gives the mattress a comfortable, yet supportive feel fit for many different sleepers. All of these features come with a wallet-friendly price—pick a queen mattress or smaller and you’ll pay under $1,000—making the Helix Midnight one of the best affordable mattresses in the hybrid category. 

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid
  • Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: 10-year Limited

Buy It: Helix Midnight, $999 (Queen), helixsleep.com

4. Best Affordable Firm Mattress: Cocoon by Sealy

Cocoon by Sealy mattress

As far as firm mattresses go, the Cocoon by Sealy’s extra firm option reigns supreme. And, while firmer mattresses can run on the pricier side, the Cocoon mattress offers two firmness levels to choose from: medium soft and extra firm, which lie at a 6/10 and an 8/10 on the firmness scale, for a fraction of the typical cost. The firmer model in particular offers phenomenal support, helping to keep your hips and lower back propped up to prevent any uncomfortable sinkage. Back and stomach sleepers would enjoy the extra firm Cocoon the most, as these types of sleepers generally need more solid support. But that’s not all––the far-reaching benefits of the Cocoon’s sturdy support are evident in its impressive 9/10 spine alignment score. This ensures your spine stays in neutral alignment while you sleep, promoting a healthy posture and relief from strain placed on your back. Because spine alignment aids in alleviating back pain, it comes as no surprise that the inexpensive Cocoon mattress was cited as one of the Sleep Doctor’s best mattresses for back pain. 

And, in Mattress Advisor testing, this all-foam bed scores high marks in motion transfer, meaning couples who share it won’t worry so much about disrupting one another, as well as in pressure relief, responsiveness and edge support. And yet, for all that, it’s still considered one of the best affordable mattresses for firm surface seekers. A queen size mattress or smaller will cost less than $1,000.

  • Mattress Type: Memory foam
  • Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium Soft and Extra Firm
  • Warranty: 10-year Limited

Buy it, Cocoon by Sealy, $930 (Queen), cocoonbysealy.com

5. Best Affordable Mattress for Heavier Sleepers: DreamCloud

DreamCloud mattress

Not all mattresses are made to support plus-sized sleepers, but the DreamCloud is very robust: It’s made to support heavyweight sleepers, and it performs without sinkage or sagging thanks to its impressive 9/10 durability score. The DreamCloud is a solid construction, made with six total layers of foam and coils. Covered in a Cashmere blend and plush eurotop, plus-sized sleepers will enjoy the soft, luxurious feel on top, but are still well-supported by the pocketed micro coil compression system down below. It’s backed by a 365 night trial and a lifetime warranty, and excels in pressure relief, edge support and responsiveness, guaranteeing ease of movement and strong edges. Also, the DreamCloud sleeps cool, accommodating heavyweight sleepers who run hot. The pocketed coils create a support structure with a more open cell design which has less air to move more easily, instead of being trapped by an all-foam construction and generating heat. As for potential drawbacks, it’s worth mentioning that there will likely be some off-gassing as you unbox the mattress, though this isn’t harmful. 

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid
  • Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-Firm
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Buy it, DreamCloud, $1,399 (Queen), dreamcloudsleep.com

6. Best Affordable Flippable Mattress: Layla

Layla mattress

 All of the mattresses listed here are already a steal, but the Layla’s flippable design makes it stand out from the crowd. With the Layla, you practically get two beds in one: one side feels medium soft and the other medium-firm–– just flip the mattress and see which one offers you the superior comfort. The medium-soft side is a 4/10 on the firmness scale, and suits side sleepers who need close contouring for pressure relief. The medium-firm option rests at a 7/10 on the firmness scale and benefits back and stomach sleepers the most. Either side you choose, the Layla provides exquisite pressure relief and near-perfect responsiveness. Its dense support foam targets high-pressure areas for maximum comfort and support, melting away undue strain from your joints. And with a price tag hovering just over $1,000 and a lifetime warranty, you can enjoy the benefits both sides have to offer for years to come. 

  • Mattress Type: Copper-infused Memory foam
  • Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-soft; medium-firm
  • Warranty: Lifetime

Buy it, Layla, $1,049 (Queen), laylasleep.com

7. Best Affordable Mattress for Athletes: Bear 

Bear mattress

For athletes who want a mattress that supports their lifestyle, but doesn’t gouge their wallet, the Bear mattress is your go-to. The Bear mattress is made with a fiber called Celliant, which has won FDA approval as a medical device. The upshot is that Cellient absorbs energy from your body and redirects it, which is said to help expedite muscle recovery. And, the celliant infusion also assists with cooling, plus the open-cell foam design helps mitigate body heat. The result is a cooling, restorative night’s sleep. Highly responsive in its design (it earned a 9/10 in responsiveness!), the Bear is also a good fit for combination sleepers, and its high marks in spine alignment ensure it supports your spine’s natural curvature for a healthy posture. The best part? You can reap all these benefits for a shockingly low price. 

  • Mattress Type: Memory foam
  • Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: 10-year Limited

Buy it, Bear, $800 (Queen), bearmattress.com

8. Best Affordable Mattress Under $1,000: Tuft & Needle

Tuft & Needle mattress

The Tuft & Needle mattress has long been a marquee option in the bed-in-a-box industry, and it’s not difficult to discern why. This medium-firm, foam-blend mattress accommodates all sleeping positions, and its excellent spine alignment and pressure relief makes it an especially good pick for back and side sleepers as well as those looking for pain relief. Plus, the Tuft & Needle’s 8.5/10 score in edge support means . it also works well for seniors, making it easier to get into and out of the bed. It combines the support and pressure relief of memory foam with the springy feel of latex, and all of it’s available for less than half the price of most quality, memory foam mattresses.

  • Mattress Type: Foam blend
  • Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: 10-year Limited

Buy it, Tuft & Needle, $595 (Queen), tuftandneedle.com

9. Best Affordable Mattress for Combination Sleepers: Nolah Original 10”

Nolah Original mattress

Do you tend to change your sleep position throughout the night? If so, that makes you a combination sleeper, and it means you need a mattress that can comfortably adjust to your movements. The Nolah Original 10” fits the bill,  thanks to a highly responsive material known as AirFoam. AirFoam is Nolah’s own patent-pending, proprietary material that’s a derivative of memory foam, but mimics latex in its buoyancy and temperature-neutral qualities. And, its 9.5/10 spine alignment score ensures you’re well-supported in a healthy posture, no matter the position you land in. Also note that, in Mattress Advisor testing, the Nolah Original 10” scores near perfectly in motion transfer, which makes it a viable option for couples who share a bed together. Throw in the generous 15-year warranty and attractive price point, and it’s hard to decline this adaptive airfoam mattress.

  • Mattress Type: Airfoam
  • Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: 15-year Limited

Buy it, Nolah Original 10”, $1,049 (Queen), nolahmattress.com

10. Best Affordable Mattress for Stomach Sleepers: Leesa Studio

Leesa Studio

Stomach sleepers require mattresses that promote neutral spine alignment, and keep their hips well-supported so they don’t sink into the mattress and cause their spine to fall out of alignment. The Leesa Studio is a recommended entry in this category, boasting a medium-firm memory foam construction that feels like you’re sleeping on top of the mattress, rather than sinking into it. Our lab testing at Mattress Advisor  confirms it to be a good option for those with back and joint pain: it earned a 9/10 in spine alignment. And, and its motion isolation score makes it another good pick for couples. Despite this high quality, it happens to be a fairly cheap mattress, too, and it ships free to all fifty states

  • Mattress Type: Memory foam
  • Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5
  • Firmness: Medium-firm
  • Warranty: 10-year 

Buy it, Studio by Leesa, $799 (Queen), leesa.com

Choosing the Best Affordable Mattress for You

When mattress shopping, the price tag can sometimes be deceptive. Some of the most highly recommended products are available at the lower end of the price range, which means that you can get a budget mattress that significantly improves the quality of your rest.

Sources:

Avocado Green. 2020. “Support: Our Innerspring Unit.” https://service.avocadogreenmattress.com/hc/en-us/articles/360024056791-Tell-me-more-about-the-innerspring-support-unit-How-many-coils-are-there-What-gauge-are-they-

Hungs, Marcel. 2010. University of California Center for Sleep Medicine. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0661/5815/files/Pilot-Sleep-Study-Dr.-Marcel-Hungs-2009-2010.pdf?3161

John Hopkins Medicine. 2020. “Choosing the Best Sleep Position.” Health Wellness and Prevention (blog). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/choosing-the-best-sleep-position

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. 2009. “Changes in back pain, sleep quality, and perceived stress after introduction of new bedding systems.” Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (Vol. 8, Issue 1), March 8, 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697581/#:~:text=Jacobson%20et%20al%2C29%20in,efficiency%20with%20medium%2Dfirm%20bedding

KTT Enterprises. 2017. “Eco-friendly Talalay Latex.” https://kttenterprises.com/eco-friendly.html 

Leggett & Platt. 2020. “Open Coil” Kansas State University Institute of Environmental Research. https://beddingcomponents.com/open-coil#:~:text=Much%20of%20their%20success%20is,University%20Institute%20of%20Environmental%20Research.

Selnick, Matthew. 2018. “Embrace.” Program of Industrial Design Capstones. https://jdc.jefferson.edu/idcapstones/26

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