There are many different mattress types on the market, which can make it increasingly difficult to know which type is best for you.
Depending on personal factors like body weight, sleeping position, pain points, and other preferences, you may find that a certain mattress type works better than others.
This guide will provide a rundown of the different types of mattresses, as well as call out the best mattresses we’ve tested among each type.
We’ve personally tested over 175+ mattresses vs. our battery of objective and data-driven tests. It’s our aim to help you understand the full breadth of mattress types and options at your fingertips. So with that in mind, let’s dive in.
In This Guide
Foam | Hybrid | Memory Foam Hybrid | Memory Foam | Latex Hybrid | Latex | Coil | Adjustable | Air
Different Types of Mattresses
There are numerous different material types that mattresses use, each configuration delivering a different feel. Below are the top most common mattress types.
Foam
Foam mattresses are lighter weight and the most budget-friendly mattress. Foam quality can vary dramatically, as can overall mattress performance.
Hybrid
Most hybrids use a blend of poly, memory, or latex foams. These mattresses create a more balanced and even feel compared to the more extreme feels of latex or memory foam hybrids.
Memory Foam Hybrid
Memory foam hybrid mattresses create the dramatic body contouring hug of memory foam, but with improved cooling, bounce, and response due to the coil unit.
Memory Foam
Memory foam mattresses create a high degree of body contouring hug with foam layers wrapping to the exact shape of your body. They are also generally warmer feeling.
Latex Foam Hybrid
Latex foam hybrids maintain the response, bounce, and heat retention of latex, but have improved cooling and reduced weight via the coil unit.
Latex Foam
Latex foam mattresses are highly responsive, don’t retain significant heat, have high bounce, and are incredibly durable and long lasting. They are also very heavy.
Coil
Coil mattresses create a more traditional feel. They are typically cooler, have high bounce, and higher motion transfer. Pressure relief and body contouring are more limited, but can vary based on the top cover.
Adjustable
Adjustable mattresses have electronic or physical mechanisms that allow you to adjust the firmness or other comfort dynamics of the mattress. These are among the most expensive mattresses.
Air
Air mattresses use one or more air chambers for both comfort and support. Higher end air mattresses will be topped with quilted or padded comfort layers, improving their pressure relief.
Mattress Types Pros & Cons Explained
Foam
Foam
Best For
- A balanced feel—gathers the strengths and mitigating the weaknesses of multiple types of material
- Reasonable price point
Considerations
- Muted feel, is not strongly memory foam nor latex foam
- May lack edge support compared to a hybrid mattress
For Balanced Feel
A foam mattress can use a blend of multiple types of foam. It may include latex + memory foam like the GhostBed or varying types of poly foam like the Douglas mattress.
Different foam types provide a different feel on the mattress. When you combine different foam types together, a mattress can have a more balanced feel.
The average price of a foam mattress like this is cheaper than both exclusively memory foam or latex foam mattresses.
Average Price: $1,163 / queen
Average Lifespan: 8-10 years
Our Top Picks
Douglas
Nest Bedding Quail
Leesa Original
Siena
GhostBed Classic
Hybrid
Hybrid
Best For
- More bounce than traditional foam mattresses
- Better edge support
- Contour without sacrificing pressure relief
Considerations
- Typically higher price point than all-foam mattresses (but less than latex mattresses)
For Balanced Feel
A hybrid mattress uses a blend of multiple types of foam and a coil support system (typically pocketed coils).
In addition to foams, some hybrid mattresses may also include the use of microccoils like we see on the Saatva RX.
A hybrid can use memory foam, latex foam, or poly foam for the top layers. Many hybrids use a combination of different foam types for a more balanced feel.
Average Price: $1,344 / queen
Average Lifespan: 10-12 years
Our Top Picks
Winkbed
Helix Midnight Luxe
Nolah Evolution 15
Nest Bedding Sparrow
GhostBed Flex
Hybrid
Memory Foam Hybrid
Best For
- Great for pressure relief and edge support
- Coil support helps limit heat retention as well
- Longer lifespan than all-foam mattresses
Considerations
- Higher price point than traditional memory foam mattress
- Typically has thicker profile than all-foam mattresses
For Contour + Coils
A memory foam hybrid mattress has a memory foam comfort layer, a transitional layer, and a coil support system (typically pocketed coils).
The use of memory foam on the top of the mattress provides deeper contour and that classic memory foam feel.
But the coil support system below also helps balance out the foam with better edge support and better pressure relief as more weight is applied.
Average Price: $1,443 / queen
Average Lifespan: 10-12 years
Our Top Picks
Amerisleep AS3 Hybrid
Bear Elite Hybrid
Pillar Sleep
Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid
Zoma Boost
Foam
Memory Foam
Best For
- Budget options under $1,500
- Side sleepers who want to engage more deeply with foam layers
- Lower levels of bounce and motion transfer than the average mattress
Considerations
- May lack edge support
- May not be supportive enough for heavier-weighted sleepers over 250 lbs.
For High Contour
A memory foam mattress uses viscoelastic foam that is designed to provide deeper contour and hold the “memory” of the position you sleep in.
A transitional poly foam layer is often used between memory foam and support foams.
A support layer (typically 6-8″ thick) sits below the memory foam and any transitional layer. This layer helps to provide support for the layers above.
Average Price: $1,291 / queen
Average Lifespan: 8-10 years
Our Top Picks
GhostBed Luxe
Amerisleep AS3
BedInABox Original
Zoma
Loom & Leaf
Hybrid
Latex Hybrid
Best For
- Fast response time
- Natural materials, oftentimes organic certified
- Higher performance levels than non-latex options
- Excellent durability
Considerations
- Higher cost on average compared to most other mattress types
- Latex has a very distinct feel that some love, and some not so much
For Natural + Bounce
A latex foam hybrid mattress has a latex foam comfort layer and a coil support system (typically pocketed coils).
Latex hybrids are good picks for sleepers who are looking for natural materials, but want the edge support, response, and higher bounce that hybrids typically have.
Latex is one of the most expensive materials you can use in a mattress. Because these mattresses have a coils base, they have a lower price point than 100% latex mattresses.
Average Price: $1,833 / queen
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Our Top Picks
Saatva Latex Hybrid
Birch
Awara
Avocado Eco
EcoSleep Hybrid Luxe
Foam
Latex Foam
Best For
- Natural materials or an organic mattress
- Higher levels of bounce
- Fast material response time
- Excellent durability
Considerations
- More expensive than other foam mattresses, on average
- Unique feel is more polarizing, some love it, some not so much
For Natural Materials
A latex foam mattress uses foams processed from raw latex. Most latex comes from the Para rubber tree.
Latex foams can be made of Talalay or Dunlop latex, the two most common types.
Latex foams are oftentimes perforated for peak performance. This allows for fast response time, good breathability, and excellent pressure relief as well.
Average Price: $2,027 / queen
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Our Top Picks
Coil
Coil Mattress
Best For
- High levels of bounce
- Good edge support
- Cooler and traditional feel
Considerations
- More prone to sagging over time
- Can be very heavy
- More likely to require a boxspring
For Traditional Feel
A coil mattress is built from one or more layers of steel coils. Some of the most popular styles include innerspring, continuous coil, pocketed coil, coil-on-coil, or the use of microcoils. All of these materials would fall under this mattress type.
Coils mattresses can still have a quilted or even pillowtop cover to give them a plush look and feel.
While 100% coil mattresses are becoming less popular, many older mattresses maintain this design style.
Average Price: $1,877 / queen
Average Lifespan: 6-8 years
Our Top Picks
Specialty
Adjustable Mattress
Best For
- Varying levels of firmness within a single mattress
- Split firmness for couples with different needs
Considerations
- Higher price point
- Many adjustable mattresses use air for support, which has its limitations including higher motion and various support issues
For Variable Firmness
An adjustable mattress is a mattress that has an adjustable firmness. Many times this means a remote control or digital rotating dial.
Adjustable mattresses are not to be confused by adjustable foundations.
Adjustable foundations are used to adjust the position of any mattress. Adjustable mattresses adjust firmness levels. You can use an adjustable mattress on an adjustable foundation, but not required.
Average Price: $1,344 / queen
Average Lifespan: 8-10 years
Our Top Picks
iSense Premier
Naturepedic EOS
Natural Form Refresh
Habitat Furnishings Ascend Air
Sleep Number C2
Specialty
Air Mattress
Best For
- Easy to travel with
- Quick set up or tear down
- Inexpensive
Considerations
- Limited pressure relief
- May lose air overnight
- Not suitable for heavier sleepers
For A Portable Bed
An air mattress or airbed is typically a single-cell rubber mattress that has an opening for a motor to inflate or deflate the mattress.
For advanced air mattresses, settings may be adjustable to provide varying degrees of firmness. Pumps may be build in or sold separately.
Average Price: $155 / queen
Average Lifespan: 1-2 years (continuous use), 3-5 year (occassional use)
Our Top Picks
King Koil Air Mattress
SoundAsleep Dream Series
Intex Dura-Beam
EnerPlex Air Mattress
Intex Cozy Kidz Airbed
Not sure which mattress is right for you? Check out these links below to answer some FAQS you may be having about selecting the best mattress type for your needs.
