The best memory foam mattress, tried and tested for sleeping in total comfort
From reading in bed to enjoying the deepest of sleeps, these best memory foam mattresses will see you in good stead from dusk to dawn. Tried and tested by GQ writers and editors
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Best memory foam mattress for spinal supportEmma Sleep Original MattressRead more
Best high-tech memory foam mattressTempur CoolTouch Sensation EliteRead more
Best memory foam mattress for different sleep positionsHypnia Supreme Memory MattressRead more
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Memory foam has a reputation for being one of the most luxurious mattress fillings around, and that’s not something to be taken lightly. In fact, the material was originally created and developed by none other than NASA for their astronauts, suggesting that your bed frame plays host to a whole history of scientific research. Surely that can only make you trust in the fact you’re going to be set for a good night’s sleep when choosing from among the best memory foam mattresses. Describing the feeling of sleeping on memory foam as “floating” just took on a whole new meaning, didn't it?
Naturally, all of this makes memory foam mattresses some of the most popular on the market right now, particularly given how much the material can help with various aches, pains and ailments — including spinal alignment. There are, however, simply too many to choose from these days, especially since the development of the hybrid mattress (which, FYI, combines pocket springs and memory foam for the best of both worlds). And so, naturally, GQ’s here to help you pick the perfect memory foam mattress for your needs.
Our picks for the best memory foam mattress options include several tried and tested mattresses, many of which we’d say are responsible for any chance we have of a decent amount of shut-eye every night. With all kinds of memory foam mattresses to choose from — firm mattresses, bed-in-a-box options, all-foam mattresses or cooling mattresses — achieving the perfect sleep set-up is no longer a pipe dream.
Skip to: What is the best memory foam mattress? | How we test mattresses: GQ's reviewing process | Why choose memory foam? | What should you consider when choosing memory foam? | Is a memory foam mattress good for back pain? | Shop GQ’s Best Memory Foam Mattresses for 2024
What is the best memory foam mattress?
You can find the GQ edit of the best memory foam mattresses from our favourite mattress brands in our round-up below, with plenty of detail on each. But if all this talk of memory foam has you yawning, here’s a quick rundown of our top recommendations, from the best memory foam mattress overall, to the best memory foam mattress on a budget and the best memory foam mattress for temperature regulation, from left to right (or top to bottom if you're on mobile).
| Name | Sizes available | Trial period | Guarantee | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Original | Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King, EU Single, EU Double, EU Queen | 200 nights | 10 years | £339 |
| Simba Simbatex Foam Mattress | Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King | 200 nights | 10 years | From £299 |
| Tempur CoolTouch Sensation Elite | Double, King, Super King | 100 nights | 10 years | |
| Eve Sleep Wunderflip Premium | Double, King, Super King | 365 nights | 10 years | £649 |
How we test memory foam mattresses: GQ’s review process
At GQ, we aim to test and review as many of the memory foam mattresses we have chosen for this guide as possible to ensure you are getting the best recommendations. Where available, GQ's in-house writers, testers and editors have slept on mattresses in their own home for at least a month in order to deliver mattress reviews and assess if they should be included in our guides. You can read our separate guide on how we test mattresses if you want a more in depth analysis on what we do, but in a nutshell, we're looking for key elements like firmness, comfort, support, cooling ability and durability.
It's also worth mentioning that all of GQ’s interiors are edited by Daphne Bugler, British GQ’s Senior Commerce Writer, who has been working at GQ for the past four years and has written extensively about interiors and the wonderful world of mattresses since 2020.
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Why choose memory foam for a mattress?
“When you lie on a memory foam mattress, you’ll feel a subtle sinking sensation, which a lot of people find very comforting,” explains Fabio Perrotta at Dreams.
“Memory foam essentially hugs your body and distributes your weight evenly across the surface. Pressure points are eased and that means you’re less likely to suffer from stiffness or aches and pains after waking up.”
What should you consider when choosing memory foam?
There are a number of things to consider when choosing a new mattress and deciding whether memory foam is right for you. Fabio Perrotta of Dreams says to check for the following:
Memory foam mattresses retain body heat more than other types of mattresses, which makes them a particularly good option in the cooler months. Look for cooling elements to ensure your body stays at the optimum temperature and to reduce the chance of overheating as you sleep in warmer months too. Key phrases include ‘breathable’, ‘air flow’ and ‘cooling covers’.
Memory foam adjusts to your body and keeps its shape. This makes it a good choice if you share your bed with a partner who tends to move around a lot as they sleep, or if you aren't exclusively a back sleeper or a side sleeper but are prone to switching throughout the night, as it reduces motion transfer.
Dense memory foam mattresses are ideal for relaxing restless limbs as their responsiveness surrounds the contours of your body shape. They are ideal for relieving pressure and ensuring the correct spinal alignment. The best memory foam mattresses boast extra deep designs with supportive base layers.
Is a memory foam mattress good for back pain?
Memory foam mattresses are known for their ability to mould and respond to your body shape, offering support and pressure relief, while being very comfortable. Typically foam mattresses are made from memory foam, polyurethane foam or a combination of both and they are traditionally good for side-sleepers.
You may find they offer too much give if you suffer from back pain compared to the firm feel of some spring mattresses, but their ability to adapt to your body shape means they have the ability to support the lower back, whilst offering motion isolation to reduce movement if your partner moves around a lot whilst sleeping.
Shop GQ’s edit of the best memory foam mattresses for 2024…
These are our top picks of the best memory foam mattress around, many of which have been tried and tested by GQ’s editors, writers or testers to make sure they really are lovely to sink into and contour around your body. And if you want to upgrade your sleep set-up even further, check out our guides to the best mattresses, mattress toppers, best memory foam pillows, bed frames and duvets.
Best memory foam mattress for spinal support
1/6Emma Sleep
Original Mattress
- Sizes available: Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King, EU Single, EU Double, EU Queen
- Night trial period: 200 nights
- Guarantee: 10 year warranty
With its medium firmness designed to give you peak spinal alignment and support, the Emma Original Mattress comes with three layers of pressure-relieving foam. It includes a layer of Halo memory foam, which is great for spinal support and is both breathable and temperature-regulating as you sleep. In its structure, it includes an open-pored HRX layer to enhance the airflow through the mattress and evaporate moisture so that you feel comfortable, cool and dry, even on the hottest of summer nights. From
£339£237. At emma-sleep.co.ukPros & ConsPros- Quick and easy to set up
- Combats back and joint pain
Cons- Lifespan isn't as long as we'd like
- Can dip in the middle
Best high-tech memory foam mattress
2/6Tempur
CoolTouch Sensation Elite
- Sizes available: Double, King, Super King
- Night trial period: 100 days
- Guarantee: 10 year guarantee
When it comes to memory foam, the one brand that should spring to mind first is Tempur. Known best for using NASA-developed technology in its mattresses, this is a mattress company with a reputation for innovation, and the results are almost always impeccable. Made with a firm feel, but by no means the firmest in our guide, the Sensation Elite is one of our favourite Tempur pieces. It’s got 25 cm of depth, meaning there’s plenty of support, catering to your movement throughout the night and ensuring you have enough pressure relief. Combine this with the CoolTouch cover, an exclusive addition to the mattress if you shop with Dreams, and it’ll help prevent it from getting too hot overnight, something which can often be a downfall of memory foam if it traps heat while you sleep. From £1,799. At dreams.co.uk
Pros & ConsPros- Soft cover and supportive feel
- Comfortable
Cons- Fitted sheet can slide off
Best memory foam mattress for different sleep positions
3/6Hypnia
Supreme Memory Mattress
- Sizes available: Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King
- Night trial period: 200 nights
- Guarantee: 15 years
Hypnia’s Supreme Memory Mattress is designed for all sleeping types, whether you like to snooze on your front or snore on your back. Featuring four layers within a 25cm deep construction, the Supreme Memory Mattress has a breathable and hypoallergenic cover, a 17cm base foam, a layer of open-cell foam infused with graphite to keep you cool, and a layer of next-generation memory foam. It offers medium support with multiple zones to encourage spinal alignment and help you wake up refreshed. From
£760£340. At hypnia.co.ukPros & ConsPros- Suitable for all sleeping positions
- Good support
Cons- May be too soft for some
Best cooling memory foam mattress
4/6Simba
Simbatex Foam Mattress
- Sizes available: Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King
- Night trial period: 200 days
- Guarantee: 10 year warranty
One of the best-known mattress retailers – and for good reason – Simba offers the Simbatex Foam Mattress which comes in a range of sizes and features four layers of cooling, supportive sleep tech. Made from the company’s unique Simbatex foam that offers an open cell structure for airflow and elasticity, while also being infused with graphite known for its moisture wicking properties to draw excess heat away, this mattress will keep even the hottest of sleepers comfortable. There's a removable, washable knitted cover for easy refreshing, as well as a zoned, high density foam base for pressure relief too. From £479. At simbasleep.com
Pros & ConsPros- Very comfortable
- Temperature regulating
Cons- Might need airing out initially
Best memory foam mattress for newbies
5/6Nectar
Memory Foam Mattress
- Sizes available: Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King
- Trial period: 365 nights
- Guarantee: Forever
With its 25cm thickness, this medium-firm memory foam mattress hugs your body and keeps you cool thanks to the three layers of premium foam, combined with a seven-zone supportive base. It delivers optimum comfort, whilst supporting your spine, but what we love most about the Nectar mattress is that you get a 365-night home trial, so you have plenty of time to make sure it’s right for you. Pay a little more and make use of the bundle offer, which includes a mattress protector, bedding set, duvet and two pillows. From £475. At nectarsaleep.co.uk
Pros & ConsPros- A very impressive and thick mattress
- Good value
Cons- May be better with a hybrid for all-round performance
Best memory foam mattress for flipping
6/6Eve Sleep
Wunderflip Premium Memory Foam Mattress
- Sizes available: Double, King, Super King
- Night trial period: 365 nights
- Guarantee: 10 year warranty
Tried and tested over many months by a member of the GQ team, Eve Sleep's Wunderflip Premium mattress is one of our favourite mattresses hands down, whether we're talking memory foam, hybrids or pocket spring styles. New and improved, the Premium mattress features four layers of foam, each of which serves its own individual purpose. The breathable memory foam works to actively cool the sleeping environment to prevent any overheating, while the Eve Sleep patented ‘floatfoam’ is designed to create a comfortable environment which adapts to the body. Even more exciting, is the newly added contour zone structure which works to provide support to the areas of the body that need it. The mattress is billed as a medium-firm support, but we'd say it feels more like a firm, especially when you're just getting used to it. From £749. At evesleep.co.uk
Now read:
Best hybrid mattresses for all-round sleeping magic
Pros & ConsPros- Flippable so different firmness levels from same mattress
- Comfortable
Cons- Memory foam not for everyone
