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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.
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.