Why You Can Trust CNET Best Mattress to Buy on Amazon in 2024
Our sleep editors tested the best mattresses you can buy on Amazon and get delivered straight to your home.
Looking to buy the best mattress on Amazon without spending hours doing research? Look no further. Our sleep editors have tested out the best mattresses you can have delivered to your home. If you’re anything like me, you rely on Amazon for a whole list of products, from pet food to random household items, chords, clothes and everything in between. That even includes mattresses.
If you just want to get a simple, affordable mattress, then Amazon is a good place to shop. Not all the big mattress brands sell on Amazon, but you can find a bunch of quality picks -- some Amazon-exclusive beds are even from reputable brands. We've compiled a list of the best ones, personally tested by our sleep editors.
What’s the best mattress to buy on Amazon overall?
If you want a mattress from Amazon made by a trustworthy brand that’s both comfortable and affordable, the Nectar Premier is one of our team’s favorite picks. It has a memory foam feel and medium firmness that anyone can sleep on.
Best mattresses on Amazon in 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Why we chose the Nectar Premier Hybrid: The best overall mattress on Amazon is the Nectar Premier. It’s a 13-inch thick mattress that’s a memory foam lover’s dream. It’s more responsive than the Nectar Original mattress, meaning it won’t be as dense and slow-moving. There’s no question it still feels like memory foam.
The Nectar Premier is available in an all-foam and hybrid construction. The hybrid version will give you more support and durability in the long run, especially for heavier people. You’ll also get a bit more bounce and airflow thanks to coils, although it sacrifices some motion isolation.
The Nectar Premier is around medium firmness. Any sleeping position can sleep comfortably on it. It’s an excellent choice for couples with different sleeping positions and who need a bed that accommodates both.
For more on this bed, check out our Nectar Premier mattress review.
Pros
- Great pressure relief
- Has a true memory foam feel
- Affordable for the quality
Cons
- Not everyone likes memory foam
- More expensive than the Nectar Original mattress
Nectar Premier
Why we chose the Tuft and Needle Hybrid: A hybrid bed contains foam and steel coils. This typically makes them more durable and more expensive, but not in this case. I think the Tuft and Needle Nod Hybrid is the best mattress to buy on Amazon that has a coil and foam construction.
Tuft and Needle is up there in popularity with Nectar, and the Nod is its Amazon-exclusive bed. The hybrid model is 10 inches thick and has a three-layer construction fit with 6-inch coils and two layers of foam. It’s a safe pick because it’s generally comfortable for any sleeping position or body type and is cheaper than most competitors.
A Tuft and Needle Nod Hybrid mattress in a queen size will usually run you around $999, but can sometimes be found on sale for less.
For more on this bed, check out our Tuft and Needle Nod mattress review.
Pros
- Suitable for all sleeping positions
- It’s a cheap mattress option that supports all body types
Cons
- Might feel too soft for a heavy back or stomach sleeper
Tuft and Needle Nod
Why we chose the Lucid Memory Foam mattress: The Lucid 10-inch Memory Foam mattress on Amazon checks boxes for people who like the dense, hugging feel of memory foam and want to pay a minimum price. It’s one of the cheaper picks on our list next to the AmazonBasics mattress.
The primary comfort layer in this all-foam mattress is gel memory foam, which helps regulate temperature better than traditional memory foam. It also has a slow-responding feel that takes a few moments to respond to pressure and bounce back to normal. You get the slow, sinking feeling of memory foam with the Lucid mattress. Memory foam lovers of all sleeping positions can enjoy the Lucid 10-inch Memory Foam bed because it’s available in all firmness levels.
For more on this bed, read our Lucid mattress review.
Pros
- Multiple firmness levels to choose from
- Accommodating for all sleeping positions
Cons
- Not ideal for people over 230 pounds in the long term
Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam
Why we chose the Awara Premier: Latex mattresses are a hot commodity on Amazon, as a few of our picks are sold out or nearly so. The Awara Premier is the premium version of one of our personal favorites, the Awara 10-inch Hybrid.
This one is 12 inches thick with 8-inch pocketed coils, four inches of latex foam, and a natural wool and organic Euro-top. It looks and feels like a fancy mattress but has good value. Mattresses made with natural latex are hypoallergenic, antimicrobial and eco-friendly. Considering this and its strong hybrid construction, it could sell for over $1,650. A queen size goes for $1,401 on Amazon.
Pros
- Its medium-firm feel makes it ideal for back, stomach and combo sleepers
- Good for all body types
- Made with sustainably sourced and green materials
Cons
- A little too firm for strict side sleepers
- It’s the most expensive bed on our list
Awara Premier
Why we chose the AmazonBasics mattress: Amazon couldn’t sell other mattresses without jumping in for a piece of the pie. Luckily for us, it’s the most affordable mattress on Amazon with the queen-size 8-inch bed retailing for only $285. It has a pressure-relieving memory foam top layer and is available in multiple firmness options. Although the mattress is topped with memory foam, you'll get more of a neutral foam feel when you lie on it. You're not going to sink very far into the memory foam like Nectar.
You can also choose among multiple height options, but the 10-inch mattress offers a good balance between value and construction. The thicker the AmazonBasics bed, the more you’re going to pay. If you have a low budget and just want a good bed, we think this will be one of your best bets.
Pros
- Multiple heights to choose from
- Two firmness-level options are available
Cons
- Heavier sleepers may want to consider a more supportive hybrid mattress
- Shorter trial and warranty period than the other picks
Amazon Basics Memory Foam Mattress
How we test mattresses
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
Firmness: Our team takes turns trying out the mattress and laying on top to determine if it’s soft, firm or somewhere in between. Firmness level is an important factor in choosing the best mattress for you.
Feel: We get hands-on with our mattresses; we squish, squeeze and lay on the beds to get a feel for the materials inside. Memory foam makes a mattress slow-responding and pressure relieving, while coils or latex foam are bouncy.
Durability: We typically analyze construction to get a sense of how durable a mattress is, since most of our beds don’t go through the type of wear and tear in our testing period that occurs over the eight-plus years you’ll be sleeping on it. Hybrid mattresses made with coils are more durable and long-lasting than foam beds.
Body type: Heavier individuals should opt for a hybrid mattress because these types of beds offer more support and durability, especially in the long run.
Sleeping position: We get real physical and flip around the mattresses, testing each sleeping position: side, back, stomach and combination.
Motion isolation: If you sleep with a partner you’ll want to consider this feature. We test motion isolation by placing a cup of water at the end of a bed and bouncing it around to test how well it absorbs motion.
Edge support: We analyze a mattress's materials and physically lay on each edge of the mattress to get a feel for how well it'll keep us feeling sturdy.
What to look for in an Amazon mattress
Firmness
This is something you should consider when looking for any mattress. Side sleepers usually prefer a softer mattress that provides give and comfort underneath the hips and shoulders. Back and stomach sleepers will like a firmer mattress that provides back support.
Body type
Our best mattresses on Amazon include a few hybrid picks, which are great for heavier sleepers or anyone looking for additional back support.
Trial
When it comes to buying a bed online, you should consider the length of time you get to test your mattress "risk-free." It takes around 30 days for your body to become acclimated to a mattress, so some people need a longer trial period.
Warranty
A bed’s warranty partly speaks to its durability and how long a brand is willing to back its product. In our experience, the most quality, long-lasting mattresses come with longer warranty periods.
Best mattresses on Amazon FAQ
Is it ok to buy a mattress from Amazon?
Yes, Amazon carries several beds from popular name brands and even makes its own mattresses. While you won’t find a full catalog of brands, you can find some good wallet-friendly picks.
What is the most highly recommended mattress on Amazon?
We recommend the Casper Element, along with a handful of other beds the CNET sleep editors have personally tested from Amazon.
Can you return a mattress to Amazon?
You can return most mattresses you buy on Amazon, but every bed has its own trial period. Make sure to read up on return and trial policies before buying a mattress on Amazon.