Best memory foam mattress 2024: custom foam support for a great night's sleep

The best memory foam mattress might be exactly what you need if you're not getting quality sleep. Old-fashioned pocket-spring mattresses have a tendency to be consistently firm, which can keep you awake by putting pressure on particular parts of your body. But memory foam mattresses contour to your body shape, which means you get support where you need it most, sleep more soundly and wake up feeling properly refreshed.

Memory foam can take a bit of getting used to if you've always slept on spring mattresses, so if you need to know the differences between them, see our memory foam vs spring mattress guide. Some people love the sinking sensation of memory foam cradling them to sleep, while others find it more like lying in quicksand; fortunately most manufacturers offer a free home trial so you can get a feel for whether memory foam is right for you.

The sleep surface of a memory foam mattress can feel different from brand to brand, and it also has a tendency to trap heat. Many brands have introduced clever technology to reduce this side effect, but if you have a tendency to sleep hot, it's likely memory foam may not be right for you. In this case, we have our general best mattress guide, which features sprung and hybrid mattresses as well as memory foam, so you can compare and contrast.

The memory foam mattress market is highly competitive and very crowded, and if you go in blind you can easily make a bad buying decision. That's where T3 come in. We have years of experience with memory foam mattress brands and know which ones are worthy of your attention. Here's where we bring you a curated selection of the best memory foam mattresses you can buy today, at price points for all budgets.

P.S. Make sure to check out our best cheap mattress deals and sales before you order.

WRITTEN BY

WRITTEN BY

Bethan Girdler-Maslen

Beth is Home Editor for T3, covering style, living and wellness. Having previously held the role of Acting Wellness Editor, Beth has become an expert in all things sleep, offering T3 readers advice on how to get the best night's sleep possible. From what mattress suits your sleep position to the cosiest pillows and duvets for your bedroom, Beth is the go-to person on T3 for the latest sleep-related reviews, tips and recommendations.

The top three

Best memory foam mattress 2024 ranking

The best memory foam mattress overall

One problem with memory foam is that if you’re already a warm sleeper, the material’s heat-retaining properties can result in sweaty nights. Not so with the Nectar Memory Foam mattress, which boasts a soft quilted cooling cover that adapts to your body heat, helping keep those with a tendency to overheat cool all night. Three layers of memory foam below the outer cover err on the firmer side of medium, making this mattress a good option for front and back sleepers, but probably not best for heavy side sleepers, or those who prefer a soft, enveloping bed. 

Which? rated it a Best Buy, and declared that it gave great, all-round support, although some Amazon reviews mention a lingering chemical smell – which our tester also experienced, although it did dissipate fairly quickly. Another common Amazon gripe is that sometimes the mattresses doesn't expand properly, but ours was fine. Overall, this is a fantastic-value memory foam mattress. Head to our Nectar mattress review for more info, or see how it compares to our #3 pick in our Nectar vs Casper comparison article. And check for any Nectar discount codes before buying, of course.

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The best eco-friendly memory foam mattress

The first mattress from Panda London, the Panda Hybrid Bamboo mattress is made of BioCell Foam™ bamboo infused foam, which is is luxuriously soft and feels similar to the silky feel of Egyptian cotton. Panda's very own memory foam features open cell technology infused with fresh bamboo which works in combination to offer long lasting support that's naturally hypoallergenic, sweat wicking and ultra breathable. The foam responds to your sleeping position to leave you feeling comforted and cradled throughout the night.

Alongside the bamboo foam, the Panda Hybrid Bamboo mattress has OrthoAlign Foam™ with multi-zonal springs which delivers orthopaedic grade support that distributes weight evenly, aligns the spine and reduce aches and pains. It's on the firmer side so it might not be very everyone, but it stands out from the rest due to its sustainable credentials. The organic bamboo in its mattress is ethically sourced from approved forests, pesticide free and vegan friendly. See our 5-star Panda London Hybrid Bamboo mattress review for more details.

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The best all foam mattress

While the Simbatex Foam mattress isn't technically a memory foam mattress, it makes this list as it's a brilliant celebration of Simba foam. The Simbatex Foam Mattress is a four layer foam mattress that steers away from Simba’s signature blend of foam and springs. Instead, the Simbatex Foam Mattress features high density foam, Simba-Response foam and a cooling Simbatex foam comfort layer, which allows for better air flow and firmer comfort.

The firmness level might not be for everyone and the edges dip a little if you get too close to them. Besides that, the Simbatex Foam Mattress is supportive, incredibly comfortable and cradles the body without giving you a sinking feeling.

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The best budget memory foam mattress

If you're on a tighter budget, the mattress we'd recommend is the Eve Lighter. This clever mattress is a stripped down version of the Eve Original (lower down this list), but still provides an impressive level of comfort and support, as you'll discover in our full Eve Lighter mattress review.

At the top is a 3cm layer of proprietary ‘Evecomfort’ foam – which the company claims is more 30 times more breathable than memory foam – and beneath that lies a 16cm core layer of high-density base foam. There's also a soft-touch cover that can be removed and washed at 40C. This is marketed as being medium-firm, and it gives a slight 'cradling' feeling without feeling like you're sinking in too far (we'd say it's a good choice for restless sleepers). We were also impressed by the temperature regulation tech. In fact, the only down side is that it's a little lacking in edge support. Head to our Eve discount codes and deals page for the best current prices.

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The best multi-layer memory foam mattress

For people who love firm support, the Origin Hybrid mattress is a top choice. A nicely designed mattress, the Origin Hybrid mattress is a multi-layer marvel that's made up of six layers of foam and comfortable materials. 

Inside the mattress, the six-layer makeup is cleverly engineered to ensure comfort, and keep that comfort for as long as possible. The top Hexa-Grid Orthopedic Layer improves comfort and softness, with the middle section adding support beneath your back. The middle layer is infused with cooling particles (which could do better) and that sits on top of a memory foam layer, made using wool and bamboo foam. The Origin Hybrid mattress also has antigravity springs at the bottom crafted from tempered steel for a high strength-to-weight ratio.

On the negative side, the Origin Hybrid mattress is a tad heavy and the firmness might not be for everyone. But it's supportive, high quality, looks good and feels great night after night. It even converted our reviewer who previously wasn't on board with memory foam. See our Origin Hybrid mattress review for more.

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The best bouncy memory foam mattress

If you prefer your memory foam with a bit of bounce, try the Silentnight Studio Original. This mattress includes a 3cm layer of exclusive 'Geltex' technology, which, as well as adding buoyancy, helps prevent overheating. There's also 4cm of premium memory foam, a core of dense Studio Flex foam for stability, and it all comes wrapped in a removable and washable soft cover made from an anti-allergenic Purotex fabric, approved by Allergy UK. In our Silentnight Studio Original mattress review, we found it felt more buoyant than other foam mattresses we'd tested, yet still incredibly effective at  pressure on the joints. We'd say it offers a medium level of firmness (perhaps a 6 out of 10).

While this mattress comfortably holds it own against the cool new(er) brands in the memory foam mattress world – as it should, given it's a similar price – where it doesn't compete so well when it comes to extras. You've got a shorter trial period to make sure you get on with this mattress, and the guarantee is half that of the industry standard too. 

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The best premium memory foam mattress

Tempur is a well known name in the memory foam mattress arena, and its mattresses tend to illicit something of a Marmite response. When you lie on a Tempur mattress, it'll immediately start to mould to your body shape, giving a strong 'enveloping' feeling with next to no motion transfer and absolutely zero bounce. You might find this soothes your restlessness and lulls you into a dreamy, uninterrupted slumber that lasts all night. Or you might absolutely hate it.

We tested out the Tempur Original, and although the sensation wasn't to our reviewer's taste, we were still impressed with luxurious feel, super soft exterior and quality finish. This high-end, luxury mattress is available in three depths: the 21cm Supreme, the 25cm Elite and the 30cm Luxe. In terms of firmness, it's on the softer side of medium, which means its best suited to those who like to sleep on their side. 

All of Tempur's mattresses cost a fair amount more than most rivals, and the Original is no exception. Is it worth the extra expense? Well, that depends on your sleep style and needs. If you’re a standard sleeper with no significant muscle pain or spinal issues, then you might be better served choosing a cheaper model like the Emma or Casper. However, the almost complete lack of motion transfer and gently enveloping yet supportive structure means that if you suffer from back and shoulder pain, or you’re a particularly restless sleeper, this luxury memory foam mattress might be an investment you won’t regret. Head to our Tempur Original mattress review for more on what we thought of it.

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The best zoned support memory foam mattress

Struggle to find a comfortable position on your existing mattress? Then you may find that the Eve Original memory foam mattress provides just the right level of comfort to allow you to settle into a position that’s right for you. It's made up of several layers, with the top one being a moisture-wicking material that will keep you cool – great for those who regularly overheat. Below that is a layer of pressure-absorbing memory foam, and under that a base layer that features seven ribbed support zones for specific trouble areas such as shoulders, lower spine and hips. 

It’s another Which? Best Buy, and many buyers have been impressed with how it helped their back and neck pain, with restless sleepers reporting they slept through rather than tossing and turning all night. We definitely experienced a reduction in morning aches and pains, and although the top layer initially felt softer than our usual mattress, it was still pretty supportive. And actually, after a few nights we felt the dense base layer meant it erred on the firmer side. You've got 100 nights to test it out for yourself, in any case – the company will collect it for free if you don’t like it.

If you want something firmer, you may prefer the Nectar (head to our Eve vs Nectar mattress article to see how the two compare). Alternatively, see how it fares against our #1 pick in our Eve vs Emma memory foam mattress comparison.

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How we test the best memory foam mattresses

We test memory foam mattresses by sleeping on them for a month minimum before we write up our review. If our opinions change after the review has gone live, we update our reviews regularly with updated thoughts on its performance to give a thorough and transparent opinion to help our readers.

During the test period, we focus on the mattress' design, comfort, support and performance. We focus on the look and feel of the materials, how we feel after sleeping on it, if it's too hot, if we feel like we're slipping off of it, and much more.

We'll also consider the extras offered by the company, like the delivery process, guarantees and trial periods. When you read our reviews, we hope you get an unbiased and in-depth opinion of the memory foam mattress you're looking for, so you can buy with confidence.

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Mattress FAQs

What is a memory foam mattress?

Memory foam might sound new, but it’s actually been around for almost 30 years. This pressure-absorbing material was originally used by NASA to cushion astronauts' seats. Then in 1991, mattress company Tempur started using it to create a new kind of support for sleepers. That's because memory foam harnesses the heat of your own body to soften and mould to your shape. 

While the first mattresses of this type were basically just a block of foam, we've moved on a long way since then. The best memory foam mattresses today are constructed of multiple layers to help support specific areas of the body, making them an excellent choice for sufferers of back and joint pain. Still confused? Head to our memory foam vs spring mattress breakdown.

Memory foam has also given rise to a generation of 'bed-in-a-box' mattresses. Because memory foam compresses down easily, a memory foam mattress can be reduced in size and sent in the mail, either in a box or a plastic bag. When opened at the other end, they naturally return to full size, although this process may take up to 48 hours to complete. These mattresses are usually sold online only, so you can’t pre-test them. However, most companies offer lengthy trials, usually around 100 days, and allow you to return them if you're not satisfied. 

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the best memory foam mattresses for comfort, support and a great night's sleep. Whether you’re looking for a double, single, king or more, read on to discover the right one for you.