The Best Mattress Topper

A mattress pad protects your mattress, but it doesn’t really make it more comfortable. For that job, you need a mattress topper, a relatively thin layer of material that rests atop your mattress to make it softer. But a mattress topper does more than simply offer a thin layer of cushioning. With the right one, you’ll also get a cooling effect that is far better than the unventilated toppers of previous generations.

If cooling is important to you, make sure you look for a topper that’s designed to keep you cool. Some use ventilation for that, but others use technology like cooling gel to provide even more assurance that you won’t wake up in the middle of the night in a pool of sweat. Often, it’s just simply the design of the topper itself that keeps sleepers cool.

Of course, overall, you’ll be looking for a topper that makes your mattress comfortable for sleeping. You’ll find with most mattress toppers, memory foam is the name of the game, but memory foam isn’t without its issues. Modern products are constructed to resolve the common problems that come with using the material.

Mattress toppers require chemicals during the manufacturing process and, unfortunately, this can lead to unpleasant odors when you bring them home. You won’t get away from that issue completely, but some toppers do cut down on this more than others. For best results, air your topper out for a few hours, preferably outside, before putting it on your bed and covering it with a fitted sheet. You can also set a bowl of vinegar in your bedroom for a few days to absorb the smell.

Lastly, there’s the price. It’s important to note that you can find very affordable mattress toppers on the market, but many of them have all the issues that higher-end toppers work to address. You’ll pay a little more for a comfortable, cooling sleeping experience, as well as avoiding the odor problem that comes with less expensive versions.

• Comfort starts with keeping you cool, especially if you tend to sweat while you sleep. Toppers like the Isolus Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress topper rely on their ventilation to keep air moving through them. But with the Sleep Innovations Dual Layer 4″ Gel Memory Foam topper and DreamFoam Bedding 2″ Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper, you get the power of cooling gel to keep overheating at a minimum. With these mattresses, the memory foam is infused with cooling gel that prevents heat from being trapped in their layers. The LUCID 3″ Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress topper uses evenly-spaced ventilation holes, creating an open-cell design for improved airflow.
• Each mattress topper has its own unique way of making you more comfortable while you sleep. The Sleep Innovations Dual Layer 4″ Gel Memory Foam topper has a 2-inch thick down-alternative layer attached to the cover, topped by a 2-inch thick layer of gel-infused memory foam. Both the Isolus Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress topper and DreamFoam Bedding 2″ Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper use memory foam to conform to your body, but the open-cell technology of the LUCID 3″ Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress topper helps prevent those body impressions that can make memory foam less comfortable.
• You’ll always have at least a trace of odor when you unwrap a new mattress topper, mostly due to the chemicals injected into them. Both the Isolus Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress and Sleep Innovations Dual Layer 4″ Gel Memory Foam toppers have a slight odor, but airing them out for a short time will take care of it.
• Although you can find cheaper mattress toppers, you won’t get nearly the quality that you’ll find with a more expensive mattress topper. The DreamFoam Bedding 2″ Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper retails for less than $70, with the LUCID 3″ Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress topper selling for less than $100. You’ll pay a little more for the Isolus Ventilated Memory Foam Mattress and Sleep Innovations Dual Layer 4″ Gel Memory Foam toppers, but you’ll still find them for less than $200.