How to select the best memory foam mattress topper?
Before we introduce you to our list of 6 best memory foam mattress toppers, let us enlighten you on how you can pick your own memory foam topper based on your unique requirements. In contrast to what a manufacturer might have told you, in reality, there isn’t a “one size fits all” type of memory foam mattress topper that would work wonders for every individual on the planet. Different people have different sleeping preferences and therefore require different mattresses, different toppers etc. based on their specific sleeping habits. To ensure that you buy the topper that suits your personal needs best, it is highly recommended that you make your choice based on:
- Your sleeping position: do you sleep on your side, your back or your stomach? Or are you a combination sleeper (you switch between side and back-sleeping during sleep)? Look at the illustration below and you’ll understand that, generally, thinner mattress toppers are best suited for stomach and back sleepers while thicker mattress toppers are best suited for side-sleepers.
Figure 1: Best memory foam mattress toppers for different sleeping positions, pain relief and condition of the existing mattress
- The level of pain relief you expect from your topper: some people want to buy a new topper because they want relief from an existing back, neck, or joint pain. Others just want to make their current mattresses more comfortable and don’t really care about pain relief. Refer to Figure 1 above and you’ll understand that, generally, the thicker the memory foam topper is, the better the therapeutic pain relief is. From Figure 2, you’ll understand that higher memory
Figure 2: Effects of memory foam density on pain relief
- The firmness of your current mattress: your new memory foam topper has to go on top of your existing mattress. The topper should be chosen based the current mattress’s firmness. Is it firm, medium-firm or super soft/ultra plush?
Figure 3: How to choose a memory foam mattress topper
- Your weight: do you have a small body frame or large one? If you weigh over 250 pounds, your memory foam mattress needs to be dense enough to support the extra weight.
Figure 4: Best memory foam toppers for heavy individuals
6 Best Memory Foam Mattress Toppers
If you’ve gone through the infographics above, you already know how to choose a memory foam topper based on your sleeping position, your therapeutic requirements, your existing mattress, and you body weight. Below we review 6 of the best memory foam mattresses of 2017 based on the above described criteria + existing customer reviews. Check them out and decide which model suits you best based on the 4 criteria described above:
Top 2 Memory Foam Mattress Toppers for Side-Sleepers#1 Recommendation for Side-sleepersSleep Innovations 4-Inch Dual Layer Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper
#2 Recommendation for Side-sleepersDreamDNA Gel Infused Queen Size 4 Inch Thick, Visco Elastic Memory Foam Mattress Bed Topper
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Best Memory Foam Mattress Topper Brands for Back-Sleepers#1 Recommendation for Back-sleepersNature’s Sleep Cool IQ High Density Memory Foam Mattress Topper
#2 Recommendation for Back-sleepersLuxurest 3.5 Lb, 4″ Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper
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Best Memory Foam Mattress Toppers for Stomach-Sleepers#1 Recommendation for Stomach-sleepersNatural Elements 4.5 Pound Density Memory Foam Mattress Topper
This is an excellent mattress topper suitable for stomach sleepers.
#2 Recommendation for Stomach-sleepersMILLIARD 2″ Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper
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Memory Foam Mattress Topper FAQ
Q1: My current spring mattress is 12 years old and is sagging quite a bit right in the middle. Placing a memory foam topper on top of it will fix the problem, right?
A1: Wrong! Sorry to disappoint ya, but, the truth of the matter is, contrary to what a topper manufacturer might have told you, a mattress topper CANNOT fix all your mattress woes. As you can imagine, a mattress topper will take the shape of the mattress that lies under it.
Mattress has a valley? The topper will dip in to it. Mattress has a mountain? The topper will rise over it. Get the picture? If your mattress is sagging or uneven, don’t expect a topper to solve that miraculously. Ideally, the underlying mattress should be perfectly flat for it to accommodate a memory foam topper. However, if you buy a thick topper (3-4″) of high density (>4 Lb density), you may be able to ‘fix/cover up’ relatively small valleys/hills and not feel them through the topper. However, if the sagging is considerably deep, the best option may be to buy a new memory foam mattress.
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Q2: What mattress woes CAN a memory foam topper fix?
A2:
- Mattress is too soft: put a firm topper on top of it
- Mattress is too firm: put a soft topper on top of it
- Need more support on an aching back/neck/joint: put a high density, therapeutic/orthopedic topper on top of it
- Mattress is too warm: put a cool gel memory foam topper on top of it
- Need a temporary mattress for a dorm/RV/camping/to put on the floor/sofa bed, but don’t want to spend $400+ on a mattress
- My wife loves our current mattress, but I don’t: put a topper of your choice on your half of the bed!
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Q3: I see a variety of memory foam toppers ranging from 1″ to 4″ of thickness. Which thickness should I go for?
A3: This depends on:
- Your sleeping position
- Amount of therapeutic support you expect from your topper
- The firmness of your existing mattress
- Your body type.
Sleeping position: If you’re a side sleeper, your shoulders need to ‘sink’ in to the mattress to keep your spinal cord straight. When a side-sleeper sleeps on a thin, extra-firm mattress, his/her shoulders cannot sink in to the mattress and the part of the spinal cord towards the shoulders will get pushed up resulting in back and/or neck pain. This is why 3″-4″ thick, soft to medium-firm mattress toppers are recommended for side sleepers. On the other hand, if you’re a back sleeper, your buttocks don’t need to sink in as much as the shoulders (on a side-sleeping position), because they don’t jump out as much as shoulders do. That’s why a 2″-3″ thick topper will suffice. For stomach-sleepers, sinking should be minimal because the deeper the stomach sinks, the more the spinal cord will curve inwards towards the stomach. This is not good. That’s why stomach-sleepers are recommended to go with a thinner topper of higher firmness.
Therapeutic support: From a therapeutic/pressure relief point of view, the thicker and firmer the mattress, the better the support and greater the pressure relief. If you currently have no back/neck/joint aches and don’t really care about pressure relief, just forget about the pressure relief aspect. On the other hand, if you already suffer from any of the above pains, go for a thicker topper with higher density (more on density later). If you’d like to maximize the therapeutic effect of your new mattress topper, you may want to check out our reviews on the best adjustable beds as well.
Existing mattress: Topper thickness also depends on the firmness of the underlying mattress. If it’s too firm and you want a softer bed, you obviously need a topper that is thick and soft. On the other hand, if your mattress is too soft and you wish to make it firmer, you want to buy yourself a firm topper, preferably not too thick. If your existing mattress is very soft, you may even need to think of a latex topper instead of a memory foam topper, because naturally, latex is firmer than memory foam.
Body weight: Topper thickness also depends on one’s body weight. Heavier individuals (in the over 250 Lb category) are advised to go with a thicker mattress topper. A heavy person sleeping on a thin topper is likely to feel the underlying mattress rather than the topper lying on top.
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Q4: What is memory foam density? I see many manufacturers talking about 2Lb density, 4Lb density etc. Do I need to bother about density when buying a mattress topper?
A4: Yes, you must definitely pay attention to memory foam density before you pick a memory foam mattress topper. Again this is related to the four aspects we addressed above.
Sleeping position: The higher the density, the higher the firmness. As you can already guess, the side-sleeping position demands a low-density softer mattress to allow the shoulders sink in to the memory foam. On the other hand, the stomach-sleeping position demands a high-density, firmer mattress to make sure that the stomach does not sink in to the memory foam.
Therapeutic support: As you may have already guessed, the higher the density of memory foam, higher/better the pressure relief/therapeutic effect. So, a person needing relief from joint/back aches should go for a mattress with over 4 Lb of density.
Existing mattress: Choice of topper density also depends on the firmness of the underlying mattress. If it’s too firm you need a softer topper, that is a memory foam topper with a density of no more than 2 – 3 pounds. On the other hand, if your mattress is too soft, you want a firm topper, that is a memory foam topper with a density of no less than 3 – 4 pounds.
Body weight: Memory foam topper density also depends on one’s body weight. Light-weight individuals can go with any density. However, heavier individuals (in the over 250 Lb category) should opt for a high-density topper. A topper with at least 4 Lb of density will be able to provide enough support to keep the spinal cord in perfect alignment even in case of heavy individuals.
Hello,
Can you please suggest me which is better out of organic textiles queen 2-inch thick latex mattress topper and ultimate dreams talalay latex topper…My priority is reliving my back pain..
Thank you in advance.
I would have never guessed that picking a mattress topper would be so complicated. Thank you for breaking it up and simplifying the process. Was able to buy a highly rated mattress topper on Cyber Monday thanks to this memory foam topper review.
Mat
It’s Elijah again. I came to Bedroom Solutions with the hope of finding the best memory foam mattress. But after reading your infographic on the best memory foam mattress toppers, I’m now inclined towards a mattress topper.
I’m a big individual with my weight closing up on 300 pounds. Which mattress topper do you think suits me best? A 1-2 inch soft topper or a 3-4 inch firm mattress topper? I would also appreciate if you could let me know how you came to that conclusion.
Also, am I losing anything buy investing on a memory foam mattress topper instead of a full thickness memory foam bed?
Thanks again.
@Elijah: thank you for appreciating our work. You have raised very good points.
First, as we emphasized several times, a mattress topper cannot replace a mattress. If you wanted to purchase a memory foam mattress because it was sagging or breaking apart, a mattress topper can’t help you much.
However, if you wanted to soften or firm-up your existing mattress, then, a memory foam mattress topper would work just fine. For heavier individuals, we recommend thicker memory foam toppers. Something around 3-4 inches would work great. However, this would also depend on your sleeping position. A thick topper would best suit, side and back sleepers. Since you’re close to 300 Lbs, it’s also best to go with a density of 3 pounds or more. The Sleep Innovations 4 inch model fulfills all these criteria.
However, if you’re a stomach sleeper, you’d need to go for a thinner topper. I suggest you go through our memory foam mattress topper guide and pick a brand that suits you best. Alternatively, you can tell us what your favorite sleeping position is and the condition of the existing mattress and we’ll be happy to give you a more targeted answer.
All the best!
Belinda
Keep this going please, great job!
I recently purchased two twin bed Beautyrest “Golden Gate” mattresses for my guest bedroom. They are firmer than when I tried them in the store. I realize that many people had laid on this display mattress but disappointed in the firmness. Will a foam mattress topper help my situation? Thank you.
@Sylvia,
Thanks for posting your question on Bedroom.solutions.
I believe you’ve got it figured out. But, before you jump in and purchase a memory foam mattress topper, may I suggest you use your brand new mattresses a bit to ‘break in’ the mattress. Here’s a video on how to do it 🙂
If ‘breaking in’ doesn’t give you the firmness/softness you expect, you can go for a memory foam mattress topper with a low density (~2 pounds) and 3 inches in thickness, as plan “B”. That should help you get the expected firmness/softness you need.
Hope that helped! Please keep us posted on which of the routes you took.
Cheers!
Belinda
Hello again,
I came here to buy a memory foam mattress. But, after reading this review on the best memory foam mattress toppers, I’m wondering if I actually need a mattress or not. May be all I need is a topper. Basically, my existing spring mattress is a little too soft. However, I don’t think there are any dips in the middle. Therefore, I think I can just buy a high-quality latex topper or a firm memory foam mattress topper and I should be alright, correct? Please confirm!
Cheers!
Macey N
I just read your memory foam mattress reviews on https://bedroom.solutions/memory-foam-mattresses/. I don’t understand why I should spend $800 on a mattress when I can buy a good quality 3 inch memory foam mattress topper for $300
Andrea, Vermont
@Andrea,
Great question! Mattress toppers are awesome, however, cannot be a complete substitute to mattresses. A memory foam mattress topper CANNOT fix all your mattress woes. However, if you have a high quality mattress (memory foam, spring, latex etc.), but it has a ‘minor’ problem like it’s too firm or too soft, the memory foam mattress topper can easily fix that. However, if you have an old, lumpy or sagging mattress, a mattress topper is not good enough. You simply have to replace the entire mattress. Read more detail on the topic at https://bedroom.solutions/mattress-toppers/mattress-vs-topper/
Hey! I only learned about mattress pads and memory foam toppers very recently. I see the name Red Nomad everywhere. In fact, I found this article by typing in “Red Nomad Memory Foam Mattress Review”. Is the Red Nomad better than the Nature Sleep mattress toppers you recommend? Any advice within the next two months would be greatly appreciated!
@ Rob,
Thanks for the question. The Red Nomad mattress topper has not been reviewed by us, sorry. However, I can tell you that it’s not fair to compare the Red Nomad Memory Foam mattress topper with the Nature’s Sleep topper because the former has a density of only 2.5 pounds whereas the Nature’s sleep has a density of 3.5 pounds. The Red Nomad is good for side sleepers and to soften up a too firm mattress. The Nature’s sleep is good for back/stomach sleepers and to increase the firmness of a mattress that is too soft. As you can see, they are made for two different purposes and it’s not an apples and apples comparison.
Hope that helped!
I’m 260 pounds and my ol’ spring mattress obviously has a big valley right in the middle of it. What is the best memory foam mattress topper you would recommend for me? From what I understand, I presume a 4 pound density 3 inch topper would be best?
Hi Alysta, thank you for reaching out to us. You’re mostly correct in saying that you need a 4Lb density 3-inch memory foam topper. However, like we mention on our memory foam mattress or mattress topper comparison on https://bedroom.solutions/mattress-toppers/mattress-vs-topper/, a mattress topper CANNOT fix all mattress problems. If the mattress sagging you’re talking about is less than 1-1.5 inches at the deepest point, yes, a firm memory foam topper that is 3-4 pounds in density will solve your problem. However, if the sagging is deep and not reversible after you get up from the mattress, the time may be right to replace it. Have you seen our spring mattress vs memory foam vs latex mattress comparison on https://bedroom.solutions/mattresses/memory-foam-vs-latex-vs-inner-spring/? You will read that Spring mattresses are the most prone type of mattress for sagging.
For someone with a large frame like yourself, we would recommend a firm memory foam mattress or even better, a latex mattress. Latex mattresses are the most durable and resilient; however, they are also the most expensive type of mattress. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Modern-Sleep-Pristine-11-Latex-Mattress/23377562 latex mattress on Walmart is very reasonably priced. We have not personally tested this mattress, but it seems to be a very good one based on the customer reviews. Feel free to provide us with a Sleep Pristine latex mattress review should you decide to purchase one.
All the best!
Yo, nice, however, it has also made me a bit dizzy in a good way actually! I’m 220 pounds; my latex mattress is awesome; but I want it to soften up a tad bit more. Which memory foam mattress topper do you recommend for me?
BA
Yo Braden! Good to hear that you’re aware of the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of your mattress. Viscoelastic toppers are great for softening up a firm mattress. However, to give you a perfect answer, we will also need to know what your sleeping posture is. Are you a side sleeper, stomach sleeper or a back sleeper? The Dream DNA memory foam topper on Amazon or https://www.walmart.com/ip/2-Ventilated-Gel-Memory-Foam-Mattress-Topper-by-Lucid-Queen/47904167 (Lucid 2″ gel memory foam topper) on Walmart should work. I can’t give an exact answer without knowing your sleeping position; but generally, a foam topper that is 2-3 inches in thickness and 2.5 to 3.5 pound density should work for you. Please refer to our memory foam mattress topper infographic to get a more accurate idea. Good luck with your mattress topper shopping and keep us posted on what you buy and how it fixed your extra ‘firmness’!
The Bedroom Solutions Team