Best Affordable Mattresses - What Makes A Quality Mattress?

How To Choose The Right Mattress

If you’re in the market for a new mattress, it’s important to do some research before making a purchase. There are so many models out there that it can be hard to find the perfect one for you. Getting a good night’s sleep can have incredible benefits in various aspects of your life. Without a decent mattress, you can wake up feeling exhausted and sore.

There are many factors to be taken into consideration when you’re buying a new mattress. One major concern is cost, but you don’t want to sacrifice comfort. Luckily even if you’re on a budget, you can find a quality bed that offers you the ideal balance of softness and support.

What Makes a Quality Mattress?

Choosing a mattress is a big decision. The average person spends one-third of their life in bed. If you’re planning on spending money on a new mattress, you want to make sure it’s the right one. In addition to size, there are plenty of factors that you should consider before investing.

How Firm Is Your Mattress

How firm your mattress is, affects how well you can sleep. The type of firmness that you should seek depends on your preferred sleeping position, height, and weight.

Side sleepers tend to prefer soft mattresses made from memory foam that contours to the natural body position. Medium-soft is best for those who move around at night because it still molds to your shape while providing a bit more support.

Back sleepers should consider a medium-firm mattress since you require extra lower-back support. Firm mattresses are ideal for stomach sleepers because it keeps your back extra stable. If you sink into the bed as you sleep can cause lower back pain for people who sleep on their front.

Mattress Adaptability

Many of the mattresses under $1000 are also incredibly adaptable. This means that it adapts to different preferences and changing bodies. Having your body accommodate different positions is especially essential for couples.

Everybody requires a different recipe for comfort. You want mattresses to contain the perfect amount of softness and support. A bed with a deeper hug will provide more pressure relief than firmer beds.

Year Round Temperature

The amount of sinkage over time will affect how warm or cold you feel in bed overnight. You want to look at the material to ensure that there is a decent amount of airflow. Ultra-dense memory foam is warmer, while innerspring beds are typically more cooling.

Mattress Noise

Many mattresses are notorious for making too much noise. This can be inconvenient in many circumstances. If you’re especially sensitive to sound, it can be excruciating. You want to make sure that your bed is made of a quiet material. Innersprings that aren’t in individual pockets tend to rub together and squeak.

Sleeping Positions

Someone who has the bed to themselves would want to make sure the mattress is optimal for their body type and preferences. If you share your bed, you want to make sure it’s adaptable for different sleeping positions. It’s helpful to understand which mattresses are best for different people.

Keep in mind that these are generalizations, but you might find this helpful for your research. There’s no perfect formula. When it comes to sleep preferences, everyone is unique.

Mattress for Back Sleepers

According to the Sleep Foundation, back sleeping is the second most common position. Back sleepers should make sure they invest in a mattress that supports proper spine alignment. This bed will provide support to the hips and shoulders, without too much pressure. The surface should be even with some contouring without sagging.

The right mattress for back sleepers provides the right firmness. They typically prefer a mattress with a medium to medium-firm material. Generally, lightweight people prefer a softer bed.

Mattress For Stomach Sleepers

Like back sleepers, people who snooze on their bellies prefer firmer mattresses. In both cases, your mattresses must provide proper spinal alignment. Look for a product that offers support under the hips, since this is where people tend to carry weight. That said, the preference of firmness is subjective.

Best Beds For Side Sleepers

Sleeping on your side is a healthy practice. Once you get in the habit of it, you’ll realize what all the fuss is about. Memory foam mattresses that contour to curves will be the most comfortable option for side-sleepers.

Our Picks

These days, the bed-in-a-box has wholly disrupted the online mattress market. There are a vast amount of options for anyone, no matter which materials they prefer. In this section, we’ll go through a list of best mattresses. These products are durable, adaptable for different preferences, and the companies offer excellent service.

Nectar Sleep Mattress

Nectar Sleep is one of the most popular upcoming mattress brands in the US. It’s known for its flagship memory foam bed. This mattress offers comfort at a reasonable price. The bed is medium-firm, which is an excellent option for couples. Nectar works well for most sleeping positions.

Design and Comfort

The memory layers offer pressure relief, so even if you sleep on your side or in an uncomfortable position, you rest through the night. You’ll wake up feeling bright and comfortable, no matter if you’re a back, side, stomach, or combo sleeper.

The Nectar mattress is an all-foam bed comprising four levels and is eleven inches thick in total. The base is a denser support memory foam that serves as the foundation. The next layer is called an “Adaptive Hi Core Memory Foam.” which is a transition. On top of that are two layers of differently formed gel memory foam. These offer optimal comfort and pressure relief.

A Tencel blend cover wraps all four layers of foam. The cover is removable, though it’s not recommended that you remove it and machine wash it. The material is comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and soft to the touch.

The bed has a distinct memory foam feel, though it’s nice and firm. When you lay down, you don’t have to worry about sinking. The process is smooth, and after about five seconds, you’ll feel the foam contour to your body shape.

Cost & Convenience

The quality is excellent, and it comes at a very affordable price. On average, it’s $100-$200 cheaper than the industry average.

A twin is $499, and as you go up by size, that number increases by about $100. The California King-size mattress is available for $999. The company will also frequently throw in two free pillows.

One of the best things is that Nectar gives customers a 365-night trial period. You have a full year to decide whether or not this is the right mattress for you. If you decide at any point that you don’t enjoy it, contact-customer service. The company arranges for someone to pick it up at your home free of charge.

Another huge bonus is that Nectar offers what they call a “Forever Warranty.” Anytime within ten years, you can contact the company if you find any defects. They will replace it no-questions-asked. After ten years, the company will either repair or recover the mattress.

Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress

The Brooklyn Bedding Signature hybrid mattress is made of quality materials and is reasonably affordable. This flagship bed is well-designed and optimized for a range of sleepers. This model is cooler at night than foam mattresses.

Design and Comfort

The Brooklyn Bedding Signature is constructed with a two-inch top layer of gel-infused polyfoam. There’s also a cotton cover that has polyfoam for extra padding. The core has six-inch pocketed coils and one-inch high-density based polyfoam. In total, the Signature measures 11.5 inches thick.

If you buy the Brooklyn Betting Signature, you can select one of three firmness options. Each of the alternatives corresponds with a number on a firmness scale of 1-10. Soft is 3.5, medium is 5.5, and the firm is 7.5, Each one offers a distinct feel and is best suited for a different type of sleeper.

Since there are various firmness options, this mattress is suited for people with any sleeping preference or weight. The hybrid also promotes a strong airflow through the bed and makes it easy to maintain a comfortable temperature.

The soft option promotes deep contouring and a plush feel that helps to eliminate pressure throughout the body. Medium firmness offers you a balance of support and that subtle contour. The firm setting is best for people who prefer sleeping on a harder mattress, and you barely can feel the foam.

Cost and Convenience

A queen-size Signature from Brooklyn Bedding costs $949. This price is about $200 more than many moderately priced hybrids, but the quality is worth it. The company is one of the first to offer a bed-in-a-box, and you’ll receive your order quickly.

Tuft & Needle Original Foam Mattress

The original foam mattress from Tuft & Needle is affordable, comfortable, and eco-friendly.

Design and Comfort

Tuft and Needle mattresses are made with materials that are entirely safe and good for the environment. The Original model is made of graphite, ceramic gel, open-cell support foam, and the T&N AdaptiveⓇ Foam. The trademark foam is durable, breathable, and designed to keep your spine aligned.

This mattress is breathable, cool, and provides the perfect balance of support and flexibility. The graphite absorbs your body heat as you sleep. As the heat is conducted through the mattress, it pushes it away from you.

The cooling gel beads also help wick away moisture and heat. When you’re lying down, the beads draw the heat away and add support for your comfort. The open-cell support foam creates a nice and breathable foundation.

Cost and Convenience

This mattress costs less than $1000 and is quite durable, though it’s not the best for people who weigh over 200 pounds. The mattress comes with a 10-year warranty. Tufts & Needle gives you 100 days to try out the bed. If you don’t like it, you can return it.

The company ships the mattress to your doorstep for completely free. It’s compressed, vacuum-sealed, and nicely packed in convenient boxes. Those who live in major US cities can enjoy same-day shipping for an extra fee.

TUFT & NEEDLE Queen Mattress

Very popular mattress
Constructed with freshly poured T and N Adaptive foam
High-grade foam is more advanced than latex and memory foam
10-year limited warranty you can actually use

Casper Mattresses

Anyone who has been shopping for beds online, chances are that you’ve come across Casper. It’s one of the most popular brands and is known for its quality and affordability. The company has several models, but the one we’ll focus on for this review is the Original Casper.

Design and Comfort

This Casper is a foot-tall mattress that’s designed to provide targeted relief to different parts of the body. The cover is made from a soft blend of polyester. You can remove this cover by a zipper.

The mattress is made of four layers; comfort, contour, transition, and base. The comfort layer is composed of a special open-cell foam that has a similar feel to latex. This section of the mattress is bouncy and naturally cooling. Since it’s placed at the top of the mattress, it ensures nice airflow and mobility.

The next layer is for a contour made of memory foam. This material has a slower response to pressure. It provides body contouring and sinkage.

Under that is the Zoned Support transition layer. This section of the bed is built to address issues in targeted parts of the body. This section is what separates this bed from competitors in the market. Zoned Support is made of two types of poly foam; one soft at the top for shoulder relief, and one that’s formed to lift the hips.

The base is made from heavy-duty polyfoam. This section gives the mattress its shape. Overall, the structure is quite balanced. Any sleeper would enjoy the Casper, though it’s best for back and combination sleepers who move around at night.

Cost and Convenience

Casper is one of the best brands to look at if you’re considering buying a mattress for under $1,000. A queen costs $995, and there’s a trial period of 100 days. If after you try out the Casper and you enjoy it, then you’ll be happy to know that a ten-year warranty covers all Casper mattresses.

Casper Element Mattress, Queen, 2019 Edition

Layla Memory Foam Mattress

If you’re a fan of the memory foam feel, then you’d enjoy the Layla mattress. This bed is on the softer side and is excellent for people who like to feel hugged by the foam. The mattress is double-sided, so you can try out both sides and see which you prefer.

Design and Comfort

The Layla design is truly unique. The mattress is soft and is best for individuals with a petite body type. The mattress is ten inches of all foam. The main support structure is 4.5 inches of dense poly foam. Under that is a layer of copper-infused foam, which serves as a firmer support core.

It’s important to mention that in earlier models, the Layla mattress would require you to remove the cover to flip the bed. In the newer system, you can try out both the firm and the soft side without too much effort. The cover is removable, but it’s dry clean only. It’s better to spot clean messes with warm water and soap.

CertiPUR-US certifies all of the mattresses from Layla. The materials are safe, and the product is made without any ozone depleters.

Cost and Convenience

As with the other bed-in-a-box companies, Layla adds convenience and affordability to mattress shopping. A queen costs $999, which puts it up at the higher end of the mattresses we’ve reviewed.

Layla Sleep Copper Infused Memory Foam Queen Mattress

Sleep Well Night After Night

By following the guide to know which type of mattress is best for your sleeping style, you’ll be able to get a good night’s rest always. Take a good look at each of the reviewed designs and pick the one that’s the best fit for you. You’ll also be sticking to a reasonable budget of under $1000. Now it’s time to catch up on those z’s.