Best Gel Mattress for 2024

Our Experts With 5+ years of mattress testing experience, we use our different sleeping position and body type perspectives to offer well-rounded, honest reviews. What to consider Firmness A firm mattress will offer more support while a soft mattress will be more pressure relieving. Medium mattresses fall in the sweet spot right in between.

The right firmness level for you depends on your sleeping position. Sleeping position Side sleepers should consider a medium to soft mattress that cradles the hips and shoulders. Back and stomach sleepers should consider a medium to firm mattress that keeps the spine in a straight alignment.



Switch between positions? A medium firmness level can accommodate all sleeping positions. Feel Coils and latex foam give a bed more bounce, while memory foam and poly foam make a bed feel more cushy and pressure relieving. The feel of your mattress will depend on the types of materials it has on the inside.

Construction There are essentially two mattress types, hybrid and all-foam. Hybrid mattresses are constructed with steel coils and foam, but all-foam mattresses are just as their name implies. Body type Hybrid mattresses tend to be best for people who want extra support and durability.

Sleepers over 230 pounds in particular should consider a hybrid over an all-foam mattress because it’s more supportive, durable and long-lasting. Performance Motion isolation, edge support and temperature are important features for couples or people who sleep hot to consider. Hot sleepers should consider a mattress that boasts special cooling features.

Couples want minimal motion transfer and a strong, supportive bed perimeter. Company policies All online brands offer a free trial, free shipping and a warranty, but some brands are more generous with their policies than others. Our Picks The right (or wrong) mattress can affect your sleep and body considerably.

Not all mattresses are built equally, and different sleeping habits require different kinds of beds. If you've had difficulty falling asleep or you're a hot sleeper, changing to a gel mattress could help. These mattresses help you stay cool because they don't trap body heat, but instead move it away to provide a cooling effect.

They also have great cushioning that helps with movement isolation and pressure relief. A quality mattress with gel as part of its construction can help you sleep better, but how do you pick the best gel memory foam mattress? That's where we come in. Our team of sleep experts has been testing mattresses for years, breaking down what makes a good or bad bed.

We've rounded up our recommendations for the best gel mattresses available today. Read more: How to Stop Sweating in Your Sleep What is the best gel mattress? There are plenty of mattresses out there that have gel foam layers. We found that the best gel mattress is the Brentwood Home Oceano.

It's a medium-soft mattress that people who want a lot of cushion will love. Not only that, but its mixture of pocketed coils and micro-coils makes it a durable choice. Owned by Avocado Green Brands, Brentwood Home mattresses are made in California in the company's own factory.

Best gel mattresses of 2024 SCORE This mattress incorporates a gel-infused memory foam that includes up to 20% biodegradable, plant-based foam, which helps with ventilation and moisture-wicking. It has nine layers, starting with a cover of plant-based Tencel (eucalyptus-derived with a feel like rayon), followed by a layer of organic wool and nearly 1,000 pocketed coils. Below that are over 1,700 more micro-coils for enhanced buoyancy, another layer of contouring foam, poly-silk fiber, Air Luxe foam for deeper pressure relief, and a dense layer of support foam for greater durability.

Finally, the base layer is made of organic canvas to hold things in place. SCORE The Bear Pro may also appeal to side sleepers, back sleepers and anyone who prefers a medium to medium-firm bed. SCORE The 12-inch variety includes 2 inches of gel-infused memory foam, three inches of comfort foam and 7 inches of high-density base support foam.

These three foams together promote air circulation, flow, breathability and pressure relief. This gel-infused foam mattress is also CertiPUR-US certified to be free of harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, as well as flame retardants and phthalates. SCORE With the Lessa Legend Chill, you get the comfort of foam and increased airflow due to its structure and materials, such as the layer of gel foam.

We found this mattress to be around a medium or a 5 on a firmness scale. This firmness is ideal for combination and side sleepers. Some back and stomach sleepers who don’t need extra support should also find this mattress comfortable.

However, bigger bodies should look into the Plus Hybrid mattress . SCORE You choose your desired density: Relaxed Firm; the most popular option, best for back, stomach, combination and couples with different sleep preferences or Firm; good for back and stomach sleepers or any other folks who enjoy the feel of a harder bed. The first layer is the organic cotton quilted cover, which is hypoallergenic and antimicrobial.

A natural flame barrier crafted of thistle and two layers of comfort foam accompany this cover as well. Next up is the gel-infused memory foam, which is designed to provide spinal support while also cooling. Below that, there are five more pounds of memory foam for pressure relief and further support, and a base layer made of high-density foam.

All of Saatva's foams are eco-friendly and CertiPUR-US-certified. SCORE The six layers that make up the Puffy Lux include a hypoallergenic, stain-resistant cover, followed by 1.5 inches of gel-infused breathable memory foam.

The bed also features 1.5 inches of pressure-relieving foam and 2 inches of moisture-wicking, humidity-resistant foam to help keep sleepers dry. The fifth layer comprises 7 inches of high-density foam accompanied by a full base of supportive coils with strong edge support.

The final layer, the base, is equipped with a cover that grips the ground beneath it to give the bed stability. It works well on any foundation, including adjustable bases. Read more about this bed in our Puffy Lux mattress review .

Other mattresses we've tested The mattresses above were personally hand-picked by our CNET Sleep editors and proved to be the best-performing gel mattresses among the 200-plus beds they've tested. With that being said, with so many to choose from, there are bound to be a few quality mattresses that miss the cut. Below are other mattresses tested by the CNET Sleep team that are worth mentioning as some of the best gel foam beds.

Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam mattress : As an ultra wallet-friendly mattress, budget shoppers may really enjoy the Lucid mattress. It has a slow-responding, viscous feel that's typical of traditional memory foam. It comes in a large range of height options and three firmness levels, so most sleeping positions can find a Lucid Gel that suits their preferences.

I don't recommend this to people who weigh over 230 pounds. It's not going to be as durable or supportive as a hybrid mattress that contains coils. DreamCloud mattress : As the name implies, the DreamCloud mattress is an ultra-luxurious mattress that feels like a cloud when you sleep on it.

I'd compare it to a fancy, five-star hotel mattress. It's made with gel memory foam, but the fluffy pillow top on the cover of the bed makes it feel more neutral and bouncy. It's incredibly thick and made with supportive pocketed coils in the bottom, so it's perfect for all body types.

It also has an accommodating firmness level; it's rated around a medium or a five out of 10, making it fitting for all sleeping positions from back, side, stomach and combination. How we tested the best gel mattresses Our team of sleep experts has tested hundreds of mattresses. We've established different tests and assessments we put each mattress through during that process.

While testing, we consider firmness, feel, motion isolation, durability and edge support. Think about firmness as how hard or soft a mattress is. Our experience testing mattresses has given us an extensive collection to compare a new bed to, allowing us to determine where it falls on the firmness scale.

Feel is where we get hands-on with the bed. We roll around on it and describe how it feels. We also pay close attention to how materials respond to weight and pressure.

We note how quickly a bed snaps back when weight is lifted off it. No mattress will last forever, but you want to choose one that you'll get the expected seven to 10 years out of. We hypothesize how long a mattress will last based on its construction.

Beds with coils will stand the test of time better than foam, which may sag over years. Motion isolation may not seem like a big deal at face value, but it matters if you have a partner or pet who moves around a lot. The last thing you want is someone waking you up while they toss and turn.

To test motion isolation, two team members move around on the bed and gauge how well each bed dampens movement. We also place a glass of water on the edge of the bed and move around near it. The bed doesn't have good motion isolation if the glass turns over.

Edge support is how strong the edge of the bed is. It's a key factor if you sleep on the edge of the bed. We test this by sitting and lying along the border.

If we feel like we will fall off because the mattress is folding under the weight, it doesn't have good edge support. Our CNET Sleep editors picked the beds and other products we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Find out more about how we test mattresses . Things to consider when shopping for a gel foam mattress Before shopping for a gel mattress, consider four key factors: your sleeping position, body type, budget and cooling technology expectations. This will help you weed out beds that won't fit your needs and leave you with only suitable options to narrow down to one.

Your sleeping position matters for which firmness level you should choose. The various sleeping positions need different things from a mattress. Your body type also matters because it decides how firm a mattress feels.

People who weigh more will put more pressure on the bed, which means it will feel softer to them. The opposite is true for petite body types; it will feel firmer. People over 230 pounds should go with a mattress with plenty of support, like an innerspring or hybrid mattress.

Some of the best gel memory foam mattresses have cooling technology built into them, which is a must for hot sleepers. Look for a bed with cooling covers like GhostBed or foam layers with copper or graphite. Mattresses with latex foam also are naturally more breathable.

Mattresses are a significant investment. Establishing how much you can spend on your next bed will help narrow your options. The average price of an online mattress is between $850 to $1,200.

Some beds are under $500 and luxury mattresses are over $2,000. Gel foam is a synthetic material and manufacturers often don't disclose the exact ingredients. For this reason, it's wise to look for certifications like CertiPUR-US to ensure that all the materials in your mattress are safe.

Gel mattress FAQs Gel mattresses often sleep cooler than regular mattresses because the material doesn't retain heat like traditional memory foam. Gel beds also tend to be more responsive to pressure. It ultimately promotes a cooler and more comfortable sleeping experience.

Because of this, gel foam mattresses are typically more expensive than your standard memory foam beds. Our CNET Sleep editors chose the following beds as the best gel mattresses: It depends on whether your gel mattress is made with foam or if it's a hybrid mattress (designed with foam and coils). A gel foam mattress will last around five to seven years depending on how well you take care of it.

A hybrid mattress should last around eight to 12 years. You should rotate your bed every six months so you evenly distribute pressure and give it a yearly deep clean..