1. Best overall
2. Best budget
3. Best premium
4. Best mid-range
5. Best for sore joints
6. Best smart
7. Best specialist
How we rate mattresses
We rigorously research and test a wide range of mattresses to provide data-driven and unbiased recommendations. We rate each mattress out of 5, and use our review data to inform our rankings. Read more about how we test mattresses.
One of the best cooling mattresses can make night sweats a thing of the past. If you tend to overheat at night, and wake up uncomfortably warm, any of the models featured in our list below could be just what you need.
Many of today's best mattresses come with some degree of temperature regulation, but the mattresses we've selected for this guide are created specifically for cooler sleeping. You can't always trust brands' claims when it comes to cooling – for example, lots of brands add gel or copper into their foams, saying that it'll wick away body heat, but in practice it's unlikely such infusions will make any difference at all. We've slept on all the mattresses in this guide and can vouch that they actually deliver on their cooling claims.
As a rule, any hybrid mattress will sleep cooler than an all-foam model, because the open structure of the coils allows air to circulate within the mattress. It's also worth looking out for covers that are designed to remain cool to the touch – GlacioTex fabric is very effective for this, and appears on a few models in our guide.
Cooling mattresses are typically more expensive than standard mattresses, although regular mattress sales across the market mean you can usually avoid paying MSRP (national holidays tend to attract bigger discounts, and some Memorial Day mattress sales have been extended, so you might catch them if you're quick). Our ranking includes affordable models that deliver decent temperature regulation for a budget-friendly price, as well as a couple of premium, specialist models that promise incredible cooling powers to those that can afford to invest.
Bear in mind that the frame you use will also make a difference, so check our best bed base guide for recommendations. Now onto our picks for this year's best cooling mattresses...
Best cooling mattress overall
The best cooling mattress for most people is the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe. This bed ticks a lot of boxes; it's available in three different firmness options, we found it delivered excellent support and comfort in our tests, and the cooling features work reliably well. While the cooling powers can't rival the premium (#3) or specialist (#7 and #8) options in our ranking, this mattress hits the sweet spot when it comes to balancing performance and price.
There are a few different cooling features at play here. The GlacioTex cooling cover is designed to be cold to the touch and remove excess heat from the mattress’ surface, and underneath that you'll find a layer of 'dynamic cooling' foam, which should absorb excess heat when the sleeper is becoming too warm, and release it back when things are getting a bit chilly. The memory foam here is infused with copper and gel, to boost temperature regulation further. Finally, there's a spring layer, which provides space for air to circulate within the mattress, boosting breathability (we rate this amongst the best hybrid mattresses around).
In our tests we found these features all worked together well to keep the mattress at a comfortable temperature every night. It's not all good news; during testing we found the Aurora's smooth top weave to be just a little on the slippery side, so your fitted sheet (and indeed you) may have trouble staying put.
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Hybrid also performed well on the comfort front. The ability to pick your firmness means you can tailor it to ensure it's comfortable and supportive for your body type and preferred sleep position. The coils are zoned to provide extra firmness in the areas where it's most needed, too. There are a couple of potential down-sides to be aware of: we found the off-gassing was some of the worst we'd experienced (although people's experiences with this tend to vary), and the motion transfer was below average, too, which means this won't be a great choice if you're a particularly restless sleeper (or share a bed with one).
From our analysis of user reviews, customers seem to be impressed with the advanced cooling tech of the Brooklyn Aurora, and how it has a relatively affordable price tag compared to similar models. Some customers complained that Aurora was too bouncy, particularly the soft version, but body weight and sleeping position should be taken into consideration here. The Aurora also gets high marks for its cool-touch surface, and how it comes in your choice of three different firmness levels.
- Read our Brooklyn Aurora Luxe mattress review
Best budget cooling mattress
The 12-inch high Cocoon by Sealy Chill is a reliable cooling mattress with impressive features for the lower price. It's available as an all-foam model and a hybrid – we tested the all-foam version, but as a rule hybrids will always sleep that bit cooler than even the best memory foam mattresses, because the springs create an extra bit of space for air to circulate.
The Cocoon Chill magic begins with a cover designed to remain cool to the touch during sleep. Beneath this are two layers of the brand’s Phase Change Material pressure-relieving memory foam, designed to dissipates body heat while adapting to your unique body shape and supporting your spine in various sleeping positions. It also provides a little of that 'sink-in' feeling but with that all-important spinal support.
In our tests, we found the Chill comfortable for most sleepers in most positions, although be aware if you're heavier in weight, you might sink through the memory foam layer and find it a bit too firm. The Cocoon Chill cooling mattress has a core layer made up of eight-inch pocketed coils, which will give this model a slightly bouncier feel. There are firmer coils around the perimeter to bolster the edges, meaning you can make use of every inch of your bed space.
The cooling here is excellent for the price. Our reviewers found the Chill to be noticeably better at regulating temperature than any other mid-range foam mattress they'd tested, and one of the most consistently cool mattresses they'd slept on. Note, however, that spending a bit more will yield better chilling features – if you have a slightly bigger budget, a good upgrade would be the Nectar Premier Copper at #4.
Best premium cooling mattress
If you're on a bigger budget, the GhostBed Luxe boasts some incredible cooling powers. This 13-inch tall mattress is constructed with seven individual layers of cooling and comfort elements, creating a cool yet cradling effect along your body.
The GhostBed Luxe cooling mattress has a top layer made from 'Ghost Ice' fabric, which, as, claimed, remains cool to the touch (this is unusual, in our experience). That’s followed by one inch of cooling fiber, then one inch of gel memory foam. The Ghost Ice Layer features patented thermo-sensitivity technology designed to sense heat while you sleep and adjust the mattress to keep you cooler. In our tests we gave this mattress full marks for temperature regulation – the airflow was terrific, and our temperature remained comfortable and cool at all times.
This model has a softer sleep surface that cradles and contours to your body, making this one of the best mattresses for side sleepers, who need a little extra give around the shoulders and hips to keep things comfortable in this position. However, back and front sleepers, as well as heavier people, should consider something a bit firmer for better spinal support. Keep in mind, too, that the firmness of the GhostBed Luxe is affected by room temperature – so it may feel firmer in the wintertime and softer in the summertime.
The plush sleep surface absorbs movements extremely well, making the Luxe a great choice for couples or restless sleepers. This is paired with excellent edge support. so you can spread out and use every inch of the bed as you wish.
Price-wise, the GhostBed Luxe sits in the premium bracket, although be aware you'll never need to pay full price. If it's slightly too expensive for you, check out the Nectar at #4, or if you're ready to invest a bit more, the specialist models at #7 and #8 yield unbeatable cooling tech.
- Read our GhostBed Luxe mattress review
Best mid-range cooling mattress
The extra features in Nectar's Premier Copper mattress are designed for hot sleepers looking for an effective cooling mattress with a more affordable price. At 14" deep, the Premier Copper delivers big on comfort as well as temperature-regulation.
In our tests, the polyethylene-and-copper blend cover and 4" top layer of gel memory foam infused with phase change materials did a great job of wicking away body heat and regulating sleep temperature, keeping our sleepers comfortably cool during the testing period. We found the top cover was cool to the touch, although not as dramatically so as the pricier GhostBed (#3) or Casper (#7).
Rated a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, this bed is best suited to side sleepers, with the surface adapting nicely to the contours of the body in this position, especially around the shoulders and head, reducing pressure and keeping the spine comfortably aligned. Stomach and back sleepers will likely find it a little unsupportive though, and would be better with something a little firmer.
The Premier Copper is more of an investment than the uber-popular original model (read about that in our Nectar mattress review), Note too that this mattress is the only model in our ranking to come with a full 365-night trial, which means you can try it out in every season before committing to keeping it. There's a forever warranty for added peace of mind, too.
Best cooling mattress for joint pain
For something a little different, check out the Purple Original. Like all of this brand's beds, the original features a layer of 'GelFlex Grid'. This stretchy gel grid sits at the top of the mattress, and will contour to your shape for custom support. Thanks to the open structure, it won't trap body heat – which is an issue with many foams. In our review, we found the grid was temperature-neutral, and worked to ensure the mattress stayed at a cool, comfortable temperature all night long.
There's a slightly unusual sleep feel here: the grid feels squishy when pressed, but firm when you're lying down on it, with extra support seeming to concentrate exactly where it's needed, under the back and legs. It's much more responsive than traditional memory foam, too, and will spring back into shape immediately when pressure is removed. We found it super comfortable in all positions, but especially so for side and back sleeping.
This mattress excels when it comes to pressure relief (our testers describe it as giving a kind of floating sensation), and we rank it amongst the best mattress in a box models around for anyone with hip or back pain. The grid cushions the joints comfortably, while still offering the support required to keep everything aligned properly. Do note that it's the thinnest option in our list though, clocking in under 10". That will make changing the sheets easier, but you won't get the same luxe feeling as a chunkier option.
Price-wise, we're in the upper-mid price bracket here, but how much you'll pay does depend on when you buy. The best Purple mattress sales and deals knock $200 or more off, but it's hard to predict when they'll appear. The Nectar model at #4 sits in a similar price bracket, if you prefer the sink-in feel of traditional memory foam.
- Read our Purple Mattress review
Best smart cooling mattress
Eight Sleep is the place to go if you want an ultra-smart cooling bed, and ultimate control over your nighttime temperature. The cover contains a network of water-filled tubes that can be cooled or heated to your exact preferences, between 55°F and 110°F – and you can even pick different temperatures for each half of the bed. You can buy the Pod with a mattress bundled in, but we'd probably recommend just going for the cover, and pairing it with a mattress that suits your needs. All the tech is in the cover, anyway – the mattress is just a standard mattress.
We're now on the third generation of Pods, and they're cleverer than ever. The dual-zone heating and cooling is just the start of it. One of our best smart bed picks, the Pod Pro 3 also monitors your nighttime habits (again, for each side of the bed separately) the same way a sleep tracker wearable would, to provide you with insights to help you improve how well you sleep each night. It'll track everything from sleep stages and duration to heart rate, HRV and more. And if you don't enjoy being woken up by an alarm, there's an in-built GentleRise alarm option that vibrates the cover at chest height for a more soothing (?) wake-up.
Best specialist cooling mattress
We're into the specialist section of our best cooling mattress ranking now, which is dedicated to beds that deliver unbeatable cooling powers, but at a price that might make you break out in a sweat. Still, you can't put a price on great sleep, right?
The Casper Wave Hybrid Snow mattress is Casper's top-of-the-line model. Imbued with specialized 'Snow' technology, it promises a 24% cooler-to-the-touch feeling than the original Casper Wave Hybrid thanks to its phase-changing QuickCool cover. There are also HeatDelete Bands designed to remove 34% more body heat and sustain temperature regulation for up to 12 hours. In our tests, we found the chilling powers here – and the cold-to-the-touch cover in particular – to be so effective as to be almost a bit off-putting at first. If you regularly struggle with overheating a night, this is the mattress for you.
Cooling is not all this mattress can do well. Its ergonomic design and strategically-placed gel pods in the middle third of the bed yield pressure relief along the back and neck, making this one of the best mattresses for back pain. The back sleepers on our testing panel found it provides excellent all-body support in that position, but side sleepers and those of smaller stature may need time to break it in before feeling comfortable. If you prefer something softer, check out the Tempur-Pedic model at #8 or the GhostBed at #3.
Casper's Snow technology comes at a price that will be too high for many, which is why it doesn't rank higher on our list. Casper mattress sales aren't super common, but they do crop up occasionally throughout the year, and are well worth taking advantage of if you do spot one. For still-very-impressive cooling at a more affordable price, the GhostBed at #3 is our top premium pick. Our final complaint here is that the trial and warranty are downright stingy for such a high price – what Casper offers here is in line with what we'd expect from a budget model.
The Tempur-Pedic LUXEbreeze is the best cooling mattress for very hot sleepers as it guarantees to feel up to 10 degrees cooler than comparable Tempur beds. This brand is known for making some of the best luxury mattresses around, but they do come at a cost, and the LUXEbreeze is the priciest model in our roundup, by some margin.
For that price you can expect a truly excellent mattress though. On the top sits a zip-off SmartClimate cover designed with cooling fibers, meaning it instantly feels cool against your skin. There’s also a layer of Tempur PureCool and phase change material to absorb extra heat and humidity, and to promote better airflow. (The more freely air flows within your mattress, the cooler it will be.) That’s followed by a pressure-relieving ventilated layer sat on a breathable base for enhanced pressure relief across your back, neck and hips.
The Tempur LUXEbreeze comes in your choice of soft or firm. The soft version is good for side sleepers, those who want a plush feel, and for people with a lighter bodyweight. The firm version is recommended for back sleepers, heavier sleepers, people with low back pain, and those who just enjoy sleeping on a firm mattress. Both the soft and firm LUXEbreeze have attracted good user reviews for motion isolation, so your partner shouldn’t wake you up when they get in or out of bed.
Speaking of user reviews, the LUXEbreeze has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, generated from nearly 1,000 user reviews as of January 2023. Customers praise its pressure relief abilities in all sleeping positions, as well as how cool to the touch it remains throughout the night. Some users complained that their mattress took a few weeks to break in and that edge support is lacking, but not everyone agreed on this. We haven't had a chance to test this one out yet, but you can check out our Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt mattress review for a taste of what to expect from this brand.
Tempur-Pedic mattress sales and deals don't happen super often, but if you do spot one they're well worth taking advantage of. The extras are a bit of a mixed bag here: if you buy direct from the brand, you'll get free white glove delivery in 48 states, but the trial period is the shortest in our ranking at just 90 days.
How we test mattresses
The Tom’s Guide mattress review process is editorially independent and not influenced by any third parties. Our expert mattress testers sleep on each mattress for at least three weeks - that's roughly how long it takes for your body to get used to a new mattress - and spend hours scientifically testing the performance of each product.
Mattress firmness is subjective, so each lead reviewer also forms a trusted and experienced testing panel made up of people with different sleep needs and body types. We have side sleepers, back sleepers and stomach sleepers, with lighter, average and heavier bodies, who rate each mattress using a specific set of performance criteria.
Together, these processes enable us to produce accurate, well-balanced and data-backed mattress reviews, to help you easily decide whether the mattress you’re interested in really is the best choice for you. Read our full mattress methodology for more.
What are the benefits of a cooling mattress?
Sleeping cool helps you drift off quicker, as your body will be at the right temperature for sleep. But some of us naturally ‘run hot’, and this gets even worse when we’re tucked up in bed. Outside of a cooling mattress, keeping your bedroom at a sleep-friendly temperature of 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. Cooling mattresses are designed to dissipate heat and promote better airflow, all to help you remain cooler during your time in bed.
There’s a difference between the very best cooling mattresses and breathable mattresses though, which is why we have compiled this guide. The Eight Sleep and Tempur Breeze Luxe are leagues ahead of their competitors when it comes to proper cooling power, but they are very expensive. However we’d argue that if your sleep is disturbed most nights because you wake up feeling too hot, then choosing a great cooling mattress is a brilliant investment in your health and wellbeing.
Aside from helping you to remain at the right temperature for sleeping, cooling mattresses have many of the same benefits as standard models: good pressure relief, support for your entire body, and they promote healthy spine alignment, protecting your posture during sleep.
We recommend only choosing a cooling mattress that comes on a risk-free trial basis. That way, you’ll get to put it to the test during the trial period to be sure that it really does help you sleep cooler. If not, you can return it during the trial for a refund.
When is the best time to buy a cooling mattress?
There are definite periods throughout the calendar year when cooling mattresses are discounted, meaning you'll be treated to cheaper prices and bigger discounts to help your money go further. The best time is at the end of November when the Black Friday mattress deals arrive, and these usually spill over until the following Monday where we see the Cyber Monday mattress deals.
The biggest price drops usually occur during the Black Friday shopping period, but some brands do launch flash sales on Cyber Monday in a last attempt to attract your custom before Christmas.
Beyond those two, we see many of the best cooling mattresses on sale for Presidents Day in February, followed by further prices drops to tie-in with the Memorial Day mattress sales. This is usually the last good time to pick up a cool bed for less before the summer arrives; a time when prices usually increase for a while.
Some of the best budget mattresses offer a cooler feel too, so these are worth looking at if you're on a very tight budget.
How to care for your cooling mattress
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The advice here depends on which type you’re thinking of buying, as a cooling mattress system such as the Eight Sleep Pod 2 Pro will have different care guidelines to a more ‘normal’ model like the Cocoon by Sealy Chill. So first of all, read the manufacturer’s guidelines to cleaning and caring and follow those above all other advice. Read our how to clean a mattress feature for extra pointers.
We recommend buying one of the best mattress protectors you can afford, as these will keep your cooling bed safe from spills, stains, bacteria and dust mites. You especially need to use a good one during the trial period as some brands will only accept a returned cooling mattress if it’s in pristine condition. Always read the terms and conditions before buying.
Depending on whether you have bought a foam or hybrid cooling mattress, you will either need to flip it or rotate it regularly to spread out wear and tear. Not all of them can be flipped, so read our feature answering how often should you rotate your mattress for more guidance.
Lastly, ensure you have the best pillow for sleeping cooler too, as choosing the wrong one can overheat you even though your mattress is working hard to keep you cool during sleep. If you're struggling to sleep then check out why clean air may be the answer to your bedtime routine.
Is memory foam good for cooling?
Foam-only beds generally sleep warmer than hybrids and innerspring models. That's due to memory foam's tendency to trap heat (although more advanced foam beds now have plenty of ways to counter this), but also because coil layers allow air to circulate more freely through the bed and keep temperatures in check.
However, not all foams are created equal. The most sophisticated cooling memory foam mattresses feature materials and designs that specialize in dispersing heat and wicking away moisture. We explore this deeper in our featuring answering: Are memory foam mattresses hot?
Read more:
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- Our guide to the best Tempur-Pedic mattress sales
- Save on sleep with the best Nectar mattress sales and promo codes
