For some of us, sleeping hot is a year-round issue. Whether it's menopause or medications causing your nighttime hot flashes, an investment in one of the best cooling mattresses can help you sleep comfortably all night long.
In our quest to find the best mattresses for all sleepers and budgets, our expert team of mattress testers have tested over 120 (and counting) beds in our sleep studio and at home, and put our top five picks through our new rigorous mattress methodology. After analyzing data, we've selected the six options that performed best at keeping our testers cool through the night (during roasting Texan summers and in stuffy attic bedrooms, might we add).
Price shouldn't be a barrier to sleeping cool. So we’ve also factored in budget, as well as sleep needs and requirements. There's options for sleepers with back pain, top picks for athletes and we've sought out the strongest deals in the Black Friday mattress sales. Without further ado, here’s our roundup of the 6 best cooling mattresses to shop now, selected by our team of mattress testers and sleep experts...
After launching our most advanced temperature testing metrics and analysing data, our guide to the best cooling mattresses has come under considerable review. We've introduced the 5* Saatva Classic and outstanding value Siena Memory Foam after their strong performance in our climate regulation tests. However, the Bear Elite Hybrid remains our #1 recommendation overall.
1. The best cooling mattress overall
If you’re looking for one of the best hybrid mattresses of the year for all sleep styles with exceptional cooling, the Bear Elite Hybrid with the Celliant cover upgrade could be it. Standing at 14" tall and made from premium-grade non-toxic materials, the Bear Elite Hybrid is the flagship mattress from the popular American brand. It comes in a choice of three firmness levels (soft, medium, and firm), with standout features including a cooling cover that delivers some of the most reliable cooling power in the mattress market, and a lumbar support section to reduce lower back pain.
We want to preface what we say here by explaining that it is the Celliant Infused cover (for which you'll need to pay an extra $93) that earns the Bear Elite Hybrid the top spot in this guide. As standard, the Bear Elite is a breathable hybrid mattress with reliable temperature control thanks to Phase Change Materials (PCM) sewn into its surface which absorb and release heat through the night. But the addition of the Celliant cover is where reliable temperature regulation becomes actively cooling as it contains synthetic fibers that convert body heat into infrared energy. The Celliant cover gives a mild cooling sensation when you lay on it.
Additionally, our thermal imaging camera tests revealed the Bear Elite's unique approach to temperature regulation. The Bear Elite sucked up a lot of heat (10.5 °F) when our tester laid on it for 15 minutes. However, as soon as our tester moved, the mattress immediately dropped 7.3 °F, showing how well (and quick) the bed is able to dissipate heat thanks to active thermal regulating materials like Celliant, PCM and copper foams.
We recommend this heavy duty cooling mattress to chronic overheaters (people amid menopause or on medication that causes them to overheat at night) experiencing night sweats and hot flashes that seriously keep them awake at night.
Otherwise, the Saatva Classic at #4, which had an equally strong temperature regulation performance in our tests — with a more consistent cooling rate of 0.95°F per minute — is our recommended cooling mattress for occasional and mild hot sleepers, and hot sleepers with back pain.
Although cooling is what the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress with Celliant does particularly well, it excels in other areas too. We tested the medium-firm model which we found offers deep sinkage but is also responsive and supportive thanks to the strong coil layer that keeps the spine aligned. We think this model is best suited to side sleepers who need ample pressure relief and combination sleepers who benefit from a bouncy sleep surface as they change positions through the night.
This responsiveness does mean, however, that the Bear Elite falls short in motion isolation tests, meaning restless couples should be cautious (with that in mind, we have alternative options below like the Saatva Classic which dampens motion well).
The Bear Elite Hybrid sits at the cusp of upper-mid range and premium after regular Bear mattress sales. Right now, you can bag a queen size at the lowest price we've seen this year when you enter our exclusive discount code TOMS40 at checkout, which takes it down to $1,627.20 from MSRP of $2,712 - and you get a free sleep bundle worth $320. You don't want to sleep on this deal. But if the budget doesn't stretch, check out the Siena at #2 or Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro Hybrid at #5 below.
- Read more: Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review
2. The best cheap cooling mattress
Dense, economical and affordable memory foam beds don't often come with great temperature regulation. But the 10" Siena Memory Foam mattress goes against the grain.
With no specialist cooling technology bar a ‘breathable’ cover, you may be surprised to see the Siena here. But, considering its affordable price point, our expert testing panel was impressed with how this memory foam mattress performed in our thermal imaging camera tests.
Although there was a large initial heat spike (8.1°F), the Siena lost a significant amount of heat (6.2°F) in the first minute after our tester moved. Only the Bear Elite showed a stronger initial shed of heat. By the end of our testing period 15 minutes later, the lingering heat had almost entirely dissipated.
What's more, as a firm foam bed that you sleep on top of rather than sink into you don't feel flustered on the Siena, helping you keep cool. Do note, however, it may be too firm for a lot of sleepers as it sits at 9 out of 10 on the universal mattress firmness scale.
The Siena Memory Foam is a solid choice for stomach sleepers and heavier back sleepers who need a sturdy sleep surface to keep their spine aligned. If you're looking for a softer memory foam cooling bed, consider the Cocoon by Sealy Chill mattress built with PCM ($919 for a queen), or the Nectar Premier mattress ($649 for a queen) which showed excellent temperature regulation in our objective tests, according to our scoring rubric.
Ultimately, you’ll struggle to find a mattress that sleeps cooler in the Siena's price bracket. After testing countless beds, we're confident saying $359 for a top-performing, comfortably cool queen size mattress is pretty unbeatable.
- Read more: Siena Memory Foam mattress review
3. The best luxury cooling mattress
All the mattresses in this guide feel fairly luxurious (hello Saatva Classic). But packed with innovative technology, the Eight Sleep smart mattress cover — *disclaimer, it's a mattress cover rather than a complete mattress* —takes luxury sleep to a new level, allowing you to heat up or cool down the surface of your bed via a mobile app.
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 so you and your partner don't have to fight over the covers.
You can buy the Eight Sleep Pod 4 with an Eight Sleep mattress bundled in, but we'd probably recommend just going for the cover, and pairing it with a breathable mattress that suits your needs like the Saatva Classic or Bear Elite Hybrid above. All the tech is in the cover, anyway — the mattress is just a standard mattress.
We've tested the fourth generation Eight Sleep Pod, which is why we are recommending it here. But there's now an Eight Sleep Pod 5 available with even better climate control — you can pair it with an Eight Sleep hydro-powered blanket or the newly-launched cooling pillow cover for cocoon temperature control.
Back to the Pod 4: Our main tester has been sleeping better and learning more about how lifestyle choices affect their sleep quality while testing the pod over the past three months. They were especially impressed with the dual climate control and active temperature regulation, which responds to changes through the night to keep you at an ideal sleep temperature.
The dual-zone heating and cooling is a great option for couples with different sleep temperature preferences — but that's just the start of it. As one of our best smart bed picks, the Pod 4 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 that 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. Just know that you'll need to pay for a subscription to access these features. (It starts at $199/year.)
- Read more: Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover review
4. The best cooling mattress for back pain
Rating highly across the board as our no.1 mattress of the year overall, the Saatva Classic offers outstanding temperature regulation alongside luxury comfort and unbeatable support, especially for those with recurrent back pain.
Tom's Guide's mattress expert review panel have always slept comfortably cool on the Saatva Classic mattress, thanks to its cool-to-touch surface and ability to yank heat away from the body. Our Managing Sleep Editor Claire Davies notes how it keeps her body temperature balanced even around her period, which is when she usually tends to run hot at night.
Plus our recent objective data-driven tests proved the Saatva Classic is efficient at drawing heat away from the body and dispersing it so you sleep comfortably. Specifically, our heat dissipation test showed the Saatva Classic dissipates heat at an average of 1.58°F per minute, which is excellent, according to our scoring rubric.
While we acknowledge that the Saatva had strong temperature regulation performance scores on the same footing as the Bear Elite Hybrid with the Celliant Infused Cover at #1, editorially we feel the Bear is the better choice of the two because it's an active cooling mattress with plenty of specific cooling technologies.
Whereas the Saatva's superior cooling rate is down to the natural breathable structure of the bed. The Saatva Classic's open dual-coil construction means air can flow freely through the mattress, preventing heat from building up like it does in denser all-foam mattresses.
Available in three different firmness levels, you can also tailor the Saatva Classic to your sleep style and body type. This means, alongside exceptional climate control, you also get best in class lumbar support (it's shot to the top of our best mattress for back pain guide) to avoid any back aches and outstanding pressure relief to stop any tension building up in your joints. The blissful comfort offered by the Saatva prevents tossing and turning that can exacerbate back pain and hot flashes.
We mustn't forget we're talking about the flagship from one of America's best luxury mattress brands here. And, at $1,839 (was $2,139) for a queen size in current Saatva mattrss sales, there's no getting around the fact that the Saatva Classic is a premium buy. But reliable cooling, unbeatable support and sleep-saving comfort are all tied up in this bed — we're yet to find better mattress.
- Read more: Saatva Classic mattress review
5. The best cooling mattress under $1,000
The Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro Hybrid mattress is a comfortable-for-most hybrid mattress that boasts specialist cooling tech commonly found on more expensive beds. A cool-to-the-touch GlacioTex cover keeps you sleeping cool all night long, while the copper infused memory foam comfort layer helps draw away heat from the body while you sleep.
“Standing at 14” tall and with a sumptuous pillow top, the Brooklyn Bedding Copperflex Pro wouldn’t look out of place in a five-star luxury hotel,” says lead tester Eve Davies. And yet, you’ll typically pay under $1,000 for a queen in the Brooklyn Bedding mattress sales.
In addition to the GlacioTex cover, the copper comfort foams are infused with high thermal conductivity fibers and metal ribbons which wick away heat from the mattress surface and your body to help regulate your sleep temperature. Beneath that, a layer of 760 individually-wrapped coils increase breathability, preventing air warmed by body heat while you sleep becoming trapped within the mattress. We tested this mattress during a British heatwave and slept soundly throughout.
In terms of comfort and support, the medium-firm Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro Hybrid includes a pillow top that moulds to your body, easing any pressure along the touch points of the mattress. The honeycomb stitching offers extra contouring, while the responsiveness of the coils and zoned lumbar support keeps your spine supported to prevent back pain. That said, if back pain is a pressing issue, we recommend the Saatva Classic at #4. We rate it as one of the best mattresses for back pain, thanks to its superb spinal support, customisable firmness options and cooling prowess.
As for the CopperFlex Pro, our combination-sleeper tester found this hybrid mattress comfortable and supportive in all sleeping styles and, because of the responsiveness of the coils and sturdy edge support, was able to switch positions easily and safely throughout the night.
However, they best recommend it to side sleepers and warn those with mobility issues that it can be a bit of a clamber to get up on this 14” beast of a bed. If that’s you, you might want to consider lowering your bed frame, or shopping the Saatva Classic at #4 or Zoma Boost at #6 which we found both offer more robust edges.
6. The best cooling mattress for active lifestyles
Calling all gym-goers and road runners: a cool, comfortable mattress can really boost your recovery and the Zoma Boost is the one for you. Marketed towards sleepers with an active lifestyle, the Zoma Boost is a luxuriously thick, hybrid mattress boasting outstanding cooling powers.
The bed kept our testers noticeably cooler during our review period, and they consistently woke up feeling refreshed after a night on this mattress. In particular, we liked the special cooling cover, which worked effectively to wick away body heat and remained cool to the touch throughout the night.
Elsewhere, the graphite memory foam cradles the sleepers' joints without trapping heat, and are responsive enough that you won't feel stuck in one position. At a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, the Boost is best suited to side sleepers, who will appreciate the excellent pressure relief on their shoulders, hips and knees. Those who weigh above average may find it doesn't provide enough support, though.
A potential down-side to be aware of is that this mattress doesn't isolate movement especially well. This might not be the best choice for you if you're a particularly light sleeper or share a bed with a wriggler. If that's you, we'd recommend the Saatva Classic instead — it isolates motion well and promotes spinal alignment.
A queen size Zoma Boost sports a $1,349 price tag, down from $1,799 now. That's a pretty standard saving from Zoma, so you can take your time if you're thinking of buying.
- Read more: Zoma Boost mattress review
Also tested
The mattresses in this section are the highest performers in temperature regulation tests from the rest of the mattresses we've put through paces. Although they don't quite cut the top six, they're still worth considering if you're in the market for a bed built with specialist cooling tech and quality materials, but haven't found the one for you in our main guide.
Cooling mattresses we're testing right now
Our team is constantly putting cooling beds through their paces to ensure we’re only recommending the very best options for hot sleepers. Here’s a selection of the mattresses we're testing in our Sleep Lab or at our reviewers’ homes during the current heatwaves:
Glacier Original Hybrid: New for summer 2025, this hybrid mattress promises cooling comfort for better sleep during hot weather. Our reviewer, Eve, will put it to the test in a warm attic.
Diamond DreamStage Value: Designed for hot sleepers on a budget, the Diamond DreamStage Value is infused with copper to draw away excess heat. We'll see how it performs this summer.
Avocado Grand Luxe: This 17-layer organic mattress promises cooling comfort through naturally breathable materials. We have it out on test now and are looking forward to hearing how cool it is to sleep on.
How we test the best cooling mattresses
The Tom’s Guide mattress review process is editorially independent, which means that it isn't influenced by third parties. We have a thorough, triple-checked methodology comprising temperature checks, weight indentation tests, roll-off tests, comfort assessments and motion transfer tests, from which we collect objective data and subject feedback from our panel of trusted and experienced mattress reviewers.
To give you the most accurate assessment of how a mattress handles heat, we use a two-pronged, objective and subjective temperature testing methodology. Our primary goal is to determine the degree to which a mattress absorbs, retains and then dissipates the heat from your body.
In our controlled sleep studio test, we start by standardizing the testing environment. The mattress is stripped of bedding. The room temperature is set to 66°F / 19°C, which is the best temperature for sleeping. Before testing, we use a specialized thermal imaging camera to take baseline temperature readings across six key points on the mattress surface (the four corners, the geometric centre and the "hotspot" which refers to the point of the mattress in direct contact with the sleeper).
Once the control data is recorded, a tester of average weight lies on the mattress for 15 minutes. During this time, the thermal imaging camera records a continuous video, and we log temperature readings at the same six points every minute.
This phase, the heat absorption test, captures how quickly and how much heat the mattress traps. The most critical measurement is the "hotspot" — the single warmest point of direct body contact, which gives us the maximum temperature absorbed. Immediately after the tester stands up, we record the maximum temperature increase, then begin a new 15-minute video and start the heat dissipation test, tracking the cooling rate of the mattress minute by minute.
Once studio testing is complete and multiple members of our experienced testing panel have spent time getting hands-on with the mattress, it is sent to our assigned lead reviewers home where they sleep on it for three weeks to test how it fairs in a real-world sleeping environment. During this time, our reviewer keeps a sleep diary paying close attention to how comfortable and cool they feel on the bed, how well they feel they sleep from night to night and whether they have any temperature regulation issues.
Our temperature testing data is collated with data from our other thorough mattress tests across key areas like ease of setup, feel, comfort and support, pressure relief, motion isolation, edge support, responsiveness, build quality and durability to assess which mattresses are truly worth your dollars. This means our recommendations here are the crème de la crème of cooling beds sure to bring you better sleep, with options for various sleep styles, budgets and bodies.
Read our full mattress methodology for more info.
Best cooling mattress FAQs
What are the benefits of a cooling mattress?
There is a close link between your body temperature and your ability to fall asleep. Our core temperature naturally drops when we wind down to sleep, signalling the brain to release sleepy hormones like melatonin. Hence, a cooling mattress creates a cool sleep environment where you can fall asleep fast and get plenty of deep sleep, says Australia-based Chiropractor Dr. Mark El-Hayek.
He explains: “Cooling mattresses help by getting rid of the heat that builds up between your body and the mattress. Most people don’t realise that trapped heat is what’s causing them to feel uncomfortable during the night. When the materials are breathable and allow heat to move away, your body can stay at a more stable temperature. That reduces how often you move or wake up.”
Specialist cooling mattresses can be expensive, but if your sleep is disturbed most nights because you wake up feeling too hot, it could make a major difference to 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 (for the record, this is the best position to sleep in when it's hot).
Will I only need a cooling mattress in summer?
Sleeping hot is not just a summer affliction. Due to health conditions, lifestyle choices, body composition or hormone changes, many people would benefit from sleeping on a cooling mattress all year round. In fact, 57% of Americans find themselves too hot to sleep at least occasionally, according to Gallup News.
Dr. El-Hayek sees plenty of cases where people struggle with sweating through the night because their mattress holds on to too much heat. He explains: “For people with pain, poor circulation, or those who just have warmer core body temp, temperature control can be the difference between broken sleep and proper recovery.”
It’s also important to remember, cooling mattresses aren’t refrigerators. They draw excess heat away from you rather than zapping all warmth. So, they help keep you at an ideal snoozing temperature no matter the season.
When is the best time to buy a cooling mattress?
Although mattress sales happen all year round, and some of the models in our ranking will be permanently discounted, there are certain events that tend to deliver bigger savings. The very best time is at the end of November when the Black Friday mattress sales arrive and usually spill over into the Cyber Monday mattress deals.
Granted, we will be over the warmer summer months by then, so if you're looking to upgrade your mattress before the high temperatures hit, we recommend shopping this month's Memorial Day sales.
Otherwise, any national holiday is a good time to shop. We see many of the best cooling mattresses on sale for Presidents' Day in February and discounted again in September's Labor Day mattress sales.
What cooling technology do mattresses use?
Different mattress manufacturers use different technology, designs and materials to bring you cooler sleep. Some build their mattresses with naturally breathable organic materials like wool, cotton and latex, which easily wick away moisture thanks to their open cell structures.
Meanwhile, sleep tech brands employ smart technology to monitor and regulate your temperature through the night. Smart beds often feature water or fan based systems that are able to heat up or cool down the bed surface as necessary, while integrated sensors measure your body temperature to keep you at an ideal sleep climate.
Memory foam is typically poor at temperature regulation as it holds on to heat. So, many mattress manufacturers have turned to science for cooling solutions to bring memory-foam-loving hot sleepers their dream bed. Enter: copper foam, graphite foam and GlacioTex covers. Copper and graphite are high conductivity elements meaning they are good at absorbing and dissipating heat energy. Hence, when infused in mattress foams, they draw heat away from the body and release it through the mattress surface.
- Read more: How do cooling mattresses work?
What is PCM in a mattress?
Phase Change Material (PCM) is a substance that can adsorb and release heat as it changes state from a solid to a liquid state. When used in a mattress, the material is usually found in the top layers, either blended directly into the comfort foam or sewn into the fabric of the mattress cover to make sure it is in close contact with the body for the best temperature regulation.
When your body temperature rises during the night, the PCM in the mattress absorbs excess heat, drawing it away from your body as it changes from a solid to a liquid state. When your body cools down, the PCM releases this stored heat, solidifying again. Mattresses with PCM essentially act like a heat reservoir to maintain a consistent ideal sleep temperature.
Do you really need a specialist cooling mattress?
Whether you 'need' a specialist cooling mattress depends on how much you struggle with heat while sleeping. If you naturally run hot at night, even in a moderate room temperature, investing in a cooling mattress could significantly improve your sleep quality.
While most top-quality mattresses have a certain degree of cooling capability, you'll want to look out for mattresses with open-cell gel infusions, PCM, breathable covers, hybrid designs or smart cooling systems for the best cooling experience. To really make your specialist cooling bed worth it, pair it with cooling bedding and breathable clothing.
However, some medical and hormonal conditions (menopause, for example) can mean that no matter what mattress you sleep on, you just can't put the night sweats to rest. In this case, you're better off consulting a professional who can provide a medical solution.
