Club Benefits
Our mattress methodology consists of seven robust tests conducted in our Sleep Lab to capture objective data on the areas of a mattress that most affect your sleep comfort: pressure relief, temperature regulation, motion isolation and edge support. For this guide, we zone in on the temperature regulation results, while looking for strong overall performance. One of our testers also sleeps on a mattress for at least three weeks and gathers feedback from a wider expert testing panel.
Whenever I speak to people about their sleep problems, waking up hot at night is usually a gripe. Therefore, temperature control is one of the key areas we assess on our quest to find the best mattress on the market in 2026.
When selecting which beds deserve a spot in this best cooling mattress guide, we specifically look for fast heat dissipation rates and minimal heat build up in our lab tests. At home, we evaluate how cool our sleep experience is, even in adverse conditions (we're talking stuffy attic bedrooms and Texan summers).
Of course, even if you are a hot sleeper, temperature control isn't the only thing you should consider when choosing the right mattress for you. You also need one that will support your body type and sleep position, while sticking within your budget.
The Memorial Day mattress sales are in full swing, making now a great opportunity to buy a cooling mattress before the summer heatwave really hits. Below you'll find the best options for all types of sleepers and price points, as chosen by our testing panel.
Best cooling mattress for most sleepers
The Bear Elite Hybrid with Celliant, available in three firmness levels, is a supportive hybrid mattress built with some of the most advanced temperature regulating materials out there — Celliant (a synthetic fiber) captures body heat, while copper foams conduct heat away from the mattress surface. It may sport a premium price tag but it makes sure you stay comfortably cool all night long.
We carry out a series of mattress tests on every bed we review and while the Bear Elite Hybrid excelled in temperature regulation, scoring a dazzling 5/5 as it refuses to hold on to heat, it does have its pitfalls. It offers a great balance of spinal support and joint cushioning thanks to its zoned coil system and plush foams, scoring a strong 4.6/5 for pressure relief. But its bounciness means you feel your partner moving next to you (sorry, bed-sharers) and you'll get better edge support elsewhere. Though this doesn't tend to be a problem unless you have reduced mobility and need solid edges to push off from when getting out of bed.
The Bear Elite Hybrid with Celliant has a unique approach to temperature regulation. It sucks up heat, pulling it away from the body, then quickly sheds it through the mattress surface. This active climate control makes it a worthy investment for chronic hot sleepers dealing with night sweats. However, mild hot sleepers (and those who need solid edges and strong motion isolation) would find better value in the Saatva Classic Mattress at #3, which our thermal tests revealed to be the next best cooling bed. As our #1 rated mattress overall for the third year running, the Saatva Classic has a strong all-round performance — no weak edges or motion transfer here.
Back to Bear: It's accommodating when it comes to firmness. Side and light-weight back sleepers should find enough support and cushioning in the Medium model we tested, whereas stomach sleepers would benefit from the more responsive Firm model and light-weight side sleepers are likely to enjoy the Soft. A queen drops to $1,484 around major sale periods like Black Friday and Memorial Day (otherwise you can expect to pay $1,598 in standard Bear mattress sales). So it's not cheap; but still a wise investment if you want an active mattress that can help you stop sweating through the night without splurging on a smart bed like the Eight Sleep below.
- Read more: Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review
Best cheap cooling mattress
Dense and economical, memory foam beds in the Siena's price bracket (it's less than $300 for a queen in current Siena mattress sales) don't often come with great temperature regulation. To our testers' surprise, the 10" Siena Signature Memory Foam Mattress breaks the trend, remaining temperature neutral all night long.
Our real-world experience and tester feedback earns the Siena its spot in this guide. While our lab tests indicated the Siena traps some heat, our tester slept comfortably all night long on the Siena, which can't be said of other cheap memory foam beds; they woke up sweating on the similarly-priced Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress, for example. Elsewhere, the Siena scores highly. 4.6/5 for motion isolation is a particular highlight meaning you won't feel your partner tossing and turning and edge support is solid (4/5) - you get a lot of usable mattress surface for your money. Our stomach sleeping testers were most comfortable on this bed, pleased that the firm foams keep their hips aloft. Back sleeping is also well supported, though side sleepers will need something softer to soothe the joints.
The Siena will struggle to be beaten on price. 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. If you want a more cushioning bed that will cradle your body when on your side, we recommend upgrading to the Brooklyn Bedding Copperflex Memory Foam mattress ($605 for a queen is still great value).
According to our testing, the Siena Signature is the best cheap mattress online. Note, that does mean it likely won't last as long as more pricey beds and is only covered by a 10-year warranty compared to lifetime warranty at other brands (Saatva and Bear, we're looking at you.)
- Read more: Siena Memory Foam mattress review
Best cooling mattress for hip and back pain
Did I mention that the handcrafted Saatva has been crowned our best mattress for the third year? Probably. But honestly, there’s not one member of our testing team who doesn’t want this all-round luxury hybrid in their own bedroom. It's a premium buy at $2,179 for a queen at MSRP (though you'll usually pay $1,839). Considering its five star performance across our mattress tests, we think its worth every cent, especially for hot sleepers with back pain.
Delivering best-in-class pressure relief in our tests, the Saatva Classic effectively soothes pain points — be that lingering hip pain from pregnancy or back pain that inevitably comes with age. Its talents don't end there: it dampens motion well and is sturdy at the edges, making it a good choice for bed-sharing families. As such, our Managing Editor Claire Davies, a chronic hot sleeper who shares a bed with her toddler and husband, was the perfect candidate to review the Saatva Classic at home. It's the only mattress that keeps her cool, comfortable, and most importantly asleep through the night. "No hot spots, no pooling of body heat. Just a gloriously cool-touch surface," she says of the Saatva Classic.
Ultimately, the Saatva Classic is an excellent choice for most sleepers. However, if you're tightening the purse strings (who isn't at the moment), it may be out of reach. As for cheaper alternatives, we recommend the Brooklyn Bedding Copperflex Pro Hybrid. This cooling hybrid-in-a-box mimics the luxury hotel feel of the Saatva at a more accessible price point (usually $999 for a queen). There's still a pillow top to cushion your hips and a cool-touch cover to wick away heat.
That said, Saatva does offer epic value for money for such a luxe bed that can put your back pain and hot flashes to rest, especially if you catch peak Saatva mattress sales which knock $400 off MSRP with free White Glove delivery, a lifetime warranty, and 365-night trial still included.
- Read more: Saatva Classic mattress review
Best value cooling mattress
Want a cooling mattress that feels luxury and keeps hot flashes at bay without breaking the bank? That's what you get with the Brooklyn Bedding Copperflex Pro Hybrid. Its made with quality materials yet a queen usually sells for under $1,000 in Brooklyn Bedding mattress sales
That's an exceptionally competitive price when you align it with the mattress build and performance in our testing. The Copperflex Pro Hybrid packs most cooling materials you tend to see in higher price beds, including copper foams, GlacioTex, and 760 individually-wrapped coils. Our lead tester put the bed through its paces in an attic bedroom during a British heatwave and reported sleeping soundly. They say the mattress is remarkably cool-to-touch (that's the Glaciotex doing its thing), and there was oodles of cushioning and trusty support no matter what position they laid in. Not to mention the fact the Copperflex adds a 4/5 score for both motion isolation and edge support to its resume, too.
More plush than your typical medium-firm hybrid, the Copperfelx Pro Hybrid is best suited to side sleepers who like a slow-moving, gentle 'hug' sensation from their bed. People with mobility issues should also be aware that it can be a bit of a clamber to get up on this 14” beast of a bed and the sink foams can make it an effort to move on the bed surface.
Therefore, if back pain is a pressing issue, we recommend the Saatva Classic above. If you want something even more budget-friendly, there is of course the Siena Signature but you'll have to sacrifice cushioning comfort or a firm sleep surface, which we don't recommend for side sleepers.
Best cooling mattress for side sleepers
Are you a hot side sleeper? First of all, congratulations! You sleep in the best sleep position, according to sleep doctor and chiropractors. Even better news, the beloved Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid mattress can keep you cool and supported in your favoured position, if you're willing to enter the premium price bracket.
Our lead tester has quite the love story with this mattress. After one night, they fell in love; two years later, they're still in the honeymoon phase (seriously, they struggle to find a single complaint.) Pressure relief for side sleepers is the stand out feature, yet it performed highly across the board in our tests: there's plenty of lumbar supports, edges are strong, and it rapidly dissipates heat remaining temperature neutral even during a hot September in Arizona. If we're picking at straws, we noted there is some bounce on this bed (unsurprisingly for a hybrid), meaning your partner's movements may disrupt you through the night.
Although we primarily recommend the Helix Midnight Luxe as the best mattress for side sleepers, some (light) back sleepers won't be let down by the support on offer. There are up to 1,000 durable steel coils underneath this mattress' ultra dense foam which will prevent your hips from dipping. That said, it is likely too soft for strict stomach sleepers who need a firmer sleep surface like that offered by the Siena Signature above (saving you $$$ too).
Speaking of cost, side sleepers who want to save where they can may prefer to shop the Copperflex Pro Hybrid. It offers a similar cushioning feel, it just isn't as supportive in the lumbar region. And if your heart is set on the Midnight Luxe, keep an eye out for 27% off —typically the best Helix mattress deal around major holidays.
- Read more: Helix Midnight Luxe mattress review
Best naturally cooling mattress
Naturally breathable, latex mattresses make great cooling beds. The flippable Saatva Zenhaven Latex Mattress is supposedly luxury plush on one side and gentle firm on the other. However, our reviewer found both sides firmer than expected — not a bad thing if you're a stomach or back sleeper who runs hot, though side sleepers should look elsewhere.
Made with organic materials and Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified latex, you can't expect this mattress to come cheap and it's certainly an indulgence at $3,499 for a queen. But for the price, you get a deluxe, clean sleep experience and enhanced durability if you care for mattress well.
Our reviewer never broke a sweat on the Saatva Zenhaven thanks to its breathable cotton cover and airflow channels in the latex. Motion isolation is decent and edge support outperforms other latex mattresses too, meaning partner's who find themselves pushed right over to the edge of the bed are in safe hands with the Zenhaven.
This bed remains temperature neutral rather than actively cool, making it a better choice for mild hot sleepers who want to invest in taking care of the planet. Serious nighttime over heaters would benefit from a bed with more active cooling like the Brooklyn Bedding Thermobalance LX Elite or Eight Sleep Pod below. As with the Saatva Classic, you can bag $400 off the Zenhaven if you shop during the holidays when Saatva tends to release its best discounts.
- Read more: Saatva Zenhaven Latex Mattress review
Best cooling mattress cover for couples who sleep at different temperatures
Discliamer: The Eight Sleep pod 4 we've tested has now been replaced by the Pod 5 at Eight Sleep, but its spec and what's included is practically identical. There have just been software updates between the models, promising more refined climate control and more accurate sleep tracking. Eight Sleep have introduced sleep accessories with the Pod5, but these come at an additional fee.
All the mattresses in this guide do something that your bog standard spring mattress can't — like wick away sweat with heat conducting metal fibres. But the Eight Sleep Pod 5 takes temperature regulation to the next level, allowing you to cool down or heat up your side of the bed between 55°F and 110°F via a mobile app, regardless of what your partner is doing on the other side. That's right, investing in this $2,799+ smart cover may mean you can halt the sleep divorce (we'll let decide if sleeping with your partner is worth the splurge.)
However, we want to preface everything we say here by making it clear this is a smart mattress cover rather than a complete mattress. Hence, we test smart beds a little differently, assessing their build, comfort, and smart functionality and weighing these things up against their usually premium price tags. Our sleep tech tester was blown away by how AI-powered sensors in the Pod track and respond to your body temperature through the night to keep you at the optimal temperature for sleeping (goodbye hot flashes, hello sleep scores of 100). Bonus: you can track your sleep without wearables in bed; however we're sceptical the Pod is as accurate as the best sleep trackers we've tested this year. They also found the fabric cover adds contouring to a bed and enjoyed the gentle vibration alarm. However, set up and maintenance is a bit of a faff considering you must keep a water tank next to your bed and next it to your smart phone to operate the Pod.
Its' hard to compare the best smart bed on the market to other cooling mattresses as their builds are so different. What we will say is: you won't get a more personal, active cooling system and noticeably cooler sleep surface elsewhere, but the Bear Elite Hybrid with Celliant has a good go at matching Eight Sleep's active climate control without bringing AI into bed.
It's disagreeing couples with different temperature preferences and wellness-forward technophiles who we think would get most value out of the Eight Sleep Pod. Yet with an $2,999 upfront cost for a queen and a month subscription fee starting at $17 per month to access all software (oh, and you need to buy an actual mattress separately) it's not for the frugal. Though semi-regular Eight Sleep deals knock up to $400 off.
- Read more: Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover review
Best cooling mattress for night sweats
New to market in February 2026, the Brooklyn Bedding Thermobalacne LX Elite has quickly impressed our mattress testers. Top of Brooklyn Bedding's range, it's a premium latex bed so you must expect a higher price tag. But its layers of cooling technology make it a worthy purchase for anyone dealing with night sweats. And you can pick your firmness level.
The Thermobalance is thoughtfully designed to tackle overheating in bed, and our tests reveal it does a grand job. Our tester certainly set this mattress up for challenge in terms of temperature regulation: the testing period was on the cusp of spring time temperature rises, they had a fever and it was their time of the month = body temperature is naturally higher. Yet they slept blissfully on the Thermobalance observing no heat buildup or hotspots. Their fidgety partner even went unnoticed and edge support frankly couldn't get better.
Perfect for combination sleepers, the buoyant Talalay latex in the medium-feel Thermobalance is responsive enough for you to easily switch positions and will keep average weight sleepers aligned on their front, back, and side. In fact, our tester says they've "never felt such a perfect blend of comfort and support."
If getting in and out of bed is a struggle for you, just beware that this is one of the tallest mattresses you can get. A smidge cheaper than the 10" Saatva Zenhaven Latex Mattress, you can get a queen Thermobalance LX Elite for $2,239 now (its lowest price since its release); though perks like White Glove Delivery and a 365-night trial at Saatva beat Brooklyn Bedding's standard doorstep delivery and 120-night trial.
Also tested
The mattresses in this section are the highest performers in temperature regulation tests from the rest of the mattresses we've reviewed. Although they don't quite cut the top nine in terms of performance and value for money, 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.
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.
