5 Best Mattress Toppers of 2026: Tested and Reviewed

Features

• Height: 2 inches
• Materials: Gel-infused memory foam
• Firmness: Softer or firmer
• Straps: No

Key takeaways from our testing

High quality at a wallet-friendly price. We tested the firmer model of the Nectar Mattress Topper With Cooling Gel Memory Foam. It had high performance across testing metrics and is one of the least expensive toppers on this list at $306. The only less expensive option is our best overall pick, the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam, which is $305, a $1 difference. But the Saatva is sold only in one firmness option, while this Nectar topper is available in softer or firmer options.

Contouring pressure relief. Bryan said he comfortably sank into the Nectar Mattress Topper With Cooling Gel Memory Foam, which may be an important observation for older adults who have higher weight and experience shoulder or hip pain. This topper also may serve as a formidable addition to one of the best mattresses for shoulder pain or hip pain, especially to add a cradling boost for higher-weight sleepers. He awarded this topper very good pressure relief scores, noting his spine felt aligned while lying on his back. When positioned on his side, he said he didn’t feel any pressure and his hips felt aligned. Since Bryan has a higher weight, his experience of sinking into this firmer model may be different from the experience of people who have a lighter or average weight. So, lighter- or average-weight sleepers may be better suited with the softer model of this topper so they feel more cushioning. 

Basic construction. This topper is made with no straps and has only a single block of memory foam that is just 2 inches thick. Construction like that of this topper may not satisfy sleepers looking for something softer or more plush. Most models on our list have straps, which we think can help a topper stay in place and thereby help minimize the risk of falls for older adults. Although Bryan didn’t have problems with the topper shifting off the mattress surface during testing, we still asked Nectar customer service about how users can ensure the topper stays in place with no straps. They told us, “The topper stays in place because it sits on top of your mattress, and the mattress stays put on the bed frame. If you want extra grip, add a non-slip barrier between the mattress and the base, like a non-slip mattress pad.” We’d prefer if this topper were simply sold with straps to avoid having to purchase another accessory for “extra grip” to ensure the topper stays put. 

Bryan also said the simplicity of the construction was “disappointing” and said he wished this product included multiple layers of foam for more support, like most other toppers on this list. 

Best for Back Pain: Helix Premium Mattress Topper With GlacioTex

Score: 9.1 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

• Hybrid construction offers more support
• Almost-perfect pressure relief for back sleepers
• Cool-to-the-touch cover

Cons

• Average temperature performance despite the cooling cover
• Lackluster responsiveness 

Features

• Height: 3.75 inches
• Materials: Hybrid
• Firmness: Luxury plush or luxury firm
• Straps: Yes

Key takeaways from our testing

Unique hybrid construction. The Helix Premium Mattress Topper With GlacioTex is the only topper on this list that’s a hybrid, which means it’s made with a combination of metal coils and memory foam. We tested the luxury firm model. The 0.75-inch microcoils are sandwiched between two layers of high-density memory foam. Not surprisingly, the addition of coils makes this topper the thickest one on this list at 3.75 inches. Jennifer, a 45-year-old tester, gave this topper a near-perfect score for pressure relief for back sleeping. “It’s really comfortable, and my lower back feels supported,” she said.

Cooling cover. The Helix Premium Topper includes the company’s GlacioTex cooling fabric, designed to draw heat away from your body. “The first thing I notice is how cool it feels,” said Jennifer, who sleeps hot. “It’s sleek but not slippery.” Despite her initial impressions, this topper earned just an average cooling rating after retaining 9 degrees of body heat. When Jennifer actually lay on the topper, she said it quickly lost the cool-to-touch sensation and felt like normal fabric. 

Mediocre responsiveness for a hybrid. Despite its coil layer, Jennifer gave this topper a less-than-capable score for responsiveness, which refers to how easy it is to change positions. “It takes effort to turn to a different position, and it kind-of sucks you in,” she said. This low responsiveness may be partly due to its high sinkage rate of 4.2 inches, which our lab team measures by placing a 45-pound kettlebell in the center of the topper and recording how much the surface of the topper and the mattress underneath collapse. That’s the highest sinkage rate noted on this list. Our best overall pick, the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Topper, sank by 3.75 inches. High sinkage may be good for older adults who want contouring material to cradle sore joints, but low responsiveness may make it difficult for older adults with mobility issues to change positions.

Best Latex: Birch Plush Organic

Score: 9.2 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

• High responsiveness may help with movement
• Made with organic and natural materials
• Generous warranty 

Cons

• Soft feel may not offer enough support for higher- or average-weight sleepers
• Most expensive topper on this list

Features

• Height: 2 inches
• Materials: Latex foam and cotton
• Firmness: Soft
• Straps: No

Key takeaways from our testing

Near-top-level responsiveness. The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is made with latex foam that’s encased in an organic cotton cover. It earned an almost-perfect score in responsiveness when our testers rated how easy it was to change positions. Tester Bryan said the foam layers didn’t “trap” his body or prevent him from adjusting. This factor can be important for foam toppers in general because they can sometimes “suck” you into the layers or limit movement, which can hinder older adults who have mobility limitations. Latex foam, however, tends to be bouncy and responsive, which contributes to this topper’s high score on this test. This topper had 3.2 inches of sinkage during our testing, one of the lowest levels noted on our list. Older adults who would like extra cushioning may prefer a topper that sinks more under their weight.

Organic latex construction. The latex foam in the comfort layer of the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified, meaning it’s made of organically grown rubber latex and meets permissible limits for harmful substances, emission test requirements and more. This topper also has an organic cotton cover, which Jennifer said feels soft and plush. The company also has some of the most generous buyer policies on this list, including a 120-night sleep trial and a 10-year limited warranty. Nolah is the only other company on this list to offer a 10-year warranty; the other companies listed in this review offer either a one- or three-year warranty for their products.

Soft construction may not offer good support. Birch rates this topper a 4 out of 10 for firmness, with 10 being the firmest. Bryan, a higher-weight tester, said it felt soft and that he wanted more support. “I feel pressure on my shoulders. There's very little support on my side,” he said. “My shoulders are sinking in too much and it’s making my spine feel out of alignment.” This feedback resulted in an average score for this topper for side sleeping. This topper fared slightly better for back sleeping, though not by much. People who have a higher weight, like Bryan, typically benefit from firmer surfaces for better support and to keep their spines neutral. People who have an average or lighter weight, on the other hand, may find that this soft topper offers the right amount of cushioning and support.

Best for Side Sleepers: Nolah Mattress Topper

Score: 9.5 out of 10

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Pros and cons

Pros

• Favorable pressure relief for side sleepers
• Solid responsiveness
• Conforms to the lower back

Cons

• May trap heat
• Expensive

Features

• Height: 2 inches
• Materials: Memory foam
• Firmness: Plush or luxury firm
• Straps: Yes

Key takeaways from our testing

Contouring pressure relief for side sleepers. We tested the luxury firm model of the Nolah Mattress Topper, and tester Jennifer awarded it an impressive pressure relief score for side sleeping. She said it was supportive while conforming to the shape of her body. “It takes the pressure off my hips and shoulders,” she said. She also gave this topper a near-perfect pressure relief score for back sleeping. She noted the topper took the pressure off her lower back and cradled her body comfortably.

Plush while still being responsive. Jennifer said the Nolah Mattress Topper had solid responsiveness. “I can turn comfortably, and it’s not overly bouncy,” she said. “It’s just the right amount of plushness.” Surprisingly, despite Jennifer’s generally decent experience with the topper’s responsiveness and overall support, when our lab team performed the sinkage test, this topper sank 4 inches, the second-highest sinkage rate on this list. (The Helix Premium Mattress Topper With GlacioTex sank the most at 4.2 inches.) This test result indicates that the memory foam material may be more limiting than expected for some when it comes to movement. For some older adults with mobility issues or sensitive joints, this topper’s plushness may make it harder to change positions. Jennifer did say that while there wasn’t much edge support while she was sitting — which was in alignment with this topper’s sinkage test results — when she lay on the edge, she said it felt just as supportive as when she lay in the middle of the topper. 

So-so temperature regulation. If this topper’s memory foam lets you sink deeply, that means it also allows more of your body to come in contact with the fabric, which could make you feel hot. In our cooling gun test, this topper earned middling scores. “I felt my temperature increasing slightly after I lay down,” Jennfier said. Hot sleepers or older adults who experience hot flashes may want more cooling benefits from their topper.

Toppers vs. mattress pads

While mattress toppers and mattress pads often are grouped together, they are two distinct products. 

Mattress toppers are thicker — typically between 2 and 4 inches — and adjust a mattress’s comfort level. Besides adding pressure relief capabilities to your bed, mattress toppers also may be a good temporary fix if you’re recovering from surgery or an illness and want to “deviate from your usual mattress firmness” for more comfort, says Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and sleep medicine doctor in Manhattan Beach, California. The more affordable price allows toppers to serve as a temporary or longer-term adjustment.

Mattress pads are thinner — typically between 1 and 2 inches — and wrap around the edges of beds like fitted sheets do. They often are machine-washable and reduce wear and tear on your bed. Mattress pads generally do not change the feel or firmness level of a bed as much as a topper would.

How we tested the best mattress toppers

We started our process by researching the market. Which mattress toppers are popular and why? Who has the best customer reviews — and are the reviews legitimate? After talking with medical experts, we narrowed our list from 20 toppers to the 11 we tested in our lab.

To identify their strengths and weaknesses, we used controlled tests to assess features like pressure relief, responsiveness, edge support, sinkage and temperature regulation. Then we recruited testers ages 45 and older to give us their unbiased feedback. 

These testers answered questions like: How far are you sinking into the mattress topper? Is it taking more effort to change positions? Do you feel any pressure building up? The models that excelled in our tests made our list of the best mattress toppers. 

For more details on our process, see our mattress and sleep products testing methodology. 

How to choose the best mattress topper for you

Toppers can give your mattress a new feel — making it firmer to help support your spine or softer to ease pressure points for older adults with chronic hip pain or other chronic pain conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia, says Breus, the sleep medicine doctor in California.

However, the right topper for you can depend on a number of factors. If you’re looking for a quality topper, consider the following features. 

Thickness

A thinner topper may offer less cushion than a thicker one. So if your goal is maximum pressure relief, you may want to consider a topper on the thicker side of the 2- to 4-inch range.

Given this added thickness, Breus cautions that a mattress topper will add a few inches to your bed's height. “Make sure you can still get in and out of bed, and double-check that your sheets will be deep enough to accommodate the extra height,” he says. This detail is especially key to consider if you already have a taller mattress like the Saatva Classic, which is 14.5 inches high, or if you have a tall bed frame.

Firmness

Firmness is one of the most important factors to consider when shopping for the best mattress topper. You can use a topper to change the firmness and feel of your bed, based on how much pressure relief or support it offers. 

Dr. Hana Patel, National Health Service (NHS) general practitioner and resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep in South London in the United Kingdom, says the ideal firmness for your topper depends on what you’re hoping to achieve. For example, if you want to sink into a memory foam topper and feel its contouring around your joints, you may want a softer product. But a firmer topper may be a better choice if you’re focused on spinal alignment. 

Generally, Patel cautions against using a soft topper if you have back pain, as it can sometimes worsen existing pain if your hips or shoulders sink too deeply. “A firmer topper might seem more uncomfortable, but it will likely help your back pain in the long run,” she says. If you’re not sure what firmness to choose, you can use your sleeping positions as a guide for firmness.

• Side sleepers: In general, people who sleep on their side benefit from a softer mattress topper that prioritizes pressure relief by allowing them to sink into the materials. Medium firm or softer tends to be best.
• Back sleepers: People who sleep on their backs typically prefer a firmer mattress topper to keep their spine in a neutral position. Sleeping on a topper or mattress that’s too soft may cause your hips and shoulders to sink in unevenly. Consider aiming for a medium firm or higher.
• Stomach sleepers: Stomach sleepers typically do best with the firmest topper to keep their spine aligned. Medium firm or higher tends to be the typical range.

You also can talk with your health care provider about which kind of topper would work best for you, especially if you’re dealing with pain. 

Material

A topper’s construction may impact the overall feel you get while lying on the bed. Here are some examples of popular materials found in mattress toppers.

Memory foam: Many toppers include memory foam layers because the material often offers a sinking sensation that cradles joints and relieves pressure. In our 2026 survey of adults ages 50 and older who bought a topper in the last three years, the most common topper material was memory foam by a large margin. Manufacturers also can infuse memory foam with a cooling material like gel or graphite, which may help the topper regulate your temperature more effectively. However, older adults with mobility challenges may find that these memory foam toppers make it harder to change positions due to the sinkage that these materials allow.

Hybrid: Hybrid mattress toppers aren’t as common as memory foam — they’re made with both memory foam and metal coils. The Helix Premium Mattress Topper With GlacioTex is the only hybrid topper on this list with a layer of coils. Hybrid toppers may help your spine stay neutral since the metal coils can provide stronger support than foam alone.

Latex foam: Natural latex foam, which is foam derived from the sap of rubber trees, is generally perforated to help with airflow and is very responsive, according to our testing. The downside of latex foam is that it tends to be heavier than other materials. Older adults who have limited dexterity also may find these toppers more difficult to position on their beds because of these toppers’ weight and floppiness, often referred to as a “wet noodle” effect. 

Straps

Straps secure a mattress topper to your bed to minimize its shifting as you sleep and help the topper stay secure. According to testers, strapping a topper to a mattress is similar to putting on a fitted sheet. But if you have arthritis or other dexterity limitations, you may find that straps are more difficult to secure to your mattress. 

In this review, the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam, Helix Premium Mattress Topper With GlacioTex and Nolah Mattress Topper include straps. 

How much do the best mattress toppers cost?

The best mattress toppers on our list range in price from around $305 to about $533. You can see details on pricing in the chart below. All models noted are queen size.

Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.