6 Best Waterproof Mattress Protectors in 2026: Personally Tested

The Saatva Signature Mattress Pad earned superb marks from our testers for material quality. Gerianne said it felt like “a regular sheet” and “just like your grandma’s quilt.” Its 100-percent percale cotton is OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified, making it one of the two models on our list with this certification, which verifies that the product has been independently tested for over 1,000 harmful substances. Both testers said the protector fit the mattress perfectly, and its grippy silicone elastic band helped keep it in place. “I think someone with limited dexterity would be able to put this on. I didn’t need to use excessive force, nor push or pull the protector into place,” Gerianne said.

At $165 for a queen, this model is more expensive than the average cost of all the protectors on our list ($152). Another downside: Although it earned respectable marks in our cooling gun test by retaining about 8 degrees of heat, Gerianne said it wasn’t “cool to the touch” and felt “slightly warmer than other models, maybe because of the quilted top.” Our cooling gun test involves measuring the initial surface temperature and comparing it with the temperature after a tester lies on it for one minute. The less heat it retains, the better the score.

This mattress protector aced our cooling gun test, delivering the second-best performance on our list by retaining only 7.2 degrees. It features a top layer designed to keep it cool to the touch. “I found it very sleek and cooling,” Gerianne said. It also gained a perfect score in our water spill test by keeping the mattress completely dry. “Even the bottom of the protector felt very dry, but very cold from the water,” said Gerianne.

Keeping cool is key to getting quality rest. “The body needs to cool down slightly to enter deeper stages of sleep, so if you’re hot, you might wake up feeling less rested,” says Dr. Casey Slattery, orthopedic spine surgeon at the Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, California.

Testers found this protector to be slightly oversized and loose for a 12-inch-tall bed, noting that it had excess material hanging over. “It isn’t completely flush to the mattress. It might be better on a taller bed,” Donna said. Gerianne said she wished it had labels indicating the top, bottom and sides, but observed that it was otherwise easy to put on.

The Helix Waterproof Mattress Protector earned near-perfect marks from our testers for how easy it was to apply it to the mattress. “The elastic isn’t too tight, so you don’t need to have a lot of strength in your hands [to put it on],” Donna said. Securing a protector to the bed may be difficult for older adults with limited mobility or grip strength, or general difficulty with bending or pulling. In our testing, protectors that require minimal effort and stay on without corners popping off or needing repeated adjustments receive a higher score.

This protector earned a so-so rating for its material quality. “It’s very basic, like a thin, cheap towel,” Donna explained. Another downside: When securing the protector to the mattress, Gerianne noted extra material along the sides that may need to be tucked in on thinner beds, as this protector is designed to fit mattresses up to 15 inches tall. “I wouldn’t like it if I put on a sheet and [the protector] bunched up underneath,” Gerianne said.

This protector earned a top-notch score in our water spill test. Testers said the liquid pooled on top before being absorbed by the protector. “The mattress was completely dry underneath and not affected by the water,” Gerianne said.

Nectar’s mattress protector retained nearly 9 degrees of heat in our cooling gun test, one of the worst results on this list. Testers said it wasn’t very cool to the touch. “It’s soft and all, but not particularly cooling,” said Gerianne. She also noted that it “doesn’t feel super breathable.” If you’re a hot sleeper, you might consider the The Mattress Protector by Silk and Snow, which earned a perfect temperature regulation score.

Donna said she didn’t have to exert much effort to stretch this protector over the corners of the mattress. “It goes on seamlessly,” she noted. It earned standout marks for both its ease of application and waterproofing. In the water spill test, testers said the liquid initially beaded up on top before soaking into the protector. “It does a really good job of keeping moisture away from the sleeper. And It didn’t soak through to the bed at all,” Donna explained.

The Bear GlacioTex Protector performed well in most categories except affordability. Retailing for $250, it’s the most expensive on our list. However, Bear frequently offers discounts throughout the year that can bring the price down to around $175. We also wish this protector’s polyester and polyethylene blend had third-party certifications to verify the material quality. While not all the models on this list have third-party certifications, we appreciate them since they provide peace of mind and eliminate guesswork.

Tester Gerianne said the protector’s material felt “tightly woven” and “very durable,” and she appreciated its natural look and color. Tester Donna said, “The texture is very smooth and feels great.” She awarded it a near-perfect mark for how easy it was to put on the mattress, saying its stretchiness helped. “I was able to get it around the corners without putting in a lot of effort,” she explained.

Retailing at about $199, the Birch Waterproof Mattress Protector is the second-priciest option on our list. It also retained the most heat in our cooling gun test, holding onto 9.1 degrees. Testers said the jersey knit cotton gave the protector more of a “soft and fuzzy” texture rather than being cool to the touch. “It feels pretty cozy, so I did feel it heating up beneath me,” Donna said. If you’d appreciate more active cooling or you’re not inclined to spend so much money, you might want to consider another option.