Innerspring and hybrid mattresses are naturally more breathable because air can flow through the coil layers. Latex is also a naturally breathable material. While memory foam is known to get toasty, it’s often infused with cooling materials, like gel or graphite, which can help pull heat away from your body.
Who is a queen size mattress best for?
Queen mattresses are usually around 60 by 80 inches, so before buying one, you’ll want to think about how a bed of this size will fit in your room. For example, will you have space left for a nightstand on one or both sides? (And if not, where will you put your water bottle and phone charger!?) Can you fully open your bedroom door without hitting your bed? People navigating smaller spaces may opt for a full-size mattress if a queen makes things a tad too tight.
Think about who will be sleeping on the mattress too. Queen size beds are roomy enough to work well for lots of couples, but they’re also a nice option for anyone who seriously loves spreading out solo. “Bigger is usually better, so as a single person, if you have space for a queen size mattress, that would likely be better,” Amy M. West, MD, a sports medicine physiatrist in the Orthopedic Institute at Northwell Health, tells SELF.
Types of queen size mattresses
Mattress type essentially refers to the materials a mattress is made from. Each of these types—innerspring, memory foam, latex, and hybrid—“offers varying levels of support,” says Dr. Dimitru. Here’s what to know about each:
Innerspring
A simple, traditional mattress with metal coils and a layer of comfortable fabric on top is an innerspring. These tend to be bouncier and more supportive than memory foam or latex options, Dr. Dimitru says, but they’re not as good at contouring to the body to offer targeted cushion and pressure relief. Mattresses with springs are also naturally breathable, says Dr. West: “They allow for better airflow, which can help cool the body during sleep, which can improve sleep quality.”
Memory Foam
Memory foam mattresses, made from a polyurethane-based material, win points for being pressure-relieving (great for back pain), motion isolating (helpful for couples), and cushiony (a benefit for side sleepers, in particular). Plus, there’s the convenience factor: The absence of springs makes them easy to roll up and package, so you can often buy them in a box that gets delivered to your doorstep.
That said, memory foam beds generally aren’t the best cooling option available, and they also lack the bounce of other types, making them harder for combination sleepers to move around on.
Latex
Made from latex foam derived from rubber trees or synthetically made, these mattresses are known for being highly responsive and pressure relieving. They’re also more breathable than memory foam and are allergen-friendly (aside from a literal latex allergy). The tradeoff of the bouncy feel is that latex doesn’t always isolate motion well, so you may feel a bedmate get up to head to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Hybrid
Hybrid mattresses include both metal springs and layers of foam (memory or latex), combining features of both types. FWIW, our pick for the best overall best queen size mattress—the DreamCloud Hybrid—is a hybrid, for good reason: “Hybrid mattresses may offer the best mix of both support and contouring to relieve pressure points,” says Dr. Dimitriu.
How we tested these mattresses
Rest assured that the best queen size mattresses here weren’t randomly plucked from the internet. Our team of experienced testers tried out a ton of queens before narrowing down the final list of options that’ll give your sleep the royal treatment. You can check out our full mattress-testing methodology here, but in the meantime, here’s a look at three factors our testers considered in picking the best queen size beds: firmness, cooling, and materials.
Testers laid down on the beds in all sleeping positions and rated the firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being super soft and 10 being hard as a board. We averaged the results for an overall score. Most of the mattresses on this list fall in the medium-firm camp.
To score each mattress for cooling, our testers took the bed’s temperature before and after lying on it. We consider any bed that heats up more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit to have subpar cooling abilities.
We cut each queen size mattress open to get a better look at the materials on the inside (innerspring, memory foam, latex, or hybrid) then assess how those layers might contribute to qualities like support and pressure relief.
FAQs
All your top Qs about queen size mattresses, answered:
What are the top-rated queen-size mattresses?
We highly recommend the DreamCloud Hybrid, a breathable, affordable, and bouncy queen sized mattress that includes a luxe-feeling cashmere cover.
How much should I pay for a good queen-size mattress?
The best queen size mattresses on this list range from $665 for the DreamCloud Hybrid to $2,623 for the Birch Luxe, with a median price of $1,539—though don’t forget it’s very possible to take advantage of sales to bring down these costs. According to Dr. Dimitriu, certain materials or features, like cooling fabrics, may drive up the price of the mattress.
What is the difference between a king and a queen bed?
The main differences are size and cost. Queen size mattresses are usually 60 inches wide and 80 inches long; a king, on the other hand, is 76 inches wide by 80 inches long, so you can spread out a little more. (You can also go bigger—a California king is 72 inches wide and 84 inches long, making it a good choice for taller people.) The bigger the bed, the more it is likely to cost, as well, so budget is another consideration.
What are the dimensions of a queen-size mattress?
Queen size mattresses are 60 inches wide and 80 inches long. Height will vary depending on the model.
Related:
- The 9 Best Mattresses for Sex in 2024
- The 9 Best Affordable Mattress in 2024
- Need a New Mattress? Start