Our Experts
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
Reviews ethics statement
Aly Lopez Associate Writer
Aly Lopez is a writer on the sleep team at CNET. She tests, researches and reviews everything sleep-related, from mattresses and bedding to sleep trends and hacks to sleep technology and supplements. She received her bachelor's degree in sociology from Central College and is a certified sleep science coach from the Spencer Institute. As someone who has struggled to sleep her whole life, Aly is extremely passionate about helping others improve their lives by writing about ways to get better sleep.
How we sort our mattresses
When picking out a new mattress, most couples opt for a queen-size one. But we know there are a lot of things to consider when you're choosing the perfect mattress for your room, which is why we've tested many, many mattresses to find the best queen mattresses for everyone.
Read more: Best Christmas Gifts: Clear Your List With These 62 Ideas
The first factor to decide when picking out a mattress is size. Although most people can get by with a full-size bed, queens are the most common choice and are preferred for a few reasons: They fit in most bedrooms, comfortably sleep two people and are more budget-friendly than king-size mattresses.
My team and I have tested hundreds of beds and compiled our top picks of the best queen-size mattresses on the market. Whether you prefer a firm or soft bed, hybrid or all-foam, you'll find the best queen mattress below for a quality night's sleep.
What is the best overall queen mattress?
After countless hours analyzing, reviewing and sleeping on mattresses from dozens of brands, we chose the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid as the best queen mattress overall. This is the type of mattress anyone will like: it's accommodating for all sleeping positions and durable enough to support any body type. Retailing for $1,332, Brooklyn Bedding frequently offers it at a discount.
Video: Best queen mattress
Watch CNET senior video producer Owen Poole review the best queen mattresses.
Best queen mattresses of 2024
Compare
Why we chose the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid: Brooklyn Bedding manufactures its beds in the US, cutting out the middleman and making them more affordable. The Signature Hybrid is Brooklyn Bedding's bestselling mattress, and we're not surprised -- it's accommodating, long-lasting and crafted with high-quality materials.
The Signature Hybrid is 12.25 inches tall, 8 inches of which is a layer of over 700 individually wrapped coils, making it durable enough for all body types. The hyper-elastic comfort and transition foam layers create a comfy, neutral foam feel that most people will like. It's not like dense memory foam that you'll sink into. Its construction strikes a balance of soft and pressure-relieving with responsive and breathable.
The Signature Hybrid mattress comes in three firmness levels, meaning there's a suitable choice for every sleeper type. To top it off, Brooklyn Bedding offers the option to add its cooling pillow top for additional body-contouring comfort with unique fibers designed to help keep you cooler throughout the night.
Photo Gallery 1/1
Compare
Pricing based on Queen model
Why we chose the Layla Hybrid mattress: The Layla Hybrid is a unique bed-in-a-box mattress that accommodates many body types and sleeping positions. This flippable mattress features different firmness levels on each side, meaning there are two options for finding the best fit for you.
Both sides have an airy memory foam feel that comfortably contours your curves but doesn't give you that sinking feeling like denser memory foam mattresses such as Tempur-Pedic. The support system of over 1,000 individually wrapped coils is in the middle of this 13-inch tall bed, with layers of airflow support foam and copper-infused gel memory foam on either side. The copper transfers heat from your body and helps you sleep cooler, but we wouldn't say it's an overtly cooling mattress.
Our sleep experts rate the soft side of this bed as medium-soft and the firm side between medium and medium-firm. Strict side sleepers will enjoy the soft side's plusher, pressure-relieving sensation. Because the "firm" side of the mattress isn't super firm, it's still accommodating for side and combination sleepers, especially if you're a heavier side sleeper.
Compare
Why we chose the Bear Original mattress: Bear stands out from the rest as an underrated, affordable bed made of premium materials. Its three-layered construction includes a durable support foam base, Bear Dynamic Foam and a cooling gel memory foam layer, creating a dense memory foam feel. Sitting around a medium-firm, its memory foam slowly molds around your curves and contours to your body's shape.
Given the Bear Original's firmer profile, we recommend it for back, stomach or combination sleepers. Strict side sleepers may want to opt for a softer mattress.
Bear also offers the option to add its Celliant-infused cover, a unique material woven into the fabric that absorbs body heat and transmits it back as infrared energy. This sleep recovery technology is intended to boost circulation and help with muscle tissue repair and is geared toward athletes and those with highly active lifestyles.
Compare
Why we chose the Big Fig mattress: Big Fig stands for bigger figures and is designed specifically for those on the heavier side. This 13" tall hybrid mattress can support up to 1,100 pounds thanks to its durable construction of high-density foams, robust coil system and strong foundation of slats and center rails.
Its responsive, firm foam feel is extremely supportive, even for two plus-size sleepers, it won't feel like you're sinking or sagging, and there's none of that "stuck" feeling you get with dense memory foam. Its medium-firm profile and plush top layer will appeal to most sleepers, especially back, stomach and combination sleepers; however, keep in mind that it might feel slightly softer for heavier folks who sink a little further and firmer to lighter people.
Compare
Why we chose the Purple Restore Hybrid mattress: Purple is a popular mattress brand that crafts beds with a unique feel, and the Restore Hybrid is no exception. This mattress is made with Purple's signature GelFlex Grid material and has a distinctly squishy and responsive gel-like sensation that you won't find with any other bed.
Thanks to the airy honeycomb design of the grid, this bed doesn't retain heat and boasts enhanced temperature regulation. We wouldn't consider it an actively cooling mattress, but it's still an excellent option for hot sleepers who need a more breathable bed.
The Purple Restore Hybrid comes in two firmness options: soft and firm. We found that the "firm" model sits around medium-firm, making it more suitable for back, stomach and combination sleepers. The "soft" model is better for lighter individuals or those who sleep mainly on their side.
Compare
Why we chose the Avocado Green mattress: Avocado has the most green certifications of any other mattress brand we've reviewed. Its beds are natural, organic, non-toxic and free of harmful chemicals. The Avocado Green is a luxurious hybrid mattress crafted with high-quality, naturally sourced materials, such as GOTS-certified organic wool and cotton and FSC-certified Talalay latex. Avocado even offers an entirely vegan mattress without wool.
This durable hybrid bed features nearly 1,500 individually wrapped support coils. The Avocado Green mattress is available in three firmness options. Without a pillow top, the firm model is around an 8-9 out of 10 on our firmness scale and is best for stomach and back sleepers. The plush pillow and box tops can be added (at an additional cost) to make the mattress softer, which is a great option for side sleepers and those needing extra pressure relief.
Compare
Why we chose the DreamCloud Hybrid mattress: From bed-in-a-box company Nectar Sleep comes the DreamCloud Hybrid mattress; a supportive, high-quality bed featuring a firm memory foam feel. Our sleep experts rate this bed between medium-firm and firm or around 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale. Promoting proper spinal alignment, it's best suited for back and stomach sleepers and will likely be too firm for most side sleepers.
This 12" thick DreamCloud Hybrid mattress has durable, pocketed coils and memory foam that's slightly springier and more responsive than the dense memory foam found in the Nectar mattress. Its foam layers and airy pillow top create a plush yet supportive sleeping surface, making it easier to move around and switch positions throughout the night.
Compare
Why we chose the Allswell mattress: Thanks to Walmart's bed-in-a-box mattress Allswell, you no longer have to sacrifice quality for a budget bed. This accommodating hybrid bed has a soft, neutral foam feel and lands around a medium-firm, so it's suitable for most sleeping positions and body types.
Most queen-size hybrid beds with foam and coils cost $1,000 or more, but not with Allswell. This 10" thick bed retails for just over $300, an excellent value for the quality. It has a simple, two-layer design of coils and a layer of charcoal and copper-gel-infused memory foam that responds quicker to pressure than traditional memory foam. This mattress is on the firmer end of the scale, landing around a 6-7 out of 10 for those under 230 pounds. For heavier individuals, it will likely feel a little softer. This bed is ideal for most sleeping positions, particularly back, stomach and combination sleepers.
Compare
Why we chose the Leesa Studio Chill mattress: Considering its budget pricing, durable hybrid design, cooling features and neutral foam feel, you can't go wrong with this bed-in-a-box mattress from Leesa. The Leesa Studio Chill is an accommodating hybrid bed that boasts cooling technology typically not found in other mattresses of a similar price point.
The top cover is infused with cooling fibers that promote temperature regulation, and its durable construction includes an 8-inch thick layer of pocketed coils in a zoned-support configuration, which provides enhanced lumbar support and fosters proper spinal alignment. The responsive primary comfort layer, copper-infused memory foam layer and quilt foam layer combine to create a pressure-relieving yet supportive and neutral feel that most people will like.
We found the Leesa Studio Chill to be around a medium on the firmness scale, meaning it's suitable for all sleeper types: back, stomach, side and combination.
Compare
Why we chose the Saatva Rx: The Saatva Rx is a luxury hybrid mattress specifically engineered for sleepers with chronic back pain and joint issues like arthritis, herniated discs, sciatica and more. Endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association, this bed boasts a unique, zoned-support design and a comfortable, accommodating feel that most sleepers will enjoy.
The Saatva Rx has a Therapeutic Support Core and Patented Lumbar Zone technology that eliminates pressure points while keeping your spine in neutral alignment. Interestingly, each coil in the base layer is tipped with two additional inches of foam for enhanced pinpoint pressure relief. Its construction also includes a layer of over 1,600 micro coils, which flex and contour nicely to your curves while providing the support you need.
Our CNET sleep experts roll around and sleep on beds to find the coziest and most comfortable mattresses on the market. We know -- what a tiring and arduous task -- but hey, someone has to do it. After countless hours testing hundreds of beds, we've discovered everything from the best of the best to those that aren't worth writing home about (much less taking home).
The beds listed above are our top choices, but a few additional beds deserve an honorable mention.
WinkBed: The WinkBed is a thick, luxurious hybrid mattress with a strong pocketed coil system, several layers of coils and a fluffy pillow top. It comes in three different firmness levels ranging from soft to firm, so all sleeping positions can find a comfortable fit.
GhostBed Classic: The GhostBed Classic combines memory foam, latex foam and polyfoam to create a pressure-relieving and responsive mixed foam feel. It also uses its own special latex foam, making it more affordable than organic or natural latex foam. It's great for all sleeping positions because it's rated right in the middle of the firmness scale.
Our sleep experts have years of experience rolling around on hundreds of mattresses. We've established a testing process that assesses each bed based on factors like firmness, motion isolation, durability and edge support.
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read more about how we test mattresses.
Firmness and feel
Having tested hundreds of mattresses, our team has a deep understanding of where a mattress falls on the firmness scale. We compare it to other mattresses as we analyze how hard or soft it is.
We are incredibly hands-on as we test a bed's feel. We press down on it and roll around, noting how the material responds. Is it bouncy and light like latex foam? Or is it syrupy and slow to respond like traditional memory foam?
Durability
Durability is a top consideration when recommending mattresses. We hypothesize how long a mattress will last based on its construction and the quality of materials used. For example, a hybrid bed with steel coils will typically be more durable and long-lasting than an all-foam mattress.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is how well a bed dampens movement across the surface. This might not seem like a big deal, but it matters if you share a mattress with a partner or pets who move around throughout the night. To test motion isolation, we jump and bounce around on the mattress. We also place a glass of water on the edge of the bed to see if it tips over as we roll around.
Edge support
Edge support refers to the strength of the perimeter of the mattress, which is important to consider if you sleep on or near the edge of the bed. We test edge support by sitting and lying on the edge of the mattress. Does the side droop or sag down when compressed with weight? Does it feel like we're going to fall off?
Shopping for a new bed is highly subjective based on your body type, unique needs, budget, sleeping position and more. Let's explore how your preferences might influence the mattress you choose.
Sleeping position
Your sleeping position will determine how hard or soft of a mattress you need for the best night's sleep possible. As a general rule:
- Side sleepers need soft to medium mattresses with plenty of pressure relief to cradle their curves. This prevents uncomfortable or painful pressure points from developing on your shoulders, hips and knees.
- Back and stomach sleepers need a medium to firm mattress that helps keep your spine and neck neutrally aligned so you don't wake up with back pain.
- Combination sleepers have the most flexibility. The firmness level you choose should be based on the position you spend the most time in.
Body type
Your body type determines how much pressure you put on the mattress, ultimately influencing how firm it feels. Heavier people typically experience mattresses as being softer, while petite body types will feel it to be firmer. Your weight also affects what kind of mattress you should get.
- People over 230 pounds need a mattress with plenty of support and enhanced durability, like hybrid mattresses with steel coils.
- Lighter individuals can choose between hybrid and all-foam mattresses.
Health conditions
It's important to consider medical conditions when shopping for your next mattress. If you're a hot sleeper, look for beds with cooling technology or that are made with breathable materials like latex foam. If you live with joint pain or arthritis, you should seek out a soft, pressure-relieving mattress that cradles your body. People with back pain require a firmer mattress to support the spine and neck.
Materials
When looking for a queen mattress, consider the materials in your bed. Its construction will influence your experience and how long it lasts. The three main categories of mattress materials are foam, innerspring or coils and latex foam. A bed with a combination of several materials is called a hybrid mattress.
- Foam: There are several types of foam that you'll find in mattresses: traditional memory foam, open cell foam, gel-infused foam or polyfoam. The type of foam will dictate the feel and firmness of your mattress.
- Innerspring/coils: An innerspring or coil system adds responsiveness and support to the bed. It also tends to make a mattress more durable over time.
- Latex foam: There are two types of latex foam: organic and synthetic. Organic latex is hypoallergenic, antimicrobial and eco-friendly. It also gives mattresses a bouncy and responsive feel, although it's slightly firmer than other foams.
Budget
Buying a new mattress is a significant investment, so it's crucial to identify your budget before shopping for a queen mattress. The average online mattress costs between $850 and $1,200, but there are mattresses for every budget, from $300 to luxury mattresses that cost $2,000 and beyond.
Popular mattress dimensions
| Dimensions |
| 38 x 75 |
| 38 x 80 |
| 54 x 74 |
| 60 x 80 |
| 76 x 80 |
| 72 x 84 |
The best queen-size mattress should fit your sleeping position, body type and budget. Back and stomach sleepers should look for a medium to firm mattress, while side sleepers should keep an eye out for medium to soft queen mattresses. Sleepers weighing over 250 pounds should consider a hybrid mattress made with steel coils for extra durability and support.
Prices for queen mattresses vary depending on the brand and construction. The average price of an online queen mattress is between $800 and $1,200. Budget options exist for under $500 and luxury beds for much more.
You should always remember that you should never pay full price for your next queen mattress. Brands nearly always run sales, especially around big holidays like Presidents Day, Memorial Day or Labor Day. If you time it right, you can save hundreds off the price of your next queen bed.
English (US) ·