For many people, the difference between getting a solid night’s sleep and constantly waking up throughout the night comes down to how much space you have in bed to spread out comfortably. But if you’re working with limited square footage, a roomy king isn’t always possible. “A queen size mattress strikes a good balance of room for two while not taking up too much space [in your bedroom],” Alex Dimitriu, MD, a double-board certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine expert based in Menlo Park, California, tells SELF.

Dr. Dimitriu’s view of queen size mattresses as the sweet spot (not too big, not too small) seems to ring true for many folks: According to one small 2017 survey, about half of Americans have a queen size mattress in their bedrooms. But (you may have heard) size isn’t everything. So SELF’s team of experienced testers tried a ton of queen-sized mattresses and shared their two cents on important comfort factors like firmness, materials, cooling capability, motion isolation, and more in order to help you find your perfect match. We also chatted with experts to learn exactly what you need to know before you shop.

Top picks for the best queen size mattresses

• Best Overall: DreamCloud Hybrid
• Best Queen Size Mattress for Side Sleepers: Helix Midnight Luxe
• Best Queen Size Cooling Mattress: Nectar Luxe Hybrid
• Best Luxury Queen Size Mattress: Saatva Classic
• Best Hybrid Queen Size Mattress: The WinkBed
• Best Firm Queen Size Mattress: Bear Original
• Best Queen Size Mattress for Back Pain: Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
• Best Queen Size Mattress for Couples: Emma Hybrid Comfort
• Best Latex Queen Size Mattress: Birch Luxe Natural

In this article

• Shop the best queen size mattresses
• How to find the best queen size mattress for you
• Who is a queen size mattress best for?
• Types of queen size mattresses
• How we tested these mattresses
• FAQs

DreamCloud Hybrid

$1,613 $665 (59% off)

DreamCloud

• Breathable cashmere blend cover feels luxurious, according to testers
• More affordable than many other queen size mattresses
• Has nice bounce and softness
• Delivery is prompt and straightforward, reviewers say

• You might feel a bedmate move around

Why we picked it: The DreamCloud Hybrid combines the springy support of coils with the cozy plushness of memory foam to create a dreamy sleep surface, our testers say. It’s medium-firm, supportive, and bouncy enough to allow you to shift positions without breaking a sweat. Testers say the cherry on top is the bed’s cashmere cover, which feels cozy and plush.

Our fave features: The lower price point (this mattress is a few hundred dollars less than most others on the market) is all the more impressive given its solid testing performance in a number of categories, including support (4.5 out of 5), responsiveness (5 out of 5), and pressure relief (5 out of 5). The yearlong trial period and lifetime warranty are noteworthy nice-to-haves too. The DreamCloud Hybrid is also our favorite mattress that’s available on Amazon, which means you could curl up in your new bed in just two days, thanks to the retailer’s fast shipping for Prime members.

Who it's for: Robert Mancuso, MD, a spine specialist based in New York tells SELF that folks with back pain are best served by mattresses that can support spine alignment and prevent pressure from building up in the joints overnight. With its medium-firmness and great pressure relieving capability, the DreamCloud checks both these boxes.

Helix Midnight Luxe

$2,374 $1,780 (25% off)

Helix

• Good pressure relieving capabilities
• Contours the to body nicely around the joints

• May not be the best for edge support
• The trial period and warranty aren’t as generous as some competitors

Why we picked it: Side sleepers tend to do well with a medium-firm mattress that’ll hold up their spine but also has enough give to allow their hips and shoulders to sink in. The Helix Midnight Luxe does just that, impressing our testers with its ability to effectively relieve these pressure points. We also use a pressure-mapping blanket to see if any particular “hot spots” on your body bear the brunt while you snooze; when our team curled up on their sides on the Helix Midnight Luxe, the device showed minimal pressure buildup.

Who it's for:Our testers say the Helix Midnight Luxe feels like a high-end hotel bed, making it a good pick for anyone who seriously needs a staycation. And since it isolates motion well, we also believe it’s a good queen size mattress for couples who don’t want to disturb each other during the night.

Just so you know: Edge support is the measure of how strong the mattress is around its perimeter, and testers say the Helix Midnight Luxe is middling in this department. Lack of edge support is an important consideration for those who have mobility issues (it’s harder to stand up from a bed that sags at the edges). It also means you won’t be able to take advantage of every inch of your queen—if you roll too close to the side, you might wake up on the floor.

Best Queen Size Cooling Mattress: Nectar Luxe Hybrid

Nectar Luxe Hybrid

$2,231 $1,399 (37% off)

Nectar

• Provides solid pressure relief
• Has nice cushioning
• Contours to your body

• The optional mattress protector is not water-resistant, according to reviewers

Why we picked it: The Nectar Luxe Hybrid is made with memory foam and eight inches breathable coils, which work to keep the bed cool. In our test for temperature-regulation, the Nectar Luxe only heated up 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit, which we consider an excellent result. Our testers also said this hybrid mattress felt soft and plush like an all-foam bed.

Who it's for:The Luxe scored well for its pressure-relief capabilities, which is good news for anyone who deals with back pain. During our pressure-map test, results showed very little issue for both side sleeping and back sleeping positions.

Best Luxury Queen Size Mattress: Saatva Classic

Saatva

Classic Mattress

$2,095 $1,795 (14% off)

Saatva

• Generous trial period and lifetime warranty
• Great edge support means you can spread out across every inch of it
• Delivery is easy and customer service is good, reviewers say

• Some may find it too firm
• You might feel a bedmate toss and turn
• Expensive

Why we picked it: If you’re looking for a queen fit for a queen, look no further than the Saatva Classic. “I wish I had this mattress at home,” says one of our testers. “It's probably one of the most luxurious mattresses I've tried, and I really don't want to get off of it.” Its pillow top layer—made of breathable, moisture-wicking organic cotton—gives a plushness you don’t typically see in an innerspring bed. Below, individually wrapped coils allow for airflow and offer loads of support.

Our fave features: You can customize the Saatva Classic’s firmness and height (either 11 .5 or 14.5 inches) to your liking. Plus, the generous trial period (365 nights) and lifetime warranty are reassuring given the higher price of this mattress.

Who it's for: This mattress lands on the firmer end of medium-firm, which Dr. Dimitriu says makes it a good choice for back or stomach sleepers. (These folks benefit from a stiffer base that’ll help encourage spinal alignment.) And since the Saatva earned a perfect 5/5 score for responsiveness during testing, we can confidently say it’s also a great fit for combination sleepers, who should have no trouble switching positions in the middle of the night.

Just so you know: A common tradeoff of a bed being super responsive is that it likely won’t isolate motion as well—and that’s the case with the Saatva Classic. So, if you’re a light sleeper who’s likely to wake up when your partner rolls around throughout the night, the Emma Hybrid Comfort might be a better choice for you.

Best Hybrid Queen Size Mattress: The WinkBed

WinkBeds the WinkBed

$1,799 $1,499 (17% off)

WinkBeds

• Offers multiple firmness options
• Zoned coil support may help ease back pain
• Scored well for cooling

• Doesn’t deliver the contouring feeling that memory foam is famous for

Why we picked it: The WinkBed is a mattress unicorn: It’s both soft and supportive. Its cushiony pillow top is filled with cooling-gel-infused foam, and beneath that is a layer of airy coils that use zoned support—meaning the mattress is firmer in the center, where your body needs more support—to help ease back pain.

Who it's for: With multiple firmness options available, you’ll be able to find aWinkBed that suits your go-to sleeping position. It’s also a good choice for hot sleepers: In our temperature retention tests, the WinkBed heated up just 7 degrees Fahrenheit, which we classify as a good result. In addition to its gel-infused foam and coil layers that allow for airflow, the cover is made from Tencel, a breathable material that’s been shown to have solid thermal conductivity.

Just so you know: If you love the hugging quality that traditional memory foam is known for, this hybrid may not fit the bill. One tester says she felt like she was sleeping on top of the mattress, not in it—for more of a body-contouring feeling, look for a plusher, softer mattress like the Helix Midnight Luxe.

Best Firm Queen Size Mattress: Bear Original

Bear

Bear

Original

$998 $649 (35% off)

Bear

• It’s easy to shift positions on this mattress
• Scored well for cooling
• GreenGuard Gold Certified to be free of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

• Not the best for motion isolation
• Feels a little thin and lacks support, according to some testers

Why we picked it: “Firm” and “memory foam” are odd bedfellows, but that’s what you get with the Bear Original. Our testers thought it felt stiff and supportive; and because there was very little sinkage, it offered nice responsiveness that made it easy to change positions.

Our fave features: While the Bear got a good score in our temperature regulation test without any add-ons (it heated up less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit) hot sleepers will be happy to know that you also have the option to add a Celliant cover for an extra $140, which can boost the bed’s heat conductivity powers.

Who it's for: The Bear is a medium-firm mattress, a level that Dr. Dimitriu recommends for back or stomach sleepers. (Firm beds aren’t so great for side sleepers, though, because folks who prefer that position could use some extra cushion around their hips and shoulders.) Our back- and stomach-sleeping testers say they felt supported in both of these positions, as well.

Just so you know: Motion isolation left something to be desired with this mattress; our tester was easily able to feel another person moving around on the other side of the bed.

Best Queen Size Mattress for Back Pain: Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe

Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe

$1,199 $839 (30% off)

Brooklyn Bedding

$1,699

Amazon

• Available in three firmness levels
• Standout cooling ability
• Has a zoned coil system for pressure relief
• High responsiveness makes moving around easy

• Expensive
• Warranty isn’t as long as some competitors

Why we picked it: With a cushiony memory foam layer plus zoned innerspring coils that are firmer in the center to offer evenly distributed support, the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe can give your achy back a break. This mattress is medium-firm, which research says is helpful for reducing back pain and improving sleep quality. “With hybrids, you get a firmer mattress, and that gives you better support and pressure relief,” Dr. Mancuso says of why he believes this type of mattress is best for back pain.

Our fave features: Our tester was immediately wowed by how chill-to-the-touch the GlacioTex cooling cover felt. Beneath that top layer, the copper-infused memory foam and airy coils kept the temperature in check. In our test for cooling, the Aurora Luxe only heated up 5 degrees Fahrenheit, explaining its 5 out of 5 score for this category.

Also worth noting: We’re into the fact that you can pick from three firmness levels to customize your comfort.

Emma Hybrid Comfort

$1,539 $695 (55% off)

Emma

• Excellent at isolating motion
• Scored well in cooling
• Too firm for many side sleepers

• Testers says it’s kind of noisy when you move around on it

Why we picked it: It’s pretty annoying when your bedmate’s tossing and turning wakes you up. That’s why you’ll want to zero in on how a bed absorbs movement. “Motion isolation matters most if you share a bed,” says Dr. Dimitriu, and the Emma Hybrid Comfort earned top scores for this category. Our tester says she barely felt movement from the other side of the bed—even when someone was jumping.

Who it's for: The Emma Hybrid Comfort is a firm mattress that allows for very little sinkage, meaning you shouldn’t expect the gentle body-cradling feeling you get with many all-foam beds. This stiffness makes it a nicely supportive option for back or stomach sleepers, both of whom “generally do better” on a firmer mattress, Dr. Dimitriu notes. But since it lacks the contouring effect to relieve pressure on the hips and shoulders, the Emma Hybrid Comfort is too firm for many side sleepers.

Just so you know: Our tester observed a plasticky sound when moving around on top of this mattress.

Best Latex Queen Size Mattress: Birch Luxe Natural

Birch Living

Birch Living by Helix

Birch Luxe Natural

$2,624 $1,968 (25% off)

Birch

• Bouncy and responsive
• Eco-friendly, thanks to natural materials and a bonus GreenGuard Gold certification
• Has solid air flow

• Doesn’t have the best edge support, according to testers
• Just okay at isolating motion
• Most expensive option on the list

Why we picked it: If you like the cushion of memory foam, but aren’t so into its heat-trapping quality or sinking-in feeling, you should consider a mattress made with latex foam, like the Birch Luxe Natural. Latex is naturally cooling and responsive—two categories where the Birch Luxe Natural scored well—in addition to being durable and generally eco-friendly.

Our fave features: The Birch Luxe is GreenGuard Gold certified, meaning it’s been manufactured without harmful chemicals. If having an eco-friendly mattress is important to you, this is a good option.

Just so you know: The edge support on the Birch Luxe isn’t amazing, which can mean that getting up from the bed can require extra effort (folks with mobility issues should take note!). And while the Birch Luxe’s motion isolation wasn’t quite as good as you’d find with many memory foam mattresses, it did better than expected, as our tester remarked.

Figuring out that you want a queen size mattress for your bedroom is just part one of your shopping process. Here’s what else you’ll want to keep in mind to help ensure you’ll be comfortable sleeping on your queen for years to come.

A mattress may be made out of innersprings (that’s one with metal coils), memory foam (made from polyurethane foam), latex (they tend to be springy and breathable), or a hybrid (a combination of both foam layers plus springs). There are pros and cons for each type (more on this below), but in general, “memory foam and latex offer more specific contouring, while innerspring and hybrid mattresses have more bounce and support,” says Dr. Dimitriu.

Rated on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the softest possible, and 10 feeling like a hardwood floor), this subjective measurement describes how a mattress feels when you lie down on it. You may already have some sense of how firm or pillowy soft you like your mattress, but if you’re unsure of what level is best for you, Dr. Dimitriu recommends considering your sleep position. “Back and stomach sleepers generally do best with a more firm mattress,” he says. Side sleepers, on the other hand, may feel more comfortable on softer mattresses that support pressure points. Ultimately, whatever firmness level makes you feel most comfortable is the best choice.

Mattresses with good pressure relief help distribute your body weight evenly across the bed so you don’t experience buildup in common hotspots (like the shoulders and hips for side sleeping, or lower back for back and stomach sleeping), which can lead to soreness or pain. “If your mattress isn’t giving you the support you need when you’re resting, you’ll stress certain parts of your body,” explains Dr. Mancuso. “You might feel stiffer and achier when you wake up.”

A mattress that’s strong in the motion isolation category is able to absorb impact so that movement doesn’t transfer from one side to the other. In practice, this means you’re less likely to feel a tossing and turning bedmate throughout the night, which is why Dr. Dimitriu says this feature “matters most if you share a bed.” In general, memory foam and hybrid mattresses are best at isolating movement, he adds.

As SELF has previously reported, the best room temperature for many sleepers is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you can’t control your thermostat or you run hot, know that having a mattress that allows you to stay cool stands to help you sleep well. In general, “cooler temperatures can help induce and maintain sleep,” Dr. West says.

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.

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.

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:

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 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.

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 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.

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.

All your top Qs about queen size mattresses, answered:

We highly recommend the DreamCloud Hybrid, a breathable, affordable, and bouncy queen sized mattress that includes a luxe-feeling cashmere cover.

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.

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.

Queen size mattresses are 60 inches wide and 80 inches long. Height will vary depending on the model.

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