The 16 Best Mattress Toppers to Make an Old Bed Feel New Again

Best Waterproof Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Protects against dirt, spills and stains
• Full and fitted coverage
• Doesn't feel like rubber
• Crinkle-free
• On sale

Cons:

• Doesn't keep you cool throughout the night
• Shrinks when overwashed

You're in bed enjoying your morning cup of tea, and all of a sudden, it spills everywhere (ouch). Wouldn't it suck if it seeped all the way into your mattress? Well, you wouldn't have to worry about that if you had this Casper waterproof mattress topper. It's designed to keep your bed fresh by protecting it against dirt, spills, stains and normal wear and tear. And unlike most waterproof toppers, this one covers your entire mattress, plus it doesn't have an annoying rubbery feel.

Best Down Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Stays nice and fluffy
• Baffle-box stitching keeps feathers evenly distributed

Cons:

• Can irritate allergies

Unlike a down pillow that needs continuous fluffing, Parachute’s down mattress topper won't easily deflate into a pancake. It features not one, but two layers of feathers for plush-yet-firm comfort. It’s also got three-dimensional baffle-box stitching that works to ensure all the feathers remain evenly distributed, no matter how often you toss and turn.

Best Down Alternative Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Machine washable
• Deep elastic pocket to keep mattress in place
• Hypoallergenic

Cons:

• Thinner than other models

The plush feel of goose down and allergies don’t always mix well. That’s why there are down-alternative options, like this Coonp pick. It’s nice and cushy for a pillow-soft slumber and it’s got a deep elastic pocket that functions like a fitted sheet to keep your mattress firmly in place. As an added bonus, the whole thing can be thrown into the washing machine for a quick refresh.

Best Copper-Infused Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Antimicrobial
• Provides relief to pressure points

Cons:

• Can trap heat
• Thinner than other models

Layla’s memory foam topper is made with two inches of copper gel-infused memory foam. Why? The material is naturally antimicrobial, so it traps and kills bacteria to keep your bed fresher, longer. When infused into foam, it also creates a soft layer that cradles your body while taking pressure off your hips, shoulders and spine for uninterrupted sleep.

Best Mattress Topper for Muscle Recovery

Pros:

• Designed to aid in muscle recovery
• Antimicrobial

Cons:

• Spot clean only

Bear’s pressure-relieving 2-inch copper-infused foam pad uses something called “Celliant technology” to convert your body heat into infrared energy and reflect it back at you to trigger oxygenation and vasodilation, or dilation of your blood vessels. In turn, Bear claims this topper can actually help your body recover quicker from a tough workout. Similar to the Layla model above, this topper is also infused with copper for added antimicrobial properties. Use code BEAR20 to get 20 percent off.

Best Responsive Foam Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Responsive to body
• Non-skid bottom

Cons:

• Retains heat
• Thinner than other models

The brand behind one of our favorite mattresses-in-a-box, the Original adaptive foam mattress, also makes a mattress topper for the same coveted snooze experience at a far more budget-friendly price. Its responsive foam adds softness to mattresses without too much sink, so you’ll still feel supported. It’s covered with a breathable knit that keeps your sheets from bunching up as you sleep and has a non-skid bottom to prevent it from shifting around on your mattress.

Best Mattress Topper for Back Pain

Pros:

• Relieves back pain
• Stays cool

Cons:

• Difficult to keep fitted sheets in place

Molecule’s Airtec mattress topper is quite possibly the most high-tech option out there. It was developed by engineers, neurologists and sleep experts to keep you comfy and cool—and as we discovered while snoozing on it, it more than delivers on those claims. In fact, it all but eliminated our pregnant tester’s back pain, allowing her to sleep on her left side all night long. As a warm sleeper, she also confirmed it kept her nice and cool courtesy of its “AirTEC core technology,” which the company claims has five times the airflow of traditional memory foam.

Best Organic Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Organic materials
• Low in chemical emissions and toxins
• Comfortable

Cons:

• Pricey
• Has “new mattress” smell

For those on the hunt for something less … synthetic, there’s the Birch plush organic mattress topper. Created with three inches of premium materials sourced from nature (wool, organic cotton and natural latex), each topper is GreenGuard Gold and GOTS-certified, meaning they’re low in chemical emissions and toxins that might otherwise interrupt sleep and potentially affect your health.

Best Latex Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Adds firm support
• No sinking feeling

Cons:

• Needs to be rotated regularly
• Looks like a big slab of foam

When PureWow’s Editor-in-Chief, Jillian Quint, suddenly developed a lower back problem in her mid-30s, she was desperate to find a fix, so she turned to Pure Green’s 100 percent natural latex mattress topper for some relief. “I didn’t want to wake up every morning in pain—but I also didn't want to have to buy an entirely new mattress. … I loved the way this 3-inch latex number totally transformed the firmness of my bed from way too soft to just right. And, because it's latex, there's none of that sinking feeling you get with memory foam; it bounces right back to its initial shape.”

Best Cooling Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Regulates body temperature well
• Compatible with phone app

Cons:

• Pricey
• Requires connecting tubes at head or foot of the bed

If you’re serious about keeping cool while you catch zzz’s, then Chili’s hydro-powered Ooler mattress pad is for you. As the company’s most advanced sleep system, it pumps water through the pad to keep your bed as cool as 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Want to switch to a warm and toasty option for the winter? This unit can also be used to warm your bed up as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s easily controlled by an app right on your phone and features adjustable noise levels for uninterrupted sleep.

Best Mattress Topper for Side Sleepers

Pros:

• Relieves strain on problem areas
• High-quality

Cons:

• Can slide around on mattress with frequent motion

If you sleep on your side, you’re putting continuous pressure on your hips and shoulders, which can force your spine to arch or bend and induce pain. Enter: the Leesa mattress topper. Made from the same responsive foam as the brand’s best-selling Original mattress, this 2-inch topper will provide added support to relieve strain on your problem areas, so you’ll toss and turn less throughout the night.

Best Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Temperature-regulating gel beads
• Minimizes motion transfer
• Budget-friendly

Cons:

• Foam sinks over time

If the low price of Linenspa’s gel-infused memory foam mattress topper isn’t enough to lure you in, maybe the specs will. This baby delivers two or three inches of cradling comfort by way of plush foam infused with temperature-regulating gel beads to provide you with a cooler surface on which to sleep. The cushioning, meanwhile, is designed to touch pressure points for better spinal alignment. It also minimizes motion transfer, so you won’t wake up every time your partner rolls over.

Best Pillow-Top Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Balances support with cushioning
• Temperature-regulating
• Removable, washable cover

Cons:

• Compresses over time
• Thinner than other models

Behold! A topper with the plush feel of a pillow-top mattress with all the pressure-relieving benefits of foam. Made from two-and-a-half inches of temperature-regulating gel memory foam wrapped in one-and-a-half inches of down alternative filling, this high-density pick can make even saggy beds feel like a million bucks. Thanks to the dual-layer design, it creates the perfect balance of softness and support to help align the spine, and, in theory, eliminate pesky back, hip and shoulder pain.

Best Budget Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Infused with lavender
• 5-zone pressure targeting

Cons:

• Retains heat

Rather than one flat plane, Lucid’s ridged memory foam mattress topper features five separate zones for targeted pressure relief where you need it most: the head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. But the really cool thing about the LUCID is that lavender essential oils are literally infused into the material to create a naturally calming feeling that can help you doze off faster.

Best Ventilated Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Ventilated for airflow
• Contours to body
• Choice of thickness

Cons:

• Not ideal for soft, cushy mattresses

Unlike traditional memory foam, this LUCID topper has holes for ventilation to allow for better airflow and temperature control—something that’s enhanced by the cooling gel that it's infused with. Meanwhile, the memory foam contours to your body to align the spine and ease pressure.

Best Egg Crate Mattress Topper

Pros:

• Comfortable
• Breathable
• Removable, washable cover

Cons:

• Retains heat

Fans of the classic egg crate topper can check out Sleep Innovations’ dual-layer gel foam build, which has one flat side and one egg crate side. That means it’ll provide all of the breathability that the egg crates are known for without sacrificing any support and comfort courtesy of the gel foam. It’s also got a pillow-like cover that can be removed for washing,