A queen size mattress is the most popular mattress size on the market for good reason. A queen size bed frame — even one with an adjustable base — is easier to fit in most bedrooms than a king size. A queen size mattress also offers couples enough room and plenty of space for single sleepers.
No matter your preferred mattress type or sleeping style (stomach sleeper, side sleeper, back sleeper, or those elusive combination sleepers), there are some really great options out there if you’re looking for the best queen mattress. However, shopping for a mattress online can be intimidating. There are so many to choose from — memory foam, latex foam, hybrid and innerspring mattresses are all plentiful — and finding the best one without trying them out in the store first can be a challenge.
Here’s where to start: You definitely want something that promotes proper spine alignment, provides pressure relief, prevents back pain and makes for a comfy sleeping surface. I’ve also made things easier for you by testing out mattresses from each top mattress brand myself and rounding up the best queen mattress options out there. Whether you prefer a firm mattress, a medium-firm mattress or a soft mattress (if you’re a stomach sleeper, for instance), there’s something here for you.
Read more: Best mattresses for back pain in 2021
Thanks to its flippability, the Layla Hybrid is really like two mattresses in one. It has a soft side and a firm side, so you can customize your sleeping experience based on how you’re feeling at the time. It’s made of a layered combination of gel memory foam, airflow support foam and an individually wrapped pocketed coil system that provides plenty of support while also allowing enough give to make the mattress feel plush and comfortable right away.
This hybrid mattress also has a middle memory foam layer that’s made from copper-infused memory foam that’s designed to disperse heat and keep you cool while you sleep. And this memory foam mattress layer works. Even in the middle of the summer, the queen mattress felt cool to the touch. You know that feeling you get when you slide into a cool bed with freshly washed sheets? You get that with this mattress type almost every time.
The Layla Hybrid also isolated motion exceptionally well. I didn’t wake up at all from motion transfer when my boyfriend tossed and turned or got out of the bed to use the restroom in the middle of the night.
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The Tuft and Needle Hybrid mattress is made of stacked layers of carbon fiber foam, individually wrapped pocketed coils and ceramic cooling gel. The layers are wrapped in a tufted pillow-top mattress cover that adds an extra comfort layer and “give” that’s ideal for side sleepers, but works well for any sleeping position. I felt equally comfortable on my side (my preferred sleeping position) and my back.
A standout feature is that the foam layers are constructed of T&N Adaptive foam, a proprietary blend that’s designed to move with your body and give the right amount of softness without any of the sink you get from other memory foam mattresses. The mattress was highly responsive when I changed positions during the night so my body felt supported and properly cradled, rather than stuck in the memory foam.
Compared to similar mattresses, there is a little more motion transfer though. For me, this hybrid mattress was comfortable enough and the best mattress for hot sleepers. If you sleep with someone who moves around a lot, that’s something worth considering.
Nectar
The Nectar Premier mattress is the follow-up to the discontinued Nectar Lush mattress, and it provides a similar memory foam feel that, after a few moments, contours around the curves of your body. It’s not quite as soft as Nectar Lush, but it does offer a nice, pressure relief feel around your hips and shoulders that almost makes you feel weightless.
This Nectar mattress is designed with four layers including a gel-infused memory foam comfort layer and a quilted cooling cover. The cover might not be ice-cold, but it should really help most sleepers sleep more temperature neutral and comfortable throughout the night.
And it has really good motion isolation. I loved how it limited motion transfer and didn’t bounce around when my boyfriend tossed and turned in the middle of the night. However, the edge support isn’t the greatest considering it’s designed with a foam base layer, as opposed to a sturdy layer. Read more in our full Nectar Premier mattress review.
The Helix Plus is marketed toward heavier sleepers, but it’s one of the best queen size mattresses for sleepers of any body shape and size. Like all Helix mattresses, the mattress material is a combination of memory foam and Helix dynamic foam — an adaptive memory foam that quickly reacts to your body when you move — but it also has an additional layer of four-pound memory foam that supports people with higher BMIs. At 13 inches tall, it’s thicker than most standard mattresses, so the queen size feels like a bigger mattress size without taking up extra space in your bedroom.
The Helix Plus felt supportive, while providing the right amount of “give” to offer pressure relief for my shoulders and hips and allowing me to sink into this mattress in all of the best ways. It also had more bounce than some of the other hybrid mattresses I tried, but was still surprisingly good with isolating motion — a combo I really enjoyed.
The mattress is categorized as a medium to firm feel — Helix rates it a 7 to 8 out of 10 on the mattress firmness level scale — and I would have preferred it a bit on the softer mattress end of the spectrum, but if you’re looking for a firm mattress that’s comfortable, supportive, and will stand the test of time, this is it. Read more in our full Helix mattress review.
I’m here to tell you that all of the good things you’ve heard about the Purple mattress are true. It’s comfortable and supportive and I felt like I was sinking in without getting stuck, something that’s harder to accomplish with memory foam. While the Purple Grid — a Hyper-Elastic Polymer grid formation with open channels — does take some getting used to (especially if you’re coming from a different mattress type like a 100% memory foam mattress), it’s beyond worth it in the end.
The grid felt more adaptive than other types of mattresses. No matter what sleeping position I was lying in, the Purple mattress hugged and cradled my body like it was designed just for me. It’s also extremely breathable, it’s one of the best cooling mattresses on the market without a cooling cover or special cooling technology in the construction.
While the Hybrid Premier 4 is Purple’s most expensive option, I think it’s worth the extra cost for the additional grid height. I’ve tried other Purple mattresses and the 4 really does give the most zero gravity feel. Read more in our full Purple Hybrid mattress review.
Read our Purple Hybrid Premier 4 review.
The main selling point of the Avocado Green is that it’s organic and completely free of harmful chemicals, flame retardants and toxic foams. It’s made from a combination of cotton, wool and natural latex (or they have a vegan mattress that’s wool-free) that will have you sleeping soundly and consciously. And while that’s a great start, it has to be comfortable too. Fortunately, it is.
At first, this queen bed felt firmer than I typically like, but after a few days, I started to settle into it and really appreciate the balance of support and plushness. I felt equally comfortable sleeping on my side and my back and appreciated how responsive the mattress was — it adjusted quickly as I switched my sleeping position and didn’t have any lag or sink that can go hand in hand with some types of memory foam.
I added the optional pillow top, which adds an extra layer of softness that I thought made a world of difference. If you like a firmer mattress, you may not need it, but I think it’s well worth the extra $500. Read more in our full Avocado mattress review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the dimensions of a queen size mattress?
Your standard queen size mattress is 80 inches long and 60 inches wide. Or 6 feet, 8 inches long by 5 feet wide.
What is the best queen size mattress to buy?
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.
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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.