Best Queen Size Mattresses

Queen mattresses are considered the standard for an adult bed in homes, hotel rooms, and apartments alike. Whether you’ve just moved in with a partner, want extra space for co-sleeping with your pet, or enjoy sprawling out yourself, a queen bed is a great bed size.

That being said, the fact that queen size mattresses are the most popular on the market means that there are thousands to choose from, which can feel overwhelming. In this article, we’ve done much of the heavy legwork for you. Keep reading to learn about the best queen size mattresses available today. We also share details about their construction, price points, pros and cons, and the type of sleeper they’re best suited for.

Disclosure: By clicking on the product links in this article, Mattress Nerd may receive a commission fee at no cost to you, the reader. Read full disclosure statement.

Best Queen Mattresses of 2021

• Editor’s Pick – Casper Original
• Best Value Queen Size Mattress – Nectar
• Best Hybrid – Helix Midnight 
• Best Luxury Queen Size Mattress – DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid
• Best Queen Innerspring Mattress – WinkBeds
• Best Firm Mattress – Saatva
• Best Queen Memory Foam Mattress – Bear
• Best Queen Mattress for Back Sleepers – GhostBed Original
• Best Queen Mattress Under $1000 – Layla
• Best Queen Mattress Under $500 – Brooklyn Bowery

Casper

Our Editor’s Pick is the Casper Mattress, a bed-in-a-box mixed-foam mattress that’s widely available online and at brick-and-mortar stores like Target. It features comfort layers of polyfoam and memory foam, which together, create a 12-inch profile that’s pressure-relieving, and conforms closely to the body. As a bonus, the Casper has excellent motion isolation and sleeps cooler than other all-foam models, making it an appealing queen size mattress for couples and individuals who co-sleep with their children or pets.

The Casper is recommended for lightweight and average weight individuals, as heavyweight sleepers may sink too much into its foam layers. The Casper is affordably priced, with a queen clocking in at just over $1,000. Because the Casper is made with high-quality materials, ships free, and comes with a generous warranty and sleep trial, the Casper is not only our Editor’s Pick for a queen size but a high-value pick as well.

Read our Casper Original mattress review to learn more! 

Nectar

If you are looking for an overall great value mattress, the Nectar is probably the best mattress for the money you can find. This gel memory foam mattress is great for side and back sleepers who tend to get hot at night, due to the gel-infused foams, better materials, and breathable cover. Nectar doesn’t have a lot of bounce to it, and if you are a combination sleeper who moves around a lot in your sleep, you may feel like this mattress makes that a little difficult.

Nectar is also a great option for couples. A lot of people expect memory foam to depress a lot around the edges, which it usually does, but not Nectar. It has reinforced edge support so that you can use the full surface of the mattress without feeling like you’ll fall off. If you are a heavier individual (over 250 pounds) Nectar may not give you the support you need, instead check some mattresses specifically made for big & tall people.

See our full Nectar Mattress Review to learn more.

Helix

The Helix Midnight is honestly just an all-around great mattress. It has gained popularity due to how well it performs for side sleepers, historically a tricky population to make the perfect mattress for. The Midnight is cooling, supportive, and comforting. This mattress relieves pressure on sensitive pressure points and has the right amount of give and support.

The Midnight is also an excellent choice for couples because it has excellent edge support, and isolates motion fairly well. Since it is a hybrid you will feel some movement due to the natural bounce, but the foam layer on top should keep you both fairly steady.

Read our full Helix Midnight review for more information. 

DreamCloud

This medium-firm hybrid mattress gives sleepers the comfort you love in a plush, soft mattress, combined with the necessary support of a firm innerspring mattress. The Dreamcloud is a perfect mattress for someone with pain concerns, as it relieves sensitive pressure points that can cause you to wake up with aches and pains.

The Dreamcloud may be a little too soft for heavy stomach sleepers but should suit most side back and stomach sleepers. One of the great things about buying the Dreamcloud is that you have a full year to try the mattress out and make sure it is the perfect fit for you. Dreamcloud is also a very breathable mattress, meaning it should keep you relatively cool throughout the night.

Read our full Dreamcloud mattress review to learn more. 

The WinkBed

Frequently designated as the best innerspring mattress, the popular WinkBeds mattress contains supportive coils and a pillow top for a luxurious sleep experience. At 14” thick, the WinkBed innerspring mattress is designed to suit many sleepers.

For side sleepers, there are four layers of pressure relieving foams and the 8″ of pocketed coils that delivers different levels of support for stomach and back sleepers depending on the area of the body. A combination of micro-coils and pocketed coils protects the hips and spines of stomach and back sleepers, without forsaking the needed pressure relief. The Euro-pillow top is made of gel-infused foam and the cover is made from the breathable Tencel material, providing hot sleepers with additional cooling.

Read our WinkBeds mattress review to learn more.

Saatva

The Saatva is a luxury mattress complete with thick comfort layers and a robust coil-on-coil system that improves the bed’s durability. While this is our pick for best firm queen size mattress, we really do love every firmness level Saatva offers. Every Saatva mattress is constructed with a Euro-top (similar to a pillow top) cover for added comfort, three polyfoam, and memory foam comfort layers, and a thick pocketed coil support core. The thickness of the comfort layers will vary based on the firmness and height profile you choose. See: Best Pillowtop Mattress

What we love about the Saatva is that you can get a distinct feel with all the options available. From the Plush Soft and Luxury Firm, all the way to the Firm option, there’s something for everyone. Any type of sleeper, regardless of weight or sleep position, should be able to find a suitable design based on their body type, sleeping position, any acute back pain or hip pain, and individual preferences. 

Check out our full Saatva Classic mattress review to learn more!

Bear

The Bear mattress is a medium-firm mattress, designed to be comfortable for many sizes and sleeping positions. Consisting of four foam layers and a Celliant fiber cover for increased circulation, the Bear is a great memory foam mattress for back sleepers, some side sleepers and combination sleepers.

The upper comfort layer of the Bear contours nicely around the pressure points of the body, allowing the sleeper to sink slightly into the mattress. However, the denser polyfoam and bouncier memory foam beneath prevent sleepers from feeling stuck. In addition to the Celliant cover, gel and graphite infused into the comfort layer prevent the sleep from feeling too warm. As with many memory foam mattresses, the foam layers absorb motion transfer making the Bear a great mattress for couples with different sleeping positions.

GhostBed

The GhostBed is one of the best mattresses for back sleepers, because of its responsive yet supportive construction. As an 8/10 on the mattress firmness scale, this firmer mixed-foam mattress uses latex foam to facilitate movement and gel memory foam to improve cooling. The edge support of the foam mattress creates a sturdy surface that heavier back sleepers will still find the needed support.

By providing proper spinal alignment, the GhostBed can help prevent lower back pain and its memory foam construction allows for contouring around the shoulders and hips. If you find yourself shifting from your back to your stomach, the GhostBed is bouncy enough for sleepers to easily change position without losing the pressure relief.

Read our GhostBed mattress review for more information.

Layla

The Layla comes in right over $1000 for a queen mattress, and we think it is the best $1000 you may ever spend! This mattress is flippable so it appeals to a wide variety of sleepers, so if you are looking to upgrade to a queen size mattress, or it is just time for a new one this is a great option that is not too geared towards a specific type of sleeper.

This mattress is soft on one side and firm on the other and you flip to find the best firmness for you. The soft side relieves pressure extremely well, making it great also for those with pain concerns. Queen mattresses are a popular option for couples, and this mattress provides motion isolation so you will not feel every movement from your partner throughout the night.

See our full Layla Mattress Review to learn more! 

Brooklyn Bowery Hybrid

The Brooklyn Bowery is most affordable Brooklyn Bedding model, highly recommended for average-weight back and stomach sleepers and value seekers.

The Bowery is a hybrid that uses pocketed coils in place of the polyfoam base layer typically found in an all-foam bed. The coils will protect the spines of back sleepers, stomach sleepers and side sleepers through a balance of pressure point protection and lower body support. Combination sleepers who find themselves changing positions frequently throughout the night should love the responsiveness this hybrid provides.

Check out our Brooklyn Bowery mattress review for more details.

Queen Size Mattress Buying Guide

Bigger than a full-size mattress but not as space-consuming as a king-size mattress, the queen size mattress offers much appeal. If you’ve decided on a queen size mattress but aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to shopping for a new bed, we recommend deciding on type before anything else. The type of mattress will influence its availability, price point, and much else associated with the bed. If you are interested in checking out larger sizes, our best king size mattress article has some great information.

Types of Queen Mattresses

The standard queen size mattress is 60” x 80”, but there are several variations on the original. Before you make a decision you should explore all of your options.

Olympic Queen: An olympic queen is the same length as a standard queen, but 6” wider, giving you more room to roll around. 

California Queen: On the flip side, California queens are slightly more narrow than standard, measuring 58”. However, the length is 82”—the perfect option for those looking to really stretch their legs. 

Split Queen: A split queen is essentially two 30” x 80” slabs of mattress that are pieced together into one bed. This gives couples the option to customize the firmness of their respective sides.

Mattress Materials

Foam

Foam mattresses contain various comfort, transitional, and support core layers and can feature polyfoam, memory foam, and other types of foam in their construction. Generally, all-foam and mixed-foam beds are best known for their conforming and comfort.

Memory foam mattresses are a favorite among shoppers for their “sinking sand” feel and pressure relieving capabilities, especially along the hips and shoulders. When considering whether an all-foam bed is right for you, it’s important to note that foam beds tend to trap heat and therefore sleep warmer than other models, like innerspring and hybrids. Foam beds also tend to have more sagging and less durability than these types. Head over to our best memory foam mattress list for some great options.

Latex

A latex mattress is defined as any mattress that contains latex foam in its comfort, transitional, or support layers. As such, a latex bed can be made entirely of natural or synthetic latex or can consist of one latex layer on top of other foam or spring layers.

Latex has appealing qualities for shoppers, including natural responsiveness and temperature-regulating properties, and it’s naturally hypoallergenic, antimicrobial, and dust-mite resistant. However, latex beds can be pricey, especially those that are made with natural latex. Interested? Head over to our best latex mattresses list.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses, or “traditional” mattresses, are likely what you slept on growing up. These mattresses offer excellent temperature neutrality and edge support and typically feature a thin foam layer on top of innerspring coils. These models are affordable and the firm surface can be appealing to sleepers who are primarily on their stomachs or their backs. If you’re looking to save some money, take a look at our best affordable mattresses.

Related: Best Innerspring Mattresses

Hybrid

Hybrid queen size mattresses combine the best of both worlds from all-foam and innerspring beds: they have the comfort and conforming of the top foam layers and the support, durability, breathability, and responsiveness of pocketed coil mattresses.

Hybrids are some of the most popular mattresses available on the market today because you can find practically anything you want in a hybrid. They’re made in a variety of sizes, in many thickness profiles, with unique add-ons and features, and come at a variety of price points. In general, however, hybrid mattresses are priced higher than their innerspring mattress and foam mattress alternatives due to both the quality of materials and the complexity of their construction.

Related: Best Hybrid Mattresses

Sleeping Positions

While there is no sleeping position that a queen mattress isn’t good for, your preferred position will affect the type of queen mattress that works best for you.

Side Sleeping

Side sleepers require a considerable amount of pressure relief, since their shoulders and hips weigh heavily on the mattress’ surface. A bed with medium firmness will allow these sensitive areas to sink in just enough to be cushioned, but not enough to throw the sleeper’s spine out of alignment. Head on over to our best mattresses for side sleepers roundup to explore some of our favorites.

Related: How to Properly Sleep on Your Side

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping is generally considered the healthiest of sleeping positions, as it naturally promotes spinal alignment. Still, a bed that is too soft can cause your hips to sink uncomfortably low. If you sleep on your back, something around a 6/10 on the mattress firmness scale should be right around your sweet spot. For more info, take a look at our best mattress for back sleepers article. 

Related: Train Yourself to Sleep on Your Back

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleepers have a little bit more work to do to ensure that they’re getting the soundest night’s sleep possible. Even the slightest over-sinking of their hips will throw their spine out of alignment, which can lead to back pain. A queen mattress with a firm feel best way to prevent that from happening. 

Also, it is important that stomach sleepers use a pillow that is quite flat, or no pillow at. Something too puffy can cause you to angle your neck in an awkward way, leading to further aches and pains. Check out our best pillows for stomach sleepers list for some recommendations.

Related: Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers

Combination Sleeping

A combination sleeper is simply someone who tosses and turns, constant changing sleeping positions. As such, there is no one perfect firmness for them. Rather, responsiveness is the key for combination sleepers. A bed with high responsiveness quickly responds to movement, allowing for ease of motion. Generally, a bed with thick layers of foam will restrict movement. Something like a latex or hybrid queen mattress will probably be a good option. See our best mattresses for combination sleepers.

Sleeping with a Partner

If you usually sleep alone, then a queen size bed is probably the perfect size. If you sleep with a partner or pet, however, it may be wise to explore king mattresses. A standard king is 76” x 80”, which will provide much more space for you and your partner to move around on, if one or both of you happen to be restless sleepers. Also, it will make it easier for you to move to the other side of the bed and give your partner space if your body heat is making it difficult for them to avoid overheating.

If you want to explore more, take a look at our best king mattresses roundup.

Other Factors to Consider 

• Firmness—Firmness refers to how soft or firm a queen size mattress feels on a scale of 1 to 10. If you’re unsure of which firmness level would suit you best, we recommend consulting our firmness guide. Generally speaking, medium-firm beds are best suited for a wide variety of sleeping positions and body types. If you’re a lightweight sleeper or a side sleeper, you’ll enjoy a softer bed. If you’re a heavyweight sleeper, back sleeper, or stomach sleeper, you’ll want a firmer model.
• Feel—Feel and firmness are related to one another, but they’re not exactly the same thing. For example, a bed can have a medium-firm firmness level but still feel soft and cushioning to the touch due to thicker comfort layers. The feel of a bed can also be described as cradling, responsive, and bouncy, to name a few. Feel comes down to preference, and it can be a good idea to test out different beds in a brick-and-mortar store to help you decide on what you do and don’t like. 
• Mattress Type—The style of mattress you choose is one of the greatest factors in determining the mattress’ feel, firmness, durability, edge support, motion isolating ability, and many other important qualities. There’s no right or wrong mattress type, but each type excels in some areas and falls behind in others. It’s important to consider which qualities are most important to you and to aim to select a mattress type that delivers well on your priorities.
• Price—Queen size mattresses range in price from just several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. If you’re investing in a queen size mattress for a new home, we recommend trying to budget as much as you can for the bed. Most mattresses last upwards of seven to eight years, so it’s important to find something that’s going to support your body and provide a good night’s sleep for that duration of time. That being said, if you’re purchasing the queen mattress for short-term living accommodation or simply don’t have extra cash to spend, there are many high-value options at friendly price points available.
• Cooling—If you tend to sleep hot, be on the lookout for mattress brands that infuse their beds with cooling gel. Or, focus your search on mattress types with high breathability, like innersprings or hybrids. Take a look at our best cooling mattresses for some suggestions.
• Motion Isolation—Motion isolation is especially important for queen size models as many sleepers upgrading to queen size beds are doing so to make space for a partner, child, or pet. This means that if you wake easily to the movements or noise of someone else in your bed, you’ll want to minimize that noise and movement as much as possible. Look for models that are rated highly in both motion transfer and noise reduction. 
• Materials—Above, we reviewed the standard construction for various bed types, but once you’ve chosen the style of mattress you want, it’s important to pay attention to the details of the materials. For example, if you opt for a memory foam queen bed and sleep hot, you’ll want to be on the lookout for open-cell or gel memory foams in the top layer, as a gel memory foam mattress will help mitigate the heat that’s usually trapped by memory foam. Similarly, if you opt for an innerspring queen mattress but prefer a softer surface, make sure the top layer of foam is plusher or thicker than average.
• Bedding and Bed Frame—If this is your first queen size bed after sleeping on a full or twin size mattress, you’ll want to make sure you’re accounting for a bed frame, box spring, or new headboard in your bedding budget. You’ll also need to invest in new queen size bedding, which will include sheets, a comforter or duvet, and sometimes pillows.

Picking the Right Queen Size Mattress

As we’ve mentioned, if you’ve chosen a queen mattress size, trying to find the best new mattress for your home can lead to decisions overwhelm with the sea of choices that are available in today’s market.

Thankfully, the rise in online mattress companies and third-party retailers, like Amazon and Wayfair, has made it easier to browse mattresses and read reviews before you buy. Most mattresses now come with free shipping in the USA, generous warranties, and sleep trial periods. The sleep trials simply mean that if you decide you don’t like the mattress, you can return it free of charge (usually) within the specified period. 

For those who prefer to try before you buy, brick-and-mortar stores are widely available in most towns to test out beds in person. As always, we recommend starting your search with a personal “inventory” of your sleeping position, body type, personal preferences, budget, any areas of acute aches and pains, and other factors that will impact your decision. A simple list can help you narrow down the type and style of mattress you want and lead you in the right direction.

Conclusion 

We hope this article on the best queen size beds brought you one step closer to choosing the best mattress for your home! Upgrading to a queen-size or replacing an existing queen size mattress is an exciting decision. We recommend reviewing our queen size mattress buying guide and, from there, reading through our list of the best queen size mattresses to see if there’s a recommendation that could work well for your needs and shopping budget.

Still on the fence about which mattress size to go with? Our article on queen vs. king size mattresses or full vs. queen size mattresses might be of some help to you, or see our article on all mattress sizes for an even more exhaustive breakdown.

Recap of the Best Rated Queen Mattresses