Best Twin XL Mattress

You might be purchasing a Twin XL mattress for your growing child, or maybe you want one for your college dorm. Perhaps you’re interested in purchasing two Twin XL mattresses for your King-size adjustable bed frame. Despite not being as popular as some of the traditional mattress sizes, a lot can be done with a Twin XL.

Which is exactly why we’ve put this list together! We’re giving this unsung hero of the mattress world its due with ten of our favorite models available for online purchase.

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 Twin XL Mattresses of 2022

• Helix Midnight—Nerd’s Pick
• Saatva—Best Twin XL Mattress for Back Pain
• DreamCloud—Best Twin XL Mattress for Adjustable Bed
• Nectar—Best Memory Foam Twin XL Mattress
• WinkBed—Best Twin XL Mattress for Adults
• Leesa—Best Twin XL Mattress for Kids
• Brooklyn Titan—Best Twin XL Mattress for Heavy People
• Nolah Evolution—Best Hybrid Twin XL Mattress
• Bear—Best Twin XL Mattress for College Students
• Casper Wave Hybrid—Best Luxury Twin XL Mattress 

The Helix Midnight is a well-rounded, affordable Twin XL mattress that has wide appeal because of its middle-of-the-road firmness and high scores in performance factors such as pressure relief and durability. 

The Helix Midnight performed well for lightweight and average-weight sleepers, regardless of preferred sleeping position. This means that kids and many college students and adults can find comfort on the Twin XL Helix Midnight mattress.

See our full Helix Midnight Mattress Review to learn more! Or, for more options, take a look at our list of the best mattresses of 2022.

The construction of the Saatva mattress includes two lumbar support layers, making this hybrid a good choice if you suffer from back pain. In addition to the lumbar support layers, the Saatva also includes pocketed coil layers, durable support coils, and a Euro top with an organic cotton cover. All together, the construction of this mattress provides that coveted hotel-bed feel. 

For a Twin XL, the Saatva might cost a bit more than you expected to pay, but the quality absolutely justifies the price. With perfect scores in Ease of Movement, Edge Support, Temperature Control, and Durability, this mattress has a whole lot going for it.

See our full Saatva Mattress Review to learn more! Or, for more options, take a look at our list of the best mattresses for back pain.

An adjustable bed can be a game changer when it comes to sleep, as it enables you to change lofts at the touch of a button, which can help make you much more comfortable. If you have one of these products, it’s essential that you purchase a mattress that is compatible with it—a mattress like the DreamCloud. 

The DreamCloud has a hybrid construction that supports and comforts at the same time. It’s 6.5/10 firmness feels especially good when you’re on your back, so you can pop your adjustable frame into an elevated position and cozily watch tv in bed. The future is here.

See our full DreamCloud Mattress Review for more info! 

The Nectar mattress has a memory foam construction that provides solid motion isolation and pressure relief. It’s an especially good choice for Twin XL shoppers out there, as it can usually be purchased for right around $799, so even if you want to replace it after a few years you won’t have invested too much money in it.

But, if you fall in love with your Twin XL Nectar and want to hang onto it, you’ll be pleased to learn that each mattress comes with a generous lifetime warranty.

Read the full Nectar Mattress Review to learn more! Interested in more options? Take a look at our list of the best memory foam mattresses.

Twin XL mattresses aren’t just for kids and college students. They offer an affordable, space-saving alternative to the larger size mattresses, and for some people they have plenty of surface areas to be comfortable. The WinkBed is a great option for adults looking for a high-quality, well-constructed Twin XL bed.

This mattress works well for all body types and sleeping positions, so no matter what it should make you feel comforted and supported. It also has exceptional temperature regulation abilities, meaning it can help you sleep cooler at night, even if there is a heatwave going on.

Read our full WinkBed mattress review! 

If your kid is starting to hit those big growth spurts, it might be time to upgrade them to a Twin XL. The Leesa is an excellent choice because it scored well for lightweight sleepers in all sleeping positions. This means that no matter how your child likes to rest, the Leesa will have their back. 

You might be reluctant to spend too much money on a new mattress for your kid, as they might outgrow their Twin XL as quickly as they outgrew their first mattress. Well, the good news is that the Leesa mattress usually sells for the (relatively) low price of $799.

See our full Leesa Mattress Review! For more great options, check out our list of the best mattresses for kids.

Heavy people (above 230 lbs) need their mattress to provide plenty of support. The Brooklyn Titan was designed with this in mind. Its foam and coil construction makes for a durable, yet comfortable mattress that performs very well for large individuals.

Keep in mind, Twin XL mattresses have a 38” x 80” surface area, so you might not have a ton of room to move around. That said, if you have no choice but to go with this size mattress, then you can’t do much butter than the Brooklyn Titan.

See our full Brooklyn Titan Mattress Review! For more great options, check out our list of the best mattresses for heavy people.

When we talk about high-quality constructions here at Mattress Nerd, we’re usually talking about hybrid mattresses. The Nolah Evolution is one of these hybrids that we often cite as having an impressive, high-quality construction.

This impressiveness is evidenced by the fact that the Nolah Evolution scored a 4/5 or higher on every one of our performance tests, including perfect scores in both temperature regulation and durability.

See our full Nolah Evolution Mattress Review! For more great options, check out our list of the best hybrid mattresses.

We get it—college dorms aren’t exactly known for their great mattresses. While most students will opt to grit their teeth and bare through a few years of discomfort, some will choose instead to bring their own mattress. If this sounds like you, we suggest you consider the Bear. 

The Twin XL Bear mattress is affordable and well-rounded, great for the college student who isn’t looking for something too fancy, but can’t imagine sleeping on their stiff dorm room bed for four whole years.

See our full Bear Mattress Review!

Maybe your space calls for a Twin XL but you want to spare no expense on the quality of the mattress. In that case, go with something luxurious like the Casper Wave Hybrid. This mattress scored exceptionally well on all of our mattress lab tests, such as ease of movement and edge support—two factors that are very important if you like to move around and use up the entire surface of the bed.

The Casper Wave Hybrid is one of the more expensive mattresses on this list, but it’s also one of the most impressive. In addition to comfort and support, the Casper also comes with a generous lifetime warranty.

See our full Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress Review! For more great options, check out our list of the best luxury mattresses.

What is a Twin XL Mattress?

A Twin XL mattress is slightly larger than a Twin mattress, and slightly smaller than a Full mattress. Think of it as the logical choice for people who want more room than a Twin provides, but don’t quite need the surface area of a Full.

Twin vs. Twin XL Mattress

A Twin mattress measures 38” x 75” while a Twin XL measures 38” x 80”, so with a Twin XL you get an extra 5” of length. This is important for taller people who like to stretch out and not worry about their feet dangling off of the end of their mattress. 

Twin XL vs. Full Mattress

The surface area of a Full mattress measures 54” x 75”, meaning it is much wider than a Twin XL and just a little bit shorter. The extra width on a Full is great if you need some extra space to roll around, but they do cost a bit more than Twin XL mattresses.

Mattress Size Guide

Who Should Buy a Twin XL Mattress?

College students and growing kids are both in situations that justify a Twin XL mattress, and the common theme between the two is that their sleep situations are temporary. Then there are people who want to make use of a dual-sided adjustable bed, for which Twin XL mattresses can come in handy.

College Students

One thing that seems consistent across college campuses is that the dorm-room mattresses leave a lot to be desired. For that reason, some students may choose to purchase their own mattress. 

Generally, the bedframes in college dorms support the Twin XL mattress size, so this is what most students will purchase if they want to up their on-campus sleep game. Plus, once they graduate, they have a nice transition mattress that can be used until they’re ready to upgrade to a Full or Queen.

Growing Kids

Because young children can grow pretty quickly, that Twin mattress of theirs may not cut it for too long. So, it may be a good idea to invest in a Twin XL. The extra five inches of length should sufficiently accommodate them until they go off to college. And, if they want, your kid can even take their Twin XL mattress to college with them. Just make sure you send them with a nice new set of Twin XL sheets as well.

Adjustable Bed Shoppers

You may not know this, but two Twin XL mattresses pushed together make one King size bed! Why is this important? Well, if you’re shopping for an adjustable King bed frame that can be customized on each side, you’ll need two separate Twin XL mattresses to get your full use out of it. It’s important that you look for Twin XL mattresses that are compatible with adjustable bed frames. On this list, we recommend the DreamCloud for this purpose.

Twin XL Mattress Considerations

Pressure Relief: This measures how well a mattress supports sensitive areas like shoulders and hips. Good pressure relief is very important if you’re prone to aches and pains.

Temperature Regulation: If staying cool at night is one of your top priorities, definitely look for a mattress with good temperature regulation. Generally, you’ll find this in hybrid mattresses.

Edge Support: This measures the strength of a bed’s perimeter. For Twin XL shoppers, you should pay close attention to this, as you might find yourself rolling to the edge of your somewhat narrow mattress.

Ease of Movement: Also referred to as responsiveness, this factor contributes to your ability to easily change sleeping positions and get in and out of bed.

Durability: If you hope to keep your mattress in top shape for many years, then you’d better look for a product with high durability. 

Recap: Top Rated Full-Size Mattresses

Mattress Model	Award
Helix Midnight	Nerd’s Pick
Saatva Classic	Best Twin XL Mattress for Back Pain
DreamCloud	Best Twin XL Mattress for Adjustable Beds
Nectar Original	Best Memory Foam Twin XL Mattress
The WinkBed	Best Twin XL Mattress for Adults
Leesa	Best Twin XL Mattress for Kids
Brooklyn Titan	Best Twin XL Mattress for Heavy People
Nolah Evolution	Best Hybrid Twin XL Mattress
Bear	Best Twin XL Mattress for College Students
Casper Wave Hybrid	Best Luxury Twin XL Mattress