Our Picks
The mattress market isn't short of options that feature a hybrid structure or are built entirely with memory foam. There's something for everyone. I recently switched to the Helix Midnight Luxe. While dense memory foam isn’t my favorite, I love the airy, cushioning pillow tops like the one Midnight Luxe provides. In this guide, I’ll break down how each of the best pillow-top mattresses feels and if it’s worth the investment. This buying guide is backed by my experience and CNET’s team of sleep experts -- who’ve logged hundreds of testing hours -- so rest assured you will be sleeping in one of the best beds of 2025.
Read more: Best Mattress of 2025
Note: The prices listed here are MSRP for queen-size beds, though you may find it cheaper upon purchase.
What is the best pillow-top mattress overall?
One of our mattress experts, Aly Lopez, tested the WinkBed on her side.
The WinkBed earns our top spot as the best pillow-top mattress because not only is the bed extremely comfortable, but its pillow top is fluffy, tufted and very accommodating. Since this mattress has three different firmness levels and an option for heavier bodies, it can suit all sleeping positions and body types. I tested the Luxury Firm version, and we rate this around a medium on the firmness scale.
Video: Best pillow-top mattress
Watch CNET senior video producer Owen Poole review the best pillow-top mattresses.
The prices below are for queen-size models and were recently updated.
Best pillow-top mattresses of 2025
- Suitable to any sleeper
- Extra-edge-support system
- Three firmness levels
- Too expensive for budget shoppers
Why we chose the WinkBed: This luxury-looking and feeling mattress from WinkBed is everything a pillow-top mattress should be: cloud-like, supportive, and durable. Its Euro pillow top feels like an accommodating cushion on top of a supportive and durable system of coils. Extra stronger coils around the edges of the mattress give it excellent edge support. It’s available in three firmness levels, so all sleepers should find a model that works for them.
"The WinkBed is one of our team's favorite pillow-top mattresses. It has a soft and responsive pillow-top feel, providing support and pressure relief in all the right places. As a combination sleeper who switches between my side and stomach, I prefer the Luxury Firm model. Given its firmness options and the surprisingly affordable price for such a premium hybrid mattress, you can't go wrong," says sleep writer Aly Lopez.
How it sleeps: The cover material is Tencel, which is moisture-wicking and the Euro-pillow top is gel memory foam. However, the top feels more like neutral foam rather than TempurPedic memory foam. You don’t feel stuck when you switch positions, and your body doesn’t sink too far into the mattress. There is also a zoned layer of coils to support your lumbar region and to give pressure relief where it’s needed. The WinkBed is available in three different firmness levels: Softer, Luxury Firm and Firmer. Side sleepers should consider the pressure-relieving Softer model, and back and stomach sleepers may really like the support offered by the Luxury Firm or Firmer options. We tested the Luxury Firm option, and we found that it is around a true medium or a middle-of-the-road firmness.
Runner-up: The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is a very accommodating and affordable pillow-top mattress. It is also available in three firmness options and has a similar neutral foam feel to the WinkBed. However, if you are looking for a more affordable bed, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is around $1,200 when on sale.
- Super supportive and durable
- Dual coil system
- Good for spinal alignment
- Good price for the quality
- Too firm for petite sleepers
- Not a soft mattress
Why we chose the Saatva Classic: The Saatva Classic is the best pillow-top mattress for back pain because it offers lots of support without compromising too much on pressure relief. Our team finds this mattress very similar to a fancy hotel bed -- it looks and feels luxurious. The pillow top is fluffy but more substantial, supportive and firmer than other beds on this list (thanks to its pressure-relieving memory foam).
“Premium beds are common online nowadays, but none are quite like the Saatva Classic. With a dual-coil construction, three firmness choices, a lumbar support feature and a European pillow top, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. Plus, it comes with complimentary white glove delivery -- who doesn’t love that?” says J.D. Christison, senior video producer.
How it sleeps: It's available in two heights and three firmness levels, so you can choose the best for your body. The softest pillow-top option is around a medium or five on our firmness scale, and it only gets firmer from there. I tested the Luxury Firm model, and I think it’s too firm for side sleeping, but those who are back or stomach sleepers with back pain should find it more comfortable. Heavy sleepers with back pain should consider the Firm option for more support. Two sleep experts on the team tested this mattress for 30 nights and found that it heated up on them a bit.
Runner-up: The DreamCloud Premier Hybrid is another mattress with similar support to the Saatva Classic. It is firmer than a medium, making it great for stomach and back sleepers with back pain. Its pillow top is made with dense memory foam, and you sink into the mattress more than the Saatva.
- Anyone will like it
- Textured pillow top
- Versatile medium firmness
- Not as airy as other pillow tops
- Not a budget choice
Why we chose the Helix Midnight Luxe: Couples searching for the perfect mattress typically want one that accommodates both their sleeping positions and body types. The Helix Midnight Luxe fits the bill because it has a medium firmness, a neutral foam feel and excellent edge support. My boyfriend and I currently sleep on this bed, and we both love it.
How it sleeps: The Helix Midnight Luxe is 14 inches thick and has six different layers. The individually wrapped coil layer in the base uses lumbar support coils, providing softer relief under your shoulders and targeted support for your lower back and trunk. This helps to promote proper spine alignment and prevent back pain in the long run. I love that I can’t feel the coils when I lie down. Instead, I feel the classic, neutral foam plushness of the pillow top. It feels as if it rises up to meet my body, providing the right amount of pressure relief when I’m on my side or enough support when I’m on my stomach.
It doesn't have the best motion isolation compared to an all-foam bed, but its edge support is superior, and I never feel like I’m going to fall off when I’m near the end of the bed. I added the optional GlacioTex cooling cover to my bed, and as a hot sleeper, I appreciate this extra layer of cool. It helps to keep me from heating up too much at night.
Runner-up: The Nest Sparrow Signature Hybrid is another great pick for couples. It has a similar level of comfort and feel as the Helix mattress and is about $50 cheaper. It has three firmness options, but the Medium firmness level should work best for couples with different preferences. However, compared to the Helix Midnight Luxe, this bed’s Medium option is a bit softer.
- Great budget choice
- Suits any body type
- Optimal pressure relief
- Basic looking
- Has a distinct memory foam feel which some people don't like
Why we chose the Allswell Supreme: Pillow-top mattresses aren't always the most affordable beds on the market. However, the Allswell Supreme mattress from Walmart offers the same cushiony supportive feel at a more accessible cost. It's only a hair firmer than a medium on the firmness scale. Even so, it is pressure-relieving enough for side sleepers and supportive enough for back and stomach sleepers.
“If you’re buying on a budget, Allswell Supreme is the pillow-top bed for you. It’s only $487 for a queen size and features more of a memory foam feel compared to other beds in its class. It’s also around medium firmness, give or take, and you can even spend up slightly to get it with a cooling cover,” says J.D. Christison, senior video producer.
How it sleeps: It has five different layers, including individually wrapped coils, the brand’s Energex foam, graphite and copper-infused memory foam and a fluffy Euro-top. This bed has a memory foam feel, more so than any of the other beds on this list. It's not as prominent as a TempurPedic bed, but you do feel the mattress topper layers hug your body as you become nestled into the mattress. It's also more bouncy than typical memory foam, especially because of the individually wrapped coil layer in the foundation.
Runner-up: The Bear Star Hybrid is an additional budget pillow-top mattress. It is made with a layer of gel foam, comfort foam and individually-wrapped coils. Its pillow top is cozy and feels around a medium. When on sale, you can find this bed for around $1,299. However, even at this price, it is more than double the Allswell Supreme mattress.
- Airy, comfortable and supportive foam feel
- Zoned support design
- Multiple firmness options
- More expensive than a budget bed
- Not for memory foam lovers
Why we chose the Nolah Evolution Hybrid: A popular and well-loved mattress by our whole team is the Nolah Evolution Hybrid. It is universally comfortable with its plush pillow top and neutral foam feel. The design includes an 8-inch layer of coils, making it supportive and durable. It also has three firmness options, so it’s ideal for all sleeping positions. There is even a model for heavier sleepers, the Comfort Plus.
“[It] has a thick pillow-top above the AirFoam, providing a fluffy, responsive pillow-top feel that I would compare favorably to beds I have slept on in hotels. I have difficulty picturing people trying this bed and flat-out finding it uncomfortable,” says Owen Poole, senior video producer.
How it sleeps: I tested the softer model of this luxury hybrid mattress. Its Plush firmness level is soft and very pressure-relieving, especially on my hips and shoulders. I think side sleepers and some combination sleepers will love this model, and back and stomach sleepers will like the Luxury Firm and Firm options. I like that I don’t sink too far into the mattress, and I don’t feel the coils at all. When switching positions on this mattress, I didn’t feel like I was stuck in the mud, like with memory foam. I’m a huge fan of this bed; however, this mattress is not cooling and may heat up on you during the night.
Runner-up: The Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid is one of my favorite cooling pillow-top mattresses. It is made with three layers of foam, a layer of microcoils and a zoned support layer. Not a lot of beds out there use both micro and regular coils. It is cool to the touch and the pillow top feels plush.
Who should buy a pillow-top mattress?
While there isn't a rule of thumb on who should buy which mattress, some types suit specific sleeping styles better. Our years of experience have helped us understand that pillow-top mattresses work best for side sleepers. This mattress type adds a plush and fluffy layer of cushioning, which in turn provides pressure relief to a side sleeper's hips.
How we test the best pillow-top mattresses
Our CNET mattress experts and I have tested around 300 mattresses and counting. When testing, here’s what we consider and assess for each mattress. Our team represents all types of people with different heights, genders, and body types. Here’s how we evaluate each bed that arrives in our Reno mattress warehouse and testing facility.
Firmness
The perceived firmness of any bed is based on our entire team’s collective experience. We lie on mattresses on our sides, stomachs and backs. We also have team members who sleep on beds for months.
The Mattress Smasher tests the firm side of the Plank Firm mattress.
We also use our proprietary Mattress Smasher 9000 to compute objective firmness levels. While we always test a bed before we use the MS9K, it’s essential to have objective numbers to compare.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is how well a mattress dampens movement across the surface of the bed. It’s essential for people sleeping with a partner, kids or pets. Traditionally, memory foam does the best job at motion isolation.
We have a few tests we put a bed through to assess motion isolation. First, I would lie on the bed and close my eyes. Then, a team member would move around next to me, with increasing levels of movement. We would do this in every sleeping position. The second test we use is setting a glass of water on the edge of the mattress and rolling toward it.
Edge support
Edge support is the strength of the bed’s perimeter. If you tend to sleep on the edge of the mattress or have mobility issues, edge support is a big deal.
To test edge support, our team sits and lies on the edge of the bed and we note how much the bed gives. If I feel like we might fall off, the bed receives a poor edge support score. Traditionally, many memory foam mattresses rate lower in edge support, though it can happen across all bed types.
Temperature
Many brands claim that their mattresses are cooling when they really aren’t. Here’s where our established industry knowledge comes in to help you decide what’s real and what’s just marketing. Including “cooling” technology, like special foams or covers, doesn’t mean that you’ll actually feel it.
Our testing rooms are all temperature-controlled, and we test beds without sheets or bedding to get as close to the real deal as possible. When we lie on each bed, we make sure we note if the bed is cooling and if we feel any of our body heat trapped while testing.
What to consider when shopping for a pillow-top mattress
Sleeping position
Your sleeping position will largely determine how firm a mattress you need. Stomach and back sleepers need firmer pillow-top mattresses that offer enough support to keep their spine aligned. Side sleepers will like a softer mattress because it offers pressure relief to the shoulders, hips and knees. Combination sleepers will prefer a medium or middle-of-the-road mattress.
Your body type also plays a role in this. The lighter you are, the harder a mattress will seem. The heavier you are, the softer it will feel.
Construction
Another factor to consider is the bed's construction, as it will determine its support and feel. Foam mattresses will generally always be less supportive than hybrid mattresses with layers of individually wrapped coils.
The materials used within the pillow top will also determine the immediate feel when you lie down. If a pillow-top mattress utilizes memory foam in its top layer, the bed will feel dense and you will slowly sink into it. Beds that use neutral foam, like the Nolah Evolution Hybrid mattress, will feel airy.
Price
Mattresses are a big purchase. It's important to know your budget when shopping for your next mattress. There are several pillow-top bed choices at every budget level. The good news is that most brands do huge discounts around the holidays, so you can get a couple hundred off the price tag of your next bed if you time your purchase right. If you're a little worried about spending so much on a good mattress, you can rest guilt-free knowing that many American adults would easily spend $1,000 a year on a good night's sleep -- according to a recent CNET survey.
What mattresses we're testing next
My mattress experts and I are always testing newly released and updated mattresses. Here’s a quick peek into what we are reviewing and testing in our mattress warehouse next.
Best pillow-top mattress FAQs
Which pillow-top mattress is best?
The best pillow-top mattress will come with a comfortable, lofty top layer and thick, supportive coils. Some of our favorite pillow-top mattresses include:
- The WinkBed mattress
- Saatva Classic mattress
- Nolah Evolution Hybrid
- Allswell Supreme
- Helix Midnight Luxe
Is it good to have a pillow-top mattress?
Yes, it's good to have a pillow-top mattress if you are a side sleeper or someone who wants more pressure relief. Pillow-top mattresses are great for any sleeper who needs a bed with an extra layer of comfort.
How long does a good pillow-top mattress last?
A good pillow-top mattress with coils can last anywhere from seven to 10 years. All-foam mattresses tend to last less than that since their construction deteriorates faster without the support of coils.
Are pillow-top mattresses any good?
Yes, pillow-top mattresses add a plush and fluffy layer of cushioning to a mattress. It can also make a mattress look more premium and inviting, like jumping into a pile of pillows. Pillow-top mattresses usually have inner springs or coils in the bottom layer for support, and the pillow top is meant to add more coziness to the top layer.
Is a pillow-top mattress good for side sleepers?
Yes, softer pillow-top mattresses are good for side sleepers. Any pillow-top mattress with a medium to soft firmness level will help alleviate the pressure on a side sleeper’s hips. Side sleepers under 250 pounds should avoid a firm mattress with a pillow-top, like the Avocado Green mattress.
Is a pillow top mattress good for your back?
A pillow top mattress can be a good choice for your back, especially if you can pick one with the right firmness level. The mattress can give support to your spine, thereby improving comfort and back health.
Is it okay to flip a pillow top mattress?
No, it is generally not recommended to flip a pillow top mattress as it is designed to be one-sided. Rotate your pillow top mattress instead to evenly distribute wear.