Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: How To Choose A Mattress Topper

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Give them a great night’s sleep at a value price you can rest easy with. This mattress with 312 spring system provides the support, comfort and right fit for growing children and young adults. Generous foam layer nestles them in comfort, while coil springs provide years’ worth of strength and durability, along with motion separation design for less tossing and turning.

• The main reason to invest in a mattress topper is to upgrade the quality of your bed, and hopefully the quality of your sleep along with it.
  Replacing your mattress can be very expensive, so a mattress topper is a great way to revitalize or change the style of your bed instead.
  With some careful research, the right one will give you what you need at a fraction of the cost of a brand new mattress.
  In this article you’ll find both a list of the key factors which can help inform your decision making, and also a breakdown of the pros and cons of each type of material.
  By cross-referencing the two sections, you’ll hopefully have a clearer idea about which type will be the right kind for you.
  You can also find out about some of the more popular brands in these detailed mattress topper reviews.
  
  

  Mattress pad or mattress topper?

  
  A mattress pad tends to be thinner, and usually serves either to protect the mattress or to provide only a little extra softness.First of all, it’s important to understand that there can be some confusion between mattress pads and mattress toppers.
  A mattress pad can address specific needs, such as adding a water-proof layer or an anti-allergenic feature.
  You can also find heated mattress pads for use in the winter, and cooling mattress pads if you have issues with heat.
  A mattress topper on the other hand serves to add a much more significant layer of softness, cushioning or support for your body.
  And you can if you wish use both at the same time to further improve the quality of your bed.
  By placing a mattress pad over the topper, you can help protect both the topper and the mattress, as well as helping hold them all together as one unit.
  Having said that, some companies use the terms interchangeably. They may call their product a topper or pad, but actually it is much thicker or thinner than you would usually associate with that category.
  So it’s always worth checking how much padding it actually provides.
  
  

  Key points to consider

  With so many types of mattress topper, it’s perhaps more helpful to first decide what you want or need from a topper. Then you can work out which material will best meet your needs.
  Personal preference and a gut feeling will probably play a role too. But if you do like to weigh up the pros and cons before making decisions, here are some of the key factors to take into account:
  
  

  A) Price

  The price can vary wildly, from 30 dollars to several thousand. But a higher price doesn’t necessarily guarantee it would be better for you. It’s about meeting your needs, not simply buying the most expensive you can afford.
  Plain egg crate foam, polyester and some cotton toppers tend to be the cheapest. With higher quality cotton, feather and down in the middle. Memory foam and wool can be quite expensive, with latex even more so.
  
  

  B) Pain relief, firmness and extra support

  If it’s extra support for your back and limbs that you need, then memory foam and latex are generally more effective than the other materials. They are better at holding the shape of your body and supporting your natural posture.
  
  

  C) Comfort and Softness

  With such a dizzying range of materials, brands, densities and thicknesses you should be able to find the perfect level of softness and comfort. But your definition of comfort may be different from the next person’s.
  Would you prefer a topper which molds to your body, such as with latex or memory foam? Or are you more suited to a naturally soft material such as down or cotton?
  
  

  D) Thickness and density options

  Toppers tend to fall in the range of between 2 and 8 inches thick. If you need to revitalize an aging mattress, sleep on your side, or if you weigh more than average, you may need to look at thicker options. The materials with the best range of thickness are memory foam and latex.
  In addition the density of a topper is important in determining how much support it will provide you. Memory foam and latex toppers tend to have the most choice, allowing you to find just the right comfort level you need.
  
  

  E) Reducing the noise of a partner moving

  Memory foam and latex are good at reducing the transmission of movement from your partner. So if you sleep with someone whose tossing and turning keeps you awake, they are good choices.
  
  

  F) Body heat

  Memory foam and latex mattress toppers tend to retain body heat more. The thicker and denser they are, the hotter they feel. Wool, down and feather toppers are good all year round, as they provide extra warmth in winter yet reduce heat in summer.
  Don’t forget that the outside material can also contribute to the temperature by wicking away sweat for example.
  
  

  G) Allergies

  Some materials are better for certain allergies, so it’s worth checking the list below. Some are also more resistant to bed-bugs, mites, mildew and mold than others.
  
  

  H) Ease of cleaning and moving

  Remember that you need to remove it from the packaging, get it onto the bed and potentially remove it for cleaning. So do be aware of the overall weight of the mattress topper.
  Egg crate is the easiest to transport, whilst feather, down and cotton are easier to move than memory foam or latex. Feather and down are the most difficult to clean.
  
  

  I) Warranty

  The standard warranty time seems to be around 2 years for many mattress toppers. But this can be as short as one year and as long as 5 years. But remember that you won’t get a replacement just because it has compressed under your weight over time.
  
  

  What type of material to choose

  Mattress toppers come in a range of very different styles and materials. So it’s important to know both what you hope to gain from using a topper, and what the pros and cons are of each material.
  Let’s take a look now at the different types in turn to give you a better idea of what your options are.
  
  

  Mattress topper type comparison table

  Material	Price	Pros	Cons
  Latex	High	Firm. Supportive. Comfortable. Pain-relief. Durable. Anti-allergenic.	Expensive. May retain heat.
  Memory foam	Mid to high	Comfortable. Supportive. Pain-relief. Durable. Reduces noise transmission.	Initial smell. May retain heat.
  Wool	mid to high	Soft. Comfortable. Durable. Good temperature regulation.	Less cushioning than other materials.
  Feather and down	mid	Soft and luxurious feel. Durable. Good temperature regulation.	Less supportive. May need fluffing to keep shape.
  Cotton & polyester	low to high	Range of price, softness and materials. Easier to clean.	Not as durable. Compresses faster. Good cotton is expensive.
  Egg crate foam	low	Cheap. Light-weight and transportable.	Less padding. Less durable. May retain heat.

  

  A typical style of latex topper

  1) Latex

  Latex toppers can be quite expensive, but like the memory foam styles, can provide excellent support and comfort.
  Natural latex is made from the liquid in rubber trees. Not all latex toppers are natural though, so be sure to check before buying if it’s important to you to avoid synthetic materials.

  Pros

  • Excellent at providing comfort and pain-relief by either hardening or softening your mattress.
  • Usually firmer than memory foam, but still feels soft.
  • Antimicrobial and non-allergenic, unless you have an allergy to latex.
  • Different materials available, including synthetic or eco-friendly natural latex.
  • Very durable.
  • Excellent at preventing motion transmission from your partner.

   Cons

  • Can be expensive.
  • Not good for people with a latex allergy.
  • Can feel hot in the summer.
  
  
  

  Memory foam molds well to your body shape.

  2) Memory foam

  Memory foam is probably the most popular material people choose.
  A memory foam mattress can be incredibly expensive, so a topper can in part imitate a more costly mattress.

  Pros

  • The memory foam will conform to your body, providing a supportive and relaxing experience.
  • It can provide support if you have joint, muscular or back pain.
  • It can reduce the noise and irritation of a partner who moves about in bed a lot.
  • You can get it in a range of densities so you can find the right firmness to suit you.
  • It’s durable, hopefully lasting for many years to warrant the higher price.

  Cons

  • Memory foam sometimes has quite a strong chemical smell at first, though it dissipates after a few days.
  • You may find it holds body heat, so if you tend to over-heat, look for a breathable memory foam topper.
  
  

  3) Wool

  At the opposite end of the material spectrum is the natural material of wool. It can be fairly expensive, but there are some good reasons for this.

  Pros

  • It’s a naturally soft and comfortable material.
  • It’s durable, often lasting for many years.
  • It’s ideal for allergy sufferers who may have problems with synthetic materials.
  • Bed-bugs and mites generally stay away from wool.
  • Good for keeping cool in summer and warm in winter.

  Cons

  • More expensive than other other fabric materials.
  • Doesn’t provide the same cushioning as memory foam.
  
  

  4) Goose and duck down or feathers

  Bedding made from goose or duck feathers, or softer and more luxurious down, is known for its softness and comforting feel. If you’re an allergy sufferer or need a firmer topper though, it may not be right for you.

  Pros

  • That soft, luxurious feel that many people have come to love from down-filled duvets and pillows.
  • Durable, often lasting for several years.
  • Helps reduce movement disturbance.
  • Good temperature regulation in the summer and winter months.

  Cons

  • Not ideal if you need a firmer topper to help with aches and pains.
  • May not be thick enough to disguise a lumpy mattress.
  • Risk of feathers eventually poking through, though good quality toppers are designed to avoid this. And down should minimize this risk compared to feathers.
  • May need fluffing to keep shape (getting a segmented topper can help with this).
  
  

  5) Cotton and polyester

  There is a vast range of mattress toppers and pads made from cotton, and often with a mixture of cotton and polyester and other materials. The price can also vary greatly with these.

  Pros

  • Possibility of finding extremely soft high-thread count material.
  • Range of options from synthetic to organic.
  • Often easier to clean than other materials.
  • Polyester toppers can be very affordable.

  Cons

  • Not as durable as other materials like latex, wool and memory foam. The cotton is more likely to compress in a shorter time.
  • High-quality cotton can be quite expensive.
  
  
  

  Egg crate gets its name from the shape of the foam

  6) Egg crate

  Egg crate mattress toppers refer to the shape, specifically the little bumps as you can see in the photo here.
  It’s important to note though that you can get an egg crate topper made either from good quality memory foam or from more basic foam.
  Because of that the price can vary wildly for products which may look and sound identical.
  Since we’ve already looked at memory foam above, let’s have a look at what you get from the more basic foam models.
  Made from foam it might not provide the same luxury as other types, but it’s a good choice if you have a lower budget or are using it for camping.

  Pros

  • Generally cheaper than other types of material.
  • Light-weight and thin so it’s easy to roll up and transport.
  • Good to use for camping or holidays.
  • Can be placed on top of each other to get a thicker padding.

  Cons

  • Doesn’t provide as much padding or comfort as other materials.
  • Less durable and can start to fall apart with frequent use.
  • Can be warm in the summer months.