Best Queen Mattresses

Buying guide for Best queen mattresses

Written by michelle

Updated September 2024

A good night’s sleep on a regular basis is crucial to your well-being. Chronic lack of restorative sleep is linked to numerous serious health issues, including depression, obesity, heart disease, difficulty concentrating, and reduced sex drive, to name just a few.

While there are many factors that influence the quality of your sleep, one of the most important is your mattress. After all, it’s supporting your body from head to toe for around a third of your life. If that support isn’t just right, you’re likely to wake up feeling stiff, sore, and fatigued.

That’s when you need a new mattress. But which one? There are so many to choose from — with countless brands, styles, and features available — you could lose sleep over choosing a mattress. Because we want you to get the rest you need and deserve, we created this queen mattress buying guide to help you choose the right mattress for your particular needs.

While a good queen mattress is not inexpensive, the boost to your sleep quality is priceless.

Key considerations

Choosing a mattress size

In the United States, the most common mattress sizes are twin, full, queen, and king. Queen mattresses, which comfortably fit two adult sleepers, are by far the most popular; nearly half of all mattresses sold are queens. The industry standard for a queen mattress is 60 x 80 inches, which fits well into most bedrooms.

• Twin mattresses, which are normally 38 x 75 inches, have just enough space for one small adult or teen to sleep comfortably. Children are likelier to be the most comfortable on this mattress size.

• Full mattresses, also called doubles, are normally 53 x 75 inches. These are a good compromise between a twin and a queen: there’s enough room for two small adults to sleep comfortably, but the bed won’t take up too much space in a small bedroom.

• King mattresses, at a whopping 76 x 80 inches, are suitable only for large bedrooms. These mattresses have plenty of sleeping space for two adults, with room left over for pets or children.

Mattress types

Gone are the days when innerspring was your only choice when mattress shopping. Today, there are several types of mattresses on the market, each with their own pros and cons.

Innerspring mattresses: Still the most popular choice, innerspring mattresses have coiled springs that provide support yet give slightly under body weight for added comfort. Typically, each coil is wrapped with fabric to cut down on squeaks. The more coils, and the heavier their wire gauge, the more supportive the mattress. A padding of foam or fabric covers the springs for extra comfort and cushioning.

Pros:

• Widely available and often on sale
• Many levels of firmness available
• Good for “hot” sleepers
• Available with pillow-top cushioning for extra comfort

Cons:

• Not very durable
• As the springs wear out, the mattress sags

Memory foam: The second most popular type of mattress, memory foam mattresses are the best choice for sleepers suffering with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other painful skeletal or muscle conditions. Made from viscoelastic polyurethane foam — originally developed by NASA to cushion astronauts during reentry to Earth’s atmosphere — memory foam is very supportive, yet slightly conforms to your body’s contours as you lie on it. Memory foam provides a cushioning effect that relieves pressure on joints, muscles, and bones.

Pros:

• Very supportive
• Cushions the spine, shoulders, and hips without excessive pressure
• Muffles movements from a restless bed partner
• No squeaking or noise
• More durable than innerspring mattresses
• Widely available
   

Cons:

• Tends to trap body heat, which is a problem for “hot” sleepers
• Heavy
• New memory foam mattresses tend to have a strong chemical smell that slowly dissipates over several days
• Too firm for some people’s liking
• Can make it more difficult to turn over in bed

Hybrids: Hybrid mattresses have innersprings covered with a layer of memory foam, giving sleepers the best of both worlds, and are rapidly gaining in popularity. These mattresses are a great choice if you like the cushioning feel of memory foam but want a little more bounce to your mattress.

Pros:

• Very comfortable for most sleepers
• Excellent support and cushioning of spine, hips, and shoulders
   

Cons:

• Can be too hot for some sleepers
• Expensive

Latex: Latex mattresses come in two types: those with natural latex made from the sap of the rubber tree, and those made from synthetic latex. Both types are very supportive, but they don’t provide the “sinking in” feeling of memory foam. Latex is somewhat bouncy and rather firm — too firm for some sleepers. Natural latex is antimicrobial and hypoallergenic, which is a definite plus if you are allergic to dust mites or other common bedroom allergens.

Pros:

• Very supportive
• Good cushioning for sore joints, muscles, or bones
• Resistant to dust mites and other allergens
• Natural latex is biodegradable and environmentally friendly
• More durable than memory foam
   

Cons:

• Heavy
• Expensive
• Not as widely available as other types of mattresses
• Can be too hot for some sleepers

Air mattress: Not to be confused with the inflatable mattress air beds used for camping or occasional house guests, air mattresses for beds have air-filled inner chambers that can be inflated or deflated to provide varying levels of support to suit an individual sleeper’s comfort. The air chambers are covered with foam or padding for extra comfort and cushioning. Air mattresses are another excellent choice for those with muscle or skeletal pain.

Pros:

• Very good support and cushioning
• Many air mattresses allow bed partners to each customize the level of inflation on their own side of the bed
• No retention of body heat
   

Cons:

• Not nearly as widely available as other types of mattresses
• Expensive
• Some people don’t like the slightly bouncy feel of an air mattress

Queen mattress prices

A good mattress is generally not an inexpensive purchase, but if you treasure a good night’s sleep, it’s money well spent. The cost of a queen mattress varies depending on type, but in general, you can expect to spend the following in a traditional mattress store:

Standard innerspring queen mattresses cost around $950 on average. Spend much less than that, and the coils will be few and thin. Spend more than that, and you can expect many sturdy coils, a thicker mattress, and higher-quality foam or padding over the coils.

A queen-size memory foam mattress costs $900 on average. Go much below that price, and you can expect a thin mattress made from inferior foam. You’ll pay more for an exceptionally thick mattress, or a mattress with cooling gel mixed into the foam, or a mattress segmented into “zones” with more support under your back, hips, and head.

Expect to pay around $1,650 for a queen-size hybrid mattress, which combines innersprings with a memory foam or latex top. Spend below this price, and you’ll find mattresses with thinner layers of foam or less springs. Spend more, and you’ll typically get a thicker layer of foam and higher-quality springs.

Queen-size natural latex mattresses usually cost around $2,000. You’ll pay less for synthetic latex and more for organic natural latex.

A queen-size air mattress typically costs around $2,000. You’ll pay more for premium features such as temperature control, multiple air chambers, or dual adjustment for two bed partners.

Tips

A good mattress should last five to ten years. You can extend the life of your mattress by following these recommendations:

• Let your mattress air out whenever you change the sheets.

• Protect the mattress from dust mites and moisture with a mattress pad that covers the entire surface and sides of the mattress.

• At least twice a year, vacuum the top, sides, and bottom of your mattress to remove dust, dust mites, and general grunge.

• A bed skirt helps protect the bottom of your mattress from dust.

• Keep pets off the bed.

• No jumping, standing, or walking on the bed.

• Wash sheets regularly.

Other products we considered

While we really like our five favorite queen mattresses, there are many other great choices on the market. If you desire the bouncy feel of latex, enjoy the cushioning sensation of memory foam, and also want the support of innersprings, you’ll love the 10 inch-thick Queen Latex Hybrid Mattress from Lucid.

If you need the extra cushioning that memory foam provides to comfort a sore back or any joints, but you can’t stand the heat that’s sometimes a problem with memory foam mattresses, you’ll appreciate the cooling foam gel combined with the highest quality memory foam in the Classic Brands Cool Gel 1.0 Ultimate Memory Foam Queen Mattress.

There are many factors that contribute to a lack of sleep. One often overlooked cause of poor sleep is a worn out or uncomfortable mattress.

FAQ

Q. What’s the best firmness for a mattress?

A. There is no industry standard for mattress firmness. One brands “extra firm” could be another brand’s “firm.” But in general, most people sleep best on a firm mattress, and that’s true even if you have back pain. Mattresses that are too soft don’t provide enough support and allow your spine to sag slightly, which can lead to soreness and stiffness.

Q. Is it true that I need to flip my mattress regularly?

A. While the recommendation was once to flip your mattress over a couple times per year, that’s very rarely required with today’s single-sided innersprings and memory foam mattresses. Still, you should rotate your mattress every six months, moving the head of the mattress to the foot. This helps prevent sags and indents.