Best Affordable Mattress 2024: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Best Affordable Mattress Overall: Zoma Mattress

First on our list is the Zoma Mattress, a memory-foam mattress specifically made with athletes in mind. It has three different layers designed to help you receive deeper sleep and recover faster after a tough training day. The best part is a Zoma mattress will still leave you refreshed each morning, even if you’re not active.

The first layer of the Zoma Mattress is gel-infused memory foam, featuring Triangulex™ technology, a zoned support system with triangular-shaped grooves. This innovative comfort layer contours to the curves of your body, while the gel offers cooling comfort for sleepers.

Next is a layer of Reactiv™, a latex-like foam. When you lie down, the Reactiv™ foam adapts quickly to movement, making it easier to change sleeping positions without disrupting your partner. This layer is also extremely responsive and adds a bit of bounce to your bed to prevent sinkage.

The final layer is a durable base foam called Support+. This long-lasting material promotes even weight distribution and keeps your mattress from sagging.

A queen size Zoma mattress is available for $949 with free shipping across the U.S. Plus, Zoma mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

Best Affordable Mattress for Side Sleepers: Amerisleep AS3

Our favorite affordable mattress for back sleepers is Amerisleep’s AS3 model. The AS3 is not only the brand’s firmest model, but it’s also the most inexpensive mattress, costing $1099 for a queen. Since this mattress is extra-firm, it provides sleepers with balanced support and pressure relief.

Standing at 12 inches, the AS3 model is constructed with 3 inches of pressure-relieving memory foam, two inches of transition foam, and an 7-inch support core. It also comes with a plush, breathable cover that promotes better sleep.

Amerisleep features Bio-Pur®, a plant-based memory foam, in the AS3. Bio-Pur® is a significant upgrade from traditional memory foam because it is more responsive. It also has an advanced open-cell structure that facilitates good airflow to keep you from overheating at night.

The transition layer is Affinity foam with HIVE® establishes five zones of targeted support, increasing the overall value and comfort of the AS3. The hexagonal cutouts that make up the HIVE technology ensures the bed feels soft and firm as needed.

Underneath the comfort layers lies a 7-inch foam called Bio-Core®. Bio-Core® is a durable material that reinforces the comfort layer and the sleeper to prevent sinkage.

When customers purchase an Amerisleep mattress, you have 100 nights to try out your bed. Also, Amerisleep has a lengthy warranty agreement, protecting your mattress with 20 years of coverage.

Best Affordable Mattress for Combination Sleepers: Vaya Mattress

The Vaya Mattress is a budget-friendly mattress designed to accommodate all sleeping positions. This mattress rates 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale and is an extra comfy option for side sleepers. Additionally, it may be firm enough for those who toss and turn or change positions throughout the night.

You can find a Vaya queen for only $599. Though this price may seem too good to be true, Vaya does not compromise quality when manufacturing their mattresses. Let’s take a look at the construction.

The first layer of the Vaya Mattress contains 3 inches of comfort foam, which conforms to the body’s curves without trapping heat, so you’ll feel cooler as you rest. Additionally, customers have raved about how the cloud-like softness keeps them feeling relaxed at bedtime.

Below the comfort layer is a 9-inch core made with Vaya Foam, a thick, durable material designed to protect your bed from damage. This layer helps distribute weight evenly while also adding a bit of firmness to the mattress for additional pressure point relief.

Vaya is sold online-only and comes with a 100-night sleep trial for you to adjust to your bed. If you decide to keep your mattress after the trial period, a 10-year warranty is offered to cover sags over .75 inches and other mattress defects.

Best Eco-Friendly Affordable Mattress: Joybed LX

The Joybed LX is an eco-friendly choice on our list. What makes the Joybed LX stand out is that it does not contain any memory foam layers. Instead, the company uses natural materials like cotton and wool to keep sleepers comfortable. It rates 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale and is best suited for individuals seeking a solid, stable sleeping surface.

As the company’s firmest model, the Joybed is also a great choice for heavier sleepers who need a firm mattress with pressure point relief. The mattress also provides good edge support since you can find coils around the bed’s perimeter to reinforce the mattress.

The mattress cover of Joybed LX is biodegradable and constructed with a breathable plant-based fabric. Below lies the confront layers, which consist of organic cotton and wool. These natural materials are irresistibly soft and keep your bed feeling fluffy. Not to mention, you don’t have to worry about sweating at night because the wool wicks away moisture.

Joybed focuses on using natural material to keep their price points low, and you can purchase a queen for just $990. This is an excellent choice for green-conscious sleepers who want to make an eco-friendly purchase without overextending their budget.

Along with your purchase, you will receive a 120-night sleep trial. Once the trial period is over, you’ll also have access to a 10-year warranty to protect your mattress.

Best Affordable Memory Foam Mattress: Original Tuft & Needle

Another top-rated mattress for our sleepers with a tight budget is the Original Tuft & Needle mattress. This mattress has a simplistic construction, consisting of only two comfort layers. The first layer contains 3 inches of T&N Adaptive® foam, and the second is made with 7 inches of high-density foam.

The T&N Adaptive® foam is infused with a graphite gel to absorb moisture and dissipate body heat. This innovative comfort foam is also reactive and provides plenty of bounce to your bed. This makes it easier to shift sleeping positions and is an ideal choice for couples.

The Tuft & Needle model rates a 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, making it a medium-firm mattress. We recommend these beds for back sleepers because the top layer will provide pressure relief.

Purchasing an Original Tuft & Needle will cost you $695 for a standard queen mattress. Like most retailers, Tuft & Needle offers a standard 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial, so customers can feel confident in their purchase.

Best Affordable Mattress for Medium-Sized Sleepers: Lull Mattress

Our final choice is the Lull Mattress. Lull is a newer mattress brand, and they have designed a budget-friendly memory foam bed offering universal comfort. It’s worth mentioning the Lull is a medium-firm bed and may not be the best choice for heavier sleepers. These individuals need extra-support and are better suited for firm beds.

The Lull mattress is 10 inches tall and has 3 layers. First is a 1.5-inch layer of gel memory foam to cushion your body and keep you cool while asleep. This mattress also includes a 1.5-inch layer of poly-foam to act as a transition layer between the memory foam and the base layer.

The base layer consists of 7 inches of supportive poly-foam. The base layer gives the mattress its shape and provides edge support for the sleepers.

The Lull mattress is priced at $800 for a queen. You’ll have adequate time to get adjusted to your bed since Lull offers a 100-night sleep trial. Furthermore, a 10-year warranty is extended when the trial period ends to protect shoppers from paying for mattress defects.

Drawbacks of Budget-Friendly Mattresses

Though we have listed the best budget-friendly mattresses on the market, you’ll still want to be cautious while shopping for cheaper beds. Some brands have low prices, which can mislead shoppers into purchasing faulty items made from cheap materials. It’s common for mattresses under $500 to lack durability and proper edge support for your bed.

Another drawback of purchasing an affordable mattress is it may not be long-lasting. Since these mattresses have shorter lifespans, they may only have 3 to 5-year warranties. This may require you to purchase a new mattress in the future if your current bed becomes damaged and the warranty coverage has ended.

Things to Consider Before Buying a New Mattress

Before you make your purchase, you should get a better understanding of how your mattress will accommodate your sleep. Sometimes just choosing the top-rated model can be a mistake. Sleep needs vary from person to person, and it’s better to look for a mattress based on personal preference or lifestyle choices.

Mattress Type

There are varying mattress types to cater to an individual’s sleep needs. Memory foam mattresses have become a go-to choice for shoppers looking for contouring comfort. Latex and hybrid mattresses are growing in popularity for their unique features. Below, we outline the most popular mattress types, so you’ll have a preference in mind before you start your search.

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses offer pressure point relief for sleepers. These mattresses have a good reputation for their ability to distribute body weight, ease muscle tension, isolate motion, and promote better sleep.

There are a few drawbacks to choosing memory foam mattresses. One is that they retain heat, causing individuals to feel sweaty while asleep. It’s a good idea to look for memory foam mattresses with cooling technologies or open-celled structures to prevent overheating at night.

Latex Foam

Latex mattresses contain natural, synthetic, or blended latex. Natural latex comes from rubber tree sap, while synthetic latex goes through a machine-made process. The manufacturing of natural latex is considered an environmentally friendly process for our green sleepers. However, we do not recommend choosing a synthetic latex bed as they can be toxic.

All natural latex mattresses are hypoallergenic and resistant to mold and dust mites. The main downside of latex beds is they can be very heavy and they usually have a higher price tag than other mattress types.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses have become a favorite with shoppers because they are the perfect combination of memory foam and innerspring beds. A hybrid mattress’s coil system allows greater airflow to keep your sleep environment cool.

True hybrid mattresses contain 2-inch comfort layers with memory foam on top of a pocketed coil system. The memory foam offers contouring pressure relief, and the coiled system provides bouncy support.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses are the most traditional choice and are made with a coil system. These beds are known for their responsiveness and firm feel, but they cannot cushion or conform to your body like other mattress options.

Some innerspring mattresses have a soft pillow-top comfort layer for cushioning, but this material is pretty thin, putting additional pressure on the sleeper’s shoulders.

Sleeping Position

Your sleeping position plays an important role in the type of mattress you should use. You may need an extra soft bed to stay comfy if you sleep on your side. Back sleepers might prefer a firm, sturdy surface for spinal support. Next, we look at the different types of mattresses that cater to specific sleeping positions.

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping is considered to be one of the healthiest positions because it keeps your spine aligned. The downside is lying in this position can cause you to snore or aggravate symptoms of sleep apnea.

Mattresses for back sleepers should be medium to medium-firm. Individuals who sleep on their back gravitate to firm mattresses because they cushion the hips and back without causing them to sink.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is considered to be the healthiest position and is known to improve your breathing. Sleeping in this position creates more space in the chest cavity, reducing pressure on your heart muscles. We recommend side sleepers lie on their right side as it helps your body clear waste from the brain.

Soft to medium beds are often considered to be the best mattresses for side sleepers. Side sleepers put a large amount of pressure on their shoulders and neck, so beds with a plush feel help relieve a bit of tension.

Stomach Sleeping

Stomach sleeping is an unhealthy sleeping position, and we do not recommend it. When you lie on your stomach, you put a lot of pressure on your spine. As a result, it’s common for stomach sleepers to wake up with neck and back pain.

It’s best for stomach sleepers to train themselves to sleep in a healthier position, like on their sides or back. However, if you cannot sleep any other way, beds for stomach sleepers should be firm. A firm mattress will keep your chest and hips from sinking while you sleep.

Combination Sleeping

Combination sleepers tend to switch between side, stomach, and back sleeping, so they’ll need adequate support to accommodate all positions. The best mattresses for combination sleepers are medium to medium-firm. These beds have great responsiveness and offer significant pressure relief while maintaining neutral alignment of the spine.

Body Type

Your body type is another factor you should consider before purchasing a new mattress. Sometimes, when there is too much pressure or weight on a mattress it can sag, making for an unpleasant sleeping experience.

Heavier sleepers usually require a firm, sturdy sleeping surface to prevent sinking into their mattresses. Generally, mattresses with thicker layers than average provide these sleepers with a solid foundation. In most cases, the best mattresses for heavier sleepers are medium-firm.

If you are a medium-sized sleeper (weighing between 130 to 230 pounds), a medium-firm mattress is the best choice. These beds are the perfect combination of softness and solid support. If you’re a side-sleeper, you might want to choose a mattress that is a bit softer for maximum pressure relief.

Mattresses for petite sleepers should be softer so the curves of the body are cushioned and protected from pressure points. The plush layers of these beds enable pressure point relief, keeping them extra comfy at bedtime.

Mattress Thickness

The thickness of your mattress can determine how much contouring you experience. Investing in a mattress 8 to 14 inches thick is suggested for a good night’s sleep. Most beds have two or more layers inside of them, specifically designed to support sleepers.

The first is the comfort layer. This layer is the closest to your body when you’re asleep.  Comfort layers are made from soft materials like cotton, wool, or poly-foam. These layers are effective in isolating motion transfer to lessen sleeping disruptions.

Next is the base or foundation layer. The base layer makes up 50 percent of your mattress thickness and is made with poly-foam, latex, or pocketed springs. It’s better to look for beds with extra-thick (7 inches or more) base layers since this is a sign of a durable mattress.

Sleep Trials

Sleep trials are an excellent way for you to get acclimated to your new bed. Typically, a standard sleep trial offers 90 nights or more to try out your mattress. It takes about 30 nights for people to adjust to a new bed, so we suggest choosing a brand that offers a sleep trial of 100 nights or more. This way, you have ample time to get comfortable.

Return Policy

If a mattress company does not offer a sleep trial, you’ll want to know the conditions of their return policy. It’s common for return policies to give customers at least 30 days to return a bed for a full refund if they are unhappy with the purchase.

During the 30 days, it’s a great idea to look out for mattress defects, such as wear and tear. If your mattress is not in good condition like advertised, this will constitute a full refund as well.

Warranty

Mattress warranties vary in length, with some lasting a lifetime. Others may guarantee 10 to 20 years, covering physical defects, like springs popping loose or premature sagging. It’s important to note that warranties do not cover liquid damage or destruction caused by personal misuse.

Also, if your mattress begins to sag, indentations must meet the company’s minimum requirement before your bed is eligible to be repaired. For the majority of companies, this measurement is 1 inch or deeper. However, some may require up to 2 inches of sagging to qualify for a replacement.

FAQs

What thickness of mattress is best?

Generally, a comfortable mattress has a thickness of  8 to 14 inches. Most mattresses have a comfort layer of 2 to 3 inches and a base layer 5 to 6 inches thick. These layers add to the overall comfort of your bed and provide a sturdy foundation.

Some mattresses may require a specific thickness for the best quality of sleep. For instance, if you are purchasing a memory foam mattress, you should consider beds 10 to 14 inches thick. Thinner memory foam mattresses may not support heavier body types and are likely to sag.

Are online mattresses more affordable?

Online mattresses tend to be more affordable than beds at brick-in-mortar stores. Though online mattresses are more affordable, a lot of brands offer the same high-quality materials and durability as their competitors. However, it is still best to research a mattress company thoroughly before making your decision.

Is it better to buy a mattress online or in stores?

Though online retailers have more affordable price points, some shoppers prefer to buy their mattresses in stores. Shopping for a mattress in-store gives you a chance to feel your bed before you receive it. It all depends on personal preference and what you find important while you’re choosing a new bed.

How long will an affordable mattress last?

Most mattresses should last between 7 and 10 years. However, many variables can influence mattress lifespan, such as the quality of the mattress materials. Cheap mattresses have a reputation for being less durable than high-quality mattresses, so they may only last 2 to 3 years.

How much do high-quality mattresses cost?

High-quality mattresses cost anywhere between $750 and $1500. However, premium mattresses can cost upwards of $5000 or more. You can find budget mattresses for $500 or less. Most people purchase quality mattresses for about $1000.

Conclusion

Budget-friendly mattresses are an excellent choice for sleepers who want to save money. The downside of some affordable mattresses is they may lack durability or become damaged. Mattresses made from cheap materials are usually not long-lasting, so you may have to make additional purchases to restore your bed.

In the worst cases, some individuals might have to buy a whole new mattress. Before you make a purchase, you should look at reviews to better understand the quality of materials.