Considered the happy medium between memory foam and innerspring mattresses, hybrid mattresses are a balanced blend of springy and soft. As their name suggests, hybrid mattresses comprise memory foam and coils, and the arrangement and materials for each brand and model are a little different. Their multilayer construction usually allows for better-targeted pressure relief and enhanced airflow that you can't always get with other mattress types. The coils also help to reduce motion transfer from one side of the bed to the other.
Hybrid mattresses are a popular option for most people since they allow you to sink in just enough while providing ample support to keep the shoulders and hips in better alignment. They are also available as beds-in-a-box, making shipping incredibly easy, and they are usually compatible with adjustable bed frames.
Shopping for a mattress online can be a little challenging — there's a seemingly infinite amount of variety now. But to hone in on the best hybrid mattress for you, there are a few things to consider.
Check the construction: Nearly every brand will have a diagram of the mattress's internal construction on their retailer page. If you can look past the marketing terms, they can be helpful guides to see how many layers of foam (or inches, if that information is available) separate you from the interior coils at the base layer. More foam will usually indicate a softer, spongier feel, while a thinner top layer of foam (or any material deemed “support foam”) will feel more firm. And since foam tends to retain heat, so keep an eye out for materials that can help keep you cool.
Assess your bedding: Mattresses may be the largest element of your bed, but poor bedding like flat pillows and binding sheets can prevent you from getting a comfortable night's sleep — so consider making these swaps before you ditch your mattress. Also, don't underestimate the power of a good bedside fan or humidifier to help you sleep more soundly.
Consider the trial period: At the end of the day, we all just want a good night's sleep, and if your new mattress isn't providing that for you, you can decide whether you want to take advantage of the brand's trial period and arrange a return within the designated timeframe. We've made note of each brand's trial period to help make you aware of the time you have to decide if your mattress is yours for the long haul.
How We Tested
All of the hybrid mattresses in this guide were evaluated either by me, the senior home editor or other site editors for an initial 3-week-long trial, although we've slept on our respective mattresses for much longer. Our criteria include general firmness, pressure-relief, cooling properties, and motion transfer, and we try to take into consideration how these qualities can affect different types of sleepers.
We've narrowed down the wide landscape of hybrid mattresses to this curated list of the five very best. Read on to learn more about our top picks.
Note: These mattresses are available in all sizes, but we've denoted queen-size prices throughout this guide.
If you love a soft and cushy mattress, but substantial back support is a non-negotiable, Casper's Nova Hybrid Mattress is the best choice for you. It comprises three layers of foam that are designed to facilitate airflow and provide zoned support to the major pressure points of the body, along with a base layer of springs that help to limit motion transfer.
This is an impressively bouncy bed — a total departure from the sinking sensation of memory-foam mattresses. Its spongey top layer is a dream for side sleepers like me, who always feel the need to twist into a stomach-sleeping position because of constant pressure on the hips. There's none of that with this mattress.
I personally tested the cooling “Snow” version of this mattress, which is $500 more than the standard model. The difference is that the “Snow” version provides cooling features like a gel-infused cover and an additional layer of perforated foam that’s enhanced with heat-wicking technology. I’ve found that these features are better at temperature regulating than providing a cool-to-the-touch feel.
Even if cooling properties aren't a big priority for you, we recommend the standard Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress as our top choice for most sleepers.
Cooling features not transferable through a thick mattress protector
Trial Period: 120 nights
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid Mattress has been a longtime favorite of ours for its balanced support, effective heat-absorbing cover, and firmness level that you can choose for yourself (soft, medium, or firm).
The mattress comprises five layers: There are three layers of foam atop individually wrapped, zoned coils that sit above a foundational base layer. Depending on your chosen firmness level, your softness and support layers may vary in height.
This mattress is constructed with phase-change technology, which means that the materials in the top cover and layer of foam are made to wick away heat from the body. Our tester Erica Murphy particularly loves this feature, saying, “when I unboxed the mattress, it felt like cool air was seeping out of the box. Upon the first touch, the fabric felt cool against my skin, too.”
She does note, however, that you'll need to find a breathable or thin mattress protector to use it with, because the mattress's cool-to-the-touch material doesn't transfer well through a thick barrier.
Lacks special features like zoned support and cooling properties
Trial Period: 100 nights
Helix’s Midnight Hybrid Mattress is the brand’s most popular model, offering medium firmness and a support level that’s constructed for side sleepers. I’ve lived with this mattress for over 5 years, and it continues to be one of the most comfortable mattresses I’ve ever slept on.
Compared to many other bed-in-a-box mattresses on the market and even the “Luxe” version of this same model, this mattress may seem incredibly basic. There are no cool-to-the-touch materials, airflow features, or zoned lumbar support, and yet, it’s still an amazing mattress.
Its top layer of proprietary memory foam is very soft and feels welcoming every time I climb into bed — it perfectly contours the body whether I'm sitting or lying on it. And while the lack of cooling materials can be a bit troublesome in the warmer months, I've enhanced the feel of this mattress over time with a cooling pillow, sheets, and mattress protector to make up for it. This is still cheaper than paying over $800 more for the "Luxe" model.
If you want a high-quality mattress and you don't need all of the pricey bells and whistles, the Helix Midnight Hybrid Mattress is an excellent choice.
Cleanest materials and eco-friendliest manufacturing practices
Very heavy
Trial Period: 1 year
If you believe in voting with your dollar, consider spending your money smartly on an Avocado Green Mattress. Avocado's flagship hybrid mattress has a lot more going for it than just its green credentials, but they include GOTS-certified cotton and wool, GOLS-certified latex, and Climate Neutral certification.
Avocado has omitted the memory foam, petroleum-based adhesives, and any potentially toxic materials that could wind up sitting in landfills. They also pledge to reduce emissions and will even recycle your old mattress as responsibly as possible for you.
Our team's tester Katie Pittman specifically recommends this mattress for people who prefer a firm bed — she advises opting for the pillowtop layer (for $500 more) if you want it a little softer. The mattress's innerspring/latex-foam layering provides sufficient pushback for sleepers of all types.
The mattress's interior springs also effectively limit motion-transfer, and the build of the mattress itself is very cooling. However, it's an incredibly heavy mattress at well over 200 pounds. This could make installing the mattress in your bedroom, rotating it, and lifting the corners to change the sheets an arduous task unless you have an extra set of hands around to help.
If you sleep with a bed partner and/or a pet (or two!), the TEMPUR-ProAdapt Medium Hybrid Mattress is the perfect match for you. It provides a similar firmness level to the other hybrid mattresses in this guide, but TEMPUR-Pedic's proprietary memory foam, in addition to its foam-wrapped inner springs, enables this one to limit motion transfer exceptionally well. This means that middle-of-the-night shifting is less likely to wake up the whole house.
Our editor Brandon Carte found his ideal balance of softness and support in this mattress model. He says, “I think you get the best of both worlds with the ProAdapt Medium Hybrid ... If you’ve laid in a TEMPUR-Pedic before, you know that immediately upon laying on it, it seems firm, but after a brief moment, it gives you a comforting, gentle embrace.”
He notes that the mattress's construction is not only great for motion isolation, but it helps relieve pressure against the hips and shoulders and provides nice edge support. The only drawback is that the bed doesn't have noticeable cooling properties, so it may not be great for hot sleepers.
Melanie YatesSenior Home Decor EditorMelanie is the senior home decor editor of Best Products, where she's been researching and testing out home and bedding products since 2015 — her work can also be found on House Beautiful and Women's Health.
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