A comfy bed is key to a good night’s sleep, and the best bed toppers can help you enjoy just that by adding an instant extra layer of comfort and support. Also known as mattress toppers, they may not look like much at first, but a good bed topper can add pillow-like softness to your bed if it’s too firm, or make it firmer if it’s too soft for your body. Many of the best mattress online brands make bed toppers, adopting a range of innovative materials tailored towards a variety of health and sleep needs, so you’ll be in good hands.
For example, you can buy mattress toppers for back pain relief, and ones with layers of cooling gel (similar to what you’d find in a cooling mattress) so that you don’t overheat so much during sleep. In terms of sizing, you can buy the best bed toppers in sizes Twin through to Cal King, with the average thickness ranging between two and four inches. If you have aches and pains, consider a memory foam bed topper, as this material is designed to cradle your body and relieve pressure on high impact areas such as your hips, back and neck.
Unlike some mattresses, many bed toppers are suitable for machine washing, though you should always read the care label. If you’re picky about your in-bed comfort (we are too!), then you could roll up your bed topper and take it with you if you’re staying away from home for a while.
Remember, while many people use them as a way to extend the life of their existing mattress, not even the best bed toppers can remedy a bed past its prime. We talk you through this in our feature comparing mattress toppers vs a new mattress, so take a look if you need further guidance. Otherwise, let’s get you fixed up with a great bed topper for a better night’s sleep.
1. Tempur-Pedic Supreme Mattress Topper: Best bed topper overall
Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The three inch-thick Tempur-Pedic Supreme Mattress Topper offers a dreamy layer of comfort that will instantly improve your sleep, making it an easy top choice for our best bed toppers guide. Made using the same proprietary Tempur material found in the brand’s innovative mattresses, this topper offers equal levels of support for pressure relief, adapting to your body shape and posture as you happily snooze away.
The Tempur material evenly distributes body weight to enable full relaxation and is sensitive to body heat to help keep you cool. Tempur-Pedic also states that unlike generic foam, its foam will spring back into shape time after time with no sagging.
Tempur-Pedic’s mattress topper also comes with a removable, washable cover to keep your topper fresh. A great all-rounder if you need an option that ticks all the boxes for a better night's sleep, the Tempur-Pedic Supreme Mattress Topper is great. And remember, if you are looking to improve your sleep, we also recommend getting the best pillows for sleeping.
2. Avocado Green Mattress Latex Plush: Best organic bed topper
The Avocado Green Mattress Latex Topper adds pure comfort and luxury to your eco-friendly home. The company is truly passionate about the environment and is proud to make products using organic, toxin-free and sustainable materials.
Avocado brings to this topper the same level of care and attention that has made its mattresses so highly regarded, with cushioning layers and generous layers of wool that wick away moisture and add stacks of comfort. Another great quality of wool is that it thermoregulates to keep you warm when the nights are cool, and vice versa when the temperature rises.
This topper features a brass zipper, which allows you to access the latex layer should you need to adjust it. Other nice touches include an organic canvas base. Avocado also makes a superb range of comforters - worth checking out if you want to overhaul other aspects of your sleep.
3. Linenspa Gel-Infused Mattress Topper: Best affordable bed topper
If you’re looking for a cheap bed topper for your guest room bed or to tide you over until you can afford a better sleep setup, Linenspas is a good brand to look at. It makes a range of affordable bed toppers, including this Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper. It’s available in depths of either two inches or three inches, and comes in a range of sizes from Twin through to Cal King.
Considering how cheap it is, Linenspa’s affordable bed topper has a high user review score on Amazon, averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars, generated from over 58,000 reviews. It’s described as an ultra-plush memory foam bed topper, and is best-suited to ‘softening up’ extra-firm beds.
Another benefit of the Linenspa Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper is the inclusion of gel beads. Linenspa says these beads help prevent overheating, making it a worthy choice if heat is one of the biggest disruptors of your sleep. We don’t like the lack of a cover on this bed topper, as it will be harder to keep clean, but it’s hard to argue at such a rock-bottom price.
While the two-inch version is the cheapest option, we’d mainly recommend this for use on beds that are occasionally slept in, such as a guest bed. For your mainstay bed, we’d opt for the three-inch version (from $59.99), as this has a thicker layer of memory foam and therefore offers a higher level of comfort.
4. Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper: Best bed topper for back pain
If you’re prone to waking up with a stiff or sore back the Saatva Graphite Memory Topper is designed to help make things better. A high-density foam layer is key to offering steady lumbar support, and this is topped with a layer of memory foam infused with graphite to draw away heat from the body and prevent overheating.
With 3 inches of high-quality foam to rest upon, you can’t go far wrong if you are looking for a steady yet comfy surface. If you tend to move around in your sleep, this is the best bed topper for you as there are four secure anchor-bands that fit snug onto your mattress and the addition of a cool breathable cotton cover is also a nice touch.
There are two other variations of the Saatva Mattress Topper to pick from: Latex (from $195) and the more budget-friendly all Foam (from $135). Saatva makes stunning sleep products, including mattresses and adjustable beds, and you'll often find them on sale among the latest and best Saatva mattress discounts.
5. Tuft & Needle Mattress Topper: Best bed topper for side sleepers
Side sleepers rejoice! This gorgeous bed topper could make all the difference to how well you sleep each night. The Tuft & Needle Mattress Topper is made from memory foam, so it should quickly reduce pressure on the parts of your body that support your weight the most when you sleep on your side. These include your hips and shoulders.
Tuft& Needle’s bed topper is two inches deep, so it’s a better choice for a little extra cushioning on a decent mattress, rather than adding a noticeable amount of added comfort to a bed that’s very firm.
Look close enough and you may spot that it doesn’t have anchor straps. The horror! However it does have a non-slip, non-skid base, so in theory it shouldn’t shift around too much beneath you. Still, we’d recommend investing in an extra deep fitted sheet to cover it properly and keep it held firmly in place.
The Tuft & Needle Mattress Topper is another highly rated choice, thanks in no small part to its soft and cozy knit cover. The only downside is that you can’t stick this beauty in the washing machine - it’s spot-clean only, we’re afraid.
6. Lucid 2-Inch 5-Zone Lavender Foam: Best bed topper for odor control
The best bed toppers are an excellent solution if you don’t have the budget for a new mattress or are looking to upgrade a second bed. While there are many affordable options available, they can be a false economy when they don’t deliver on their promises. Luckily, the Lucid 2-Inch Lavender Foam Mattress Topper is a great budget solution and it comes with added bonuses too.
The super-comfy design features five textured zones, which aim to reduce pressure at different points on the body, making it the best bed topper to prevent tossing and turning. The memory foam is soft and airy, making it irresistible to rest on, but, best of all, it is infused with the natural scent of lavender to ensure a heavenly night’s sleep.
7. DreamFoam 2-Inch Gel Swirl Memory Foam Topper: Best for hot sleepers
In the past, memory foam had a reputation for being too hot to sleep on. Luckily, technology and innovation from different brands means that this is no longer the case, and you can now get all the comfort and support from the foam without the stress of overheating.
DreamFoam 2-Inch Gel Swirl Memory Foam Mattress Topper is made using soft visco-elastic memory foam for comfort and is a great way to add plushness to a firm mattress. The foam also contains an advanced cooling gel swirl infusion that draws heat out and away from the body.
The slow-response contouring also means there will be decreased motion transfer between you and your sleep partner, to keep you cool, unbothered and fresh for a brand-new day.
8. Red Nomad Memory Foam 3-Inch: Best bed topper for pressure relief
Sleeping on pressure points such as your knees, shoulders and heels can cause a whole world of discomfort, especially if you are resting on a mattress that doesn’t provide the right level of support.
The Red Nomad Memory Foam Mattress Topper offers a steady but cosy three-inch base to ensure there is enough give to allow the body to sink in where it needs to, while not being so hard as to aggravate the pressure points. This topper moulds to your body to provide welcome relief and proper alignment for your hips, shoulders and back.
Once you have settled into position for the night, the memory foam will also help reduce motion transfer, while the Coolflow technology ensures you stay cool as you snooze, making it the a good bed topper if you sleep hot.
9. Sleep Innovations 4-Inch Dual Layer: Best bed topper for firm beds
Sleeping on your side is a natural option for many of us and comes with positives such as reduced snoring, but it can also put pressure on certain points on the body, such as your shoulder or hip.
With this Enhanced Support version of its four-Inch Dual Layer Mattress Topper, Sleep Innovations offers a product that holds the body comfortably for side-sleepers, keeping the hips and shoulders comfortable and aligned.
Cosy to the max, the hypo-allergenic topper comprises two inches of cooling-gel memory foam and a two-inch layer of soft quilted fiber-fill to provide a plush base that keeps you steady until it’s time to wake up.
The Sleep Innovations 4-Inch Dual Layer Mattress Topper fits securely to the mattress with a washable cover that stretches over like a fitted sheet. Because it's so thick and cozy, this could make a big difference to your sleep if your bed is currently too hard for you to sleep on comfortably.
Today's cheapest deals on the best bed topper
For further discounts on great bed toppers and bedding made by award-winning sleep brands, also take a look at our round-ups of the best Purple mattress deals and the best Casper mattress deals.
Best bed toppers FAQ
Should you buy a bed topper or a new mattress?
The surface you sleep on can affect your physical health as well as your mental wellbeing, so it’s important to get it right. But deciding whether you need to buy a new mattress or simply enhance your existing bed with one of the best bed toppers isn't so straight forward.
When it comes to how often you should change your mattress, different types of mattresses last for a different amount of years, which means no matter how great your mattress is, it will eventually lose its bounce. It’s worth learning the signs that you need to replace your mattress. While a topper might seem like a good solution, it’s only a temporary one and won’t give your body the support it needs if resting on an unsteady foundation you’ve had for two decades.
If you have already chosen a great mattress, but just need something extra, such as added lumbar support or a cooling surface, investing in a mattress topper could be the sensible choice, as well as the cheaper one. Bed toppers are also an excellent solution for enhancing the bed in your guest bedroom, or for rolling up and taking with you if you need to sleep in another bed for an extended amount of time.
You may also like...
Overhaul your bed and your sleep with our guide to the comfiest, most supportive mattresses sold online, and at a range of budgets too.
Finding a good pillow often feels like something of a dark art, but we're here to guide you with our round-up of pillows for better sleep.
Forget traditional alarm clocks - sunrise alarm clocks are a must for helping you wake up more naturally (and a little happier) during the darker months.
