If it’s time to change your mattress and you’re a hot sleeper, you’ve got your work cut out for you. You want to find one that’s soft and inviting, of course, but not so soft that you sink in and bake in your own heat. On the other hand, you don’t want a mattress that has great airflow, but is so firm that you might as well be camping! Many mattresses have cooling properties to help strike a balance, but wading through all the jargon to figure out what really works can be exhausting itself.
Well, don’t sweat it. We’re experts when it comes to what really makes a great cooling mattress. No, really: we literally chainsawed our competitors’ mattresses to figure out what makes them work before building our own.
In this post, we’ll use what we learned and compare the top options out there to help you find the best cooling mattress.
At a glance:
The Best Cooling Mattresses
The top cooling mattresses out there are great at keeping your temperature low, but they're also great at, you know, being a mattress. They're well-built from high-quality materials, they’re designed to support the needs of all kinds of sleepers, and, at the (literal) end of the day, they’re just plain comfy.
Let’s take a look at how the best cooling mattresses stack up!
The Hush Mattress
We’ll save some time and start with what we (obviously) think is the best cooling mattress: the Hush mattress. We designed our mattress to be the coolest, most comfortable mattress money can buy, and we think we’ve nailed it.
The Hush mattress is a medium firm hybrid mattress. It has a memory foam top layer that’s infused with cooling gel and graphite that conducts heat while remaining breathable. The whole layer is surrounded by fabric infused with phase-change material that helps cool the mattress even further.
As you’ll learn in this article, you don’t see a lot of companies using graphite in their mattresses. It’s got powerful cooling properties, but it’s tricky to use effectively in a mattress. Never ones to let a challenge keep us down, we spent a lot of time testing different methods in order to bring that amazing cooling to the Hush mattress.
The base layer features individually wrapped coils made of Canadian steel. We arranged them with heavier coils near the middle of the mattress and lighter ones near the edges to create zones of support for different parts of the body. The coils are highly durable and will last for years, not months.
Some mattress companies cut costs in their production process by using harsh chemicals. We don’t believe in that, and we don’t use toxic chemicals anywhere in our mattress. We even use food-grade soy byproducts and non-toxic padding throughout The Hush mattress.
We designed the Hush to be a cooling mattress for every kind of sleeper out there.
- Back sleepers will like the support of the coils and cushion of the pillow top.
- Side sleepers will appreciate the give in the coils that compress under pressure from shoulders and hips.
- Stomach sleepers will find their hips don’t sink too far into this mattress.
As a bonus for couples, the extra-low motion transfer of our hybrid construction means no sleep disruption from your partner moving around throughout the night.
How Well Does it Cool?
The Hush is an incredibly cool mattress. So cool, in fact, that we ran some tests that found it can get down to temperatures around 3 degrees lower than the room it’s in! Some mattress companies put a layer of cooling foam on top of a regular mattress and call it a day. For us, that wasn’t good enough. From the phase change material on our mattress cover to the graphite layer to the breathable visco foam and metal coils, every single layer of the Hush mattress is designed with cooling in mind.
Long story short, the Hush mattress is the best choice for hot sleepers and anyone else looking for a great cooling mattress.
Eight Sleep Pod Pro
While most cooling mattresses, including ours, rely on materials and design to bring the temperature down, Eight Sleep takes a different approach. The Sleep Pod Pro is a smart mattress that uses tech to adjust the temperature and give you insights on how well you’ve been sleeping.
The Sleep Pod Pro mattress has a grid of sensors and water tubes beneath its knit polyester cover. This grid is connected to a WiFi-connected hub that heats, cools, and pumps water around the grid to actively heat and cool the bed based on settings you choose in the Eight app. The sensors track your movements and body temperature throughout the night and send data and recommendations to the app as well.
Underneath the grid are several layers of poly foam, gradually increasing in density. The base foam layer contains additional sensors to track temperature data through the night. The Eight Sleep Pod Pro mattress is CertiPUR-US certified to be free of harmful chemicals.
But is the mattress comfortable? Of course, that depends on the position you typically sleep in. Generally speaking:
- Back sleepers will likely appreciate this mattress the most for the amount of support it provides.
- Side sleepers likely won't get enough pressure relief from this mattress to be comfortable.
- Stomach sleepers might want a bit more support in the hips than the Eight Sleep Pod Pro provides.
One downside is the feel of laying on a high tech grid, though: some reviews compared the feel of the cover to laying on an air mattress. This is also the only cooling mattress on this list that requires active maintenance. You’ll need to refresh the water/hydrogen peroxide in the hub periodically to avoid bacterial growth inside the mattress.
How Well Does it Cool?
The Eight Sleep Pod Pro actively works to keep you cool. You can set your ideal temperature in the app, and the grid in the mattress topper responds accordingly. The sensors in the cover keep tabs on your temperature all night, and the system moves water around to actively regulate it. It works well, and can even create separate temperature zones for two people sharing a bed.
The Endy Mattress
As Canadian as they come, down to the maple leaf on the box, the Endy is an all-memory foam mattress with a medium-firm feel.
Beneath its 97% polyester and spandex removable cover, the mattress boasts three layers of memory foam. The top layer is made of open-cell memory foam, which allows for airflow and helps to regulate temperature. The transition layer is made of a responsive polyfoam, while the support layer is higher density, providing support for the body. All materials used in the Endy are certified to be free of harmful chemicals.
The Endy has a balanced feel of softness and support. As an all-foam mattress, it offers low motion transfer, which is helpful for people who share a bed. Side sleepers will appreciate the cushioning this mattress provides in the shoulders and hips. The Endy’s balance of support and softness is also ideal for combo sleepers who change sleeping positions throughout the night. However, stomach and back sleepers, along with heavier people, may find this mattress too soft.
How Well Does It Cool?
Memory foam mattresses are known to trap heat. The Endy mattress attempts to counteract this with its breathable cover and open-cell memory foam. It’s a step up in terms of cooling from the average memory foam mattress, but if you’re an especially hot sleeper you might need a bit more cooling from your mattress than what the Endy can provide.
The Douglas
The Douglas is one of a number of mattress brands made by Goodmorning.com. It’s an all-memory foam mattress with a medium-firm feel that leans toward the softer side.
The comfort layer, which the company calls ecoLight, is made of a low-carbon foam infused with cooling gel. This sits atop an Elastex transition layer designed to offer a bit of bounce. The base layer is high density polyfoam to support the layers above it.
The Douglas mattress is also certified to be free of harmful chemicals. It’s a good choice for side sleepers or people who change positions frequently during the night. It provides just enough support in the shoulders and hips while not allowing you to sink too deeply into the mattress to move around. It offers the same great motion reduction as many memory foam mattresses. Back and stomach sleepers, on the other hand, might need a bit more support than the Douglas offers. The same goes for heavier folks.
How Well Does it Cool?
Like the Endy, the Douglas mattress does a decent job of escaping the heat-trapping tendencies of foam mattresses. The Douglas comes with a Tencel mattress cover that’s lightweight and breathable. The cooling gel infusion in the comfort layer also helps bring the temperature down. At the end of the day, though, there are cooler mattresses out there that hot sleepers may find more comfortable.
As you can probably tell, the Douglas and Endy are quite similar mattresses. It can be tough to decide between them, but we’re here to help with a handy guide.
Casper Wave Snow
Casper is one of the most well-known mattress-in-a-box brands out there. Their cooling mattress, the Wave Snow, is a medium-soft hybrid mattress that works hard to live up to that “snow” name and keep you icy cool.
The Wave Snow mattress’ comfort layer is made of a perforated memory that’s infused with cooling gel and phase change material. The natural latex transition layer features thin graphite bands that help conduct heat away from your body. The Wave Snow’s support layer is made of polyfoam with gel pods around the center of the mattress for extra support for your waist and lower back. All of these sit on a foundation layer of pocketed steel coils that add bounce while also conducting heat away from your body.
Casper uses materials in the Wave Snow that are certified to be free of harmful chemicals. They also test their foam to ensure low VOC emissions.
The Casper Wave Snow is designed to keep your back straight. Back sleepers will feel a good balance of cushioning and support from the gel pods and coils in the support and base layers. Side sleepers also will find this mattress provides a good amount of pressure relief in the shoulders and hips. On the other hand, stomach sleepers might find they sink into this mattress a bit too much for comfort. As a hybrid mattress it offers great motion isolation, which is a plus for couples.
How Well Does it Cool?
Just about every layer of this mattress is designed with cooling in mind.
- The mattress cover is infused with phase change material for immediate heat transfer.
- The Wave Snow’s comfort layer is a perforated, breathable foam infused with cooling gel.
- The graphite bands on the transition layer absorb heat as well, and its natural latex construction is naturally cooling.
- Finally, the coils at the bottom of the mattress conduct heat away from the body.
All of this makes the Wave Snow a solid option for a cooling mattress. However, keep in mind that it’s among the pricier cooling mattresses out there; a Queen runs $3,395. If price is no object and you love the Casper feel, though, this mattress will definitely keep you cool.
Ghostbed Luxe
The Ghostbed Luxe is a medium-firm mattress that claims to be the “coolest mattress in the world.” That’s a bold claim for an all-foam mattress, though, as we’ll see, they do make a decent attempt for the Coolest Mattress Throne.
The Ghostbed Luxe leans toward the softer side of “medium-firm.” The Luxe’s quilted cover includes a layer of aerated gel memory foam, along with phase change material and a fabric the company calls “Ghost Ice.” The comfort layer has more Ghost Ice fabric on top of another layer of gel memory foam. The transition layer is responsive while still providing some cushioning. The Luxe’s base layer is made of high density memory foam for support.
The Luxe is a mattress you can really sink into. Side sleepers will likely find it quite comfortable. Stomach and back sleepers might find the Luxe to sink a bit too much in the hips and may want to look at a different mattress. As an all-foam mattress, the Luxe offers low motion transfer to help keep partner disturbances to a minimum.
The Ghostbed Luxe, like many other mattresses on this list, is certified to use materials that are free of harmful chemicals.
How Well Does It Cool?
The Luxe is an average mattress in terms of cooling. The Ghost Ice fabric is relatively cool, but the aerated memory foam is only average in cooling in our experience, only slightly elevating it over standard memory foam work to absorb body heat. The memory foam in the comfort layer is also perforated, which also helps increase the airflow.
While we’re not so sure it lives up to the slogan “coolest in the world,” hot sleepers should at least find the Luxe to be a comfortable mattress that stays a bit cooler than other standard memory foam mattresses.
Novosbed
The Novosbed is another mattress from the Goodmorning.com family. It’s an all-memory foam mattress that’s available in three different firmness levels. If, after a night or two, you find that you need the Novosbed to be softer or firmer, the company will send you a free kit, called the Comfort+, to change the feel of the mattress.
The Novosbed has an open cell memory foam comfort layer that helps to dissipate heat a bit better than traditional foam. This sits on a transition layer of denser memory foam, followed by a high density polyfoam support layer. The Novosbed mattress does a good job of isolating motion thanks to its all-foam construction.
The Novosbed is also certified to use materials that are free of harmful chemicals. Depending on how you sleep, you should choose your firmness level carefully with the Novosbed. Side sleepers will likely find the medium version comfortable, while stomach and back sleepers may want to opt for the firm version.
How Well Does it Cool?
The Novosbed comes with a Tencel cover, which is a breathable fabric. Together with the open cell memory foam comfort layer, this means it sleeps reasonably cool. The Novosbed avoids the heat-trapping issues some all-foam mattresses can have, but if you’re looking for a cooling mattress, there are better options out there.
Logan & Cove
Also from Goodmorning.com, the Logan & Cove is a hybrid mattress with a fancy name and a unique build to match. It’s available in two firmness levels: firm or medium-firm.
The pillow top layer is made of a silk blend and visco foam infused with cooling gel. The blend is 5% silk and 95% hollofil, a synthetic polymer. The transition layer provides contouring support with a layer of bio foam, which is a synthetic foam made from soy products. The Logan & Cove’s support layer consists of individually pocketed coils, and the whole mattress is wrapped in foam sidewalls for extra edge support.
The Logan & Cove is one of the only cooling mattresses on this list that isn’t certified to be free of harmful chemicals. This is likely due to their use of synthetic materials throughout the mattress.
The firmness of both types of the Logan & Cove are great for stomach sleepers, whose hips wont sink too much into the bed. The medium-firm option should appeal to side sleepers for its balance of pressure relief and support. Back sleepers will find both options provide adequate support for the spine. Heavier people will want to consider the firmer model for the additional support it provides.
How Does it Cool?
The Logan & Cove features a Tencel top cover that’s breathable and moisture-wicking. The cooling gel in the pillow top also can help bring the temperature down, and the individually wrapped coils in the support layer also help transfer heat. The Logan & Cove is just about average in terms of cooling. It’s not a hot mattress, but there are better options out there for those looking to sleep cool.
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Hybrid
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora is another worthy contender in the cooling mattress game. This hybrid mattress comes in three different firmness levels: soft, medium, and firm.
The Aurora’s comfort layer is naturally anti-microbial due to its copper and phase change material-infused memory foam. The transition layers vary depending on the firmness levels. The soft and medium options consist of gel foam, while the firm version also includes an extra layer of higher density foam for extra support. The base layer consists of individually wrapped coils for responsiveness and airflow. Unique to this hybrid, the coils also sit on a thin layer of high density foam for reinforcement.
The Aurora isn’t certified not to use harsh chemicals. They use some proprietary chemicals to create the cooling gel beads in their top layer, which may be the reason for this.
The Aurora is softer than many hybrids, but side sleepers should find good support from the medium version. Back and stomach sleepers, along with heavier people, should consider the firm version. Couples should keep in mind it has a little bit more motion transfer than some other hybrid mattresses.
How Does it Cool?
Brooklyn Bedding uses their GlacioTex phase change material throughout this mattress, which helps it bring the temperature down quite well. Both the cover and the foam layer directly beneath it are infused with it. Combined with the pocketed coils that help move heat away from your body, the Aurora is a mattress that will stay cool all night.
Helix Midnight Luxe
Last but not least, the Helix Midnight Luxe is a medium-firm hybrid cooling mattress with a pillow top to add that extra little touch of comfort.
Helix doesn’t share what that comfy pillow top is filled with, but it comes with a choice of a Tencel or GlacioTex Cooling Cover. GlacioTex, for the uninitiated, is a type of phase change material patented by Brooklyn Bedding.
The Midnight Luxe’s comfort layer is made of a copper gel infused memory foam. The transition layers are made of what the company calls “Memory Plus” foam and a medium-firm polyfoam. For support, the Midnight Luxe has a layer of over 1,000 individually wrapped, zoned coils. The coils sit on one more layer of high density foam that adds stability to the entire mattress.
The Midnight Luxe is certified to be free of harmful chemicals. It’s not clear whether that includes the optional GlacioTex cover. Brooklyn Bedding also uses GlacioTex, and as we noted earlier they are not certified.
Side sleepers will appreciate this mattress. It provides a good amount of cushioning in the shoulders and hips without allowing too much sink. The Midnight Luxe is supportive enough for back sleepers and even some heavier people, but stomach sleepers will want to look for something firmer. The motion isolation on this mattress is about average for a hybrid mattress, though it’s a tad bit bouncier than other hybrids.
How Does it Cool?
The Midnight Luxe comes with a breathable Tencel cover on its pillow top by default. The company also offers an upgrade to a GlacioTex phase change material cover for a stronger cooling effect. Both covers help pull heat down to the mattress below, where the relatively large number of metal coils absorb and diffuse heat. Reviewers tend to give the Midnight Luxe high marks as a great option for a cooling mattress.
Things To Keep In Mind While Shopping For A Cooling Mattress
What Kind of Materials Do Mattresses Use for Cooling?
Along with coils, mattresses often employ cooling gel memory foam, latex foam, and phase change materials, among others, to help with cooling.
- Cooling gel works as you’d expect from the name: it’s cool to the touch and helps reduce heat.
- Latex is a naturally cooling material that’s often used in transition layers of mattresses.
- Phase change materials are chemicals, either natural or synthetic, that react to the presence of heat and absorb it quickly, causing a decrease in temperature. Some phase change materials can wear off of a mattress over time, which is something to keep in mind while shopping for a cooling mattress.
Some cooling mattresses also use breathable fabrics, like Tencel, in their mattress cover to help increase airflow. You can also upgrade the cooling of any mattress with the right set of sheets.
What type of mattress is best for a hot sleeper?
If you’re a hot sleeper, you need a mattress that will move the heat your body generates away from you as efficiently as possible. Many types of mattresses have features that help with this, but in our experience, hybrid mattresses work the best.
The lower coils of these mattresses do double duty as support and as large air pockets for heat to escape the mattress. Many hybrids also feature cooling materials or perforated foam in their top layer to help move that heat down to the coils while still providing comfort.
Is There A Mattress That You Can Control The Temperature?
We live in the future, where they said we’d have flying cars and mattresses with built-in temperature control by now. At least they were right about the second one…sort of. The Eight Sleep Pod Pro is a cooling mattress that uses a grid of water tubes to actively move heat away from the body. It does a great job, though according to some reviews it can be a little uncomfortable to sleep on.
That grid isn’t quite part of the mattress, though. It’s a mattress cover that can be purchased separately (and added to any mattress it fits). This is similar to the ChiliSleep, another smart cooling mattress topper. While we’ve yet to see a mattress that provides active temperature control itself, it’s probably likely we’ll see it before we see a Toyota Camry with wings.
OK Really, What Is The Best Cooling Mattress for Hot Sleepers?
We’re sure it’s a real shocker for us to tell you that we think the Hush Mattress is the best mattress for hot sleepers one can buy. It took us over 18 months to design our mattress, and we literally built it from the ground up to be the coolest mattress out there.
The mattress is designed with a phase change material cover that’s perforated for excellent airflow, a graphite layer, and visco gel infused foam, the Hush mattress can get 3 degrees cooler than your room. It’ll do all that while also making you feel as comfortable as if you’re floating on a cloud. AND it costs far less than a remotely comparable hybrid OR cooling mattress.
Check out the Hush mattress today and get ready for the coolest sleep of your life.
