Shopping The 9 Best Mattress Pads for Every Sleep Need of 2023 The Saatva Organic Mattress Pad is our top pick for its GOTS-certified organic cotton construction, plush feel, deep pocket, and variety of size options. By Lesley Chen Lesley Chen Lesley Chen is a San Francisco-based freelance writer who covers shopping, home, tech, health, and general lifestyle topics for various websites.Highlights *Her work has appeared on SFGate, Well + Good, BuzzFeed, Byrdie, and PureWow. *She has a BA in economics and psychology from UC Berkeley and an MBA from UCLA Anderson. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Final Verdict How to Shop FAQs Take Our Word for It We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Real Simple / Joy Kim A comfortable bed is essential to getting some quality Zzzs. Because a mattress is a major investment, a mattress pad can be used to protect the longevity of your bed, so you'll be cozy for years to come. The best mattress pads protect your bed from everyday wear and create an extra layer of cushioning that’s easily removable and washable when needed.We thoroughly researched mattress pads, considering factors like material, size, pocket depth, care, and return policy. We also talked to mattress experts, including Robert Pagano, Co-founder of Sleepline, and Byron Golub, Director of Product & Merchandising for Saatva.“Mattress pads act as a barrier between your skin and the mattress, which can help protect against dust mites and other allergens that may be present in your environment,” says Pagano.Here, the mattress pads for every sleep need. Our Top Picks Best Overall Mattress Pad: Saatva Organic Mattress Pad at Saatva Jump to Review Best Budget Mattress Pad: Utopia Bedding Quilted Mattress Pad at Amazon Jump to Review Best Splurge Mattress Pad: Avocado Organic Cotton Mattress Pad at Avocadogreenmattress.com Jump to Review Best Cooling Mattress Pad: Slumber Cloud Performance Mattress Pad at Slumber Cloud Jump to Review Best Heated Mattress Pad: Sunbeam Heated Mattress Pad at Amazon Jump to Review Best Waterproof Mattress Pad: The Company Store Legends Hotel Waterproof Mattress Pad at Home Depot Jump to Review Best Bamboo Mattress Pad: Cozy Earth Bamboo Mattress Pad at Amazon Jump to Review Best Down Mattress Pad: Parachute Down Mattress Pad at Parachute Jump to Review Best Quilted Mattress Pad: Puffy Mattress Pad at Puffy.com Jump to Review Best Overall Mattress Pad Saatva Organic Mattress Pad 4.3 Saatva View On Saatva What Stands Out The pad is constructed of extra-plush, breathable certified organic cotton with extra-wide elastic bands that keep it in place. What Could Be Improved It's more expensive than other mattress pads. Saatva’s Organic Mattress Pad protects your mattress and gives you an extra-plush layer of comfort. You’ll sleep cool and comfortably on the quilted, GOTS-certified, 300-thread count organic cotton surface, which is breathable and soft. The pad fits mattress depths up to 16 inches, and the extra-wide elastic bands on the sides ensure it stays in place no matter how much you toss and turn at night. Come laundry day, just toss it into the washing machine on a gentle cycle with cold water, tumble dry, and it’ll be good as new.The only downside is that it’s more expensive than other mattress pads. However, we think it’s worth it for the quality durable materials. Polyester mattress pads, while less expensive, are typically less breathable, so it’s worth it to spend more and get a better night’s sleep. Price at time of publish: $225 for queen Material: Organic cotton | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, cal king, split king, queen upper-flex, king upper-flex | Pocket Depth: 16 inches | Care: Machine wash cold, gentle cycle, tumble dry | Return Policy: 45 days Real Simple / Joy Kim Best Budget Mattress Pad Utopia Bedding Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart What Stands Out It's made of durable brushed microfiber and fiberfill that gives it some loft and is also available in uncommon sizes. What Could Be Improved The microfiber isn't very breathable. Looking for a basic, no-fuss mattress pad? This quilted mattress pad has you covered. It’s made of durable brushed microfiber and has a fiberfill to provide some loft. The elastic skirt can fit over mattresses up to 16 inches deep, and it comes in any size you need, even uncommon sizes like short queen and full XL. This option also comes in five colorways; gray, beige, navy, quatrefoil, and white—and at this affordable price point, you can pick up one for every bed in your house and then some. Just keep in mind that microfiber isn’t very breathable, so hot sleepers will probably feel overheated with this mattress pad. Price at time of publish: $24 for queen Material: Microfiber | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, full XL, queen, short queen, king, Cal king | Pocket depth: 16 inches | Care: Machine wash, tumble dry on low | Return Policy: 30 days Real Simple / Joy Kim The 4 Best Mattress Toppers, According to Our Tests Best Splurge Mattress Pad Avocado Organic Cotton Mattress Pad Protector 4.2 Avocado View On Avocadogreenmattress.com What Stands Out This environmentally-friendly pad has cross-quilting, reinforced edges, a cotton canvas base to prevent slipping, and a gentle-but-snug pocket. What Could Be Improved It's not as plush as other options. Another organic option, Avocado’s Mattress Pad is handmade, certified vegan, and free of formaldehyde, PVCs, chemical finishes, and more. It’s made with GOTS-certified organic cotton (both on the surface and in the fill) and is constructed in Fair Trade Certified factories, so you can sleep well knowing your mattress pad is environmentally-friendly. Additional details like cross-quilting, reinforced edges, a cotton canvas base to prevent slipping, and a gentle-but-snug pocket make this mattress pad a joy to sleep on. It also has options tofit both standard (16-inch) and deep (22-inch) mattresses. Price at time of publish: $299 for queen Material: Organic cotton | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king | Pocket depth: 16 or 22 inches | Care: Spot clean or machine wash, tumble dry or hang dry | Return Policy: 100 days Real Simple / Joy Kim The 10 Best Organic Sheets for All Types of Sleepers Best Cooling Mattress Pad Slumber Cloud Performance Mattress Pad Slumber Cloud View On Slumber Cloud What Stands Out It has a lightweight Tencel lining with two temperature-regulating technologies that adjust to the sleeper’s ideal body temperature, even if you share a bed with a partner. What Could Be Improved It's not waterproof. For truly hot sleepers, leave it to NASA engineering to figure out a way to help you finally stay cool at night. This mattress pad from Slumber Cloud has a lightweight Tencel lining with two temperature-regulating technologies that adjust to the sleeper’s ideal body temperature—even if you share a bed with a partner—by absorbing, storing, and releasing excess heat. This mattress pad will practically know you’re overheating before you do. Inside, there is an alternative down fill, and the elastic skirting fits mattress depths up to 20 inches. Price at time of publish: $229 for queen Material: Tencel Outlast shell, down alternative fiber-fill | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king, split king | Pocket Depth: 20 inches | Care: Machine wash cold on delicate spin cycle, dry on low heat or air dry | Return Policy: 60 days The 10 Best Cooling Sheets for a Sweat-Free Night, According to Our Tests Best Heated Mattress Pad Sunbeam Water-Resistant Heated Mattress Pad 4.2 Amazon View On Amazon What Stands Out It has an auto-shut-off feature and Thermofine technology that ensures even heat distribution. What Could Be Improved The power cord placement is awkward, and it automatically resets to factory default settings when turned on. Whether you like to preheat your bed before you get under the covers or enjoy the feel of a warm bed, the UL-certified Sunbeam Heated Mattress Pad delivers the heat. With 12 different settings, you can customize the temperature to your preference all year round. The queen and king sizes have dual controls so each side of the bed can have a different temperature, and the mattress pad has Thermofine technology to provide evenly distributed heat—no cold spots here. It has an auto-shut-off feature that turns the heat off after 12 hours, just in case you forget after you wake up and get out of bed, and it’s also machine-washable. Price at time of publish: $82 for queen Material: Polyester | Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king | Pocket Depth: 18 inches | Care: Machine wash, dryer-safe | Return Policy: 30 days The 8 Best Heated Mattress Pads to Keep You Warm and Toasty at Night, According to Reviews Best Waterproof Mattress Pad The Company Store Legends Hotel Waterproof Mattress Pad The-company-store View On Home Depot View On The Company Store What Stands Out You won’t hear or feel the waterproof layer while sleeping because it's sandwiched between the cotton layers. What Could Be Improved It can shrink a bit. Accidents happen, and this waterproof mattress pad can provide extra protection for your mattress. A 400-thread count cotton shell provides comfort, while a synthetic polyfill provides some cushion. The waterproof layer is sandwiched between the cotton layers, so you won’t hear or feel it while sleeping (a common complaint with waterproof mattress pads is that they’re too crinkly). You can choose from an 11-inch or 18-inch pocket depth, and you have 90 days to keep or return it. Price at time of publish: $179 for queen Material: Cotton shell, synthetic polyfill, thermoplastic polyurethane inner layer | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king | Pocket depth: 11 or 18 inches | Care: Machine wash on gentle cycle, tumble dry low | Return Policy: 90 days Best Bamboo Mattress Pad Cozy Earth Bamboo Mattress Pad Amazon View On Amazon View On Cozy Earth What Stands Out You have 100 nights to try this ultra-soft, breathable, and temperature-regulating pad with deep pockets and strong elastic straps. What Could Be Improved The thinner profile means there's less cushioning. If you’re looking for a cotton alternative, this mattress pad from Cozy Earth is made from 100 percent viscose from bamboo, which is ultra soft, breathable, and temperature-regulating. It has a thin profile but deep pockets and strong elastic to stay securely in place, so it’s best for people who want a mattress pad they’ll barely notice is there. It’s another expensive one, but the premium materials will keep hot sleepers happy, plus you have 100 nights to sleep on it to decide if you want to keep it. Price at time of publish: $209 for queen Material: Viscose from bamboo | Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king, Cal king | Pocket depth: 18 inches | Care: Spot clean, dry clean, or rinse cycle only in the washing machine, dry on delicate or hang dry | Return Policy: 100 days The 8 Best Bamboo Sheets to Keep You Cool All Night, According to Our Testing Best Down Mattress Pad Parachute Down Mattress Pad Parachute View On Parachute What Stands Out It offers an extra soft layer and double-stitched construction, so you don’t have to worry about the fill escaping through the seam. What Could Be Improved It's not a good option for those who want to avoid animal products. Enjoy the fluffiness of down with this Parachute mattress pad, which has a sateen cotton shell and a fluffy down fill for ultimate comfort while you snooze. Most mattress pads are for protection only, but this one also offers an extra soft layer that’s great if you have a mattress that’s just slightly too firm. It has double-stitched construction so you don’t have to worry about the fill escaping through the seams, and the elastic hem hugs your bed securely, similar to a fitted sheet. Price at time of publish: $269 for queen Material: Cotton sateen shell, down and down and feather fiber fill | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king | Pocket Depth: 18 inches | Care: Dry clean or machine wash | Return Policy: 60 days The 9 Best Down Pillows of 2022, According to Our Tests Best Quilted Mattress Pad Puffy Mattress Pad Puffy View On Puffy.com What Stands Out The hypoallergenic filling provides sneeze-free cushioning. What Could Be Improved It won't fit mattresses deeper than 15 inches. The Puffy Mattress Pad has a quilted jacquard knitted design and a bamboo blend fabric that’s cooling and breathable. It has a hypoallergenic filling that provides a sneeze-free cushion for anyone looking for an extra layer of puff on top of their mattress, and stretch pockets that can fit mattresses up to 15 inches deep. Puffy also offers a generous 101-night trial, and if you decide to keep the mattress pad, it’s backed by a lifetime warranty. Price at time of publish: $229 for queen Material: Bamboo | Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king, Cal King | Pocket Depth: 15 inches | Care: Machine wash, tumble dry | Return Policy: 101 days Final Verdict The Saatva Organic Mattress Pad is our top pick for its comfortable feel, quality materials, ease of care, and range of sizes. If you’re a particularly hot sleeper, we recommend the Slumber Cloud Performance Mattress Pad, which has proactive technology built into the fabric to help adjust your body temperature so you sleep cool and comfortably through the night. How to Shop for a Mattress Pad Like a Pro Materials Mattress pads typically come in materials like cotton, bamboo, polyester, and microfiber. The material that’s best for you depends on your preferences and how hot or cool of a sleeper you are. For example, cotton is breathable but less moisture-wicking than bamboo or Tencel. Polyester is much less expensive, but retains a lot of heat so isn’t a great choice for hot sleepers. Plus, different types of fill provide different levels of cushioning. Down or down alternative mattress pads will feel plusher than thin mattress pads, but they may not be as breathable. Water Resistance Not all mattress pads are waterproof, while many are at least water-resistant. A waterproof mattress pad will give your bed extra protection from spills and other accidents, but note that fabrics with a waterproof coating may be more crinkly and feel less soft than other fabrics. Waterproof or not, having any mattress pad gives your bed some added protection. Pocket Depth Pocket depth is key to ensuring your mattress pad fits your mattress and stays in place while you sleep, night after night. The last thing you want is a mattress pad that shifts around if you move in your sleep or one that constantly slides off your mattress. If you have a taller mattress, then look for mattress pads with deep pockets. Your best bet is to measure the height of your mattress and make sure a mattress pad has pockets at least as tall. Your mattress pad should be able to fit around the mattress, corners and all, without you having to wrestle it into place. Care You don't need to wash your mattress pad as often as your sheets since they sit under a fitted sheet, but you should clean them every so often. Make cleaning easier by looking for a machine-washable pad so you can wash it at home. Bonus points if you can toss it in the dryer too! Questions You Might Ask What’s the difference between a mattress pad, mattress topper, and mattress protector? Mattress pads, mattress toppers, and mattress protectors all go over your mattress, but they serve slightly different purposes.A mattress pad is a thin layer that’s placed on top of a mattress to protect its surface against contamination from dust, stains, pet urine, and more. It might offer slightly more cushioning, but not nearly as much as a mattress topper.A mattress topper is a 1-inch to 3-inch layer you can place on top of a mattress to change the feel of its surface. Toppers may provide additional protection for the mattress, but their primary purpose is to add a boost of cushioning. Finally, a mattress protector is almost like a fitted sheet, and it protects a mattress against most accidental spills, bacteria, and allergens. It’s the least expensive of the bunch, and doesn’t provide any cushioning. Who should buy a mattress pad? Generally, people should buy a mattress pad if they want to increase the lifespan of their mattress, if they have allergies, or if they want some extra comfort, says Pagano. The best time to buy one is during three-day weekends—such as Labor Day, Memorial Day, and President's Day—when mattresses and mattress accessories go on sale.Golub adds that mattress pads help to protect the mattress against wear and tear, spills, and stains, so there's less worry about cleaning the mattress. They can also have the additional benefit of keeping you cool or warm, depending on the material. How do you clean a mattress pad? Most mattress pads are machine washable, typically on a gentle cycle, but like with any product, read the care instructions ahead of time. Cleaning methods may also depend on the mattress pad material. In general, cotton mattress pads should be cleaned every 2-3 months with a mild detergent. Take Our Word for It This article was written by Lesley Chen, a contributing writer for Real Simple with six years of experience writing commerce, home, and lifestyle stories. To compile this list, she thoroughly researched mattress pads and rounded up the best options based on material, size, pocket depth, and care. For expert advice on mattress pads, Lesley spoke to Robert Pagano, Co-founder of Sleepline, and Byron Golub, Director of Product & Merchandising for Saatva. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit