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Best Mattress Pads

Updated September 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
LDC Lux Decor Collection Mattress Pad
LDC Lux Decor Collection
Mattress Pad
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Most Versatile
Bottom Line

This is a well-made mattress pad that comes in sizes ranging from twin to California king.

Pros

Crafted of soft microfiber material that's breathable and quiet. Quilted design with deep pockets that provide a reliable fit on mattresses as thick as 16 inches. Available in popular and hard-to-find sizes, including queen and twin XL.

Cons

Sleeps somewhat hot. Although it's machine-washable, it may begin to lose its shape after several washings.

Best Bang for the Buck
Utopia Bedding Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad
Utopia Bedding
Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

If the somewhat thin material doesn't bother you, this is a mid-priced pad that will most likely fit your mattress and won't aggravate allergies.

Pros

Earns praise for how well the quilted material stretches to provide a proper fit, even for thicker memory foam mattresses. Soft down alternative is ideal for those with allergies.

Cons

Material is on the thin side and has a tendency to wear out in spots with repeated washings.

Sealy Luxury 100% Cotton Fitted Mattress Pad
Sealy
Luxury 100% Cotton Fitted Mattress Pad
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Trusted Brand
Bottom Line

A plush, cozy option, this mattress pad also fits beds better than most others on the market.

Pros

Breathable design featuring 300-thread-count cotton. Machine-washable for easy care, and it holds up well to regular washing. Filled with hypoallergenic materials. Fits mattresses up to 18 inches deep.

Cons

Some reports that the pad ends up ripping when pulled over the mattress.

Hanna Kay Hypoallergenic Quilted Stretch-to-Fit Mattress Pad
Hanna Kay
Hypoallergenic Quilted Stretch-to-Fit Mattress Pad
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Perfect Fit
Bottom Line

Primarily intended for protection, this pad doesn't offer significant support, but it fits most mattresses like a glove.

Pros

Boasts 40% more filling than competitors. Breathable cotton and poly blend are hypoallergenic. Diamond stitching helps prevent bunching. Fits mattresses up to 16 inches deep, twin or queen.

Cons

It isn't very supportive, and it has a tendency to pill.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for best mattress pads

A mattress pad is a must-have in the bedroom. It helps extend the life of your current mattress by protecting it, and it provides extra comfort for sleepers. There are hundreds of mattress pads available on the consumer market, so how do you tell which is the right one? With so many kinds of options, it can be tough to sort the wheat from the chaff.

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The sheer variety of sizes, shapes, materials, attachments, and prices of mattress pads in today’s world can leave you confused. Fear not! Our BestReviews Team has all the information you need to know.

Mattress pad materials

Although your skin likely won’t come into contact with your mattress pad very often, it’s still nice to know what the pad is made of.

Most consumer-level pads consist of common materials such as cotton, synthetics, wool, and latex foam. High-viscosity foam, also known as memory foam, is essentially a more advanced form of latex. Some of these materials are better suited for mattress protection; others excel at promoting user comfort. Rarely does a mattress pad serve both purposes equally.

Cotton

You’ll find natural cotton in plenty of entry-level and moderately expensive mattress pads. Because it’s so absorbent, people use it to protect their mattresses from urine, sweat, beverage spills, and pet damage.

However, most cotton pads don’t provide much cushioning for sleepers. Yes, a cotton mattress pad will smooth out the high and low spots of a typical mattress; this is especially true of mattress pads with full quilting. But a cotton mattress pad is not a great choice for those who need extra physical support in bed.

Cotton mattress pads are machine washable. With normal wear and tear, however, their durability degrades over time.

Synthetics

Man-made fabrics such as rayon and nylon offer specific qualities that appeal to consumers. For example, some tightly woven synthetics repel fluids more effectively than cotton. Others trap allergens, bed bugs, and other harmful detritus.

Synthetic fabrics may be more durable than wool, cotton, and down, but they also tend to be less comfortable and breathable. Some synthetic pads provide decent comfort for sleepers, but in general, synthetic mattress pads are designed more for mattress protection than sleeper comfort.

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For your safety
Be sure to check that you are not allergic to the material of the mattress pad you are buying. Allergy-prone people would do best to avoid latex or synthetic materials.
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Wool

It may sound counterintuitive, but mattress pads made from wool can actually feel cooler than those made of cotton or latex foam. In fact, many people with dust allergies and other respiratory issues find that wool effectively keeps these irritants at bay.

Some wool mattress pads require dry cleaning or vacuuming, but others are machine washable. Convenient as they are, however, we suggest you choose a different material if you suffer from wool sensitivity.

Latex

Perhaps the most familiar latex-based mattress pad sold today is the low- to medium-density foam egg crate pad. An inexpensive latex foam pad like this restores some of the support and comfort lost by an old or damaged mattress.

Latex pads aren’t particularly durable, and they’re tough to clean. For this reason, consumers with incontinence issues may wish to look elsewhere. That said, the market does carry some latex-based pads that score well in terms of both comfort and mattress protection.

Memory foam

Dense, low-viscosity “memory foam” mattress pads provide superior support and comfort, but they hover on the pricey side. Consumers who opt for memory foam can choose their thickness. A two-inch thick foam pad should suffice for most people, but you’ll also see three- and four-inch memory foam pads in stores and online.Aside from the higher price, the main drawback of memory foam is excessive body heat retention. The biggest advantage of this material is the additional support and comfort it provides.

Mattress pad attachments

To be successful, a mattress pad must adhere to the mattress. Most pads are either anchored, fitted, or wrapped in place. Which attachment method do you prefer?

Anchor straps

You’ll find anchor straps on plenty of entry-level mattress pads. Elastic straps at each corner of the pad “anchor” it in place. Alas, slippage is always a possibility. Anchor straps tend to work best on thinner mattress pads.

Fitted elastic

A band of elastic runs around the perimeter of the fitted elastic pad; the owner stretches the pad over the entire mattress. While this attachment method offers advantages over simple anchor straps, the possibility of slippage still exists. The trick is to find an elastic mattress pad that fits your bed’s stated dimensions as closely as possible.

 

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Did you know?
NASA developed memory foam as part of a space project. Its first commercial use was in the medical industry to help reduce bed sores and improve patient comfort.
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Wrapped elastic

A wrapped elastic pad completely encapsulates the mattress. This type of deluxe pad is typically associated with high-end mattress toppers rather than protective mattress pads. Quite often, the top and sides of a wrapped pad are heavily quilted for comfort. But be forewarned: the installation and removal of a wrapped mattress pad can be challenging.

Mattress pad prices

Mattress pads can cost as little as $30 or as much as $2,000. A thin cotton pad meant only to protect your mattress from moisture costs very little, but a high-end memory foam model that cushions and supports your body requires a significant investment.

The key is to find a mattress pad that fulfills your own specific needs. Are you looking to improve the comfort of an aging mattress? Do you want something that’s breathable and cools your body at night? Or do you simply want a light shield that protects your mattress from moisture?

It’s all a question of which elements are most important to you.

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Corner attachments are better for thin mattresses. For fitted pads, take careful measurements of your mattress so the size matches. Wrapped elastic pads can be very difficult to put on and take off if the mattress is heavy.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between a mattress pad and a mattress topper?

A: Many mattress pads are also marketed as mattress toppers, so the confusion is understandable. A mattress pad protects the mattress; a mattress topper cushions the sleeper. Pads tend to be thinner than toppers and are generally made from an absorbent material like cotton or a water-repellent material like latex. Toppers tend to be thicker and are often made of plush foam. High-end toppers offer many of the same protections as a basic pad, but they cost significantly more.

Q: Are mattress pads difficult to clean?

A: A mattress pad’s calling in life is to absorb or repel things like body fluids, bed bugs, sweat, spilled beverages, and allergens. As such, it requires frequent laundering. Fortunately, many mattress pads are made of natural materials that can be laundered in a washing machine.

Q: Will a mattress pad increase the temperature of the bed?

A: Generally speaking, a quilted mattress pad made of wool, down, or cotton should not make the bed feel noticeably warmer. In fact, some mattress pads actually improve the bed’s ventilation and breathability.

However, owners of thick foam pads say that this type of material tends to retain a lot of body heat. Some manufacturers have addressed this issue by incorporating ventilation channels and/or layers of cooling gel into the foam.

Q: Instead of buying a pricey memory foam mattress, can I just buy a memory foam mattress pad?

A. Because memory foam mattresses cost a lot, some consumers invest in the next best thing: a memory foam mattress pad. This is where the line between a protective mattress pad and a supportive mattress topper gets fuzzy.

The idea is to add a few inches of thick memory foam between the mattress and the bottom sheet, thus “converting” an innerspring coil mattress to a memory foam bed. In most cases, this approach is effective, but consumers should note the following:

  • A memory foam mattress pad can certainly help improve the quality of a tired old mattress.
  • However, it won’t offer much in the way of mattress protection. Memory foam mattress pads are not particularly absorbent, and they don’t trap most allergens.
  • If possible, consumers should test different pad thicknesses at a bedding supply store before making a final decision.