The best mattress for couples in 2024, tested and reviewed

Best overall: Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress

Pros: Impressive edge support and motion isolation, average firmness that accommodates most sleep positions, the mix of pocket springs and foam provide support and breathability

Cons: Weighs a lot making it hard to move around

I've tested a new mattress every two weeks for my job for the last four years. Before that, my wife and I enjoyed a year of restful slumber on the Leesa Sapira Hybrid. It struck a remarkable balance between support and comfort that catered to side and stomach sleeping and my wife's back sleeping.  

Since testing the Leesa Sapira, I've found few mattresses that compare to it in comfort, but those that did were softer and catered to side sleepers, not stomach or back sleepers. There's a good chance you and your partner have different preferred sleep positions, and I think most sleepers will find the Leesa Sapira Hybrid comfortable. It's no wonder we chose it as the top pick in our guides to the best mattresses, best hybrid mattresses, best mattress-in-a-box, and best mattresses for back pain. 

The Leesa Sapira is our top pick for the best mattress for couples, thanks to its support that maintains comfort right to the bed's edge. I never felt like I would fall off, even when my wife encroached on my side of the bed. The motion-dampening properties were also great, keeping me undisturbed as my wife and dog moved in the night.

It has five layers. The top layer is cooling foam, followed by contouring memory foam. Below that, the airflow-facilitating individually wrapped pocket springs are between two supportive foam layers. During the hot, humid Midwest summer night, I didn't overheat, thanks to the airflow and cooling foam of the Leesa Sapira Hybrid. All foams used in the mattress are CertiPUR-US certified to be free of hazardous chemicals and emissions.

Read our full Leesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress review.

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Best budget: Zinus 12 Inch Cooling Green Tea Gel Memory Foam Mattress

Pros: Stays cool, adequate motion isolation and edge support, four thickness options, average firmness that appeals to all sleep positions

Cons: No showroom availability or white glove delivery, only available in four sizes

The Zinus 12 Inch Cooling Green Tea Gel Memory Foam Mattress has an average firmness that will appeal to the broadest range of sleepers: a plus for couples who prefer different sleep positions. While testing it, I was comfortable sleeping on my back, stomach, and side. Of the sub-$500 mattresses I've tested, the Zinus best combines motion isolation and edge support, so you will remain comfortable when your partner moves in the night or if they decide to hog the bed.

Three foam layers make up the Zinus Cooling Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress, from top to bottom: gel memory foam for cooling, pressure-relieving soft memory foam, and a dense base foam for durability and support. All are CertiPUR-US certified. The mattress dissipated heat well and stayed cool in my testing.

I tested the thickest version, 12 inches. But, the Zinus mattress is also available in 6, 8, and 10-inch options. Mattresses under 10 inches thick haven't been supportive enough in my experience, so I recommend sticking with the 10 or 12-inch beds.

Check out our best cheap mattress guide.

Best for heavy couples: Saatva Solaire Mattress

Pros: 1,600-pound capacity, 50 firmness settings, free in-home setup, great edge support, impressive heat dissipation, long home trial and warranty

Cons: Poor motion isolation, hard to move once installed

The Saatva Solaire Adjustable Firmness Mattress supports 800 pounds per person and up to 1,600 pounds per couple. As an adjustable air bed, it has independently adjustable firmness levels, catering to your and your partner's preferences. While the popular Sleep Number beds have 20 firmness levels, the Solaire offers 50, so you can fine-tune your custom feel.

My wife and I had to do some tinkering to find our ideal firmness. On the 1 to 50 scale, I preferred 27 for my side sleeping, while my wife chose a firmer 37 for sleeping on her back. I like to sleep on my stomach when I'm sore, and I appreciated that I could just up the firmness to keep my spine aligned on my stomach.

The Saatva Solaire had excellent edge support. It didn't sag much when sitting on the side to put socks on. I never felt like falling off when I was lying on the edge. However, the motion isolation left a lot to be desired. I could feel my wife's movements from my side of the bed in the night. The mattress also failed our bowling ball test. 

If you're concerned about motion transfer, I recommend getting a "split" mattress. This improves dampening because the mattresses are separated. I tested the Solaire in flex top king, where the upper half of the mattress is divided while the bottom half is connected. This allows you to incline the head independently on an adjustable bed frame. 

In our guide to the best mattress, I chose the Big Fig Mattress for heavy people. It's about half the price of the Solaire and has better motion isolation. However, the weight capacity is lower (1,100 pounds), and you can't adjust the firmness. Instead, it's just a firm mattress.

Read our full Saatva Solaire Mattress review.

Best for sex: Helix Midnight Mattress

Pros: Ideal medium-firm feel for stomach and back sleepers, outstanding edge support, OEKO-Tex certified, easy to move around on, great motion isolation, good bounce

Cons: Strong initial odor, side sleepers may find it uncomfortable, didn't dissipate heat well

A good mattress for sex should support you without sinking in, so you can easily change positions. A little bounce is helpful, though you generally don't want too much. And, of course, you still want the mattress to be comfortable for sleeping.

The Helix Midnight Mattress fits all of the above criteria. It is medium-firm, ideal for back and stomach sleepers and back pain sufferers. In addition to being named the best mattress for sex, we also named it the best budget pick in our guide to the best mattresses for back pain. During testing, I was most comfortable on my stomach. It helped me recover from a back pain flare-up.

When my kid bounded on the bed, I was barely jostled, and the Helix Midnight passed my bowling ball test, suggesting it has excellent motion isolation. The edge support was among the best I've experienced. I had to roll quite far on the edge before I fell off, and it didn't sink much as I sat on the side. These factors make the Helix an outstanding mattress for couples.

Helix uses OEKO-Tex and CertiPUR-US-certified materials in the construction of the Midnight. Pressure-relieving memory foam makes up the top layer. Below that are two responsive foam layers designed for support and comfort. Next are individually wrapped coils that help limit motion transfer and improve edge support. The base foam adds durability and support. 

The Helix Midnight didn't dissipate heat well, which cold sleepers might like. Hot sleepers may want to consider other beds. Most side sleepers will find it's too firm for optimal spinal alignment.

Best cooling: Nest Bedding Finch Latex Mattress

Pros: The average firmness is great for most sleep styles, many standards organizations certified the materials, stayed cool and dissipated heat well, superb edge support, made with OEKO-Tex-certified latex

Cons: Heavy and hard to move, the motion dampening could be better

In our guide to the best cooling mattress, the Nest Bedding Finch Latex Mattress took the top spot with some of the lowest temperature readings. It both stayed cool and dissipated heat well. I was too cold one night during testing and had to grab extra blankets. 

None of the top cooling mattresses we tested had both good edge support and motion isolation. The Finch came the closest, though. Couples will appreciate the impressive edge support. I felt comfortable and supported while lying on the edge, and the sinkage was minimal as I sat. However, the motion isolation was below average. The Finch failed our bowling ball test, and our vibrometer readings were middle-of-the-pack. Yet, it had a lot of bounce, which may appeal to some couples.

The Nest Bedding mattress comes in medium and firm options. I tested the medium and was comfortable in every position, though I preferred side sleeping. It features an airflow-facilitating CertiPUR-US-certified foam, cotton, and wool top layer. Two layers of OEKO-Tex-certified latex are below that. The top latex layer offers firmness, while the lower layer gives the mattress structure, support, and durability.

In addition to its 365-night home trial and lifetime warranty, Nest Bedding provides Lifetime Renewal Exchange with the Finch. At any time during the mattress's life, you can request a free new comfort layer to change the feel or extend the life of the bed.

Best memory foam: GhostBed Luxe Mattress

Pros: The average firmness caters to most sleeping styles, good motion isolation, superb edge support, 25-year warranty

Cons: Might be too firm for petite side sleepers

Memory foam mattresses are popular because they relieve pressure points by cradling your body. They also tend to be more affordable than hybrid or latex mattresses. The GhostBed Luxe is packed with CertiPUR-US-certified foam layers designed to keep you cool. The top layer and cover contain cooling phase change material and gel memory foam. A fabric layer below that is supposed to pull away your body's heat. Following that is another gel foam layer, then a bouncy comfort foam layer, and a supportive and durable foam at the base.

GhostBed calls the Luxe the "coolest bed in the world," but that wasn't my experience. While it did a pretty good job of staying cool, it didn't dissipate heat well once I got up from it. Overall, I'd say its cooling properties are average.

The Luxe's edge support and motion isolation were much more impressive. While it barely failed the bowling ball test, its vibrometer readings were among the lowest. Subjectively, I didn't feel jostled when my wife moved around on the bed. I felt comfortable and supported when lying on the edge, and the mattress exhibited minimal sinkage.

No matter what position I tried — side, back, or stomach — I felt comfortable on the average-firmness GhostBed Luxe Mattress. The memory foam did better than most hybrids adapting to my body to ensure my spine remained aligned in each sleep position.

Check out our guide to the best memory foam mattress.

Best for couples with different preferences: Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed

Pros: 20 firmness settings with each side adjusting independently, good edge support, responsive air adjustments supply consistent support and comfort, in-home setup included for free, built-in sleep tracker with sleep advice

Cons: Tough to move, traps heat, individuals sleeping alone may not like it, poor motion transfer

Finding a mattress that caters to couples with vastly different sleep preferences is a hassle. For example, stomach sleepers generally need a firmer mattress, but if your partner is a side sleeper, they'll likely prefer a softer mattress. This problem is compounded when you consider that our sleep preferences change over a mattress's life. Fortunately, adjustable airbeds, like the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed, have you covered.

The i8 has 20 firmness levels, called your "Sleep Number," and each side of the bed adjusts independently, so you can, for instance, have a firm experience while your partner keeps it soft. Additionally, it has a function that automatically adjusts the air as you shift your sleep position to provide you with consistent pressure relief and support. This feature significantly improved my sleep quality. 

While I used independent measurement to track my sleep quality, the i8 also tracks your sleep using built-in sensors that pair with the SleepIQ app (available for Android and iOS) that also offers tips for improving your sleep.

The mattress features impressive edge support. However, the motion isolation was awful. My wife said it reminded her of a water bed as she could feel my every movement. I tested the i8 in king size. If you're concerned about motion isolation, I recommend the split king, which is pricier but offers better motion isolation as the sides are actually split and can be paired with a split frame for additional upright adjustability. You can learn more about the pros and cons of different sizes in our mattress size chart guide.

Read our full Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed review.

Best for combination sleepers: Allswell Supreme Hybrid Mattress

Pros: Great motion isolation and edge support, medium firmness that's comfortable for most sleeping styles, good for cold sleepers

Cons: Sleeps hot, no white glove delivery or showroom availability

Walmart's Allswell brand specializes in cost-effective products for your bedroom and bathroom. Its flagship Allswell mattress is the top pick in our best cheap mattress guide. However, the nearly $800 Supreme (its regular price — we often see it on sale for less than $500) has a more dynamic feel that contours to your body and provides impressive pressure point relief for regenerative sleep.

I often shift between my back, stomach, and side at night, and the Allswell Supreme's average firmness was soothing no matter what position I was in. The top layer features plush fabric. Below that is CertiPUR-US-certified copper gel-infused memory foam aimed at pulling heat away from your body while easing muscle and joint pain. Next is responsive memory foam for more pressure point relief. The base is made up of individually wrapped coils for minimal motion transfer and improved edge support.

The coils seemed to do the trick. I felt supported even on the bed's edge, and I had to roll pretty far before falling off. When sitting on the side to put on socks, the edge barely dipped. The motion isolation was better than average, as the Supreme passed the bowling ball test…barely. The soda can tilted but didn't fall after I dropped the ball.

The Allswell Supreme trapped heat, which felt uncomfortable since I like to be cool while sleeping. If you want a mattress that will keep you warm, this is a great option. Otherwise, you may want to check out our guide to the best cooling mattresses. 

Read our full Allswell Supreme Hybrid Mattress review.

Best luxury: Sleep Number Climate360 Smart Bed

Pros: 20 firmness levels with each side adjusting independently, internal heating and cooling system, comes with an adjustable bed frame, white glove delivery included, unparalleled motion isolation, good edge support, air adjusts automatically based on your position, built-in sleep tracker

Cons: Hard to move, a little noisy, not ideal for people sleeping alone, not available in sizes smaller than queen

I've tested several high-end mattresses in the $5,000 and higher range. The $10,000 Sleep Number Climate360 Smart Bed is the only one I'd consider buying. It has many of the same features as the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed, but the built-in heating and cooling system sets it apart from all other adjustable airbeds. 

With the SleepIQ app (available for Android and iOS), you control the temperature of your side of the bed. For example, you can schedule it to warm up before bedtime, cool down while you sleep, and warm up again when it's time to wake up. Your partner can set a different heating and cooling schedule for their side. The heating system made a noticeable noise when engaged. My wife joked that it was like jet engines starting up. Yet, at no time did the bed's noises disrupt our sleep.

The SleepIQ app is useful for adjusting the incline of the bed frame that the Climate360 comes with. You can also select your "Sleep Number," one of the 20 firmness options. My Sleep Number was 55, a smidge firmer than average. This provided my ideal comfort and support while side sleeping. As I shifted positions, the air automatically adjusted to keep the support consistent. This nurtured outstanding sleep quality. 

I track my sleep quality using a smartwatch, but the Climate360 has a built-in sleep tracker that produces accurate metrics, and the app offers sleep advice based on your stats.

I tested the Sleep Number Climate360 Smart Bed in split king size, which is basically two twin XL mattresses next to each other. Because of this, the bed had the best motion isolation I've ever tested. It easily passed the bowling ball test and had the lowest vibrometer reading. I was well supported when lying on the edge, but the side sank more than average when I sat on it. Still, this is the best mattress for couples with a luxury-level budget if you can afford it.

What to look for in mattresses for couples

In our guide to the best mattresses, we detail what to consider when shopping for a mattress in general, including the differences between mattress types and firmness recommendations based on sleeping styles and body type. 

In this section, I focus on specific characteristics couples should consider based on my five years of testing mattresses and my interviews with Logan Schneider, clinical associate professor of sleep medicine at Stanford Sleep Center, and Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor at Harvard Medical School.

• Size: Schneider recommends choosing a mattress that is large enough to allow both people to sleep undisturbed. "You can always get closer on a larger mattress, but you can't get further away on a small mattress," he said. For an average-sized adult, that's a queen or larger. Check out our mattress size chart for detailed recommendations.
• Edge support: Good edge support goes hand in hand with size because it gives you more space to sleep comfortably. You don't want to feel like you'll fall off the bed when your partner encroaches on your side.
• Motion isolation: "Movement itself can be disruptive to the other individual," said Schneider. He recommends finding a mattress that dampens motion transfer so that when your partner tosses and turns in the night, your sleep isn't disturbed.
• Comfort: A comfortable bed is crucial for a good night's sleep. If you and your partner have similar firmness preferences, this isn't a problem. However, if you have drastically different needs, consider an adjustable airbed with different firmness levels on each side. If this isn't an option, choose a bed with a long risk-free home trial, so you can return it if it doesn't fit your needs.
• Ease of movement and bounce: These features are helpful for sexually active couples. They make it easy to change positions and engage in intimate activities.

Schneider and Robbins both said couples should consider sleeping apart if it will improve their sleep quality. "If it means sleeping in different bedrooms, either because one partner snores or one partner isn't happy with the mattress, then that is absolutely OK," said Robbins. "Furthermore, it will allow you to be a better partner to the person that you share your life with. So really, prioritizing sleep is really critical for couples."

How we tested mattresses for couples

I slept on all mattresses in this guide for 14 nights or more. Additionally, I put them through several objective tests to assess their suitability for couples, including tests for comfort, motion dampening, and edge support.

Here are some of the test results for the main attributes we tested:

Attribute	Leesa Sapira Hybrid	Zinus Cooling Green Tea	Saatva Solaire	Helix Midnight	Nest Bedding Finch	GhostBed Luxe	Sleep Number 360 i8	Allswell Supreme	Sleep Number Climate360
Firmness (1 softest to 10 firmest)	5	5.5	50 levels	6	5.5	6	20 levels	5	20 levels
Motion isolation (1 awful to 10 best)	7	6	3	7	4	8	3	7	10
Edge support (1 awful to 10 best)	7	6	7	9	9	9	6	7	6
Heat dissipation (1 traps heat to 10 stays cool)	7	7	7	3	10	5	3	7	Custom
Trial period (night)	100	100	365	100	365	101	100	100	100
Warranty (years)	10	10	Lifetime	10	Lifetime	25	15	10	15

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:

Comfort: When sleeping on each mattress, I noted what positions were most comfortable, my sleep quality as measured by a Garmin Forerunner 945 watch, and how cool it stayed. I measured heat dissipation by using a laser thermometer to compare the mattresses' surface temperatures before going to bed, right after getting up, and two minutes after getting up. 

Edge support: I conducted two tests to evaluate this. First, I sat on the mattress's edge and measured the sinkage. If it was less than 4 inches, I considered the edge support good. Secondly, I positioned myself on the edge and slowly rolled closer until I fell off. If my body reached a 45-degree angle before falling, the bed provided excellent edge support.

Motion isolation: I assessed motion isolation using two tests. First, I dropped a bowling ball from 4 feet above the mattress, so it landed a foot from a soda can. If the can toppled, it indicated poor motion isolation, but if it remained upright, it meant excellent motion dampening. Secondly, I put a vibrometer on the side opposite from where the bowling ball landed and compared the vibration intensities. The split-king Sleep Number Climate360 had the lowest vibration value at 5.5 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. Of the beds in this guide, the Nest Bedding Finch had the highest, a still respectable 7.4.

Bounce: Bounce is a secondary measurement I take during the bowling ball test. I note how much the bowling ball bounces after it hits the mattress. 

Trial and warranty: I closely read the details of the warranty and home trial to look for loopholes, like charges for restocking and return shipping. You should generally expect a 10-year warranty and 100-night trial period, with free returns.

Couples mattresses FAQs

How do you choose a bed for couples?

The best way to decide if a bed is right for you and your partner is to sleep on it. So, a long, risk-free home trial is a must. When picking a mattress, firmness is a good guide. Beds with average firmness will appeal to most sleepers, though stomach sleepers may want a firmer mattress. For more detailed advice, see the "What to look for in mattresses for couples" section above.

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What is the best mattress thickness for couples?

Schneider said this is a difficult question because there is no scientific research on the best mattress thickness. He recommends going with whatever thickness feels comfortable and supportive. After testing more than 80 mattresses, I've found those 10 inches or thicker are likelier to be supportive and relieving.

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Which type of mattress is best for couples?

Adjustable airbeds feature independently adjustable firmness levels and can come in "split" sizes that are like sleeping in separate beds, decreasing motion transfer. If an adjustable bed is out of your price range, consider a hybrid mattress. The coils tend to offer more edge support and improved motion isolation.

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What mattress firmness is best for couples sharing a bed?

While firmness is a matter of personal preference, mattresses with average firmness tend to appeal to the broadest range of sleepers and are more likely to be best for couples. However, if you and your partner are back or stomach sleepers, you might want to consider a medium-firm bed.

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What size mattress should couples buy?

"Based on the average person size, I typically suggest maybe a queen or larger," Schneider said. "Anytime you add a third party to that — be it an animal, be it a small child — I think a king-size bed." For more detailed recommendations, check out our mattress size chart.

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What is the best mattress with different firmness on each side?

If you can afford it, the Sleep Number Climate360 Smart Bed is the best mattress for couples with different firmness preferences since you can completely customize your experience. If you can't afford the $10,000 price tag, consider one of Sleep Number's other mattresses. They all have independently adjustable firmness settings on each side of the mattress.