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Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Our sleep experts have been testing mattresses, bedding and sleep technology for years, devoting thousands of hours to perfecting our craft by honestly and thoroughly reviewing beds and sleep products. We tested over 300 beds from dozens of brands like Casper, Helix, Nectar, Purple, Leesa and much more.
Our bed testers have different body weights and types, heights, genders and sleep preferences, allowing us to provide a comprehensive assessment of each mattress from multiple points of view. We pride ourselves on our mattress testing methodology, which includes analysis of features such as firmness, feel, temperature regulation, motion isolation, edge support and special features.
Firmness
One of the primary features we look for when choosing the best mattresses for side sleepers is firmnesswhich means the amount of pressure relief the bed offers. During our testing process, our experts of different weights and body types take turns lying on the bed in each sleeping position to determine how well they hold our primary pressure points – mainly shoulders, hips and knees. When you lie on your side, the mattress must offer some “give” around these areas. If it is also a mattress companyit can push these pressure points too far and cause pain, soreness and even numbness.
As I mentioned, firmness is subjective and varies from person to person – the driving force behind the creation of our 9000 mattress. With the mattress placed on the platform, we activate the device, which presses its arm into the middle of the bed. . Our matching software then provides an objective firmness level on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the softest and 10 being the firmest.
We never recommend a mattress with a high firmness rating for side sills. The sweet spot for a side sleeper is usually about medium-soft, give or take some, depending on your weight, body type, and personal preference.
Feel
The feel of the mattress is another important element that we analyze and review. Influenced by the types of foam and coils used in its construction, the bed feels exactly as it sounds – how does it feel when you lie on it? Is he energetic and responsive? Is it easy to change positions? Or does the thick memory foam fit around your body and hold your shape for a while? Does the mattress have a soft, plush pillow top feel or is it more neutral? Are coils or zone support noticeable? We do our best to describe exactly how each bed feels like to lie on to help you determine if it’s right for you without having to test them all yourself.
When possible, we remove the mattress cover and open the fire sock to inspect the layers inside.
In determining the best side sleeper feel, we look for beds with a softer, more plush feel that cradles your curves and offers plenty of pressure relief for your hips and shoulders.
Read more: Why the foam in your mattress is important
Temperature regulation
Each individual’s preferences, body type, and even health conditions can affect how hot or cool a mattress feels. We also found that mattress brands exaggerate the cooling capabilities of their beds. That’s why we describe how warm or cool the mattress is during our testing process so you have a more accurate understanding of how it feels to lie on it. Is the mattress genuinely cool to the touch and gives a satisfying cooling sensation hot sleepers? Or will they sleep at a more natural temperature? Do the materials trap body heat and keep you warmer?
Other external factors affect how your bed temperature feels, such as bedroom environmentthe bedding you use and pajamas At our mattress facility, we test beds in temperature-controlled rooms without sheets or bedding to analyze their construction and materials and explain how they affect the overall temperature of the bed.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is a simple term for how well a mattress dampens movement across its surface. A bed with good motion isolation is essential for light sleepers or those who share a mattress with a partner or pets. We test the possibilities of isolating the movement of the bed by having one expert lie on the bed, while the other turns and changes position. Does the person lying down feel the movement through the mattress or is it subtle and less noticeable?
For the second method, we set a glass of water on its edge, rolling back and forth to see if the glass falls or the liquid splashes. Usually, beds with dense memory foam are the best in this category. Mattresses that respond better have poorer motion isolation.
Edge support
CNET’s Dillon Payne tests the edge support by lying down and pressing down on the edges.
Edge support refers to the strength of the bed’s perimeter, another important factor to keep in mind if you sleep with a partner or pets or tend to sleep on the edge. Edge support testing involves analyzing how well the mattress holds its shape and structure when we sit and lie on the edge. Does it collapse and feel like we’re going to roll, or is it super sturdy and supportive?
We also push the edges down with our fists to see how much they compress under pressure. Many mattress brands add reinforcements around the edges—either coils or firmer foam—to improve edge support. Having firm edges helps create a stable and consistent sleeping surface across the entire mattress.
Special features
Mattress brands often offer beds with special features, such as toppers cooling technology for hot sleepers or zonal support especially for people with back problems such as sciatica. We always test and review these additional features to determine if they live up to the brands claims and to let you know which type of sleeper would benefit the most.
Find out more: How we test mattresses
