Best Pillow Top Mattress

You probably heard your grandmother talking about flipping her mattress to reduce wear and get the most out of its life. Good thing for you. You probably don’t have to flip your bed if you get a pillow top, and you won’t have to feel the full pressure of springs anymore.

Pillow top mattresses offer plush materials to reduce the stress you feel from the support layer and help you get into a comfortable position. You may not hear as much from mattress companies about pillow tops now that we have memory foam and gel-infused mattresses, but there are a few companies with comfortable pillow top mattresses.

We’ve put together a list of the best pillow top mattresses (according to our sleep team). Plus, we’ve compiled a guide outlining the important things you should know about pillow tops.

What Are Pillow Top Mattresses?

Pillow top mattresses use a layer of comfort materials sewn to the top of the mattress to create a fluffy layer a lot like a pillow. This layer uses materials such as cotton, latex, memory foam or other soft materials. What your pillow does to cushion your head and support your neck, a pillow top can do for the rest of your body.

You might have heard pillow top called Euro top. Eurotop mattresses are pillow top styles, but the pillow top is a separate layer sewn to the top of the mattress while Eurotop sews the materials inside the bed.

You might have some mattresses with pillow top material on both sides, but it’s a lot more common to have a one-sided pillow top. You can always tell because two-sided pillow tops will look the same on both sides while one sided has just a thin layer of material on the bottom.

How Do I Care For My Pillowtop?

Pillow top mattresses can break down more quickly because the materials inside are softer and meant to conform to the body. Without proper care, you can end up with sagging and indentations well before the life of the mattress is over.

You should rotate your mattress every 180 degrees every month. This is especially critical if you tend to sleep in the same position night after night. Repeated pressure on certain parts of the mattress can cause it to break down.

You should also avoid sitting on the edge of the mattress for the same reason. The mattress can begin to break down under this kind of compression.

You should have some kind of cover to protect the mattress from spills and stains. Water or other liquid can get down into the fibers of the pillow top and get mold or other smells.

Also, make sure your mattress is adequately supported, so you don’t get weird dips and strange indentations. Many of the mattress companies offer a warranty, but you can void that warranty if you don’t adequately support the mattress.

Don’t let your kids jump on the bed! Repeated jumping compresses the fibers and creates abnormal wear and tear on the pillow top. It quickly does damage to the interior construction and dramatically shortens the life of the mattress.

What Are The Benefits Of Pillow Tops?

Pillow tops provide some contouring materials that can reduce pressure, especially if you’re a side sleeper. Side sleepers can get some relief from pain in shoulders or hips because the pillow top materials allow those points to sink further into the mattress. The contouring materials fill in around your waist and lower back to prevent your spine from curving unnecessarily.

They also provide good combination support. Your mattress can be very firm, but the pillow top helps you feel like it’s softer than it actually is. If you and your partner have different preferences, this might be a good compromise.

What Are The Downsides Of Pillow Tops?

Like we mentioned, pillow tops can break down if they aren’t cared for properly. Because the materials require some loft to work, as you sleep you can compress them down and lose that loft over the years. Allowing children to jump on the bed, forgetting to rotate the mattress, and even sitting on the edge can sometimes cause unnecessary indentations.

The top may not last as long as the mattress itself. You need to take steps to ensure that the pillow top wears evenly and that there’s no unnecessary compression.

The depth of the mattress might mean you need to have nonstandard sheets. You can find the proper mattress size on the internet, but if you have to invest in sheets in a store for some reason, you should be aware that your choices will be limited.

Eventually, if you do lose the loft of the pillow top, you may be able to feel the indentations of your usual body position if you sleep in one position more often than another. That may be uncomfortable.

Best Pillow Top Mattresses

And now our favorite part. Our mattress recommendations.

DreamCloud – Our Top Pick

DreamCloud is one of our favorite mattresses. It uses layers of foam and innerspring to provide contouring and support while satisfying multiple sleep preferences.

The first two layers are memory foam layers infused with gel and quilted to create a loft. Underneath are transitional layers of foam that ease your body to the support layer. It’s made of natural latex and plush supporting memory foam, so you get some rebound and responsiveness.

The support layer is individually pocketed coils. They provide zoned support so your shoulders and hips can sink further into the mattress while the mattress fills in around your waist and lower back. The coils are sandwiched between layers of foam to reduce motion transfer and soften the impact.

DreamCloud has a 365-night sleep trial, so you have plenty of time to decide if the mattress is the right one for you. They’ll refund the purchase price and pick the mattress up if you decide it’s not going to work out.

They also have a lifetime guarantee against mattress defects. During the first ten years, they’ll replace a defective mattress for free. After ten years, they’ll decide if it’s more appropriate to repair or replace the bed. Make sure your mattress is fully supported so that you don’t accidentally void the warranty.

DreamCloud has two different shipping options. The first is standard delivery. Your DreamCloud comes compressed in a box and arrives on your doorstep. You unpack the box and unwrap the plastic to allow the mattress to inflate. It’s ready in a few hours.

The other option is white glove delivery. A delivery person will bring your mattress to your house at an arranged time to help you get everything set up. They’ll remove all the packaging and the old mattress to make your transition seamless.

Serta Perfect Sleeper Sedgewick Super Pillow Top Plush – Best Runner-Up

Serta Perfect Sleeper is engineered to help solve some of the most common sleep issues including tossing and turning, poor temperature regulation, partner disturbance, and sagging.

It uses three layers. The first is a Serta’s pillow top material, made of pillow-soft foam and comfort foam. The next is a contouring layer of gel foam that helps wick heat and moisture away from the body and regulate temperature.

The support layer is Serta’s 886 custom support individually wrapped coils. These are sandwiched between layers of comfort foam to prevent motion transfer and reduce the direct impact of the coils against the body.

The result is a plush feeling pillow top that still provides support and prevents pain in specific common pressure points in the body.

Serta gives you 45 days to try out the mattress to see if it’s the right one for you, but they ask that you sleep on the mattress for at least 30 nights to allow your body to adjust. If you decide it isn’t the right one for you, you can return it for a refund.

Your warranty will depend on your tab label. Most Serta warranties are for between ten to 15 years, so be sure to check the label and register your mattress here. Keep the mattress adequately supported so that you don’t accidentally void the warranty.

Serta’s mattresses can’t be compressed, so they arrive at your house by White Glove Delivery. The delivery person will arrive at a prearranged time to help you get the mattress set up and to remove your old bed.

Honorable Mention

A few recommendations are explicitly based on specific criteria. If you fall into one of these situations, you may find that one of these is a better choice for you.

Zinus Pressure Relief Euro Top, Pocketed iCoil Hybrid Mattress – Best Budget Option

Zinus produces low-cost mattresses, but you aren’t sacrificing quality or depth. The Pressure Relief Eurotop uses a thick, quilted cover on top to increase plush. It’s a 12-inch mattress, so your sheets should fit well. The best part? None of the sizes are over $500.

It’s built to reduce the amount of pressure on typical pressure points such as the shoulders. It allows those broad points to sink further into the mattress while cradling your curves. The pillow top is a microfiber fill that’s soft and contouring.

The coil support layer provides plenty of pushback to prevent sagging but works with the contouring layers. They’re individually pocketed to reduce motion transfer so the movements of your partner won’t wake you up all night long. The mattress is certified by CertiPur US, so it doesn’t off-gas or create harmful odors.

Zinus gives you 100 nights to try the mattress out before deciding if it’s the right one. You should sleep on the bed for a minimum of 30 nights so that you have time to determine if it’s the right one for you. If it isn’t going to work out, initiate a return before the trial period is over.

Zinus mattresses are covered by a ten-year limited warranty. It protects you against abnormal wear and tear, provided the bed is supported correctly. They’ll replace a mattress that shows signs of sagging or indentation beyond the natural life of the mattress.

Zinus mattresses are compressed and delivered to you in a box. There’s no delivery person to help you set things up so make sure you have someone available if you need. Unpack the mattress from the box and tea the plastic away to help it inflate. It should be ready to sleep in just a few hours.

Winkbeds Plus – Best For Heavy People

Winkbeds Plus is a hybrid mattress with a quilted top that provides both contouring and support through foam and coils. The Plus is specially designed for sleepers who are over 300 pounds, so it’s plenty supportive even with the extra weight.

The pillow top is quilted with gel-infused foam. It wicks heat and moisture away from your body and displaces it to the rest of the mattress so that the bed returns to ambient room temperature more quickly.

Underneath, micro springs provide support. They’re individually pocketed to reduce motion transfer. There’s plenty of airflow to reduce heat further and regulate temperature. The mattress is wrapped in Tencel, a eucalyptus-based material that controls the temperature better than cotton and sleeps softer than silk or linen.

You can try the Winkbeds Plus for 120 nights before deciding if it’s the right one for you. You should sleep on the mattress for at least 30 nights before deciding to return it. Your body adapts, and the mattress can break in.

You’ve got a Lifetime warranty to protect against mattress defects. As long as your mattress is properly supported, a warranty will cover any sagging or indentation that doesn’t follow the natural age of the mattress.

Winkbeds comes with compressed in a box and is shipped directly to your door. When you’re ready, you can unpack the box and tear the plastic away to allow the mattress to inflate. It should be ready in a few hours. The delivery person cannot help you set your bed up so be sure to have someone there who can help if you need it.

Brentwood Home Sequoia – Best Natural Option

If you love the feel of foam and latex, you don’t have to give it up to have a pillow top. The Brentwood home option is memory foam and latex version with a plush top.

The top uses gel memory foam that wicks heat and moisture away from your body. Underneath, natural latex gives the mattress resilience and bounce. These two layers create a cushion that gently supports your broadest points and allows them to sink down into the foam layers while filling in around the waist and lower back.

The transition layer is an aerated foam that encourages airflow and breathability. The bottom support layer is six inches of dense support foam that gives the mattress structural integrity and keeps the spine aligned. Your back decompresses, and old pain fades.

It’s certified by CertiPur and is handmade in workshops in the US. It’s free of all harmful chemicals and materials that might cause allergic reactions or respiratory problems. The materials are clean and should alleviate any concerns you have about the health of foam mattresses.

Brentwood home gives you 120 nights to try the mattress out before deciding if it’s the right one. You should sleep on the mattress for at least a few weeks, so you have time to adjust. If you decide it isn’t the right one, you can return it any time before the trial is over.

Brentwood home also covers their mattresses with a 20-year warranty against abnormal wear and tear. As long as you make sure your bed is supported correctly, you are protected.

You have the option of traditional delivery or white glove. For traditional delivery, the mattress arrives compressed in a box. For white glove delivery, a delivery person brings your mattress and helps you set things up before he or she leaves. Either option has benefits, so decide if you’d rather save some money or have help setting things up.

Final Thoughts

Pillow top mattresses can be very comfortable and provide medium support for those who are combination sleepers or who have partners with different sleep preferences. They may not be trendy right now, but a good pillow top can give a mattress the most comfortable feeling.

The crucial part of investing in a pillow top is making sure you take steps to take care of it, so you get the longest life. Cleaning the top and rotating the mattress at least once a month will prevent indentations and sagging. Making sure that you don’t sit on the edges or allow children to jump on the bed can also help prevent unnecessary compression.

Otherwise, the comfort of a pillow top should transform your sleep. It can give you some relief from back pain, especially if the support layer underneath is firm, or it can decompress pressure points while you’re on your side. It can support you and your partner, as well as provide years of quality sleep.

It’s still one of the best investments you can make in a mattress.