No Single Mattress That Works for All People

Innerspring

These are traditional steel coils in various configurations and are often the least expensive--and the most widely sold. Variations include special layers of cushioning, some with infused gel. Sealy, Serta, Simmons, and Spring Air are the top sellers.

Pros:Changing positions tends to be easy.
Cons: Some models readily transmit bouncing from one sleep partner to the other.

Memory foam

Basically polyurethane with additional ingredients, memory foam has been a favorite of respondents to our surveys who suffer from pain. 

Pros:Traditional memory foam softens when you lie on it and soon molds to your body. It helps isolate you from movement on the other side of the bed.
Cons:Some owners feel it sleeps hot, and some mattresses require effort to turn in.

Inflatable air

With this type, you inflate it to your desired firmness using a pump attached to the bed. Many include additional layers such as foam.

Pros:Some also let you inflate individual halves to different firmnesses to suit each sleep partner.
Cons:Respondents to our recent survey, though pain sufferers tended to be satisfied, were more likely to complain about price. Should you wish to adjust the bed during the night, the noise of the pump can be annoying.

Gel

This moldable, flexible substance most typically serves as a layer on another type of bed.

Pros:It's claimed to help a mattress breathe better and feel cooler, especially for memory foam.
Cons:Our tests show that mattresses without infused gel "breathed" about as well.

Most stores have a cutaway or cross-section display of at least some mattresses. Despite the claims, there is no best bed for everyone. Spend time finding the mattress that's most comfortable for you and supports you best. Here are the mattress features to consider.

Ticking
This is the outermost layer, usually polyester or cotton-polyester. Fancier mattresses may have damask, jersey knit, microsuede, wool, cashmere, or silk. More than the material, ticking is an important contributor to sleeping comfort. What really counts is the stitching that binds the ticking to the top padding, which affects how the mattress feels.

Top padding

This is usually polyurethane foam, with or without polyester batting. Polyester batting provides a soft feel and helps to dissipate perspiration.

Coils
They provide the main support in a conventional innerspring mattress. Heavier-gauge coils provide a stiffer suspension, and lighter-gauge coils feel springier. But despite the hype, all types of coils--hourglass, continuous wire, or individually pocketed--are up to the task.

Box spring
It may sell for as much as the mattress, though it's generally just a wood frame enclosing stiff wire. Companies often pair the same box spring, or foundation, with mattresses in various price ranges, so you may save by buying a higher-priced mattress with a lower-priced foundation.

Topper
Foam- and feather-filled toppers are sold separately and are designed to go on top of the mattress. A topper may soften a bed that's too hard, but price is no guarantee of a good night's sleep.