5 Best Mattress Toppers of 2026, Tested by Our Experts

Here are our top five picks based on Consumer Reports’ testing, all of which are 2 to 4 inches thick. We evaluate mattress toppers based on their support, durability, pressure distribution, and ease of use.

As with mattresses, the best mattress topper is highly subjective—what feels right for one person may feel terrible to another. And the ultimate feel of the topper also depends on the bed you’re placing it on. That said, we evaluate a few characteristics that might help shoppers compare their options more easily.

Support: A great mattress topper should help keep your spine aligned throughout the night. For side sleepers, that reflects the topper’s ability to keep the spine relatively horizontal throughout the night. For back sleepers, it’s an assessment of the topper’s ability to maintain the natural curve of the spine.

Ease of use: We favor mattress toppers with features that make them easier to use. For instance, some toppers come with removable covers and corner straps, making them simpler to clean and keep in place. Others can be flipped to evenly distribute the wear and tear. All can be rotated.

Permeability: Mattress toppers generally feel warmer because their materials cradle the body, reducing airflow. This is usually fine, but hot sleepers might wake up sweating if a topper traps too much heat. A fabric’s air and moisture permeability determines its breathability and comfort; higher permeability means better airflow, while lower permeability (like in “downproof” fabrics) traps warmth and possibly moisture. (An exception is a cooling mattress topper, which is a pad with an active cooling device.)

Durability: Mattress toppers shouldn’t sag, soften, tear, rip, or provide less support after just a few years. We highlight those that score well in our durability test, which simulates eight years of use.