Through years of testing mattresses, we now have established tests that we use to guage mattresses on key aspects.
Hardness and feel
Firmness might be understood as how hard or soft the mattress is while you lie on it. We’ve tested a whole lot of mattresses and have an intensive catalog where we will compare every recent bed we test.
When assessing comfort, we consider the bed. By pressing on the bed, we observe how the fabric behaves. Does the rebound last a second like traditional memory foam, or is it quick and springy like latex foam?
Durability
Mattresses don’t last perpetually and you wish to buy one that can last. Based on its construction, we hypothesize how well the mattress will withstand overnight use. Beds with steel coils as a base will generally last more than mattresses made entirely of foam.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is the degree to which the mattress dampens movement on the surface. This is an incredible convenience for individuals who sleep with a partner or a pet that moves at night. We jump and bounce on the mattress to isolate the movement and see how much movement is detected. We also place a glass of water on the sting of the bed and roll and jump around it. If it doesn’t tip over, the mattress has good motion isolation.
Edge support
The support of the perimeters of the mattress determines the strength of the bed’s perimeter. We lie and sit on the sting of the mattress and assess how firm it feels to the touch. If we feel like we will fall, it means the bed doesn’t have good edge support.
Temperature
Hot sleepers must search for mattresses with cooling technology. Many mattresses claim to have them, but we all know the difference between marketing and a cooling design that can actually keep you cool.
Our CNET Sleep editors select the beds and other products we write about based on editorial merit. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Find out more about how we test mattresses.
