Best Budget Mattress

Shopping for a mattress can be fun, especially when you know a better night’s sleep is in your future. But if you’re on a tight budget, it may not be as enjoyable or rewarding. With so many brands, mattress types, and seemingly endless features to choose from, how do you know you’ll get a good value? 

No matter how much you’re willing to spend on a new mattress, you expect it to last a long time. You might think having a budget means you have to settle for a cheaper, less durable mattress, but that’s not true. Thanks to the bed in a box mattress revolution and the advent of high-quality, affordable materials, anyone can enjoy a good night’s sleep for a good price. 

In this article, we’ll assess five mattresses we think fit a wide range of sleep styles, preferences, and budgets. We’ll also give you some tips on navigating mattress sales and how to know if the bed you’ve got your eye on really is a good deal (or isn’t). 

Best Budget Mattresses of 2022 Overview

• Best Budget Mattress Overall: Zoma Mattress
• Best Cheap Mattress: Vaya Mattress
• Best Value Mattress: Amerisleep AS2 
• Best Budget Mattress for Athletes: Bear Mattress
• Best Budget Cooling Mattress: Tuft & Needle Original

Best Budget Mattress Overall: Zoma Mattress 

The Zoma Mattress was engineered by industry experts with years of experience crafting the best accessories for sleep. As a mattress designed for active lifestyles, it’s an excellent choice for athletes to busy moms, heavy laborers, and anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet. The unique materials in the Zoma are engineered to boost recovery and allow you to get restorative sleep every night – all at an incredible price. 

The comfort layer of the Zoma is a gel memory foam with triangle shapes carved into its surface. This technology, aptly named Triangulex™, responds to your individual pressure points and absorbs movement. So unlike other memory foams, this one won’t transfer motion or leave you feeling “stuck.”

The second layer of the Zoma is called Reactiv™. It controls motion transfer just like the Triangulex™ while minimizing pressure build-up. It also keeps you from feeling the firm base foam underneath, called Support+. This layer ensures the bed will last as long as you use it.

With each Zoma Mattress, you get a 100-night sleep trial, 10-year warranty, free shipping, and free returns. At just $750 for a queen, this is the best budget mattress of 2022 and it’s easily one of the best mattresses under $1,000 on the market. 

Best Cheap Mattress: Vaya Mattress

The Vaya Mattress is one of the most affordable mattresses in our lineup, which can be surprising given its outstanding quality and craftsmanship.

Under a soft, breathable cover is the Vaya Comfort Foam, a contouring layer meant to relieve pressure points and respond to your every movement. Because this open-cell foam bounces back quickly, it never holds in heat or makes you feel trapped in your own imprint.

A problem with softer mattresses is they can make you feel “stuck” or unsupported, waking up with back pain. The Vaya Base Foam keeps the surface free from sags. With this durable base layer, you won’t feel stuck in bed or like you’re sinking down too far, and you shouldn’t wake up in pain. 

The Vaya Mattress is made right here in the USA with CertiPUR-US® certified foams free of formaldehyde, heavy metals, PBDEs, and more. 

When you buy a Vaya Mattress, you also get a 10-year warranty and a 100-night sleep trial. It ships for free with prices starting at $349, making it one of the best mattresses under $500. 

Best Value Mattress: Amerisleep AS2 

The Amerisleep AS2 is the medium-firm model in Amerisleep’s five-mattress foam lineup. Popular for customers who like a good balance of firmness with a touch of cushion, the AS2 works best for back and stomach sleepers, and sleepers with back pain. 

The comfort layer of every Amerisleep mattress is plant-based Bio-Pur®. This foam is a little bit different than the traditional memory foam you’ll find in most mattresses. No memory foam mattress can be completely free of petrochemicals because they give the material its viscoelasticity. (That’s a fancy word for memory foam’s ability to conform closely to the body and bounce back after the weight is removed.)

Amerisleep replaces some of these petrochemicals with castor oil in an effort to make the foam more breathable and eco-friendly. The use of castor oil also reduces the off-gassing odor emitted from memory foam when you open it. This smell is harmless to most people and dissipates within a few days, but if you’re concerned about it, try an Amerisleep mattress with Bio-Pur®.

Beneath the 2 inches of Bio-Pur® sits a 3-inch Affinity layer with HIVE® technology. HIVE® stands for “Harnessing Intelligent Ventilation Energy.” In other words, this layer delivers targeted support to your head, back, and legs and cushioned comfort to your shoulders and hips. This layer gets its name from hexagonal-shaped cutouts grouped closely together where you need support and farther apart where you need less of a rigid, firm feel.

The support layer in the AS2 is called Bio-Core®. As its name implies, this 7-inch thick, sturdy foam stands the test of time and ensures the softer layers don’t lose support or sag. Because of this high-quality, supportive foam, Amerisleep can offer a 20-year warranty on all its mattresses. That’s 10 years longer than the industry standard.

At $1099 for a queen size, it’s one of the best value mattresses available. You can also see all of Amerisleep’s mattresses which include a few hybrids as well. These are among the best mattresses under $2,000 in most sizes and they come with a 100-night sleep trial, free shipping, and free returns too. 

Best Budget Mattress for Athletes: Bear Mattress

The Original Bear Mattress was made for athletes. Its medium-firm feel is excellent for back pain and pressure-build up in the lower spine. The other features, like a Celliant® cover and high-quality foams, ensure you sleep on a supportive surface for years to come.

Covering every Bear Mattress is FDA-determined Celliant®, a textile designed to wick away heat and moisture and help you recover. That means every time you sleep on a Bear Mattress, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed. Athletes or anyone with an active lifestyle can benefit from this unique fabric.

The top layer of the Original Bear is a graphite-infused gel memory foam. The graphite works as a heat conductor while the gel cools down the foam. Together, the two materials keep you from overheating. That way, you can enjoy all the benefits of memory foam without the downsides. It conforms closely and responds to movement, letting you sleep without noise or your partner’s restlessness disrupting your shut-eye.

Beneath the comfort layer sits a transition foam. This responsive layer ensures you won’t sink down too far or feel “trapped,” a common complaint with most memory foam mattresses. 

The base layer of the Bear is a high-density foam built to keep the other two layers level and supportive. You won’t feel this layer, but it maintains the integrity of your mattress. 

All Bear foams are CertiPUR-US® certified. All Bear mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial, free shipping, free returns, and a 10-year warranty. With all these features, the Bear Mattress is available between $400-720 in various sizes.

Best Budget Cooling Mattress: Tuft & Needle Original

The Tuft & Needle Original Mattress made the online mattress brand a customer favorite for many seeking an affordable but comfortable bed. The company sells a few different models now, but the Original is still their bestseller and it’s within the range of most budgets.

Instead of using traditional memory foam, Tuft & Needle uses their own proprietary material called T&N Adaptive® foam. This soft comfort layer responds to every movement you make and molds to every body shape. The open-cell structure of the foam allows air to travel through easily, so it won’t trap any body heat. As if it wasn’t cooling enough, this foam is even infused with graphite, ceramic beads, and gel to wick away any lingering warmth.

Under the T&N Adaptive® foam layer is a supportive base foam to keep you from sinking down and waking up with aches and pains.

All Tuft & Needle mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial, free shipping, free returns, and a 10-year warranty, and the Original costs $595 for a queen, so you can stay well within your budget.

Shopping for the Best Budget Mattresses

Finding the right mattress with a set budget in mind is tough, especially when you’re tempted by the seemingly endless features offered by many mattress brands. But not every feature is worth the extra cost—and some are. We’ll go over everything you need to know before you make a mattress purchase so you get your money’s worth and then some.

Mattress Type

One of the most basic and important things you have to decide before you buy a new bed is the type of mattress that best fits your needs. Along with your sleeping position, the mattress type will have a major impact on the mattress’s durability, your comfort, and ultimately, your long-term sleep quality.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses, also known as coil beds, were first used as early as the 1800s. Of course, modern-day innersprings are much more comfortable and long-lasting now, but they still rank lowest as far as customer satisfaction goes. A high-quality innerspring mattress may begin to sag as soon as 5 years after the initial purchase. That says a lot about their support and comfort level.

Most innersprings have a plush pillow top or Euro top as the comfort layer. This is a thin layer of fabric, foam, or both, meant to cushion the body and relieve pressure points. Most of the time, it doesn’t quite do the job because the coil layer underneath doesn’t mold to the body. This results in deep sags and the user feeling “trapped” in the mattress.

You can tell a lot about the quality of an innerspring by looking at coil types and coil gauge. The “gauge” refers to the coil’s thickness, and it usually determines how supportive the mattress is. Higher-gauge coils are more often used in comfort layers, while low-gauge coils can be found in the base because they’re more supportive.

Low-gauge coils are thick, while high-gauge coils are quite thin. 

We’ll rank coil types from cheapest to most expensive for readers on a budget:

• Bonnell Coils: Bonnell coils are also called hourglass coils. They are the cheapest type to produce and the most common. If you’ve stayed in a hotel room, dorm, or in your friend’s guest bedroom, you’ve probably slept on Bonnell coils.
• Offset Coils: Offset coils are hourglass-shaped like Bonnell coils, but they are linked together with a piece of wire (called a “helical”). This “hinge” means the coils respond better to pressure and conform more closely to the body. 
• Continuous Coils: This coil type gets its name from the long, single S-shaped wire hooked together to form a “continuous” coil. If a mattress has continuous coils, it tends to last longer and develop few sags.
• Pocketed Coils: Pocketed coils are not all that common in a traditional innerspring, but more and more they are appearing in hybrid beds. Each coil is wrapped in a “pocket” of fabric or foam. The pocket acts as a shock absorber, so mattresses with pocketed coils are more expensive but also more durable. 

What about coil count? Just because a mattress has a high coil count, doesn’t mean it’s high-quality. The coils could be low-quality coils, and when they start to sag, it won’t matter how many there are. A queen-size innerspring should have a minimum of 400 coils. Most brands advertise the coil counts on their website. If the coil count for the mattress you have on your eye on is unclear, talk to a customer service representative. 

Innerspring Mattresses: Pros and Cons

Memory Foam

Memory foam is everywhere these days. It’s especially popular with the best mattress in a box brands, making it a great option for shoppers on a budget. Since the best online mattresses eliminate the middleman, you can get high-quality memory foam beds for a fairly good price. 

Memory foam is quite dense, and so it tends to trap heat. Since it conforms so closely to the body, it can also leave you feeling trapped or stuck in bed. Two key features to look for in memory foam are some kind of cooling properties or technologies and a sturdy base to prevent sags. Gel memory foam is one of the more popular cooling foam options.

Most people would describe the natural feel of memory foam as soft and squishy, but you can find it in various firmnesses. Refer to the firmness scale to gauge how firm or soft a mattress is and read mattress reviews. What some brands classify as “medium,” others might categorize as “medium-firm.”

Firmness and Feel:

• 1 (Extremely Firm)
• 2-3 (Firm)
• 4-5 (Medium-Firm)
• 6-8 (Medium)
• 9 (Medium-Soft)
• 10 (Soft)

Another name for memory foam is viscoelastic foam. “Viscoelastic” refers to memory foam’s ability to spring back into shape after conforming closely to the body. This quality makes memory foam the best for pressure relief, motion isolation, and noiselessness (there are no springy coils to worry about with memory foam). Since memory foam is made with petroleum, it emits a slight odor when it’s opened—known as “off-gassing.” These days, memory foam mattresses are available at a wide range of price points too. 

Memory Foam Mattresses: Pros and Cons

Hybrid

Hybrids were born of the need for cooling and pressure relief in one bed. Yes, innersprings are bouncy, but the coils lose support after a while. And memory foam allows for pain-free sleep, but it traps heat. Hybrids have a 2-3 inch layer of memory or latex foam on top and then a base of coils (usually pocketed). Now you can feel the familiar bounciness of a coil bed with the excellent pressure relief of memory foam.

A true hybrid must have 2-3 inches of memory foam on top to be considered a hybrid. We highly recommend a hybrid with pocketed coils, as well. They isolate motion transfer much better than regular coils. 

Hybrid mattresses have a longer lifespan than innersprings, but they still don’t last as long as memory foam beds. To ensure you get the best value mattress, choose a hybrid with memory or latex foam in the comfort layer, not poly-foam. The coils should be pocketed and, if possible, there should be a transition layer to buffer between the soft comfort layer and the firm coil base. 

Most hybrids are on the spendier side because they contain a mix of high-quality materials. So if you’re on a tighter budget and looking for a cooling, responsive mattress, we recommend open-cell memory foam or gel memory foam.

Hybrid Mattresses: Pros and Cons

Latex

Natural latex is one of the most durable materials for mattresses. 100% natural latex beds can last anywhere from 10-15 years if properly maintained. However, latex isn’t cheap. The good news is there are latex alternatives that feel similar, but come with a more affordable price tag.

100% Natural Latex (Dunlop): Natural latex comes from the sap of a rubber tree. It is produced using very eco-friendly practices. Dunlop latex contains no petrochemicals, unlike memory foam. Latex feels a little bit like memory foam (both are close-conforming), but it’s a bit more responsive. 

Talalay Latex: Like Dunlop latex, Talalay is produced from the sap of rubber trees. During manufacturing, petrochemicals are added to give it a spongier, softer feel. It doesn’t last as long as Dunlop nor does it cost as much, and many prefer the way it feels over Dunlop.

Synthetic Latex: This material is made to imitate natural latex’s feel, but it contains no actual latex. It’s perfect for anyone with a latex allergy or those who like the feel of latex but can’t afford it.

Latex Mattresses: Pros and Cons

Sleeping Position

How you sleep affects how you feel every morning. If your spine is not neutral while you sleep, you might wake up with aches and pains, which could evolve into something worse if not addressed. So, even if you get the best cheap mattress or the most expensive one, if you select the wrong mattress based on your preferred sleeping position, you’ll never get a good night’s sleep.

Side Sleeping

Side sleeping is quite common and it’s also one of the healthier ways to sleep. Evidence has shown it could improve heart health. Side sleeping on a supportive mattress and pillow can alleviate snoring, acid reflux, and sleep apnea for some people. 

Since most side-sleepers sleep with their arms under their heads, the risk of numbness and pressure-build up is high. Sleeping on one of the best soft mattresses with the right balance of support and comfort can solve this problem. We don’t recommend innersprings because they lack the pressure relief side sleepers need.

Best Mattress Firmness for Side Sleepers: Medium, medium-soft, or soft mattresses

Best Mattress Type for Side Sleepers: Memory foam, gel memory foam, latex foam, or hybrid mattresses

Back Sleeping

Back sleeping keeps the spine neutral as long as the mattress is the correct firmness. If back sleepers are using a mattress that’s too soft, they could throw their spines out of alignment and wake up with lower back pain. And if the mattress is too firm, it could lead to pressure build-up.

Sleeping on the back can aggravate snoring and sleep apnea. The soft tissues at the back of the throat hang loosely, and sleeping on the back pushes them back, obstructing the airway. The loud vibrating sound known as “snoring” occurs when these soft tissues collapse in the back of the throat.

To combat this, back sleepers should choose the best mattress for back pain—a firm or medium-firm mattress. Anything softer could lead to snoring or feeling “stuck.” 

Since hybrids, latex foam, and innersprings are naturally quite firm, back sleepers could potentially sleep comfortably on any of these mattress types (but beware of any bed with coils, as they can lose support quickly). Memory foam mattresses are among the most comfortable mattresses too, as long as back sleepers choose a medium-firm or firm bed.

Best Mattress Firmness for Back Sleepers: Firm or medium-firm mattresses

Best Mattress Type for Back Sleepers: Memory foam, gel memory foam, latex foam, hybrid, or some innerspring mattresses

Stomach Sleeping

We don’t recommend making a habit of sleeping on your stomach. Even if you choose the right mattress, eventually the sagging will cause you to bottom out on the bed, misaligning your spine and causing neck or back pain.

To prevent this, train yourself to sleep on your side. If you’re still a dedicated stomach sleeper for now, choose a high-quality, medium-firm or firm mattress. Anything softer than medium-firm could lead to short-term pain or even long-term injury, like a herniated disc.

Best Mattress Firmness for Stomach Sleepers: Firm or medium-firm mattresses

Best Mattress Type for Stomach Sleepers: Latex, innerspring, hybrid, or memory foam mattresses

Combination Sleeping

Most of us are combination sleepers. We alternate between two or more positions all night. For combo (or mixed) sleepers, choosing a mattress is a little trickier. Always keep in mind your dominant position (the one you’re in when you wake up), or just note which one feels most comfortable. Then go from there. If you’re still unsure, try mattresses in the “medium” range. Medium beds are known to have the perfect balance of soft and firm, but the feel isn’t the same for every brand. If you can, try out some mattresses in a showroom to get a better idea.

Best Mattress Firmness for Combo Sleepers: Medium mattresses

Best Mattress Type for Combo Sleepers: Memory foam, latex foam, or hybrid mattresses

Body Type

Your body type may affect how comfortable your mattress is and if it’s the best mattress for you. Typically most mattresses come with a weight limit, but this isn’t all you need to know if the mattress will work for you. Our handy guide will give you a sense of the best mattress types and firmnesses for your body type.

*If you choose an innerspring, make sure it is built with a high-quality support system such as low-gauge coils and a memory foam pillow top.

Warranty

After you do some research on mattress types, you can focus on company policies. Even if you’re looking for one of the best budget mattresses of 2022, you should always settle on a quality bed with a good warranty and return policy. No matter the cost, the best value mattress will include those things.

A 10-year warranty is standard for mattresses. That’s because most mattresses last around 7-10 years, so you’ll be protected for the entire lifespan of your mattress. If the warranty is longer than 10 years, that gives you some indication of the quality. Often longer warranties are prorated, meaning you’ll pay for a portion of the repair or replacement costs after the first ten years.

Most mattress warranties cover the same few things, with a little bit of variation (usually in the size of sags):

• Sagging below a certain depth (usually 1 inch or more)
• Rips in the fabric
• Broken zipper
• Burst or bent coils

The depth of sagging a warranty covers speaks to the mattress’s quality. For example, if the warranty only covers sags 1 inch or deeper, you’re probably already losing sleep because of discomfort. Try to find mattress warranties that cover sags less than 1 inch deep. That way, you still have a shot at sleeping comfortably on your mattress for many years.

Return Policy and Sleep Trials

Before sleep trials came on the scene, return policies were the only avenue customers could use to send back an unsatisfactory mattress. Some brands still offer a return policy in lieu of a sleep trial—often called something like “a customer satisfaction guarantee.” They last around 30 days or so, at which point if the customer hasn’t returned the mattress, they’re stuck with it. 

Sometimes, these return policies do not guarantee a full refund with a return, either, so you’re taking a big risk buying a mattress with one. Instead, opt for any of the best cheap mattresses above since they all come with a sleep trial.

Unlike the short return windows for some mattresses, sleep trial periods usually last 90 days or more. This gives you plenty of time to try out the mattress, break it in, and decide if it’s right for you. Another perk of sleep trials is that the company will come and pick up the mattress for you if you decide to return it. In the end, it’s much less hassle and risk than a 30-day return policy. 

Note that not all bed in a box brands will pick up your mattress if you return it. If this is a dealbreaker for you, read the fine print for any sleep trial to familiarize yourself with specifics before you buy. Even if you’re on a budget, you should have no problem finding a good quality mattress with a generous, risk-free sleep trial.

Navigating Mattress Sales

Even though you can find many nice mattresses for a decent price, you might still be waiting patiently for a good deal to come along. Maybe you want to swap out your bedding and even upgrade to one of the best adjustable beds, but all of those things add up. Is it possible to buy a new mattress, sheets, pillows, and a bed frame for a relatively low price? Yes. You just have to know what to look for.

Set a Budget

Of course, the most important thing you need to do before you purchase anything is to set a price you’re comfortable with and stick to it. That way you won’t be tempted by beds and accessories out of your budget.

It helps to know the average price for a high-quality, queen-size mattress before you jump in. Remember, these are averages, but you should be able to find one within this price range. Certain added features may bump up the cost, but often they’re just included in the price.

Shop During Sales Weekends

Most everything goes on sale eventually, including mattresses. You can catch a good deal during many of the big sales weekends, and most sales include bundle deals if you buy a mattress. That means you could redo your whole bedroom for a great price.

The most popular mattress sales occur on these days:

• Presidents Day
• Memorial Day
• 4th of July
• Labor Day
• Black Friday
• Cyber Monday

Remember, most mattress sales extend beyond the designated “sale day.” So if you forget about the sale, don’t worry! Some sales begin up to a week before the set date and many last about a week after.

How Much Should I Be Paying?

Price and value are two different (but related) things. The price tag attached to your new mattress factors in the value—how long the mattress will last, the material quality, the sleep trial, and the warranty. In short: a queen-size bed in the average price range should last you at least 7-10 years (or whatever the length of the warranty is). If it doesn’t, the mattress isn’t a very good value.

Mattresses cost a lot of money—even when they’re on sale, they’re considered an investment. And an investment should last! You don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a new, comfortable mattress, only for it to start sagging and lose support a few years in.

To avoid this, there are a few things you should look for:

• Warranty length: The standard mattress warranty is 10 years. Anything less than that means you could be stuck with a sagging mattress and no way to get it repaired.
• Too-cheap mattresses: While it’s nice to get a good deal, watch out for mattresses priced $300 or cheaper, or “promo beds” offered as part of a buy one, get one deal. These beds typically don’t last longer than a few years, if that. 
• Overpriced mattresses: On the other hand, mattresses in the range of $2,500-$3,000 or more are marketed as “luxury beds.” They seem to have a variety of fancy features, including hand-sewn buttons, “chilled” memory foam, and so on. These features are a nice perk, but they don’t improve the comfort or quality of the mattress. Instead, they’re more of a marketing tactic to get you to spend more money than you really need to for a good night’s sleep.
• White glove delivery: White glove delivery services are a convenient way to transport your new mattress inside and remove the old one. You don’t have to do any of the work! The mattress company will do everything, but usually, this service costs extra or is included with your mattress purchase. If white glove delivery is worth it to you—like if you’re elderly, have back problems, or live alone—factor it into your budget. To add this service to your mattress usually costs $200-$300. 

Maintaining Your Mattress 

To protect your investment, we recommend you buy a mattress protector. There are a few different types, but an encasement is best, which covers all sides of the mattress including the bottom. An encasement can shield your mattress from dust mites, bed bugs, mold, mildew, and stains (the complete list of what they protect against varies between brands).

If you use your mattress without a protector, you run the risk of voiding your warranty. Warranties do not cover damage caused by improper use. Most mattress brands sell compatible mattress protectors, and sometimes they’re even included in the sales.

Most mattresses last around 7-10 years, but some last longer with proper care. Part of that maintenance includes a good mattress protector. Try to find one with an extended warranty (longer than 1 year). If it’s a high-quality protector, it should prolong your mattress’s lifespan and save you money in the long run. That way, you won’t have to replace your (much more) expensive mattress if it gets damaged—just buy a new mattress protector every few years.

Another important consideration is your mattress foundation. Using your mattress on the wrong type can void your warranty, too. Most brands should tell you the exact type of foundation(s) you’re ok to use with their mattresses. If you can’t find that information online, ask a customer service representative. Here’s a quick guide to the best foundations for specific mattress types:

*Although some hybrids may be used with an adjustable base, you will want to check with the mattress brand for further clarification. Mattresses with coils or springs do not flex as easily as all-foam beds do, and so they may not work as well on an adjustable base.

Finding a High-Quality, Reasonably Priced Mattress

Choosing the best mattress is hard enough, but add in budget restrictions and suddenly it seems impossible! Before you jump at the first marked-down mattress, consider your sleeping position and the mattress type that goes best with it. Note the features you might need (like cooling materials) and the ones you might not (like edge support). Consider if an added service like white glove delivery would be worth it to you. And always pay special attention to the warranty and sleep trial or return policy.

We hope after reading our best cheap budget mattress guide you feel a little more confident when you’re mattress shopping. After all, we believe everyone deserves a good night’s sleep every single night, no matter how much they spend on a new mattress.

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