Zinus Green Tea mattress
Best cheap bed-in-a-box mattress
Tuft & Needle Nod
Best cheap mattress on Amazon
Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam
Best cheap memory foam mattress
Having a quality mattress is crucial when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Don’t worry if the intimidating multithousand-dollar price tags on high-end mattresses have kept you from upgrading your old, lumpy mattress. There are plenty of affordable, quality mattresses that you can pick up for just $800 — or even less — that will help you sleep soundly. I’ve personally tried out more than 100 mattresses in my day, so I’ve come to know a good value when I see one.Â
Regardless of what cheap mattress type you may be looking for — a firm mattress, a soft mattress, a memory foam mattress, an innerspring mattress or a cooling mattress for hot sleepers — there’s an option that fits your needs and I’m here to help guide you.Â
I have tested over 100 different beds, and have picked out the cheap mattress models that stick out from the pack of Amazon bed and bed-in-a-box mattresses. Whether they offer more features or are more durable than what you’d expect from a cheap bed, these mattresses are price-friendly beds worth the money. Read on to find the best cheap mattress for you.
All prices shown are for queen-size models and are subject to change.
What’s the best cheap mattress overall?
Casper makes comfortable, popular bed-in-a-box mattresses with a soft, neutral-foam feel that seems to accommodate a wide range of people. The Casper Element is the brand’s entry-level model that offers the same feel and firmness that people love about the Original Casper at a lower cost. You don’t want to sacrifice quality when buying a cheap mattress, and that’s what you get when you buy a Casper Element mattress.Â
Video: Best cheap mattresses for 2023
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the best cheap mattresses for 2023.
The 6 best cheap mattresses of 2023
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Type Poly foam mattressFirmness 5 out of 10 or mediumTrial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $
Why we chose the Casper Element:Â The Casper Element is an entry-level mattress from one of the biggest bed-in-a-box brands in the industry, exclusively sold through Amazon. It has a simple, two-layer construction, but it’s a solid 10 inches tall. This makes it thicker than other low-cost mattresses I’ve tested. It’s slightly firmer than a medium, and should be suitable for most sleeping positions.
Casper Element
Type Memory-foam mattressFirmness 3-4 or medium-softTrial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price
Why we chose the Zinus Green Tea mattress:Â A soft memory foam mattress perfect for side sleepers on a budget. You can find the Zinus Green Tea on Amazon for under $500. Thicker mattresses tend to be more durable, and this budget mattress stands at 13 inches tall, making it a little more durable than other 10-inch models on our list. Typically, the thicker the bed the more support and durability it offers.
Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 6 or medium to medium-firmTrial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $
Why we chose the Allswell mattress: This is the only hybrid mattress on our best cheap mattress list. Reason being, most hybrid mattresses that combine foam and steel coils cost at least $700, and usually more. The Allswell is from Walmart, and one of the best-build beds for the money. Back, stomach and heavy sleepers on a budget should find the Allswell a comfortable pick.
Allswell
Type Cooling Memory foam mattressFirmness Medium to medium-firm or 6Trial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year warranty Price $$
Why we chose the Cocoon Chill mattress:Â Cocoon Chill proves you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for a good cooling bed. It has a phase change cover that draws heat away from your body, and delivers a noticeably cool feel when you lay down on the mattress. Memory foam is its main comfort material, which has a reputation of sleeping hot, but that’s not the case here.
Cocoon by Sealy Chill
Type Poly foam mattressFirmness medium or 5Trial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $
Why we chose the Tuft and Needle Nod mattress:Â Available on Amazon with a 4.5-star rating and over 2,000 reviews, the Tuft and Needle Nod is a great entry-level bed for people who want simple at an affordable price. It has a medium firmness level suitable for all body types and a light and airy feel that most people will generally find comfortable. It’s the ultimate “safe pick” if you ask me.
Tuft and Needle Nod
Type Memory foam mattressFirmness Medium-soft or 3Trial 30 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $
Why we picked the Lucid 10-inch memory foam mattress:Â While you have multiple heights to choose from, the 10-inch model offers a good bang for your buck. It has a dense memory foam feel that’s plush and soft. I think it’s ideal for side sleepers as it molds around the curves of the hips and shoulders, and it provides ample pressure relief to those joints.
Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam
Other cheap mattresses we’ve tested
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to curate our best lists, including hundreds of mattress testing hours to find out which beds are truly worth your money. Our CNET Sleep editors are the ones who curated this best affordable mattress best list, as they chose their top favorite cheap beds from the 100+ they’ve tested. With that being said, they’ve also included another mattress option below that could also be up for consideration.Â
Bear mattress: The Bear Original mattress isn’t the cheapest bed we’ve come across, but it offers a great value. It’s made with graphite-gel memory foam so it doesn’t retain heat like older types of memory foam mattresses used to, and it provides that signature hugging feel memory foam has become known for. One of the best parts, in my opinion, besides the budget mattress price, is its Celliant-infused cover.Â
How we test cheap mattresses
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. For this list, we considered a “cheap mattress” to be in between $300 and $800 (with discounts applied). Many cheap mattresses are low-quality, but the ones listed here were chosen because of their ability to stand out as quality beds at affordable prices.Â
It’s impressive to have a cheap mattress with cooling tech, a thick cheap mattress or a cheap mattress with targeted support and pressure relief. Other cheap beds listed don’t have special qualities, but they’re mighty comfortable for the price they offer and are more durable than poor cheap mattresses.Â
Read more on how we test mattresses.
What to consider when buying a cheap mattress
You know the saying you get what you pay for, and that usually rings true with mattresses. That being said, there are cheap mattresses out there that are both worth the money and comfy to sleep on each night. You can’t expect any crazy bells and whistles, but that’s not typically what you look for in a cheap mattress.Â
- Construction: Your body type should help determine the type of mattress construction you want. People over 230 pounds may want a cheap hybrid mattress because the steel coils inside of them help them provide more support. People under that weight can opt for a cheap foam mattress. You should also consider thickness — the thicker the mattress, the more supportive it is.Â
- Brand reputation: Do your research when you’re looking to buy the best cheap mattress and look closely at retailers, especially on Amazon. Some companies try to sell dupes of popular cheap beds like Casper Element and Nod, so be vigilant.Â
- Firmness: What’s best, a soft or firm mattress? It depends on your sleeping position. Side sleepers should consider a soft mattress, whereas back and stomach sleepers may want something on the firmer end for ample back support.Â
- Price:Â Remember, you get what you pay for. You likely won’t find a bed under $100 or even $200 unless it’s designed to fall apart in a year or is already used.Â
We also feel it’s important to remind you of possible downsides of buying a cheap mattress:
- They typically aren’t as thick or durable as an average foam or hybrid bed.
- Unless there’s specific cooling tech, they can sleep hotter than a regular mattress.
- Cheap beds don’t usually use organic or natural materials.
- Unless it’s a hybrid, a cheap mattress likely isn’t supportive enough for someone over 230 pounds.
- Cheap mattresses are made with cheaper or fewer materials to achieve a lower price.
What you can expect is a few layers of comfy foam or a layer of pocketed coils if you go for something like the Allswell mattress. You can typically get around three to five years out of a cheap bed… maybe a little longer if you take good care of it (rotate it every six months and deep clean it once a year).Â
Cheap mattress FAQs
Which mattress types are more expensive than others?
Foam mattresses tend to be cheaper than innerspring or hybrid mattresses because the materials are cheaper to make. Hybrid mattresses are made with steel coils, while foam beds are made from soft foam materials. Memory foam and polyurethane foam are among the most affordable types of foam, while latex foam tends to be the most expensive — especially if it’s natural or organic.Â
What are the best budget mattress brands?
You can find a quality cheap mattress that should last you five years or more from these brands:
- Allswell
- Tuft and Needle
- Casper
- Brooklyn Bedding
- Bear
Are cheap mattresses worth it?
If you aren’t expecting extreme durability and longevity, a cheap mattress may be a good option. Cheap mattresses are ideal for young children or professionals looking to save money. They also work well for guest bedrooms, college dorm rooms and first-time apartments. However, if you want to invest in your sleep and keep your mattress for more than five years, you may want to save up a little more.Â
When is the best time to buy a mattress?
Online brands run discounts at all times of the year, but you’ll usually walk away with the best deals around key holidays like Labor Day, the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Black Friday and Christmas.Â
What are the best budget mattress brands?
You’ll find the best budget mattresses from Lucid, Zinus, Allswell, Bear, Tuft & Needle, Casper and Cocoon. In addition, Brooklyn Bedding mattresses aren’t considered cheap, but they offer great value for money.
Source: CNET
