Best California King Mattress (Rated & Reviewed)

How Do We Know?

We have tested and review dozens of beds, ranging from budget mattresses to luxury mattresses, and everything in between. We’ve tried memory foam beds, latex beds, hybrid beds, and so on, so we have a good idea of what you should be thinking about when selecting a new mattress. Now, of course, we are writing this for the masses and we don’t know you specifically, but you should be able to glean some insightful information from this post. We know it won’t (and probably shouldn’t) be your only resource when selecting a new bed, but we are confident that our review will be helpful and thought-provoking. We don’t want to tell you what to get. We just want to point you in the right direction so that you can make an informed decision. It’s such a large purchase—usually well over $1,000—that it makes a lot of sense to research and read more about mattresses before you buy. We should also point out that we have a fairly diverse group here at the Slumber Yard. We have folks of different ages, weights, genders, and sleeping preferences, which gives us a good perspective on how these beds will feel for other people.

What is a California King Mattress?

A traditional king size mattress (a.k.a. Eastern king) is about 76” wide and 80” long, so nearly a square. A California king, on the other hand, is typically around 72” wide and 84” long. Here’s a chart if you’re a more visual person.

For the record, a California king is also known as a West Coast king or Western king, so if you see those, just know it’s referring to a standard Cal king bed.

Benefits of a Cal King Bed

The big difference—and chief reason why you’d get a Cal king—is its extra length. It’s usually around 4-5” longer than a standard king, which means that if you’re 6’2” or more, you will probably prefer a Cal king. Now, you might be a little concerned that the Cal king is 4” narrower than a king. Don’t be too concerned about that. There’s typically still plenty of room for two people. Keep in mind that at 72” wide, it’s still about a foot wider than a queen, which is the most common size of bed. Moral of the story, try out a Cal king if you’re taller than 6’2”. If you’re not, you should be just fine with a standard king size bed.

Typical Prices for Cal King Mattress

Does a Cal king mattress cost more because of its slightly unusual shape? Actually, no. They’re typically the exact same price as a king or just a smidge more expensive. Don’t get me wrong, a Cal kind is usually notably more expensive than a queen size mattress, but it’s not all that much more than a king, if it’s more at all. For online bed-in-a-box-mattresses, a California king generally ranges from between $1,200 and $2,000, before discount. There are plenty of more affordable beds and plenty that are quite a bit more expensive, but that’s about the midpoint for Cal king prices. From what we’ve seen, if you shop in-store, the prices are a little higher than online, but not so much that it should deter you from looking.

Shopping In-Store vs Online

The biggest advantages with shopping online are that usually the beds are more affordable and can be a great value for the money, shipping and returns are completely free, there’s a lax trial period of 100 days or more, and you can compare hundreds of mattress models and brands versus a few select brands in-store. That said, there are some notable downsides with shopping for a bed online. For starters, you’re not actually feeling and testing out the bed before you buy. This is just fine if you know what you want and you’ve done plenty of research—or even taken our Mattress Finder Quiz. It’s not so great if you’re up in the air or uncertain of the materials and feel that you’re looking for. Therefore, you’re probably more prone to making returns online, as opposed to in-store, because you’re ordering based on what we (a reviewer) or the brand has told you about the bed. The other pain-point with shopping online is that if you’re doing it without consulting a website like ours, you’re probably choosing blindly and without any additional education.

Education is one of the biggest advantages you get by shopping at a traditional brick-and-mortar store. The representatives will be able to walk you through sizes, feel, materials, etc., which can definitely be valuable in terms of selecting the right bed. You also get a chance to physically test a bed before you purchase. And that goes for bed frames, sheets, and pillows, as well. Stores like Macy’s and Mattress Firm will have plenty of accessories to try out while you shop for a new mattress. The big downsides with shopping in-store are that the number of beds and brands clearly are inferior to the infinite stock of the internet. Also, shipping, deliveries, and returns tend to be slightly less favorable than those of online brands that sell direct. Since the retail stores don’t usually own the mattress brand, they’re working with thinner margins and can offer less in terms of lax policies. That said, you are trying the mattress out for yourself in the store so you should have less of an urge to return.

Your Body Type

When you’re searching for a new bed, especially for a particular size such as a California king, you should consider your body type. For example, if you’re tall, clearly, a Cal king makes more sense than a standard king. That said, if you’re heavy, that will influence what type of bed you should get. You can check out our list of the Best Mattress for Heavy People for more information. The point is that your body type makes a huge difference in terms of the correct bed for you. There is no single best mattress for every one out there.

Your Sleeping Preferences

Similar story for your sleeping preferences. If you sleep on your side predominately, you will almost certainly need a different bed than if you slept exclusively on your back. Back sleepers and stomach sleepers tend to prefer (and need) a firmer mattress that allows them to sleep on top of the bed. Side sleepers, however, usually need a bed that allows them to sink in a little and get good pressure relief (i.e. a softer mattress). Now, this isn’t always true and you should definitely consult a physician and/or chiropractor before you purchase a bed if you have various spinal or health issues. That’s just a general rule.

What About Split Cal Kings?

Sometimes brands will offer split California king mattresses that allow you to have a different comfort level for each partner. One brand that usually offers split Cal kings is Nest Bedding, but there are a few others that offer it, as well. Just so you know, one side of a split Cal king is around 36” wide and 84” long, so just a little narrower than a twin XL. Prices are usually a little higher for split Cal kings—around 30-40% more—but if you want a different comfort level than your partner, it’s still a good option. You can also check our Mattress Deals page for coupons on these beds, which should help to lessen the sting of the price tag.