The term “pillow top mattress” is vague, considering all sorts of beds come with a pillow top, but it basically means there is an added fluffy layer on top that provides more pressure relief and creates a mattress that you want to nestle into. With that in mind, we selected a diverse group of mattresses that range from soft to firm and differ in their materials.
With that in mind, we selected a diverse group of mattresses that range from soft to firm and also differ in terms of their materials. No sense in wasting any more time, let’s take a look at the list of the best pillow top mattresses:
8 Best Pillow Top Mattresses 2022
- Best Firm Pillow Top Mattress :Saatva ClassicStarting at $935 Shop Now
- Best Plush Pillow Top Mattress :Nest Bedding Sparrow HybridStarting at $949 Shop Now
- Highly Accommodating Pillow Top Mattress :Bear HybridStarting at $1248 Shop Now
- Best Pillow Top Mattress For Back Pain :WinkBeds ClassicStarting at $1149 Shop Now
- Best Natural & Organic Pillow Top Mattress :Avocado Green Mattress Pillow TopStarting at $1199 Shop Now
- Best Memory Foam Pillow Top Mattress :DreamCloud PremierStarting at $1398 Shop Now
- Best Pillow Top Mattress for Heavy People :Nolah Evolution 15Starting at $1799 Shop Now
- Best Pillow Top Mattress for Side Sleepers :Helix Midnight LuxeStarting at $1199 Shop Now
Compare Best Pillow Top Mattresses
Best Firm Pillow Top Mattress
Why Saatva Classic wins as best firm pillow top mattress
Saatva uses a combination of two layers of coils, memory foam, and a mounded euro top to make a bed that’s extremely supportive and comfortable—and a great option for people with back pain. The luxury firm version will be about a medium-firm.
This is the type of bed that you sleep on top of, which is why we like it for back and stomach sleepers in particular. Combo sleepers will be fine, but petite individuals and those that spend the night on their side probably want to go with the plush soft mattress model.
Saatva’s best features
- The Saatva Classic mattress is one of the best pillow top mattresses for the price. For the king-sized pillow top mattress, it’s about $1,970, which is affordable for a luxury-tier product.
- Saatva’s mattresses have back-to-back coil layers that enhance durability and support, which makes it supportive for all body types.
- Saatva offers the ability to choose from firmness levels, which means that almost everyone will be able to pick a bed that works for them.
Best Plush Pillow Top Mattress
Why Nest Bedding Sparrow Hybrid wins as best plush pillow top mattress
If you specifically want a soft or plush pillow top mattress, it’s hard to do any better than Nest Sparrow. Not only is it a pretty great pillow top mattress, but it is also a great value. We appreciate that Nest Bedding Sparrow Hybrid is affordable with a retail price of about $1,600 for the queen mattress before discounts.
Sparrow Hybrid’s best features
- The Sparrow Hybrid comes in three firmness options, but the medium version is their most popular and is the one we’re thinking of for this list. It has a fluffy and soft pillow top—a bit like that of the Oceano mattress—and support coils for a little bounce.
- It should work well for all sleeping positions, as well as its wide variety of firmness options will support multiple sleeper types
- The Sparrow Hybrid bed is affordable for a luxury mattress. The lifetime warranty is also a huge benefit.
Highly Accommodating Pillow Top Mattress
Why Bear Hybrid wins as best accommodating pillow top mattress
Bear Hybrid is the type of mattress you can blindly recommend to others because it’s a great value and still comes with free returns. It’s so accommodating that almost everyone will find it comfortable, and it’s about as supportive as supportive gets. For the price, we’re not sure you can find a better pillow top mattress. Bear Hybrid is about $1,400 after discounts for the king mattress. That’s the closest you’re going to get to a cheap pillow top mattress.
Bear Hybrid’s best features
- The Bear Hybrid mattress has the soft, airy pillow top, but it also has a special, active-recovery cover that you will find on a few other beds. Bear uses a technology called Celliant, which has been proven to aid recovery times, circulation, and restful sleep.
- We rate Bear Hybrid as a “medium” on our softness/firmness scale, meaning it should work for a variety of sleeper types. It’s ideal for all body types, too.
Best Support For Back Pain
Why WinkBeds wins as best pillow top mattress for back pain
WinkBeds mattresses are big and luxurious. They look nice, and you can tell right off the bat that they’re well-made, quality mattresses.
WinkBeds feels like a more traditional innerspring bed with a plush and airy pillow top. It also has a ton of bounce because the bulk of the mattress is made with a layer of heavy-duty pocketed coils. On top of the coils is a layer of foam which adds a bit more pressure-relieving comfort. WinkBeds’ construction makes it the best for back pain.
WinkBeds’ best features
- You can choose from a few different firmness levels—softer, luxury firm (their most popular) firmer, and the Plus option, which is designed to handle people that weigh up to 500 lb. Any option will provide plenty of support, though.
- These are luxury mattresses that have a lot to like about them, and we think WinkBeds is a solid option for a lot of sleepers. Bottom line: this mattress is among the best you can get.
Best Natural And Organic Mattress
Why Avocado Green wins as best natural & organic pillow top mattress
Avocado is the best-rated natural/organic mattress with a pillow top. There are a few flaws in this mattress and its materials. For what you’re getting, it’s one of the best pillow top mattresses for the price that have natural and organic materials.
By default, Avocado Green is not a pillow top mattress, but you can add one. It costs more (in some cases $500 more), but we think it’s the way to go because it takes the bed from being truly firm to about a medium-firm.
Avocado’s best features
- The Avocado Green mattress is a firmer, responsive bed. As a result, it is a nice solution for hot sleepers. The coils help with air circulation, the latex foam is a naturally cooler material, and the firmness level means you sleep more on top of the bed.
- Avocado very well could be the most popular natural and organic mattress in the world, and we can understand why. The bed is clearly built to a higher standard and uses various organic and natural materials such as organic certified cotton and latex. It also has 8″ steel coils for its foundation, which means it’s bouncy, responsive, and extra supportive.
Best Memory Foam Mattress
Why DreamCloud Premier wins as best memory foam pillow top mattress
DreamCloud Premier is our top pick for the best memory foam pillow top mattress, because it’s comfortable, good for all sleeper types and body types, and great for memory foam fans. Most of the pillow top beds we selected for this list have a neutral/airy pillow top feel, but DreamCloud has the traditional “contouring” effect that has made memory foam famous.
The bottom line with DreamCloud Premier is if you prefer memory foam and want a pillow top mattress, it should make you plenty happy.
DreamCloud Premier’s best features
- While DreamCloud has gone through price increases over the years, it’s still an affordable mattress, especially relative to other Euro-top mattresses.
- As for the construction of the Premier, it has coils on the bottom and memory foam as its comfort layers. The tufted cover/pillow top, otherwise known as a Euro top, creates a mounded, luxurious feel to the bed. It’s also highly supportive, given that it has edge-to-edge pocketed coils.
- If you don’t like the DreamCloud Premier after testing it for nearly a full year, you can return it for a full refund.
Best Pillow Top Mattress for Heavy People
Why Nolah Evolution wins as best pillow top mattress for heavy people
The Nolah Evolution mattress is one of the thickest beds you’ll find; it totals 15” thick with layers like High-Density Support Core and 8” HDMax Eco Support Coils. We like Nolah because it’s just a well-built mattress that has layers and layers of high-quality materials. It has great edge support and surprisingly good motion isolation, making the Nolah Evolution mattress one of the best mattresses for couples.
We think it’s a mattress that anyone can sleep on – any sleeping position and any body type. It’s just especially great for heavy people because of how durable, and supportive the mattress is. Generally, we always suggest hybrid mattresses for heavier folks because all-foam mattresses are often just not supportive enough.
Nolah Evolution best features
- The mattress has a heat escape gusset around the pillow top to dissipate excess heat.
- Includes a breathable organic cotton cover for better cooling.
- You choose your firmness level – plush, luxury firm (medium), and firm (medium-firm).
- Nolah Evolution has 8” coils. Most hybrid mattresses use 6” or 7” coils.Â
- We suggest the Firm model for heavy back or stomach sleepers and the Luxury Firm model for heavy side sleepers.Â
Best Pillow Top Mattress for Side Sleepers
Why Helix Midnight Luxe wins as best pillow top mattress for side sleepers
If you’ve been searching for pillow top luxury, look no further than the Helix Midnight Luxe. It’s a thick, high-quality mattress that has a 1000-coil base layer with three layers of memory foam and an ultra-cool premium pillow top to keep you cool. We think it’s the best pillow top bed for side sleepers because of its exceptional pressure relief. Don’t worry; it’s still a hybrid mattress, so there’s plenty of support too.
The Helix Midnight Luxe mattress is designed with zoned support that perfectly supports your lumbar region. The gel-infused memory foam layer delivers cushioning for comfort. Side sleepers need really good pressure relief to ensure they don’t develop pressure points at their shoulders, hips, and knees.
We want to point out that the Helix Midnight Luxe is not the cheapest bed on the list, it might not be suited for sleepers who are on a budget.
Helix Midnight Luxe best features
- Helix Midnight has an innovative cooling technology that will keep you cool through the night. This is a big pro for hot sleepers.
- The Helix Midnight Luxe has gel-infused memory foam layers that make it a super comfortable and pressure-relieving bed – perfect for side sleepers.
- When we applied pressure to the bed, it was super responsive and sprung back. This is important for combo sleepers who change positions at night. You don’t have to worry about that stuck-in-the-mud feeling you get with memory foam.
What Is A Pillow Top Mattress?
Pillow top mattresses are mattresses with an extra layer of cushion on the top for additional comfort. It can be made from a variety of materials, like memory foam or cotton. Pillow top mattresses sometimes have an obvious extra layer on top, but sometimes that layer is more concealed within a Euro-top cover. Nevertheless, if a mattress is labeled as a pillow top mattress, it will have that extra layer of comfort for you.
Pros And Cons Of A Pillow Top Mattress
Pillow top mattresses generally offer extra support while you sleep. They’re great for all types of sleepers because they help provide pressure relief on your body while you’re sleeping. Especially when you’re dealing with a firm mattress like Avocado, a pillow top usually adds a more plush feel to your bed.
You may not love a pillow top mattress if you’re looking for something extra firm. For example, if you’re a heavy back sleeper over 250 lbs with sciatica, you might not want the additional soft feel that a pillow top provides.
Memory Foam vs. Pillow Top Mattresses
Memory foam mattresses are quite plush and give you that conforming feel while you sleep. Pillow top mattresses usually have coils in them, which provide an extra level of support and durability. Depending on what type of comfort you’re looking for, either mattress could be the right option for you.
Memory foam mattresses don’t allow for as much freedom of movement while you’re sleeping. Once you’ve settled into your spot, it tends to be more difficult to move around. However, if you want a great mattress for motion isolation, a memory foam mattress is a good selection. Memory foam mattresses can also provide relief on sore joints because of the way the foam cradles you.
Pillow top mattresses, on the other hand, will provide support on pressure points and allow you to move around more because they tend to be more responsive. On the other hand, they’re usually not as good for motion isolation — but will still sleep very comfortably.
Why A King Size Pillow Top Mattress Is The Best
King size pillow top mattresses are the best in almost every way. They combine the two most important things when it comes to sleep: comfort and space. King mattresses allow you plenty of room to sprawl out, and they also pack a major punch in terms of comfort, thanks obviously to the pillow top.
There are also a few key elements that you need to keep in mind if you plan on sharing your mattress with someone else. These become a lot less important to consider when you buy a king mattress.
The first feature is edge support. If a bed completely compresses on the sides, you might find yourself falling to the floor. On the flip side, we’ve seen some mattresses that have excellent edge support but are then softer in the middle, which can push you back towards the middle of the bed. If you and get the king mattress, issues with edge support sort of go away because you have more space to lay on.
The other feature to take note of is motion transfer. This is very important if you sleep next to a restless sleeper who tends to toss and turn all night. Mattresses with good motion isolation will deaden any motion. If you’re a sensitive sleeper or sleep next to an active sleeper, make sure to pay attention to the mattress’ motion isolation abilities. Motion isolation becomes a lot less important on the king mattress because there’s more space, and therefore, motion has to transfer further.
The bottom line is if you are sleeping with another person, a king pillow top mattress is the best. In terms of overall size, it is the same length but wider. The king size mattress measures 76″ wide by 80″ long.
Other Important Factors:
Your weight
Your height and body type are going to affect how firm or soft a mattress feels to you because it determines the pressure that you put into the surface of a bed. Don’t blame us, blame gravity. The lighter you are, the firmer a mattress will feel. This is because you’re basically lying on top of the bed instead of in it. To factor in light people and how they will perceive each mattress, we make sure all of our team members have a chance to test out the beds we review.
Heavier body types might notice that beds typically feel softer to them because they put more pressure into the mattress and sink down into it more. In some cases, sometimes heavier folks can sometimes sink through comfort layers and will feel the support materials instead. Most of the guys on our team are over 150 lb, so they give us a better outlook on how our mattresses will feel for heavier people. If you’re suffering from back pain, a firmer pillow top mattress is probably the best place to start—or at the very minimum, a supportive pillow top bed.
Your sleeper type
Different sleeper types need different types of mattresses. We categorize sleeper types into three different categories: back and stomach, side, and combo. Back and stomach sleepers need firmer mattresses so that their hips, neck, and shoulders are properly supported. This will keep the spines of stomach and back sleepers aligned. Side sleepers put more pressure on the mattress with their shoulders and hips, so they will usually want a softer mattress that is pressure relieving. If side sleepers sleep on a mattress that’s too firm, the surface will push against them, not accommodate their curves. For those of you who are combo sleepers, we recommend finding a happy medium mattress on the firmness scale or go with whatever position you think that you may sleep in more.
Hot sleepers and cold cuddlers
Keep what temperature you like to sleep at in mind when shopping for a new mattress. Hot sleepers who find themselves sweating through the night or waking up because they’re too warm should look for mattresses with either great airflow or cooling agents. They should also probably stay away from memory foam because memory foam tends to absorb and retain body heat, making you stay warm through the night. But, we realize that some people like to sleep warm because they often find themselves shivering at night. Cold sleepers might want to check out memory foam or other soft foam mattresses in order to stay warm.
How We Select The Best Mattresses
For simplicity sake, it’s a pillow top mattress just has an additional layer of padding on the top of your mattress. They can be found on all types of beds, like memory foam or latex mattresses, but are most commonly found on top of innerspring beds. They provide extra cushioning, contouring, and comfort.
Generally, for the queen size, you will end up spending between $1,200 and $1,500 on a new pillow top mattress.
They can be, but they don’t have to be. We have reviewed plenty of firm pillow top mattresses.
Yes! Pillow top mattresses generally work for all types of sleepers because they provide a soft level of support. However, check out the firmness of the mattress itself before deciding.
That depends on the mattress. Pillow top mattresses are quite common and can usually be found at a decent price point. Many of the mattresses we featured here are around $1,000 or a little more for a queen size. However, other pillow top beds like WinkBed can be a bit pricey.
Why Trust Us
Get the kind of sleep you’ve only dreamed of with some help from our team of mattress experts. We personally test more than 175 of the best sleep solutions from over 60 leading brands on site, so you can be sure you’re getting unbiased reviews, fair comparisons and personalized recommendations.
