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Memory Foam Mattress Toppers / Pads Ratings and Reviews → Based On Data From 548 Actual Owners
Page last updated May 1, 2009.
What You Need To Know
Based on our data involving nearly 550 actual memory foam topper owners, 91% say that their topper improves the comfort of their mattress.
Overall, memory foam provides better sleep and more pain relief than featherbed and fiberbed toppers. Main downsides include off gassing / initial odor and heat issues. In regard to price, paying more does not tend to result in significantly higher satisfaction. And virtually all brands tend to provide similar levels of satisfaction.
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About Our Research
The research findings below are based on at least 548 reviews / comments of actual memory foam mattress pad-topper owners collected from dozens of different online sources, namely message/discussion boards and retailers' websites. Click here for more information on our research methodology.
Research Findings
Comfort
Of the 548 memory foam mattress topper-pad owners included in our research, 91% said that their topper provided an improvement in comfort. 7% said that the topper was uncomfortable, usually due to a personal dislike of the properties of the foam. And 2% said that the product made no difference in comfort.
Sensation of Lying on Memory Foam Topper / Pad
Owners who liked their topper often used the following words to describe sleeping on it: "soft," "pillowy," "sleeping in a cloud," "contouring." Those who said that the memory foam was uncomfortable said it was like sleeping in "quicksand" or "mud" or like "sleeping on a sponge." A significant percentage who did not like the product also said it was too hard.
Pain Relief
14% of owners included in our research said that their pad provided at least some pain relief, namely relief of preexisting back pain, joint pain, fibromyalgia, arthritis or chronic pain. Some of those in this 14% said that their pain was lessened not just when they were in bed but during much of the time they are out of bed as well. 2% of owners indicated that the memory foam topper caused pain, usually back and shoulder discomfort.
Tossing and Turning
6% of owners indicated that they toss and turn less since sleeping on the pad mainly because they find it easier to get comfortable. The "melting in" effect that memory foam can have on the sleeper also may discourage body movement.
Better Sleep
16% of owners report having improved sleep, namely they fall asleep faster or are less likely to wake during the night to adjust their sleeping position. Owners also report having better sleep efficiency in that they spend less time in bed but get the same or better amount of rest than they did before sleeping on the memory foam.
Durability / Longevity
Memory foam toppers will likely last at least a few years. Higher density foam may have at least somewhat of a longer life. Life expectancy of the pad can be improved by turning it occasionally to avoid consistently sleeping on the same part and consequently wearing it out.
Price
The overwhelming majority of owners included in our data paid between $50 and $190 for their topper, with an average price of $85. The large price range is mainly due to differences in topper thickness as well as density. (The thicker the topper and the higher the density the more expensive it is.) However, the more expensive toppers did not tend to have higher customer satisfaction than less expensive options, at least in terms of comfort.
Thickness
The clear majority of owners included in our data have a topper with thickness between 1.5 inches and 3 inches. Fewer had the 4 inch and even fewer had the 1 inch. The 1.5 inch and 2 inch tended to have the highest satisfaction, but thicker pads performed nearly as well.
A good test for how thick of a topper you personally need is to place something hard yet fairly small (such as legos, kid's matchbox car, etc.) under the topper and then lay on it. The topper with enough thickness to keep you from feeling the object under the topper is likely a good choice for you. There is little point in paying for a thicker topper than you need.
Density
Most owners in our research had pads of 2.5 - 4.0 density. There is no discernible difference in satisfaction between the different densities within this range. For more information, see memory foam density.
Percentage of Memory Foam in Topper/Pad
Some toppers on the market call themselves "memory foam," yet they are made mostly of regular foam. For example, they may have one inch of true memory foam but then several inches of regular foam. These types tend to be inexpensive. While customer satisfaction for these types is good, the toppers that are all memory foam have better satisfaction. To determine the actual contents of the topper you are considering, read the fine print.
Sleep Temperature
5% of owners indicated that their memory foam topper acts as a heat trap, causing them to be uncomfortably warm when sleeping. No owners complained of being too cold. About 2% said that the topper was warm, but usually in a positive sense.
Allergies and Dust Mites
Dust mites do indeed live in memory foam. For more information, see memory foam and dust mites.
Odor / Off Gassing
13% of owners said that their memory foam topper at least initially gave off a chemical-like or plastic-like smell. Most said the odor went away within hours to a few days. Some, however, said the off gassing was noticeable for weeks. About half of one percent of owners returned their pad because the odor was too much for them.