Treating yourself to one of the best memory foam mattresses can be a game-changer if you're not getting all the sleep you need. While traditional pocket sprung mattresses can keep you up at night by putting pressure on particular areas, memory foam mattresses contour to your body to give you more consistent support, so you can sleep more soundly and wake up feeling more rested.
However, it can be a challenge to find the right option for you in a highly competitive and crowded market. That's where we can help. We've reviewed all the big brands in detail to bring you this carefully curated selection of the very best memory foam mattresses available right now, at various price points and in an assortment of styles.
A word of warning, though: memory foam isn't the right choice for everyone. It can be a lot softer than traditional sprung mattresses, and it can get warm in the night so you could find yourself overheating. Most mattress manufacturers try to minimise this effect in one way or another, but if you tend to get warm at night you may find memory foam to be a bit much. If you need help deciding on your next mattress our general best mattress guide will walk you through all our top options, and our memory foam vs spring mattress explainer can help shed some light on the differences between the two.
But if you've decided that memory foam is your perfect mattress match, be sure to check out our best cheap mattress deals and sales. Offers are regular in the mattress world, so you should never really have to pay full price on your purchase. Our live prices below will automatically pull in the lowest prices on our top models, too. So if you spot a great buy, go on and treat yourself to a little cloud-like softness – you've earned it!
Best memory foam mattress UK to buy now
There's not much we didn’t rate about this UK-made memory foam mattress in a box, and it seems we're not alone. The Emma Original has multiple accolades to its name. But what exactly, makes the Emma Original our pick for the best memory foam mattress you can buy? Firstly, its extremely comfortable. Underneath the cover (which is soft, breathable and – big plus point – washable at 60˚C) is a three-layer foam construction.
It includes an Airgocell foam layer, which Emma’s maker claims helps to make the mattress stay cool – in reality, we've found that Emma's mattresses do trap heat a little, so if you sleep hot you might be better going for our #2 pick, the Nectar. Below this sits a 25mm memory foam layer, which distributes weight evenly, providing pressure relief for joints, while the foam base provides support for troublesome areas such as shoulders and the lower back. It’s a combination that we found most satisfying when testing, and one that provided a great night’s kip for both a restless side sleeper and an ‘out-like-a-light’ back snoozer. Head to our Emma mattress review for more details, and see how it compares to our #2 pick in our Emma vs Nectar mattress showdown.
At RRP it's very competitively priced, but we'd recommend also casting an eye over our Emma discount codes and deals page before buying.
One problem with memory foam is that if you’re already a warm sleeper, the material’s heat-retaining properties can result in sweaty nights. Not so with the Nectar Memory Foam mattress, which boasts a soft quilted cooling cover that adapts to your body heat, helping keep those with a tendency to overheat cool all night. Three layers of memory foam below the outer cover err on the firmer side of medium, making this mattress a good option for front and back sleepers, but probably not best for heavy side sleepers, or those who prefer a soft, enveloping bed.
Which? rated it a Best Buy, and declared that it gave great, all-round support, although some Amazon reviews mention a lingering chemical smell – which our tester also experienced, although it did dissipate fairly quickly. Another common Amazon gripe is that sometimes the mattresses doesn't expand properly, but ours was fine. Overall, this is a fantastic-value memory foam mattress. Head to our Nectar mattress review for more info, or see how it compares to our #3 pick in our Nectar vs Casper comparison article. And check for any Nectar discount codes before buying, of course.
If you're on a tighter budget, the mattress we'd recommend is the Eve Lighter. This clever mattress is a stripped down version of the Eve Original (lower down this list), but still provides an impressive level of comfort and support, as you'll discover in our full Eve Lighter mattress review. At the top is a 3cm layer of proprietary ‘Evecomfort’ foam – which the company claims is more 30 times more breathable than memory foam – and beneath that lies a 16cm core layer of high-density base foam. There's also a soft-touch cover that can be removed and washed at 40C. This is marketed as being medium-firm, and it gives a slight 'cradling' feeling without feeling like you're sinking in too far (we'd say it's a good choice for restless sleepers). We were also impressed by the temperature regulation tech. In fact, the only down side is that it's a little lacking in edge support. Head to our Eve discount codes and deals page for the best current prices.
If you prefer your memory foam with a bit of bounce, try the Silentnight Studio Original. This mattress includes a 3cm layer of exclusive 'Geltex' technology, which, as well as adding buoyancy, helps prevent overheating. There's also 4cm of premium memory foam, a core of dense Studio Flex foam for stability, and it all comes wrapped in a removable and washable soft cover made from an anti-allergenic Purotex fabric, approved by Allergy UK. In our Silentnight Studio Original mattress review, we found it felt more buoyant than other foam mattresses we'd tested, yet still incredibly effective at pressure on the joints. We'd say it offers a medium level of firmness (perhaps a 6 out of 10).
While this mattress comfortably holds it own against the cool new(er) brands in the memory foam mattress world – as it should, given it's a similar price – where it doesn't compete so well when it comes to extras. You've got a shorter trial period to make sure you get on with this mattress, and the guarantee is half that of the industry standard too.
Tempur is a well known name in the memory foam mattress arena, and its mattresses tend to illicit something of a Marmite response. When you lie on a Tempur mattress, it'll immediately start to mould to your body shape, giving a strong 'enveloping' feeling with next to no motion transfer and absolutely zero bounce. You might find this soothes your restlessness and lulls you into a dreamy, uninterrupted slumber that lasts all night. Or you might absolutely hate it.
We tested out the Tempur Original, and although the sensation wasn't to our reviewer's taste, we were still impressed with luxurious feel, super soft exterior and quality finish. This high-end, luxury mattress is available in three depths: the 21cm Supreme, the 25cm Elite and the 30cm Luxe. In terms of firmness, it's on the softer side of medium, which means its best suited to those who like to sleep on their side.
All of Tempur's mattresses cost a fair amount more than most rivals, and the Original is no exception. Is it worth the extra expense? Well, that depends on your sleep style and needs. If you’re a standard sleeper with no significant muscle pain or spinal issues, then you might be better served choosing a cheaper model like the Emma or Casper. However, the almost complete lack of motion transfer and gently enveloping yet supportive structure means that if you suffer from back and shoulder pain, or you’re a particularly restless sleeper, this luxury memory foam mattress might be an investment you won’t regret. Head to our Tempur mattress review for more on what we thought of it.
Struggle to find a comfortable position on your existing mattress? Then you may find that the Eve Original (opens in new tab) memory foam mattress provides just the right level of comfort to allow you to settle into a position that’s right for you. It's made up of several layers, with the top one being a moisture-wicking material that will keep you cool – great for those who regularly overheat. Below that is a layer of pressure-absorbing memory foam, and under that a base layer that features seven ribbed support zones for specific trouble areas such as shoulders, lower spine and hips.
It’s another Which? Best Buy, and many buyers have been impressed with how it helped their back and neck pain, with restless sleepers reporting they slept through rather than tossing and turning all night. We definitely experienced a reduction in morning aches and pains, and although the top layer initially felt softer than our usual mattress, it was still pretty supportive. And actually, after a few nights we felt the dense base layer meant it erred on the firmer side. You've got 100 nights to test it out for yourself, in any case – the company will collect it for free if you don’t like it.
If you want something firmer, you may prefer the Nectar (head to our Eve vs Nectar mattress article to see how the two compare). Alternatively, see how it fares against our #1 pick in our Eve vs Emma memory foam mattress comparison.
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What is a memory foam mattress?
Memory foam might sound new, but it’s actually been around for almost 30 years. This pressure-absorbing material was originally used by NASA to cushion astronauts' seats. Then in 1991, mattress company Tempur started using it to create a new kind of support for sleepers. That's because memory foam harnesses the heat of your own body to soften and mould to your shape.
While the first mattresses of this type were basically just a block of foam, we've moved on a long way since then. The best memory foam mattresses today are constructed of multiple layers to help support specific areas of the body, making them an excellent choice for sufferers of back and joint pain. Still confused? Head to our memory foam vs spring mattress breakdown.
Memory foam has also given rise to a generation of 'bed-in-a-box' mattresses. Because memory foam compresses down easily, a memory foam mattress can be reduced in size and sent in the mail, either in a box or a plastic bag. When opened at the other end, they naturally return to full size, although this process may take up to 48 hours to complete. These mattresses are usually sold online only, so you can’t pre-test them. However, most companies offer lengthy trials, usually around 100 days, and allow you to return them if you're not satisfied.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the best memory foam mattresses for comfort, support and a great night's sleep. Whether you’re looking for a double, single, king or more, read on to discover the right one for you.
