Best Mattress Under $1000

A new mattress is one of the most important purchases you’ll make, which is why so many people are willing to drop thousands of dollars on one. The thing is, you don’t have to do that. For $1,000 or less, you can find a high-quality, durable mattress that will serve you for years – even decades.

The best mattress under $1,000 is different for everyone, depending on your sleeping preferences. So after countless hours of research and hands on testing, we’ve compiled this list to make your life just a little bit easier.

Best Mattresses Under $1,000

Read our full review.

How to Choose a Great Mattress for Less Than ,000

When you think about laying down on your current mattress, is it inviting? Do you liken it to a cloud or a brick? Whether you choose soft, medium, or firm, you aren’t wrong – to each their own. It isn’t recommended to just blindly choose a mattress that rings up for less than $1,000. You need to figure out which mattress will work best for you. To do that, you need to assess your sleeping habits.

Side Sleepers

If the most comfortable position for sleeping for you is on your side and you’re on an old mattress, you may notice that you wake up with pains on your shoulder, hip, and neck. You need a mattress that relieves those pressure points, so you’ll want to search for a mattress that’s a bit softer, but with plenty of support.

Stomach Sleepers

Those of you who just can’t fall asleep unless you’re practically face-planted on your mattress will likely agree that it gets hot at night and you may even deal with night sweats. This is especially true if you’re sleeping on a mattress that’s too soft. Not only that, a super-soft mattress can make you feel suffocated. Look for a bed that’s firmer so you and your body have plenty of breathing room.

Back Sleepers

Congratulations, back sleepers – you guys are sleeping in the best position for your body. You may find that you’re a bit like Goldilocks, though. A mattress that’s too firm can be uncomfortable, while a too-soft bed can also leave you feeling stiff in the morning. A medium firmness with a soft topper is probably going to please you the most. Next, you’ll want to choose the details or extras that matter to you. You may find that these features of a mattress are negotiable.

Bounciness

There’s something satisfying about flopping onto a bed and having it bounce back a little. If this is important to you, then you may think you have to stick to a traditional spring mattress. The good news is that innerspring mattresses have improved significantly over the years. The other good news is that you can get bounce from a latex mattress.

Edge Support

Have you ever sat on the edge of a bed, but felt yourself slipping off? This is a common issue with memory foam and latex mattresses. You can still find some latex mattresses with firmer edge support, but generally, you’re going to want to look for an innerspring mattress to keep you firmly on your bed.

No-Flip Needed

Don’t fall into this marketing trap. Many mattress companies pushed pillow-top, no-flip coil spring mattresses, which actually reduce the life of your mattress. Flipping and rotating your mattress keeps the spring strong in coils, and reduces the wear of other materials, such as latex and memory foam.

Motion Isolating

If you share a bed with a partner and you’re a light sleeper, you’re probably awakened by late-night bathroom trips by your partner. They can’t help it – a bouncy mattress (especially spring mattress) is going to shift a bit when there’s movement. A memory foam mattress is best for not transferring that motion to the other person sleeping soundly.

Cooling Features

You have a few options when it comes to keeping cool at night. If you get overheated at night, it may be most important to you to buy a mattress that “breathes,” like a coil spring bed. Memory foam is known to trap body heat, but there are toppers that can help. Latex is a good choice for hot sleepers, too.

Hypoallergenic

Although no mattress is truly able to keep out all allergens, there are some that are resistant to allergens and are considered somewhat hypoallergenic. Dust mites like to bury down deep in coils and nest there. In latex and memory foam mattress, there are fewer places for dust mites to get comfy and call home.

What You Can Expect at the ,000 Range

Regardless of what you’ve heard from some mattress salespeople, you don’t have to pay $5,000 for an amazing mattress. Comfort and support can absolutely be had for less than that. Budgeting about $1,000 for a high-quality mattress is more than enough to get everything you want.

What You Get for $5,000

• High-quality, high-coil-count springs
• Several layers of foam for extra support
• Soft, medium, or firm support
• Strong stitching
• Lifetime warranty*
• Good national marketing campaign
• Exclusively sold in certain mattress stores
• Brand name

What You Get for $1,000 (or less)

• High-quality, high-coil-count springs
• Several layers of foam for extra support
• Soft, medium, or firm support
• Strong stitching
• Reasonable warranty

Notice there isn’t much difference between a $5,000 bed and a $1,000 bed. Really it comes down to retail and manufacturer mark-ups. The asterisk next to the lifetime warranty is especially important to note because it’s kind of like that whole no-flip campaign. Your mattress isn’t going to last a lifetime and no mattress company is going to honor that. Warranties cover manufacturer defects, not regular wear and tear. If there are any manufacturer defects, they’re likely to show up in the first year or two, so you really don’t need a warranty longer than that.

Memory Foam Mattresses

At this price range, you’re actually set pretty well when it comes to memory foam. Quality is likely to be top notch, or at least at a level which is going to feel comfortable while lasting for a reasonable amount of time.

Foam Density and Durability

Foam density, the measurement which determines the life of your mattress, as well as, to some extent, the way it feels, is always an important factor when considering a new mattress purchase. The higher the density, the better. As an example, good quality foam in a mattress comfort layer, if it’s memory foam, should be at least four pounds per cubic foot. Once you hit five, you’re in the high quality zone, which is more expensive. Anything above six is a waste of money, as you start suffering from diminishing returns.

For a support layer, aim for a foam density of at least 1.8 pounds per cubic foot. This is going to make sure you have good support and it won’t break down too quickly. Something to keep in mind is BMI can also have an effect on the durability of your mattress and the density of foam you should try to get. These numbers are for people with a BMI below 30. If your BMI is above 30, go for two pounds per cubic foot in polyfoam and at least five pounds in memory foam.

Thickness

You might not think you’ll get a decently thick mattress when looking at the price difference between the “high-end” models and those under $1,000, but you would be incorrect. Mattresses in this price range can run anywhere from 10 inches thick to 15 inches. This means you’re likely to be able to have a fair number of layers featuring multiple properties in order to give you a very comfortable experience.

Innerspring Mattresses

As with memory foam, innerspring mattresses in the sub-$1,000 range are going to be quite good, but their materials could vary to some extent. What I’ve often seen in those more expensive models are springs using the same steel swords are made of, etc. Sure, this might make it stronger, but that doesn’t mean the difference is going to be worth the additional dough.

Spring Types

In modern times, there are two types of innerspring setups, and you’re going to find them both at this price range. Linked coils are likely to be what was in the mattress you used when you were growing up. These are the kind that don’t absorb any sort of motion, making the whole bed bounce when somebody moves around. It’s great for jumping on the bed and such, but not so good for using as a comfort layer when there are better options.

The second and, in my opinion, superior options are individually wrapped coils. These are coils which are wrapped, usually in some sort of cloth, and lined up inside the bed. Sometimes they are filled with foam or other materials to give added comfort, but most often it’s just air in there. The theory here, and I can say in practice that it works, is that if the coils aren’t all linked together, they can move independently of each other. This helps the mattress conform to your body in a way similar to memory foam, but still gives more firmness than foam does.

Gauge

The gauge of your mattress springs is fairly important as that will determine how much give they will have. This is going to be completely up to personal preference, just as the firmness of memory foam is. Gauge is a measurement of thickness, with the lower gauges providing a more firm experience. Mattresses typically run anywhere from 12 to 15 gauge with their innersprings. For firm, look for 13 and below. Anything above will have a bit more give.

Latex Mattresses

If you’ve not considered a latex mattress, I would suggest giving them a look. Latex is a great alternative to traditional memory foam for various reasons, not the least of which is its impact on the environment. Most latex is completely natural, making it a renewable resource, rather than the chemicals and such used in polyfoam and memory foam. There are two methods of making latex foam, and each has a different result. The first is the Dunlop method. Latex foam made using the Dunlop method is dense and very elastic. It’s also less expensive to make than the other option. It is, however, not as soft. If you want softness, Talalay is what you’re looking for.

The Talalay method is basically the same as the Dunlop, save for an added step at the end in which hot rods are placed into the foam to quickly set it in place. This makes it lighter and softer and excellent for mattresses. This second method also allows for some variety. The rods can be placed at different intervals and thicknesses, allowing for custom softness. Some mattresses will use this to provide different layers of comfort across a single layer of foam.

What to look for at the $1,000 range

A latex mattress at this price range isn’t unheard of. Since it’s not especially expensive to create, you’ll often find it as a layer in a mattress, while some are composed entirely of the stuff. At this price range, however, you might be stuck with Dunlop latex. It’s good stuff, but not as good as Talalay. If you can find a Talalay latex at this price, I’d say it’s worth some heavy consideration.

Should You Do Any Comparison Shopping?

When it’s time for a new mattress, your instinct may be to head to a mattress store to bounce on every mattress in the store. It’s tempting – and fun – but a few moments on a bed isn’t going to tell you much. To find the best bed under $1,000, you’ll need to lay down on a mattress for a good 10 to 15 minutes in the position you normally sleep in to decide whether it’s right for you.

Still, it isn’t necessary – especially if you buy your mattress online. Many mattress companies that sell their beds online offer a generous return policy. Typically, you get 90 to 100 days to test your new mattress, and if it isn’t right, the company can arrange pickup for your mattress and return your money. It’s the new, better way to buy a mattress

Conclusion

As with choosing mattresses at any price point, it really comes down to personal feel and preference, but also durability and material quality. After hours and hours of research and hands on testing, these mattresses listed here are all excellent choices in the $1000 price range.