The 7 Best Full-Size Mattresses for a Full Night’s Sleep

Our top full-size mattress picks

• Best full-size pillow top mattress: Saatva Classic Mattress
• Best full-size foam mattress: The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
• Best rated full-size mattress: T&N Original Mattress
• Best full-size hybrid mattress: Avocado Green Mattress
• Best full-size mattress in a box: Sealy 12-Inch Medium Hybrid Mattress
• Best firm full-size mattress: Serta Perfect Sleeper 11-Inch Elkins II Firm Innerspring Mattress
• Best cheap full-size mattress: Linenspa Essentials Always Cool 10-Inch Medium Hybrid Mattress

When it comes to good health, sleep is a key player. Without a good mattress, you’ll probably find it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

If you have a full-size bed frame, you’re probably considering full-size mattresses, but your mattress isn’t the only thing that affects your sleep. A too-small bed can also make it tough to get quality shut-eye.

Full-size mattresses generally work well for:

• people who sleep alone or with a small child or pet
• people under 6 feet tall
• older children and teenagers

A full-size mattress measures 53 inches by 75 inches, so they aren’t ideal for many couples, especially those who prefer plenty of personal space. Of course, if you’re both on the shorter side and love to cuddle through the night, you might be just fine.

With so many options to choose from, you might wonder how you can ever decide on the right mattress. We created the following list of the top seven full-size mattresses to make this process a little easier.

How we chose

In our list, we took the following factors into account:

• Customer reviews. Companies can say anything about their products, but real insight and opinions from other consumers like you offer a clearer picture of how your mattress will hold up over time. We took a careful look at what reviewers had to say about these mattresses.
• Company reputation and transparency. We selected mattresses from companies known to create safe, quality products. We also made sure these brands are upfront about their materials and have a good business reputation.
• Company policies. When you purchase an expensive product that’s meant to last, such as a mattress, you want to know you’ve chosen the right one. That’s why we only included brands that offer warranties and trial periods.
• Affordability. Most people want a great mattress that doesn’t cost a fortune. While we do include two pricier picks, the rest of the mattresses on our list come in under $1,000.

Pricing guide

• $ = under $500
• $$ = $500–$1,000
• $$$ = over $1,000

Healthline’s picks for the best full-size mattresses

Best full-size pillow top mattress

Saatva Classic Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: Hybrid
• Height: 11.5 or 14.5 in.

More than 1,000 five-star reviews across the internet recommend this mattress for luxurious comfort.

Saatva’s dual-coil construction and the luxury Euro pillow top combine to keep you cushioned and supported through the night. You’ll get additional support from an extra layer of foam designed specifically to provide back support and relieve pressure.

The choice of two heights and three firmness levels allows you to customize your ideal mattress. If you experience back pain, you may want to opt for luxury firm, a medium-firm option that research shows is optimal for promoting sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment.

For a true “cloud-like” experience, choose the plush soft. The foam is softer, and the pillow top boasts additional padding.

Many reviewers confirm this mattress does indeed have minimal motion transfer, as the company claims. Several reviewers also note that while this mattress doesn’t feel cool to the touch, it also doesn’t heat up in the night and make them uncomfortable.

Buy the Saatva Classic Mattress online.

Best full-size foam mattress

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

• Price: $$
• Type: Foam
• Height: 11 in.

Prefer a soft mattress? Reviewers say The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress combines support and softness in just the right balance, calling it a great mattress choice.

Nectar rates this mattress a 6.5, a “just right” medium-firm mattress. The four layers of foam are designed to provide support, relieve pressure, and improve spinal alignment. The top layer, a quilted cooling cover, helps you sleep more comfortably on top of all that foam.

Some reviewers say they got the best sleep of their lives on this mattress. You certainly don’t have to take their word for it, though — Nectar’s 365-day trial period, lifetime warranty, and free shipping make it almost risk-free to try this mattress for yourself.

Buy The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress online.

Best rated full-size mattress

T&N Original Mattress

• Price: $
• Type: Foam
• Height: 10 in.

Tuft & Needle’s original mattress isn’t just a foam mattress that doesn’t break the bank. It’s also been extensively reviewed: More than 30,000 reviews give it an average of 4.6 stars.

There’s plenty to recommend this mattress. The company says their proprietary foam is designed to provide optimal pressure relief, based on customer feedback. A second layer of foam adds extra support and durability. The foam contains both graphite and ceramic gel beads to absorb and draw body heat away as you sleep.

Reviewers like the quality for the price, the simplicity of the unboxing process, and Tuft & Needle’s customer service. Some say the mattress was softer than the medium-firm they expected, but others found it to be just right.

There’s no way to know for certain whether you’ll like a mattress until you try it, but the positive reviews suggest this mattress really does work for many people.

The 100-night trial, free shipping and returns, and 10-year, limited warranty make it easy to give this highly rated mattress a test run.

Buy the T&N Original Mattress online.

Best full-size mattress in a box

Sealy 12-Inch Medium Hybrid Mattress

• Price: $
• Type: Hybrid
• Height: 12 in.

This mattress features coils, wrapped separately to help reduce motion transfer, under gel memory foam. Coils also border the edge of the mattress to provide additional support and durability.

Tend to sleep warm? Sealy uses graphite and copper in their foam to prevent heat from trapping.

The company says their proprietary gel memory foam makes for a better sleeping experience. Reviewers largely agree this mattress is comfortable with great support, especially for side and stomach sleepers.

Some say it works well for couples with different sleep styles, making it an option to consider when one partner likes to feel “hugged” by the bed and the other prefers a firmer surface.

Some reviewers say this mattress feels much softer than a medium firmness. Others say it made an immediate difference for pain relief and sleep quality.

Buying a mattress in a box frees you from having to worry about the hassle of having a full mattress delivered. Just note it may take up to 48 hours for the mattress to expand completely.

Buy the Sealy 12-Inch Medium Hybrid Mattress online.

Best firm full-size mattress

Serta Perfect Sleeper 11-Inch Elkins II Firm Innerspring Mattress

• Price: $$
• Type: Innerspring
• Height: 11 in.

This mattress is truly for those who prefer a firm bed. Many reviewers say they found it firmer than expected. If you sleep on your back or stomach and like a solid, sturdy bed, this mattress may provide the support you’re looking for.

The thin layer of foam covering the innersprings is infused with cooling gel to help keep warm sleepers comfortable throughout the night. Several reviews say this gel really works.

Some reviewers noted sagging after several months of use, but others call this mattress a great option for the price. Serta offers a 10-year warranty, so read it carefully before making your purchase if you have any concerns about the firmness holding up.

By and large, reviewers generally call this a quality mattress that noticeably improves sleep quality.

Buy the Serta Perfect Sleeper 11-Inch Elkins II Firm Innerspring Mattress online.

Best cheap full-size mattress

Linenspa Essentials Always Cool 10-Inch Medium Hybrid Mattress

• Price: $
• Type: Hybrid
• Height: 10 in.

Looking for an affordable mattress? You might worry saving money means you’ll end up tossing and turning all night, but this basic mattress from Linenspa offers an option that many reviewers find quite comfortable.

Memory foam rests over an innerspring base to provide medium firmness, which some reviewers say helps with their back pain. Others say it’s softer than they expected.

The cooling technology was a bonus for some reviewers, who were pleasantly surprised to get a cooler night’s sleep than usual.

If you have a tight budget, you can rest assured this is a solid option to consider. Just note Linenspa only offers a 30-day trial, so you’ll have to decide whether it works for you within a month.

Buy the Linenspa Essentials Always Cool 10-Inch Medium Hybrid Mattress online.

Best full-size hybrid mattress

Avocado Green Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: Hybrid
• Height: 11 in.

Hybrid mattresses like the Avocado Green Mattress combine the softness of memory foam with the added support of coils. If you want the comfort and pressure relief of a foam mattress but need something firmer, you might consider trying this one — particularly if you’re concerned about the materials your mattress contains.

The company uses only organic cotton and nonallergenic wool in their mattresses, which are made by hand in California. (The vegan version of the mattress uses cotton only.)

Avocado also makes their foam from Dunlop latex, explaining on their website that they consider this a more eco-conscious option. Reviewers confirm the lack of off-gassing, so this might be a good option if you’re sensitive to synthetic products.

Avocado Green rates it 7 out of 10 for firmness, or medium-firm. Some reviewers note the mattress is a bit too firm, even when they chose to add the pillow top. Others love the support and motion isolation.

Buy the Avocado Green Mattress online.

How to shop

Mattress size isn’t the only factor to consider when purchasing a new mattress.

Mattress type

Mattresses come in three different types: innerspring, foam, and hybrid. Foam mattresses tend to be softer, so dedicated back sleepers and people with higher body weight may find a hybrid or innerspring mattress more supportive.

Hybrid mattresses, the in-between option, combine supportive coils with a softer foam layer. Traditional innerspring mattresses are coils only, though some newer models might include a pillow top or cooling layer.

Your decision here typically depends on your firmness and sleeping position preferences, but your doctor or sleep specialist may recommend a particular type of mattress if you experience chronic pain or regularly have trouble sleeping.

Mattress performance

Mattresses offer plenty of features beyond firmness, so look for the ones you consider most important as you shop.

If you have back pain, you might want a mattress with pressure-relief technology, for example. Perhaps you want to be sure the mattress has a firm edge so it holds its shape over time.

Sleeping alone? Motion isolation may not matter to you, but you might prefer a mattress with a cooling layer to help prevent overheating.

Bed frame and bedding

With many newer mattresses, you may not need a box spring, but you’ll still need something to put your mattress on.

Many warranties require you to place your bed on a specific type of foundation, such as a box spring or platform, so check yours to be sure the frame you have works.

If the total height of your mattress is more than 14 inches, you’ll need deep-pocket sheets, so that’s something to consider if you opt for an added pillow top or mattress pad.

Company policies

In a perfect world, the products you purchase would always work exactly as intended. In reality, that’s not always the case, so you want the next best thing: Retailers that stand by their products and make the return process as hassle-free as possible.

Mattresses are a big investment. You can’t know how you’ll feel about yours until you sleep on it, so make your purchase from companies that offer home trials and lengthy warranties whenever possible.

If you don’t love it, don’t hesitate to send it back — you deserve quality sleep.

Who should sleep on a full-size mattress?

Full-size mattresses work well for people sleeping alone, especially when your childhood bed starts to feel a bit cramped.

Some couples can sleep comfortably on a full-size mattress, but you could have trouble if you both tend to spread out or move a lot in your sleep. If you and your partner (or dog or cat) already spend most of the night battling for space, you may want to consider moving up a size.

If you move house often, a full-size mattress will be easier to lug along. You’ll also spend less money on it than you would on a queen-size mattress, so that’s something to keep in mind if price is a big factor for you.

Takeaway

Buying a new mattress can require a lot of legwork when all you want to do is rest — especially when the only thing you’re sure about is the size.

There are plenty of options for any mattress budget, so narrowing down the features most important to you will help you get a great start on your search for improved sleep.

Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.