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The Best Mattress Toppers I've Tried (2026): Supportive, Plush, Memory Foam
My hunt for the best mattress toppers has taught me how transformative they can be. It started years before now, when I was throwing my back out nightly on a thin futon mattress in my fresh-out-of-college days. I tried a few cheap sheets of foam that barely helped with my back pain. I gave up for a while and instead switched to a too-soft mattress (equally problematic), until finally finding the right combo: a firm, supportive mattress with a nice mattress topper on top to support my problem areas and side-sleeper shoulder pain.
These toppers can alleviate your aches, sink you into insanely comfortable memory foam, and even pack supportive coils like a mattress. My favorite toppers range from soft wool layers and memory foam to firm and even hybrid toppers (yes, you can get mattress toppers with springs in them) to find the best option for you and your mattress.
Curious what you should get? Read on to find my best mattress toppers for everything from back pain issues, college students, and more. All prices below are for queen-size toppers.
Updated August 2026: The Layla Memory Foam Mattress Topper and Nectar Firmer Mattress Topper are new picks, and I've added a new section about mattress protectors and ensured up-to-date links and prices.
Birch’s plush mattress topper combines cotton, “fiberglass-free fire protection,” and latex for a super comfortable piece that’s soft while still giving some support and pressure relief. The latex base gives a firmness that other mattress toppers can lack, while the cotton and wool layers on top of it give it a plush feel. I used it on the firmest side of the Plank Firm Natural mattress, which usually gives me shoulder stiffness as a side sleeper, but I woke without a hint of stiffness thanks to this topper, and my lower back felt properly supported all night long. I woke up pain-free from my usual pressure points, too, which isn't something I always find on softer toppers.
My back-sleeper husband likes that it adds a little softness without erasing the firmer feel he prefers. It doesn’t have straps to hold it in place, but it has a nice weight to it and has yet to move around for me at all. It's made with entirely organic materials, and as with its mattresses, Birch offers a trial on its toppers for 100 nights.
Prices range from $298 for a twin to $522 for a California king.
First off, this memory foam topper is 4 inches tall—practically a mattress in and of itself. I can’t think of a bed that this wouldn't convert into something totally luxe, and indeed, Brooklyn Bedding markets this as being an option for dorms due to the transformational and antimicrobial properties. You could probably sleep on the floor with it and be perfectly fine.
Part of Brooklyn Bedding's CopperFlex line featuring copper-infused memory foam, this topper draws heat away from the body and provides antimicrobial protection. It's CertiPur-US certified, has GlacioTex cooling covers, and comes in three versions: the 201, which is 2 inches tall; the 301, which is 3 inches tall; and the big-kahuna 401 that I tested and loved. Give it a few days to inflate and lose the off-gassing scent. It's an incredibly deep sinking experience with the 4 inches, which I love as a fan of memory foam, but it will take more effort to move around in bed since you're so deeply cradled. If you love that super-dense, extra-deep-sinking memory foam feel, this topper is bound to be a winner. It also comes in an extra-long twin, perfect for fixing stiff, thin dorm mattresses. —Kat Merck
Prices range from $279 for a twin to $466 for a California king.