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Best Gel Mattress

Updated March 22, 2024

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Memory foam is renowned for its stellar pressure relief and its ability to absorb movement, allowing for uninterrupted sleep with a partner. However, memory foam has a tendency to trap heat, resulting in a dilemma for hot sleepers. To work around this, manufacturers have developed gel memory foam.

Designed to sleep cooler than the traditional version, gel memory foam works via the action of gel beads or gel swirls. The gel is interspersed through the memory foam, where it absorbs heat to prevent it from building up around the sleeper.

Every manufacturer makes its gel memory foam a little differently, and some are more successful than others when it comes to temperature neutrality. As you look for a new gel mattress, it pays to do your research so you can be sure you’re getting a mattress that meets your expectations.

We’ll discuss some of the best gel mattresses on the market today and provide advice on how to choose the one right for you.

The Best Gel Mattresses

In-Depth Reviews

Expert Tested. Sleeper Approved.

Over the past eight years, our Seattle-based Test Lab has performed hands-on tests on more than 4,000 sleep products — and nearly 2,000 of them are mattresses.

As product experts, we stay up to date on the latest news in sleep science and product trends. We use this knowledge to fuel our data-backed recommendations. Many of our testers have worked directly with mattress manufacturers and visited actual mattress factories. On occasion, a sleep health expert might stop by to tweak a firmness rating.

When we test a mattress, we collect data across six major performance categories and combine these results with real-world feedback. We use tools and tech to monitor features like heat retention, motion isolation, and pressure mapping. In order to ensure our findings are inclusive of all sleepers, our team consists of people with varying body types and sleep positions.

Mattresses aren’t one-size-fits-all. The perfect bed for you is going to depend on general points like your body weight and sleeping position, as well as unique points like if you have back pain, if you sleep hot at night, or if you just like the feel of latex over memory foam. Our goal at the Test Lab is to help take the guesswork out of your mattress-buying process.

What Is a Gel Mattress?

A gel mattress contains at least one layer of gel-infused memory foam or polyfoam in the comfort system. Generally found in the form of beads or swirls, the gel infusions are intended to help regulate temperature by absorbing heat and pulling it away from the bed’s surface. As a result, gel mattresses often sleep cooler than traditional memory foam models. Gel foam may also feature perforations or an open-cell design to further enhance airflow.

The gel-infused foam layers can be paired with a polyfoam support core or with innerspring coils in the case of a gel hybrid mattress. There may also be other layers in the comfort system.

Gel-infused foam usually supplies conforming pressure relief, but the feel of the mattress also depends on the other layers and the exact firmness and makeup of the gel foam.

How to Choose a Gel Mattress

Buying a gel mattress comes with special considerations. Buyers must decide on not only the composition and placement of the gel foam, but also on the type of mattress.

If you’re thinking about whether you should get a gel mattress, you may find it helps to have an understanding of how gel infusions contribute to the overall feel of the mattress, who is best suited to a gel mattress, and what other factors should be taken into account when buying a bed.

What to Look For in a Mattress

Gel is a proprietary material that differs in its makeup from manufacturer to manufacturer, which sometimes makes it challenging to compare and contrast models. That said, there are several key points that can help you identify the mattress that best fits your needs.

Price
You can expect to pay a little more for a gel mattress compared to a regular foam mattress. However, gel mattresses are available at a wide range of price-points, so most shoppers should be able to find a mattress that fits their budget. All-foam models generally cost less than gel hybrids, and extra features or additional layers may raise the price.

Sleeping Position
Memory foam is best known for relieving pressure points, and gel mattresses are often favored by side sleepers looking to ease pain in the hips and shoulders. Gel foam can also help to reduce tension when sleeping on your back. On the other hand, stomach sleepers may find a gel foam mattress too plush.

Quality Materials
Mattresses made with higher-quality materials can be more expensive, but they usually last longer. And while denser foams tend to hold up better to pressure, they may also trap more heat.

Firmness Level
Although there are exceptions, gel memory foam mattresses are usually medium soft to medium firm. This firmness range is suitable for most sleeper types, particularly side sleepers and back sleepers who weigh less than 230 pounds. Stomach sleepers or those over 230 pounds may prefer a thinner layer of gel foam over firmer layers of polyfoam or latex.

Pressure Relief
Gel foam usually contours quite closely to the sleeper, helping distribute weight and prevent pressure points from forming. In concert with a supportive base, this material can also contribute to proper spinal alignment. People who often wake up with aches and pains may want to consider a mattress with a thicker comfort system.

Motion Isolation
Couples should find that gel memory foam helps absorb movement to reduce nighttime disruptions. However, the base of the mattress also plays a role in motion isolation. Mattresses with polyfoam support cores tend to isolate motion better than those with coils, although hybrids with individually wrapped coils also perform fairly well.

Temperature Regulation
The aim of gel memory foam is to provide the pressure-relieving properties of memory foam without the heat retention. Different manufacturers accomplish this to different extents. Gel memory foam rarely sleeps as cool as latex or wool, but it may be a good option for hot sleepers who need a cooling mattress and like the feel of memory foam.

Edge Support
Edge support is mostly determined by the support core. Foam mattresses may compress more around the perimeter, while hybrids generally hold up better, especially if they have reinforced edges. When evaluating a mattress for edge support, be aware that mattresses with thicker, plusher comfort systems are likely to sag more around the edges. This may limit usable space and make it more difficult to get in and out of bed.

Contouring
Contouring refers to the ability of a material to wrap around your body. Memory foam contours more closely than polyfoam, and polyfoam usually contours more closely than latex. A certain amount of contouring is necessary to relieve pressure points, but too much contouring may allow excessive sinking that compromises spinal support.

Mattress Type
Gel mattresses typically come in all-foam or hybrid options. All-foam models with polyfoam support cores make little to no noise, and they typically offer strong motion isolation and pressure relief. Hybrid models often have better edge support and temperature neutrality, as well as a more responsive surface. Using pocketed coils in the support core of a hybrid can also cut down on motion transfer.

Off-Gassing
Because it is a type of synthetic polyurethane foam, gel foam may emit off-gassing odors when it is first unboxed. These occur as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released into the air. The scent usually dissipates after a few days, but if you are sensitive to smell, you may want to find a mattress with less off-gassing.

Mattresses made with lower-density foams or those that incorporate space for airflow usually air out faster.

Third-party organizations like CertiPUR-US and Greenguard test mattresses for their emission levels and grant certifications to mattresses that meet their criteria, which can provide some peace of mind.

How Does It Feel to Sleep on a Gel Mattress?

Gel infusions can be added to various types of foam, with the primary intent of making it sleep cooler. This versatile material may therefore appeal to many different sleeper types, especially those with a tendency to overheat or those who live in warmer climates.

Gel memory foam contours more closely and provides a classic hug-like feel. Gel-infused polyfoam varies in firmness, but it is almost always more responsive than memory foam, and it doesn’t tend to conform as closely. Some mattresses also use different formats such as gel pods, ridged cutouts, or a thicker layer in the lumbar section to modify the mattress’ performance.

Whereas many mattresses are made with a single layer of gel foam over a foam or coil base, mattresses may also have a thinner layer of gel foam tucked between other layers of wool, polyfoam, or other materials. All of these designs can alter the feel of the bed.

Dive Deeper – In-Depth Mattress Guides

If you’d like to refine your search for a bed beyond a gel mattress, read through our other guides categorized by mattress type.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the pros and cons of a gel mattress?

Gel mattresses aim to offer a cooler sleep experience, which can raise the price-point compared to regular foam mattresses. Gel foam is a good option for sleepers who like the pressure-relieving, motion-isolating feel of memory foam or polyfoam but don’t like sleeping hot.

Because gel must be added to either memory foam or polyfoam, gel mattresses may not be attractive to shoppers who prefer natural materials or those who are sensitive to off-gassing smells.

What kinds of gel mattresses are available?

As gel foam is meant to be used in the comfort layers, gel mattresses can come in either hybrid or all-foam models. All-foam models have a high-density polyfoam support base, whereas hybrid mattresses have an innerspring base that is often made with pocketed coils. More rarely, shoppers might see airbed models with gel foam comfort layers over an inflatable air chamber.

How much does a gel mattress cost?

The average price of a gel mattress runs from about $800 to $2,000, though there are plenty of models that fall outside of this range. Foam mattresses are among the cheapest options, while hybrids may be more expensive. Although gel foam is more expensive than regular memory foam or polyfoam, gel mattresses usually cost less than natural latex mattresses.

Pricing can change depending on the brand, the design of the mattress, the quality of the materials, and the shipping and return policies. If you want the feel of gel foam but not the investment in a new mattress, a gel foam mattress topper may also be an option.

How long does a gel mattress last?

On average, buyers can expect a foam or hybrid mattress to last 6 to 8 years if properly cared for.

With all mattresses, the comfort system generally starts to break down before the support core. As a comfort layer, gel foam is not the most durable material, especially in its plusher iterations. However, regularly rotating the mattress from head to foot can delay the onset of permanent body indentations. Using a mattress protector can also help extend the lifespan by shielding the material against accidents.

Still have questions?

Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market.

Send an email to [email protected] with your questions and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Written By

Jackson Lindeke, Executive Product Director

Jackson leads editorial product recommendations at Sleep Foundation, transforming the data from our sleep product test lab into real world takeaways for consumers. He has spent over half a decade developing protocol to evaluate and measure the impacts of products on sleep quality. As a cited sleep product expert, Jackson helps guide millions of shoppers to find personalized recommendations for everything from pillows to bedding to mattresses.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

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