The best mattress toppers for 2020: Improve your mattress and sleep better

The best mattress toppers are a life saver for anyone struggling with an ageing mattress that's past its prime. So if you don't have the best mattress, and can't afford to replace it right away, don't worry: a mattress topper is a very effective way to make it more comfortable. Not to mention save it from spills and stains.

Of course, if you have just bought a brand new mattress, it's worth investing a little more in a quality mattress protector to safeguard your investment. But if your mattress is a little old and tired, then a mattress topper is a better and more affordable solution while you wait to upgrade.

The best news is that with so many mattress toppers on the market, price competition is high and you can find some great value if you look hard enough. To save you the bother, we've brought together the best mattress toppers in terms of both quality and value, in one handy post.

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How to buy the best mattress topper

What do you need to consider when choosing a mattress topper? First look at what's inside it. As with pillows, mattress toppers come with a range of fillings. Memory foam toppers work well if you often overheat in the night; natural feathers are a good choice if you have joint problems; and synthetic fillings such as polyester, polyurethane and latex can be a great option if you suffer from allergies.  

It's also about the level of comfort you're looking for. If you're a back sleeper, you might want a mattress topper that makes your mattress feel firmer and more supportive. If you're a front sleeper, you might want one that makes it softer. If you're a side sleeper, you'll probably want one somewhere in between.

Beyond that, if you often find yourself getting hot or cold during the night, a mattress topper with breathable memory foam can help to regulate your temperature as you sleep. If you're always cold, though, a goose down mattress topper might be better in winter months. Unless, of course, you suffer from allergies...

This might all sound a little complicated, but consider this: sleep is incredibly important for both your brain and body, and improving it could really make a difference to your overall level of happiness. So read on, and discover the best mattress toppers to help you do just that.

The Eve mattress topper is designed to add a luxurious layer of comfort to your mattress. Beyond that, it also provides a generous helping of support. It’s made from 5cm of the same foam found in the company’s original mattress: there’s a 2cm open cell comfort layer, and a 3cm base foam layer for increased support. It also comes with a hypoallergenic, removable and machine-washable 100% polyester cover, which acts to increase its life.

This mattress topper comes with straps at both ends that hug your mattress, keeping it firmly in position as you sleep. The foam regulates your sleeping temperature, so you’ll stay cool throughout the night. It also serves to reduce motion transfer, which means you’ll notice less partner disturbance throughout the night. And its very breathable – in fact, Eve claims it’s around 30 times more breathable than traditional memory foam. 

This is an expensive option compared to other products on this list. But overall we think the Eve is the best mattress topper you can buy.

If you want a mattress topper to keep you warm and snuggly when winter rolls around, then go for this Hungarian Goose Down Mattress Topper. It is extremely soft as well as supportive so it will help prolong the life of your mattress whilst bringing the added benefit of a bit of extra comfort. 

You can tighten or loosen this mattress topper with its adjustable buttons, meaning that you can have it nice and taught if you like a firmer mattress, or have it looser if you like a softer sleeping foundation. That's a great feature for anyone worried that adding a mattress topper to your bed might negate the benefits of your carefully selected mattress. As an added bonus, the top layer is easily removable and machine washable. When you first get this mattress, give it time to air out and plump it up, as the feathers can become compressed when packaged. 

If you’re looking for a medium-firm mattress topper with a bit of bounce in it, here’s a design we’d highly recommend; especially if you tend to overheat at night. Soak and Sleep’s Ultimate Soft as Down with Silk Mattress Topper is filled with soft yet springy hollowfibre for a high level of comfort, while the top layer of breathable silk helps regulate your temperature as you sleep. Not to mention the generous 7cm thickness, a layer of mulberry silk inside to draw out moisture, and a 262 thread count-cotton casing. So while it’s by no means the cheapest option here, you are very much getting what you pay for. 

If you tend to blow hot and cold in the night, a mattress topper made of wool is a great way to go... and here’s the best one we know of. The Wool Room’s Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper is hand-crafted from 1000gsm of ethically-sourced British wool, combined with an organic cotton outer cover, for a feeling of luxury and comfort. Sustainable, renewable and biodegradable, this natural fibre provides a safe and reliable way to regulate temperature, and has anti-allergy properties to boot. All in all, a quality product from a firm known for its excellent customer service. 

The memory foam that fills this 5cm-thick mattress topper is punctuated with tiny capsules of cooling gel, helping to prevent you overheating throughout the night. But that’s not all: because the gel-infused design of the Panda Topper moulds to your body, it’s also good if you suffer with pain in your back, neck or joints. This filling is contained within a removable, washable and naturally hypoallergenic cover that’s made from bamboo, so it's good for allergy sufferers too. Meanwhile, straps and an anti-sleep layer keep you secure, even if you move around a lot in your sleep. All this, plus a generous 10-year guarantee, make this a very tempting buy indeed.

If you suffer with occasional back or joint pain, then this mattress topper could really make all the difference, especially if you have a pocket sprung mattress, as this Silent Night topper works best with this type of base. The thick memory foam moulds to your shape when sleeping to relieve any pressure on the muscles and allow a soothing night’s sleep. 

If you’ve never had a memory foam mattress before, this could take a little getting used to as it can feel quite firm compared to a sprung mattress when you first try it. However, over time it should help relieve the kind of aches and pains caused by sleeping on a poor mattress, which is something you can't really put a price on. Luckily, you don't have to, as the price of this mattress topper is pleasingly low!

If you like the idea of the Hungarian Goose Down mattress topper further up in our list, but you or your partner suffers from allergies, then this microfiber mattress topper is a great allergy-friendly alternative. Light and soft, yet still supportive, it's made with individual pockets, which means it is thick and full and doesn't require plumping like down does. And it also comes at a very affordable price, which makes it the best budget mattress topper on our list overall.

If you want to give memory foam a try but don’t want to spend a large amount on getting a new mattress, this topper is a great way to try it out for the first time. Although basic, with only one simple layer of memory foam, it is thick and will transform the feel of your mattress instantly. 

This is the perfect mattress topper for students who have arrived at their new digs only to find that the mattress in their newly rent room has seen better days. This topper won't last forever but will see you through a fair number of semesters. 

We should note that some people don’t like the smell of this particular memory foam, and with no cover included, you will need to air this mattress topper out before using it. You should, though, notice the smell begin to disappear after a couple of days.

Of course, a mattress topper is only a way of improving an older or poorer mattress. Why not just replace yours entirely? Take a look at the best mattresses to help you make your decision.

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