The best cooling mattress toppers

If you're a hot sleeper looking to add an extra layer of comfort to your bed, you're in luck — the best cooling mattress toppers do just that. Cooling toppers combine the comfort and support of the best mattress toppers with the breathability and cool-to-the-touch feel of the best cooling mattresses. They're a great way to upgrade the feel of your current bed without spending a fortune on an entirely new mattress.

After sleeping on 15 mattress toppers and talking to experts, my best overall pick is the Ghostbed Memory Foam Mattress Topper. It has a unique, zoned design with a cooling cover and excellent breathability. For the coolest topper I tested, check out the Bear Pro Mattress Topper. It's suitable for almost every sleep type and outperformed the cooling of every other topper during heat dissipation testing.

Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and reviews home products.

The best cooling mattress toppers for hot sleepers

Best overall: Ghostbed Memory Foam Mattress Topper - See at Amazon

Best heat dissipation: Bear Pro Mattress Topper - See at Bear

Best budget: Lucid Bamboo Charcoal Memory Foam Mattress Topper - See at Amazon

Best for back pain: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Adapt Mattress Topper - See at Tempur-Pedic

Best overall

This topper keeps even the hottest sleepers cool. For the ultimate cooling mattress topper, the GhostBed Memory Foam Topper is our top choice because its temperature-regulating CertiPUR-US certified gel memory foam and unique airflow-promoting design kept me cool and comfortable all night long. It did a wonderful job at staying cool and dissipating heat quickly.

It features zoned support. The GhostBed topper utilizes five different strategically placed zones to provide pressure relief and support with peaks and valleys that facilitate air flow. I recommend it for side sleeping, who will most benefit from its soft feel; it may be a little too soft for stomach sleepers, back sleepers, and heavier individuals. The GhostBed topper has impressive motion isolation registering among the best in our vibrometer tests.

I like the protective cover. What's unique about the GhostBed topper is the removable cover that offers waterproof protection for your mattress and incorporates phase-change material to absorb heat. I recommend using the machine-washable cover since the mattress pad itself is spot clean only.

It's easy to set up, too. The topper goes right to the edge of the bed, with an elastic cover stretching to fit mattresses up to 18-inches deep. Setup was a breeze. You just remove it from the vacuum-sealed packaging and lay it out on your bed with the patterns facing up. The process took less than five minutes, and the pad was odor-free and fully expanded by bedtime.

Coolest

This topper stays the coolest. In our cooling tests, the Bear Pro Mattress Topper delivered some of the most impressive results when it came to keeping the bed cool. We found that, on average, the surface of the topper registered less than 85 degrees Fahrenheit when I got up from it — lower than almost every model we tested.

It has incredible heat dissipation. The Bear Pro was also the only topper that recorded a higher initial temperature from getting into bed than the final reading, two minutes after I got up. I didn't trust the reading the first time, so I performed the test again and got similar results. This means the topper has unparalleled heat dissipation.

I like the cool-to-the-touch feeling of the cover. These results could be attributed to the GlacioTex cover. The manufacturer claims that these materials help with heat dissipation and staying cool. I didn't find any scientific studies to support this, but my subjective experience suggests that the materials help with cooling.

It's great for all sleep styles. In addition to its great cooling properties, the extra plush feel of the Bear Pro Topper was comfortable to sleep on no matter what position I was in. I slept great on the topper and woke up feeling refreshed and free from aches and pains each morning. It also does an outstanding job of dampening motion transfer. It had the lowest vibration readings in our motion isolation test, which suggests it's a good option for couples.

Setup is quick, but I noticed a chemical-like odor. The Bear Pro is also made in the US, and you can try the topper for up to 30 nights. Setting up the topper took less than five minutes, and though it doesn't attach to your mattress, we observed minimal shifting after sleeping on it. The biggest negative was that the topper had a strong "new bed smell" out of the box that took several days to dissipate.

Best budget

Lucid's topper is an exceptional value. Even if the Lucid Bamboo Charcoal Memory Foam Mattress Topper didn't cost around $100 for a queen, it would still be considered one of our top picks for the best cooling mattress toppers. This mattress topper performed exceptionally well in all of our tests, exceeding expectations, particularly considering its budget-friendly price point. In our cooling tests, the topper's surface temperature never got very hot. Within two minutes of getting up from it, however, the topper's temperature came close to its initial reading, which means the heat dissipation was outstanding.

It's a soft, simple slab of memory foam. The Lucid topper is essentially a sheet of charcoal-infused bamboo memory foam with several holes in it to help with airflow and cooling. I did find the topper was a little too soft for my comfort, and I like it soft. I did not wake up with soreness or pain after sleeping on it. For stomach and back sleepers, who need a firmer feel, I also recommend the Linenspa Mattress Topper. When we compared the two budget toppers head-to-head, we found that the Linenspa's cooling is comparable to the Lucid.

I recommend choosing a thickness based on your sleep needs. The foam sinks significantly as you lay on it, making it hard to change sleeping positions at night, and it could be a problem if you have specific pressure points for which you need support. On the plus side, the foam did a great job of isolating motion in my tests, so when your partner moves, you're less likely to feel it. The topper is available in 2-, 3-, and 4-inch thicknesses. I tried the 3-inch version, but I would also be interested in trying the 2-inch since it can't sink as much and thus may be able to provide a more supportive and manageable softness.

I had no problems putting it on my bed. The unboxing was intuitive, though there was a fabric wrapping that didn't seem to be part of the topper. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I threw it away. The topper had a strong odor that went away by bedtime by which time it also fully expanded. I liked that it stayed in place despite not attaching to the mattress.

Best for back pain

This topper is equally comfortable and supportive. The Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress Topper is one of the best cooling mattress toppers available. It features a proprietary CertiPUR-US-certified foam that provides excellent contouring to the body and ensures proper spinal alignment. This feature can be particularly beneficial for individuals who experience lower back pain, as it helps alleviate discomfort and prevent it from acting up during sleep.

It contours to your body. Unlike most memory foam, Tempur-Pedic's US-made foam doesn't instantly sink down once you put weight on it. In fact, if you pat it, it makes a hollow sound as if it were much firmer than it is. But when you lay on it, your weight and body heat cause the material to slowly adjust to the curves of your body, providing the pressure relief and support ideal for back pain sufferers.

I didn't experience pain while sleeping on it. While testing the Tempur-Adapt , I just got back into running and lifting after a foot injury. These activities usually aggravate my chronic back pain, but I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to put in more miles.

It dissipates heat well. The Tempur-Adapt was also one of the best at dissipating heat in our tests. Two minutes after getting up from the topper, the surface temperature was almost back to what I measured before I lay down.

It shifts a bit and has average motion isolation. Since we initially tested this topper, Tempur-Pedic updated the model with straps to keep it in place, addressing an issue we had with it shifting around at night. The new straps did help lessen shifting, though it still tends to migrate a few inches over the week. Also, the motion isolation of this topper was just average.

I recommend sticking with the original cover. Tempur-Pedic also offers the Adapt with a cooling technology add-on. However, it didn't perform as well as the initial. It was just average at cooling and heat dissipation, so we think you'll be just fine sticking with the Tempur-Adapt.

Our top picks, compared

What to look for in a cooling mattress topper

Here are the main attributes we look for:

Cooling materials: Most mattress toppers are made of memory foam, latex, down or down alternative, or wool. For added cooling features, its useful to look for designs that feature materials designed to promote active heat dissipation and moisture-wicking materials like copper or graphite. Ventilated foams for increased air flow, cotton or bamboo for breathability, and charcoal is known for keeping odors at bay.

Thickness: Most mattress toppers are between one and four inches. Typically, the thicker the topper, the plusher it will be. Our favorites are typically between two and three inches, which lend the right balance of comfort and support.

Fit: Consider how the topper will stay in place on your bed, because it can be quite frustrating if it shifts throughout the night. Ideally one will have a cover that fits over like a fitted sheet or straps to keep it in place. Some designs will also sit directly on top and hopefully have a backing to keep them in place.

Trial and warranty: Most manufacturers offer a trial of at least 30 days and a warranty of at least two years.

How we tested cooling mattress toppers

Our testing methodology

For this guide, I tested 15 mattress toppers and also spoke with Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, for insight on topper materials and features.

In addition to sleeping on each topper for at least two nights, I put each through several objective tests that is very similar to how I test the best mattresses. When testing a cooling mattress topper, the most important factors to consider are cooling, comfort, and fit.

• Cooling: Using an infrared thermometer, I measure the surface temperature before lying down, right after I get up, and two minutes after I get up. I compare the readings to get a good idea of how cool the mattress topper stays and how well it dissipates heat.
• Comfort: Each morning after sleeping on the toppers, I noted how comfortable it felt, if I was sore, and how well I slept as measured by the Garmin smartwatch. I also paid attention to what sleeping positions I was most comfortable in.
• Fit: Having to constantly readjust your mattress topper can be a real pain. I looked at how much each topper shifted after I slept on it. I also noted if there were straps to keep it attached to the bed.
• Setup: I set up each cooling mattress topper and observed how long it took me, if it was intuitive, and if there were any initial odors. I did this in the morning so the topper would have plenty of time (at least 10 hours) to air out and expand. At bedtime, I noted if the topper had fully expanded and if it still had an odor.
• Motion isolation: When your partner is tossing and turning at night, you don't want it to interrupt your sleep. This makes motion isolation important. I tested this by setting my phone on the topper 12 inches from the right edge of the bed. Then, I dropped a 15-pound bowling ball from four feet above the topper so that it landed 12 inches from the left edge of the bed (and 36 inches from the phone). I measured the motion transfer using a vibration meter app and took the median reading after five repetitions of the test.
• Trial and warranty: No matter how great a topper looks on paper, you never know if it's right for you until you actually sleep on it for an extended period. This is why risk-free trials are so important. We looked at trial periods and if there were any loopholes, such as charges for returning the pad. We also examined the warranty for each model. Most manufacturers offer a trial of at least 30 days and a warranty of at least two years.

Meet the expert behind this guide

James Brains, former senior reporter: I've tested over 100 mattresses for Business Insider Reviews. I apply the same methodology to testing mattress toppers, analyzing each for comfort, support, heat dissipation, and motion isolation.

Cooling mattress topper FAQs

How do you know if you need a mattress topper?

Toppers are a cost-effective way to update a mattress that isn't very old but causing you pain or making you overheat. Adding a topper allows you to extend the life of your mattress in a cost-effective way.

What is the best cooling material?

Though foam is generally believed to trap heat, all of the picks in our guide are made of some sort of foam. However, they each have some added material to help with cooling.

The Bear Pro has copper-infused memory foam. The Lucid topper has bamboo charcoal-infused memory foam. The Tempur-Pedic topper has a proprietary foam that I've found is generally cool in all of the company's products I've tested.

There's a lot of variability in the materials that work well for cooling. However, in our testing, we noticed that natural latex and polyethylene don't do a very good job.

When shopping for a cooling mattress topper, Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, suggests not going overboard with a thick topper. "We sometimes have a tendency to think more is better," said Robbins. "But I would say that if you're sleeping on a very thick foam mattress topper, then it could have a tendency to build heat, which you don't want at night."

How do you clean a mattress topper?

Most mattress toppers are not machine washable. Instead, you'll want to spot-clean any messes immediately with a mild soap and damp towel. Then, allow it to dry completely before putting it back on your bed.

However, before cleaning your mattress topper, check out your topper's user manual or tag or visit the manufacturer's website for the most accurate cleaning directions.

Some mattress toppers come with a removable cover that's machine washable. I've found these covers are a pain to put back on after you wash them. I recommend protecting your mattress and topper with a mattress protector. These are usually waterproof, machine washable, and cost as little as $20 each. Check out our guide on the best mattress protectors.

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