These Comfy, Breathable Mattresses Cost Under $1,000

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Everybody needs sleep, and frankly, everybody needs better sleep than what they’re getting right now—nearly half of all adults report feeling sleepy more than three times a week. You can invest in blackout curtains, new pillows, and a cozy mattress pad, but without the foundation of a good mattress, it’s unlikely you’ll feel fully rested each morning.

A top-quality mattress is a smart investment in your well-being, though some models can put a serious dent in your bank account. And while there are tons of cheap mattresses out there in the $500 to $1,000 range, it’s a lot harder to discern which ones offer solid quality and are a great value versus those that aren’t up to snuff.

If you want a better night’s sleep without spending a small fortune and aren’t sure where to start your quest, most of our cheap mattress recommendations won’t set you back more than $500—and none cost more than $1,000.

Scroll down for reviews of our top picks directly below, followed by essentials to consider as you determine which model is right for you and your space.

The Best Cheap Mattresses

• Best Overall: Brooklyn Bedding Standard Hybrid Mattress with Cooling Cover

• Best Value: Allswell 10-Inch Bed in a Box Hybrid Mattress

• Best Upgrade: Nectar Queen Mattress 12 Inch

• Best Foam Option: Casper Sleep Element Mattress

• Best for Pressure Relief: Nod by Tuft & Needle 8-Inch Queen Mattress

How We Selected

To find the best cheap mattresses, we started with ones we’ve already tested and can vouch for, then used what we learned about makes a good mattress (and what doesn’t) to research models we haven’t slept on. Our pool included options from well-known mattress brands like Sealy and Casper, in addition to relative newcomers that have built a good reputation, like Nectar and Lucid.

We vetted those on key attributes like comfort, durability, and—of course—cost, and considered reviews in other publications such as Good Housekeeping, as well as customer feedback on retailers’ websites. Our final selection represents the best foam and innerspring mattresses, plus hybrid mattresses—like our top pick from Brooklyn Bedding—across categories chosen with shoppers’ different needs and preferences in mind.

Standard Hybrid Mattress with Cooling Cover

Brooklyn Bedding has built a mattress that lives up to their higher end options with a price tag that should fit nearly any budget. While the company has a number of affordable choices, this bed stands out for its balance between cost and quality.

This hybrid mattress—with an outstanding under-$400 price tag—features a three-layer design and support from encased coils that prevent the whole mattress from shaking when you move. Outside of the springs, the other two portions of this mattress are a thick foam layer for support and a quilted top layer made of foam and gel that’s designed to increase breathability and relieve pressure on the body.

The quilted top layer uses this design to create small avenues so that air can run underneath you, while the gel molds more precisely to your body than other materials.

The mattress is available in three thicknesses, as well as every standard size between twin and California king.

10-In. Bed in a Box Hybrid Mattress

If you’re looking for the most affordable mattress that you won’t regret pulling the trigger on, this option from Allswell (Walmart’s in-house bed-in-a-box brand) is well worth considering. Made with a hybrid design, this mattress comes with a base of coils and a top layer of foam.

The coils are individually wrapped to provide the bed with an energy and weight transfer design that better absorbs movement when you get up or toss and turn. The top layer of foam is infused with a copper gel designed to keep the surface cool every night and pull heat away from your body.

This mattress isn’t perfect for all body types, though, as a few larger-bodied customers reported on Walmart that it begins to sag noticeably in the center over time.

Queen Mattress 12-Inch

A higher end option than many other choices on the list, this 12-inch mattress from Nectar is one of the best you can get while still falling on the cheaper end of the scale. Made with five distinct layers, this foam mattress is designed with versatility and comfort in mind.

Each layer actively supports a direct goal: cooling, pressure relief, reduction of movement, stability, and reducing full mattress shifting or slips.

Nectar also offers a lifetime warranty on its mattresses, so it’s a solid bet for a long-term investment. The warranty covers nearly every mattress defect, so you can expect repairs or replacements if anything goes wrong with the mattress.

Sleep Element Mattress

Designed with two distinct layers of foam, Casper’s Sleep Element mattress is both affordable and comfortable in an all-foam construction. It has a perforated top layer of foam to increase breathability and keep you cool while you sleep.

The larger foam base is denser and sturdier to give your back and body more support. The top cover is also made with recycled plastic bottles, making it one of the more environmentally conscious options on our list.

Don’t let the basic, two-layer design dissuade you, as many Amazon users note that the mattress is incredibly comfortable.

8-Inch Queen Mattress

Another two-layer foam mattress, this option from Nod by Tuft & Needle emphasizes simplicity and pressure relief above all else. The two foam layers are designed to comfort major pressure points on the body while the bottom layer is meant to stabilize your spine.

While the Nod line is an Amazon-exclusive product, it still uses the same foam layering as higher end Tuft & Needle options.

This focus on pain relief has been effective for many customers with several reviews calling this out specifically. The mattress also comes with a 10-year warranty attached.

10-Inch Memory Foam Mattress

This mattress from Lucid works on a traditional bed frame as well as on the brand’s adjustable frame. The mattress itself comes with three foam layers each with a different purpose. This includes a charcoal-infused base layer which wicks away sweat and diffuses odors.

If you choose to buy the mattress with the adjustable frame, it takes the bed from being a classic foam style choice to one that curves in two different places in order to adjust to your body’s ideal posture. This frame does raise the price by a few hundred dollars, though, so keep that in mind when making your final decision.

Hybrid Adaptive Memory Foam Mattress

Another hybrid option, this pick from Sealy offers a mix of adaptive memory foam and pocketed coils. The adaptive memory foam is designed to contour and hug your body for comfort and relaxation. This foam is also infused with copper for a cooler feeling on your skin.

The pocketed coils give a sturdy, firm base and space for airflow in the mattress and help make this one of the firmer selections on our list. Many users like this mattress due to the sturdiness that the coils provide, ensuring the mattress isn’t too soft on heavy bodies.

What to Consider When Buying a Cheap Mattress

There are three basic mattress types: foam, innerspring, and hybrid. Below, we get into the differences in materials and construction, plus cover additional aspects you’ll want to keep in mind when buying, like trial periods and warranties.

Mattress Types

Foam

Foam mattresses refer to those created exclusively out of solid memory foam or layers of it. These tend to offer more variety in density and softness while also reducing bounce and responsiveness. So, if you jump into bed, there won’t be a ton of movement elsewhere on the mattress.

Many people enjoy foam mattresses for the way they conform to your body’s shape. They generally tend to trap more heat than other options due to the denser design and lack of open space on the interior that would allow for more airflow. That being said, some options incorporate cooling or breathable layers of foam to combat this.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses are the traditional design with a bed of springs and foam giving you support as you sleep. Many now have independent springs, allowing the mattress to bend under your body more accurately. Older innerspring mattresses would have a connected bed of springs that would not adapt to the weight and outline of your body as precisely.

These mattresses are usually more breathable than their foam counterparts due to their lighter, less dense constructions, allowing for more air to pass through the interior of the mattress in comparison to foam options. The downside of these is bounce of the mattress when shifting weight, getting up, or lying down; the springs don’t do much to dampen shaking and movement.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses are designed with foam on top and innersprings underneath. This combines the support, comfort, breathability, and overall feel of the two different mattress types, though arguably, not quite as well as either individual option. They’re also typically heavier than foam or innerspring mattresses, and can easily weigh 100-plus pounds.

Firmness

Firmness refers to how hard or soft your mattress is against the weight of your body. Most mattress brands give you a scale or rating to the firmness of their mattresses, though these are only an approximation due to each brand's scale and scores being unique to their own system.

While finding the best firmness level largely depends on personal preference, your sleep position and body size and weight can help guide your choice.

Generally speaking, firm mattresses are more comfortable for back sleepers and people with larger frames, as they offer more support for your back and spine. Softer mattresses can be better for side sleepers and those with joint pain because they’re more forgiving.

Of course, the best way to gauge is to try out the mattress yourself. And luckily, many mattress brands offer trial periods so you can test it out before committing (more on that below).

Trial Period and Warranty

A mattress’s long-term durability is often a major point of contention—especially when buying a cheap mattress. If the mattress only lasts for a few years before sagging or falling apart, it is really no less expensive than a costlier one that lasts for double or triple that time. Because it’s tough to determine how long a mattress may last, many brands offer 100-day trial periods.

Beyond that, nearly all mattresses come with a warranty that gives you an explicit timeline of coverage. However, these are often limited to mattress defects. So, while many warranties may cover the mattress breaking or ripping on its own, don’t expect to see a refund or replacement for a spilled glass of wine or your cat scratching through the fabric.

Typical warranties last for about 10 years, with some companies offering up to a lifetime guarantee. As a final note, if you return a mattress in California, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, there’s a nominal fee attached to comply with states’ mattress recycling laws.

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