The Best Cooling Mattress Toppers, Per Our Editors

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Stay comfortable and cool all night long with these picks.

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Spoiler alert: All toppers eventually warm up once you’ve been lying on them long enough. But some toppers run much cooler than others—and if you’re a hot sleeper, you’ll want to know which ones they are.

We put 29 toppers to the test to find out exactly which options are the coolest and most comfortable—because even if you find a topper with the perfect plushness, you’ll be miserable if you’re constantly overheating on it. Of course, temperature preferences are deeply personal with all bedding, so what’s cool to one sleeper might not feel as cool to another. That said, we can still nudge you in the right direction with some topper picks that emerged as winners in our tests.

It has excellent pressure relief and retains less heat than other foam toppers.

It’s more expensive than other toppers on this list, and it doesn’t include a sleep trial.

The GhostBed Memory Foam Topper earned our top spot because of its superb softness and surprisingly cool design. Foam is tricky for hot sleepers because it retains more heat than other topper materials, so we were pleasantly surprised to find that heat retention was pretty minimal throughout six months of testing.

Channels on the surface help aerate the topper, and the cover has an actual cool-to-the-touch feel—thanks in part to the temperature-regulating phase change material (PCM) in the fabric.

The memory foam molds closely to your body, and the thick 3-inch profile has excellent cushioning. (We placed an acupressure mat under the topper during testing and didn’t feel a thing.)

If you experience painful pressure buildup in your back or shoulders while you sleep, this topper should give you some relief—especially if the pain is caused by an overly firm mattress. We actually woke up with less back pain after sleeping on this topper.

Last but not least, the topper comes with a fitted water-resistant cover that aced our waterproof test—which is a bonus for parents and pet owners who might be worried about accidents.

Material: Memory foam | Thickness: 3 in. | Trial Period: No | Warranty: 5 years

It has two thickness options.

Lack of cooling features may cause overheating, especially in the thicker option.

The Linenspa Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper is a low-cost, no-frills but still-effective topper. It’s nothing fancy—just a simple foam layer with no high-tech cooling cover or aerated design—but it gets the job done if you’re looking for extra cushioning. In fact, we found it just as comfortable as other similar but more expensive toppers, and we even fell asleep faster when using it.

The topper is made of memory foam, and it comes in a 2-inch and 3-inch version. We tested the 2-inch version, and it gave us that contoured cushioning that memory foam is known for but without too much sinkage.

The minimal sinkage was an advantage for cooling since foam that hugs your body too deeply can make overheating worse. The thicker version might give you stronger cushioning if you need it, but there’s a higher likelihood of trapped heat.

This topper comes with a 30-day return policy, so you can always swap the 2-inch topper for the 3-inch version if needed—or vice versa. Like most foam toppers, this can only be spot cleaned.

Material: Memory foam | Thickness: 2 in. | Trial Period: 30 days | Warranty: 3 years

The thick design has excellent cushioning.

The topper shifted a few inches off the bed every night.

The Zinus Cooling Memory Foam Mattress Topper is incredibly plush and softens any sleep surface, so it’s a lifesaver if you’ve been sleeping on a painfully firm or worn-out mattress.

The dual-layer design has a plush memory foam layer on top and a firmer foam layer on the bottom, which keeps you from sinking too deep. The memory foam cushions your body in all the right spots, and it makes zero noise when you move around, so it’s great for muffling a creaky mattress.

Since the topper is so thick, you’ll want to make sure the pocket depth on your fitted sheet is large enough to fit over both your mattress and a 4-inch topper. We had a standard sheet, and were barely able to stretch it over the corners. We also noticed the topper shifted a few inches off the bed at night, which can be a hassle to readjust every day.

This isn’t the coolest topper on our list, which is probably due to the thick design—the deeper your body sinks, the more heat it traps around you. But if you need top-notch cushioning and can tolerate a little bit of heat buildup, this topper will deliver.

Material: Memory foam | Thickness: 4 in. | Trial Period: 30–90 days depending on retailer | Warranty: 5 years

It comes in three thickness options, and the latex is certified organic.

Indentations formed on the surface.

Latex is breathable and barely traps heat compared to foam, so it’s a smart option if cooling is a high priority in your topper search. The Sleep on Latex Pure Green Mattress Topper is made entirely of latex punched with tiny ventilation holes to help airflow, and it felt nice and cool when we tested it in our lab.

The topper comes in three thickness options ranging from 1 to 3 inches. We tested the 2-inch topper and loved the even balance of softness and support. It cradles your body gently, but it’s much more supportive than foam toppers, which compress deeply.

That said, it ran warmer than expected during long-term testing, so you may want to take advantage of the 30-day sleep trial to see if it’s cool enough for you. During testing, we also noticed the topper became increasingly indented from our bodies over time. The latex odor lingered longer than expected too—which isn’t unusual for latex bedding, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive to smells.

One bonus about latex bedding is that it’s often organic, so if you gravitate toward organic bedding, this is the only topper on our list that’s made with organic materials—and it has the Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certification to back it up.

Material: Latex | Thickness: 2 in. | Trial Period: 30 days | Warranty: 5 years

The down alternative layer is incredibly fluffy and soft.

The topper flattens over time.

The Lucid Down Alternative and Gel Foam Mattress Topper is technically two toppers in one. It includes a 2-inch layer of foam plus a 2-inch layer of down alternative that fits over the foam and mattress like a fitted sheet.

The result is a topper that’s plush on top and firmer on the bottom—perfect if you love fluffy bedding but also need support. This is an especially great pick if you’re trying to soften a mattress that feels way too firm.

Down alternative stays fairly cool compared to foam, so we didn’t notice any heat buildup in our lab tests. The top layer flattened over the course of months, which puts your body in closer proximity to the firmer, heat-retaining foam underneath. But since the top layer is detachable, you can fluff it out to restore at least some of the plushness.

We noticed the down alternative layer didn’t quite match the size of the foam layer, which resulted in a foam ridge along the perimeter. It’s not exactly a deal-breaker, but it could become bothersome if you like to sleep near the edges of the bed.

Material: Down alternative and memory foam | Thickness: 4 in. | Trial Period: 30 days | Warranty: 3 years

The down and feathers are very soft and breathable.

It makes a crinkling noise when you move around.

The Southern Living Ultra Feather Mattress Topper looks like a down duvet with gussets—and feels like one too. (Southern Living is owned by Real Simple's parent company, Dotdash Meredith.) This topper has an unparalleled snugness that only duck down can provide.

Once we put it on our old mattress, it made the bed feel entirely brand new. Under pressure, the topper flattened like a down comforter but regained shape as we rolled around. We also liked its cooling properties; the entire topper feels breathable, including the parts we were lying on.

It's very soft and plush, but keep in mind that it doesn't give much support. It doesn’t provide any firmness either, and although it’s thick, you can still feel the mattress underneath it. However, we sank into this topper and had an extremely cozy experience overall.

After two months of use, we’ve noticed no changes in quality–the topper continues to bounce back every time we sleep on it or wash it. Just keep in mind that this pick is pretty bulky, which makes the cleaning process a bit of a hassle.

It’s also easy to place on the bed, as it's lightweight like a down comforter. The deep gussets helped it stay in place as we tossed and turned, though the fabric was noisy and made a crinkly sound when we rubbed our hands over it. There were no noticeable odors either, and the price is inexpensive for those on a budget.

Material: Cotton with down and feather fill | Height: N/A | Size Range: Queen, king, California king | Return Policy: 30 days

Our top pick is the GhostBed Memory Foam Topper, which stayed surprisingly cool for a thick foam topper. If you’re shopping on a budget, we found the Linenspa Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper costs much less than other toppers and was still effective at cushioning without excessive overheating.

To find the best cooling mattress toppers, we tested 29 toppers in our lab. We spent quality time tossing and turning around each model to assess how comfortable it felt and how hot it made us.

We also placed an acupressure pad underneath one side of the topper to see if we could feel the pad through the topper. For toppers with waterproof or water-resistant claims, we poured water onto the surface to see how well it repelled moisture.

We then tested each topper in the real world by sleeping on them for up to six months. We paid close attention to the amount of cushioning and support each topper had and whether it kept us at a comfortable temperature.

Lastly, we noted whether the topper improved (or worsened) sleep quality, and we monitored any wear and tear or flattening over time.

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Material plays a huge role in how hot or cool a mattress topper feels. The most common materials you’ll find in toppers are foam, latex, down alternative, and down and feather.

Foam is popular because it has strong cushioning and pressure relief, but the downside is that it traps more heat than most topper materials. That said, many foam toppers are designed with features to offset heat retention.

Latex lightly cushions your body but has a buoyant feel, so it’s a good option if you’re looking for something more supportive than foam. Best of all, it’s a naturally cool material and doesn’t hug your body as deeply as foam.

Down-and-feather toppers stay fairly cool too, with a fluffy, airy feel. Down alternative captures the fluffiness of down, though it sometimes runs a bit warmer.

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In addition to cooling materials, you can look for toppers with cooling properties like ventilation. Many foam toppers are designed with channels or grooves on the surface that improve air circulation, and latex toppers are often perforated with holes for the same reason.

You’ll also find many foams infused with cooling materials meant to minimize heat retention. “Gel-infused memory foam and so-called phase change materials (PCMs) all help absorb and dissipate heat to more effectively cool,” says Dr. Chester Wu, M.D., a sleep specialist with board certification in sleep medicine. Dr. Wu notes that graphite and copper infusions may also help with heat retention, though the evidence varies.

Although not all toppers come with a cover, covers can help you stay cool if they’re made with breathable fabrics or contain temperature-regulating materials such as PCM. Dr. Wu recommends looking for covers that contain materials like Tencel, cotton, or PCM-treated fabric.

A topper’s thickness can play a role in how hot or cool it feels. “Thicker toppers, 3 inches plus, trap more heat, as do dense, solid foams,” Dr. Wu says. With thick toppers, especially those made of foam, you experience deeper sinkage than you do with thin toppers. The upside is you get top-notch cushioning, which can relieve painful pressure buildup in achy joints.

The downside is that you’re more enveloped in foam, leaving less room for air to circulate around your body. Thinner toppers, measuring 1 or 2 inches thick, make you feel like you’re sleeping on top of the surface rather than sinking into it, which can result in a cooler sleep experience.

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Most mattress toppers come with some sort of trial period or return window that lets you try out the topper at home free of risk. The average trial or return period is 30 days.

Keep in mind that for hygienic reasons, some brands don’t have sleep trials or returns for mattress toppers, so be sure to read the fine print if you’d like the option to return the topper.

Topper warranties on average range from 3 to 5 years. They typically cover defects in workmanship such as unusually deep indentations or cracks in the material that are not due to normal wear and tear.

Cooling mattress toppers and cooling sheets can both be effective at regulating temperature while you sleep, but toppers are more effective in certain situations—and vice versa.

“If your mattress is trapping heat, a cooling topper can make a big difference,” Dr. Wu says. “But if you’re experiencing night sweats or body heat fluctuations during the night, you might find breathable sheets to be more effective.”

In other words, if you feel like your mattress is the main culprit behind your overheating, a topper makes more sense than sheets because it acts as a buffer between your body and your heat-trapping mattress.

The most important design feature to look for when shopping for a cooling topper is the material it’s made of, but ventilating features also make a difference. Latex, down and feathers, and down alternative are all cooler options than foam.

But if you’re set on getting a foam topper, look for anything that can physically make air flow more effectively around your body. “Features like ventilation channels, zoned support, and perforations improve airflow,” Dr. Wu says.

All toppers will eventually get warmer through the night, but some get less warm than others—or they take longer to warm up. There are things you can keep an eye out for if you need a topper that stays cool for longer periods.

“Look for higher-quality materials, such as more durable PCMs or latex, which have been shown to retain their cooling properties longer,” Dr. Wu says. “Conversely, lower-quality foams tend to break down and trap more heat over time.”

This article was written by Mina Hochberg, a writer for Real Simple with a decade of experience covering bedding products and interior design. To come up with this list of best cooling mattress toppers, we tested 29 models in our lab and in the real world. We looked closely at comfort, support, breathability, and of course, overall cooling. To gain further insights, we spoke to Dr. Chester Wu, M.D., a sleep specialist and a medical reviewer for Rise Science.