Why You Can Trust CNET Best Cheap Mattress for 2024
You can get better rest without overspending. Here are the best budget-friendly mattresses on the market, tested and rated by our sleep experts.
Despite what social media might tell you, one of the crucial components of a good night's sleep is a quality mattress -- not the latest sleep gummies or overpriced sheets. For many, the intimidating price tags on high-end mattresses have kept them from upgrading their older mattresses. Many affordable mattresses can provide you with a great night's sleep and are available on the market for less than $800.
Whether you're searching for a firm, soft, memory foam, innerspring or cooling mattress, many cheap mattresses are readily available. After testing countless beds, I have selected the best cheap bed-in-a-box mattresses that balance comfort and support.
What's the best cheap mattress overall?
Casper makes comfortable, popular bed-in-a-box mattresses with a soft, neutral-foam feel that seems to accommodate a wide range of people. The Casper Element is the brand's entry-level model that offers the same feel and firmness that people love about the Original Casper at a lower cost. You don't want to sacrifice quality when buying a cheap mattress, which is not a concern when you buy a Casper Element mattress.
Video: Best cheap mattresses for 2024
Watch CNET mattress expert Owen Poole review the best cheap mattresses for 2024.
The best cheap mattresses of 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Why we chose the Casper Element: The Casper Element is an entry-level mattress from one of the biggest bed-in-a-box brands in the industry, exclusively sold through Amazon. It has a simple, two-layer construction but is a solid 10 inches tall. This makes it thicker than other low-cost mattresses I've tested. It's slightly firmer than a medium and should be suitable for most sleeping positions.
The Casper Element foam mattress has a 10-inch thickness, similar to popular foam beds like the Layla mattress and Puffy mattress, but it costs a fraction of the price. Like the Tuft and Needle Nod, the Casper Element has two layers, but the additional two inches of foam layer makes it slightly more supportive and more likely to outlast the Nod in the long term.
The Casper Element has a light, airy, classic foam feel that's soft like memory foam, but way more responsive and better for motion isolation. It's a hair firmer than a medium, but it still offers a great balance between pressure relief and support for body types under 230 pounds. Since the Casper Element is so accommodating and one of the thicker cheap beds I've come across, I believe it deserves a top spot on this cheap mattress review list.
Prices start at $395 for a twin size and go up to $795 for a California king.
Pros
- It's a good budget pick from a reputable brand
- Its medium firmness level fits all sleeping positions
Cons
- Might not provide adequate support for those over 230 pounds
Casper Element
Why we chose the Zinus Green Tea mattress: This bed-in-a-box mattress is a soft memory foam bed, perfect for side sleepers on a budget. You can find the Zinus Green Tea on Amazon for under $500. Thicker mattresses tend to be more durable, and this budget mattress has multiple height options to pick from, making it a little more durable than other 10-inch models on our list. Typically, the thicker the bed, the more support and durability it offers.
It has a prominent, syrupy memory foam feel that engulfs you when you lie on the bed. It's pressure-relieving, as I mentioned before, but it's best for people who truly love the hugging feel of memory foam. It's rated around a medium-soft or a 3 out of 10 on the firmness scale, so it's best suited for side sleepers and smaller individuals under 150 pounds seeking optimal pressure relief.
The Zinus mattress is available on Amazon and retails for $370. With that being said, Amazon usually offers a discount on the bed to make it even more price-friendly.
Pros
- Very accommodating for side sleepers who want a soft feel
- Multiple height options to pick from
Cons
- Its firm construction doesn't make it ideal for those over 230 pounds
- Too soft for back or stomach sleepers
Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam
Why we chose the Dreamfoam Doze: This neutral foam mattress is perfect for a guest room. First, it is affordable -- and we think it might be the most affordable mattress we have ever tested. You don’t want to spend too much money on a bed that will sit in a guest room. Second, this is a very basic mattress. It is all foam and its feel is very neutral, meaning it isn’t too dense. This feel appeals to most audiences, so your guests will likely find it comfortable.
The Dreamfoam Doze comes in three thickness options that affect its firmness. The most affordable option is seven inches thick, which is the firmest. We estimate it is around medium-firm. Then, the 9-inch thick option is around a true medium, while the 11-inch mattress is the thickest and softest, around a medium-soft. To accommodate guests with different sleeping positions or preferences, the 9-inch option with medium firmness is probably your best choice.
Pros:
- Ultra budget pick
- Three thickness options
- All-foam design is ideal for average-sized individuals
Cons:
- No extra features
- Strong off-gassing when you open it
- Not the best choice for people over 250 pounds
Dreamfoam Doze Mattress
Why we chose the Cocoon Chill mattress: Cocoon Chill proves you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for a good cooling bed. I suspect Cocoon Chill is one of the cheapest cooling mattresses you can get. It has a phase change cover that draws heat away from your body and delivers a noticeably cool feel when you lay down on the mattress. Memory foam is its main comfort material, which has a reputation for sleeping hot, but that's not the case here.
The foam in the mattress is memory foam, so it doesn't have a slow-responding feel. It's slightly firmer than a medium, around a medium to medium-firm or six out of 10 on the firmness scale. I think most sleepers will find this bed comfortable unless you're a petite side sleeper. Those over 230 pounds can opt for the Cocoon Chill Hybrid mattress. It's a little more expensive, but it will offer the extra support and durability you need for it to be long-lasting.
Retail costs start at $619 for a twin and go up to $1,389 for a California King, although that's not the price you'll typically pay. Sealy is generous with discounts, which is why we included this mattress on this cheap mattress list, and you can usually get a queen size for around $300-$400 off.
Pros
- More affordable than most competing cooling beds
- A great pick for people who get warm at night
Cons
- Might be a little too firm for strict side sleepers
Cocoon by Sealy Chill
Why we chose the Tuft & Needle Nod mattress: Tuft & Needle is a reputable brand, and that is one of the reasons why I think it's the best cheap mattress on Amazon, as some sellers can be a little unreliable. The Tuft & Needle Nod is a great entry-level bed for people who want simple at an affordable price. It has a medium firmness level suitable for all body types and a light and airy feel that most people will generally find comfortable. It's the ultimate "safe pick," if you ask me.
The Tuft & Needle Nod has a simple, two-layer all-foam design that suits most sleepers under 230 pounds. It doesn't feature any special bells and whistles, but you're reading this because you're looking for the best cheap mattress, not the best foam mattress your savings account can buy. It offers classic, neutral comfort and is seriously affordable. The top comfort layer is airy and responsive, unlike memory foam. It's also a little more breathable than your typical memory foam mattress because the foam is more aerated. Both layers stack up to eight inches in total.
Prices are cheap, starting at $349 for a twin and maxing out at $599 for a California king. Because this mattress is sold through Amazon, prices frequently change but usually stay within this affordable range.
Pros
- Inexpensive mattress from a reputable brand
- Accommodating firmness level suits all body types
Cons
- Its all-foam construction won't be as supportive for heavier sleepers
Read more in our Tuft & Needle mattress review.
Tuft and Needle Nod
Why we picked the Lucid 10-inch memory foam mattress: While you have multiple heights to choose from, the 10-inch model offers a good value for the price. It has a dense memory foam feel that responds very slowly to pressure and morphs around your body's curves. I think it's ideal for side sleepers as it molds around the curves of the hips and shoulders, and it provides ample pressure relief to those joints.
The Lucid mattress is another Amazon-exclusive bed that's a big hit among shoppers as it's racked up over 5,000 positive reviews on the online retailer's website. This cheap mattress is offered in three different firmness levels and a wide range of heights so you can customize your mattress to fit your specific needs. Side sleepers will love the plush or medium model, while back and stomach sleepers will probably like the medium or firmer model.
As the best cheap memory foam mattress, its prices start at $220 for a 10-inch twin and go up to $470 for a California king.
Pros
- Multiple firmness levels available to suit different sleeping positions
- Offers some of the cheapest pricing on our best list
Cons
- The all-foam model won't be sufficiently supportive for those over 230 pounds
Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam
Why we chose the Allswell mattress: The Allswell brand comes from one of the most popular and cheapest retailers in the world, Walmart, which decided it wanted to enter the bed-in-a-box mattress game. This is the only hybrid mattress on our list of the best cheap mattresses. The reason is that most hybrid mattresses that combine foam and steel coils cost at least $700, and usually more. Back, stomach and heavy sleepers on a budget should find the Allswell a comfortable pick, and it's one of the best-build beds for the money.
In total, this affordable mattress is around 10 inches thick -- similar to popular, standard foam mattress beds -- and at the bottom, you can find a 6-inch layer of pocketed coils. The coils are topped with a few foam layers, including the 0.75-inch gel memory foam comfort layer quilted into the top cover. It's a suitable choice for all body sizes. It doesn't feel like memory foam where your handprint lasts a few moments before bouncing back to normal. I think the innerspring layer makes it feel a little firmer, making me rate it around a six or seven out of 10 on the firmness scale, and is likely best for back or stomach sleepers.
Prices are affordable, starting at $217 for a twin and going up to $357 for a California king, although you can often find it cheaper on sale.
Pros
- Fit for all body types from small to plus-size
- Cheap bed from a popular, well-known brand
Cons
- It's a little too firm for strict side sleepers
Allswell
Other cheap mattresses we've tested
Much goes on behind the scenes to curate our best lists, including hundreds of mattress-testing hours to find out which beds are truly worth your money. Our CNET Sleep editors are the ones who curated this best affordable mattress list, as they chose their top favorite cheap beds from the 100+ they've tested. With that being said, they've also included another mattress option below that could also be up for consideration.
Bear mattress: The Bear Original mattress isn't the cheapest bed we've encountered, but it offers great value. It's made with graphite-gel memory foam, so it doesn't retain heat like older types of memory foam mattresses used to, and it provides that signature hugging feel memory foam has become known for. In my opinion, one of the best parts -- besides the budget mattress price -- is the optional Celliant-infused cover.
How we test cheap mattresses
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. For this list, we considered a "cheap mattress" to be between $300 and $800 (with discounts applied). Many cheap mattresses are low-quality, but the ones listed here were chosen because of their ability to stand out as quality beds at affordable prices.
It's impressive to have a cheap mattress with cooling tech, a thick, cheap mattress or a cheap mattress with targeted support and pressure relief. Other cheap beds listed don't have special qualities, but they're quite comfortable for the price they offer and are more durable than poor-quality cheap mattresses.
Read more on how we test mattresses.
What to consider when buying a cheap mattress
You get what you pay for, and that rings especially true with mattresses. That said, there are cheap mattresses out there that are both worth the money and comfy to sleep on each night. You can't expect any crazy bells and whistles, but that's not typically what you look for in a cheap mattress.
- Construction: Your body type should help determine the type of mattress construction you want. People over 230 pounds may want a cheap hybrid mattress because the steel coils inside of them help them provide more support. People under that weight can opt for a cheap foam mattress. You should also consider thickness; the thicker the mattress, the more supportive it is.
- Brand reputation: Do your research when you're looking to buy the best cheap mattress and look closely at retailers, especially on Amazon. Some companies try to sell dupes of popular cheap beds like Casper Element and Nod, so be vigilant.
- Firmness: What's best, a soft or firm mattress? It depends on your sleeping position. Side sleepers should consider a soft mattress, whereas back and stomach sleepers may want something on the firmer end for ample back support.
- Price: Remember, you get what you pay for. You likely won't find a bed under $100 or even $200 unless it's designed to fall apart in a year or is already used.
We also feel it's important to remind you of possible downsides of buying a cheap mattress:
- They typically aren't as thick or durable as an average foam or hybrid bed.
- Unless there's specific cooling tech, they can sleep hotter than a regular mattress.
- Cheap beds don't usually use organic or natural materials.
- Unless it's a hybrid, a cheap mattress likely isn't supportive enough for someone over 230 pounds.
- Cheap mattresses are made with cheaper or fewer materials to achieve a lower price.
What you can expect is a few layers of comfy foam or a layer of pocketed coils if you go for something like the Allswell mattress. You can typically get around three to five years out of a cheap bed; maybe a little longer if you take good care of it (rotate it every six months and deep clean it once a year).
Best cheap mattresses FAQs
Which mattress types are more expensive than others?
Foam mattresses tend to be cheaper than innerspring or hybrid mattresses because the materials are cheaper to make. Hybrid mattresses are made with steel coils, while foam beds are made from soft foam materials. Memory foam and polyurethane foam are among the most affordable types of foam, while latex foam tends to be the most expensive -- especially if it's natural or organic.
Are cheap mattresses worth it?
If you aren't looking for extreme durability and longevity, a cheap mattress may be a good option. Cheap mattresses may be ideal for young children or professionals looking to save money. They also work well for guest bedrooms, college dorm rooms and first-time apartments. If you want to invest in your sleep and keep your mattress for more than five years, you may want to save up a little more.
When is the best time to buy a mattress?
Online brands run discounts at all times of the year, but you'll usually walk away with the best deals around key holidays like Presidents Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Black Friday and Christmas.
What are the best budget mattress brands?
You'll find the best budget mattresses from Lucid, Zinus, Allswell, Tuft & Needle, Casper and Cocoon by Sealy.