Top tips and picks for finding the best affordable mattress

When shopping for a mattress, you might feel a little like Goldilocks: You’re looking for the perfectly sized bed with the perfect feel — nothing too small or too big, nothing too soft or too hard, you want it just right. Well, the good news is that it is possible to find the best affordable mattress that suits your preferences without spending a fortune.

In this guide, we’ll help you pick a dreamy mattress for your sleep style, body type, and budget, proving you don’t need an expensive mattress to love your sleep every night.

Tips for picking the best budget mattress

Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep, but your body is unique and will respond to a mattress differently than someone else. Below, we’ve highlighted four useful tips to help you find the right budget-friendly mattress for your body type and sleeping style. Pay attention to these details and you should be able to find a mattress online that you’ll fall in love with on night one.

1. Mattress size matters

Look for a mattress that can easily accommodate your body’s dimensions with room to spare. This is especially important if you’re a restless sleeper or if you share a bed. Most adults prefer a full, queen, or king-size mattress.

The standard dimensions are:

Eastern king mattress: 76″ wide and 80″ deep
California king mattress: 72″ wide and 84″ deep
Queen mattress: 60″ wide and 80″ deep
Full mattress: 54″ wide and 75″ deep
Twin mattress: 38″ wide and 75″ deep
Long twin mattress: 38″ wide and 80″ deep

A full bed is usually comfortable for a solo sleeper. Twins are better for younger and smaller individuals, and long twins are somewhat rare. The California king is a popular choice for tall people, and couples usually do best with a Queen or Eastern king, which is often simply called a king. As a rule, the larger your proportions are, the bigger your mattress should be.

2. Keep your body weight in mind

You’ll want a mattress that can provide pressure-relieving support, no matter what your weight and desired comfort levels are. Heavier individuals usually prefer medium-firm mattresses or luxury firm options. High-density foam and firm innerspring mattresses also work well. Firmer mattresses have less “give,” which means they can better support a sleeper’s full weight while retaining proper form.

If you’re in an average weight range, you might enjoy a softer mattress. A pillow top or Euro top, for example, features additional cushioning support for a plush surface. Memory foam mattresses, latex mattresses, and hybrid mattresses will also provide gentle contouring and support.

Those who are under the standard weight range often prefer the softest mattresses. Gel memory foam and most mattresses with a soft comfort layer fit the bill. Make sure to select a mattress with a 3-year to 10-year warranty to ensure durability with these softer materials.

3. Consider health concerns and sleeping positions

Once you’ve considered both height and body type, ask yourself what your typical sleep position is and if you have any health concerns that could impact your mattress choice. For example, those with chronic back pain and back sleepers often benefit from a medium-firm mattress for full support. Meanwhile, those with arthritis and side sleepers often feel more comfortable on a softer mattress for pressure relief.

If you’re a hot sleeper, a cooling gel mattress topper or one with breathable materials or airflow features could help reduce built-up body heat at night. Alternately, you can add a climate comfort system to help control your body temperature. Those with sleep apnea might want an adjustable bed to maintain open airways. If you’re a stomach sleeper, consider a firmer mattress with high-quality foam layers to offer both comfort and a stable, supportive surface.

For couples and shared beds, motion isolation is another excellent feature. This is common in quality mattresses with foam layers, and it can prevent sleep disruptions when one party gets out of bed or moves around.

4. Set your price range

Knowing what you can afford is crucial for finding the best affordable mattress. Identify how much you can spend and if it’s not as much as you’d like, consider waiting. You can save money while you look forward to a Labor Day, Memorial Day, or Presidents’ Day sale to get a lower price.

Waiting for sales can also help you get the mattress of your dreams if it’s usually at a higher price point than you can afford. While you wait, you could always purchase a cheap mattress topper to make your current sleeping situation more comfortable.

Don’t forget to budget for a box spring and a bed frame if you need them. If you want a good night’s sleep, don’t wait to buy these necessary parts. Instead, be sure to budget for them upfront.

Putting it all together

By now you’re probably eager to pick your new mattress. But with so many mattress companies and every listing claiming it’s the best mattress, it can leave your head spinning. Which mattress brand is right? Do you want something with a high-density foam base layer or a soft and conforming topper?

We recommend using your budget, height, weight, sleep style, and health concerns to make a list of what you don’t want. This approach lets you eliminate some mattresses and pick the most comfortable mattress for you (and your bank account).

If you can purchase a mattress that allows a sleep trial period, this can also help you find the best affordable mattress. Even a 30-night trial is plenty. After all, in-person mattress stores aren’t for everyone and you might be shopping exclusively online.

5 best affordable mattress options

We’ve highlighted some of the best budget mattress options below to help you get a good night’s sleep. You might not be in the market for an expensive mattress, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a quality mattress.

1. Aspen 12.25″ Mattress

This Aspen 12.25″ mattress will change the way you sleep. It’s engineered to provide ultimate comfort with a 360-degree foam encasement and fiber and foam construction. It features edge support for enhanced relaxation and a 460 Verticoil elite innerspring construction for pressure point support. With a one-sided Euro-top support layer, you’ll enjoy medium firmness levels and foam contouring.

This mattress is available in California king size, Eastern king size, queen size, full size, and twin size.

2. Bellamy 12″ Mattress

The Bellamy 12″ mattress comes with a network of high-quality platinum pocket springs that are individually wrapped to better support each unique body. The wrapping helps with motion isolation to minimize sleep disruption. The mattress also has a cooling gel-infused memory foam top layer for comfort and relief for hot sleepers. You’ll also love the sleek black and graphite grey color scheme. With a 360-degree foam encasement, you’ll enjoy firm support and minimal motion transfer.

This mattress is available in California king size, Eastern king size, queen size, full size, and twin size.

3. Evie 9.25″ Mattress

The Evie 9.25 mattress delivers on all fronts with edge support, high-density 460 Verticoil elite innerspring composition, and a 360-degree foam encasement. You’ll enjoy the one-sided Euro-top one-inch memory foam layer and a quilted top, for all the comfort of a foam bed at the price of a bed-in-a-box. With a firm feel and high-density composition, it offers maximum comfort and support.

This mattress is available in California king size, Eastern king size, queen size, full size, and twin size.

4. Ian Memory Foam Mattress

The Ian memory foam mattress is thick and supple for ultimate high-quality comfort. The 12″ all-foam construction accommodates changing sleep positions, offering pressure-relieving support for the lower back and joints. The foam improves air-quality and includes 8.3″ of high-density foam with a 3.7″ memory foam topper. The Ian memory foam mattress is ideal for those looking for medium firmness levels.

This mattress is available in California king size, Eastern king size, and queen size.

5. Key Memory Foam Mattress

This Key memory foam mattress is another all-foam option that can help you get a restful night’s sleep. The 10″ memory foam adjusts to almost all sleep positions for ideal spinal alignment. This type of mattress reduces motion transfer, which is perfect if you share a bed with a partner. The Key mattress has 7.5″ of high-density foam and 2.5″ of memory foam topper.

This mattress is available in California king size, Eastern king size, queen size, full size, long twin size, and twin size.

It’s time to buy your perfect mattress

With so many excellent mattresses at affordable prices, you’re sure to find the best budget mattress for your space. Eliminate the ones that don’t match what you need and pick from the remaining options to increase your chances of loving your purchase.

If you haven’t found your Goldilocks fit yet, check out Coaster Furniture’s full selection of mattresses for more options. Remember, finding the best affordable mattress comes down to considering your body type, sleep style, and comfort preferences.