The best cooling mattresses offer hot sleepers much needed relief, no matter the time of year. Sure, much of the country is in the throes of winter, but hot flashes and night sweats don’t take the season off — or a nasty winter cold may cause your body to heat up like a furnace. Our team of professional reviewers have tested countless cooling mattresses to see which ones actually beat the heat, and we’re sharing our recommendations here.
While you can expect some breathability from most of the best mattresses of 2025 for all sleepers, we’ve chosen models that specialize in maintaining a cozy microclimate. For us, the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress is our top cooling choice thanks to its advanced temperature-regulating tech, which includes copper-infused foam and a Celliant Infused specialist cover that’s designed to absorb body heat into infrared energy that’s beamed right back to you for better recovery.
Cooling mattresses typically command a higher price tag than non-specialist models, but you can still catch big savings in monthly mattress sales from most of the brands featured here. Plus, with Presidents’ Day mattress sales kicking off in a few weeks, we’re already approaching one of the best times of the year to save. Keep scrolling for the best cooling mattresses, chosen by our sleep coaches and mattress testers…
1. The best cooling mattress overall
Standing at 14" tall and made from premium-grade non-toxic materials, the Bear Elite Hybrid is the flagship mattress from the popular American bed brand. It comes in three firmness levels (soft, medium, and firm), with standout features including a cooling cover to prevent overheating, and a lumbar support section to reduce lower back pain.
The Bear Elite Hybrid is a five-layer mattress with two handles on each side for easy maneuvering. At the base is a high-density support foam layer to maintain the structural integrity of the mattress over time. Above that is a layer of individually encased coils for airflow, support and motion isolation. The coils along the perimeter are reinforced for edge support, while the centre features higher-gauge coils for maximum lumbar support. The upper foam layers consist of transitional foam for ergonomic support and contouring (great news for side sleepers), and copper-infused memory foam to aid with cooling.
Science and thoughtful design meet in this cooling hybrid mattress, delivering some of the strongest cooling power in the mattress market. This is especially down to the optional Celliant Infused cover with specialized sleep recovery technology. For an extra $195, the cover helps regulate body temperature, promote faster muscle recovery and improve overall well-being – a worthy addition for anyone with an active lifestyle in our eyes.
In broad terms, Celliant is a synthetic fiber that converts body heat into infrared energy, which is then reflected back into the body. The goal when used in mattresses is to improve thermoregulation and, in turn, aid restful sleep and promote wellbeing. Celliant does this by increasing blood circulation and oxygen supply to cells, which enhances performance and recovery. It also wicks away moisture and dries fabrics quickly, which equals a more comfortable sleep for hot sleepers.
Our test model for our Bear Elite review included the upgraded Celliant-infused cover, which had a mild cooling sensation and a softness that put our reviewer to sleep in seconds. However, the standard cover includes phase change materials (PCM), which also help with cooling, if the additional charge surpasses your budget.
Although cooling is this mattress's expertise, it excels in other areas too. The Bear Hybrid Elite suits couples thanks to its strong motion isolation, along with back and stomach sleepers as it gives minimal sinkage. That said, it'll also suit side sleepers who don't need ample cushioning, although we'd recommend going softer if you'd like your mattress to have more cradling comfort.
The Bear Elite Hybrid sits at the cusp of upper-mid range and premium after regular sales. You can normally bag a queen for $1,499, which rivals some of our best hybrid mattresses and offers a fair price for a hybrid mattress with this cooling strength. We even think its features rival that of our overall no.1 mattress of the year, the Saatva Classic, making it a great, cheaper alternative.
- Read more: Bear Elite Hybrid mattress review
2. The best budget cooling mattress
The 10" Cocoon by Sealy Chill is a reliable cooling mattress with impressive features for the lower price. It's available as an all-foam model and a hybrid — we tested the all-foam version, but as a rule hybrids will always sleep that bit cooler than even the best memory foam mattresses, because the springs create extra space for air to circulate.
The Cocoon Chill magic begins with a cover designed to remain cool to the touch during sleep. Beneath this are two layers of the brand’s pressure-relieving memory foam made with phase change material, designed to dissipate body heat while adapting to your unique shape and supporting your spine in various sleeping positions. It also provides a little of that 'sink-in' feeling but with that all-important lumbar support for sleepers who like to be cradled by their mattress.
In our tests, we found the Chill comfortable for most sleepers in most positions, although be aware if you're heavier in weight, you might sink through the memory foam layer and find it a bit too firm. The Cocoon Chill cooling mattress has a core layer made up of eight-inch pocketed coils, which will give this model a slightly bouncier feel. There are firmer coils around the perimeter to bolster the edges, meaning you can make use of every inch of your bed space.
The cooling here is excellent for the price. Our reviewers found the Chill to be noticeably better at regulating temperature than any other mid-range foam mattress they'd tested, and one of the most consistently cool mattresses they'd slept on. Note, however, that spending a bit more will yield better chilling features — if you have a slightly bigger budget, a good upgrade would be the Nectar Premier Copper at #5.
- Read more: Cocoon by Sealy Chill mattress review
3. The best luxury cooling mattress
The GhostBed Luxe boasts some incredible cooling powers. This 13" mattress is constructed with seven individual layers of cooling and comfort elements, creating a comfortable cradling effect along your body.
The GhostBed Luxe cooling mattress has a top layer made from 'Ghost Ice' fabric, which, as claimed, remains cool to the touch (this is unusual, in our experience). That’s followed by one inch of cooling fiber, then one inch of gel memory foam. The Ghost Ice Layer features patented thermo-sensitivity technology designed to sense heat while you sleep and adjust the mattress to keep you cooler. In our tests we gave this mattress full marks for temperature regulation – the airflow was terrific, and our temperature remained comfortable and cool at all times.
This model has a softer sleep surface that cradles and contours to your body, making it one of the best mattresses for side sleepers who need a little extra give around the shoulders and hips for pressure relief. However, back and front sleepers, as well as heavier people, should consider something a bit firmer for better spinal support. Keep in mind, too, that the firmness of the GhostBed Luxe is affected by room temperature so it may feel firmer in the wintertime and softer in the summertime.
The plush sleep surface absorbs movements extremely well, making the Luxe a great choice for couples or restless sleepers. This is paired with excellent edge support. so you can spread out and use every inch of the bed as you wish.
The GhostBed Luxe sits in the premium bracket (you can ignore MSRP as it's never sold at full price). It's typically the same price as the Zoma Boost at #8, which includes a layer of springs. If the Ghostbed is too expensive for you, check out the Cocoon by Sealy Chill at #2.
- Read more: GhostBed Luxe mattress review
4. The best cooling mattress for back pain
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe ticks a lot of boxes; it's available in three different firmness options, we found it delivered excellent lumbar support and comfort in our tests earning it a spot in our best mattress for back pain guide, and the cooling features work reliably well. While the cooling powers can't rival the premium or specialist options in our ranking, this mattress hits the sweet spot when it comes to balancing performance and price.
There are a few different cooling features at play here. The GlacioTex cooling cover removes excess heat from the mattress’ surface and remains cold to the touch. In our tests we found it worked effectively, although it has a smooth weave that will make your mattress a little slippery, so your fitted sheet (and indeed you) may have trouble staying put.
The foams used are designed specifically to help, not hinder, temperature regulation. Finally, there's a spring layer, which provides space for air to circulate within the mattress, boosting breathability (we rate this amongst the top-rated hybrid mattresses around, putting it in the same category as the Saatva Classic and Bear Elite Hybrid). In our tests we found these features all worked together well to keep the mattress at a comfortable temperature every night.
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Hybrid also performed well on the comfort front. The ability to pick your firmness means you can tailor it to ensure it's comfortable and supportive for your body type and preferred sleep position. The coils are zoned to provide extra firmness in the central third, beneath your lumbar.
However, where this mattress really comes into its own is the wide range of sizes available, including RV king and RV bunk, which makes it a decadent addition to your motor home.
There are a couple of potential down-sides to be aware of: we found the off-gassing was some of the worst we'd experienced (although people's experiences with this tend to vary), and the motion transfer was below average, too, which means this won't be a great choice if you're a particularly restless sleeper, or share a bed with one.
- Read more: Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe mattress review
5. The best cooling mattress for joint pain
For something a little different, check out the Purple Original. Like all of the beds from this brand, the original features the 'GelFlex Grid'. This stretchy gel grid sits at the top of the mattress, and will contour to your shape for custom support. Thanks to the open structure, it won't trap body heat — which is an issue with many foams. In our review, we found the grid was temperature-neutral, and worked to ensure the mattress stayed at a cool, comfortable temperature all night long.
There's a slightly unusual sleep feel here: the grid feels squishy when pressed, but firm when you're lying down on it, with extra support seeming to concentrate exactly where it's needed, under the back and legs. It's much more responsive than traditional memory foam, too, and will spring back into shape immediately when pressure is removed. Our panel of testers found it super comfortable in all positions, but especially so for side and back sleeping, once they got used to the feel.
This mattress excels when it comes to pressure relief (our testers describe it as giving a kind of floating sensation), and we rank it amongst the best mattress in a box models around for anyone with hip or back pain. The grid cushions the joints comfortably, while still offering the support required to keep everything aligned properly. Do note that it's the thinnest option in our list though, clocking in at under 10". That will make changing the sheets easier, but you won't get the same luxe feeling as a chunkier option and it may lack support for heavier bodies.
Price-wise, we're in the upper-mid price bracket here, but how much you'll pay does depend on when you buy. The best Purple mattress sales and deals knock $200 or more off, but it's hard to predict when they'll appear. The Nectar model at #5 sits in a similar price bracket, if you prefer the sink-in feel of traditional memory foam.
- Read more: Purple Mattress review
6. The cooling mattress for couples
Eight Sleep is the place to go if you want an ultra-smart cooling bed, and ultimate control over your nighttime temperature. The cover contains a network of water-filled tubes that can be cooled or heated to your exact preferences, between 55°F and 110°F, and you can even pick different temperatures for each half of the bed so you and your partner don't have to fight over the covers.
You can buy the Eight Sleep Pod 4 with an Eight Sleep mattress bundled in, but we'd probably recommend just going for the cover, and pairing it with a breathable mattress that suits your needs. All the tech is in the cover, anyway — the mattress is just a standard mattress.
We're now on the fourth generation of Pods, and they're more advanced than ever. We tested this smart cooling mattress cover to find out if it is really worth its price tag. Our main tester has been sleeping better and learning more about how lifestyle choices affect their sleep quality while testing the pod over the past three months. They were especially impressed with the dual climate control and active temperature regulation, which responds to changes through the night to keep you at an ideal sleep temperature.
The dual-zone heating and cooling is just the start of it. One of our best smart bed picks, the Pod 4 also monitors your nighttime habits (again, for each side of the bed separately) the same way a sleep tracker wearable would, to provide you with insights that help you improve how well you sleep each night.
It'll track everything from sleep stages and duration to heart rate, HRV and more. And if you don't enjoy being woken up by an alarm, there's an in-built GentleRise alarm option that vibrates the cover at chest height for a more soothing wake-up. Just know that you'll need to pay for a subscription to access these features. (It starts at $199/year.)
- Read more: Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover review
7. The best cooling mattress for active lifestyles
The Zoma Boost is a luxuriously thick, hybrid mattress aimed at those who live an active lifestyle. It also boasts some outstanding cooling powers. It kept our testers noticeably cooler during our review period, and they consistently woke up feeling refreshed after a night on this mattress. In particular, we liked the special cooling cover, which worked effectively to wick away body heat and remained cool to the touch throughout the night.
Elsewhere, the graphite memory foam cradles the sleepers' joints without trapping heat, and are responsive enough that you won't feel stuck in one position. A benefit that this mattress potentially has over the GhostBed (#1) is that it has a coil layer. Springs boost breathability by creating space for air to circulate within the mattress.
At a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, the Boost is best suited to side sleepers, who will appreciate the excellent pressure relief on their shoulders, hips and knees. Those who weigh above average may find it doesn't provide enough support, though. Another potential down-side to be aware of is that this mattress doesn't isolate movement especially well. This might not be the best choice for you if you're a particularly light sleeper or share a bed with a wriggler.
Factoring in both brands' regular sales, the Zoma Boost is basically the same price as the GhostBed above. The Zoma is a couple of inches thicker – which might tip it into 'unwieldy' territory for some – and has the added spring layer, discussed already.
- Read more: Zoma Boost mattress review
How we test the best cooling mattresses
The Tom’s Guide mattress review process is editorially independent, which means that it isn't influenced by third parties. Our expert mattress testers sleep on each mattress for at least three weeks (roughly how long it takes for your body to get used to a new mattress) and spend hours scientifically testing the performance of each product.
Mattress firmness is subjective, so each lead reviewer also forms a trusted and experienced testing panel made up of people with different sleep needs and body types. We have side sleepers, back sleepers and stomach sleepers, with lighter, average and heavier bodies, who rate each mattress using a specific set of performance criteria.
Together, these processes enable us to produce accurate, well-balanced and data-backed mattress reviews, to help you decide whether the mattress you like the look of is the best choice for you. Read our full mattress methodology for more info.
Best cooling mattress FAQs
What are the benefits of a cooling mattress?
Sleeping cool helps you drift off quicker, as your body will be at the right temperature for sleep. If you naturally 'run hot', you might find yourself waking up in the night feeling sweaty and uncomfortable. Outside of a cooling mattress, keeping your bedroom at a sleep-friendly temperature of 65-72 degrees Fahrenheit will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. Cooling mattresses are designed to dissipate heat and promote better airflow, to stop you from overheating at night.
Specialist cooling mattresses can be expensive, but if your sleep is disturbed most nights because you wake up feeling too hot, it could make a major difference to your health and wellbeing.
Aside from helping you to remain at the right temperature for sleeping, cooling mattresses have many of the same benefits as standard models: good pressure relief, support for your entire body, and they promote healthy spine alignment, protecting your posture during sleep (for the record, this is the best position to sleep in when it's hot).
We recommend only choosing a cooling mattress that comes on a risk-free trial basis. That way, you’ll get to put it to the test during the trial period to be sure that it really does help you sleep cooler. If not, you can return it during the trial for a refund.
Are cooling mattresses cold in winter?
Cooling mattresses aren’t refrigerators; they keep you cool by drawing existing surplus heat away from you. In fact, a lot of cooling materials, such as gel-infused foams, adapt to your environment and work in reverse.
For example, phase change materials PCMs work with fluctuating body temperature by absorbing heat and releasing it as the body cools. This means it can help you cool down when you get hot and warm up when you start cooling down. So, no, cooling mattresses won't make you cold in the winter.
When is the best time to buy a cooling mattress?
Although mattress sales happen all year round, and some of the models in our ranking will be permanently discounted, there are certain events that tend to deliver bigger savings. The very best time is at the end of November when the Black Friday mattress sales arrive and usually spill over into the Cyber Monday mattress deals.
Late November might not be the time of year when you're most in need of a cooling mattress, though. If you've missed the holiday sales, your best bet is to wait for another national holiday. We see many of the best cooling mattresses on sale for Presidents' Day in February, followed by further prices drops to tie-in with the Memorial Day mattress sales.
What kind of mattress is best for hot sleepers?
At the most basic end of the spectrum, an innerspring or hybrid mattress will be more breathable than an all-foam one, as the coils create space within the mattress for air to circulate.
Memory foam can trap body heat. However, not all foams are created equal, and some foams will be much worse for this than others. (We explore this deeper in our featuring answering: Are memory foam mattresses hot?).
You can't always trust brands' claims here – lots of brands add gel or copper into their foams, saying that it'll wick away body heat, but in practice it's unlikely such infusions will make any difference at all. The most reliable way to assess a mattress' cooling abilities is to read reviews from people who've slept on it.
- Read more: How do cooling mattresses work?
What is PCM in a mattress?
Phase change material (PCM) is a substance that can adsorb and release heat as it changes state from a solid to a liquid state. When used in a mattress, the material is usually found in the top layers, either blended directly into the comfort foam or sewn into the fabric of the mattress cover to make sure it is in close contact with the body for the best temperature regulation.
When your body temperature rises during the night, the PCM in the mattress absorbs excess heat, drawing it away from your body as it changes from a solid to a liquid state. When your body cools down, the PCM releases this stored heat, solidifying again. Mattresses with PCM essentially act like a heat reservoir to maintain a consistent ideal sleep temperature, where you don't get too hot or too cold during the night.
Do you really need a specialist cooling mattress?
Whether you 'need' a specialist cooling mattress depends on how much you struggle with heat while sleeping. If you naturally run hot at night, even in a moderate room temperature, investing in a quality cooling mattress could significantly improve your sleep quality. Regularly waking up drenched in sweat or experiencing hot flushes can disturb your sleep and become downright irritating. Therefore, a mattress with moisture-wicking materials and specialized cooling technology can help you sleep cooler and more peacefully. While most top-quality mattresses have a certain degree of cooling capability, you'll want to look out for mattresses with gel infusions, phase change materials, breathable covers, hybrid designs or smart cooling systems for the best cooling experience. To really make your specialist cooling bed worth it, pair it with cooling bedding and breathable clothing.
However, some medical and hormonal conditions (menopause, for example) can mean that no matter what mattress you sleep on, you just can't put the night sweats to rest. In this case, you're better off consulting a professional who can provide a medical solution.
