Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper hands-on review

The Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper on top of a bed in a bright, clean dorm room.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Mattress toppers can boost the comfort, support, and lifespan of any tired old mattress — particularly dorm beds.

So, when I discovered that US brand Sleepyhead create sleep products specifically for college students, I knew I needed to try one of their mattress toppers out.

Our best mattress toppers guide is full of great picks to give your bed a makeover, and I was eager to see whether Sleepyhead's Cooling Copper Topper can join the ranks.

What is the Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper?

The Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper is a mattress topper made from copper-infused memory foam. Available in 2" or 3" heights, the bed topper features a CoolTech Classic Washable Cover designed to regulate body temperature.

The fiberglass-free, antimicrobial Cooling Copper Topper is also designed to repel allergens such as dust mites and resist odors.

Sleepyhead recommend the 3" version to side sleepers who want a softer sleep surface, while they recommend the 2" version for those who prefer a firmer surface or sleep on a top bunk. It's available in six sizes, including twin XL and full XL.

Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper: twin XL $299 at Sleepyhead
The Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper comes with a 60-night sleep trial and free shipping. It also comes with a good-till-graduation warranty, meaning the brand warrants any damages from materials and craftsmanship defects for five years after purchase. The standard college size, twin XL, is $299 for the 2" version and $399 for the 3" version. Meanwhile, you can buy a Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper from Amazon, but keep in mind that you may not have access to the same warranty, student discount and sleep trial.

5 things I noticed about the Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper

1. It's ready to sleep on

The plastic-wrapped Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper freshly unboxed. — (Image credit: Future)

As the mattress topper comes compressed and rolled up, it expands once you remove it's wrapping.

Usually, toppers can take a full 24 hours to expand, so it's advised not to sleep on them right away. Sleepyhead, however, say it can take as little as 30 minutes to fully expand and is immediately ready to sleep on.

As soon as I tore off the plastic packaging, the topper began to expand so quickly it had returned to its original shape in seconds.

I decided to sleep on it a mere couple of hours after unboxing, and I can attest Sleepyhead's promise that "you can sleep on it right away without harming the material."

2. It provides thick comfort and support

The Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper on top of a latex hybrid mattresss — (Image credit: Future)

If you want to know how thick a mattress topper should be, two to four inches is the ideal height.

The Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper is available in 2" or 3" heights, so both provide enough thickness to change the firmness of your mattress.

I tested the 3" version in a full size, and I found it to provide a lot of thick comfort and protection for my mattress.

While I feel it was a lot firmer than "medium-soft" (as Sleepyhead called it), I did feel most comfortable while sleeping on my side. While back sleeping, however, I felt that my hips were dipping slightly, so I suggest stomach sleepers and back sleepers go with the 2" version.

3. It's cool-to-the-touch but...

A hand feels the Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper to see if it feels cool to the touch — (Image credit: Future)

When I first felt the Cooling Copper Topper, it's surface was cool to the touch thanks to the airflow-enhancing copper (a common cooling material used in the best memory foam mattress toppers) and the cooling fabric cover.

I slept relatively cool considering it's an all-foam topper, but it did retain some heat during warmer nights.

Considering I live in the UK and it's currently winter, I'd say particularly hot sleepers might want to opt for an alternative cooling topper.

4. It's easy to clean

The zip-up removable cover of the Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper — (Image credit: Future)

Many mattress toppers are spot-clean only, meaning you can't remove or machine-wash the cover. This can make it difficult to clean the topper, especially when it has stubborn stains.

However, the cover of the Cooling Copper Topper is removable and machine-washable, so you can put it in the washing machine if it ever becomes stained or grubby for a more hygienic sleep.

This was super easy to do and made it simple and practical to refresh regularly and maintain good sleep hygiene.

5. It's made for students (literally)

The Sleepyhead Cooling Copper Topper's booklet containing information on its guarantee — (Image credit: Future)

There's little doubt who the Cooling Copper Topper's target customer is. Sleepyhead's tagline is "Maker of the highly sought-after college mattress topper" that's "tailored to fit college students' needs", and it even comes with a 15%-20% student discount.

Their mattress toppers all come with a 5-year good-till-graduation warranty, while the antimicrobial effects of the copper is ideal for adding a hygienic layer of protection to old, worn-out dorm beds.

Frances Daniels is a PPA-accredited journalist and Sleep Staff Writer at Tom's Guide with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. Her role includes covering mattress and sleep news and writing sleep product reviews and buyer's guides, including our Best Hybrid Mattress 2025 guide. She is hugely interested in the relationship between good sleep and overall health, interviewing a wide array of mattress and sleep experts to create well-informed articles about important topics such as nutrition, sleep disorders (from sleep apnea to night terrors), lucid dreaming, sleep hygiene, and mattress care. She is also our specialist on mattress toppers — producing mattress topper reviews and taking care of our Best Mattress Toppers 2025 guide — and takes the lead on all content related to fiberglass-free mattresses for a clean, non-toxic sleep. Outside of Tom's Guide, she has written for Ideal Home, Homes & Gardens, and Marie Claire.