5 best California king mattresses for your money

The Awara Premier Natural Hybrid in grey bedroom

(Image credit: Amazon)

If you’ve long been lusting after a California king bed, then you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up five of the best Cal king mattresses for your money. Whether you’re looking for an organic, luxury or cooling Cal king mattress, we’ve found them — and they’re all currently priced under $1,000.

Of course, there’s more to choosing the best mattress for you than sheer size, but it’s an excellent place to start. A Cal king mattress measures 72 inches wide by 84 inches long, making it the longest standard mattress size on the market. If you’re 6 '2'' or over, have a large bedroom, co-sleep or you have pets that like to sleep on the end of the bed, then a California king mattress is well worth the investment.

We’ve rounded up five California king mattresses that are guaranteed to improve your comfort levels without stretching your bank balance. Each mattress included here caters for a different style of sleeper but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re under $1,000, which is astonishingly good value for a Cal king mattress. Ready? Let’s take a look.

1. Awara Premier Natural Hybrid: From: $1,499 $860 for a Cal king mattress at Amazon
The Awara Premiere Natural hybrid mattress is one of the best organic mattresses you can buy if you tend to sleep hot, thanks to the cooling combination of natural latex and individually wrapped steel springs. As well as promoting excellent temperature regulation, this mattress is perfectly suited for back and stomach sleepers. Its organic and natural credentials make it a great choice for the eco-conscious who are looking for no toxic sleep without compromising on comfort There are some great deals around on the Awara Premiere Natural Hybrid but one of the best we’ve seen it on Amazon where you can pick up this California king mattress for just $860 (MSRP is $2,499 at Awara Sleep). This mattress comes with 100-day returns, free shipping and a lifetime warranty.

2. DreamCloud Hybrid: From $1,669 $835 for a Cal king mattress at DreamCloud
The DreamCloud Hybrid is a luxury mattress that punches well beyond its competitive price. It boasts seven layers of foam and individually wrapped inner-springs that work together to create a comfortable and responsive sleep environment, making it one of the best mattresses in a box. This is a great mattress for couples as it offers exceptional motion isolation. It also has a breathable cushioned top made from cashmere that gives off a luxe feel but also can help to keep the sleeper cool. And talking of keeping cool, this mattress also has a gel-infused comfort layer to help disperse body heat. DreamCloud offer some excellent sales throughout the year and their current spring sale is no exception. You can get a California king mattress for a bargain price of just $835 (was $1,669). This mattress comes with a 365-night trial, a forever warranty and free shipping.

3. Nectar mattress: From $1,399 $849 for a Cal king mattress at Nectar
The Nectar memory foam mattress is a regular on our best memory foam mattress buying guide. It has a medium-firm tension which back and stomach sleepers will find super comfortable. Side sleepers will also find this mattress supportive and perfect for relieving the pressure on the hips, shoulders and neck. Despite it being a all foam the Nectar memory foam mattress has a 2-inch layer of gel-infused memory foam for extra cooling comfort. Nectar does a really good job at keeping their prices low and during this sale you can get a Cal-King mattress for just $849 which is a huge saving from the MSRP of $1,399. This mattress has a 365-night home trial, forever warranty as well as free shipping and returns.

4. Bear Original: From $1,304 $848 for a Cal king mattress at Bear
This all-foam mattress is the perfect choice for combination sleepers. It offers exceptional support on all the pressure points and joints meaning that you will wake up in the morning feeling ache-free and refreshed. It sits at around 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, but sleepers may find that it feels a little softer than they expect. It also has superb edge support so those who like to sit on the bed or sleep close to the edge will be super comfy. There’s also good motion isolation so if you share with a restless sleeper then you’ll find no more disturbed nights. Bear do run regular promotions so you should always be able to get a good deal on your mattress. However, this spring sale means you can get a California king mattress for just $848 at Bear Original. This mattress comes with a 120-night trial, lifetime warranty and free shipping.

5. Cocoon Chill mattress by Sealy: From $1,389 $899 for a Cal king at Cocoon by Sealy
Calling all hot sleepers who are craving some extra space - the Cocoon Chill mattress is the bed for you. As well as being one of the best cooling mattresses, it’s medium-firm rating offers exceptional pressure relief, especially for heavier sleepers who need that extra bit of support. The combination of foam and coils promotes airflow but the extra layer of gel-infused foam work together to stop any overheating issues. If you share a bed then the motion isolation is superb, which is great news for couples and co-sleepers. Whilst the Cocoon Chill by Sealy is already in the mid-range price bracket the regular promotions they run makes this more than affordable. You can get the Cal-king mattress for just $899 which is a huge saving from the MSRP of $1,398. This mattress comes with 100-night sleep trial, free delivery and a 10 year warranty.

California king vs king size mattress: Which bed is best for your rest?

When it comes down to choosing between a California king vs king mattress, it all comes down to how much space you want or need, plus how big your bedroom is. Both the king and California King offer a spacious sleeping space. Whilst they’re both great for those who share a bed, the California king takes the edge as it’s slightly bigger making it an excellent choice for tall sleepers over 6ft.

A California king measures 72" wide x 84" long whilst a standard king is 76" wide x 80" long. So a Cal-king isn’t just longer but also a little wider.

A Cal-king is also a great choice if you share your bed with pets or children as that extra width makes sure that everyone gets enough room. As you can see from this feature, there are plenty of Cal-king deals to be had but one of the big points to consider if whether you have the room. Because the Cal-king is longer and wider, it’s better suited to those with large bedrooms.

Rachael is a freelance journalist based in South Wales who writes about lifestyle, travel, home and technology. She also reviews a variety of products for various publications including Tom’s Guide, CreativeBloq, IdealHome and Woman&Home. When she’s not writing and reviewing products she can be found walking her Sealyham and West Highland terrier dogs or catching up on some cringe-worthy reality tv.