If you’re a hot sleeper, staying cool at night can be a real challenge. Some mattress materials, such as memory foam, are notorious for trapping heat and you could find you’re struggling to stay asleep if your mattress is too warm.
Many of the best mattresses on the market are designed with temperature regulation in mind, with features such as heat-wicking covers and specific cooling materials. But a new mattress with cooling features could be an expensive investment.
If your current mattress is still in great shape, but just isn’t keeping you cool, a cooling mattress topper could be the solution to your problem. In fact, most of the best mattress toppers you can buy will contain cooling technology – this guide will help you understand whether it’s the right choice for you.
What is a cooling mattress topper?
Mattress toppers are an extra layer of padding that’s placed on top of your mattress to change the feel of the sleep surface. Resembling mini mattresses, they’re commonly between two and four inches in depth, although you will find much thicker toppers going up to around seven inches.
Bed toppers are secured to the bed at each corner with strong elasticated straps or ties to keep them in place and stop them shifting about at night. Cooling toppers are often infused with gel foams or natural latex to regulate temperature, with some of the best being covered with phase change material that dissipates heat and wicks away sweat.
Cooling mattress topper: Pros
Cooling mattress toppers, as the name suggests, contain materials that help to keep sleepers cool. Some use naturally breathable materials, such as latex, open-cell foams and cotton or wool covers. Others feature an aerated design that increases air circulation.
For mattress toppers made out of materials that normally retain heat, such as memory foam, infusions such as copper, charcoal, graphite or gel are added to draw heat away from the body. Finally, some toppers contain phase-change materials that absorb heat and draw it away from the body, or GlacioTex covers to cool down both sleeper and topper.
Cooling isn’t the only pro of a cooling mattress topper. As with any mattress topper, they can change the feel of your existing mattress, making it softer or firmer as required. And, if your mattress is less than eight years old, but starting to develop a few dips and bumps, a mattress topper can give it a few years more life.
Cooling mattress topper: Cons
Although mattress toppers in general can make a big difference to your existing mattress, you do need to be aware that they won’t fix serious problems. If your mattress is old, sagging or turning yellow, you need to replace it as a topper won’t make any difference.
It can also be expensive to get a good quality cooling mattress topper that will actually make a difference to your temperature overnight.
Some of the cheaper toppers use a small amount of infusions, which won’t have any noticeable effect on temperature regulation. And some memory foam toppers will make sleepers too hot.
Some bed toppers are also made from materials that aren’t suitable for those with allergies, and don’t always use hypoallergenic materials to keep costs down.
How much do cooling mattress toppers cost?
As with mattresses, there’s a huge range options to suit different budgets. Prices range from around $40 - $500 for a cooling mattress topper, although you could pay up to $2,000 if you choose a smart cooling mattress topper.
The Best Price Mattress Ventilated Memory Foam mattress topper is our pick of the best cheap mattress toppers for hot sleepers, with a queen coming in at $48.75 (was $61.74).
Casper’s Comfy mattress topper is $179.10 for a twin (was $199) and $269.10 for a queen (was $299), while at the higher end of the price scale, a Saatva Graphite Memory Foam mattress topper is $325 for a twin and $445 for a queen.
Top 3 cooling mattress toppers for hot sleepers
Who should buy a cooling mattress topper?
✅ Hot sleepers: Obviously, the primary audience here is hot sleepers, who want a way to cool down and regulate their temperature overnight, without having to buy a new mattress.
✅ Those with a slightly ‘tired’ mattress: If your mattress is under eight years old and starting to get a few sagging areas, a mattress topper can help to smooth out the surface and extend the life of your mattress by a few more years.
✅ Those looking to change the feel of their mattress: If your mattress is a little too soft or too firm, a mattress topper can change the feel of it and make it more comfortable to sleep on.
Who shouldn’t buy a cooling mattress topper?
❌ Cold sleepers: If you’re a reptile and struggle to stay warm at night, a cooling cover probably isn’t for you! A plain memory foam topper will help to keep you snug and warm instead.
❌ Those with an old mattress: If your mattress is old, sagging, yellow or lumpy, a mattress topper isn’t going to make it a comfortable place to sleep. You will need to invest in a new mattress instead.
❌ Those on a tight budget: Although we have included a budget option here, really hot sleepers will need to make a larger investment to take advantage of toppers with high-end cooling abilities.
