The Best Mattresses For College Students That Prioritize Comfort

Forbes

18-07-2025

The mattresses that typical dorm rooms, off-campus apartments and other student housing spaces are furnished with tend to prioritize durability and support over cushioning; this often results in a very firm, uncomfortable mattress. For a better night's rest, you might want to update your college bedroom setup with a new mattress that accommodates your sleep posture, body type and other specific needs. The best mattresses for college students have simple but comfortable constructions that include conforming foam and/or coils—and are priced affordably. The Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress is our editors' pick for the best choice overall, thanks to of its supportive, conforming profile, plus a wallet-friendly price tag (under $600 for a twin XL size).
Whether you're looking to furnish your new dorm or campus apartment, these are our editors' picks ... More for the best mattresses for college students. ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: NECTAR
We considered entry-level mattresses from top-rated brands we know and have tested firsthand, especially those that excel in important categories, like pressure relief, support, edge support and ease of movement. See our choices below, along with a detailed guide on how to pick the right mattress. For a complete bedding setup that will make you feel right at home, see our cozy picks for the best sheets and best pillows too. Our Top Recommendations
Best Affordable Mattress For College Students: Allswell Luxe (Twin XL)
Best Hybrid Mattress For College Students: Helix Midnight (Twin XL)
Best Soft Mattress For College Students: Puffy Cloud (Twin XL)
Best Firm Mattress For College Students: Bear Original (Twin XL)
Best College Mattress For Side Sleepers: Nolah Original (Twin XL)
Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium-firm (6.5) | Delivery: Free | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Best for: Back, stomach and combination sleepers
People under 250 pounds
Isolating movement across the bed
Skip if: You sleep hot
You're predominantly a side sleeper
The Nectar Classic Mattress is an all-foam choice made from a blend of three layers stacked on top of one another. Although it has a simple construction, each layer plays a role in maintaining support, pressure relief and comfort. With a medium-firm profile, the bed helps promote spinal alignment in back, stomach and combination sleepers. 'Back-sleeping on the Nectar Classic feels awesome,' says one of our testers. 'It's firmer than the Nectar Ultra , so my back feels much more supported yet still hugged. It also feels like it elongates my spine and relieves the pressure I previously felt from other mattresses.'
While typical memory foam mattresses are known for retaining heat, the Nectar Classic has cooling fibers woven into the top cover, which helps draw heat away from the body. With that said, students who live in a warm climate or those who are prone to sleeping hot should consider a hybrid mattress with better airflow. See more of our thoughts on this mattress in our full Nectar Mattress review .
Type: Hybrid | Firmness rating: Medium or extra firm | Delivery: Free | Trial: None offered | Warranty: 10 years
Best for: Back, stomach and combination sleepers
Petite to plus-size body types
Those who want good edge support while sleeping on a small bed
Skip if: You're predominantly a side sleeper
The Allswell Luxe is one of Walmart's bed-in-a-box mattress offerings, a step up from the entry-level Allswell model with a price tag that's still lower than all of the beds recommended in our list. The Luxe model is slightly softer than the original Allswell, with a more durable 12-inch profile. It's designed with copper-infused foam to help regulate temperature and a pocketed coil layer with enhanced edge support to help keep you from feeling like you're going to roll off the side—always a plus when you're sleeping on a smaller-sized mattress. Since this mattress contains a spring base layer, it's more likely to hold up for longer and is supportive for heavier body types. We recommend the medium model for most sleepers, unless you're looking for something that's at the firmest end of the spectrum.
Type: Hybrid | Firmness rating: Medium | Delivery: Free | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years
Best for: Most body types
Side, back and combination sleepers
Those who want solid lumbar support
Hot sleepers (with cooling cover upgrade)
Skip if: You favor sleeping on your stomach
The Helix Midnight is the base model of the Helix Midnight Luxe , our pick for the best mattress overall in our guide to the best mattresses . The Midnight's construction is more burly than others on our list, as it contains five layers (not counting the cover), including a pocketed coil layer with denser edges for better perimeter support and three layers of comfort foam, including ones infused with gel to help regulate temperature. If you experience regular back pain or you want to prevent it from flaring up, you might want to upgrade your bed to include the ErgoAlign layer, which adds more support and lift under the spine. Due to its medium firmness level, we think this mattress suits side, back and combination sleepers best. You can also add a GlacioTex cooling cover for an extra cost, a feature that makes the bed physically cool to the touch and benefits hot sleepers.
Puffy Mattress
Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium-firm | Delivery: Free | Trial: 101 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Best for: Side, back and combination sleepers
People under 250 pounds
Those who want good motion isolation
Skip if: Edge support could be better
The Puffy Cloud is just as soft and inviting as its name suggests, an ideal choice for those who enjoy a squishy and cushioned mattress—like side sleepers or those who weigh under 150 pounds. Although it's rated around a medium-firm on the firmness spectrum, we think it leans more toward medium. This all-foam mattress utilizes six foam layers that contour under the weight of your curves and ease pressure on the hips and shoulders. It also contains a cooling layer that helps draw heat away and evenly disperses it throughout the bed (rather than letting it all collect in one place underneath you). The memory foam design makes this mattress excellent at isolating motion across the mattress, but note that it doesn't have stellar edge support, if that's a priority.
Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium-firm | Delivery: Free | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Best for: Back and stomach sleepers
Those under 250 pounds
College athletes (performance fabric upgrade)
Anyone who values edge support
Skip if: You sleep on your side
You aren't prepared for a very firm bed
If you're looking for a firm mattress with minimal give and ample support, the Bear Original has a straightforward but comfortable construction. It's stacked three layers high, at 10 inches tall, and includes dense memory foam layers that only start to give after your body heat warms up the foam. It's not squishy like the Puffy Cloud (above), meaning you'll feel more so like you're sleeping on top of the foam rather than cradled within it.
'When I press my hand into the bed, it doesn't sink as far as some of the other memory foam mattresses I tested. Instead, it provides a nice lifted feel,' says one of our testers. As such, this profile is ideal for back and stomach sleepers who can benefit from proper spinal alignment. College athletes may also appreciate the Bear Original for its Celliant-infused cover upgrade, which is a performance fabric that helps boost recovery and sleep quality, according to the brand. Read more details about this mattress in our full Bear Mattress review .
Nolah Mattress
Type: Memory foam | Firmness rating: Medium | Delivery: Free | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime
Best for Anyone who wants a soft, contouring feel
Sleepers under 250 pounds
Those with joint pain
Skip if: You prefer strong edge support
Nolah is one of our favorites when it comes to mattresses for side sleepers —and its flagship model, the Nolah Original Mattress, is a solid, affordable pick if you're looking for a mattress that provides gentle and cozy contouring for your joints. According to the brand, it's rated around a 5 to 6 on the firmness scale, the sweet spot for side and back sleepers. The bed's top comfort layer is zoned to offer more pressure relief for the shoulders and lift underneath the spine; it also contains copper-infused foam to help you sleep more comfortably without overheating. The brand's AirFoam material lends a soft and cushioned feel without making you feel like you're stuck, as it bounces back to its normal shape faster than traditional memory foam does.
The Forbes Vetted mattress and sleep team not only regularly conducts hands-on testing of mattresses but also spends hours thoroughly researching and reporting each story to ensure its accuracy. Additionally, we consult with medical professionals and experts in the field to help educate our choices. We have published a robust library of sleep and mattress guides, including the best mattresses for back sleepers , the best mattresses for combination sleepers and the best cooling mattresses. The author of this story, McKenzie Dillon, is a mattress and sleep editor at Forbes Vetted with a sleep science coach certification and over six years of experience testing and researching consumer products. She has tested over 100 different mattresses, including the Bear Original and Allswell Luxe on this list.
Bridget Chapman is the senior mattress and sleep editor and oversees the category. She also has earned a sleep science coach certification and has tested over 100 beds. This article was edited by Emmy Favilla , Forbes Vetted's managing editor, a 20-year industry veteran who has been covering commerce content for over eight years and has tested dozens of mattresses firsthand as well.
Each mattress selection and associated superlative was hand-selected or approved by our mattress and sleep editors. We first identified top-rated, reputable brands in the industry that have garnered overwhelmingly positive customer reviews. We also took into consideration the brands our editors have personal experience with.
We looked at entry-level and affordable mattresses from each brand that don't sacrifice on quality.
We considered mattresses that perform well across important metrics like overall comfort, pressure relief and perimeter support. We also chose mattresses that cater to a variety of sleeping positions and body types.
Mattresses are offered in a variety of firmness levels ranging from soft to firm, and some firmness levels suit certain sleep postures better than others. Side sleepers typically require a medium to soft mattress that properly gives underneath the shoulders and hips. Otherwise, a mattress that's too firm presses against the joints, which may lead to a misaligned spine and even joint pain.
typically require a medium to soft mattress that properly gives underneath the shoulders and hips. Otherwise, a mattress that's too firm presses against the joints, which may lead to a misaligned spine and even joint pain. Back sleepers usually need a mattress with a medium to firm profile, and the firmer the mattress, the more lift it has. Medium-firm beds tend to be the sweet spot for many back sleepers, especially those who live with back pain.
usually need a mattress with a medium to firm profile, and the firmer the mattress, the more lift it has. tend to be the sweet spot for many back sleepers, especially those who live with back pain. Stomach sleepers usually need a medium-firm to firm mattress that properly supports the spine without letting it sag into the mattress, which can ultimately lead to back pain . Construction
The mattresses included in this roundup either have an all-foam design crafted from memory foam or a hybrid construction. Hybrid mattresses contain a blend of foam and steel coils, a design which offers the best of both worlds thanks to cushion from the foam and added support from the springs. They also tend to be more breathable than all-foam beds since the coils promote more airflow.
contain a blend of foam and steel coils, a design which offers the best of both worlds thanks to cushion from the foam and added support from the springs. They also tend to be more breathable than all-foam beds since the coils promote more airflow. Memory foam mattresses are generally better for those who prefer contouring around the joints. They typically have a doughy, marshmallowy feel and excel at isolating motion. Memory foam beds are also usually more affordable than hybrid mattresses. Size
Most college dorm room and student housing beds are a twin XL size, but you may want to do the research and contact the school or housing company where your student is staying to confirm what size mattress you'll need. Most brands offer a twin XL size, which has more legroom than a standard twin. Body Type
Your body type is one of the most important factors when choosing a mattress, because it influences how firm or soft a mattress feels to you—and should also be taken into consideration when choosing your ideal mattress construction. Those with more weight benefit from beds made with innersprings, which can help prevent the mattress from prematurely sagging.
What Is A Good Mattress For A College Student?
We think the Nectar Classic is the best mattress for college students because of its comfortable and contouring design, medium-firm profile that suits a variety of sleep positions and low price. We also recommend the Allswell Luxe, Helix Midnight, Nolah Original, Puffy Cloud and Bear Original in our roundup of the best mattresses for college students.
What Type Of Mattress Is Best For A Teenager?
The best mattress depends on your sleeping position and body type. However, medium to medium-firm mattresses tend to be the best for teenagers because they offer a balance between pressure relief and support. Consider a hybrid mattress if you're looking for additional support.
Do You Really Need Twin XL Sheets For College?
Yes, twin XL sheets will likely be a necessity as most beds in college dorm rooms and student housing come furnished with twin XL mattresses. A twin XL mattress is longer than a standard twin-size bed but measures the same width.