Best Hybrid Mattress for Side Sleepers for 2024

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When we test mattresses, we have a well-established process that evaluates important factors like firmness, feel, and performance. We test the strength of the edge of the bed by sitting and lying on the edge. We test motion transfer by rolling over the mattress with a glass of water at the edge. These are things we do for every bed we test. The best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers have a unique testing process. We delve deeper into the construction of the bed, paying attention to each layer that contributes to the cooling process.

1. Firmness: We lie down on each mattress and use our experience of testing over 200 different beds to determine the firmness. Compared to other mattresses, we analyze how soft or hard a bed feels. It is important to wait until the mattress is fully unfolded after opening to get the true firmness perspective.

2. Feeling: This is where we get handy with the beds. We touch the mattresses and feel them and see what the material does. Is it light and springy like latex foam or slow and dense like memory foam?

3. Sustainability: We don’t lie on the mattress every day for years, so it’s hard to say exactly how long each bed will last. We can estimate the firmness of a bed by looking at its construction. Beds with steel coils are generally more durable and stronger than full foam mattresses.

4. Best body type: We use construction and feel to determine how comfortable a bed is for a heavy person. Hybrid mattresses with steel coils tend to offer more support and last longer, a plus for heavier people looking for a quality bed.

5. Best sleeping position:We get to work physically and turn the mattresses over, testing every sleeping position: on our side, on our back, on our stomach and a combination of these.

6. Motion isolation: With one or preferably two people on the mattress we jump and bounce around to see how much movement can be detected in the bed. We also use the method where you put a cup of water on the edge of the bed and bounce around to see how much it moves.

7. Edge support:We analyze the materials of a mattress and physically lie on each edge of the mattress to feel how firm we feel.

8. Temperature: We use warm sleepers to test and determine how cool a bed sleeps. We also look at materials and construction — did a brand add anything to make it sleep cooler?

9. Odor: Some mattresses can give off an interesting smell. We use our trusty snouts to test this property.

Read more about how we test mattresses.