17 best mattress toppers to give you every excuse for a lie in

Mattress toppers might be a boring, grown-up purchase, but rest assured: investing in one of the best mattress toppers can be game-changing for the quality of your sleep. Providing cushioning atop your tired mattress, improving airflow during the summer and generally giving your bed a more luxurious feel, a high-quality mattress topper will give your lazy Sunday mornings a glow-up like nothing else – particularly if you can’t afford to replace your old mattress right now. Buying a mattress topper is far from as exciting as spritzing your pillow with pillow spray or slipping around in silk bedding, but their benefits are far-reaching. 

Does a mattress topper really help?

Mattress toppers help with a *lot* of sleep complaints. First up: aches and pains. If you’ve got a soft mattress that’s leaving you with a bad back, a mattress topper can add a welcome firmness – particularly good for back sleepers. Similarly, if your mattress is too hard, a mattress topper can add a pillow-like layer of extra comfort for an endlessly dreamier rest. 

Secondly: a mattress topper – whether you opt for a latex mattress topper, dual layer design or something altogether different – can improve the lifespan of your mattress by protecting it from stains and bacteria. 

Third? A mattress topper can help hot sleepers stay cool in the summer. That’s right: some of today’s new generation of temperature-regulating mattress toppers are infused with cooling gel or silk to stabilise body temperature. 

Lastly, mattress toppers reign supreme as the most affordable way to make your sofa bed comfier for your guests – if you’re already up to your eyeballs in sleepovers and dinner parties.

Scroll for everything you need to know about your grown-up purchase, plus the best mattress toppers on the market to shop today (according to the GLAMOUR Editors who’ve purchased them).

What’s the difference between mattress toppers and protectors?

Mattress toppers are designed to make your bed more comfortable for you – whether that’s softer or firmer. Sometimes otherwise referred to as “mattress pads”, they’re typically several inches thick and sit on top of your mattress… as the name would suggest. 

On the contrary, mattress protectors, don’t add comfort. They’re more of a cotton cover for your beloved hybrid mattress, simply protecting it from all the gross stuff that might cause it to age prematurely. Y’know: bed bugs, dust mites and bacteria. If your mattress is comfy enough as it is, and you simply want to keep it protected, opt for a protector over a mattress topper.

How do I choose a mattress topper? What is the best mattress topper type?

There are a few things to consider when it comes to buying a new mattress topper. Here’s the lowdown.

1. What thickness mattress topper should I get?

Consider how thick you’d like your mattress topper to be. Do you want the thickest mattress topper you can find (usually up to two inches)? Perhaps, but if your bed is already comfy AF and you just want a subtle upgrade, something thinner might be preferable. 

Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper from Amazon has an impressive thickness. Luckily, most mattress toppers now come with trial periods or a year warranty, so you can see whether they *actually* serve up a good night’s sleep – and return it if not.

2. How much support will this mattress topper give me?

If you suffer from joint pain or have overdone it at the gym, opt for a medium-firm mattress topper that serves up more support. We’d recommend Soak & Sleep’s down alternative mattress topper.

For even better joint support, make a beeline for memory foam (or even gel memory foam) mattress toppers which will go one step further in reducing those aches and pains and helping you get to sleep quicker. We recommend the Eve Sleep mattress topper which is an affordable alternative to buying a traditional memory foam mattress.

3. Does this mattress topper offer temperature regulation?

Hot sleepers should opt for a mattress topper with temperature regulating and cooling properties. This will reduce body heat and night sweats, and in turn keep you comfy and fresh. Whatever the season. 

The Slumberdown Airstream Memory Fibre Mattress Topper is made from a cooler alternative to memory foam which contains breathable fibres to allow air to flow freely, while the Sleepeezee Seasonal Mattress Topper has a cool-touch finish to one side that’ll keep skin 1.3C lower than standard fabric.

4. Is this mattress topper easy to care for?

Check the care label of your mattress topper before buying – because some can’t actually be washed. You’ll want something which can be washed in its entirety, or something with a removable washable cover. That way, you can bung it in the washing machine with your fitted sheet and duvet cover, and not have to worry about a sub-par sleeping surface. We’d recommend the M&S Supremely Washable Mattress Topper, which is actually one of the most popular mattress toppers in this edit.

What is the best mattress topper on the market at a glance?

• Best mattress topper for back pain = The Mattress Topper, £199, Eve Sleep
• Best mattress topper for side sleepers = Memory Foam Mattress Topper, from £85, Soak & Sleep
• Best mattress topper Amazon = Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper, £35.99, Amazon
• Best memory foam mattress topper = Panda The Topper Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress Topper, £126, Amazon
• Best down mattress topper = Classic Mattress Topper, £100, The White Company
• Best affordable mattress topper = Slumberdown Airstream Memory Fibre Mattress Topper, £85, Argos

After more sleep content? Let’s start with the basics: head this way for the best bed frames to transform your bedroom, and in this direction for the best mattresses for your best night’s sleep yet. Next up: over here for duvets, bed sheets, weighted blankets, body pillows, cooling pillows, anti-allergy pillows and memory foam pillows. Finish things off with the best duvet covers, blankets, linen bedding, silk bedding or the best silk pillowcase. Phew.

For more from our Commerce Writer Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.

Which is the best mattress topper UK? Keep scrolling to shop our full edit of the best mattress toppers.