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If you’re looking for the biggest mattress out there, a California king will have you sleeping like royalty.

To help you find the most royal bed, I personally tested hundreds of mattresses and put together a list of the best California kings. Keep reading to find out more about each mattress’s firmness, feel, construction, price, and more.

Our Verdict: What’s the Best California King Mattress?

The Helix Midnight Luxe is the top California king mattress, thanks to its top-notch construction and awesome cooling features.

Best California King Mattresses: Our Top Picks

Compare the Best California King Mattresses

Rating
4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Material
Hybrid
Cooling
Best For
Side Sleepers,Back Sleepers,Stomach Sleepers
Rating
4.4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Material
Foam
Cooling
Best For
Side Sleepers,Back Sleepers,Stomach Sleepers
Rating
4.1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Material
Hybrid
Cooling
Best For
Side Sleepers,Back Sleepers,Stomach Sleepers
Rating
4.6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Material
Hybrid
Cooling
Best For
Side Sleepers,Back Sleepers,Hip Pain Sleepers
Rating
4.6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Material
Innerspring
Cooling
Best For
Back Sleepers,Stomach Sleepers,Hot Sleepers
Rating
4.1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Firmness
Firm: 8/10
Material
Foam
Cooling
Best For
Back Sleepers,Stomach Sleepers,Back Pain

How We Chose Our Top Picks

Our team of sleep experts has tested over 150 mattresses, using our own methods and hands-on testing to give you easy-to-understand scores. Besides the overall score, we also break down subscores for things like support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.

For this list of the best California king mattresses, we picked out beds that cover a range of firmness levels, mattress types, and prices. All of these mattresses come in a California king size and scored well in our overall testing.

Best California King Beds, Tested by Experts

Best Cooling California King Mattress – Helix Midnight Luxe

Best Cooling Mattress
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.5
Helix

Helix Mattress

Medium-Firm Feel Motion Isolation Breathability
Hybrid mattress
100-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best California King Memory Foam Mattress – Nectar Classic

Best Memory Foam Mattress
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.4
Nectar

Nectar Classic Mattress

Medium-Firm Feel Motion Isolation Pressure Relief
Foam mattress
365-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best for Side Sleepers – DreamCloud Premier

Best Mattress for Side Sleepers
Dweva Mattress Score We evaluate every mattress using a 1-to-5 rating scale to represent its overall quality. This final score is based on individual ratings from our hands-on testing, which assesses factors like materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.6
DreamCloud

DreamCloud Mattress

Medium-Firm Feel Cooling Plush Pillow Top
Hybrid mattress
365-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best California King Mattress for Back Pain – The WinkBed

Best Mattress for Back Pain
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.1
WinkBeds

WinkBeds Mattress

Multiple Firmnesses Zoned Support Breathable
Hybrid mattress
120-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best California King Mattress in a Box – Nolah Evolution

Best Mattress in a Box
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.6
Nolah

Nolah Mattress

Multiple Firmnesses Cooling Motion Isolation
Hybrid mattress
120-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best California King Mattress for Couples – Bear Original

Best Mattress for Couples
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.2
Bear

Bear Mattress

Medium-Firm Feel Affordable Lifetime Warranty
Foam mattress
120-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best California King for Back Sleepers – Saatva Classic

Best Mattress for Back Sleepers
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.6
Saatva

Saatva Mattress

Multiplem Firmnesses Durable Responsive
Hybrid mattress
365-night sleep trial
Free white glove delivery

Best Affordable California King Mattress – Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid

Best Affordable Mattress
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.3
Brooklyn Bedding

Brooklyn Bedding Mattress

Multiple Firmnesses Affordable Responsive
Hybrid mattress
120-night trial period
Free shipping

Best California King for Heavyweight People – Titan Plus

Best Mattress for Heavy People
Dweva Mattress Score We evaluate every mattress using a 1-to-5 rating scale to represent its overall quality. This final score is based on individual ratings from our hands-on testing, which assesses factors like materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.3
Brooklyn Bedding

Titan Plus

Firm Feel Supportive Breathable
Hybrid mattress
120-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Best Firm California King Mattress – Plank Firm

Best Firm Mattress
Dweva Mattress Score We rate each mattress on a scale from 1 to 5 to reflect its overall quality. This number is comprised of individual scores from hands-on testing of materials, firmness, pressure relief, motion transfer, cooling, responsiveness, and more. 4.1
Brooklyn Bedding

Plank Mattress

Firm Feel Flippable Supportive
Foam mattress
120-night sleep trial
Free shipping

Who Should Buy a California King Mattress?

Is a California king mattress right for you? Here are a few types of sleepers who should consider one:

  • People with a spacious bedroom. Let’s be real—California king mattresses are huge and take up a lot of space. If you’ve got a big master bedroom with plenty of room to spare, a California king is a great pick. Just keep in mind that they’re 84” long, so your room needs to be long enough to fit it.
  • Taller people. I’m 6’7”, and I personally sleep on a California king. Even a regular king isn’t long enough for someone my height. It’s no fun having your feet hanging off the bed, and a California king gives you all the extra length you need.
  • Couples. If you sleep with a partner, a California king is a solid choice. You get 72” of width, which is way wider than a 60” queen. That gives both sleepers a lot more room. Plus, if either of you is on the taller side, the extra length is definitely a bonus.

California King vs King Mattress

Queen mattresses are super popular, but they’re smaller than California king mattresses. A standard queen is 60” wide and 80” long. Compared to a 72” x 84” California king, a queen mattress is both narrower and shorter. The upside is that queen mattresses are usually cheaper than California kings.

A queen mattress is a better choice if you’ve got a smaller bedroom. If your room isn’t too long or wide, a queen can fit those tighter spaces. But if you’ve got more room to work with, a California king might be the better fit. A big master bedroom will probably look better with a larger California king.

Queen mattresses work well for smaller couples, but if you’re a larger or taller couple, a California king is the way to go. If you’re a smaller couple, though, you can save some cash by going with a queen.

Best California King Mattress FAQs