Other King Beds We Researched and Tested
As you can imagine, there are a ton of king size mattresses out there, and we only have so many spots on our list. Here are a few mattresses we often recommend but didn’t quite make the cut this time:
- Birch – The Birch Natural mattress by Helix is the brand’s eco-friendly, sustainable option. This latex hybrid has great bounce and comes with a bunch of certifications proving its green credentials. It’s usually our top pick for the best organic mattress, but that category didn’t make it onto this list.
- Silk & Snow Hybrid – This hybrid mattress from Canadian brand Silk & Snow gives you everything you want in a mattress at a fraction of the price, without sacrificing quality (or cooling, which is where the name comes in). It didn’t make the list, but it’s a standout on our best mattresses under $1,000 list.
- Bear Original – We already have a Bear mattress on the list, but if you’re after more memory foam, consider the Elite’s more affordable all-foam cousin. This firm foam mattress also has the optional Celliant cover and excels at support and motion transfer, making it a great choice for couples.
How We Tested the Best King-Size Mattresses
When we test mattresses, we dive into a ton of performance categories and even go as far as cutting open a mattress to see exactly what’s inside. For king mattresses, we focused on a few key scoring areas that we thought would matter most to shoppers in this category.
Motion Isolation
Since king mattresses are often the go-to for couples, it’s important to consider whether or not a mattress transfers motion. If your partner’s movements on their side of the bed have ever disturbed you on yours, you’ve experienced motion transfer. This can make it tough to stay asleep when your partner shifts around or gets up during the night. Typically, mattresses with thick memory foam are excellent at isolating motion, but some coil mattresses do a good job at this too.
Our Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Raj Dasupta, a quadruple-board certified physician specializing in sleep science, explains that "a bed’s ability to isolate motion is directly tied to its material quality, construction, and overall comfort. A mattress with good motion isolation can help you sleep undisturbed, even with a partner, leading to a more peaceful sleep environment."
Edge Support
Edge support is important for a variety of reasons. Whether you like to spread out, sleep on the edge, or even sit on the edge of your bed to tie your shoes, it makes a difference. It’s also key for people with mobility concerns or anyone who has trouble getting in and out of bed. For king mattress shoppers, many of these factors might be especially relevant. The strength of a mattress’s perimeter can also be a sign of its overall quality and durability.
To test edge support, we actually measure how much the perimeter of each mattress sags when different testers sit or lie on it, using a ruler or tape measure. The more it sags, the lower the score it gets in this category. We’ll also compare how “secure” we feel while sitting or lying near the edge—basically, whether we feel like we might fall off.
Response
Response is a mattress-testing term that essentially refers to how bouncy a mattress is. A responsive mattress is useful for more than just jumping on the bed. If you tend to switch positions while you sleep, a mattress with poor response could make it harder to move around on a soft surface. The same goes for sexually active folks.
To test response, I press into the top of the mattress and see how long it takes for the surface to “bounce back.” The faster it returns, the higher the response score. Our testers also move around on the bed and share how easy or difficult it feels to shift positions.
Durability
Since king-size mattresses are usually a big investment, most people want to make sure they last a long time. That’s why it’s important to look for a mattress made with high-quality, durable materials, like sturdy coils, long-lasting latex, and/or high-density foams.
Dr. Raj Dasgupta highlights some key signs of a durable mattress: "Beyond high-quality, well-performing materials, it’s important to consider the brand’s policies and customer reviews. Regular maintenance of your mattress is also essential." This can include things like choosing the right bed frame and rotating your mattress every month.
To determine a durability score, we assess the mattress's construction and the quality of its materials (including any certifications, like CertiPUR-US for foams), along with our overall impressions based on how the bed looks and feels. For some durable options, check out our list of the best mattresses that won’t sag.
What Else Is Important When Buying a King Mattress?
"Besides the stuff we talked about earlier, there’s a ton of other things that can mess with your decision when you're picking out a new mattress. If you're still feeling kinda lost with all the options, here’s some more stuff to think about to help you make your decision when shopping for a mattress online."
Sleeping Position
How you sleep can totally affect what kind of mattress you should get. If you sleep on your back, picking a bed might be the easiest: usually, a mix of support and pressure relief works best (like a medium-firm mattress). If you're a side sleeper, you'll probably need something softer that helps relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips. Stomach sleepers might need something extra supportive to keep their midsection lifted.
If you switch positions a lot, you’ll want a mattress that keeps you comfy and supported no matter how you sleep. It could help to get a surface that’s responsive so you can change positions easily.
Body Type
Your weight and height can totally affect what mattress works best for you. Dr. Raj Dasgupta pointed out that "firmness will feel different depending on how much you weigh. Lighter folks will probably think a mattress is firmer than those who weigh more."
So, based on that, here’s a general breakdown for each weight group:
- Heavyweight sleepers (over 230 lbs): These people might do best on a firmer mattress to keep from sinking too much and get better support.
- Average-weight sleepers (130 lbs to 230 lbs): These folks have the most options. They can go for anything from soft to medium or medium to firm, depending on how they like to sleep.
- Lightweight sleepers (under 130 lbs): Lighter sleepers might like a softer bed that lets them sink in a little more comfortably.
You might also want to think about your height. For example, taller people might prefer the extra length of a California king.
Support
You probably hear a lot about mattresses with "good support," but what does that actually mean? According to Dr. Raj Dasgupta, "A mattress that gives you the best support usually has materials that contour and respond in its layers, plus it's designed in zones to keep your spine aligned properly." Proper spine alignment means keeping your spine in its natural position, which is typically a gentle S-shape, when you’re lying down. You want a mattress that helps you stay in that comfy position, instead of messing it up by being too firm or too soft. We test mattresses in all different sleeping positions to make sure the spine stays aligned in each one, based on our own experience and how comfy we feel.
Pressure Relief
A mattress can't just be supportive—it also needs to relieve pressure. A mattress that's too firm can keep you in the right position, but it might also create pressure in spots where your body digs into the mattress. We usually see this with side sleepers, especially around the hips and shoulders.
If you want a mattress that does a good job of relieving pressure, Dr. Raj Dasgupta suggests going for "medium-soft to medium-firm mattresses, with high-quality materials like latex or foam, which are known for helping with pressure points.
Cooling
If you’re someone who sleeps hot, or you tend to overheat when sharing the bed, make sure to pick a king mattress that stays cool. In general, all-foam mattresses tend to sleep hotter than innerspring, latex, and hybrid ones. Some mattresses are specifically designed to keep you cool, while others don’t really focus on that.
We put every mattress we check out through a tough thermal test using a thermal camera to measure how well it holds onto heat. With this gadget, we can see how good each mattress is at trapping heat or letting it go. We’ll check the mattress temperature before and after lying on it for five minutes to see how much it goes up, and then we give it a score based on that. You can read more about it in our roundup of the best cooling mattresses.
Bedroom Size
One thing you might not think about when shopping for a mattress is how much room it’s actually going to take up. I’d recommend measuring your space before settling on a king-size mattress. You want to make sure that a king (76″ x 80″) will fit comfortably in your room. Don’t forget to think about the other furniture you’ve got in there that’ll need to fit around your bed. The last thing you want is to buy a king mattress and then realize it doesn’t fit the space you’ve got.
Price
Price is definitely something to keep in mind, no matter what size mattress you’re buying. Know your budget before you start shopping so you don’t fall in love with a mattress and then find out it’s way out of your price range. A lot of mattresses list their prices starting with the smaller sizes, so make sure to pick "king" when you’re shopping.
Most king-size mattresses run around $2,000, which makes sense considering the size. For reference, the average price of the mattresses on this list is about $2,141. So anything around that price (or less) is pretty reasonable. Keep in mind that some high-end mattress brands might charge more for premium quality and features, but it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth that extra splurge.
Types of King Sizes
When people think of a king-size bed, they usually picture a... really big bed. But there are actually a few different types of king mattresses out there. Here’s a quick rundown of the different king-size options:
