The Best Cooling Mattresses for Hot Sleepers (2026)
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 23, 2026.
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If you wake up at 3 a.m. with the duvet kicked off and your side of the bed feeling like a heating pad, the mattress is often part of the problem. Dense foam that hugs you also holds heat against you. The good news is that cooling isn’t a marketing gimmick when it’s built into the structure of the bed: open coil cores, latex, wool, and comfort layers with real airflow measurably move heat away from your body. The bad news is that nearly every brand now puts “cool” on the label, whether the bed earns it or not.
This guide answers one question: which luxury mattress will actually keep a hot sleeper cool all night, not just for the first five minutes? We compared the published cooling results from independent testers who measure heat rather than just describing it, including RTINGS, NapLab, Forbes Vetted and AARP’s tester panel, then cross-checked materials, firmness options, trials and warranties on each brand’s own site. We haven’t slept on every bed below ourselves, so where we quote a test result we tell you whose it is.
The short answer: if cooling is your single biggest priority, the Purple RestorePlus Hybrid posted the strongest heat-transfer numbers we found. If you want a more conventional luxury feel with excellent cooling, look at the WinkBed, the Saatva Classic or the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling. If you love the hug of memory foam but sleep hot, the Casper Snow is the exception that proves the rule.
Our picks at a glance
| Mattress | Type | Firmness options | Why it sleeps cool | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple RestorePlus Hybrid | Hybrid (GelFlex grid) | Single model, medium | Open grid comfort layer over coils | Hottest sleepers |
| WinkBed | Hybrid (pocketed coils) | Several (soft to firm) | Coil core, breathable cover | Couples, back sleepers |
| Saatva Classic | Coil-on-coil innerspring | Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, Firm | Two coil layers, cotton cover | Traditional hotel feel |
| Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling | Hybrid | Soft, medium, firm | Cool-to-touch cover plus cooling layers | Combination sleepers |
| Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid | Hybrid | Plush, medium firm, firm | Cooling cover, phase-change material | Side sleepers with aches |
| Casper Snow | Foam-forward hybrid | Medium | Heat-conducting bands in the foam | Memory foam lovers |
| Avocado Green | Latex hybrid | Medium, firm, plush options | Latex and wool, natural airflow | Natural-materials shoppers |
How to choose a cooling mattress
Before the picks, it helps to know what actually cools you. Every independent tester we read lands in roughly the same place, and it’s worth understanding so you can judge models we don’t list.
1. Construction matters more than gel
Air moves through coils. A hybrid or innerspring with a pocketed-coil core almost always sleeps cooler than an all-foam bed of similar feel, simply because there’s somewhere for warm air to go. RTINGS notes that memory foam is usually the warmest material, whether it appears in an all-foam, hybrid or innerspring design, because its density and close contouring limit airflow. Gel beads and graphite infusions help at the margins, but they don’t overcome a thick slab of dense foam.
2. Look for latex, wool and open structures
Latex has an open-cell structure and doesn’t wrap around you as tightly, so it tends to feel cooler. Wool wicks moisture, which is half the battle for anyone who sweats at night. Purple’s grid takes a different route: the comfort layer is literally full of air channels.
3. Cool to the touch is not the same as cool all night
Phase-change fabrics feel cold when you first lie down, then warm up as they absorb heat. Forbes Vetted made exactly this point about the Aurora Luxe: its cover has a real cool-to-the-touch sensation, but it doesn’t stay cool to the touch all night, even though the mattress regulates temperature well overall. The tests worth paying attention to measure heat over hours, not seconds. RTINGS, for example, reports energy transferred over the first hour and over eight hours.
4. Firmness affects heat too
The deeper you sink, the more of your body is surrounded by material. A softer bed can feel warmer even with the same materials. If you sleep hot and you’re a back or stomach sleeper, a medium-firm feel will usually be cooler and more supportive. Side sleepers need enough give at the shoulder and hip, which is why the best cooling beds for side sleepers use zoned coils or springy latex instead of deep foam.
5. Don’t forget the bedding
A cooling mattress under a polyester mattress protector and microfiber sheets won’t feel cool. Pair it with breathable percale or linen sheets and a lighter duvet; our duvet cover guide covers the fabrics that breathe best.
The best cooling mattresses
1. Purple RestorePlus Hybrid: the strongest measured cooling
Best for: the hottest sleepers who have tried everything else, and side sleepers of average or heavier weight.
In RTINGS’ testing, the RestorePlus Hybrid was the best cooling mattress they had measured, with 121 kJ of energy transferred over the first hour and 318 kJ over eight hours. Those were the highest figures on their cooling list, and the eight-hour number in particular is well ahead of the other picks. The reason is the Purple GelFlex grid on top: a stretchy polymer lattice full of open channels that sits over a coil core.
It’s bouncy and responsive rather than sinking, and RTINGS found its edges solid and its motion isolation good enough for couples. The trade-off is feel. You can sense the grid through the cover, which some people love and others never get used to, and lighter side sleepers may not press into it deeply enough to get full pressure relief. If you can, try a Purple in a showroom before you commit.
Pros
- Best cooling results of any bed in RTINGS’ published list
- Responsive, easy to change positions
- Good edge support
Cons
- Grid feel is distinctive and not for everyone
- Less pressure relief for lighter side sleepers
- Heavy, like most hybrids
2. WinkBed: the best all-round luxury hybrid for hot sleepers
Best for: couples, back sleepers and anyone who wants a classic, supportive feel with cooling built in.
NapLab named the WinkBed its top cooling pick and gave it a 10 out of 10 cooling score, alongside the highest overall score of the 470-plus mattresses it has tested. It’s a pocketed-coil hybrid with a supportive, lifted feel, offered in several firmness levels, which makes it one of the easier beds to match to your body and sleeping position. NapLab listed it at $1,799 at the time of its update; check the current price because WinkBed runs frequent promotions.
If you’re also weighing Saatva, we’ve done a detailed Saatva vs WinkBed comparison that goes deeper on feel, delivery and warranty.
Pros
- Top cooling score in NapLab’s testing
- Multiple firmness levels
- Strong support and edge feel
Cons
- Not the softest option for very light side sleepers
- Online-first, so few chances to try it in person
3. Saatva Classic: the hotel-bed feel, without the heat
Best for: people who want a traditional innerspring with a pillow top, and anyone replacing an old luxury mattress from a department store.
The Saatva Classic uses two layers of coils, which leaves a lot of room for air to circulate, and an organic cotton cover. NapLab scored it 10 out of 10 for cooling and ranked it second overall on its cooling list. It comes in Plush Soft, Luxury Firm and Firm, and in two heights. Saatva includes white-glove delivery and old-mattress removal, a real perk with a heavy bed.
Its feel is buoyant and on top of the bed rather than in it, which is exactly what most hot sleepers want. If you prefer the slow sink of memory foam, this isn’t it.
Pros
- Coil-on-coil design breathes very well
- Three firmness levels and two heights
- White-glove delivery included
Cons
- Bouncy innerspring feel isn’t for foam lovers
- Pillow top style won’t suit people who want a slim, modern look
4. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Cooling: best for combination sleepers
Best for: combination sleepers and couples who want cooling and a choice of firmness.
Forbes Vetted named the Aurora Luxe Cooling its best cooling mattress overall after a panel of 30 testers, many of them very hot sleepers, compared top-rated beds. It’s a hybrid offered in soft, medium and firm, with a 120-night trial and a lifetime warranty according to Forbes’ spec summary. AARP’s older-adult tester panel also included it, as its best pick for combination sleepers.
As noted above, the cover is genuinely cold when you lie down but doesn’t stay that way all night. Forbes still found it regulated temperature through the night, which is the part that matters.
Pros
- Picked as best cooling bed by Forbes’ tester panel
- Three firmness options
- Good edge support and responsiveness for couples
Cons
- Cool-to-touch effect fades over the night
- Not the deep, sinking feel of all-foam beds
5. Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid: best for side sleepers with aches
Best for: side sleepers and people with back or shoulder pain who also run hot.
AARP’s testers, all aged 45 and over, named the Sapira Chill Hybrid their best cooling mattress overall. It earned a perfect score in their cooling test, in which a heating pad is applied to the surface and the temperature change measured; it retained only 7.9 degrees of heat. It pairs zoned, individually wrapped coils with a quilted cooling cover that uses phase-change material, and comes in plush, medium firm or firm.
AARP’s testers rated its pressure relief and spinal alignment highly in every position. The weak spots they flagged were fair motion isolation and average edge support, so very restless partners may notice each other.
Pros
- Excellent pressure relief and zoned support
- Perfect score in AARP’s cooling test
- Three firmness options
Cons
- Only fair motion isolation
- Average edge support
6. Casper Snow: the memory foam bed for hot sleepers
Best for: people who love the enveloping hug of memory foam but have given up on it because of heat.
Memory foam usually means heat, which makes the Snow unusual. RTINGS found its cooling excellent for a foam-forward bed, helped by heat-conducting aluminum-graphite bands they could see when they cut the mattress open. It scored 8.9 for cooling in their testing and, thanks to its plush contouring, did better than the Purple for lighter side sleepers.
Two caveats from RTINGS: some people will feel constricted by the slow-moving comfort layers, and they rated its foam quality lower for longevity than the Purple, so it may show wear sooner. Read Casper’s warranty terms carefully.
Pros
- Rare memory foam feel with strong cooling
- Excellent pressure relief, including for lighter people
- Works for back and stomach sleepers too
Cons
- Slow foam can feel like being stuck in place
- Lower longevity score than the top pick
7. Avocado Green: the natural latex option
Best for: shoppers who want certified natural materials and a springy, cool latex feel.
The Avocado Green is a latex hybrid with wool and organic cotton. It doesn’t rely on special cooling technology; latex and wool simply breathe well. RTINGS gave it a 9.0 cooling score and the highest longevity score among its cooling picks, noting that good-quality latex resists impressions over time. They tested the firm version, and Avocado also offers medium and plush options, plus add-on toppers if you need more cushioning.
Latex has a lively, pushing-back feel that is very different from memory foam. It’s also heavy, so plan for two people when moving it.
Pros
- Natural latex and wool breathe without gimmicks
- Excellent durability in RTINGS’ assessment
- Several firmness options
Cons
- Firm version may be too firm for lighter side sleepers
- Heavy and expensive at larger sizes
Who should skip a cooling mattress
If you only overheat for a few weeks in summer, a new mattress is an expensive fix. A breathable mattress topper, percale sheets, a lighter duvet and a cooler bedroom may solve it for far less. If night sweats are new or severe, talk to your doctor; they can be a symptom worth checking, and no mattress fixes a medical cause.
And if your current bed is less than five years old and still supportive, upgrade the layers on top first. Our guide to the best luxury pillows includes breathable latex and down-alternative options that make a noticeable difference for hot sleepers.
Buying tips: trials, timing and returns
- Use the trial. Most online brands give you 100 nights or more. Your body needs two to four weeks to adjust to a new bed, so don’t decide in the first week.
- Read the return terms. Some brands charge a return or pickup fee, and some require you to keep the bed for a minimum period before returning it.
- Check the foundation. A solid platform can trap heat under a hybrid. Slatted bases with reasonable spacing breathe better, but follow the brand’s warranty rules on slat spacing.
- Shop the sales. Mattress prices are rarely full price for long. Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November 27 and 30, 2026) usually bring some of the biggest discounts of the year.
- Buy a breathable protector. A vinyl-backed protector can undo a lot of the cooling you paid for. Look for cotton or Tencel-faced options.
FAQ
What type of mattress sleeps coolest?
In independent testing, hybrids and innersprings with a coil core generally sleep coolest, along with latex hybrids. All-foam memory foam beds are usually the warmest, with a few exceptions such as the Casper Snow, which uses heat-conducting bands.
Do cooling covers really work?
They help you feel cool when you first lie down, but most phase-change covers warm up over time. Choose a bed whose construction breathes, and treat a cooling cover as a bonus.
Is a firm or soft mattress cooler?
Usually firmer. You sink less, so less of your body is surrounded by material. That said, choose firmness based on your sleeping position first.
Which mattress is best for a hot sleeper with back pain?
Look for zoned support and a medium-firm feel. The Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid and Saatva Classic are strong options; our best luxury mattresses guide covers more choices for support.
How long do cooling mattresses last?
It depends on materials more than cooling features. Latex and quality coils tend to last longest. Lower-density foams tend to soften sooner. Check the warranty length and what it covers, such as the depth of sagging it treats as a defect.
The bottom line
For pure cooling, the Purple RestorePlus Hybrid has the best measured results. For most hot sleepers who want a luxurious, familiar feel, the WinkBed or Saatva Classic is the safer choice. If you’re set on memory foam, the Casper Snow is the one to try. Whatever you pick, use the trial period, and dress the bed in breathable layers so the mattress can do its job.
Related LifetimeLuxury guides
- The best luxury mattresses
- Saatva vs WinkBed
- The best luxury bed sheets
- The best luxury pillows
- Luxury mattress brands worth knowing
- Hybrid vs memory foam: which to buy
- Duvet inserts for hot sleepers
- The best white noise machines
- The best pillows for side sleepers
- The best mattresses for side sleepers
