Our top cooling mattress is the Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance Elite: 9.9/10 for cooling and 9.5/10 overall, so it is a genuinely good bed rather than a thermal specialist that compromises everywhere else. That cooling score is a research evaluation of its published construction — we have not run it through our physical thermal protocol. The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LUXEbreeze° is the strongest alternative at 9.8/10 cooling (research evaluated) and $4,999 Queen.
How cool a mattress sleeps comes down to construction, not marketing: airflow through a coil unit, how much heat the comfort foam holds, phase-change and heat-conductive covers, and how deeply you sink into the surface. Every mattress below is a mattress — powered bed-climate covers are listed separately.
One award per mattress, each decided by the canonical scores. These are all mattresses — powered climate systems are awarded separately in the active-cooling section.
Tops our combined measure of cooling (9.9/10) and overall mattress quality (9.5/10) — the best bed on this list that also happens to be the coolest.
Highest cooling score among the coil and latex hybrid builds here (9.8/10), where open space between pocketed coils moves air through the core.
The all-foam exception: 9.8/10 for cooling despite a memory-foam comfort layer, which is not the norm for the material.
Pairs 9.7/10 cooling with 9.6/10 pressure relief at a 5.0/10 firmness — cool without giving up shoulder and hip cushioning.
Motion isolation 9.8/10 and edge support 8.9/10 alongside 9.7/10 cooling — two bodies generate more heat and more movement.
The most cooling per dollar here — 9.7/10 at $1,374 Queen.
The highest-scoring cooling mattress above our mainstream price ceiling — 9.9/10 cooling and 9.7/10 overall at $36,000 Queen. It is held out of the main ranking because of price, not performance.
Smart Foam · 11 inches · cooling 9.9/10 · $2,795. Powered temperature control sits in a different product category from the mattresses above; see the active-cooling section for the full set.
Mattresses only — powered bed-climate systems are a different product category and are listed separately below. All scores use our 1–10 scale.
Lab tested means the model completed our physical thermal protocol and has a measured temperature rise. Research evaluated means the cooling score comes from the published construction and materials, with no temperature measured by us.
| Mattress | Evidence | Best For | Type | Firmness | Cooling | Motion Isolation | Edge Support | Queen Price | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance Elite | Research evaluated | Mattress | Hybrid | Medium (6.0/10) | 9.9/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.2/10 | $1,749 | 120 nights |
| Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LUXEbreeze° | Research evaluated | Memory Foam Mattress | Memory Foam | Medium Soft (5.0/10) | 9.8/10 | 9.9/10 | 9.0/10 | $4,999 | 90 nights |
| Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance | Research evaluated | Hybrid | Hybrid | Medium (6.0/10) | 9.8/10 | 9.1/10 | 9.0/10 | $1,282 | 120 nights |
| Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance LX | Research evaluated | Value | Latex | Medium (6.0/10) | 9.7/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | $1,374 | 120 nights |
| Technogel Favola 3.0 | Research evaluated | Side Sleepers | Hybrid | Medium Soft (5.0/10) | 9.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 8.9/10 | $3,775 | 90 nights |
| Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-breeze° | Research evaluated | Couples | Memory Foam | Medium Soft (5.0/10) | 9.7/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.9/10 | $3,999 | 90 nights |
| Purple Hybrid Premier | Lab tested | Hot sleepers who need cooling | Hybrid | Medium Soft (5.0/10) | 9.8/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.9/10 | $1,999 | 100 nights |
| Casper Snow Max Hybrid | Research evaluated | Hot sleepers with back pain | Hybrid | Medium Soft (4.5/10) | 9.7/10 | 8.9/10 | 9.1/10 | $2,884 | 100 nights |
These are two different products solving the same complaint, and confusing them is the most common mistake hot sleepers make when shopping.
The mattress has no power supply. It slows heat building up around you through airflow between pocketed coils, breathable open-cell foam or latex, phase-change and heat-conductive cover fabrics, and a surface that does not envelop you completely. A passive mattress cannot make you cooler than the room; it can stop the bed becoming much warmer than the room.
A powered device circulates chilled water or forced air through a cover, or a smart bed does it internally. Because it removes heat rather than merely avoiding it, it can set the surface below room temperature and hold it there, often per side of the bed. The tradeoffs are cost, a unit beside the bed, electricity, noise and in some cases a subscription.
If a genuinely cool mattress has not been enough for you before, an active system is usually the more effective answer — see the active cooling systems below.
A mattress does not create cold. It either lets the heat you produce escape, or it holds it against you. Four parts of the build decide which — and none of them is the word "cooling" on the label.
A pocketed-coil core is mostly open space, so warm air moves sideways and out instead of collecting under the sleeper. It is the single biggest structural reason hybrids and innersprings usually measure cooler than all-foam beds.
Structural, not a coatingDense traditional memory foam conforms closely and conducts heat poorly, so it warms up and stays warm. Open-cell foams and latex trap less air against the body and rebound rather than holding an impression.
Where most heat is retainedPCM absorbs heat as it changes state, which makes the surface feel cool to the touch on contact and buffers the first part of the night. It has a finite capacity — useful, but not a climate control system.
Surface feel and early-night bufferA tightly woven quilted panel over thick foam insulates; a thin breathable knit over a shallower comfort layer does not. How far you sink matters too — the more of you the mattress surrounds, the less surface is left to shed heat.
Construction beats marketing termsWhat physically moves heat away in each build, who it suits, and where it gives something up.
A medium 6.0/10 hybrid build, 14.5 inches, scoring 9.9/10 for cooling. The coil unit leaves open space through the middle of the mattress, so body heat has somewhere to go instead of collecting under you — the structural reason coil beds tend to run cooler than solid foam.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance Elite is the flagship of the ThermoBalance collection, adding HD 5.0 memory foam, zoned lumbar support, and upgraded 8-inch Ascension Max coils to the already impressive cooling system. With 11 meticulously engineered layers including ThermoCool cover, ThermoPhase foam, and copper-infused HD 4.0 memory foam, this is Brooklyn Bedding's most advanced cooling mattress ever. Available in soft, medium, and firm, the Elite is designed for sleepers who want zero compromises on both cooling and comfort.
A medium 6.0/10 hybrid build, 14 inches, scoring 9.8/10 for cooling. The coil unit leaves open space through the middle of the mattress, so body heat has somewhere to go instead of collecting under you — the structural reason coil beds tend to run cooler than solid foam.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance is the brand's flagship cooling mattress, featuring their proprietary ThermoCool cover and ThermoPhase change material that actively absorbs and releases heat to maintain an ideal sleep temperature. Built with HD 4.0 copper-infused memory foam over individually pocketed Ascension coils, it delivers exceptional pressure relief while sleeping noticeably cooler than competitors. This is one of the best cooling mattresses we've tested, and Brooklyn Bedding's factory-direct model keeps the price competitive for a luxury hybrid.
A medium soft 5.0/10 memory foam build, 13 inches, scoring 9.8/10 for cooling. Memory foam is the material most likely to hold heat, so a score this high depends on the comfort layer being engineered against that — open-cell structure, perforation or a heat-conductive cover rather than a solid dense slab.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The TEMPUR-LUXEbreeze° is the pinnacle of Tempur-Pedic's cooling technology. A three-phase system — from the cool-to-touch cover through deep ventilated TEMPUR material — delivers up to 8° cooler sleep. If you love memory foam but hate sleeping hot, this is the endgame.
A medium soft 5.0/10 hybrid build, 11 inches, scoring 9.7/10 for cooling. The coil unit leaves open space through the middle of the mattress, so body heat has somewhere to go instead of collecting under you — the structural reason coil beds tend to run cooler than solid foam.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The Technogel Favola 3.0 combines water-based gel technology with natural latex for a plush, cloud-like feel that stays remarkably cool. This is Technogel's softer offering, ideal for side sleepers and those who want pressure relief without heat buildup.
A medium soft 5.0/10 memory foam build, 13 inches, scoring 9.7/10 for cooling. Memory foam is the material most likely to hold heat, so a score this high depends on the comfort layer being engineered against that — open-cell structure, perforation or a heat-conductive cover rather than a solid dense slab.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The TEMPUR-breeze° takes Tempur-Pedic's legendary conforming comfort and solves its biggest weakness: heat. A three-phase cooling system dissipates heat from the moment you lie down through the entire night.
A medium 6.0/10 latex build, 13.5 inches, scoring 9.7/10 for cooling. Latex is pin-cored and springs back rather than holding a body impression, so less of you is enclosed by material and more of the surface stays exposed to air.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance LX combines the collection's signature ThermoCool and ThermoPhase cooling technology with naturally breathable Talalay latex for a uniquely responsive, cool-sleeping experience. Where the standard ThermoBalance uses all-foam comfort layers, the LX swaps in Talalay latex for a bouncier, more responsive feel that also happens to be one of the most durable materials in the mattress industry. It's ideal for sleepers who want cooling tech but prefer the springy, lifted feel of latex over the slow hug of memory foam.
A medium 6.0/10 innerspring build, 18 inches (with topper), scoring 9.9/10 for cooling. The coil unit leaves open space through the middle of the mattress, so body heat has somewhere to go instead of collecting under you — the structural reason coil beds tend to run cooler than solid foam.
This model has not completed our physical thermal protocol, so its cooling score comes from a research evaluation of the published construction rather than a temperature we measured.
The 2000T is the bed Hästens built its modern reputation on: a three-part system of base frame, mattress, and topper, all constructed around the material Hästens has used since 1852 — hand-teased horsehair. Horsehair acts like millions of tiny natural springs and moves moisture away from the sleeper better than any foam or down fill we have tested, which is why the 2000T sleeps cooler than beds with active cooling systems costing a tenth as much. The comfort story is the hand-laid layering: cotton and wool batting are cross-stitched in alternating directions around a pocket-spring core, so the surface gives gently at the shoulder while the midsection stays level. The catch is purchase process and price. Hästens is sold through its own stores and sleep spas, starting around $28,000 for the base 2000T setup in Queen and climbing past $45,000 with the signature topper and accessories — and there is no online checkout or home trial. This is a buy-forever bed; Hästens beds routinely stay in service for 25 years or more.
The thermal test is simple on purpose. A sensor sits at the sleeping surface under a weighted body load in a room held at 68°F, and we record how far the surface temperature climbs over an hour. The number reported is the rise, not the temperature, so lower is better: a bed that gains 2.1°F is shedding heat well, one that gains 3.8°F is holding it. Across every mattress we have run, results land between roughly 2°F and 4°F.
The cooling score on this page is the standardized 1–10 rating from our scoring database. For models that completed the physical protocol it is anchored to that measured rise; for models evaluated on published construction it reflects the build — coil airflow, comfort-layer material, cover — and nothing is presented as a measurement we did not take.
Other picks on this page are research evaluations and carry no measured figure. Our testing methodology explains the full protocol.
Memory foam earned its reputation honestly. The material is viscoelastic and dense, it softens with body heat and then cradles more of you, and a solid slab has almost no internal airflow. The result is a surface that warms up and keeps the warmth close.
Manufacturers work against that in several ways: open-cell structures that let air move through the foam, perforation or channelling, gel and graphite that conduct heat away from the contact point, phase-change cover fabrics, and putting the foam over a coil core rather than more foam. Each one helps at the margin, and a well-built example can measure as cool as many hybrids — which is why a memory-foam bed holds one of the awards above.
What does not follow is that any mattress labelled "gel memory foam" sleeps cool. Gel in a dense slab with a quilted panel over it changes very little. Judge the construction and the score, not the phrase on the law tag. Our memory-foam rankings and hybrid rankings cover both sides of that choice.
Cooling is rarely the only thing you need, and the second requirement changes what to buy.
You need cushioning at the shoulder and hip as well as airflow, and deep contouring is exactly what traps heat — so a softer surface over a coil core usually beats a softer all-foam bed. Start with our side-sleeper rankings.
Less of your body is enclosed by the mattress, so heat is easier to shed; the binding requirement is lumbar support that keeps the pelvis from dropping. See our back-sleeper picks.
A firmer surface is needed to stop the midsection sinking, and firmer generally means less enclosure and better airflow — so cooling and support pull in the same direction here. See our stomach-sleeper picks.
More body mass compresses the comfort layer further, which closes off the air space that was doing the cooling, and generates more heat to begin with. A robust coil core that resists that compression matters more than any cover technology. See our heavy-sleeper rankings.
Two bodies put roughly twice the heat into the same surface, and cooling has to be weighed against motion isolation and edge support. Where one of you runs hot and the other cold, a per-side active system solves what no single mattress can. See our picks for couples.
Feeling too warm at night has many causes beyond the bed — room temperature, bedding and health factors among them. A cooling mattress can make the sleep surface more comfortable; it is not a treatment for any medical condition, and persistent night sweats are worth raising with a clinician.
These are not mattresses. They are powered covers and devices used with the mattress you already own, and because they remove heat rather than avoid it, they can hold the surface below room temperature — often the better answer when a cooling mattress alone has not been enough.
These control surface temperature electronically. They are excluded from the mattress ranking above because they are a different product category, not because they cool poorly — several of them cool harder than any passive mattress can.
Smart Foam · 11 inches
Smart Cooling System · Adds ~1" to your existing mattress
Air Chamber Hybrid · 13 inches
Air Chamber Hybrid · 12 inches
Hybrid mattresses tend to sleep cooler than all-foam because coils allow airflow through the core.
Phase-change materials (PCM) in mattress covers actively regulate temperature, not just dissipate heat passively.
Memory foam retains the most heat. If you sleep hot, look for gel-infused or open-cell foam alternatives.
Your sheets and bedding matter too — pair a cooling mattress with breathable percale or bamboo sheets for best results.
Room temperature of 60–67°F is ideal for sleep. A cooling mattress helps but isn't a substitute for proper room climate.
The most breathable builds pair an open support system — pocketed coils or latex — with a thinner comfort layer and a breathable knit cover. Phase-change and ventilated foams help at the surface; the construction underneath does the sustained work.
They change how warm the surface feels rather than lowering your body temperature. Hybrids and latex generally feel less warm than thick all-foam beds because air can move under the comfort layers.
Dense memory foam contours closely and restricts airflow, so heat sits against the skin. Gel-infused, open-cell and copper-infused foams improve heat transfer, and putting less of that foam above a coil core helps most.
Coil-based builds — hybrids and innersprings — and latex generally measure coolest, because a pocketed-coil core is mostly open space and latex rebounds instead of enclosing you. All-foam beds can compete, but only when the comfort layer is engineered for airflow rather than being a dense slab.
Usually, yes. The coil unit gives warm air somewhere to go, so hybrids tend to show a smaller surface-temperature rise than comparable all-foam beds in our thermal test. The comfort layer still matters: a thick memory-foam top over coils narrows the gap.
Generally yes. Latex is pin-cored, springs back rather than holding a body impression, and does not soften with heat the way viscoelastic foam does, so less of the body is enclosed and more surface stays exposed to air.
Phase-change and heat-conductive covers make the surface feel cool on contact and buffer the early part of the night, which many people notice. Their capacity is finite, so they change surface feel rather than removing heat continuously the way a powered system does.
A cooling mattress is passive: it has no power supply and works by not trapping heat. Eight Sleep and similar systems are powered covers that circulate temperature-controlled water, so they can hold the surface below room temperature, often per side. They are a different product category, used with a mattress rather than instead of one.
If your current bed is a thick all-foam model, moving to a coil or latex build with a breathable cover is usually a clear improvement. If you have already tried a genuinely cool mattress and still overheat, a powered bed-climate system is the more effective next step.
Related reading: the overall mattress rankings, our latex picks and how we test.
Head-to-heads involving the products recommended on this page.
Cooling claims are everywhere. These are the cross-shopped pairs where the cooling difference actually changes the decision — each comparison sets out both builds side by side.
Purple's GelFlex grid against Helix Midnight Luxe's zoned coils — two different routes to a cooler surface, with motion isolation, edge support and price pulling the other way.
Dense memory foam with a climate cover versus an open grid over coils: the clearest illustration of why construction, not cover marketing, decides how warm a bed runs.
Already shopping a specific brand? See how each one stacks up for hot sleepers.
Every mattress in this ranking on its standardized cooling score. Models that completed our physical thermal protocol also carry a measured surface-temperature rise, shown in the testing section above; the rest are research evaluations.
| Mattress | Type | Firmness | Thermal score | Queen price | Trial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance Elite | Luxury Hybrid | 6/10 | 9.9/10 | $1749$2332 | 120 nights | Check price |
| Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-LUXEbreeze° | Memory Foam | 5/10 | 9.8/10 | $4999$5899 | 90 nights | Check price |
| Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance | Luxury Hybrid | 6/10 | 9.8/10 | $1282$1832 | 120 nights | Check price |
| Brooklyn Bedding ThermoBalance LX | Latex Hybrid | 6/10 | 9.7/10 | $1374$1832 | 120 nights | Check price |
| Technogel Favola 3.0 | Gel Hybrid | 5/10 | 9.7/10 | $3775$4399 | 90 nights | Check price |
| Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-breeze° | Memory Foam | 5/10 | 9.7/10 | $3999$4899 | 90 nights | Check price |
| Purple Hybrid Premier | Hybrid | 5/10 | 9.8/10 | $1999$2499 | 100 nights | Check price |
| Casper Snow Max Hybrid | Hybrid | 4.5/10 | 9.7/10 | $2884$4120 | 100 nights | Check price |
Prices reflect the most recent sale captured by our automated price tracker; click through for the live price. Trial periods are the manufacturer's published terms.
Reviews combine hands-on lab evaluation for mattresses we have physically tested and clearly labeled research evaluations based on manufacturer specifications, materials analysis, and verified owner feedback for models we have not.
Protocol: Tester (170 lb) lies supine for 60 minutes in our 68°F climate-controlled room. We log the median surface temperature rise across the four sensor points, sampled every 30 seconds. The published cooling score is that °F surface temp delta after 60 min, measured in our 68°F / 45% RH room — one protocol, one number, on every page. Longer overnight logs and multi-night surface readings are supplemental context and never replace the 60-minute score.
Why it matters: Hot sleepers wake up more often. Lab-controlled thermal data is the only honest way to compare 'cooling' claims across foam, latex and coil constructions.
Protocol: Subject lies on their dominant side for 5 minutes to allow material to fully conform, then we capture a 60-second average map. We report peak shoulder mmHg (not average) because peak pressure is what causes capillary closure. That single standardized reading — peak shoulder pressure (mmhg) for a 165 lb side sleeper — is the only pressure figure that feeds the v2.1 score. Supplemental to the score, we also map heavier and lighter body types (145 lb, 195 lb, 245 lb) to show how a bed behaves by weight on category pages; those maps are analysis, not score inputs. Anything under 32 mmHg — the capillary-closure threshold — is a passing reading.
Why it matters: Numbness at the shoulder or hip is the single biggest reason side sleepers wake up. Pressure mapping turns that into a measurable number instead of an opinion.
Protocol: Three drops with the accelerometer mounted 12" from impact. We record peak g-force and use the median trial. Equipment: PCB Piezotronics 393B05 accelerometer + custom drop rig (10 lb steel ball, 12" drop). Lower peak g-force means less partner disturbance. (The 25 lb plate used elsewhere in our lab belongs to the separate response-time test, not this one.)
Why it matters: If you sleep with a partner or a pet, motion transfer is what wakes you up at 3 a.m. — even more than firmness mismatch.
Protocol: Testing duration varies by product and is stated on the individual review only where our records support it. Sleep Sage does not claim a fixed minimum number of nights for every mattress. Where we held a unit long enough for extended sleep testing, testers matched to the category profile logged morning pain scores and sleep-quality ratings nightly, and that duration is stated on the individual review.
Why it matters: Two beds can post identical lab scores and feel completely different after a real week of use. The panel is what catches the edge cases.
Our full testing protocol is documented at sleepsage.com/how-we-test. We accept review units from brands but pay for any product we keep, and rankings cannot be purchased.
Get notified about notable manufacturer sales and price changes for the picks here.
No spam, no daily blasts. Unsubscribe in one click.
Get exclusive coupons and price drop alerts delivered to your inbox.
Keep exploring
Frequently Asked
Sleep Sage cites primary sources for all clinical claims. Lab measurements (firmness, pressure, temperature, motion transfer) originate from our internal protocol described at /how-we-test.
Before you buy, read the brand: construction, pricing bands, trial and warranty terms, and how each company's lineup performed in our Encinitas lab.
Hand-picked guides and reviews from our editorial team.
Eucalyptus lyocell sheets and recycled-fill comforters.
Cooling + motion-isolation picks.
Cooling + comfort picks for better sleep onset.
Cooling, pressure relief and value picks for menopause and hot flashes.
Breathable weaves and fibres for night sweats.
Breathable toppers for a bed that feels warm.