Best King-Size Mattress for 2024

Why the Bear Star Hybrid Earned Best Cooling King-Size Mattress

The Bear Star Hybrid is often marketed to athletes, but its cooling components don’t discriminate—they should help anyone who tends to sleep hot. At the top of this king-size bed is a cover that boasts temperature-regulating HydroCool® technology, as well as Celliant® fibers that allegedly transform body heat into infrared energy.

In the body of the mattress, cooling foams and individually wrapped coils also help to prevent overheating.

What’s the Bear Star Hybrid Made Of?

The Bear Star Hybrid is a 13-inch mattress equipped with five layers.

The cover of the bed incorporates two high-tech touches: HydroCool® technology for temperature regulation, and Celliant® fibers that may speed up muscle recovery after strenuous activity.

The coil unit’s primary purpose is support. This 8-inch innerspring layer should ensure your spine remains well-aligned throughout the night, and stronger coils along the perimeter reinforce the edges of the bed.

Underneath, the base of this bed is a highly-dense foam for added durability.

Our Take: This hybrid has some signature features—most notably its Celliant® cover—that add up to a unique package. Its medium-firm feel should accommodate most couples, even if they have different sleeping preferences, so we dig it as a modern and cool king-size mattress.

What We Liked

• Noticeably cool – My colleague Stuart found the cover of the Bear Star Hybrid to be “refreshing” and palpably cool-to-the-touch. Combine it with the airflow from the coils and the gel in the first layer of foam, and you’ve got a mattress that really resists the heat.
• The Celliant® factor – Celliant® is still being studied, but its manufacturers claim that it can hasten muscle recovery after a workout. Ostensibly, it does this by upping bloodflow to the area of your body in contact with the fibers.

Potential Drawbacks

• A bit firm – The Bear Star Hybrid was given a 6 on our firmness scale, which means it’s medium-firm, but perhaps slightly too hard for lightweight side sleepers. As a hybrid, it has a responsive rather than a “hugging” surface.
• Iffy edge support – Stuart was unimpressed with the edge support while testing this bed. If you’re ordering a king, though, you may have enough space to negate this as a big concern.

Customer Reviews of the Bear Star Hybrid

Coming in at approximately 4.5 out of 5 stars on Bear’s site, the Bear Star Hybrid has generally positive reviews. Customers praise the Bear Star Hybrid mattress for its excellent cooling properties, however some have found it to be on the firmer side, which might not be suitable for those seeking a softer feel.

Want more details? Read our full Bear Star Hybrid review or our roundup of the best cooling mattresses.

Why the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Earned Best Cheap King-Size Mattress

As my fellow tester Emma remarked, “the Signature Hybrid mattress is where affordability meets quality.” This king-sized bed can be had for hundreds less than $2,000, making it one of the most affordable king-size mattresses on this list. Our team typifies it as an eminently sensible (if not overly fancy) option.

What’s the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Made Of?

The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is 11.5 inches tall with five inner layers underneath its cover. You can order it in a Soft, Medium, or Firm feel—the firmness you choose will determine how thick each layer is.

There, 8-inch coils flex individually in fabric pockets, and reinforced springs along the sides help the edges stay strong.

Finally, a base layer of high-density foam acts as a long-lasting foundation.

Our Take: “This has all the luxury features that you’re looking for in a hybrid mattress … nice pressure-relieving foams on top, supported by the coils beneath. It doesn’t sacrifice support or pressure relief.” – Mark, Sleep Advisor Mattress Tester

What We Liked

• Great for combo sleepers – Emma, a joint side and stomach sleeper, complimented this mattress’s springiness: “It’s really bouncy and responsive, which makes it easy for me to flip from my stomach to my side.”
• Edge support frees up space – If you’re planning on sharing your king-size bed with others, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid’s edge support should give you plenty of room. “You can maximize every inch of the surface,” said Emma, “which is ideal if you share a mattress with a partner, kids, pets, whomever.”

Potential Drawbacks

• Not very soft – Side sleepers may have trouble getting comfortable on this hybrid, as it’s not particularly plush. “If I exclusively slept on my side, I’d probably choose a softer bed,” Emma concluded. However, you can also pay extra to add a pillow top and cooling cover to your mattress.
• No frills – The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is a simple bed, built well. It won’t have lots of fancy bonus features—just everything you need for a supportive, comfy sleeping surface.

Customer Reviews of the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid

On Brooklyn Bedding’s website, the Signature Hybrid has 4.7 out of 5 stars. This mattress receives praise from customers for its versatility with different firmness options, but some have mentioned that it may produce slight noise when bearing weight.

Interested in this bed? Read our full Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid mattress review, or browse our top picks for the best cheap mattresses.

What is a King-Size Mattress? 

A standard King-size mattress is 76 inches wide and 80 inches long. These dimensions make king beds a full 16 inches wider than Queen beds — they give you more than a foot of added lateral space.

Although these are the typical dimensions of a King-size mattress, there are nuances when it comes to the type of King bed you buy.

What to Look for in a King-Size Mattress 

As the name suggests, King mattresses are large, and they will take up a good bit of space. Therefore, you will want to make sure that your bedroom can accommodate it and any other furniture that you may want to add. 

Once you have established that you have a room that can house this substantial piece of furniture, you will want to decide what type of King bed you want. Although there are now a host of super-sized Kings, such as the Texas King and the Alaska King, we are going to concentrate on three of the most popular: King, California King, and Split King. After you have that narrowed down, you’ll want to consider other important preference-based features.

Types of King Beds

Standard King

A standard King-size mattress measures 76 inches wide and 80 inches long. You may also hear it referred to as an Eastern King. This is the most common incarnation of a King-size bed.

California King

A California King mattress is slightly narrower and longer than a standard King, measuring 72 inches wide and 84 inches long. It’s also known as a Western king, Cali king, or Cal king.

What’s the Difference Between a King and a California King?

A standard King-size mattress is wider than a Californa King, whereas a California King is slightly longer. 

So, why you might buy a California King over a King? Certain sleepers — especially tall ones — appreciate the extra length. Its dimensions may also work better with your bedroom setup. The King vs. California King debate is long and storied, with good arguments on either side.

Split King

A Split King mattress is exactly what it sounds like: a King-size bed, split down the middle into two separate sides.

Split Kings are ideal for couples who want to sleep beside one another but have notably different preferences in terms of comfort. For example, maybe you like a soft mattress, but your partner prefers an extremely firm bed. With a split king, you wouldn’t need to compromise.

Often, a split king will be two Twin XL mattresses lined up side by side. This setup works well with a split adjustable base — sleepers not only get the feel they want from their bed, but they can also manipulate the position of each mattress independently. You can also find some Split California Kings, though they’re a bit tougher to find than standard Split Kings.

Type of Mattress 

Innerspring Mattresses 

Traditional innerspring beds can use an interconnected coil system, though more recently, many bed-in-a-box brands now use a pocket coil that keeps the bounce while isolating motion. 

Innerspring beds can offer great support, bounce, airflow, and affordability. However, they’re not as great for pressure because they don’t have substantial comfort layers.

Hybrid Mattresses

Hybrid mattresses are a mashup of foam and coils. With upper layers made of foam or latex, sleepers can receive contouring pressure relief, and the durable base layer of coils can allow for better support and easier repositioning. 

The coils also provide airflow, which helps keep the mattress cool. Many hybrid bed manufacturers also use gel-infused foam, aeration, and other cooling technologies to provide additional temperature-regulating properties. The construction and materials used in hybrid mattresses can often make them more expensive than other models.  

Memory Foam Mattresses 

There are a lot of different types of memory foam mattresses out there. Often, these beds have memory foam at the top with firmer poly foam toward the bottom. 

Memory foam mattresses can be excellent for pressure relief, support, and motion isolation. They are also a more affordable option. While memory foam has a reputation for trapping heat, many manufacturers now add cooling features to help offset this.

Latex Mattresses 

Latex mattresses are made out of latex, which is a type of rubber foam. There are typically two types – Talalay and Dunlop latex. These differ in construction but have a very similar feel and quick responsiveness, gently contouring to sleepers’ bodies and cradling their curves.

Latex is temperature-neutral, durable, and great for pressure relief. In the case of naturally-made latex, it’s also eco-friendly. The main downside to latex, though, is its high price point.

Other Considerations When Shopping for a King-Size Mattress 

Sleeping Position 

Side sleepers typically like a soft bed that can relieve pressure from their hips and shoulders, as these areas put more pressure into a bed over a smaller surface area. 

Back sleepers, on the other hand, usually enjoy something that can help distribute their weight evenly over the surface of the bed. A medium feel often works for these folks as this will fill in the gap between their hips and shoulders without throwing off their alignment.

Stomach sleepers often drift towards a firmer bed. These types of mattresses keep their hips elevated and level with their shoulders. An overly soft bed could cause their hips to dip too low into the mattress.

Combination sleepers need a bed that targets at least several sleeping positions, usually, something with a medium feel and more responsiveness to help them move around.

For more information, see our article on the Best Sleeping Positions.

Weight/Body Type of Sleepers

The dimensions of a King-size bed should work for most body types, but you’ll also need to take your weight and how it will interact with the materials, firmness, and other features into consideration. Many people sleep comfortably on a bed with a medium firmness, but those who are on the lighter side are often more comfortable on softer mattresses as this helps pressure from building up. Meanwhile, heavyweight sleepers will require something with additional support and firmness to help keep their spines aligned.   

Firmness

The firmness of your mattress is going to affect how you sleep. Something overly soft can leave you feeling stuck in bed, while something too firm can feel like concrete.

Beds are usually categorized as Soft, Medium, or Firm, with some variance in between. Certain brands may use different firmness titles, so reach out if you are unsure. For more info, check out our complete mattress firmness guide.

Cooling 

The size of a mattress doesn’t necessarily affect its ability to keep you cool, but before making a major purchase like a King-size bed, you will want to consider its temperature-regulating capabilities. This is because staying cool throughout the night is one of the most important factors when it comes to getting restful and restorative sleep. 

Memory foam is a popular choice for many consumers because of how it cradles your body, but it has a tendency to sleep hot. Fortunately, many manufacturers have taken note of this issue by infusing gel into the foam. Latex is a cooling material and it can be a good choice when it comes to drawing heat away from your body. Additionally, innerspring and hybrid mattresses’ coil units allow air to flow freely.

Motion Isolation 

Co-sleepers have to not only be concerned about their sleeping preferences but also the movements of their partners. If the nocturnal movements of your spouse, child, or pet are transferred from their sleeping area to yours, it can disturb your sleep. 

King-size beds should give you plenty of room to move around, but if your bed doesn’t isolate motion well, the size won’t matter as much. Memory foam and hybrid mattresses both do well at keeping motion from one side of the bed to the other.

Sex 

Sexually active people will have an expanse of real estate to utilize during their intimate moments when sleeping on a King-size bed. However, to make the most out of your space, you will want to consider how the mattress’s materials will support your endeavors. 

Traditional innerspring mattresses are durable and provide great bounce. However, they may not provide enough cushioning, and they can be noisy. Latex is an excellent choice for sexually active folks as it is extremely responsive and allows for ease of movement, but these beds can be expensive. Hybrids are also helpful for this.

Pressure Relief 

Beds that make the aches and pains of the day melt away can bring restorative sleep. That is why pressure relief is important to consider when purchasing your King-size bed. 

The contouring yet supportive nature of memory foam and latex offers incredible pressure relief because the foam cradles around your body and keeps pressure from building up. However, if you’re a fan of the durability of innerspring mattresses, you may want to consider a hybrid model. Hybrids provide more cushioning between you and the metal coils than traditional innerspring beds.  

Edge Support 

How well-supported you are around the perimeter of your bed may not be a major consideration when choosing your new King-size mattress. However, even in a large bed, good edge support is beneficial, particularly to co-sleepers and those with mobility issues. 

Co-sleepers will be able to use the entire bed without feeling that they are falling out of it. Reinforced edges can give those with mobility issues a solid base to get in and out of bed. Memory foam and latex mattresses can be designed with sturdier foams around the edges, whereas innerspring and hybrid beds typically have exemplary edge support by extending their coils or putting stronger ones around the outside of the bed. 

Budget 

King beds are one of the largest and most expensive mattresses on the market. Therefore, if you are shopping on a budget you may want to consider smaller sizes. However, if you are set on a King-size mattress, there are more affordable options that can still provide you with a high-quality product. Shopping online can also help you save money on a King-size bed by purchasing directly from the manufacturer.

Mattress	Best For	Price (Queen Size)	Review
Emma Hybrid Comfort	Heavy People	$1,199	Emma Hybrid Comfort Mattress Review
Helix Midnight	Side Sleepers	$1,199	Helix Midnight Mattress Review
The WinkBed	Hybrid	$1,799	Winkbed Mattress Review
Saatva Classic	Back Pain	$1,995	Saatva Classic Mattress Review
Nolah Evolution	Couples	$2,299	Nolah Evolution Mattress Review
DreamCloud Premier	Soft	$1,832	DreamCloud Premier Mattress Review
Helix Dawn	Firm	$1,199	Helix Dawn Mattress Review
Nectar	Editor’s Pick	$999	Nectar Mattress Review
Bear Star Hybrid	Cooling	$1,998	Bear Star Hybrid Mattress Review
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid	Cheap	$1,249	Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress Review