Best Mattress Pads

The condition of our mattresses does more than just determine if we get enough sleep. An overly hard or worn down mattress can cause aches and pains, while a dirty mattress can cause allergies and a wide range of health problems.

Buying a new mattress can be quite the investment, and even then, that new mattress will one day become an issue if care isn’t taken.

The key to healthy sleep may lie in mattress pads. The best mattress pads protect your mattress, preventing allergy and dust mites from developing, while also keeping stains away from it.

Quick Look at Our Top 5 Picks

Similar to mattress toppers, the best mattress pads will also help soften a firm bed.

Most of them can be combined with a topper, creating a wonderful cloud of coziness.

There are also mattress pads with interesting functions, such as contributing to the warming or cooling of your bed. Whatever your reasons for wanting a mattress pad, when it comes to selecting the product, you will want to get the best.

They are not expensive, like most mattresses themselves, which means you can count on having the wiggle-room to really get a quality mattress pad so that you can sleep better at night.

We’ve done all the work for you below, collecting the top 10 mattress pads so that you can learn about some of the best mattress pads on the market and decide for yourself exactly which one will cater to your needs.

Product Reviews: Top 10 Picks

The Oaksys Cooling Cotton Mattress Pad

Sick of feeling like the mattress underneath you is going to catch on fire from absorbing your body heat?

This mattress pad is designed to put a stop to this and is made from soft, breathable cotton that will keep you cool at night.

The cooling mattress pad deviates from the standard diamond shaped stitching, using square stitches that prevent the filling from moving around. It is also easy to clean–just throw it in the wash on cold and dry on low.

Unsatisfied with the mattress pad that you purchased? You can return it with no questions asked.

The Oaksey mattress pad is definitely going to help you stay cooler at night, and it should be a breeze putting fitting it to your bed. A word of warning though, is that you have to make sure that it is the right size, this mattress pad is meant for deeper beds! If you get it right, it will fit snugly without any sliding while you sleep.

One issue is that is not as thick as it could be, but it would be great when coupled with a topper. If you’re looking to keep a bed cooler and slightly softer, the Oaksey is a great choice, but it isn’t going to make a firm bed plush all on its own.

Hypoallergenic Quilted Stretch-to-Fit Mattress Pad By Hanna Kay

You want a mattress pad that is going to stay in place, and require the minimum amount of maintenance.

Hanna Kay’s hypoallergenic quilted mattress pad is designed to give you maximal quality and comfort with minimal maintenance and headache. Made from poly-cotton, this mattress pad keeps dust mites away while also remaining more breathable than full poly mattress pads, so that your bed doesn’t get too hot.

This mattress pad will keep dead skin and sweat away from you and your mattress.

Maintenance is simple; just throw it into the wash like you would clean anything else. One of the cool features of this pad, is that it is deep enough that you can fit a topper underneath in case you want even more comfort.

If you are looking to protect an already comfortable mattress, then the Hanna Kay mattress pad is great fit for you. It slips onto your bed perfectly, and gives you the comfort of a clean and hypoallergenic bed. No crunch from plastic or uncomfortable mattress pad materials to worry about either. However, if you are getting this to add a little plush, this probably isn’t the right choice for you, but that isn’t the end of the world since it goes perfectly with a nice, thick mattress topper.

LinenSpa Waterproof Quilted Mattress Pad with Hypallergenic Fill & Deep Pocket Fitted Skirt

A function focused mattress pad, the LinenSpa is great for keeping your bed safe from liquids.

With its waterproof feature, its great for children having bedtime bathroom issues, or handling infant challenges, like spit up or diaper spills. Unlike many waterproof mattress pads, the LinenSpa fits well without sliding or making any crunching sounds. It is also hypoallergenic, and made from a soft micro-fiber material.

This mattress pad is designed to keep your mattress safe, while also providing a higher level of comfort.

LinenSpa has done an excellent job at creating the quiet waterproof mattress pad, with none of that obnoxious crinkling that one might come to expect.

The biggest challenge we found with this mattress pad is that it does not breathe very well. Naturally, plastic does not tend to breathe well, which means that the bed does indeed get quite warm. For some, the extra heat will be cozy; for some, the extra heat will make sleep difficult.

The best way to work around the heat issue would be to place another mattress pad on top of the LinenSpa to give it some breathability.

This will cool the bed while still providing a layer of security. This would also help provide a little more comfort for the bed. When washing your LinenSpa, make sure you hang it to dry, or you might get some bad clumping.

Pillowtop Down Alternative Mattress Pad by Balichun

Overstuffed with alternative storm goose filling, the Balichun pillowtop down alternative mattress pad feels as soft and fluffy as a cloud.

The box-stitching and careful construction prevents shifting so that you won’t find clumps or flat spots, keeping the bed comfortable from one end to the other. The stuffing feels just like goose down, but because it is an alternative down there are no feathers poking out, making it hypoallergenic.

The pillowtop pad is designed to allow air to pass and keep you cool as you sleep.

The outer cover of the pad is made from 100% cotton keeping it breathable, hypoallergenic and antimicrobial.

There should be no worries about dust mites or other gross things growing in your bed with this mattress pad. It is also designed to be completely silent. Balichun is a company completely dedicated to customer satisfaction, which accepts returns with no question asked.

When you are looking for a standard all-purpose mattress pad, this one might be the top pick.

It is definitely soft and fluffy, and while it isn’t the top of the line for cooling you down, it does do a good job at it still. If you want a little bit of everything, a little less heat, and a little more protection, and quite a bit of plush, then this is the choice for you.

Zen Bamboo Ultra Soft Fitted Bamboo Mattress Pad

The Zen Bamboo Mattress Pad keeps your mattress stain-free while protecting against dust and other allergens.

The Zen Bamboo is designed to be durable, protecting your mattress for years.

Using a bamboo based fabric, this mattress pad provides additional loft and cooling in its design. An elastic band keeps it secure so that it won’t slip while you toss and turn. It is machine washable, and dryer safe.

Beckham Hotel Collection Microfiber Mattress Pad

Protect and preserve your mattress like the top hotels with the Beckham hotel collection mattress pad.

This mattress pad has a soft layer that is breathable, preventing heat from being trapped against your skin.

In addition to the standard anti-dust mite and antimicrobial protection, this mattress pad is reinforced on the bottom to give it moderate water resistance.

Completely machine-washable, this is a great choice for keeping your mattress safe!

AmazonBasics Hypoallergenic Quilted Mattress Topper Pad Cover

If you are looking to for a warm and super plush cozy bed, the AmazonBasics Hypoallergenic Quilted Mattress Topper Pad Cover is great.

With 50 ounces of polyester filling, this will keep you insulated and warm seconds after crawling under the covers.

While it is nice and plush, the loft-retaining polyester filling will keep it from being too soft and hurting your back. The box stitching prevents shifting and clumping.

This mattress pad is hot! It is going to make your bed very warm, which is perfect in the winter or fall.

Nothing quite beats getting into a warm bed when the rest of the world seems to be freezing cold.

However, that does mean that if you run warm, that this mattress pad is not going to work for you. It also means that you cannot use this mattress pad all year around.

You’ll have to find a place to store it during the warmer months, and find a cooler one for those hotter, summer nights.

Sunbeam Therapeutic Heated Mattress Pad

Warming pads in beds have always been a great tool for handling muscle soreness and/or arthritis.

The Sunbeam Therapeutic Heated Mattress Pad is an excellent function-focused mattress pad.

With three zones per side of the bed and 10 settings, you can decide just how warm you want different areas of your body to be. Get rid of those aches and pains with a nice heated mattress pad!

The greatest part about the Sunbeam mattress pad is that it has different centralized zones, so partners are able to share a bed without having to share heat settings.

One person who runs cold can have it set to 3, while the other can just have a nice and cozy 1.

However, it is important to note that even a 1 is still quite warm. If you don’t need to stay warm or ease a few aches from your muscles and joints, you can keep it dialed off and it still provides a nice layer of soft comfort.

Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad by Utopia Bedding

Made with high-loft polyester fiberfill, Utopia’s mattress pad provides you with a firm yet cozy feeling for relaxing sleep.

The top cover is made from brushed microfiber that is soft against the skin, easy to clean and won’t pill.

There is a divider creating two layers of filling, preventing clumping and shifting. Utopia Bedding’s quilted fitted mattress pad features a Smooth Grip Skirt System, which keeps it from slipping on the bed while retaining a smooth sleek appearance.

This is an all-around great standard mattress pad.

It will make your bed a lot more comfortable, so it’s great for those old mattresses, and it also provides a nice layer of protection for your bed.

It isn’t waterproof, so it isn’t the best choice for young children, and it is polyester not cotton, which means if you run warm you’ll want a different, cooler mattress pad.

Bamboo Mattress Pad with Fitted Skirt – Extra Plush Cooling Topper – Hypoallergenic

Featured in 4 and 5 star hotels, Exceptional Sheets’ Bamboo Mattress Pad is one of the highest rated mattress pads on the market.

Silky to the touch, the bamboo fabric cover breathes well, keeping you cool as you sleep.

This mattress pad is stuffed with RevoLoft Cluster Fiber Filling, which is a specially engineered filling that traps air to allow the pad to keep its plush shape and allow for more air flow.

The RevoLoft Cluster Fiber Filling feels like goose down, but it is completely hypoallergenic.

This mattress pad is considered one of the best for a reason. It is extremely soft and comfortable, and it has an excellent cooling effect.

It doesn’t have any special water resistance, or protective elements, but if you are looking for an upgrade to a firm mattress, then this is a good fit.

It isn’t necessarily the most attractive of mattress pads, with a bit of a waffling design, but with sheets fitted over it, it is hardly noticeable.

It is important to take care while washing it, as it is not as durable as the other mattress pads listed above. With that said, the silky feel along with the amazing cooling effect make this one a popular choice for a very good reason.

Considerations when Purchasing a Mattress Pad

With quite a few variables to consider, it’s important to know exactly what you are looking for in a mattress pad. Here are a few things to look at when shopping for a mattress topper that is right for you.

Cover Material: There are three fabrics that are perhaps most commonly used in the outer cover layer of mattress pads; cotton, polyester, and rayon. Cotton is airy and breathes very well. Rayon also has a good amount of breathability, which means that if you are looking to stay cool in bed, you will want one that is made from one of these products. Polyester on the other hand breathes much less, so it will be better to use as a winter mattress pad. However, polyester is more resistant than cotton, which will keep your mattress pad clean longer. The rayon blends are a great option for staying cool and adding to softness, but they do tend to be more expensive.

Filler Material: Each mattress pad is filled with different materials to give it its bulk and plushness. Without filler, we’re just looking at sheets! You’ll find some mattress pads use either brushed cotton or a synthetic down. Cotton is more breathable if you really need everything possible to stay cool, but the down is still cool enough and it provides a great fluffy mattress pad.

Stitch: Something we might ignore, or dismiss as purely aesthetic, the type of stitch used to create the padding can have a major effect on quality. Between the more common diamond stitch and the box stitches, the box stitch seems to prevent shifting and clumping much more effectively than diamond stitches.

Washing: One of the reasons we use mattress pads is to keep our bed clean and prevent bacteria from growing where we sleep. That means we need to clean our mattress pads. Most of the best mattress pads are made to be durable and can survive going in the wash. Dryers can cause problems for some, and hanging them to dry is a safer bet. Sunlight also helps fluff them up. If hanging your pad up and waiting for it to dry is an idea you dread, you’ll want to look for one that is especially durable. In that case, stay away from the rayon brands.

Size: If you aren’t careful to get a mattress pad that fits your mattress you will find that it slides and comes off the bed while you are asleep. Many of the mattress pads have elastic bands and are fitted to make sure they’ll fit a range of beds, but it is very important that you make sure that the mattress pad you’ve selected is one that will fit the depth of your bed.

Function: Every mattress pad has a different function, and none of them can do everything. All of them provide some level of security for your mattress For example, some mattress pads can be waterproof, but if they are, then you have to consider that you might be sacrificing breathability for that security against dampness and liquids. If you just want to keep your mattress safe, the simplest way might be the best, so that you are not sacrificing your comfort in any way.

Final Thoughts

So often mattress pads are forgotten about, or any old mattress pad is selected without giving it much forethought. However, a mattress pad addition to your bed can be the key to restoring your health and raising the quality of sleep. Don’t just buy any mattress pad; really consider your needs and pick the best that you can get to fit your particular needs. Afterall, we all deserve a good night’s sleep!