Best Cooling Mattress Topper (2024)

Are you a hot sleeper looking for a way to sleep cooler and more comfortably? Temperature regulation is vital to getting a good night’s rest, and it’s often less expensive to add a cooling mattress topper than to buy a new mattress. With a topper, you can extend the life of your current mattress while buying yourself some seasonal flexibility.

In this guide, we’ll give you some recommendations for cooling mattress toppers and pads and then answer some questions you may have about cooler sleep and its effect on your body.

Best Cooling Mattress Toppers

The Zoma Balance Pad combines open-cell construction with a responsiveness that won’t leave you feeling trapped, stuck, or hot. The Reactiv™ foam in the mattress pad, also found in the Zoma Mattress, bounces back fast while hugging your curves, relieving pressure points and supporting you all night.

A breathable polyester-spandex performance cover encases the Zoma Balance Pad so you can enjoy the feeling of support unimpeded. The Reactiv™ material inside is CertiPUR-US® certified, making it free of formaldehyde, PBDEs, heavy metals, lead, plus it’s made with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds). You can rest easy knowing your topper contains no harmful chemicals.

The Zoma Balance Pad is outfitted with non-skid fabric on the bottom, ensuring it stays in place, even for restless sleepers. It’s made right here in the USA and ships free. The 5-year warranty covers manufacturing defects and sags in the topper.

SEE ALSO: Zoma Mattress Review

If your mattress has grown too soft, the Zoma Balance Pad could be the right fit for you, thanks to its balance of pressure relief and support.

Amerisleep’s Lift is our second favorite cooling topper for sleepers because it’s made with breathable, plant-based Bio-Pur® and contains strategic air channels to make sure body heat never gets trapped in the topper.

Amerisleep’s Lift comes in two varieties—Comfort and Support—and for hot sleepers, we recommend the Comfort option to ensure you’re receiving the most temperature-regulating benefits. (That said, the Support option is still great because Amerisleep designs this layer with breathable foams and cooling channels, as well, but plant-based Bio-Pur® is thought to be just a little more cooling.)

The cooling channels in Amerisleep’s temperature-regulating toppers do more than just prevent night sweats, their actual intended purpose is to provide dynamic back support—their cooling abilities are just an added perk. These channels, otherwise called HIVE® technology, are made by placing hexagon cutouts throughout the layer of foam, and these cutouts provide specialized support from head-to-toe.

Let’s talk about how HIVE® works to keep you supported and cool: Under your lumbar area, feet, and head, these hexagons offer firm support to lift you up in alignment. Oppositely, these hexagons are soft to provide deep compression under the shoulders and hips; this allows for outstanding pressure relief in those sensitive areas. Between the cutouts are air channels for body heat to escape out of the mattress.

Both layers, Comfort and Support, Lift are 3 inches thick, so they add a little height and cushion to your bed. And, due to their thickness (and high-quality foams), they’re far more durable than the toppers you’d find in most stores. Amerisleep backs their toppers with a 5-year warranty to prove it.

SEE ALSO: Amerisleep Mattress Review

Copper infusions are a popular cooling infusion because they go beyond just conducting heat away from the body. Using copper in a mattress or topper keeps microbes from settling inside the mattress, which is one of the benefits of using the Viscosoft Active Cooling Copper Topper.

This 4-inch mattress topper has two foam layers, each 2 inches thick. The top foam layer is CertiPUR-US® certified and has a copper infusion that not keeps the surface cool but offers antimicrobial protection. The base layer ensures support as a sleeper stretches, minimizing any unpleasant sinkage.

The cover fabric is quite breathable to maximize the cooling potential of the mattress topper, plus it can be easily removed and run through a machine washer to maintain its pristine feel.

The Viscosoft Active Cooling Copper Topper comes with free shipping, a 90-day return policy, and a 5-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress Made in the USA

4. Cozy Earth Bamboo Mattress Pad

The Cozy Earth Bamboo Mattress Pad is a lightweight topper if you’re looking to add a little extra cushioning to your bed. It goes over your mattress like a fitted sheet and has a strong elastic so it doesn’t shift out of place. The pad is slightly oversized and has a deep pocket to fit thicker mattresses without stretching.

The Bamboo Mattress Pad is made from 100-percent viscose from bamboo. The viscose is Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified, meaning it’s been third-party tested for harmful chemicals. The bamboo is thermo-regulating, meaning you won’t feel overly hot or cold at nighttime. Cozy Earth designed the pad so the bamboo filling doesn’t lump or shift out of place.

Available in sizes: twin, full, queen, king, and California king.

The Bamboo Mattress Pad comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattress for Neck Pain

5. SlumberCloud Nacreous

The Nacreous mattress pad offers space-age cooling relief and features two layers of Outlast™ fabric with phase change materials (PCMs). These PCMs have the amazing capacity to continuously regulate the temperature of your skin. They absorb and store excess heat to cool you off and then release heat back to you when they detect your skin temperature is too cold.

The cotton cover increases the cooling effect and provides cozy softness. The Nacreous pad is machine-washable and available in four colors: white, blue, mauve, and dewdrop.

This fabric is a terrific choice for those with wild temperature fluctuations from hot flashes or night sweats. Allergy sufferers will also love this one because it’s hypoallergenic.

Available in a full range of sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split king.

SlumberCloud offers a short 60-day warranty.

6. ExceptionalSheets Bamboo Extra Plush

The Bamboo Extra Plush is a popular and highly-rated mattress pad. The patterned quilting makes sure the Revoloft™ cluster fiber doesn’t shift out of place. A stretchy skirt goes over your mattress and tucks beneath to keep this dreamy mattress pad from slipping off.

The luxurious rayon from bamboo cover has all the heat-dissipating qualities bamboo is known for. Durable double-needle stitching keeps everything tidy in this hypoallergenic 160 thread count cover.

Available in a stunning range of sizes: twin, twin XL, full, full XL, queen, Olympic queen, king, and California king.

ExceptionalSheets offers a 1-year warranty.

7. Zen Bamboo Fitted Mattress Pad

This inexpensive bamboo mattress pad is 40% bamboo and 60% brushed microfiber for plush softness. The honeycomb stitched pad will fit even the deepest mattress. It offers some mattress protection since a spill will be soaked up by the pad instead of your mattress. If you’re on memory foam, this is a cheap way to put some distance between you and the heat of your mattress.

Available in sizes: full, queen, king, and California king.

Zen Bamboo doesn’t offer a warranty but does give refunds if you’re not satisfied.

8. Nature’s Sleep AirCool IQ

The AirCool IQ uses Air Gel Technology. This mattress topper is a generous 3 inches thick with 3.25-pound density gel memory foam. The viscoelastic foam has larger open cells to increase airflow so you sleep cooler — all while minimizing pressure points and reducing back, neck, hip, and shoulder pain. It’s CertiPur-US® approved. It comes with an 18-inch 100% microfiber cover that goes over the pad and your mattress, tucking beneath to secure it.

Available in sizes: twin, full, queen, king, and California king.

Nature’s Sleep offers a 3-year warranty.

9. SleepBetter Iso-Cool™

The Iso-Cool™ is a 3-inch temperature-sensitive memory foam topper with a 300 thread count cover made of 100% cotton. The viscoelastic foam has an open-cell structure, which allows increased airflow. The cooling magic happens in the Outlast™ Gold cover. Filled with RichLoft™ polyester fiberfill, it boasts a tight-grip skirt to fit mattresses up to 20-inches deep.

While this topper won’t keep you the coolest out of all of these options, it’s perfect for those who want to be just a few degrees cooler without being too chilly.

It’s hypoallergenic and machine washable for easy care.

Available in sizes: twin, full, queen, king, and California king.

Nature’s Sleep offers a 5-year warranty.

10. chiliPAD™ Sleep System

The chiliPAD™ is the most expensive option, but it offers the most control in a cooling method. It is a water-cooled mattress pad. Not only can it cool you and maintain the temperature, but it can warm you as well, making it an all-season mattress pad. The remote-controlled temperature can go as cool as 55 degrees Fahrenheit or as warm as 110.

How does it work? The poly/cotton pad has tubes running through it. The tubes attach to the machine holding the water, which circulates continuously through the pad. The machine is quiet, running at under 45 decibels, which is equivalent to a computer fan.

If you share a mattress, there is a split option to allow the temperature on each side of the bed to be controlled separately.

Available in sizes: single, twin XL, full, half Cal king, queen, king, California king.

Chili Technology offers a 2-year warranty as well as a 90-day money-back guarantee.

11. Mattress Cooler Classic

The Mattress Cooler Classic is a water-cooled mattress pad. The fan, circulation pump, and remote were upgraded after two years of feedback from customers. It’s now quieter and boasts a 66% larger water tank. The water circulates through the pad, absorbing excess heat from your body. This is a simpler unit than the chiliPAD™ without any split-control options, but it’s much more affordable since it doesn’t have the bells and whistles.

Available in sizes small and large.

Mattress Cooler doesn’t offer a warranty, but they do have a 30-day money-back guarantee, minus a $20 restocking fee, if you’re not happy with your purchase.

Why Is Cooling Important for Sleep?

Thermoregulation, or how your body heats and cools itself, is tightly linked to the circadian clock. This circadian rhythm is responsible for your body losing heat in the evening hours just before sleep. This heat loss is what tells your body it’s time to wind down and head to bed. The circadian rhythm is also the reason your body starts warming up again around 4 a.m. as your body prepares to wake.

Your sleep can be disrupted by temperatures below 54 degrees Fahrenheit and above 75 degrees. The sweet spot for many falls between 60 and 67 degrees. The right sleeping temperature for you to have a cool night’s sleep may be affected by:

• Season
• Bedding
• Pajamas
• Body temperature
• Gender
• Stage of life (think hot flashes)
• Daytime activity level

Determine Why You’re Sleeping Hot

Why are you sleeping hot and what factors are contributing? One thing to take an honest look at before shopping is why you are sweating in your sleep. Have you always been a hot sleeper? Are you troubled by night sweats caused by hot flashes? Are you sweating because your sleeping environment is too warm? These reasons will influence your choices as you shop for a cooling mattress topper.

As you are well aware, feeling too hot can get between you and a good night’s sleep. If night sweats or hot flashes are a problem for you, you’ll be glad to know there are a variety of cooling mattress toppers which could give you a substantial quality-of-life upgrade.

If you don’t own a cool mattress, a cooling mattress pad or topper can turn bad nights into good nights full of restful sleep. But how do you know which one you need?

What’s the Difference Between a Mattress Pad and a Topper?

Many sites use these two terms interchangeably. While they are similar, they have some fairly significant differences in terms of function and comfort.

Mattress Pad

A mattress pad is an additional layer of comfort to attach to your existing mattress, usually with a fitted skirt. The skirt is similar to a fitted sheet. It has elastic at the edges and pulls down over your mattress, tucking under the edges to keep the mattress pad from slipping off.

Mattress pads are thinner than mattress toppers. They are generally quilted to keep the fiber filling in place, which also provides some cushioning and a sumptuous feel. The main fillers are:

• Cluster fiber — looks and feels like down
• Down filling — has longevity
• Feather filling — insulating despite the lighter weight

Cooling mattress pads are designed to be breathable. Some also function as a mattress protector, safeguarding against moisture and spills while sealing out bed bugs, dust mites, and allergens for a hypoallergenic option. The beauty of a mattress pad is most of them can be whipped off and thrown into the washing machine for easy care.

Mattress Topper

A mattress topper is thicker and made of memory foam or latex. Toppers sit on top of the mattress and can be 2 to 4 inches thick. A few are 5 or 6 inches thick, approaching the size of a mattress.

Rather than having a filling, a gel-infused memory foam topper is a solid layer of foam to add cushioning for pressure point relief. New manufacturing methods use viscoelastic foam, which has an open cell structure to allow air to circulate. They are a little firmer to minimize sinkage and thus reduce heat trap.

Latex mattress toppers have an open cell structure and sleep much cooler than regular memory foam toppers.

Some models of mattress toppers have a skirted cover, like a fitted sheet, by which it is securely attached to your mattress. The covers can usually be machine-washed, but the foam itself can only be spot-cleaned. Toppers with a fitted cover are far superior to those that just sit on top of your mattress.

How Do You Know Which You Need?

All cooling mattress toppers and pads will offer some degree of cooling. The clincher is going to lie in how much cooling and what other features you need.

Back pain and pressure point issues demand a topper made of latex or gel-infused memory foam. Your choice of these two materials will be influenced by your budget, as either can make an excellent mattress topper for back pain.

Some foam toppers are what is known as egg crate mattress toppers, with cutouts that increase airflow and contouring pressure relief. These toppers can be quite budget-friendly, though others offer specialized support.

If you just need a cooler surface to sleep on, coupled with mattress protection to extend the life of your mattress, then you’ll be fine with a cooling mattress pad.

You can go either way in the case of allergies, depending on whether you also need more support for pressure points and back pain. You’ll find more hypoallergenic options in mattress pads, however.

If you suffer from hot flashes and night sweats, you’ll find the most relief from newer temperature-sensitive materials like Outlast™ technology which is able to monitor your skin temperature for changes and respond with cooling or warming.

What Makes for a Cooling Topper?

You might love the soft comfort of memory foam, yet dread the heat trap associated with those kinds of mattress toppers. Much of the heat trap is caused by the deep sink into pudding-like memory foam. It doesn’t have to be this way!

Evolving manufacturing processes have brought many more options to the fore. Memory foam used to be associated with hot sleeping, but today’s processing methods offer an open cell structure which allows more breathability than ever before.

The cooling function in mattress pads is a combination of their filler materials and the cover. Covers can be made of 100% cotton, wool, or silky rayon from bamboo. These fabrics work to keep the surface cool while the filler traps and releases heat.

Notable Features of Some Cooling Mattress Toppers

There are many more options now than there were 20 years ago. The following technological advances make a real difference in your sleep comfort and quality.

Outlast® Technology

If you have a fluctuating body temperature from hot flashes or other sporadic night sweats, you will appreciate Outlast® technology. It was first developed for NASA and uses phase change materials. This unique material is able to absorb, store, and release heat to optimize your thermal comfort.

This cooling technology continually regulates the microclimate of your skin. As your skin heats up, the material absorbs excess heat and stores it. As your skin cools, the material disperses heat to warm you.

This isn’t your typical wicking technology, absorbing moisture so it can evaporate. Outlast® technology manages your body heat to control the production of sweat before it can even begin.

Outlast® technology isn’t used in only one type of mattress pad either. Some will go over your mattress like a fitted sheet while others will lay on top like an added pillow top. You can get these with a variety of fabric covers to suit your preference.

Gel Memory Foam

This type of topper is made of regular memory foam infused with cooling gel. Gel memory foam (also known as viscoelastic foam) may be a perfect fit for you if you experience back pain or pressure point pain. With so many options available, there isn’t any need to compromise comfort to switch to a topper with a cooling effect.

Memory foam is notably silent and reduces motion transfer very well. These can be a huge boon for you if you share a mattress. Even if you have the mattress to yourself, low motion transfer allows you to move freely.

Latex

Used in some of the best mattresses, latex is made from the sap of the rubber tree and is a natural material. It springs back more quickly than memory foam which increases your freedom of movement. It’s as silent as memory foam with all the motion isolation you’ve come to expect from foam. It has an open-cell structure that allows air to pass through, keeping you cooler without the heat trap you may associate with traditional memory foam mattresses.

Cluster Fiber

You can get a 100% cotton or bamboo mattress pad with Revoloft™ cluster fiber which increases breathability even more. Cluster fiber is a down-alternative also known as ball fiber. This interesting fiber forms into little balls that can move freely within the cover, keeping any given area from mashing down or matting.

Read More: Best Cooling Mattress

Choosing the Right Size

As a reminder, here is the table of standard mattress sizes to help you pick out the best cooling topper for your bed. For a split king, you may want to try two twin XL size toppers or rely on a standard king to create the appearance of one whole mattress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do cooling mattress toppers really work?

Yes and no. Cooling mattress toppers feel cool for a few hours each night, but by the middle of the night, they usually take on the temperature of the rest of the bed. As long as you understand these cooling toppers won’t feel super cool all night long, then they should work for you just fine.

It’s wise to ask yourself if a mattress topper or a new mattress will serve your needs better.

How do cooling mattress toppers work?

Cooling mattress toppers contain cooling gels that, as you might imagine, feel cool! These gels also wick away excess body heat and keep it flowing out of the mattress to prevent heat retention.

Can wool mattress toppers keep you cool?

Yes! Wool can keep you both cool and warm, like cotton, and it’s exceptional at wicking away body heat. Mattress toppers made with wool are an organic option for cooler sleep. However, if the wool within the topper is not combined with foam or another material, the topper may lose its comfort after only a few years.

What mattress topper keeps you cool?

Gel mattress toppers are great at regulating temperature and warding away night sweats. The gels within these toppers feel cool-to-the-touch and act as a breathable barrier between you and your mattress. Combined with breathable sheets, you’ll be sleeping cooler in no time.

How can I stop myself from overheating at night?

There are a few ways to prevent night sweats. First, turn the AC down before you to go bed. Next, wear loose clothing to bed and use breathable bedding, as well. Cotton sheets are a go-to for hot sleepers because they’re super airy and great at wicking away excess body heat. Lastly, find a mattress that won’t retain heat. When looking at foam beds, look for plant-based materials and cooling technologies. Hybrids are also loved by hot sleepers since their coil systems allow for a lot of airflow.

Enjoy a Cooler Sleep

We’ve shown you some of the best cooling mattress pads and toppers to help prevent you from overheating while you sleep. You’ve seen a variety of high-quality choices in a range of prices, so you’re more prepared to make a decision for your individual needs.

All of these models can offer you some degree of cooling, so it’s a matter of budget and any other needs you may have such as hypoallergenic materials or pressure point reduction. Whether you choose a mattress pad, mattress protector, gel foam topper, or water-cooled pad, you’ll be sleeping cooler in no time.