
Best overall
Helix Midnight
While midnight may be Taylor Swift’s hour for creativity, the Helix Midnight mattress will offer hours of restful sleep, especially if back pain haunts your dreams. This medium-firm mattress with pressure relief is the best king size mattress for an array of sleeping positions. It features multiple middle layers that support the body, reducing the chances of night-long tossing.
Hot sleepers have the option to add on a GalcioTex Cooling Cover. The Helix Midnight mattress is made in the USA without the use of harmful chemicals, and comes with a 10-year warranty. Helix offers a 100-night sleep trial, so if you don’t fall in love with your new mattress, you can send it back. However, based on our home editor’s Helix mattress review, we’re pretty sure you’ll think this king-sized mattress is a keeper.
Pros
- Hybrid of plush and firm
- Ideal for a variety of sleeping positions
- Mattress construction promotes spinal alignment
- 100-night sleep trial
- Free shipping
Cons
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Pricey

Best value king mattress
Nectar Memory Foam
The Nectar Memory Foam has more than 41,000 five-star reviews—talk about customer satisfaction! This memory foam mattress contours to your body while keeping you cool and calm. Though not cheap, per se, this is a budget pick as far as quality mattresses go. Plus, a truly good night’s sleep is priceless.
The polyethylene fibers of this best king size mattress lures heat away from the body, keeping you sweat-free and cozy all night long. The Nectar falls right in the middle of the firmness scale, so it’s not too hard and not too soft—it’s just right. One of our editors has been sleeping on it for well over a year, and she (and her cat) are still in love with it—just check out her Nectar mattress review.
Pros
- A bargain compared to other high-quality mattresses
- Ideal for hot sleepers
- Therapeutic gel memory foam layer for pressure relief
- 365-night trial
- Forever mattress warranty
- Free shipping and returns
Cons
- Slight odor after first opening
- Heavy box

Best king size mattress for back pain
Dreamcloud Premier Mattress
The Dreamcloud Premier Mattress is ideal for people suffering from back pain. This mattress is constructed to relieve pressure while evenly distributing body weight, reducing the chances of sore spots occurring. The Dreamcloud features a buttery-soft cashmere-blend quilted cover and seven layers of memory foam and soft foam designed to cradle the head and body for a stress-free slumber.
This is is one of the best king size mattresses for hot sleepers, too. Our editor-at-large slept on the Dreamcloud for more than a year. She calls its cooling technology a game-changer for anyone who struggles to regulate their body temperature.
Pros
- Dynamic transition layer for proper spinal alignment
- Memory foam layer for pressure relief
- Plush soft foam layer for extra comfort
- 365-night in-home trial
- Lifetime warranty
- Free shipping
Cons
- Pricey

Best plush king size mattress
Saatva Classic Innerspring Mattress
The plush Saatva Classic King-Size Mattress features a three-inch standard pillow top available in three firmness levels. Its dual-coil design, constructed from recycled carbon steel, ensures your mattress won’t be sagging anytime soon. The Saatva Classic’s plush body-hugging soft foam has added padding in the pillow top for extra comfort. This mattress is ideal for lighter-weight individuals who find most mattresses too hard and stiff. The Saatva Classic is also a perfect pick for side sleepers, as it offers extra contouring.
All Saatva mattresses are American-made and constructed from high-quality, consciously-sourced materials. This non-toxic mattress has an organic cotton cover, a botanical antimicrobial treatment and CertiPUR-US certified foams. There’s also a flame-retardant barrier made from natural thistle pulp, rather than chemical sprays.
Pros
- Deep-body-hugging soft foam and extra pillow top padding
- 365-night home trial
- Free in-room delivery and setup
- Lifetime warranty
- Free mattress and foundation haul-away
Cons
- Pricey

Best firm king size mattress
Bear Elite Hybrid
Just as Goldilocks has her personal mattress preferences, the Bear Elite Hybrid Mattress comes in three available firmness options. For folks seeking the best firm king size mattress, this hybrid mattress is ideal for deep sleepers. A “cool” fact about this hybrid mattress—the cover uses a phase change material making it cool-to-the-touch. Hot sleepers will appreciate the breathable Celliant fibers, which keeps things chilly all night long; and the copper-infused memory foam that whisks away body heat.
A unique zoned coil system conforms to your body’s curves, evenly distributes weight and provides added lumbar support where you need it most. It’s constructed from environmentally-friendly materials and CertiPUR-US certified memory foam, so you can sleep soundly knowing it’s safe for you and the planet.
Pros
- Three available firmness options
- Copper-infused memory foam with antimicrobial benefits
- Reinforced edge coils
- 120-night risk-free trial
- Free shipping
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
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Mattress build favors side sleepers

Best bed in a box king mattress
Nolah Evolution
The Nolah Evolution Hybrid Mattress is one of the best king size mattress in a box options. Don’t let the boxed bed concept fool you: The 15-inch thick mattress is constructed with seven durable layers and is built to last. The brand’s proprietary foam is infused with billions of microscopic air bubbles to relieve pressure on joints and muscles. Its eight-inch coil support system provides optimal support, structure and stability. The individually-wrapped coils respond to movement and weight distribution offering superior spinal alignment for any sleeping position.
Upon unboxing the mattress, it looks just as cool as it acts. The Nolah Evolution has an organic cotton Euro mattress topper that pulls heat away from the body. There’s also a layer of graphite-infused cooling foam and a breathable border gusset that dissipates excess heat. Seriously hot sleepers can add a cooling mattress pad to top this cooling mattress for a winning sleep combo.
Pros
- Best bed in a box for side, back or stomach sleepers
- 15-inches thick with seven layers of high-quality materials
- Two-inches of high resilience foam offers complete body support
- 120-night mattress trial
- Free shipping
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
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So thick it may be hard to get fitted sheets to stay on
What to Consider When Buying the Best King Size Mattress
When buying a king size mattress, it’s important to know what type of sleeper you are: back, stomach or side. Next, determine your firmness preference. Mattress firmness rates on a scale from one to 10, with one being the softest and 10 being as firm as it gets. If you like a softer mattress, go for a plush or pillow top design. If you prefer firm, memory foam mattress are your best bet. For a middle of the road pick, hybrid mattresses offer the best of both worlds.
It’s always important to stick to your budget. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a fortune. There are tons of cheap mattresses that offer exceptional value. If you go with an inexpensive pick, consider adding a mattress topper to increase the comfort level and add a layer of protection. Also, invest in a solid mattress protector to extend the lifespan of your king size mattress.
Types of King Size Mattresses
- Innerspring mattresses: Innerspring mattresses are the most common type of mattress. They are constructed with a steel coil support system and layers of cushioning material.
- Memory foam mattresses: Memory foam mattresses are made from supportive foams that contour to your shape. The foam is temperature-sensitive, so it softens and conforms to your body when you lie down, and then returns to its original shape when you get up.
- Latex mattresses: Latex mattresses are made from natural or synthetic latex foam, which is derived from rubber tree sap. Latex mattresses are known for their durability, comfort and support. They are also hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, mold and mildew.
- Hybrid mattresses: Hybrid mattresses are a combination of two or more types of mattress materials, such as memory foam, latex and innerspring coils. They combine the comfort and support of memory foam with the bounce and responsiveness of innerspring coils.
How We Chose the Best King Size Mattress
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like, and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
FAQs
What are the dimensions of a king size mattress?
The standard king mattress size is 76 inches wide and 80 inches deep. California King mattresses measure 72 inches wide and 84 inches deep.
What is a split king mattress?
A split king size mattress is two twin XL mattresses pushed together, each measuring 30 inches by 80 inches.
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