A perfect foundation for modern aesthetics, a platform bed has a frame that doesn’t require a box spring because the bed itself uses slats and supports the mattress. However, in some cases, using the mattress you already have without a box spring can actually void the warranty. That’s a good reason why it’s important to choose the best mattress for platform bed.
Generally, any mattress works well on a platform bed, but if you don’t want to use a box spring, you should be sure to choose a mattress that is comfortable and supportive without one. There are so many mattress options available, ranging from layers of different types of foam and latex to hybrids that integrate innersprings. Some even have cooling gel, graphite, or green tea infused in the foam to help regulate temperature and wick away moisture. These mattresses are usually designed to make as many people as possible comfortable so they tend to be medium firmness, though there are some harder and softer options available. Thickness matters, too, as platform beds are designed to sit a little lower to the ground. You may want a tall mattress for some height.
To put together this review, we spent hours digging through comments from both experts and people just like you who use these mattresses every night. First, we put together a table so you can compare the best feature of each mattress side by side. Next, you’ll come to our in-depth reviews of each product followed by a helpful buying guide full of information to help you find the best mattress for platform bed for your home.
More features: 1,000 smart support coils; natural fire-resistant barrier; flippable mattress; 18-month trial
When it comes to finding the right mattress for your platform bed, you need to think about the different components that go into making one of these comfortable and supportive mattresses. This includes both the foam and coils. The best coils are going to be ones that are individually wrapped, like the ones for this model. Since these coils are individual support systems, rather than a connected network, they are able to provide the amount of support that each part of your body needs. The 1,000 coils are perfect for keeping every last inch of you individually supported.
The foams for this model are also fantastic. It has three different layers, which include cooling foam, transition foam, and contouring foam. The most important layers are the cooling and contouring foam. The cooling layer helps to make sure that you don’t get overheated, while the contouring level molds the mattress to your body. These foams all combine to provide an excellent level of comfort.
This mattress also comes in a large variety of sizes and firmness levels. This will allow you to find the exact mattress that will work best for your sleeping needs without too much difficulty. The fact that the mattress can also be flipped to provide a different level of firmness is another nice touch.
While the company that manufactures this mattress is wonderful, their customer service is quite difficult to reach. Unfortunately, if there is an issue with your mattress, you will probably have to play a bit of phone tag until you reach someone. Thankfully, once you have reached someone, they are wonderful to work with towards fixing your issue.
More features: zoned lumbar support coils; quilted pillowtop; 100-night trial
One of the best reasons to get a hybrid mattress for your platform bed is to help provide you with enough support so that you won’t experience back pain anymore. If that is why you are looking into purchasing one of these mattresses, then this is a great option. Not only does it come equipped with individually wrapped coils for excellent support, but it also has zoned lumbar support coils. These coils are positioned to make sure that your back is perfectly aligned while you are sleeping, which, in turn, will help to make sure that you don’t have any pain in your neck, back, or shoulders when you wake up.
To go along with this excellent support system, the manufacturer has added a ton of padding in the form of multiple layers of foam, as well as a pillow top for extra comfort. All of this padding adds up to about 14 inches of the mattress, all told, which is more than enough to get a very restful, comfortable, and supportive night’s rest each and every night.
Helix is known for making quality products. They are also known for backing up what the sell, and this mattress is no different. If you decide to purchase this model, you can rest easy with both a long 100-night trial and also a 15-year warranty.
The Helix LUXE mattresses are available in different firmness levels and are designed for different sleeper types, so you can choose the one that fits your style of sleeping perfectly on their website.
More features: 120-night trial; flippable firmness; copper-infused foam; washable cover
Something that you don’t see too often in hybrid mattresses is a model that can be flipped over so that you can experience a different level of firmness. This is just such a model, however. On one side is a very soft mattress. If that is not to your liking, you can flip the entire mattress over and try out a firm one. This versatility gives you two mattresses for the price of one and greatly increases the likelihood that one of them will suit your sleeping style.
Thankfully, you also get 120 days to decide whether or not this mattress is a good fit for you. Even if you wait until the very last day of this trial, you will be able to return the mattress without any issues. It also comes with a 10-year limited warranty that will cover certain parts of your mattress should anything happen to it.
This is also an extremely cool sleeping mattress. This is mostly thanks to the different types of foam that are used in the build of this mattress. The copper-gel memory foam and the airflow support foam are the main reasons for this cooling effect. The gel foam is especially good at pulling your body heat away while you are sleeping to keep you cool.
While the flippability of this mattress is quite nice, it is still somewhat limiting. For instance, if you are someone who needs a medium-firm mattress, then this model will most likely not suit your needs. Thankfully, even if you do decide that these firmness levels aren’t for you, you have a good long time to try it out before you lose out on any money.
More features: 1,032 individually encased Ascension X coils; 120-night trial
This is another hybrid option that provides tons of support on a platform bed. This is thanks to its multiple layers of foam, especially the gel-infused memory foam layer. This layer allows the mattress to conform to your shape, which makes it very supportive. As you would expect with a hybrid mattress, this model also comes equipped with coils. What is surprising about these coils, however, is the sheer number of them. Within this mattress, there are 1,032 individually wrapped coils (for the Queen mattress) to provide you with an optimal level of support.
While this mattress only offers a medium firmness level, it is still able to supply the amount of support you would expect from a firmer mattress, so, even if you usually use a firm-level mattress, this model should still work for you. It also comes in a multitude of sizes, making it very easy to find one that works well for your bed and sleeping style. No matter if you are someone that sleeps on their side, back, or front, you should get enough support for your back, neck, and shoulders.
For more lightweight sleepers, however, the medium firmness of the mattress may feel more on the firmer side, so take note of that if you’re a side sleeper.
More features: open-cell design for cooling; 100-night trial
If you are in the market for a breathable mattress for your platform bed, then this is a great model to check into. It has an open-cell design in its foam layers, which allows for a better level of air transfer during the night. Since the cells of the foam are open, heat is pulled away from your body while you are sleeping as cool air is pulled towards you. This will allow you to sleep more comfortably without having to worry about overheating at all during the night.
Something else that helps to make this such a smart investment is the fact that it comes with such a long warranty and trial period. The trial period is good for about 100 nights, which is about 9 months, all told. This should give you plenty of time to find out if the mattress is right for you without having to worry whether or not you will lose your investment.
This mattress also comes in a ton of sizes. This makes it much easier to find the right model for your bed, no matter what size bed you have. This mattress is also quite easy to get into position, thanks in part to its slimmer profile and lightweight design.
Of course, this slimmer than the average profile might mean that it isn’t the correct thickness for you. For instance, if you are a larger individual, then the 12 inches might not be enough support for your frame.
More features: 100-night trial; Greenguard Gold certified, Celliant Infrared Yarn Technology
When it comes to platform bed mattresses, you usually need to pick between comfortable and cool. Most mattresses that are on the thicker and more comfortable side are usually not very cool, and vice versa. Thankfully, if you choose to get this mattress, you won’t need to sacrifice one or the other. This model is quite thick, measuring in at about 14 inches all told. This thickness makes it very supportive and comfortable, thanks to thick layers of foam.
It is also quite cool. This is thanks to its Celliant Infrared Yarn Technology for its cover and cooling gel foam layer. With these two different cooling technologies in place, you will get plenty of airflow between you and your mattress, while the gel will pull body heat away. This makes this an exceptionally comfortable mattress to sleep on.
The company also stands behind their product. If you choose to get this model, you can take up to 100 nights to try it out before you make your final decision. You also get a 20-year warranty that will cover any damage that might befall your mattress. These guarantees, when coupled with all of the different size options and cooling properties, help to make this an attractive hybrid mattress.
Of course, there is one issue that you need to keep in mind with this model. It, unfortunately, only comes in a medium-firm. If you are someone that wants a firmer or softer model, you will need to purchase a different one.
More features: GOTS, Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and GreenGuard Gold certified; 100-night trial
It can be somewhat difficult to find a mattress that has the exact firmness that you desire. Even the models that can be flipped don’t always have the right firmness for all sleepers. If you are looking for different firmness levels when it comes to your mattress, then this is an excellent option. It comes in soft, medium, medium-firm, and extra firm. This variation of styles makes this an excellent option for families, since you can get the right firmness and size for the whole family.
Speaking of which, this mattress comes in pretty much any size that you could desire. Whether you want a twin or a California king, this mattress has a model to match your desire, which, again, makes it a good buy for whole households.
This mattress is also quite thin, which makes it easy to maneuver after you have it home and opened up. Even if you decide to move it to an entirely different bed, you shouldn’t have any issue doing so on your own. The slim design helps to keep the overall weight down, which makes it much simpler to pick up and transfer if you need to.
Of course, since this model is so thin, it does make it a bit less supportive. This is especially true if you decide to go with a soft mattress. Even if you get the thickest possible iteration at 10 inches, you will probably not feel as supported as you might like.
More features: CertiPUR-US certified, 180-night trial, dust mite protection, temperature control technology
One of the best things about this NECTAR Mattress is the number of layers it has. On the top is a Tencel cooling cover that circulates air, wicks away moisture, and is even resistant to bedbugs. Next is a layer of quilted gel memory foam that adds addition contouring and cooling. The third layer is gel memory foam for support and even weight distribution followed by a layer of high core memory foam for rebound and bounce. Finally, the bottom layer of breathing base foam provides breathable support and a stable foundation. Overall, it provides medium-firm support that satisfies a variety of different sleepers.
Nectar mattresses come with a 180-day risk-free trial which means you can try it and return it if you are not 100% happy. They also include two free Nectar pillows for all-around comfort while you sleep. These mattresses are guaranteed as long as you own them which is the longest warranty in the business.
Some customers report a strong odor that persisted after a generous airing out period, but a lot of users did not have this problem. Another thing to be aware of is that a lot of people found this mattress to be firmer than expected, even though it’s rated as medium.
More features: 120-night trial; flippable firmness
While pretty much everyone is excited at the idea of getting a new mattress, no one really likes getting their new bed into the right position. Many mattresses are excessively heavy, mainly because they are very thick. This can make getting them up the stairs and onto your bed downright exhausting. This mattress, however, is not like that at all. Thanks to a slimmer profile, this model is quite lightweight and easy to maneuver. The smaller size makes it much easier to get into the proper position, especially if you need to get it up the stairs.
This model can also be flipped to adjust the firmness. The slim profile helps to make this much easier as well, as there isn’t as much mattress to turn over as you would have on a thicker model. As you would expect from a slim mattress, the two sides are firm and extra firm.
Something else that makes this a desirable mattress is the fact that it comes in so many different sizes. No matter if you want a twin, full, queen, king, or anything in between, you can get it for this mattress. In fact, it even comes in an RV king size, which is relatively rare in the world of platform mattresses.
Of course, the biggest downside for this mattress is the fact that it is not very thick. While this slimmer profile makes it easier to move around, it will mean that it isn’t quite as comfortable as some other mattresses.
More features: 101-night trial; Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified washable cover
Anytime that you are looking to get a mattress with some sort of foam inside of it, it is always a good idea to see if you can get one that is hypoallergenic. Even if you are not someone that has sensitive skin or allergies, you certainly don’t want to take any chances when it comes to your sleep. The last thing you want is to wake up in the middle of the night with irritation all over the skin. That is where a mattress like this model comes in.
This mattress’s multiple foam layers are made out of hypoallergenic foam, which makes for a very comfortable and restful sleep. The foam is also designed to keep you cool during the night, with plenty of support for your neck, back, and shoulders. No matter what type of sleeper you are, this should give you the support that you need.
The cover that comes with this mattress is also quite nice. It is made to work well for anyone with sensitive skin as well. But perhaps its best attribute is the fact that it is stain resistant. This helps to make it a great option for anyone who is getting a mattress for a child or anybody who doesn’t want to risk any stains forming on their bed at all.
Something else that might make this a good mattress for a smaller person is that it only comes in slimmer iterations. This might make it so that it isn’t supportive enough for an adult due to its smaller size.
You spend about a third of your life in bed, and making sure you get a good night’s sleep is the best thing you can do to get ready for tomorrow. So, having the right mattress is essential. If you have a platform bed, here are some things to think about when trying to find the right mattress.
A platform bed is a bed that usually has a simple rectangular frame with either wooden slats or some kind of latticed metal to support a mattress. They provide enough support and ventilation that a box spring or separate foundation is not needed.
Really, any kind of mattress works well on a platform bed but you have to consider the boxspring. While technically you can use a box spring on a platform bed, they’re not really designed for one. The mattress height might be off a bit because platform beds aren’t designed the same way as a regular bed frame.
If you just got a platform bed and were planning to use your current mattress, it’s important to check the warranty if you’re planning not to use a box spring because not using one can void some warranties.
If you’re looking for a new mattress, don’t worry. There are plenty of comfortable, affordable options out there that don’t require a box spring and will look great on your new bed.
There are three different kinds of mattresses in our reviews.
Foam mattresses are composed of layers of different kinds of foam stacked on top of one another. There’s usually a soft, contouring layer on the top followed by a more supportive layer and then a thick base layer. Some brands use as many as five layers or more while other keep it simple with only two or three. Memory foam mattresses are great for platform beds because, in addition to being super comfortable, they don’t require a box spring and are the right weight.
Pure latex mattresses are not a good choice for a platform bed simply because they’re too heavy. That said, there are some foam mattresses that incorporate a layer of latex to give you with the best of both worlds.
Finally, we included a few hybrid mattresses, too, like the Linenspa Hybrid Mattresses. Hybrid mattresses are a combination of a memory foam mattress and a standard innerspring mattress. The springs are often in individually wrapped coils and serve as the base of the mattress with memory foam layers on top.
The thicknesses of these mattresses vary a lot. The products we chose for our review range from 10 to 14 inches. Platform beds sit a little lower to the ground so you might want to choose a mattress that’s a little thicker. That said, part of the unique style of a platform bed is its low design so if you prefer a short mattress, that’s fine, too.
Some of these mattresses excel at temperature regulation. Foam is dense and absorbs heat so getting a mattress that can help dissipate it is one way to make sure you get a good night’s sleep.
When considering the products in our review, there are 2 ways that temperature regulation is done. The first is with a cooling gel infusion which absorbs the heat and spreads it throughout the material like the Perfect Cloud UltraPlush Gel-Max Memory Foam Mattress. The second is using air infused memory foam on the top layers. This causes air holes and channels to open up so that heat is absorbed and so the air in the room can circulate through, taking the hot air with it. The Sleep Innovations Alden Mattress is a good example.
Getting a mattress made of high-quality materials, like the Zinus Ultima Comfort, is important for so many reasons. First and foremost, it affects the comfort of your bed, the quality of your sleep, and ultimately your health. Buying from a trusted company that uses non-toxic ingredients is very important. Think about it. You’re going to be spending about 8 hours a night in contact with the mattress and breathing whatever is in the material. It’s important to make sure it’s 100% safe.
The quality of the materials also affects support and comfort. Most mattresses are comfortable when you first lay down but it’s how you feel after a full night’s sleep that matters.
A good mattress made of quality materials will support your pressure points all night long so you don’t wake up with any pain.
Durability is important, too, since most people keep their mattresses for a long time. The better the material, the less likely the mattress is to sag or crease over time.
Trying out a mattress before you buy it is a great way to know that you’re making the right decision, especially when buying online. Even if you do go a mattress store and get a chance to sit on it, you can never be sure how you’re going to feel after sleeping on it for a night, a week, a month. It’s important and a home trial is the best way to figure out if you made the right choice.
Warranties are important, too. As we said, most people keep their mattresses for a long time. Any brand that provides a long warranty is showing you that they stand behind their product. For example, the NECTAR Mattress is covered with a lifetime warranty.
The first thing that you should do when you receive your mattress is to give it between 24 and 72 hours to expand. This takes a little longer in colder temperatures and varies a bit from brand to brand.
After your mattress has reached its full size, make sure the foundation slats of your platform bed are intact and evenly spaced. This will help with wear to prevent sagging.
If your mattress comes with a removable cover, it’s okay to remove it regularly to toss it in the washing machine, however, a lot of these mattresses don’t have this. If yours does not, it’s a good idea to get a separate removable cover to protect the mattress from stains and moisture. Foam mattresses should not get wet beyond occasional surface cleaning. They virtually never dry.
Rotate your mattress occasionally. While older mattresses had to be completely flipped to distribute wear, newer designs like the ones reviewed are one-sided and should not be flipped.
Our top pick for the best mattress for a platform bed is the Zinus Ultima Comfort Memory Foam 10-inch Mattress. With three supportive layers of BioFoam and a thick quilted cover, this mattress is comfortable and more environmentally friendly. Also, based on hundreds of reviews, we feel that this mattress will be great for most people.
Our next pick is Linenspa 10-inch Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattresses. This is a good choice if you’re on a budget and, since it’s a hybrid, it gives you the support of innerspring with the comfort and contour of memory foam. Plus, it has a 180-day in home trial.
Finally, we also recommend the Nectar Mattress. In addition to the lifetime warranty, this mattress features cooling gel infusions as well as a bed bug proof outer cover. Plus, they include two comfortable pillows so that you can get the best night’s sleep possible.
