14 best mattress toppers 2024: Tested for more than 1,000 hours’ of sleep

There are many different kinds of mattress toppers out there, spanning wool, microfibre and memory foam options. If you’re unfamiliar, these additions to your sleep setup are essentially enclosed wads of padding that add an extra layer of comfort to mattresses while also protecting them, extending their lifespan.

Mattress toppers shouldn’t be confused with protectors , though. The latter are waterproof covers that have minimal padding and are designed purely to protect mattresses from stains.

But how do you pick the best mattress topper? First of all, think about the obvious stuff: what are you hoping to achieve? Are you keen to crank up the comfort, boost the heat-retention qualities of your current mattress, or find a topper that offers better support for your back, neck or shoulders?

If it’s the latter, we’d recommend opting for memory foam. But memory foam – which is generally less breathable – isn’t necessarily the best option if keeping cool is your priority. Although, there are a handful of exceptions, namely toppers that have cotton covers that wick away sweat and can help to keep you cool. Meanwhile, woollen toppers are brilliant options for anyone keen to keep cool, because wool fibres are naturally breathable, and can absorb large amounts of moisture vapour, which is then able to evaporate.

Keep reading to find out which are the best mattress toppers for superior snoozing .

How we tested the best mattress toppers

We’ll be honest, we slept a lot. But, in our defence, this wasn’t as easy as it might sound – the testing of the best mattress toppers took place during a heatwave, so, we weren’t only able to assess the comfort levels, but each topper’s breathability temperature-regulation properties, too.

Testing wasn’t just carried out during periods of Sahara-like heat, though – we spread the testing to ensure we tested the best mattress toppers on cooler nights, too.

The best mattress toppers for 2024 are:

• Best mattress topper overall – M&S comfortably cool mattress topper: From £69, Marksandspencer.com
• Best budget mattress topper – Richard Haworth hollowfibre bed topper: From £32, Richardhaworth.co.uk
• Best mattress topper for allergy sufferers – M&S duck feather and down mattress topper: From £110, Marksandspencer.com
• Best cooling mattress topper – Slumberdown airstream memory cool mattress double topper: From £66, Amazon.co.uk
• Best luxury mattress topper – Dormeo octasmart plus mattress topper: From £229, Dormeo.co.uk

M&S comfortably cool mattress topper

Richard Haworth hollowfibre bed topper

Panda the topper

Simba the hybrid topper

Emma flip topper

The White Company classic mattress topper

M&S duck feather and down mattress topper

Piglet merino wool mattress topper

Richard Haworth clusterfill bed topper

JML eazzzy mattress topper

Tielle savoy luxury mattress topper

Woolroom Chatsworth wool mattress topper

Slumberdown airstream memory cool mattress double topper

Dormeo octasmart plus mattress topper

Mattress topper FAQs

How to buy a mattress topper

What type of mattress topper is best?

What’s the difference between mattress pads, toppers and protectors?

What thickness of mattress topper should I get?

Can you wash a mattress topper?

The verdict: Mattress toppers