7 Best Adjustable Mattresses for Different Sleeping Preferences

• Best split king adjustable mattress: Saatva Solaire | Skip to Review
• Best adjustable mattress for aches and pains: Sleep Number 360 p6 Smart Bed | Skip to Review
• Best adjustable mattress for back pain: Selectabed Air-Pedic 600 | Skip to Review
• Most affordable adjustable mattress: Personal Comfort A2 Bed | Skip to Review
• Best cooling adjustable mattress: Selectabed Air-Pedic 800 | Skip to Review
• Best luxury feeling (but more affordable) adjustable mattress: Sleep Number 360 c2 Smart Bed | Skip to Review
• Best smart bed with an adjustable mattress: Sleep Number i10 Smart Bed | Skip to Review

Adjustable mattresses are a popular option, with a unique ability to be customized based on your preferences, but the benefits don’t stop there. Research shows that sleeping on a medium-firm, adjustable mattress promotes sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment.

They can also be a good choice if you sleep with a partner who has a different sleeping style from yours.

If you’re on the lookout for a great adjustable mattress, we’re here to help. We rounded up some of the best options.

We chose each mattress based on:

• Company policies: We looked for brands that offer good warranties, in-home trials, and shipping and return policies.
• Company reputation: We looked into each brand’s reputation, including their Better Business Bureau profile (if they have one), and how transparent they are about their business practices.
• Safety: All mattresses on our list meet federal flammability requirements. Most are made in the United States.
• Reviews: We read customer reviews to see what people who’ve actually slept on each mattress say about it.
• Materials: We prioritized picks made with materials certified safe by third-party organizations, like CertiPUR-US.

The terminology surrounding adjustable mattresses can be a little confusing. Some brands also call them air beds (not to be confused with air mattresses), while others stick to adjustable beds.

Regardless of what you call them, their main feature is their ability to inflate or deflate based on your desired firmness level. To do this, you’ll use a specialized remote or app. Depending on the mattress, you may be able to adjust each side separately.

Keep in mind that adjustable mattresses are different from adjustable bed bases, which allow you to move the head or foot of the bed up or down to help elevate your body. An adjustable mattress can be used on both regular and adjustable bases. You may find more relief for certain conditions (say, that snoring partner) if the base adjusts, too.

Adjustable mattresses with adjustable bases are particularly helpful for those managing chronic health conditions such as snoring, GERD/reflux, pain and circulation issues, and even acute health conditions such as recovering from surgery and pregnancy, noted Samina Ahmed Jauregui, PsyD, is a psychologist at University Hospitals in Ohio.

“By being able to elevate the head, upper back, legs, and feet, people are likely to reduce some of their symptoms that might be disturbing their sleep,” she says.

Like other mattresses, you can find adjustable mattresses that use different materials. While all adjustable mattresses will use chambers that fill with air to customize firmness levels, material types can vary. You can find adjustable mattresses made with:

• Latex: Latex is harvested from rubber trees and is known for impressive comfort and durability.
• Memory foam: Memory foam is a material designed to conform to the body for support and pressure relief.
• Foam: Foam types include gel, latex, and memory, and may offer benefits like reduced sweating, support, and durability.

Anyone looking for a good night’s sleep may want to consider an adjustable mattress. Not only does research support this kind of mattress for sleep comfort, quality, and spinal alignment, but they offer complete personalization for a restful night’s sleep.

People with certain conditions, such as back pain or pressure point pain, as well as those who snore, might find relief with an adjustable mattress.

Couples — particularly those who have different ideas of comfort — might also benefit from an adjustable mattress that allows for adjustability on both sides.

Adjustable mattresses are known for offering the best of both worlds. The two features that really set these mattresses apart are:

Customizability

Adjustable mattresses give complete control over how firm or soft a mattress feels at a given time.

By changing the setting on your mattress to suit your desired firmness level, you can find the perfect balance of comfort and support, even if your preferences change over time.

Personalization for two

You and your partner don’t need to compromise on firmness with an adjustable mattress. Instead, you can each find what works best for you as individuals.

“Using adjustable mattresses with a partner, I think, provides an added benefit at prioritizing one’s own sleep without compromising one’s relationship,” Jauregui says.

Adjustable mattresses can be pricey, but depending on your needs, they may be worth the cost. For example, if you need lumbar support, want total control over the feel of your bed, and want to be able to adjust it whenever you need it, you may want to consider an adjustable mattress.

According to Magnuson, the three F’s should be the framework you use to make an informed decision:

• Fit: spinal alignment and pressure relief
• Feel: the characteristics of a mattress based on your preferences
• Features: special attributes

If you find that the adjustable mattress fits all three, then you’re good to go. However, if the mattress doesn’t have the fit, feel, or features you want, then it might not be worth the cost.

At a glance, lots of adjustable mattresses can look pretty similar. So, how do you know where to start?

Magnuson says there are a few ways adjustable mattresses can differ.

“The most significant way is the number of chambers they use. At a most basic level, do they offer ‘dual chamber’ design, which means that each sleeper has their own air chamber on their side of the bed?

“This is pretty essential for couples, both from a support and a motion isolation standpoint, so most companies offer this on their queen and king sizes at this point,” Magnuson says.

Beyond the mattresses’ construction and chambers, you may want to consider:

• Materials certifications: Some mattresses’ foam and latex are certified by third-party groups for low emissions, excluding certain chemicals, whether they’re organic, and more. Shopping for a mattress that has certifications could help you cut down your chemical exposure, or get a mattress that’s more eco-friendly if that’s important to you.
• Cooling features: If you or a partner sleeps hot, looking for a mattress with cooling features or characteristics could be essential.
• Smart technology: If you want to be able to control your mattress from your phone, a smart-enabled bed is the way to go.
• In-home trial period: Knowing whether you’ll love a mattress is almost impossible if you haven’t slept in it for a few days. Fortunately, many companies offer at-home trial periods, so you can return the mattress if it doesn’t work out.
• Warranty: Most mattress companies offer 10-year warranties. This allows you to get a replacement if your mattress shows atypical wear and tear, like sagging, over time.

Since an adjustable mattress can be inflated or deflated, it can accommodate any sleep position. How you sleep can play a big role in the quality of your rest, and there are different benefits to different sleep positions.

• Fetal position: In this position, you lie on your side with your legs curled up. It’s the most popular way to sleep, and it can be very effective for reducing back pain and even snoring. On the downside, the fetal position can leave you with stiffness in the morning.
• Side position: This is similar to the fetal position, but your legs aren’t curled in toward the body. However, it can leave the shoulders, hips, and even the jaw feeling sore.
• Stomach position: This can be an effective position for snore or sleep apnea, but it puts a lot of stress on the neck, back, muscles and joints.
• Back position: This position is great for a neutral spine, and it may help relieve hip and knee pain. However, it’s not ideal for those who snore.

With an adjustable mattress, you have the freedom to try different sleeping positions and personalize firmness until you feel perfectly supported.

What is an adjustable mattress?

An adjustable mattress can be inflated or deflated with a special remote or app to achieve a specific firmness level. Some mattresses have the ability to adjust both sides separately.

What’s the biggest benefit of adjustable mattresses?

Adjustability is the stand-out feature of an adjustable mattress. It puts you in total control of how your mattress feels every time you lie down.

Are adjustable mattresses worth it?

They can be, especially if you share your bed with a partner and don’t agree on ideal mattress firmness. An adjustable mattress may also be worth the price tag if you’re in need of extra lumbar support and you like the idea of being able to adjust your mattress whenever you want.

Fans of tech gadgets may also enjoy the smart bells and whistles of some adjustable mattresses.

Are adjustable mattresses good for reducing snoring?

They may, but of course, there are no guarantees. An adjustable base is the most beneficial, not necessarily adjustable firmness. Elevating the head area, or sleeping in a zero-gravity position with your feet over your stomach can alleviate snoring for some people. (Remember, you may be able to treat snoring in other ways.)

Are adjustable mattresses suitable for side sleepers?

Some adjustable mattresses, especially the varieties that offer adjustability in the lumbar region, are ideal for side sleepers. Browse reviews online to get an idea of which mattress may be better for side sleepers (or back and belly sleepers).

Adjustable mattresses can be an amazing investment for a great night’s sleep. And there are many brands that offer the technology that lets you customize the mattress. But before you buy one, make sure you do your research and think about what you’re looking for so you can choose the right one for your preferences.

Robin Mosley is a Chicago-based writer. Her work has appeared in publications including Food and Wine and The Kitchn. Her work deals with food, gaming, or business connected to intersectional identities. You can keep up with her on Twitter or on her website.