Last updated on February 24, 2020 ・ 6 min read
If you’re ready to upgrade from a twin but don’t have the budget for a queen or space in the bedroom, then a full size mattress is the best mattress size for you. Full beds give you enough room to spread out without taking up too much floor space.
In this article, we’ll explore our recommended full size mattresses. We will also give you a better idea of the size of a full mattress and how to choose the perfect bed for your body type and preferred sleep position.
Best mattress for side sleepers
Never feels too soft or too firm
Contains HIVE® technology to deliver superior spinal support
The Amerisleep AS3 relieves pressure and pain to promote better sleep. It has a 10-inch profile and can support up to 800 pounds. Most people can sleep on the AS3 as it supports a variety of sleeping positions and body types.
The soft, breathable cover keeps air moving throughout the mattress, ensuring that you sleep cool and comfortable. The cover is also removable and washable so you can keep your mattress and in good condition for many years.
The Bio-Pur® memory foam comfort layer is more breathable and responsive than traditional memory foam. The foam conforms to the sleeper, relieving pressure and back pain.
Below the memory foam layer, the Affinity layer with HIVE® technology has hundreds of hexagon-shaped cut-outs grouped into five comfort zones. The firm zones prevent the hips and shoulders from sinking and misaligning the spine, while the other zones offer soft support to alleviate pressure points in the head, back, and feet.
The Bio-Core® support layer reduces sagging, which extends the mattress’s longevity.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
20-Year Warranty
Amerisleep offers a 20-year warranty, which protects the customer against materials and workmanship defects, including sagging greater than 0.75 inches.
During the first ten years of the warranty, Amerisleep replaces defective mattresses at no cost to the owner; however, during years 11 through 20, the customer may purchase a new mattress at a prorated price of the original bed.
100-Night Sleep Trial
Amerisleep’s 100-night sleep trial offers a customer time to try the mattress without financial risk. If the mattress doesn’t meet the sleeper’s expectations, they can return the bed for a full refund.
Designed to aid in quicker recovery
Features cooling gels to promote a more comfortable sleep
Contains Triangulex™ technology to offer dynamic full-body support
The Zoma mattress is great for physically active individuals who need a balance of support and conformability. The bed has a medium feel, which means it can support most sleeping positions and body types. It has an 11-inch profile and can bear up to 800 pounds.
The polyester-elastane cover encourages air circulation through the mattress.
The top layer is 2 inches of gel-infused memory foam with Triangulex™ technology. The gel infusion wicks away heat from the sleeper. The Triangulex™ technology provides pressure-relieving support zones, offering firm support to the hips and alleviating pressure in the head and feet.
Below the Triangulex™ layer, 2 inches of latex-like Reactiv™ material transitions between the comfort and support layers, preventing the sleeper from bottoming out on the high-density foam base.
The Support+ base layer is a durable poly-foam and offers mattress longevity by deterring sagging and supporting the upper layers.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
10-Year Warranty
Zoma replaces defective mattresses under the term of its 10-year warranty, including indentations greater than 0.74 inches, cracking or splitting foam, and flawed covers.
100-Night Sleep Trial
During Zoma’s 100-night sleep trial, the customer may test and return the mattress if the bed doesn’t meet their sleep needs.
Features CertiPUR-US® certified foams
Budget-friendly mattress option
Ideal for side, back, and combination sleepers
The Vaya mattress is an affordable bed-in-a-box mattress that offers comfort and durability. The bed has a 12-inch profile and can withstand 300 pounds. The all-foam bed is available on Amazon. It’s also hypoallergenic and CertiPUR-US® certified.
The cover is rayon, spandex, and polyester-blended material woven to increase airflow.
The top layer is 3 inches latex-like poly-foam. The foam is responsive, which keeps the sleeper from getting stuck in the mattress while relieving pressure.
Below the comfort layer, 9 inches of base foam prevents premature sagging to extend the mattress’s longevity.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
10-year Warranty
Vaya offers a 10-year warranty to protect its customers against defects, including indentations deeper than 0.75 inches.
100-Night Sleep Trial
Vaya’s 100-night sleep trial allows the customer to test the mattress in their home before committing to the purchase. If the customer finds the bed unsatisfactory, they may return it for a full refund.
Contains graphite infusions to wick away body heat and keep you cool
Features T&N Adaptive® foam for superior pressure relief
Comfortable for side, back, and combination sleeping
The Tuft & Needle Mattress has a luxury firm feel, which caters to back sleepers. The bed can bear up to 1000 pounds and has a 12-inch profile.
The polyester cover promotes air circulation through the mattress.
Tuft & Needle’s graphite and gel-infused T&N Adaptive® foam make up the mattress’s top layer. The graphite and gel infusion pull heat from the sleeper, while the poly-foam relieves pressure through contouring. The layer is bouncy, which keeps the sleeper from sinking too deep into the materials.
A 2-inch thick high-density polyurethane foam buffers between the comfort and firm base, preventing the sleeper from hitting the firm foam and developing pressure points.
The high-density poly-foam support core is 6.5 inches thick and prevents sagging to prolong the mattress’s lifespan.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
10-Year Warranty
The Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, which protects the customer from mattress material and craftsmanship defects, including sagging larger than 0.75 inches, physical flaws in the foam, and cover flaws.
100-Night Sleep Trial
Every Tuft & Needle Mattress comes with a 100-night trial, offering customers the chance to try the mattress in their home. If the mattress is unsatisfactory, the sleeper may return the bed at no cost.
Contains both gel-infused and copper-infused foams for unbeatable temperature regulation
Features a Celliant® cover to boost your quality of sleep
CertiPUR-US® certified
The Bear Pro Mattress has GREENGUARD Gold and CertiPUR-US® certifications, meaning it’s made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP flame retardants, heavy metals, phthalates, and is low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds). It is 12 inches thick and can withstand up to 700 pounds.
The Celliant® cover promotes muscle recovery by converting body heat into infrared, which increases local blood flow.
The first comfort layer is copper-infused foam. It is antimicrobial (it’ll keep the surface of your mattress bacteria-free) and contours to the sleeper to relieve pressure and pain.
Below the copper foam, gel memory foam wicks heat away from the body, providing more conformability for pain relief.
The responsive poly-foam transition layer buffers between the comfort and support layer, preventing the sleeper from bottoming out on the high-density support layer.
The high-density support foam provides long-lasting durability by deterring sagging.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
10-Year Warranty
Each Bear Mattress comes with a 10-year warranty, which states Bear replaces or repairs defective mattresses with faulty materials and workmanship.
100-Night Sleep Trial
You may return the Bear Pro Mattress within the 100-night sleep trial if you are unsatisfied; however, Bear asks you to sleep on the mattress for 30 nights before returning the product.
Available in soft, medium, and firm
Features 100% natural latex
GOLS & GOTS certified
Nest Bedding’s Natural Hybrid Mattress can withstand up to 800 pounds and has a 12-inch profile. The mattress comes with three firmness levels: medium, firm, plush. It’s also OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified and USA-made.
The organic cotton and Joma wool knit cover stretches to encourage airflow and wick away heat. The cover is quilted into 1.5 inches of Eco-Flex Quilting Foam to create a pillow top. The foam contours to the sleeper, relieving pressure points and pain.
The second comfort layer is 3 inches of breathable Dunlop Latex, offering a firm, bouncy feel. The layer contours to the sleeper, pushing up to support the hips and shoulder.
The second layer, 1-inch poly-foam, transitions between the soft and firm layers, preventing the sleeper from hitting the base layer.
Below, 6 inches of pocketed coils provide support and bounce. The coils isolate motion to prevent sleep disturbances when a sleep partner turns over in bed.
The 1-inch high-density polyurethane base layer prevents sagging and extends the mattress’s lifespan by maintaining the bed’s shape.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
Lifetime Warranty
Nest Beddings lifetime warranty states Nest Bedding repairs and replaces mattresses with visible indentations greater than 1 inch, physical flaws in the cover zipper, and defective covers. Keep in mind the warranty only covers defects— not regular wear and tear.
100-Night Sleep Trial
Every Nest Bedding mattress comes with a 100-night trial where you may try the bed and return it if it doesn’t meet your sleep needs. Nest Bedding asks customers to try the mattress for 30 nights before making a return. Returning the bed during the first 30 nights results in a 25 percent restocking fee.
Features the proprietary Purple Grid™ to offer “No-Pressure” support
Compatible with all sleeping styles
Breathable and cooling for hot sleepers
The Purple® Mattress is built with innovative technology to provide pressure relief and temperature neutrality. The mattress is hypoallergenic and CertiPUR-US® certified. It is also 9 inches thick and supports most sleeping positions and body types.
The cover is a soft knit fabric, which increases the mattress’s breathability.
The Purple Grid™ comfort layer is a polymer material formed into a grid. The layer promotes airflow through air channels, contours to alleviate pressure, and limits motion transfer to reduce sleep disturbances.
Below the Purple Grid™, a poly-foam layer buffers between the comfort and support layer, preventing any pressure points from developing.
The high-density polyurethane foam prevents sagging to extend the mattress’s longevity.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
10-Year Warranty
Purple replaces or repairs defective mattresses, including indentations greater than 1 inch under the terms of the 10-year warranty.
100-Night Sleep Trial
Purple offers a 100-night sleep trial with every mattress purchase, although Purple asks you to keep the bed for 21 nights before returning the product.
Offers universal comfort for all sleeping positions
Contains green tea extract for extra freshness
Amazon’s Choice for “memory foam mattress”
The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam 12-inch Mattress is available on Amazon and the Zinus website.
The knit Jacquard cover wicks away heat and moisture to keep the sleeper cool.
The top layer is 3 inches of green tea infused memory foam, which contours to the sleeper to relieve pressure and lower back pain. The green tea infusion neutralizes odors such as off-gassing.
Below the memory foam, 2 inches of high-density ActivCharcoal poly-foam increases the top layer’s odor control and conformability.
High-density polyurethane transitions between the comfort and support layers to prevent the sleeper from bottoming out on the firm base below. The layer has a convoluted design to encourage air circulation and keep the sleeper cool.
The HD base support foam extends the bed’s longevity by preventing premature, lasting indentations. This layer is also convoluted to prevent heat retention.
10-Year Warranty
Zinus repairs or replaces defective materials and workmanship under the terms of their 10-year warranty.
100-Night Sleep Trial
Zinus offers 100 nights to test the Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress. On the off chance the customer is unsatisfied, they may return the mattress for a full refund.
GOLS & GOTS certified
Available in a vegan option
Eco-friendly mattress for green shoppers
The Avocado Green Mattress is an organic hybrid bed with an optional pillow top, which changes the firmness level from medium-firm to firm. The bed can bear up to 700 pounds and have an 11 or 13-inch profile.
The cotton cover encourages air circulation through the mattress and wicks away heat and moisture from the sleeper.
If you choose the pillow top, two inches of GOLS certified Dunlop latex is added to the mattress’s construction to increase conformability.
Below the pillow top, three inches of Dunlop latex provides contouring and pressure relief.
The support layer is 8 inches of pocketed coils grouped into five comfort zones to enhance the sleeper’s comfort. The support layer prolongs the mattress’s lifespan while deterring sagging.
Warranty and Sleep Trial
25-Year Warranty
Avocado replaces and repairs faulty mattresses under the terms of their 25-year warranty, although they only extend the warranty to the original purchaser.
1-year Sleep Trial
The customer has an entire year to test the mattress. If they find the mattress unsatisfactory, they may return the bed within the trial period.
A full-size mattress measures 54 inches by 75 inches. It’s 14 inches wider than a twin mattress, and 6 inches narrower and 5 inches shorter than a queen size mattress. It’s a great size bed for teenagers or college students who like to spread out but have smaller bedrooms.
While knowing what mattress size you want is important, there are several other decisions you need to make. Consider these features before choosing your best mattress.
Full Mattresses are a cheap alternative for young single adults who are ready to graduate from the twin XL but can’t afford a queen bed. We recommend setting a budget between $400 and $2000 for a high-quality full-size mattress. On average, people spend around $1000 for a full-size bed.
Mattress firmness is rated on a scale of 1 to 10: soft (1 to 2), medium-soft (3 to 4), medium (5), medium-firm (6 to 8), and firm (9 to 10).
Getting the right firmness can elevate your sleep quality; however, firmness is subjective. The right firmness for you can cause pain for someone else. You can estimate your perfect firmness by learning about your sleep position and body type.
A smaller person needs a softer mattress than a larger-statured sleeper. Lighter individuals don’t weigh enough to sink into the materials, so they need plushy beds to relieve pressure.
Heavier individuals can suffer spinal misalignment on a soft mattress as the hips are heavy and can bend into the materials. A firm mattress offers enough support to the hips to prevent sinkage while still relieving pressure.
The best mattresses for side sleepers are soft to medium in firmness. Softer beds alleviate pressure points built up of the sleeper’s shoulders and hips.
Comfortable mattresses for back sleepers can range from soft to firm, they just need to be supportive enough to promote healthy spinal alignment.
If you’re looking for a mattress for stomach sleeping, you’ll need something firm. Stomach sleepers overextend their back muscles, ligaments, tendons, and spine by laying on their fronts. Overextending the back muscles for long periods can lead to sciatica, herniated discs, and osteoarthritis.
We suggest stomach sleepers switch to side sleeping to avoid chronic pain issues. If changing preferred sleep positions isn’t an option, stomach sleepers can invest in a medium-firm to firm mattress to preserve the spine’s natural curvature. We recommend sleeping without a head pillow and, instead, placing that pillow under the hips to promote spinal alignment.
You should also decide what type of mattress you want. Latex, memory foam, hybrid, and innerspring mattresses have different advantages and drawbacks. One mattress type may cater to your sleep needs better than others.
Memory foam offers a hug-like conformability to alleviate pressure points and pain. The same contouring qualities absorb motion on impact, preventing motion from transferring across the mattress’s surface. Memory foam’s ability to isolate motion allows you to get out of bed or switch sleep positions without disturbing a sleeping partner.
Some users find memory foam sleeps hot; however, many manufacturers use conductive material infusions, such as copper, graphite, and gel, to pull heat from the sleeper and promote cool nights.
Memory foam mattresses last an average of eight to ten years.
Innerspring mattresses are constructed with coil cores and a thin comfort layer made from polyester, cotton, or wool. Some innerspring beds are built with pillow and Euro tops for a plush feel.
An innerspring bed offers great support. The coil systems promote breathability to keep the sleeper cool, although these beds attract allergens, dust, and debris, which can lead to respiratory irritations.
A coil mattress can last an average of 6 to 7 years.
Latex mattresses are the most supportive type of bed on the market. Latex beds are comparable to memory foam mattresses in conformability.
Natural latex mattresses are the longest lasting—20 years—although we suggest retiring a natural latex bed after 10 years of use for hygienic reasons. Natural latex is manufactured from rubber tree sap and has hypoallergenic and antimicrobial properties.
Dunlop-processed latex is durable and dense. Talalay Latex is also made with rubber tree sap, although chemical additives are used to produce a bouncy and light foam, making it more expensive than Dunlop.
Synthetic latex is manufactured with chemical compounds and mimics latex properties. This type of latex is safe for latex allergy sufferers but doesn’t possess the antimicrobial properties of natural latex and lasts only six years.
Blended latex is a combination of synthetic and natural latex. It doesn’t have strong antimicrobial qualities, but the mattress can last up to 10 years.
We recommend against purchasing synthetic latex as the materials may contain harmful additives. If you decide on synthetic latex materials, we suggest making sure the mattress has a CertiPUR-US® certification.
Hybrid Mattress
Hybrid mattresses are built with coil cores and thick memory foam or latex foam comfort layers. These beds feature strong edge support. They possess better conformability than coil mattresses, and the coil core encourages airflow to keep the sleeper cool.
Hybrids have a lifespan of 6 to 7 years.
Sleep trials, return policies, and warranties protect the customer against keeping a defective mattress or a bed they do not want.
Sleep trial
Sleep trials offer an extended time period for the sleeper to try the mattress in their home without financial risk. If the bed doesn’t meet their expectations, they can return it.
We recommend looking for a risk-free trial that includes free returns.
Return Policy
The return policy outlines the customer and company’s responsibilities when a return is initiated. We suggest looking for a return policy where the company claims full financial responsibility, including restocking, donation, and recycling fees.
Warranty
The warranty ensures the owner doesn’t get stuck with a defective mattress. As long as the damage isn’t incurred due to mishandling and misuse, the company should return or repair the mattress.
Most mattress companies do not repair or replace a bed until sagging is greater than one inch. Foam cracking and flawed covers are often covered, but regular wear and tear is not.
We recommend the Amerisleep AS3 or the Zoma Mattress as they are constructed with quality materials and provide a balance of comfort and support. These beds can support most sleeping positions and body types, making them versatile.
All mattresses need a sturdy base to support a sleeper properly. Some beds require their foundations to meet certain criteria. For example, the best foundation for a memory foam mattress is a solid bed frame with slats no more than 3 inches apart, while innerspring and hybrid beds are well supported with a basic box spring.
You can use a memory foam topper to fix a sagging mattress temporarily. Eventually, you’ll need to buy a new mattress.
Some mattress companies dispose of your old mattress when they deliver your new bed. You can arrange a mattress donation or recycle your bed through a local company, as well.
Depending on how much room you need to get a good night’s sleep and your budget, you will want to get one size or the other. We recommend a California king for couples with children who regularly sleep with them.
We suggest pillow tops for side sleepers. Some back sleepers may benefit from a plush mattress, as well.
Everyone’s sleep needs are unique, so consider your sleep position and body type before you choose a mattress. For instance, your perfect mattress can cause someone else back pain. If you sleep with a partner, bring them along so you can consider their preferences as you mattress shop.
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