Are you looking for a new mattress and can’t seem to find a good fit? A hybrid mattress may be right for you. A hybrid mattress is a type of mattress that combines a coil system with a layer of foam or latex. Since hybrids essentially mix an innerspring mattress and a memory foam/latex mattress, they’re soft and cushioning, but still retain strong edge support and good motion isolation.
Hybrids are relatively quiet mattresses and they tend to be very durable, often lasting for several years. They’re normally more expensive than other mattress types, but you’ll get a good value for the money. A hybrid mattress might be right for you if you want both comfort and stability; hybrids have a “bounce” feel similar to an innerspring mattress but are still very comfortable, relieving pressure points on your body.
In this guide, you’ll find information about hybrid mattresses, including what materials they use and who they’re best for. You’ll also learn what factors you should consider when purchasing a hybrid mattress and can view our top picks for specific hybrid mattresses to try out.
The Best Hybrid Mattresses: Our Top Picks
Best Overall: DreamCloud
DreamCloud
Eight layers add up to a restful night’s sleep on the DreamCloud
Why We Picked It
This hybrid mattress has eight layers of material, adding up to 15 inches total, to help you get a good night’s sleep. Recommended for side, back, and stomach sleepers, the DreamCloud has a good balance of support and comfort.
The mattress begins with a breathable polyester blend cover over the top; next comes memory foam (gel-infused to aid in cooling) and then a layer of quilted memory foam. A layer of hypoallergenic natural latex provides contouring, and an additional layer of memory foam helps support your body as well. Finally, the mattress has a layer of pocket coils atop high density foam.
Keep In Mind
The DreamCloud’s edge support is somewhat weak. And while all of the supportive, dense foam is a plus for some people, the firmness of the mattress doesn’t work for others.
In a Nutshell
- Very breathable
- High-quality materials add extra comfort
- Dense, firm foam for support
Best Value: Brooklyn Bedding Signature
Brooklyn Signature
The Brooklyn Signature is a quality hybrid that won’t break the bank
Why We Picked It
The Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress is a high-quality choice for anyone looking for a hybrid mattress that doesn’t break the bank. Its top layer is a quilted cover that keeps you cool while sleeping; the second layer is made of TitanFlex foam, which adjusts to your body (and also includes a cooling technology). The final three layers are made of high-density foam, individually encased coils, and a second type of durable high-density foam.
This mattress comes in three levels of firmness, so you can select which one is right for you: firm, medium, and soft. It also has a 10-year warranty and 120-night trial. And thanks to the individually encased coils, the bed has good motion isolation, equaling a better night’s sleep for you.
Keep In Mind
For many customers, the Brooklyn Hybrid ended up being too firm. And despite the cooling technologies included in a couple of the mattress layers, previous users report that they often “sleep hot” on the bed and can’t get cool during the night.
In a Nutshell
- Three firmness level options
- Good motion isolation
- Supportive high-density foam
Best Luxury: Brooklyn Spartan
Brooklyn Spartan
The Brooklyn Spartan employs unique technologies for a durable mattress with a luxury feel
Why We Picked It
Billed as a mattress “for the extreme athlete in all of us,” the Spartan Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding combines elite performance fabric with multiple unique technologies. First up is the Far Infrared Rays technology, incorporated into the cover, which works to turn your body heat into waves of energy and help you sleep more deeply. The top layer of the mattress is made of CopperFlex foam (a synthetic latex infused with copper) and gives you responsive contouring. TitanFlex foam (which is hyper-elastic) is included in the mattress, too, adjusting to your body when you move.
TitanCool technology regulates your body temperature and the Swirl Visco-Elastic Memory Foam also helps with cooling. The Quantum Edge coils in the mattress base decrease motion transfer; a high-density foam base keeps the mattress durable. And like all Brooklyn mattresses, the Spartan has a 10-year warranty and 120-night trial.
Keep In Mind
This mattress may be too firm for a stomach sleeper. Off-gassing also may take longer than expected or preferred.
In A Nutshell
- Cooling technologies ensure you won’t sleep hot
- Coils decrease motion transfer
- High-density, durable foam
Best Latex Hybrid: Awara
Awara
Natural latex adds a breathable, comfortable quality to the Awara
Why We Picked It
The Awara Organic Latex Hybrid Euro-Top Mattress is made with natural materials that include organic latex (known for being cool and contouring), organic wool (which is breathable and moisture-wicking), and soft organic cotton. These materials promote air circulation and contour to any sleep position while also giving you a responsive bounce thanks to the latex. This hybrid mattress has great motion isolation thanks to the individually wrapped pocket coil system.
The Awara is carefully designed to help you sleep cool, comfortable, and undisturbed. It has excellent support, too—not only do the coils help with motion isolation, they also support your entire body, helping with spinal alignment as you sleep. The Awara even has a chemical-free fire retardant element and includes hidden handles, making the mattress easy to move.
Keep in Mind
The Awara is very firm and doesn’t have as much give as some customers might prefer. It also has an element of bounce because of the latex, which some sleepers may not like.
In A Nutshell
- Chemical-free fire retardant
- Good motion isolation
- Bouncy and comfortable
Best for Hot Sleepers: Brooklyn Aurora
Brooklyn Aurora
With cooling gel and copper-infused foam, the Aurora is a good fit for those who sleep hot
Why We Picked It
Do you tend to sleep hot? The Brooklyn Aurora Luxury Cooling Mattress may be a good choice for you. This mattress has a technology called TitanCool on the surface—cooling gel beads that react to the temperature and help you sustain the ideal sleep temperature of 88 degrees. The mattress has a luxury smooth top weave that helps you get the maximum benefit from the TitanCool technology.
In addition to the top-notch cooling properties, this mattress has a top layer of CopperFlex foam with targeted pressure point relief. There’s also a layer of TitanFlex foam that instantly adjusts to your body anytime you move, plus a memory foam layer for deeper compression support—and the mattress base holds over a thousand individually encased coils that provide excellent motion isolation.
Keep in Mind
The Aurora is fairly soft, so if you’re expecting a bed that’s on the firmer side, this mattress may not be right for you; it’s very plush, and you’ll sink into it when you lie down.
In a Nutshell
- Impressive cooling technology
- Targeted pressure point relief
- Very soft
Best for Heavy Sleepers: WinkBeds Plus
WinkBeds Plus
The WinkBeds Plus is specifically designed to provide excellent support for heavier sleepers
Why We Picked It
The WinkBed Luxury Hybrid Mattress Plus is an affordable, well-made hybrid. WinkBed mattresses are handmade with eco-friendly materials — in the case of WinkBed’s Plus, these materials include a eucalyptus-derived cover to help you stay cool. The mattress also uses high-density foam and tempered springs for extra durability, and a LumberLayer element supports the lower back. The Plus is designed for heavier sleepers, with excellent support no matter how you sleep (side, stomach, or back).
Steel pocket springs are surrounded with gel to eliminate motion transfer. Specialty foam is comfortable and supportive. And WinkBed offers a full lifetime replacement warranty with no fees, just in case this luxury hybrid ends up not being right for you.
Keep in Mind
This hybrid mattress has a medium firmness level; if you tend to prefer either a soft mattress or one that’s very firm, be aware that the WinkBed Plus cuts right down the middle. Also, although the Plus has decent motion transfer, it doesn’t quite measure up to comparable products in this category.
In a Nutshell
- Eco-friendly materials
- Extremely durable and long-lasting
- Medium firm
How We Chose the Best Hybrid Mattresses
There are a number of factors we considered as we picked these specific mattresses.
Material Quality
First up, we looked at the material quality. Hybrids include multiple materials, and we chose mattresses with high-quality, durable materials that would last a long time. We also selected many hybrids that used eco-friendly materials, like organic wool, eucalyptus, or organic cotton. These materials have benefits for both you and the environment. Other important aspects of material quality we considered include foam density and coil gauge. We picked mattresses from top-notch companies that do their best in each of these areas.
Durability
Durability is another important aspect of a hybrid mattress. Luckily, most hybrids tend to last for several years anyway, but we made an effort to choose hybrid mattresses that are truly top-quality and will give you your money’s worth. Since hybrids are more expensive than other types of mattresses, it’s extra important for hybrids to be durable.
Conforming
The next factor we considered was conforming. The term “conforming” refers to how closely a mattress hugs your body as you sleep. Since hybrid mattresses typically have at least one layer of memory foam, that helps them conform to your body. They aren’t as conforming as other types of mattresses, though, so we made a point to explain the feel of each hybrid we featured. The level of conforming in a certain mattress will have a big impact on your comfort and pressure point relief.
Edge Support
In terms of edge support, hybrid mattresses are actually some of the best; hybrids typically contain hundreds of coils, and these coils give the mattress a firm edge that you’ll appreciate if you tend to roll around in your sleep. The pocket coils included in most hybrid mattresses can give you a better sleep experience by upping the edge support, making it firm and strong. We carefully selected hybrid mattresses with good edge support.
Temperature Neutrality
If you’re hot during the night, it can be difficult to sleep, so we looked for hybrids that help regulate your body temperature and promote air circulation. We discovered many excellent hybrids that went above and beyond by incorporating cooling technologies to ensure you won’t sleep hot.
Off-gassing
Off-gassing refers to the smell your mattress has when you take it out of the box or the packaging. Sometimes off-gassing tends to linger for several days, and that’s no fun. We chose hybrid mattresses where the smell dissipates quickly and the off-gassing isn’t too strong. Memory foam has an especially unpleasant smell, so we also looked at hybrids that incorporate other materials.
Motion Isolation
In general, hybrid mattresses have great motion isolation. Most hybrids are made with individually-wrapped pocket coils, and these coils keep motion transfer to a minimum. We realize that many people sleep with a partner, and we also know that nobody wants to wake up in the middle of the night if that partner is moving around—so we focused on looking for good motion isolation as we made our picks.
What is a Hybrid Mattress?
A hybrid mattress is essentially what you think it would be, based on the name: it’s a combination of the coils found in an innerspring support core and the foam top layer you might find in a memory foam or latex mattress. Occasionally, hybrids will combine more than two support systems, but coils and foam are the primary components of a hybrid mattress.
Hybrids have a thick top layer that helps distinguish them from innersprings; on hybrids, top layers are usually two inches or more, while innersprings come in at two inches or fewer. Hybrid mattresses combine coils (almost always pocket coils) and foam to create a two-in-one mattress—because of the coils, hybrid mattresses are still somewhat bouncy like innerspring mattresses. And thanks to the memory foam or latex, hybrids are soft and comfortable.
Due to their coil systems, hybrids resemble traditional mattresses in stature instead of looking like memory foam mattresses, which are often thinner (although, unlike memory foam, hybrids normally don’t have tufting on the top). As far as longevity, the average lifespan of a hybrid mattress is six years, and hybrids could last even longer when they’re well taken care of.
Hybrid mattresses are becoming a popular trend. People appreciate this new-and-improved mattress that combines the best of both worlds from innerspring and memory foam mattresses. Hybrids aren’t necessarily better than other mattresses—personal preference determines the mattress that’s right for you. But hybrids certainly have a lot of benefits to offer.
Feel of Hybrid
For many sleepers, a hybrid mattress is the ideal mattress because of its balance between bouncy and soft. Again, finding the best mattress is all about personal preference—but for the most part, a hybrid mattress has something to offer everyone.
Not all hybrid mattresses are all identical; each hybrid will feel a little different based on the exact materials used. Pretty much every hybrid, though, has a coil system that gives the bed a certain bounciness (but not too bouncy; individually wrapped coils reduce motion transfer); a soft, top layer (often made of memory foam); sometimes a cooling layer; and a pillow top for more cushioning. Each of these layers contributes to the unique feel of a hybrid mattress.
The feel of just coils might be too firm for you, but the feel of only memory foam may be too soft. Since hybrid mattresses have both, they feel simultaneously even and comfortable. Hybrid mattresses strike a balance between support and pressure point relief. A hybrid mattress could be right for you if you want a mattress that’s a medium firmness and still has an element of bounce.
Types of Hybrid Mattresses
When it comes to hybrids, you’ll find a fair amount of variability—hybrid mattresses are all going to be different, with slightly different layers and materials. In general, however, hybrid mattress will have the following layers:
- Base: 1” polyfoam. This layer sits underneath the support core. Its purpose: add a little extra padding and support. Generally, the base layer is about an inch thick, and it’s often made of polyurethane foam.
- Support: 7-8” pocket coils. Hybrid mattresses have a pocketed coil design. Pocket coils include springs that are wrapped individually. The coils aren’t connected to each other, so when pressure is applied, only the coils under pressure will react. This means less motion transfer and more undisturbed sleep, even if your partner gets in or out of bed multiple times throughout the night.
- Top/Comfort: 3-4” memory foam or latex. The top, comfort layer in a hybrid mattress is made of either memory foam or latex. While it will vary based on the specific product, this layer often comes in around three to four inches thick. Some hybrid mattresses include cooling elements in the comfort layer.
- Pillow/Euro-top: 1-2” cotton, wool, fiberfill, etc. The pillow top (or euro top) is sewn to the comfort layer and is just one to two inches thick, adding some extra comfort on top. This layer might have latex foam, memory foam, fiberfill, wool, cotton, or even polyfoam depending on the product.
Some mattresses are marketed as hybrids if they simply combine two different materials, such as latex and foam. A true hybrid, however, will follow the structure outlined above.
Firmness and Support
There are a few primary ways you can evaluate the quality, firmness, and support provided by the materials used in a hybrid mattress:
- Density – Density is measured in pounds per cubic foot and refers to how much pressure a mattress can handle without losing its support. Memory foam density runs anywhere from 2.5 to 5.5 pounds per cubic foot. Polyfoam, on the other hand, ranges from 1.9 (or less) up to 2.5 pounds per cubic foot.
- ILD – ILD stands for Indentation Load Deflection, which measures the firmness of a mattress. When it comes to ILD, a higher number means a firmer bed (and a firmer bed means you’ll experience less contour). In terms of ILD, memory foam ranges from 8 to 20, and latex from 15 to 40 (or more). A high ILD is a good choice for heavier sleepers and stomach sleepers; a lower ILD is best for lightweight sleepers and side sleepers.
- Coil gauge – The coil gauge measures the thickness of the pocketed coils in the mattress’s support core. The thinner the coils, the higher the gauge will be. Gauge runs from about 12 (thick) to 18 (thin).
Lifespan
The average lifespan of a hybrid mattress is six years. Innerspring mattresses typically last less than six years, while memory foam and/or latex mattresses have a lifespan running anywhere from seven to nine.
Several aspects of a hybrid’s construction impact its longevity. For one thing, the grade of the polyfoam used in the base layer can help determine how long the mattress will last; another important feature are the pocket coils included in hybrid mattresses. Pocket coils contour well, which is why they’re used—but they don’t last as long as other coil types.
Hybrid mattresses can get expensive, so it’s important to find one that’s made with high-quality materials, helping it last as long as possible. With most hybrids, you can expect no more than six years, but a well-made hybrid mattress will let you enjoy every moment of those six years.
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of hybrid mattresses.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Hybrid mattresses conform to your body thanks to the pocket coils, which contour well, and layers of memory foam. | As you’re shopping and doing your research, it might be hard to find an actual hybrid mattress. Many companies call their mattresses hybrids when the products aren’t actually true hybrids. It can take an investment of time to search out a true hybrid mattress and then to determine whether it’s right for you. |
| Hybrids have good motion isolation thanks to their coils. Most hybrid mattresses have thousands of individually wrapped pocket coils; since these coils aren’t connected, they don’t all move when pressure is applied, making it easier for you to stay asleep. | Hybrids are expensive—typically more so than both innerspring and memory foam mattresses. Be prepared to dig deep into your wallet if you’re in search of a hybrid. |
| Hybrids have an element of bounce because of their coils. |
Who is Well-Suited for a Hybrid Mattress?
You may enjoy a hybrid mattress if you want your mattress to contour to your body like memory foam, but still feel bouncy like an innerspring. Like any mattress, the right hybrid has a lot to do with personal preference, as what’s right for one person may not be right for someone else. If you prefer a nice balance of supportive, contouring foam and firm coils, a hybrid could be right for you.
Hybrids have more a more even feel than your average memory foam mattress and they’re very comfortable, so this makes them ideal for activities other than sleeping—such as reading, watching a movie, or snuggling with a pet. The strong edge support is helpful in this area, too.
It’s also important to consider your weight. Often, people who are a heavier weight find that memory foam mattresses sag too much, so a hybrid mattress that’s on the firmer side could do the trick. A hybrid can provide the right amount of support and spinal alignment without too much sagging. Think about any health issues you have, too; many hybrids are hypoallergenic, while others are firm and could help alleviate lower back pain.
Finally, keep in mind that if you tend to “sleep hot,” a hybrid mattress will be a better choice than memory foam—but it won’t be as effective as an innerspring.
Related Resources
If you’re looking for information on other types of mattresses, you can find more resources below:
