Last Updated on January 1, 2023

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A pillow top mattress presents yet another option in the growing bedding industry. From the traditional Bonnell innerspring, the industry has evolved tremendously to embrace comfort and relief from sleep issues. The pillow top (and euro top) represents the pinnacle of choice for many buyers on a budget.

As you research this type further throughout this article, you’ll find a refreshing degree of specialization, materials, and styles to choose from. In the below sections before we get to our top 10 pillow top mattress reviews, we’ll offer some help and advice on this particular type which not everyone is up to speed with. Ready to find the best pillow top mattress?

Top 10 Best Pillow Top Mattresses

Pillow Top Mattress Reviews

DreamCloud Premier

Dreamcloud premier

Each section of this 14″ bed in a box mattress is constituted with an individually wrapped pocketed tempered steel coil. Each of these coils moves independently to each other. This allows them to adapt to your body shape and hug around your body. This ensures firm support and plush comfort and is claimed by Dreamcloud to be of a luxury-firm feel. Plus, this also prevents the problem of motion transfer when one partner on the bed moves, thus not disturbing the sleep of the other.

Additionally, it comes with an incredibly detailed quilted pillow cover. On top of the steel coils come several high-quality foam layers. This is the layer that provides the ultimate comfort when you surrender yourself to it after a long day.

With a 365-night in-home trial and a lifetime warranty, the DreamCloud Premier is not to be missed.

Brentwood Home Oceano

Brentwood Home Oceano

The made-in Los Angeles USA 14″ thick Brentwood Home Oceano bills itself as a balance between softness and firmness, which can appeal to buyers looking for something of a medium to plush comfort level. The company rates it a 4.5 out of 10 firmness, with 10 being the firmest feel. With a 1 year in-home trial, you get to experience this mattress for yourself without committing to it.

It is constructed of durable and high-density plant-based bio-foam, which is Certipur-US certified, and up to 2697 coils (which also makes it great for use with adjustable electric beds).

Like the previous review, it too comes with a quilt top that meshes well with its theme of a bed for dreams. The cover is a plant-based Tencel fabric that is derived from the Eucalyptus tree.

Traditionally those who are used to a firm pillow top mattress may find this one feels slightly less bouncy because it has a soft and cushioning overall feel, which can be an issue for buyers looking for something with the springy sensation, but it’s still one of the best around.

Serta Perfect Sleeper

serta perfect sleeper

The 12.25″ thick Serta Perfect Sleeper is one of the many Serta reviews on our site. It is only fitting, considering that Serta is the second leading mattress in the US bedding industry.

The Perfect Sleeper combines several proven comfort features in a proprietary blend that targets specific sleep problems that may resonate with buyers looking for a solution to these issues. The various memory foam components will be appreciated by individuals who like the feel and support of a supportive mattress, while the different layers of patented foam combine to complete a unique and distinctive feel while cradling and supporting the body.

Made in the USA and with a 10-year warranty, this is another good choice for the shortlist.

WinkBed

winkbeds

The ventilated cooling foam in this euro pillow top is unmatched in comfort. The WinkBeds luxury hybrid beauty gives superior comfort and support when you unwind after a hard day. The mattress comes with a 100% natural organic cover and the Green Foam certification for absolute peace of mind. The foam in use comes with the highest possible rating and is non-toxic in nature. The feel is available in four different firmnesses (Soft, Luxury Firm, Firm and Plus).

Each of the support coils is independently wrapped in fabric and comes with 15-gauge steel springs, also known as pocket coils, which move independently of each other. The memory foam contours your body shape for that perfect support system no matter what your favorite sleeping position is. To top it all, the mattress comes rolled for easy shipping and manoeuvrability around your home.

The WinkBed comes with a slightly shorter trial compared to the above mattresses at 120 nights, but also comes with a lifetime warranty.

Further reading: You can learn more about this mattress in our full-length WinkBed review.

Simmons Beautyrest Silver

Simmons Beautyrest Silver

The Simmons Beautyrest range addresses comfort on two fronts, a pleasant sleep temperature and proper full body support. If these considerations rank high on your choice of needs, this one is worth a look simply because it offers the coolness of a gel memory foam for a comfortable sleeping temperature, a feature not shared with all of our picks. The addition of a high coil innerspring component is a welcome perk for those who prefer the bounciness of a traditional mattress.

Simmons, like Serta and Sealy are one of the better mattress brands in the US, so you can rest assured this is a safe product and is likely to satisfy. There is a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, and Simmons also claim this is a good mattress for adjustable beds too.

Further reading: Learn more about the BeautyRest range in our extended Simmons mattress reviews.

Helix Midnight Luxe

Helix Midnight Luxe

The highlight of this premium mattress from Helix Sleep is the quilted top which offers much more comfort compared to other mattresses reviewed here. The ultra-breathable Tencel technology used in the pillow top cover is designed to increase airflow and to keep you cool.

Additionally, the upgraded Luxe offers lumbar support in the form of pocket-encased coil springs, designed for support and pressure point relief. Each of these coiled springs is individually wrapped. This ensures that they are able to support a wide variety of body shapes as well as sleeping postures, including side, back and stomach sleepers.

The shape of the coils and the way they are individually wrapped ensure that they can withstand the movement of one partner easily without transferring it to the rest of the mattress and therefore disturbing the sleep of the other partner. This design also relieves pressure in the body in areas that ensure that there is better circulation of blood and oxygen when you are asleep. The mattress is stated to be temperature-neutral as well, thanks to the gel-infused memory foam.

The Helix Midnight Luxe can be yours within 3-10 business days. It comes with a 100-night trial period and a 10-15 year warranty. These figures aren’t as great as the previous pillow top mattress reviews in this post, but in terms of comfort, the Helix mattress is hard to rival.

Further reading: For more info on this pillow top mattress check our full Helix Midnight Luxe review.

Bear Hybrid

bear hybrid

The Bear Hybrid mattress is one of the coziest mattresses you’ll ever sleep on. The layers of graphite-infused memory foam with coil springs give you great support but let you sink into the mattress as though you’re sinking into a cloud.

The mattress has been designed to fit the contours and shapes of your body while being comfortably plush. It can adapt to any body shape and any sleeping style giving you excellent support when you unwind for the day. It performs exceptionally well for people with back pains, hip pain, arthritis and other orthopedic issues.

This pillow top mattress comes with a base layer that is supported by a heavy gauge metal spring layer individually supporting each pocket of spring. This provides excellent support to you. Finally, the supportive pillow top layer gives exceptional comfort where you need it most.

Simmons BeautySleep Plush

Simmons BeautySleep Plush Pillow Top 450

The Simmons BeautySleep Plush 450 is appropriately named. With a 14″ profile, its construction is more complex than others and includes a 13 gauge coil component for added comfort. It is an excellent example of a one-sided medium / plush pillow top mattress that takes advantage of several layers to create a product that serves several needs and provides comfort on several levels, including gel foam for a cool platform and packed coils for support.

The outer quilt layer is a nice touch that adds softness and a luxurious feel to address the issue of wear. The construction is quilt cover, 1/4″ AirFeel Foam, 1″ AirCool Foam, 2″ GelTouch Foam, 1/2″ Energy Foam, 800 pocketed coils, 1″ Energy Foam. As you can see, much thought and effort have gone into the design and delivery of this particular model, making it an excellent option from Simmons, one of the top 5 manufacturers in the US.

Sealy Posturepedic

Sealy Posturepedic

This 13.5″ thick Sealy PosturePedic is a plush mattress with an exclusive responsive coil system. It provides adequate support to the sore back and a complete full rest sleep for the tired mind and body throughout the night.

The Sealy Response Performance features the company’s Posturepedic technology that provides extra support to those parts of the body which are heavier for a better overall comfort level. It incorporates a 1-inch SealySupport firm foam plus an additional 3-inches of SealyCushion, which is an extra supportive foam that gives additional support for the tired body. There is also an additional 2-inches of SealyCushion Air foam which ensures better air circulation when you are sleeping.

Saatva Classic

Saatva mattress

The overall design of this particular pillow top mattress constitutes hundreds of premium quality innerspring, which ensure that you have a firm yet stable platform to rest through the night. In addition, this version comes with 11.5 and 14.5-inch thick variants and a luxury 3″ thick Euro pillow top for additional plush comfort.

The mattress features a 5-zone convoluted foam design for active support. The constituting foam layer uses an encapsulated design. Plus, it also uses a hypoallergenic organic cotton luxurious cover for better moisture control throughout the night.

In terms of comfort levels, you can choose from Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm. All of these are excellent at providing support to needy areas of the body, such as shoulders and hips, while also offering superior levels of comfort.

In addition to the solid support structure of the Saatva mattress, you can also use a separate semi-steel or wooden foundation for additional support.

The Saatva Classic comes with free white glove delivery, which includes an in-home/in-room setup. You’ll also get 180 nights to trial the mattress, and a 15-year warranty.

Further reading: Find out more about this pillow top mattress in our full Saatva Classic review.

What Is A Pillow Top Mattress?

Just like it sounds, these are made with a comfy layer of padding similar to a pillow that rests on the whole mattress surface and sometimes underneath too, allowing for a flippable or two-sided facility. It essentially offers a way to add an extra comfort layer to a mattress. You’ll find a broad range of styles from which to choose, and quite often you’ll find that these additional topmost layers can be of any material ranging from fiber, memory foam, to latex. You’ll also notice that these types vary in features to allow for customization; for example, some layers can be removed and replaced with another layer if required. This is particularly handy if the supplied top layer is not to the firmness level you desire, or, perhaps after some years, there are signs of sagging, and simply the top can be replaced instead of changing the whole unit.

In your search for the best mattress, you’ll find both the traditional pillow top and also something known as the euro top. The differences between the two types are subtle and primarily cosmetic. The traditional variant is attached to the main body of the support below directly. The euro top variant is also stitched to its peer underneath it but visually appears more like a cohesive whole rather than a separate layer due to its flushed edge finish. Euro tops tend to offer more edge support, as opposed to pillow tops which tend to drop slightly towards the edges.

Distinct Advantages Of a Pillow Top Mattress

Comfort

The term “pillow” says it all. The main benefit, however, is comfort. While you may think that means only a plush finish, you may be surprised to know that the degree of firmness varies from soft to firm, just like a regular pillow or mattress. However, a large majority are aimed at those in search of a soft or medium finish.

A pillow top mattress offers all the comfort of a memory foam or hybrid mattress at an affordable price. Like hybrids, these mattresses often include several layers, which give them a distinct advantage over other types.

Value For Money

Another benefit lies in cost. If you’ve been considering a memory foam mattress, you probably know that it can be an expensive investment for a high-quality product. With this alternative, you’ll find that a pillow top mattress is more affordable than the aforementioned memory foam or latex units.

Sleeping Positions

In terms of sleeping positions, many back sleepers and side sleepers would agree there is much comfort to support and cradle them throughout the night. This is due to the contouring and conforming ability of the top layer, which provides more than sufficient spinal alignment. However, this isn’t to say there is an orthopedic level of support for those with problems like lower back pain, but enough for the everyday consumer.

Compatibility With Couples

Good motion isolation is something that many couples consider number one on their list of priorities. Nobody likes being disturbed at night by someone tossing and turning beside them. Pillow-top mattresses are among some of the better designs in this industry which provide superior isolation of movement between those sharing a bed. This is mainly due to a large majority being pocket coil designs, and secondly, because the thick layer tends to absorb much of the energy produced through movement before the coils even begin to work.

Lastly, another reason why these are popular for couples is that they make a good type of mattress for sex. The sensation of laying on a cloud from the plush and sometimes padded top layer is a welcoming feeling while making love, but there is plenty of bounce from the spring coils underneath when required.

What To Look For When Buying a Pillow Top Mattress

With about 600 mattress companies in the US bedding industry, you have numerous choices. The average person keeps a mattress for seven years, so this is a purchase that you should consider carefully. To find the best pillow top mattress, take the time to determine what features are most important to you. With this information in mind, you can then scan pillow top mattress reviews to see which one comes closest to matching your needs. With this preliminary work, the best choice for you will become clear. Several factors that can guide your choice, beginning with cost.

Price

Price icon

Cost, of course, can be the dealbreaker or dealmaker. As mentioned previously, these are generally quite low in price in comparison to other types. If you opt for a temporary alternative such as a mattress topper, the price will be less expensive than a pillow top mattress, of course, depending upon the quality of each one. However, there are disadvantages of a topper which would sway people towards the better quality and longer-lasting mattress instead. In either case, a mattress is an important purchase, so you should consider your purchase an investment in your sleep quality. Its impact on your overall health cannot be overstated.

Construction

Construction icon

The term pillow top might be deceiving, considering that it may imply only having one component. However, you’ll find it can include a number of layers underneath. Pillow top may just apply to the uppermost layer of the mattress. What lies under the pillow top has a direct impact on comfort. When researching, you should look for materials that match what you want in a mattress. What you’ll typically find is a combination of multiple layers all serving different needs. For example, most commonly, you will find a variation of innerspring and viscoelastic memory foam, or sometimes gel foam too.

CertiPUR-US Certification

CertiPUR-US® logo

All the companies represented by the products reviewed are part of the CertiPUR-US program, the foam industry’s watchdog. The program’s purpose is to ensure buyers that foam components of a mattress don’t contain harmful materials or chemicals through verification of its adherence to their standards. The program also addresses durability and performance to assure consumers of quality.

Warranty

Some manufacturers offer 10 years, while others provide a whopping 25 years. Generally, the (long) length isn’t too important because it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be owning it for more than 10 years. However, anything less than 10 years may be worth avoiding.

Conclusion

Though the decision was hard, we eventually chose the DreamCloud Premier as our top pick for the best pillow top mattress of the 10 reviews here. We liked the addition of a foam core that provides support along with the comfort and pressure relief that foam layers offer.

We were also impressed with the number of sleep issues addressed in the construction. The top layers focus on a comfortable sleep temperature, while the other foam layers provide the pressure relief for which these materials are known. Lastly, the not too firm not too soft feel offers support and bounce while catering for most sleepers.

Therein lies the overwhelming benefit of these types of mattresses. It allows the manufacturers to hone in on specific issues to appeal to consumers. It’s a win-win for the buyer too. If you have a particular need, you’ll likely find a pillow top mattress that has features that will make you more comfortable.

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