Best Twin XL Mattresses of 2023

Do you have a lanky child or a teen headed to college? Maybe you’re a solo sleeper with a small bedroom in a studio apartment. Or maybe you’re a homeowner looking for a good mattress for your guest room. If any of these descriptions applies to you, you should look into a high-quality twin XL mattress.

Measuring 38″ wide and 80″ long, twin XL mattresses are a good fit for tall single sleepers (between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-8) and for tight spaces. Check out our top picks for the best twin XL mattresses, followed by our buyer’s guide to finding the right twin XL bed for you.

Best Twin XL Mattress: Our Top Picks

• Best Memory Foam Mattress – Nectar
• Best Hybrid Mattress – DreamCloud
• Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers – Helix Midnight
• Best Firm Mattress – Brooklyn Signature Hybrid
• Best for Customizable Firmness – WinkBed
• Best Innerspring Mattress – Saatva Classic
• Best Mattress for Restless Sleepers – Nolah Signature 12″
• Best Mattress for Adjustable Beds – Bear Original
• Best Mattress for Side Sleepers – Layla Memory Foam
• Best Mattress for Back Pain – Helix Dawn

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We hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity in our product reviews and other content by incorporating real customer feedback, empirical testing and objective evaluations. Our results and recommendations are never influenced by the commission we may receive from brands, and products we receive are never guaranteed a positive review.

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Nectar

The original Nectar is a memory foam mattress that offers exceptional quality and comfort at a competitive price point (regular price of $669 for a twin XL). Its three layers of memory foam work together to cushion problem areas while delivering reliable support. Thanks to its medium firmness, the Nectar works well for lightweight sleepers and sleepers in the average weight range (about 130 lbs to 230 lbs).

In terms of long-term value, what helps Nectar really stand out is the combination of a 365-night trial period and limited lifetime warranty. When you buy a Nectar mattress, you have a whole year to test it out to ensure it’s the right one for you.

Read our full Nectar mattress review or check out our roundup of best memory foam mattresses.

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DreamCloud

The DreamCloud is a four-layer luxury hybrid mattress. The quilted cashmere top and two layers of plush memory foam create a cloud-like effect. Paired with layers of high-density memory foam and zoned coils, the DreamCloud delivers a medium-firm feel (6.5/10) that can accommodate most average-weight people in any sleeping position.

With a 5-zoned coil system and multiple support layers, the DreamCloud is incredibly durable and supportive. And with a 365-night trial period with a full refund and lifetime warranty, DreamCloud really stands behind the quality of its products.

Read our full DreamCloud mattress review. Also, see our roundup of best hybrid mattresses.

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Helix Midnight

The Helix Midnight is a hybrid bed, with an inner layer of individually wrapped coils topped with comfort layers of varying materials. It’s a good mattress for hot sleepers since it doesn’t trap heat like many all-foam mattresses. This mattress comes with a breathable cover, or you can choose to make the bed even cooler by adding a GlacioTex Cooling Cover when you check out.

With a medium-firm feel, this mattress works for a variety of sleeping positions. For side sleepers and those who like a softer feel, contouring memory foam delivers a soft, pressure-relieving surface. For those who need a firmer mattress, the upper layers are made from Helix’s Dynamic Foam. It scored above average in all of our evaluations, making it a well-rounded option.

Read our full Helix Midnight mattress review. You can also check out our best mattresses for hot sleepers.

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Brooklyn Signature Hybrid

The Brooklyn Signature Hybrid is Brooklyn Bedding’s most popular mattress. Because it comes in soft, medium, and firm, you can choose the best feel for your needs. The firm option is a solid 8/10 on the firmness scale.

The Brooklyn Signature Hybrid’s quilted topper, multiple foam layers, and pocket-coil layer combine to provide the right amount of contouring and support for those who like a firm but not stiff bed. At $799 for a twin XL, this mattress offers solid value for a high-quality product.

Read our full Brooklyn Signature Hybrid mattress review. Also, see our roundup of best firm mattresses.

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WinkBed

When it comes to firmness, the WinkBeds mattress does Goldilocks one better. You can choose one of four firmness levels: Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, or PLUS. These options should make it a lot easier to zero in on how soft or firm you like your mattress.

Results from our testing lab show that WinkBeds also has a lot to offer combination sleepers (9/10 for responsiveness) and people who sleep near the edge of the mattress (9.75/10 for edge support. However, the 7.75/10 score for pressure relief could be problematic for those who have joint pain.

Read our full WinkBeds mattress review. You can also check out our roundups of best soft mattresses and best medium-firm mattresses.

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Saatva Classic

The Saatva Classic is one of the best innerspring hybrid mattresses on the market. It’s customizable, with its plush soft, luxury firm, and firm options ideal for every sleep position. With exceptional lumbar support, the Saatva helps to combat back pain, providing optimal spine alignment.

With eco-friendly materials, free white glove delivery, a 365-night sleep trial, and a lifetime warranty, Saatva is committed to both quality and customer satisfaction. Its durability and comfort are what make the Saatva Classic mattress stand out among other coil mattresses.

Read our full Saatva Classic mattress review. For more coil-layer beds, see our roundup of best innerspring mattresses.

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Nolah Signature 12″

For restless sleepers and combination sleepers, a highly responsive mattress could make the difference between a restful night’s sleep and a night spent struggling against a mattress that feels like it’s trapping you. The Nolah Signature 12″, which scores an impressive 9.5/10 for responsiveness in Mattress Advisor testing, could be that difference-maker.

The Nolah’s responsiveness, combined with its pressure-relieving qualities, makes it a good option for side sleepers and combination sleepers. Although the twin XL size is on the pricey side ($1,199), you do get a limited lifetime warranty and a 120-night sleep trial.

Read our full Nolah Signature 12″ mattress review. Also, check out our roundup of best mattresses for combination sleepers.

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Bear Original

The Bear Original mattress is a medium-firm, memory foam mattress that promotes muscle recovery through its graphite gel foam. It performed very well on our cooling test (9/10) and our responsiveness test (9/10), making this a great choice for restless sleepers who overheat easily.

It’s also quite affordable, coming in at just $811 for a twin XL mattress, which is important if you’re going to be purchasing two for a split king adjustable bed. The Bear is compatible with bases of this type, and has a middle-of-the-road firmness that should appeal to both you and your partner.

Read our full Bear Original mattress review. You can also check out our roundup of best mattresses for adjustable beds.

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Layla Memory Foam

In deciding which mattresses are best for side sleepers, we put particular emphasis on pressure relief and spine alignment—two testing categories where the original Layla mattress performs better than average.

We give the Layla a 9/10 score for pressure relief, a category where the copper-infused memory foam layers help it stand out. For maintaining healthy sleep posture, the Layla earns an 8/10 spine alignment score.

Although the flippable Layla offers two firmness options, we recommend the soft side for most average-weight side sleepers. The 4/10 firmness level should allow plenty of “give” to let their hips and shoulders sink in.

Read our full Layla Memory Foam mattress review. You can also compare similar beds in our roundup of best mattresses for side sleepers.

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Helix Dawn

A four-layer hybrid mattress, the Helix Dawn was designed to provide the responsiveness and support of an innerspring bed with some added foam pressure relief on top. And despite its high 8.5/10 firmness rating, the Dawn succeeds at relieving pressure at contact points, provided you sleep on your back or stomach. The mattress also earns high marks for spine alignment, so you can rest on your back with full confidence that the bed is maintaining your spine in a neutral position. It’s a great option for back sleepers, hot sleepers, athletes, or just anyone who likes a firm bed.

The Dawn is also a sturdy mattress with a 10-year warranty, so you should have no concerns about early sagging. Helix gives you a 100-night sleep trial and free returns, which gives you a decent window of time to see if it works for you.

Read our full Helix Dawn mattress review. Also of interest: our roundup of best mattresses for back pain.

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Best Twin XL Mattress Buyer’s Guide

With so many options available, shopping for a new mattress can feel overwhelming. In our twin XL mattress buyer’s guide, we have sought to make the process simple.

In this guide, we’ll go over:

• What is a Twin XL Size Mattress?
• Twin XL Pros and Cons
• What to Look for in a Twin XL Mattress
• Who is Best Suited for a Twin XL Mattress?

What is a Twin XL Size Mattress?

A twin XL mattress is the second-smallest standard mattress size. It’s a variation on the shorter twin mattress, which is sometimes called a single.

At 38” wide and 80” long, twin XL mattresses are the same width as twin mattresses but 5 inches longer. They’re the same length as queen-size and king-size mattresses, but narrower. They’re narrower but longer than full-size mattresses.

Related: Twin XL vs Full

After a crib mattress, most children graduate to the twin-size bed. Twin mattresses measure 38” wide by 75” long. Twin XL mattresses are the same width as the standard twin, but 5” longer. With their long and narrow dimensions, twin XL mattresses are a good fit for single sleepers between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-8.

Mattress Size	Width	Length
Twin	38”	75”
Twin XL	38”	80”

Related: Twin vs Twin XL Mattress

Twin XL Pros and Cons

Like any mattress size, the twin XL has advantages and disadvantages. Pros and cons include:

Pros

• They fit easily into small spaces, like dorm rooms, studio apartment bedrooms, or guest rooms
• They’re typically about $100 cheaper than a full and $200 cheaper than a queen from the same brand
• A twin XL can be a good fit for teenagers who are taller than average (over 6’3″)

Cons

• Due to their narrow width, twin XLs are ideal for single sleepers only
• People with broad shoulders might find a twin XL too narrow for comfort
• Since it’s not the most popular size, sheets and other accessories can be harder to find

What to Look for in a Twin XL Mattress

Before you buy a twin XL, take the time to consider factors besides the size of the mattress. A good mattress needs to fit your budget and comfort needs in addition to just, well, fitting. Important considerations for mattress shoppers include:

Price

Mattress prices vary widely, depending on the brand, materials, and design. With a twin XL, you can generally expect to pay somewhere in the $800-$1,000 range for a high-quality bed.

On the other hand, some pretty good twin XL mattresses fall into a lower price range.

Related:

• Best Mattresses Under $500
• Best Mattresses Under $1,000
• Best Budget Mattresses

Materials and Design

• Memory foam mattresses are made using foam that contours around the sleeper’s body. Memory foam beds offer great pressure relief, making them a good choice for side sleepers and adults with aches and pains. Another benefit to foam beds is that there are plenty of high-quality, low-cost bed-in-a-box options that can be shipped directly.
• Innerspring mattresses use an inner core of coils that deliver a bouncy, supportive feel. Most spring mattresses are medium-firm or firmer, delivering the right support for back and stomach sleepers. Because coil mattresses are incredibly breathable, they help hot sleepers sleep cool.
• Hybrid mattresses use a combination of innersprings and foam or latex layers. With one or more comfort layers above the innerspring coils, hybrid mattresses cushion pressure points better than traditional innerspring mattresses. Hybrid mattresses are usually more expensive than all-foam or spring mattresses, so they’re best for those planning to keep their mattress for a decade or more.
• Latex mattresses have a lot to offer in terms of cooling, spine alignment, and a responsive surface that provides a springy feel. Latex mattress foam can be all-natural, synthetic, or a natural-synthetic blend. Naturally derived foam has the advantage of being hypoallergenic. On the minus side, the cost of obtaining and processing latex often makes latex beds more expensive than the typical mattress.

Sleeping Position

Picking a mattress according to your sleeping position is an important factor that can affect your choices on everything from mattress materials to firmness. The reason is that each position puts a certain amount of stress on the parts of your body that make the deepest contact with your mattress.

With side sleepers, for example, it’s the downward-facing shoulder, hips, and lower back. With stomach sleepers, it’s the hips and midsection. Back sleepers use what’s recognized as the healthiest sleeping position, but they do need adequate firmness and support. Combination sleepers who alternate between positions need a responsive mattress that makes it easier for them to shift around.

Firmness

Most mattresses measure their firmness on a 1-10 scale, going from softest to firmest. The general guidelines for mattress firmness are just that—general. However, most people can enjoy a good sleep experience if they keep a few things in mind.

• Soft Mattresses (4/10-5/10)—Good for side sleepers who weigh less than average
• Medium to Medium-Firm Mattresses (5-7)—Good for average-weight side sleepers and some back sleepers
• Firm Mattresses (7-8)—Good for stomach sleepers, many heavier sleepers, and people with back pain

One rule of thumb about mattress firmness is to be careful about the extremes. Too much softness and you can sink too deeply into the mattress, possibly leading to joint pain. Too much firmness and you risk waking up sore because the mattress doesn’t have enough yield in the right places. A medium or medium-firm mattress will probably be fine for most people.

Related: Choose Your Mattress Firmness by Sleeping Position

Who is Best Suited for a Twin XL Mattress?

• Kids and Teenagers—Even though a twin XL can accommodate people up to 6’3″, average-height youngsters might enjoy the extra room to stretch their arms above their heads.
• College Students—Twin XL is the standard size for college dorm beds, ensuring that even tall sleepers have adequate leg room. Because dorm rooms tend to be small, a twin XL provides a good balance between sleeping room and floor space.
• Single Adults—A twin XL could be just the right size for a solo sleeper, especially if they live in a small apartment or a house with a small bedroom.
• People with Guest Rooms—In most homes, the smallest room is saved for the guest bedroom. Guest beds often need to fit into small spaces, and the narrowness of a twin XL mattress makes it a good space-saver.

Related: Get even more details on the ins and outs of choosing a mattress in our Mattress Buying Guide.

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Recap: Our Top Picks for the Best Twin XL Mattresses

Mattress	Superlative	MA Score
Nectar	Best Memory Foam Mattress	8.7/10
DreamCloud	Best Hybrid Mattress	9.0/10
Helix Midnight	Best Mattress for Hot Sleepers	8.7/10
Brooklyn Signature Hybrid	Best Firm Mattress	8.8/10
WinkBed	Best for Customizable Firmness	8.6/10
Saatva	Best Innerspring Mattress	9.0/10
Nolah Signature 12″	Best or Restless Sleepers	8.6/10
Bear Original	Best for Adjustable Beds	8.6/10
Layla Memory Foam	Best for Side Sleepers	8.8/10
Helix Dawn	Best Mattress for Back Pain	8.7/10

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Summary

Twin XL mattresses are popular for tall teens, college students, and guest bedrooms. Their slight size is a great space saver for tight spaces like dorm rooms, guest rooms, and studio apartments. After combing through our list and buyer’s guide, we hope you’ve found the twin XL bed of your dreams—or at least, you have a better idea of what to look for.