Our Review Process

At Mattress Advisor, we’re relentless in our pursuit of providing the most comprehensive, to-the-point, and unbiased reviews of the best mattresses and bedding accessories on the market.


We know how important a good mattress is to getting great sleep but not every mattress is as good as it claims to be. Our expert review team has spent a collective 1,200+ hours personally testing, evaluating and comparing mattresses to recommend only the best products for our readers.

Our review methodology is complex, scientific and comprehensive, but at the end of the day, we ask ourselves a very simple question before giving a product our stamp of approval: “Would we recommend this mattress to someone we love?”

How We Test Mattresses

We use a combination of customer reviews, in-depth interviews, and a proprietary testing methodology to conduct our reviews. Each mattress we test gets a Mattress Advisor Score, which is a calculation of human performance tests, material evaluation, ease of purchase/return, customer service and brand integrity. Our testing methodology and scoring system is the most comprehensive in the industry.

Each mattress we get in hand will go through a thorough 6-point testing procedure and 8-point evaluation in our Mattress Lab. The same precise methodology is applied to all mattresses we test.

After we conclude our testing for each mattress (which we film and publish), we generate our Mattress Advisor Score. This is a weighted score that takes into account 14 different factors related to performance, function, convenience and the brand’s social responsibility including:

What We Test What it Means
Pressure Relief How well the mattress relieves pressure, (particularly on the hips, shoulders and thighs) and provides even body weight distribution.
Spinal Alignment How well the mattress keeps your spine in its natural alignment.
Edge Support  How much edge support the mattress provides, accounting for functional use of the end of the mattress and how comfortable it is to sleep on the edge of the bed.
Responsiveness/ Ease of Movement  How well the mattress responds to your movement and adjusts to your body position. This is especially important for combination sleepers or those who change positions throughout the night.
Motion Transfer How well the mattress isolates movement and absorbs motion. Motion transfer is important for couples who don’t want to be disturbed by their partner moving around or getting up in the middle of the night.
Durability/ Lifespan Quality and durability of materials, structural support, and expected lifespan of the mattress.
Cooling Properties How well the mattress promotes airflow and breathability, factoring in heat retention and any substantive cooling properties/features.
Ease of Setup How easy the set-up process is, including factors like weight, mobility, the time it takes to unbox and set up, and how many people are needed.
Trial Period  Length of time offered to decide whether or not you like the mattress.
Return Policy Ease of return process including refund policy and how the mattress is removed from your home.
Warranty   Length of warranty and what is covered.
Shipping  Time and cost (if any) for shipping the mattress to your home.
Customer Service Response time, level of detail provided to answer questions, how helpful the support team is.
Social Impact  Evaluates social missions, charitable causes, sustainability efforts – including the quality of the mattress materials used where they are made. This matters for two main reasons:

  1. Companies who care about social mission and actively give back are not only more financially stable, but also care about their communities and the world around them. Some customers prefer to buy from companies that are making a difference.
  2. Companies who make their mattresses using quality, sustainable materials made in the US care about the durability and safety of their mattresses. The US also has the highest standards for safety and quality in the world.

The Mattress Advisor Score

Each of these factors is rated on a scale from 1-10 and then weighted based on importance to generate the Mattress Advisor Score. The score will be a quick and easy way for you to compare different mattresses that have been through our rigorous testing, and take a closer look at how it performs on the factors that are most important to you.

You can find the total score as well as a breakdown of how a mattress scored on each test on all of our review pages. Here’s an example of what it looks like:

You can also take a look at our YouTube channel, where we demonstrate our testing methodology for each mattress that is being reviewed.


We take the guesswork out o­­f the buying process by thoroughly researching and testing hundreds of different mattress and bedding products so you don’t have to. We know that this process can be overwhelming, and we thought it was about time someone made it simple, and maybe even a little fun.

If you have questions about our content or would like to suggest a mattress brand for our team to test, please email questions@mattressadvisor.com.

How We Test Sleep Accessories

In addition to testing mattresses, we review sleep accessories in five major categories:

  • Pillows
  • Sheets/blankets
  • Mattress toppers/pads
  • Mattress protectors/covers
  • Mattress foundations

For each type of sleep accessory, we grade them in five key areas based on what makes them perform the function they are designed to do. Here, we give them a score ranging from 1-10, depending on how well they perform.

Once we conclude our testing for each item, we come up with an overall Mattress Advisor score. This involves adding up the scores in each category and finding the average. Below are some of the factors we consider when reviewing each type of sleep accessory with an explanation of what we are looking for in our evaluations.

Our Pillow Review Process

From down pillows to wedge pillows, we review a variety of head cushions to help you determine which one best fits your sleeping style and other preferences.

What We Test What it Means
Temperature Regulation Whether a pillow maintains the cold feeling or needs to be flipped continually.
 Support How well a pillow holds the head and neck area to provide pressure relief.
 Responsiveness How well the pillow molds to someone’s neck and whether it works well when changing positions.
Durability Quality in the types of materials used to make the pillow and estimates of how long it will last.
Construction Considers whether the materials in the pillow are free of toxins and are hypoallergenic.

Our Sheets/Blanket Review Process

Another common sleep category Mattress Advisor looks at is sheets and blankets. This includes fitted sheet sets, comforters, duvets, and weighted blankets.

What We Test What it Means
Temperature Regulation Considers factors, such as the thickness and type of material, to determine if it insulates users well.
Softness Looks at the texture and whether it feels pleasant to touch.
Washing Capabilities How easily a blanket or related item can be put in the washing machine or be cleaned when accidents occur.
Durability Considers whether it will snag easily or get caught on sharp objects (ex. nails) and how it’s constructed to determine if it will hold up over time.
Breathability How well the fabric it uses can absorb moisture and keep users from overheating.

Our Mattress Topper/Pad Review Process

Here at Mattress Advisor, we look at mattress toppers and pads, which are used to provide a softer surface.

What We Test What it Means
Responsiveness How well a mattress topper or pad adjusts and responds to changes in sleeping positions.
Support Considers a mattress topper’s or pad’s thickness, pressure relief, and spinal alignment to tell if it can effectively hold a sleeper’s weight.
Motion Transfer Looks at whether a sleeper can move on a mattress topper or pad without disturbing their partner.
Durability How well a mattress topper or pad can last over time and whether the waterproofing continues to exist after several washes.
Breathability Considers whether a mattress topper or pad has airflow and does a good job of keeping sleepers cool at night.

Our Mattress Protector/Cover Review Process

Similar to mattress toppers, we also review mattress protectors and covers. These are used to protect your mattress to promote cleanliness and enhance the longevity of your bed.

What We Test What it Means
Protection How effective a mattress protector or cover is at shielding a mattress from mites, stains, pet dander, sweat, and odor.
Responsiveness How easily someone can move around a mattress with a particular protector or cover and looks at factors like static and squeaky noises from movement.
Washing Capabilities How easy it is to wash or whether it can be placed in a washing machine.
Durability How long a mattress protector or cover will last based on how it’s made.
Fit Whether a mattress protector or cover is available in a variety of sizes and how easy it is to place and keep on a mattress.

Our Mattress Foundations

Mattress Advisor also looks at mattress foundations, such as platform bases and bed frames.

What We Test What it Means
Assembly Considers the mattress foundation’s set-up process and how easy it is for the average user to construct.
Support How stable a mattress foundation is, including whether it wobbles or moves around a lot.
Compatability Looks at whether a particular mattress foundation is suitable with different types of mattresses.
Durability Evaluates the materials used to make the mattress foundation to determine how likely it is to last long term or whether it will need to be replaced frequently.
Weight Limit How many pounds the foundation can support.

Our Testing Lab: Behind the Scenes