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Our CNET Sleep editors have tested more beds than the average sleeper — about 300 different ones, in fact — and dedicated hundreds of hours to the craft. We pride ourselves on our mattress testing method.
Strength and feeling
When we start testing the mattress, we first determine the firmness and feel of the mattress. Firmness is how hard or soft the mattress is. We have several team members who test and rate each bed to get the most well-rounded picture of how a bed performs in these categories.
The feel of the mattress describes how the mattress reacts. Does it respond as slowly as traditional memory foam? Does it bounce back like latex foam? This will translate to what it feels like to roll over in bed at night.
The Mattress Smasher 9000 objectively tests the firmness of every mattress.
We also tested the stability of the objective using our proprietary CNET device, the Mattress Smasher 9000. This machine squeezes into the middle of a bed, and our corresponding software measures the firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. While we also test each bed personally for perceived firmness and feel, we can back up our opinions with data from Mattress Smasher.
Strength
Durability, or how long the mattress lasts, is based on what it is made of. Mattresses with individually wrapped coils as a base are more durable than all foam options. They also tend to be more expensive.
Mattress display
The main performance criteria we check for mattresses include motion isolation, edge support and temperature.
We tested how individual mattresses move by placing a glass of water on the edge of the bed and rolling to see how fast it moves. Being alone in motion is a big deal when you have company running around and waking you up.
Side support is how strong the perimeter of the bed is. The test for this is simple: we sit and lie on the edge to see if it gives under pressure.
When checking the temperature, we check the materials and construction of the mattress. Materials such as latex and gel memory foam prevent the mattress from retaining body heat.
Read more at how we test mattresses.
