Side sleepers who are looking for both comfort and support should seek a hybrid mattress. These beds have layers of comfort foams and a supportive layer of coils to keep side sleepers’ spine aligned throughout the night.
My fellow CNET mattress experts and I have tested plenty of hybrid beds over the years, but we know which ones are the best for side sleepers. Here are the top hybrid mattresses for those who favor their side when they sleep.
What is the best hybrid mattress for side sleepers?
Side sleepers need a bed that’s supportive but also pressure-relieving on their hips and shoulders. The Casper Nova mattress is the perfect balance of both. Made of three layers of foam, a layer of flex coils and a soft, knit cover, the Casper Nova mattress has a zoned-layer layer of foam that gives firmer support to the spine and softer comfort to the shoulders. Side sleepers and couples should find this mattress comfortable.
Video: Best hybrid mattress for side sleepers
Watch my fellow CNET mattress expert Owen Poole review the best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers.
Best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers of 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness Medium-soft or 3Trial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year warranty Price $$$
Why we chose the Casper Nova: Casper is one of the most well-known mattress brands, and its beds are constantly making our lists. The Casper Nova is no exception. This mattress has a soft knit cover, three layers of foam, flex coils and a sturdy base. Similarly to the Casper Original, the Nova utilizes Zoned Support within the foam layers to help ease pressure points. This means that zones under your shoulders are softer to allow your body to sink a little, while the zone under your back is a bit firmer to further support your spine — great for those with back pain.
The top two layers of memory foam also utilize what Casper calls “AirScrape” technology. Since memory foam can trap your heat, Casper’s foam layers are perforated for air flow. While I wouldn’t consider this a cooling mattress, it should help to keep you temperature-neutral at night.
Pros:
- Zoned support design
- Soft yet supportive
- Good for people with back pain
- Regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to be free of harmful chemicals
Cons:
- Expensive
- Too soft for stomach sleepers
Read more in our Casper review.
Casper Nova
Type Memory foam hybridFirmness 4 or medium to medium-softTrial 101 nightsWarranty Lifetime warranty Price $$$
Why we chose the Puffy Lux: If you’re familiar with memory foam, Tempur-Pedic might first come to mind. However, the memory foam on the Puffy Lux is much softer — and in my opinion — more comfortable than its expensive rival. The Puffy Lux mattress has three layers of memory foam and a layer of support foam with contour-adapt coils. It feels airy and like its name, cloud-like. When I’m on my side, it doesn’t feel like I’m stuck in the mattress.
We found this mattress to be around a 4 out of 10 on our firmness scale or around a medium to medium-soft. If you are a side sleeper that prefers softer memory foam mattresses, then this is for you. However, it may be too soft or not supportive enough for strict back or stomach sleepers.
Pros:
- Suitable for all body types
- Soft and fluffy feel is great for side sleepers
- Machine-washable cover
Cons:
- Will cost you more than average memory foam mattresses
- Not firm enough for back or stomach sleepers
Read more in our Puffy Lux review.
Puffy Lux
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 3 firmness levels | Soft: Medium-soft to soft or 2 | Medium: Medium to medium-soft or 4 | Firm: Medium-firm or 7Trial 120 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $$
Why we chose the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid: We’re big fans of the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid, so much so that it’s our choice for the best mattress overall. This hybrid bed has five layers: a quilted top, comfort foam, transition foam, individually cased coils and a flex base. Due to its construction and three firmness options, this bed is accommodating for all body types and sleeping positions. The Brooklyn Signature offers a lot, yet costs the least on this list. I think it’s a great value.
For $300 more, you can add a pillow top to the mattress, making it plushier. However, without the added pillow top, we find the Soft firmness level to be a medium-soft to soft or a 2, the Medium to be a medium to medium-soft or a 4 and the Firm to be a medium-firm or a 7.
Pros:
- Three firmness options makes it suitable for all sleeping positions
- Its construction is supportive and durable for all body types
- Great for those on a budget
Cons:
- Ultra-budget shoppers may not find it affordable enough
Read our Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid review.
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid
Type Flippable hybrid mattressFirmness Firm: 5 or medium | Soft: 3 or medium-softTrial 120 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warranty Price $$
Why we chose the Layla Hybrid: If you’re uncertain of the right firmness level for you, or you share a bed with someone who’s uncertain, a flippable mattress is a good choice. The Layla Hybrid has two sides, two firmnesses and two chances to get it right. It utilizes a soft cover, a layer of copper-gel memory foam, support foam, individually wrapped coils system, another layer of support foam and a final layer of copper-gel memory foam. The copper-infused memory foam is antimicrobial, helps to control order and heat transfer.
The Soft side of the Layla Hybrid is around a medium-soft or a 3 on our scale. The Firm side is a 5 or a medium. Side sleepers should like the Soft side, and back and stomach sleepers or heavier side sleepers should stick to the Firm side. Both sides feel light, airy and more responsive than regular memory foam.
Pros:
- Flippable mattress with different firmness levels
- Airy memory-foam feel
- Material contours to the body
Cons:
- Coils can make sounds
- Takes a day or two to fully expand
Layla Hybrid
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness Soft or 1 to 2Trial 100-night trialWarranty 10 to 15 yearsPrice $$
Why we chose the Helix Sunset: One of the softest mattresses on the market, the Helix Sunset equates to a 1 or a 2 on our firmness scale. Many side sleepers love soft mattresses since they can ease pressure off the hips and shoulders — and the Sunset does just that while also providing support with its layer of 1,000 individually wrapped coils. On top of coils are two layers of responsive foam and a layer of copper gel memory foam. The cover is a soft knit design, but hot sleepers can opt for GlacioTex cooling cover (starting at an extra $199) or a GlacioTex pillow top (starting at an extra $299).
The Helix Sunset is also fairly affordable. Coming at just a little more than the Brooklyn Bedding Signature, the Helix Sunset can be found under $1,100 when it’s on sale.
Pros:
- Extremely soft
- Hybrid construction makes it good for any body type
- CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified
Cons:
- Pricey
- Not enough support for stomach sleepers
- Not supportive enough for plus-size people
Read more in our Helix review.
Helix Sunset Mattress
Type Latex foam hybrid mattressFirmness Medium or 5Trial 120 nightsWarranty Lifetime warranty
Why we chose the WinkBed EcoCloud: The WinkBed EcoCloud is a luxury bed and one of the best pressure-relieving latex hybrid mattresses out there. While most latex mattresses are extra-firm or unsuitable for strict side sleepers, the WinkBed EcoCloud is a medium on our scale or about 5 out of 10. It’s supportive while also providing comfort to side sleepers’ hips and shoulders.
The WinkBed EcoCloud is made with organic cotton, New Zealand wool, Talalay latex and recycled steel coils. The coils around the edges are firmer to help prevent sagging and a sleeper from falling off the edge. Due to its pressure-relief, this mattress is great for those with hip and shoulder pain.
Pros:
- Super pressure relieving
- Strong reinforcements along the edges
- Good for people with hip or shoulder pain
Cons:
Read more in our WinkBed review.
WinkBed EcoCloud Hybrid
Other hybrid mattresses for side sleepers we’ve tested
At CNET, we’ve spent hundreds of hours testing mattresses. With so many beds to test and so few spots on our list, we aren’t able to showcase every quality hybrid mattress for side sleepers. However, we do want to give a few more beds the honorable mention they deserve.
Allswell Luxe: Allswell is known for its affordability, and we found the Allswell Luxe to be both affordable and good for side sleepers. This hybrid mattress is below $400 in a queen size, and a twin is a little less than $290. Despite the low price, the Luxe feels like other mattresses on this list. It’s around a medium-firm and has a bouncy feel to it. The bed uses memory foam and coils to support and help alleviate pressure points.
Read more in our Allswell Mattress review.
Leesa Sapira Chill: Leesa’s new line of cooling mattresses is impressive. The Leesa Sapira Chill is a luxurious pillow-top mattress that has an 8-inch layer of zoned-support pocketed coils. On top of the coils are four more layers of foam to provide extra comfort. The cover is a quilted top that’s cool to the touch. The best part about this mattress is that it comes in three different firmness options: Plush, Medium-Firm and Firm. Side sleepers should like the Medium-Firm option.
Read more in our Leesa Chill Mattress review.
Best hybrid mattress for side sleepers of 2024 compared
| Mattress | Mattress type | Price (queen) | Sleep trial period | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casper Nova | Foam hybrid | $2,495 | 100 nights | 10-year limited |
| Puffy Lux | Memory foam hybrid | $2,849 | 101 nights | Lifetime |
| Brooklyn Signature | Foam hybrid | $1,332 | 120 nights | 10-year limited |
| Layla Hybrid | Flippable hybrid | $1,699 | 120 nights | 10-year limited |
| Helix Sunset | Foam hybrid | $1,374 | 100 nights | 20-year prorated |
| WinkBed EcoCloud | Latex hybrid | $1,999 | 120 nights | Lifetime |
How we tested the best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
When we test mattresses, we have an established process that assesses key factors like firmness, feel and performance. We test how strong the edge of the bed is by sitting and lying on the edge. We test motion transfer by rolling across the mattress with a glass of water by the edge. These are things we do for all beds we test. The best hybrid mattresses for side sleepers have a unique testing process. We dive further into the bed’s construction, paying attention to each layer contributing to the cooling process.
1. Firmness: We lay on each mattress and use our experience from testing over 200 different beds to determine firmness. Compared to other mattresses, we analyze how soft or hard a bed feels. It’s important to wait until the mattress is fully expanded after opening to get the real firmness perspective.
2. Feel: This is where we get handsy with the beds. We touch and feel the mattresses and watch what the material does. Is it light and bouncy like latex foam or slow and dense like memory foam?
3. Durability: We don’t lay on the mattress every day for years, so it’s hard to tell exactly how long each bed will last. We are able to hypothesize a bed’s firmness by looking at its construction. Beds with steel coils are typically more durable and stronger than all-foam mattresses.
4. Best body type: We use construction and feel to determine how accommodating a bed will be for a heavy individual. Hybrid mattresses with steel coils are typically more supportive and longer-lasting; a plus for heavier individuals looking for a quality bed.
5. Best sleeping position: We get real physical and flip around the mattresses, testing each sleeping position: side, back, stomach and combination.
6. Motion isolation: With one or preferably two people on the mattress, we jump and bounce around to see how much movement can be detected throughout the bed. We also use the method where you place a cup of water at the edge of the bed and bounce around to see how much it moves.
7. Edge support: We analyze a mattress’s materials and physically lay on each edge of the mattress to get a feel for how well it’ll keep us feeling sturdy.
8. Temperature: We use hot sleepers to test and determine how cool a bed sleeps. We also take a look at its materials and construction — did a brand add anything to make it sleep more cool?
9. Smell: Some mattresses can off-gas an interesting smell. We use our trusty snouts to test this characteristic.
Read more on how we test mattresses.
What to look for in a hybrid mattress as a side sleeper
If you’re searching for the best hybrid mattress for you, here’s everything you need to keep in mind as a side sleeper.
Firmness
Side sleepers typically enjoy mattresses that are medium in terms of firmness. If a mattress is too firm, side sleepers might not get the right amount of pressure-relief on their hips and shoulders. However, if you prefer a softer or firmer mattress, that is your choice. Also, be aware that your body type will alter the firmness of your mattress. If you are a heavier person, a medium mattress will feel softer to you. If you are an extra-petite sleeper, a mattress will feel firmer.
Body type
You require a mattress that will best support you based on your body type. Heavier people require a mattress that is supportive, durable and firm. If you are a heavier side sleeper, I suggest a hybrid mattress that is firm to extra-firm. This will give you ample support throughout the night and keep your spine in-line. Petite sleepers may need an extra-soft mattress that will allow them enough pressure relief.
Budget
Your budget is a big factor when searching for the right mattress. Unfortunately, hybrid mattresses are often more costly than all-foam beds. If you’re someone who requires or wants a hybrid bed but has a tight budget, I recommend waiting to purchase until a major mattress holiday. The best times to buy a mattress are Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Check out our deal’s page for the most up-to-date sales.
