Do you plan on mattress shopping in 2015? Before you make a commitment, educate yourself on some of the finer points of buying a mattress. In this review, we’ll point out some of the best and worst mattresses of 2015. With this knowledge, you should be able to avoid the lemons and come out on top of a comfortable mattress.

The Best Type of Mattress by the Numbers

“Best” is a subjective term, but there are methods we can use to help find the most suitable mattress for a person’s preferences, sleep position and body type, among other criteria. Also, data collected from consumers over the years does reveal some trends in customer satisfaction.

As new technological advances are made, eventually some make their way into our bedrooms. Innerspring mattresses were the only type of beds that were widely available for a long time. Memory foam mattresses have since become common and now we are seeing latex mattresses take the bedding industry by storm.

Each of these mattresses has different qualities. In the chart below, we compare a few of the most popular mattress types and their attributes based on data from independent review sites. As you will be able to tell, not all mattresses are the same. There are certainly some noticeable differences.

Key=Excellent>Good>Fair>Poor

Latex, memory foam, and waterbed mattresses receive the highest approval ratings, respectively. This is based on the testimonies of over 21,000 mattress consumers from almost 1,000 different sources collected by Sleep Like The Dead, likely of the largest ongoing studies of its type. Everyone has their own preferences and needs, however, so we’ll take a deeper dive into the best and worst of each type of mattress. You’ll have all the info you need to pick a winner.

The following sections are ordered from highest customer satisfaction rating to lowest. Here we’ll list the top rated mattresses of each type, then list the lowest rated. Following that are charts with some specifications on individual brands. Finally, we’ll do an overview of the best and worst mattresses of 2015 to recap.

Latex Foam Mattresses

Receiving the highest customer satisfaction rating, latex mattresses are a really hot item this year. Though less widely available in stores, you can easily find these mattresses online from a number of retailers. Latex and memory foam mattresses can be vacuum sealed and rolled up, making them easier to transport, deliver and get through doors. Once unsealed, these mattresses inflate quickly to their intended size.

Latex mattresses are either natural, synthetic, or a blend of both. Natural latex tends to rate better than synthetics with users touting the health and environmental benefits along with reporting less odor. Synthetic latex and blends are made with petrochemicals which are known to offgas, or produce odors, but they tend to be cheaper.

Latex, either natural or synthetic, for mattresses is typically made in two ways using the dunlop or talalay methods. The dunlop method has been done for a very long time. Talalay latex is made in nearly the same way, but a couple additional steps are used to increase the uniformity of bubbles in the foam. Both types of latex rate similarly in customer reviews.

Some mattresses companies use a poly foam base core and a layer or two of latex for the comfort layers, creating a “hybrid” bed. This is often done to reduce prices but it can negate some of the health, durability and comfort benefits all-latex mattresses provides.

Best Latex Mattress Brands

The top latex mattresses of 2015 are all very closely rated. Astrabeds tops the charts with their lines receiving an average of 91% customer satisfaction. Sealy Optimum, with their latex-over-foam design, has the 2nd highest rated latex lines this year. Sleep EZ, Habitat Furnishings and PlushBeds tied for third.

• Astrabeds
• Sealy Optimum (latex over foam)

Worst Latex Mattresses of 2015

Consumer ratings for latex mattresses are pretty good this year overall. As close as the scores are, there are those that performed a little worse than others. Foam Sweet Foam and SavvyRest mattress lines received the lowest scores of those we looked at. Customers mentioned problems with customer service and the return policies.

• Foam Sweet Foam
• Savvy Rest

Memory Foam Mattresses

Based on space-age technology, literally, memory foam mattresses are now becoming commonplace in bedrooms and showrooms across the nation. Though not as ubiquitous as spring mattresses, memory foam beds receive better customer satisfaction rates.

There are three basic types of memory foam mattresses:

• Traditional memory foam
• Gel memory foam
• Plant-based memory foam

Traditional memory foam is a synthetic material derived from petroleum and is the most common type of memory foam available. Synthetic foams tend to offgas, or emit odors, more than plant-based foams, which can be irritating or worse. They also receive more complaints regarding sleep temperature and the feeling of being “stuck” compared to either gel or plant-based foams, due to their viscous temperature-sensitive nature.

Gel memory foam mattresses are typically comprised of either gel-infused memory foam or layers of synthetic foam and gel “pods” or “pads”. Though gels can initially feel cooler than traditional memory foam mattresses, many customers still report sleeping hot. There is pretty small percentage difference between the two, and sources like Consumer Reports find little overall difference in breathability — something to keep in mind before paying a premium for gel.

Plant-based memory foam mattresses contain a proportion of plant-based oils and extracts that replace some of the petro products, resulting a more eco-friendly foam. Plant-based memory foams also tend to have a more open celled structure and are temperature neutral. They tend to receive fewer odor complaints and minimal heat complaints, with a Cargill study showing plant-based foams offering greater breathability than gel foams.

Each foam layer in memory foam mattresses typically have different densities and firmnesses. Generally, a firm poly foam base is topped with a softer comfort layer or layers. More dense foams tend to be more durable and more expensive, but there is no strong correlation between density and firmness. Less dense foams are less expensive and less odorous, but less durable and less effective at pressure relief. Both densities and firmnesses in the middle ranges tend to receive higher consumer ratings, people have different firmness preferences. Get to know yours before shopping.

Best Memory Foam Mattresses of 2015

The top-rated memory foam mattresses of 2015 aren’t coming from the most well-known brands on the market. In the mid-range priced, plant-based foams from Amerisleep are receiving excellent reviews. Bed In A Box with their middle-range PacBeds and other lines came in second. Lower-end Sleep Innovations (Bidopedic, Novaform) came in  third as a good value (but don’t expect these mattresses to last as long with regular use).

• Amerisleep
• Bed In A Box
• Sleep Innovations

Worst Memory Foam Mattresses of 2015

With substantially lower customer satisfaction ratings, these mattresses are the losers this year. Perhaps counterintuitively, the brands who received the lowest customer satisfaction ratings are some of the most well-known names in the industry. Sealy, Serta, and Simmons spend a lot on marketing to become household brands and perhaps sacrificed on their products’ materials and design.

• Simmons Comforpedic
• Sealy Optimum
• Serta  iComfort

Waterbed Mattresses

Waterbeds were the rage in the 1970s and have since waned in availability and popularity. We don’t have much data on extensive customer reviews for these beds, but we do have some useful information for you.

There are two major types of waterbeds available today, hard-side and soft-side. Traditional, or hard-side, waterbeds have rigid wood frames that contain a large water bladder and require special sheets to cover the bladder. Soft-sided waterbeds look more like typical mattress with the bladder covered with foam or other materials and fabric. These do not require special sheets or frames.

One of the largest factors in waterbed owner satisfaction is the amount of motion transfer and waves caused by movement. Manufacturers have some novel techniques they have created to reduce waves in their mattresses. There are three basic mattress designs in this regard:

• Full-motion mattresses are only available for hard-side models. This type has free-flowing water with a wavelike motion. Full motion bladders in softside beds will have a reduced wave effect due to the padding.
• Semi-waveless mattresses have inserts (baffles or fiber layers) to restrict water flow, but still allowing some waves and motion transfer.
• Waveless mattresses are the most common type of soft-side waterbeds. The bladder contains dense layers of foam or fiber that reduce waves and motion transfer dramatically and provide better support than traditional waterbeds.

For our table we have the most popular waterbed brands along with some basic information. We listed the brands Better Business Bureau rating, establishment year and warranty information for both soft-side and hard-side models.

Innerspring Mattresses

Coil, or innerspring mattresses are available in most mattress stores, and are familiar to most Americans. They consist of an array of springs covered in foam and fabrics.While they are most common and most popular in terms of sales dollars, innersprings also have the lowest customer satisfaction rates of any mattress type.

Different types of coils and coil arrangements give innerspring mattresses much of their defining characteristics. There are essentially four different types of coil systems:

• Pocketed coil systems are comprised of many individually-wrapped coils, which reduces motion transfer and provides better overall support.
• Continuous coil systems are designed with many coils connected into a single piece allowing each spring to use support from adjacent springs which provide good durability, but compromises support and motion isolation.
• Bonnell coil systems have many hour-glass shaped coils and are much less expensive to manufacture. They have average support, but durability is significant drawback.
• Double offset coil systems are like a cross between bonnell and continuous coil systems, using many dual connected coils in tandem. They have good support and motion isolation, but average durability.

Innerspring mattresses come in a variety of firmness levels, which are a factor of coil gauge (lower gauge = firmer) and the topper layers. Some are covered in memory foam, regular foam or other materials for added support or softness. Low quality padding foams can result in faster development of impressions, with memory foam and latex offering the longest lifespans. Take a look at the winners and losers from 2015.

Best Innerspring Mattresses

Three coil mattress brands received very similar ratings despite having very different price points. Zinus mattresses have the highest customer rating of the innersprings, largely due to their budget pricing and relatively good value. They market their mattresses under different brands, including Spa Sensations, Night Therapy, Slumber 1 and other brands. Signature Sleep foam and coil mattresses rated slightly lower. Mid to high-range Aireloom/Kluft mattresses followed closely behind.

• Zinus
• Signature Sleep
• Aireloom / Kluft

Worst Innerspring Mattresses

Several mattresses rated significantly lower than the best innerspring mattresses. The lowest rated mattresses are from middle-priced Stearns and Foster lines. The inexpensive offerings from Denver Mattress weren’t too far ahead in the ratings.

• Stearns and Foster
• Denver Mattress

Best Mattresses for 2015

Now to get all the top-rated picks in one location. Here are the top mattresses from each different category. We chose specific beds from different brands to provide a starting point for research and comparisons. These mattresses received the highest customer approval rates and perform better than their competitors in their price ranges.

Top-Rated Latex Mattresses

Entry Level

• Sleep EZ Select Sleep 7”($1,135, queen)
• Habitat Furnishings 6” Habitat ($1,399, queen)

Luxury

• Astrabeds Organic HarmonyBed ($2,399, queen)
• Sealy Optimum Brasswood ($2,200, queen)

Top-Rated Memory Foam Mattresses

Entry Level

• Sleep Innovations Bodipedic Essentials 10” ($480, queen)
• Signature Sleep 12” Memory Foam ($330, queen)

Mid-Range

• Amerisleep Revere Bed ($1,499, queen)
• Bed In A Box Natural Silk Elegance Gel ($1,450, queen)

Luxury

• Tempurpedic Cloud Allura ($4,700, queen)

Top-Rated Waterbed Mattresses

• American National Essence ($1,075, queen)
• Innomax Genesis 900 ($410, queen)

Top-Rated Innerspring Mattresses

Entry Level

• Zinus 12” Spring ($322, queen)
• Signature Sleep 8” Contour Coil ($236, queen)

Mid-Range

• Heavenly Bed Mattress ($1,196, queen)

Luxury

• Aireloom Aspire Milo Medium Firm (Price not disclosed)

From springs to foam, the best mattress picks of 2015 highlight that the top brands aren’t always your best — either in terms of value or potential satisfaction. Several of the best-rated beds this year come from online brands and newer companies that focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

Keep in mind, these ratings are mostly based on customer reviews, which provide helpful insight. While we feel this is the best way to capture the performance of a group of products, you may not agree with the reviews as every person has their own idea of comfort. Get to know your own preferences and stay within your budget.

Good luck with your search, we hope our guide was helpful. Let us know what you think about the best and worst mattresses of 2015 or how your shopping went in the comments below.