Mattress toppers are among the best-selling solutions to the problem of upgrading an existing mattress surface. They are popular for some good reasons, but as with anything you could buy they have their advantages and disadvantages in comparison with similar products. This post will let you in on the good and the bad, as well as how mattress toppers stack up against full sized mattresses.
Advantages
They’re Cheaper: A full size traditional mattress can cost you a lot of money, especially if you buy a big size like queen or California king. Buying a new mattress of this type can be an expensive proposition – even a low priced mattress in one of these sizes might start at 200 for a half decent one. Your other option is to give the dying mattress a bit of a boost with a less expensive product like a topper. A comparatively thin topper (1 to 2 inches) might be priced as low as 75 dollars. The average price is about 150 dollars, but top brands such as TempurPedic even sell some thicker models for 500 dollars or more.
Widely available: Because they are so popular, there are plenty of types and brands of mattress toppers available, and most retailers, both brick-and-mortar and online, keep them well stocked. Buying online is the best way to get a good deal on the price, and delivery is usually free.
Good selection of sizes: The popularity of mattress toppers and the demand for them by consumers means that the size you need will almost always be there, particularly if you buy online. Toppers are available in a range of thickness and sizes, but of course you need one that matches your current mattress’s dimensions. Please look at our chart to learn more about standard mattress sizes and dimensions.
Lightweight, easy to handle: Just as you rotate and flip your existing mattress, you should do the same for your mattress topper. Because they are constructed to be lightweight, moving it around like this will be an easy task.
Very mobile: If for some reason you will be sleeping in a different bed temporarily, it’s easy to take the topper along with you and use it on the other bed, as long as the topper matches the size of the mattress.
One person installation: Once you’ve purchased your mattress topper and you have it at home, it only takes one person to unroll it, remove the packaging and lay it flat across the current mattress surface. Leave it for a hour or two to flatten out before you put your sheets on it. As easy as that, it’s ready for sleeping.
Easy to dispose of: Once you’ve been using it for years and you need to get rid of it, disposing of your worn-out mattress topper is not a big problem. One person can carry it to an SUV, pickup or van to take it away. You can even roll it and leave it with the rest of your household trash.
Good variety of materials: Just as with full mattresses, toppers come in a variety of different kinds of foam (gel infused or natural plant for example) or latex. You can choose the one that best suits your budget and needs.
Better hygiene: Some mattress toppers can go right in the washing machine. Throw yours in the wash every now and then to have a cleaner surface underneath your sheets. The health benefits of this are obvious – all you can do with a traditional mattress is to wipe it clean using a cloth.
Disadvantages
Limited choice of firmness: The material types and density levels are pretty restricted, leaving you fewer options for memory foam toppers, or synthetic, blended or 100 percent natural for latex toppers.
Shorter warranty: Warranties for toppers are not usually as long as for regular mattresses – compare a 3 year warranty for a topper to a 10 or more year warranty on a mattress. But when you consider the life expectancy of most products on the market, 3 years doesn’t sound too bad.
Longevity: Because mattress toppers are thinner by nature, a 1-inch pad may only last for 2 or 3 years. Thicker toppers however (2 inches or more) can last 3 or 4 years easily.
We hope that this post was helpful in giving you some basic information about mattress toppers, and that you now know enough about the pros and cons of toppers versus regular mattresses that you can make a better decision. See our mattress topper buyer’s guide and reviews to find out more.
