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How to find the best mattress under $500

Posted at 5:17 AM, Dec 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-30 05:19:38-05

Like everything else these days, you can order your next mattress online and have it delivered. But if you’re concerned about choosing one without trying it out, Consumer Reports does a number of mattress tests so you can find exactly what’s right for you.

In Consumer Reports’ most recent member survey, more than 40 percent of members said they bought a mattress online in 2019 and 2020. And 50 percent of those said they were completely satisfied with their shopping experience.

Perhaps more reassuring, only about 2 percent of surveyed members said they were dissatisfied with their online mattress shopping experience.

CR evaluates how well a mattress supports the body for back and side sleepers. Testers also drop a weight on each mattress to see how well it resists bounciness. That’s a concern if you have a sleep partner who tosses and turns. And CR assesses how well a mattress keeps its shape over time.

While many mattresses can cost $1,000 and up, CR found that you don’t have to spend a fortune on one to get a good night’s sleep.

Signature Sleep's Gold Inspire for $305 is a great queen-size foam mattress for most body types and sleep styles. And it does exceptionally well in CR’s petite and average back-sleeper support tests.

For couples, consider the Costco Novaform 10" SoFresh Responsive Foam Mattress (queen size) for $500, which rated Very Good in CR’s test that measures vibrations. It also did well in both the back- and side-sleeper support tests, earning a Very Good rating for all sizes and sleep styles.

Even though these inexpensive mattresses aren’t at the top of the ratings, they offer decent performance. And knowing you got a good deal may also help you sleep better!