Upgrade and Protect Your Bed With These Tester-Approved Mattress Pads (2024)

Early Black Friday Deals

The 110 Best Early Black Friday Deals to Shop Now

Our Top Picks

For mattress protection on a budget, we like the Better Homes & Gardens Waterproof Cotton Mattress Pad. (Better Homes & Gardens is owned by The Spruce's parent company, Dotdash Meredith.) Although we tested a variety of mattress pads—with some ranging over $200—we found that the less expensive designs were just as good, if not better than their more expensive competitors.

The Better Homes & Gardens mattress pad costs less than $40 (for a queen size), but it delivers on its promises—including keeping water and other liquids off your mattress. In our testing, we liked how securely the pad fit our mattress; even with tossing and turning, it remained firmly in place. Plus, it didn’t affect the fit of our sheets, as its thin profile made it just as easy to make the bed as if the pad wasn’t there.

When we dropped water onto the mattress pad, it sat on top of the fabric. In total, it took about five seconds for it to begin absorbing–providing a decent level of water resistance before actually getting wet. The bottom waterproof layer also ensured our mattress stayed dry, which is key in keeping it protected against accidents and wear. However, the pad is quite thin.

While we liked the fact that this didn’t alter the feel of our sheets or mattress, we were able to feel an acupuncture mat placed underneath in testing. If you don’t need cushioning or extra comfort, though, the thinness won’t be a drawback in its feel. Overall, we think this is a great pick, especially considering its long-term durability—it hasn't had any changes in quality or performance even after six months of regular use in our homes.

_{Material: Cotton, polyester, polyurethane | Sizes: Twin/twin XL, full, queen, king | Pocket Depth: 22 inches}

If you’re looking for a mattress pad that adds just a little bit of softness to the top of your mattress, we thought the Bedsure Quilted Mattress Pad was a great option for a reasonable price as well. We loved how easy it was to put this mattress pad on top of our testing mattress, and we had plenty of depth left in the pockets, which can fit mattresses up to 21 inches deep.

The mattress pad is made of polyester microfiber and also has a poly-microfiber fill on the top. Although it is advertised as cooling, we didn’t find this to be true. The plus side of this construction is that it’s very durable and should not stretch or shrink much over time.

The quilting on the top of the pad also keeps the microfiber filling evenly distributed so you won’t experience any lumps across your mattress. We were slightly disappointed by this pad’s lack of loft, given the manufacturer photos, which make it seem very plush, but it has a softer finish than some of the other mattress pads that we tested, like the Better Homes & Gardens Waterproof Cotton Mattress Pad.

All in all, we enjoyed using this mattress pad and think it's a great value given the under-$30 price point.And after six months of testing this product, we're happy to report that it has held up great, even with monthly laundering.

^{Material: Polyester, microfiber | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, short queen, king, Cali. king, RV king | Pocket Depth: 21 inches}

If you have a mattress with cooling properties in it, the last thing you want to do is add a mattress pad on top that’s going to negate the cooling material in your mattress. We loved how the Sijo TempTune Mattress Pad helps prevent overheating while adding just a little bit of extra plush to the top of the mattress.

Of all of the mattress pads we tested, this one helped dull the pressure from an acupuncture mat underneath pretty well, despite not being an overly cushioned pad. We also loved that this mattress pad seemed to easily re-adjust after being rumpled from tossing and turning, so it shouldn’t become untucked after a restless night.

While we didn't find that this mattress topper felt cool to the touch, we did find it to be quite breathable and temperature-regulating. It prevents us from overheating at night, which can be especially helpful for hot sleepers. What's more, this mattress pad has held up fantastically for over a year. We think it improved the comfort level of the mattress a noticeable amount, and our testers plan on purchasing this mattress pad again after recently upgrading their mattress size.

The shell of the mattress pad is made from eucalyptus-based Tencel lyocell and a Mica-infused nylon blend, both of which have temperature-regulating properties. The pad is also lined with a waterproof coating, which proved very effective when we dropped water on top of it.

^{Material: Mica nylon blend and Tencel | Sizes: Full, queen, king, Cali. king | Pocket Depth: 18 inches}

If you don’t want to change the feel of your mattress at all and simply want something to protect it from moisture, the Cotton Jersey Waterproof Mattress Pad from The Company Store is a wonderful option. We loved how undetectable it was underneath our fitted sheets. We even tested this mattress pad in a child's room and it successfully protected the mattress from a bedwetting incident.

Despite its thin plastic lining, the pad made no rustling noise, which can be a downside of this type of mattress pad, based on our testing. In addition to not altering the feel of a mattress, the pad also surprisingly had no impact on our comfort temperature-wise.

We even completely forgot that we had put this mattress pad on our bed while testing this at home—it’s that thin. We had no complaints about this mattress pad. The only precaution that we could think of is that the jersey cotton may pill over time, especially if covered by a textured fitted sheet like jersey or linen.

However, none of our durability tests led us to believe that this pad would degrade quickly and we think it’s a great purchase for any mattress type.In fact, it looks and feels as good as new after six months with nightly use and consistent laundering.

^{Material: Cotton and thermoplastic polyurethane | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cali. king | Pocket Depth: 11 or 18 inches}

Mattress pads typically don’t offer much added comfort, since they’re designed to protect a mattress, but we loved that the Puffy Deluxe Mattress Pad had a soft quilted top. Effectively transforming our mattress into a pillow top, we found this design made a noticeable difference in our overall comfort. The padding rises two inches above the surface of the mattress, and when we used the pad at home we could feel it contouring to our body.

Our initial lab testing also made this mattress pad a front-runner in comfort because it dulled the feeling of an acupressure mat underneath it and it did not shift much on our testing mattress. We noticed that the longer sides of the pad gusset rode up on our testing mattress, but the corners never came untucked.

The pad is made with bamboo rayon, which is a naturally cooling material and its filling is also hypoallergenic so users with sensitive skin and allergies may especially enjoy this option. However, we felt like the quilted top occasionally caused us to overheat at night, meaning hot sleepers may not love this mattress pad as much as our best temperature-regulating option, the Sijo TempTune Mattress Pad.

We still think this mattress pad is a great choice for most sleepers, especially those who prefer a cozy, pillowtop bedroom setup.Plus, its performance and quality are top-notch after two months of using this product in our homes.

^{Material: Bamboo rayon | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cali. king | Pocket Depth: 15 inches}

It should come as no surprise that Parachute, a company that makesgreat pillowsand bedding, also makes an exceptionally comfortable mattress pad. This down alternative mattress pad features microfiber fill, which recreates the loft and softness traditionally associated with down. The double-stitched construction ensures that the down alternative fibers also stay inside the shell.

While a down alternative mattress pad can be more affordable than a down-filled option, this particular design is still on the higher end of pricing when compared to other choices. That said, we think its high-quality materials and durability make this a good pick.

We're big fans of the soft sateen shell, which felt soft and cozy during our tests. It doesn't add significant plushness to the mattress, but we found it to be comfortable regardless. Note that the inner fill of the pad may trap heat, which means it may not be the best choice for sleepers who run hot.

_{Material: Cotton, microfiber | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king | Pocket Depth: 18 inches}

If you have a deeper mattress, the Serta Power Clean Quilted Waterproof Mattress Pad has a stretchy gusset that can fit mattresses up to 18 inches deep. Plus, we loved all of the moisture-wicking and waterproof properties of this pad during testing. The pad has a quilted top, adding just a little bit of comfort to the top of a mattress without changing any supportive features you may love already.

We found the mattress pad is also incredibly moisture-wicking, as it quickly absorbed water that we poured on it and spread the water out, rather than trapping it in one part of the quilting. A waterproof backing prevents any moisture from seeping into the top of your mattress as well.

We didn’t notice any crinkling noises in the lab from this backing, but at home, we did hear a subtle crinkling noise when getting out of bed at first. However, after six months of testing, we found that the crispness of the mattress pad had softened up after washing and sleeping on it for an extended period. We like the texture more with use.

Note that this mattress pad is more challenging to launder because of its moisture-wicking and waterproof backing, so you may find that it needs an extra dry cycle to fully remove any wet patches. All in all, you can’t go wrong with this pad, especially given its lower price, and versatility on deeper mattresses.

^{Material: Not listed | Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cali. king | Pocket Depth: 18 inches}

Final Verdict

Our overall best pick is the Better Homes & Gardens Waterproof Cotton Mattress Pad, which we like for its effective waterproof capabilities, breathable construction, and value at its price point. If you're looking for an option that adds a bit more cushioning, consider the Puffy Mattress Pad. Its soft pillow top design will improve the overall comfort level of your mattress more than other options we've tried.

After Years of Testing Mattresses, These 9 Are the Best