Despite usually coming at a fraction of a new mattress, the best mattress topper for college can make a huge difference in your sleeping experience. In case you know what and where to look for. Luckily, you’ve come to the right page.
We have put together the top six mattress toppers out there, while looking at various considerations. All our picks are available in Twin XL, which is the typical size for dorm beds. In case you’re looking for a shorter model, that’s not a problem whatsoever as every mattress on our list is available in Twin as well. There’re budget-friendly options as well as premium ones that last for years: most made of hypoallergenic latex and memory foam, that are also resistant to mold and mite dander. There’s a premium option on the list which combines latex, cotton, and wool in its construction, which feels extra warm in winter and pleasantly cool in summer.
More features: hypoallergenic; made in the USA; cover can be added to the purchase
The Latex for Less Topper takes the number one spot on our list, and it’s nothing more than what it deserves. Made of 100 percent natural latex, this mattress topper is currently the best money can buy, providing enough support and comfort for a luxurious sleep. There are no chemicals, fillers, or synthetics in its production, so it’s also Eco-Institute and Tex Standard 100 certified for safety and purity. If you’re looking for something to give you a deep rejuvenating sleep, you can’t go wrong with this.
Furthermore, the topper is pillowy soft, giving just the proper amount of support needed for a delightful night’s rest. It also delivers relaxing pressure relief, regardless of your sleeping position, thanks to the three inches of unadulterated single-origin latex. The resilient, single-origin latex used for the manufacturing of the topper also means it break down or sag and will return back to its previous shape always.
More features: GOLS certified
The SleepEZ Wool Latex Mattress Topper is another incredible mattress topper that will make any list of the best mattresses. Perhaps, that explains why we chose it as our premium pick. Like our editor’s choice, this one is also made using 100 % natural Dunlop latex or Talalay (depending on your preference), which means there are no toxic materials or chemicals. With one-inch of Wool Cover and three inches of Latex for a total height of four inches, this latex topper and plush wool pad will significantly improve your sleep and relieve pressure point.
The topper comes with a cover that’s made of wool, allowing it to provide better airflow, wick away moisture efficiently, and serve as a fire barrier. In case you didn’t know, wool is a natural fire-retardant, unlike other fire-retardant chemicals used for a lot of mattresses. The 100 percent Talalay conforms to the shape of your body, delivering both superior contour and support that removes pressure points that most mattresses cause.
More features: machine washable cover; adapts to body’s temperature, weight, and shape
If you have a bed that needs more support or an innerspring mattress with excessive bounce, you’ve got to consider going for the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR Supreme Topper. With its firm nature, the mattress is suitable for people who want a firmer surface to support pressure points. Like most Tempur-Pedic mattresses, this topper is built with a pressure-relieving material. Apart from that, the mattress topper is designed to conform to the curves and shape of your body, thereby delivering more enjoyable sleep.
Furthermore, the mattress topper comes with a breathable, machine-friendly cover, which aid easy maintenance. With this, just bid farewell to dirt, allergens, dust mites, and dust. It’s also a great thing that the cover is easy to remove, which is a further testament to the manufacturer’s focus on convenience. Meanwhile, we’d also like to add that the topper is sturdier than the average mattress topper. It’s made with innovative materials that have been designed for many years of comfort.
More features: zippered cover, machine washable
The next product on our rundown is the TITAN Cooling Talalay Latex Mattress Topper. Using the most quality and most durable foam, the mattress topper delivers increased contouring and excellent pressure point relief to improve your sleep experience. Referred to as the “earth’s most perfect sleep material,” the topper has a luxury circular knit weave that features advanced cooling on contact feature, complementing latex’s inherent breathability.
Furthermore, the three-inch Talalay latex relieves tension and relaxes muscles, which helps you to get rid of all pressures while sleeping. It’s also worth noting that the mattress delivers a medium level of firmness, which is complemented with an appropriate amount of pressure point relief with optimum support. For easy maintenance, the cover has a zipper that aids cleaning, allowing you to enjoy more hypoallergenic experience.
More features: proudly made in the USA; machine washable
The next mattress topper on our list is the Jensen Thermoshield Luxury Pillow Top Mattress Pad, which with its breathable and thick fiber, offers sleepers the highest level of comfort. In their bid to ensure that the mattress topper is perfect for all seasons, the product is made with premium fiber and commercial-grade foam, thereby creating a perfect combo of fiber and foam. It’s also interesting that the mattress topper is compatible with most mattresses.
Furthermore, the design of the topper is aimed at easing stress on your shoulder, lower back, and hips, which makes sure that you wake up every morning feeling refreshed and reenergized. Lest we forget, the topper also features elastic bands, which are designed to fasten the topper to your mattress. With the bands, the topper will stay in place no matter the number of times you toss and turn around during the night.
More features: CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certified
If you get nervous at the thought of bright pigments and gel infusions whirling through your topper, you can’t go wrong with the RECCI Memory Foam Mattress Topper. Sometimes, simplicity can be the ultimate sophistication, and this mattress topper is a proof. You definitely won’t find any strange or fancy infusions in this topper, but we assure you that it’s a fairly pure, environmental-friendly memory foam topper. Even though pure memory foam typically gets warm during the night, this one keeps you cool instead, thanks to its bamboo cover.
Using a unique weave method, the cover aids airflow all across the topper and controls temperature, making sure you don’t experience discomfort emanating from heat. The memory foam provides a lot of comfort by contouring to the shape and curves of your body, getting rid of all pressure points. In addition, the RECCI Memory Foam Mattress Topper is both OEKO-TX and CertiPUR-US certified for durability, purity, and quality. It’s also worth mentioning that the topper is fire-retardant and free from toxic substances.
As a student, you likely can’t afford a topper twice, which means you must get it right once. Before going ahead to buy a topper for your dorm mattress, you need to find out as many things as you can about toppers. This way, you will be able to determine the most suitable topper for your mattress. To help you in this regard, we have put this comprehensive buying guide together.
A mattress topper is any separate cushioning layer that can be easily added to a mattress’s top surface. Ideally, mattress toppers are mainly used for providing additional comfort and adjusting the mattress’s firmness. Of course, they may serve additional benefits as well, like cooling your bed or alleviating pressure and pain. Apart from using them for college dorms, they can also be used in guest beds, hotels, sofas, or RVs, which makes them extremely versatile.
Except if you attend an expensive school where the welfare of students is highly prioritized, you’re not likely to find your dorm mattress comfortable. Most dorms are often equipped with old, worn-out mattresses with no pressure points, leaving students with either of three options – endure the discomfort every night, buy a new mattress, or most preferably, buy a mattress topper.
Better Sleep Surface – Mattress toppers are designed to increase the comfort of old mattresses that have developed some indentations or sagging overtime. Asides from that, they can also be used for newer mattresses that are too firm or soft for their current sleepers.
More Support – Another benefit of a mattress topper is that they provide more support. This is especially true for models made of high-quality materials like latex or memory foam, as they can help make and maintain an even, stable sleep surface with improved back and neck support.
Pressure and Pain Relief – Some mattress toppers like The Latex for Less Topper are designed to relief pressure and pain, which is good for people with back, neck, and side pains. For instance, latex and memory foam models are built to closely conform to the bodies of the sleepers, helping to align their spine and targeting pressure points in the shoulders, hips, lower back, and the neck.
Dual Options for Comfort – If you have a mattress that wasn’t built with a double-firmness comfort layer, you may need to buy a mattress topper as it could be an affordable way of modifying the feel of one of the mattress’s side while sustaining the original firmness or resistance of the other side.
Increased Durability – Using a topper is another way of increasing the durability of your mattress. In fact, it could help increase your mattress’s lifespan by reducing indentations and sagging in the comfort layers.
Mattress Protection – While mattress toppers are primarily designed to increase the comfort level of a mattress, they can also create a cushion that protects a mattress’s top surface from soiling, strains, and general physical damage.
Minimal Noise – Apart from featherbeds, which are actually known for producing rustling sounds, most mattress toppers typically generate little to no sound at all when carrying weight. This makes them especially suitable for dorms as you don’t want to disturb your roommates or other students.
Cheap Alternative to Replacement – As you probably know already, buying a new mattress could cost you a lot of money, which you may not be willing to spend considering you are a college student. And as you may be aware of, picking a sub-standard mattress topper that can’t offer the necessary comfort and support could lead to unpleasant aching all through your whole body. On the other hand, a mattress topper is affordable and will give you almost everything you need in a new mattress.
Cooling Effect – Most mattress toppers come with aeration and cooling systems like gel features, helping to keep you cool and prevent the mattress from overheating. Clearly, this guarantees a deeper and rejuvenating night’s sleep.
When you are choosing a mattress topper for college, you need all hands-on deck, like we have insinuated earlier. To ensure you pick the right mattress topper for your needs, we encourage you to consider the follow factors before going to the market.
The size is always an important consideration when choosing a mattress or a mattress topper. You need to always keep the size of your bed in mind when buying a new topper for it. Obviously, mattress toppers come in a couple of different sizes, which include king, queen, full, and twin sizes.
However, most college dorms use Twin XL, so you may want to keep that in mind. Knowing this, we have also made sure to choose models that are available in this size, to help you secure the perfect fit for your dorm mattress. Bear in mind that choosing a larger or smaller mattress topper will make your whole mattress feel a little uneven.
Mattress toppers usually measure between one inch to four inches in thickness. As a general rule of thumb, a topper’s thickness has to correspond with the mattress’s surface. For instance, if the sleeper finds the mattress to be too firm, a thicker mattress topper will be required to adjust the comfort level effectively. If you don’t need to make significant changes in the comfort level, however, a thinner model may suffice.
Besides, it is crucial to remember that thicker memory foam, latex foam, and memory models have a tendency of sleeping a bit hotter than thinner toppers.
Like the thickness level, a topper’s density also needs to correspond to other performance-related factors. For example, high-density memory foam toppers provide superior edge support than low-density foam toppers. They also conform closer to the sleeper’s body. However, high-density toppers have a tendency of sleeping hotter and producing more odor.
Different manufacturers used different materials for mattress toppers to deliver various comfort experiences. Latex and memory foam conforms closely to the body of the sleeper for increased pressure relief and spinal alignment. Feather and wool toppers don’t conform as closely, though, which generates less resistance for sleepers. During shopping, we advise you to research the properties of every type of mattress topper and see which one suits your sleep preferences and needs.
In general, firmer mattress toppers are perfect for sleepers whose mattresses are too soft, while softer mattress toppers are best suited to overly firm mattresses. A mattress topper, however, can also improve the firmness level of an old mattress. For example, a medium-firm mattress topper used over a medium-firm mattress will help to maintain the original sleep surface whilst still sustaining the desired firmness level of the sleeper.
Another important consideration to keep in mind during your shopping is the cover. Typically, a good cover for a mattress topper must have two primary attributes – removable and machine-washable. You will find this kind of cover on the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR Supreme Topper. Some covers are also fire-retardant, so you may want to keep this in mind too as you shop for a great mattress topper.
You also need to consider the warranty that comes with your mattress topper. Considering the warranty and its terms doesn’t make you an optimist, but gives you an idea of what the manufacturer expects from their products. We have included models with a longer warranty period in this review, although there is the SleepEZ Wool Latex Mattress Topper as well, which comes with only a one-year limited warranty.
The first thing you must do is removing the mattress cover. Pour one cup of fairly warm water into a container and then add about three drops of liquid dish soap. Use your hands to stir the water to create soap bubbles.
After that, drip a part of white cotton cloth into the now bubbly water and gently squeeze it to get rid of excess water. Now use the cloth to spot-clean the mattress by firmly wiping the parts.
Dampen another similar cloth under warm water and gently squeeze out excess water. Now use the damp cloth to wipe the bubbly water from your mattress. Once you are done with that, let the mattress air-dry completely before putting on the cover.
If you’re looking for a model that won’t sag over time, plus, will feel super warm in winter and cool and breathable in summer, opt for latex. Our Editor’s Choice, The Latex for Less Topper is a fantastic option that contains nothing unnecessary, only 100% latex.
Another latex option that will surely last for many years to come is the SleepEZ Wool Latex Mattress Topper. Apart from the natural latex construction, it boasts of an incredibly comfy cover which contains wool and cotton to keep you cozy all year round.
The Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR Supreme Topper is another model worth your consideration. With its machine washable cover and hypoallergenic filling, which adapts to your body contours, this mattress topper will stand the test of time with ease.
