How We Test Mattresses
Setting the Standard in Mattress Testing

Finding the right mattress has been too hard for too long. The mattress industry is flooded with countless options, with many companies making nearly identical claims — whether for “support," "pressure relief," "cooling," or otherwise. For the average consumer, it's nearly impossible to sort through the noise of advertising and marketing buzzwords to find the mattress that will truly deliver the characteristics that are most important to their sleep and long-term satisfaction.

At GoodBed, we want to change that. When we launched in 2008, we had one goal — to be the best mattress information resource on the internet. The tricky part was that mattresses are highly personal, which means that no single mattress will be a good choice for everyone.

[Related: See why every "best mattress" list on the internet is wrong, and why such lists are the easiest and best way to spot a fake mattress expert.]

In order to provide consumers with the information they truly need — which is both objective and personalized — we developed our proprietary Mattress DNA™ framework, which breaks down each mattress into its discrete and measurable characteristics — in total, more than 50 of them. Together, these factors determine how a mattress will feel, how it will perform, and how it will fit different types of sleepers.

These same DNA characteristics are the ones that we have been measuring in all of the mattress testing we've done since 2015, and they are also the characteristics we describe in each of our mattress reviews. To make these metrics more digestible for the average mattress shopper, we organized them into the 3 F's™ — Fit, Feel, and Features — and in some cases we created further hierarchy within these metrics to give our readers the appropriate level of detail for their needs. From the outset, we measured each of these characteristics as scientifically as possible, albeit with very limited access to real scientific equipment.

In 2021, we joined forces with Dow, a Fortune 100 company and global leader in materials science, to expand on these methods and turn our Mattress DNA framework into the scientific standard for consumer-accessible mattress testing. Over the next four years we worked hand-in-hand with a team of PhD’s and an MD to improve and revolutionize the mattress testing process. We built machines, collected data, developed and validated new metrics, and have even presented our research at scientific conferences. Put simply, we built the world’s first comprehensive and consumer-facing mattress testing program. 

Today, we’re confident that our testing is among the most robust in the world. In many areas, our work has already gone far beyond the limited set of methods and metrics that were previously available. Moreover, the tests that we’ve developed will now inform all of our ratings and reviews going forward. When we say that a mattress has good pressure relief, this is based on objective data from our laboratory. When we say that a mattress sleeps cool, this is based on controlled scientific measurements of surface temperatures and evaporative capacities over an 8-hour period. And when we say that a mattress is durable, this is based on actual fatigue data that simulates use of the product over a ten year timespan.

We want you to have the best information possible. Your sleep and health are too important to entrust to unexamined marketing claims and jargon. Our test lab will provide better information so that you can make better decisions, and ultimately, find the mattress that’s best for you.

Introducing the GoodBed Test Protocol 2.0.

The 3 F's™

As mentioned, we approach each and every review with our Mattress DNA™ framework. We group these DNA characteristics into GoodBed's 3 F's™: Fit, Feel, and Features. Together, these are the factors that every consumer needs to consider when choosing a mattress. They determine:

• how a mattress fits our body
• how a mattress will feel
• what features and performance a mattress will have

Mattress Fit

Mattress Fit characteristics represent the two things everyone needs from their mattress: back support and pressure relief. If a mattress doesn't adequately support your spine, you're likely to wake up with back pain or just sleep poorly overall. Similarly, if a mattress doesn't provide enough pressure relief, you're likely to toss and turn or wake up with pressure point pains at your shoulders and hips.

The trick here is that no mattress can do these things equally well for all people. The way that you experience support and pressure relief on any given mattress will be affected by your body size, shape, and sleep position. Furthermore, a mattress that is felt to be very supportive can sometimes relieve pressure poorly, whereas a mattress that is felt to be very pressure-relieving can also be unsupportive — especially for heavier people. To find a good mattress, these two characteristics must be balanced, and that balance changes depending on the size and shape of a sleeper, as well as their preferred sleep position(s).

Spinal Alignment

We measure spinal alignment and overall support with a combination of tests. These include direct visualization of spinal alignment from a person positioned on the mattress, specialized devices that measure the contours of a sleeper's body in different positions, and metrics developed from custom-molded objects pressed into the mattress surface.

Pressure Relief

We test all of our mattresses with a high resolution pressure mat and a system of proprietary tests to determine overall pressure relief. These results are then combined into an overall score with subcategories for different body types.

Mattress Feel

Unlike the "must-haves" of Mattress Fit, you can think of Mattress Feel characteristics as 'preference-based' attributes. In other words, these are things that aren't necessarily better or worse, but rather are a matter of personal preference when it comes to choosing a mattress. Some people think of these as 'subjective' aspects of a mattress, which is not wrong, but it's important to understand that only the experience of these characteristics is subjective — the characteristics themselves are both objective and measurable.

Softness

We measure softness in several ways. Principally, we use a specialized device that compresses a mattress with a range of force levels, which helps us measure how the rate of deflection changes as more force is applied. This method objectively determines how soft or firm a mattress will feel, both on the surface as well as in its deeper layers, in a way that is precise and repeatable. To properly evaluate the softness of slower-responding materials like memory foam, we use additional testing to capture the effect of their initial rigidity.

Cushioning Depth

We use the term Cushioning Depth to refer to the experience of sleeping "in" vs "on" the mattress, which can be separate and distinct from Softness. This sensation stems from the aggregate effect of 3 key sub-traits, each of which are independently measured in our testing — the overall amount you sink into the mattress, the degree to which the deeper layers of the mattress accommodate the curvy or heavier parts of your body, and the degree to which the surface of the mattress hugs the contours of your body.

Memory Feel

A collection of proprietary methods helps us test for both delayed response and delayed recovery. Delayed response (sometimes referred to as "the ride") is measured in both the time and distance that a sleeper travels as the mattress material relaxes, while recovery is measured in terms of the speed with which a mattress returns to its original form after a period of compression. 

Bounce

We measure bounce — or how responsive a mattress feels — with specialized drop testing equipment that we designed and built specifically for mattress testing. Objects of various sizes and weights are dropped in order to simulate the bounce that would be experienced with different levels of impact on the mattress. A high-speed camera measures the maximum height that each object reaches as it rebounds from the mattress surface, reflecting the return of energy offered by the mattress.

Mattress Features

Unlike with Feel characteristics, Mattress Features represent attributes that can be better or worse, but may or may not be a priority for you. For some people, any one of these factors may be a deal-breaker, while for someone else they may not be considered at all.

Temperature

We break down temperature regulation and “mattress cooling” into three primary metrics: initial cooling, all-night cooling, and moisture retention. While each of these factors can significantly impact a sleeper's experience, our testing has revealed that there are many cases in which they are not correlated with one another.

Motion Isolation

We test motion isolation with a custom setup that allows us to simulate a range of different disturbance levels, from light movement to jarring impact. In each case, we measure the magnitude and duration of disturbance that is transferred to the other side of the mattress.

Mattress Durability

All of our durability ratings are based on objective data from our mattress fatigue testing. We perform compression-based fatigue tests that simulate up to ten years of regular use.  We then monitor changes to firmness, height, and other key mattress characteristics that occur throughout this testing in order to better understand not only the long-term fatigue impact, but also the appropriate expectations for the short and medium term.

Edge Support

We measure mattress edge support in two key ways. First, we simulate the experience of sitting on the edge of the mattress for people of different sizes, testing the absolute strength of the edge when weight is concentrated in a smaller area. Second, we test the ability of the edge to hold a sleeper in a stable position when lying near the edge. While these metrics can certainly be related, many mattresses perform much better in one facet of edge support than the other.

Green Features

We analyze the contents and construction of all mattresses we test, and do a layer by layer breakdown to look for natural materials like organic wool or cotton, all-natural latex, and the like. We evaluate any relevant certifications obtained by the product, while assessing its use of chemicals. We also consider the use of sustainable manufacturing practices and eco-friendly materials such as recycled metal or textiles.

Ease of Repositioning

We utilize an array of tests to assess the overall effort and difficulty required to reposition on a mattress, which can be impacted by memory feel, cushioning depth, softness, and other characteristics.

Adjustable Base Compatibility

Our current methodology tests each mattress for compatibility with an adjustable base at various points of flexion and extension. We look to see how closely the mattress is able to conform to the adjustable base, as well as how or whether its characteristics change when used in an elevated position. These tests are only applied to mattresses that are deemed adjustable base compatible by their manufacturer, as evidenced by full warranty support for use on an adjustable base.

What's Next?

More science. We're not done testing, and we're going to build upon our ongoing work with Dow to iterate and improve our testing methods as we generate more data. Over time, we will continue to present our findings at industry conferences and in scientific publications. As our base of knowledge improves, we will also be able to share more general findings about the performance of specific materials and construction types.

After fifteen years, our goal remains the same — we want you to get the best sleep possible. We know that choosing the right mattress plays a key role in this, so we aim to get you the best possible information to do this. 

You can read more on our ground-breaking collaboration with the experts at Dow here.

And if you'd like to hear our thoughts on finding the best mattress for you, we'd recommend referring to our guide to choosing a mattress — or simply starting with our Mattress Match Quiz.