We’ve been testing mattresses, bedding and sleep accessories for years — a few members have been doing this for eight years already. We estimate that our team has rolled around and slept on 350 different mattresses from dozens of brands, ranging from bigwigs like Serta and Tempur-Pedic to niche players like Sonu and Airweave.
Our bed testers have varying body weights and types, heights, genders and sleep preferences, which allows us to provide an overarching assessment of each mattress from a multitude of viewpoints. Many mattresses are tested for long periods of time, ranging from a month or two up to five years.
CNET’s sleep team consistently takes mattresses home for long-term reviews, such as our 30-night mattress testing series as a couple.
We test gel mattresses like we would any other bed, with a tighter focus on temperature. When a new mattress arrives at our testing facility, it undergoes a strategic set of hands-on testing. We analyze characteristics such as firmness, feel, temperature regulation, motion isolation, edge support and other unique features the mattress may have.
Firmness
In the mattress industry, firmness is rated numerically on a scale of 1 (softest) to 10 (firmest). We also use straightforward terminology like “soft” or “medium-firm” to describe it. Our team takes turns assessing and rating the firmness of each bed, allowing us to make solid recommendations about which sleeping position and body type it best suits. After subjectively analyzing the firmness, we let our one-of-a-kind Mattress Smasher do its thing and provide us with an objective firmness score.
Feel
We also subjectively review the feel of each mattress, which is separate from firmness. Does the bed feel bouncy and responsive? Is it easy to switch positions? Or does it conform and contour around our curves and hold our shape for a while? Does the mattress have a soft, plush pillow top feel, or is it more neutral? Can we feel any coils or zoned support? We do our best to describe exactly what it feels like to lie on each bed to help you determine if it’s right for you since we know you can’t test them all yourself.
Examining the memory foam layers of the Nectar Ultra. You can see the foam holds your shape and is slow to respond.
Temperature regulation
Considering that everyone’s body is different — and that many mattress brands exaggerate their beds’ cooling capabilities — it can be tricky to objectively determine how warm or cool a bed sleeps. For the most part, mattresses will sleep more temperature-neutral than actively cooling. Few beds fit the bill for what our team would consider genuinely actively cooling — even those with gel-infused foams.
When testing mattresses, we detail to the best of our ability how hot or cool the mattress sleeps. Many external factors come into play here (such as climate and environment, sheets, pajamas, etc.), so we test the beds in temperature-controlled rooms without sheets or bedding. Using our extensive knowledge and experience, we analyze its construction and materials and explain how they affect the temperature. We are also able to offer a more in-depth analysis of temperature regulation in our long-term reviews.
Motion isolation
A bed’s motion isolation describes how well it deadens or absorbs movement across the surface. This is an especially important feature for light sleepers or those sharing the bed with a partner, kids or pets. We test motion isolation with one person lying still on the bed while another flops around and switches positions. Is the person lying still jostled around with them or is the movement subtle? The second method is by setting a glass of water on the edge and rolling toward and away from it to see if the water sloshes or the glass falls.
One method of testing motion isolation is with a glass of water.
Edge support
Edge support is another important feature for those who share the bed. Testing the edge support means we assess how the mattress holds its structure and support around the perimeter. We sit and lie on the edge to see how the bed responds. Does it cave in and give the sensation that we’ll roll off, or does it feel sturdy? We also push down on the edges with our fists to observe how much the edge compresses under pressure.
Special features
Some brands include unique features in certain beds, such as cooling covers for hot sleepers or zoned support for those with back pain. We test and review these additional characteristics to determine whether the claims live up to the hype and which type of sleeper would benefit most.
Read more: How CNET Tests Mattresses
