What type of mattress to choose? Hybrid, latex, foam explained

If you are looking for When it comes to buying a mattress, I don’t need to tell you that the research process is complex. To help you, we have a complete guide which tells (no pun intended… OK, partially intended) where to start. But for now, I will review the different types of mattresses materials. Hopefully, by the time you finish reading this, you will have a better idea of ​​the type of mattress you are looking for, which will make your final decision that much easier.

Updated January 2026: We’ve added a new section on smart beds, including our most tested pick for this category. We have also ensured that prices are up to date throughout.

To reassure you, let me present my references to you: I am a certified sleep science coach and mattress tester with over five years of experience. I can dissect a mattress plan faster than you can pour your morning cup of coffee, I’ve perfected my unboxing form (because mattresses are heavy), and I can recite the manufacturing process of major mattress materials at any time. It’s a fun trick, but it makes me what I like to think of as the ultimate boss of mattress testing. My Reviews teammates also know their stuff (we sleep on mattresses that we test for a week or more, then report back on our findings), which helped us put together this list of best mattresses of 2026.

Despite the popularity of mattresses in a box, they are much more than a rectangular piece of foam that you sleep on. There are five main types of mattresses: innerspring beds, hybrids, memory foam beds, latex beds, and smart beds (also called adjustable mattresses). To help me explain these documents even further, I asked John Merwin, CEO of 3Z Brands (parent company of Helix, Birch, Bear, Nolah and Leesa) and founder of Brooklyn Bedding, to weigh in as well.

Hybrid

Traditional innerspring mattresses have evolved into hybrids, which is what you’re likely to encounter in today’s mattress market (aside from latex and foam options). Hybrid mattresses are highly customizable, allowing you to choose what you want in your bed, whether it’s a combination of foam and innerspring, latex and innerspring, or even a mix of all three. Many mattress reviews will use the phrase “the best of both worlds” to describe hybrids, as this mattress allows you to sample the design aspects of the materials involved. You can get the pressure relief you need from the memory foam or latex on top, but ample support from the coil core (not to mention the aforementioned responsiveness of the coil inclusion).

Speaking of springs and going back to traditional mattress design, the type of springs used in hybrid mattresses is also important, as it enhances the design of the Bonnell spring. Key words to look for are “pocketed springs” or “individually wrapped springs,” which are the primary support mechanism of a mattress. Instead of being interconnected, each coil stays in its own lane (pocket, actually) and compresses without being inhibited by the other coils around it. In other words, where there is more weight, the bed will be firmer.

This particularly applies to areas where the body’s weight is centralized when you lie down, especially around the hips and shoulders. Bagged coils are also intended to outperform traditional coils in the area of ​​motion isolation, meaning that as you move, the individual coil absorbs heat based on the movement and prevents the bed from replicating a small earthquake. Thanks to the interconnectivity of traditional springs, it doesn’t take much for the sensation of movement to spread across the entire surface of the bed.

Fun fact: You don’t need a box spring with a hybrid mattress. This is a recurring question I see, and the pocket coils in hybrids eliminate the need for one. Box springs were designed to provide more support and improve the performance of traditional box spring beds, which aligned certain spring sections to provide more support. Nowadays you can actually empty your warranty if you use a box spring with a hybrid mattress – be sure to check the fine print.

Our favorite hybrid that we tested is the Helix Midnight Luxurywhich happens to be our top overall pick in our best mattresses guide. It also uses pressure-relieving foams and pocket springs to provide targeted lumbar support.

Another great hybrid mattress, the Nolah Evolution, seamlessly combines superb memory foam and pocket springs, both of which counteract the build-up of tension for pressure points. I love it as an option for side sleepers for this reason, but it also works for back and stomach sleepers. The springs also make moving around easier, which is helpful for co-sleepers.

Inner spring

This is more of a history lesson than a type of mattress you want to buy (unless you really like that type of mattress; to each their own). “Traditional” innerspring mattresses are the firm-feeling beds you probably have first memories of, since the makeup is just innerspring coils wrapped in a cover. It’s as squeaky as you probably remember, because the type of coil used involves connecting each coil to work as a single unit.

These are Bonnell coils, and they connect the two laterally and vertically. All of this is to say that when you lie down and your weight is pressed against the mattress, all of these springs act like “one for all and all for one” and compress simultaneously. It won’t do wonders for pressure relief like modern hybrids will, but it’s very responsive, meaning it will return to its original shape when you move. So if you’re a sleeper who moves between sleeping positions, the coils are a nice feature, so you get near-instant support.

Why aren’t traditional springs used with mattresses these days? According to Merwin, improved pocket springs far outperform traditional springs. “Unlike traditional coils that are wired together and move as a unit, bagged coils are individually packaged, allowing each coil to respond independently to movement and pressure,” he said. “This design minimizes motion transfer, so that when one person moves or gets out of bed, their partner feels far less disruption. It also provides more targeted support, contouring to the body in a way that improves spinal alignment and overall comfort.” Although you can still find innerspring mattresses with traditional coils, they are generally being phased out in favor of hybrids. Truth be told, I’ve only tested less than a handful over the years. If you are absolutely sold on this type of mattress, all the power is yours and have fun on your personal mattress treasure hunt.

The Saatva Classic is one of those rarer, modern beds that relies on traditional springs in the secondary spring layer at the very bottom of the bed. This aims to improve overall durability and support, which WIRED tester Nena Farrell says could be beneficial for those who have it. back pain.

Memory foam

We actually have NASA thank you for this one. If you Google images of these early space missions, it’s no wonder that something was needed to keep the astronauts from being jostled inside the rockets; this is why memory foam was born. This has evolved a lot since those initial iterations, especially when Tempur-Pedic came on the scene in the 1980s with the vision of making it the basis of sleep products. Today, memory foam stands out in terms of its unique compressive feel.

Memory foam is more of an umbrella term for all the iterations that mattress brands have offered today, but let’s refer to the mattress manufacturing expert for this one.

“Memory foam is produced by combining liquid polyurethane with various chemicals, like polyols and isocyanates, to improve its viscosity and density,” explains Merwin. Without pulling out the periodic table and giving you a science lesson on the chemical components of this material, here’s what you need to know: These compounds form a malleable foam that contains tiny bubbles within it. How it works, when you lie on it, your body transmits heat to the surface, flowing into these air pockets, allowing it to become softer to conform to the contours of your body.

But for the science nerds reading this, Merwin has just the thing: “The key ingredient is a polymer that creates an open-cell structure, which allows the material to respond to heat and pressure. This is what gives memory foam its contoured or “hug” feel. During the manufacturing process, the liquid foam mixture is poured onto a moving line, where it expands and solidifies into large blocks of foam, which we call “small breads”. At a high level, it is a mixture of chemistry and precision that transforms raw materials into a high quality product.

To say that it’s a natural fit for those who need pressure relief from their mattress may be a bit of an overstatement, but it’s arguably the most notable feature of this material. It also reduces the feeling of movement for more restless sleepers, making it an attractive option for couples as well. Arguably the biggest problem plaguing memory foam is heat retention, because once the heat enters these air chambers, it transforms into something that resembles microscopic saunas that can turn the entire mattress into a nightmare for hot sleepers. This is where the different iterations of foam come into play, as some brands infuse elements like graphite, copper, gel, or more advanced cooling technology like phase change materials into the foams they use.

Three layers of foam make up the Bear Original, but its certifications and cooling cover are there to help dispel the rumors s circulating about the downsides of memory foam. You won’t find any eyebrow-raising chemicals here thanks to CertiPur-US and GreenGuard Gold certifications. Additionally, you can add a Celliant cover for a cooler feel.

THE Nectar Premier is another memory foam option that we’ve tested and liked, especially for side sleepers. Its foam layers are stacked so that you feel more pressure relief on top, but get more than enough support from a firmer foam layer on the bottom.

Latex

The same elements that go into tires, balls and sports equipment can also be used in mattresses. GOOD stuff too. Latex acts similarly to memory foam when it comes to pressure relief, but it is much more responsive to your movements. Think of a rubber band that springs back into shape when released; It’s pretty close to that. Many brands rely on organic rubber sap to create latex as we know it, and there are two categories of latex foam that you’ll typically find with mattresses: Dunlop and Talalay. These names refer to the production process and the product obtained, because the liquid rubber is poured into molds, burned at high temperatures (called “vulcanization“and yes, I have to resist doing Spock’s “live long and prosper” hand signal each time), and flash frozen to maintain the sensation. Dunlop is a firmer latex foam, and therefore feels firmer. Talalay gives a more luxurious feel. Latex is also generally quite temperature stable, preventing heat from building up in your mattress to maintain a pleasant room temperature feel.

WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson applauded the Birch Luxe Natural’s organic latex construction, citing excellent support for the lumbar region and good temperature regulation.

Smart beds

Smart mattresses offer the ability to adjust their firmness level with the touch of a button. They do this via internal air chambers or sensors that adjust the firmness of the coil. To make your bed softer or firmer, you use a remote control or the app that comes with it.

This is not the only thing that sets this type of mattress apart. Some are also equipped with technological features such as sleep trackers and self-adjusting decompression layers, as in the case of the Sleep Number p6 smart bed. Smart beds are becoming more sophisticated as sleep technology evolves.

Smart beds often employ adjustable baseswhich allow the head and foot of the bed to move up and down. This is an important consideration when purchasing: you need to budget for the cost of the base, as this type of bed cannot achieve this level of flexibility on its own.

So, what now?

Congratulations, if you have made it to this part of this article, you have successfully completed your crash course in mattress type. Hopefully, it will be a little less overwhelming to start your mattress search when you have a better understanding of what each product really means. East. And to continue your mattress education, we are actively testing beds to integrate into our mattress guides. These choices aren’t just about which material works in which case, but also about the specific models we tested that best exemplify what the material has to offer.

It’s always possible to try these types of mattresses in person to better discern the feel of the bounce of latex or the pressure relief of memory foam. But if you’re not up for a trip to the mattress store, online brands offer sleep trials so you can comfortably try their products without leaving your home. Now comes the next part of our course: becoming a mattress tester yourself!