A king-size mattress can give you the space you need to sleep comfortably. If you have a big enough room and budget, a king-size bed is a great investment that can add a touch of luxury to your home. Whether it’s for your master bedroom or your guest bedroom, a king-size mattress is a wonderful way to improve your nap time and nightly rest.
When it comes to finding the right king-size bed, there are a ton of options to sort through. The best ones will add comfort and support based on your sleeping position, firmness preference and more. Whether you prefer memory foam or innerspring mattresses, there’s a king-size option that’ll work for you. Plus, there are various size options under the king-size umbrella, including regular king, California king and split king.
After spending hundreds of hours testing over 250 mattresses, we’ve put together this list of our top picks. Whether you’re buying a new king mattress or replacing an old one, we’ve got an option for you. For this list, we considered the accommodating features (especially for couples), fair price, quality of construction and performance. Read on to find the best king-size mattress models for your needs.
What is the best king-size mattress overall?
The best king-size mattress overall should check several boxes. It should be accommodating for a wide range of sleeping positions and body types and have solid edge support and motion isolation for couples who share a bed. The Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress fits the bill to a tee. Plus, it offers excellent value.
Video: Best king mattress for 2024
Watch CNET’s Owen Poole review the best king mattresses for 2024.
Read more: Best California King Mattresses for 2024
Best king-size mattresses of 2024
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Firmness
Soft: (3) Medium: (5) Medium firm: (7)
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Suits all sleeping positions because of its three firmness options
- Hybrid construction suits all body types
- Great bang for your buck
Cons
- You’ll have to spend an extra $300 if you want the optional pillow top
What impressed me the most about this one is that although this is a high-quality hybrid mattress, it costs less than the foam Casper. That’s pretty uncommon since hybrid beds are typically more expensive than all-foam ones, so they offer exceptional value.
It’s offered in three different firmness levels, giving you the option to cater exactly to your primary sleeping position. It’s suitable for all sleepers, whether they prefer sleeping on their back, stomach, side or a combination. I liked the firm option because it sat around a medium-firm, and I’m a stomach sleeper who needs that additional support. Side sleepers may want to consider the medium or soft model instead for more plushness.
Brooklyn Bedding Signature also has a hybrid construction containing almost 1,000 pocketed coils, making it durable and supportive enough for any body type from petite to heavy. As a plus for couples looking for the best king-size mattress, the outer perimeter of the coils is designed to be extra supportive and strong for enhanced edge support. If you’re looking for a quality king bed at a very reasonable price, this is a great pick.
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Our take – It’s the best king-size bed for people who want the traditional memory foam feel you can find in a Tempur-Pedic mattress at a more wallet-friendly price. It has a thick memory foam construction, giving it a relieving and slow-responding memory foam feel. It takes a few seconds for your body to activate the foam, but once it does, the memory foam slowly contours around your curves and nestles you into the bed.
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Jon Gomez/CNET
Type
memory foam mattress
Firmness
medium to medium-firm or 6
Warranty
forever warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Good for combination, back and stomach sleepers
- Strong memory foam feel for people who like hugging, contouring memory foam
Cons
- Might not be supportive enough for sleepers over 230 pounds
The Nectar Premier mattress is the replacement for the mattress company’s upper-level model called Nectar Lush. Inside the bed’s gel memory foam comfort layer is a phase-change material that helps keep your temperature neutral, unlike old memory foam beds that are notorious for retaining heat. For even more cooling abilities, you can also take a look at the Nectar Premier Copper model.
I think Nectar Premier falls around a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale, making this king mattress suitable for most sleeping positions, especially back or stomach sleepers. If you’re a side sleeper under 150 pounds, it might not be soft enough for what you need. The memory foam nature of this mattress will also give some resistance to combination sleepers who switch positions during the night.
Read more in our full Nectar Premier mattress review.
Warranty
Forever warranty
Our take – WinkBed is an affordable luxury mattress that’s widely accommodating. The steel coils and fluffy pillow top make the WinkBed mattress a standout choice if you’re looking for a supportive and durable bed.
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My Slumber Yard
Firmness
3 firmness levels | softer: medium-soft (3) | luxury firm: medium (5) | firm: medium-firm (7) | plus: firm (8-9)
Warranty
lifetime warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Accommodates all sleeping positions and body types
- Great price for the quality
- Cloud-like pillow top
Cons
- Not a true budget option
- Not for people who want a memory foam feel
The WinkBed mattress is available in different firmness levels, which I always like to see, especially for couples trying to find a bed that works for both of them. The Firm model of WinkBed is our pick for the best king-size firm mattress because of how supportive it is while still being extremely comfortable.
You can think of the WinkBed mattress as a classic innerspring-style bed with modern upgrades. The light and airy pillow top is seriously comfortable. It’s also easy to move around on. If you’re a pillow top lover, I cannot recommend the WinkBed mattress enough.
The WinkBed king mattress retails for around $1,700. While that’s still a lot of money, the quality of this bed makes it a great deal. Especially considering how often WinkBed runs sales, you can often get around $300 off.
Read our WinkBed mattress review for more.
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
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Jon Gomez/CNET
Firmness
3 firmness levels available
Warranty
lifetime warranty
Due to the inner coil system, hybrid mattresses tend to be more durable than all-foam beds — another reason that the Sparrow Signature Hybrid is a great option for couples. It has a bouncy and responsive pillow-top feel, making it easier to move around and change positions at night without feeling “stuck.” With a 365-night trial period, free returns and a lifetime renewal exchange program, Nest Bedding offers some of the best policies in the game.
Our take – The DreamCloud Premier Hybrid is the best king-sized bed in a box mattress. It’s a premium, 13-inch-thick bed that combines layers of gel memory foam and durable coils. The hybrid construction gives the DreamCloud Premier mattress a nice mix of pressure relief and durability, with reinforced edges and reduced motion transfer.
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Jon Gomez/CNET
Type
responsive memory foam mattress
Firmness
medium to medium-firm or 5 to 6
Warranty
lifetime warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Supportive design that is suitable for any body type
- Responsive foam feel
- DreamCloud offers great sales
Cons
- May be too firm for petite side sleepers
- Not everyone likes the feel of memory foam
Although it has memory foam, you don’t get the sinking-in feel you expect. We found this bed to have a responsive memory foam feel that cradles your curves without sucking you in. It has a medium to medium-firm profile, which is the most accommodating firmness for the average person.
The DreamCloud Premier mattress retails for $2,169, although DreamCloud does some of the best deals in the industry. I’ve seen 50% sales on DreamCloud mattresses twice so far this year.
Our take – You may not be familiar with Allswell, but you’re likely familiar with its parent company Walmart. As its entrance to the bed-in-a-box game, Walmart introduced the affordable Allswell mattress. The Allswell mattress is a good hybrid mattress for the price of a low-budget foam mattress, giving it a well-deserved spot on this best king bed list.
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Firmness
Medium to medium firm: (6)
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- One of the most affordable hybrid beds on the market
- Suits back, stomach and combination sleepers
- Accommodating for all body types
Cons
- A little too firm for side sleepers
Inside is a simple construction with a foam base layer, a 6-inch thick pocketed coil system and a poly foam top layer. It is quick to respond to pressure and you sit more on top of the bed than you do inside. If you’re a combination sleeper, this is music to your ears because it doesn’t give resistance like memory foam does when you switch positions. Also, thanks to its hybrid construction, it’s suitable for all body types. It’s a tad on the firm side and best for back, stomach and combo sleepers.
In short, the Allswell mattress is a generally accommodating mattress that sells for a great price. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a quality king mattress that’s as wallet-friendly.
Read more in our Allswell mattress review.
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Our take – If you live with back pain, you need a king-size mattress that relieves it, not adds to it. The Saatva Rx mattress was designed to alleviate back pain from chronic conditions like scoliosis or sciatica.
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Jon Gomez/CNET
Warranty
lifetime warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Zoned support
- Unique features like foam-topped coils and an additional micro coil layer
- Designed specifically to relieve back pain
Cons
- Potentially too soft for some back and stomach sleepers
- Only one firmness option
- Expensive
The Saatva Rx mattress has a noticeable zoned support design that ensures your back gets the extra support it needs without being too firm. The support doesn’t stop there. The coils are topped with two additional inches of foam for added pressure relief. Then there is a layer of 2.75-inch micro coils wrapped in high-density foams.
We rate the Saatva Rx mattress a medium or 4 to 5 out of 10. That might be too soft for some stomach or back sleepers. The Saatva Classic mattress is a firmer alternative that will give you the same support and durability you expect from the brand.
Our take – In a sea of bed-in-a-box mattresses, brands have to add a little sauce to their designs to make them stand out. The Layla Hybrid is unlike most other hybrid mattresses because it comes with a two-in-one deal. What I mean is that it’s flippable, and you can sleep on each side of the mattress comfortably.
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Type
flippable hybrid mattress
Firmness
Medium to medium firm: (6)
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Flippable design allows for two firmness levels in one bed
- Great pick for side sleepers who want a plush, light and airy feel
- Is suitable for all body types
Cons
- Heavy back and stomach sleepers will likely think it’s too soft
The memory foam inside the Layla Hybrid is quite pleasant. It’s more light and airy than the typical dense, hugging memory foam I’m used to. It feels like you’re laying on a big fluffy pillow that supports your back.
The soft side is perfect for side sleepers who want an ultralight yet plush feel. I rate it around a medium-soft or a 3 out of 10 on the firmness scale. On the flip side, the firm profile of Layla isn’t a true firm. It’s more like a medium to medium-firm or a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. This makes it a good choice for most sleeping positions, but I also think it’s a good pick for heavier side sleepers who want a soft feel with extra support.
In the center of the Layla Hybrid is a system of strong pocketed coils that act as the support layer. The edges of the coils have an even stronger, dual-coil design to make the perimeter of the mattress more supportive. The comfort layers of the soft side are made of two thick foam slabs including copper-infused memory foam to help regulate temperature. The firm side is made with the same materials, but firmer and thinner so you get a more supportive feel.
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe: Many mattresses make embellished claims about their cooling abilities, but the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe effectively cools with multiple cooling enforcements, including cooling foam, Titan Cool technology and a cooling cover. With three firmness levels to choose from and a strong hybrid construction, it’s a versatile mattress that works for any sleeping position and body type.
Purple mattress: There aren’t many mattresses out there like the Purple. It’s made with a special gel-like material the brand calls its GelFlex Grid. It’s squishy and firm at the same time, offering a nice balance of support and pressure relief. It has a medium firmness level that suits all sleeping positions.
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Our Mattress Smasher 9000 objectively tests the firmness level of a bed.
Testing a king-size mattress is similar to how we test most of our mattresses, and we pay attention to a handful of important factors.
- Firmness: The measure of how firm or soft a mattress feels is an important factor in deciding if a bed is suitable for you or not. Firmness, a lot of the time, indicates how pressure-relieving or supportive a mattress feels. Side sleepers usually like a softer mattress because it offers more give, and thus, more pressure relief around the hips and shoulder areas. Back and stomach sleepers, on the other hand, tend to sleep better on firm beds that keep the spine properly supported.
We test firmness in one of two ways. First, we use our judgment and deliberate among team members after testing the mattress. However, firmness is subjective, and a lot of times, body weight can determine a bed’s feel and firmness. So, CNET created a tool to objectively test a mattress’ firmness. Our proprietary machine, properly named the Mattress Smasher 9000, presses into the middle of a bed and our corresponding software measures firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. While we also test each bed personally for perceived firmness and feel, we have data from the MS9000 to back up our conclusions. - Construction and features: We take a close look at the construction of a mattress, which is a good tell on how it feels and how supportive it is for certain body types. We also consider any extra or special feature a mattress might have to stand out from the rest of the competition. Is it cooling? Does it have a special cover made with Celliant fabric or cashmere? Does it have an extra durable construction? We take all of this into consideration when testing mattresses and delegating best list picks.
- Performance: This refers to motion isolation, temperature regulation and edge support abilities. How well does a mattress perform when we put it to the test? We test motion isolation by having couples judge how it sleeps, or placing a glass of water at the end of the bed to see how much it shakes when we move. Edge support is tested by laying on the sides, bouncing and checking how sturdy it feels. Personal experience is also how we test temperature, with the help of a thermometer gun.
- Feel: Feel is a separate topic from firmness. This refers to how a mattress’ materials are perceived. Is it dense and morphy like memory foam, neutral and soft like neutral foam, or supple and bouncy like latex foam? We like to describe the feel as best we can since you’re unable to feel it through your computer screen.
Here are the objective firmness levels we gathered testing the best king-size mattresses with our Mattress Smasher 9000, sorted from the softest to the firmest.
Read more on how we test mattresses.
When looking for the best mattress, you should take in some key considerations. You should follow the same guidelines when looking for a king-size bed, with the same considerations.
- Hybrid vs. foam: The more you weigh, the more supportive your mattress should be. Hybrid beds are best for all body types, including those over 230 pounds, while foam beds are typically ideal for people under 230 pounds.
- Firmness is a key indicator of how accommodating a bed will be. One of the first things to think about while looking for the best king mattress is firmness. Are you a side sleeper, back sleeper or stomach sleeper? Side sleepers typically need softer mattresses, while back and stomach sleepers benefit from a firmer mattress because having a firm bed will help support the spine, decreasing back pain. Medium beds right in the middle are perfect for combination sleepers.
- Key features like cooling tech, edge support reinforcements and Celliant covers can help you decide if a bed fits your lifestyle and circumstances. Strong edge support is great for couples who share a mattress, while beds with Celliant covers are perfect for people with active lifestyles.
- Price matters when looking for a king bed. The bigger the bed, the more expensive it is. King beds are often more than $1,000, but there are budget options like Allswell to consider if you’re looking for maximum savings.
Check out our size guide to compare mattress sizes. If you’re looking to upgrade your whole sleep setup, we have suggestions for sheets, pillows and other sleep essentials.
Not everyone needs a king-size bed, but it is mighty convenient and comfortable during these situations:
- Couples who want more space than a queen size offers
- Taller people who don’t want to feel cramped (queen beds are about 6.6 feet long)
- Sleepers who share a bed with their kids (king beds are wider than California king beds)
King and California king mattresses are the most popular of the king variety, but a host of beds are technically classified as king. Here’s an overview of the different types of king beds if you’re looking for something a little different.
| Type | Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Standard king (aka Eastern king) | 76 x 80 inches |
| California king | 72 x 84 inches |
| Split king | Two twin beds (36 x 80 inches) |
| Split California king | Two twin XL beds (36 x 84 inches) |
| Alaskan king | 108 x 108 inches |
| Wyoming king | 84 x 84 inches |
| Texas king | 80 x 98 inches |
A king-size mattress measures 80 inches long by 76 inches wide and 4 inches thick. Compared to a queen-size mattress, it offers the same length but with 16 additional inches in width.
Typically, the best king-size mattress is a bed that’s able to accommodate two sleepers because it’s the most popular size among couples. Some of the best king beds have pocketed coils and reinforced edge support, can isolate motion well and/or have a breathable design. Some of CNET’s picks include:
- Brooklyn Bedding Signature
- Winkbed
- Nectar Premier
- Layla Hybrid
- Allswell
There are a ton of king-sized mattresses out there, which means you have a lot to sort through. It’s important to look at every bed you’re considering through the lens of your sleeping needs. For example, if you weigh over 230 pounds, you probably want a hybrid bed over an all-foam alternative. You’ll also want to narrow your selection by your preferred firmness level. Side sleepers will want to hang on the softer side of medium, while back and stomach sleepers will want to aim for medium-firm and up.
