A latex mattress is typically bouncier and more responsive than a memory foam mattress, providing neutral spinal alignment and an “on top” of the mattress feel. Latex is also great for cooling; its open-celled structure allows for airflow throughout the night. These types of mattresses are eco-friendly and offer long-lasting durability.
For busy professionals who care about their own rest and well-being along with making smart, sustainable purchases, opting for a latex mattress can be a smart move.
We tested and selected the five best latex mattresses of 2026 based on eco-consciousness, certifications, durability, and comfort. Read on for our top picks and real-world tester feedback.
Why Trust Fortune
Our team of expert testers has tried around 30 of the most popular mattresses and brands on the market today, using our comprehensive sleep testing methodology to find the best mattresses for all folks.
Best Latex Mattresses of 2026
- Best Latex Mattress Overall: Birch Natural
- Best Latex Mattress for Side Sleepers: Leesa Natural Hybrid
- Best Value Latex Mattress: Nolah Natural
- Best Latex Mattress for Back Sleepers: Saatva Latex Hybrid
- Best Cooling Latex Mattress: Avocado Green
Best Latex Mattress Comparison Table
Best Latex Mattress Overall: Birch Natural
Birch Natural
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Birch
- Our thoughts: It’s got great edge support and mild firmness
- What it does: Contains natural wool and latex, providing plush eco-conscious support
- Who it’s for: Side sleepers, folks who sleep cold and want to feel more warmth
- What makes it different: It’s both GOLS and GREENGUARD Gold certified
Pros
- Unbox and set up on your own time
- 100-night sleep trial
- GREENGUARD Gold certified for low emissions
Cons
- No white glove delivery service or old mattress haul away
- No cooling features
- $99 return fee
Our Thoughts on the Birch Natural
Our tester Courtney is a 29-year-old combination sleeper, meaning she alternates stomach and side sleeping, of average weight (130 pounds to 220 pounds for our purposes). She tried the Birch Natural, a top-tier latex mattress-in-a-box. This type of packaging and delivery is great if you’re looking for stress-free shopping: there’s no need to coordinate delivery or pick up at a store. These mattresses are delivered to you compressed and rolled into a box, making set up on your own time very easy.
Courtney rated the edge support as a 4 out of 5. She noticed a slight spring when she got off the mattress, but not a large bounce. “It felt easy to get off and I did not feel like I had to give a lot of effort to stand. While sitting, the mattress contours to my bottom and I feel slight sinking, but it did not hinder my ability to stand up,” she said.
She also felt equally supported while lying down on her back and side. “I do not feel like I am going to roll off the mattress, and my weight feels evenly distributed,” she noted.
Our tester did think this mattress stayed at the same temperature throughout testing. It didn’t feel cool to the touch, but it also didn’t feel hot. “It was a comfortable temperature,” she said. “When I got out of the bed, the mattress did not feel warm where I was previously sitting.”
This mattress took longer than others on our list to return to baseline temperature, however. It received a rating of 3.5 out of 5 on the cooling gun test, having taken 5.1 to 6 minutes to return to its original temperature.
When considering overall firmness, Courtney said she “felt a gentle caress when lying on this mattress; a subtle sink.” She noted a slight firmness, but it was not unpleasant. “While lying down, my weight becomes evenly distributed,” she said.
Learn more in our in-depth Birch Mattress review.
Best Latex Mattress for Side Sleepers: Leesa Natural Hybrid
Leesa Natural Hybrid
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Leesa
- Our thoughts: We love the quilted plush topper made from GOTS-certified New Zealand wool covered in organic cotton
- What it does: Provides support with individually encased springs made from 98% reclaimed steel
- Who it’s for: Side sleepers
- What makes it different: Made with GOLS-certified natural latex, which is buoyant and breathable
Pros
- 120-night sleep trial
- Free shipping and returns
- Made with environmentally safe foams
Cons
- Weak edge support
- May be too bouncy/responsive for some folks
- Motion isolation is weaker than other options on our list
Our Thoughts on the Leesa Natural Hybrid
The Leesa Natural Hybrid is our pick for the best latex mattress for side sleepers because it has multiple layers of comfort foams that help to keep you supported and aligned throughout the night while on your side. It’s a medium-firm mattress, so it won’t sag, but will provide enough cushioning and firmness to keep you feeling cradled.
Courtney tested the Leesa Natural Hybrid, rating it a 4 out of 5 for pressure relief while on her side. “My hips to my legs are aligned, and my shoulders and head are sinking a bit more. I don’t feel any pressure on my neck or shoulders,” she said. Adding a pillow helped her to avoid a sinking feeling altogether. “If I were to lie here all night, I’d be very comfortable and wouldn’t wake up with any pain. I don’t see myself having to switch positions or move around a lot.”
While on her back, she felt her lower back sinking a bit, but she didn’t feel as if she was falling in. “My legs feel good, but my hips are higher than my shoulders,” Courtney noted. “My upper body feels more pressure in this position.” She rated lying on her back on this mattress as a 3.5 out of 5.
When undergoing the couples’ motion test, Courtney didn’t feel her testing partner getting in and out of the bed, rating the bed a 4 out of 5 for motion isolation. “I did notice major movements, like when my testing partner switched positions. This could cause minor disturbance throughout the night, but if I was asleep, I might not notice anything,” she said. “This mattress would be good for couples who have different sleep schedules and get in and out of bed at different times.”
Best Value Latex Mattress: Nolah Natural
Nolah Natural
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Nolah
- Our thoughts: A solid eco-friendly mattress-in-a-box
- What it does: Two latex layers and zoned coils make it a very responsive mattress
- Who it’s for: Budget-conscious folks looking for a green mattress
- What makes it different: GREENGUARD Gold certified and GOLS certified
Pros
- Strong edge support
- 120-night sleep trial
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- Limited motion isolation
- Weak cooling features
- Delivery, setup, and old mattress removal costs extra
Our Thoughts on the Nolah Natural
The Nolah Natural is our pick for the best budget latex mattress because it’s often on sale and listed for under $2,000, which we think is great value for a latex hybrid mattress. It’s made with organic latex and is hypoallergenic. The Nolah Natural also features zoned, individually wrapped coils for spinal alignment and lumbar support.
Courtney tested the Nolah Natural. She loved the edge support this mattress offers, rating it a 5 out of 5. When sitting on the edge, she didn’t slide at all and also felt extra support. “The material of the mattress really helps to grip you and your clothes so that you’re not sliding. I would not fall getting out of this bed,” she said.
She felt similarly while lying down on the Nolah Natural. “I feel like if I woke up on the edge of the bed, I wouldn’t fall out of bed. This has the strongest edge support of the beds that I’ve tried, and I like the seam on the side of the mattress,” Courtney said.
She rated pressure relief while on both her side and back as a 3.5 out of 5. Her lower half started sinking as she tested the mattress on her side. “My shoulders feel great, but they’re not aligned with my hips, so there is some discomfort in my back. I need more support in my lower half,” she said.
On her back, she felt a slight dip in her hips and her lower back arched some. “I can feel a light pinch, the lower I lie her, which could bother me. My head is also sinking a bit, so my shoulders are actually higher than my head and my neck feels strained. For this mattress, I’d need a higher lofted memory foam pillow, which is not typical for me while lying on my back in bed,” Courtney noted.
Best Latex Mattress for Back Sleepers: Saatva Latex Hybrid
Saatva Latex Hybrid
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Saatva
- Our thoughts: Offers excellent motion isolation for couples
- What it does: Its open cell structure, along with cotton and wool, make it naturally breathable
- Who it’s for: Back or stomach sleepers who sleep hot
- What makes it different: eco-INSTITUT®, GREENGUARD Gold, and GOLS certified
Pros
- 365-night sleep trial
- Strong lumbar support
- Uses recycled materials and premium New Zealand wool
Cons
- May be too firm for lighter weight folks
- Pricier than other options on our list
- May not be as contouring or “huggy” as memory foam
Our Thoughts on the Saatva Latex Hybrid
The Saatva Latex Hybrid is our pick for the best latex mattress for back sleepers because of its three-inch, five-zone natural latex layer, which provides excellent pressure relief and motion isolation throughout the bed. There’s no-off gassing time period, and this mattress is naturally hypoallergenic, resistant to mold, mildew, and dust mites. We think this is a great pick for folks who are willing to spend a little more for eco-conscious certifications and materials.
Courtney tested the Saatva Latex Hybrid, rating the motion isolation and couples’ motion test both as a 4 out of 5. “There was less motion with the bouncy balls when testing this mattress than all of the other latex beds! I was surprised, since latex is usually very bouncy. There was some slight disturbance with big movements, but everything settled quickly once I stopped moving around. Getting in and out of the bed was barely noticeable on the test, too,” she said.
She didn’t feel her testing partner getting in and out of the bed, which was great, but Courtney did notice when her testing partner moved around within the bed. “I don’t think there would be much disturbance throughout the night unless you or your partner are combination sleepers,” she said. “Once you’re asleep, you probably won’t notice any motion,” Courtney said.
Our tester rated the edge support of the Saatva Latex Hybrid a 4 out of 5. “The bed feels pretty stable when I sit on the side. I’d be able to sit here and tie my shoes or pick something up from the floor without falling off,” Courtney noted. “Lying down feels pretty similar, there’s only a slight risk for falling out of bed if you get super close to the edge of the bed in the middle of the night. My hips and shoulders feel secure, though my legs could probably roll right off,” she said.
While lying on her back, Courtney rated the pressure relief and support as a 5 out of 5. “There’s great neck support; I have no pain. My hips feel great as well—I’m not sinking at all, and my lower back feels nicely contoured.” She felt her shoulders and hips were very aligned, and experienced no arching of her back.
Best Cooling Latex Mattress: Avocado Green
Avocado Green
| Fortune score | 4/5 |
at Avocado
- Our thoughts: Returned quickly to its original temperature (under 3.5 minutes!)
- What it does: Organic wool, cotton, and latex help it stay breathable and cool
- Who it’s for: Hot sleepers
- What makes it different: Has plenty of health and safety certifications: GOTS organic certified, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, MADE SAFE®, and EWG VERIFIED®
Pros
- Three firmness options
- 365-night trial
- 25-year warranty
Cons
- Pricey
- Motion isolation is not ideal for couples
- Mattress is heavy, may be difficult to move
Our Thoughts on the Avocado Green
The Avocado Green is our pick for the best cooling latex mattress because it sleeps cooler than memory foam beds and doesn’t rely on any added cooling chemicals within the bed. It’s got organic wool and organic latex, both of which help to wick away moisture and circulate air throughout the night. The Avocado Green also has ergonomic coils which permit airflow.
Courtney tested this mattress, rating the cooling features a 5 out of 5. “When I got into the bed, I didn’t feel myself warming up, and I usually run hot. Using my hand, I could tell that it wasn’t warming up underneath me either, which is a huge plus! This is a good cooling mattress,” she said.
When it comes to couples’ motion isolation, this mattress may better serve solo sleepers; Courtney rated it a 3.5 out of 5. “I could feel movement when my testing partner got in bed and when they switched positions. I think this would wake me up or even keep me from falling asleep,” she said. “This would be a better option for someone who does not share a bed.”
The Avocado Green has solid edge support; Courtney rated it a 4 out of 5. “It feels pretty sturdy, I don’t slide or feel like I would fall forward when sitting on the edge of the mattress. The edge has a hard layer that’s holding me in, and it also assists me when I stand up,” she said.
“It feels the same when I lie down,” Courtney added. “The edge is holding me in, even while my weight is distributed throughout the mattress. I wouldn’t roll off in the middle of the night if I woke up.”
How We Tested and Selected the Best Latex Mattresses
We tested latex mattresses, considering factors such as durability, pressure relief, bounce, motion isolation, cooling features, and more. Here’s some details about each category.
Durability & Materials
Latex is a bouncy and responsive material, providing more of an “on top” of the mattress feel when you are on it. Memory foam is more contouring and may provide more pressure relief. Latex can help keep you neutrally aligned, as it resists sagging and will keep its shape longer. Latex is usually cooler than memory foam due to its open-cell structure.
Pressure Relief
When evaluating pressure relief, we first look at a mattress’s construction, materials, and firmness level. We then use a pressure map, which displays where pressure builds on a tester’s body by using heat-mapping technology during their evaluation.
Not only do we gather this objective data, but the tester also provides their own description of where they might feel pressure when trying out the mattress.
Cooling
When evaluating the temperature control of a mattress, we utilize a thermal gun to record the temperature of the mattress before and after the tester lies on it for two minutes. We then measure how long it takes the mattress to return to baseline temperature, giving as an objective cooling test.
Our testers also provide feedback on how warm or cool they feel, so we compile both objective and subjective data.
Motion Isolation
When examining a mattress’s motion isolation capabilities, we run both a motion test and a couple’s motion test. The motion test involves measuring the movement of balls in a container at one end of the bed as the tester completes several movements.
For the couple’s motion test, one tester wears noise-cancelling headphones and a blindfold, while the other tester completes a series of movements. The blindfolded tester then reports any motions they felt throughout the experiment.
Bounce
When testing for bounce, we drop a medicine ball from a 6-foot height onto each mattress. We then measure how high the ball bounces into the air after hitting the mattress. If the ball bounces less than 5.99 inches, the mattress is considered to have an extremely low bounce. If the ball bounces over 15 inches, it’s considered to have an extremely high bounce. Between 9 and 12 inches of bounce is an average amount of bounce.
We test the bounce to measure a mattress’s responsiveness, meaning how quickly it returns to its original shape after you’ve moved around. This helps you to change positions while sleeping more easily and avoid feeling stuck.
Edge Support
During our edge support test, we place weight plates on the mattress edge and then measure how much it sinks. We also test each mattress using a set of stacked plates that are approximately 130 to 150 pounds (replicating a real person’s weight), then measuring how much the mattress sinks. If our tape measure shows that a mattress sinks 7.9 inches or more during this test, we give it a 1-star rating. If the mattress sinks less than or equal to 3 inches, it earns a 5 out of 5.
Our mattress testers also sit on the edge of the mattress and provide a subjective rating out of 5 on how supported they feel. A more supportive mattress edge can feel more comfortable for those who may need a little more help getting in and out of bed or for folks who take up more space on the mattress.
Value
When considering value, we review mattress materials and construction by cutting each one open. We also place a higher value on brands that manufacture their mattresses in America and use environmentally conscious materials.
How to Find the Best Latex Mattress for You
Everyone has different mattress needs depending on body type, ideal sleep position, and pre-existing health conditions. Your sleep quality is directly tied to your work performance, quality of life, and ability to think clearly. The right latex mattress for you is also a great productivity tool, if you think about it!
Here’s what to consider when selecting the best latex mattress for you.
Latex Allergies
If you have (or suspect you may have) an allergy to latex, we recommend talking with your doctor or allergist when selecting a mattress type. It may be safer for you to choose a non-latex mattress.
Mattress Material
When choosing a mattress, the materials will make a difference. Here’s some more information about each type of common mattress material:
- Memory foam: Mattresses made of this material are usually great for pressure relief and motion reduction. Potential drawbacks of memory foam include possible trapping of heat, and the mattress may be less responsive overall.
- Natural latex: Mattresses made with natural latex are typically more eco-friendly than other materials and are more breathable. Possible pitfalls are that this material may make a mattress too firm for some folks, and it may be more difficult to move due to weighing more.
- Innerspring: Mattresses made with this material are bouncier than mattresses made with other materials. Innerspring also helps to promote good airflow–great if you tend to sleep hot. Potential drawbacks of this type of mattress are that it may be noisy, and may be less durable over time, wearing down faster than other materials.
- Hybrid (combines foam and coils): Highlights of this type of mattress are that the combination of materials usually helps with comfort and feeling balanced. Hybrid mattresses may be heavier, and potentially more expensive than mattresses made with other materials.
Prior Aches and Pains
If you’ve experienced aches and pains, we recommend speaking with your doctor or other healthcare professional about the best type of mattress for your condition(s). A professional will be able to review any pre-existing conditions and talk to you about possible chronic pain that you’d like to alleviate, then recommend an ideal mattress type.
Certifications
When selecting a mattress, consider its third-party certifications. These certifications provide independent, non-profit verification that a mattress is made with quality materials and are eco-conscious.
Here are a few certifications that are important to keep in mind:
- Global Organic Textile Standard (aka GOTS): Ensures that organic textiles are sourced in a socially and environmentally conscious way
- Global Organic Latex Standard (aka GOLS): Ensures that the organic latex utilized is sourced in an environmentally responsible way
- CertiPUR-US ®: Certifies the safety of foam and its emissions
- GREENGUARD Gold: Certifies that the materials emit a low level of chemicals, making the products suitable for safe use indoors
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a latex mattress and a hybrid?
A hybrid latex mattress combines latex layers with individually wrapped coils for stronger edge support and balanced bounce. A latex mattress is entirely made of latex and has a bouncier, responsive feel.
What is the highest rated latex mattress?
Our top pick for the best latex mattress is the Birch Natural, which is made with natural wool and latex, providing plush eco-conscious support.
What are the disadvantages of a latex mattress?
Some disadvantages of a latex mattress are: they can be heavy and difficult to move, they may have a strong rubbery smell initially, and can lack strong edge support.
