Best mattress topper for dorm beds – certified for great sleep on campus

The best mattress topper for dorm beds could transform your sleep on campus. Since most schools won't let you bring your own bed, a mattress topper is a truly invaluable bit of bedding – and you can get a good one for less than $100.

I still remember my first night in a college dorm. I was staying the night before an interview, so the college had put me up in one of their student rooms. I woke up with a stiff neck and aching shoulders, cursing that firm, inflexible mattress. I swore to my mom that, if I ever got into that school, the first thing we were buying was a mattress topper.

Today, I'm the resident Sleep Editor at Homes & Gardens, so I understand what makes the best mattress topper for dorm beds: breathable materials, secure corner straps, and a reasonable price point. You don't want to spend too much money on a temporary sleep solution. Combing through our back catalog of reviews, I've found that the ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper delivers the best performance at the lowest price. Still, you might find that another of our tested toppers better meets your needs.

Best mattress topper for dorm beds − 6 options, at a glance

Below, you'll find a bite-size summary of each topper, outlining what it costs and who it suits. To learn more about a particular topper, keep scrolling or press 'read more below' to shortcut to that section. There, I've listed the need-to-know specs, including thickness and firmness, before digging into the details of testing for pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support.

Where we haven't been able to get our hands on a topper, we've scoured the specifications and read countless customer reviews to give you the fullest possible picture of what it might be like to sleep on this topper.

The best mattress topper for dorm beds

This is one of Amazon's best-selling mattress toppers, boasting more than 9,000 verified five-star reviews. The ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper is plush enough to soften up firm mattresses and sufficiently supportive to minimize motion transfer. ViscoSoft stocks the widest range of sizes of any mattress manufacturer I've seen, including a Full XL option to fit those awkwardly sized beds you find in some dorms.

This mattress topper is filled with high-density foam to cushion your neck and shoulders while lifting your lower back to promote proper spinal alignment. It's suitable for all sleepers, whether you lie on your front, back, or side.

Old dorms are often poorly insulated and you might find that your new room tends to trap heat. Luckily, the ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper is infused with a cooling gel to dissipate heat, wick moisture, and block odors.

The ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper isn't perfect. Although it comes with straps to ensure a secure fit, those straps aren't sufficiently supple to stretch over deep mattresses (not that you're likely to find a plush mattress in your dorm room). According to customer reviews, it's pretty heavy, so you might need a friend or family member to help you carry it from your car onto campus. Still, when all is said and done, this is the mattress topper I'd buy if I were going back to school.

ViscoSoft Select High-Density Mattress Topper | $149.95 at Amazon

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The best firm mattress topper for dorm beds

Unless you're moving into a brand-new dorm, you're likely to find an older mattress that's softened with age and action and might be starting to sag. Something nice and firm like the Nolah Mattress Topper should lend more support to your college mattress.

If you tend to sleep on your back or stomach, then you need a firmer surface to keep from sinking in and maintain the natural alignment of your spine, especially after spending long hours hunched over your desk. A firm mattress topper should set you straight, though it might not have enough give for side sleepers. The Nolah Mattress Topper is filled with slow-moving foam to minimize motion transfer. Plus, the edge support is excellent, so you can comfortably sit on the side of your bed to work or chat with your roommate.

'As a hot sleeper, I sometimes struggle to sleep on memory foam,' says expert tester Jamie Davis Smith. 'I can confirm that Nolah's AirFoam formulation makes a real difference: between the breathable foam and the cooling cotton cover, I never woke up in a sweat.'

There's only one thing I don't like about the Nolah Mattress Topper. When you unbox the topper and fold it out on your dorm bed, you might notice a chemical sort of smell emanating from the foam. That's just the mattress off-gassing: the smell is totally harmless, and it should disappear after a day or two, so hopefully your roommate won't mind.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Jamie Davis Smith

As a combination sleeper, who flips between different positions in the night, Jamie needs a firm topper to support her spine. Read the full review: Nolah Mattress Topper

Nolah Mattress Topper | $223 at Nolah

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The best plush mattress topper for dorm beds

If you're sleeping on a firm mattress in your dorm room, and you're waking up with aches and pains, you might feel tempted to throw it out and replace it with the best mattress you can afford. Unfortunately, most universities don't allow you to replace your old mattress: even if they did, you'd struggle to find somewhere to store your old mattress in your dorm. A plush mattress topper could transform your sleep for less.

The Helix Plush Mattress Topper fits more like a mattress protector: instead of corner straps, you get a bed skirt, which is sufficiently supple to stretch over deep mattresses. Filled with thermoregulating fibers of polyester and bamboo viscose, the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is a lot lighter than a thick slab of foam, which makes it much easier to carry across campus. 'The Helix Plush Mattress Topper is the comfiest topper I've ever slept on,' says our expert tester, Alex Temblador. 'It added a layer of softness and coziness to my mattress that I didn't even know I was missing.'

Best of all, the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is super budget-friendly. A Twin XL topper costs $109 at full price and much less when you shop the mattress sales. You could comfortably invest in the Helix Plush Mattress Topper without making too much of a dent in your funds for the semester.

The reason that the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is so light and fluffy is because it's filled with fiberfill, rather than high-density foam. That means you don't get the same contouring comfort and motion isolation you'd get from a memory foam mattress topper. Still, for enhanced cooling and plush comfort, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Alex Temblador

Alex is another stalwart of our mattress testing team, with three mattress reviews and a topper write-up under her belt. As a combination sleeper, Alex needs a softer surface to cushion her hips and shoulders while keeping her spine straight. Read the full review: Helix Plush Mattress Topper

Helix Plush Mattress Topper | Was $109, now $81.75 at Helix

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The best organic mattress topper for dorm beds

Most mattress toppers are made from memory foam. It's an excellent mattress material for motion isolation and pressure relief, but it tends to trap heat, and it's not exactly great for the environment. If you like the look and feel of foam, but you want to sleep cool and shop sustainably, then you should consider the Earthfoam Mattress Topper. I'd put it up there with the best organic mattress toppers.

The Earthfoam Mattress Topper is filled with organic latex, which is made to mold to the shape of your body then spring back into shape as soon as your weight is removed. Springy and responsive, it's a firmer feel than memory foam, but it's also breathable and bouncy. I'd recommend a latex mattress topper for hot sleepers, eco-conscious shoppers, and anyone who prefers the feel of a firmer surface.

Our expert tester, Louise Oliphant, slept on the Earthfoam Mattress Topper for a few months last summer. Previously, she'd only ever slept on shredded memory foam toppers, and she couldn't believe how much more supportive latex feels. 'The Earthfoam Mattress Topper offers the perfect balance between support and softness,' she says. It's just the thing to toughen up an old mattress.

Out of all the mattress toppers on this list, this is the most expensive, retailing at $299 for a Twin XL. I might not have been able to afford the Earthfoam Mattress Topper on a student budget, but I'd have loved to receive it as a gift before I went up to college.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Louise Oliphant

Louise is one of our former Sleep Editors. As a hot sleeper and an eco-conscious shopper, she likes natural latex to regulate her temperature. Read the full review: Earthfoam Organic Mattress Topper

Earthfoam Organic Mattress Topper | $299 at Earthfoam

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The best cooling mattress topper for dorm beds

If you suffer from night sweats or hot flashes, or you simply tend to run a little warm, then you're what's known as a hot sleeper. You'll want one of the best cooling mattress toppers to sleep comfortably. Maybe you're going to college in a warm climate or you know your dorm room tends to trap heat: you'll also appreciate the cooling comfort of the Lucid Memory Foam Mattress Topper.

This gel memory foam mattress topper is designed to retain and release excess body heat at strategic intervals throughout the night, keeping you cool and dry. It's even ventilated for superior airflow and thermoregulation.

This is one of the best-rated mattress toppers on Amazon, with more than 45,000 verified five-star ratings. According to a recent customer review from a pregnant woman dealing with night sweats, the Lucid Memory Foam Mattress Topper 'really does live up to its claims to keep the body at a cool and comfortable temperature.'

As a hot sleeper, I'm a big fan of the Lucid Memory Foam Mattress Topper. I only wish it came with corner straps. You'll have to rely on a snug fitted sheet to secure this mattress topper.

Lucid Mattress Topper | Was $74.99, now $70.36 at Amazon

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The best luxury mattress topper for dorm beds

At some colleges, you stay in the same dorm room throughout your whole four years. If you know you're going to spend a lot of time in one room, and you're serious about your sleep, then it makes sense to splurge on a mattress topper.

'I spent the summer sleeping on the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper,' says expert tester Kaitlin Madden. 'I'd give it top scores for pressure relief, thermoregulation, motion isolation, and edge support, with a special shout out to those stretchy corner straps.'

Kaitlin continues: 'The Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper has a medium-firm feel, which is commonly held to be the best mattress firmness for most sleep positions. It's soft enough to cushion your joints, yet sufficiently supportive to keep your spine in line. I found that the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper was just the thing to soften up an inflexible innerspring, the sort you tend to find in dorm rooms.'

Compared with many of the toppers on this list, the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper is expensive: around $215 for a Twin XL. Still, that's the price you pay for the best cooling mattress topper. If you go to college in a warmer part of the country, I'd say this active cooling graphite topper is well worth the investment.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Kaitlin Madden

As a short-term rental host, Kaitlin is always looking for ways to make her guest bedroom more comfortable. Her friends and family rave about this thick, squishy topper. Read the full review: Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper

Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper | $215 at Saatva

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Best mattress topper for dorm beds – Side by side

How we test mattress toppers

As the resident Sleep Editor at Homes & Gardens, I lead a team of expert testers in the search to find the best mattress topper. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, sleep styles, and body types, and we live right across the country in all sorts of climates. We test toppers for a minimum of 30 nights before we write our initial reviews to get a good indication of long-term performance. If you want to learn more about how we test mattress toppers, consult our expert guide.

We assess each topper against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess pressure relief, we lie on the topper and switch between sleep positions, considering which feels most comfortable. To assess thermoregulation, we switch off our AC before we sleep through heat waves or cold snaps, making note of any night we wake up in a sweat.

To assess motion isolation, we fill a glass with water and set it in the middle of the topper. We take a weight and place it on the topper, moving incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the topper might be for light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the topper and measure how far we fall. The further we sink, the worse the edge support, and the harder it might be to sleep or sit on the side of the bed.

We also consider the practical implications of buying a topper, including the details of delivery, the length of the sleep trial, and the extent of the warranty. Where possible, we like to compare our findings with customer reviews to get a better indication of long-term performance. Finally, we bring it all back to the price of the topper to help you determine value for money.

How to choose a mattress topper for your dorm bed

Check the size

Perhaps it goes without saying, but it bears repeating: make sure your mattress topper matches your mattress. If you're yet to move to college, and you're buying a mattress topper as part of your college dorm room checklist, then it's worth getting in touch with your school to double-check the dimensions of your mattress.

Your average dorm bed is a Twin XL, but not all mattress toppers are available in this size, so prepare to shop around to find the size you need.

Choose the firmness

Your average dorm bed has seen better days. My college beds were soft and sagging, lacking support after years of nightly use.

If you can feel the springs digging into your side, or you find yourself rolling into a dip in the mattress, then you need the best firm mattress topper to bolster your bed. High-density memory foam offers the best balance of comfort and support.

If your dorm bed feels firm and inflexible, then you need a plush topper to soften the surface. I recommend lower-density memory foam or squishy, springy natural latex.

Set your budget

As a student, you're likely working with a tighter budget. You might like the look of a plush topper from a specialist sleep store, but you know you can't afford it.

I've been there – to get the best mattress topper at a price you can actually afford, I suggest you shop at any of the best places to buy affordable bedding.

Before you buy, I suggest you set an upper and lower limit to your budget. Personally, I wouldn't spend less than $80 on a mattress topper. Much lower, and you're likely working with cheaper materials that will trap heat and wear out within a few semesters. You could easily spend as much as $300 on a mattress topper, but $150 should get you a good topper in a Twin XL size.

FAQs

What size mattress topper should I get for my dorm?

Look for a Twin XL mattress topper − the vast majority of dorm beds are Twin XLs, but you can always check with your RA before you buy. If I were you, I'd double-check the dimensions of my topper against our mattress size chart.

How thick should a mattress topper for dorm beds be?

You're looking for a mattress topper between two and three inches thick. That's just thick enough to soften up a firm mattress and ease your aches and pains.

You don't want anything too thick, especially if your dorm room has bunk beds or low ceilings: adding too thick a mattress topper will only make the space feel smaller. Plus, a thinner mattress topper is easier to store between semesters and transport from home to campus.

Once you've bought the best mattress topper for dorm beds, it's time to upgrade the rest of your room. A set of the best affordable bed sheets should stay soft, keep cool, and wash well on a student budget.