Best Full Size Mattress (2024): Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

If you’re looking for a mattress large enough to sprawl on yet compact enough to fit in most bedrooms, a full size mattress might be just what you need. It’s 54 inches by 75 inches, offering plenty of room to move.

That’s why we’ve compiled our top recommendations for the best full size mattresses. And if you want to look beyond our list, we’ve included helpful tips on finding the right mattress type and firmness.

Best Full Size Mattresses

Amerisleep understands that there’s no one right way for people to sleep, that everyone has a different style and health needs to consider. This is why the company features not one but five different mattresses, each with its unique feel. You can choose from a soft, medium-soft, medium, medium-firm, or firm mattress.

The AS3 memory foam mattress also has a more absorbent feel, while the hybrid model features more lift beneath the conforming foams. And while the hybrid model has three layers of targeted support, the memory foam mattress features five sections of zoned support.

This 12-inch mattress has three layers of foam. We’ll give a brief overview of each, so you can understand how they work in tandem.

On top of the mattress is 3 inches of Amerisleep’s proprietary Bio-Pur® foam. Bio-Pur® foam is made by replacing select chemicals with castor oil during production. This results in a foam that’s not only eco-friendly but also more breathable and responsive than traditional memory foam.

The next layer is a 2-inch Affinity layer with HIVE® technology. HIVE® technology is split into five zones of targeted support for your head, shoulders, back, hips, and feet. It’s firmer where you need support (head, back, feet) and softer where you need pressure relief (shoulders and hips).

The bottom layer is 7 inches of Bio-Core® foam. Bio-Core® deters premature sagging for a longer-lasting mattress.

The AS3 is $1349 for a full size.

All Amerisleep mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial and a 20-year warranty. For the second half of the warranty, you will pay a prorated charge for all repairs and replacements.

The top layer is 3 inches of Bio-Pur® foam, which we mentioned earlier, is more breathable than traditional memory foam. It also adapts better to your movements, responding within seconds, so you never need to feel stuck in your mattress.

Next is 2 inches of responsive Active Flex. This bouncy material prevents you from sinking too far into your mattress without reducing its soft feel. It’s supportive enough that even overweight individuals, who sometimes can’t enjoy a soft mattress without sinking in too deep, can relax on it.

The pocketed coil setup is 8 inches thick, with every coil capable of reacting individually to prevent motion transfer. Amerisleep separates the coils into top, middle, and bottom sections. The top and bottom thirds provide more cushion, while the middle offers targeted back support.

The base is an inch of stiff foam. The bed’s edge support comes from similarly rigid foams that surround the coils. It’s easier to get out of bed with this edge support, as the sides remain firm rather than sag beneath your weight.

You can choose a memory foam bed version of the AS5 as well. We decided to discuss the hybrid model because of its lift that balances out its soft feel and the added airflow from its coil support.

A full size AS5 hybrid is $1,574 with free shipping and returns, a 100-night sleep trial, and a 20-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: Most Comfortable Mattress

Have you ever had a miserable, unproductive day because of a poor night’s rest? Most of us have. When we don’t sleep well, our performance suffers because of sluggish brains and reflexes. That’s where the Zoma Mattress comes in, offering comfort and support.

The first layer of the Zoma Mattress is 2 inches of gel memory foam. The cooling gels help you sleep undisturbed, wicking away body heat to prevent a sweaty awakening.

There are triangular cutouts in the memory foam, a part of Zoma’s unique Triangulex™ technology. Triangulex™ improves contouring in the shoulders and legs, creating more pressure-relieving cushion. Plus, air can slip through the cutouts for further head reduction.

The next layer is two inches of Reactiv™ foam, a bouncy material that helps the bed adapt to your movements. This latex-like material adds some pushback that prevents you from ever feeling trapped in your mattress.

At the bottom is 7 inches of Support+ foam, which resists compression and indentations. Support+ is what gives the bed its durable structure. All these layers are wrapped in a breathable AirCloth cover.

A full size Zoma Mattress is $599 and comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty. The warranty covers sagging beyond 0.75 inches.

Like the classic Zoma Mattress, the Zoma Hybrid’s first layer is 2 inches of gel memory foam. The foam contains segmented cutouts in the shoulder and leg areas to increase flexibility and prevent pressure points. The solid middle section on this layer is slightly firmer to support the lumbar spine and reduce oversinking.

Next is 2 inches of Reactiv™  foam, a springy material that limits sinkage. You should feel supported by Reactiv™ no matter what your favorite sleeping position is.

Seven inches of pocketed coils support the Zoma Hybrid. These pocketed coils are surrounded by firm foams for edge support, which can make it easier to get in and out of bed. The coils remain upright thanks to the bed’s 1-inch foam base.

A full size Zoma Hybrid is $899 and includes a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.

The top layer of this all-foam mattress is 3 inches of Vaya Comfort Foam. This light foam contours to your body for pressure relief with its latex-like responsiveness. The foam also keeps cool at night, wicking away warm air to prevent sleep disturbances.

The base is 9 inches of high-density foam, designed to maintain neutral spine alignment and resist sagging. A plush cover made with rayon, spandex, and polyester encases the mattress. The fabric’s weave promotes airflow, reducing heat build-up.

The Vaya Mattress is $499 for a full size and includes a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.

Best Full Size Mattress for Hot Sleepers: Nolah Evolution 15

Hot sleepers looking for a full mattress that can keep them cool throughout the night should consider the Nolah Evolution 15. This mattress combines cooling technologies that enhance breathability and offer thermoconductive cooling at the same time. This combination makes for a mattress that starts off cool to the touch and stays that way all night.

Naturally, the first thing you’ll notice about the Evolution is just how cool it is. The mix of graphite-infused foam and a heat escape gusset give this mattress a pleasantly chilly sleep surface that you’ll feel as soon as you touch it.

This mattress also features several layers of cushioning memory foam and a highly contouring pocketed coil core. That means it’s also highly adaptable and can offer plenty of pressure relief to tired joints. This is true no matter what sleep position you prefer, as the Evolution features three different firmness levels.

The Evolution starts off with a cooling ArcticTexTM cover combined with a premium HTCTM quilted Euro topper to give it a cool and contouring surface. Next, the AirBreathTM heat escape gusset keeps cool air flowing into the mattress to ensure the cool surface stays that way.

Underneath these layers rests the cooling AirFoamICETM with graphite infusions to help draw heat away. Between the comfort layers and the coils are two layers of high-density, high-resilience foam to increase the bed’s buoyancy.

Finally, a layer of HDMaxTM coils offers tri-zoned comfort targeted to each area of your body. This layer also provides 25 percent more support than an average coil system for added lift and spinal alignment.

Best Innovative Full Size Mattress: Purple® Hybrid Mattress

If you want a bouncy cooling mattress, the Purple® Hybrid is a good choice. It blends the adaptable Purple Grid™ material with more than 1,800 air channels, pocketed coils, and breathable side panels.

The Purple Grid™ is a unique alternative to memory foam. It’s made from flexible gels that adjust quickly to your body weight and sleeping position. It can change from soft to firm depending on your needs, cushioning your hips and shoulders while maintaining your spine’s neutral position. The grid is resilient and resists indentations, even after years of use.

Purple®’s Responsive Support Coils are 7.5 inches tall and increase your mattress’s durability by years. Their bounce improves the Purple Grid™’s pressure relief and support, letting you sleep comfortably.

The mattress cover is Purple®’s StretchMax material, with an elastic softness that lets you feel the full pressureless support of the Purple Grid™. The mattress’s side panels are breathable, increasing airflow between the coils.

A full size Purple® Hybrid is $1,499. It comes with your choice of gift, along with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.

SEE ALSO: The Best Place to Buy a Mattress & 7 In-Store Myths

What is a Full Size Mattress?

A full size is one of the middle mattress sizes, measuring 54 inches by 75 inches. It’s larger than a twin and twin XL mattress, but smaller than a queen or king size bed. A full mattress is sometimes called a double bed, not to be confused with a twin size mattress.

A full bed is perfect for sleepers who like to sprawl or tend to toss and turn. It’s also an excellent choice for larger guest rooms, giving your guest the space needed for a good night’s sleep. Some parents prefer a full mattress over the standard twin bed, and you can even find full size bunk beds if you’re shopping for two.

Full size beds can fit well in rooms that are just a few inches shy of being 10 feet by 10 feet. Just don’t forget to accommodate for the 2 to 5 inches that a full size bed frame or adjustable base can add to a mattress’s dimensions.

Our editors only recommend full mattresses for those planning on sleeping alone. If a full mattress is split in half, each side is about 27 inches wide. That’s 11 inches narrower than a twin mattress, leaving with little space to move.

Queen size mattresses and larger are an ideal choice for anyone who plans on sharing a bed.

Other Bed Sizes

Perhaps a full bed isn’t the best mattress size for you. You might need a smaller bed for a room with limited space, or a bigger bed for a master bedroom. Our mattress size chart should make it easier to decide what the right mattress for you is.

Mattress Buying Considerations

Size isn’t the only factor to consider when you’re shopping for a new bed. Mattress type and firmness can affect the bed’s support and comfort levels. By considering these two factors, along with your budget, you can narrow your search down to the best mattress for you.

Mattress Type

Every type of mattress has its pros and cons. Our brief overview of the four main types—memory foam, latex, innerspring, and hybrid—should make it easier to decide what the right mattress is.

Memory Foam

Memory foam mattresses are pressure and heat-sensitive, which is why they conform to your body when you lie down. This full-body support is why memory foam is one of the best materials for pressure relief. Since memory foam was first designed as a crash material, it should come as little surprise that memory foam is also excellent at isolating motion.

Some warn hot sleepers away from memory foam beds because of the material’s capacity for heat retention. However, this is mostly a problem of traditional memory foam. Many newer memory foam mattresses add cooling agents such as graphite, charcoal, and copper.

Latex

Latex mattresses can be an excellent alternative to memory foam if you’re trying to be eco-friendly. The foam is manufactured from rubber tree sap, which is harvested with minimal harm to the environment.

However, this only applies to natural latex. Its less expensive counterpart, synthetic latex, is made from chemical compounds. Synthetic latex lacks the durability of natural latex, which can last around 15 years.

Innerspring

Innerspring mattresses have a layer of steel coils sandwiched between foam and fabric for comfort. They’re relatively inexpensive and available across a wide range of price points. You’ll often find one offered at your local mattress or furniture store.

Some owners have complained that innerspring mattresses don’t provide enough pressure relief, particularly as the coils age and wear down. Coils often sag within five to six years, although low-quality innerspring mattresses may lose support in as little as three years.

Hybrid

The idea behind a hybrid mattress is to have all the benefits of an innerspring and foam mattress while minimizing their drawbacks. Their design promotes more airflow than a foam bed allows for, while also providing more pressure relief than the average spring mattress.

While a hybrid’s mix of materials can improve its comfort, it also increases its price. This is why hybrids are one of the more expensive types of mattresses.

Choosing the Right Firmness Level

There are two factors to consider when you’re shopping for the perfect firmness—your body weight and sleeping position. Both affect how you push down on the mattress, which can determine the support and pressure relief you need.

Firmness can be one of the more challenging considerations, particularly if you’re buying a mattress in a box without trying it out. A sleep trial can ensure you’re not stuck with a mattress you don’t like. To take some of the guesswork out of shopping, it’s smart to see how a company rates mattress firmness and check out mattress reviews.

See what five-star reviewers have to say, along with one-star reviewers. Did anyone receive a firmer or softer mattress than expected? If possible, look for reviewers who specify that they’ve owned the mattress for a few months. Some people sleep well their first night, while others need time to adjust.

Body Weight

Your body weight affects how much pressure you place on the mattress. Firm mattresses need more pressure to conform to the body than a soft mattress does, which is why softer mattresses tend to offer more pressure relief.

If you weigh less than 130 pounds, your mattress should feel softer so you can experience the full benefits of pressure relief. And if you weigh more than 230 pounds, your mattress should have a firm feel to offer a balance of support and pressure relief.

If your weight is between 130 and 230, you’re deemed “average,” and your body weight is of less importance when it comes to considering firmness.

Sleep Position

Your sleep position can determine how your body weight is distributed, affecting the strain placed on your spine and other parts of your body. The differing pressure considerations are why every sleep position has a varying range of firmness options. The best mattress firmnesses provide needed support and pressure relief.

The most popular position is side sleeping. A mattress for a side sleeper should have a soft to medium feel for maximum pressure relief. Your hips and shoulders are particularly prone to pressure build-up, so a mattress with extra cushion in these areas can improve a side sleeper’s rest.

Although not as popular as side sleeping, back sleeping might be the best position for your spine. Your body weight is evenly distributed when you lie on your back, placing minimal pressure on your spine. Back sleepers should look for a medium-firm to firm mattress for support.

Stomach sleepers can misalign their spine if they sleep on a too-soft mattress. The weight of your belly can sink too far into the mattress’s comfort layers, stretching the spine out of neutral alignment. This continual misalignment means stomach sleepers are likely to develop chronic back pain. A firm mattress leaves little room for the stomach to sink in, maintaining a healthy spine.

What if you tend to move in the night and wake up in different positions? It’s a sign that you’re a combination sleeper, as many of us are. Combination sleepers should look for a mattress with a medium firmness to best accommodate all their sleeping styles.

Saving Money on Full Size Mattresses

Full mattresses are already a sought-after option when it comes to budget mattresses. However, some smart shopping can help you take full advantage of savings on the best mattresses.

One key way to save money is to keep an eye out for the best mattress sales as they occur regularly throughout the year:

• Presidents Day Mattress Sales
• Memorial Day Mattress Sales
• 4th of July Mattress Sales
• Labor Day Mattress Sales
• Columbus Day Mattress Sales
• Black Friday Mattress Sales
• Cyber Monday Mattress Sales

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good price for a full size mattress?

Although they’re a smaller bed size, full mattresses can cost a lot of money. You may have to budget up to $2,000 if you’re looking for a luxurious model or a bed made with natural materials.

However, you can find quality full size mattresses for under $1,000. They just may lack the bells and whistles of a more expensive model.

What is the best month to buy a full mattress?

May is the best month for mattress shopping. Companies often release new mattress models in June, so stores try to clear out old mattress stock to make way for new mattresses. This is why Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest mattress sales days of the year.

If you’ve missed May sales, consider shopping online. Online retailers ship directly to the customer and often have fewer expenses, allowing them to offer their mattresses at lower costs than a brick-and-mortar store.

Is it better to buy a mattress online or in-store?

Both have their pros and cons. In-store mattresses let you see and feel them before you buy them. Online mattresses carry lower prices since the company sells directly to the customer, not through a middleman store.

Does my mattress need a box spring?

Most mattresses made today do not need a box spring for support; you may even end up damaging your mattress by using a box spring, depending on your mattress type.

Foam mattresses can sag prematurely if kept on a box spring. Pairing a box spring with an innerspring can improve its feel and give it some height. Hybrids can vary as to whether or not they can be used with a box spring, but you’re unlikely to need it.

How do I choose a good mattress?

There are a few points to keep in mind when shopping for a quality mattress:

• Always choose a mattress that’s at least 10 inches thick. Thinner mattresses are more likely to wear out.
• Look for accreditations. Certifications such as CertiPUR-US and GREENGUARD Gold can assure you that a bed contains only quality materials.
• Remember your sleep position and body type when choosing a firmness.
• Avoid buying a mattress that doesn’t come with a sleep trial. This will give you a chance to assess the mattress’s quality and feel over a few months.

Which mattress is best for lower back pain?

According to a 2015 study, a mattress with a medium-firm feel is the best way to relieve back pain. The best types of mattresses for back pain include memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses. Innerspring beds are not recommended since they provide insufficient support and pressure relief as their coils wear down.

Conclusion

Full size mattresses are an ideal choice for single sleepers, offering 16 inches than a standard twin size mattress. It only provides enough space for one person, so if you’re looking to share, you should shop for a queen or larger.

To make your search for the right mattress easier, consider what type of mattress you would find most comfortable and affordable, along with the firmness you need for a good night’s sleep. For example, instead of doing a broad search for full size mattresses, you could look for medium-firm latex mattresses that come in a full size. You should find your perfect mattress much quicker this way.