Mattress Pad vs. Mattress Topper

If you and your partner are trying to get a better night of sleep, but a completely new mattress isn’t in your budget, mattress pads and mattress toppers are an excellent and wallet-friendly solution. Both add an extra layer of comfort to your bed and ultimately extend the life of your mattress.

However, you might not know the difference between a mattress pad and a mattress topper. We talk more about these affordable mattress accessories to help you choose between the two in our post.

What is a Mattress Pad?

Mattress pads are a thin bedding accessory that provides an added layer of comfort and protection to your mattress. They get placed directly on top of your mattress, underneath your fitted sheet. They can also be attached to your fitted sheet with zippers or straps to prevent the mattress pad from moving.

Mattress pads protect your mattress from spills and stains, and they are generally comprised of cotton, wool, down, synthetic fibers, latex, or memory foam. Mattress pads are usually less than an inch thick, so they don’t drastically alter your mattress’s feel or existing comfort level.

Mattress Pad Strengths

Mattress pads increase the softness of your mattress, so if you and your partner feel that your bed is too firm, a mattress pad can help. If you like to eat breakfast in bed, mattress pads are a great solution as certain varieties prevent spills from soaking into your mattress. Because they are thin and flexible, mattress pads are easy to clean, and many are even machine-washable.

Mattress Pad Drawbacks

The extremely thin mattress pad doesn’t make for a great defense against physical wear and tear on your mattress. Additionally, a pad won’t provide as much firmness to your bed as a topper would, so a pad wouldn’t be an excellent option for sleepers looking to stabilize an old mattress that is already too soft and saggy.

Mattress Pad Materials

Let’s take a quick look at some of the materials used to make mattress pads. The mattress pad’s most common material is cotton, which is ideal for enhanced softness and long-lasting comfort. Feather and down mattress pads are even softer, but they are almost always more expensive.

Wool mattress pads are more breathable, but they are generally harder to clean and provide no defense against spills. Like wool, synthetic fiber is difficult to clean, but the modern material offers significantly better resistance to stains.

What is a Mattress Topper?

Like a mattress pad, a mattress topper provides extra comfort and protection for your mattress. While mattress pads only soften the surface of your bed, mattress toppers are much thicker and can be used to either soften or enhance the firmness of a mattress.

They are placed on top of your mattress and under the fitted sheet (in the same spot you would place a pad), and they are generally comprised of wool, feather and down, natural latex, or memory foam.

Mattress Topper Strengths

Mattress toppers are generally three to four inches thick (or more) and deliver a greater impact on the comfort and consistency of your mattress. They are great for increasing the firmness of a sagging mattress, or alternatively, they can be used to improve the cushion of a stiff mattress. Mattress toppers also provide better defense against everyday wear and tear than a mattress pad, and they enhance the durability and lifespan of your mattress.

Mattress Topper Drawbacks

Unlike mattress pads, mattress toppers don’t offer much protection against spills and stains. Because they are bulkier than pads, toppers are more challenging to clean, and they may move around in the bed a bit during sleep because most varieties don’t attach directly to the mattress as pads do. This movement may bother sleepers who tend to toss and turn a lot throughout the night.

Mattress Topper Materials

It’s easy to find mattress toppers made from a wide range of materials, and not all mattress toppers offer the same benefits. Feather and down mattress toppers are pricey but deliver a distinct softness and comfort. Wool toppers help regulate body temperature in winter and summer, making wool toppers an excellent choice for sleepers who often wake up too cold or too hot.

Gel memory foam and memory foam mattress toppers provide better contouring and relief for sensitive pressure points. However, be sure to look for a foam topper with a CertiPUR-US® certification to ensure it has minimal VOC off-gassing and no toxic chemical additives.

Lastly, latex toppers are hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, mold, mildew, and bed bugs, making them a great option for those with allergies or asthma.

Frequently asked questions

What is a mattress protector?

A mattress protector provides even more protection from everyday wear and spills than both mattress pads and toppers. They are generally bulkier and make more noise than pads and toppers. Protectors usually contain synthetic fibers such as polyester, rayon, vinyl, and other waterproofing materials, so they may not be ideal for light sleepers or those with sensitive skin.

What’s the best way to clean mattress pads and mattress toppers?

Fortunately, most mattress pads are machine-washable and dryer-safe, so you can simply toss those in the washer using warm to cold water, then tumble dry them on low. However, similar to cleaning a mattress, most toppers need to be spot cleaned.

You can use a vacuum or spray bottle to target dirty areas of the mattress topper. Because mattress pads and toppers are available in so many different kinds of fabric, be sure to read the instructions on your product’s care label before cleaning your pad or topper.

Do mattress pads and toppers provide spinal support?

Both mattress pads and mattress toppers can modify the firmness of your bed, but because toppers are generally thicker, they add the most support for your spine. If proper spinal alignment is critical for you or your partner, look for mattress toppers made of memory foam, latex, or poly-foam materials. These toppers tend to mold comfortably with the sleeper’s spine and relieve tension and pressure throughout the back.

Which option is best if my bed is too warm at night?

While a mattress pad might make the better option, as it’s simply a thin layer of padding, the pad or topper’s materials make the biggest impact here. If your sleeping environment is too hot, select a pad or topper made of organic cotton, these promote breathability and have a lighter feel. Wool is another solid option because of its moisture-wicking properties, which can be very helpful during seasons with high humidity.

Which option is best if my bed is too cold at night?

Your mattress pad or topper’s materials make all the difference here. If you feel like your bed is too cold at night, purchase wool or even feather and down accessories, as these materials are natural insulators and help your bed retain body heat, even in the cold of winter.

Conclusion

If your mattress doesn’t quite satisfy you or your partner, but a brand new bed isn’t in your current budget, investing in a mattress pad or mattress topper is the affordable alternative. Both pads and toppers add an extra layer of comfort and protection to your mattress. Mattress pads and toppers are available in a wide range of suitable materials for many unique sleeping preferences.

Mattress pads are thinner and easier to clean in general, and they don’t typically move around in the bed very much. On the other hand, mattress toppers have to be hand-washed, and they may move around in the bed, but they offer a better defense against everyday wear and tear, and they play a larger role in the feel and comfort of your mattress.