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The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Options

Photo: amazon.com

You won't have a good night's sleep if you continually wake up covered in sweat. If you become too hot during the night, you might wake up multiple times and kick off the covers, only to become chilly and have to pull them back up. This ultimately creates a pattern of interrupted and unrefreshing sleep. A cooling mattress pad addresses this issue by utilizing heat-absorbing materials, or direct-cooling technology designed to keep you from becoming overheated while you sleep.

The best cooling mattress pad options are comfortable, reduce heat buildup, and increase air circulation to keep you from sweating while sleeping. Depending on your personal preference, one of our top picks for the best cooling mattress pads can keep you cool and help you sleep the whole night through.

BEST OVERALL COOLING PAD: SOPAT Cooling Mattress Topper
BEST BUDGET COOLING PAD: HYLEORY Hypoallergenic Fitted Cooling Mattress Topper
BEST WATER-BASED COOLING PAD: Chili Technology chiliPAD Cube 3.0
BEST LOFTED COOLING PAD: SLEEP ZONE Premium Mattress Pad Cover
BEST HYPOALLERGENIC PAD: ONIREACO Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad
BEST FOR SUPPORT: RUUF Memory Foam Mattress Topper

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Cooling Mattress Pad

While a mattress topper can be a few inches thick, mattress pads are typically blanket thin and have either a stretchy skirt or elastic straps to secure them to the mattress. A cooling mattress pad has the added feature of fibers that won't retain heat, offering a cooler and more comfortable sleep.

Material/Type

Cooling mattress pads are created with fibers that promote air circulation to keep heat from building up under your body, which can lead to sweating and feeling clammy. Natural fibers such as cotton and bamboo are favorites for cooling mattress pad covers, because they encourage circulation and are effective at wicking away moisture.

The type of fill used in the mattress pad is also a factor in helping you stay cool. Wool, cotton, and cotton-blend fiberfill top the list of cooling textiles that won't result in heat buildup. While memory foam is notorious for retaining heat, a gel-infused memory foam with ventilating tunnels is designed to keep you cool all night long.

Comfort

Quilting, which is the pattern sewn in the pad, is a standard feature of most mattress pads; it serves to keep the pad's inner filling from shifting and becoming lumpy. Since many cooling mattress pads are designed for use on top of a mattress but under a fitted sheet, the sheets you choose are also important for keeping you comfortable.

Pair a cooling mattress pad with sheets made from natural fibers, such as cotton, bamboo, or a cotton blend, to achieve the most cooling effect from your mattress pad. Sheets made with percale weaves are also more breathable than other types and will help maintain a cool temperature.

Density and Support

Standard cooling mattress pads, featuring wool or cotton fiberfill, are typically light and airy, offering virtually no additional support to your body as you sleep. The exception is a cooling topper made of gel-infused memory foam. This much denser topper is designed to offer added support while you sleep to ease the pressure on your hips and other joints.

Thickness

Cooling mattress pads can be as thin as a quilt or, if made from memory foam, several inches thick. If you already have a comfortable mattress, a thin cooling pad may be all you need for a restful night's sleep. If your mattress is hard, lumpy, or sags, then a gel-infused, memory foam topper might be a better choice.

Fit

Many of today's mattresses are thick—up to 22 inches in depth—so it's important to find a mattress pad with a skirt that's deep enough to fit over the mattress and hold it in place. Most mattress pad manufacturers are aware of this issue; many have developed skirts that are elasticized all the way around, instead of only in the corners, making the mattress pads suitable to fit both thin and thick mattresses.

Our Top Picks

In order to qualify as a top pick, these mattress pads had to feature breathable fabrics and be soft and comfortable to the touch. In addition to the standard cooling mattress pads and a cooling topper, a water-infused pad rounds out the list, so you have the option of choosing from a variety of cooling methods.

The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Option: SOPAT Quilted Plush Cooling Mattress Pad

Photo: amazon.com

With a 3D snow down alternative fill, the SOPAT Cooling Mattress Topper provides superior air circulation to keep heat from building up underneath your body. The pad features a "summer" side, with a 400-thread count fabric for an ultrasmooth touch, and a "winter" side that provides a comfy layer of soft Sherpa for a cuddly feel. The lightweight and durable fabric of both sides is breathable and hypoallergenic, so you'll stay comfortable no matter the season without building up a sweat.

The SOPAT mattress pad is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king sizes, and features a deep poly-knit stretch skirt that fits mattresses up to 21 inches deep. The cooling pad is safe for laundering in the washer and tumble-drying on low heat.

The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Option: HYLEORY Down Alternative Cooling Mattress Pad

Photo: amazon.com

You don't have to spend a lot of money to find an effective cooling mattress pad. The HYLEORY Hypoallergenic Fitted Cooling Mattress Topper is filled with 4D spiral fiber that gives it a soft, fluffy feel, while also wicking away sweat to keep you cool. Designed to be "skin-friendly," the fiberfill closely matches the feel of natural goose down but won't trigger allergies or run the risk of feathers poking out of the fabric, as they often do.

The HYLEORY cooling pad features a stretch skirt that fits mattresses up to 21 inches thick and provides elastic on all four sides for a snug fit. Choose from five standard sizes, including twin, twin XL, queen, king, and California king. The pad is machine-washable and safe to tumble dry on low.

The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Options: Chili Technology cHiliPAD Cube 3.0

Photo: amazon.com

For the ultimate in nighttime temperature control, check out the Chili Technology chiliPAD Cube 3.0. Unlike other cooling pads, this pad has a circulating water system that regulates the mattress temperature to suit your body's personal preference. Sleeping at a consistently cool temperature all night helps you remain asleep, while also promoting a deep level of sleep so you'll feel more refreshed in the morning.

The chiliPAD Cube 3.0 features a control cube filled with temperature-controlled water that circulates constantly within tiny silicone tubes throughout the mattress, and then back through the cube to maintain a consistent pad temperature. This innovative option is available in single, twin XL, king, and California king, with two temperature controls on the king and California king options—one for each side of the bed. The pad's skirt should fit any mattress depth or style, and the removable poly-cotton-filled top is machine-washable and safe to tumble dry on low.

The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Sleep Zone Premium Mattress Pad

Photo: amazon.com

If you're looking for a super-soft mattress pad that also keeps you cool as you sleep, look no further than the SLEEP ZONE Premium Mattress Pad Cover. The pad, which features overfilled 5D spiral siliconized fiber, is thicker than other cooling pads on the market, making it ultra-comfy. Its NANOTEX Coolest Comfort technology helps wick away sweat faster than cotton fibers to keep you feeling cool and comfortable.

This mattress pad offers a reinforced stretch skirt that can fit mattresses up to 21 inches deep. It is available in six sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king. You can machine wash the pad on cold and tumble dry on low.

The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Options: ONIREACO California King Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad

Photo: amazon.com

If you're sensitive or even allergic to some fabrics and fibers, you may love the ONIREACO Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad. This cooling mattress pad features a 100 percent cotton cover filled with hypoallergenic polyester fiber that will both avoid triggering allergy symptoms and encourage air circulation to prevent you from overheating.

The pad is available in six sizes—twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king—and its stretch skirt fits mattresses up to 21 inches deep. It is also machine-washable and safe to tumble dry on low. If the filling becomes compacted, just shake the mattress pad outdoors to restore its loft and softness.

The Best Cooling Mattress Pad Options: RUUF Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Photo: amazon.com

When you're looking for the added support and comfort of memory foam without the associated heat factor, consider the RUUF Memory Foam Mattress Topper. It features high-density memory foam—up to 4 inches thick—to correct lumpy mattress issues, but won't leave you feeling hot and sweaty.

This topper features gel-infused, ventilated memory foam designed to encourage air circulation, preventing heat from being trapped beneath your body. It also offers a removable, hypoallergenic cooling cover that wicks away moisture to help ensure you have a cool and dry night's rest. The cover is machine-washable and equipped with elastic straps to secure the topper to the mattress.

The Advantages of Owning a Cooling Mattress Pad

Cool temperatures are conducive to better sleep. A cooling mattress pad, especially if it covers a mattress that naturally traps heat, will help you stay cool so you don't wake up sweating throughout the night.

A cooling mattress pad can help you sleep comfortably through the night.
A cooling mattress pad wicks away moisture to keep you cool and dry.
A cooling mattress pad with a dense gel-infused topper will help support your body without making you hot.

FAQs About Cooling Mattress Pads

If you're tired of waking up in a pool of sweat, a cooling mattress pad may offer some relief. Below are some of the most common questions and answers about cooling mattress pads.

Q. How do cooling mattress pads work?

The combination of natural fibers, such as cotton and bamboo, and fiberfill, which is designed to increase air circulation, provides a cooling layer between you and your mattress to help keep you cool and dry.

Q. What is the difference between a mattress topper and a mattress pad?

Standard mattress pads are relatively thin—about the thickness of a blanket or quilt—while cooling mattress toppers are often up to 4 or 5 inches thick.

Q. How thick should a cooling mattress pad be?

Choose a cooling mattress pad's thickness based on what is best for your individual sleeping needs. If your mattress is already thick and comfy, a thin cooling pad may be all you require. If your mattress is hard or otherwise uncomfortable, a thicker, gel-infused cooling foam topper is likely a better choice.