With the long hours of studying, activities, and spending time with friends, it is no surprise that college students get less sleep than almost any other demographic. They average only between 6 and 6.5 hours a night. This is one reason why getting a mattress that is comfortable is so important because they need to recover faster than other folks.
That said, we all know the other reality of college students -- tight budgets. With the cost of college increasing steadily year after year, spending extra money on a mattress is just plain silly. That's why when we hear from parents and college students, we lean towards recommending high quality mattresses for a low price.
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The most affordable and still comfortable mattresses are foam options. Foam mattresses tend to be less expensive, while still being extremely comfortable. For those that do have the budget for something a little more expensive, hybrid mattresses are top rated as the most comfortable generally, but come at a higher pricepoint.
We've provided a list of some of the most comfortable mattresses while also being cost-affordable and providing quick relief to active students. One top pick is Bear mattress, which is made for folks that need to recover from a long day with added layers of comfort and cooling to ensure that your sleep is the most fulfilling. Another great option is the Nectar, which is cost saving, while still being extremely comfortable, while the Amore is an ultra-comfortable mattress with coils for those that want deeper comfort.
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One of most popular mattress brands, both the Nectar and the Nectar Lush are all-foam mattresses that focus on universally comfortable firmness and support, with customers describing balanced comfort with relaxing back support and gentle pressure relief. Also, with value-add differentiators like a full year trial and a 'forever' warranty, thick and quality materials for the price, optional white glove delivery, a competitive pricepoint, and 'Buy Now, Pay Later' financing through Affirm, it's a real brand to consider for value-conscious shoppers. From the UK? See our review for the UK version.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.7/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.7/10
Price Value: 9.8/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $499-$1799
Bear mattress offers three amazing mattresses. Their original memory foam has won acclaim with athletes on a budget, the Bear Hybrid is great for those looking for a pressure-relieving higher end feel, and their Bear Pro is perfect for those looking for an ultra-cooling contouring feel. From Celliant® to copper cooling, these mattresses also are designed to be superior at cooling, alleviating muscle pain, and supporting the spine. Also, with their all-inclusive and low priced Bear Bundle, folks love these beds.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.6/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $695-$1995
Suffer from tossing and turning? It could be because your current mattress doesn't support and align the spine properly. That's where Level's TriSupport™ technology can help. Their technology is a marvel in zoned support with a high-end all-foam design made in the USA. While the shoulders and hips are relieved of pressure, the middle spine is supported properly. With a patented design that is supported by chiropractors, Level Sleep is worth consideration for back and side sleepers needing well-aligned support.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.5/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.7/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $799-$1399
Tuft and Needle made a big splash in the mattress industry when it offered one of the lowest cost all-foam mattresses in a box directly to customers, their T&N Original Mattress. Since then, they've elaborated on their initial concept with two more innovative designs: The Mint and The Hybrid, which provide high quality, superbly pressure-relieving offerings. On top of that, the Mint Mattress was recently upgraded to include antimicrobial protection embedded in its cover layer. With their three mattresses and 100,000s of positive reviews, customers have spoken in approval of T&N.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.5/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $450-$1845
Puffy is an online mattress brand that makes three mattresses: The Puffy Mattress, The Puffy Lux Mattress, and The Puffy Royal Mattress (Limited Time: Get $300 Off Mattresses). Each of these offer a high rated memory foam feel that are making a splash in the mattress in the box industry. With the recent addition of coil hybrid versions in their Lux and Royal, folks find these mattresses softer than other all-foam mattresses in a box, which is great for those with a lighter body type. With an aim at providing a higher end all-foam mattress for less than in-store, Puffy is a brand to consider and ships worldwide!
Overall Score for College Students: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.6/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.1/10
Price: $795-$2995
Dreamfoam Bedding is a lower cost brand by Brooklyn Bedding. These economy mattresses offer competitive options for the budget conscious shopper, while still having a good selection of choices featuring hypoallergenic latex, foam, and coil. Because of the lower prices, there are lower quality materials used in the mattresses, which isn't ideal for all sleepers, but for those that are looking for a temporary solution or a guest room mattress, these might work just fine.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 8.6/10
Price Value: 9.3/10
Back Support: 8.6/10
Price: $249-$1249
Layla got its start in 2015 as the mattress in the box trying to fight homelessness with every mattress purchased. Since then, they have focused on building two mattress models with a focus on cool, copper-infused technology and a flippable design for softer or firmer feels. With versatile designs, with both a hybrid and all-foam version and a tradition of innovation, Layla is definitely a brand to consider.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.3/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.2/10
Price: $749-$1899
Brooklyn Bedding is a quality-focused mattress maker with multiple mattress types and firmness options. They make all of their mattresses end to end in their own factory, passing on more price value to customers. Also, read about their specialty brands: ultra-firm Plank Mattress, plus-size friendly Titan Mattress, customizable Rubix Mattress, latex Bloom Mattress, eco-friendly Ecosleep, and cooling Propel Sleep.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.4/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.4/10
Price Value: 9.5/10
Back Support: 9.6/10
Price: $549-$2899
Nolah came to market in 2016 with a new response to the memory foam mattress. Nolah crafted its very own foam, called Nolah AirFoam®. Its innovation is that it retains less heat than other memory foam or common 'visco elastic' foams. It also has less pressure than even high end memory foam, meaning that it is easier on the hips and shoulders. Nolah's testers say it is also more durable and great for side sleepers. With multiple mattress options, Nolah is a brand anyone can feel good about!
Overall Score for College Students: 9.3/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.3/10
Price Value: 9.4/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $649-$2399
Polysleep is a popular Canadian mattress brand that sells their all-foam mattresses across the Canada and the USA. One of their claims to fame is their use of antimicrobial foam, reducing the growth of bacteria. They have multiple mattress options that range the budget-friendly to price-competitive luxury categories, with most customers reporting happy experiences.
Overall Score for College Students: 9.3/10
Customer Satisfaction: 9.2/10
Price Value: 9.2/10
Back Support: 9.4/10
Price: $675-$2445
Mattress & furniture shopping is an oftentimes tedious and mundane task. This site's sole purpose is to help you make the decision faster and with more peace of mind. We sincerely hope that whatever your interaction with this site, that it is helpful and timely for you, and that the product information here guides you to the best outcome for your daily life. May all benefit! The reviews here are aggregated from other sources across the Internet and although we have tried only to find trustworthy reviews, the content and scores here may be subject to manipulation by agents acting on behalf of manufacturers and marketers. Like all things you read on the Internet, understand there is no better judge than yourself. When it comes to your own comfort, your own body is the only North Star. Where Slumber Search discusses medical ailments, we strive to ensure the information on this site is accurate, current and useful, however, we do not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information related to medicine. We are not doctors -- if you have a medical condition, please consult your doctor.
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