Best Cheap Mattresses of 2025

My fellow CNET sleep editors and I chose the mattress based on stiffness, feel, performance, durability, functionality and brand policy. For example, test edge support and motion separation, then switch sleep positions to test the bed. We also test the hardness of the mattress with our own machine, named the Mattress Smasher 9000. This heavy duty tool pushes into the middle of the bed, and the corresponding software measures the hardness on a scale of 1-10. 10 is solid. I also personally test each bed for perceived stiffness and feel, but I have the MS9000 data to back up the conclusion.

Here’s the data we tested the best cheap beds on the Mattress Smasher 9000: Sort from the softest bed to the firmest bed, showing how the mattress scored on our solid scale.

However, specifically, price and value were two of the main metrics we looked into. The mattresses we consider to be “cheap” are very basic and often flagship models, ranging from $300 to $800 (after the discount is applied). They don’t have to have flashy bells or whistles, but the chosen mattress is still a comfortable, high quality bed at an affordable price.

Sleep Team, Mattress Warehouse, Mattress Smasher 9000, and How to test your mattress.