7 of the best soft mattresses of 2025

Over the years of mattress testing, we’ve created tests that we use to evaluate mattresses based on key factors.

Firmness and feeling

You can think of firmness as how firm or soft a mattress feels when you lie on it. We’ve tested hundreds of mattresses and have an extensive catalog to compare with every new bed we test.

When evaluating the feeling, we treat the bed well. As we press down on the bed, we watch what the material does. Does it take a second to bounce back like traditional memory foam, or is it fast and bouncy like latex foam?

durability

Mattresses don’t last forever, and you want to buy one that does. Based on its construction, we assume how well the mattress will withstand overnight use. Beds with steel coils as a base usually last longer than all-foam mattresses.

Motion isolation

Motion isolation is how well a mattress dampens movement across the surface. It’s a big problem for people who sleep with a partner or pet who moves around at night. We jump and bounce on the mattress to isolate motion and see how much motion is detected. We also place a cup of water on the edge of the bed and roll and bounce near it. If it doesn’t tip over, the mattress has good motion isolation.

Edge support

Mattress edge support is how strong the perimeter of the bed is. We lie down and sit on the edge of the mattress and evaluate its firmness. If we feel like we are going to fall, it means that the bed does not have good support for its edge.

temperature

People who sleep extremely hot need to look for mattresses with cooling technology. Many mattresses claim to have this, but we know the difference between marketing and building cooling that will actually keep you cool.

CNET Sleep editors choose the beds and other products we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about How we test mattresses.