Mattress Topper Advantages and Disadvantages → Based On Data From 27,000 Actual Owners
Below are the pros and cons of mattress toppers in general, whether they be memory foam, latex, feather, fiber or wool.
Topper Advantages
Revitalize Aging Mattress
A topper can often bring improved comfort and support to an aging mattress. If you are on a budget, a mattress topper can be a smart investment since it can provide many of the advantages of a new mattress for a fraction of the cost.
Better Sleep and Less Pain
About 15% of owners said that their pad has provided them with better sleep. About 7% report experiencing less pain, especially back pain.
Provide Different Firmness and "Feel" To Existing Mattress
If you have a newer mattress that does not meet your personal preference for comfort and support, a mattress topper can alter the feel of the bed to better suit you. For example, you can buy a topper that will make the mattress less firm.
Differing firmness for same mattress
If two people sleep on the same bed and have different firmness preferences, a topper can be added to one side of the bed to, in effect, provide different firmness levels for each side. This avoids having two people sleep in separate beds or having to buy a bed with adjustable firmness for each side. Read more.
Try Before You Buy
A topper allows you to try out bedding material, such as memory foam, to see if you may like an entire bed made from the topper material. Also, because of the low cost of many toppers, there's less risk and hassle if you don't like a topper than if you don't like a new mattress. In addition, sleeping on a topper made of material you might buy in a mattress in the future let's you ease the transition from your current bed to the new one.
Topper Disadvantages
Limited Effectiveness
While a topper can improve many aging mattresses, it is not a miracle worker. If your mattress has sink holes, dramatic sagging and popping springs, the topper will be of only limited help.
Improper Fit / Too Small
A significant number of owners (about 5%) in our research found it difficult to fit the topper properly to their mattress. For example, buying a queen size topper did not necessarily ensure that it would properly fit the dimensions of their queen size bed. This improper fit may make sleeping near the edges of the mattress uncomfortable as well as give an awkward appearance to the bed.
Slides Around / Bunches Up
Since the topper is not an integrated part of the mattress, it can move around independently of the bed at least somewhat, even if well secured. About 3% of owners complained about this issue.