TOP 4 Best Memory Foam Mattresses in Canada
Tired of a mattress that squeaks or doesn’t provide enough sinkage? Often mattresses that don’t contain memory foam aren’t as pressure relieving, which can lead to tension buildup and sore muscles over time.
Choosing a new memory foam mattress is one of the best ways to improve your bed. But how do you know which memory foam is the right one?
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our top picks for the best memory foam mattresses in Canada. We’ve researched these mattresses already, so you don’t have to, and we will share some tips on choosing the right one for your home.
Let’s dive in.
A Quick Preview
- Best Overall — Novosbed Mattress
- Best Memory Foam Mattress for Back Pain — Puffy Mattress
- Best for Hot Sleepers — Ghostbed Mattress
- Best for Side Sleepers — Douglas Original Mattress
Our Review of the 4 Best Memory Foam Mattresses in Canada
Best Overall — Novosbed Mattress
Highlights:
- Cool-to-the-touch cover and open-cell memory foam help to keep you free from night sweats.
- The strong core makes for durable edges so you can get in and out of bed more easily.
- The top cover can be easily removed for machine washing.
The Novosbed is my best overall memory foam mattress in Canada due to its excellent sinkage, pressure relief, and quick recovery. The Novosbed has about 0.58 inches less sinkage than the Puffy Mattress, so you’re not as deep in the layers. This, however, is balanced out by fast-acting foam, which molds and springs back to changes in pressure so you don’t feel stuck. I felt enough sinkage for the Novosbed to redistribute my weight and was comfortable during the tests.
The Novosbed had excellent pressure relief due to this fair amount of sinkage, and I didn’t experience any tension build-up, even when on my side.
Another feature that makes the Novosbed stand out is its quick recovery. The open-cell memory foam quickly responded to my weight, so I could easily change positions. I also recorded 0.8 seconds between the Novosbed and the Puffy, with the Novosbed slightly faster to recover from compressions. This means the Novosbed has a good balance between absorbing motion and responding to your motion, so you can enjoy not feeling every bump from a partner and also not feel like you’re sleeping in quicksand.
Key Decision Factors
Pressure Relief: The Novosbed has excellent pressure relief. I rated it a 9 due to its thick 4 inches of comfort material and its 1.91 inches of sinkage measured from my tests. I felt most comfortable on my back, with a good mix of support and cradling.
Motion Isolation: The Novosbed has high motion-isolating properties, as I noticed it absorbed enough motion so I didn’t disturb my partner throughout the night.
Support: I rated the Novosbed at a 7 for firmness, meaning it’s a good balance between cradling and support to keep your hips and spine aligned.
My Experience
I found the Novosbed was slightly too firm on my side. However, I was very comfortable on my back and stomach. It has enough firmness on my stomach, especially to help me feel supported and tension-free.
Design and Construction
The Novosbed has a simple yet effective design, starting with its cover. It’s soft to the touch, with not too much spring. Its material, Tencel, has unique cooling properties. I noticed it trapped heat less than traditional cotton covers. On top of this, the cover is removable. I could take it off via zippers in seconds and throw it in the wash.
The first comfort layer of the Novosbed is its 2 inches of open-cell memory foam. This layer is made to disperse heat, and along with the cover, I noticed I never felt exceptionally hot. It’s also very cradling with a quick response time, so I could sink in and not feel restricted.
The second layer of the Novosbed is its 2 inches of transition foam, which feels firmer than the open-cell memory foam above it. I noticed I sank less deeply into this layer and was balanced out in the mattress.
The 7-inch supportive core is the last layer that makes up the Novosbed and is responsible for durability and enhancing support. I could lie on my back and feel the core keeping my hips in line with my spine while allowing for a fair amount of cradling comfort, and I felt very comfortable.
Based on Our Review
Our research indicates that the Novosbed is a mattress with excellent balance between pressure relief and support. I could lie on the mattress unrestricted and feel my spine supported. It does feel slightly firmer and may feel more comfortable for lightweight back sleepers instead of side sleepers.
Recommended For:
- Active couples. The Novosbed offers quick response time while still absorbing motion, allowing you not to feel every bump in the night while also allowing for quick and unrestricted movement across the bed.
- Heavier sleepers. The Novosbed feels slightly firmer and can handle more weight, making it an excellent option for average or heavier sleepers who need extra support.
Pros:
- Excellent support for spinal alignment
- Easy-to-remove cover
- Excellent cooling technology in the cover and top layer to disperse heat
- Good edge support to allow the entire bed width’s use
Cons:
- Slightly expensive price tag
- Too firm for lightweight side sleepers
Check Current Price on Novosbed.com
Best Memory Foam Mattress for Back Pain — Puffy Mattress
Highlights:
- Easy-to-remove cover for fast and effective room tidying.
- Thick comfort layers allow for deep sinkage, which can relieve pressure.
- Slow-adaptive memory foam layers respond slowly to motion, helping keep you and your partner from disturbing one another at night.
The Puffy is my best memory foam mattress for back pain due to its slow-adaptive layers, motion-isolating properties, and removable cover. The Puffy is 0.8 seconds slower at adapting to body weight than the Novosbed, meaning it restricts motion slightly more, but offers more pressure relief and motion isolation. Slow-adapting foam means your body’s weight is more closely hugged and redistributed over a wider area. I could feel the cloud-like ‘weightlessness’ that’s commonly associated with memory foam.
This slow adaptiveness also means the Puffy can isolate significant motion. I found from my tests that my partner felt minimal bounces during the night, which isn’t enough to significantly disturb sleep.
Another feature that the Puffy is excellent for is its removable cover, similar to the Novosbed. Through its zippers, I could remove it effortlessly in a few seconds and throw it in the wash. The Puffy mattress stayed fresher for me and made cleaning much easier.
Key Decision Factors
Pressure Relief: The Puffy’s thick, 2.5 inches of sinkage greatly redistributes my body weight. I gave the Puffy a rating of 9 for pressure relief, as I noticed no tension build-up and experienced cloud-like comfort.
Motion Isolation: The Puffy has excellent motion isolation, with its layers responding after 1.7 seconds from compressions. This is slow enough to trap the most significant motions during the night. I noticed my partner slept disturbance-free with this mattress.
Support: The Puffy is moderately firm, which I rated at a 7. The top layers cushioned me very well. The layers below quickly supported me and prevented my hips from sinking too deeply, making the Puffy a good option for a supportive mattress.
My Experience
I felt the most comfortable on my side, sinking into the top layers comfortably without any tension building up. I did notice the top layer compress significantly, but this sinkage does play a role in Puffy’s classic memory foam feel, so I never felt the compression was too much.
Design and Construction
The Puffy has an intuitive design based on comfort, starting with its cover. It’s made of polyester and lycra, so I noticed a fair amount of stretch when pulling on it, and it bounced back quickly. The cover is also machine washable, which I found easy to remove with the help of zippers.
The first layer of the Puffy consists of 2 inches of gel memory foam, which was super soft and dense to lie on. I sank in deeply through this layer and could feel how well it hugged my body.
The second layer of the Puffy is a 2-inch transition layer made of highly dense, slightly firmer memory foam. When sinking through the top layer, this layer provides a nice buffer between the softer upper layers and the firm core. I felt supported as well as cushioned with this layer.
The firm core that makes up the base of the Puffy is 6 inches thick and made of dense polyfoam, giving structure and shape to the mattress. This layer most supported my hips and spine, as I felt I was adequately kept level during my tests.
Based on Our Review
Our tests show that the Puffy mattress is an excellent choice for classic memory foam fans. It’s soft and cradling with a lot of sinkage, which I found was excellent. The extra sinkage ensured I felt no pressure points or discomfort on my side.
Recommended For:
- Fans of the classic memory foam feel. The Puffy offers generous body-hugging with its slow-moving layers, making it an excellent fit if you enjoy sleeping ‘in’ your bed instead of ‘on’ it.
- Restless couples. The Puffy’s slow-moving foam layers work great for muffling most movement, which can help you fall asleep with fewer disturbances if you have a restless partner.
Pros:
- Excellent motion isolation
- Great pressure relief due to its deep sinkage
- Easy-to-wash cover
- Good edge support
Cons:
- Slightly expensive price tag
- Too soft for heavier sleepers over 230 pounds
Check Current Price on Puffy.ca
Best for Hot Sleepers — Ghostbed Mattress
Highlights:
- Gel memory foam helps to draw away and disperse heat, helping you sleep cooler.
- Aerated latex layer is responsive and cushioning, providing pressure relief.
- Durable foam edges help keep you supported so you don’t feel like you’ll fall out of bed.
The GhostBed is my best memory foam mattress for hot sleepers due to its use of latex and gel memory foam, its responsiveness, and its fair price point. The GhostBed is 5.4 degrees hotter than our best overall mattress, the Novosbed. However, that doesn’t mean the Ghostbed can’t still offer a good level of coolness during the night. It uses latex for airflow, and the gel foam layer underneath helps to draw away excess heat. During my tests, I never overheated while using the Ghostbed, and felt comfortably temperature neutral.
In addition, GhostBed’s use of a latex layer gives it extra bounce and responsiveness compared to other memory foam mattresses. This latex gives it a bit of extra bounce, slightly higher than the Novosbed by 1.1 inches. Although the GhostBed works better regarding fast responsiveness and unrestricted movement, I noticed the latex does not cradle the body as closely as the Novosbed.
The Ghostbed also offers a fair price point, being $557 less expensive than the Novosbed and $457 less expensive than the Puffy. It feels slightly slight less body-hugging due to its use of latex, but you will still find it has a good memory foam feel due to the gel memory foam included.
Key Decision Factors
Pressure Relief: With a medium firmness of 6.5, and the use of latex, I gave the GhostBed a pressure relief feel of 8.5. It doesn’t conform as much to the body but still redistributes weight effectively.
Motion Isolation: The GhostBed has fair motion isolation, able to isolate some motion moderately quickly. I recorded 4 inches between my compression tests and my testing glass.
Support: I rated the GhostBed’s firmness at 6.5, just within the parameters for good quality support for the lumbar and spine.
My Experience
I easily sank through the latex layers and into the cradling comfort of the memory foam layer below. However, lightweight sleepers under 130 pounds may not experience as much pressure relief as they would like.
Design and Construction
The GhostBed has a unique design for responsive comfort and coolness. Its cover is polyester and viscous, which I noticed gave the fabric a slight stretch and softness.
Its first layer is 1.5 inches of aerated latex, making it lighter than normal latex and more breathable. I noticed this layer had good responsiveness without conforming to the body as much as memory foam might and experienced excellent pressure relief.
The second layer is 2 inches of gel memory foam, which offers more sinkage and pressure relief and helps disperse heat. I sunk into this layer moderately and enjoyed its extra cushioning, coupled with the latex layer.
The base layer is 7.5 inches of high-density foam, which creates a supportive structure to carry body weight along the mattress’s surface evenly. I felt my spine well-supported after sinking through the first two layers, and the firm core balanced me out.
Based on Our Review
Based on my tests, The GhostBed’s responsive layers create a cradled yet supported feeling. I never felt ‘stuck’ in the layers while lying on my side or back.
Recommended For:
- Sleepers who prefer unrestricted movement. The GhostBed’s latex layer gives enough bounce to free you up, making sleeping position changes throughout the night easy.
- Hot sleepers. The GhostBed’s latex and gel memory foam layers circulate and draw heat away, helping your temperature stay neutral.
Pros:
- Good cooling technology
- Excellent responsiveness for unrestricted movement
- Good pressure relief
- Good price point
Cons:
- Too firm for lightweight sleepers
- Non-removable cover
Check Current Price on GhostBed.ca
Best for Side Sleepers — Douglas Original Mattress
Highlights:
- The ecoLight® foam is motion-isolating, helping to keep you from being jostled by a restless partner.
- Douglas uses a removable cover, allowing for easy removal and washing.
- Elastex® foam feels similar to latex, giving a good mix of support and responsiveness.
The Douglas Original is my best mattress for side sleepers due to its ecoLight® foam, excellent edge support, and removable cover. Its ecoLight® foam allows for excellent pressure relief and is incredibly soft, softer than the Puffy on the firmness scale by 1 unit. I noticed that this foam layer did great for body cradling as well as muffling most movement from my partner.
The Douglas Original uses a supportive core along with Elastex® foam that helps give better strength to the edge. I was well-supported on the edge and could use the full bed width without feeling unstable.
In addition, the Douglas Original has a removable cover, which I could take off effortlessly for a quick wash. This is similar to the Novosbed and the Puffy.
Key Decision Factors
Pressure Relief: With its mix of ecoLight® and Elastex® foam, the Douglas Original contours the body’s shape excellently for good pressure relief, which I rated at a 9.
Motion Isolation: I recorded 2 inches between the glass and my compression tests, making the Douglas Original an excellent option for great motion isolation.
Support: The Douglas Original had a 6 for firmness, making it slightly softer than what I look for regarding support. However, my spine remained neutral during all my tests, and I felt supported.
My Experience
The Douglas Original combines everything great about a memory foam mattress. I found it responsive, conforming to my body, and isolating most motion for undisturbed sleep.
Design and Construction
The Douglas has a construction made to be soft and conforming, starting with its CoolSense® cover. The cover is soft to the touch, and I noticed it helped to wick away any excess moisture during the night.
The 2 inches of ecoLight® foam help disperse heat and cradle the body, which I readily sank into. Under that is 2 inches of Elastex® foam, which has a bit more bounce and support like latex, and helped me from feeling stuck in the mattress.
The 6 inches of supportive high-density foam below helped keep the spine aligned and reduce movement from traveling across the bed, and I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud with these layers combined.
Based on Our Review
After putting it to the test, I found the Douglas has a good mix of conformity and support that the best memory foam mattresses have. Its high-density foam was stable, even on the edge, and I didn’t feel like I was at risk of falling out, which is sometimes hard for memory foam to accomplish.
Recommended For:
- Sleepers who enjoy extra cradling. The Douglas Original contours to the body very well, which can even out pressure points, even the ones on the shoulders and hips for side sleepers.
- Sleepers who need extra edge support. The Douglas Original uses sturdy and stable foams that can support weight even on the edge of the bed, ensuring you have a stable surface.
Pros:
- Good edge support
- Easy-to-remove cover
- Excellent motion isolation
- Great pressure relief
Cons:
- Not enough bounce for quick movements
- Too soft for heavier sleepers over 230 pounds
Check Current Price on Douglas.ca
How to Choose the Best Memory Foam Mattress in Canada?
To choose the best memory foam mattress in Canada, there are a few points to keep in mind:
- The memory foam’s density.
- It’s thickness.
- It’s pressure relief and motion isolation capabilities.
Mattress Density
Memory foam with a density of at least 4 pounds per cubic inch typically indicates it’s dense enough to support and cradle your weight. A higher density typically means it can relieve pressure better, making memory foam a key component in some of the best mattresses for side sleepers in Canada. Higher density also ensures better support, which research from the NIH says can help maintain a healthy spinal alignment (1).
Mattress Thickness
Memory foam mattresses that are at least 8-10 inches thick with comfort layers at least 3-4 inches thick typically mean the mattress has enough material to support and cushion you adequately. Even some of the best RV mattresses in Canada use memory foam for its cushioning power, despite having a lower profile.
Mattress Pressure Relief and Motion Isolation Capabilities
Pressure relief and motion isolation are part and parcel of the best luxury mattresses in Canada, which are accomplished using highly dense and thick memory foam. Motion isolation can help you stay asleep without disturbances as the memory foam absorbs your motion and the motion of a partner beside you.
Pressure relief is enhanced by memory foam as it reacts to your body heat, curving more closely to your body and spreading your weight more efficiently (2). This benefit can help you feel weightless while sleeping when looking for the best Canadian memory foam mattress.
FAQ:
How many inches of memory foam is best?
The memory foam comfort layers should be between 3-5 inches to allow enough material to capture your body weight and spread it evenly for pressure relief.
What should you look for in a memory foam mattress?
You should look for a density of at least 4 pounds per cubic inch for the density of a memory foam mattress to ensure it is supportive and cradling.
Conclusion
When choosing the best Canadian memory foam mattress, looking for good density, support, motion isolation, and pressure relief is essential. These features help ensure you’re comfortable and supported in the memory foam layers without feeling stuck.
In my opinion, the Novosbed is my best memory foam mattress in Canada. It has excellent motion isolation and pressure relief, making me feel like I was sleeping in a cloud without falling into quicksand. Overall, I found it comfortable, plus I enjoyed its removable cover for an easier time keeping my bed fresh.
Additional Resources
- NIH National Library of Medicine (2019.) Sleeping mattress determinants and evaluation: a biomechanical review and critique. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6348954/
- WebMD (2010.) Memory Foam: Pros and Cons. Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/memory-foam-pros-and-cons
