6 Best Cheap Mattress for 2025
My fellow CNET sleep editors and I choose mattresses based on firmness, feel, performance, durability, features and brand policies. For example, we tested the bed by lying on it, testing edge support and motion isolation, and switching between sleeping positions. We also test mattress firmness using our proprietary machine, aptly named the Mattress Smasher 9000. This heavy-duty tool presses into the middle of the bed, and our corresponding software measures the firmness of the mattress on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest. While we also personally tested each bed’s firmness and feel, we have the MS9000’s data to back up our conclusions.
Here are the numbers we got when we tested the cheapest bed using the Mattress Smasher 9000. Ranked from softest to hardest, here’s how mattresses score on the firmness scale.
However, for this list, price and value are the two main metrics we examine. What we consider “cheap” mattresses range in price from $300 to $800 (after discounts) and are very basic models, often flagship models. They don’t have to have any fancy bells and whistles, but the mattress chosen will still be a comfortable, high-quality bed at an affordable price.
Learn more about our sleep team, Mattress Warehouse, Mattress Smasher 9000 and How we test mattresses.
