There is nothing more important than a good night’s sleep. Getting enough rest sets you up for a good day. As important as this is for adults, it’s even more important for kids. This is true whether they sleep in a traditional bed, bunk bed or sofa. Of course, the type of bed you have greatly affects the type of mattress you need. If you have a bunk bed, you’ll want to make sure that you find the best mattress for bunk beds, so that your little ones can get the rest they need.
Now, while it might seem straightforward to find a good mattress, that isn’t always the case. This is due to the ever-changing technological advances that companies continue to make in their manufacturing process. It can be quite dizzying to find the right mattress for your needs. Luckily, we have put together a comprehensive list of the eight top bunk bed mattresses available today. We took the time to compare all of the different mattresses on the market based on the reviews of satisfied customers, expert recommendations, and verified facts. This process has allowed us to find the best of the best mattresses for bunk beds out there so that you don’t have to spend much time.
Below, you’ll find a table that highlights our picks, as well as in-depth reviews of the mattresses we selected. You should also make sure to take the time to read our Buying Guide to find out all you need to know about the different features and considerations that are required to get the best bunk bed mattress for your needs.
This medium-firm feeling mattress is perfectly ideal for use on a bunk bed. It is 8 inches thick, making it just the right size to stay put and keep the user at the right height, which is super important when you have a little one high up on a top bunk.
This is a hybrid mattress, which combines soft and cozy memory foam on the top, with a more traditional innerspring system in the middle. When combined, these two systems provide a comfortable and supportive sleep experience that is tough to beat.
The memory foam on the top is encased in a soft, knit fabric cover, which will help to keep the memory foam from wearing out too quickly. The only problem with this, however, is that this makes the mattress a bit less breathable and therefore a bit warmer than some others that are available for purchase.
Making the transition from a crib to a bed for a child can be hard, but you can make the process easier with the LUCID LU05TTFR30GF Memory Foam Mattress. This mattress has a 1” layer of gel-infused foam that is specifically designed to house a smaller frame during sleep. We rest well when we feel cooler and this mattress has improved airflow and breathability to promote a good night’s sleep for your child.
The core of this mattress is a 4” layer of dense memory foam that is infused with bamboo charcoal that provides excellent hypoallergenic properties. This is a low-profile mattress that always smells fresh and it’s well-suited to smaller applications, including: cubbies, bunk beds, trundle beds and other tight areas. Lucid supplies this mattress with a Tencel cover which has hydrophilic nanofibers that maintain a comfortable level of moisture to keep the surface soft and improve the strength.
When it comes to kids mattresses, many parents search for a plush product. But, in recent years, many medical experts have recommended a firmer mattress. This mattress provides a lot of support to prevent joint and muscle misalignment which promotes deep and restful sleep. With these features you may expect the LUCID LU05TTFR30GF Memory Foam Mattress to have a hefty price tag. Yet, this is an affordable mattress with great features and it comes in a compressed form for easier shipping.
This set of mattresses (that’s right, it’s a set of two!) is a tremendous value. For basically the price of one mattress, you can have your whole bunk bed system covered with this purchase. Of course, you should make sure that the extra-firm firmness level is the right fit for your kids, or they might have a tough time getting enough rest.
The reason that these mattresses are so firm is easy to see. They are some of the thinnest mattresses out there, measuring a quite skinny 6 inches thick to fit in a bunk bed easily. The reason that they are so thin (and therefore so firm) is that they only have a thin layer of foam that covers their inner springs. While this thickness is ideal for use with bunk beds, the lack of padding might not be.
Since they are missing out on a good deal of padding that other mattresses have, you could expect that these mattresses might wear out relatively quickly. Luckily, if that should happen, they are covered by a ten-year warranty.
This is, without a doubt, one of the simplest and most straightforward mattresses out there. It has a slim foam topper, which covers over tempered steel coils. While this makes it sound as though it wouldn’t’ be all that durable, this is not the case. The steel coils are surprisingly strong and should last a good long while, even if you don’t remember to rotate the mattress all that often.
Of course, this firm mattress might not be the most comfortable on a bunk bed, since you cannot use a box spring with it. The metal coils, while very supportive, do not give a whole lot, which might make it harder for your little one to get comfortable.
While the first mattress on this list is, without a doubt, our number one, tip-top, absolute favorite, this one is a close second. You can only get it at one firmness setting, which is firm. So if you, or your child, really need a stiffer mattress, then look no further than this one right here!
It is an 8-inch thick mattress, which makes it ideal for use in bunk beds. It is constructed of three different layers. On the top and the bottom are memory foam for coolness and comfort, and in the middle are independently encased springs for support.
This design makes this one of the most durable mattresses out there. Why, you ask? To put it simply, it’s because you can flip the whole thing over and sleep on either side! This helps to reduce the wear and tear that the mattress is put through on a daily basis, and instead allows you to spread that same punishment out over many years.
The Aveline mattress from Modway is a simple, budget-friendly mattress that you can easily fit to any frame. The bed is just six inches thick and is built with a generous layer of memory foam on top of responsive base foam. Better yet, the memory foam is infused with gel to help keep you cool during warm summer nights. It’s also allergen-free and CertiPUR-US certified, and comes with a diamond-knit stretch cover for added comfort.
Users noted that this mattress feels surprisingly firm for foam. It’s best suited for back and stomach sleepers, and lighter sleepers at that. Heavy sleepers and side sleepers may be able to push far enough into the foam base to feel the impact of the bedframe beneath. On top of that, the memory foam layer is thin enough that you won’t sink overly deep beneath the surface.
That said, this bed is also available in 8- and 10-inch versions that come with thicker layers of memory foam. These can be good options for adult bunk beds, but they may be too thick to easily fit in some frames.
While some users noted a chemical smell when the mattress first arrives, it typically went away within an hour or two as the bed inflated.
This foam mattress from Inofia is designed to be highly responsive while still giving you the comfort of memory foam. The bed is built with three layers of foam: a thin layer of ECO memory foam, a thicker layer of comfort foam, and a base of support foam. The memory foam uses an open cell construction, which allows it to more easily transer air away from your body and makes it bouncier than standard memory foam so you don’t sink into the bed.
The bed is rated as being medium firm, which users felt was about right. Back sleepers enjoyed the bed most of all – and many were impressed at how comfortable it is given the affordable price tag – but some side and stomach sleepers also recommended this mattress. The comfort foam plays a big role in that appeal, since it cushions sleepers of all styles without creating pressure points as a traditional innerspring mattress might. Heavier sleepers may want to look into the eight-inch thick version of this mattress, which adds a bit more memory foam and comfort foam to the construction.
The bed is CertiPUR-US certified and doesn’t contain any fiberglass fire retardants. Users also appreciated that it doesn’t smell at all when it first arrives, so you can comfortably sleep in it the same night. Inofia backs up the mattress with a 10-year warranty.
The Nod mattress takes the design of the original Tuft & Needle bed and scales it down into an affordable offering that’s perfect for bunk beds. This mattress is just eight inches thick and features T&N’s proprietary adaptive foam, which is significantly more responsive than memory foam without being overly firm. In fact, it’s the adaptive foam that has made Tuft & Needle beds a favorite among side sleepers and stomach sleepers alike.
Users consistently comment that this bed doesn’t suck you in like a lot of other foam mattresses do. Rather, it conforms to your body to eliminate pressure points while still keeping you on top of the bed.
In the Nod, the open cell foam is combined with graphite and gel to help keep you cool throughout the night. That’s a big plus, and cooling is further helped by the knit cotton cover that comes on this mattress.
One of the best things about the Nod is that Tuft & Needle offers a 100-night sleep trial. So, unlike for a lot of beds in this price range, you can actually try it out to see whether it’s comfortable for you.
This mattress is CertiPUR-US certified and doesn’t arrive with any chemical odors, which is a plus if you need a bed you can sleep on right away. It also inflates in about two hours, rather than the advertised 72.
Olee Sleep 10 Inch Gel Infused Innerspring Mattress is a hybrid mattress, since it has both gel foam and innerspring support systems. These two systems are combined perfectly to provide a solid, yet comfortable medium-firm mattress that would be great for kids and adults alike.
Another great feature of this mattress is how cool it will keep the sleeper. The gel memory foam, which is embedded in the mattress near the top, allows for such a high level of breathability that you’ll hardly even notice that you’re against anything. Instead, you will simply be left with a cool and refreshing night’s rest.
Also, this mattress can rest on whatever you’ll place it: box spring, platform, or slats. It’s a good mattress for the price, and many customers noticed that it’s really comfortable. The 10-year warranty is another pleasant bonus.
You can also allow your children to sleep on this mattress comfortably, knowing that it has been thoroughly tested and has received both the CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX certifications. These two institutions have completely vetted this mattress, and have affirmed it to be both safe for use and absent of harmful substances or allergens.
This mattress, which is 8 inches thick, relies on a combination of two different types of foam (high-density and pressure relieving) and individual pocket springs to provide a medium firmness level sleeping experience. This size and firmness level makes a great choice for anyone but the youngest sleepers.
This mattress comes with a 20-year warranty, which is one of the longest warranties on the market. This is a good thing, too, since you will have to make sure that you rotate it often. The reason for this is that you don’t want to put too much wear and tear on the individual springs. Since they are not connected to a system, you run the risk of one spring or a couple of springs failing, which would create uncomfortable pressure points. If, however, the mattress is rotated every other month or so, this shouldn’t be an issue.
There are, of course, several different factors that you need to keep in mind when you are looking to get the best mattress for bunk beds. Be sure to read through these carefully, since each item is something to consider when you are ready to make a purchase.
There are several different types of mattress available for use with bunk beds. These include:
Since bunk beds are relatively shallow in comparison to other beds, you want to make sure that you get a mattress that isn’t too thick. Your best bet is to aim for something in the 6 inch to 10-inch thickness range. If you go any thicker than that you run the risk of falling overboard at night. Also, you can add waterproof mattress protector in case of an accident.
The firmness of the mattress describes how much give it will provide the sleeper. The firmer the mattress, the less the person laying on it will sink in. The firmness level of a bunk bed mattress depends on two things: the age of the child and their preferences.
If you are shopping for a bunk bed mattress for a younger kid, ages 4 or younger, you will want to go for a firmer mattress. This will help to ensure that there are no suffocation hazards. For an older child, the firmness level is more dependent on what they think is comfortable. Just like adults, some kids prefer softer mattresses, while others like the feel of a firmer bed.
Since we are focusing on bunk bed mattresses here, you will need to be sure that you are looking at twin size mattresses. Anything larger than that and you won’t be able to fit it on the bed properly.
Since you are most likely buying this mattress for a child, you want to be sure that you get one that has a high level of durability. Otherwise, you’ll have to replace it very quickly, which will end up wasting a ton of money.
If you have a younger child, it might not be a bad idea to invest in a waterproof mattress as well, since there is a good chance of nighttime accidents. This will add another layer of protection to help the mattress last even longer.
There are several different institutions and certification boards that certify mattresses. Each of them covers different types of mattresses and manufacturing processes. What you need to do is a consumer is to make sure that the mattress that you wish to purchase has a certification label on it. If it does not, it has not been thoroughly tested and will most likely be a poor quality product.
A hypoallergenic mattress will be made with materials that have been proven through trial and error and clinical studies to help eliminate allergic reactions in sleepers. Even if you don’t think your child is allergic to anything, the last time you want to find out is in the middle of the night when they can’t sleep because of their mattress.
The breathability of the mattress refers to how much airflow will be allowed to reach the sleeper during the night. This is an important consideration since a mattress lacking in breathability will make it difficult for the sleeper to regulate their body temperature, which will make for a fitful night’s rest.
Most bunk beds do not utilize box springs like regular, one-level beds. What this means for you is that you need to be sure to find a mattress that has enough support and durability built into it so that a box spring is unnecessary. If you don’t, then you run the risk of getting a high-quality and expensive mattress that will fall apart quickly because it wasn’t designed to be used without a box spring.
Every child is different, so you need to be sure that you take your own child’s individual needs into account when you are purchasing a mattress. Be sure that you think about the type of sleeper that they are, whether they prefer a firm or softer mattress, or have any allergy needs before you make your purchase.
So there you have it! Now you know everything that you need to make sure that you can get your hands on the best mattress for bunk beds! Hopefully, you can find the mattresses of your dreams after reading this article. Thank you so very much for taking the time to read it! Good luck, and sweet dreams!
