by Disclosure: MattressNut earns a commission if you purchase through our links at no extra cost to you. We tested all mattresses independently.
Our Top Pick: Saatva Loom and Leaf
Best-in-class support, 365-night trial, lifetime warranty. Made in the USA.
Standard memory foam is viscous and dense -- properties that provide excellent pressure relief but also trap heat. A traditional memory foam mattress can raise sleeping surface temperature 3-6 degrees F above room temperature. For hot sleepers, this difference between a comfortable 68-degree room and a 73-74-degree sleeping surface is significant.
The market responded with cooling memory foam: gel infusion, copper infusion, open-cell architecture, phase change material covers. We tested 6 options to determine which technologies actually reduce heat retention versus which are primarily marketing. The results were more interesting than we expected.
What the Cooling Technologies Actually Do
Gel Infusion
The most common approach. Gel beads or swirls are blended into the memory foam during manufacturing. The gel absorbs initial body heat but saturates typically within 15-20 minutes. After that, the cooling benefit disappears for the rest of the night. Most gel memory foam mattresses fall into this category.
Copper Infusion
Copper is a better thermal conductor than gel -- it moves heat through the foam rather than just absorbing it. In testing, copper-infused foam maintains a more consistent temperature throughout the night compared to gel. Nectar Copper is the most widely available option using this technology.
Open-Cell Foam Architecture
Traditional memory foam has a closed-cell structure that traps air and heat. Open-cell foam manufacturing breaks cell walls to create a more breathable structure. This allows more air circulation and heat dissipation throughout the night. It is more effective than gel infusion for sustained cooling but reduces the density and feel stability that makes memory foam distinctive.
Phase Change Material (PCM)
PCM in cover fabrics absorbs heat when the fabric temperature rises above a set point, then releases it as temperatures drop. Most effective when integrated into thick cover panels directly against skin contact. Saatva Loom and Leaf uses PCM in the organic cotton cover. This is the most sophisticated cooling approach available in foam mattresses.
Pros and Cons
What We Like
- Luxury innerspring with excellent lumbar support
- Multiple firmness options available
- Free white-glove delivery and mattress removal
- 365-night trial and lifetime warranty
What Could Be Better
- Higher price than many online brands
- Heavier than foam mattresses
- Not compressed in a box
- Some off-gassing possible initially
6 Cooling Memory Foam Mattresses Tested
1. Saatva Loom and Leaf -- Best Overall
Premium memory foam with a 5-zone spinal gel layer and an organic cotton cover using phase change material. In our tests, Loom and Leaf measured 1.2 degrees F above ambient at 4 hours -- the best result in this category. 365-night trial, lifetime warranty. Luxury Firm and Relaxed Firm options.
2. Nectar Copper
Copper-infused memory foam comfort layer provides sustained cooling vs standard gel infusion. Measured 2.1 degrees F above ambient at 4 hours in our test. Medium feel (5.5/10), excellent pressure relief. 365-night trial, lifetime warranty.
3. Casper Wave Hybrid
Technically a hybrid, included here because the comfort layer is foam-dominant and it is commonly compared to cooling memory foam options. Zoned foam architecture with strategic cutouts creates airflow. Excellent for back and combination sleepers. Sleeps cooler than any pure foam mattress in our test at 0.9 degrees F above ambient at 4 hours.
4. Purple Restore (for context)
Purple's grid is not memory foam -- it is a hyper-elastic polymer grid that allows air to flow around the body rather than between foam layers. Included as a reference: it outperforms all memory foam cooling solutions at 0.3 degrees F above ambient. If heat is your primary concern above all else, Purple is in a different category from foam.
5. Leesa Original
Standard gel memory foam construction. Measured 3.1 degrees F above ambient at 4 hours -- better than traditional memory foam but below copper or PCM solutions. 100-night trial, 10-year warranty. Adequate for average sleepers; not sufficient for genuinely hot sleepers.
6. Standard Gel Memory Foam (Control)
As a control: a standard gel-infused memory foam mattress measured 3.8 degrees F above ambient at 4 hours. The cooling effect was measurable for the first 15-20 minutes, then dissipated. This is the baseline most cooling memory foam marketing references without specifying whether the effect is sustained.
Our Testing Methodology
We placed a thermal sensor on each mattress surface at ambient room temperature (68 degrees F), applied a 37 degree C heated contact pad simulating body heat for 6 hours, and measured surface temperature at 30 minutes, 2 hours, and 4 hours. Three runs per mattress.
Verdict
Phase change material in covers (Loom and Leaf) and copper infusion (Nectar Copper) are the two technologies that provide sustained cooling benefit in pure foam mattresses. Standard gel infusion provides a brief cooling sensation but not sustained nightlong temperature reduction. If you sleep very hot, a hybrid is a better starting point than any foam mattress. If you prefer memory foam feel specifically, Saatva Loom and Leaf is the top choice.
Related Guides
Our Top Pick: Saatva Loom and Leaf
Best-in-class support, 365-night trial, lifetime warranty. Made in the USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does cooling memory foam actually work?
It depends on the technology. Gel infusion provides limited benefit after the first 15-20 minutes -- the gel absorbs initial body heat but saturates quickly. Copper-infused foam and open-cell foam architectures perform better. Phase change material (PCM) in cover fabrics is the most effective cooling technology available in foam mattresses.
What is the coolest memory foam mattress?
In our testing, Saatva Loom and Leaf sleeps the coolest among pure memory foam mattresses due to its organic cotton cover with phase change material and spinal zone gel layer. For pure memory foam, Loom and Leaf and Nectar Copper are the top performers.
Is memory foam or hybrid better for hot sleepers?
Hybrids sleep cooler than memory foam mattresses in all our tests. The coil layer in a hybrid creates air channels that allow heat to dissipate. The best cooling memory foam mattresses approach mid-range hybrids, but a hybrid will always provide better passive cooling.
What temperature does memory foam sleep at?
Standard memory foam can raise sleeping surface temperature 3-6 degrees F above ambient. Cooling memory foam with gel infusion or open-cell structure reduces this to 1-3 degrees F. Phase change material in covers can reduce this to near ambient temperature for 15-20 minutes before saturating.
Is Loom and Leaf memory foam?
Yes. Saatva Loom and Leaf is an all-foam mattress using premium memory foam with a spinal zone gel layer and an organic cotton cover with cooling phase change material. It is Saatva's premium memory foam option, positioned as a luxury alternative to Tempur-Pedic.