How To Pick The Best Latex Mattress In 2022

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Updated on October 12, 2022

We spend more time in bed than in any other location. The average person spends over 300 months sleeping throughout their life according to a simple formula based on a person averaging eight hours of sleep per night. Now, what this means is that as sleepers, we spend one-third of our lives in bed. Considering we spend so much time laying down asleep, it’s important that we do it on the right surface i.e the best mattress for the money you’re willing to part with; there are several types available for purchase, and whether you have the best air mattress, innerspring, or memory foam, nothing quite compares to the quality of a latex mattress. In this section, we’ll be looking at this type further in-depth, and discuss buying tips and general info.

When it comes to buying the perfect mattress it can be difficult to find one that is affordable. However, below you will find our roundup list of the top-rated and best latex mattresses available on the market today, which will unlikely hurt any wallet yet give 100% satisfaction.

Latex Mattress Buying Guide

How Is A Latex Mattress Made?

Before latex becomes tailored and manufactured into a luxury natural mattress, beautifully stitched and seamed, it begins as milky white-colored substance that around 10% of flowering plants from trees produce (also called angiosperms). The chemical make-up includes a complex emulsion of proteins, alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, resins, and tannins. Once the milky substance is extracted from the flowering plant it thickens upon contact with air and takes on a gummy consistency. While most organic latex found in nature is a white color, it has also found to be yellow, orange, or even a reddish color. It has been synthetically created in labs by scientists, polymerizing a monomer like a styrene and emulsifying it with surfactants. This is all later blended using either a Dunlop or Talalay process to form the bulk of the end product you sleep on.

Why Buy A Latex Mattress?

How To Buy The Best Latex Mattress

Your first step on the path to owning a purchase worthy natural latex mattress is to determine your specific needs from the mattress. For example, do you need something specifically to target back pain? Do you need a mattress for your child? Do you share a bed with someone? Is your choice primarily dependent on budget? These are all questions that you should consider.

Once you have determined your needs, narrow down furthermore with information provided in this buying guide. For example, see which mattress offers the best support, comfort and material composition that you like.

When it comes to latex, ask yourself if you want to pay a little more for natural, or pay less for blended and synthetic options. Also, know the difference between the Dunlop and Talalay processing methods.

When reading through some of the guides on BetterSlumber.com, you may see bullet point headings which say “Best For.” Take note of these, as they are based on our experience and user ratings. However, please note that our advice is impartial and unbiased. It serves us no purpose to say one mattress is better than the other when rating for specific criteria.

Lastly, determine and evaluate the additional company benefits on offer by the company. For example, the length of warranty. The good companies that know their product is high-quality and legitimate will generally offer a minimum ten-year warranty. Sleep trial is also important. The longer, the better, as it can take some time to get used to your new mattress. Shipping is usually free, but some people may require white glove delivery (which often comes at an additional cost, but, is offered for free by a select few companies).

General Consumer Views

The general consensus and latex mattress reviews from consumers are significantly positive; many customers in today’s market actually prefer them over other types of material. They are known for their support, especially helpful for customers who suffer from back pain. A top rated latex foam mattress will be extremely durable and tend to have a longer life span than other types, such as a spring coil (innerspring). Also, they may be more expensive than other variants. However, overall, the overwhelming majority of customers rate these as the most comfortable mattress to get a good night’s sleep on.

Are Latex Mattresses Good For Back Pain?

Back pain is one of the main triggers for people changing their mattress. It’s usually when people begin to wake up with bad backs that they consider buying a new mattress.

If you are suffering from any type of back issues, especially lower back pain, a latex mattress could be your savior. The comfortable yet firm, responsive, and supportive nature of a latex mattress is a perfect choice for prevention and pain relief.

Most chiropractors and orthopedic specialists with good knowledge of mattresses recommend latex options.

Latex Mattresses and Sharing Couples

Some people will be buying a mattress to share with a partner. There are at least three important things to consider when sleeping in the same bed as someone else.
The first is size. Most people are restricted to the size of their new mattresses because of either room size, or existing bed size. If these restrictions don’t apply to you, buy the biggest you can afford. You won’t regret the extra cost.

Secondly, latex mattresses have the added benefit of better motion isolation in comparison to some other kinds, which is important for people who share a bed. We say some because they’re not as good as memory foam, but better than spring. A good motion isolation mattress means the other person will not be disturbed while one tosses and turns.

Lastly, let’s talk about sex. Generally, sex is a very physical activity which can get very bouncy and involve a lot of moving around. Latex is perfect for this, because it provides a somewhat springy and bouncy ability. We’d say it’s not quite as bouncy as an innerspring mattress, and not as restrictive as memory foam, but somewhere in between, which makes it ideal for sex.

One popular reason why people buy an organic latex mattress is because they’re viewed as being the healthy and “green” choice. This is because the mattresses are made up of naturally occurring substances, such as ethically sourced latex (from the sap of a rubber tree), cotton, and wool.

The hypoallergenic material is also pest resistant and has anti-microbial properties. Recently companies have begun marketing the latex foam mattress as the perfect answer to customers who have asthma, certain allergies, or any combination of the two.

Additionally, latex is odorless and gives off no foul smell (or off-gassing), which has become common in most memory foam mattresses for sale in today’s market.

Some Certifications To Look Out For

Anything that has undergone rigorous testing and is certified is a bonus because this ensures that added compliance and safety measures have been met to warrant the prestigious seal of approval. A good latex mattress, because they are deemed organic and eco-friendly, will generally come with numerous certifications. In particular you should look out for the following:

  • Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS): Ensures the latex used is pure, offering healthy  and non-toxic sleep. 
  • GOTS Certified Organic Cotton: Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) ensures the cotton is manufactured using the best practices in the environment and with social responsibility. 
  • GOTS Certified Organic Wool: Like with the cotton, it ensures that any wool used is manufactured using the best practices.
  • GreenGuard Gold Certified: Guarantees that your latex mattress isn’t emitting harmful chemicals into your home. 
  • Oeko-Tex® certification: Ensures that the textiles you’ll be sleeping on used in the mattress are the highest quality hypo allergenic materials available. 
  • eco-INSTITUT: The mattress is tested for volatile organic compounds, which ensures content analysis, emissions testing, odour testing, toxicological and ecological evaluations.

Latex Mattress Pros and Cons

The benefits of a latex mattress are hard to deny. However there are also some disadvantages. Here are some of them listed below:

Pros

  • Latex, whether natural, blended or synthetic is extremely durable, mostly outliving all other types of mattress.
  • It retains its firmness over time and does not begin to sag as some other materials do.
  • Hypoallergenic, resistant to dust mites, mold and mildew.
  • Offers good support and back pain relief.
  • Good motion isolation properties means less disruption for couples.
  • Doesn’t trap body heat, so sleeps cool.

Cons

  • Latex mattresses are one of the most expensive types.
  • There isn’t a huge amount of choice on the market, compared to spring and foam options.
  • Not suited for anyone with a latex allergy in the household.

Latex Mattress FAQ’s

Will I get hot using a latex mattress?

In short, no. Latex mattresses are are very breathable, meaning air can flow easily through the mattress core. This eliminates the build up of trapped body heat, something that memory foam mattresses are notorious for. In particular, Talalay latex mattresses are the most beathable, meaning they sleep the coolest.

How much do latex mattresses cost?

The best latex mattresses are ones which are all-latex and natural. These can cost in the region of $1200 all the way up to $2500+ for a luxury option (Queen size). A cheap latex mattress would be a synthetic or blended type, which you can buy online for around $700-$850.

What is ILD?

Impression load deflection (or ILD), is the rating that measures the softness or firmness of a mattress. More specifically it refers to how much pressure is required to indent the mattress by 25%. As a guide, below are the common ratings you’ll see for ILD in latex mattresses and how they translate to firmness levels: 

  • Very Soft: 16 and below
  • Soft: 19-21
  • Medium: 24-26
  • Medium-Firm: 29-31
  • Firm: 34-36
  • Very Firm: 39 and above

Are latex mattresses good for kids?

Latex mattresses are among the best for kids. This is because many of the high-end luxury latex mattresses come with so many eco-friendly certifications, which ultimately ensure your child is sleeping on the safest surface possible.

How long can a latex mattress last?

An all-latex mattress, or even a hybrid latex and spring option can easily last over 10 years.

Natural latex is one of the most durable materials used in the mattress industry. The micro-organisms that can inhabit other types of materials cannot live and thrive on this kind. It is resistant to dust mites, mold and mildew, meaning the material will degrade at a much lower rate than memory foam. 

Can you flip a latex mattress?

Like all mattresses, some latex mattresses are made 2-sided and can be flipped, while others are made 1-sided and cannot be flipped. Usually the manufacturer will advertise it heavily if theirs is flippable.

Do latex mattresses sag?

Latex is naturally very resilient, which makes it less prone to sag. Eventually, after many years of usage it will sag, but not sooner than memory foam or innerspring.

Our Favorite Latex Mattress

PlushBeds Botanical Bliss

PlushBeds Botanical Bliss

“Helps to relieve aches and pains & promote deep sleep.”

Check This Product
Editor’s Pick

Finding The Best Latex Mattress

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Online Deals Validated
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Sources Researched
1
Hours Of Research
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Latex Mattresses Evaluated

To present the best latex mattress, we first evaluated 24 mattresses and then narrowed it down to just 10. We then checked 12 different sources for data validation which totalled 50 hours of research. Below you’ll find some of the criteria we evaluated when finalizing our roundup:

  • The type of latex processing method used in its construction i.e, dunlop or talalay
  • The amount of latex used
  • How pure or synthetic the latex is
  • How comfortable and supportive the mattress is
  • All other perks such as warranty and sleep trials

Here’s our top rated picks at a glance

Conclusion

Buying an all latex mattress might seem like an expensive choice when compared to the likes of memory foam, hybrid, or innerspring. However, latex mattresses are the cream of the crop, and they are for a number of reasons as you’ve seen in this buying guide above.

When it comes to choosing the best latex mattress, it’s hard to recommend a single pick from our experience, because we like all of them. The option you want will depend on things like price, trial length, and of course, the firmness levels. Hopefully, shortlisting a few of the top picks, to begin with, will help further narrow down to the number one choice.

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