The Edit — Bedding
Mattress Topper vs Mattress Protector: You May Need Both
A topper changes how the bed feels; a protector keeps spills and sweat out of the mattress, and Sealy says a stain could void its warranty. What each does, which goes on top, and 5 picks.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick.Research-led, nothing handled. We may earn from links; it never changes a pick. How we choose
This page explains what a mattress topper and a mattress protector each do, using Sealy’s published warranty advice, with 5 picks chosen as How we choose describes. Nothing here was slept on, handled or tested.
Best for Most beds
Watch for Not an allergy cover
Best for A soft, quiet feel
Watch for Some find it warm
Best for Dust mites, bed bugs
Watch for Fiddly to fit
Best for A firm bed
Watch for Hot sleepers
Best for A soft, lofty feel
Watch for Less loft than hoped
A topper changes the feel; a protector keeps the mattress clean
The 2 do different jobs, and one never replaces the other. A topper is a 2 to 3 inch layer of foam, latex or feathers that changes how soft or firm the bed feels. A protector is a thin, usually waterproof cover that keeps spills, sweat and stains out of the mattress and barely changes the feel.
| Topper | Protector | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Changes softness or firmness | Keeps liquid and stains out |
| Typical depth | 2 to 3 inches | A thin fitted layer |
| Washing | Spot clean, or air it; check the label | Machine wash, as a sheet |
| Buy it when | The bed feels wrong | Always, with a mattress you want to keep |
A protector can decide a warranty claim
The SafeRest is the protector to start with: 280,577 ratings at 4.6, a fitted, waterproof queen cover that owners call quiet and soft, with no plastic crackle. Owners do split on whether it is fully waterproof, as they do on every fitted protector.
SafeRest Waterproof Queen Size Mattress Protector
A fitted waterproof protector that owners call quiet and soft, with 280,577 ratings.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Style | Fitted, waterproof |
|---|---|
| Size read | Queen |
Owners say it is quiet, soft and good value. Some say liquid got through.
Buy it if
- Spills, sweat and a quiet night
Don't buy it if
- A dust mite allergy, which needs an encasement
The PlushDeluxe bamboo protector has a bamboo-viscose top, and owners say it does not change how the bed feels. Some hot sleepers find it warm. Do mattress protectors make you hot covers that complaint in full.
PlushDeluxe Bamboo Waterproof Mattress Protector, Queen Size
A waterproof protector with a bamboo-viscose top that owners say does not change how the bed feels.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Top | Bamboo-derived viscose |
|---|---|
| Style | Fitted, waterproof |
Owners say it is soft and leaves the bed’s feel alone. Some find it warm.
Buy it if
- A sleeper who wants to forget the protector is there
Don't buy it if
- A hot sleeper, as some owners find it warm
For dust mites or bed bugs, a zippered encasement
A fitted protector covers the top and sides of a mattress, and leaves the underside open. A zippered encasement closes the whole mattress in, which is what an allergy or a bed bug worry calls for. The AllerEase Ultimate is a zippered encasement with 3,444 ratings at 4.5, and owners rate it for allergies and bed bugs. Getting a mattress into it is the chore owners mention.
AllerEase Ultimate Allergy Protection and Comfort Zippered Mattress Protector
A zippered encasement that closes the whole mattress in, which owners rate for allergies and bed bugs.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Style | Zippered encasement |
|---|
Owners rate it for allergies and bed bugs. Fitting it takes effort.
Buy it if
- Dust mite allergy or a bed bug worry
Don't buy it if
- Anyone who dreads wrestling a mattress into a cover
A topper softens a firm bed, but cannot fix a sagging one
A topper is the cheap fix for a mattress that is sound but too firm. It cannot fix a mattress that sags, because the topper sinks into the same dip. A sag deep enough to show under a topper is warranty territory, which is one more reason the protector matters.
The Linenspa 2-inch gel memory foam topper has 74,936 ratings at 4.5, and owners credit it with better sleep and less back pain. Memory foam holds heat, and hot sleepers say so.
Linenspa 2 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper, Plush, Cooling, Queen Size
A 2-inch gel memory foam topper that owners credit with better sleep and less back pain.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Material | Gel memory foam |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 2 inches |
Owners credit it with better sleep and less back pain. Hot sleepers notice the warmth.
Buy it if
- A firm mattress that needs softening
Don't buy it if
- A sleeper who runs hot
The ELEMUSE goose down and feather topper is the soft, lofty alternative, with 20,066 ratings at 4.4. Owners say it feels like a new mattress and fits a deep bed. The complaint comes from buyers who expected a thicker, fluffier layer than arrived. Mattress topper materials explained compares foam, latex and feathers.
ELEMUSE Full Goose Down Feather Mattress Topper, Thick Feathered Pillow Top
A goose down and feather pillow-top topper that owners say feels like a new mattress and fits deep.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Fill | Goose down and feather |
|---|---|
| Style | Feathered pillow top |
Owners say it feels like a new mattress. Some expected more loft.
Buy it if
- A soft, lofty feel over a tired guest bed
Don't buy it if
- A buyer expecting a thick, fluffy layer for good
Put the protector over the topper
With both on the bed, the protector goes on top: mattress, then topper, then protector, then the sheet. That way the one washable layer guards both the mattress and the topper, which is the harder of the 2 to clean. Measure the mattress and topper together before buying, and choose a protector with a pocket deep enough for both.
Mattress protectors compared ranks 5 covers, and mattress toppers compared ranks 7.
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Keep reading
Explainer
Do Mattress Protectors Make You Hot? What the Layer DoesDoctors' usual advice for a sleeping room is 65 to 68°F, and a protector that traps heat can undo a thermostat turned down for the night.
SafeRest protectorLeads the listSafeRest protector4.6 · 280,577 ratingsSee on AmazonSee SafeRest Waterproof Queen Size Mattress Protector on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Compared
Mattress Protectors Compared: SafeRest to AllerEaseA fitted protector guards against a spilled drink, but for dust mites the Mayo Clinic asks for something else: a cover that closes the mattress in completely.
SafeRest protectorLeads the listSafeRest protector4.6 · 280,577 ratingsSee on AmazonSee SafeRest Waterproof Queen Size Mattress Protector on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Explainer
Memory Foam, Latex or Fibre: Which Topper MaterialLatex foam was first whipped into shape in 1929 by 2 chemists at the Dunlop Rubber company, and a Dunlop latex topper is still made the same basic way.