Overheating in bed is uncomfortable, but it can also impact your sleep, and that’s been obvious during the recent heatwave.
If you’ve been tossing and turning all night, the right mattress topper can help to promote a cool and dry sleeping environment. At the same time, they can upgrade your mattress by adding an extra layer of comfort.
We asked Mattress Online’s sleep scientist, Hannah Shore, to weigh in on all things cooling and sleep, particularly when it comes to mattress toppers. Some mattress toppers will hold onto heat and moisture, Shore explains, and some are designed to feel cool to the touch, like the feel of a pillow after turning it over. “It doesn't last throughout the entire night, but if you put your hand on [the cover], it will probably stay cooler for longer than a normal fabric”.
This means that there are plenty of mattress toppers that can keep you cool – you just need to know what you’re looking for. The right material for your topper varies. Most mattress toppers are made from some kind of polyurethane foam, marketed as ‘memory foam’, and this is notorious for trapping heat. Some cooling toppers counteract this with conductive materials like copper thread or gels. The best toppers are covered with wool or bamboo rayon, as these can stop foam from overheating.
But whatever you do, don’t expect a cooling topper to completely transform your bed, especially an old mattress. They won’t be able to replace the support missing from your mattress; they “tend to be too thin to physically move the body into the correct position”, Shore says. However, a good topper can provide some relief, especially if you sleep on a budget memory foam mattress.
How we tested
The IndyBest team slept on these mattress toppers for weeks throughout spring and into summer. We tested them during the mini heatwave in May and during the heatwave in June.
We assessed how comfortable we were and noted the level of firmness and pressure relief provided. We examined how we felt whilst sleeping on them, and most importantly, whether or not they kept us cool. If we felt that any topper was contributing to tester overheating, it didn’t make the final cut. Value for money and ease of storage were also factors in our final decision. Keep reading for our honest thoughts.
The best cooling mattress toppers for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Panda bamboo mattress topper: £139.95, Pandalondon.com
- Best budget option – Next temperature regulating mattress enhancer: £45, Next.co.uk
- Best wool mattress topper – Woolroom deluxe washable wool mattress topper: £254.99, Thewoolroom.com
- Best cool touch topper – Silentnight wellbeing cool touch mattress topper: £135, Silentnight.co.uk
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Panda bamboo mattress topper
While foam is generally not as cool as fibres, Panda’s bamboo mattress topper is a fantastic option if you’re after the elite pressure relief and comfort provided by memory foam. Its marshmallow-soft gel-fused memory foam is engineered to be cooler than regular memory foam, containing gel capsules that draw heat from the body, while extra space allows heat to escape. Plus, the cover is breathable. While the effects weren’t dramatic, we’ve kept cool throughout the mid-June heatwave.
The “bamboo” cover feels luxe and less synthetic than some of the covers we tried. It’s hypoallergenic, which is good for people with sensitive skin. It’s odour-resistant, though we've not had it long enough to confirm this, and removable and machine washable, which is a real bonus considering some mattress toppers can only be dry cleaned. The straps are adjustable, so they’ll work no matter the size of your mattress, which isn’t something we could say about all the toppers we tried.
Just don’t fall for the marketing. Though sold as “bamboo”, the company told us that the cover is rayon weave derived from bamboo. It’s incredibly breathable, but in the end, it’s just rayon.
Buy now £139.95, Pandalondon.com
Next temperature regulating mattress enhancer, double
Made with polyester and modal, this temperature-regulating mattress topper is hardly an ice bath, but it made us feel more comfortable during a mini heatwave earlier in the year. Designed to be breathable and to enhance airflow around you as you sleep, this relatively budget-friendly topper could also be a great option if you suffer from night sweats due to the fabric’s moisture-wicking properties.
Compared with most foam or natural-fibre options, a big plus point for this topper is the fact that you can throw it in the washing machine. We found it washed well at 40C, and, being polyester, it was quick to dry. Once it was dry, we gave it a shake to fluff up the fibres, and it was good to go again – the stitched construction helps ensure the fill remains evenly distributed.
We found the topper’s elasticated straps easy to loop around (and remove from) the corners of our 22cm-thick mattress, and our standard double-size sheets fitted neatly over the top. The brand states that this topper is suitable for mattresses with a depth of up to 35cm. The straps held the topper securely in place, too – it didn’t budge an inch during testing, no matter how much we tossed and turned at night.
While the brand’s website describes this topper as “deep filled”, it’s not as plush as some more-premium options. Don’t think of it as a memory foam topper; the fill rate is only 475gsm, so we’d say this topper is similar in thickness to a summer duvet. The topper still added an extra layer of soft comfort to our mattress, but those looking to breathe new life into a mattress past its prime may want to opt for a thicker topper.
Buy now £45.00, Next.co.uk
Otty bamboo mattress topper with charcoal
Despite testing this mattress topper during an especially sultry spell in mid-June, we still managed to get a good night's sleep unhampered by the heat. The brand claims that its cooling effect is from a mixture of bamboo and charcoal infused into its memory foam. While we can’t confirm that, we found it cooling on test.
The topper didn’t trap heat or become especially clammy, which we’re putting down to a good level of airflow paired with the benefits of using moisture-wicking materials.
It expanded and was ready to use after two hours, though it won’t expand completely until up to 48 hours. The foam is soft and squishy, and it offered excellent pressure relief, so we felt cocooned and near-weightless.
Our only bugbear is that it doesn't have straps to secure it to our mattress, and the non-stick base could only do so much, so it shifted a little in the night. The cover is only suitable for dry cleaning, which isn’t convenient. However, all in all, this is a stellar mid-range memory foam topper.
Buy now £139.99, Otty.com
Silentnight wellbeing cool touch mattress topper
The ‘cool touch’ cover on this mattress topper is designed to be breathable and moisture-wicking, but we found that the ‘cool’ to the touch effect was fairly subtle. The cover wasn’t dramatically cooler than the rest of our other bedding. That said, the topper was a cooling addition to our tester’s mattress. In fact, one of our testers found that she didn’t have hot flashes whilst sleeping on it, though this is anecdotal, and we can’t put that effect solely on the topper.
This is a chunky topper compared to other foam toppers here. We needed to wait up to eight hours for it to expand to full size, and it gives off a chemical smell at first, though this fades after several hours. Medium to firm, it’s quite responsive and has a slight bounce rather than sink. One of our testers didn't need to change their position to ease pain in their hip as much as they usually do.
However, the 8cm depth meant it was a struggle getting our fitted sheet to stretch over it, and it’s too thick to fold away and store. We also found that the straps didn’t work very well at all, so the topper was often misaligned with the mattress.
Buy now £135.00, Silentnight.co.uk
Woolroom deluxe wool mattress topper
Yes, it’s expensive, but the quality and sumptuousness of Woolroom’s offering excuse the price. It hasn’t been engineered to be cooling or feel cool to the touch, like some of the other options here, but it contains wool, which is great at temperature regulation.
Some people read “wool” and think of stuffy winter jumpers, but it’s actually the perfect material for keeping cool. It’s breathable and can draw moisture away from your body. We weren’t blown away by its cooling powers, but it’s fair to say we didn't feel as though it was contributing to how warm we felt. We didn’t find ourselves tossing and turning due to feeling too hot and clammy from a buildup of heat, which makes us think that the plush fill stayed well ventilated.
As for comfort, it made us feel like we were sleeping on a mattress in a luxury hotel. It’s separated into pillowy, sumptuous vertical sections, and it delivers excellent pressure relief. However, we’d recommend steering clear if you prefer a firm sleeping surface.
Wool is hypoallergenic, and the topper is certified by Allergy UK, affording peace of mind to people with allergies. The cover is made with certified organic cotton, and the topper is certified by OEKO-TEX, meaning it’s made without harmful chemicals, which is ideal if you worry about environmental impacts or synthetic materials. Plus, we love that Woolroom uses traceable wool. We could even find out exactly where the brand sourced the wool from by scanning a QR code on the packaging.
The only drawback is the price; this is one of the most expensive toppers we tried. However, it’s so comfortable and cool that we think it’s worth it.
Buy now £254.99, Thewoolroom.com
Simba hybrid essential topper
Simba’s hybrid essential topper is designed with a knitted top layer and a second airflow foam layer to keep you cool while you nod off. It certainly didn’t make us overheat when we tested it during a spring heatwave, but we can’t say we felt cooler than normal. However, its multi-layered construction made for a comfortable surface that evenly supported our back and shoulders.
We were impressed to see springs as well as foam inside its filling, which you won’t find on cheaper toppers. This adds bulk, so it won’t tuck into a cupboard. It took two people to unbox it, but the foam expanded quickly, and the corner straps were easy to secure. It’s pretty pricey, too.
Buy now £299.00, Simbasleep.com
Dreams therapur actigel cool mattress topper
The foam filling in this Dreams mattress topper offers a medium-firm feel, with just enough give if you like a sinking feeling as you nod off. It’ll suit anyone who likes a touch of softness without sacrificing the feeling of support. We didn’t notice ourselves overheating while testing during a heatwave, so we can attest to its cooling claims too.
Our main gripe was that its straps were quite thin. This caused it to slide and hang over the side of our mattress where we slept. This was fixed by pulling the topper back on the opposite side, which wasn’t difficult but was a step we could have done without when making our bed in the morning.
Like many memory foam mattresses, there was also a slight chemical smell once we took it out of the storage bag. However, once we left it to air for a few hours, the smell disappeared.
Buy now £170.00, Dreams.co.uk
Dunelm cooler than memory foam mattress topper
Dunelm’s “cooler than memory foam mattress topper” claims to allow better airflow than toppers made with regular memory foam. It also has a polyester cover. The is that polyester is quick-drying and good at moisture wicking, making it good at preventing your bed from becoming hot and sticky. However, polyester is a synthetic farbic with limited breathability, so it can make some people overheat.
In the end, it balanced out, while we can’t say we felt cool as a cucumber when the temperature in our bedroom rose, we’d go as far as to say that we didn’t feel ourselves overheating during the testing period.
It's pretty inexpensive, but you get what you pay for when it comes to general quality. We were disappointed to see there was a dip where we'd been lying on it after just a couple of nights, which wasn't completely smoothed away with some very furious plumping, so prepare to rotate this one frequently.
It doesn't give much at all in the way of sink or body contouring, and is fairly firm, so while it does offer some pressure relief, it’s quite minimal. But it’s easier to fold away and store than some of the other toppers here, owing to its slim, malleable make-up. It’s a good option for a lightweight topper on a guest bed.
Buy now £60.00, Dunelm.com
Silentnight airmax mattress topper
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This Silentnight mattress topper is more affordable than most, but it still had a positive impact on our sleep. It is made from 100 per cent polyester with a 5cm dual layer construction, air mesh sides and a polyester hollowfibre filling designed to promote both comfort and airflow.
It makes for a plush extra layer that transforms a firm, regular mattress. It was also ready to use just minutes after arriving in the post and being unwrapped.
As for its cooling credentials, we found they were good, but not at the level of other entries on this list.
We felt slightly fresher when using this mattress topper on warmer nights, but still felt the need to bring the fan out during a hot spell. So, while you shouldn’t expect a dramatic cooling effect when using it, it is still a savvy mattress-topping option for comfort and a slightly more refreshing night’s sleep, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
Buy now £29.99, Argos.co.uk
Cooling mattress toppers FAQs
Mattress Online’s sleep scientist, Hannah Shore, weighs in on what to look for in a cooling mattress topper.
What’s the best cooling mattress topper?
The optimum? “Ideally, if you want something to keep you cool at night, go for something like polyester fibres. They get such a bad rep because people think they're cheap, but we can manipulate the fibres to be quite innovative,” Shore told us, adding that you'd then want to go for a cool touch fabric, too.
What is the best mattress topper for night sweats?
Toppers made with polyester are a good choice if you're someone who deals with night sweats, as it’s quick-drying. On the other hand, natural fibres can feel “clammy”, Shore says, as while they’re “really good at absorbing moisture and taking it away from you”, they “ could hold onto it for a little bit”.
What mattress topper is best for front, side and back sleepers?
According to Shore, there isn’t one. “Front, back, and side sleeper is actually really important when it comes to your pillow,” she says, but with mattress toppers, it’s down to personal preference around comfort. If you prefer a soft surface, Shore recommends foam, and a fibre topper with polyester or natural materials if you prefer firm.
What is the best mattress topper for back pain?
A mattress topper won’t be able to fix back pain, and should always be discussed with a doctor or physiotherapist. But if back pain is being caused by your sleeping set up, Shore recommends checking your pillow, as it “affects your spinal alignment from your neck all the way to your mid spine” – this is a “much easier fix than a whole new mattress”, she says. “Once you are happy with your pillow, then the next thing you should check is the supportiveness of your mattress.”
The verdict: Cooling mattress toppers
If you’re set on memory foam, we can’t recommend the Panda bamboo mattress topper enough. It’s breathable and incredibly comfortable, thanks to its squidgy, pressure-relieving memory foam. If your budget can stretch further, we’d opt for Woolroom’s deluxe washable mattress topper, which offers stellar breathability, feels wonderfully plush, and boasts high-quality, traceable materials.
Looking for more recommendations? Read our review of the best mattress toppers
