I Tested Literally *Every* Mattress at IKEA — Here’s the Super-Comfy One I’d Recommend for College Students

It was June of 2022, I had just moved into an apartment I was subletting in Brooklyn for the summer, and I needed a mattress. Despite being new to the area, my roommate and I knew right away where to go: Two trains and a bus later, we pulled up to the great blue fortress of IKEA. 

An hour or so later, we left with a well-priced, tightly rolled-up brand new mattress for my bed that we carried awkwardly but easily between the two of us onto the bus and then trains. I slept so well that night and many more to come. A mattress is one of the most important first apartment essentials, since you really need one to set up your bedroom and get a good night’s sleep after move-in. In pursuit of uncovering the best IKEA mattress for comfort and price point, I returned to the Red Hook, Brooklyn IKEA location and tested out every single one on display in their (newly renovated!) mattress section. 

When furnishing a new apartment, especially just after graduating from college, IKEA is probably one of the first places you’ll want to go. You can find everything from storage containers and lamps to utensils and bed frames, and all sorts of decor and furnishings in between. Plus, they’re known for their comparably low prices, which is a huge perk when you’re trying to make every dollar count. IKEA mattresses range from $69 for a foam twin mattress to $598 for a king-sized pocket spring mattress, while some of the other best mattresses on the market cost anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars. 

They also come rolled up for easier transport, but IKEA offers delivery to your door, too, for as little as $19, depending on how quickly you need it. 

I judged every IKEA mattress based on the following criteria:

• Feel: Is the mattress firm, soft, or somewhere in between? Does it have extra cushioning? Is it comfortable no matter the sleep position?
• Support: Does the mattress effectively cradle pressure points? Does it feel comfortable to lie on?
• Materials: What is the mattress made from? Is it a hybrid mattress? Does it have cooling properties?
• Value: Is it well-priced for its quality? Would it be a good pick when shopping on a strict budget?

I’ve tested dozens of mattresses as a lifestyle editor at Apartment Therapy and editor at Dorm Therapy and have slept on several mattresses of my own over the years. I’m mainly a side and back sleeper with a preference for a medium-firm feel that’s cushy without creating too much of a sink-in sensation. 

When I arrived at IKEA, I set out to try every single mattress on the floor, though I didn’t quite expect there to be 16 different models. Alas, I was in for a morning of lying on various beds and assessing their comfort — it’s hard work, but someone’s gotta do it. The natural light flooding through the wall of windows at one end of this section of the store and soothing seagull sounds playing softly overhead contributed to the chill atmosphere. 

A couple of hours, lots of turning, and many scrupulous notes later, I arrived at a handful of favorites for every kind of sleeper and shopper. Luckily, each IKEA mattress is covered by a 10-year warranty and comes with a 90-day trial period, so you can bring the mattress home and sleep on it for a few months; if it’s not a good fit, you can bring it back and exchange it for another IKEA model.  

At $279 for a full size, the VESTERÖY is solidly in the middle of IKEA’s price range and is a super solid option. Nearly 8 inches thick, the mattress is a classic pocket spring construction topped with a layer of foam and wrapped in a quilted fabric that’s really soft to the touch. Unlike other models, this one comes in just one firmness level: medium-firm. If this is your first time buying a mattress and you’re not sure what to get, though, medium-firm is a safe bet: It’s usually comfortable whether you sleep on your back, side, or some combo of both, and tends to be suitable for people weighing 130–230 pounds, per Sleep Foundation. 

I noted the VESTERÖY’s really nice springy bounceback when I sat down on it, and when I laid down, my spine stayed in pretty natural alignment. I did wish the top had a bit more padding, so I might opt to add a mattress topper for a slightly plusher feel. 

Specifications:

• Type: Pocket spring
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king
• Height: 7⅞ inches
• Firmness: Medium-firm
• Features: Top foam layer, stretchy quilted cover

If you’re always waking up sweaty or identify as a hot sleeper, I’d recommend the ÅBROTTEN. Granted, it is the only cooling mattress IKEA offers — but this was also one of my favorite foam options from a general comfort perspective, too. At $419 for a full, it’s almost $150 more than the VESTERÖY, but it could save you the cost of a cooling mattress topper. 

I tried both the medium-firm and firm versions and felt like the latter was way too firm for my sleeping preferences, though it did feel very supportive, and when I sat on the edge, it hardly sank in at all. I noted that the medium-firm “feels like it would be good for my back,” since it’s still firm and supportive, and I think it would make me less inclined to curl up on my side in a very non-spine-friendly way like I sometimes do. Though it would take a true overnight to test the cooling power of the top layer, the firm version of the mattress was positioned right in the sun, and it still felt pretty cool to the touch. 

For hot sleepers who prefer the feel of another mattress, IKEA also sells a cooling mattress topper that you can easily add to any model.  

Specifications:

• Type: Foam
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king
• Height: 7⅞ inches
• Firmness: Medium-firm and firm
• Features: Three layers of foam for all-over comfort, cooling layer on top

The inside of the VÅGSTRANDA is a network of what IKEA describes as “S-core pocket springs distributed in a wave shape,” which looks like two layers of individually wrapped springs designed to help keep your spine in its natural S-curve alignment. I tried this mattress in all three firmnesses, and even of the firm I noted that it “feels very comfy to hang out on” and that it would be great to set up as a day bed if you live in a small studio or don’t have comfy sitting chairs. 

When it came to the plush, I described it as “pleasantly cushy, bouncy, and cozy” in my first impression notes and thought I would sleep well in it, but found it too soft to hang out on. Overall, I preferred the firm or medium-firm, but I think the plush version would be best for people who like the feeling of really sinking into their bed, as the VÅGSTRANDA had some of the most noticeable sinkage of all of the mattresses I tried. At $469 for a full, it’s not on the cheaper end of IKEA’s options, but it could be a great investment if you plan to sleep on it for years. 

Specifications:

• Type: Pocket spring
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king
• Height: 11 inches
• Firmness: Plush, medium-firm, and firm
• Features: Double spring layers, “S-core pocket springs,” extra thick top layer of foam

The VALEVÅG is a pocket spring mattress with a thick foam layer, and at $329 for a full, it’s a great middle-of-the-road price. Thanks to the reinforced edges, sitting on the edge results in virtually no sinkage and is super comfortable. I tried the firm and extra-firm versions, and found that even the extra-firm felt “much comfier and springy-er” than others, and I could see myself sleeping well on it even though I tend to prefer more of a medium-firm feel. 

I also loved how thick this mattress felt at 9.5 inches high, as well as the overall combination of softness and cushiness while still being supportive.

Specifications:

• Type: Pocket spring
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king
• Height: 9.5 inches
• Firmness: Medium-firm, firm, extra-firm
• Features: Pocket springs, thick foam layer, soft quilted cover

The ÅKREHAMN is a foam mattress made up of three layers, including a “high-resilience foam” on top for extra supportiveness and a memory foam layer to contour to your body, all wrapped in a quilted cover you can take off and throw in the washing machine. The full version costs $329, putting it in the middle of IKEA’s price range. 

This mattress felt relatively high-quality, especially compared to some of the thinner foam mattresses I tried out, and I could definitely feel the memory foam when I laid down. However, both versions were a little firm for my sleep preference; even with the medium-firm, I felt that my hips were slightly too high and my alignment was a little off when I laid flat on my back. That said, it would be great for stomach sleepers or people who generally prefer a firmer feel with little very sink-in sensation. 

Specifications:

• Type: Foam
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king
• Height: 7⅞ inches
• Firmness: Medium-firm and firm
• Features: Memory foam layer, high-resilience foam layer

The ÅNNELAND is IKEA’s true hybrid mattress. It has a layer of pocket springs topped with multiple layers of foam, including memory foam, reducing the sensation of sinking in and giving you more of the feeling of the mattress molding to your body. When I tested it, I noted that I felt instant relief in my hips when I laid down and that it felt the most like a mattress I’d sleep on at a hotel, giving me that “ahh” feeling right away. 

I think it would be a great mattress for most people; however, at $549 for a full, it’s IKEA’s most expensive mattress for that size. While quality of sleep is a worthy cause to splurge on, if you’re furnishing your apartment on a tighter budget, the cheaper options I tried were also very comfortable. 

Specifications:

• Type: Hybrid
• Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king
• Height: 9.5 inches
• Firmness: plush, medium-firm, and firm
• Features: Pocket springs, multiple foam layers, memory foam layer