The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing and reporting on home products for more than 125 years. To evaluate mattresses, our fiber scientists and engineers research hundreds of mattresses, survey our readers for insights on the mattresses they purchased, and coordinate long-term sleep testing. In recent years, we’ve evaluated over 250 mattresses with hundreds of at-home testers. Here is an in-depth look into our mattress testing process:
Market and product innovation research
We test dozens of mattresses every year, including newly-introduced models that no one’s heard of and popular styles on everyone’s radar. Before we decide which options to test (or re-test), our analysts research the latest standout trends, exciting launches and any updates to previously tested mattresses.
Throughout the year, our analysts regularly visit mattress factories and testing facilities to observe and learn about how the mattresses we test are made, from the initial design process to final production. Beyond that, we often visit showrooms to feel new models firsthand and meet with brands to stay informed on the mattress industry.
Snapshots from our visits
Home & Apparel Analyst Amanda Constantine sews the quilted top panel of a mattress.
Associate Director Emma Seymour and Senior Analyst Grace Wu watch a mattress spring fatigue tester perform the Cornell Test (ASTM F1566).
Wu observes coil production in a pocket spring coil machine.
An analog mattress quilting machine in a factory.
Seymour and Wu speak to a brand representative in a mattress showroom before reviewing dozens of models.
Mattress construction analysis
Our analysts check the construction of each mattress, reviewing the various layers on online and in-store product listings. Using our backgrounds in fiber science and materials engineering, we’re able to identify how the materials and other specifications can impact the overall feel and durability of the mattresses. We also assess whether a mattress’s construction is unique or noteworthy compared to others on the market
We then review any claims the brands make on website listings, such as cooling capabilities or organic, and consider any certifications or provided testing data they have to support those claims. And based on these factors, we’re able to identify whether the model is suited for specific types of sleepers.
At-home consumer testing
To understand how the comfort and support of mattresses perform over time, we send mattresses to consumer testers for in-depth feedback.
We survey our testers after they’ve slept on the mattress for about a month, and then continue to follow up over the course of multiple years to see whether their observations have changed. In fact, this is where we get the best insights: We find that most people love their new mattresses at first, but any issues tend to arise after they sleep on it for a year. Our consumer testers, who span all ages, sizes, and sleep positions, complete a detailed recruitment survey, and our analysts personally match each mattress to ensure a good fit.
Large-scale consumer survey data
In the past five years, we’ve surveyed 10,000 mattress owners on our panel of Good Housekeeping readers. Across all surveys, panelists answered 170,000 questions about the mattresses they own, focusing on the overall comfort, durability, temperature regulation, and satisfaction across different body types and sleep styles.
What we ask testers and panelists
Ordering and delivery
Users tell us how easy the mattress was to order, how quickly it arrived, and any issues that occurred along the way.
Setup
Whether they used DIY or white-glove delivery, users share their experience with setup, including how long it took the mattress to take proper shape once unwrapped.
Firmness and feel
Testers rate the mattress on its firmness and comment on the initial feel. We then compare this to claims made by the brands.
Edge support
Testers sit on the edge of the bed and relay how well the mattress performs under their weight or other pressure.
Comfort and support
Our testers rate the mattresses for their feel as well as how well they personally liked sleeping on them, both initially and over an extended period.
Temperature regulation
We also ask testers to rate how comfortable their body temperature remained while sleeping on the mattress.
Sleep quality
We ask if users noticed any changes in their sleep quality or woke up feeling sore over time. They also give the bed an overall satisfaction score and compare it to other mattresses.
Open-ended feedback
Testers inform us of any specific likes, dislikes, and additional comments concerning their user experience.
Who tests mattresses at Good Housekeeping
The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab is staffed by scientists, engineers, and product experts who have reviewed feedback from thousands of real users and thoroughly evaluated hundreds of mattresses.
Lexie Sachs
Lexie Sachs is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She is a lead reviewer of mattresses and holds a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University.
Sachs has been reviewing and actively reporting on mattresses for over a decade. She has personally evaluated dozens of models, met directly with brands, surveyed thousands of mattress owners, and previously oversaw all mattress coverage.
Emma Seymour
Emma Seymour is the associate director of the Textiles, Apparel, and Paper Lab and holds a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University.
She has been testing mattresses for over seven years and oversees all bedding testing and content. Seymour has worked with hundreds of at-home consumer testers, visited testing facilities, and personally tested several hybrid and foam mattresses at home.
Grace Wu
Grace Wu is a senior textiles product analyst and holds a master of engineering in materials science & engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University.
Wu has reported on mattresses for more than four years and currently oversees all mattress testing and content. She has toured mattress factories and testing facilities, organized at-home consumer testing, and visited showrooms across the country. Wu has slept on every kind of mattress from foam and hybrid to innerspring and adjustable models.
Amanda Constantine
Amanda Constantine is a home & apparel reviews analyst and holds undergraduate degrees in apparel merchandising and product development, as well as a master of science degree in consumer sciences from Ohio State University.
She has covered mattresses for over four years, having personally tested innerspring, cooling, hybrid, and smart models at home. Constantine has assigned mattresses to dozens of at-home sleep testers and toured mattress factories across the country.
Sleep research & medical consults
Our analysts have reviewed literature and sleep studies on mattresses concerning how different factors, like the type of mattress or firmness level, can impact overall sleep quality. Some papers focus on specific groups, such as people with chronic back pain.
Beyond the scientific expertise of our Textiles Lab, we also routinely consult medical professionals for added insight. While none have directly participated in choosing our recommendations, they have verified the accuracy of our articles from a medical standpoint and often offer advice on the type of mattress certain sleepers (e.g. side sleepers, those with scoliosis, etc.) may benefit from.
Here are some of the medical experts we’ve consulted recently:
- Amit Jain, M.D., M.B.A., chief of minimally-invasive spine surgery and associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Jaspal R. Singh, M.D., co-director of the Center for Comprehensive Spine Careat Weill Cornell Medicine
- Jonathan S. Kirschner, M.D., RMSK, physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York
- Naimish Baxi, M.D., physiatrist at The Hospital of Special Surgery (HSS) in New York
- Cynthia Stein, M.D., M.P.H., MMSc, a sports medicine physician at Boston Children's Hospital, the director of the Medical Sports Medicine Fellowship, and an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School
- Nitin Bhatia, M.D., orthopedic spine surgeon at UCI Health with a specialization in the surgical and non-surgical treatment of spinal disorders
- Nicholas Callahan, DO, orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Hip and Knee Institute
- Karena Wu, PT, DPT, owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York City and India
- Anna Di, DC, chiropractor and owner of Unity Chiropractic Wellness in New York City with certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine
Grace Wu (she/her) is the senior analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she evaluates fabric-based products using specialized equipment and consumer tester data. Prior to starting at Good Housekeeping in 2022, she earned a master of engineering in materials science and engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University. While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway.
