Memory Foam vs Gel Memory Foam
Memory foam has been around for ages but just recently gel-infused memory foam has started to find its way into the market and you might be wondering what it is exactly.
It’s a lot like memory foam and offers all the support and comfort but without the heat trapping property that is so often a problem with memory foam.
That means it’s cooler to sleep on so you can snuggle up in a large fluffy blanket and not wake up feeling sweaty and overheated.
Related: 5 Weird Things You Didn’t Know About Gel-Infused Memory Foam
It’s also slightly softer so it’s a good option if you like the feel of memory foam mattresses but find them a little too dense.
A big problem with lower-end memory foam has been people finding fiberglass and having issues with it.
A lot of memory foam mattresses have fiberglass mixed with them because it’s a natural flame retardant.
The memory foam mattresses on this list are fiberglass free and won’t irritate your skin or cause allergies.
Best Overall
Best Memory Foam
Best Hybrid
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Memory & Gel Memory Foam Mattress Reviews & Info
Vibe Gel Memory Foam Mattress
Vibe makes some of the best most highly rated memory foam mattresses on the market today and their 12-inch gel memory foam “bed in a box” is simply amazing.
There are 3 layers that make up each mattress.
First, there is a 2 inch ventilated gel foam layer that is made to cool the sleep surface but also contours to your body and gives you the support that memory foam lovers are looking for.
The second 3-inch layer provides airflow and is made with gel-infused supportive foam that offers bounce and rebound.
The third and final layer is 7 inches of high density foam that evenly distributes your weight eliminating pressure points in any sleeping position and gives the support the other layers need for optimal comfort and coziness.
The softness rating is medium plush.
Last but not least the entire gel-infused memory foam mattress is encased in a durable stretch knit quilted cover.
Memory foam forms to your body which creates a healthy, pressure free sleep, in any position.
The gel cools down the mattress so you can sleep under your favorite blanket and not be too hot.
Some of the benefits of memory foam are its hypoallergenic properties and resistance to mold, bacteria, and dust mites.
Lower quality memory foam mattresses have problems with fiberglass but the Vibe has no fiberglass.
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The Vibe memory foam mattress is CertiPUR US certified, adjustable bed friendly, and comes with a 10 year manufacturer’s warranty.
There are 6 standard size options for the 12-inch Vibe memory foam mattress: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King.
The Vibe Gel Memory Foam Mattress is considered to be the best of the best when it comes to quality foam and the most comfortable, durable design that will last for years to come.
What I Like
- 2 Gel Infused Memory Foam Layers
- 7 Inches Of High-Density Foam For Support
- Comes In All Standard Bed Sizes
- Fiberglass Free
Mattress America Gel Memory Foam Mattress
The Mattress America revive gel memory foam 12 inch mattress is another amazing 3 layered mattress that is fiberglass free.
The first layer is a 3-inch gel-infused memory foam that has cooling properties so you won’t overheat at night.
The second layer is 2 inches of Mattress America’s own sculpted foam that allows for airflow but also gives great support.
The third layer is 7 inches of dense foam that offers support for your back, shoulders, and hips.
It’s a feature that helps separate the great memory foam mattresses from the ones that are too soft and end up causing stiff joints and sore muscles because they aren’t giving your body any support.
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The outer shell is made with a padded knit for extra softness that is made with Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX Fabrics.
Their fabrics are guaranteed to be free from harmful substances.
The 12-inch mattress is rated medium firm but there is also a 15-inch version (click to view on Amazon) that is a little softer and rated a medium softness.
The gel-infused memory foam mattress is adjustable bed friendly and has a 25 year warranty.
The only downside is the mattress only comes in three sizes: Full, Queen, and King.
The Mattress America Gel Memory Foam Mattress is made by a fantastic company that cares about making their mattresses with safe materials that are harmful substance free.
If you’ve had problems in the past with low quality memory foam mattresses and want to try something that doesn’t have irritating materials like fiberglass then Mattress America is going to be a perfect choice.
What I Like
- Fiberglass Free
- 7 Inches Of High-Density Foam
- 2 Memory Foam Layers
- OEKO-TEX Mattress Cover
Ashley Furniture Signature Design Memory Foam Mattress
The Ashley Furniture Signature Chime 12 inch memory foam mattress is for you traditional fiberglass free memory foam lovers out there.
It’s not gel infused but there are 3 layers of supportive, comfortable foam for durability and the ultimate sleep.
The first layer is 2-inch memory that will contour to your body and offer the signature pressure relief that is so popular with memory foam.
The second layer is 2 inches of what Ashley Furniture calls “transition foam.”
This is intended to offer more support and make the mattress more durable so it will last for years to come.
The third and final layer is 8 inches of dense supportive foam that gives the other foam layers a little more bounce for a softer more comfortable sleep that takes away the “quicksand” feel some lower end memory foam mattresses have.
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The stretch knit cover is thin and breathable. This helps your memory foam mattress breathe and stops heat from being trapped in the foam.
They recommend using a thing cover if you decided to replace the one that came with the memory foam mattress.
It’s compatible with any kind of base or bed frame including adjustable beds and comes in all the standard mattress sizes which include: Twin, Full, Queen, King, and California King.
The softness rating is ultra plush, so it’s for those who enjoy soft memory foam mattresses.
The Ashley Furniture Signature Design Memory Foam Mattress is a better version of the classic memory foam mattress.
It’s more durable, offers more support, and won’t make you feel like you are sinking when you sleep on it.
If you aren’t a fan of gel-infused and want one of the best memory foam mattresses you can get then the Ashley Furniture Chime is the right choice for you.
What I Like
- Optimized Version Of The Traditional Memory Foam Mattress
- Fiberglass Free
- Durable
Classic Brands Gel 2.0 Memory Foam Mattress
The Classic Brands Gel 2.0 Memory Foam mattress is the upgraded version of their 1.0 which was known for being a little too soft.
With the 2.0 they added stronger base foams and better support for a higher quality gel infused 3 layer 14 inch memory foam mattress.
The first layer is 3.5 inches of classic gel-infused memory foam for a cool soft sleeping surface that contours to your body and relieves pressure.
The second 2-inch layer is the important one when it comes to more support and bounce.
Instead of just adding normal supportive foam or gel-infused layer they marbled the gel foam.
Marbled gel memory foam is more supportive than normal gel-infused memory foam and has a better bounce back while still having all the cool breathable qualities.
The third base layer is 8.5 inches of reinforced high density foam to keep the mattress structured and add firmness to the two softer layers on top.
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The cover is a stretchy plush knitted fabric. The foam is CertiPUR-US certified and there is a 10 year warranty.
You also get two free shredded memory foam pillows with purchase.
The softness is rated as medium plush with firm support to stop the “quicksand” feel.
The gel-infused memory foam mattress is adjustable bed friendly
It comes in 6 standard bed sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King.
The Classic Brands Gel 2.0 Memory Foam Mattress is for you extra thick mattress lovers out there and this is one of the most breathable durable thick gel-infused memory foam mattresses on the market today.
It’s everything you need in one solid unit, and to top it all off the foam is fiberglass free.
What I Like
- Has A 2″ Marbled Gel Foam Layer
- Fiberglass Free
- 8.5″ Of High-Density Base Foam
- Comes With 2 Free Pillows
Linenspa Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress
The Linenspa is a little different than traditional memory foam mattresses.
It’s a hybrid between a traditional spring mattress and a memory foam one.
Lots of people like to get the best of both worlds and will buy a memory foam topper for their regular mattress at home.
The combination of the two is nice but the downside is having to deal with the topper sliding off.
The Linenspa hybrid fixes that by basically building in the memory foam topper so it’s all one unit.
There are four layers to this mattress.
The first is a thin layer of comfort foam that sits on top of the thick memory foam layer.
Then you have the steel spring layer followed by another thin foam comfort layer.
The springs in the mattress should give the memory foam all the air it needs to breathe and stay cool.
If you prefer gel-infused memory foam there is a 12-inch version of this hybrid mattress (click to view on Amazon) with springs and a thick layer of gel-infused memory foam.
The 12-inch version is rated as “plush” and will be much softer than the 10 inch one.
It comes with a 10 year warranty, is fiberglass free, and there are all standard bed sizes to choose from such as Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, and California King.
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The cover is a cozy knit, the memory foam is fiberglass free, and the mattress is adjustable bed friendly.
The Linenspa Memory Foam and Innerspring Hybrid Mattress is a fantastic idea.
Combining a memory foam topper with a spring mattress eliminates the problems with the topper moving around.
I know I’ve had my fair share of frustrations having to slide the topper back into place every day.
Linenspa has every size you could need and the quality to make the perfect mattress for spring+memory foam enthusiasts.
What I Like
- Fiberglass Free Memory Foam
- Memory Foam Topper Is Secured To Spring Mattress
- 12″ Gel-Infused Version Availible
PrimaSleep Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress
For their version of the 10 inch gel-infused memory foam mattress PrimaSleep is using 4 very different layers of foam to create the ultimate pressure free mattress that is also very affordable.
The first layer is 1.5 inches of gel-infused memory foam followed by a 1.5-inch layer of high-density foam.
The third layer is 2.5 inches of convoluted high-density foam which has bumps on the top like egg crate foam.
The fourth layer is 4.5 inches of high-density foam rated at 25 ILD (Indentation Load Deflection).
25 ILD means it takes 25 lbs to compress the foam 25% which means the bottom layer of the PrimaSleep memory foam mattress is very sturdy and durable.
It eliminates dead spots and will reduce wear over time making it a durable foam mattress.
There isn’t a lot of gel-infused memory foam on this mattress but it will still be cooler than a traditional all memory foam mattress.
So it’s a good option if you want a slightly cooler but not quite as warm foam mattress.
The cover is a stretch knit in a jacquard pattern, the foam is fiberglass free, and the mattress is adjustable bed friendly.
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The main downside is there are only 3 sizes available: Twin, Full, and Queen.
The PrimaSleep Gel Infused Memory Foam Mattress is the most affordable full foam mattress in this review but it’s durable and has a lot of foam layers working to make it comfortable and pressure free.
You can expect durability and softness.
If you like firm memory foam mattresses then this won’t be the best option for you. But for you soft mattress lovers out there this is a fantastic option.
What I Like
- 4 Layers of Foam
- Fiberglass Free
- Thick Durable High-Density Foam Base Layer
- Convoluted Foam Layer For Softness
My Favorite Memory Foam Mattress
There are some fantastic options on this list and each one fits a specific taste better than another.
But when picking my favorite memory foam mattress overall I have to go with the Vibe Gel Memory Foam Mattress.
The main reason is quality. The Vibe is fiberglass free, is CertiPUR-US certified, and has 5 inches total of wonderful cool gel-infused foam.
A lot of other gel-infused foam mattresses just have one 2-3 inch layer on top followed by a high-density foam layer.
Vibe has 2 layers of foam that are gel-infused which means you will get way more of the fresh cooling properties that come with this type of foam.
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It also is true to size which is one of the problems with memory foam mattresses, but once fully decompressed the Vibe mattress will be 12 inches tall.
Taking all that into account you can’t go wrong with the Vibe Gel Memory Foam Mattress.
Frequently Asked Questions About Memory Foam Mattresses
Why does some memory foam have fiberglass in it?
All mattresses sold in the USA need to have some sort of flame retardant in them for safety.
Fiberglass is a flame retardant and when memory foam mattresses first started coming out companies added fiberglass to meet the flame retardant requirements.
Unfortunately, fiberglass is nasty stuff and people were getting rashes and breathing problems from it.
Today memory foam mattress companies are moving away from fiberglass and using other methods to make their foam safe.
None of the memory foam mattresses on this list use fiberglass.
Will a memory foam mattress get softer?
A high-quality memory foam mattress should hold the same level of softness for a long time.
Make sure you buy the right level of softness for you from the beginning because it should take years and years for the mattress to soften over time.
Normally when a memory foam mattress starts to go soft it will happen in spots and will become very uncomfortable.
That’s why buying quality is important when it comes to memory foam.
Can a memory foam mattress make you sweat?
Traditional memory foam mattresses are known for their ability to hold in heat for a long time.
This can be a big problem if you are someone who likes to be cool when they sleep or get warm by adding blankets.
A lot of people made the complaint that memory foam was too warm and companies have solved that problem today by infusing gel into the memory foam.
This helps the foam breathe and release heat while still being able to have the contouring supportive properties everyone loves about memory foam.
If you have a problem with overheating in a memory foam bed.
Try one that is gel-infused and you may be surprised how much better it feels.
Can a memory foam mattress go on the floor?
Yes, they can.
Most memory foam mattresses are made of any kind of bed style and some companies even recommend not using a box spring under your memory foam mattress.
Can a memory foam mattress bend?
Yes, they can. Memory foam can be bent, rolled, compressed, and still go back to its original shape.
They are adjustable bed friendly and can be used on pretty much any kind of bed and even the floor.
Can a memory foam mattress cause back pain?
Like any mattress if it is old or just the wrong firmness for your body you can experience back pain.
That’s why it’s so important to buy a quality memory foam mattress that is the right amount of softness for you.
If you shop right memory foam can be better for back pain than traditional spring mattresses because it eliminates stress points and distributes your body weight more evenly.
The same goes for hip and shoulder pain as well.
Which memory foam mattress is the coolest?
Gel-infused memory foam mattresses are cooler than traditional memory foam but you want to make sure you buy one with very thick or multiple layers of gel-infused memory foam.
The Vibe Gel Memory Foam Mattress (click to view on Amazon) is one of the coolest memory foam mattresses on the market today with 5 inches of gel-infused foam.
Also, hybrid memory foam beds with gel-infused memory foam and springs are cool as well.
When to replace a memory foam mattress?
Quality memory foam mattresses that are well taken care of will stay in great sleeping shape for up to 8-10 years depending on how often it is used and things like that.
You will know when it’s time to replace your memory foam mattress because it will start to get soft or “dead” spots in areas where the base foam is breaking down.
It also will get less bouncy and take longer to spring back.
Have any more questions about memory foam or gel memory foam mattresses? Leave a comment below.
