A quality mattress is one of the best investments you can make. But that doesn’t mean you have to shell out a small fortune to buy one. The best affordable mattresses are capable of providing the most restful night’s sleep you’ve ever had (especially since you won’t be lying awake at night worrying about how you’ll be able to afford it).

Made with certified organic materials, the Awara Luxury Hybrid is one of the best mattresses for the ... [+] price.

More expensive mattresses are made with higher-quality materials and might include other perks (like longer warranty periods), but affordable mattresses are still well-built and tailored to various preferences—whether you’re a side sleeper looking for plush support or a hot sleeper seeking a cooling mattress for a sweat-free snooze. Affordable mattresses also include substantial at-home trial periods so you can sufficiently test them out, and select brands sweeten the savings further by including free gifts.

If your bed-in-a-box budget is below $1,200—the average price of a queen mattress—you’ll find what you’re looking for among our top-rated picks below. Remember that when selecting the best mattress for you, it’s also important to look beyond the price tag and consider your sleep preferences.

Materials: Dunlop latex, wrapped coils, organic cotton, New Zealand wool | Height: 13 inches | Firmness level: Medium | Trial period: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

Mattresses made with certified organic materials tend to be pricier than their foam-based counterparts, but the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress is an affordable entryway into the world of eco-friendly sleep. It’s a superb value for any mattress—let alone one crafted from GOLS-certified latex and New Zealand wool. Amenities such as a lifetime warranty, 365-night trial and $499 worth of free gifts are certainly nice perks for the price, too.

Whether you sleep on your back, side or stomach, the Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress will provide sufficient relief along key pressure points in the hips, shoulders and legs for proper alignment in any position. If you’re prone to overheating at night, the Awara is adept at wicking away body heat thanks to a combo of breathable Dunlop latex, individually wrapped coils and a cotton/wool top cover.

Materials: Memory foam, polyfoam, wrapped coils | Height: 12 inches | Firmness level: Medium | Trial period: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years

The Helix Midnight Mattress is made exclusively for frequent side sleepers who need a medium-firm mattress that strikes a keen balance of support and plushness. You’ll sleep soundly on your side thanks to a memory foam relief layer that’ll cushion your hips and shoulders, plus a top layer that’ll cradle you right to sleep. The Helix Midnight Mattress is also highly adaptive so if you toss and turn at night, it will immediately contour to your body upon changing positions.

At just $1,099 for a queen, you’ll avail of a bed that includes 100 nights to try it out plus a 10-year warranty should you decide to keep it. However, if something slightly softer is more to your liking, the Helix Sunset costs the same and still offers ample support for side sleepers, along with the same trial and warranty terms. The breathable soft touch knit cover will keep you cozy and comfortable, although hot sleepers can opt to upgrade to a GlacioTex Cooling Cover for $199 more.

Materials: Memory foam | Height: 12 inches | Firmness level: Medium | Trial period: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress boasts one of the most competitive prices we’ve seen from any boxed mattress brand. A queen size Nectar mattress is just shy of $1,000 but you can often get it at a discount that brings it closer to $800. It comes with a one-year risk-free trial so you can test it throughout each season, plus a Forever Warranty that’ll last for as long as the mattress does. Overall, the Nectar mattress is a spectacular value.

This medium-firm all-foam mattress suits any type of sleeper but it’s particularly ideal for individuals who sleep on their back. The Nectar’s adaptive memory foam reduces pressure buildup in the lower lumbar, shoulders and hips to keep your spine aligned and mitigate any nagging back pain in the process. The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress also stands out for its low motion transfer (great for co-sleepers) and quilted cooling cover that won’t leave you in a sweat every morning.

Materials: Foam, individually wrapped coils | Height: 11 inches | Firmness level: Soft, medium or firm | Trial period: 120 nights | Warranty: 10 years

The Brooklyn Signature Hybrid comes in three tiers of firmness—soft, medium or firm—but medium firmness is recommended for combination sleepers. Currently on sale for 25% off, you can score a queen size mattress for under $950. And you’ll get 120 nights to test out it plus a 10-year warranty to back you up.

The medium firmness Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress, which is ideal for combo sleepers, contains 1.5 inches of comfort foam, a 1-inch layer of transitional foam and a base unit of 8-inch individually encased coils. That means your shoulders and hips will be gently cushioned whilst laying on your side, while your lower spine will remain aligned when sleeping on your back or stomach. And when you change positions the bed will quickly adapt to your body. There are also soft and firm options available for different types of sleepers.

Materials: Memory foam | Height: 12 inches | Firmness level: Medium | Trial period: 100 nights | Warranty: 20 years

The Amerisleep AS2 Memory Foam Mattress is the company’s least expensive offering. You can score a queen for under $1,000 on sale, which includes a 100-night risk-free trial and a 20-year warranty, which is very generous, considering the average lifespan of a foam mattress is 10 years.

Designed to promote healthy spinal alignment, the Amerisleep A2 is a firmer mattress made especially for back and stomach sleepers who experience chronic back pain. The brand’s proprietary Bio-Pur memory foam is highly responsive, providing just the right amount of softness and bounce without an unsettling sinking feeling. Meanwhile, the HIVE transitional layer is soft around your shoulders and hips whilst giving your head, back and legs additional support.

Materials: Foam | Height: 9.5 inches | Firmness level: Medium-firm | Trial period: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years

At $995 for a queen, Tuft & Needle’s Original Memory Foam Mattress is an affordable bed that doesn’t require you to sacrifice comfort, no matter your sleeping preference. T&N’s proprietary foam layer is more responsive than traditional memory foam, for added pressure relief plus reduced motion transfer so your co-sleeper’s fidgeting will no longer disrupt your slumber.

The Tuft & Needle Original Mattress also includes reinforced edge support so you can get in or out of bed without waking your partner. If either of you sleeps hot, you’ll each be much more chill at night thanks to a cooling combo of gel beads plus graphite-infused foam. As with all Tuft & Needle mattresses, a 100-night trial and 10-year warranty apply.

Price is obviously a factor when deciding on an affordable mattress, but it’s not the lone criteria you should consider. Ultimately, you need to select a mattress that’s as good a fit for your sleep style and preferences as it is your budget. You’ll also want to take the retailer’s warranty, return policy and at-home trial period into account—especially if you’re purchasing a mattress online.

Your sleep style refers to how you (and your co-sleeper, if applicable) position yourself while you sleep. Do you often fall asleep and wake up on your side, back, stomach or a combination of each? Knowing your sleep style will heavily influence how firm or soft you’ll need your mattress to be for optimum alignment and pressure relief.

Generally speaking, medium-firm mattresses are best for side and combination sleepers, whilst firmer mattresses are well-suited for back and stomach sleepers. Individuals with chronic back pain should also seek out a firmer mattress.

However, firmness is subjective. Body weight and height affect how soft or hard a mattress feels and will vary from one person to another. This is why being able to test a mattress via an at-home trial is crucial.

These days, most popular mattresses are constructed with foam or a combination of foam and springs. A full-foam model is ideal for sleepers who like to sink into their mattress. It’s also an excellent option for couples as foam is dense enough to eliminate motion transfer. However, foam is notorious for trapping heat, so hot sleepers will want to seek a foam bed infused with gel, graphite or other cooling tech.

Meanwhile, hybrid beds have foam layers on top and rows of innersprings at the base, resulting in more bounce and better airflow whilst still maintaining a cushiony feel. Organic hybrid mattresses are becoming increasingly prevalent as consumers express a demand for more eco-friendly options, although they tend to be pricey. Hybrids pair innersprings with latex, a more sustainable (and breathable) alternative to foam.

Buying a mattress sight unseen is a risk that retailers are keenly aware of, which is why they offer at-home trials. The industry standard for home trials is 100 nights, with a 30-night minimum so your body can sufficiently adjust to your new mattress. Some brands are extremely generous in this regard and offer up to a one-year trial, which will give you the chance to feel how well a mattress performs across all seasons.

So what happens if you decide your new mattress isn’t the right fit? Most companies will allow you to return your mattress free of charge and grant you a full refund before your trial period is over. But read the fine print as some brands will levy a return shipping fee, though this isn’t terribly common.

Familiarize yourself the terms of your mattress warranty so you don’t unknowingly void it. For instance, removing a fixed cover or placing your mattress on an improper frame can potentially render your mattress ineligible for warranty coverage.

A brand could offer varying warranty periods among its own line of mattresses. For example, Helix bestows 15 years of coverage for its LUXE line of mattresses; its less expensive entry-level models are backed by 10-year warranties. Some manufacturers (like Awara and Nectar) grant lifetime warranties for all of its mattresses.

The longevity of a mattress depends on the material you choose. These are the average lifespans of the most common types of mattresses:

Of course, there are ways you can prolong the life of your mattress. One of the easiest methods is to use a mattress protector, which repels liquid from accidental spills, wicks away sweat and limits the buildup of dust mites and other allergens. A mattress protector will also prevent stains—which, if present on a mattress can void its warranty if you ever need it replaced.

Other things you can do to help your mattress last for a long time are avoid eating and drinking in bed, regularly vacuum your mattress and keep your dogs or cats off the bed (sorry pet parents, but it’s all because of that pesky dander).

The most obvious sign that it’s time to replace your mattress is when it’s visibly sagging or fraying. Very noisy coils in your innerspring or hybrid bed are also a clear indicator that it’s time to get yourself a new mattress.

A more obscure sign that your mattress is worn out is waking up with pain every morning, as this could signal a lack of support and pressure relief. Also, if you find that you sleep more comfortably away from your own bed—say, on a recliner or in someone else’s bed—that’s another possible clue that your mattress is on the outs (or it’s not the right one for you).

A sudden development of allergies could be traced back to a worn out mattress, as well, since dust mites, mold and mildew can build up and become trapped within. Those elements can also contribute to your mattress developing a lingering odor, another hint that you’ll need to replace it.

A box spring is an upholstered wood or metal frame that contains wire coils or a metal grid in the center. Typically used with innerspring mattresses to limit shock absorption and increase airflow, box springs are much less of a necessity for modern memory foam or hybrid mattresses, which already have those features built-in.

However, if you’re placing a foam mattress on a metal frame then a box spring is a must. Metal bed frames only support themselves so you’ll need something separate to support the foam mattress, as well. Also, if you’re replacing a mattress that’s on a platform bed with slats that are too far apart, you can use a box spring to limit sagging between gaps (although a flat bunkie board would be a more desirable option here).

Check out the mattress company’s FAQs to learn whether or not you should replace your box spring when replacing your mattress. (Unsurprisingly, most brands will be inclined to recommend you use one of their bed frames with their mattresses, but it’s not necessary.)

Also, read the mattress warranty carefully before using a box spring. Some foam and hybrid mattress manufacturers will actually void the warranty if they find out you’ve placed your mattress a box spring, regardless if it’s old or new.