A “Twin” mattress measures 39″ x 75″ and is by far the most common daybed mattress size.
Choosing the best daybed mattress depends on a few key factors. Are you a side, stomach or back sleeper? Will the daybed be used more for sitting or sleeping? How important is comfort? Do you need it to fit under a trundle? How important are durability and weight capacity?
All these questions and many more, were carefully considered when testing the absolute best mattresses for daybeds. Here are our winners…
Best Daybed Mattress Reviews
1. The Puffy Mattress 10 Inch – The Ultimate in Comfort (Sitting or Sleeping)
Superior materials and incredible comfort puts the Puffy Mattress completely in a league of its own.
It’s designed for every kind of sleeper, whether you prefer back, side or stomach sleeping. The shipping is free, right to your door. There is an incredible 101-night sleep trial and you can return the mattress at absolutely no charge.
Their breathable, cooling material is excellent at dispersing heat in Summer while keeping you cozy and warm in Winter.
It is a pricier choice in mattress but it’s worth every cent. Your daybed might just be the most comfortable bed in your house. Also, note the regular discounts and free inclusions available on their website.
Pros
- The Most Comfortable Mattress by Far
- Multi-Layer for Superior Comfort
- Comfortable for Both Sitting and Sleeping
- Excellent Choice for Full Sized Adult Beds
2. Zinus Green Tea 10 Inch Mattress with BioFoam
Our runner-up for comfort is the Zinus Green Tea mattress.
It’s infused with BioFoam containing plant oil that extracts odors and bacteria from the mattress. To top it off, it’s also incredibly good value for money.
If you want quality without the price tag, this is our favorite!
It’s available in 6, 8, 10 and 12 inch models.
Pros
- Bacteria Fighting Technology
- Superb Comfort
- Great value!
3. Signature Sleep Memoir 8 Inch Review
Another great option is the Signature Sleep Memory Foam Mattress.
The first 6 inches of high-density foam creates a firm support for the 2 inches of “memoir” foam on top which helps smooth out the sleeping surface.
It’s more of a sleeping mattress, given the firmly layered foam but will work for sitting on as well. It truly feels like a really expensive mattress but it isn’t!
The value for money is good and the high-quality, breathable encasing is a very nice bonus.
Pros
- Great Pressure Relief Upper Layer
Cons
- Slightly More Suited to Sleeping than Sitting
- In Rare Cases, Full Expansion Takes a Little Longer than Expected
4. Modway Aveline 6 Inch Review
The Modway Aveline 6 inch is the perfect daybed mattress option if you want to prioritize budget. The thinner 6-inch model is perfect if you need to fit the mattress under a daybed with a trundle, although we would suggest 8 inches or more if you can make it fit.
The diamond stitch cover feels cool and comfortable while the overall sleep experience is good. It’s priced somewhere in the middle with a decent comfort level and works well for sitting.
Pros
- Good Mattress for Sitting
- Can Handle Frequent Use
- Cooling Cover
Cons
- Medium Price = Medium Comfort
5. Zinus Ultima Comfort Memory Foam 8 Inch Mattress Review
The Zinus Ultima Comfort 8″ Memory Foam Mattress offers incredible value. It is significantly cheaper than the green tea model, but with similar comfort.
The 3 separate layers of foam offer a surprising level of comfort for its low price. The base layer is 4 inches thick in total, with 2 inches of pressure-relieving foam and another 2 inches of memory foam.
If you’re going to use your daybed for both sitting and sleeping on, this is one of the few mattresses that strikes a really good balance between both.
One little quirk with all memory foam is that it tends to soften slightly in warmer temperatures, so don’t expect a firm “sitting” mattress if you’re in hotter parts of the country. For most folks, this is not something to worry about.
It’s a great choice if you’re more concerned with budget as well as all-round comfort. Nothing fancy, but perfect for a daybed!
Pros
- Good Value for Money
- Triple Layer for Comfort
- Ok for Sitting and Sleeping
- Great for Kids, Bunk & Trundle Beds Too
Cons
- Some Complaints about Initial Smell (Avoided by adequate ventilation while inflating)
Buyer’s Advice
We need more than just a comfortable daybed mattress. It needs to be great value and quality, and it must work for sitting and for sleeping on.
1. Daybed Mattress Size – Will Standard a Twin Mattress fit on a Daybed?
Most models are designed to fit a twin mattress perfectly. So, what is a daybed-compatible mattress?
“Twin” Daybeds (75″ x 39″) (also known as Single) are the most popular, followed by “Narrow Twin” (75″ x 30″) also known as a Small Single.
Far less common are the full- and even queen-sized options. These are not as popular since they take up a lot of floor space as a couch and their practicality is limited.
Lastly, you’ll also find many custom designs, that come in a variety of shapes and sizes but these will usually be sold with their own custom mattresses included.
We did a full study on sizes here: “What size are Daybeds?” and we also cover in a separate article exactly, What’s the Difference Between a Daybed and a Twin Bed? It’s the ultimate daybed vs twin mattress write-up.
2. Why a Memory Foam Mattress is better than Coil Springs?
It may seem like a sweeping statement, but there’s a very good reason why you would NOT choose a coil spring for a daybed.
Because they are used to sit on more than regular beds, the entire weight of your body is often focused on a single point rather than spread out over your entire body when lying down.
A memory foam mattress is designed to adapt to this pressure and will be able to return to its original shape without much “divoting”.
Forget about innerspring! They cannot handle the increased pressure in one spot and the springs will begin to weaken around the area where you sit most often. This will create uneven areas and make it terrible to sit OR sleep on.
Hybrid foam solutions are good but don’t get too fancy with latex and other materials. Regular memory foam works best.
3. Do You Need Box Springs for a Memory Foam Mattress?
They do not need box springs BUT you should be careful which memory foam mattress you buy.
Some higher-end mattresses, like the Beautyrest, threaten that you’ll lose your warranty if the supporting slats are less than 2 inches wide and more than 2 inches apart!
Thankfully, the suggested mattresses on our list all don’t need box springs.
If you need a complete in-depth answer, check out our article on Do Daybeds Need Box Springs?
4. Mattress Thickness
The correct thickness for a daybed mattress is around 8 to 10 inches. There’s a whole science behind why (discussed here) but it comes down to two things:
- Comfort
- Combined Bed Height
For comfort, you need at least 8 to 10 inches so that there’s enough padding to avoid you “bottoming out” while lying down. The extra thickness also helps create a comfortable sloping angle under your legs when sitting down, similar to that of a couch.
For combined height, you should consider the height of your frame and add the mattress height for a total height of around 22 inches. This is considered the most comfortable compromise between sitting and sleeping height.
It’s high enough to make it easy to stand up from and also low enough to keep your feet from dangling off the floor while seated.
Anything thinner than 8 inches and you’ll be uncomfortable but kids can get away with less.
Will you be it more for sleeping or for sitting?
The thicker it is, the more comfortable it will be to sit on because it helps support your legs as you sink in, like a couch.
Bear in mind that thicker options can be trickier to get up from since you “sink-in” a little more (unless its a firmer foam).
You also need to consider the combined height of your daybed plus the mattress so that your feet don’t hang off the floor while seated. 22 inches in total is a good benchmark.
Here’s an in-depth analysis we did on how high a daybed should be.
You do need to consider if you have a pop-up trundle, in which case you may want both mattresses (the frame and the trundle) to be the same height, so they can be placed side by side and feel more like a double bed.
If you have a 6-inch trundle mattress but an 8-inch daybed mattress, you’ll end up with an annoying “step” when the trundle bed is raised to the height of the daybed.
Note: Some trundles can only fit an 8-inch mattress before running out of space under the frame. Maybe even less if you want to keep the trundle bed made up with linen while it’s stowed away.
5. Can you Sleep on a Daybed All the Time?
Yes, this is where your choice of mattress becomes really important. If you plan on sleeping on it more than using it as a couch, you should consider a good sleeping mattress like the Zinus Ultima 8″ above.
It allows for a comfortable night’s sleep while still being a pretty good surface for sitting on. The firmer construction also minimizes compression under the sitting areas allowing for a much more level sleeping surface.
You can find a complete answer to the question here: “Can Daybeds be Used Everyday as a Normal Bed?”
6. Do You Need Special Bedding?
As they typically use twin-size mattresses, the same bedding you would use for a standard twin bed would work, although a fitted comforter and daybed bedding set will work much better. We’ve curated a list of the best daybed bedding sets for you to check out.
If used as a bed, the equivalent size bed set and duvet is the perfect fit.
If you plan to use it as a couch too, additional pillows along the backboard will make it more comfortable.
7. What are the Benefits Over a Normal Bed?
What makes the daybed so appealing is that it’s ideal for sleeping and super comfortable as a spacious couch as well. In small spaces like guest rooms and studies, they transform perfectly between the two functions, allowing for more options in a living space.
8. Do Daybeds Come With a Mattress?
Do daybeds come with a mattress? In 99% of cases, twin daybeds on Amazon do not come with a mattress and you’ll need to order one additionally. However, narrow twin daybeds sometimes have a mattress included.
Zinus sells 3 styles of “Narrow Twin” daybeds that include mattresses. A narrow twin is 75″ x 30″ and a regular twin is 75″ x 39″. This is quite narrow for sleeping so this means it’s mostly for sitting on.
It can also be used for kids and the occasional guest sleeping over (as long as they’re a small guest) but I wouldn’t put a sleepover guest on a narrow twin… It’s just a bit too narrow.
At companies like Wayfair, there’s an entire section that includes mattresses. This makes it possible for the manufacturer to create a mattress in the same style as the daybed, tying it in visually for a more “complete” look. (The problem is, you can’t choose the mattress you’d prefer and are left with the one they choose for you.)
These mattresses are often button-tucked, trimmed or have Argyle patterns sewn in for decoration. The style and color of the mattress fabric can also be made to match the upholstered fabric of the daybed. This is something that would be impossible if you ordered your mattress separately.
Another very important factor is that most of the Wayfair options are also Narrow Twins!
9. Why You Should Choose Your Own Mattress
Every person is different and has different preferences as well as what they’ll be using their daybed for. Let’s explore some of those factors and the choices that arise from them.
More for Sitting?
In that case, the mattresses that are automatically included by Wayfair aren’t too bad. For the most part, they match the daybed’s style perfectly and offer a quick and easy way to ensure that the mattress fits (and suits) the daybed perfectly.
They tend to come in a variety of styles with some being ultra-smooth or suede designs and others with upholstered patterns. Either way, they’re good for sitting, but not too great for sleeping on.
Regular Sleeping
If you’ll be using your daybed to sleep on every day, you’ll want to be very sure to get a great sleeping mattress. This is very different from the included mattresses you’ll get from Wayfair.
A good memory foam mattress makes a much better sleeping solution than a “built-in” mattress. That’s literally what it’s been designed for and you can’t go wrong with choosing a good one.
Future Replacement
At some point in the future, you may want to replace the mattress. If your daybed came with a mattress, it might be very difficult to match the same look with a custom mattress bought years later. This would be another primary reason for buying your daybed and your mattress separately.
What’s The Difference in Price?
Buying Separately
- The average popular metal daybed costs around $100 to $150
- If you combine that with a standard daybed mattress of around $150
- Your total spend will be around $300
That’s for a great daybed and an excellent mattress that you can sit or sleep on for years.
Buying Together
- A Zinus Narrow Twin including a mattress might cost around $150 to $250 depending on the model
- Wayfair’s daybeds with mattresses included, range from around $600 to $3000!
Buying Verdict
Either way you look at it, buying separately is more cost-effective, especially given that the combo options are only available in narrow twin models. I honestly believe that you should be choosing your own mattress for comfort, replaceability, cost-effectiveness, and overall versatility. Plus, it looks like if you’re looking for a regular twin daybed size daybed, you’ll have no choice but to order the mattress separately!
10. Warranty
Be careful to make sure what the warranty covers. In most cases, it’s very limited and won’t cover wear and tear. It’s best to think of it more like a defect cover. For example: if the mattress stitching comes loose.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading through our reviews.
If you’re buying a “twin” frame online, you’ll need an 8- or 10-inch “medium-firm” memory foam mattress which is good for sitting and sleeping on. If your frame includes a trundle, try to also match the trundle bed mattress so they become interchangeable.
If you’ve made a mistake, don’t sweat it… you can return any mattress within the given trial period for a full refund.
Also note that some brands (like the Lucid Gel 10″ mattress) have an updated, 2020 version. It’s important to note that the new version has quite some improvement on the previous year’s model. They take customer feedback and continually redevelop their manufacturing process to adjust to what their customers want. The price difference is practically zero and it’s well worth the upgrade.
Here are some cool styling ideas.