If you find yourself tossing and turning or waking up tired and groggy, it might be time for a new mattress. But with so many mattress types to choose from, how do you know which mattress to buy? To answer this, it might be easiest to learn about three of the most common types: Euro top, pillow top, and memory foam.
Before you go bouncing from one floor-model mattress to the next, check out the differences and benefits of these common mattress types and learn how to choose the best mattress for you.
Euro Top Mattress
A Euro top mattress features a layer of cushy padding that’s made of foam or fiberfill. The extra layer is sewn directly underneath the top of the mattress, making it feel softer than a traditional mattress. The padded top layer is flush with the rest of the mattress, producing a neat, seamless look.
A Euro mattress’s top padding is sewn underneath the mattress cover, keeping it from shifting as a pillow top would. This helps a Euro top mattress isolate a sleeper’s motion–tossing and turning, for example–and deliver better durability than pillow top mattresses.
You’ll typically find a Euro top on an innerspring mattress. The material in a Euro top mattress is often denser and can be better quality than what you might find on a pillow top mattress.
Pillow Top Mattress
As with Euro top mattresses, pillow top mattresses provide a soft pillow-like layer on top. The pillow top layer is sewn on top of the mattress, creating a gap between the two–hence the name. The extra layer on a pillow top is softer than the same section on a Euro top since the pillow top layer isn’t stretched as tightly over the mattress.
While a pillow top mattress makes you feel like you’re sinking into a cloud, the pillow top can move around when you toss and turn. A pillow top is also made with a wider variety of materials than a Euro top layer. These materials include fiber, wool, memory foam, latex foam, or gel. The top layer usually sits on an innerspring mattress.
Since the pillow top layer can shift slightly during use, pillow top mattresses are considered not as durable as Euro top mattresses. Additionally, the excess padding on top might require special bedsheets. However, these minor drawbacks haven’t stopped many sleepers from choosing the pillow top to catch their Zzzs on.
Memory Foam Mattress
Memory foam mattresses are typically made of a special type of polyurethane foam invented by NASA. A memory foam mattress is designed to offer relief from aches because it “memorizes” the contours of your body. The foam reduces the effects of tossing and turning by absorbing motion and evenly distributing weight.
Thanks to their hypoallergenic properties, memory foam mattresses have been known to help ease symptoms of allergies and asthma. Additionally, some sleepers find that memory foam helps them with proper spinal alignment! Plus, some memory foam mattresses are infused with a gel that promotes cooling and airflow, decreasing the amount of trapped heat, which is great news for the hot sleepers out there.
Quick Look Mattress Comparison
| Euro Top | Pillow Top | Memory Foam | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durability | More durable than pillow top | Less durable than Euro top | More durable than Euro top or pillow top |
| Euro TopLayering | Soft layer on top | Soft layer on top | No “pillow” layer; available in different levels of “firmness” |
| Benefits | Supports spine, alleviates pain | Supports spine, alleviates pain | Hypoallergenic |
| Materials | Materials can include foam or fiberfill | Materials can include fiber, wool, gel, memory foam, latex foam | Materials can include memory foam, other foam, springs |
Upgrade Your Mattress at Rent-A-Center
Ready to find out what type of mattress you need? Head into a Rent-A-Center near you to find your perfect pillow top, Euro top, or memory foam mattress and start sleeping better for less. If you’re ready to upgrade your entire bedroom, consider adding a mattress to any bedroom set. We’ll see you in dream land!