Is your college dorm mattress old and tired? I review the best mattress toppers for college so you can get the perfect night’s sleep for your entire stay at college.
If you are in a hurry and just want to know what the best mattress topper for college is, I recommend you get the Lucid Hybrid 2 layer mattress topper.
You might wonder why bother getting the best mattress topper for college, but the truth is college dorm mattresses aren’t always the best quality even when brand new, so finding a way to make your bed more comfortable is crucial.
Starting college is a fantastic time.
New friends, new experiences, new knowledge, new life.
It’s also the start of your adult life, you are putting the things of a child behind you and accepting some of the responsibilities that come with being an adult.
One of those is looking after yourself and taking responsibility for most, if not all, aspects of your life.
This includes showing up to class ready and able to learn, with a fresh mind and a strong body.
Think about it this way, besides a mortgage, college is one of the most expensive things you will do in your life.
If you are not making the most of that opportunity, then you are simply throwing money away.
Part of that is looking after yourself.
Having a good night’s sleep, as you will come to realise as you hit your 30’s and 40’s, is essential to success.
By adding a good quality mattress topper to your college dorm bed, you can make sure that you are setting yourself up for the best possible success.
Today I will be reviewing the following mattress toppers
- LINENSPA Mattress Topper
- Zinus Mattress Topper
- KARRISM Mattress Topper
- D&G THE DUCK AND GOOSE CO Mattress Topper
- EDITOR’S CHOICE – LUCID Mattress Topper
How can I make my bed more comfortable?
Short of buying a new mattress, which isn’t always a possibility in rented accommodation that comes furnished, like a dorm room, a mattress topper is the best way to go to make your bed more comfortable.
What’s the difference between a mattress pad and mattress topper?
The difference between a mattress topper and a mattress pad is that the mattress topper is thicker and designed to be an extra layer of comfort or support on top of your normal mattress.
A mattress pad is more like a mattress protector, it’s thinner and often just a fitted sheet that goes over the mattress to help keep it clean and hygienic.
Do I need a mattress topper for college?
College dorm mattresses are notoriously uncomfortable as they tend to not get replaced as often as they should, and have to suffer a lot of abuse from various students who will use them as sofas, chairs, beds, or who knows what. (Best not to imagine 🙂 )
And they are probably not the best quality to start with.
So getting a mattress topper for college is not a bad idea for some extra support for your spine or just to make the mattress more comfortable.
What thickness mattress topper should I get?
Anything less than 1.5 inches is not really worth it.
Ideally go for a mattress topper that is as thick as you can afford, there is an option for a 4 inch mattress topper in the review below. It’s definitely the most expensive mattress topper reviewed, but it’s likely to be the best choice in the long run.
Best Mattress Topper for College in 2020
LINENSPA Mattress Topper
- Best mattress topper for college.
- 84% of people who bought this mattress rated it 4 out of 5 stars or higher.
- Twin size
- 3 year warranty
- Thickness: 2 inches
- Type of mattress topper: gel memory foam
- Bedtime Specialist Score: 5
The Linenspa mattress toppers come in a range of options, you can choose between a 2″ and a 3″ thick mattress, or 3 different types of designs, although all are made with gel memory foam in some way.
The memory foam will contour to your body so your spine will remain as straight as possible, while the gel creates a cooling effect through the absorption of your body heat.
Zinus Mattress Topper
- Best mattress topper for smelling fresh.
- 79% of people who bought this mattress rated it 4 out of 5 stars or higher.
- Twin size
- 5 year limited warranty
- Thickness: 1.5″
- Type of mattress topper: memory foam infused with green tea extract and castor seed oil
- CertiPUR-US certification: The Memory Foam was made without harmful chemicals
- Bedtime Specialist Score: 3
The green tea extract and caster seed oil both help in eliminating odors through their antibacterial properties, whether that’s a gimmick or not, I will let you decide.
KARRISM Mattress Topper
- Best mattress topper for “sleeping on a cloud”.
- 87% of people who bought this mattress rated it 4 out of 5 stars or higher.
- Twin size
- Thickness: 2″
- Type of mattress topper: Snow Down Alternative Fill
- Bedtime Specialist Score: 4
Ideal for firm mattresses, the Karrism mattress topper is made with a down filling that’s plush and soft, and makes you feel like you are sleeping on a cloud. The truffle box design prevents the filling from moving about or clumping and keeps it evenly spread out.
The cover is made from 400 thread count cotton, so feel cool to the touch, and the whole thing can be put in the washing machine as well as the tumble dryer.
It has elastic bands to help keep the mattress topper still on top of your mattress.
Because of the down filling, I was concerned that it would be hot, but it really does keep you nice and cool.
I had a similar mattress topper a few years ago, but that was made from real goose and duck down, equally as plush and soft but boy it was HOT. Although it was really nice and cosy and warm in winter, eventually I got rid of it as you just could not sleep on it in summer.
It’s a bit more on the expensive side, and I wouldn’t put this on top of a soft mattress, only a firm mattress, but it really does seem worth the money if you enjoy sleeping in a soft, cool embrace.
D & G THE DUCK AND GOOSE CO Mattress Topper
- Best mattress topper for allergies.
- 84% of people who bought this mattress rated it 4 out of 5 stars or higher.
- Twin size
- 2 year warranty as long as you purchase from an authorised seller.
- Thickness: 2″
- Type of mattress topper: Down alternative filling
- Bedtime Specialist Score: 4
The Duck and Goose Co mattress topper is another topper made from a down alternative filling, or to be precise, 400GSM of super soft down alternative gel-fibre.
It sounds fancy but it’s really just a microfibre filling.
The microfibre filling means it’s hypoallergenic so good for anyone with allergies.
In fact I switched from my natural real goose and duck down topper and comforter to these microfibre fillings a few years ago when my seasonal hay fever became unbearable. I have to say it made a huge difference.
You can wash it in a front loading washing machine, no more than twice a year, and it can also be tumble dried. In fact, put it in the tumble dryer if you want to re-fluff it if it starts to become a bit too flat.
Like the Karrism, this is more suited as a topper for a firm mattress.
EDITOR’S CHOICE for Best Mattress Topper for College
LUCID Mattress Topper
- Editor’s Choice : Best mattress topper for college.
- 86% of people who bought this mattress rated it 4 out of 5 stars or higher.
- 3 year warranty
- Twin size
- Thickness: 4″
- Type of mattress topper: Hybrid – gel memory foam plus alternative down layer
- Bedtime Specialist Score: 5
The Lucid mattress topper really is 2 different mattress toppers sold together, giving you the benefits of both worlds, support and cosiness.
The microfibre down filling provides a plush soft layer to sink into and feel cosy in, whereas the memory foam conforms to your body to support your spine, while the addition of gel in the memory foam provides for a cooling effect.
At 4 inches deep, it is luxurious, delicious and wonderful, but it is also more expensive than any of the other single layer mattress toppers.
But I would say, that if you have the money, this is the mattress topper to buy, it will last you through your entire college stay so it will definitely be worth the money.
Editor’s Choice
The Lucid Hybrid 2 layer mattress topper is definitely my choice, but it is a splurge, especially for a college student.
Let’s face it, for college we are all still trying to either save money or spend as little as possible so we can buy more booze.
But, remember, you are in college to learn, and you are spending a lot of money to do so.
If you have a bad night’s sleep, or you develop back pain or neck pain, going to class will feel like torture.
You need a mattress topper for that bad college dorm bed that will help you sleep soundly so you can wake up ready to learn and absorb and grow and develop.
So trying to save money on your bedding is a false economy if you end up continuously tired or in pain.
All of these mattress toppers come with a warranty of some sort, and all of them offer a cheap alternative to replacing the entire dorm mattress.
I recommend the Lucid hybrid mattress topper, even though it’s a little pricier, it will last you your entire college stay so in the end it will pay for itself.
But if you feel that is too expensive, then I would recommend any of the gel memory foam mattress toppers for your college dorm bed.
The Linenspa gel memory foam mattress is affordable and will at least help to keep your spine as straight as possible for a good healthy night’s sleep.
Looking for a new mattress? Read my guide on what to consider when buying a new mattress or bed.
Happy sleeping and learning.