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Written by
Austin Meadows
The twin extra-long – twin XL for short – is a standard mattress size that falls between twin and full/double. Exact dimensions vary, but most twin XL mattresses measure 38 to 39 inches wide and 80 inches long. As the name suggests, twin XLs are longer than twin sizes by approximately 5 inches. A twin XL is best suited to single sleepers, particularly those who stand at least 6 feet 3 inches high and are too tall for a standard twin. Children are good candidates for twin XL mattresses, and many bunk beds are compatible with this size.
Since the twin XL is geared toward one sleeper, we based our best twin XL mattress selections on criteria that matter most to people who sleep alone. These include durability, quality of design, temperature control, pressure relief, and edge support. Price and value also factored into our selections, since the twin XL is considered a more affordable option for solo sleepers.
You’ll find details about our top picks below. We’ve awarded a unique accolade to each mattress on our best twin XL list that reflects each model’s particular strengths. Scroll down further to find our comprehensive buyer’s guide for first-time twin XL buyers. We’ll cover average prices for different types of twin XL mattresses, how these models compare to other sizes, and who should consider buying one.
Best Overall
Our first best twin XL mattress pick is the Helix Midnight. This hybrid model is constructed with a comfort layer of adaptive memory foam over a polyfoam transitional layer and a support core of pocketed coils. The Midnight has a medium firm feel. You shouldn’t sink too deeply into the mattress if you weigh 230 pounds or less, but the memory foam still conforms closely to the body to provide support for the spine. The transitional polyfoam and coils also give the Midnight a somewhat responsive surface feel.
The mattress is particularly well suited to side sleepers because the foam offers ample padding for the shoulders and hips, resulting in even spinal alignment and pressure relief throughout the body. The sturdy support system also provides even support with minimal sagging for back sleepers, as well as stomach sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds. Thanks to steady airflow through the coil layer, the mattress is also a good choice for hot sleepers, while the adaptive comfort layer ensures better-than-average motion isolation compared to other hybrids.
The Helix Midnight comes at a very reasonable price-point for a memory foam hybrid. You can also upgrade to the Helix Midnight Luxe, which contains two memory foam layers and zoned coils for more enhanced support. Helix offers free shipping to all 50 states, and the mattress comes with a 100-night trial and a 10-year warranty.
Lab Notes – What Our Testers Thought
“The Midnight was a favorite among many testers on our team. The hybrid design and middle-of-the-road firmness earns the bed high marks, and the edge support is especially impressive.”
Best Value
Our next pick, the Nectar, is an all-foam model constructed with three memory foam layers. These include two comfort layers that contour closely, creating a deep cradle for your body. The third memory foam layer is a bit denser. While it also adds to the Nectar’s conforming feel, this transitional layer also prevents you from sinking too deeply into the mattress. The support core is constructed from high-density polyfoam. This base material is very sturdy, resulting in decent overall support and above-average reinforcement for the edges.
The Nectar has a medium firm feel, so it is best for people who prefer a balance of contouring and support. Side sleepers should feel enough cushioning beneath their shoulders and hips to experience even spinal alignment and feel less pressure in their most sensitive areas. The Nectar is also suitable for back and stomach sleepers, thanks to its transitional and base foams that minimize sinkage beneath heavier areas of the body. Additionally, the Nectar is silent when bearing weight. Sleepers won’t need to worry about sleep disruptions due to squeaks, creaks, and other common mattress noises.
The Nectar has a very affordable price-point for a memory foam mattress. On top of this, Nectar offers a 365-night sleep trial – one of the longest trials available from a major mattress brand – and a lifetime warranty for added peace of mind. Shipping is free for all customers in the contiguous U.S.
Lab Notes – What Our Testers Thought
“I love foam beds but find many of them too soft. The Nectar has just the right amount of firmness to prevent me from sinking too deep into the bed.”
Best Luxury
The WinkBed is a hybrid mattress available in four firmness levels. These include medium soft (4), medium firm (6), and firm (7) for the standard WinkBed, which is constructed with gel-infused polyfoam and pocketed microcoils over a support core of pocketed coils. The polyfoam comfort layer may conform closely, moderately, or barely at all, depending on the selected firmness. This material is also somewhat responsive, so you’ll experience contouring without the deep sink of memory foam. The minicoils reinforce the comfort layer quite well and promote added airflow near the surface.
You can also select the WinkBed Plus, a mattress specifically designed for heavier sleepers. This model swaps in 2.5 inches of breathable latex for the pocketed minicoils of the standard WinkBed. The latex is zoned with different firmness levels. People who weigh more than 230 pounds won’t sink too deeply beneath their heavier areas, but the latex still provides good cradling for the neck, shoulders, and legs. All versions of the WinkBed have zoned support coils, as well, resulting in very good edge support and overall stability for the mattress.
The WinkBed’s prices are a bit high for shoppers on a tight budget, but the mattress offers exceptional support. All orders qualify for free shipping. The WinkBed and WinkBed Plus are both covered under 120-night sleep trials and lifetime warranties.
Lab Notes – What Our Testers Thought
“When it comes to balancing contouring and bounce, the WinkBed is one of the most well-rounded beds I’ve tested. With different firmness options, we each found a version that worked for our body type.”
Most Comfortable
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The Saatva Youth is a kid-friendly mattress embellished with thoughtful touches to enhance your child’s sleep experience. A reversible mattress, each side is designed with specific age groups in mind. One surface is constructed with polyfoam divided into five firmness zones for extra support around the middle to help ensure even alignment for growing bodies. This side is intended for kids ages 3 to 7. The opposite side has standard convoluted foam that cushions the body and promotes airflow to sleep cool. Children ages 8 to 12 should use this surface.
The shared support core contains sturdy hourglass coils that make the mattress feel somewhat responsive, allowing kids to get in and out of bed more easily. Each side of the mattress features an organic cotton cover with Guardian antimicrobial treatment and a water-resistant finish to protect against liquid spills and damage from bedwetting. A waterproof barrier adds extra moisture control to prevent foam and coil damage. The cotton is highly breathable, while the coils generate air currents to cool down the interior, so the Youth should sleep cool in most climates.
Saatva offers free White Glove delivery for all customers in the contiguous U.S. This includes full assembly in a room of your choice and removal of your child’s previous mattress. You’ll also receive a 180-night sleep trial with your purchase to allow ample time for testing out the Youth, as well as a 12-year warranty that should cover defects in the mattress for as long as your child needs it.
Lab Notes – What Our Testers Thought
“Both sides of this reversible bed feel cushioned as well as supportive. We worried the waterproof barrier on the Youth might detract from the comfort, but it is surprisingly soft and breathable. A great choice for kids 12 and under.”
Best for Side Sleepers
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Next up is the Layla, a memory foam mattress with a flippable design. Both sides of the mattress are constructed with memory foam comfort layers. One surface offers a medium soft feel and conforms rather closely, making it ideal for many side sleepers and people who weigh less than 130 pounds. The opposite side has a firm feel. You’ll feel very moderate conforming and much stronger support on this surface, resulting in even contouring and minimal sinkage for back and stomach sleepers who weigh at least 130 pounds. The shared support core is made of high-density polyfoam. The mattress is rather lightweight, so flipping it over shouldn’t take too much effort.
Both memory foam layers are infused with copper, which has cooling properties and can help to reduce body heat buildup on either of the Layla’s sides. The softer side also contains a transitional layer of convoluted polyfoam, which promotes added airflow due to its shape. This surface provides the best overall pressure relief, and it also isolates motion transfer very well. The firmer side offers stronger edge support, while less sinkage makes the surface easier to move across for most people.
Given the Layla’s reversible design and premium materials, its price-point is very affordable. Shipping is free if you reside in the contiguous U.S., with reasonable added fees for shipping to Alaska and Hawaii. The mattress is backed by a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty, both of which are longer than average.
Lab Notes – What Our Testers Thought
“I really appreciate the versatility of the Layla. The firm side feels quite firm for a foam bed while the softer side is extremely cushioned, making this great for people with changing needs.”
Best for Kids and Teens
The Mint Mattress from Tuft & Needle builds on the standard all-foam design with premium materials and helpful features to enhance your experience. For one, the mattress has a medium firm (6) feel and won’t sink excessively beneath people who weigh 230 pounds or less. The foam layers also have an open-cell composition to reduce body heat buildup. Based on these factors – coupled with an affordable price-tag – we recommend the Mint Mattress for sleepers of all ages.
Side and back sleepers in particular should find the mattress comfortable. The foam conforms to the body much like memory foam, providing good cushioning for the shoulders and hips. This can help to improve spinal alignment for side sleepers and reduce pressure points in sensitive areas. Meanwhile, the mattress is firm and supportive enough to reinforce back sleepers around the midsection and maintain an even sleep surface for them.
Another key component is the cover, which is given a HeiQ antimicrobial treatment during manufacturing. This can help stave off dust mites and other allergens that frequently affect sleepers. The Mint Mattress has a manageable price-point and shipping is free for all orders in the contiguous U.S. With your purchase, you’ll receive a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.
Lab Notes – What Our Testers Thought
“Most people on our testing team found the Mint quite comfortable, but side and back sleepers gave it the highest marks. It has all the comfort of foam beds without the deep sinkage that turns some people off from foam.”
Our team of testers at Sleep Foundation has tried out hundreds of mattresses. We rely on rigorous hands-on testing and years of experience in the sleep product industry to bring you the best mattress picks in a variety of categories. Our testing team includes side, back, stomach, and combination sleepers. We also represent different body types with varying sleep needs and preferences, so you can rest assured that our findings take into account the needs of many types of sleepers.
When testing twin XL mattresses, our team members take turns lying on each mattress and rolling across the surface to evaluate firmness and support. We also perform tests and employ special tools to measure motion isolation, temperature neutrality, and pressure relief. The list above represents the twin XL beds that performed the best among all models.
Finding the right twin XL mattress will require a bit of research on your part. We encourage all mattress buyers to compare different models in terms of construction, feel, price, and other key factors. Sometimes, mattress brands will use misleading labels and descriptions for their beds in order to entice shoppers. While phrases like “universal comfort,” or “a perfect firmness for all sleepers,” sound nice, they can make it difficult to parse out how a mattress will actually feel and perform for you. By focusing on the nuts and bolts of a bed, using the following criteria to guide your search, you’ll be able to get a better picture of how well a mattress meets your specific needs.
Specific measurements vary by model, but a typical twin XL mattress measures about 39 inches wide and 80 inches long. These dimensions make the bed a bit too narrow for most couples, but single sleepers should have plenty of room as long as they aren’t taller than 6 feet 7 inches. Anyone can use a twin XL mattress if they choose, but we recommend this size for the following groups:
The twin and twin XL sizes are fairly comparable. Both measure approximately 39 inches wide. For length, a twin measures 75 inches and a twin XL measures 80 inches. This makes the latter better suited to people who stand between 6 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 7 inches tall, since their legs are likelier to dangle over the edge of a standard twin.
The difference in cost between these two sizes is usually minimal. Some brands charge the same price for twin and twin XL sizes.
Like other standard mattress sizes, the twin XL has distinct pros and cons that set it apart from other options. The advantages and disadvantages of twin XL models are listed below.
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Mattresses sold today are divided into five general categories based on the materials used to construct them. The material composition of a mattress will affect its performance in several areas, such as durability, pressure relief, temperature neutrality, and noise. While mattresses in the same general category often perform at comparable levels, they also vary in terms of firmness, thickness, price, and quality. Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of each mattress category and its defining characteristics.
Definition: While technically innersprings, hybrids are usually constructed with thick comfort layers of memory foam, latex, and other contouring materials. This results in deeper conforming and more pressure relief than most traditional innersprings. Most hybrids also contain support cores with individually pocketed coils.
Balanced Design: Hybrids are popular with sleepers because many offer the best qualities of innersprings and all-foam beds. Conforming comfort layers provide decent motion isolation and good pressure relief, while coil layers reinforce the edges and promote airflow to keep the mattress cool.
Definition: The most popular mattress type sold in the U.S., innersprings are constructed with thin comfort layers of memory foam and polyfoam over a support core of open steel coils. Some innersprings also contain transitional layers of polyfoam or minicoils. On average, innersprings are the most affordable mattress type.
More Bounce, Less Sink: Most innerspring beds don’t conform very closely and their coils are highly responsive. This results in a very bouncy surface that most people can move across without sinking or feeling trapped by their mattress. Edge support is usually quite strong, as well, so you’ll be able to use the entire surface of the bed – not just the middle.
Definition: Latex is a substance derived from the sap of rubber trees. Processing latex with chemical fillers yields a foamy material that conforms to the body while remaining fairly responsive. An all-latex mattress contains softer latex in the comfort layer and denser material in the support core.
Durable and Resilient: Latex offers more longevity than memory foam or polyfoam, so mattresses with latex layers typically carry a lifespan of at least eight years – much longer than average. The latex should also retain its responsive, bouncy feel over time and won’t sag too much.
Definition: Not to be confused with temporary air mattresses, airbed mattresses are constructed with at least two air chambers in their support cores. Owners can add or release air from each chamber to change the feel of different areas of the mattress. Although these adjustable settings make airbeds suitable to a wide range of sleepers, they are fairly rare and, on average, rather expensive.
Unparalleled Customization: Adjustable firmness is the defining feature of modern airbeds. You can change the feel of your bed with the click of a button – or a smartphone app, in some cases. The best airbeds offer a wide range of feels to choose from, and many offer dual-firmness constructions for couples with different comfort preferences.
Definition: An all-foam mattress is constructed with comfort and transitional layers of polyfoam and/or memory foam; models that contain both materials are known as “mixed-foam” beds. The support core is always made from high-density polyfoam. Like innersprings, all-foam mattresses are generally cheaper than the other mattress types.
Full Body Contour: Foam hugs the body and alleviates pressure better than most mattress materials. Memory foam responds slowly, so you’ll slowly sink into the mattress. Polyfoam is more responsive, but it still conforms closely to the body. Even contouring ensures pressure relief in your most sensitive areas.
You’re almost ready to begin your search for the right twin XL mattress. Before we let you go, let’s answer a few common questions about the twin XL mattress size.
Whether you’re buying a twin XL mattress for your child, another adult, or yourself, the model you select should align with the recipient’s body type, sleep position, and firmness preferences. Also be sure to consider other factors, such as whether or not the individual deals with pressure points on a regular basis or tends to sleep hot.
Although most bunk beds are compatible with twin or full sizes, some bunk bed models can accommodate one or two twin XL mattresses. Bunk beds are great space-saving options for children’s bedrooms, as well as dorm rooms.
If you plan to use one or two twin XL mattresses with a bunk bed, be sure to first check the bed’s weight capacity. This refers to the maximum amount of weight the bed can support, and it applies to both the sleepers and the mattresses. Additionally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission mandates that the mattress on a top bunk should be at least 5 inches shorter than the guard rails on either side. For this reason, low-profile mattresses measuring 6 to 7 inches thick are usually the best fit.
In addition to comparing mattresses, you should also research how different brands stack up in terms of shipping, returns, and warranty coverage.
Most online mattress brands will ship for free anywhere in the contiguous U.S., and some extend this offer to Alaska and Hawaii. The mattress will be compressed and delivered to your doorstep. A large number of companies also offer White Glove delivery for an extra cost, which includes in-home setup and old mattress removal – though a handful of brands offer free White Glove delivery, as well.
Mattresses sold online usually come with a sleep trial that lasts at least 90 nights, and some span up to one year. In most cases, you’ll be able to return the mattress for a full refund within the trial window – though some brands require you to test out the mattress for at least 30 nights before you’ll be eligible for a refund.
All mattresses come with some sort of warranty, and most cover the product for at least 10 years. If the warranty is non-prorated, then you won’t pay much (if anything) to have a defective mattress repaired or replaced. If the warranty is partially prorated, replacing the mattress will cost you a percentage of the original sticker price after you’ve owned the bed for a few years.
Defects covered under warranty may include sagging or body impressions in the surface that measure to a certain depth (usually 0.5 to 1.5 inches), manufacturing flaws that cause the materials to deteriorate prematurely, and defects associated with the mattress cover.
Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market. Send an email to [email protected] with your questions and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Sleep Product Tester
Austin is a professional writer and researcher who has covered sleep science and sleep products for over a decade.
Sleep Product Tester
Austin is a professional writer and researcher who has covered sleep science and sleep products for over a decade.
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