Best Flippable Mattress (Double-Sided) in 2024

What is a Flippable Mattress? 

Flippable mattresses are constructed in a way that they can be used on either side. Although some flippable beds have the same firmness level on both sides, most will have different firmness levels on each side. Flippable beds with different firmness levels allow you to try out both to see what works best for you, essentially giving you the benefit of two mattresses in one.

How Can You Tell if a Mattress is Flippable?

Usually, mattress manufacturers will take every opportunity to boast that their mattresses are flippable, so you shouldn’t have to guess. Most flippable beds have each side labeled, either on the cover or the side of the bed. Under the cover, they might look relatively symmetrical, but this depends on how different the firmness is on either side. 

Overall, you shouldn’t flip a mattress if you’re not sure it can be flipped, as this can compromise its structural integrity. It’ll also likely be uncomfortable, as you’ll be laying on the support layers rather than the comfort layers.

What to Look for in a Flippable Mattress 

Considering that both sides of flippable mattresses will likely be used, even if it’s just to see which side you like best, you will want to take the type of materials used into consideration. What a mattress is made of will be a big factor in how it supports your body type and sleeping position. 

You will also want to take the quality of materials used into account. High-quality materials can help provide durability that will lead to years of use. Most importantly, though, it’s important to only flip a mattress that is designed to be flippable to ensure optimal comfort and support.

Support & Pressure Relief 

To ensure that you get restorative and rejuvenating sleep, you will want a flippable bed that provides excellent pressure relief. If either side of your flippable mattress is too firm or too soft, this could lead to pressure buildup due to your body not getting enough cushioning or support. Beds containing latex and memory foam layers are often best for pressure relief.

How do we test pressure relief? We use a pressure map, which is pictured to the left. After lying on our back and side, the map records where pressure builds up. Blues and greens mean manageable pressure, but yellow and reds mean there’s a lot of pressure, which may be uncomfortable for some sleepers.

Firmness

Mattress firmness is rated on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the firmest. The best firmness for you is going to be a combination of the two categories we’ve outlined above: your sleeping position and your body type. It’s important to consider both. For example, a lightweight side sleeper should stick to soft beds, but a heavyweight side sleeper might need something closer to medium (because their weight causes them to sink in further, wiping out most of that firmer feel).

We try to take these factors into account when rating the bed on our own firmness scale. Check it out if you’re still having trouble deciding which firmness is best for you.

Edge Support

If you like to utilize the entire bed due to co-sleeping or simple preference, edge support is an important factor. This is also true if you have mobility issues that make it more difficult to get in and out of bed since solid support around the perimeter of your mattress can help with this.

To ensure good edge support, look for beds rated well in this category that contain reinforced coils or foam along the perimeter.

Type of Mattress 

Other Considerations When Shopping for a Double Sided Mattress

Sleeping Position 

Back sleepers and combination sleepers are typically served well by medium-firmness mattresses. Flippable beds often have two different firmness levels, and these are usually softer on one side and firmer on the other. Therefore, it’s a good idea to make sure the flippable bed you’re interested in at least has a medium-firm option on one side. 

Softer beds can provide side sleepers more pressure relief for their shoulders and hips, so it’s a good idea to make sure the mattress has one side that’s soft to medium in feel. On the other hand, stomach sleepers will likely prefer the support of the firmer side of flippable mattresses. 

Weight/Body Type of Sleepers 

Your weight and body type can impact how a particular mattress feels and performs. Heavier sleepers typically need more support and a firmer than those who are average or lightweight. This kind of mattress will keep the heavier areas of their bodies from sagging too far down in the bed. 

However, lightweight sleepers will need a softer bed that provides them with extra cushioning. Considering that flippable mattresses usually have a soft and firm side, these mattresses, or at least one side, should be good for heavy and light sleepers. Average-weight folks usually rest best on medium-firm surfaces, though this also depends on the sleep position they like. 

Cooling 

If you wake up hot and sweaty, it could be that your mattress doesn’t regulate temperature very well. Therefore, when you are looking for a flippable mattress, you may want to consider one that also has cooling properties. 

Latex is a naturally cooler material. Therefore, latex mattresses can be a great option. However, if you’re not a fan of the feel of latex, innerspring mattresses allow for easy airflow that will help regulate your temperature. Memory foam typically sleeps the hottest, but many of them have now implemented cooling options. 

Motion Isolation

If you sleep with another person or pet and their movements disturb your sleep, your bed probably lacks good motion isolation. While innerspring and latex mattresses might be available as flippable models, they often don’t excel at keeping movement contained to one side of the bed. 

Instead, we’d recommend flippable memory foam or poly foam mattresses to ensure better motion isolation since these foams can help absorb movement.

Sex

Other than sleeping, sex is probably the activity we associate most with mattresses, and your bed can enhance or diminish your sexual experience. Latex, hybrid, and innerspring mattresses are all responsive and provide considerable bounce. These characteristics make it easier for you to move and reposition, so they’re probably your best bets when it comes to beds for sex. However, memory foam beds can sometimes make you feel stuck due to the material’s slow-moving nature.

Budget 

Mattresses can be vital for your overall health and wellness, but they can also put a dent in your budget, Fortunately, quality flippable mattresses can be found at a variety of price points, and you save even more money by shopping online, and during major sales holidays. 

Flipping vs Rotating a Mattress

Rotating your bed means you are switching the position of the head and feet without changing which side is face-up. This would be the method used for a product designed to be used on only one side. For example, a bed with a soft pillow top and a very firm base could not be flipped as that would change the entire performance of the mattress.

Flipping, on the other hand, is turning the entire bed over so the top is now face-down and vice versa. Beds with different comfort feels on either side or beds designed with the layers mirroring each other from top to bottom would utilize this method.

Either process is meant to prolong the life of your mattress by evening out the wear and tear and reducing body impressions on one side or end of the bed. 

How often should you be flipping or rotating your mattress? Every brand is different, but usually between once every three months to once a year. Companies usually give instructions for how often to perform these tasks on their websites.

Who Should Get a Flippable Mattress?

Flippable mattresses boast a variety of features that can appeal to certain shoppers. Here are some situations that might be made better with the purchase of a flippable mattress:

• You’re looking for value (two mattresses for the price of one)
• You go through frequent changes in your preferred sleeping position
• You can’t choose between two firmnesses
• You’re looking for a mattress that might last longer
• Your child is growing and may need to transition to a different bed
• You want to compromise with a partner who has different preferences 

Of course, these are only some of the scenarios that might lead you to buy a flippable bed. Perhaps you’re just curious or looking to switch it up. 

When it comes to those who shouldn’t buy a flippable bed, the main caveat is that you’ll have to actually, well, flip it. If you struggle with lifting heavy things, it might be difficult to picture yourself flipping an entire mattress, especially if you don’t have someone around to help you out.

Pros and Cons of Flippable Mattresses

With any bed, it’s unlikely that it’s going to please everyone. We surveyed folks who have flippable mattresses to find out what’s so great about them, and also where they might not perform up to par.

Pros

Value and Extended Usability

Getting two beds for the price of one with a product that lasts a long time can be a great deal for consumers. By turning it over, your flippable mattress should last longer and maintain consistent performance despite long-term use.

Due to its extended usability, flippable mattresses can be good options if you’re looking for the Best Mattress for Airbnb or Vacation Rental Properties.

Less Body impressions

By flipping your mattress, you’re giving it a chance to breathe, rather than putting weight repeatedly in the same exact spot–which can cause sagging more quickly.

Versatility

If your reversible mattress has a different comfort level on either side, it can be used to appeal to a variety of sleepers. Side sleepers might revel in the pressure relief of the soft setting while stomach sleepers could find a firmer level of support that keeps them sleeping soundly. 

Cons

Heavier to Move

If you have a heavier mattress due to more layers, you may struggle when trying to move it around, especially if you live on your own. You also might need to rearrange your furniture in order to flip your bed over. Some mattresses offer handles to streamline the process, but it can still be a hassle.

Limited Availability

While reversible beds are becoming more popular, there are still likely to be fewer options as compared to the standard one-sided products. For example, one of the folks we surveyed said they wished there were more non-foam options. This could lead to shoppers spending more time hunting down the perfect bed that fits all of their personal needs.

Novelty Wears Off

Some sleepers said that after using their bed for a while, they didn’t sense too much of a difference between a flippable bed and a regular old mattresses. It was fun to try something new at first, but opinions are mixed on whether or not it was worth it.