Best Cali KingMattress Toppers 2021: A Tired Blogger's Search for Better Sleep (and how the Comfort Boost completely rejuvenated my old mattress)

1. The best mattress topper I tried: Comfort Boost Extra Thick Mattress Topper

★ Comfort Boost Mattress Topper

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1. ↑

   Direct from manufacturer!
   (sold out on Amazon)

What I liked:

1. ✓

   PIllowy and thick

2. ✓

   Cooling, breathable cotton

3. ✓

   Deep pocket fits a mattress of any thickness

4. ✓

   Quilting keeps filling evenly distributed

5. ✓

   Luxurious 400 thread count top layer

6. ✓

   Machine washable (but comes pre-washed and ready to use)

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Can take up to 48 hours to fluff up after washing

1. ←

   Direct from manufacturer!
   (sold out on Amazon)

Author’s pick: Ranks #1 out of all mattress toppers

Without hesitation, I’m pleased to say that the Comfort Boost is the best mattress topper that I’ve ever used. It fulfilled all of the criteria I had for a quality mattress topper, and it surpassed my expectations in nearly every way. Not surprisingly, it’s the mattress topper that I’m still sleeping on every night. Most importantly, I’m able to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer with the Comfort Boost on my bed. I’m also noticing fewer aches and pains throughout the day, even when I have to sit at my desk for hours on end.

Crucially, the Comfort Boost mattress topper offers the ideal balance of comfort and support. With three inches of overstuffed, pillowy depth, it's extra thick and “poofy,” and converts my bed into an entirely new sleeping surface. Thanks to the Comfort Boost, my old, stiff mattress has been completely transformed.

In addition to feeling cozy, the Comfort Boost’s quilted construction ensures that the filling stays evenly distributed throughout the mattress topper, so that lumps don't form over time. The Comfort Boost’s filling does a fantastic job of staying fluffy, even with constant use. I can really feel it contouring to the shape of my body when I lie on it, providing a gentle cushion of support. And it quickly fluffs up again so that it’s ready for the next sleep, as opposed to other mattress toppers that easily flatten out.

Trapping body heat seems to be a problem for many mattress toppers, but not the Comfort Boost -- instead, it’s made of cooling, breathable cotton. Neither my husband nor I ever felt too warm when sleeping on top of the Comfort Boost, even in the summer. It’s a cooling mattress topper that’s perfect to sleep on all year round.

Another big plus with the Comfort Boost is how well it stays on the bed. It has a fitted, elasticated pocket that tucks underneath the bottom of the mattress. A lot of other toppers just have straps at the corners, but the Comfort Boost has a deep pocket that stretches from 8” all the way to 21”, so it can accommodate the height of any mattress; it works just as well on standard mattresses as on extra-thick ones, without the fabric ever bunching up. Furthermore, the pocket material of the Comfort Boost has a unique ribbed texture that I haven’t seen in any other toppers. It’s very effective at gripping the mattress, so it never shifts during the night. The pocket is also really durable and holds up well to frequent use, so I’m not concerned about it ripping.

The contoured piping around the edges of the Comfort Boost looks classy, and it serves a purpose -- it helps to keep the fitted sheet and other bedding in position over the mattress topper.  The edges are double-stitched, too, which further improves the durability of the topper.

The thread count (how many threads are woven into a single square inch) on the top of the Comfort Boost is a soft, luxurious 400, while on the underside it's a thicker, more durable 200, so there’s no risk of chafing or tearing.

In addition, the Comfort Boost topper is hypoallergenic, which is definitely a plus, as it protects the mattress from dust mites, and provides a barrier between the sleeper and the mattress. For those with allergies, this is a major benefit that means you’ll be able to breathe more easily at night.

The Comfort Boost definitely ticks the “machine washable” box, which was one of my essential criteria. It’s important to note, though, that the Comfort Boost arrives pre-washed, so you can place it on your bed right away. There’s no need to throw it into the washing machine unless it's actually dirty -- after all, you’ll be putting a fitted sheet on top of it, anyway. Because of its thick filling, keep in mind that the Comfort Boost can take 48 hours to regain its full fluffiness and shape after a wash. 

All in all, the Comfort Boost is really well made and is definitely durable enough to last a long time. It’s designed in the USA and made from premium materials. I’ve inspected this mattress topper inside and out, and I’m really pleased with the care that’s gone into every detail, from the piping around the edges, to the careful double-stitching, to the excellent quality of the fitted skirt and the luxuriously smooth feel of the cotton. 

It’s just what I was hoping to find when I started my search for the perfect mattress topper.

2. The Runner-Up: eLuxurySupply Mattress Topper

eLuxurySupply

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Fluffy and comfortable

2. ✓

   Deep pocket fitted skirt

3. ✓

   Quilted, box-style stitching for even filling distribution

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Fabric isn’t particularly cooling

2. ✕

   Not as pillowy as some other toppers

Although it’s not quite in the same league as the Comfort Boost, I had some pleasant nights sleeping on the eLuxurySupply mattress topper. Even though the thread count is just 160, it has a nice softness. This topper is supposedly filled with custom fibers that mimic the feel of goose and duck down -- but without the feathers poking out and the potential allergies. The eLuxurySupply certainly feels fluffy, although I can’t comment on how similar it really is to goose or duck down. Although the eLuxurySupply is comfortable enough, it’s not quite as pillowy as I was expecting -- but I think I was spoiled after sleeping on the Comfort Boost! 

Similar to the Comfort Boost, the eLuxurySupply also has a deep pocket to secure the topper to the bed. This is preferable to the corner straps that many toppers use, and it's nice to have a topper that suits various mattress sizes. The eLuxurySupply has box-style stitching on the top that distributes the filling uniformly, and it creates a tasteful appearance, too.

The cooling capabilities of the eLuxurySupply are still up for debate. The bamboo rayon cover is supposed to be breathable and pull heat away from the sleeper’s body. I felt good enough through the night, but my husband — a typically hot sleeper — said that he felt like the heat was trapped around his body. This seems to vary depending on the person, but it’s definitely something to think about if you tend to get hot at night, as well. 

The eLuxurySupply has a hypoallergenic cover and it’s washable, although this must be done carefully. The care instructions suggest using a washing machine without an agitator, so it might just be easier to take the topper to a laundromat.

3. ExceptionalSheets Pillowtop Mattress Topper

ExceptionalSheets

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Machine washable

2. ✓

   Hypoallergenic

3. ✓

   Filling resembles goose or duck down

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Fabric on top layer isn't cooling

2. ✕

   Tends to shift during sleep

3. ✕

   Mattress cover bunches up underneath sleeper

At first, the ExceptionalSheets mattress topper was a nice enough addition to our bedding. It’s quite similar to the eLuxurySupply mattress topper -- they have the same thread count, the same custom filling that resembles goose and duck down, and same deep pocket fitted skirt. Likewise, the ExceptionalSheets is also hypoallergenic and has box-style stitching to keep the filling evenly distributed. In my experience, however, most of the filling is concentrated towards the center of this mattress topper, rather than along the edges. It wasn’t ideal to have a bulge of filling in the center, while the margins stayed relatively flat.

Although the material on top of the ExceptionalSheets is slightly different from the top layer of the eLuxurySupply, it seems to be just as hot. Even I noticed that our bed seemed significantly warmer while using this topper, and I don’t tend to get hot very easily. The ExceptionalSheets is machine washable, though, so at least it can be cleaned easily enough!

Despite the fitted skirt style that is supposed to secure the mattress topper to the bed, the  ExceptionalSheets needed daily readjusting. More significantly, I could feel the top layer of fabric  bunching up underneath me. Admittedly, I toss and turn a lot in my sleep, but I had expected this topper to stay put, regardless of how much I move around during the night.  

4. ViscoSoft Memory Foam Dual Layer Mattress Pad

ViscoSoft

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Attractive, cozy design

2. ✓

   Seems durable

3. ✓

   Can be properly secured to the mattress

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   More pricey than comparable products

2. ✕

   Somewhat lumpy sleeping surface

3. ✕

   Overly soft (lacks support)

The ViscoSoft is definitely one of the more unconventional mattress toppers that I tried.  It's also fairly pricey, so I was definitely expecting something high-end. The ViscoSoft is actually a two-piece set, with a gel memory foam pad that you place down first, and then a plush “pillow top” cover that goes over top of the memory foam layer. 

At first glance, this mattress topper is sleek and cozy looking. The cover attaches to the memory foam layer with straps, and then secures to your mattress with a fitted skirt. Pleasingly, everything seems to be in the right place, and it really doesn’t shift much, if at all, during the night. The ViscoSoft’s cover is washable and seems quite durable -- at least from what I could see.

Unfortunately, the ViscoSoft mattress pad loses some points due to the lack of support that it provides. Upon first jumping into bed, I immediately noticed that the topper was soft and cuddly. But the memory foam was so squishy that my husband and I both felt we had sunk into it. We were so enveloped that it was difficult to move around during the night. I woke up frequently just because I was struggling to change my sleeping position. Getting out of bed in the morning was far more difficult than it should have been -- and not because it was so comfy, but because of the exertion required to extract oneself from the mattress topper.

Essentially, although the ViscoSoft topper feels nice and soft, it’s just too soft, and it doesn’t have nearly enough supportive firmness. After a few nights, I was feeling stiff and uncomfortable, and I was concerned that sleeping on this surface could cause some long-term damage. If you’re hoping to find back support and proper alignment, I’d recommend looking for something else -- and maybe something less expensive, too.

5. Karrism Mattress Topper

Karrism

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Adequate budget option

2. ✓

   Smooth, well-made cotton cover

3. ✓

   Deep fitted sheet pocket

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   May overheat for some people

2. ✕

   Filling gets clumpy

3. ✕

   Lacks thickness and comfort

For a budget mattress topper, the Karrism isn’t a bad choice. The cotton cover is smooth and seems to be well-made. It’s advertised as being breathable in order to keep you cool, although this seems to depend largely on an individual's tendency to sleep hot or cold. 

The Karrism mattress topper features a quilted design to avoid bunched-up filling, although the filling did seem to clump in certain parts of the mattress topper, making it slightly uncomfortable to sleep on. Like most of the mattress toppers I tried, the Karrism has a deep, fitted sheet-style pocket for securing it under your mattress, and it’s machine washable, as well. 

My biggest complaint with Karrism is how thin it is. The product description doesn’t give a specific measurement for its thickness, but it is allegedly “overstuffed” and "50% thicker than a normal mattress pad" -- both of which are quite ambiguous claims. I don't know which mattress toppers the Karrism was being compared to, but it was nowhere near as thick as some of the higher-quality toppers that I tried, such as the Comfort Boost. In reality, the Karrism felt more like an extra blanket tucked underneath my fitted sheet than an actual mattress topper. Perhaps that's what some people are looking for, but for me, this just didn't cut it. 

6. Sopat Extra Thick Mattress Topper

Sopat

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What I liked:

1. ✓

   Budget option

2. ✓

   Soft sleeping surface

What I didn’t like:

1. ✕

   Thin -- doesn't provide enough support

2. ✕

   Fabric snags, stitching pulls

3. ✕

   Filling clumps up despite quilting

4. ✕

   Absorbs body heat

Priced similarly to the Karrism, the Sopat mattress topper is a similarly adequate product. In fact, it is extremely similar to the Karrism. I have to wonder whether these two products come from the same manufacturer, just with different labels. 

Just like the Karrism, the smooth cotton exterior of the Sopat topper feels soft and cuddly, and it has a nice deep pocket skirt that stays on fairly well. However, the experience of lying on top of it is another matter entirely. The Sopat is definitely not "extra thick," as advertised. And although it's quilted and stuffed with a down-alternative filling, there are lumpy patches throughout the topper. It always seems to get flatter towards the edges, despite my efforts to fluff it and even it out. The Sopat has a double border that looks nice and unique, although it's not box-stitched, which may contribute to the uneven distribution of the filling.

As for the ever-present issue of mattress toppers absorbing heat, this one didn’t offer much of a reprieve, even though the Sopat is advertised as being "cooling" and "breathable."

The Sopat bed topper is supposedly machine washable. However, it seems a bit flimsy, with the fabric already starting to snag and the stitching coming loose in some areas, even with minimal use. This makes me wonder whether it would actually hold up in the wash.. 

The Sopat didn’t do much to improve the hard, stiff feel of my old mattress, and it ended up being little more than a very soft fitted sheet. The Sopat topper might work fine over a decent mattress that just needs a little extra cushioning on top, but in most cases, choosing a better-quality topper will be far more beneficial to your sleep.