BEST MATTRESS FOR GUEST ROOMS

Company is coming and the mattress in the guest room is old and lumpy. You want to replace it fast without spending a lot on a bed that will be slept in only occasionally. And while you’re persnickety about your own mattress, you may be less choosy when buying one for a guest room as long as it’s comfortable for most sleeping styles and doesn’t bounce your guest awake when her partner turns over. Here are six good choices from Consumer Reports’ mattress tests. All prices are for queen-size mattresses and don’t include the box spring or foundation.

Our readers favorite innerspring brand
For years, our subscribers have scored The Original Mattress Factory highest in satisfaction for both the store and brand, and the company ships to most of the country. The Original Mattress Factory Orthopedic Luxury Firm innerspring, $540, also proved a winner in our tests, as it was among the best at keeping side sleepers’ spines horizontal. It might be less satisfying for back sleepers. It sagged a bit after our durability tests but that shouldn’t be an issue in a guest room.

An all-around memory foam winner
Costco’s Novaform Memory Foam Collection Serafina 14″mattress is infused with gel beads and was impressive for both back and side support. And at $650, the price is right. The mattress comes folded in a box, but if you need to return it, getting it back into the box isn’t required.

Memory foam for less
Sam’s Club’s Night Therapy 14″ Deluxe Grand Firm mattress was only so-so- at support, but its $515 price is attractive. The mattress was top-notch at muting vibrations, and it showed little wear after eight years of simulated use.

And another for much less
Decent back support from a $360 mattress? After the price for the Spa Sensations 10″ Memory Foam SPA-1000Q, that’s more good news. Side support was only so-so, but at this price you could do worse. Where this one disappoints is in how hard visitors might find it to change positions due to that sinking feeling common with some foam beds, including this one.

Adjustable air at an underinflated price
You don’t have to pay thousands for an adjustable-air mattress to get impressive side support and even better back support. The pricier Sleep Number i8 bed edged out the $700 Sleep Number c2 bed in overall performance, but you’ll pay $2,300 less without a noticeable difference in support. Trying the bed before buying will tell you if this mattress’s thinner top foam layer might be less comfortable for guests.

When price trumps support
The Ikea Sultan Holmsta innerspring mattress, $550, includes a latex pillowtop for “precision support” but as mattresses go, it’s on the softer side. The mattress was top-notch at muting vibrations but was somewhat ineffective at supporting the curve of sleepers’ spines while they’re on their back, and only so-so at supporting side sleepers.

Want more to choose from? See our mattress Ratings of 25 models, along with our survey-based Ratings of mattress stores and brands. And our buying guide is full of shopping tips including how to get the best deal.