The 6 best mattress protectors of 2024, tested and reviewed

When I first unboxed the Purple Mattress Protector, I thought it was too thin to protect my mattress from anything. It turns out my initial assumptions were just plain wrong. Both before and after washing the protector five times, no liquids leaked through. It was one of two models we tested that absorbed more than 75% of the liquids we poured on it, which may help contain accidents.

Due to its thin construction, I found it to be one of the most comfortable mattress protectors. It made minor rustling noises, but they weren't disconcerting. After sleeping on the protector overnight, it registered one of the hottest temperatures the next morning, but it cooled down quickly when I got up. Whereas many mattress protectors only have a polyurethane protective backing on the portion that covers the top of your mattress, the Purple offers protection on the sides of the bed, too.

Putting on the protector was effortless, thanks to the stretchy spandex in the design and the helpful label that tells you which side goes at the head/foot of the bed. The most significant negative with the Purple Mattress Protector was the strong initial odor it had out of the box. Fortunately, it dissipated by bedtime.

We tested four mattress protectors that cost less than $30. Of those, the SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector performed the best. In addition to remaining leak-free in our tests, it was one of the best at staying cool and dissipating heat. 

The SafeRest protector can fit a broad range of mattresses up to 18 inches thick. As with many protectors, the part that rests on top of your mattress is made of a different material than the skirt around the sides. The top is waterproof, while the sides are not. Fortunately, the top fit my mattress well and covered it to the edges, even after putting it through the washer and dryer five times. 

The surface is terry cloth and not the most comfortable. As I moved in the night, it made a lot of crackling noises, and my fitted sheet didn't shift smoothly on it. However, it is a solid budget option that didn't ruin my sleep.

When researching this guide, one of the complaints I heard about mattress protectors is that they can trap heat and cause sleepers to overheat. So, I looked at how hot the mattress protectors got after sleeping on them and how quickly the heat dissipated. The Helix Mattress Protector was one of the best at staying cool and dissipating heat fast. In fact, within two minutes of getting up from the bed, the surface temperature plunged more than 14 degrees.

In our evaluations, the Helix passed the leakage tests with flying colors before and after putting it through five washing and drying cycles. The protector also didn't show any shrinkage after the washings, which is essential since the waterproof TPU backing is only on the part of the protector that covers the mattress top and not on the skirting. 

With its soft surface, the protector was comfortable to sleep on. I tend to overheat at night but didn't experience any issues. It was also one of the quietest protectors; I didn't notice any crackling or rustling as I shifted in the night. At 100 nights, the Helix protector has one of the longest trial periods of any of the models we tested, but it also has one of the shortest warranties — just one year.

Bed bugs can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to get rid of, and even then, there's no guarantee they won't come back. So it's worth the $30 investment to cover your mattress with a full encasement. The best encasement I tested is the Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement.

It passed the leakage tests before and after washing, and most of the liquid pooled on the surface of the encasement. It was one of the quietest protectors and never got hot when I slept on it. 

The most significant pain with any encasement is putting it on. Fortunately, the Utopia Bedding encasement has a wide zippered opening that makes it easier to slide over your mattress as you hold it up vertically. Once zipped, a Velcro flap keeps the slider body and pull tab in place and ensures there aren't any holes for bed bugs to sneak through.

The encasement was comfortable to sleep on. The thin material was barely noticeable under the fitted sheet. The only major downside is that it doesn't come with a warranty. 

Lastly, it's worth noting that no encasement protects you from getting bed bugs. Instead, it protects your mattress, an expensive investment, from harboring bed bugs that can destroy it over time. If a mattress is already riddled with bed bugs, an encasement can trap them. But you need to keep it on for at least 12 months to kill all the bugs, and you'll still need to treat your home.

A mattress protector doesn't do you any good if it doesn't stay on. Those with thicker mattresses may have found difficulty finding one that properly fits. Enter the Lucid Terry Top Mattress Protector. It features deep pockets that fit beds up to 22 inches thick, the thickest protector we tested. This is a plus when you have a mattress topper that increases the thickness of your bed and needs protection, too.

Despite its budget sub-$25 price, the Lucid mattress protector passed our leakage tests with flying colors, even after five washings. Liquid pools on the surface rather than absorbing into the fabric. It's also backed by the longest warranty of our picks: 15 years.

However, at this price point, there are always negatives. Specifically, this was one of the noisest protectors in our tests. There's a noticeable crinkling sound as you shift positions. It also seemed to trap heat, though it was in the middle of the pack comfort-wise. 

Despite these negatives, the Lucid Terry Top is what I purchased to protect the pricier mattresses in my home. My top considerations are a budget price, ease of use, and protection from spills. The Lucid has served me well for years.

Check out our full Lucid Mattress Protector review.

Since liquids can so easily destroy a mattress, waterproofing is a requirement for inclusion in this guide. While all our picks are waterproof, I wanted to draw special attention to the Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector because it excelled at keeping liquids from passing through, even after five washing and drying cycles. I also liked that the protector absorbed much of the liquid, keeping some of it from getting on your bedding, the floor, or elsewhere.

The protector meets OEKO-TEX standards, meaning it's free from harmful chemicals and substances. It offers waterproof protection along the sides of the mattress, too.  I found the soft top of the protector was comfortable to sleep on and made minimal noise as I shifted positions. However, it trapped heat in my temperature tests. 

The Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector doesn't come with head/foot labels to help you orient it as you put it on, and it only fits mattresses up to 14 inches thick. Yet, I had no trouble installing it on appropriately sized mattresses, and I found it stayed in place without bunching up.

Lastly, this protector has the longest home trial period of any model I tested at 100 nights when purchased directly from Tuft & Needle. If you don't like it, you can return it for free with a full refund.

I personally tested all of the mattress protectors in this guide. In addition to sleeping on each protector, there are many objective tests each model goes through. The most important factors to consider when choosing a mattress protector are comfort, protection, and fit.

Here are some of the test results for the main attributes we tested:

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:

Comfort: I slept on each mattress protector (with a fitted sheet in place) and rated how comfortable they felt on a scale of 1 to 5. Most protectors were barely noticeable, and none scored below a 3. I also used a laser thermometer to compare the temperatures before lying on the protector, after lying on it for at least an hour, and two minutes after getting up. This told me how well the protector dissipated heat. To control the variables that might affect comfort, I used the same mattress and sheets to test each model. 

Protection: I placed a sheet of paper towel in a plastic tray and set it beneath the center of each mattress protector. Next, I poured eight ounces of blue water on each protector. Then, I placed a 2-pound weight on the liquid to simulate someone lying on it. I let the water sit for two hours before checking to see if it leaked through. Then, I washed and dried each protector five times and performed the test again. Though I couldn't test for them, I also noted if the protectors are designed to protect against dust mites and bed bugs.

Fit: I put each protector on a variety of mattresses ranging in thickness from 10 inches to 14 inches and noted how difficult it was to put it on, if the protector bunched up, if the protective top covered the whole mattress top, and whether it stayed put or crept up the corners throughout the night. Next, I washed and dried the protector five times and repeated the test. 

Noise: The polyurethane used as waterproofing for most mattress protectors sometimes makes a crackling sound as you move at night. This sound has the potential to lead to restless sleep, so I compared all of the protectors head-to-head to see how loud they are. I crinkled each one in my hands. I put the protectors in order from quietest to most audible as I did this. I kept doing this until I was confident my order was accurate.

Trial and Warranty: The most foolproof way to know if a mattress protector is comfortable for you is to sleep on it for an extended period, so a lengthy trial is a must. I looked at the length of the trial period (30 nights was the median of the protectors I tested) and whether there are hidden return fees. I also looked at the warranty length (5 years was the median of the models I tried).

Why do you need a mattress protector?

Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, stresses the importance of using a mattress protector to keep your bed free of dust mites and spills.

The key to protecting your mattress from dust mites and other allergens is choosing an impermeable material, such as polyurethane, which is found in our guide's waterproof protectors.

"A mattress protector can also help extend the general life of your mattress and reduce the overall wear and tear," said Robbins. "So it's always a good idea to make sure that when you're buying a new mattress, you're coupling it with a mattress protector."

How often should you wash a mattress protector?

If you suffer from allergies and want to keep dust mite buildup to a minimum, we recommend washing your protector every two to four weeks.

If your primary concern is protecting your mattress from spills, we recommend washing it once every two to six months. The less you wash it, the longer the waterproof polyurethane coating will last. However, clean it immediately if you have an accident. If you're using a mattress encasement to keep bed bugs in, you don't want to remove it for at least 12 months. 

What is the difference between a mattress protector and encasement?

Mattress protectors usually just protect the top and sides of your mattress, not the bottom. This is usually enough to protect against spills and dust mites. Mattress encasements completely engulf your mattress, which you need to protect against bed bugs. 

How do you put on a mattress encasement?

Stand your mattress on the end, fit the unzipped mattress encasement over the top of the mattress, and shimmy it down. Once it's down and covering the mattress, put the mattress back on your foundation and zip the encasement closed.

Can mattress protectors prevent bed bugs?

No mattress protector can prevent bed bugs. However, an encasement can keep bed bugs from getting to your mattress. Encasements can also trap bed bugs already in your mattress, causing them to starve and eventually die.

Check out our article on how to get rid of bed bugs for more tips.

Do mattress protectors add cushioning?

Most mattress protectors do not add cushioning. Instead, they serve one purpose: protecting your bed. If you're looking for cushioning, we recommend adding a mattress topper or pad to your bed. Check out our mattress toppers guide for the best options.

How do you wash a mattress protector?

Most mattress protectors are machine washable using cold water. Then tumble dry on low. Most protectors have a tag attached with cleaning instructions. Try not to wash it too often since it tends to lose its waterproof coating the more you wash it.