Taller sleepers are often all too familiar with the sensation of having one or both feet dangling off the end of the bed. Whether or not you’ve outgrown a fear of a monster grabbing your toes, it’s an uncomfortable way to rest. Enter the twin XL mattress: A smart option for people who need extra space to stretch their legs, or a little more room to grow.
The twin XL doesn’t get as big of a spotlight as the kings and queens of the mattress world, but it can be just the right fit for certain sleep needs. Here, we’ve compiled what we consider to be the best twin XL mattresses available, and we’ll also share tips for deciding whether this size is right for you.
Best Twin XL Mattresses
- Saatva Classic – Editor's Pick
- Helix Midnight – Best Twin XL Mattress for Hot Sleepers
- Signature Hybrid – Best Firm Twin XL Mattress
- Nectar – Best Memory Foam Twin XL Mattress
- WinkBed – Best Twin XL Mattress for Customizable Firmness
- Cocoon Chill Memory Foam – Best Cooling Twin XL Mattress
- Nolah Signature – Best Twin XL Mattress for Restless Sleepers
- Birch Natural – Best Eco-Friendly Twin XL Mattress
- Puffy Lux Hybrid – Best Soft Twin XL Mattress
10 Top-Rated Twin XL Size Mattresses, Reviewed
Editor's Pick
Saatva Classic
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Certified Organic Cotton
- CertiPUR-US® Certified
- 365-Night Trial
- Lifetime Warranty
- Made in the USA
Saatva aims to produce luxury eco-friendly designs for affordable prices, and their innerspring twin XL mattress is no exception. The bed comes in three levels of firmness and two different heights, allowing buyers to customize their experience.
The Saatva Classic is a memory foam and innerspring hybrid, with two layers of coils. The top layer is designed to promote airflow and minimize motion transfer, while the bottom unit should provide durability and prevent sagging. The bed’s top foam layers provide a cradle-like feel and pressure-relieving comfort. With incredible edge support, this twin XL has more usable surface area than other models, so for those who tend to spread out, this may be a great option.
Why is it special?
- Saatva never compresses their beds into boxes and offers free delivery to your door. This practice means easier set-up and less off-gassing as the bed decompresses.
Looking for more info? Check out our full Saatva Classic review.
Best Twin XL Mattress for Hot Sleepers
Helix Midnight
Hot sleepers should like the Midnight’s Soft Touch cover, as it promotes cooling by drawing the heat away from the body. The bed is a hybrid with coils that foster additional airflow and breathability.
The Helix Midnight twin XL mattress is a strong choice for individuals who like to spread out while sleeping. The bed offers solid edge support thanks to the thicker-gauge coils in the perimeter, allowing you to sit or sleep near the edge. This hybrid combines memory foam and pocketed coils to provide optimal breathability, support, pressure relief, and motion isolation.
What stands out?
- The Helix Midnight is designed to draw the heat away from the body, sending it back to you if you begin to feel cold during the night. The knitted cover and pocketed coils allow the bed to breathe so that the other layers don’t overheat.
Looking to learn more? Consult our in-depth Helix Midnight bed review.
Best Firm Twin XL Mattress
Signature Hybrid
The Signature Hybrid is a good choice if you’re looking for a firm twin XL mattress: it’s available in three firmness levels. The firm model is rated 8/10 on our firmness scale, which should fit most back and stomach sleepers looking for support and healthy spine alignment.
The Signature Hybrid's construction starts with the TitanFlex™ foam acting as a latex alternative. Next is the VariFlex™ foam, a transitional layer before the coils. The Signature Hybrid's coil unit features 8-inch Ascension® coils moving separately to follow your movements and allow easy repositioning. The coils sit on a foam base that enhances the durability and structure of the construction. The thickness of some layers depends on the model you choose, so the firm version may be taller than the other two.
Why did we pick it?
- The Signature Hybrid has high-caliber Ascension® perimeter coils to prevent the edges from sagging if you sleep or sit on the side of the bed.
Need more info? Visit our complete Signature Hybrid review.
Best Memory Foam Twin XL Mattress
Nectar
The Nectar twin XL mattress is one of the most affordable options on the market, but its budget-friendly price doesn't come at the cost of quality. A popular bed in a box option, Nectar ships free to your door—and if you are not satisfied, you can return it at no cost.
Nectar’s bottom layer is made from conventional foam, adding bounce and responsiveness, which makes repositioning throughout the night easy and painless. With three layers of foam and no springs, motion transfer is minimal, but there is still great support, making it an excellent choice for back, side and stomach sleepers.
What makes it special?
- Nectar uses gel-infused quilted memory foam with a breathable poly-blend cover. The added gel in the memory foam should regulate temperature well even for those who sleep warm, making the bed stand out among other foam options.
Want to learn more? See our in-depth review of the Nectar mattress.
Best Twin XL Mattress for Customizable Firmness
WinkBed
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Gel-infused Foam
- Handcrafted in the USA
- OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, Class 1 Certification
- CertiPUR-US® Certification
The WinkBed twin XL mattress is available in three firmness options, so sleepers can choose which to purchase based on their individual preferences. Side sleepers may prefer the soft version, while stomach and back sleepers should like the support firmer models provide.
The hybrid design starts with the EuroTop and 2 inches of plush gel-infused foam. This should prevent the heat from building up while providing pressure relief. Next comes the second foam layer made of SupportCell foam, followed by the innerspring unit with 8-inch individually-wrapped coils. The coils offer zoned support to prevent pressure from building up while isolating motion. An inch of poly foam is below the coil unit, acting as a base holding the top layers.
What stands out?
- Sleepers can choose between Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm mattresses, depending on their preferred sleeping position. The thickness of some layers changes based on the model you choose.
Looking for more details? Take a look at our full WinkBed review.
Best Cooling Twin XL Mattress
Cocoon Chill Memory Foam
The Cocoon Chill twin XL bed is a memory foam mattress designed to cool hot sleepers, relieve pressure, and provide comfort in all sleeping positions. The cover is made with proprietary phase-change technology, adjusting to your body temperature and pulling the heat away from the body.
Below the cover is a 2-inch Perfect Fit Memory Foam, followed by a 2-inch Responsive Comfort Foam layer. The two layers work together to relieve pressure, reduce motion transfer, and prevent you from sinking in too much. The base of the Cocoon Chill is a 6-inch tall layer of Essential Support foam, supporting the top layers and adapting to all movement.
What makes it special:
- The Cocoon Chill is a 10-inch tall all-foam mattress with three different foam layers. The bed is rated 6/10 on our firmness scale, so it should be good for back, stomach, and side sleepers.
Want to read more? Look into our full Cocoon mattress review.
Best Twin XL Mattress for Restless Sleepers
Nolah Signature
Restless sleepers need maximum comfort because they often struggle to find a comfortable position. Many restless sleepers toss and turn, which can also disturb their partner.
The Nolah Signature twin XL is a plush mattress with a cotton cover, four layers of foam, and a four-way knitted border cover. The bed feels plush, luxurious, and soft, with the foams cradling the body in all sleeping positions. This mattress is best for side and back sleepers because it’s on the softer side. What stands out the most is the 2.5-inch layer of AirFoam™ that contours your body while offering targeted pressure relief.
What makes it special:
- Nolah offers a 120-night trial and lifetime warranty with their Signature mattress, giving shoppers enough time to decide how they like the bed.
- The Nolah Signature bed has foams that are CertiPUR-US® certified as free of chemicals and heavy metals.
Need more details? Head over to our complete guide to the Nolah Signature mattress.
Best Eco-Friendly Twin XL Mattress
Birch Natural
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly Twin-XL mattress, this Birch may be your best option as it features organic wool and Talalay latex. The construction starts with a layer of organic cotton, followed by New Zealand wool and Talalay latex. The Talalay latex layer allows cradling and pressure relief by conforming to your body. In addition, latex is temperature neutral and will help keep the construction cool.
The fourth layer is the coil unit with individually wrapped coils that support the body in different positions. Because they’re wrapped, the coils help isolate motion, which is good for combination sleepers and restless sleepers.
Why we like it:
- The last layer of the Birch Natural is made from flame-resistant wool batting that cushions the coils while creating a natural fire-resistance barrier.
- The Birch Natural comes with a 25-year warranty and a 100-night trial, giving customers plenty of time to decide if this bed fits their needs.
Need more details? Take a look at our Birch Natural mattress review.
Best Soft Twin XL Mattress
Puffy Lux Hybrid
The Puffy Lux Hybrid twin XL mattress is medium plush, so it should suit side and back sleepers who crave a soft surface. The bed features a premium hypoallergenic cover designed to prevent dust mites from building up and triggering allergies.
Below the cover is a 1.5-inch layer of Cooling Cloud™ gel-infused breathing foam, followed by 1.5 inches of pressure-relieving cloud foam. Next is a 2-inch Climate Comfort™ foam, a 7-inch high-density foam, and a coil base for added edge support. The plushness of the foams hugs the body, cradles the curves, and relieves pressure in sensitive areas like the shoulders, hips, and low back.
Why we like it?
- The Puffy Lux Hybrid has a stain-resistant cover you can unzip and wash when needed. The cover is made in the USA using premium materials for maximum quality and durability.
Interested in exploring further? See more in our full Puffy Lux Hybrid review.
Twin XL Mattress Buyer's Guide
What Is a Twin XL Mattress?
A twin XL mattress is a bed that’s the same width as a standard twin-size mattress but five inches longer from top to bottom. A traditional twin mattress is typically 38 inches wide and 75 inches long; a twin XL mattress is 38 inches wide and 80 inches long (the same length as a queen- or king-size bed).
Who Should Use a Twin XL Mattress?
For certain sleepers, a twin XL mattress will be a better choice than a classic twin bed.
Tall People
If you’re six feet tall or taller, those extra inches of length on a twin XL mattress will make a big difference. They’ll keep your feet from sticking out over the bottom edge of the bed, and thereby create a more secure, less precarious feel overall when you sleep at night.
College Students
The twin XL is extremely popular in college dorm rooms, as students tend to have limited floor space but want a bed that will reliably accommodate their full height. A twin XL mattress can represent a little touch of luxury in an environment where that’s often in short supply.
Teenagers and Growing Kids
Twin XL beds are great mattresses for teenagers because they have enough surface area to handle growth spurts. Preteens and kids who may hit 6 feet in the future can also benefit from a twin XL.
Adults with Limited Bedroom Space
A twin XL mattress is a great way to maximize square footage without sacrificing comfort. As long as the bedroom can fit the bed’s longest, 80-inch side, the 38-inch width should give you a lot of flexibility in planning the rest of the space. For this reason, twin XL mattresses are also commonly seen in guest rooms.
Adults Who Don't Sleep with a Partner
If you’re single or prefer to sleep alone, a twin XL bed might give you enough snoozing space plus more versatility when it comes to interior design. However, if you’re someone who really sprawls out during the night, you might want to look at larger sizes.
People Who Move Frequently
Twin XL mattresses are much more portable than fulls, queens, and kings. If you anticipate transporting your bed to a new room or building often, this mattress size makes moving simple while preserving those cozy 80 inches of length.
People on a Tight Budget
A twin XL bed will cost less than bigger models, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars if you’re amenable to the 38-inch width. What’s more, although Twin XL mattresses are longer, in many cases they do not cost much more than a regular twin mattress. Some brands even price the two sizes equally.
Twin XL Mattress Pros
- Room to grow taller for children and teens
- Extra space lengthwise for tall sleepers
- Space-efficient, easily moved
- Less expensive than larger sizes
- Two can be combined to form a king-size bed
Twin XL Mattress Cons
- Less common sizing can limit bedding and frame options
- It’s still as narrow as a regular twin
When Should You Buy a Twin XL Over a Standard Twin?
A twin XL definitely has the edge over a traditional twin when you’re more than six feet tall. Twin mattresses are only 75-inches long, so anyone approaching six feet in height will likely not have any room to spare, even if they sleep with their heads touching the headboard.
Otherwise, whether you should purchase a twin XL or a twin mattress depends on several factors, including the size of your bedroom and your sleeping style. You may prioritize these considerations differently than someone else, so we can’t tell you with certainty which size will be best for you. For more guidance, take a peek at our comprehensive twin xl vs. twin mattress guide.
What to Consider When Buying Twin XL Mattresses
Mattress Type
Just like other sized mattresses, Twin XLs are available in a variety of materials like polyfoams, latex, memory foam, gel, and traditional springs. While latex foam offers strong bounce and fast response time, memory material is great for movement isolation, pressure point relief, and supporting curves.
For environmentally-conscious shoppers, companies who use naturally derived cotton and latex may be important to consider.
Looking for more info? Check out our complete mattress types guide.
Sleeping Position
Mattress firmness has a lot to do with providing support for preferred sleeping positions, but most companies offer a variety of options to ensure they can provide a good fit. Some mattresses offer targeted support to allow shoulders to sink in further while creating a firm layer of support beneath the hips. For side and combination sleepers, this may be an important element to consider.
Need help? Check out our mattress firmness guide.
Trial Period
Trial periods are great for sleepers who are not sure which size mattress or thickness they prefer. While some options are reversible and likely to fit all types of sleepers, many have a standard soft, medium firm and firm option.
Usually, companies guarantee around 160 nights for you to make your decision, but some offer up to a full year. If you are likely to return a mattress, look for an option that offers free returns to make your life easier.
Warranty
A warranty is different than a sleep trial period and guarantees that if something goes unexpectedly wrong with your mattress, you should be able to get it replaced or receive a refund. Most companies offer at least a ten-year warranty, but others offer up to lifetime guarantees.
Twin XL Mattress FAQs
What size is a twin XL mattress?
A twin xl mattress measures 38 inches wide and 80 inches long. It’s 5 inches longer than a standard twin, making it the same length as a queen- or king-size bed.
Which mattress is better: twin or twin XL?
Neither mattress size is objectively better—a twin XL is just the longer of the two. It will likely be a better choice for a tall person, someone who is going through an unpredictable growth spurt, or someone who appreciates some extra legroom.
On the other hand, a standard twin mattress will fit most small children comfortably and be slightly easier to match with bedding and frames.
Will a twin XL mattress fit on a twin frame?
No, a twin XL mattress will be too long for a bed frame built for a standard twin. Even if you’re able to place the twin XL on a twin-size frame, the extra five inches of the mattress will protrude past the end of the frame, making for an unsteady and potentially uncomfortable sleeping experience.
Conclusion
Once you have made the decision to purchase a Twin XL mattress, there are hundreds of options to choose from. While many features are a matter of preference, there are certain elements that no buyer should live without.
Remember to consider your sleeping position, size considerations, and budget before starting your search. Some materials are better for elements such as heat regulation and bounce, and the more specific you can be with your needs, the easier it will be to find a good fit.
While it is likely that at least one out our selected mattresses meet your needs, if you are unsure, head over to their website and check out customer reviews to get a feel for the product’s performance in action.
