A few years ago, I bought a hybrid mattress, and regretted it almost instantly. I'd opted for a medium-firm mattress, which crushed my joints instead of cushioning them. Still, I couldn't face the thought of throwing it out and starting the whole shopping process all over again – not when I'd spent so much time and money choosing this one.
So, when I was assigned to test the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper, I jumped at the chance. Four inches of thick foam proved more than enough to cushion my joints and take the pressure off my hips and shoulders while keeping my spine straight. As a hot sleeper, I was keen to put ViscoSoft's cooling claims to the test. I found that the topper worked to dissipate heat and block odors, though that wasn't always enough to stop my night sweats.
As a member of the H&G mattress testing team, I'm part of the search to find the world's best mattress topper. Together, we've tested memory foam models, responsive latex numbers, and plush pillow-tops for pressure relief, thermoregulation, motion isolation, and edge support. I'm pleased to report that the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper excels in (almost) all areas. The pressure relief, in particular, is fantastic, but there are better cooling mattress toppers on the market.
ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper review
I spent a little more than a month sleeping on the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper in my master bedroom. Then, I took it across country to save my sleep on my friend's notoriously uncomfortable pull-out couch. The corner straps are adjustable, so you can make your topper fit any depth of mattress. I even took my topper on a camping trip and used instead of a sleeping pad. All this to say, I put my ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper through the ringer, and it's still performing well.
ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper specifications
Who would suit the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper?
- Hot sleepers: I tested the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper through the summer and I managed to sleep pretty comfortably. I put that down to the copper infusion through the foam, which works to carry excess thermal energy away from your body and out of the bed.
- Couples: the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper boasts excellent motion isolation. This isn't the old-fashioned, slow-moving sort of memory foam − this is high-density, supportive stuff.
- Anyone in need of pressure relief: before I started testing the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper, I had developed aches and pains in my hips and shoulders from my overly firm mattress. This topper contoured around my curves to bear my weight and take a load off my pressure points.
What's it like to sleep on the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper?
- Pressure relief: I'm what's known as a combination sleeper – I switch between sleep positions in the night. I often fall asleep on my stomach but end up rolling onto my side. This is a tricky combination because stomach sleepers benefit from a firmer mattress to keep their hips from sinking into the mattress, while side sleepers need a softer surface for pressure relief around the hips and shoulders. The ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper is a true medium, which meant I got the best of both worlds. I felt real pressure relief while sleeping on my side but never sank too deep when I was on my stomach.
- Thermoregulation: as a hot sleeper testing through a humid summer in the Pacific Northwest, I really wanted the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper to live up to its cooling claims. Although memory foam gets a bad rep for heat retention, I hoped that the conductive copper would work to channel excess heat away from the body. Now, I wouldn't say that the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper trapped heat, but I did wake up in a sweat for a few nights during testing. I wouldn't say it's the best cooling mattress topper on the market: that title belongs to the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper, which managed to keep our expert tester cool through a hot New York summer.
- Motion isolation: I sleep on a sprung mattress, so I always expect some level of motion transfer when I'm sharing a bed with my partner. I've made my peace with it over the years, but I really appreciated the motion isolating properties of the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper. My partner could toss and turn on his side of the mattress or get into and out of bed in the night and I could sleep undisturbed. To measure the motion isolation of the mattress topper, I filled a glass with water and set it in the center of the topper before using my hands to apply pressure around the glass. The glass barely moved, and no water spilled, indicating good motion isolation. I'd happily recommend the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper for couples and light sleepers.
- Edge support: I wasn't expecting big things from the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper in this area. Turns out, the soft squishiness of the center extended around the sides, and there was no enhanced edge support. I had to grip my feet against the floor to sit comfortably on the side of the bed. For a memory foam mattress topper with solid edge support, I recommend the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Topper.
- Delivery: the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper arrived vacuum-packed in a cardboard box. I opened the box, cut the plastic, and set it aside to use as a covering for the topper when transporting it in my car. As I rolled out the topper onto the bed, I noticed a faint, chemical sort of smell. That was the mattress off-gassing: the smell is totally harmless, but it is unpleasant. I ended up carrying the topper onto my patio to air out overnight. By the next morning, the smell had disappeared and I was ready to start testing. My only complaint is that the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper doesn't come with any instructions to indicate which way up it's supposed to go. I assumed that the top was the side with the flecked foam: that's the copper infusion, which should lie closest to the sleeper to keep cool.
How does the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper rate online?
The ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper boasts a 4.4 average star rating from 170 reviews. There's an option to filter for reviews that mention buzzwords, such as 'support', 'comfort', 'smell', and so on.
'I am a side sleeper and I no longer have to switch from one side to the other throughout the night due to sore shoulders,' reads one recent review. 'I knew I wanted a thick pad but had been afraid it would not breathe.' While the customer agrees with me that the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper didn't make them much cooler, it didn't make them much hotter, either: 'I didn't notice anything different in terms of temperature compared to my old thin mattress pad, which is good.' You could always pair your ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper with a set of the best cooling sheets for enhanced thermoregulation.
A few customers complain that their sheets kept slipping off the bed while they were sleeping with the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper. I never had that problem in all my time testing: still, if you're wondering 'why aren't my sheets staying on the bed?', I suggest you consult our expert guide.
Should I buy the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper?
The ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper is technically listed for $399.95 for a Queen, but it's almost always on sale for $299.95. It's one of the more expensive mattress toppers on the market, but that's the price you pay for copper.
After sleeping on it for a summer, I would say that the ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper is worth the money. It single-handedly saved my sleep on my friend's pull-out couch and the motion isolation has significantly improved my sleep quality. For a memory foam mattress topper, the cooling is great, but there are more breathable options on the market. If your mattress is nearing the end of its life, I suggest you skip the topper to sleep on the best affordable mattress, instead.
How we test mattress toppers
Our mattress testing team comprises dozens of seasoned product testers across America. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, sleep styles, and body types. Comb through our mattress reviews and you're bound to find a tester who sleeps like you. Our testers sleep on toppers for a minimum of 30 days in their own homes to give you the fullest possible picture of what it might be like to sleep on this topper.
We assess each mattress topper against the same criteria: pressure relief; thermoregulation; motion isolation; and edge support. To assess pressure relief, we lie on the mattress topper, switching between our stomachs, backs, and sides to consider the balance of comfort and support in each position. To assess thermoregulation, we sleep through hot summers and harsh winters, making note of any time we wake up in a sweat. Where possible, we assign hot sleepers to test cooling mattress toppers.
To assess motion isolation, we fill a cup with water and set it in the center of the topper. Then we take a dumbbell and place it on the mattress topper, moving it incrementally closer to the cup. The more the cup moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the topper for couples or light sleepers. To assess edge support, we sit on the side of the topper and measure how far we fall. The further we sink, the worse the edge support, and the harder it is to sit or sleep on the side of the mattress.
Next, we consider all the practical aspects of buying a mattress topper, from the extent of the warranty to the length of the sleep trial. We like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to pick out common pros and cons. Then, we bring it all back to the price of the mattress topper to help you determine value for money. To learn more about how we test, consult our expert guide.
