I never used to see the point of a mattress topper. As a member of the H&G mattress testing team, I've tested everything from memory foam models to supportive latex beds, and I guess I got this idea in my head that if you invest in a good mattress, you'll never need a mattress topper. Since I started testing the Helix Plush Mattress Topper, I've changed my tune.
Let's get one thing straight: I love my mattress. I've broken it in over years of nightly use so it strikes the perfect balance of softness and support. When I was assigned to test the Helix Plush Mattress Topper, I thought it would fundamentally alter the look and feel of my mattress, but it didn't. Instead, it enhanced the thermoregulation and motion isolation of my mattress, only adding an inch and half of plush pillowing on top.
Some of the best mattress toppers are seriously expensive. We're talking upwards of $400 for a few inches of foam. For that money, you might as well skip the topper altogether and invest in the best affordable mattress. Luckily, the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is listed for less than $100 for a Queen. It's the sort of impulse purchase you can make to elongate the life of your mattress and add a bit of plush comfort.
Helix Plush Mattress Topper review
This review should tell you everything you need to know about the Helix Plush Mattress Topper, from who it suits to what it costs and how it performed in our tests. Spoiler alert: I'd buy it again.
Helix Plush Mattress Topper Specifications
Who would suit the Helix Plush Mattress Topper?
- Anyone in need of pressure relief: perhaps you sleep on your side, and you're looking something a little softer to cushion your hips, knees, and shoulders. Perhaps you suffer from chronic pain and you need a mattress that feels soft up top but supportive down below to keep your spine in line. The Helix Plush Mattress Topper is just thick enough to take the weight off your bones, but not so thick that you'll fundamentally change the look and feel of your mattress.
- Hot sleepers: the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is filled with polyester, which tends to trap heat, but the breathable bamboo viscose cover works to keep you cool and dry. As a hot sleeper, I was a little nervous to test a polyester topper, but I found it didn't impede the thermoregulation of my mattress.
- Buyers on a budget: the Helix Plush Mattress Topper proves that you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to get the best bedding. Also, the Helix Plush Mattress Topper comes with a 100-night sleep trial. If you find it isn't a fit, you can return your Helix Plush Mattress Topper for a full refund.
What's it like to sleep on the Helix Plush Mattress Topper?
- Pressure relief: the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is the most comfortable topper I've ever slept on. I think that has to do with its thinness. Just one and a half inches thick, it's enough to take the edge off my mattress, but not so thick as to fundamentally alter the feel. As a combination sleeper, I switch between my stomach, my back, and my side, so I appreciated that the Helix Plush Mattress Topper didn't interfere with my sleep position. Instead, it added a layer of softness and coziness I never knew I was missing.
- Thermoregulation: right before I started testing the Helix Plush Mattress Topper, I was sleeping on a memory foam mattress topper, which trapped a bit of heat. I live in a 100-year-old house with terrible insulation, so I need a cooling mattress topper to keep me from overheating. I appreciated the breathability of the bamboo viscose cover, which felt cool to the touch through my fitted sheet. Still, I wouldn't say that this is one of the best cooling mattress toppers. That title belongs to the Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper, which incorporates conductive materials to carry heat away from the body and out of the bed. If you're a seriously hot sleeper, or you live in a warm climate, I recommend you spend a little extra cash on a specialist cooling topper.
- Motion isolation: if you remember those old Tempur-Pedic ads from the early 2000s, you'll understand our motion isolation test. For the uninitiated: we fill a glass with water and set it in the center of the topper. Then, we take a weight and place it on the topper, moving it incrementally closer to the glass. The more the glass moves, and the more water spills, the worse the motion isolation, and the less suitable the topper for couples or light sleepers. In this case, the wine glass barely wobbled, and certainly no water spilled, indicating excellent motion isolation.
- Edge support: I wasn't expecting big things from the Helix Plush Mattress Topper in this area. In the absence of a solid fill, such as high-density memory foam or latex, a pillow-top mattress topper is unlikely to feel super supportive around the edges. When I sat on the edge of the topper, I could feel myself sink through the polyester and into the mattress. If you like to sleep or sit on the side of the bed to get dressed in the morning or nurse a baby, then you need a mattress topper with excellent edge support. You're looking for a firmer, more supportive topper with a bit of give: I suggest the Nolah Mattress Topper.
- Delivery: the Helix Plush Mattress Topper arrived vacuum-packed in a cardboard box. My neighbor grabbed the package for me when I wasn't home, but I had no issue carrying on my shoulder from her house to mine, up the steep steps of my front porch, and into my home. As I opened the box and cut the plastic, I was so grateful that there weren't any unpleasant smells of mattress off-gassing. Because the Helix Plush Mattress Topper looks more like a mattress protector, with a stretchy skirt in place of corner straps, it didn't need to expand. All I needed to do was stretch it over my mattress like a fitted sheet and I was ready to go.
How does the Helix Plush Mattress Topper rate online?
The Helix Plush Mattress Topper boasts a 4.5 average star rating from 503 verified reviews. Happy customers praise the ease of care and cleaning: the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is machine-washable and dryer-safe, so you can pop it in the wash with your sheets for a quick clean.
A few customers dispute the thickness of the Helix Plush Mattress Topper. According to Helix, it's one and a half inches thick, but that might be pushing it − it's more like an inch, especially around the edges. If you're looking for a thicker topper to elevate the look and feel of your mattress, I suggest the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper. Filled with three inches of responsive latex and topped with wool, cotton, and cashmere, this mattress topper gives a whole new meaning to the word 'plush'.
Should I buy the Helix Plush Mattress Topper?
I thoroughly enjoyed testing the Helix Plush Mattress Topper. It kept me cool and comfortable and even enhanced the motion isolation of my mattress. I published my initial review for the Helix Plush Mattress Topper back in February 2024, and months later, I'm still sleeping on it.
If you like the look and feel of your mattress, but you're keen to add an extra bit of cushioning, then the Helix Plush Mattress Topper is for you. It's an easy and affordable upgrade to elongate the lifespan of your mattress. However, if your mattress is coming to the end of its life, then your money might be better spent on the best mattress.
How we test
Our mattress testing team is made up of dozens of seasoned product testers across America. Together, we represent a wide range of ages, sleep styles, and body types, so you should be able to find a tester who sleeps like you. We test each mattress topper for a minimum of 30 days in our own beds to give you the best indication of long-term, at-home performance.
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 and flip between our backs, stomachs, and sides, considering how we feel in each position, paying particular attention to our spinal alignment. To assess thermoregulation, we sleep through heatwaves and cold snaps and make note of any time we wake up in a sweat. Where possible, we assign hot sleepers to test cooling toppers.
To assess motion isolation, we fill a cup with water and set it in the center of the topper. Then, we take a weight and place it on the topper, moving 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 mattress 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 fall, the less supportive the mattress topper. Anyone who likes to sit or sleep on the side of the bed needs a mattress topper with solid edge support.
We consider all the practical aspects of buying a mattress topper, from the length of the sleep trial to the details of delivery. We like to compare our findings against verified customer reviews to identify common concerns and enhance our understanding of long-term performance. Finally, we bring it all back to the price of the topper to help you determine value for money. To find out more about how we test, consult our expert guide.
