In my opinion there are a few good companies making memory foam toppers. But I’m not here to endorse anyone but instead, I wanted to give you a sense of price, density and durability.

I am surprised at the one name you don’t see for toppers and mattress pads — Tempur-Pedic. For the life of me, I can’t see that that they make or sell toppers. Some of the other big names do and that’s a good thing, of course because competition is always good. When companies compete, the little guy (that’s us) wins!

I’m going to use a full-size bed for my price range. It seems like a good middling way to illustrate the price spectrum. You can spend as little as $40 and get an inch and half thick topper, but you trade off density. The best you can hope for at that price is a 2lb density. The durability will also be a trade off — a topper of that thickness and that density will last maybe two years of daily use. If you are looking for a topper for the guest bedroom, this would be great, a bargain, actually.

You can spend around $75 and get a pretty good memory foam/latex foam hybrid. You get better thickness and density for the price, but you are trading a true memory foam experience for pricing. Again, it might be just fine for your needs. If you are younger or not very heavy, a hybrid like this could serve you well for up to three years.

For about $150 you can get a “green” memory foam topper. The process used to make the foam is more environmentally friendly and it may be better for more sensitive folks. The chemical smells will still be there, but people report that the “green” foam smells disappear more quickly. The average topper in this class is three inches thick with a 4lb density. Unfortunately I can’t find any warranty info on this type of topper.

Above $150 it’s all about how thick the topper is and how dense the foam is. You can get an unbelievably thick 8 inch topper and 5 lb density toppers, if you want to spend the money.

The prices really vary — $40 to $250 — but most companies offer a topper in the $100 range and that’s a good place to be. You as a consumer can get a good night’s sleep without breaking the bank. Anything over $100 is window dressing, whether it’s a longer durability, better smells, or a softer touch.