Egg Crate vs Memory Foam

A good mattress is essential as it supports your entire body and keeps your spine in a neutral position whatever your sleeping position. Unfortunately, there is no miracle mattress that suits everyone and the best way to find your match is to choose an option that meets your needs and preferences. If you have an uncomfortable mattress, a mattress topper is a good solution to help.

Mattresses degenerate decline in support over time and you might need a replacement every 8 to 10 years. However, adding a mattress topper can help extend the life of your mattress.

Egg crate and memory foam toppers are two of the most popular styles. In this article, we’ll help you decide which type is best for you.

What is an Egg Crate Mattress Topper?

While conventional mattresses and toppers have a flat upper surface, one side of an egg crate mattress topper is designed like an egg crate. If your old mattress has dipped and left a permanent indentation, it will no longer support you as it should. An egg crate topper is a popular type of therapeutic foam that provides additional support while relieving you from soreness on the shoulder, elbows, hips, back, and leg.

It has a convoluted air flow design that provides cool aeration and reduces moisture and heat buildup. Besides being a cheaper alternative to buying a new mattress, the urethane foam topper provides health benefits and guarantees a good night’s sleep.

How Long Do Egg Crate Toppers Last?

How long egg crate toppers last generally depends on the quality of their materials. For instance, low-cost egg crate toppers may start losing their shape, support, and comfort in just one year or two. On the other hand, high-quality versions can last 3+ years. Note that the lifespan of your mattress will also depend on whether or not you’re using it properly.

What to Consider when Buying an Egg Crate Mattresses Topper

With so many brands to choose from, finding the right egg crate topper can be confusing. Consider the following tips:

1. Thickness

Your choice will depend on the level of support that you require. You can customize the mattress pad to the size and thickness that you prefer but keep in mind that they get costlier as you size up. The mattress pads come in a variety of cushions that vary from 1-4 inches. Also, the toppers come with natural chemical scents such as green tea extracts or castor to eliminate odor-causing bacteria.

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2. Material

Many egg crate mattress toppers are made of resilient, body-conforming, and supportive memory foam. Some toppers are infused with cooling gels to keep you from overheating. One of the best mattress toppers is made of certified memory foam and infused with lavender to give you a pleasant, calming scent. The toppers are also highly breathable making them a great option for snorers.

Pros and Cons of Egg Crate Mattress Toppers

The good thing about an egg crate topper is that you’ll get the support and comfort you need at a price that you can afford. The mattress pad is available in a variety of foam types.

Pros:

Lots of people prefer the egg crate foam toppers because they:

• Calming scent to help you relax and promote good sleep
• Five main contact points that relieve pressure from your shoulders and hips
• Three-inch medium-firm foam that provides enough support and comfort
• Sufficient airflow that promotes cooling
• A variety of materials and sizes

Cons:

• Two-inch thick toppers are not suitable for some users
• Petroleum-based materials emit harmful VOCs
• The lavender scent may be overwhelming

What is a Foam Mattress?

Foam mattresses come with aerated materials that trap air to offer support and bounce. Side sleepers prefer memory foam as they conform to the shape of the body, offer sufficient support, relieve pressure, and feel comfortable.

If you are a foam mattress fan, you have three choices to consider.

Foam mattresses are made of low resilience polyurethane bubbles that contain millions of open elastic cells whose springy nature contributes to the support and comfort.The high grade polyurethane foam mattresses are soft, springy, and comfortable. Foam latex mattresses are made of aerated rubber that provides a firm and bouncy support that pushes back against your body to offer superior firmness and relief.

How Long Do Memory Foam Mattress Toppers Last?

Memory foam mattress toppers tend to last a bit longer than egg crate toppers. You can expect your memory foam topper to last anywhere from 3-10 years. With their dense structure, it would be more difficult for the materials used during construction to break down. That said, just as lifespan correlates with mattress topper quality in an egg crate foam topper, the same applies to a memory foam topper. The higher the level of quality, the longer your topper is likely to last.

Pros and Cons of Foam Mattress Pads

Pros:

Foam toppers are popular because they:

• Conform to your spine and offer great support
• Correct poor sleeping posture by distributing your weight evenly
• Reduce back and neck pain
• Have hypoallergenic properties
• Are resistant to dust mites

Cons:

• Large foam mattresses are heavy and difficult to move around
• The foam mattresses cradle around your body and retain heat
• Foam mattresses are not waterproof and can degenerate if exposed to moisture
  
  

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Differences between Egg Crate and Foam Mattress Toppers

Mattresses are a great investment, which is why many sleepers consider them alternatives to buying a brand new mattress. While you can use an egg crate or memory foam mattress topper to extend the useful lifespan of your mattress, you shouldn’t use it as a band-aid for broken down mattresses that have lost their support.

If you are looking to make an uncomfortable bed more comfortable, your success will depend on how well you choose the mattress topper or pad. While some mattresses are too firm to offer sufficient relief from pain, others are too soft to provide enough support and might cause you to wake up in pain. Consider the following guidelines when choosing between an egg crate foam and a memory foam mattress pad.

1. Pressure Relief and Support

Generally, pressure relief is dependent on your sleeping position and body type, so no single topper is optimal for every sleeper. Certain models, however, tend to perform better than others in this area, and sleepers can narrow down their choices by understanding what they need in a mattress topper.

The dips and bumps in the egg crate mattress contour to the body to reduce pressure, provide support and help you to sleep comfortably. But egg crate mattress pads are thin and pliable, meaning that they’ll degenerate fast and reduce their ability to relieve pressure. Memory foam toppers are more resilient than egg crate foam toppers and will offer pressure relief and comfort for a longer time, regardless of your body weight.

2. Heating and Cooling

When choosing a mattress that either retains heat or regulates your body temperature, it comes down to personal preferences. Egg crate toppers have breathable foam that allow air and heat to flow under your body to provide comfort in the summer months. However, a memory foam mattress topper retains heat and can cause you to sweat unless you choose the gel memory foam topper.

3. Sleeping Position

What sleeping position are you usually in when you tuck in to sleep at night? And in what style do you normally find yourself in the morning when you wake up?

Your answers to these questions can give key insights to help you select between an egg crate mattress topper and a memory foam topper. The sections in your body that need more cushioning and support to maintain perfect spinal alignment vary depending on your sleep posture. For that reason, settling for a foam mattress topper that suits your sleeping style can greatly boost comfort and help prevent aches and pains.

Besides the interrupted sleep, an uncomfortable mattress can cause back, neck, and joint pain or hip pain after a long time. 

Back sleepers usually put great pressure on their lower back. If you’re a back sleeper and opt for a topper that’s too soft, your torso can sink deeper than the lower body and  upper back, forming a u-shape that can create strain. And if your topper is too firm, there won’t be room for the slight curve in your lower back. That said, back sleepers will do best with medium firm to firm toppers with light to moderate contouring.

Unlike back sleepers, individuals who sleep on their side have sharp pressure points around the hips and shoulders. On a too-soft mattress topper, these points will go out of line with other parts of the spine. And on a too-firm topper, side sleepers will feel the impact at these points, making them prone to misalignment. If you’re a side sleeper, consider going for medium soft to medium firm toppers. 

Like back sleepers, stomach sleepers will do best with firm mattress toppers that can provide proper spinal alignment and won’t feel suffocating when they lie face-down on the surface. Lastly, combination sleepers should choose a topper depending on the style they spend the most time in. If you’re a combination sleeper and don’t have a primary position, medium firm toppers are your best bet.

The egg crate mattress suits the side and back sleepers as it provides additional support to the hips and shoulders. A memory foam mattress pad suits front, back, side, and combination sleepers since they retain their original position and conform to the natural curve of your spine. 

If you're experiencing shoulder pain, click here for some topper options.

4. Cost

Egg crate toppers are quite cheap and are suitable if you want to extend the life of your mattress at a low cost. While memory foam toppers are costly, they last longer since they don’t break down easily. However, the price varies with the thickness and inclusion of other features, such as gel cooling foams and lavender scents.

Choose the Right Mattress Topper

If a mattress doesn’t support your body comfortably, it reinforces a poor sleeping posture that can leave you feeling sore and tired in the morning. While memory foam toppers provide sufficient support and comfort, egg crate toppers offer proper air flow qualities that you need to sleep comfortably. If you want the best of both worlds, you can choose the egg crate foam mattress toppers that combine these qualities in one package.

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