Gel Memory Foam Mattresses
A gel memory foam mattress is memory foam with cooling gel worked into it, either as beads dispersed through the foam or as a layer near the surface. The aim is to keep the close, moulded feel of memory foam while drawing heat away from where you lie.
Gel memory foam is used in two ways: as the main material in an all-foam mattress, and increasingly as the comfort layer in hybrids, where it sits over pocket springs. Expect to pay from around £200 for a simple all-foam model, with gel hybrids typically starting nearer £400 and rising past £1,000 for deeper builds.
We compare the gel memory foam mattresses UK retailers stock and check prices regularly, so you can see how they sit against standard memory foam.
Our picks of this type
Emma Original Mattress
What is a gel memory foam mattress?
Gel memory foam is standard viscoelastic memory foam with a cooling gel added, usually as micro-beads dispersed through the foam or as a gel-infused layer near the surface. Gel holds more heat than foam alone before it warms through, so it draws warmth away from the sleeping surface and delays the point at which the mattress feels hot.
The feel is close to ordinary memory foam: a slow, moulded sink that cradles the shoulder and hip and absorbs movement well. The difference is temperature rather than support, and it is real but modest. An all-foam gel mattress runs cooler than traditional memory foam but warmer than a sprung mattress, which is why many brands now put their gel layer over springs.
Who gel memory foam suits
- Anyone who wants the memory foam feel but has found plain memory foam too warm.
- Side sleepers who need pressure relief at the shoulder and hip and prefer a contoured surface.
- Couples sensitive to movement, since foam absorbs a partner turning over better than springs do.
Who might want a different option
- Anyone who sleeps very hot and wants an all-foam mattress. Gel helps at the margins rather than solving the problem, so a gel hybrid or a latex mattress will sleep cooler.
- Sleepers who dislike the sinking sensation of memory foam, since the gel changes the temperature and not the feel.
What to look for
- Where the gel sits matters most. A gel layer near the surface works on the part of the mattress that actually gets warm, while gel buried in a support layer does far less.
- Foam density is the clearest signal of how long the mattress will hold its shape, and it matters more than the gel does.
- A breathable knitted cover contributes as much to how cool a foam mattress feels as the gel itself.
- Check the depth of the memory layer, because a thin gel-memory top over a firm base feels quite different from a deep memory surface.
How we compare them
We use information from manufacturer and retailer specifications, verified owner reviews and our own catalogue data across more than 800 construction-checked models, with prices checked regularly across our UK retail partners. You can read more on how we assess mattresses and how we stay independent on How We Make Money.
Does gel memory foam actually sleep cooler?
Yes, though the effect is modest. Gel draws heat away from the surface for longer than plain foam, so the mattress warms up more slowly. On an all-foam mattress it will not match springs or latex, which let air move through the structure.
What is the difference between gel memory foam and memory foam?
Temperature, not feel. Both use the same viscoelastic foam that moulds to your body, and the gel is added to counter memory foam's habit of trapping heat. Support and motion isolation are much the same on both. See memory foam for the wider range.
Is gel memory foam good for side sleepers?
It is one of the better options. The foam cushions the shoulder and hip where a firmer surface creates pressure, and the gel takes the edge off the warmth side sleepers often notice. A medium to medium soft feel suits side sleeping better than a firm one.
How long does a gel memory foam mattress last?
Around seven to ten years for a well-made one, the same as standard memory foam. Density decides it: lower density foams soften and dip sooner regardless of the gel.
Is a gel hybrid better than an all-foam gel mattress?
For heat, usually yes. Springs move air through the mattress, so a gel layer over pocket springs sleeps cooler than gel foam on a solid foam base. An all-foam version is usually cheaper and absorbs a partner's movement slightly better.