8 of the Best Soft Mattresses of 2025, Tested by CNET's Well-Rested Sleep Experts

A glimpse into one of the rooms at our mattress testing facility. Aly Lopez/CNET CNET’s team of nine mattress experts has been testing and reviewing mattresses for years. To date, the team has tested over 300 beds. Each bed that passes through our Reno, Nevada, testing facility undergoes extensive hands-on testing to rate performance and quality. Our team takes a holistic approach to mattress testing, meaning our whole team is involved in assessing key performance indicators. This allows us to represent all types of people. Read more: Yes, We Lie on Beds for a Living. Here’s How We Test Mattresses Firmness The Mattress Smasher 9000 getting ready to smash a bed and provide us with an objective firmness score. Aly Lopez/CNET Firmness is among the most critical factors we rate regarding top-rated plush mattresses. Our team rates perceived firmness based on their collective experience with the bed. This involves lying on the bed in different positions and rating how it feels. In add ... Read full article.