Who doesn't love a mattress that gives you room to sprawl, stretch and even cuddle a pet (or three)? Most king-size mattresses can do the trick, but if you're looking for bigger, you should consider investing in a California king. Though it's only 4 inches longer, and trims a bit off the width of the mattress, it makes a huge difference by giving you extra legroom. Seems worth it, if you ask me.
With many years of testing beds and sleep products behind me, as well as the CNET sleep team having tested over 300 beds collectively, I'm confident when I say we know our way around mattresses. Together we've compiled a list of the best California king mattresses, paying attention to specific sleepers, such as couples, heavy people and folks who prefer to sleep on their side.
Better yet, if you want to accessorise your new bed, we've got plenty of other guides. Check out our selections for the best sheets, our favorite pillows and the ultimate cozy comforters.
Note: All the prices listed here are MSRP list prices and the real purchasing cost may be lower.
Video: Best California king mattresses for 2026
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the best California king size mattresses for 2026.
What's the best California king mattress overall?
If you're looking for a comfortable, quality mattress that will stand the test of time, you'll like the Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress. It's a long-time favorite in our office because its strong hybrid constriction and neutral-foam feel make it a safe choice for everyone. It also happens to be a great value: only $1,599 for a California king.
Best California king mattresses in 2026
Pros
- Option pillow top available
- Comfy neutral foam feel
- Durably hybrid construction
- Three firmness levels
Cons
- The firm isn’t super firm
- Not a true budget choice
Our take: The Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress is known for its quality and dependability. It’s a good choice for anyone looking for a hybrid California king, though people who want a super firm bed should look elsewhere.
How it sleeps: The Signature mattress from Brooklyn Bedding is one of my favorite beds because it’s one that I can recommend to everyone -- side sleepers, couples, stomach sleepers and so on. A lot of that comes from how it feels. I’d describe the feeling you get when lying on it as a neutral hybrid foam feel. It has a little spring to it, but you mostly get a comfortable foam feel. It’s not dense like Tempur-Pedic, which many people don’t like. This bed is just generally appealing.
The second reason it’s good for so many people is because this bed is available in three firmness levels. It’s available in soft, medium and firm models. During our testing, we found the soft to be around a medium-soft or 3 out of 10, the medium is a true medium, or 5, and the firm is a medium-firm or 7. The vast majority of people will want one of those firmness levels, but if you're looking for a super firm bed, you might want to choose another bed. (And I mean firm, closer to sleeping on the floor.) Most back and stomach sleepers will be happy with the firmness level of the Brooklyn Bedding Signature.
Pros
- Two firmness levels in one bed
- Fluffy memory foam feel
- Hybrid construction
Cons
- Not a budget bed
- The firm side is only a medium
- Not for people who want a bouncy bed
Our take: The Layla Hybrid mattress gives side sleepers two chances to find their ideal firmness thanks to its flippable design. It’s perfect for people who love memory foam, though stomach and back sleepers probably will want a bed that’s firmer than this.
How it sleeps: The Layla Hybrid mattress is one of the few flippable beds on the market. And while some people won’t see the opportunity a flippable design offers, those who do will love this bed. The supportive coils of this bed are at the center, which means that both sides of the bed are sleepable. There’s a soft and firm side. The soft side is best for strict side sleepers since it’s a medium soft, or 3 on our scale. The firm side is only about a medium, or 5, so this bed is made for side sleepers who want a choice between super soft and medium.
It has a light and airy memory foam feel that’s slower to respond than a neutral option like Brooklyn Bedding, but it’s not going to suck you in like Tempur-Pedic. The best way I can describe it is that it conforms to you without sucking you into the foam, which I’d say is more in line with what the average person wants from their memory foam. I also have to mention the soft cover with Layla’s iconic honeycomb stitching. It’s breathable, with side handles to make flipping easier.
Runner-up: The Nolah Original mattress is another option for side sleepers. It has a mixed-foam feel and is available in all-foam or hybrid construction. I recommend the hybrid for heavy people.
Pros
- White glove delivery
- Durable construction
- Dual-coil layers
- Comfortable pillow top
- Great for heavier body types
Cons
- Expensive
- Overkill for petite sleepers
Our take: The Saatva Classic is a lesson in luxury with an ultra-supportive construction and comfortable pillow top. It’s nice, but a California king will cost you $2,299, which is out of reach for many people.
How it sleeps: If you like the feel and attitude of a traditional innerspring bed over dense memory foam, you’ll want the Saatva classic mattress. It’s a hefty bed with two layers of coils and a zoned support foam design. This is the type of bed that’s going to last. The Saatva Classic is a super springy and responsive bed, though the fluffy pillow top is the main feel of the bed. It’s a traditional feeling that many people love. That’s why it’s my pick for best firm mattress.
You can get the Saatva Classic mattress in three different firmness models: Plush Soft, Luxury Firm and Firm. We tested the luxury firm option and found it medium firm on our scale. That’s generally good for anyone, though side sleepers who want a truly soft bed should probably choose the softest model. There’s a lot to love about this super supportive bed, like the golden embroidery on the organic cotton cover. This is the type of bed I wouldn’t be surprised to see in a fancy hotel.
Runner-up: The Purple Rejuvenate is another luxury bed that is great for people who want a premium, firm mattress. It’s super expensive, however.
Pros
- Appealing responsive foam feel
- Good price for the quality
- Great edge support
Cons
- Only one firmness option
- Not really cooling
Our take: The Nectar Classic Hybrid bed is an affordable, widely appealing memory foam mattress. However, we’re not sold on its cooling claims.
How it sleeps: Nectar recently revamped its mattress lineup, which included a new feel. The Nectar Classic Hybrid mattress has a responsive memory foam feel, unlike the denser foam Nectar used to be known for. You still get a bit of that, but it’s more of the neutralized feel now, which I think is good. It will appeal to people who like the slow, sinking feeling, as well as those who want something lighter. It rides the middle in a way that appeals to many people.
The Nectar Classic Hybrid is only available in one firmness level, which we rate between a medium and a medium-firm or six. That might make it a bit too firm for some side sleepers, though most will sleep well on this bed.
The last thing I must mention is that it's marketed as having cooling features, though I’m not convinced. Yes, it doesn’t sleep hot, but I wouldn’t say it’s a true cooling mattress that offers a bit of chill at night. It is slightly cool to the touch, but the cooling claims would probably let down hot sleepers. That said, the average person won’t mind.
Runner-up: If you’re after the dense, almost syrupy feel of traditional memory foam, then you’ll like the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Adapt mattress. It’s a little expensive, but no one does memory foam quite like Tempur-Pedic.
Pros
- Backed by a significant number of certifications
- Made with eco-friendly and sustainable materials
- Very supportive
Cons
- Expensive
- Additional pillow top is $500
Our take: The Avocado Green mattress is one of the best organic beds you can get. It’s best for back, stomach and heavy sleepers. Side sleepers will probably find this hybrid bed a little too firm without the optional pillow top.
How it sleeps: The Avocado Green mattress is made with all-natural, non-toxic materials, which makes it hypoallergenic and resistant to allergen buildup. Its main comfort material is latex foam, which is a unique material. It has the pressure-relieving qualities of foam but is bouncy, so you won’t sink into it. It doesn’t feel wildly different from other foams, but it’s much more responsive, making it easier to change positions.
When it comes to firmness, side sleepers beware. The Avocado Green mattress is a firm one. I’d only recommend it to back and stomach sleepers. Side sleepers will probably want to add the additional pillow top, which will cost you an extra $500. Here’s the thing about organic and natural beds: They’re expensive. So it’s not surprising to see the Avocado Green priced at $2,699 for a California king, though that’s pretty far out of many people’s budgets. That said, if you want a natural bed that’s comfortable and supportive, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than Avocado.
Runner-up: The organic mattress market isn’t all that big and is generally expensive. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find an affordable option. The Awara Natural Hybrid mattress is a budget-friendly organic bed that lands on the firmer side.
Pros
- Thick construction makes it super supportive
- Very responsive
- Good for back, stomach and combo sleepers
- 1,110 pound limit
Cons
- Not ideal for people under 150 pounds
- A little expensive
Our take: Heavier body types need a bed that will support them in the long run. The Big Fig mattress does that and more, with reinforced coils and a 1,100-pound weight limit. However, strict-side sleepers might find it too firm.
How it sleeps: The Big Fig mattress is a comfortable bed with a foam feel. It’s not dense like memory foam, making it more appealing for the average person. Where the Big Fig mattress shines for heavy people is how supportive the bed is. It’s made with extra-thick steel coils and touts a 1,100-pound weight limit, the highest I’ve seen. You won’t get the sink-in feel with this bed. It almost feels like the bed pushes back when I lie on it. That’s how supportive it is. It is also very responsive, making changing positions on it almost effortless.
The Big Fig is a firm mattress. However, I will caveat it by saying that your weight influences your experience. We rate it around a medium-firm to firm, or 8 for the average person. If you weigh over 300 pounds, you might say it’s closer to medium or medium-firm. Because of that, I’d recommend this bed for back and stomach sleepers or heavy-side sleepers.
Runner-up: The Helix Plus Luxe is a luxury bed built for burly bodies. It has a pillow top feel and an optional cooling cover, though it might be too firm for side sleepers. Not to mention, it’s expensive: $2,999 for a California king.
Pros
- Affordable
- Hybrid and all-foam model available
- Zoned support design
Cons
- Too firm for some side sleepers
- Could be too firm for petite folks
Our take: Those on a budget won’t want to miss the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex mattress. It’s a great value for the quality you get, though it’s definitely on the firmer side. Too firm for most side sleepers.
How it sleeps: Good mattresses don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. The CooperFlex mattress from Brooklyn Bedding is the perfect example of that. It has a zoned lumbar design for support, which is good for back pain. And I'd describe the feel of this bed as a firm, dense foam feel. A slight hint of pillow top keeps it from being super dense, but it’s foam all the way.
Firmness is the other huge factor you need to know about when it comes to beds. Make no mistake, this is a firm bed. We’d rank it a medium-firm to firm or 8, which is best for stomach and back sleepers who want a firm mattress. I wouldn’t recommend that side sleepers choose this bed, especially petite ones. You can get this bed in an all-foam or hybrid construction; heavier folks opt for the hybrid model for longevity. The all-foam CopperFlex mattress comes in at $932 for a California king, which is hard to come by, especially at the quality level that Brooklyn Bedding is known for.
Runner-up: The CooperFlex Pro is also available in an all-form and hybrid model. It has a dense foam feel, though it’s two inches thicker than the base CopperFlex. It also has a cooling cover but is a little more expensive.
Pros
- Ultra affordable
- Neutral hybrid feel
- Might be a little firm for petite side sleepers
Cons
- No advanced features
- Only one firmness level
- No trial
Our take: Finding a California king mattress under $500 can be tough. The Allswell mattress from Walmart offers support and comfort for only $354. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the other beds, but it’s a good value.
How it sleeps: The Allswell mattress is a supportive and straightforward bed that budget shoppers love. It’s surprising how cheap this bed is, at only $354 for a California king.
The Allswell isn’t a luxury bed, but it’s not trying to be. Sure, it has no specialized foams or zoned support layers to ease back pain, but you’re getting a solid hybrid bed for a great price. It has an accommodating, neutral hybrid feel that you probably associate with many old-school beds. While it’s only available at one firmness level, we rate it around a medium to medium firm or 6, which is a safe choice unless you’re looking for an extremely soft or firm mattress.
One thing to note is that while Allswell used to have a 100-night trial period, there is no mention of a trial on the Walmart website now.
Best California king mattress firmness
Our team tested all of the mattresses on this list. We take time with each bed to ensure we have a good feel for how it performs and who it is best for. However, there's a component that we can't ignore: Mattress testing is subjective.
In this entire review, you've read what it feels like when I sit on a bed or how firm it feels to me. Unfortunately, unless you have the same body type as me, you might experience a bed a little differently. I'm not talking about huge differences here, but maybe it would feel firmer if you weigh less or softer if you weigh more.
To combat the subjectivity of firmness, our CNET labs team built the Mattress Smasher 9000, a first-of-its-kind proprietary machine that we use to get objective firmness scores for every bed we test. All the data we get is documented and stored, which helps us compare beds to each other. That's how we know that the Brooklyn Bedding Copperflex mattress is the firmest at 7.8 out of 10, and the soft side of the Layla mattress is only 3.1.
We've programmed the MS9k to produce 40 pounds of force across the smashing plate, equivalent to the weight of a 165-pound person.
What to consider when buying a California king mattress
If you're ready to buy your next California king mattress, keep these factors in mind:
Size
Many people may assume that a California king mattress is the biggest bed you can get. But that's not strictly true. The size difference between a king and a California king mattress is all about the scale of the bed. A king mattress is 76 inches wide by 80 inches long. California king mattresses are 72 inches wide and 84 inches long, so you're trading width for length.
To choose between a king and a California king, decide in which direction you need more space.
Construction
The materials used to make your mattress will determine its lifespan and level of support. It will also determine the feel of your bed. If you like memory foam's dense, sinking feeling, stick with brands like Tempur-Pedic. If you're unsure about what you want, I suggest a neutral foam, such as Brooklyn Bedding, or a classic pillow top, like Saatva.
Construction also matters when it comes to your body type. I always recommend that heavier folks, or those who want to feel the support from their bed, opt for a hybrid bed with steel coils. All-foam beds can sag over time depending on use, so it's best to avoid the problem by option for coils. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy memory foam; it just means there should be a coil base under the foam layers.
Firmness
Firmness and feel are the two most important factors in determining whether you're happy with your bed. Yes, construction is important, but if we're talking about day-to-day satisfaction, firmness is the start of it all. Your weight and sleeping position will help you determine how firm you need your bed.
Heavier people will experience a bed as softer because they put more pressure on the bed, while petite people will put the least pressure on the bed, making it feel firmer. That said, your sleeping position is the best way to narrow down how firm of a bed you need.
- Side sleepers need plenty of cushioning to avoid pressure points on their shoulders, hips and knees. Softer beds are best. I'd say medium or below is the sweet spot.
- Back and stomach sleepers require firmer beds to maintain proper spinal alignment during sleep. That doesn't mean you need the firmest bed out there. Although probably medium to medium-firm and up.
- Combo sleepers have the most flexibility, though my advice is to consider the sleeping position you spend the most time in and decide based on that.
Some beds, like the Nest Sparrow, allow for split California king mattresses to have two different firmness levels.
How we test California king mattresses
CNET mattress expert Owen Poole tests motion isolation using a glass of water.
CNET's sleep team consists of nine testers who have been evaluating and reviewing mattresses for years. From travel pillows to sleeping headphones, we've tested many products you can use to sleep well. Our team has collectively tested over 300 beds in our Reno, Nevada facility.
Our team includes different genders, body types and sleeping preferences, which allows us to get a well-rounded view of each bed that passes through the door.
Firmness
Firmness is a pivotal testing metric that helps us make recommendations for you. There are two parts of our firmness rating for each bed: Subjective and objective. The subjective score comes from our first-hand experience with the bed. Several testers rank the bed based on their experience in different sleeping positions.
Once we have our subjective experience and opinion on the bed, we use the Mattress Smasher 9000 to get something no one else can: Objective numbers. We then use the subjective and objective scores to review and categorize each bed.
Motion isolation
Testing the motion isolation with a glass of water on the edge and rolling around the bed.
Motion isolation is how well a bed dampens movement across its surface. Memory foam traditionally does this best because of its density, though it varies by bed. Motion isolation is a huge factor if you are a light sleeper, have a different sleeping schedule than your partner, or have a furry friend who jumps on and off the bed.
We test motion isolation in two main ways. First, we simulate partner sleeping by having one person lie on the bed and another move around beside them. We rate the degree of movement we feel. Next, we place a glass of water on the edge of the bed and roll to and away from it, noting how much the water moves. If the water sloshes or the glass topples, a bed doesn't have good motion isolation.
Edge support
The next thing we test is edge support or the strength of the bed's perimeter. This is important if you sleep near the edge of the bed or have mobility issues that make getting in and out of bed difficult. We sit and lie on the edge and note how much it compresses. If we sink far down or feel like we might fall off, the bed lacks good edge support.
Temperature
Temperature is one of the most important factors to consider when shopping for a bed, as getting too hot can disrupt your sleep. Hot sleepers need cooling beds. However, not every mattress that says it's cooling is actually cold. There's no regulation on what can be labeled cooling, so it can be difficult to know what is and isn't.
That's where we use our experience and experience with the beds to rate how cold they are and examine any cooling elements in the construction that would help this bed keep you cool. We test all of our mattresses in a temperature-controlled room.
What we're testing next
Our team makes sure to test new beds and updated beds. Here's what's on deck in our testing facility:
- Serta Perfect Sleeper Mattress
- Tuft & Needle Mint
- Puffy Monarch
California king mattress FAQs
Is a California king bed worth the extra money?
If you’re tall or have pets that sleep at the end of the bed, a California king is worth the extra money. And a recent CNET survey shows that most people are willing to spend up to $1,000 a year on good sleep. If that sounds like a lot, don’t worry -- there are California king mattresses for every budget. The Allswell is a budget bed that only costs $354 for a California king.
Which bed is better, king or California king?
It’s hard to say which option is better because it all comes down to what you want from your mattress. As mentioned, the California king is longer and more narrow, which makes it better for those who need the extra length. Maybe you're on the taller side or your pets like to curl up at the end of your bed. California king beds may also fit better in some bedrooms. Meanwhile, a typical king bed offers the same luxe sleep experience while being shorter and wider, which offers more space between you and the person next to you -- if that’s something you need.
If you’re set on a longer mattress, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature is the best overall California king mattress because it’s widely appealing and a great value for the money.
