Every ranking on MattressVetted follows the same transparent process. We do not physically test products and we do not accept payment for rankings. Here is exactly how a product earns a place on one of our lists, and what our scores do and do not mean.
For each guide we start from the products people actually buy and search for in that category, then filter down to models that (a) are genuinely available to buy, (b) have enough verifiable specification and owner-review data to judge fairly, and (c) fit the specific need the guide is about — side sleepers, cooling, budget, heavier bodies, crib safety, and so on. Models with almost no track record, or that are discontinued or routinely out of stock, are left off rather than padded in.
Our judgement leans on the weight and consistency of owner feedback, not a single star average. For a well-established product that can mean reading across a large volume of reviews; for a newer model there is simply less to go on, and we treat our read as more provisional and say so. We prioritise verified-purchase reviews, discount obvious duplicates and incentivised reviews, and weight recent feedback more heavily than reviews from years ago, because materials and manufacturing change. Guides carry a “last updated” date, and we only refresh that date when the page has genuinely been re-reviewed — not automatically.
Complaints are the most useful signal we have, so we do not average them away. A recurring, specific problem — sagging within a year, heat build-up, weak edge support, persistent off-gassing — counts far more heavily against a product than its overall star rating counts for it. A product with a high average but a clear pattern of the same serious complaint will rank below a lower-rated product with no such pattern.
Where we show a score it is an editorial research score out of 5, not a customer star average. It is our assessment of the evidence, calculated from eight weighted factors:
The overall figure is the weighted sum of those eight factors for the need each guide addresses, which is why the same mattress can be a top pick for side sleepers and a middling pick for heavy sleepers. It reflects our research, and it is deliberately kept separate from any customer aggregate rating.
Before we recommend a product we confirm it is currently offered for sale and check its stated trial period and warranty against the manufacturer. Prices and stock change constantly, so we always link you to the retailer’s own page to confirm the live price and return policy before you buy, rather than printing a price that may already be stale.
If a specification, price note, certification, or link is wrong or out of date, we want to fix it. Email hello@mattressvetted.com and we will verify and correct the page, and note material corrections. Accuracy matters more to us than being first.
MattressVetted earns affiliate commissions when you buy through our links, but the ranking process above runs the same whether or not a product carries an affiliate link, and every reasonable competitor earns a similar commission — so there is nothing to gain by favouring one. We do not accept payment for placement, and a brand cannot buy a better position. See our affiliate disclosure.
We will not invent first-hand testing we did not perform, quote measurements we did not take, publish health claims we cannot support, or let a commission change an order. If a popular product has real weaknesses, we say so plainly.