A mattress protector is a non-negotiable, a safeguard against liquid damage, sweat, allergens, and pet accidents while keeping your mattress warranty intact. The best mattress protectors provide a completely waterproof barrier that stays quiet, cool, and undetectable beneath your sheets.

To find covers that offer complete protection without sacrificing sleep quality, we tested 27 mattress protectors and encasements. Each model underwent rigorous testing: we poured 8 ounces of blue-dyed water onto each protector, let it sit for 2 hours, then checked whether any liquid passed through, both before and after 5 full wash cycles. We also measured thermal retention with laser thermometers and evaluated noise level, fabric breathability, and pocket depth.

Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches home products.

Our top picks for the best mattress protectors

Best overall mattress protector: Coop Sleep Goods Ultra Tech Mattress Protector – See at Coop Sleep Goods

Best budget mattress protector: SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector – See at Amazon

Best cooling mattress protector: Helix Mattress Protector – See at Helix

Best organic mattress protector: Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector – See at Avocado

Best deep-pocket mattress protector: Lucid Terry Top Mattress Protector – See at Amazon

Best waterproof mattress protector: Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector – See at Amazon

Best mattress encasement: Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement – See at Amazon

Best overall

Unmatched waterproofing at an accessible price point. At under $60 for a queen, the Coop Sleep Goods Ultra Tech is our top pick because it combines impressive waterproofing with barely-there comfort. The Coop passed our leakage tests with flying colors. There was absolutely no blue dye or water on the paper towel under the protector. Rather than letting liquid pool and run off the edges, its bamboo-blend fabric absorbed the spill.

Silent, breathable feel with top-only barrier coverage. The bamboo-blend top surface is virtually undetectable beneath standard fitted sheets, eliminating the plastic crinkling noises and heat retention typical of cheaper polyurethane covers. It clings to mattresses up to 18 inches like a fitted sheet and doesn’t shift at night. I barely noticed that the protector was there during testing. However, keep in mind that waterproofing is strictly limited to the top sleeping surface; the side skirts are made of breathable stretch fabric and will not block lateral spills.

Generous trial and warranty — if you follow care rules. Coop backs the protector with a 100-night trial and a one-year warranty. Note that warranty coverage is strictly contingent on following the care tag: wash on a cold cycle, tumble dry on low heat, and ensure the polyurethane backing faces inward during drying to avoid damaging the membrane and voiding your warranty.

Best budget

Our top budget performer. Of the five mattress protectors we tested that cost less than $50, the SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector was the best at remaining leak-free while also staying cool and regulating temperature.

Snug 18-inch fit with top-only barrier coverage. The SafeRest protector fits mattresses up to 18 inches thick and provides good, secure coverage all the way to the edges, even after five cycles in the washer and dryer. As with many protectors, the waterproof part that rests on top of your mattress is made of a different material than the skirt around the sides, which will not block spills.

Noticeable noise and texture, but reliable accident protection. The main trade-off for its low price is tactile comfort. Its cotton-terry surface creates friction against fitted sheets, preventing them from gliding smoothly, and generates audible crackling noises when you shift positions. While coarser and louder than higher-cost options, the noise level is manageable and won’t disrupt sleep, making it a dependable, cost-effective safeguard to keep on your bed in case of an accident.

Best cooling

Unmatched thermal dissipation for hot sleepers. The Helix Mattress Protector is the best cooling mattress protector because it excels at staying cool and dissipating heat quickly. For instance, within two minutes of getting up from the bed, the surface temperature dropped by more than 14 degrees, as measured with our laser thermometer.

Zero leakage or shrinkage through five wash cycles. Helix allowed zero moisture through its thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane under an 8-ounce load. The protector also showed no shrinkage after the washings, which is essential since the waterproof TPU backing is only on the part that covers the mattress top, not the skirting. 

Near-silent profile and plush feel. With its soft knit surface, the protector was comfortable to sleep on, quiet, and virtually undetectable. I didn’t notice any crackling or rustling as I shifted in the night. Also, I tend to overheat at night, but didn’t experience any issues. I

Best organic

Rigorously certified organic construction that’s also leak-free. The Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector is the best organic mattress protector, pairing non-toxic materials with an uncompromising defense from spills. Not only did it pass our leakage tests, but it carries an exhaustive list of independent third-party certifications, including GOTS-organic certification, Made Safe-certified to be free of toxins, GREENGUARD Gold-certified for low emissions, PETA-approved vegan, and formaldehyde-free, verified by UL.

Flawless lab leak performance and versatile pocket depth. Beneath the organic cotton top layer is a thin polyurethane backing that defends against liquids, dust mites, and bacteria. In my leakage tests, not a drop of water penetrated the protective materials during the two-hour period. And, after five trips through the washer and dryer, the protection was just as strong as ever. I think the Avocado protector fit

the test mattresses better after washing than before. The standard sizing fits mattresses up to 16 inches, while the deep-pocket version accommodates mattresses up to 22 inches thick.

It sleeps warmer and crinkles under the sheets. The dense organic cotton construction retains more body heat than specialty cooling covers, as confirmed by elevated thermometer readings during overnight testing. However, the heat dissipated quickly when I got up. While the waterproof membrane creates a soft crinkling sound when you shift positions and is a little louder than other protectors, the acoustic profile is easily muffled beneath fitted sheets and won’t disrupt sleep. Overall, my sleep quality on the Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector was excellent.

Best deep pocket

For extra-thick beds and toppers. The Lucid Terry Top Mattress Protector is our top deep-pocket pick because its elastic skirt stretches to accommodate thick mattresses with pillowtop designs and topper combinations ranging from 6 to 22 inches, the most generous allowance on our list.

Reliable lab leak defense backed by a 15-year warranty. Despite its budget-friendly $20 price tag, the Lucid passed our standardized fluid evaluation with zero leakage onto the paper towel beneath, maintaining full protection even after five machine wash-and-dry cycles. Rather than absorbing fluids into the terry weave, its polyurethane barrier causes liquid to pool on the surface for easy cleanup, and the cover is backed by an industry-leading 15-year warranty.

Noticeable noise and heat retention trade-offs. The primary compromises for its deep profile and low price are tactile comfort and thermal regulation. Its cotton-blend terry cloth surface creates friction against fitted sheets, generating noticeable crinkling sounds as you shift positions, while laser-thermometer testing confirmed that the dense backing tends to trap body heat compared to dedicated cooling models.

Read our full Lucid Mattress Protector review.

Best waterproof

Five-sided fluid containment with superior spill absorption. The Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector earns our top waterproofing spot because its TPU coating extends fluid defense beyond the top panel down over the sides of most standard mattress protectors. In our lab evaluation—pouring 8 ounces of blue-dyed liquid under a 2-pound weight for two hours—it allowed zero moisture through to the paper towel beneath. Instead of pooling atop the material, the polyester-polyamide fabric absorbs liquid on contact, keeping some of it from getting on your bedding, the floor, or elsewhere.

Quiet, comfortable feel, but runs a little hot. The soft surface provides cushioned comfort, generating virtually no rustling or crackling noises as I shifted positions. While it also meets Oeko-Tex Standard 100 credentials for chemical safety, laser-thermometer testing revealed that its dense weave tends to trap body heat and run warmer than dedicated cooling covers, making it better suited for average sleepers than those prone to night sweats.

A secure fit tailored for standard-depth mattresses. The protector is designed for mattresses up to 14 inches thick, and stretched smoothly across standard bed profiles without bunching or creeping up at the corners. Of note, it also lacks any head/foot orientation tags to speed up bed-making, but the elastic skirt remains.

Best mattress encasement

Complete 360° fluid and bed bug isolation at an unbeatable price. At around $28, the Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement provides full six-sided mattress protection, offering a budget-friendly shield against extermination costs that could exceed $1,500 in the event of a bed bug infestation. The encasement style passed leakage tests before and after washing, and most of the liquid pooled on the encasement surface. It was one of the quietest protectors and never got hot when I slept on it.

Full zip enclosure with a bug-proof Velcro guard seal. The most significant issue with any encasement is putting it on. Fortunately, the Utopia Bedding encasement has a wide zippered opening that makes it manageable to slide over your mattress while holding it upright. Crucially for bed bug containment, a heavy-duty Velcro flap secures directly over the zipper pull tab, sealing off micro-gaps and preventing bed bugs from sneaking through. Despite its complete enclosure, the thin polyester fabric remains surprisingly quiet and cool beneath fitted sheets, generating no crackling noises or heat retention overnight.

Keep in mind that encasements don’t prevent bed bug infestations from starting, and warranty considerations. Lastly, no encasement protects you from getting bed bugs. Instead, it protects your mattress from harboring bed bugs that can destroy it over time. If a mattress is already riddled with bed bugs, an encasement can trap them. But you need to keep it on for at least 12 months to kill all the bugs, and you’ll still need to treat your home. Also, Utopia does not offer a manufacturer’s warranty, so following proper laundering steps (gentle wash, low heat) is critical to maintaining the barrier’s integrity over time.

What else we tested

We tested 27 mattress protectors and encasements for this guide. Here are a few that missed the cut.

• Purple Waterproof Mattress Protector: Purple previously made our best mattress protector, but it was discontinued in favor of a new waterproof version available in standard and deep-pocket variations, emphasizing enhanced stretchiness to complement Purple’s signature GelFlex Grid system. The new version passed our leakage tests, but the liquid spread throughout the entire protector — including the non-waterproof elastic edges.
• Nolah GlacioTex Cooling: This is an outstanding mattress protector. It just doesn’t top any of our categories. It passed our leakage tests, stays cool, and produces minimal noise. The biggest negatives are that you have to pay for shipping if you return it, and the warranty is only one year. Still, it’s worth considering if a top pick is out of stock.
• Bear GlacioTex: While it’s virtually identical to the Nolah GlacioTex protector, this Bear protector is much pricier ($250 retail) and failed our leakage test after five washings. It stays cool and fits our test mattresses well, but at this price point, it needs to be waterproof.
• Coop Sleep Goods Ultra-Cool Waterproof: Coop’s mattress protector is designed for hot sleepers, helping them stay cool throughout the night. We still recommend it, but keep in mind that liquid pools rather than being absorbed by this protector.
• Casper Waterproof: In general, I’m a fan of Casper products. Its Dream mattress is one of the coolest beds I’ve slept on. But, the company’s mattress protectors get a hard pass from me. While the Casper Waterproof lives up to its name by passing our leakage tests, it was the hardest to put on because of its small elastic ring. I worked up a sweat each time I wrestled it on. Plus, it comes with a minimal one-year warranty. 
• Casper Breathable: This protector is water-resistant but not waterproof. Consequently, it failed the leakage tests before and after we washed it five times. It also appeared to shrink in the wash, so portions of the mattress weren’t covered by the protector’s top section. The Casper Breathable protector only has a one-year warranty. It was cooler and quieter than most other models, but at $159 for a queen, it needs to protect your mattress better.
• Linenspa Encasement: We hoped this would be a good alternative if the Utopia Bedding encasement isn’t available, but we can’t recommend it. It passed the leakage tests, protects against bed bugs, and has a 10-year warranty. However, it only fits mattresses up to 12 inches thick, makes loud rustling sounds when you move on it, and traps heat.

The best mattress protectors, compared

What to look for in a mattress protector

Choosing the right mattress protector comes down to balancing barrier protection with breathability, noise, and fit. When evaluating options, prioritize these core factors:

Level of coverage:

• Top-Only: Fits like a fitted sheet, with waterproofing strictly limited to the top sleeping panel. Ideal for standard everyday spill protection and budget buyers, though side skirts remain permeable to lateral spills.
• Five-Sided: Extends the waterproof membrane down over all four side skirts. Best for complete liquid containment, pet accidents, or edge-of-bed spills.
• Six-Sided Encasement: Fully encapsulates the top, bottom, and sides with a heavy-duty zipper and bug-proof Velcro flap. Required for 360° isolation against bed bugs, severe dust mite allergies, and deep core contamination. The trade-off is that they’re a pain to put on and remove.

Waterproofing materials:

• Modern Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): Flexible, quiet, breathable, and free of hazardous phthalates or vinyl odors. It creates a quiet liquid seal without feeling like a plastic tarp.
• Vinyl / PVC: Older, cheaper plastic membranes that run hot, off-gas chemical odors, and crack easily in the dryer. (Best avoided unless buying ultra-budget covers).

Comfort, noise, and breathability: The top fabric layer determines how the bed feels under your sheets. Bamboo-derived viscose, jersey knits, and cotton muffles membrane friction and promote airflow, whereas thick cotton terry cloth can feel coarse, crinkle during movement, and trap body heat.

Pocket depth & fit: Standard protectors fit mattresses up to 14 inches deep. If you own an extra-thick hybrid, a pillow-top mattress, or use a mattress topper, choose a deep-pocket model rated for 18 to 22 inches to prevent corner pop-offs and bunching overnight.

Trial and warranty: After two weeks of using a mattress protector, you should be able to tell whether it meets your needs. If it doesn’t, you want to be able to return it for a full refund. Look for a long home trial (30 nights is the standard) and a reasonable warranty (one year is the bare minimum)

How we tested each mattress protector

I tested all of the mattress protectors in this guide. In addition to sleeping on each protector, each model undergoes many objective tests. The most important factors to consider when choosing a mattress protector are comfort, protection, and fit.

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:

Comfort: I slept on each mattress protector (with a fitted sheet in place) and rated how comfortable they felt on a scale of 1 to 5. Most protectors were barely noticeable, and none scored below a 3. I also used a laser thermometer to compare the temperatures before lying on the protector, after lying on it for at least an hour, and two minutes after getting up. This told me how well the protector dissipated heat. 

Protection: I placed a paper towel in a plastic tray and set it beneath the center of each mattress protector. Next, I poured eight ounces of blue water on each protector. Then, I placed a 2-pound weight on the liquid to simulate someone lying on it. I let the water sit for two hours before checking to see if it leaked through. Then I washed and dried each protector 5 times and repeated the test. Though I couldn’t test for them, I also noted if the protectors are designed to protect against dust mites and bed bugs.

Fit: I put each protector on mattresses ranging in thickness from 10 to 15 inches and noted how difficult it was to put on, whether the protector bunched up, whether the protective top covered the whole mattress top, and whether it stayed put or crept up the corners throughout the night. Next, I washed and dried the protector five times and repeated the test. 

Noise: The polyurethane used in mattress protectors for waterproofing sometimes makes a crackling sound when you move at night. This sound can lead to restless sleep, so I compared all the protectors head-to-head to see how loud they were. I crinkled each one in my hands. As I did this, I arranged the protectors from quietest to most audible. I kept doing this until I was confident my order was accurate.

Trial and warranty: The most foolproof way to know if a mattress protector is comfortable for you is to sleep on it for an extended period, so a lengthy trial is a must. I looked at the length of the trial period (30 nights was the median of the protectors I tested) and whether there are hidden return fees. I also looked at the warranty length (5 years was the median of the models I tried).

Meet the experts behind the guide

James Brains, senior reporter: I have seven years of mattress evaluation experience, including testing mattress protectors. I built out the testing methodology and have personally tested over 20 mattress protectors, emphasizing waterproofing, breathability, and fit as the most important factors.

Kinsley Searles, associate editor: I’ve expanded on James methodology with new testing insights, examining not only how well a protector prevents leakage, but whether liquid pools or absorbs into the fabric.

Mattress protector FAQs

Why do you need a mattress protector, and will it protect your warranty?

While frequently associated with kids, everyone should have a mattress protector. Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, reinforced the need to protect the mattress from spills and accidents, bodily fluids such as sweat or menstrual blood, and allergens such as dust mites.

“A mattress protector can also help extend the general life of your mattress and reduce the overall wear and tear,” said Robbins. “So it’s always a good idea to make sure that when you’re buying a new mattress, you’re coupling it with a mattress protector.”

Furthermore, almost all major mattress manufacturers will void your warranty if the mattress shows visible stains or liquid damage—even if the defect you are claiming (such as sagging springs) is unrelated to the spill.

How often (and how) should you wash a mattress protector?

If you have allergies, wash your protector every two to four weeks to reduce dust-mite buildup. If you’re just protecting your mattress from spills, wash your protector every two to six months or immediately after a spill or accident. If you’re using an encasement to keep bed bugs in, you’ll need to keep it on your mattress for at least 12 months.

The less you wash your mattress protector, the longer it will last. Always follow the instructions on the care tag — incorrect washing can sometimes void the warranty. Never dry on high heat or use bleach, as extreme temperatures will melt or crack the waterproof polyurethane membrane and void the protector’s warranty.

What is the difference between a mattress protector, encasement, pad, and topper?

• Mattress Protector: A thin, waterproof cover that fits over the bed like a fitted sheet to protect against spills and allergens without changing the mattress’s feel.
• Mattress Encasement: A six-sided cover that zips around the entire mattress to provide 360° protection against liquids, allergens, and bed bug infestations.
• Mattress Pad: A thin, lightly quilted layer that adds minor cushioning and basic stain protection, but is likely not waterproof.
• Mattress Topper: A thick (2—4 inch) layer of foam, latex, or down designed specifically to alter the firmness and support of your bed.