Egg crate vs memory foam mattress topper — which is best for back pain?

Both egg crate and memory foam mattress toppers can reboot the feel of your bed, boosting its comfort. However, which is better for back pain: egg crate toppers vs memory foam toppers?

Even this year's best mattresses can benefit from a new bed topper, but it can be hard to choose the best mattress topper for your current bed. The most popular kind are memory foam bed toppers, but recently egg crate toppers have been getting some attention for their unique design and comfortable benefits.

Here, we'll explore the key differences between egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers. We'll compare which one can benefit those with back pain the most, while also exploring design, price, and cooling features Plus, we've rounded up some of the best deals on egg crate and memory foam toppers ahead of the upcoming Labor Day mattress sales .

Egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers: overview

Memory foam is a popular mattress topper material for good reason. Its body-hugging feel is perfect for adding softness to a mattress that feels too hard, providing deep pressure relief to side sleepers. The best memory foam toppers are also usually good value, coming much cheaper than latex or hybrid mattress toppers.

Egg crate mattress toppers , however, are a relatively new invention. Egg crate toppers get their name from the ridges of their surface that resemble an egg carton.  There is some overlap between the egg crate and memory foam toppers, as egg crate mattress toppers can actually be made of memory foam. However, they can also be made from other materials, such as latex.

Here, we'll be viewing egg crate toppers as any mattress topper with the unique egg crate design (regardless of material), and memory foam toppers as any bed topper made from memory foam that doesn't have the egg crate texture.

Egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers: prices and deals

Egg crate mattress topper are budget-friendly, with an average price of a queen just $97. While these mattress toppers' prices can change depending on material, depth, and quality, these egg crate toppers tend to remain in the budget to lower mid range price bracket. So, if your looking for a cost-effective way to transform your mattress, an egg crate mattress topper is a great option.

On the other hand,  the average sale price of a queen memory foam mattress topper is $299 (almost $300 less than a latex one, but over $200 more than an egg crate topper). However, memory foam bed toppers span a wide range of budgets, including premium and budget price brackets, so it's likely you'll find a memory foam topper to suit your price expectations.

Egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers: Design and materials

An egg crate mattress has a unique design which features a wavy, convoluted foam with a "peaks and valleys" texture on top. For the base, the texture is much smoother. While you can have the egg crate texture facing downwards, it's recommended that it faces upwards to get the full benefit of the design. In terms of materials, egg crate mattress toppers are usually made from memory or latex foam. Usually, egg crate mattress toppers come with no covers.

Meanwhile, memory foam toppers usually come with fabric covers (though some cheaper ones don't) made from breathable materials such as cotton or a polyester soft knit. They usually have one-layer or two-layer design, with dual-layered memory foam toppers having a denser, supportive foam on the bottom and a cushioning foam on top.

Memory foam toppers are , of course, made from memory foam. However, different memory foam bed toppers will have different tweaks made to the foam. For example, some memory foam will be perforated for more breathability or infused with copper for its antimicrobial and cooling properties.

An important thing to mention here is durability. While memory foam toppers' durability can change depending on design and quality, memory foam egg crate toppers have a low life expectancy (signalled by their low prices)

Egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers: Support and Comfort

So, which is better for back pain? Short answer: probably memory foam. While memory foam mattress toppers are often used to soften beds for side sleepers, there are plenty of firm memory foam mattress toppers on the market.

For example, the our top bed topper for back pain is the Saatva Graphite Mattress topper, a memory foam bed topper that provides excellent contouring support for back sleepers. In fact, in our Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper review, our lead tester was suffering with a back injury and found it provided support and relief to the lower back.

Egg crate mattress toppers, on the other hand, are designed to provide soothing pressure relief and weight distribution to side sleepers. They relieve the key pressure points when side sleeping (shoulders, knees and hips) and provide an ultra-plush feel. However, this may mean that they can be too soft for back and front sleeping, and may actually cause back pain by not supporting the hips when stomach sleeping.

Egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers: Cooling

One of the major benefits of the egg crate design is its breathability. The ridges in the foam create air channels that boost ventilation. The increased airflow means that the topper will sleep cooler. On top of that, some egg crate mattress toppers are infused with cooling gel or made from naturally breathable material such as natural latex.

While memory foam has a reputation for trapping heat, most memory foam bed toppers today come with temperature-regulating features such as heat-dissipating gel, breathable covers, perforated foam, and cooling infusions such as copper or graphite. That said, some cooling features work better than others, and its performance can depend on quality and whether it was designed to be a cooling bed topper.

Egg crate vs memory foam mattress toppers: which should you buy?

Buy an egg crate mattress topper if...

✅ You have back pain: Memory foam toppers come in different firmness ratings, so choose a firm, supportive memory foam topper if you suffer with back pain.

✅ You're a back or stomach sleeper: Again, a firmer memory foam topper can provide great support to your hips and lower back, encouraging proper spinal alignment.

✅ You want a more high-quality design: Memory foam toppers tend to be more durable and have more high-quality designs (including washable, fabric covers for extra protection).

Buy a memory foam mattress topper if...

✅ You're on a tighter budget: Egg crate toppers tend to have a cheaper price tag than a lot of memory foam toppers.

✅ You're a side sleeper: The egg crate design is perfect for soothing side-sleeping pressure points in the shoulders and hips and distributing weight evenly.

✅ You sleep hot: The egg crate design adds breathability by creating air channels that boost ventilation.

The 5 best egg crate and memory foam topper deals

1. Saatva Graphite Mattress Topper: from $325 at Saatva
While this mattress topper is rarely on sale, it's still one of the best for back pain and cooling properties. Our Saatva Graphite mattress topper review praised this toppers excellent temperature regulation and body-contouring support. Plus anchor straps keep it in place. A queen size is $445, and you'll get a (relatively short0 1-year warranty, free shipping, and a 180 night sleep trial. View Deal

2. Egg Crate Mattress Topper: was from $189 now from $89 at Turmerry
This eggcrate mattress topper comes in two firmness levels (soft or medium), two thickness options (1.4" or 2.4") and six sizes. Plus, it's made from made from durable, sustainable Dunlop latex. A 1.4" queen size in soft is $139 (down from $239) and comes with free shipping and 120-night sleep trial. View Deal

3. Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Mattress Topper: was from $319 now from $191 at Tempur-Pedic
This luxe topper may not be the best for back pain, but its great for joint pain and soothing pressure points when side sleeping. However, testers for our Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Topper review say it sleeps warm, so add a cooling cover for an extra fee if you tend to overheat. The current 40% off Tempur-Pedic mattress deal (which reduces a queen to $251.40) comes and goes, so grab it while you can. View Deal

4. Future Foam Enhance Highloft 2" Memory Foam Topper: from $49.99 at Target
There's currently no sale on this topper, but it's still an affordable price with a queen just $79.99. This is good value, considering its enhanced pressure relief and medium feel to cradle joints. There's currently no sale on this topper, but it's still an affordable price with a queen just $79.99. View Deal

5. Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper: was from $238 now from $202 at Puffy
The great thing about the Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper opt for a firm level if you want more support or you sleep on your front or back. It also comes with hypoallergenic washable cover and and and an anti-slip design, which testers for Puffy Deluxe Mattress Topper review praised for keeping the topper in place. Regular sales bring a queen down to $245, and you can enjoy a 101-night trial and lifetime warranty. View Deal