The Best Split King Mattresses

Quick look at the best split king mattresses

• Best overall split king mattress: Saatva Solaire Mattress
• Best firm split king mattress: Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress
• Best flippable split king mattress: The Plank Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding
• Best budget split king mattress: Casper Element Mattress
• Best memory foam split king mattress: The Purple Mattress
• Best cooling split king mattress: Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-breeze Mattress
• Best hybrid split king mattress: Nest Alexander Signature Hybrid Mattress
• Best organic split king mattress: Avocado Green Mattress

Sleeping in the same bed as someone else can be delightful and comforting. It could also impair your sleep quality — especially if you’re sleeping next to someone who perpetually tosses and turns.

Not to mention, choosing a mattress that fits both you and your sleeping partner’s needs can be a huge challenge. If you love a firm sleep surface and your partner prefers something softer, it might be difficult to find a compromise.

Enter the split king mattress. A split king model features a king mattress’s jumbo size, but it’s split right down the middle to allow for customization on either side.

It’s essentially two twin XL beds pushed together, but typically with a special connector in the middle.

Still, even if you decide to invest in a split king, you’ll have to choose from a variety of models. In this article, we look at the various options on the market and provide some tips on how to settle on your final pick.

How we chose the best split king mattresses

Anytime we put together a “best of” list of mattresses, we do some major vetting to ensure we’re recommending quality products. In creating this list, we prioritized mattress brands with the following:

• Solid company policies. All mattresses on our list come with an in-home trial that allows you to really “sink” into the mattress. A mattress should also be easy to return if you don’t love it, and it should come with a warranty of at least 10 years.
• A good reputation and transparent practices. We pick mattresses from brands with good reputations. This means they haven’t been involved in recent lawsuits and their products aren’t on recall. Transparent business practices are essential too.
• Positive customer reviews. Ultimately, it all comes down to the customer. If everything else is solid but people aren’t happy, we can’t recommend a product in good faith. We search for mattresses with positive reviews. If there’s an indication that people are unhappy about something, we’ll mention that so you have all the info at your fingertips.

Pricing guide

Mattresses vary wildly in price, but you can expect to pay the most for a split king mattress.

Also factor in the cost of extras, including a bed frame if you don’t already have one. Couples who want the ultimate customized sleep experience might consider a bed frame that allows for independent adjustments on either side.

Unlike our other mattress guides, these prices are based on the split king mattress size:

• $ = under $2,000
• $$ = $2,000–$3,000
• $$$ = over $3,000

Healthline’s picks of the best split king mattresses

Best overall split king mattress

Saatva Solaire Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: Adjustable hybrid
• Height: 13 inches

You’ll have plenty to customize with the Saatva Solaire. It has up to 50 firmness levels available. The internal air chamber gradually increases firmness as desired.

For added cozy comfort, this mattress includes an organic cotton pillow top. You can also pair it with an adjustable base, which allows you to raise and lower each side separately. It’s a costly add-on, but may be worth it depending on your needs.

The 25-year pro-rated warranty, 180-night trial, and free white-glove delivery help propel this split king mattress to the top of our list.

Buy the Saatva Solaire Mattress online.

Best customizable split king mattress

Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress

• Price: $ (based on split California king price)
• Type: Hybrid
• Height: 11.5 inches

Oddly, you can’t get a split king version of this mattress, but you can get a split California king. It’s slightly longer and pricier, but more room is more room, right?

What’s great about this mattress is that you can choose from soft, medium, or firm for each side, allowing you and your sleeping partner to pick different firmness levels if you want.

While it’s not a cooling mattress per se, it does feature a gel top that’s designed to help with temperature regulation.

You’ll also get 120 nights to try out the mattress, and if you like and keep it, it comes with a 10-year warranty.

Buy the Brooklyn Signature Hybrid Mattress online.

Best flippable split king mattress

The Plank Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding

• Price: $ (based on split California king price)
• Type: Foam
• Height: 11.5 inches

The Plank by Brooklyn Bedding is also only available in a split California king and not a regular split king.

You have the option of adding a cooling top panel and, like the Signature Hybrid, you can try this one out for 120 nights, too.

What’s different? It’s flippable, so you can choose your firmness level (ultra-firm or firm). The flat design (hence the name) is meant to provide an optimal surface for your spine.

It may be a good pick for people who love a firm sleep surface or who primarily sleep on their back or stomach.

Buy the Plank Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding online.

Best budget split king mattress

Casper Element Mattress

• Price: $ (based on the cost of two twin XL mattresses)
• Type: Foam
• Height: 10 inches

If you’re interested in a split king but are cringing at the cost of replacing your current mattress, the Casper Element is an excellent option. The affordable price tag for this bed-in-a-box product is one of its most attractive features.

Like the Avocado, the Casper Element isn’t available in a split king model. However, the company does sell an adjustable split king bed base that you can choose as an add-on.

Perforated foam and a dense base layer are designed for breathability and support. Because it’s made of foam, it also does a great job at isolating movements. One downside is that it’s quite soft, so it isn’t ideal for people who sleep on their stomach.

Buy the Casper Element Mattress online.

Best memory foam split king mattress

The Purple Mattress

• Price: $
• Type: Foam
• Height: 9.25 inches

If you’re looking for a memory foam mattress that helps reduce pressure points, the Purple Mattress is a solid option. The supportive sleep surface is cheaper than other split king options because it’s made of foam. You’ll feel medium to firm support from this mattress depending on your body weight.

Try it out for 100 nights and enjoy free shipping and returns. You can also purchase the Purple Adjustable PowerBase. It allows you to choose a sleeping position or enable a vibration massage.

Buy the Purple Mattress online.

Best cooling split king mattress

Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-breeze Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: Foam
• Height: 13 inches

This high-end cooling mattress has a firm feel, reviewers say. It’s designed to help sleepers who regularly find themselves sweating in the middle of the night.

The materials are designed to help regulate body temperature and — unlike other “cooling” mattresses — actually cool instead of just improving airflow.

The mattress has more than 700 positive reviews. Although the price tag is a bit steep, financing is available. You can try it out for 90 days, and you’ll receive free white-glove delivery when ordering.

Buy the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-breeze Mattress online.

Best hybrid split king mattress

Nest Alexander Signature Hybrid Mattress

• Price: $$
• Type: Hybrid
• Height: 14 inches

Nest makes it easy to order and customize your split king mattress. Choose from a regular split king or a split California king, and decide on each side’s firmness level independently.

Firmness-wise, all options are a little on the softer side, so keep that in mind when making your selection.

Shipping and returns are free. Customers who decide to keep their Nest bed after the 100-night trial get a lifetime warranty.

Buy the Nest Alexander Signature Hybrid Mattress online.

Best organic split king mattress

Avocado Green Mattress

• Price: $ (based on the cost of two twin XL mattresses)
• Type: Hybrid latex
• Height: 13 inches

This popular organic mattress is ideal for people wanting to greenify their sleeping lives. It features Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified wool and cotton, and Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified latex.

The hybrid design incorporates coils intended for support and latex foam intended for comfort and pressure relief. Side sleepers may find it too firm, but there’s an option to add a pillow top if you’re partial to a softer sleep surface.

Note that Avocado doesn’t technically sell a split king version of this mattress. Rather, the company sells a split king adjustable bed frame base that you can use with two twin XL mattresses.

Obviously, choosing two of the same mattresses won’t help in the customization department, but you can easily accommodate the Green and another Avocado mattress (like the Latex or Vegan) in the frame.

Buy the Avocado Green Mattress online.

Why buy a split king mattress? 

Not everyone has the same sleeping habits. If you sleep with a partner who goes to bed later than you do, or who tosses and turns, it can affect your sleep quality.

Research from 2013 found that poor sleep may contribute to conflict in relationships.

If you and your partner are having sleep troubles, you might be wondering whether you should move to a different room altogether. That’s something some people do to help keep their relationships healthy.

Hold on, though. Research shows that sleeping in a bed with your partner may improve sleep quality by increasing the amount of time you spend in REM sleep.

So if you’re having trouble getting a good night’s sleep next to your partner and don’t want to sacrifice closeness, a split king mattress may be the perfect solution.

Because each mattress is separate, it can also help isolate movement and prevent disturbances during the night. It can also offer greater customization.

The downside? There’s a small gap in between the mattresses, so when your partner’s away, you won’t be able to starfish comfortably in the middle of the bed.

What kind of sheets fit a split king mattress?

You’ll need to replace your bedding if you decide to replace your king mattress with a split king.

Instead of king bedding, you’ll need two fitted sheets for a twin or twin XL — depending on whether you opt for a California king or not — and a single king-size flat sheet to cover the entire width of the sleep surface.

If you have an adjustable base, this setup will allow you to raise and lower each side separately.

Tips for shopping for a split king mattress

When shopping for a split king mattress, here’s what to keep in mind.

Firmness level

One of the main perks of buying a split king is to customize your sleep experience from your partner’s. If you and your partner have the same preferences, you may not want to bother paying more for a split model.

Firmness level is a personal preference, but it can affect the performance of the mattress. To someone with a higher weight, a medium-firm mattress might feel softer. Likewise, someone with a lower weight might find that a medium-firm mattress feels ultra-firm.

Mattress type

Support has more to do with the construction of the mattress. For instance, foam is great at relieving pressure points, but innersprings are more supportive.

Memory foam also has more of a sinking feeling than an innerspring or hybrid mattress. If you want something with more bounce, opt for a mattress with coils or springs.

However, choosing a responsive surface can also mean it performs poorly in terms of motion isolation. Foam is much better at absorbing movement than springs.

Company policies

Make sure you buy from a brand that offers an extended trial period. This is especially important if you’re buying online and won’t have the opportunity to test out your mattress in a store.

Even so, you won’t get a feel for a mattress until you sleep on it for a few weeks. Check that returns are free and don’t involve any complicated processes. Your mattress should also come with a warranty of at least 10 years.

Available extras

Buying a split king means that you’ll likely have to buy new bedding and possibly a new bed base. Some companies offer extras as add-ons to your purchase.

If you’re not so concerned about cost, opt for a one-stop shop experience to make your life easier.

Takeaway

Are your partner’s sleeping habits driving you nuts? Can’t agree on the right king-size mattress? Opt for a split king instead.

A split king is a great choice for couples who can’t find a suitable king-size mattress to fit each individual’s needs. You can each choose your ideal mattress type and feel without having to sleep in separate beds.

Steph Coelho is a freelance writer with chronic migraine who has a particular interest in health and wellness. When she’s not click-clacking away on her keyboard, she’s probably nose-deep in a good book.