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The best mattress protectors will keep your bed safe from inevitable accidents.

James Brains/Business Insider

It can take one spill to ruin your investment in the best mattress. Fortunately, the best mattress protectors keep accidents from becoming disasters and are absolutely essential for prolonging the lifespan of your bed. Plus, they can protect you from dust mites or allergens and, in the case of encasements, bed bugs.

I slept on 23 options for at least two nights and tested them on waterproofing ability, comfort, and fit to find the best mattress protectors available. The Purple Mattress Protector is our top pick because it is comfortable, dissipates heat well, and remains waterproof after several washes. For a budget option, the SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector also passed our leakage tests and fits mattresses up to 18 inches thick. Still, the terry cloth material crinkles a bit and only protects the top of your mattress. 

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

Top picks for mattress protectors

Best overall: Purple Mattress Protector - See at Amazon

Best budget: SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector - See at Amazon

Best cooling: Helix Mattress Protector - See at Helix

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

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

Best waterproof: Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector - See at Tuft & Needle

Best organic: Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector - See at Avocado

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Best overall

When I first unboxed the Purple Mattress Protector, I thought it was too thin to protect my mattress from anything. It turns out my initial assumptions were just plain wrong. This is the best mattress protector because no liquids leaked through before and after washing the protector five times. It's one of two models we tested that absorbed more than 75% of the liquids we poured on it, which may help contain accidents.

The Purple Mattress Protector performed the best in our tests and provides coverage on the top and sides.

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Due to its thin construction, I found it one of the most comfortable mattress protectors. It made minor rustling noises, but they weren't disconcerting. After sleeping on the protector overnight, it registered one of the hottest temperatures the next morning, but it cooled down quickly when I got up. Whereas many mattress protectors only have a polyurethane protective backing on the portion that covers the top of your mattress, Purple offers protection on the sides of the bed, too.

Putting on the protector was effortless, thanks to the stretchy spandex in the design and the helpful label that tells you which side goes at the head/foot of the bed. The most significant negative with the Purple Mattress Protector was the strong initial odor it had out of the box. Fortunately, it dissipated by bedtime.

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Best budget

We tested five mattress protectors that cost less than $50. Of those, the SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector performed the best. In addition to remaining leak-free in our tests, it was one of the best at staying cool and dissipating heat. 

The SafeRest protector can fit mattresses up to 18 inches thick. As with many protectors, the part that rests on top of your mattress is made of a different material than the skirt around the sides. The top is waterproof, while the sides are not. Fortunately, the top fit my mattress well and covered it to the edges, even after putting it through the washer and dryer five times. 

The budget-friendly SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector fits mattresses up to 18 inches thick.

James Brains/Business Insider

The surface is terry cloth and not the most comfortable. As I moved in the night, it made a lot of crackling noises, and my fitted sheet didn't shift smoothly on it. However, it is the best budget mattress protector to have on your bed in case of an accident and didn't affect my sleep.

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Best cooling

When researching this guide, one of the complaints I heard about mattress protectors is that they can trap heat and cause sleepers to overheat. So, I looked at how hot the mattress protectors got after sleeping on them and how quickly the heat dissipated. The Helix Mattress Protector is the best cooling mattress protector because it is one of the best at staying cool and dissipating heat fast. In fact, within two minutes of getting up from the bed, the surface temperature plunged more than 14 degrees.

In our evaluations, the Helix passed the leakage tests with flying colors before and after five washing and drying cycles. The protector also didn't show any 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. 

The Helix Mattress Protector allows your mattress to breathe, so you don't overheat at night.

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With its soft surface, the protector was comfortable to sleep on. I tend to overheat at night but didn't experience any issues. It was also one of the quietest protectors; I didn't notice any crackling or rustling as I shifted in the night. At 100 nights, the Helix protector has one of the longest trial periods of any of the models we tested, but it also has one of the shortest warranties — just one year.

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Best mattress encasement

Bed bugs can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to get rid of, and even then, there's no guarantee they won't come back. So it's worth the $30 investment to cover your mattress with a full encasement. The best mattress encasement I tested is the Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement.

It passed the leakage tests before and after washing, and most of the liquid pooled on the surface of the encasement. It was one of the quietest protectors and never got hot when I slept on it. 

The most significant pain with any encasement is putting it on. Fortunately, the Utopia Bedding encasement has a wide zippered opening that makes it easier to slide over your mattress as you hold it up vertically. Once zipped, a Velcro flap keeps the slider body and pull tab in place and ensures there aren't any holes for bed bugs to sneak through.

The Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement covers your mattress completely, keeping all sides safe from liquids and bed bugs.

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The encasement was comfortable to sleep on. The thin material was barely noticeable under the fitted sheet. The only major downside is that it doesn't come with a warranty. 

Lastly, it's worth noting that no encasement protects you from getting bed bugs. Instead, it protects your mattress, an expensive investment, 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.

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Best deep pocket

A mattress protector doesn't do you any good if it doesn't stay on. Those with thicker mattresses may have trouble finding one that fits properly. Enter the Lucid Terry Top Mattress Protector. It's the best deep-pocket mattress protector because it fits beds up to 22 inches thick, the thickest protector we tested. This is a plus when you have a mattress topper that increases the thickness of your bed and needs protection, too.

Despite its budget price of under $20, the Lucid mattress protector passed our leakage tests with flying colors, even after five washings. Liquid pools on the surface rather than absorbing into the fabric. It's also backed by the longest warranty of our picks: 15 years.

The Lucid Waterproof Mattress Protector is great for mattresses up to 22 inches thick.

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However, at this price point, there are always negatives. Specifically, this was one of the noisiest protectors in our tests. There's a noticeable crinkling sound as you shift positions. It also seemed to trap heat, though it was in the middle of the pack comfort-wise. 

Despite these negatives, I purchased the Lucid Terry Top to protect the pricier mattresses in my home. My top considerations are a budget price, ease of use, and protection from spills. The Lucid has served me well for years.

Read our full Lucid Mattress Protector review.

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Best waterproof

Since liquids can easily destroy a mattress, waterproofing is a requirement for inclusion in this guide. While all our picks are waterproof, the Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector is the best waterproof mattress protector. It offers five-side protection and excels at keeping liquids from passing through, even after five washing and drying cycles. I also liked that the protector absorbed much of the liquid, keeping some of it from getting on your bedding, the floor, or elsewhere.

The protector meets OEKO-TEX standards, meaning it's free from harmful chemicals and substances. It also offers waterproof protection along the sides of the mattress. I found the soft top of the protector comfortable to sleep on and made minimal noise as I shifted positions. However, it trapped heat in my temperature tests. 

The Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector didn't let any liquid through, even after several trips through the washer and dryer.

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The Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector doesn't come with head/foot labels to help you orient it as you put it on, and it only fits mattresses up to 14 inches thick. Yet, I had no trouble putting it on appropriately sized mattresses, and it stayed in place without bunching up.

Lastly, this protector matches the longest home trial period of any model I tested at 100 nights when purchased directly from Tuft & Needle. If you don't like it, you can return it for free with a full refund.

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Best organic

The Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector is the best organic mattress protector that passed our leakage tests. First, let's talk about the laundry list of certifications. This protector is GOTS organic certified, Made Safe certified to be free of toxins, GREENGUARD Gold certified for low emissions, PETA-approved vegan, and formaldehyde free verified by UL.

The Avocado protector is made of organic cotton with polyurethane backing to protect your mattress against spills, dust mites, and bacteria. In my leakage tests, the Avocado did an outstanding job. Not a drop of water made it through the protective materials during the two-hour testing period. And, after five trips through the washer and dryer, the protection was just as strong as ever. Also, the Avocado protector fit the test mattresses better after washing than before. 

The Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector is made with eco-friendly materials certified by several standards organizations.

James Brains/Business Insider

My sleep quality on the Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector was excellent. I felt comfortable, though there were nights when I felt hot. My objective thermometer readings backed this up, as the protector tends to be hotter. However, the heat dissipated quickly when I got up. 

The Avocado was a little louder than most protectors. Yet, its mild crinkling didn't impact my sleep.

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What else we tested

We tested 23 mattress protectors and encasements for this guide. Here are a few that missed the cut.

• Nolah GlacioTex Cooling: This is an outstanding mattress protector. It just doesn't top any of our categories. It passed our leakage tests with flying colors, stays cool, and produces minimal noise. The biggest negatives are you have to pay for return shipping, 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 fit our test mattresses well, but at this price point, it needs to be waterproof. Buy one of our picks instead.
• Saatva Waterproof: The cotton Saatva protector passed our leakage test before washing, but after five trips through the washer and dryer, its waterproof properties had diminished, and it barely failed our leakage test. I liked how breathable it was and how well it stayed in place, fitting mattresses up to 16-inches. But, at $195, I expected better waterproofing.
• Coop Sleep Goods Ultra-Cool Waterproof: Coop makes the best pillow in our guide, so we looked forward to testing its protector. In one sense, it lived up to its name in that it stayed cool. However, it didn't live up to its "waterproof" label, failing our leakage test after five washings, which is a dealbreaker.
• 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, both before and after we washed it five times. It also appeared to shrink in the wash, so there were portions of the mattress that weren't covered by the top section of the protector. The Casper Breathable protector only has a one-year warranty. It was cooler and quieter than most other models, but at $149, 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 moving on it, and traps heat.
• PlushBeds Organic Cotton: This PlushBeds mattress protector passed the leakage tests, but that was about the only bright spot. It was one of the loudest models we tested, and after washing, it no longer properly covered the top of the mattress. Also, it never failed to get tangled up in the dryer, making it a pain to clean.

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What to look for in a mattress protector

You'll want to choose a mattress protector that fits and protects your mattress against what you want to protect it from. With that in mind, here are the main characteristics to look for.

Waterproofing: You don't want a spill or other wet mishap to turn your bed into a breeding ground for mold and mildew, so picking a waterproof mattress protector is essential. Most waterproof protectors have polyurethane, PVC, or TPU listed among their materials. All the protectors in our guide are waterproof based on our rigorous testing.

Size: Choose a protector the same size as your bed, but make sure it's thick enough. Most protectors will fit mattresses up to 14 inches thick. If you have a thicker mattress, look at the protector's manufacturer's specs to ensure it will fit. 

Encasement vs. five-sided vs. top-only protection: Encasements completely encase your mattress. They are usually suited for bed bug protection. The trade-off is that they're a pain to put on and remove, especially on laundry day. Five-sided and top-only protectors are virtually identical in appearance. Both go on like a fitted sheet. The difference is that the five-sided protectors' protective coating extends to the mattress's sides. Top-only protectors only protect the top, which may be good enough for your needs.

Trial and warranty: After two weeks of sleeping on a mattress protector, you should be able to tell if it fits 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.)

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How we tested each mattress protector

I tested to see if the mattress protectors were waterproof before and after washing them five times.

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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 some of the test results for the main attributes we tested:

Attribute	Purple	SafeRest Premium	Helix	Utopia Bedding Encasement	Lucid	Tuft & Needle	Avocado
Comfort score (1 uncomfortable to 5 comfortable)	5	3.5	4	4	4	4	4.5
Protects against	Liquid and dust mites	Liquid and dust mites	Liquid and dust mites	Liquid, bed bugs, and dust mites	Liquid and dust mites	Liquid	Liquid, dust mites, bacteria
Mattress thicknesses	Up to 15 inches	Up to 18 inches	Up to 15 inches	Up to 15 inches	6 to 22 inches	Up to 14 inches	Up to 16 inches
Fit issues?	None	None	None	Bunched up a little	None	None	None
Waterproof after 5 washes?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Trial period	30 nights	30 nights	100 nights	30 nights	30 nights	100 nights	100 nights
Warranty	10 years	10 years	1 year	None	15 years	2 years	1 year
Materials	Liquid-absorbent layer: 85% polyester, 15% spandex; protective water-resistant coating:  TPU	Surface: 80% cotton and 20% polyester terry cloth; lining: polyurethane; skirt: polyester and elastic	Top layer and skirting: polyester; backing: TPU material	Polyester exterior with PVC waterproof TPU backing	Top layer: 70% cotton and 30% polyester; backing: polyurethane; skirt: polyester	61% polyester, 30% polyamide, and 9% polyurethane; TPU coating	95% cotton, 5% polyurethane
Care	Machine wash cold, tumble dry low	Machine wash warm, tumble dry low	Machine wash cold, tumble dry low or medium	Machine wash, tumble dry	Machine wash hot, tumble dry low	Machine wash cold, tumble dry low	Machine wash cold, tumble dry low

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 five times and performed the test again. 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 inches to 14 inches and noted how difficult it was to put it on, whether the protector bunched up, if 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 as waterproofing for most mattress protectors sometimes makes a crackling sound as 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 in order 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).

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Mattress protector FAQs

A mattress is an expensive purchase, so it's important you protect it with a mattress protector or encasement.

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Why do you need a mattress protector?

Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, stresses the importance of using a mattress protector to keep your bed free of dust mites and spills.

The key to protecting your mattress from dust mites and other allergens is choosing an impermeable material, such as polyurethane, found in most of our guide's waterproof protectors.

"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."

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How often should you wash a mattress protector?

If you suffer from allergies and want to reduce dust mite buildup, we recommend washing your protector every two to four weeks.

If your primary concern is protecting your mattress from spills, we recommend washing it once every two to six months. The less you wash it, the longer the waterproof polyurethane coating will last. However, clean it immediately if you have an accident. If you're using a mattress encasement to keep bed bugs in, you don't want to remove it for at least 12 months.

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What is the difference between a mattress protector and encasement?

Mattress protectors usually just protect the top and sides of your mattress, not the bottom. This is usually enough to protect against spills and dust mites. Mattress encasements completely engulf your mattress, which you need for protection against bed bugs.

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How do you put on a mattress encasement?

Stand your mattress upright, fit the unzipped mattress encasement over the top of the mattress, and shimmy it down. Once it's down and covers the mattress, put it back on your foundation, and zip the encasement closed.

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Can mattress protectors prevent bed bugs?

No mattress protector can prevent bed bugs. However, an encasement can keep bed bugs from getting to your mattress. Encasements can also trap bed bugs in your mattress, causing them to starve and eventually die.

Check out our article on how to get rid of bed bugs for more tips.

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Do mattress protectors add cushioning?

Most mattress protectors do not add cushioning. Instead, they serve one purpose: protecting your bed. If you're looking for cushioning, we recommend adding a mattress topper or pad to your bed. Check out our best mattress toppers guide.

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How do you wash a mattress protector?

Most mattress protectors are machine washable using cold water. Then tumble dry on low. Most protectors have a tag attached with cleaning instructions. Try not to wash your mattress protector too often since it tends to lose its waterproof coating the more you wash it.