The Right Way to Place an Egg Crate Foam Topper on Your Bed

They say there are no stupid questions, but don’t tell the people trying to figure out whether those egg crate foam mattress toppers go on a bed point side up or down. It’s a totally reasonable question, but if you look up the query online, the search results are filled with queries that all start with “dumb question, but…”

There were enough questions about it, that it seems like someone needs to weigh in on this pressing matter and resolve the issue once and for all. So, we reached out to the folks at Charles P Rogers, who have been making mattresses since 1855 and make the top-rated mattress at Consumer Reports, for their assessment of the situation.

Turns out that the points on the egg crate are supposed to be pointed up. That is for two reasons. First, the little peaks and valleys on the egg crate foam are designed to allow air to flow through the mattress pad, keeping the person sleeping on it nice and cool. The other benefit of sleeping on those little hills is that it can help decrease pressure on the hips and shoulders, a huge bonus for those of us who sleep on our sides. The result is a more comfortable sleep, which is always a good thing. Plus, adding an egg crate foam can extend the life of a mattress, protecting the mattress from dust and dirt and spills from all those Mother’s Day breakfasts in bed. If your mattress is losing some of its luster and bounce, but you don’t have the budget to replace it, throwing an egg crate foam on top can help you put off the purchase a little longer.

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That said, if you have been sleeping with an egg crate foam mattress topper that is “upside down” and you have been sleeping well, stay with it! The mattress topper’s job is to help you get your ZZZs and if it’s doing that upside down, let sleeping dogs—and humans—lie and keep things as they are.