I Put This 5-Star-Rated Mattress Topper to the Test – It's a Really Affordable Way to Add Instant Comfort, But Fell Short on its Cooling Claims

I’m a Cincinnati-based freelance product tester and writer who has slept on dozens of mattresses and toppers, and done crazy things like woken up at various intervals through the night to monitor my comfort levels on various products. I’m a side and belly sleeper, with a long history of chronic but controlled back and hip pain issues. So, I’m always on the lookout for the best mattress toppers and other super supportive products that are helpful to anyone going through those issues. I was interested to see how the Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper would hold up to the glowing reviews online. Here's what I found.

The Lucid Gel Foam Mattress Topper Tried and Tested

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In testing this Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper, and others like it, I start observing the product from the minute I unbox it, through setup, and for 30 days after. I sleep on it every night, and during an occasional nap whenever I get to sneak one on busy days. I’m interested in products that make our sleep much higher quality, and for products that don’t introduce any issues or concerns to a sacred and important place for our health – the bedroom.

So, when I started to notice an increase in hip and back pain using this product, as did my husband who does not have chronic pain in those areas, I was concerned. I concluded, at the end of the testing month, that though the product itself is high quality, the exceptional cushiness was preventing our supportive mattress from doing its job, and instead, was the equivalent of sleeping each night on 3 inches of high quality foam. So unfortunately, I don’t plan on continued use after this month. However, for a pain-free student looking for an affordable way to upgrade a dorm bed or for short-term use in a guest room, it would be a savvy buy . Here are the pros and cons so you can weigh up whether it might suit you.

Who Would the Lucid Gel Memory Foam Topper Suit?

• Those struggling with a too-hard mattress – the super-soft foam will immediately provide comfort to soften a firm bed
• Side sleepers with pain anywhere or people with hip pain whose hips hurt specifically when they are laying on their sides – the softness of this mattress will bring instant relief and cushioning but I found the lack of support caused more pain longer term.
• People who don’t move around too much in their sleep – I did find that due to how much I sunk into this mattress I woke with any movement, but those who aren't restless sleepers woundn't find this an issue.
• Sleepers who aren’t too worried about getting hot – for me, this mattress didn't offer the cooling ability I needed, so I wouldn't recommend it if that's your priority, but for younger users, or cool sleepers who are just looking to freshen up a tired mattress, it will do the job.

What is the Lucid Gel Foam Mattress Topper Like to Sleep on?

The topper is super squishy, soft, and comfortable to sleep on. The issue is that the topper itself was not supportive enough for me, and my body ended up slouching into unnatural and not-so-ergonomic positions. For example, sometimes when side sleeping I felt my legs and knees were higher up than my pelvis and torso, because my body wasn’t really being supported and my middle and upper body weighs more than my legs. So, I’d wake up with hip, pelvis and back pain.

In addition, you sink in so far that it’s quite difficult to move around. So, you end up needing to really wake up a bit more than usual to adjust position, and it was a bit of a struggle to get out of bed physically. This can be a concern to a variety of people, such as those needing to quickly make it to the bathroom, less agile users, or 'rollers who like to move around a lot at night.

I also found that I wasn’t able to sleep on my stomach with this topper, given the lower back arch it created. It’s simply not strong enough or supportive enough for belly sleepers to maintain a comfortable position.

Pressure relief: If you have specific pain points, such as your hips that need pain relief and can’t come in contact directly with a harder mattress, this could be a helpful product. I do notice at the end of a long day, it’s nice to not have additional discomfort as my hips settle onto the mattress (or in this case, the topper). So, some will find it dramatically relieves pressure points. However for me, it wasn’t worth the painful trade off of a sore body in the morning from the lack of support. The memory foam materials themselves do 'remember' your shape, and you can still see the indentation of your body when you move. However, typically I’ve seen a bit more support from memory foam-based products.

Thermoregulation: This topper boasts a 'temperature-regulating gel' that helps disperse heat, according to its website. Unfortunately, that was not my personal experience, nor my husband’s. The problem came from sinking deep into the material, making it quite hot. It was also difficult to change position, so you feel a bit like you’re stuck in a single, sweaty spot all night. The website also encourages pairing with breathable sheets, which I have, but I don’t think it made any difference because the topper itself was essentially surrounding the lower halves of our bodies, head-to-toe.

Motion isolation: If your partner stays still, you can’t feel them moving much with this topper. But, this isn’t the whole story. They are likely staying still because moving is a chore. If they do move, the motion transfer is pretty substantial, because they have to hoist themselves out of the hole they’ve created, and essentially move completely out of it, such as to your side of the bed – where you’ll definitely feel them. So, while motion isolation wasn’t bad in testing by putting a glass of water on the bed and trying to move weights around it (this is how we test mattress toppers for reviews), in real life it was substantial, due to that effort needed to get out of your spot.

Edge support: The edge support on the topper is very low, and you should not assume you’ll be able to sit on the edge of the bed and lean down to put on your shoes. The foam topper has plenty of give and sink, so especially on the edge, you sink down into the material, and therefore slide off the bed.

Delivery and set-up: When you get the mattress topper, you might at first be confused as to how it fits in a pretty small box. But, don’t be deceived – it’s quite heavy, and some people might need help carrying it to a bedroom. I love the plastic cutter that’s included, specifically meant to help people ensure they don’t cut the topper itself if they use scissors (don’t use scissors!). This made opening the package exceptionally easy, and a one-person job.

Once the pad is out, it requires 48 hours to air out and rest. I didn’t notice any specific odors or issues at this time, but I did notice out of the package that one side of the mattress pad had a slight yellowing. The directions say oxidation may cause this over time, but I was surprised to see it right away. Hopefully, this isn’t standard across all of these products. Otherwise, the material is a shiny light blue that’s almost glittery.

After the initial setup, I put it on the bed with a little assistance from someone else, because it was a bit bulky. But one person could manage if needed. I didn’t have any trouble getting my sheets back over the mattress and pad, though you might want to start using deep-pocket sheets if you are buying this mattress pad, just in case.

Be careful – the material rips easily, and I already noticed a little scratch after setup. When removing it from the bed after testing, a simple tug to get it off caused a rip, too.

How Does the Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper Rate Online?

Customers that bought the Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper were pleased with their purchase. In fact, with mainly 5 star ratings, this foam topper has an average of 4.8 stars across its customer base.

Most customers reported the level of support it provides, with many customers noting the comfort of the topper – even on the thinnest of mattresses. Additionally, customers appreciated the price point of the topper, with many pleased at how long the topper had lasted for them, even when using it every night.

The main concern for the topper came from those who slept on the warmer side, noting that the topper did make their bed feel hotter than they’d prefer. Others said that if anything, the topper was almost too soft, making it difficult to sit up in bed or get to the edge to get out of bed in the morning. I agree with those sentiments and had the same issues.

Should I Buy the Lucid Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper?

The Lucid Gel Memory Foam Topper is an exceptionally soft product that has all the right intentions, but ultimately doesn’t hold up to its job of supporting sleepers in an optimal position. There are multiple issues with overheating, having pain related to a lack of support, minimal edge support, and the inability to move easily around the bed during sleep.

However, if you are simply looking for pressure point relief, and not as worried about those other aspects, you might consider it, especially for the price, and with multiple options available for profile height. But be aware that the initial 'ahh' feeling might not reflect your ergonomic support long term.

How We Test Mattress Toppers

Our goal as testers is to ensure we give readers an honest and rounded view of our experience with the product and consider how it will suit a range of different sleepers and individuals so that you can be in-the-know before you buy.

As well as sleeping on them for 30 days, to allow for an accurate real-life evaluation, we also test various features with the same criteria, using some simple experiements, such as balancing a weight or water glass to check the efficacy of features such as motion isolation and edge support.

I also take note of thermoregulation, pressure relief and lie in a variety of positions, from side, to back, and stomach to see how it feels for different sleep styles. I also keep track of how I feel in the morning – clammy, achy, cool or relaxed.

I assess motion isolation by lying side-by-side with my husband and moving around and by filling a wine glass with water and placing a hand weight next to it to see what happens when you compress one side or the other. I also place the weight on the edge to assess the edge support to see whether the weight slides off and to evaluate the firmness.

Finally, I scan through the verified customer reviews online to check for consistency in comments – good and bad – to find out if there are any particular features that consumers loved or disliked about the product. I also consider factors such as delivery, easy of set up, warranty and sleep trials to help you make an informed purchase.

I aim to be as honest as possible to give you all the information to help you decide whether the product is right for you so that you can spend your money wisely. I'll also flag up any discounts or deals. To learn more about how we test mattress toppers, you can consult our expert guide.