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So you’ve decided to get a memory foam mattress pad, but you’re unsure how to start, and how to make your selection. In the past, there was just the one very expensive kind, made by Tempur-Pedic, but now it seems these mattresses are everywhere. Yet you know that the quality is not going to be the same in all cases, so how do you know what to look for?

It will help first to know how memory foam mattress pad actually works, so you’ll see why certain characteristics must be present in a good quality product.

The tiny cells in the memory foam compress when weight is put on them, spreading the pressure through all the nearby cells. This is what allows the foam to change shape and conform to your body, so you are fully supported at all points. This also helps it return to its original shape after you get out of bed. The other important feature of the foam is that it is sensitive to temperature, so it’s more elastic when your body heats it up, and firmer at lower temperatures.

What makes the difference in how well the foam conforms to you and how much support it gives you is its density. So that’s the first thing you need to check. Although a mattress can be anywhere from 1.5 pounds per cubic foot to 8 pounds, the recommended weight is 5 pounds. The highest density may serve as extra pressure relief if you have hip or back problems, but generally, the 5 pound per cubic foot mattresses will be enough.

The SelectFoam.com website notes that most Asian-made mattresses have clay added to the foam mix, to increase their density, which makes the mattresses break down more quickly. So the site recommends avoiding Big Box stores when purchasing, since those are the manufacturers these stores usually get their products from.

When it comes to the thickness of the mattress, the HealthyFoundations.com website recommends a layer of at least 3 inches or more. There is usually a base foam underneath the memory foam, which serves as the support, and any top layer of less than a 3-inch depth will mean you could sink into the lower layer, compromising its support function. SelectFoam.com agrees, suggesting a range of 3 to 5 1/2 inches.

If you’d rather use a mattress topper to save money, rather than buying a complete (and usually expensive) mattress, it may be possible to do that. But you’ll need to be sure that the underlying mattress is quite flat without dips in it (or a “hammock” area in the middle), and neither extremely soft nor hard. If it meets those conditions, the same concerns about density and thickness would apply to the topper. But with a good, supportive underlying mattress, a memory foam topper can serve you as well as a full mattress would.

As always, when spending the sort of money you’ll be shelling out for a big product like this, you need to do as much research as possible. Check into the manufacturers of the products, to discover if any major complaints have been voiced about them. If the maker is well-known and has a good reputation, that can add to all the other factors you consider, and you can buy your new mattress with confidence.