The 4 Best Mattress and Pillow Encasements of 2025 Reviews by Wirecutter

Mattress and pillow encasements protect your bed from bedbugs, dust mites, and other household allergens. Updated January 6, 2025

Quality, comfort, and convenience

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

This encasement has near-perfect stitching, a secure zipper, and a uniquely convenient and comfortable quilted zip-off top. But it takes a long time to fully dry after being washed.

$50 from Amazon(queen)$50 from Walmart(queen)

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

Impeccable construction, proven protection

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

This encasement is the smoothest, softest, and most securely constructed one we’ve tried. It’s been tested for protection against bedbugs and dust mites. But it’s expensive.

$114 from Mattress Safe(queen)

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

A sturdy, soft, waterproof pillow encasement

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

This soft, comfortable pillow encasement is made from a thick polyester blend with a polyurethane lining. So it provides substantial protection from dust mites and stains.

$24 from Amazon(queen - pack of two)$28 from Wayfair

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

A decent, affordable pillow encasement

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

This waterproof, durable, decently constructed pillow protector is an excellent value. But it’s less comfortable than our top pick.

Buy from Amazon

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

Quality, comfort, and convenience

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

This encasement has near-perfect stitching, a secure zipper, and a uniquely convenient and comfortable quilted zip-off top. But it takes a long time to fully dry after being washed.

$50 from Amazon(queen)$50 from Walmart(queen)

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

Impeccable construction, proven protection

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

This encasement is the smoothest, softest, and most securely constructed one we’ve tried. It’s been tested for protection against bedbugs and dust mites. But it’s expensive.

$114 from Mattress Safe(queen)

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

A sturdy, soft, waterproof pillow encasement

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

This soft, comfortable pillow encasement is made from a thick polyester blend with a polyurethane lining. So it provides substantial protection from dust mites and stains.

$24 from Amazon(queen - pack of two)$28 from Wayfair

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

A decent, affordable pillow encasement

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

This waterproof, durable, decently constructed pillow protector is an excellent value. But it’s less comfortable than our top pick.

Buy from Amazon

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

I’m a staff writer at Wirecutter, and I test gear related to sleeping and living more comfortably and healthfully. I’ve written guides to body pillows, mattress toppers, sleep-tracking devices, and ergonomic pillows, and I’ve tested dozens of mattresses in between. I also suffer from seasonal allergies, and if I had a bedbug infestation, I’d consider setting my home on fire. So I personally rely on mattress and pillow encasements to keep my bed safe and clean.

Two white pillows resting at the head of a bed covered with blankets. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterFor this guide:

I researched and tested some 35 mattress and pillow encasements.
I interviewed an allergist, the CEO of Airmid Healthgroup (a third-party testing facility specializing in indoor air quality), and two product-development executives at American Textile Company.
I read peer-reviewed articles and studies on the effects of mattress covers for asthma patients and the efficacy of encasements in protecting against bedbugs, among others. I also scoured message boards and social media for real-life questions and reviews.
Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.
I chose the experts I consulted for this article for their knowledge and independence. For transparency and accuracy, we have disclosed any affiliations experts have with companies mentioned in this article.

If you sleep on a mattress and pillows, they should probably be in encasements. Here’s why:

Encasements can extend the lifespans of your mattress and pillows. We spend a lot of time in bed, and we may share that space with other people. A mattress or pillow will naturally accumulate dead skin, sweat and body oils, drool, bodily fluids, dirt, and more.

Not only will this look pretty gross when you change the sheets and pillowcases, but buildup of these substances can also degrade the materials of the mattress or pillow over time. An encasement won’t guarantee that your mattress or pillows stay perfectly pristine, but when it’s combined with other bedding and some routine cleaning, it should protect against the most detrimental stains and debris. If you have a mattress you plan to give away or pass down to another family member, or you have a guest bed that’s regularly used by different people, an encasement can help ensure hygiene.

Note that most of the encasements we tested offer some level of waterproofing; this should be sufficient for occasional spills or accidents that are caught quickly. If you need protection for regular bed-wetting, pet accidents, or other major messes, you’ll need a waterproof mattress protector or pad.

Encasements can help reduce asthma and indoor-allergy symptoms. Dust mites live pretty much everywhere humans do—they feed on our skin flakes and thrive in humidity, after all. That means our mattresses and pillows easily become all-inclusive resorts for these microscopic creatures. Many people are allergic to dust mites, and this can cause sneezing, congestion, rashes, headaches, and asthma.

Cristina Porch-Curren, MD, an allergist at Coastal Allergy Care, recommends regularly machine-washing all bedding in hot water. She also recommends encasing pillows and, ideally, the mattress in dust-mite–proof encasements. Encasements prevent dust mites (and your yummy skin flakes) from settling deep inside your pillows and mattress. Additionally, encasements are easy to take off and machine-wash regularly, to remove any mites, skin flakes, and other allergens from the surface.

An encasement can prevent bedbugs from harboring in your mattress. Encasements don’t prevent or repel bedbugs (or dust mites, for that matter). But a bedbug-proof encasement can keep those bugs from reaching your actual mattress, where they could conveniently hide (and multiply, by laying eggs) among the crevices, seams, and crannies. An encasement’s smooth, white surface also makes it easy to inspect your bed for signs of infestation, if you’re concerned. (Bedbugs are less likely to harbor in pillows, so if they are your only concern, using a pillow encasement is not as crucial. But it’s still a good idea for the other reasons listed.)

And if there are already bedbugs in your mattress, an encasement can keep them contained. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you’re battling a bedbug infestation in your mattress, one of the first steps should be to put an encasement on your mattress (if it doesn’t already have one). Leave the cover in place, zipped, and the bedbugs and eggs will eventually die. If you own a box spring, get an encasement for that too.

In our most recent round of testing, we evaluated over three-dozen mattress encasements and pillow protectors. Based on our research and interviews with experts, we looked for encasements with the following specifications:

Sturdy construction with tightly woven fabric: Nancy Zimmerman, head of product development at American Textile Company (which manufactures AllerEase products), told us that when it comes to keeping out dust mites and other allergens, the weave of the fabric is more important than the thread count. Encasements should be made from a tightly woven fabric; typically this would be polyester with a pore size smaller than 10 microns, which can effectively block dust mites. A laminated polyurethane lining also aids with blocking allergens.
Strong seams and high-quality zippers: Bedbugs, which are much larger than dust mites, generally can’t fit through fabric itself. But they can make their way through gaps in stitching or zippers, so we looked for mattress encasements and pillow protectors with sturdy, tight seams and high-quality zippers. We also gave preference to mattress encasements with padded zipper enclosures, which act as a barrier in case the zipper moves slightly.
Full coverage: We considered only mattress encasements with six sides, designed to protect every side of the mattress. For pillow protectors, we looked for those that zippered shut, to cover the entire pillow.
Allergy and bedbug testing: We gave extra points to items from companies that sought testing from independent research or entomology labs.
Oeko-Tex certification or other testing for PFAS: For encasements that claim to be waterproof or water-resistant (usually via a vinyl or polyurethane layer), we looked for encasements that are Oeko-Tex–certified. Oeko-Tex certification means a product has been independently tested for certain chemicals, including (as of April 2023) PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and found to be harmless to human health. If a product did not have Oeko-Tex certification, we made sure it had been tested to be free from PFAS.
Easy to clean: We chose encasements that could be machine-washed and -dried at home and had simple care instructions. We eliminated those that specified dry cleaning or air-drying. We also considered whether the mattress encasement would be easy to take off and put back on; we preferred those with convenient zip-off tops.
Comfortable to sleep on: Even though an encasement will be covered by a sheet or a pillowcase, we looked for models that were soft, smooth, and noiseless. We eliminated models that were scratchy or overly plasticky, as well as those that were noisy (think rustling paper), while we tossed and turned on the bed.
Water-resistant (for pillow encasements): We looked for pillow encasements with a polyurethane lining. This helps to ensure that pillows have an extra layer of protection against dust mites and allergens, and it also safeguards against sweat, drool, cosmetics, and hair products, which could cause stains.

We first washed and dried the encasements three times each (according to the care instructions), to see whether they would warp or shrink after being laundered.

To kill dust mites, experts say you need to wash an encasement weekly, in water that’s at least 130 °F, or run it through the dryer at 130 °F for at least 15 minutes. During testing, for any encasements that specified washing and drying on cool or warm temperatures, we put them in the dryer on hot (130 °F) for 20 minutes, to make sure they could withstand the heat.

After eliminating any encasements that developed holes or other damage after this round, we then put the remaining encasements on beds and pillows to see how easy (or hard) it would be to put them on and take them off. Then we jumped and rolled around on the beds and shook the pillows vigorously. We did this to see whether any encasements tore or developed holes in the seams. And we wanted to see whether the zippers moved, making a large enough entry for mites and bedbugs to get through.

For pillow encasements, we poured a half-cup of water on each one, with the pillow inside. Then we placed an 8-pound weight (to roughly simulate the weight of a head) on top of each one for an hour; afterward, we checked to see if any water had seeped through.

I then slept on the remaining mattress and pillow encasements for one night each to find out how comfortable they were to sleep on and with.

A bed covered with AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector in the middle of a bedroom. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter

Top pick

Quality, comfort, and convenience

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

This encasement has near-perfect stitching, a secure zipper, and a uniquely convenient and comfortable quilted zip-off top. But it takes a long time to fully dry after being washed.

$50 from Amazon(queen)$50 from Walmart(queen)Of all the encasements we tested, the AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector offers the best combination of protection, comfort, and convenience.

The AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector has a zippered top that’s easy to remove for cleaning. Its zipper is kept in place by a Velcro enclosure. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe AllerEase has a zippered top that’s easy to remove for cleaning. Its zipper is kept in place by a Velcro enclosure. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector has a zippered top that’s easy to remove for cleaning. Its zipper is kept in place by a Velcro enclosure. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIts zip-off top makes it easy to clean. Out of all of the six-sided mattress encasements we tested, only two of them had zip-off tops. Putting the AllerEase encasement on our 11-inch-deep mattress wasn’t any less time-consuming than with the other encasements we tried. But the convenient zip-off top allows you to remove just the top layer for washing, and this is significantly easier than removing the entire encasement.

Because allergists recommend washing your bedding weekly if you live with allergies or asthma, it was important that we found encasements that weren’t too difficult to take off and put back on. And, unlike the care instructions for some of the other encasements we tested, AllerEase’s instructions call for washing in hot water, which is the most effective way to eliminate dust mites or other allergens.

The corner of a bed covered with the AllerEase encasement. The AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector has corner straps, so it can fit multiple mattress depths. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIt’s well constructed. Unlike most other encasements we tested, the AllerEase encasement has a tightly stitched French seam along the zipper, which helped ensure it didn’t develop holes after multiple rounds of laundering. It also has a sturdy Velcro zipper closure, which prevented the zipper from budging, no matter how much we tossed and turned. In addition to the zip-off top, this encasement has corner straps; they keep the bottom layer close to your bed, which helps the encasement stay in place. The straps also allow the encasement to fit multiple mattress depths.

In addition, we appreciated that the AllerEase encasement came with a waterproof, polyurethane lining, for an extra level of protection from spills and accidents.

It’s comfortable to sleep on. The AllerEase encasement has a soft, thinly quilted top layer, which adds a touch of extra comfort. Many other encasements had a synthetic, papery, or plasticky feel, and they rustled when we moved around on the bed. It’s reasonably priced and has a lifetime warranty. Despite its quality construction and convenient design, the AllerEase encasement is less expensive than many other models we tested. And it comes with a lifetime warranty, which few other encasements have.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It takes a long time to dry. When we tumble-dried the top of the AllerEase encasement on a low setting, per its instructions, it emerged quite damp after an hour-long cycle. It took a second hour-long drying cycle to get the top fully dry. For future wash/dry tests, we ended up air-drying the AllerEase encasement after one cycle through the dryer.

It’s not Oeko-Tex–certified. AllerEase told us that it tests all of its products to confirm they are free from PFAS, but they are not currently Oeko-Tex–certified.

Quality, comfort, and convenience

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

This encasement has near-perfect stitching, a secure zipper, and a uniquely convenient and comfortable quilted zip-off top. But it takes a long time to fully dry after being washed.

$50 from Amazon(queen)$50 from Walmart(queen)

AllerEase Platinum Zip-Off Top Mattress Protector

It’s not Oeko-Tex–certified. AllerEase told us that it tests all of its products to confirm they are free from PFAS, but they are not currently Oeko-Tex–certified.

A bed covered with the Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement in the middle of a bedroom. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter

Upgrade pick

Impeccable construction, proven protection

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

This encasement is the smoothest, softest, and most securely constructed one we’ve tried. It’s been tested for protection against bedbugs and dust mites. But it’s expensive.

$114 from Mattress Safe(queen)The Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement is soft and smooth, with durable stitching and an ultra-secure zipper. It’s been lab-tested for protection against both bedbugs and dust mites.

The corner of a bed covered with the Mattress Safe encasement. The Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement’s laminated polyurethane lining keeps your mattress safe and dry from spills and accidents. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIt has been independently tested for bedbug protection and other allergens. The Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement comes with a bedbug certification; this means it was tested by an entomologist, who introduced bedbugs to the encasement to see if they could pass or even feed through the material. The Mattress Safe encasement successfully blocked bedbugs from entering or escaping the encasement. The encasement has also been independently tested to ensure that dust mites and other allergens can’t penetrate the material.

It’s well constructed, with an extra-secure zipper. The Mattress Safe encasement is made from a tightly woven polyester, with strong seams (constructed with a five-thread serger stitch, which provides extra protection against bedbugs). It held up well during our many rounds of laundering.

Rather than the padded, Velcro-covered zipper enclosure that our top pick has, the Mattress Safe encasement’s zipper locks in place with a durable hook. When we jumped around on the bed, the zipper didn’t move a millimeter. It has a laminated polyurethane lining for waterproofing.

Though it lacks the corner straps of our top pick, the Mattress Safe encasement comes in three depth options, accommodating mattresses from 5 to 22 inches thick; this makes it easier to ensure a tight, proper fit. The encasement also works for less-common mattress sizes, including twin extra-long and California king.

The zipper on the Mattress Safe encasement. The Mattress Safe encasement has a hooked attachment, which keeps the zipper from moving while you’re in bed. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIt’s soft, unobtrusive, and silent. Like most encasements, the Mattress Safe encasement is made entirely from a smooth polyester material. However, it feels softer and somewhat more luxurious than most encasements we tested, which tended to feel plasticky. It didn’t rustle when we slept on it, either.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s expensive. The Mattress Safe encasement is more than double the price of our top pick. It’s better constructed, however, and it has more-comprehensive test data than even pricier encasements we considered.

Taking it off for cleaning is difficult. Unlike our top pick, the Mattress Safe encasement doesn’t have a zip-off top, so you’ll have to remove the entire encasement to clean it.

It also takes a long time to dry. Similar to the instructions for our top pick, the Mattress Safe encasement’s laundry instructions specify to tumble-dry on low. After three hour-long cycles, the encasement was still a bit damp and needed to air-dry.

Impeccable construction, proven protection

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

This encasement is the smoothest, softest, and most securely constructed one we’ve tried. It’s been tested for protection against bedbugs and dust mites. But it’s expensive.

$114 from Mattress Safe(queen)

Mattress Safe Ultimate Mattress Encasement

Taking it off for cleaning is difficult. Unlike our top pick, the Mattress Safe encasement doesn’t have a zip-off top, so you’ll have to remove the entire encasement to clean it.

A pillow covered with the Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement at the head of a bed. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter

Top pick

A sturdy, soft, waterproof pillow encasement

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

This soft, comfortable pillow encasement is made from a thick polyester blend with a polyurethane lining. So it provides substantial protection from dust mites and stains.

$24 from Amazon(queen - pack of two)$28 from WayfairMade from a soft, tightly woven polyester, with sturdily stitched seams and a smoothly gliding zipper, the Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement is protective, without sacrificing comfort.

Despite its hardy material, this pillow encasement is incredibly soft. The Hospitology Products encasement was among the softest, coziest pillow protectors we tested. While we were sleeping on it, we were tempted to forgo putting a pillowcase on top! This encasement survived multiple rounds of washing and drying—it didn’t develop any holes or loose stitching, and the encasement even became a bit softer.

The corner of a pillow covered with the Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement. The Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement has a pocketed enclosure that the zipper can tuck into for extra security. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter A pillow covered with a Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement (half turned inside out) leaning against a bed’s headboard. The protector’s polyurethane laminated lining kept our pillow dry during testing. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterThe Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement has a pocketed enclosure that the zipper can tuck into for extra security. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter The corner of a pillow covered with the Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement. A pillow covered with a Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement (half turned inside out) leaning against a bed’s headboard. It repels liquid well. This pillow encasement has a polyurethane lining that’s protective without feeling plasticky. To test the protector’s waterproofing ability, we placed it on a pillow (once with some air inside the encasement, and then with the air squeezed out). Then we poured a half-cup of water onto the encasement and placed a weight on top. With some air inside the encasement, the pillow remained bone-dry; when it was fully flattened, the pillow emerged a tad damp. This encasement is Oeko-Tex–certified.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It can trap air. We found customer complaints noting that the Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement trapped air around their pillows, making them balloon up uncomfortably. We didn’t experience this during sleep testing, but before you zip the encasement, you may want to fully flatten your pillow to remove excess air.

A sturdy, soft, waterproof pillow encasement

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

This soft, comfortable pillow encasement is made from a thick polyester blend with a polyurethane lining. So it provides substantial protection from dust mites and stains.

$24 from Amazon(queen - pack of two)$28 from Wayfair

Hospitology Products Pillow Encasement

A pillow covered with a Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter

Budget pick

A decent, affordable pillow encasement

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

This waterproof, durable, decently constructed pillow protector is an excellent value. But it’s less comfortable than our top pick.

Buy from AmazonIf you need to protect a lot of pillows, the affordable and relatively comfortable Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector is a good choice. It’s made from tightly woven polyester, and it has a polyurethane waterproof lining. And its durable stitching didn’t develop holes after multiple rounds of washing and drying.

A pillow covered with a Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector (half turned inside out) leaning against a bed’s headboard. The Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector has a polyurethane lining that protects from spills and stains. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterIt’s cheap yet durable. The Niagara Sleep Solution encasement is sold in sets of four, and each one costs only a few bucks. But it performed better than much pricier encasements we tried. This pillow protector emerged from multiple rounds of laundry with no discernible gaps or holes in the stitching, and it performed well in our waterproofing tests.

Tje corner of a pillow covered with Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector. The Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector has a zipper enclosure, for added security from allergens and dust mites. Marki Williams/NYT WirecutterBut it’s a little less comfortable. The Niagara Sleep Solution encasement feels a bit more plasticky than our top-pick pillow protector. We also noticed that, after three cycles of washing, the zipper tended to jam a bit on the zipper track.

A decent, affordable pillow encasement

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

This waterproof, durable, decently constructed pillow protector is an excellent value. But it’s less comfortable than our top pick.

Buy from Amazon

Niagara Sleep Solution Extra Soft Waterproof Pillow Protector

Mattress encasements

The Malouf Sleep Tight Mattress Encasement had a notably strong smell right out of the packaging. But, even worse, the stitching was loose, with multiple gaping holes along the seams.

The Four Seasons Waterproof Queen Encasement has strong French seams and a padded zipper mechanism. However, along the seams there were noticeable holes, which we feared were too big for this protector to be effective against bedbugs and mites.

The Leesa Mattress Encasement initially seemed well stitched, but when it stretched we could see holes along the seams. It also felt much thinner than the other encasements we tested.

The Linenspa Zippered Encasement was thin and scratchy, and it had big holes along the seams when stretched. Plus, there was no protective mechanism for the zipper.

We liked that the PlushDeluxe Queen Sized Premium Mattress Encasement had a terry-cloth top and a polyurethane backing, and its zipper enclosure was so protected we couldn’t even find it. But there were small, noticeable holes along the seams, and they were too evident to ignore.

We liked that the Mission: Allergy Premium Microfiber Mattress Encasing came with an allergy self-help guide and dust cloth. However, since this was the most expensive encasement on our list, we expected it to be perfectly constructed. Instead, it had many holes along the seams.

We appreciated that the Mattshield Bed Bug Proof Mattress Encasement had no discernible smell right out of the package, and we liked that it had a terry-cloth top layer. But when it was washed, the tiny holes around the seams got noticeably bigger, rendering this encasement ineffective for safeguarding against mites and bedbugs.

The Cosy House Collection Luxury Zippered Mattress Encasement had a paint-like chemical smell right out of the shrink-wrapped packaging. Nevertheless, the encasement itself seemed to be well constructed—until we noticed that the polyurethane backing was only under the top side of the encasement (making it less protective), and some of the seams had holes.

Both the AllerEase Maximum Mattress Protector and the Ultimate Mattress Protector were well stitched. But the Maximum had a strong chemical smell right out of the box, and the Ultimate had a thin, plasticky feel that we didn’t think we’d enjoy sleeping on. They both lack the comfy, convenient zip-off top that our top pick has.

The Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Protector looked and felt so thin that we were not confident it could protect from spills, let alone bedbugs and dust mites. It ripped before we had a chance to properly test it.

We were hopeful about the Sleep Defense System by Hospitology Waterproof/Bed Bug Proof Mattress Encasement, but it ripped during testing.

The Protect-A-Bed AllerZip Smooth Mattress Encasement was a previous pick in this guide. It held up well, but compared with our top pick, it felt more synthetic and was more difficult to take off and put back on.

The Company Store Legends Hotel Organic Cotton Mattress Protector was one of the pricier encasements we tested, but it looked and felt like a basic fitted sheet. It lacks a protective mechanism or padded enclosure for the zipper, and it isn’t waterproof. Also, it had small holes along the seams, and it requires washing in cold water, which isn’t ideal for allergy protection.

The AllergyCare Organic Cotton Zippered Mattress Encasement was extremely soft. But it developed small holes along the seams after washing; this was disappointing considering it was one of the most expensive encasements we tested. Its small padded zipper enclosure also seemed less effective than those of our picks.

Pillow encasements

The Utopia Bedding Waterproof Pillow Encasement felt plasticky, and the material started unraveling right out of the box.

We liked the previous pick, the Protect-A-Bed AllerZip Zippered Pillow Protector, because of its stitching, French seam, and hidden zipper. But after testing it, we found that it was noisier than the Niagara Sleep Solution model, and it wasn’t as comfortable to sleep with.

The Malouf PR1ME Smooth Pillow Protector disappointed us with the gaping holes along its single running stitch seam, with no double stitching or reinforcement.

The Lucid Pillow Encasement was soft but noisy, and along the seams it had small holes, which seemed to get bigger after laundering.

We decided not to test the Mastertex GuardMax Pillow Protector because we noticed the sizable holes along the inseam after unboxing.

We liked the Brooklinen Luxe Pillow Protector, but it was basically just a zippered pillowcase with no polyurethane lining for waterproofing.

The Naturepedic Organic Cotton Waterproof Pillow Protector looked and felt like it was made of sturdy stuff and had great construction. However, it’s significantly more expensive than our picks, without offering additional value.

The Everlasting Comfort Waterproof Pillow Protector had holes along the seams out of the packaging, so we didn’t test it.

We adored the Matouk Pillow Protector’s eco-friendly packaging, soft cotton fabric, and solid stitching, but the encasement is expensive and not waterproof. We think you’re better off investing in nice pillowcases and getting one of our picks for protection.

The UltraBlock UltraPlush Premium Waterproof Pillow Protector felt comfy, but it developed holes along the seams after three rounds of laundering.

The FeelAtHome Cotton Pillow Protector seemed more like a pillowcase than a pillow protector. And it had holes all along the seams.

This article was edited by Courtney Schley and Ingrid Skjong.