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Who needs a firm mattress? The short answer is it depends. The longer one made us write this guide. This mattress type benefits certain sleepers, and we’d like to explore that essential point here. Needs and preferences are considered. And so are pieces of anecdotal evidence and customers’ personal experiences.
We aim to help you make an informed decision before buying a bed. After all, it’s an important investment. You’ll use it for ⅓ of the day. The ideal mattress should let you sleep soundly and wake up pain-free. You should only spend your hard-earned money on the best firm mattress.
Top 8 Best Firm Mattresses
1. Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Mattress
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Mattress combined comfort and support without compromising one or the other. The TitanCool technology applied on its cover helps moderate temperature, allowing you to sleep cool. The individually encased coils yield the right support for all sleeper types. Moreso, it comes in 3 firmness options: Soft, Medium, and Firm. For those who are on the heavy side, as well as back and stomach sleepers, the firm version should provide enough support.
This design is affordable, ships free nationwide, and is available for financing. The materials used are certified by CertiPUR-US.
- Comes in 3 firmness options.
- Balances contouring and support.
- Uses high-quality materials.
- Bouncy enough for bedroom activities other than sleeping.
- Lifts rather than sinks.
- Can prove to be pricey for people on a budget.
- Some may find the soft version too soft.
- Firm option for heavyweight sleepers.
- Uses certified high-quality materials.
- Cooling comfort.
2. PlushBeds Natural Latex RV Mattress
This all-natural latex mattress from PlushBeds brings you the classic latex feel. It is highly reliable for pressure relief. With medium to medium firmness feel, it not only supports your back. It also reduces pressure points to give your shoulders, hips, and knees rest. This Talalay latex mattress emits no harmful odors, so you can snooze safe and sound.
Its price points are also tough to beat. Shipping is free within the United States.
- Made of natural latex foam.
- Free from synthetic latex.
- Distributes weight evenly for better pressure relief.
- Bouncy enough for bedroom activities other than sleeping.
- Targeted support for shoulders, hips, back, and knees.
- Virtually odor-free
- Not the most visually striking model.
- Medium firm.
- Uses natural latex.
- Superior pressure relief.
3. Amerisleep Memory Foam Mattress
Amerisleep is relatively young in the mattress industry. But it’s making itself known by providing memory foam mattresses that use innovative materials. By way of introduction, Amerisleep Memory Foam Mattress is something you should check out. It is designed to support back and stomach sleepers ideally through the queen model.
This memory foam contains a 3-inch Bio-Pur memory foam and a 9-inch Bio-Core foam. They are for cooling and support, respectively. Bio-Pur is created with patented VPF technology. VPF generates zero emissions due to its closed chamber design. Bio-Pur is healthy, responsive, and cooling. Amerisleep replaced petrochemicals with plant-based oils and extracts and ensures its manufacturing processes are friendly to the planet.
Meanwhile, the Celliant cover is a Food and Drug Administration-classified medical device. Celliant is a technology that converts body heat into infrared. The infrared is then driven back to the body, so it can recover fast or rejuvenate easily.
- Medium firm support for back and stomach sleepers.
- Employs Celliant technology in its cover.
- Cooling and sag-free support.
- Compatible with an adjustable bed foundation.
- Company is still young and more to improve on.
- Less durable than other models
- Firm but not hard as a rock.
- Celliant-infused cover.
- Cooling and sag-free.
4. Layla Mattress
The flippable firmness feature enables sleepers to adjust to a more comfortable feel. With the Layla Mattress, you get this benefit and more. One side is medium soft and the other is firm. The bed has labels for both sides, so it’s easy for you to test out the feel you prefer (white for soft and gray for the firm).
Copper-infused memory foam is placed above a polyfoam base to maximize the hard feel. For the softer feel, the core is made up of convoluted foam. This is finished off by another copper-infused memory foam. Copper is known to have heat-absorbing properties. It’s also clean and supportive, allowing for deep compression.
You can get a Layla Mattress for a low price plus a 120-night sleep trial. The company will pick up and donate your mattress to a local charity on the off-chance that you decide to return it within the trial period.
- Two levels of firmness in one bed.
- Features copper-infused memory foam for optimal cooling.
- Offers deep compression and support.
- Accommodates combination sleepers.
- Some may find the soft side too plush for comfort.
- Not ideal for side sleepers.
- Adjustable firmness.
- Sleeps relatively cool.
- Deep compression and support.
5. Ghostbed Luxe Mattress
There is much to rave about what’s inside the Ghostbed Luxe Mattress. Starting with the high-density base, it gets better as you go up. The Ghost Bounce Layer is a Ghostbed creation. It feels responsive like latex and conforming like memory foam. At the same time, it recovers fast enough from the sinks and impressions your body has made on the bed.
The gel memory foam at the core offers further cooling capabilities. Yet, the star here is the Ghost Ice Layer. It uses Ghost Ice Fabric, a proprietary Japanese formulation that weaves cooling properties into the yarn. That helps in generating consistent coolness as soon as you hit the sack. On top of this is the medium firmness that falls within 5.5 to 6 on the scale.
To enjoy that perfect balance of cool and comfortable, you should definitely consider getting a Ghostbed Luxe Mattress. Its price points are affordable, to begin with. Sleep night trial lasts for 100 days. And it is tested and declared free of harmful chemicals like mercury, lead, and other heavy metals.
- Uses proprietary technology to deliver good sleep.
- Medium firmness with strong support for heavy sleepers.
- Lifts rather than sinks.
- Creates a cool sleeping environment.
- Weak edge support.
- Might be too heavy to move.
- Use of proprietary multilayer technology.
- Supports heavyweight sleepers.
- Sleeps relatively cool.
6. FLIP by Nest Bedding
Luxury bed brand Nest Bedding creates a budget mattress to cater to a wider market. This is how you get the FLIP Mattress. It is named as such because it sports two firmness sides. One is soft and the other is firm. A visco gel support foam is combined with 660 gauge caliber coil to deliver adjustable firmness.
Both sides are breathable and comfortable. They are ergonomically designed to support back, side, and stomach sleepers. All of the materials are CertiPUR-US-certified.
While the product is relatively new, it is already racking up positive reviews online. Of course, there’s more room to improve and prove itself. During your 30-night sleep trial, you can request to return the mattress easily if you’ve purchased it on Amazon. Don’t worry about counterfeit products. Nest Bedding specifically crafted this budget bed with luxury feels for its Amazon customers. It comes with a 10-year limited warranty.
- Dual luxury firmness options for customization.
- Works with many foundation types.
- King version is large enough to fit a growing family.
- Easy return process via Amazon.
- Slightly newer product, so its performance is yet to be proven.
- Nest Bedding is expensive if you purchase directly from the site.
- Flippable hybrid mattress.
- Customized firmness without buying two different beds.
- Value for money.
7. Lucid Latex Hybrid Mattress
Are you tired of 100% memory foam? Do you want the bounce of innerspring without sacrificing comfort? A hybrid mattress could be right for you. And you should include the Lucid Latex Hybrid Mattress in your options.
There are 3 main materials found in this design. First, you have the individually encased steel coils that provide support at the base. Next would be the dual transition support layers, which lay beneath a layer of blended latex and memory foam. The result is a bed that conforms to your body’s curves while keeping you from sinking toward the bottom. A two-toned cover gives it a sleek finish.
Perimeter support is excellent while the central zone has the right balance of compression and cushioning. Motion transfer is zero to little, which is great news for light sleepers. Some verified buyers reported about little off-gassing when they released the bed from its box. Let it expand in a well-ventilated room to let the chemical smells out.
The Lucid Latex Hybrid Mattress is one of the cheapest models you can find on the market. It is backed by a 10-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
- Strong overall and edge support.
- Medium firmness but comes with a little give.
- Isolations motion significantly.
- Affordable prices.
- Some off-gassing.
- Firmness may be a notch higher than standard.
- Breathable latex.
- Less expensive than other models.
- Little give.
8. Casper Essential Mattress
An all-foam mattress featuring 3 layers of premium foam, the Casper Essential packs comfort, support, and durability in one product. The breathable top ensures you sleep cool, doing away with the familiar “sleep hot” label of memory foam. In the middle, the memory foam cradles pressure points and curves. Adding support and stability is the base foam. An upholstery-grade cover in rich charcoal color makes the mattress last for years.
In addition, the dark-colored cover hides spills and stains. Although if you want to keep it clean and spotless, you can remove and wash the zip-off cover easily. It is certified by OEKO-TEX, which checks for harmful chemicals in materials and products. Another certification worth mentioning is the one from CertiPUR-US. This means the mattress is made without chemicals that damage the ozone.
Ownership of the Casper Essential Mattress entitles you to a 10-year limited warranty. Casper recommends the use of its foundation and metal frame. It comes at an entry-level price and is cheaper than other models from the brand.
- Open cell design for sleeping cool.
- Starts to achieve hard feel at queen-size.
- Entry-level price.
- Mild off-gassing.
- Some may take time to adjust to the firmness.
- Firm where you need it.
- Contouring and support-giving.
- Sleeps cool.
Firm Mattress Buying Guide
Things to Consider
Longevity
Firm mattresses are longer lasting than their soft counterparts because of the support materials that are built into them. The best firm mattresses are less prone to sag and sink. You won’t have to worry about claiming that warranty or looking for a replacement in years.
Lift
While memory foam is known for the experience of sinking, most firm mattresses elevate you instead. The lift you’ll feel is described as akin to floating in the clouds, which is many people’s idea of the best snooze.
Cooling
If you sleep hot, look for a mattress with excellent cooling properties. Gel memory foam is often found in plush beds. But the firm mattresses in our guide have improved in their treatment of this important factor. Go back to the various technology used by the models we mentioned, including gel memory foam and copper-infused foam.
Compatibility
Is a firm mattress right for you? There are 2 ways to answer this. First, you need to consider your size and weight. Second, you have to know what sleeping position you favor during slumber.
Read our article on Best Sleeping Positions for Better Sleep.
Based On Size
There is no definitive body weight to determine lightweight, average, and heavyweight users. However, we can agree that there is a range where each size more or less fits. The table below shows you the Below Average, Average, and Above Average weights with their corresponding ideal firmness.
The 1-10 scale is used, with 1 being softest and 10 being firmest.
Weight Group Needed or Preferred Firmness Level By People in the Group
| Below Average (<130 Pounds) | 4 (Medium Soft) |
| Average (130 to 230 Pounds) | 5 (Medium) to 6 (Medium Firm) |
| Above Average (>230 Pounds) | 7 (Firm) and Higher |
Based On Sleeping Position
Back sleepers get the most out of a firm mattress because their spine takes on its natural curvature. Those who want some softness can opt for a bed that cushions you in the center. Or you can buy a firm mattress topper to maintain the support while achieving a bit of coziness.
Stomach sleepers benefit from a firm mattress because it doesn’t sink like a memory foam mattress. This provides them with adequate support that will not translate to neck and shoulder pains later.
Combination sleepers can also enjoy the ease of rolling over in a firm bed. However, motion transfer performance depends a lot on the model.
Side sleepers may find it challenging to have support for their curves while sleeping on a firm mattress.
The Verdict
If you’re not really sure whether it’s the right time to replace your old mattress, read What is the Best Time to Buy a Mattress? [Complete Guide 2020]. But if you’re absolutely positive you need to get a firmer mattress, let us know which ones from our guide have piqued your interest.