The Best Firm Mattresses, According To Our Sleep Editors

Type: Memory foam | Firmness: Firm (8) and extra-firm (10) | Thickness: 9.5 inches | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: 10 years

Pros: 

• Flippable; two firmness levels in one
• Built to help ease back pain
• Available in unique sizes like RV and short king

Cons: 

• Too firm for most side sleepers

Brooklyn Bedding’s Plank mattress definitely lives up to its name. This flippable all-foam option is firm (8 out of 10) on one side and ultra-firm (10 out of 10) on the other, according to the company. It’s also fitted with a thick layer of high-density base foam that provides plenty of support for your hips and shoulders, making it one of the best extra-firm mattresses available. In fact, the Plank mattress is endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). They found that the mattress’s firm feel helps improve lumbar support, reduce spinal stress and alleviate back pain. As an added bonus, the Plank is available in less-popular mattress sizes like Olympic queen and short king.

What our editors say: Forbes Vetted contributor and previous sleep editor Lindsey Vickers tested this bed in a showroom and said, “While I haven’t slept on it for a night, I can honestly say it’s one of the firmest mattresses I’ve ever felt. It has just a little give in the uppermost layer, making it ever-so-slightly more cushioning than something like the ground. I found it comfortable when lying on my stomach, too. If you want one of the firmest of firm mattresses out there, this is the way to go.”

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Plush soft (3), luxury firm (5 to 7) and firm (8) | Thickness: 11.5 or 14.5 inches | Shipping: Free (white glove delivery) | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

Pros: 

• Cooling
• Great for sleepers with back pain
• Excellent edge support
• Free white glove delivery

Cons: 

• Costs $99 to return

A hybrid mattress with both coils and memory foam, the Saatva Classic is designed to keep your spine properly aligned while also reducing pressure on your lower back with its extra supportive “Lumbar Zone.” It’s also built for comfort; this model is topped with a plush, 3-inch Euro pillow top that cushions joints and is made of organic cotton with an antimicrobial cover. Choose from three firmness levels, including luxury firm (a medium-firm combination of cushion and support) and firm (the most supportive option). As a purchase bonus, you’ll also get free white glove delivery, including hauling away your old bed.

What our editors say: According to one Forbes Vetted staffer, the Saatva is “bouncy, plush and offers plenty of support, including ample edge support, a feature I didn’t fully understand until I had a mattress with it.” She continues, “It took about a month to get my mattress, so keep that in mind when ordering, but otherwise I found Saatva easy to work with and communicative throughout. The company will also take your old mattress away free of charge—a major boon for anyone who’s ever dealt with mattress disposal before.”

See our full Saatva Classic mattress review for more information.

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Firm (8 to 9) | Thickness: 13.5 inches | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 15 years

Pros:

• Firm, yet comfortable feel
• Excels at pressure relief
• Breathable

Cons: 

• May feel too firm for petite sleepers and some side sleepers

If you’re a regular side sleeper who prefers a firmer mattress, the Helix Dawn Luxe is a solid choice. With zoned lumbar support and enhanced contouring, this hybrid foam-and-coil mattress promotes comfort and ensures stability without causing pressure on side sleepers’ hips and shoulders. It also comes with a plush pillow top that makes it 2 inches taller than the standard mattress for a cozier feel. And thanks to its breathable Tencel cover, you’re less likely to overheat in the middle of the night. This is an optimal pick for back and stomach sleepers, as well.

What our editors say: “I love my Helix mattress and would recommend this brand to anyone,” says updates editor Karen Tietjen. Although she has a different model (the medium-firm Dusk Luxe), she points out, “Helix mattresses are well-made and affordably-priced; there’s a reason you’ll see them on most of our ‘best’ lists.”

Type: Memory foam | Firmness: Medium-firm (6.5) | Thickness: 10 inches | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 180 nights | Warranty: 10 years

Pros:

• Regularly on sale for less than $500
• Good edge support and minimal motion transfer
• 180-night in-home trial

Cons:

• May feel firmer than a medium-firm to some people

On sale regularly for under $500, the Siena Memory Foam Mattress is a great pick if you’re mattress shopping on a budget. It’s also medium-firm, with Siena giving it a firmness rating of 6.5 out of 10. This makes it a good option for back, stomach and combination sleepers, and couples who may have differing sleep preferences. While the bottom layers of the mattress provide firmness and support, the top layer—consisting of two inches of adaptive gel memory foam—adds some softness and pressure point relief.

What our writers say: One Forbes contributor says that the Siena mattress feels “decidedly firm when sleeping on it”—much firmer than its “medium-firm” categorization. The reviewer also notes that it provides “excellent” edge support and has low motion transfer, making it great for couples.

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Medium-firm | Thickness: 12 inches | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years

Pros: 

• Budget-friendly
• Responsive, supportive feel

Cons: 

• Some side and lightweight sleepers might find it too firm

The aptly named The Brick mattress from Allswell is a hybrid option that will feel firm to some sleepers and medium-firm to others. It gets its structure from 2 inches of high-density memory foam and a firm top layer that offers pressure relief without too much sinking. There’s a gel-infused middle layer that provides some cushion for your back but doesn’t feel so soft that it knocks your spine out of alignment. This gel layer also helps regulate body temperature.

What the reviews say: “It’s very supportive for my bad back,” writes one happy buyer of the Allswell Brick. “The aches after sleeping with a purely foam bed were terrible. The Brick Hybrid allows me to wake up with no additional pain.”

Type: Memory foam | Firmness: Soft (4), medium (5), firm (7) | Thickness: 11 inches | Shipping: Free (in a box) | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime

Pros: 

• Supportive and pressure-relieving 
• Great motion isolation
• Cooler than other memory foam mattresses

Cons: 

• Some reviewers found it difficult to find the right firmness level for couples with different sleeping positions

The WinkBeds GravityLux comes with an AirCell foam and gel-infused memory foam for breathability and airflow, ideal for anyone who’s not sleeping alone. Because it doesn’t have coils, it has great motion isolation (which means you won’t wake up every time your partner moves). The firm AirCell foam with a zoned poly foam layer beneath also contours to each individual’s body to stabilize the sleeper’s spine and support the shoulders and hips. It’s available in three firmnesses, with the firmest option rated at a 7 out of 10, according to the brand.

What our editors say: “The GravityLux is the memory foam mattress for people who want the contouring feel of memory foam without the ‘sinking’ or ‘stuck’ feel,” says mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon. “Its AirCell Foam helps achieve this feat with a more responsive profile, leaving you with a soft, contouring feel that’s more luxurious and plush than the flagship WinkBed. Though, people over 250 pounds should consider the OG WinkBed instead, since the GravityLux’s all-foam profile isn’t as supportive.”

Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Firm (9) | Thickness: 13.5 inches | Shipping: Free (white glove delivery) | Trial: 90 nights | Warranty: 10 years

Pros: 

• Firm, but still feels plush thanks to thick memory foam layer
• Complimentary white glove delivery 
• Luxurious feel

Cons: 

• More expensive than most other beds on this list

The Stearns & Foster Estate Mattress is a top pick for anyone seeking the firmest of the firm. Innerspring construction creates a base of support, and although it’s dense, an upper layer of Indulge Memory Foam ensures there’s enough plushness to get cozy. While it’s more similar to a traditional mattress than some others on this list, the Estate offers modern comfort features. A breathable design and sweat-wicking cover keep you cool at night, while the patented IntelliCoil system reduces motion transfer to ensure there isn’t too much bounce. All in all, Stearns & Foster has a reputation for quality (and if you’re searching for something slightly cushier, check out the