While a firm mattress may sound unbearable to some, for others, like stomach sleepers, it’s the best way to get comfortable. Pressure relief can help get rid of pains and align the spine, a firm mattress doesn’t rid you of this. The level of firmness you’ll need to keep your comfort will depend on your situation.
Getting a feel for the Saatva Classic mattress.
Jonathon Gomez/CNET
The Saatva Classic is a high-end mattress available in three different firmness levels and two height profiles. Considering each mattress is made to order, you’ll essentially get a customized bed made to fit your preferences. It also has an ultra-supportive design, unlike most beds I’ve tested. Inside, the Saatva Classic boasts two coil layers and extra lumbar reinforcements.
Note that all prices quoted are the list price for a queen size, not inclusive of the frequent deals that mattress makers offer.
Read more: Mattress Firmness Scale Explained
Best firm mattress: Video
Watch CNET video producer Owen Poole review the best firm mattresses.
Best firm mattresses of 2024
Mattress price scale:
$ = Budget: $799 and below
$$ = Average: $800 to $1,699
$$$ = Premium: $1,700 and up
These reflect MSRP or list prices. Sales might make a mattress less expensive, but are always changing.
Why we chose the Saatva mattress: The Saatva mattress is a premium mattress worthy of a fancy five-star hotel room. Two-thirds of Saatva Classic’s firmness options are on the firm end of the spectrum, giving you the chance to buy a hybrid mattress with a medium-firm or solid-firm profile. Looking for even more support? The Saatva Classic has two different coil layers and a Lumbar Support Spinal Wire for all the added reinforcements you could ask for. I also love its cozy, airy pillow top covered with organic cotton.
It’s constructed with multiple layers of innerspring coils with luxury foams, that Lumbar Active Spinal Wire I mentioned for improved back support, multiple comfort layers and a big, fluffy pillow top cushion. In the center is memory foam that provides special lumbar support, so your spine stays aligned, affording pressure relief, especially when you’re sleeping on your side — something that many other firm mattresses fall short on. I’d even dub the Saatva Classic as one of the best firm mattress picks for people who have back pain.
The Saatva mattress comes with three firmness options and two mattress heights; 11.5 inches and 14.5 inches. This essentially gives you the option to customize your firm mattress more because you can choose how soft or supportive you want it to be. Keep in mind, if you go with the deeper mattress, make sure you’re also getting deep-pocket sheets. Read more in our full Saatva mattress review.
Pros:
Multiple firmness and height options available
Dual-coil construction makes for extra support
Lumbar Spinal Wire is great for back pain sufferers
Suits all body types
Cons:
Might be out of some people’s budgets
Return fee is $99
Saatva Classic
* Pricing based on Queen model
CNET
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 3 firmness levels | Soft: 3 or Medium-soft | Medium: 5 or Medium | Firm: Medium-firm or 7Trial 120 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warrantyPrice$$$
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
The Plank from Brooklyn Bedding
Why we chose the Plank mattress: Flippable mattresses aren’t as common in the mattress market, so this is a unique design that helps set the Plank mattress apart from other beds on our best firm mattress list. It may not be an ideal bed for heavier sleepers because of its foam construction, but Plank is one of the best firm mattress picks for back and stomach sleepers under 230 pounds who want versatility and firmness at an affordable cost.
The Plank is very properly named, and it’s one of the firmest beds in our best firm mattress review. It’s a foam bed-in-a-box mattress from Brooklyn Bedding that measures over 11 inches thick and has a flippable construction. That way, you get two firm profiles in one mattress. Whether you want a medium-firm feel with some pressure relief or a supportive, firm feel, you have the option to choose.
As far as feel goes, this mattress has a responsive, neutral-foam feel that contours your curves without making you feel like you’re sinking into the mattress as you get with some memory foam beds. This is especially nice for people who toss and turn often during the middle of the night, it’s much easier to move around on.
Pros:
Flippable design gives you two firmness levels
Neutral-foam feel makes it easy for combination sleepers to switch positions
Cons:
Won’t be as supportive for heavier sleepers over 230 pounds
Avocado
Type Latex HybridFirmness 7 or medium-firm with the pillow top (9 or firm without)Trial 365 nightsWarranty 25-year limited warrantyPrice$$$
Avocado Green
* Pricing based on Queen model
Why we chose the Nectar mattress: Nectar is a popular online mattress brand with beds that boast a memory foam feel, similar to the expensive Tempur-Pedic mattresses. The best part? The Nectar bed is a fraction of the cost. After the foam is warmed by your body, the foam slowly conforms to your figure. You don’t fall into a middle-of-the-bed sinkhole. Nectar is perfectly supportive for firm-bed lovers under the 230-pound range.
It has a firm mattress feel that takes a moment to warm up to your body. Once it does, you slowly become nestled into the layers of the mattress, and the foam remembers the shape of your body for several moments after you get up. Hence the name “memory foam.”
I rated the firmness around a medium-firm, making it best for back, stomach or combination sleepers who are looking for a more supportive feel. That said, the original Nectar bed is only made out of foam. In that case, I think it’s the best firm mattress for sleepers who weigh less than 230 pounds. Read more about this bed in our Nectar mattress review.
Pros:
Good budget-friendly pick
Available in a hybrid model to accommodate all body types
Cons:
Memory foam feel might feel too intense to switch positions
Nectar Memory Foam
CNET
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness Medium-firmTrial 100 nightsWarranty 10-year warranty
Why we picked the Purple Rejuvenate mattress:
When it comes to back pain, the name of the game is support. The Purple Rejuvenate mattress is ultra-supportive with its edge-to-edge zoned coil system that offers target support under your back.
The Purple Rejuvenate is a luxury-style mattress with a medium-firm profile and comfortable pillow top. It’s our pick for the best firm mattress for back pain thanks to its target coil system that is slightly firmer under the back and softer at the head and foot of the bed. Other beds with a zoned design feature segmented foam layers rather than targeted coils.
If you’ve had your eye on a Purple mattress but are unsure you want to commit to the unique feel Purple is known for, then you’ll like the Rejuvenate mattress. Since the GelFlex Grid is deeper in the bed, you mostly get the pillow top feel when lying on it. You still get the benefits of the grid, like sleeping temperature neutral and being extremely responsive.
Here’s the thing about this bed: it’s expensive. Retailing at $5,495, this bed is out of many people’s budget. If you have the extra cash and want to invest in a mattress that will likely ease your back pain, you’ll like the Purple Rejuvenate bed.
Pros:
Zoned coil layer
Responsive pillow top feel
Extremely responsive
Sleeps temperature neutral thanks to the Purple Grid
Cons:
One of the most expensive beds we’ve tested
Potentially too firm for petite side sleepers
Purple Rejuvenate
Slumber Yard
Type Hybrid mattressFirmness 3 firmness levels | Softer: Medium-soft or 3 | Luxury firm: Medium or 5 | Firmer: Medium-firm or 7Trial 120 nightsWarranty Lifetime warrantyPrice$$
The WinkBed
CNET
Type Neutral foam mattressFirmness Medium to medium-firmTrial 120 nightsWarranty 10-year limited warrantyPrice $
Why we chose the Dreamfoam Doze mattress:
If you’re on a strict budget, you’ll like the DreamFoam Doze mattress. Retailing for $240 for the thinnest option, this all-foam bed is affordable and comfortable.
Dreamfoam is a subbrand of Brooklyn Bedding that makes extremely affordable mattresses. The cheapest option is the new Dreamfoam Doze, an all-foam mattress in three thicknesses: 7, 9 or 11 inches. The thicker the constructions go, the softer they get. People who want a firm budget bed should stick with either the 7-inch (firm) or the 9-inch (medium-firm).
Since it’s a budget mattress, it won’t have all the bells and whistles that other beds on the list, there’s no zoned support or cooling covers. That said, don’t let the price suggest the quality isn’t as high. While testing, we were pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the Dreamfoam Doze mattress was. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a cheap, comfortable mattress with a neutral foam feel.
Pros:
Ultra budget pick
Three thickness options
Cons:
No extra features
Strong off-gassing when you open it
Not the best choice for people over 250 pounds
Dreamfoam Doze Mattress
Why we chose the Helix Plus mattress: Sleepers who weigh more and deal with back pain should look for an extra supportive and durable mattress, and Helix Plus checks those boxes. With a thick hybrid construction, medium-firm profile and extra large pocketed coils that can support up to 1,000 pounds, it’s a solid pick that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
The Helix Plus hybrid mattress, rated a seven to eight out of 10 on the firmness scale, is designed to offer extra support for heavier sleepers. It’s made of wrapped coils and several layers of memory foam in varying densities, but the real star of the show is a 4-inch layer of high-density foam. This extra foam held up the other layers, providing adequate support, but also adding some cushioning that provided relief for my shoulders and hips.
Because the mattress is thicker — it’s 13 inches tall — it will feel firmer if you have a lower body mass index, but I thought it had just the right amount of give. It was comfortable and provided motion isolation really well, so I didn’t bounce around, even when my boyfriend moved in the middle of the night. Read more in our full Helix mattress review.
Pros:
Ultra supportive, primarily designed for heavy sleepers over 230 pounds
Extra dense memory foam offers a balance of support and pressure relief
Cons:
Might be too supportive and firm for those under 200 pounds
Expensive
Helix Plus
* Pricing based on Queen model
Other mattresses we tested
Helix Dawn mattress: The Helix Dawn bed is a very supportive hybrid mattress that’s as firm as firm beds can get, similar to Plank. Rated around a 9 to 10 on the firmness scale, it could be a great firm mattress pick for stomach or back sleepers under 230 pounds who want maximum support at an affordable price. I also like its general foam feel; it’s similar to the foam in your favorite comfy couch. It’s more breathable and more responsive to pressure than memory foam.
GhostBed Flex Mattress: Rated a 6 to 7 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale, the GhostBed is classified as a medium-firm mattress. It’s made of a combination of latex-like memory foams that have a soft, springy feel, but also provide enough support so you don’t feel like you’re sinking into the mattress (and then waking up in pain). It also has two rows of reinforced coils around the edge of the bed that hold the layers up and contribute to excellent edge-to-edge firmness level support.
Read more:Best Mattress for Side Sleepers for 2023
How we test firm mattresses
Video producer Wes testing out the edge support on the Nectar mattress
Wesley Ott/ CNET
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
To test firm mattresses, we use our own instincts and pay close attention to how firm a bed feels. Particularly in comparison to other mattresses. We look for how the foam responds to our body, how far we sink into the bed and how supportive a bed feels in each sleeping position. If a bed presses strongly into our shoulders and hips while lying on our side, that’s a good indicator that it’s firm.
Read more on how we test mattresses.
What to consider when buying a firm mattress
Sleeping position
CNET
Back and stomach sleepers are the types who usually sleep most comfortably on a firm mattress. Side sleepers typically like softer beds that offer pressure relief to the hips and shoulders. If you’re a side sleeper, you may not want a firm bed.
Weight
The lighter you are, the firmer a mattress is going to feel. People under 150 pounds will likely perceive a medium-firm bed as firm. The opposite is true for heavier sleepers; the heavier you are, the softer a bed is going to feel. If a bed is rated around medium-firm and you weigh 245 pounds, it will likely feel closer to a medium instead. Keep this in mind when you’re shopping for a bed so you choose the most suitable one.
Firmness type
All firm beds aren’t made to be the same. Beds that are considered firm land between six and 10 on the firmness scale. Beds rated around 6 to 8 are considered among the medium-firm range, while 8 to 10 is firm territory. Medium-firm beds offer both pressure relief and support, while firm beds offer maximum support.
It primarily depends on your favorite sleeping position. If you’re a back or stomach sleeper, a firm mattress does a great job of keeping your neck and spine in proper alignment.
Latex foam mattresses are generally the firmest compared with other foam mattresses, followed by innerspring mattresses. With that being said, there are plenty of softer latex mattress and innerspring mattress options on the market, too. It’s difficult to generalize about firm bed mattresses when there are so many different ones on the market.
