Are you a back or stomach sleeper? A heavier individual? Or someone with a health concern that calls for a hard bed to sleep on? If so, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together a list of the best firm mattresses. You’ll notice that the beds on this list rank as medium-firm to ultra-firm, so it’s got something for everyone.
We can help you find the best firm mattress online for your needs or preferences. With all of the amazing new mattress technology, including Hyper-Elastic Polymer, you have a wide range of options! You don’t have to sacrifice comfort for firmness any longer! Whether you want the best extra firm mattress or you’re looking for a firm king mattress, we’ve got you covered.
8 Best Firm Mattresses
- Best Extra-Firm Mattress :PlankStarting at $699 Shop Now
- Best Semi-Firm Mattress :Loom LeafStarting at $1095 Shop Now
- Best Medium-Firm Mattress :Saatva ClassicStarting at $935 Shop Now
- Best Firm Memory Foam Mattress :NectarStarting at $399 Shop Now
- Best Firm Mattress for Heavy People :TitanStarting at $699 Shop Now
- Most Comfortable Firm Mattress :Purple HybridStarting at $1699 Shop Now
- Most Affordable Firm Mattress :AllswellStarting at $279 Shop Now
- Best Firm Organic Mattress :Avocado Green MattressStarting at $1399 Shop Now
Compare the Top Firm Mattresses
BEST EXTRA-FIRM MATTRESS
Why Plank wins as best extra-firm mattress
We put the Plank mattress on the list because it provides two firmness profiles in one mattress, making it versatile for back and stomach sleepers who need additional support. You get to choose between a “soft” side or a “firm” side. In truth, the soft side is more around a medium-firm and the firm side is extra firm. So even the soft side, isn’t all that soft.
With the Plank Mattress, you have two beds in one, and you can sleep on the side with the firmness you find most comfortable. Did we mention it’s also a great value? It’s one of the most affordable mattresses on the list.
Plank also no offers a Luxe version, which is claimed to be the firmest mattress on the market.
Plank’s best features
- We think the Plank mattress is good for petite and average individuals who sleep on their back or stomach.
- In terms of price, the Plank bed is one of the more affordable mattresses on our list.
- Plank provides impressive edge support so that you will be very supported around the perimeter of the bed. This is ideal for couples who share a smaller bed.
BEST SEMI-FIRM MATTRESS
Why Loom & Leaf wins as best semi-firm mattress
The Loom & Leaf is a luxury, semi-firm mattress that is great for those who love the slow responding feel of memory foam, but hate how hot it sleeps. The Loom & Leaf mattress can provide some relief for people who tend to sleep warm at night.
Despite being an all-foam mattress, the thick foam layers provide a good amount of support. The Loom & Leaf bed comes in both a semi-firm and an extra-firm version. The semi-firm mattress would be good for anyone who likes a firm mattress, while the extra firm version is best for heavy people and back or stomach sleepers.
Loom & Leaf’s best features
- In Loom & Leaf’s thick construction, you can find a layer of laminated cooling gel meant to help regulate temperature. It’s the same material found in hospital burn units!
- The layers of the Loom & Leaf mattress are wrapped in a quilted, organic cotton cover.
- Loom & Leaf’s memory foam mattress is perfect for relieving back pain.
BEST SEMI-FIRM MATTRESS
Why Saatva wins as best medium-firm mattress
The Saatva mattress has several firmness levels available you can choose from. The two firmest models make our picks for being top-rated firm mattresses. These beds are built with a dual coil system of individually wrapped coils and a steel coil base. A plush Euro-top that is responsive makes sure you never feel stuck like it can happen with even an extra firm memory foam mattress.
The affordable price point for a luxury mattress earned Saatva a spot in our best firm mattress review.
Saatva’s best features:
- The combination of foam and coils make the Saatva mattress suitable for all types of sleepers and body types, although most will do best with the medium-firm model because the other is extra firm.
- Saatva falls in the middle of the range for the mattresses we’ve included here in this list; a queen retails for about $1,575.
- The Saatvva mattress is a solid option for all sleeper and body types.
The Nectar Original is one of the best mattresses in the market. The pressure-relieving memory foam of this bed slowly conforms to your body.
Why Nectar wins as best firm memory foam mattress
Our top pick for the best firm memory foam mattress is The Nectar mattress. We think it provides that signature feel you’re expecting at a super affordable price. Once you lay down on the Nectar bed, you sit on top of the mattress for about 4-5 seconds until you slowly feel the bed’s layers hug the curves of your body.
We would compare it to the feel of a TempurPedic mattress, but it’s hundreds or even thousands of dollars cheaper than most TempurPedic models. Nectar offers the luxury of memory foam at a fraction of the cost. It’s an all-foam mattress that’s about 12” thick, making it heftier than your typical bed-in-a-box mattress.
Nectar’s best features
- We rate the Nectar mattress to be around a medium-firm. It offers an ample amount of spinal support for back and stomach sleepers who need it for neutral alignment in their back.
- Nectar has a removable, quilted polyethylene cover with cooling technology that quickly wick away superficial heat. As an added bonus, the cover is machine-washable. You won’t sleep cold, but it won’t warm up either, so it’s what we call temperature neutral.
- One of the best parts about the Nectar mattress is its price. A queen size retails for almost $1,300, but you can typically get it for around $800 after discounts.
BEST FIRM MATTRESS FOR HEAVY PEOPLE
Why Titan wins as best firm mattress for heavy people
The people at Titan wanted to make a quality mattress that suits sleepers over 250 lbs, and this mattress accomplishes this. The Titan mattress is supportive and resilient, built with “TitanCaliber” coils. For heavy body types, it will be a comfortable semi-firm mattress. For petite to medium body types, Titan will likely be a little too firm.
The Titan bed has a durable, supportive construction and an affordable price tag, that’s why it made our best firm mattresses list. If also offers a Luxe version to help support heavier sleepers with additional contouring.
Titan’s best features
- The Titan bed is just slightly thicker than the average mattress-in-a-box at 11″. On top of the layer of coils, there is a layer of Titan Flex foam and top layer of memory foam.
- As a hybrid mattress that is made with support in mind, the Titan bed is fairly priced. A queen mattress is under $1,100, something we can expect from a bed made by Brooklyn Bedding.
- The mattress is purposely designed to be extra firm to support your body correctly.
MOST COMFORTABLE FIRM MATTRESS
Purple Hybrid is a coil mattress that features a proprietary comfort layer called Hyper-Elastic Polymer. It’s a unique mattress that’s comfortable and great for hot sleepers.
Why Purple Hybrid wins as most comfortable firm mattress
We chose the Purple Hybrid for the best firm list because it’s a unique mattress that’s comfortable and supportive with x-factor features that people love. The secret to the Purple Hybrid 2″, formally called the Purple 2, is its unique construction. It combines 7.5″ pocketed innerspring coils with a 2″ layer of the patented Hyper-Elastic Polymer.
If you are tired of the traditional bed (either innerspring or memory foam), this might be the mattress for you. We like to compare sleeping on the Purple Hybrid bed to laying on a giant Dr. Scholl’s insole. Which sounds weird, but a lot of people love it.
Purple Hybrid’s best features:
- The Purple Hybrid mattress is bouncy, responsive, and gives you the feeling of being supportive and pressure relieving at the same time.
- It’s one of the best medium firm mattresses if you like the unique feel.
- The polymer of the Purple bed will compress and conform to your body’s shape.
- The price is a little higher than the average firm mattress online but not egregious, considering how unique it is.
The Allwell Brick is a neutral-foam mattress with a quilted top layer, so any sleeper gets the comfort of memory foam without the traditional soft feeling of conventional memory foam.
Why Allswell Brick wins as most affordable firm mattress
Allswell is brought to you by Walmart, a brand that stresses affordability and good value. As such, you can expect the same sentiment from the Allswell Brick. It’s a firm hybrid mattress perfect for all back and stomach sleepers and side and combo sleepers, especially folks over 230 lbs. On a scale from soft to firm, we rated it around a medium-firm.
Allswell Brick’s best features
- It’s not as hard as a brick as its name may suggest, but it does provide a solid amount of support when you sleep on your back or stomach.
- This 3-layer mattress contains memory foam, but it doesn’t feel like a memory foam mattress. The quilted top cover on the bed neutralizes the dense memory foam feel, so instead, we think it feels more like neutral foam, similar to the original Allswell mattress.
- One of the top reasons it made our best firm mattress list is because of its price accessibility. Prices for a queen-size mattress start at $675, making it the most affordable firm mattress on our list.
BEST FIRM ORGANIC MATTRESS
The Avocado Green Mattress is the most sought-after natural/organic mattress online. It’s supportive, comfortable, and constructed with high-quality materials.
Why Avocado wins as best firm organic mattress
We picked the Avocado mattress for one of the best firm mattresses of 2022 because it is an extremely comfortable firm mattress made of all-natural, hypoallergenic materials.
The Avocado mattress combines steel pocketed coils and certified organic latex foam and cotton that gives a firm yet comfortable feel. You can also find Avocado as a medium-firm mattress if you opt for the topper.
Avocado’s best features
- This mattress is viable for all body types. But not petite side sleepers.
- It’s more expensive than the standard online mattress, but we think it’s a great value because of the upgraded organic materials and certifications.
Which Firm Mattress Is Right for You?
- If you want the option of two firmness levels in one bed, go with the flippable Plank mattress.
- For sleepers who are on a budget, the Allswell Brick is the ultimate option.
- If you want the luxury memory foam feel of Tempurpedic without the hefty price tag, go with Nectar.
- Larger people who weigh over 250 pounds and need extra support should opt for the Titan bed.
- If you’re tired of the traditional mattress experience and you want to try something new, go with the Purple Hybrid mattress.
- For people who value eco-friendly companies and mattresses, Avocado is the best choice for a firm mattress.
How To Find The Best Firm Bed
Changing mattresses can be difficult, especially when you’ve slept on a soft mattress for so long. Your body might need anywhere from several days to a full month to adjust to a new sleeping surface. But if you need or want to switch to a firm bed, here are few recommendations from our team.
Pros and Cons of Sleeping on a Firm Mattress
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent for heavy individuals – Because firm mattresses have more support, they’re less likely to sag and create discomfort for bigger people. | More painful for joints – People who suffer from conditions like arthritis might experience more pain from firm mattresses and increased pressure on their joints. |
| Spine alignment – Firm mattresses allow your spine to rest in a more neutral position, helping relieve daily pain from slouching and curving. | Breaking in period – If you aren’t used to a firm mattress, there’s a period where you’ll need to break it in and get used to it. It may feel too hard at first before you can get used to it. |
| Durability – Firm mattresses are built with more stability and are known to last longer than soft mattresses because you don’t sink into them as much. | Bad for side sleepers – A firm mattress might create too much pressure for side sleepers’ shoulders and hips |
Most Popular Accessories For A Firm Bed
Once you’ve purchased your best mattress, enhance your comfort with some of the most popular firm mattress accessories:
- Foam mattress topper – A foam mattress topper gives you a little more cushion if you’re still adjusting to your mattress or need a bit more contour while you sleep.
- Sturdy foundation – A sturdy foundation is especially helpful for heavier individuals or couples. The foundation, like the one from Big Fig, serves as an extra support layer and provides additional durability.
- Wraparound pillow – A wraparound pillow gives you extra support for your neck and shoulders. If you sleep on your side occasionally, a wraparound pillow can help relieve some of the pressure around your neck that the mattress might cause otherwise.
How We Select The Best Mattresses
A medium firm mattress is going to be softer than an extra-firm mattress. More people will be able to sleep on a medium-firm mattress, while basically only back or stomach sleepers will seek an extra-firm bed.
Our editors consider a medium firm mattress to be around a 6 to 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale, whereas an extra firm mattress is between 8 and 10 on that same scale.
Plank and Avocado offer some of the firmest mattresses you can buy online. The extra firm mattress is excellent for back and stomach sleepers while also offering a medium-firm side for more comfort.
Firm mattresses are recommended for back and stomach sleepers because of the exceptional support they provide. A firm mattress is good for your back because it can distribute your body weight more equally. Firm mattresses also keep your spine aligned, which keeps you from waking up stiff or with back pain.
A firm mattress is best for heavier individuals and back sleepers who need more spine support. A soft mattress is usually better for side sleepers or people looking for more joint relief while they sleep. We like beds that fall right in the middle of the scale at a medium because most people can sleep on them without trouble.
Your mattress will naturally become softer one to three months after you buy it, so you can allow it to break in and adjust to your body. If after a few months you feel that your mattress is still too firm, a mattress topper pad is a great way to add a few extra inches to make it softer and provide pressure relief.
Why Trust Us
Get the kind of sleep you’ve only dreamed of with some help from our team of mattress experts. We personally test more than 175 of the best sleep solutions from over 60 leading brands on site, so you can be sure you’re getting unbiased reviews, fair comparisons and personalized recommendations.
