The Best Firm Mattress – Lab-Tested & Expert-Approved

The Plank Firm Luxe — also known as the Plank Luxe Hybrid — is a flippable mattress with a firm (7) feel on one side and an extra firm (9) feel on the other. The latter is one of the firmest, most supportive surfaces our team has personally tested, but we also found the softer side highly stable and well-suited to people who weigh more than 230 pounds – particularly back and stomach sleepers.

How It Performed

During our hands-on tests, the Plank Firm Luxe earned its most favorable ratings from back and stomach sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds. Most testers agreed the firm side was more comfortable, though some of our stomach sleepers in this weight group received more support from the extra firm feel.

We also gave the mattress high marks for edge support and ease of movement. The coils create a responsive feel on both sides, allowing our testers to move across the mattress without feeling trapped or stuck, and each person felt stable when sitting along the perimeter. Temperature control was another performance area where the Plank Firm Luxe excelled, especially with the phase change panel upgrade.

Brooklyn Bedding offers twelve sizes, including options for short queen and RV beds, and the company ships free to customers in the contiguous U.S. A 120-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty back Plank Firm Luxe purchases.

What It’s Made of

The firm side of the Plank Firm Luxe contains a top layer of fiber padding, followed by two polyfoam layers. Our testers noticed light cushioning on this surface, resulting in even weight distribution and minimal sinkage. The extra firm side forgoes one of the underlying foam layers. As a result, we experienced no sinkage whatsoever on this surface. A shared support core of pocketed coils reinforces each side, resulting in strong pushback whenever one of our testers got in and out of bed.

A cover made from a quilted cotton-microfiber blend encases the entire mattress. This material is fairly breathable, and air circulates freely through the coil layer, so we detected minimal heat buildup during our temperature control tests. If you are an exceptionally hot sleeper, we recommend upgrading the mattress with a phase change panel sewn into both surfaces. Our testers noticed cooling bursts from these panels, which reduced heat buildup and kept the mattress at a comfortable temperature.

Brooklyn Bedding offers twelve sizes, including options for short queen and RV beds, and the company ships free to customers in the contiguous U.S. A 120-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty back Plank Firm Luxe purchases.

The WinkBed is a luxury hybrid available in four different firmness levels. After personally testing each design, we’re recommending the Firmer WinkBed (7) for anyone seeking a firm, supportive mattress. Our team was particularly impressed by the zoned coil system, which provided excellent reinforcement and pushback during our tests for ease of movement and edge support. The adaptive foam layers also contour evenly to reduce pain and pressure in the shoulders, lower back, and hips.

How It Performed
We noticed excellent overall stability when testing the Firmer WinkBed for edge support, and our testers could move across the mattress’ surface with relative ease. Temperature control was another highlight of our tests. We attribute the Firmer WinkBed’s excellent cooling to its moisture-wicking cover, gel-infused foam layer, and steady airflow throughout the coil system.

The mattress was particularly comfortable for the back and stomach sleepers on our team who weigh at least 130 pounds. Our side sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds also found the Firmer WinkBed sufficiently supportive. Lighter individuals may find this mattress too firm, but the Softer WinkBed (4) or Luxury Firm WinkBed (6) may be more suitable.

What It’s Made of

The Firmer WinkBed features adaptive polyfoam quilted into the cover, followed by a second foam layer. Despite the firm feel, our testers noticed a plush surface after getting onto the mattress and deeper cushioning as their bodies settled into the comfort system. The second layer is infused with cooling gel intended to dissipate body heat.

In the support core, thicker coils rest beneath your torso and hips – two areas where people tend to carry a disproportionate amount of weight. Most of our testers sank very little, if at all. This was especially true for the side and back sleepers on our team. The coils are also reinforced along the perimeter to protect the edges from sinkage. A cover made of eucalyptus-derived Tencel fabric encases the mattress. We noticed that this naturally breathable material made the surface feel cool to the touch.

Each Firmer WinkBed comes with a 120-night trial period. If you find this mattress feels too soft or too firm, you can exchange it for a WinkBed with a different firmness level at no extra cost. The replacement model comes with a 60-night trial. You’ll also receive a lifetime warranty against structural defects for the WinkBed you decide to keep.

If you’re a side sleeper, most firm mattresses won’t provide enough cushioning or contouring for you to sleep comfortably. The Helix Twilight is a notable exception. The mattress contains two foam layers that adapt to the body, resulting in even weight distribution to alleviate pressure buildup in the shoulders and hips – a common issue among the side sleepers on our team.

How It Performed

Among our testing team, the side sleepers who felt most comfortable on the Twilight weighed at least 130 pounds. The mattress was also popular among our back sleepers of 130 pounds or more and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds. None of our testers struggled when moving across the Twilight’s surface, which we attributed to its strong coil system.

We’ve found that the Twilight sleeps quite cool. This is due to steady air circulation through the coil layer and a breathable knit cover to help the surface maintain a comfortable temperature. Our testers noticed minimal heat buildup on the surface when evaluating the mattress for temperature control. The Twilight’s firm, responsive feel also ensured strong performance during our ease of movement and edge support tests.

What It’s Made of

A memory foam comfort layer and polyfoam transitional layer make up the Twilight’s comfort system. While the mattress has a firm (7) feel, our testers noticed moderate yet even conforming from the Twilight’s foam layers. The support core contains pocketed coils with extra perimeter support. As a result, we felt strong pushback when lying near and sitting along the edges of the mattress.

If you’d like to upgrade, the Helix Twilight Luxe contains all of these elements as well as a pillow-top surface with additional foam padding. The side sleepers on our team weighing up to 230 pounds appreciated the plusher feel of this mattress. Twilight Luxe models also feature zoned support cores with thicker coils to reinforce the chest, stomach, and hips.

Helix offers free shipping to all 50 states. Twilight mattress purchases come with a 100-night sleep trial, and a 10-year warranty protects against structural defects.

Most of the flippable mattresses our team has tested feature at least one surface that falls between soft and medium. The Plank Firm is a solid choice for anyone who prefers to sleep on a firm mattress most nights. One side is firm (7), and the other is extra firm (9), the latter of which is among the firmest surfaces we’ve tested firsthand.

How It Performed

As a firmer-than-average mattress, the Plank Firm performed well in areas where other all-foam beds we’ve tested have fallen short. The edges felt highly stable to us, particularly on the extra firm side, and our testers could move across both surfaces with minimal sinkage. Above-average cooling was another quality we noticed throughout our tests. Even without the phase change panels, our temperature sensors detected very little heat buildup.

The majority of our testers preferred the Plank Firm’s firm side. In particular, our back sleepers over 230 pounds and stomach sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds felt comfortable and sufficiently supported on this surface. The stomach sleepers on our team weighing more than 230 pounds also enjoyed the extra firm side, but other testers found this surface too firm.

What It’s Made of

The Plank Firm’s firm side contains a top layer of soft fibers quilted into the cover, followed by a layer of TitanFlex polyfoam. We consider the TitanFlex a “best of both worlds” material that combines the traditional foam’s cushioning and latex’s responsiveness. Our testers noticed considerable bounciness when moving across this side of the mattress. The extra firm side does not feature any TitanFlex. We felt little to no contouring on this surface.

A support core of high-density polyfoam is located between the comfort systems. Our testers found that this layer provides excellent stability for each side. If you are a hot sleeper, we recommend adding a phase change panel to both sides of the mattress. This panel is sewn into the cover and intended to capture and remove body heat. While none of our testers felt excessively warm on either of the Plank Firm’s surfaces, we noticed a substantial difference in cooling and heat dissipation.

The Plank Firm is available in a total of 14 sizes. In addition to the six standard mattress sizes, you can choose a split California king if you and your partner share an adjustable bed base, an Olympic queen for extra width when sleeping with a partner, or several RV-friendly sizes. Brooklyn Bedding backs the mattress with a 120-night sleep trial. If you decide to keep the Plank Firm, you’ll also receive a 10-year warranty.

The Saatva Classic is another luxury hybrid we’ve tested that’s available in multiple firmness levels. If you’re looking for sturdy support and a fair amount of responsiveness, we recommend the firm (8) feel. This mattress contains two coil layers. As a result, our testers noticed generous pushback and exceptional stability along the perimeter.

How It Performed

We found during our tests that the Saatva Classic’s dual-coil construction allowed the mattress to perform better than traditional hybrids in several key categories. Temperature control was one standout area. Both coil layers circulate air, and the cover is made of breathable organic cotton, so we didn’t detect much heat buildup on the surface. Our testers also noticed minimal sinkage along the edges, and none of us felt trapped when moving across the surface.

Our tests showed the firm Saatva Classic should be most comfortable for side sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds and back and stomach sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds. If you are lighter than these groups, the soft (3) or medium firm (6) versions of this mattress may be more suitable.

What It’s Made of

The Saatva Classic begins with a Euro-top surface containing foam and fiber padding to prevent the surface from feeling too stiff. A memory foam strip beneath your lower back can also promote even alignment and reduce pressure in the lumbar region and hips. The first coil layer consists of pocketed minicoils for transitional support, followed by a support core of low-gauge hourglass coils made from recycled steel.

You can choose between two profiles for your Saatva Classic. The 11.5-inch model contains 4-inch hourglass coils, while the 14.5-inch model contains 7-inch hourglass coils. If you’re seeking extra reinforcement, we recommend the latter – although both versions of the mattress proved highly supportive during various stages of our hands-on mattress tests.

After you’ve placed your order, Saatva works with you to coordinate free White Glove delivery that includes setup of the Saatva and removal of your existing mattress. You then have 365 nights to try it out with the option to return it for a refund, minus $99 deducted for return pickup. The mattress comes with a lifetime warranty to cover potential defects.

The Bear Elite Hybrid is available in three designs, the firmest of which we’ve placed as an 8 on our 10-point firmness scale. This version of the mattress caters to couples in several ways. Strong edge support allows you and your partner to use the entire mattress surface for sleep and sex, the sturdy coil system makes the surface responsive and easy to move across, and cooling components ensure excellent temperature regulation.

How It Performed

The firm Elite Hybrid’s most favorable ratings came from our side sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds, back sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds, and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds. Cushioning foam layers combined with a sturdy coil system made the mattress feel balanced and sufficiently supportive, particularly around the torso and hips, where people tend to carry more weight compared to other areas of the body.

We were also impressed by the Elite Hybrid’s temperature-regulating abilities. Our team attributes the mattress’ superior cooling to its breathable cover, copper-infused comfort layer, and coils that promote consistent airflow throughout the interior. None of our testers had a hard time moving across the mattress, and we noticed very little sinkage along the perimeter during our edge support tests.

What It’s Made of

The Elite Hybrid’s comfort layer is composed of memory foam infused with copper, which has natural cooling and moisture-wicking properties. A polyfoam transitional layer provides additional cushioning while maintaining even support for your body. While the mattress feels firm and supportive, we noticed even contouring and weight distribution from the foam layers. The polyfoam is also divided into five firmness zones, so we didn’t experience any sinkage around the midsection.

The support core consists of pocketed coils over a base layer of high-density foam. Strong pushback from the coils reinforces the zoned transitional foam, and all of our testers could lie comfortably on the mattress – even those weighing more than 230 pounds. A cover made from a Celliant-blend fabric encases the Elite Hybrid. Celliant is a textile engineered for exceptional breathability and heat dissipation. As a result, we felt minimal heat buildup when testing the mattress for temperature control.

Bear offers free shipping to customers in the contiguous U.S. and a 120-night sleep trial. Customers can return mattresses anytime after the 30-night break-in period. Elite Hybrid purchases come with a lifetime warranty that protects against structural defects.

Helix Sleep’s product line includes an extensive selection of hybrid mattresses, each designed for certain people based on body type, sleep position, and firmness preferences. The Dawn is the firmest of the brand’s luxury hybrids, and our test team rated it as an 8 on our 10-point scale. The foam layers offer a bit of surface cushioning, while a coil system gives the bed a responsive feel couples may enjoy for sex.

How It Performed

Our testers found the Dawn offered excellent reinforcement and should appeal to anyone who wants a firm mattress. The firm feel was best suited to back and stomach sleepers on our team who weigh more than 230 pounds, but those between 130 and 230 pounds should also appreciate the even surface. The coils helped the mattress sleep cool by generating consistent airflow throughout the interior.

If the Dawn sounds appealing but you’re looking for something slightly softer, the Twilight Luxe (7), Dusk Luxe (6), and Midnight Luxe (6) are also reasonably firm. Meanwhile, the Dawn Luxe upgrade may be a good fit if you’re looking for firmness with a bit more surface cushioning. This model has a pillow-top and zoned interior coils for extra support and a firm (8) feel.

What It’s Made of

The Dawn’s comfort system begins with a layer of polyfoam that slightly cushions the surface. Underneath is a polyfoam transitional layer that prevents your body from sinking into the coils. Our testers reported even contouring from head to toe and even support for your body, as well as some surface-level bounciness that made getting in and out of bed easier. The support core contains pocketed coils that reinforce the sleep surface with thicker low-gauge coils lining the perimeter to make the edges feel stable. A polyester cover encases the mattress, which measures 12 inches thick.

Helix Sleep offers free ground delivery to all 50 states. Your Dawn purchase includes a 100-night sleep trial for testing the mattress and a 10-year warranty against structural defects if you choose to keep it.

The Nolah Evolution 15 is a luxury hybrid available in three firmness levels, including a firm (8) design for people who need strong support. We found this mattress very balanced and comfortable thanks to the Euro-top surface cushioned with thick foam layers and a zoned coil system that pushes back against areas of the body where our testers carry extra weight.

How It Performed

During our tests, the Evolution 15 was particularly popular among back sleepers. The most favorable ratings came from those weighing at least 130 pounds, but the mattress received “good” or better ratings across all weight groups. Stomach sleepers over 230 pounds also found the firm Evolution 15 comfortable and adequately supportive. For side sleepers, the medium (5) or medium firm (6) versions of this mattress will probably be more suitable.

Ease of movement was another area where this mattress performed well for our testers. The firmer feel and generous coil pushback allowed each tester to move across the surface without feeling stuck – a common issue for mattresses with deep foam systems. Other highlights of our tests included consistent cooling and stable perimeter support.

What It’s Made of

The Evolution 15 features adaptive foam quilted into the cover. This is followed by three additional foam layers. Each layer is progressively denser from top to bottom, so our testers felt different levels of cushioning and contouring as their bodies settled into the mattress. These foams also have an open-cell composition, so we didn’t notice much heat buildup.

Thicker coils beneath the torso and hips delivered enhanced support for each team member, including those who weigh more than 230 pounds. Additional perimeter support also made it easy for us to get on and off the mattress without much sinking or sagging at the edges. The entire mattress is encased in a cover made of proprietary cooling fabric.

Seven sizes are available, including a split king size for adjustable beds. Nolah ships free to customers in the contiguous U.S. The company offers a 120-night sleep trial, during which customers can return a mattress after a 30-night break-in period. Shoppers can also opt out of the sleep trial for a discount at checkout. Evolution 15 purchases come with a generous lifetime warranty.

The DreamCloud Mattress is a medium firm (6) hybrid constructed with thick foam layers and a robust pocketed coil system. You’ll notice deep cushioning when you lie down on the mattress, but underlying layers push back against your weight to prevent uncomfortable sinkage. This balance of contouring and support should appeal to anyone seeking a compromise between soft and firm.

How It Performed

Most testers on our team enjoyed the DreamCloud for its combination of adaptive surface layers and a robust support system. The most favorable ratings came from side and back sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds, and stomach sleepers up to 130 pounds. We encountered minimal resistance when changing positions, so the mattress should also be suitable for combination sleepers.

Temperature control was a standout performance category during our tests. Using thermal imaging to measure heat retention, we found the DreamCloud’s surface maintains a cool feel despite the thick foam comfort layers. Our team also found the mattress isolates motion well and alleviates pressure in sensitive spots along the spine. These are two areas where hybrids tend to underperform.

What It’s Made of

The DreamCloud begins with a quilted surface containing polyfoam, followed by an adaptive memory foam layer. A third foam layer provides transitional support by serving as a buffer between your body and the support core. With thick foam padding in the comfort system, the mattress feels plush and adaptive despite its medium firm design.

Thick pocketed coils and dense base foam make up the bed’s support system. The coils are reinforced along the perimeter to push back against your weight when you sleep close to the edges or get in and out of bed. A cashmere-blend cover encases the mattress. The fabric’s cooling and moisture-wicking properties contribute to the DreamCloud’s excellent temperature control.

DreamCloud offers free ground shipping within the contiguous U.S. Your purchase comes with a generous sleep trial that runs for 365 nights, ensuring ample time to test the mattress and decide whether it’s right for you. If you choose to keep the mattress after the trial ends, you’ll also receive a lifetime warranty.

If you weigh more than 230 pounds, you may need an exceptionally firm mattress to minimize sinkage around the midsection. The Titan Plus from Brooklyn Bedding registers as an 8 on our 10-point firmness scale, ensuring above-average reinforcement compared to other hybrid models. The top two layers provide gentle cushioning, but a sturdy support system stabilizes the mattress to keep your body aloft.

How It Performed

During our hands-on tests, the Titan Plus earned favorable ratings from our side, back, and stomach sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds. These testers were impressed with the stable feel and strong edge support, as well as how easily they could move across the surface. Back and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds also felt reasonably comfortable.

Our tests show cooling is a major strength of the Titan Plus. The GlacioTex cover is highly effective at dissipating heat — but even with the standard cover, the Titan Plus’ coils generate enough airflow to keep our testers comfortable. Given the bouncy feel, we also awarded the mattress high ratings for sex.

What It’s Made of

The Titan Plus begins with a memory foam comfort layer, followed by transitional polyfoam. These layers contour to a minimal degree but still distribute your weight evenly to reduce pressure in the shoulders, lower back, and hips. The support core consists of pocketed coils over dense base foam.

Standard Titan Plus models are encased in soft cotton-microfiber covers. For an additional fee, you can upgrade to a GlacioTex Cooling Cover composed of phase change material that captures and releases body heat to maintain a comfortable surface temperature. At 11 inches thick, the Titan Plus is considered a medium-profile mattress.

The Titan Plus is available in seven sizes, including a split California king for couples who use an adjustable bed. Below-average pricing for a hybrid and free shipping anywhere in the contiguous U.S. make this mattress a solid choice for budget-conscious shoppers. You’ll also receive a 120-night trial period with your purchase and a 10-year warranty if you decide to keep the Titan Plus.