Save $200 at Saatva.com
Sleepfoundation.org is reader-supported. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Learn more about our process here
Written by
No other mattress type boasts the same track record as the innerspring. These mattresses have long served as a cornerstone product in the industry and are fashioned around a tried-and-true coil-based support system.
Historically, innersprings have been made with limited or no extra layers placed above the springs, leaving the compression of the coils as the only means of providing support to the body. However, this bare-bones design has been fading in popularity and increasingly replaced by innerspring cores with multiple layers placed above them. These models offer a major step up from traditional innersprings and are the focus of our top picks.
Innersprings typically offer significant bounce, making it easy to adjust your sleeping position or move on top of the bed. They normally have quality edge support and stay cool because coils retain virtually no body heat. Depending on the comfort system, innersprings can come at an affordable price point and offer average durability of 6 years or more.
If you’re trying to decide if an innerspring mattress is right for you, consider the following guidance:
Choose an innerspring if:
Skip an innerspring if:
Best Overall
The Saatva mattress doubles down on the benefits of coils, employing a coil-on-coil construction that is further enhanced by a pillow top filled with pressure-relieving foam.
The two coil layers in the Saatva has distinct build styles. The bottom layer, which is either 4 or 7 inches thick depending on the model you choose, utilizes bonnell coils. With 13-gauge steel, these coils are strong and offer a reliable support core and meaningful edge support.
Above those coils is a 4-inch layer of micro-coils. These are individually wrapped, letting each coil compress in a way that is more tailored to the weight is applied to the bed. While helping with spinal alignment, these coils also generate bounce to make moving around a cinch on top of the Saatva.
The pillow top layer has an arrangement of polyfoam as well as a memory foam lumbar pad that provides extra appeal to stomach and back sleepers who tend to need more cushioning for the lower back. A breathable organic cotton cover rounds out the overall construction.
For both the 11.5-inch and 14.5-inch models, customers can select between a soft, medium, and firm feel, which broadens the Saatva’s ability to serve all types of sleepers regardless of their weight and preferred sleeping position.
As an additional perk, the Saatva comes with free installation and removal of an old mattress as well as a 180-night sleep trial. However, if you choose to return the bed, Saatva does charge $99 to cover the cost of return shipping. The mattress has a 15-year warranty against defects.
Best Value
Luxury innersprings are often expensive, but some manage to be both affordable and high-quality. The DreamCloud hybrid innerspring is a prime example. The mattress is constructed with a quilted cover made from a cashmere blend for exceptional softness and great temperature regulation. While the DreamCloud has a medium firm (6) feel, the memory foam comfort layer provides precise body-contouring and even weight distribution, ensuring good alignment and less pressure for most sleepers regardless of their sleep position.
The support core contains individually pocketed coils that stabilize the bed nicely and reinforce the edges against sinkage without making the surface feel too stiff for sleeping. These coils also generate steady airflow throughout the mattress core for added cooling. Measuring 14 inches thick, the DreamCloud is considered a high-profile mattress and an ideal choice for people who prefer sleeping on thicker-than-average beds.
Thanks to its balanced feel and premium composition, the DreamCloud checks a lot of boxes for sleepers. The surface is responsive enough for sex and should be easy to move across for most people, but the memory foam also absorbs a fair amount of motion to minimize transfer and reduce sleep disturbances for couples. Additionally, the coils don’t produce much noise and won’t be a nuisance when your partner gets in and out of bed.
Given the DreamCloud’s top-tier design, its price-point is very reasonable. The company also provides free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. The mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial, giving you an entire year to test it out before deciding whether to keep or return it, along with a lifetime warranty that protects against defects for as long as you own the bed.
Best for Back Pain
The WinkBed puts a range of materials to use in creating a dynamic mattress with stout edge support and the ability to suit a broad swath of sleepers regardless of their weight or sleeping position.
A coil-on-coil design drives the performance of the WinkBed. Its support core uses individually wrapped coils that are specially arranged to provide a more robust feel near the edges and give extra support to heavier parts of the body. Right above this layer are micro-coils, which are also individually wrapped, letting all of the springs in this mattress cushion the body in a tailored way.
In addition to micro-coils, the WinkBed uses gel-infused polyfoam that is part of the fill material for a stitched pillow top. This lets the mattress provide greater contouring and hug, especially for people who opt for the softer firmness options.
With medium soft, medium firm, and firm options available, the WinkBed can deliver necessary support for back, stomach, and side sleepers. Back and stomach sleepers usually find that the firm option works best for them. A special model, known as the WinkBed Plus, is also available with a design intended specifically for people over 300 pounds.
After delivery, a 120-night return window allows customers to test out the WinkBed and truly get a sense of its performance. Over the long-term, it is backed by the company’s lifetime warranty policy.
Most Comfortable
Use this SleepFoundation.org link for the most current discount on WinkBeds mattresses
The EcoCloud is a new offering from the WinkBeds team that gets the most out of coils, natural latex, and organic textiles like cotton and wool. With a thick latex comfort layer above a robust support core, it offers considerably greater durability than many innerspring models.
A key selling point for the EcoCloud is its natural materials. The cover is fashioned out of a blend of organic cotton and wool. In addition to being environmentally friendly, these materials are soft and breathable.
Beneath the cover is a 4-inch layer of natural latex made using the Talalay process. This material provides a notable softness and contouring without jeopardizing bounce. By opting for a thick comfort layer made with a trustworthy material, WinkBeds has built the EcoCloud to last.
In the support core, the EcoCloud has pocketed coils organized into five zones to allow for even more tailored spinal support. The edges are reinforced to prevent excess compression when sitting or sleeping near the perimeter of the bed.
Available in a medium feel, this mattress tends to be the best fit for side sleepers of any weight as well as back and stomach sleepers under 130 pounds.
The EcoCloud comes with a 120-night sleep trial with free returns, and WinkBeds helps customers sleep easy over the long-term thanks to a lifetime warranty covering mattress defects.
Best Cooling
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora mattress offers one of the best luxury sleeping experiences on the market for an innerspring with a thick, reliable comfort system. With a mix of foams, it relieves pressure without allowing too much hug or sink.
The comfort system of the Aurora involves three different foams. The first is Brooklyn’s proprietary Energex polyfoam, which is a responsive foam infused with copper to prevent heat absorption. Under this is a layer of TitanFlex foam, another responsive proprietary polyfoam. This is followed by a layer of gel memory foam, which conforms closely to the sleeper’s body to relieve pressure. The cover is made with phase change material, which absorbs heat from the sleeper’s body and disperses it away from the bed.
These foam layers allow the Aurora to keep the sleeper’s spine aligned while maintaining an ease of movement on top of the bed. That feel is augmented by the support core, which is made with 8 inches of pocketed coils and a base layer of high-density polyfoam. The zoned coils make the mattress stronger around the edge and beneath your torso and hips, where many people carry a disproportionate amount of weight. The underlying foam softens impact to prevent noise.
Brooklyn Bedding provides customers with 120 nights to test out the Aurora with the option to return it for a full refund. Brooklyn Bedding also backs the Aurora with a 10-year warranty against defects in materials and manufacturing.
Best Pressure Relief
Amerisleep offers an array of mattresses that cater to different sleep preferences and needs. The AS3 Hybrid is one of the brand’s most popular models and comes in an all-foam and a hybrid option. The hybrid model delivers an even balance of contouring and support, making it a good fit for sleepers who seek pressure relief during sleep.
The AS3 Hybrid features a comfort layer made of Amerisleep’s proprietary Bio-Pur memory foam, which conforms with the body but is more responsive than conventional memory foam. Beneath is a pocketed coil system that produces bounce and targeted relief to different parts of the body. The bed’s hybrid design may appeal to sleepers who commonly experience painful pressure points during sleep. Since side sleepers tend to feel pressure build-up in the neck, shoulders, and hips during sleep, they may especially appreciate the bed’s pressure relief features.
The pocketed coils allow air to circulate in the bed, while the Bio-Pur foam has an open-cell design engineered to wick moisture away from the body. These features make the AS3 Hybrid a good option for hot sleepers. The coils also reduce motion transfer across the surface, which may appeal to those who have sleeping partners that shift a lot during sleep.
Amerisleep offers free shipping within the contiguous United States and a 100-night sleep trial. After an initial 30-day period, customers may return the mattress for a full refund. Mattresses are backed by a 20-year warranty.
Best for Stomach Sleepers
Use this SleepFoundation.org link for the most current discount on Joybed mattresses
The Joybed LX is an eco-friendly mattress that combines natural and organic materials with the robust support of strong, individually pocketed coil springs.
As the Joybed LX’s support core is made of pocketed coils, the bed provides a bouncy feel and a stable surface. The springs are able to respond to changes in pressure independently of each other, rather than compressing as a unit.
Rather than using foams, the Joybed LX’s comfort system is made of a combination of layers of both organic cotton and organic wool. The cotton and wool are both highly breathable, moisture-wicking materials that help keep the bed sleeping cool through the night, even for those who sleep hot. The lack of foam comfort layers means the Joybed LX avoids the common pitfalls of retaining heat and off-gassing foam odors.
The mattress’s cotton cover is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic. The natural materials used in the bed, as well as their suppliers, go through multiple testing and certification programs to ensure the animals are raised responsibly and the cotton and wool are free of harmful chemicals and other substances. Lastly, the mattress employs a plant-based fire barrier rather than making use of a chemical flame retardant.
The coil system and natural padding give the Joybed LX a firm (7) feel that suits the needs of sleepers of a wide variety of sizes and sleep positions. Back and stomach sleepers especially should find the blend of strong support and comfort that they need with this mattress.
The Joybed LX ships for free to the contiguous U.S., while paid shipping may be available to Alaska and Hawaii. White Glove delivery along with old mattress removal are available for an additional fee. The mattress is backed by a 120-night sleep trial along with a 10-year warranty.
Best for Back Sleepers
Use this SleepFoundation.org link for the most current discount on Real Bed (by Charles P. Rogers) mattresses
The Real Bed mattress combines a strong base of Powercore pocketed innerspring coils with multiple layers of latex, wool, and other natural and organic materials. The result is a hybrid innerspring model that provides a combination of support and pressure relief suitable for a wide variety of different sleepers.
The mattress is wrapped in a cover made of organic cotton with a breathable, eucalyptus-based rayon lining. Underneath the surface of the mattress is a layer of moisture-wicking wool, followed by 3 inches of bouncy natural latex.
The core of the mattress is the Powercore spring unit, which is made of sturdy, individually pocketed coils. These coils provide a healthy degree of pushback and bounce, while also isolating motion to a greater extent than a traditional coil system. This support core rests on a base of more layers of natural latex, wool, and eucalyptus-based rayon.
The Real Bed’s construction makes it a solid choice for sleepers of all sizes and preferred sleeping positions, especially back and stomach sleepers. The coil core’s strong support and the bed’s medium firm feel have broad appeal and meet the needs of a wide variety of sleepers. The multiple layers of latex and natural materials provide a responsive, moderate amount of contouring. That being said, side sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds will likely find the bed a bit too firm and may want a model with deeper cradling.
The Real Bed ships free to the contiguous U.S., with paid shipping available to Alaska, Hawaii, and some international locales. White Glove delivery is available in many of the contiguous states for an additional fee. The mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial period and a 10-year prorated warranty. The coil core unit is covered under a separate 25-year warranty.
Best for Side Sleepers
The Aviya mattress has made its mark as a coil-based mattress that elevates its performance with a foam-based comfort system. This mattress is a solid pick for people looking for a quality innerspring with a wallet-friendly price.
An 8-inch layer of individually-wrapped, 15-gauge coils form the base of the Aviya mattress. Extra coils are clustered near the center of the bed, stepping up the amount of support for the lumbar spine. This feature can be especially helpful for stomach and back sleepers who are prone to experience back pain in this area.
Above the coils are three layers of polyfoam that bring additional conforming and pressure relief. The topmost layer is quilted into a cotton cover, and two other high-density foam layers both cushion the body and reduce the risk of sagging or putting excess strain on the coils.
Aviya offers three versions of this mattress based on firmness. Customers can choose from Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm options, so almost all sleepers, regardless of body weight or sleeping position, can find an Aviya model that can match their needs.
The Aviya boasts a competitive price-point that makes it more affordable than many other mattresses with similar components. The mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial with no return shipping or restocking fees. The company provides a 10-year non-prorated warranty that covers defects in materials and manufacturing.
For a quality innerspring, the price tends to be similar to or slightly more than all-foam mattresses and less than all-latex mattresses and airbeds. The exact nature of the innerspring design, such as the type, thickness, and quality of its materials, will influence the price and how much any model’s cost compares to other mattress types.
The coils in an innerspring mattress can wear down over time, losing their ability to maintain or spring back to their full, original height. When this happens, the mattress begins to sag and falter in supporting your body.
With traditional innersprings, an average lifespan was around five years, but with most modern innersprings, including our top picks, we expect a lifespan of 6-8 years and perhaps more.
Several factors can influence the longevity of an innerspring:
As these criteria demonstrate, a higher-end innerspring is likely to have a significantly longer lifespan than a cheaper model. Looking closely at the specifications can help you determine how long you can hope to use any given model.
With almost any type of innerspring, you can occasionally rotate the mattress, putting what had been the head of the bed underneath your feet but without flipping the mattress. This can keep any one part of the mattress from wearing out more quickly from excess use.
If you’re diving deep into the available innerspring options, it may be helpful to know about a few other items that are sometimes listed with this type of bed.
Coil gauge is a way of describing how thick the coils are. While it can be confusing to remember, the lower the gauge, the thicker the coils. Coil gauge often ranges from around 13 to 18, and a lower gauge will normally be firmer and more durable.
Some mattresses will use multiple coil gauges in the support core. For example, they may have certain zones with thicker coils, such as around the perimeter or under the shoulders and hips.
The coil count is the total number of coils present in the system. Unfortunately, coil counts can be confusing and even misleading. If the coils are very small or use thin steel, a higher coil count may give a false sense of the durability or quality of the support core.
While you can look at the coil count, remember to consider it within the context of other factors such as the type of coils, their quality, and their gauge.
For most online mattresses, shipping is free and is done by compressing the mattress, sealing it in packaging, and then mailing it in a box. Once you take the box to your bedroom and remove the packaging, the mattress quickly takes its full shape. Some innersprings can be heavy, so this process often requires two people, especially for a larger bed.
With some innerspring options, installation may be included or available with your purchase. This involves a team coming to your home and setting up the mattress in your bedroom. Often they will be able to remove an old mattress at the same time if requested. You can check with the mattress seller or with third-party service providers in your area about setup and haul-away services.
Looking for the best medium firm mattress? We cover our top picks for all sleeping styles and body types.
Looking for an affordable mattress? We’ll highlight some of the best ones on the market under $1,000 and share tips…
We’ll highlight the best mattresses under $2,000 and share tips to help you make the most from your money.
