Best Innerspring Mattress

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:

• It’s important for you to be able to move easily on top of the mattress
• You tend to sleep hot
• You want to select from a range of firmness levels
• You like being able to analyze and evaluate options for the mattress comfort system

Skip an innerspring if:

• You want deep contouring so that it feels like you are sleeping “in” a mattress
• You are worried about motion transfer across the surface of the mattress
• Long-term durability is among your highest priorities
• You want to try a style of mattress that is newer and distinct from the norm

 

 

Saatva
Who it's best for: Customers who want options for the firmness and height of their mattress Back and stomach sleepers who want a firmer bed with extra lumbar support Shoppers who want free and easy installation including old mattress removal
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 four or seven 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 four-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 120-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.

 

Aviya
Who it's best for: People who want multiple options for firmness Value-seekers who don’t want to sacrifice quality Sleepers who need extra lumbar support
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.

 

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The WinkBed
Who it's best for: People who need serious edge support Side, back, and stomach sleepers who can choose from multiple firmness levels Durability-focused customers who want a mattress with a lifetime warranty
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.

 

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Brooklyn Bedding Signature
Who it's best for: Sleepers who like a bouncy mattress but need some extra pressure relief Value-shoppers who want a great deal from a proven company Customers looking for a choice of firmness options
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature mattress offers one of the best values 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 Signature involves two separate foams, each of which is two inches thick. The topmost layer is made with the company’s specialty gel-infused TitanFlex polyfoam. This material is formulated to have a latex-like feel with a medium amount of conforming, motion isolation, and bounce. The second layer is Energex polyfoam, which provides further cushioning and stability. These foam layers allow the Signature to keep the body aligned while maintaining an ease of movement on top of the bed. That feel is augmented by the support core, which is made with six inches of pocketed coils and a base layer of high-density polyfoam. The coils make the mattress stronger around the edge, and the underlying foam softens impact to prevent noise. Brooklyn Bedding is a mattress manufacturer with decades of experience, and their goal is to make the Signature a high-performance product that remains accessible even to shoppers without a huge budget. The company provides customers with 120 nights to test out the Signature with the option to return it for a full refund. Brooklyn Bedding also backs the Signature with a 10-year warranty against defects in materials and manufacturing.

 

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Big Fig
Who it's best for: People over 230 pounds, especially back and side sleepers Customers looking for contouring without heavy sink Those who tend to sleep hot
People who have a higher body weight can face significant challenges when selecting a mattress. Firmness levels may not account for them, edge support can be insufficient, and long-term durability can be a serious concern. Big Fig has taken on those challenges by designing and manufacturing a mattress just for people with a bigger figure. The Big Fig mattress has a support core of 15-gauge pocketed coils that are strong enough to prevent sagging and flexible enough to respond to the distribution of weight across the bed. A dense polyfoam is used to encase the coils around the perimeter of the mattress in order to bolster edge support. Four separate layers form the comfort system. The top layer is a gel-infused latex. Latex is durable and conforming enough to cushion pressure points but bouncy and stable enough to hedge against deep hug. The next three layers are all polyfoam with densities ranging from 1.8 to 2.5 pounds per cubic foot (PCF). These combine with the latex to offer a responsive yet comfortable sleeping surface. A ThermoGel technology in the cover resists heat buildup, and both latex and the coil system score well with customers when it comes to temperature regulation. The Big Fig has a Medium Firm feel for heavier-weight sleepers, which makes it especially suitable for those who sleep on their side or back. Big Fig customers have 120 nights to use the mattress in their own bedroom and decide if it’s the right fit for them. If they choose to keep the mattress, a 20-year warranty provides product protection over the longer-term.

 

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EcoCloud
Who it's best for: Shoppers who value natural and organic materials People who want an innerspring with enhanced durability Side sleepers and people under 130 pounds
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 four-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.

 

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Who Should Buy an Innerspring Mattress?

Innerspring mattresses can offer top-notch performance and value, but they aren’t for everyone. You’re most likely to be satisfied with an innerspring if you like a bouncy feel and put emphasis on being able to move with ease while in bed. This may be for sexual activity or simply while changing sleeping positions.

People who sleep hot or experience night sweats often appreciate the temperature regulation of innersprings, and customers who want buying options like the fact that these mattresses come with diverse choices for comfort layers and firmness levels.

 

What to Look For in an Innerspring Mattress

Mattress performance can be broken down into a handful of specific elements. Compared to other mattress types, innersprings tend to excel in some areas -- such as bounce and heat retention -- but fall short in others, including durability and motion isolation.

Mattress makers often add features to reduce possible drawbacks, but these attempts don’t always pan out. As you’re shopping, think about which of the following aspects of performance are most important to you.

• Price: your budget is a critical consideration, and thankfully, as a category, innersprings tend to be available at a wide range of price points, including wallet-friendly choices. Coupons and promotions may be available even for higher-end models.
• Sleeping Position: sleeping position influences how effectively a mattress will support the spine. Back and stomach sleepers usually needed a firmer bed than side sleepers who have sharper pressure points. Traditional innersprings tend to be firm, but always look at the comfort system to determine if it will match with the needs of your primary sleeping posture.
• Contouring: contouring, also described as hug, refers to the way a mattress fits to your body and its weight and shape. People with pronounced pressure points, like side sleepers, tend to prefer more contouring and should pay close attention to the materials and thickness of layers in the comfort system because coils themselves generally provide only modest conforming at best.
• Quality Materials: there’s no doubt that a well-built mattress is more likely to deliver great sleep and to keep doing so for many years. Lower-quality components don’t always falter, but they’re less likely to stand the test of time.
• Firmness Level: getting good sleep on a mattress demands that you feel comfortable on it, and that’s largely dictated by firmness. What feels most comfortable is subjective but tends to be affected by sleeping position and weight. Mattresses offered in multiple firmness options give customers greater control in picking the model that best matches their preferences.
• Motion Isolation: if you share a mattress with someone else, motion isolation can be a huge plus as it means you’re less likely to notice when that person moves in bed. Because of their bounce, innersprings often transfer motion, but certain comfort layers (such as memory foam) can cut down on this issue.
• Pressure Relief: individual parts of the body need more cushioning than others so that the body, specifically the spine, stays correctly aligned. Zoned and pocketed coils are often used to enhance pressure relief, but many sleepers will find that an innerspring needs well-designed layers above the coils to support their body.
• Ease of Movement / Sex: a mattress with more responsiveness tends to rebound quickly as you move on it, making it simple to change your sleeping position or engage in sexual activities. Because of their springiness, coils tend to facilitate movement and keep you from feeling stuck in the bed.
• Edge Support: some mattresses struggle to hold up the body when it’s near the edge, creating a sensation that the bed is collapsing or might eject you altogether. Innersprings tend to have at least average edge support, and some have a reinforced perimeter to boost it even further.
• Temperature Regulation: keeping a steady, comfortable temperature can play a big part in promoting quality sleep. Air flows easily through coils, resisting heat buildup in innersprings, although some comfort layers in these mattresses can retain heat.
• Noise: creaking or squeaking can interrupt sleep, and this can be a weak point for innerspring mattresses because metal coils may be noisier. Newer designs tend to reduce this effect, and cushioning layers around coils may help cut down on noise.

 

How Does it Feel to Sleep on an Innerspring Mattress?

It’s not always easy to encapsulate what it’s like to sleep on any type of mattress, but the following highlights cover the most relatable aspects of how an innerspring feels.

• Just a Little Hug: innersprings frequently have a bit of give as the springs compress in response to your body weight. This creates moderate contouring, but it’s light enough that you won’t feel like you’re sleeping “in” the mattress.
• Bouncing Back: when you adjust your position on an innerspring, the coils quickly pop back to their full shape, generating a bouncy feel that prevents feeling stuck in one place.
• Keeping Your Cool: with the limited heat retention in most innersprings, you can sleep through the night without waking up in a sweat or having to toss away blankets.
• Living on the Edge: a well-designed innerspring lets you utilize the full surface of your bed without any instability, letting you stretch out fully or even sit on the edge to tie your shoes.

 

What are the Different Types of Innersprings?

Coils used in an innerspring mattress can be constructed in a number of ways, and the coil style will be reflected in the price and feel of the mattress. Almost all coils will be made of tempered steel. The most common designs of coil systems are described in the following sections.

 

Bonnell Coils

Bonnell coils have an hourglass shape. In these systems, each individual coil is connected to a larger lattice structure of wires that run through the interior of the coils and along its border.

As a consequence of this design, the movement of any one coil can have an impact on coils around it. This means that the compression is less tailored to how weight is applied to the mattress. Bonnell coils usually provide lots of bounce and transfer considerable motion. They are found in many less-expensive models.

 

Offset Coils

At first glance, offset coils have a similar appearance as Bonnell coils. They are also hourglass-shaped, but the individual coils are not directly attached to the border or interior lattice wires. Instead, they are slightly set apart from those wires, giving the coils some extra range of motion.

Offset coils still have bounce but transfer less motion and have more tailored compression compared to Bonnell coils. They are less common and often more expensive than Bonnell coils.

 

Continuous Wire Coils

In this type of coil system, all of the coils are actually shaped out of one very long piece of wire. In terms of performance, continuous wire coils tend to be similar to offset coils. They also frequently have a higher price point and are less commonly used than Bonnell coils.

 

Pocket Coils

Pocket coils, also known as Marshall coils, fabric-encased coils, or individually-wrapped coils, look like cloth silos arranged in a grid. Each spring is placed inside a cloth wrapper, and then the cloth pieces are stitched together.

Because it is only the cloth that is attached, the compression of any given spring is more independent of those around it. This permits pocketed coils to better adapt to the body, relieve pressure, and reduce motion transfer.

These coils are the most popular in contemporary innersprings, especially among companies that sell mattresses online. While they provide better performance, they do carry a higher price tag than many other types of coils.

 

Innerspring vs. Hybrid Mattresses

Both innerspring and hybrid mattresses are built around a support core of coils, but their feel, characteristics, and price can vary in meaningful ways. In general, hybrids have a wider range of performance because the comfort system can be crafted in more diverse ways.

The following table provides a general overview of the key differences between innersprings and hybrids.

 

	Innersprings	Hybrids
Coil system	Varies: Bonnel, offset, continuous wire, or pocket	Usually pocket
Comfort system	Minimal or none; usually only a thin fabric layer	Thicker, often made with foam, latex, fabric, micro-coils, or a combination
Height / Profile	Normally 6-10 inches	Normally 10-15 inches
Contouring	Low	Medium to High
Bounce	High	Medium to High
Motion Isolation	Low	Low to High
Temperature Regulation	High	Low to High
Feel individual coils through mattress	Occasional	Very rarely
Typical firmness range	Medium Firm to Extra Firm	Soft to Extra Firm
Expected useful life	5-7 years	6-8 years
Pricing	$300-1000	$1,400-2,500

 

How Much Does an Innerspring Mattress Cost?

Innerspring mattresses can be found at a huge range of prices. The most bare-bones models with thin, low-quality coils and no comfort layer can be found for only a few hundred dollars for a Queen. Luxury innersprings with thick coils, double-tempered steel, reinforced edges, advanced comfort systems, quality materials, and added features can cost up to and even above $2,500.

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.

 

How Long Will an Innerspring Mattress Last?

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:

• Amount of stress placed on the bed: When there is more body weight applied or more force (such as from sex or kids jumping on the bed), it can wear out springs more quickly.
• Thickness of the coils: lower gauge coils are thicker and tend to last longer. Quality of steel: tempered steel is stronger than non-tempered steel. Some innersprings use steel that is tempered twice to further reinforce the coils.
• Style of coils: when coils can’t move as independently, such as in Bonnell coil systems, the impact of weakened coils can be felt across a larger section of the mattress.
• Design of the comfort layer: the number, thickness, type, and durability of the layers placed above the coils can influence how much stress is placed upon the support core. In addition, if the comfort layer is made with low-quality materials, it may start to wear out even before the springs.

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.

 

Last Things to Consider With an Innerspring

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

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.

 

Coil Count

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.

 

Shipping Costs, Delivery, and Set Up

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.