Best Mattress for Back Pain: Tested and Ranked by Experts

If you carry extra weight around the midsection, a mattress with zoned layers might be a solid investment. The WinkBed is a luxury hybrid available in four firmness options, so most people should find at least one design that feels comfortable and supportive. The company’s generous return policy also allows you to exchange your initial selection if you aren’t satisfied with how soft or firm it feels.

How It Performed

Our team tested each version of the WinkBed. Those weighing less than 130 pounds found the medium soft (4) feel most comfortable, particularly the side sleepers on our team. The medium firm (6) feel received favorable ratings from testers weighing 130 to 230 pounds across all three position groups. Our back and stomach sleepers weighing 130 pounds or more also found the firm (7) design comfortable, and those weighing more than 230 pounds were impressed by the robust support of the WinkBed Plus (8).

Thanks to the zoned coils, the WinkBed performed well during our tests for edge support and ease of movement. Most of our testers were able to move across the surface of the mattress with little resistance, and the perimeter felt stable as we mimicked movements associated with getting in and out of bed, tying our shoes, and changing positions near the edges. Temperature control was another strength of the WinkBed during our tests. This can be attributed to steady airflow throughout the coil system and the breathable, moisture-wicking Tencel cover.

What It’s Made of

The medium soft, medium firm, and firm WinkBed models feature adaptive polyfoam quilted into the surface, followed by a layer of denser foam for added cushioning and reinforcement for your body. WinkBed Plus models swap out the second foam layer for zoned latex, which feels highly responsive and shouldn’t buckle too much beneath your body — even if you weigh more than 230 pounds.

All WinkBeds feature zoned pocketed coils in their support cores. Thicker coils line the perimeter to protect the edges from deep sinkage, and also rest beneath your chest and hips to push back against the extra weight of these areas. A cover made of eucalyptus-derived Tencel fabric encases the entire mattress.

Customers in the contiguous U.S. receive free ground shipping with their WinkBed purchase, and each mattress comes with a 120-night trial period. As part of WinkBeds’ return policy, you may exchange your initial mattress for a softer or firmer model if you aren’t satisfied with how it feels. The replacement mattress comes with its own 60-night trial. All WinkBed mattresses are additionally backed by lifetime warranties.

The DreamCloud Mattress is a hybrid that combines adaptive comfort layers with a strong support system. A medium firm (6) feel ensures cushioning for the shoulders, lower back, and hips, but our testers found the thick pocketed coils maintained an even surface for their bodies and minimized uncomfortable sinkage around the midsection — a common source of aches and pains. Approachable pricing and a generous sleep trial sweeten the deal even further if you’re shopping on a budget.

How It Performed

While the DreamCloud’s strongest ratings came from our side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds, the mattress was well received by testers across a wide range of body types and sleep positions. Ample cushioning prevented our side sleepers from feeling sharp pressure points in their shoulders and hips, which often occur for people who use this position. The back sleepers on our team didn’t sink too much despite the thick, adaptive foam layers.

Temperature control was another performance area where the DreamCloud excelled during our tests. We’ve attributed the mattress’ above-average cooling to a moisture-wicking cashmere-blend cover and steady air circulation through the coil system. Thanks to the thick foam layers, the mattress also performed better than many competing hybrids in categories like motion isolation and pressure relief.

What It’s Made of

The DreamCloud begins with polyfoam quilted into the cover, followed by a soft memory foam layer and additional layer of polyfoam. These materials give the mattress an invitingly plush feel when you get into bed, but each layer is progressively denser and you shouldn’t sink too deeply as your body settles into the surface. The support core contains pocketed coils over a high-density foam base. The cover is composed of a breathable, moisture-wicking cashmere-blend fabric.

Shipping is free for customers within the contiguous U.S. Each order comes with a sleep trial that spans an entire year, giving you plenty of time to test the mattress and decide whether it’s right for you. Should you decide to keep the bed, you’ll also receive a lifetime warranty against structural defects.

Saatva’s mattress line has greatly expanded over the past decade, but the luxurious Saatva Classic is still among the company’s most popular models. One of the first major innersprings to incorporate a coil-on-coil design, the Classic is available in three firmness levels and two profiles to accommodate a wide swath of sleepers.

How It Performed

Our testers found each of the Saatva Classic’s firmness levels distinct from the other two. The soft (3) design provides deep contouring, and was popular among our side sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. Back and stomach sleepers on our team who weigh less than 130 pounds also found this design comfortable. At the other end of the spectrum, the firm (8) feel cushions very little and feels exceptionally supportive. Our back and stomach sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds preferred this model. Those seeking a balance of conforming and stability should consider the medium firm (6), which earned favorable ratings from our testers across different weight and position groups.

All three Saatva Classic models performed well during our edge support and ease of movement tests. The dual-coil construction ensures a responsive surface that shouldn’t sink or make you feel stuck when getting in and out of bed, and perimeter reinforcement pushes back against your weight when sitting or sleeping along the edges. Both coil layers promote steady air circulation, so the mattress also scored well when we tested it for temperature control.

What It’s Made of

The Saatva Classic features a Euro-top cover cushioned with foam and plush fibers. A memory foam pad located beneath the lower back is intended to support the lumbar region and minimize pain in this area of the body, while transitional minicoils offer extra reinforcement without generating too much motion transfer.

The support core contains sturdy, low-gauge hourglass coils made of recycled steel. You can opt for an 11.5-inch mattress with 4-inch support coils, or a 14.5-inch model with 7-inch coils. We recommend the latter if you need exceptional support to sleep comfortably. A cover made of breathable, GOTS-certified organic cotton encases the entire mattress.

The Classic’s sticker price is reasonable compared to other high-end innersprings and hybrids. Saatva is one of the only online mattress brands to offer free White Glove delivery to all customers in the contiguous U.S. This service includes full setup in a room of your choice, and removal of your old mattress and box spring upon request. All purchases are backed by year-long sleep trials and lifetime warranties.

A mattress that promotes spinal alignment can be helpful for anyone who wakes up with pains or sore spots in their shoulders, back, and hips. The Nolah Evolution 15 contains four foam layers to cushion and contour to the body, evenly distributing your weight to improve your alignment, while a zoned coil system pushes back against extra weight from your midsection and significantly reduces sinkage.

How It Performed

We tested all three of the Evolution 15’s firmness levels. The medium (5) design conforms closely, and we found it best suited to side sleepers — especially those weighing up to 230 pounds. Our back and stomach sleepers under 130 pounds felt comfortable on this design, but also gave favorable ratings to the medium firm (6) feel. For the firm (8) model, our testers weighing more than 230 pounds received adequate support and didn’t sink too much.

The Evolution 15 utilizes open-cell foam layers engineered to promote circulation and breathability. As a result, our temperature control tests showed very little heat buildup. The zoned coils also allowed the mattress to perform well during our tests for edge support and ease of movement. The two firmest models were particularly strong in these categories.

What It’s Made of

Four foam layers make up the Evolution 15’s comfort system, the topmost of which is encased in a Euro-top cover. These layers are progressively denser from top to bottom, so you’ll feel plush cushioning when you get into bed while the underlying foams keep your body on an even plane.

The zoned support core features thicker coils along the perimeter and beneath your chest and hips. This facilitates movement across the surface, and also helps ensure you’ll feel extra pushback around heavier areas of the body. The entire mattress is encased in a cover made of proprietary ArcticTex fabric that feels cool to the touch.

The mattress comes in seven sizes, including a split king. Nolah offers free ground shipping within the contiguous U.S. Each Evolution 15 purchase includes a 120-night sleep trial, but you can opt out of the trial period and reduce your up-front costs by as much as $150. A lifetime warranty against structural defects backs each mattress. For additional coverage, you can purchase an accident protection plan that covers stains and other types of physical damage not included in the standard warranty.

The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid combines adaptive foam and supportive coils for an overall balanced feel. With three firmness options to choose from, you can pick the model that best suits your sleep position and personal sleep preferences.

How It Performed

The mattress is available in medium soft (4), medium firm (6), and firm (8) options. Our testers found the foam comfort layers offered very good pressure relief, regardless of the firmness level. The medium soft option was an excellent fit for side sleepers up to 230 pounds and back sleepers up to 130 pounds, since these individuals need deep cushioning for the shoulders, hips, and spine. Back and side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds gave favorable ratings to the medium firm option, while the firm model felt most comfortable to stomach sleepers weighing at least 130 pounds and back sleepers over 230 pounds.

The coils give the Signature Hybrid a responsive feel, especially in the firmer models. This is ideal for sleepers who prefer beds that are easy to move around on. Meanwhile the softer models outperformed the firm model in our motion isolation tests, which may benefit anyone who shares the bed with a restless sleeper.

What It’s Made of

All three firmness options begin with a quilted surface for a plush feel, followed by two polyfoam layers to enhance cushioning. Layers vary in thickness and firmness depending on the model you choose. The support core is composed of pocketed coils that generate sturdy support, with strong coils around the perimeter to boost edge support. Airflow through the coils helps keep the bed cool, but for an additional fee you can also add a pillow-top made with a specialized GlacioTex cooling fiber.

Brooklyn Bedding offers a 120-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty. Shipping is free to addresses in the contiguous U.S.

The Layla Hybrid pairs copper-infused memory foam and high-density polyfoam with a support core of pocketed coils. The mattress is flippable, with different firmness levels on each side. We found this design excelled at pressure relief and motion isolation, while also sleeping cool and providing adequate support for a wide variety of sleepers.

How It Performed

The dual-sided construction offers two different mattress firmnesses, so the Layla Hybrid was a great option for most of the testers on our team. We noticed the medium soft (4) side was best suited to sleepers who weigh less than 130 pounds while the firm (7) side was a better option for sleepers who weigh at least 130 pounds. The coil springs reinforced the edges and made it relatively easy for our testers to move around on the firm side of the mattress. Although memory foam tends to trap heat, air flows through the coils to help the mattress sleep cool.

What It’s Made of

The medium soft side has a 2.5-inch comfort layer of copper-infused memory foam. The memory foam contours to the body to a moderate extent to provide strong pressure relief, while the copper infusion is meant to combat heat retention. This layer rests on 2 inches of zoned transitional polyfoam that provides varying amounts of support to different areas of the body. In contrast, the firm side has a thinner layer of memory foam over 1.5 inches of zoned polyfoam. The mattress is encased in a breathable cover made of polyester, viscose, and spandex with vinyl handles on the sides for easier flippability. The support core consists of 6-inch pocketed coils between the foam layers. A cover made from a stretchy polyester, rayon, viscose, and poly-lycra blend encases the mattress.

The Layla Hybrid comes with a 120-night sleep trial and is backed by a 10-year warranty. Shipping is free to the contiguous U.S.

Most of our testers found the Bear Elite Hybrid comfortable thanks to adaptive foam layers that reduce pressure, a supportive coil system, and cooling components that minimize heat buildup. The mattress is also available in three firmness options — and if you choose a split king size, Bear allows you to choose a different firmness for each side of the bed.

How It Performed

The medium (5) Elite Hybrid design was most popular among our side and back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. This model features foam layers that contour closely to the body for optimal weight distribution, even alignment, and fewer pressure points along the spine. Those seeking a slightly more supportive build should consider the medium firm (6), which earned rave reviews from our side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds, and our back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. The firm (8) feel provides light cushioning and robust support, making it most comfortable for our side sleepers over 230 pounds, back sleepers of at least 130 pounds, and stomach sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds.

The Elite Hybrid’s zoned transitional layer proved effective at maintaining an even surface for our bodies, especially around the chest, stomach, and hips. This was particularly true for the medium firm and firm designs. Our thermal sensors also detected minimal heat buildup during temperature control tests, and we noticed a good deal of pushback along the perimeter when testing the mattress for edge support. Another strength of the Elite Hybrid was motion isolation. The medium model performed especially well for us in this category.

What It’s Made of

All versions of the Elite Hybrid begin with a memory foam comfort layer, followed by a transitional layer of polyfoam. The memory foam is infused with copper, which is meant to help with temperature control. The coils also generate steady circulation throughout the interior, and a cover made of Celliant-blend fabric is intended to keep the surface cool.

The coils are zoned to be thicker and sturdier along the edges, allowing you to sleep along the perimeter and get in and out of bed without sinking too much. A high-density foam base layer rounds out the hybrid design.

All customers in the contiguous U.S. receive free ground shipping with their Elite Hybrid purchase. The mattress is backed by a 120-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty against structural defects. You may purchase additional protection that covers stains and other types of physical damage for up to 10 years.

Many people prone to back pain and pressure buildup get the relief they need from mattresses with soft, adaptive comfort layers — but this hugging effect can also lead to uncomfortable heat retention. With the Casper Snow, you get the best of both worlds. The comfort layers contour deeply to distribute your weight and properly align your spine, while gel-infused foam, phase change material, and proprietary “HeatBand” technology work together to keep you cool throughout the night.

How It Performed

As a medium (5) mattress, the Casper Snow is noticeably softer than many of the other hybrids we’ve tested. The most favorable ratings came from our side and back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds, who appreciated the Snow’s close conforming and cradling. Some of the stomach sleepers on our team weighing under 130 pounds felt adequately supported, but most testers who use this position found the mattress too soft.

Many of the softer foam hybrids we’ve evaluated underperform in the temperature control category, but the Snow lived up to its name during this stage of our tests. Thermal mapping detected very little heat buildup, and most of our testers felt reasonably cool while lying on the mattress. Other strong performance areas included motion isolation and pressure relief.

What It’s Made of

The Snow begins with a top layer of AirScape polyfoam, an open-cell material engineered to resist body heat buildup and promote airflow. HeatDelete bands embedded beneath the polyfoam dissipate heat for additional cooling. The memory foam transitional layer is zoned to push back against extra weight in your midsection while cradling lighter areas of your body.

The support core contains pocketed coils encased in high-density foam. These coils stabilize the mattress and the foam border provides some perimeter support, but you may still notice some sinkage when lying close to the edges of the mattress or getting in and out of bed. The cover is composed of CoolTouch phase change material.

The Snow is on par with the average hybrid model in terms of cost, and Casper offers free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. and provincial Canada. Your order includes a 100-night sleep trial. Should you decide to keep the mattress, it’s further covered under a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Many mattress brands advertise their beds as “soft” or “plush,” but the fact is some people benefit from less cushioning and a firmer feel from their sleep surface. These individuals are great candidates for the reversible Plank Firm Luxe, which features a firm (7) feel on one side and an extra firm (9) feel on the other. The latter is one of the firmest surfaces we’ve tested in our lab, and should be suitable for anyone who has found other foam hybrids too soft.

How It Performed

Due to the Plank Firm Luxe’s exceptionally firm design, the mattress earned its most favorable ratings from back and stomach sleepers weighing 130 to 230 pounds. The majority of our testers preferred the firm side, but some of our back and stomach sleepers found the extra firm surface provided better overall support.

As is often the case with firmer mattresses, the Plank Firm Luxe performed exceptionally well during our edge support and ease of movement tests. The mattress also sleeps quite cool thanks to consistent airflow through the coil layer. You can opt for a phase change panel on each side if you tend to overheat in bed or sweat in your sleep.

What It’s Made of

The Plank Firm Luxe’s firm side features a layer of quilting material, followed by latex-like TitanFlex foam and high-density polyfoam. These materials provide a small measure of cushioning without sacrificing firmness or support. The extra firm side does not contain any TitanFlex and the polyfoam layer is thinner, creating a surface that cushions very little. A shared support core of pocketed coils rests between the comfort systems.

In addition to the standard model, you can order phase change panels to be sewn into both sleep surfaces of the mattress. Phase change material is engineered to dissipate body heat on contact and maintain a cool, comfortable surface at all times. Note that adding these panels will increase the sticker price by up to $200.

The Plank Firm Luxe is reasonably priced compared to other hybrid models and ground shipping is free within the contiguous U.S. The mattress is available in 12 different sizes. These include standard mattress dimensions, as well as a split California king for couples with adjustable beds and several RV-friendly options. You’ll receive a 120-night sleep trial with your purchase, and a 10-year warranty against structural defects should you decide to keep the mattress.

Many mattresses provide back pain relief, but the Level Sleep Mattress is one of the only available models that is specifically created with this purpose in mind. A three-zone design provides enhanced support for the torso and lumbar region while gently cradling the head and reinforcing the hips. The result is a mattress that maintains an even sleep surface from head to toe, reducing aches and pains in the process.

How It Performed

The mattress’ “Tri-Support” construction features a soft (3) feel for the head and shoulders, a firm (7) feel for the midsection, and a medium (5) feel for the hips and legs. As such, Level Sleep earned favorable ratings from our side and back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds. Stomach sleepers under 130 pounds also felt comfortable during our tests. We detected very little buildup when testing the mattress for pressure relief, as well.

Other strong performance areas for Level Sleep include motion isolation for couples, consistent cooling, and above-average edge support. The all-polyfoam design creates more responsiveness compared to beds with memory foam layers, so our testers encountered minimal resistance when moving across the surface.

What It’s Made of

The Level Sleep Mattress consists of three polyfoam layers. The topmost layer is fairly adaptive, while the underlying layers are denser and more supportive. Since the transitional layer is divided into three firmness zones, your upper and lower back shouldn’t sink too deeply into the mattress. A breathable poly-rayon cover encases the foam layers.

The Level Sleep Mattress is competitively priced and customers in the contiguous U.S. enjoy complimentary ground shipping. Your order includes a generous sleep trial that runs for an entire year, and the mattress is backed by a lifetime warranty for added peace of mind.