The best firm mattresses have more push-back, strong support for a variety of sleeper profiles, and firmness level of 8-9 out of 10.
Our guide will walk you through how to pick the best firm mattress as well as our top recommendations (a list compiled by testing and comparing 163+ different mattresses).
In This Guide
Saatva Classic | Winkbed | Nolah Evolution 15 | Nest Bedding Sparrow | EcoSleep Luxe | Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid | Plank Firm | Mattresses We Considered | How We Choose
The 9 Best Firm Mattresses
#1 Best Overall
Saatva Classic
9.95
Price: $1,695
Firmness: Firm (8)
Gel Foam Hybrid
Winkbed
9.95
Price: $1,499
Firmness: Slightly Firm (7)
Poly Foam Hybrid
Nolah Evolution 15
9.77
Price: $1,749
Firmness: Firm (8)
Poly Foam Hybrid
Nest Bedding Sparrow
9.76
Price: $1,812
Firmness: Firm (8)
Latex Hybrid
EcoSleep Luxe
9.67
Price: $1,405
Firmness: Flippable – Medium (5.5) or Firm (8)
Poly foam Hybrid
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid
9.63
Price: $999
Firmness: Firm (8)
Poly Foam Hybrid
Plank Firm
9.61
Price: $999
Firmness: Flippable – Firm (8) or Extra Firm (9)
Saatva Classic
Best For
- Plush euro-top cover, but still good cooling performance
- Moderate bounce with fast response time
- Ships uncompressed, includes in-home delivery and setup
Quick Specs
- 2 height options—11.5″ or 13.5″ with Euro top
- 365-night trial period
- Lifetime limited warranty
Why It’s Best
The Saatva Classic is a coil-on-coil mattress meaning that it uses two layers of coils, topped with a small amount of comfort foam within a euro-top.
The Firm Saatva Classic is a great example of a firm mattress that still retains a plush feel with the Euro-top cover.
This mattress has a fantastic performance score of 9.95 overall, which ranks it in the top 1% among all coil mattresses as well as the top 1% among all mattress types we’ve tested.
Type: Coil
Firmness: Soft (3.5), Medium (5.5), Firm (8)
Saatva Performance
Note: We tested the Luxury Firm version. Performance on the recommended Firm Saatva may vary slightly from the data shown.
The performance of the Saatva Classic is on-par with the highest-performing mattresses we’ve tested to date.
The mattress features a coil-on-coil design as well as a plush Euro cover. The sinkage is comparable to the Winkbed Original, while maintaining a cool and responsive sleeping surface.
Edge support is also exceptional, with only 3.0″ of sinkage when sitting right at the edge of the mattress. Because of the coil design, the Saatva Classic has higher levels of bounce—14.67″, which is over 50% more than the average level of bounce across all mattress types (9.67″).
Also note, this bounce data reflects the Luxury Firm and not the Firm Saatva. Opting for the Firm will likely yield even more bounce since it will have a bit more pushback in the materials.
| Factor | Saatva Classic |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.95 |
| Max Temp. | 94.0° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.40″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.86 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.4 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 14.67″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.00″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Exceptional |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 4.50″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | None |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 365 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Winkbed Original
Best For
- Excellent cooling with a fast response time
- Excellent pressure relief
- Great for sleepers of all body types
Quick Specs
- 13.5″ thick with Euro-top
- 120-night trial
- Lifetime limited warranty
Why It’s Best
The WinkBed mattress is a hybrid mattress that utilizes pocketed coils and a layer of gel-infused foam to provide comfort and support. It features a Euro top cover and is available in three different firmness options, the firmest being a slightly firm feel (7 out of 10 on the firmness scale).
With an overall performance score of 9.95, the WinkBed mattress ranks in the top 1% among all hybrid mattresses as well as all mattress types tested. It is priced 15% above the average price for a hybrid mattress.
Despite the higher cost, the WinkBed mattress maintains its value due to its superior performance. Its score of 9.95 is significantly higher than the average score of all hybrids (9.48).
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), Slightly Firm (7)
Winkbed Performance
Note: We tested the Luxury Firm version. Performance on the recommended Firmer Winkbed may vary slightly from the data shown.
During our performance tests, the Winkbed hybrid delivered exceptional performance in all areas. It scored perfect 10s for exceptional cooling, fast response, fantastic edge support, excellent pressure relief, and fast off-gassing.
Although it does have a moderate to deeper level of sinkage at 2.38″, this depth is only slightly beyond the average level of sinkage we have measured across all mattresses tested to date (2.22″). I would expect the Firmer Winkbed to have sinkage closer to the average level.
Despite the fast response and moderate level of bounce, motion transfer was still very low. The combination of 5″ foam layers and a pocketed coil base allows motion to be absorbed into the layers while also providing exceptional support.
All things considered, the Winkbed is undoubtedly a top contender in terms of both quality and performance.
| Factor | Winkbed |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.95 |
| Max Temp. | 90.3° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.38″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.85 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.2 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 9.91″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 2.25″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Exceptional |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 5.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | None |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 120 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Nolah Evolution 15
Best For
- 6″ of comfort material creates exceptional pressure relief for side sleepers
- Excellent cooling performance
- Deep sinkage and hug (2.48″)
Quick Specs
- 15″ thickness + Euro-top
- 120-night trial
- Lifetime limited warranty
Why It’s Best
The Nolah Evolution 15″ is a high-quality hybrid mattress that uses a combination of poly foam and pocketed coils to provide comfort and support.
It offers three firmness options—plush, luxury firm, and firm. For this particular “Best of” list, we will focus on the firm version (an 8 out of 10 on the NapLab firmness scale).
With an overall performance score of 9.77, the Nolah mattress ranks among the top 5% of all mattresses currently tested.
It has exceptional pressure relief, thanks in large part to the 6.0″ comfort layer. This provides comfort as well as a firm and supportive sleeping surface for a range of sleeper profiles.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium (5.5), or Firm (8)
Nolah Evolution 15 Performance
Note: We tested the Luxury Firm version. Performance on the recommended Firm Nolah Evolution may vary slightly from the data shown.
Performance on the Nolah Evolution 15 is well-suited for a range of sleepers looking for a firm mattress. Cooling is exceptional and with a fast material response time and moderate levels of bounce.
The 6″ of comfort material really helps to take the Nolah Evolution to the next level in terms of comfort and pressure relief. Heavier sleepers, in particular, would really benefit from this mattress, where thinner mattresses may fall short.
One note, in our tests we measured 38% higher levels of motion transfer than average. While this may not be a big issue for everyone, sensitive sleepers or couples might want to keep that point in mind.
| Factor | Nolah Evolution 15 |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.77 |
| Max Temp. | 88.6° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.48″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 11.10 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.2 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 8.72″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.25″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Exceptional |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 6.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 120 days |
Nest Bedding Sparrow
Best For
- Lifetime Exchange Renewal program provides good value for long-term use
- Great pressure relief and comfort for sleepers of all sizes
- Excellent cooling, despite having a pretty significant level of hug and sinkage
Quick Specs
- 12″ thick with a quilted cover
- 365-night trial period
- Lifetime limited warranty
Why It’s Best
The Nest Bedding Sparrow is a 12″ hybrid mattress with a quilted cover. There are three firmness options—extra soft (3.5), medium (5), and firm (8). This makes it a great option for many different kinds of sleepers.
This mattress has a performance score of 9.76 (out of 10), which puts it within the top 7% of all mattresses tested to date.
While it costs a bit more than your average firm hybrid mattress, it comes with some advantages. One of the biggest perks is that the King size option has an internal firmness split.
This allows for a different firmness on each side while still enjoying the unified look and feel of a single mattress (King size only). This feature is fantastic for couples with different body weights or sleep preferences because everyone can get exactly what they need for a great night’s sleep.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Extra Soft (3.5), Medium (5), Firm (8)
Nest Bedding Sparrow Performance
Note: We tested the Medium version. Performance on the recommended Firm Sparrow may vary slightly from the data shown.
Performance on the Nest Bedding Sparrow mattress is impressive in all categories we test for. It scored a perfect 10 for fast material response time, exceptional pressure relief, and fantastic company score (thanks in part to the long 365-night trial).
Even though it’s only 12″ thick, the pressure relief is just as good as many other mattresses that have a thicker profile.
Cooling, motion transfer, and edge support all had high scores of 9.5, giving the mattress green scores across the board.
| Factor | Nest Bedding Sparrow |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.76 |
| Max Temp. | 90.6° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.70″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 7.12 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.3 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.64″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.00″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Very Good |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 6.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Moderate |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 2 days |
| Trial | 365 days |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
EcoSleep Luxe Firm
Best For
- 2-in-1 firmness with flippable top latex foam
- Budget-conscious sleepers
- Fast response, low motion transfer, and good edge support
Quick Specs
- 12″ thick with quilted cover
- 3.0″ flippable latex layer
- 120 night trial period
- 10 year warranty
Our Verdict
The EcoSleep Luxe mattress, created by Brooklyn Bedding, is a flippable latex hybrid with a medium or firm feel. During our tests, this mattress had high bounce, moderate motion transfer, excellent edge support, and excellent cooling.
It also provides good pressure relief, responds quickly to movement, and has moderate sinkage. It combines pocketed coils and a latex top layer to create a distinct feel.
The EcoSleep Luxe is reasonably priced (for latex), while also bringing above-average performance, making it a good option if you want a firm latex hybrid.
Type: Latex Hybrid
Firmness: Flippable – Medium (5.5) or Firm (8)
EcoSleep Luxe Performance
Performance of the EcosSleep Luxe mattress is impressive across the board. It scored a perfect 10 for fast material response time and fast off-gassing.
Levels of motion transfer are low, 27% less than the average level of motion transfer we have seen among over 163+ mattresses tested to date.
Considering preferential factors, the EcoSleep Luxe has moderate sinkage and high levels of bounce (27% more bounce than average).
As a reminder, these numbers are based on the medium-firm side. In our experience, the firm side had less sinkage and more bounce than the medium-firm side.
This mattress is a good option for sleepers who prefer firm, but also want the option of something softer, either for themselves or for the needs of their partner.
| Factor | EcoSleep Hybrid Luxe |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.67 |
| Price | $1,406 |
| Cooling | 9.5 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.30″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.96 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.2 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 12.31″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.00″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 12.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 4.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 120 nights |
| Warranty | 10 years |
Brooklyn Bedding Signature
Best For
- Sleepers on a budget, queen mattress under $1000
- Excellent edge support
- Moderate levels of bounce
Quick Specs
- 11″ thick + tufted, plush cover
- 120-night trial
- 10-year warranty
Why It’s Best
The Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is a budget-friendly hybrid mattress that is available in three different firmness levels (soft, medium-firm, and firm).
This mattress has an overall performance score of 9.63. This above-average performance falls within the top 30% of all mattresses tested to date.
Outside of performance, the value of this mattress is the real stand-out feature. The Brooklyn Bedding Signature is priced below $1000 for a queen size. That is 30% less than the average hybrid mattress.
Considering performance and price, the Signature is a great value mattress overall.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), Firm (8)
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Performance
In terms of performance, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature hybrid is an excellent value and achieves an impressive overall score of 9.63. This mattress excels in most categories, but most notably for extremely fast response time, exceptional edge support, and its 10 out of 10 sex performance.
The Signature Hybrid has a moderate level of bounce (9.99″), just slightly bouncier than the average bounce level tested to date (9.67″).
The only real downside to the Signature Hybrid is motion transfer levels, where we measured a total of 10.23 m/s².
Comparing this to the average among all hybrids we’ve tested to date (8.08 m/s²), the Signature Hybrid has 26% more motion transfer.
| Factor | Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.63 |
| Max Temp. | 90.7° F |
| Max Sinkage | 2.27″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 10.23 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.3 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 9.99″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 2.75″ |
| Edge Support – Lying Support | Excellent |
| Sex Overall | 10 |
| Comfort Material | 3.00″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 120 days |
| Warranty | 10 years |
Plank Firm
Best For
- One of the firmest mattresses we’ve ever tested (8-9 out of 10)
- Response time is extremely quick, 0.2 seconds
- Solid edge support while sitting and lying
Quick Specs
- 10.5″ thick + quilted cover
- 120-night trial
- 10-year warranty
Why It’s Best
The Plank Firm, also by Brooklyn Bedding, is the firmest mattress we’ve tested to date. It has a flippable design, but there’s not much variety between the sides because the two options are firm and extra firm.
However, if you’re a heavier person and want a mattress that provides excellent support and pushback, the Plank Firm might be a good choice for you.
It has minimal sinkage and materials respond quickly. This mattress is particularly good for heavier weighted back and stomach sleepers. However, the extra firm feel makes it less than great for most side sleepers.
We tested both the firm and extra firm sides of the Plank mattress and the firm side scored 9.61 while the extra firm side scored 9.32.
Type: Foam
Firmness: Firm (8) and Extra Firm (9)
Plank Firm Performance
Performance on the Plank Firm mattress is good overall, with no real pitfalls to speak of. The cooling performance is good on the Plank Firm, with moderate sinkage, and moderate levels of motion transfer.
Response time is fast, although given the minimal sinkage and firm feel of this mattress, I wasn’t too surprised with good performance there.
Bounce and motion transfer levels are both slightly less than average. Despite its firmer feel, there is not a lot of energy transfer on the Plank Firm.
Edge support is about average (4.25″ of sinkage when sitting directly on the edge).
This is only a 10″ thick mattress so if you’re looking for a low profile with a very firm feel, the Plank fits the bill.
| Factor | Plank Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.61 |
| Price | $999 |
| Cooling | 9.5 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.11″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 6.80 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.5 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 8.05″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.25″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 10.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.5 |
| Comfort Material | 3.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 120 nights |
| Warranty | 10 years |
More Options By Plank
Plank also has two other firm mattresses worth considering. See the side-by-side comparison below for some quick specs on these two alternative mattress options.
Plank Firm Luxe
| Type: Hybrid |
| Thickness: 13.25″ |
| Firmness: Flippable, 8 or 9 |
| Read Review |
| Overall Score: 9.49 |
Plank Firm Natural
| Type: Latex Hybrid (natural) |
| Thickness: 10.5″ |
| Firmness: Flippable, 8 or 9 |
| Read Review |
| Overall Score: 9.37 |
Mattresses We Considered
When selecting the best firm mattress, we’re looking at a combination of performance factors, material quality, firmness, and price.
With these criteria in mind, we scoured our performance data from 161+ mattresses we’ve personally tested to make the selections.
For this guide, the performance cut-off score was 9.61.
We also eliminated any mattress with a firmness less than 8 out of 10, with the one exception being the Winkbed Firmer (due to its exceptional performance).
Below we discuss the mattresses that just barely missed the cut and / or were excluded based on the inclusion requirements set out in our best mattress selection framework here.
| Mattress | Score | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Novosbed | 9.64 | |
| Winkbed Plus | 9.82 | Only ideal for heavier-weighted sleepers |
| Elm Sleep Resort | 9.75 | Relatively new to the market |
| Birch | 9.72 | Not firm enough (7 out of 10) |
| Helix Plus | 9.72 | Not firm enough (7 out of 10) |
| Bear Elite | 9.72 | Not firm enough (7 out of 10) |
| Spindle | 9.69 | Not firm enough (7 out of 10) |
| Titan Plus | 9.40 | Firm feel, but score too low |
How We Choose The Best
Each “Best of” list is put through a customized performance analysis with specialized consideration given to our objective & data-driven performance tests, mattress type, design, materials, value / price, and more.
For our Best Firm Mattress list, we based our selections on the best scoring / highest-performing mattresses according to our battery of objective tests.
These tests analyze performance across 8 critical factors. The best mattresses that also had a firmness of 8 or above were featured on this list.
Our testing and selection process is incredibly detailed and rigorous. The links below have detailed write-ups on our testing process, scoring formulas, and the precise criteria for how we choose the best mattresses.
