The best medium-firm mattresses strike a balance between support and comfort. They create enough pressure relief and hug, while still delivering ample push-back to support a wide variety of body types and sleeping positions.
The vast majority of sleepers need a medium-firm feel. On our firmness scale, a medium-firm feel is a 6 out of 10, where 10 is the most firm.
Our guide will walk you through the best medium-firm mattresses we’ve tested to date (a list compiled by personally analyzing 163+ different mattresses in-house).
So with that in mind, let’s get started.
In This Guide
Winkbed | Saatva | Helix Midnight Luxe | Bear Elite | GhostbBed Flex | Mattresses We Considered | How We Choose
The 5 Best Medium-Firm Mattresses
#1 Best Overall
Winkbed
9.95
Price: $1,499
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
Coil-On-Coil
Saatva
9.95
Price: $1,695
Firmness: Medium (5.5)
Poly Foam Hybrid
Helix Midnight Luxe
9.76
Price: $1,899
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
Poly Foam Hybrid
Bear Elite Hybrid
9.72
Price: $1,478
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
Memory + Poly foam Hybrid
GhostBed Flex
9.72
Price: $1,687
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
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 14″ thick hybrid with a pocketed coil base and poly foam comfort layer. This mattress is available in three firmness options, including a medium-firm option at 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale.
The Winkbed is tied for our highest-performing mattress to date, 9.95 out of 10, and has a price tag that is only 7% higher than the average hybrid we’ve tested to date.
If you’re looking for a balanced feel, moderate bounce, and the hug and contour from a thick euro-top, the Winkbed is a great pick for you.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), Slightly Firm (7)
Winkbed Performance
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″).
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 instead of transferring that motion across the surface of the mattress.
All things considered, the Winkbed is a strong choice with no real downsides to speak of.
| Factor | Winkbed Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.95 |
| Price | $1,499 |
| Cooling | 10 |
| 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″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 14.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 5.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | None |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 120 nights |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
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 that uses two layers of coils, topped with a small amount of comfort foam within a plush Euro-top.
This mattress is available in an 11.5″ thickness or a 13.5″ thickness, depending on the look you prefer.
Like the Winkbed, Saatva also has exceptional performance (9.95 overall score), which ranks it in the top 1% among all mattresses we’ve tested to date.
Type: Coil
Firmness: Soft (3.5), Medium (5.5), Firm (8)
Saatva Performance
The performance of the Saatva Classic is on-par with the highest-performing mattresses we’ve tested to date. And although the 5.5 firmness is just a touch softer than a true “medium-firm”, the exceptional performance of this mattress warrants a spot on this list.
In all performance tests, the Saatva Classic showed outstanding performance with perfect scores for exceptional cooling, extremely fast response time, excellent edge support, great pressure relief, and zero off-gassing.
It also had better than average motion transfer (5.86 m/s²) compared to the average level of 8.09 m/s².
Considering more subjective factors, the Saatva has slightly deeper sinkage than average, although not as deep as the Winkbed. It also has high levels of bounce, 52% more than average.
| Factor | Saatva Classic Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.95 |
| Price | $1,756 |
| Cooling | 10 |
| 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″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 11.5″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.9 |
| Comfort Material | 4.5″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | None |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 0 days |
| Trial | 365 nights |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Other Saatva Mattresses To Consider
Saatva has a number of high-performing mattresses with a medium-firm feel. Check out two other Saatva options below that also make the cut, although they have a bit lower performance than the Classic.
For Latex Foam
Saatva Latex Hybrid
9.77 Overall Score
The Saatva Latex Hybrid mattress has a slightly firmer feel than the Saatva Classic (6 out of 10) and is the best latex hybrid we’ve tested to date. If you’re looking for higher levels of bounce, minimal sinkage, and that classic latex foam feel, this mattress could be a good option for you.
For Memory Foam
Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid
9.71 Overall Score
The Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid also has a medium-firm feel (6 out of 10). It is an 11.5″ mattress and lacks the Euro-cover, but its performance is fantastic. It has minimal sinkage and high bounce while retaining good contour and pressure relief. One issue is higher levels of motion transfer, but that may or may not be a factor for all sleepers.
Helix Midnight Luxe Hybrid
Best For
- Plush, pillow-top contour for side sleepers
- Excellent pressure relief
- Fantastic cooling performance
Quick Specs
- 14″ thick with pillow-top cover
- 100-night trial
- 15-year warranty
Why It’s Best
The Helix Midnight Luxe mattress is another hybrid that is slightly more expensive than both Winkbed and Saatva, but it offers solid performance and a 14″ profile thickness.
In our performance tests, it excelled in all categories. The Helix Midnight Plus has a plush, Euro-cover and the option to upgrade to a specialty cooling cover for $199. It has a medium-firm feel, which provides good bounce, contour, and pressure relief, while also retaining a fast response time.
This mattress has a fantastic performance score of 9.76 overall, which is significantly higher than the average mattress score of 9.51. The Helix Luxe costs 36% more than the average hybrid we’ve tested to date. But the higher performance score justifies the higher cost for many sleepers.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
Helix Midnight Luxe Performance
During our testing, the Helix Midnight Luxe performed like a true luxury hybrid. It scored a perfect 10 for extremely low motion transfer, extremely fast response time, and exceptional pressure relief.
It also had good cooling and slightly less sinkage than average, compared to other hybrids we’ve tested. It has a plush feel without that sinking feeling.
This mattress has a 5″ comfort layer, nearly a full inch thicker than the average comfort layer (4.1″ based on all of our tests to date).
It has less bounce than average—only 7.47″ compared to the hybrid average of 10.49″. While this could be a hindrance to sex performance, the limited bounce also helps limit motion transfer, which is typically a good thing for couples.
| Factor | Helix Midnight Luxe Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.76 |
| Price | $1,899 |
| Cooling | 9.5 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.15″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 4.03 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.3 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 7.47″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.00″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 14.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.4 |
| Comfort Material | 5.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Moderate |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 100 nights |
| Warranty | 15 years |
Note: If you’re looking for a Helix Midnight mattress with more bounce, and don’t mind giving up the plush cover, check out the standard Helix Midnight. This mattress has 10.19″ of bounce, 35% more bounce than the Luxe, and also with a lower price tag.
Bear Elite Hybrid
Best For
- Fantastic cooling performance with phase change cover
- 3 firmness options
- 5″ of comfort material
Quick Specs
- 14″ with phase change cover
- 120-night trial period
- Lifetime limited warranty
Why It’s Best
The Bear Elite hybrid mattress is a 14″ tall hybrid with copper-infused memory foal and a pocketed coil base. This mattress is available in three firmness levels, which makes it a solid pick for a wider range of sleepers.
Looking at overall performance, the Bear Elite excels in nearly every category, with an overall score of 9.72, well above the average mattress score (9.51). Bear’s only significant weak spot is edge support.
Considering value, the Elite is 14% more expensive than average, but you’re also getting a thicker mattress (14″ compared to the 11.9″ average) as well as better overall performance.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Soft (4.5), Medium-Firm (6), Firm (7.5)
COUPON — Save 35% off any Bear mattress with code NAPLAB35.
Bear Elite Performance
Performance on the Bear Elite hybrid is excellent, scoring a perfect 10 for exceptional cooling, extremely low motion transfer, and extremely fast response time.
The 14″ thickness provides great pressure relief and overall comfort, with 5″ of that thickness devoted fully to comfort material (the average is 4.0″). This mattress has high levels of bounce which enhances sex performance as well.
Despite having a thicker profile, the Bear Elite does struggle in one area—edge support. When sitting directly at the edge, there was 4.75″ of sinkage.
The average among all hybrids we’ve tested to date is 4.20″ so the Bear Elite is a little beyond that. Still, when lying on the edge support was excellent.
| Factor | Bear Elite Hybrid Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.72 |
| Price | $1,373 |
| Cooling | 10 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.14″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 3.74 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.4 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.32″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 4.75″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 14.0″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 5.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 3 days |
| Trial | 120 nights |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
Ghostbed Flex Hybrid
Best For
- Great cooling performance
- Extremely fast response time
- Excellent edge support, only 3.25″ of sinkage sitting directly at the edge
Quick Specs
- 13″ thick + quilted cover
- 101-night trial period
- 25-year warranty
Why It’s Best
The Ghostbed Flex is a 13″ hybrid that uses memory foam, poly foam, and a support coil base. It’s a well-rounded performer, excelling in every category we test for, even edge support where the Bear Elite struggled.
This mattress has a fantastic performance score of 9.72 overall, performing above the average score of 9.51. Unlike the Bear Elite, the Flex only comes in a single firmness—6 out of 10 for a medium-firm feel.
The Ghostbed Flex costs about 20% more than the average hybrid, comparing all hybrid mattresses that we’ve tested to date. That being said, the Flex has a higher performance score (9.71) than average as well so it is still a solid value.
Type: Hybrid
Firmness: Medium-Firm (6)
Ghostbed Flex Performance
The Ghostbed Flex excels in our performance tests, sweeping the board with scores all in the upper 9’s and above.
The variety of materials allows the Flex to strike this really nice balance offering contour and hug, but also an extremely fast response time and great cooling.
The Flex generally isn’t going to give you that “stuck feeling” or create pressure relief issues from being too firm.
I will say, the bounce is fairly high on the Ghostbed Flex. In our tests, we measured a total bounce height of 10.65”. This is more bounce than the average across all mattresses we’ve tested to date, which is 9.63”.
Considering that this mattress only has 2″ of comfort material, the comfort and pressure relief dynamic it can provide is truly outstanding.
It also has great edge support, with only 3.25″ of sinkage when seated and excellent lying support.
| Factor | Ghostbed Flex Performance |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.72 |
| Price | $1,687 |
| Cooling | 9.5 |
| Max Sinkage | 2.15″ |
| Total Motion Transfer | 5.61 m/s² |
| Response Time | 0.4 sec. |
| Total Bounce | 10.65″ |
| Edge Support – Sitting Sinkage | 3.25″ |
| Mattress Thickness | 11.5″ |
| Sex Overall | 9.8 |
| Comfort Material | 2.0″ |
| Off-Gassing – Smell | Strong |
| Off-Gassing – Days | 4 days |
| Trial | 101 nights |
| Warranty | 25 years |
Mattresses We Considered
When selecting the best medium-firm mattress, we’re looking at our data-driven performance scores and mattresses we rated a medium-firm firmness level (6 out of 10 on the firmness scale).
With these criteria in mind, we scoured our performance data from 163+ mattresses we’ve personally tested to make the selections.
For this guide, the performance cut-off score was 9.72.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Purple Hybrid | 9.85 | Discontinued |
| Purple Hybrid Premier 3 | 9.81 | Discontinued |
| Purple Hybrid Premier 4 | 9.76 | Discontinued |
| Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid | 9.71 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Pillar Sleep | 9.71 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Novosbed | 9.64 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid | 9.63 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Shuteye Whisper | 9.58 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Brooklyn Bedding Aurora | 9.64 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Winkbed GravityLux | 9.55 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Nest Bedding Robin | 9.54 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Sleep EZ | 9.52 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
| Snooze Flip | 9.51 | Score below 9.72 cut-off |
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 Medium-Firm Mattress list, we based our selections on the best scoring / highest-performing mattresses according to our battery of objective test.
These tests analyze performance across 8 critical factors. The best mattresses that also had a firmness of 6 out of 10 (excluding Saatva Classic at a 5.5 firmness, given the reasons provided 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.
