The best firm mattress 2024: tested by sleep experts

The WinkBed mattress on a bed frame in a bedroom
(Image credit: WinkBed)

A top-rated firm mattress provides unrivalled comfort and support for those who prefer a harder sleep surface. Back and stomach sleepers, heavier people, and those who experience joint related pain are among those who will likely find comfort in a quality firm mattress. Many of the top recommendations in our main best mattress buying guide offer customizable firmness options, including firm.

Our team of expert mattress testers and certified sleep coaches have reviewed and slept on hundreds of the latest firm mattresses to bring you our guide to the best options. The WinkBed mattress remains our best firm mattress of 2024, thanks to its unique blend of sturdy support and targeted pressure relief. However, you’ll also find our expert analysis of five other recommendations to choose from, spanning all budgets, sleep needs and body types. 

If you are shopping for a new firm mattress, you’ve picked an excellent time. The Black Friday mattress deals drop at the end of November, which is when many top brands offer huge reductions. Read on for our expert-selected firm mattress recommendations…  

1. The best firm mattress of 2024

Comfortable, customizable, and supportive — and a great choice for heavier people with back pain too

Specifications

Price: Upper mid-range
Type: Hybrid
Best for: All sleepers; back pain; heavier bodies
Firmness: Soft, medium-firm, firm, very firm
Sleep trial: 120 nights
Warranty: Lifetime
Shipping: Free

Reasons to buy

+
Four firmness options
+
Targeted relief and support
+
Absorbs motion well

Reasons to avoid

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Less luxe than top rival Saatva
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$49 to exchange (but free returns)

Quick summary

The WinkBed is a luxury innerspring ( and one of our top-rated hybrid mattresses), with comfortable cushioning and zoned support. It performed well in all our tests, and is our top recommendation for most people looking for a firm mattress thanks to its unmatched blend of comfort, support, and value for money. 

The Winkbed shares many of the same characteristics as its closest rival, the Saatva Classic (#2 in this guide). It's a mattress in a box (so it's delivered, rolled up, to your door) rather than a traditional mattress, like the Saatva. But it's around $300 dollars cheaper and more customizable, offering a choice of four different firmness levels compared to Saatva's three. 

It also caters to people over 300 lbs with its firmest option, the Winkbed Plus (Saatva only goes up to 300 lbs), making it a better option for heavier people. In fact, you'll find the Winkbed in our best mattress for back pain guide, thanks to its stellar support for bigger bodies.

Our reviewers slept on a Luxury Firm version of the Winkbed (6.5/10 on the firmness scale) for three weeks and rated it highly for lumbar support and spine alignment. If you prefer a firmer mattress, try the Firm (7.5/10) or Plus (8/10) versions — the Winkbed comes with a 120-night trial period, and returns are free. However, exchanges will incur a $49 fee.

2. The best firm mattress for back pain

A luxurious firm mattress, with top marks for lumbar support

Specifications

Type: Innerspring hybrid
Firmness (1-10): 3, 5-7, or 8
Height: 11.5 or 14.5"
Trial length: 365 nights
Shipping: Free in-home delivery; $99 returns fee
Warranty: Lifetime
Price bracket: Premium

Reasons to buy

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Customizable height and firmness
+
Specialized lumbar support
+
Very sturdy edges for sitting

Reasons to avoid

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Not for sleepers over 300lbs
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Some mild motion transfer
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Costs $99 to return it

Quick summary

The Saatva Classic is the best mattress we've tested so far. The only reason it isn't at the top of this list is due to its slightly higher price tag and lower maximum weight capacity. The Saatva can support up to 600lbs, whereas the Winkbed can support up to 900lbs, making it a better firm mattress for heavier people.

But make no mistake: this is a superb mattress. If you're looking for a more luxurious night's sleep than the Winkbed, or you want a firm mattress because you suffer from back pain (and don't weigh over 300lbs), it's our top choice.

This high-end, hybrid innerspring mattress comes in three comfort levels, with two suitable for consideration here: Luxury Firm (5-7), and Firm (8). Our testers slept on a Luxury Firm version and rated it between a 7 and 7.5. It earned high marks for its sheer comfort and quality, as well as its effectiveness in reducing back pain, likely due to the specialized lumbar support system. 

It's prone to a small amount of motion transfer, which makes it a good option for anyone who likes a little bounce, but if you're a particularly light sleeper who shares a bed, you could consider the Winkbed (#1) or DreamCloud (#4) instead, which are better at absorbing motion.

3. The best firm cooling mattress

A firm mattress that won't leave you hot and bothered

Specifications

Type: Hybrid
Firmness (1-10): 2-4, 4-6, 7-8
Height: 13"
Trial length: 120 nights
Shipping: Free shipping ($99 return fee)
Warranty: 10 years
Price bracket: Upper-mid / premium (with pillow-top)

Reasons to buy

+
Variable firmness and optional pillow-top
+
Exceptional cooling prowess
+
RV and non-standard bed sizes

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor motion isolation
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Slippery top surface
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$99 return fee

Quick summary

The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe is built for cooler sleep. It comes in soft (2-4), medium (4-6), or firm (7-8) with an optional Cloud Pillow-Top. Two RV mattress sizes are available (RV king and RV bunk), as are the less common short queen and split California king sizes.

Our testers thought the Aurora Luxe's cool-touch GlacioTex cover did its job well, although the slick finish of the material caused our fitted sheets to slide. Adding the pillow-top upgrade will push the mattress into the premium price bracket, but we believe it's worth the investment if you want extra cushioning for your joints.

4. The best firm mattress for side sleepers

A firm mattress that doesn't compromise on pressure relief

Specifications

Type: Hybrid
Firmness (1-10): 6.5 (we rate it an 8)
Height: 12"
Trial length: 365 nights
Shipping: Free shipping and returns
Warranty: Lifetime
Price bracket: Mid-range

Reasons to buy

+
Firm without triggering pressure points
+
Very good motion transfer
+
Fantastic value for a hybrid

Reasons to avoid

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Edge support could be better
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Too firm for smaller sleepers
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No customization

Quick summary

For side sleepers who don't want a super-plush bed, our firm mattress pick is the DreamCloud. We rate it an 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale, which is several notches above DreamCloud's assessment of 6.5. The consensus among our team is that it's supremely supportive with loads of pressure relief for the hips, lumbar, and shoulders. You'll need time to break it in if you're on the smaller side, though.

The DreamCloud is one of the most affordable luxury mattresses on the market. If you can't quite swing a WinkBed (#1) or Saatva Classic (#2), it's a solid alternative at a stellar price. After regular sales, a queen-sized DreamCloud mattress won't set you back more than $700. You'll forfeit the chance to customize your bed feel but you'll still avail of a 365-night sleep trial and a lifetime warranty.

5. The best firm mattress under $500

A firm all-foam mattress that costs only $399 for a queen

Specifications

Type: Memory foam
Firmness (1-10): 6.5 (we rate it between 8-9)
Height: 10"
Trial length: 180 nights
Shipping: Free shipping and returns
Warranty: 10 years
Price bracket: Budget

Reasons to buy

+
Firm, flat surface for stomach sleeping
+
Sleeps cool for a budget foam bed
+
180-night sleep trial

Reasons to avoid

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Minimal hug for side and back sleeping
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Long-term durability TBD

Quick summary

The Siena Memory Foam mattress tops our best affordable mattress guide for its supportive build and generous extras. It outperforms other models we've tested in the sub-$500 range in almost every way. The jury is out on how it'll endure many years of use, although our review model was in fine shape after a month of testing. 

It lands a spot on this list for being much firmer than advertised. Our testers rated it an 8-9 out of 10 on the firmness scale, and several Siena customers commented on this bed's extra-firm surface (for better or worse). It won't hug you like other beds that feature in our best memory foam mattresses as the pressure relief is minimal. The Siena should be comfortable for stomach sleepers and back sleepers who like to remain as flat as possible.