Dual-sided and adjustable firmness mattresses aren't a gimmick — 5 we've tried and rate for back pain and overheating

The Layla Hybrid mattress in a brightly-lit bedroom. There is a price drop deals badge in the bottom right corner. — (Image credit: Future)

Before I got my hands on one, I thought dual-sided and adjustable firmness mattresses were a new-fangled fad. Then I helped test the Plank Firm, now $999 for a queen (was $1,332) at Brooklyn Bedding, and my outlook changed.

The best mattresses we've tested excel at delivering one feel, tailored to a certain sleep style. But adjustable firmness and dual-sided mattresses feature multiple firmness levels in just one bed. That means you can try all kinds of comfort levels in just one night, to help cut down on aches and pains that might otherwise disturb your sleep.

The Saatva Solaire is Saatva's only smart mattress, meaning that it has more luxury comfort levels than any other model (and Saatva beds are pretty luxurious enough as it is). As one of the best smart mattresses around, expect 50 different firmness levels and a flippable comfort layer from this remote-controlled mattress. It's now $4,299 for a queen thanks to the $300-off-all-sizes Saatva mattress sale, and the Solaire also comes with premium benefits: a 1-year trial, white glove delivery, and a lifetime warranty.

Our Saatva Solaire mattress review score: ★★★★½
Customer score: ★★★★½ (160+ reviews)

This is the flippable mattress that won me over — I couldn't believe how two such different feels were contained in one bed. The 'Plank' may not sound very appealing, and the firm build won't suit everyone, but its chiropractor-approved support is designed to ease and prevent lower back pain. A 25% off sale takes a queen down to $999, and that price includes a lifetime warranty and a 120-night sleep trial.

Our Plank Firm mattress review score: ★★★★½
Customer score: ★★★★½ (4,000 reviews)

The Saatva Zenhaven mattress utilizes the cooling and durable power of latex to give you a refreshing, supportive dual-sided bed. Customer reviews praise this bed for eliminating aches and pain, with one shopper praising the Zenhaven for helping them recover after back surgery. "Perfect, comfy, sink-into-deep-sleep bliss," said another online reviewer. It's a premium buy, costing $3,199 for a queen even with a $300 discount, but the reviews and and premium benefits (lifetime warranty, white glove delivery, and a 365-night trial) indicate it's worth it.

Customer score: ★★★★½ (376 reviews)

Frances Daniels is a PPA-accredited journalist and Sleep Staff Writer at Tom's Guide with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. Her role includes covering mattress and sleep news and writing sleep product reviews and buyer's guides, including our Best Hybrid Mattress 2025 guide. She is interested in the relationship between sleep and health, interviewing an array of experts to create in-depth articles about topics such as nutrition, sleep disorders, sleep hygiene, and mattress care. She is also our specialist on mattress toppers — producing bed topper reviews and taking care of our Best Mattress Toppers 2025 guide — and leads content relating to fiberglass-free beds for a non-toxic sleep. Outside of Tom's Guide, she has written for Ideal Home and Marie Claire.

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