If you’re moving, renovating your bedroom, or simply need a new mattress because your old mattress has more than a few indentations, you have come to the right place. No need for hours of research and the headache that comes with it. Here we have compiled a list of best firm mattresses on the market right now, so all that’s left for you to do is to get comfy and get reading.
Quick View: The Best Firm Mattress:
Best Firm Mattress to buy online: Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid
Best firm mattresses on the market
We have taken it upon ourselves to do all the hard work for you and compile a list of the best firm mattresses available. This mattress review will allow you to find the best match for yourself without spending days looking through all the options.
We looked at some hybrid mattresses and memory foam mattresses to find the very best firm mattress. And here’s what we found:
| Brand | Highlights | Type | Price for queen size |
| Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid |
|
Plant-based memory foam and pocketed coils | $1399 |
| Alexander Signature Hybrid |
|
Titanium-infused memory foam and pocketed coils | $1499 |
| The Bear Mattress |
|
Gel-infused polyfoam and high-density foam | $800 |
| The Purple Mattress |
|
Gel-like grid and poly-foam | $1099 |
Best Firm Mattress – Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid
Amerisleep has been manufacturing all-foam bed-in-a-box mattresses with different firmness options for a decade now. They have earned a top spot in the mattress industry because of their high-quality mattresses. It’s only recently that they have released their first hybrid version of the mattress. And it’s expected to take the hybrid mattress industry by storm.
Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid comes at 12-inches tall. It’s an ideal option for back sleepers, stomach sleepers and especially sleepers with back pain.
The cover of the Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid is soft and breathable to promote a more comfortable rest.
Under the cover, we find their plant-based Bio-Pur® foam. Its open-cell design allows better breathability and more pressure relief when compared to traditional memory foam. It also eliminates that unpleasant “memory foam feel” of being stuck.
Next comes a transitional layer of high-density polyfoam. This layer separates the Bio-Pur® foam on top and the pocketed coils underneath.
Then comes the targeted pocket-coils system, which is split into three comfort zones. The middle of the mattress provides more support for you back while giving more cushioning to the head and the legs. This zoned-support system mainly focuses on relieving pressure off the lower back. This makes it perfect for sleepers with back pain.
Underneath the coils, we have another high-density poly-foam layer. This is a base that stabilizes the pocketed coils and provides the mattress with support. It’s also what improves edge support and longevity of the mattress.
Other important information about Amerisleep
Amerisleep offers a free 100-night trial and they will offer a full refund if you decide the mattress is not right for you after the break-in period. They also offer a 20-year warranty, which is double compared to the industry standard.
All Amerisleep’s mattresses are manufactured locally in the USA and come in a box. The materials they are made from are partially plant-based. This makes them an eco-friendly company as certified by CertiPUR-US®.
Amerisleep AS2 already has over 3100 reviews, averaging at 4.7 stars. So with their free delivery and risk-free return policy, Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid is a good option to try out.
Best Luxury Firm Mattress – Alexander Signature Hybrid Mattress
Nest Bedding’s Alexander Signature Hybrid is considered to be one of the best hybrid mattresses on the market. It’s unique in terms of their Titanium infused memory foam and Thermic Phase Change temperature-regulating fabrics. To put it in a more human language, Alexander Signature Hybrid is designed with temperature control at heart.
Alexander Signature Hybrid comes in three firmness levels – Plush, Medium, and Luxury Firm. But for this mattress review, we’ll focus on the Luxury Firm option, as that’s the one that we love. It’s great for strict back sleepers and stomach sleepers. People with back pain have also said some pretty good things about it too.
Alexander Signature Hybrid comes at around 13 inches thick. Compared to other mattresses on our list, it’s a tall one. Each of the five layers is designed with a specific purpose in mind, which explains why they need their own space.
The soft pillow top cover on top is infused with gel memory foam. At 0.5-inch thick this quilted topper provides just enough cushioning to provide comfort. But not enough to soften the Luxury Firm feel of it.
Underneath it follows their patented TitanChil Endurance Foam®. It’s what provides the sleeper with some pressure point support and immediate response when they’re moving in bed. This layer is also what determines the mattress’s firmness level.
Then we see a 1-inch thick transitional layer of SmartFlow Support Foam. This is what separates the polyurethane-foam above and the coils below.
Finally, we see 8-inch tall Quantum Edge pocketed coils. This is where pressure point relief comes in. The pocketed coils also allow much better airflow through the mattress. And this greatly improves temperature control.
Underneath all the layers we find 1-inch thick base support foam. It’s high-density poly-foam that provides stability to the pocketed coils and the rest of the mattress. This, in turn, creates better edge support and reduces motion transfer.
Other important information about Nest Bedding
Nest Bedding offers a trial period of 100-nights. They also offer a “lifetime” warranty, but make sure to read the terms and conditions that go with it too.
All foams that Nest Bedding use are CertiPUR-US® certified and the mattresses are manufactured in the USA. And with fewer reviews compared to Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid (just over 1700), Alexander Signature Hybrid is also rated at 4.7 stars. But the price of the mattress is higher.
Best Budget Firm Mattress – The Bear Mattress
The Bear is an all-foam bed-in-a-box that comes at a very attractive price. What’s even better is that this mattress still comes with standard sleep trial and warranty, as well as free shipping and returns. You may then think that corners were cut in the design of the mattress, otherwise why is it so cheap? But we can assure, that is not the case at all. Compared to other budget-friendly mattresses, the Bear mattress is definitely well-designed and structured.
The Bear mattress is rated as Medium-Firm to Firm. On their official website, they score it as 7.1 out of 10 on the firmness scale (10 being the firmest score). This makes it great for back sleepers, stomach sleepers and combination sleepers alike. Heavy sleepers who prefer a softer mattress might enjoy the Bear too, but most might find it too plush.
The Bear stands at 10 inches tall and is made out of three foam layers. The cover of the mattress is infused with Celliant® technology which helps to regulate the temperature. It absorbs body heat and turns it into infrared energy. It then gets absorbed back into the sleeper’s body, temporarily increasing local blood flow. And increased blood flow tends to cool off the muscles and drops overall body temperature. This is a great feature to have in an all-foam mattress, as they are known to sleep hot.
The top layer of the Bear mattress is 2-inch thick Graphite-Gel memory foam. It’s a gel-infused polyfoam that offers a cooling and responsive effect. Underneath the gel polyfoam, we find a 2-inch thick transition foam. It provides better pressure point relief and helps to keep the spine aligned. The last layer of the Bear is 6 inches of high-density support foam. This is what gives the mattress it’s stability and longevity.
Other important information about the Bear mattress
The Bear offers a standard 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty. The returns are specified as risk-free and free of charge. And the warranty does have some terms & conditions, but nothing different from the usual.
All polyfoams found within the mattress are CertiPUR-US® certified. This makes it more environmentally-friendly than other mattress brands that use traditional memory foam. The Bear mattress is also more breathable than those made of traditional memory foam. But it still may be a little too want for hot sleepers.
Overall, the Bear mattress is rated as 4.4 out of 5 stars. It may not be as good as the other options in this article, but the price of it is certainly unbeatable.
Best Cooling Firm Mattress – The Purple Mattress
The Original Purple is a bed-in-a-box, all-foam mattress. It’s designed as the firmest model that Purple offers, which is great for back sleepers, stomach sleepers and people with back pain. The Purple Mattress comes without pocketed coils unlike the mattresses we reviewed above. However, it still contains the company’s best innovation – Purple Grid™.
The topper of The Purple Mattress is its unique SoftFlex™. This is a breathable and stretchy fabric made from viscose, lycra, and polyester. It’s designed to let more air through the mattress and move together with the Purple Grid™ underneath.
Next comes Purple’s patented 2-inch thick Purple Grid™. Made from their designed Hyper-Elastic Polymer® material, it has a gel-like feel. This layer is made from hundreds of squares and looks like a literal grid. It provides even better breathability and contours the body relieving pressure points. This layer’s edges are also wrapped in high-density poly-foam to provide better edge support.
The second layer of The Purple Mattress is 3.5 inches of poly-foam. It aids the grid above in proving better pressure point support and aligns the spine of the sleeper.
And underneath we find another 4 inches of poly-foam, but this time higher in density. This layer provides longevity and stability to the mattress and improves motion isolation.
Overall, The Purple Mattress comes at nearly 10 inches tall. And it’s suitable for all bed frames.
Other important information about Purple
Purple has been around for around 4 years now. Since then they have made their products known pretty well within the mattress industry. Purple manufactures their mattresses locally in the USA and use a CertiPUR-US® certified foam base.
The company offers a sleep trial of 100-nights and a warranty of 10-years – a usual industry standard. They also provide free shipping and free returns, in case you decide that the Purple Mattress is not for you.
Although the Purple Mattress is rated highly by people who sleep on their backs, stomachs and combination sleepers, the mattress is not favored by those of heavier weight. This might be due to the lack of coils in this mattress design, which would provide the mattress with more zoned support
Who is a firm mattress for?
Medium-firm mattresses are excellent for back pain sufferers and anyone needing a little extra support. Firm beds seem to be the preference of back and stomach sleepers, as well as some combination sleepers.
A firm mattress, on the other hand, is not for everyone. Although it may seem like the healthiest option, if you if you are a side sleeper you’ll be waking up with a sore shoulder and lower back. This is because a firm mattress doesn’t “give in” as much. And having the majority of your weight concentrated on one body part only will do damage over time.
The same goes for people that are lightweight. If your body is not heavy enough for the mattress to provide contouring, you’ll end up sleeping on “top” of, rather than “in” the mattress. This will provide you with zero pressure relief and will result in incorrect spinal alignment. You should especially avoid a mattress that is rated as extra firm as these will leave you sore no matter what sleeping position you prefer.
Here’s who is best suited for a firm mattress:
- Back sleepers who prefer a harder surface: While sleeping on your back, your body weight gets spread across to your hips, lower back, and shoulders. This makes back sleepers the most adaptable when it comes to mattress firmness. If you’re over 230 pounds and like to sleep on your back, a firm mattress is a good option.
- Stomach sleepers: Stomach sleepers don’t distribute their weight evenly. Most of the weight gets concentrated on the hips, and the rest gets spread to the chest area. Sleeping on your stomach on a soft or even a medium mattress can make your hips sink into the bed, causing an arch to your back. But a firm mattress ensures enough support to ensure a straight back and an aligned spine.
- Overweight sleepers: If you’re above average weight, a medium and especially a soft mattress will not provide you with enough support in any sleep position. This will cause sagging and sinking down too far, making sleep very uncomfortable. Heavier people should go for a firmer mattress to ensure they get the support they need, and a firm mattress will provide you with proper pressure point relief, an aligned spine, and a good night’s rest.
- People with back pain: Most back pain sufferers prefer a firmer mattress because it provides more stable support. The hips don’t sink in too much, keeping the back straight through the night. Sleeping on a softer mattress can disrupt the weight from distributing evenly. And when you already have a sore back, that can cause a lot more pain.
So if you meet any of the above criteria and want a good night’s sleep, then a firm bed is definitely the right way to go.
Different types of firm mattresses
A firm mattress can be made from all types of materials. Memory foam mattresses can be infused with gel to create a firmer surface. Innerspring or hybrid mattresses can have more coils. And a latex mattress is naturally firmer as it is.
All in all, choosing which mattress type suits you best comes down to your personal preference. Thankfully, modern mattress technology is advanced enough to make a firm mattress out of almost any material.
Did you find your perfect firm mattress?
We chose Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid as the best mattress available on the market today. It is great for back sleepers, stomach sleepers, combination sleepers and especially people with back pain. It is also a great choice for those with heavier body type. The price that it comes at is also very good – not expensive enough to be classed as a Luxury Mattress, but not the most budget-friendly option either. Taking into consideration the advanced design of the Bio-Pur® foam and targeted zone support coil system, you definitely get the most value for your money.
But if Amerisleep AS2 Hybrid did not win you over as it did us, there are four other great options in this mattress review. Each with their pros and their cons. So we truly hope we have helped you find what you were looking for.
This article is for informational purposes and should not replace advice from your doctor or other medical professional.