The Best Hybrid Mattresses

What differentiates a hybrid from an innerspring mattress is having at least one significant layer of foam, in addition to a layer of spring coils. This coil layer is critical for supporting the body, and mattress manufacturers typically include strategically placed coils to better support common problem areas like the lower back and shoulders. The different layers of foam, of which there are often many, can provide perks, like cooling technology and extra plushness.

What firmness is best for you will vary depending on your sleep position and personal preferences. Side sleepers typically need a little more pressure relief for their hips and shoulders, in addition to spinal support; soft to medium-firm is a good place to start. Stomach sleepers should look for a mattress that supports their hips, to avoid putting strain on their lower back; a firm mattress that doesn’t allow the body to “sink in” too deeply is often the best option. Back sleepers need enough firmness to keep their spine supported but may want some pressure relief and extra cushioning around their shoulders or lower back; a medium to firm mattress is usually best. However, what feels most comfortable firmnesswise can vary from person to person. For each mattress below, I’ve noted any discrepancies between how our tester described the firmness (soft, medium-soft, medium, medium-firm, or firm) and how the brand describes the firmness.

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It’s softly firm: “This might sound like an oxymoron, but the mattress is a wonderful combination of feeling comfortable and a little cushy while still being firm and supportive,” Reid says. After sleeping on a soft and plush mattress for over a decade, this was a welcome change for her, as she was looking for something slightly firmer that would better support her back. The Bear Elite Hybrid does exactly that — Reid reports feeling less upper-back and neck pain since switching to it (although she notes that her lower back was sore for a couple of days while she was adjusting to the new firmness).

Good for side and back sleepers:Reid says the most comfortable way to lie on this mattress is on your side — so much so that she has found herselfsleeping on her stomachless often. It’s almost like the mattress holds you in place, Reid says, which makes sense because there’s memory foam between the quilted, cushioned top and the support coils underneath. Reid’s fiancé is a combination back and side sleeper, and he also found the mattress comfortable for his regular sleep positions. “We both feel we are sleeping better on the mattress than we were on our last mattress, which was much plusher,” Reid says.

Not as cooling as you might expect:Bear’s product-description page says this mattress is best for “sleepers looking for best-in-class cooling features.” Reid doesn’t particularly care about cooling features, as she says she tends to run cold, but her fiancé is a hot sleeper and says he still found that he was warm during the night while they were sleeping on the mattress.

Construction:The Elite Hybrid’s top layer is a quilted, cushioned cover made withphase-change materialfor cooling — you can also add aCelliantcover for an extra charge, which is intended to promote muscle recovery. The next two layers are antimicrobial copper-infused memory foam and dynamic transition foam. Under those layers are individually encased coils and reinforced edge coils, supported by a base made from high-density support foam.

Firmness and support:Bear’s own firmness guide ranks firmness on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is “mush” and 10 is “rock.” The brand says its mattresses fall in the 5-to-7 portion of the scale (which it calls “the sweet spot”), and the Elite Hybrid is available in three firmness options within that range: soft, which is a 5 on the firmness scale; medium, which is a 6; and firm, which is a 7. Reid tested the medium and says that calling it a 6 on a firmness scale of 1 to 10 feels accurate.

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Supportive, with an on-top-of-the-bed feel:Before she received the Leesa Original Hybrid, Pardilla was sleeping on an Allswellnamesake hybrid mattressshe had purchased a few years earlier. The Leesa is firmer than the more cushiony Allswell, Pardilla says, with good edge support and a comfortable level of bounciness. It’s definitely a mattress you sleep on top of, rather than sink in to.

Comfortable in multiple positions: “I tend to go to sleep on my side and wake up on my back, and I never had any trouble changing positions,” Pardilla says. She felt supported either way.

Doesn’t overheat:Even though Pardilla ran hot, the Leesa didn’t cause her to wake up in a sweat. Part of the reason is that it has a fabric cover made from a breathable knit (a polyester-viscose blend).

Knit cover loosens over time:Overall, Pardilla says she is happy with this mattress, but she noticed that after about two years of sleeping on it, the knit cover has stretched a bit and become somewhat loose. Occasionally, it will bunch up underneath her sheets, which she says can be slightly annoying.

Construction:Launched in May 2022, the Leesa Original Hybrid is a more budget-friendly alternative toLeesa’s Sapira Hybrid mattress. It sandwiches 789 “active response” springs between a high-density-foam base layer and two CertiPUR-U.S.-certified foam top layers — one made of memory foam for pressure relief, the other made of high-airflow foam for breathability. The “cool knit” polyester-and-viscose cover is a step up aesthetically from more traditional-looking white quilted mattress covers; reminiscent of a classic T-shirt, it’s heather gray with a diagonal pattern and Leesa’s signature white accent stripes.

Firmness and support:Leesa says the Original Hybrid is “medium to medium-firm,” with a firmness range between five and eight on a scale of one to ten. The innerspring core is more supportive than theall-foam Leesa Original; the brand recommends it for all body types and sleeping positions and describes it as the Leesa Original “with bounce.”

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Middle-ground firmness:I’d call this mattress a “true medium” — a little softer and cushier than the mattress-industry standard of medium-firm. As someone who likes a lot of padding and pressure relief, this slightly-soft feel was really comfortable for me.

Good for back and side sleepers:I felt well supported on my back with a touch of low-back cushioning from the soft foams. I like when a mattress’s upper layers can “fill in” the gap between my lower back and the mattress, as my back has a bit of a natural arch to it — I have to actively engage my core muscles, Pilates style, to lay my back flat against a hard surface, so I appreciated how this mattress adapted to me. And on my side, I usually didn’t feel too much pressure on my shoulder.

Hybrid construction strikes a nice balance between cushion and support:The springs give the bed some support structure, keep it from feeling overly doughy, and add a bit of bounce. After about two weeks of sleeping on the mattress, I still found it really comfortable. I think it’s a great choice for people who want a hybrid mattress at a very affordable price.

Could use a little more pressure relief:On my side, I occasionally felt my shoulder jamming up (a common issue for me on a too-firm mattress). For someone with sensitive joints, or who routinely sleeps on their side, it may not offer enough pressure relief.

Lackluster edge support:When I sit on the edge of the mattress, I easily start to slip off.

Construction:The Ultra Cooling Green Tea Hybrid is the most luxurious and expensive bed that Zinus offers, but it is still incredibly affordable compared to most other mattresses on the market. The mattress is 12 inches tall with two inches ofgel-infusedmemory foam, a half-inch of memory foam, and a layer of individually wrapped coils that Zinus says are sorted into seven distinct zones to provide different levels of cushioning and support for different parts of your body. The coils are reinforced around the perimeter of the mattress for a bit of extra edge support, and the mattress has a polyester-knit cover.

Firmness and support:Zinus doesn’t specify the mattress’s firmness but recommends it for combination sleepers and says it will provide “customized support” to relieve aches and pains. I’d personally rank it between five and six on a firmness scale of one to ten where one is soft and ten is firm.

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Firmest mattress we’ve tested:Kitchens has slept on some of thefirmest mattressesout there, but she has proclaimed this one the firmest of all. “In the six months I’ve been testing it, there’s been the most minimal of settling, but no impressions or sagging, something I usually feel around the one-month mark with memory foam,” she says. If you’re looking for the firmest of the firm, this mattress is the one for you. But Kitchens notes that the organic-cotton cover still offers comfort.

Works for different body types and needs:The Avocado Green Extra Firm mattress is marketed toward a variety of sleepers:plus-size people, athletes looking for proper spinal alignment, people withachy backs. A very firm and supportive mattress can benefit people in all those groups, and Kitchens, who has moderate hip dysplasia and says her back regularly feels out of whack from exercise, too much sitting, or traveling, says a night on this mattress reliably realigns her spine. It haszoned supportto keep your hips and shoulders level, preventing compression around the lower back.

Comfortable in multiple positions:Avocado says this mattress is best suited for back and stomach sleepers, who typically sleep more comfortably on firm beds, but Kitchens hasn’t experienced any shoulder pain when sleeping on her side. She notes, however, that she uses a firmlatex pillowwith a high loft that keeps her neck and shoulders from collapsing in when lying on her side.

Not overly bouncy:Though latex and coils are usually a recipe for bounce, Kitchens says this mattress doesn’t feel too bouncy, nor does motion transfer easily when two people aresharing the bed.

Heavy and not flexible:Because of its durable build and heavy materials like latex and steel coils, this mattress can be tricky to move. It is delivered fully expanded and isn’t bendy like other mattresses, so navigating staircases and tight corners could be difficult. For that reason, Avocado requires you to pay extra for in-home delivery and setup, which starts at $249.

Construction:The base of the Avocado Green Extra Firm contains two three-inch layers of heavy-gauge steel coils that are separated by coconut-fiber pads. Next is a two-inch layer ofDunlop latex, a particularly heavy and dense type of latex foam. The cover is made from organic cotton with a layer of organic wool underneath to add softness andact as a natural fire retardant.

The mattress also has a number of materials and manufacturing certifications. It’s made with Global Organic Latex Standard–certified latex and Global Organic Textile Standard–certified wool and cotton. It is also Greenguard Gold–certified for low emissions and Oeko-Tex Standard 100–certified. (Learn more about those certificationshere.)

Firmness and support:Kitchens says this mattress is the firmest she’s ever tried, and Avocado itself ranks it a ten out of ten for firmness. The double layer of heavy-gauge steel coils ensures plenty of support, including for heavier people and people with back pain.

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Firm feel with some cushioning:Having spent months sleeping onBrooklyn Bedding’s Plank mattress, Kitchens kept it top of mind when reviewing the Brick. The two are technically different mattresses: The Plank is an all-foam model, where the Brick is a hybrid with memory-foam and springs. Neither feels firm in a “slab of concrete” way, Kitchens says, but there is some nuance in comparing these two. She says the more cushioned top layers of the Brick make it feel like a firm mattress in disguise — and also do a great job tamperingmotion transferfrom a partner. But because of its coils, the Brick has a lot more bounce and a bit more give than the Plank. “You’re going to feel your knee sink in deeper when climbing onto the Brick, but once you’ve settled into your sleep position, the two start to feel more comparable,” Kitchens says.

Contouring without too much “sink”:Since the Brick incorporates memory foam, Kitchens says there is a slight contouring — however she never had that “sinking” feeling. Though it slightly softened after a few months, it maintained a very supportive quality.

Affordable and versatile:While the Brick is categorized as firm because of its coils and support, the memory foam adds a universal appeal that Kitchens thinks many different types of sleepers will appreciate. Which leads to one last note from Kitchens regarding the low price: “You should also consider this mattress for your guest rooms and Airbnb beds instead of some other inexpensive soft memory foam, which ultimately gets too soft. Your guests will thank you.”

Lower-quality construction:Kitchens noticed the low price reflected in some of the materials: “The quilted top panel felt a little cheap, and the edge support is not super-structured-feeling,” she says. However, she says they still don’t feel like too much of an issue when your bed is made and you’re lying in it (quite comfortably, she adds).

No trial period:This mattress doesn’t have a trial period, so once you open the box, you can’t return it, which may be a sticking point for those who need the reassurance of being able to test at home.

Construction:The Brick is about 12 inches tall — eight inches of that is fabric-encased coils, topped with two inches of high-density medium-support memory foam and then one inch of copper-infused memory foam for cooling purposes. The final layer is 1.25 inches of quilted top panel. The mattress is made with CertiPUR-U.S.-certified memory foam.

Firmness and support:Allswell sometimes calls this mattress the Brick and other times refers to it as the extra-firm version of their Allswell Luxe mattress. Kitchens tested the extra-firm Brick, but the Luxe is slightly less firm, if that’s what you’re looking for.

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Middle-ground firmness:“I’m a fairly recent college graduate, so anything with the word firm in it makes me think of hard-as-a-rock dorm mattresses,” Druckman says. That said, even though this mattress is described as medium-firm, she says she would be hesitant to describe it as firm. When she switches from her stomach to her side while falling to sleep, Druckman says the mattress is soft enough that her elbows sink into it while shifting her upper-body weight. “And while I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able toshake my stomach-sleeping habit, this mattress supports my hips and lower back when I do,” she says. She says she often woke up with aches in her neck and back on her old mattress, but that rarely, if ever, happens on the Leesa.

Keeps a hot sleeper cool:When it comes to“cooling” sleep gear, the most effective materials will either feel cool to the touch or more subtly regulate body temperature in the background, and products with multiple cooling materials can do both. In the case of this Leesa mattress, Druckman says it feels noticeably cool to the touch — though it varies depending on the weather. She doesn’t have air-conditioning in her bedroom, but in the summer she sleeps comfortably with a few fans running to cool the room and says the mattress does a great job helping to prevent night sweats. “I have, so far, not had a super sweaty night, which I often used to have,” her boyfriend Jack told her. On some of the coldest winter nights, Druckman actually found the mattress too cold; Jack, who runs hotter than she does, declared it just right for the winter.

Strong edge support:Before testing the Leesa, Druckman was sleeping ona Zinusthat steadily (and quickly) drooped, so much so that she would roll over to her partner’s side of the bed throughout the night since he’s taller and heavier than her. In comparison, Druckman says, the Leesa is fabulous: She can sleep as close to the edge as she pleases thanks to the strong support around the perimeter of the mattress.

Heavy:Compared to the Zinus mattress Druckman was sleeping on before, the Leesa is about twice as heavy (the queen-size Leesa weighs 113 pounds, compared to just over 57 for the Zinus). The weight of the Leesa isn’t a deal-breaker for her, but she says it certainly makes it more difficult to change the sheets and encasements (especially since Druckman is in charge of testingbedbug mattress encasementshere at the Strategist, so she’s lifting her mattress more often than the average person).

Could be too cold for some (at least in the winter):“Before sleeping on the Leesa, I thought I slept hot,” Druckman says. When it arrived this past January, she quickly realized she had simply been sleeping on a heat-trapping foam mattress. “For context, Jack and I usually keep the heat off in our bedroom when we’re not in there to save money and electricity,” she says. During the coldest nights, Druckman says she was actually shivering when she first got in bed because the Leesa had gotten so chilly throughout the day: “I started wrapping myself in a warm blanket under the covers to warm my side of the bed more quickly,” she says. In the summer, the cooling factor has been much more beneficial — Druckman and her partner have both appreciated it to get through the night without AC — but in the depths of winter, it’s almost too much for her.

Construction:The Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid has a fairly standard hybrid build, with three layers of foam over coils, but a couple features make it stand out. First is the cooling cover, which is a blend of polyester, polyethylene, and Lycra. (Polyethylene is common in cooling fabrics because it gives them a cool-to-the-touch feel.) Second is a layer of micro-coils that’s sandwiched between the second and third layers of foam; these micro-coils are only a fraction of the height of the main support coils but provide a little extra uplift to keep you from sinking too deeply into the foam. The mattress’s base coil layer has zoned support to promote spinal alignment. In addition to the cooling power of the cover, the foam layers provide some additional temperature regulation via gel swirls and a more open foam structure to allow for easier airflow.

Firmness and support:Though the mattress is billed as medium-firm, Druckman describes the feel as supportive without actually feeling firm. “It keeps my back aligned but isn’t so rigid that it doesn’t have any give,” she says. As someone who hates feeling like she’s sleeping on a board, Druckman says she looks forward toslightlysinking into her Leesa every night.

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Supportive, but not stiff:Rellosa had slept on three foam mattresses — from Bear, Casper, and Ikea — in the decade prior to testing the Sealy Posturepedic Elite Albany II Hybrid but always ended up finding them too soft or too firm. The Sealy turned out to be his Goldilocks mattress; with just the right balance of softness and support. The foam layer is soft and conforming, but the coils beneath give the bed a sturdy structure: “A little ‘pushback’ is one way I’d describe it,” Rellosa says. “Almost like the opposite of a weighted blanked coming down on you, I wanted my mattress to support me from below.”

Stays cool:Rellosa is a very hot sleeper who never wears a shirt to bed and sometimes even adds a fan in the winter. So he was happy to find the Sealy Posturepedic Elite Hybrid sleeps quite cool: In the five months that he’s been sleeping on the mattress, he hasn’t had any issues with overheating. The mattress contains gel foams and has a cooling cover, which have worked well so far; I’ll be sure to check in with him this summer for an update on how it performs in warmer weather.

Multiple firmness options:The broader Sealy Posturepedic Elite collection includes a variety of hybrid mattresses. The Albany II that Rellosa tested is billed as “medium firmness”; the Brenham II is essentially the same mattress, but with soft and firm options. You can also upgrade to the High Point II model, available in all three firmnesses, which includes additional cooling foams and is an inch taller than the Albany II or Brenham II. While the nomenclature is a bit confusing, Sealy has provided a nice range of options.

Very bouncy:While this may not be a con for everyone, Rellosa says it took him a while to adjust to sleeping on such a springy mattress after so many years on all-foam.

Dark cover shows through light sheets:Rellosa also noted that the cover of the mattress, which is dark blue with red accents, sometimes shows through his white sheets.

Construction:The Sealy Posturepedic Elite Hybrid has two layers of foam over coils. The top foam layer is gel memory foam, followed by a more supportive foam underneath. The base is a section of Sealy’s proprietary PrecisionFit coils, which are designed to be both flexible and supportive. According to the brand, the top portion of the coils have more tightly wound “rings,” which can flex and conform more easily under your body. Then the lower portion is wider and sturdier to provide strong support. The mattress also contains a zoned section of coils for additional support under your low back, and a perimeter of smaller coils to beef up the bed’s edge support. The cover is made with polyethylene for the cooling effect.

Firmness and support:While there are several variations of the Sealy Posturepedic Elite Hybrid, the Albany II model that Rellosa tested has a pleasantly medium-firm feel that has kept him supported and comfortable.

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Pressure relief for side sleeping:This brand initially caught my attention because it waslaunchedbyBedding Industries of America,the manufacturer of Saatva, a.k.a the maker of our long-running pick forthe very best mattress overall. But the Glacier Summit doesn’t have much in common with Saatva’s mattresses. I had beensleeping on the Saatva Classicbefore trying the Glacier Summit, so the memory of Saatva was fresh in my mind. While the Saatva is fairly firm, the Glacier Summit is noticeably softer, and it took a couple of weeks for me to adjust from one to the other. However, after a few weeks on the Glacier, I was ultimately pretty happy with it. The softer, more contouring foam layers make sleeping on my side quite comfortable — I’m pretty sensitive to shoulder pain on a too-firm mattress — because the cushioning foam offers great pressure relief.

Easy to change sleeping positions:Though the foams are soft, I didn’t find it difficult to move around on this mattress — I didn’t sinksodeeply into the bed that it was challenging to roll from my back to my side.

Pretty effective cooling tech:Obviously, cooling is a huge selling point for this mattress. The cover has the slippery, cool-to-the-touch feel that is common among mattresses with cooling fabrics used for the covers. Lying on the mattress without any bedding, it definitely feels quite cold. The chilliness was, of course, dampened when I was actually sleeping and had a mattress protector and fitted sheet between me and the mattress. Still, I think the cooling cover kept me from overheating on this mattress. It’s not as noticeably cool as some other mattresses we’ve tried, like the Leesa above or the all-foamTempur-LuxeBreeze. But it gets the job done.

Lacking spinal support for back sleeping:The softer foams feel less ideal for back sleeping. I’ve noticed I’m not getting the same spinal support I got from the Saatva Classic, nor is the foam totally conforming around me to provide support around my lower back. The result is it feels like my hips/butt are sinking into the foam, but my lower back is left slightly arching. It’s not terrible, but not exactly ideal. (Glacier does make two other mattress models,one of whichis intended to be firmer than the Summit, which may be better for back sleeping.)

Construction:The Summit Hybrid is apillowtop mattresswith two layers of foam over an eight-inch layer of pocketed coils — a fairly standard build for a hybrid mattress. One of the foam layers is gel-infused memory foam and the other is proprietary “breathable” foam that the brand calls ARCFlow. The mattress also has zoned lumbar support, with an extra layer of foam running horizontally across the center, where most people’s lower backs will lie. The zoned foam is graphite-infused, for cooling. The cover is made with a woven polyethylene fabric, which the brand calls GLACIERTECH, that gives the mattress’s surface a cool-to-the-touch feel.

Firmness and support:Glacier rates this mattress as “medium” on its firmness scale; I found it to be more medium-soft than truly medium. That’s part of what made it so comfortable for side sleeping — it offers a lot of pressure relief — while also making it less-than-ideal for back sleeping.

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Comfortably firm (after breaking it in):When the mattress arrived, Martin says the delivery guys set it up and instructed her to let it rest for a few hours. She doesn’t remember there being any noticeable off-gassing. For the first month, Martin says it felt too firm — not at all like it did in the showroom where she had previously tested it. “Initially it wasn’t very comfortable, and I had a few aches and pains in my shoulder and back,” she says. “But because I had tried the same model in the showroom, I suspected the mattress would eventually give, and I toughed it out.” She’s glad she did. After breaking it in and acclimating to it over four months, Martin says the Purple RestorePremier Firm now feels very comfortable.

Good support and pressure relief:Martin says she has the support she needs as a combination sleeper. And the earlier shoulder pain she felt from side sleeping is gone too.

“Suspended” feeling on the signature grid:The gel grid in the mattress has an “interesting feel” that Martin says she has grown to really appreciate. She says she gets a slight suspension from the grid, which is really comfortable. It also gives a little shock absorption when she’s flipping back and forth at night. “The feeling is subtle but meaningful, like wearing an excellent running shoe compared to a just-okay running shoe. Or even a bit like floating,” Martin says.

Airflow through grid:While Martin isn’t an overly hot sleeper herself, she says the breathable grid layer keeps this mattress noticeably cooler than others she has slept on in the past.

Initially too firm:While Martin was ultimately happy with this mattress, it did take a while to break in.

Heaviness makes it difficult to move:Additionally, it’s very heavy. Martin says she’s had about six different mattresses in her life, and this is easily the heaviest, which can make it challenging to move.

Construction:One of Purple’s more high-end models, this hybrid mattress features a three-inch layer of the brand’s signature flexible gel grid, a hyperelastic polymer that flexes under pressure but keeps you “floating” on top of the mattress, rather than sinking too deeply into it. Beneath the GelFlex grid, there’s a middle section of foam, and then a base of pocketed coils, to provide extra-responsive support and pressure relief. The mattress also has a band of high-density foam wrapped around its perimeter to bolster the edges and prevent them from collapsing under weight.

Firmness and support:Purple describes this mattress as soft and good for all sleeping positions. It originally came in two firmness levels (soft and firm), but the brand has since reduced it to one option. We tested the firm model, which Martin says was initiallytoofirm but ended up being very comfortable after breaking it in. Now the soft model is the only one available.

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Medium-firmness that works for multiple sleeping styles:Corsillo has been sleeping on the Birch Natural for over two years, and says it’s her favorite mattress of the ones she has tried so far because it is firmer and feels sturdier than the Avocado and the Casper she slept on in the past. “It has a solidly medium-firm feel, which works well for both me, a back-to-side combination sleeper, and my stomach-sleeper husband,” Corsillo says.

Stays cool:While Corsillo doesn’t feel actively “cooled” on this mattress, she says she doesn’t overheat either, even though she tends to run warm.

Easy to move on, but with low motion transfer:The Birch is easy to move around on, and Corsillo says she never feels stuck in it, but it still isolates motion well. “My husband tosses and turns, but I never feel it unless he actually bumps into me,” she says.

Feels high-quality:Corsillo says she spent a lot of time on this mattress postpartum, and she still enjoys sitting on it to watch TV in bed. “Some days, I even work from bed and I’m still comfortable, which is impressive considering it’s not anergonomic office chair,” she adds. And even though it’s usually covered with bedding, Corsillo says she does appreciate how attractive this mattress looks bare — it looks expensive.

Not much bounce: “While I don’t ever feel stuck on the Birch, it’s not particularly springy,” Corsillo says.

Lacking in hip support:And while Corsillo likes the medium-firmness, she says she would consider a firmer mattress in the future, as she has noticed her hips feeling less supported on this mattress, particularly after having a baby.

Construction:The mattress is made with Rainforest Alliance–certified latex from sustainably tapped rubber trees, organic cotton, American-manufactured steel, and all-natural wool from New Zealand sheep. That wool is the standout material as it provides cushion and plushness and helps regulate temperature.

Firmness and support:Birch rates the Birch Natural as “medium firm,” which is right in line with our testing.

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Medium-firm feel with universal appeal:Guo says she’s an average, unfussy sleeper in every respect: “I can conk out in any position, I don’t toss or turn too much, I don’t really run hot or cold, and I don’t have any back pain or muscle aches to contend with … yet.” She does prefer a slightly firm mattress with more support rather than one she sinks into, but says she doesn’t want to feel like she’s sleeping on a granite countertop, either. Though Avocado puts the Eco Organic at a 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, Guo says it’s a little firmer than that, maybe a 6.5 or so — which is the ideal level of firmness for her.

Good support for lightweight sleepers:Since the Eco Organic contains fewer coils than other Avocado models, its level of support is more suited to those with smaller, lighter builds. (It’s a solid option for back and stomach sleepers, who typically don’t require as much zoned pressure relief as side sleepers.)

Could be too firm:While Guo loved the firmer feel of this mattress, she recognizes it’s not for everyone; those needing additional pressure relief (such as side sleepers or people with extra-sensitive, achy joints) might opt for something a little softer.

Construction:Avocado has built its entire brand around constructing mattresses with natural, nontoxic materials and manufacturing them using a sustainable production process. The Eco Organic is the brand’s most budget-conscious offering: In a king size, it costs $1,000 less than Avocado’s most popular mattress model, the Green, but still features the same foam-coil hybrid construction and certified-organic materials. It is ten inches tall and has a base of pocketed recycled steel coils, topped by a two-inch comfort layer made of organic and naturally antimicrobial Dunlop latex, as well as organic wool (a natural flame retardant) and organic cotton. It does not contain any polyurethane foams, polyester fibers, chemical adhesives, or chemical flame retardants. The Eco Organic does have fewer coils than the brand’s other models (975 coils in the king-size Eco Organic mattress versus 1,414 coils in the Green and Vegan models), which gives it a slightly softer feeling.

Firmness and support:The Eco Organic comes in one firmness level, which Avocado describes as “gentle-firm”; according to the brand’s own firmness scale, it ranks right in the middle at a 5 out of 10, with ten being the firmest. Guo found it slightly firmer, ranking it closer 6.5 out of 10.The Eco Organic provides uniform support across the entire surface of the mattress (in contrast to the zoned support of many of Avocado’s other mattress models), and there is no option to purchase it with an attached pillow top (though you can always add amattress topperfrom Avocado or any other brand).

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Soft but supportive:The Nolah Evolution comes in three firmness options; Goertzen tested the Plush model, which she says offers a softer feel without causing her to sink in too deeply. “The brand says the Evolution is all about full-body support, and I would agree,” Goertzen says. “It has a ‘cloudlike’ feel when you first get into bed, but it still feels balanced.”

Good pressure relief, especially for side sleepers:Across all three firmness options, Nolah emphasizes that pressure relief is one of the Evolution’s key selling points. Goertzen says the mattress delivers on that promise; she and her fiancé are very active people who work out daily, and the plush top and supportive coils keep her spine in alignment while allowing her shoulders and hips to relax. “I love that I never notice any nagging pressure points, regardless of whether I fall asleep on my stomach or side,” Goertzen says.

Good motion isolation:“If my dog is sleeping beside me, he doesn’t roll in toward me and I never feel him jump off the bed,” Goertzen says. “I’m also completely unbothered if my fiancé has a restless sleep.”

Stays cool:As someone who gets occasional night sweats, Goertzen says the Nolah Evolution regulates temperature well and doesn’t cause her to overheat. The standard version includes cooling foams and a breathable border gusset to allow for airflow; you can also upgrade to an additional cooling cover for $210.

Very heavy:Though the Nolah Evolution is a bed-in-a-box, Goertzen says it’s definitely not a one-person job to move it. She and her fiancé were able to lift it together, so plan on having another person handy. Nolah does offer optional in-home delivery and setup for no extra fee, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the initial unboxing, but it’s good to keep in mind if you might want to move the mattress later.

Construction:The Nolah Evolution has four foam layers: a hole-punched softer foam on top is followed by gel-infused foam, firmer transition foam, and then an even firmer foam layer that’s zoned to offer more lower-back support. Beneath all that foam is an eight-inch layer of coils, which are also zoned for targeted support. Finally, there is one last high-density foam layer as the base. The mattress’s cover is organic cotton quilted with foam, and the side of the mattress features breathable gussets to let hot air out.

Firmness and support:The Nolah Evolution comes in three firmness options: Plush, Luxury Firm, and Firm. Goertzen tested the Plush version and says it feels medium-soft “but offers more support than our Serta iSeries Hybrid mattress, which is extra-soft and has a slow-moving feel.” She also suggested that the Plush version may be too soft for some people, especially back sleepers who prefer a medium-firm to firm feel. “I don’t have any back issues, and I felt supported without too much sinking,” she says, but the Luxury Firm or Firm models may be better suited to those who want more support to go with their pressure relief.

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It’s supportive:The WinkBed comes in four firmnesses (Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, and Plus), and Schrader tested the Luxury Firm, which the brand describes as medium-firm. Prior to the WinkBed, she had been sleeping onSaatva’s Latex Hybrid, which she liked, but which was soft enough that she sank into it. She doesn’t sink into the WinkBed at all, and after six months of sleeping on it has declared that “no sinking” is her preference. “I didn’t mind it at the time, but now that I have the firmer WinkBed, I don’t think I’d go back to the Saatva,” she says. As someone who rolls from her side to her back several times throughout the night, Schrader says she feels nicely supported, no matter what position she is lying in — “Which is important to me as I’ve been thinking way more about spine alignment as I get older!” she says.

But it’s still plush:“While firmer than my previous mattress, it doesn’t feel like I’m sleeping on a board,” Schrader says. The pillow-top cover feels plush enough to her, considering how thin it is: It addsjustenough cushion, keeping Schrader comfortable whether she is sitting up and reading in bed or lying down sleeping.

Good for people with back pain:I named the WinkBed our favoritemattress for back painbecause of the sturdy support it provides. The structure provided by the coils, which are zoned to ensure proper support for different parts of your body, is beneficial for people who are dealing with back issues. It holds up in the long term too: Before Schrader tested the WinkBed mattress, I also heard good things about it fromNew Yorkfeatures editor Katy Schneider, who has been sleeping on it for six years and says it’s still just as comfortable.

No noticeable off-gassing:After a smelly unboxing experience with the first mattress she bought after college, Schrader was concerned about off-gassing from a bed-in-a-box (which the WinkBed is). But she did not notice any off-gassing odors. “We opened it up, let it rise — which did not take long — and it was good to go later that night,” Schrader says. By comparison, that first bed-in-a-box (from Ashley Furniture) did not smell great for at least a week, she says.

The Luxury Firm is perhaps too firm for some:While Schrader likes the firmness of the WinkBed, her partner says he somewhat misses the softness of their previous Saatva. Schrader says he has grown to like the WinkBed after sleeping on it for about six months, but it took him some time to get used to the new firmness. Those who want a less firm feel will likely prefer the Softer version of the WinkBed, which the brand describes as better for people who want to sleep “in” their bed rather than “on” it.

It’s very tall:Schrader’s only (minor) quibble is that the WinkBed is a thick mattress. “My bed frame is not especially tall, and even still, my feet dangle a good bit off the ground when I sit on this mattress,” Schrader says. (She is five-foot-two, for reference.) She says this is not a problem for her in “any real way,” but aesthetically, she did prefer the slightly lower profile of her previous mattress.

Construction:The WinkBed has three main layers. There’s a base of individually pocketed coils, a middle section of gel memory foam, and aEuro topthat also containsgel-infusedfoam. The tufted cover is made fromTencel, which can provide some temperature regulation. Additionally, theedges of the mattress are reinforcedwith a perimeter of extra-strong coils, giving it a very sturdy structure.

Firmness and support:Schrader tested the Luxury Firm version of the WinkBed, which the brand says is meant to be medium-firm and is its most popular model. Schrader says it feels slightly on the firmer side of medium-firm — “I really don’t feel myself sinking into this mattress at all,” she explains, “but the pillow-top layer adds softness that keeps it from feeling fully firm, to me.” If you are looking for a softer or firmer mattress, consider one of the other three firmness options: Softer, Firmer, or Plus (which is designed forheavier people).

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Supportive and sturdy:At first, coming off of her experience with a mattress Swerdloff says “was just way too soft,” she wondered: “Wait, is this ‘luxury firm’ mattress too firm?” But after a few nights, she got used to her new firmer mattress and says it’s been great so far.

Pain relief:After a few months, Swerdloff says she was sleeping very soundly and well with no aches and pains (which was a problem with her prior mattress), as was her husband, who “honestly is a bit of ‘The Princess and the Pea.’” He put it like this to her: “I don’t have a lot to say about it, because it’s very comfortable and I never wake up complaining, which is all you can ask for.”

A bit spartan:While this mattress is perfectly comfortable, it’s not especially luxurious; the pillowy top of the mattress isn’t particularly plush or soft.

Construction:Aviya’s mattresses are made in a Cleveland factory that has been manufacturing mattresses for more than 100 years. The brand makes just one style of mattress that is 12 inches tall and layers foam over an innerspring system comprised of individually wrapped coils. There is also a three-inch perimeter of high-density foam surrounding the coils in the bottommost layer, to provide edge support.

Firmness and support:Aviya offers three options for firmness: plush/soft, luxury firm, and firm. According to the company, the luxury firm is its best seller.

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It’s conforming but not swaddling:This mattress is built with a sturdy layer of coils underneath a comfort layer that includes Tempur-Pedic foam. The foam is called Tempur-Indulge, which isn’t theexactsame formulation used inTempur-Pedic mattresses— that’s called Tempur-Material — but both were developed by Tempur-Pedic. This particular hybrid construction explains why the Lux Estate felt “instantly familiar, but improved in every way” over the combo of an innerspring mattress plus a Tempur-Pedicmattress topperthat Zhao had been sleeping on previously, which caused him to overheat and led to lower-back pain from sinking in too deeply. He tested the standard version of the Lux Estate mattress, i.e., the non-pillow-topmodel where the top layer doesn’t float as much above the rest of the mattress. Because it is more tightly stitched down, the foam is pre-compressed by the fabric cover. Thus, Zhao says it has the conforming, supportive feel of memory foam, without any sinking sensation. “It no longer feels like I’m being swaddled by a second comforter from the bottom, and I don’t get sweaty,” he says.

Reinforced edges and good motion isolation:Even though it’s a queen, Zhao says it feels like he and his wife both have plenty of space to find a comfortable position and stick to it thanks to the sturdy edges of the mattress and the lack of motion transfer.

Supportive for back pain:On his previous innerspring mattress that was ultimately too firm, Zhao experienced someback pain. Now he says he wakes up in the same position he fell asleep in, and his lower back doesn’t hurt anymore.

Stays cool:Zhao is (rightly) suspicious of claims around “cooling” materials but said he didn’t overheat on this mattress. It does have a cooling cover, as well as ventilation on the sides to release warm air, and it seems effective at not trapping heat. (However, Zhao did say adding amattress protectordid away with any cooling effects he noticed and made the mattress feel hot.)

None yet:Aside from the mattress-protector issue, Zhao didn’t have any criticism for this mattress after sleeping on it for about four months, but we’ll update this review if any issues crop up in the future.

Construction:Stearns & Foster is the most high-end brand in the Tempur-Sealy family. According to the company, all Stearns & Foster mattresses are built by master craftspeople — on the lower-right corner of the front of each one, you’ll find a label with a signature of the individual maker who worked on it. This particular mattress includes a comfort layer comprising different foams over a bed of coils. It comes in either a standard-top style (which is what Zhao tested) or apillow top, which essentially adds an extra layer in the firmness of your choice to the standard-top version. The cover is made from Tencel, with cooling yarns incorporated to prevent overheating.

The comfort layer of both versions is made of a thin layer of Tempur-Indulgememory foam(a Tempur-Pedic formulation),polyurethane foam, and a thin layer of latex foam. The coils are Stearns & Foster’s IntelliCoils, which have a unique design; they’re made from a single piece of steel but essentially have a wider outer coil and narrower inner coil, which is intended to improve support forpeople of all weights. When weight compresses the outer wider “coil,” the inner narrower “coil” catches the weight and doesn’t compress as much. On the perimeter of the IntelliCoil layer is a section of “Precision Edge” coils for extrareinforcement. The mattress also has handles on all four sides, which is a rare feature.

Firmness and support:The Lux Estate comes in a Medium standard-top style and Soft, Medium, or Firm pillow-top styles. Zhao tested the Medium standard top, which feels solidly medium-firm to him. “I don’t like to sink into a mattress, and this is just firm enough to prevent that, yet soft enough to feel like it fully conforms to my sleep position,” he says. Out of 10, he’d rate the firmness as a 7.

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Responsive feel:Denton-Hurst says the Layla Hybrid is bouncy, and never gives that “sinking feeling.”

Good for couples:She and her partner have had no problems sleeping through the night on it: “We never overheat, nor do we feel each other moving around,” Denton-Hurst says.

Two (good) firmness options:Denton-Hurst and her partner slept on both sides, firm and soft, and each proved supportive. “I prefer the softer side because I like my mattresses to be a bit plusher, but the firm side isn’t too firm for my taste,” she says, “It’s perhaps a smidge firmer than theAllswell Luxe Hybrid, which I slept on happily for years.” While there are cheaper hybrid mattresses (like her beloved Allswell), the ability to simply flip this one should you want a softer or firmer feel makes it worth the investment, especially if you’re sharing a mattress with someone who prefers a different feel. It’s almost like you’re getting two mattresses for the price of one.

Nothing yet:Denton-Hurst says she has been sleeping on this mattress for three years, and she still loves it.

Construction:Layla offers two styles of mattress: an all-foam model and this coil-foam hybrid. The hybrid mattress consists of seven layers (the all-foam one has six); at its center is a six-inch layer of springy coils that offer increased airflow and more support, especially for larger bodies. Those foam layers are made of a copper-gel memory foam that the brand says has cooling ability.

Firmness and support:Both the all-foam and hybrid mattresses are flippable, with one side featuring a layer of softer memory foam and the other a layer of firmer foam. Layla rates firmness on a scale of one to ten; the soft side ranks at a four and the firm side at a seven, regardless of construction.

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The entire premise of the Boring mattress brand is that Boring mattresses are no-frills, back-to-basics, and, well, boring. The brand launched initially with just this mattress but now offers theBoring AF mattress, which is all-foam. After sleeping on the Boring Hybrid for about a month, I think that the “boring” description is accurate. It’s a basic hybrid mattress with two layers of foam atop a base of springs with a medium firmness. What I ended up disliking about this mattress was that it didn’t feel firm enough to lend any spine-straightening support but also wasn’t soft enough to be comfortable. The surface felt extremely flat and was not especially pleasant to sleep on, and I often woke up sore after sleeping on it. The price is reasonable — just about $800 for a queen — but there just isn’t much here to recommend about the mattress otherwise. (For something similarly no-frills, Allswell’s mattresses are a good option, for even cheaper.)

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Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst tested this mattress and had many positive things to say about it, including that it feels plush but isn’t too soft or sinky, and that it’s beautiful to look at thanks to the tufting and stripes. However, there was one issue that made me feel we couldn’t wholeheartedly recommend it. The top layer of the mattress clips onto the bottom layer, and Denton-Hurst told me the top layer constantly shifted, requiring her to reposition it every single night. I contacted Ostermoor to ask about this design feature, and a representative told me it allows for easier delivery and setup, especially in small apartments. While this is nice in theory, I don’t think a $4,000 mattress should require daily adjustment.