Best Firm Mattresses of 2023
If you prefer your bed more stiff than fluffy, you might find your dreamiest sleep with these highly rated mattresses
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A mattress’s firmness level can be one of its most important qualities in helping you fall asleep—but like so many other mattress features, firmness levels are subjective, and one person’s definition of a “really firm” mattress is another’s “not firm enough.” What’s more, manufacturers’ labels aren’t consistent—a mattress maker’s “firm” can vary as much as a clothing designer’s “size 8.”
That’s why we measure firmness by applying a load to the mattress that gradually increases to 1,000 newtons, or 225 pounds. While that load is increasing, we plot the curve of the mattress’s deflection. The deflection at key points on this curve are then analyzed to determine a value that we then present on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest.
To see all of CR’s sleep coverage, go to our Guide to Better Sleep.
How We Picked the Best Firm Mattresses
To highlight the firmest mattresses, we pored over our most highly rated models. (You can read more about the tests we performed to arrive at these ratings in our review of the best mattresses of the year.) We then filtered for those with a firmness score of 7 or higher. That means in addition to having a stiffer feel, these mattresses offer the features that you’d want in a high-quality mattress in general, such as support and durability.
We also assessed a mattress’s brand comfort ratings for each mattress type (innerspring, foam, and adjustable air). These are based on members’ assessments of their mattresses’ comfort. Higher ratings indicate better comfort. Our brand owner satisfaction ratings are based on members’ feelings of overall satisfaction with their mattresses. Results for both are gathered from Consumer Reports’ 2021, 2022, and 2023 Winter Surveys on almost 66,000 mattresses purchased by CR members between 2013 and 2023.
To see the results for each mattress we tested, check out our comprehensive mattress ratings, where you can sort according to firmness level, as well as price, sleep-position support, and other criteria that are important to you. You can also explore our mattress finder, which can help you pick the right mattress based on your preferences.
Best Firm Mattresses: Innerspring
The following three mattresses are the only innersprings that receive a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, based on our latest round of testing; there are no firmer options in our innerspring ratings. (You have more to choose from if you’re open to exploring mattresses that are medium-firm or softer.) Like most innerspring mattresses without an added pillowtop, the highlighted models below don’t retain heat, so they’re great for hot sleepers.
Best Firm Mattresses: Foam
Foam mattress lovers have many firm mattresses to choose from. What’s more, a high-quality foam bed can typically offer some curve-conforming pressure relief, too, despite the stiffer feel. All the mattresses highlighted below come from brands that earned near-the-top ratings in owner satisfaction and comfort for their foam mattresses.
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