Best Medium-Firm Mattress: 10 Options in 2023

A quick look at the best medium-firm mattresses 

• Best overall: The WinkBed | Skip to review
• Best hybrid: Helix Midnight | Skip to review
• Best affordable: Nectar Memory Foam | Skip to review
• Best for selecting height: Saatva Classic | Skip to review
• Best for kids: Birch Kids Natural Mattress | Skip to review
• Best for pressure relief: Nolah Original 10″ | Skip to review
• Best for athletes: Brooklyn Bedding Spartan | Skip to review
• Best for all sleep positions: Leesa Original Mattress | Skip to review
• Best cooling: Puffy Mattress | Skip to review
• Best for universal firmness: Lull Original Mattress | Skip to review

Best medium-firm mattresses

Below are 10 of the best medium-firm mattresses available online. All prices refer to queen-size mattresses.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.

Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.

Best overall: The WinkBed

• Price: $1,799
• Trial length: 120 nights
• Warranty: lifetime
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king

According to the product website, this hybrid mattress is suitable for a wide range of people and offers a good balance of support, comfort, and cooling features.

WinkBeds recommends this mattress to people with back, shoulder, or hip pain, and those looking for a breathable mattress that is supportive and comfortable in equal measure.

The design combines individually wrapped coils, a Euro-pillow top with gel-infused foam, targeted lumbar support, and a cooling, natural eucalyptus Tencel cover. There is edge support, motion isolation technology, and a dedicated back support system.

All of these features together make this mattress our best overall pick.

This mattress is OEKO-TEX® and CertiPUR-US® certified.

Best hybrid: Helix Midnight

• Price: $1,373.80
• Trial length: 100 nights
• Warranty: 10–15 years
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king

This hybrid mattress features a top cooling layer, a layer of memory foam, two layers of polyfoam, 1,000 individually wrapped coils, and a foam foundation. Helix recommends this mattress to side sleepers and those who want to relieve pressure on their shoulders and hips.

The sides feature reinforced edges to prevent rolling, and the cooling cover pulls heat away from the body.

It comes with free shipping, a 100-night sleep trial, and a 10–15 year warranty.

This mattress uses CertiPUR-US® certified foam.

Best affordable: Nectar Memory Foam

• Price: $699
• Trial length: 365 nights
• Warranty: forever
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king, split Cal king

This mattress features three layers of memory foam, starting with a gel-infused layer for pressure point relief, followed by a transition layer to reduce motion transfer, and an active support base layer. It uses CertiPUR-US® certified foam.

Due to its motion transfer control, this medium-firm mattress could be a good choice for couples. Nectar also recommends this mattress for stomach, side, and back sleepers. It also claims that it reduced buyers’ back pain.

This mattress company offers some of the longest sleep trials and warranties in the industry, making Nectar a good option for people wanting to try out their new mattress for an extended period.

However, this mattress might not be a good choice for people who tend to sleep hot, as memory foam has a reputation for retaining heat.

Best for selecting height: Saatva Classic

• Price: $1,995
• Trial length: 365 nights
• Warranty: lifetime
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king, split Cal king

Combining the responsiveness of an innerspring mattress with plush comfort layers of foam, Saatva allows buyers to choose between two mattress heights: 11.5 inches (in) or 14.5 in. Taller mattresses can suit taller people, but lower mattresses may be easier to get in and out of for some people.

Saatva states that its patented lumbar zone technology promotes healthy spinal alignment in all sleep positions, making this mattress a good choice for people with joint and back pain.

This CertiPUR-US® certified mattress uses organic and natural materials for the cover and flame retardant barrier and a nontoxic antimicrobial treatment. Additionally, the company offers free white glove delivery and setup.

Best for kids: Birch Kids Natural Mattress

• Price: $1,123.80
• Trial length: 100 nights
• Warranty: 25 years
• Sizes: twin, full

This flippable mattress is made with children in mind. Birch writes it is hypoallergenic and naturally breathable, and its two sides accommodate the changing needs of growing children. The firmer latex side is for children ages 3–7, and the plush side is for children ages 8–12.

It is a hybrid mattress featuring hundreds of individually wrapped coils, a natural latex layer, and an organic cotton and wool cover. It does not contain any polyurethane foam or chemical adhesives.

This mattress is Global Organic Textiles (GOTS), GREENGUARD Gold certified, and uses Fair Trade Certified Organic Cotton and eco-INSTITUT certified latex.

Best for pressure relief: Nolah Original 10″

• Price: $1,449
• Trial length: 120 nights
• Warranty: lifetime
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king

This mattress uses a proprietary foam that reportedly provides four times the pressure point relief and is 300% more durable than memory foam. Its pressure-relieving properties come from billions of air bubbles in the company’s AirFoam while the Original foam cradles and cushions the joints.

The foam is temperature neutral, and the company states it releases heat 20% faster than memory foam. This mattress uses CertiPUR-US® certified foam.

Sitting at a 5–6 out of 10 on the company’s firmness scale, Nolah recommends this mattress to couples and side sleepers.

Best for athletes: Brooklyn Bedding Spartan

• Price: $1,999
• Trial length: 120 nights
• Warranty: 10 years
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king, split Cal king

This mattress aims to support athletes’ active recovery while they sleep. According to Brooklyn Bedding, the fabric cover uses Far Infrared Ray technology and a weave that enhances blood flow for faster muscle recovery. Although Brooklyn Bedding claims this is a clinically proven benefit of the mattress, it does not provide access to the study.

It is a hybrid mattress, with a zoned core support layer of individually wrapped coils, two layers of memory foam, and a cooling layer of copper-infused antimicrobial foam.

This mattress uses CertiPUR-US® certified foam.

Best for all sleep positions: Leesa Original Mattress

• Price: $1,299
• Trial length: 100 nights
• Warranty: 10 year
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king

Leesa writes that this all-foam mattress is a good choice for people who prefer memory foam with a little bounce, and couples wanting to minimize motion transfer. It also claims it is suitable for all body types and sleep positions, making it a versatile memory foam option.

It has a breathable cover and three layers of foam, including a responsive top layer that aims to help people sleep cool.

The strengths of this mattress include its moderate price for a memory foam mattress. It has good motion control and promotes healthy spine alignment. Users appreciate its combination of support and pressure point relief.

However, some users also reported a strong off-gassing smell. Its edge support is not strong. And, even though it sleeps cool for a memory foam mattress, it may still be too hot for some.

This mattress is CertiPUR-US® and GREENGUARD Gold certified.

Best cooling: Puffy Mattress

• Price: $1,799
• Trial length: 101 nights
• Warranty: lifetime
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, split king, Cal king, split Cal king

This mattress has five layers of CertiPUR-US® certified memory foam, including a gel-infused top layer that promotes airflow and helps to dissipate body heat. It also has a hypoallergenic and stain-resistant top cover, a 2-in layer of gel-infused foam for cooling and cradling the body, and 6 inches of high density stabilizing foam.

With several cooling features throughout the mattress, it may be a good option for people who sleep hot or live in warm or humid environments.

Puffy also says it can help improve back pain and provides total motion isolation.

Best for fast shipping: Lull Original Mattress

• Price: $1,599
• Trial length: 365 nights
• Warranty: lifetime
• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, Cal king

Lull writes that this memory foam mattress supports all sleeping positions.

The 1.5-inch top layer comprises a gel-infused foam to relieve pressure points and promote cooler sleep. The following 1.5-inch transition layer offers support and motion isolation and prevents the sinking feeling some may associate with memory foam. The durable foam base layer prevents sagging.

Lull writes it can ship its mattresses in 1–4 business days, making for a convenient service.

This mattress uses CertiPUR-US® certified foam, and the manufacturer is a member of the Sustainable Furnishing Council® and the Mattress Recycling Council®.

Comparison

The table below compares each of the mattresses in this article.

How we chose

Who is a medium-firm mattress best for?

People who are looking for a balance of support and comfort may find a medium-firm mattress suitable.

An older 2015 study concluded that a medium-firm mattress may be the optimal choice for promoting sleep quality, comfort, and good spinal alignment. That said, it does not call out specific groups of people that may benefit from a medium-firm mattress.

A 2021 review agrees, showing that currently, scientific research concludes that a medium-firm mattress is best for comfort, alignment, and sleep quality. The authors wrote that this firmness may be best for people with nonspecific low back pain.

However, overall there is limited scientific research on the best mattress firmness for different sleeping positions.

Types of medium-firm mattress

The basic construction types for medium-firm mattresses include:

• Foam: Foam mattresses can include polyurethane foam, memory foam — which is more durable and is denser and closely cradles the body — and latex, a more responsive foam option.
• Innerspring: Innerspring mattresses are an older type. They have a coil support system that can use individually-wrapped or fully connected coil springs. There will be a fabric or foam layer on top of the springs for comfort.
• Hybrid: Hybrid mattresses combine multiple layers of polyurethane or memory foam with coils. The distribution of the coils, padding, and thickness of the foam layers aim to provide support, breathability, and comfort to targeted areas.

How to choose

Considering the following factors can help a person choose the best medium-firm mattress:

• Price: Mattresses can be an expensive investment. People should decide which features to prioritize and buy a mattress that fits their budget.
• Health: People living with a health condition, such as arthritis or chronic pain, may wish to look for mattresses that offer support to keep the spine and hips aligned and relieve pressure on the joints.
• Sleep temperature: People who tend to sleep hot or live in warm climates may want to avoid memory foam mattresses because they can retain heat. However, many memory foam mattresses come with cooling layers or materials to counteract this.
• Allergies: In some cases, mattresses can contain allergens such as wool or latex. People with allergies to these materials should check mattress specifications carefully and choose a hypoallergenic mattress.

Frequently asked questions about medium-firm mattresses

Below, we answer the top frequently asked questions about medium-firm mattresses.

What medium-firm mattress is best?

The best medium-firm mattress will vary between individuals depending on their sleep style, temperature, and their health. The best medium-firm mattress will support a person’s body and keep the spine aligned and provide comfort for pressure points such as the hips and shoulders.

What are the benefits of a medium-firm mattress?

Some scientific studies have shown that medium-firm mattresses can improve sleep quality and spinal alignment. They may also offer a good balance between support and comfort.

Is medium-firm good for side sleepers?

A medium-firm mattress may be a good option for side sleepers as it will support spinal alignment but provide some pressure relief on the hips and shoulders.

People can test mattresses in stores or with a company’s sleep trial to make sure they buy the right mattress for their sleep style.

Summary

Medium-firm mattresses can suit most sleep styles, and some scientific research shows that they can improve sleep quality and spinal alignment.

With memory foam and hybrid options available for a range of budgets, a wide range of people may find medium-firm mattresses suitable for their needs.