Extra firm mattresses offer unique benefits for certain types of sleepers, especially back and stomach sleepers, as well as those who weigh over 230 pounds. With a sturdy, robust feel, these mattresses resist sagging, allow easy movement, and tend to sleep cooler. We’ll share our picks for the best extra firm mattresses in different categories, and then explain who should consider this firmness level, how to choose the best extra firm mattress, and how to firm up your existing mattress.
Best Extra Firm Mattress
Plank Firm
The Plank Firm lives up to its name with a flippable design that offers robust support at two different firmness levels and a surprisingly responsive surface for an all-foam bed.
For a wider look at the most comfortable beds on the market, check out the best mattresses of 2024. We also have guides for different positions and mattress types, like the best mattress for stomach sleepers.
The Best Extra Firm Mattresses
Best Overall Mattress – Plank Firm
Best Value Mattress – Allswell Brick
Best Luxury Mattress – Solaire
Best Mattress for Couples – Helix Dawn
Best Mattress for Heavy Sleepers – Titan Plus
Sleep Doctor’s Picks
Best Overall Mattress
Plank Firm
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Plank Firm’s dual-sided design benefits sleepers seeking a mattress with minimal give and maximum pushback. The extra firm side is an especially good choice for back and stomach sleepers over 230 pounds.
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Hot Sleepers
Firm, Extra Firm Options
Supportive Foam
Good for Sleepers Over 230 Pounds
Pros
- Flippable design offers two firmness options
- High-density all-foam construction provides sturdy support
- Breathable, open cell foam reduces heat retention
Cons
- Allows considerable motion transfer
- Offers limited pressure relief
- Both sides are likely too firm for sleepers under 130 pounds
The Plank Firm mattress features a flippable design with a different firmness on each side. Sleepers can select between a firm (7) or extra firm (9) feel. Regardless of the side you use, the mattress delivers enhanced support for sleepers who want or need extra pushback from an all-foam bed.
Why We Like It
Flippable mattresses like the Plank Firm are a versatile option, giving sleepers the chance to choose a side that feels best for their needs and preferences. If you sleep hot, you can also add an optional GlacioTex cooling cover for an additional fee. Our testers found this boosted the bed’s temperature neutrality, making it a very good option for people who sleep hot — especially on all-foam beds.
How Does It Feel?
The firm side of the Plank was an excellent fit for our stomach sleepers weighing over 130 pounds and our back sleepers over 230 pounds. This surface offered light cushioning on top of the high-density foam core, with gentle cradling that promoted spinal alignment and minimized painful pressure buildup. The extra firm side features less cushioning. Testers found this surface appealed most to stomach and back sleepers over 230 pounds.
Best Value Mattress
Allswell Brick
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Allswell Brick has a lot to offer sleepers who prefer firm surfaces, especially if you’re a stomach or back sleeper over 130 pounds. The bed delivers just enough contouring to gently cushion your body without sacrificing support, and the price-point is reasonable compared to other hybrids we’ve tested.
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Combination Sleepers
Firm
Plush, Supportive Surface
Good for Sleepers Over 130 Pounds
Pros
- Coils and foam layers offer an even balance of support and gentle cushioning
- Below-average price-point for a hybrid mattress
- Superb edge support makes entire surface usable
Cons
- May be too firm for side sleepers weighing under 130 pounds
- Lacks the pressure relief of softer models
The Allswell Brick Mattress is a hybrid model that balances cushioning and support. Combining memory foam, high-density polyfoam, and individually wrapped coils, the Brick minimizes sinkage and promotes healthy spinal alignment.
Why We Like It
Firm beds sometimes sacrifice cushioning for support, but the Allswell Brick has a memory foam layer that offers a touch of plushness to balance out the overall firm feel. Strong overall performance in key areas like ease of movement and temperature neutrality add value to the Brick’s reasonable price tag. Those who tend to sleep warm should feel comfortable on this mattress, due to steady airflow through the coils.
How Does It Feel?
The mattress has a firm (7) feel that impressed our back- and stomach-sleeping testers over 130 pounds. These testers received enough pushback to support the lower back, while the foam layers gently cradled sensitive pressure points. We found the bed easy to move around on, so we recommend it for combination sleepers who don’t enjoy feeling “stuck” in their mattress. Support around the edges was also impressive.
Best Luxury Mattress
Solaire
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Solaire’s advanced airbed design allows sleepers to fine-tune firmness until it feels just right. With plush, luxurious materials in the comfort system, this mattress offers a high-end, customizable sleep surface that caters to a wide range of sleepers.
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Combination Sleepers
Adjustable Firmness
Bouncy, Supportive Surface
Supportive For All Sleepers
Pros
- Airbed construction allows you to precisely adjust firmness on each side of the bed
- Euro-top, latex, and memory foam provide cushioning and pressure relief
- Airflow creates exceptional temperature neutrality
Cons
- Carries a significantly higher price than other mattress types
- Noise from firmness level adjustment could disturb bed partner
The Solaire Mattress from Saatva features adjustable air chambers in its support core, allowing sleepers to customize the bed to achieve their ideal firmness. The comfort system uses zoned latex, gel-infused memory foam, and a quilted organic cotton cover for a luxurious feel.
Why We Like It
For queen sizes and larger, the Solaire offers customizable firmness settings for each side of the bed. This makes the mattress an appealing option for couples with different body types and sleep positions. Our testers were also impressed with the bed’s strong thermoregulation. The chambers allow steady airflow through the core, and latex has natural cooling properties.
How Does It Feel?
The Solaire has an adjustable design that offers firmness levels ranging from 3 to 8 on our 10-point firmness scale. The customizable firmness and the even balance of support and cushioning make the Solaire a versatile mattress that caters to many sleeper types. Our side-sleeping testers appreciated the moderate contouring offered by the memory foam and the soft cushioning of the quilted cover. The back and stomach sleepers on our team benefited from the zoned latex layer, which provides a mix of buoyancy and support in the lumbar region.
Best Mattress for Couples
Helix Dawn
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
The Helix Dawn is a firm mattress that combines the gentle contouring of a foam comfort system with significant pushback from its coil core. Back and stomach sleepers seeking strong support with a touch of conforming will find a lot to like in this mattress.
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Couples
Firm
Bouncy, Supportive Surface
Good for Sleepers Over 130 Pounds
Pros
- Pocketed coils and dense foam comfort layers deliver bouncier support
- Offers more pressure relief than many extra firm mattresses
- Responsive surface allows easy movement across the bed
Cons
- Side sleepers may prefer a softer mattress
- Pocketed coils allow some motion transfer
The Helix Dawn is a firm (8) hybrid mattress that caters almost exclusively to back and stomach sleepers. The polyfoam layers provide a touch of cushioning while individually wrapped coils in the support core prevent sinkage and promote spinal alignment.
Why We Like It
Foam comfort systems are typically associated with deep contouring, but the foam layers on the Helix Dawn are firm enough to allow easy movement across the surface. Couples may appreciate this buoyant, responsive sleep surface for sex. An optional GlacioTex cooling cover enhances the Dawn’s strong temperature neutrality.
How Does It Feel?
Our back and stomach sleepers weighing over 130 pounds appreciated the Dawn’s lightly conforming comfort layers and sturdy support core. The polyfoam comfort layers are firm enough to keep your body on an even plane, with just enough contouring to cradle areas like the shoulders, hips, and spine. However, this design proved to be too firm for back and stomach sleepers under 130 pounds as well as side sleepers across weight categories.
Best Mattress for Heavy Sleepers
Titan Plus
The Sleep Doctor’s Review
Sleepers over 230 pounds need a mattress that delivers strong support without sacrificing too much cushioning. The Titan Plus rises to the occasion by accommodating the unique needs of sleepers in this weight category.
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Heavy Sleepers
Firm
Plush, Supportive Surface
Good for Sleepers Over 230 Pounds
Pros
- Pocketed steel coils and high-density foam are designed to support heavy individuals
- Robust edge support resists sagging
- Open cell foam, gel infusion, and breathable pocketed coils reduce heat buildup
Cons
- Mattress returns incur a $99 fee
- Sleepers under 230 pounds may find it too firm
Designed with larger body types in mind, the Titan Plus Mattress uses thick, sturdy coils to provide firm, durable support. The comfort system contains foam layers with just enough cushioning to give sleepers some pressure relief.
Why We Like It
The Titan Plus is designed to accommodate up to 1,000 pounds, which is more than many mattresses you’ll find on the market. Despite the strong support, we found the foam comfort system, including a memory foam layer on the surface, ensured enough cushioning to lightly cradle sensitive joints. We also appreciated the optional GlacioTex cover that felt cool to the touch and enhanced the bed’s thermoregulation. This is a noteworthy benefit for people who sleep hot.
How Does It Feel?
Our testing showed that the Titan Plus performs best for sleepers weighing over 230 pounds. Back sleepers in particular benefited from the enhanced support of the coils and the gentle contouring of the foam comfort layers. Our testers were also impressed with the sturdy edge support, which made getting in and out of bed easier.
Extra firm beds are the firmest of the firm on our scale – too much firmer and you’re basically sleeping on hardwood or concrete. These mattresses provide some of the strongest support on the market, a flat sleep surface, and they often resist sagging more than other firmnesses.
Extra firm beds are typically best for stomach sleepers, back sleepers, sleepers with larger builds, and anyone who feels like regular firm mattresses are too soft. Side sleepers should beware since extra firm beds are usually too harsh on the hips and shoulders.
Who Is an Extra Firm Mattress Best For?
Extra firm mattresses offer unique features that often appeal to stomach and back sleepers as well as heavier individuals.
The surface of an extra firm mattress generally feels dense rather than plush. Contouring properties, if present at all, are subtle. Since back and stomach sleepers need stronger support to promote spinal alignment, they may benefit from this firmness level. Extra firm mattresses also limit sagging and sinkage that can lead to heat buildup or a stuck feeling, especially for heavier individuals.
Because of their solid surface, extra firm mattresses also allow extremely easy movement across the surface, which can make them a good choice for combination sleepers, or those that have trouble getting in and out of bed.
Who Should Avoid an Extra Firm Mattress?
Sleepers that prefer a plush surface or who need deep contouring and pressure relief should likely avoid extra firm mattresses. In particular, side sleepers and lighter-weight individuals often need the adaptive support of a softer mattress to promote spinal alignment and relieve tension.
Video: Is a Firm Mattress Right for You?
While some people may associate mattress comfort with plushness, a firmer mattress can be more beneficial for certain sleepers. In this video, our sleep experts cover everything you need to know so you can select the best mattress firmness for your needs.
Choosing the Right Mattress Firmness for You
When choosing between a firm and soft mattress, remember that you experience firmness differently based on your body type and sleeping position. What feels firm to one sleeper may feel too soft to another.
Side sleepers often benefit from softer mattresses, since these cradle the hips and shoulders to relieve pressure. For stomach and back sleepers, firmer mattresses deliver strong spinal support, and are usually more comfortable.
Individuals weighing less than 130 pounds generally need a lower firmness level to feel support compared to those who weigh more. On the other hand, sleepers who weigh over 230 pounds may experience uncomfortable sinking on a soft mattress.
We use a 10-point scale to measure firmness, with higher numbers indicating more firmness. Mattresses that rate 7 or 8 out of 10 in firmness are considered firm to extra firm, while those that rate 9 are extra firm.
What You Should Consider in an Extra Firm Mattress
Once you’ve decided that an extra firm level is right for you, there are a number of factors to consider before choosing a specific mattress.
Mattress Material
Extra firm options are available in all mattress types, but different construction materials affect how each mattress type performs.
Foam mattresses, constructed from memory foam or polyfoam, are generally associated with plush surfaces and contouring properties. However, extra firm foam mattresses use denser foam that creates a sturdy sleep surface, usually with minimal contouring.
Latex mattresses are made from the sap of rubber trees and offer a responsive surface that provides cushion and pressure relief without foam’s adaptive properties. Back and stomach sleepers looking for an extra-firm mattress with extra bounce often opt for latex.
Hybrid mattresses stack foam or latex comfort layers atop pocketed coils for a balance of adaptive cushion and support. Extra firm hybrids generally use dense comfort layers to create a supportive surface that minimizes sinking.
Airbeds (not to be confused with air mattresses) consist of comfort layers over air chambers that you control with a remote or an app. By adding or removing air, you can adjust the firmness to a precise degree. Many airbeds have separate controls for each side of the bed, which is helpful if your partner finds the extra firm level uncomfortable. Because of the technology involved, airbeds often cost more than other types of mattresses.
Spinal Alignment
For proper spinal alignment, the mattress should distribute weight evenly. Extra firm mattresses provide excellent support to maintain alignment since they resist sagging, which can cause the spine to fall out of its natural curvature.
However, the ideal mattress for spinal alignment depends on your body type and position. For example, side sleepers under 230 pounds generally need a more even balance of pressure relief and support and generally find extra firm mattresses too stiff.
Motion Isolation
Motion isolation refers to a mattress’ ability to absorb movement. Mattresses with strong motion isolation prevent a sleeper’s movements from disturbing their bed partner. Extra firm mattresses generally allow some amount of motion transfer since they lack the contouring properties that absorb movement. That said, the amount of motion transfer still varies among extra firm models, depending on their materials and construction.
Pain Relief
Finding the ideal mattress firmness for your body type and sleeping position will help prevent new aches and pains, and might even relieve existing ones. If the mattress is too soft or firm, it can cause spinal misalignment or pressure buildup that worsens the problem.
Extra firm mattresses can help relieve pain if they match the sleeper’s needs. For example, heavier individuals often find that the strong support of an extra firm mattress provides the balance of subtle contouring and pushback they need to maintain a healthy sleep posture.
Tips for Firming Up Your Mattress
If the firmness of your current mattress isn’t measuring up to your needs, there are several steps you can take to potentially improve its performance before replacing the mattress.
- Buy a firm mattress topper: Mattress toppers come in a wide range of materials, and can be a quick, affordable way to adjust the firmness of your bed. They can also lengthen the lifespan of your mattress and change the feel of its surface.
- Use the proper mattress foundation: Using a proper foundation, be it a box spring, bed frame, or bunkie board, prolongs the lifespan of the mattress and can alleviate sagging.
- Flip or rotate your mattress: We recommend rotating your mattress once or twice a year to spread out which areas get heavy use. If your mattress design is flippable, turning it over regularly also keeps it from wearing out as quickly.
- Check your mattress warranty: Many mattresses include a warranty so that you can get a mattress repaired or replaced if it becomes defective within a certain time period. If your mattress is sagging, check its included warranty policy to see if it’s still covered.
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How We Test
To determine the best extra firm mattress, we gathered dozens of models that rated a 7 or above on our 10-point firmness scale and evaluated them according to our rigorous methodology. Using in-house testing, we gathered both subjective and objective performance data on all models.
Our goal is to help you find the perfect mattress for your needs. Over years of testing sleep products, we’ve learned that no two sleepers are exactly alike, so our testers run the full gamut of body types, sleeping positions, and preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
All major types of mattresses — foam, latex, hybrid, and airbed — are available in extra firm models. The specific characteristics of the mattress such as its contouring, responsiveness, and temperature regulation may vary depending on the materials used.
An extra firm mattress can be good for back pain since it resists sinking that causes the spine to become poorly aligned. However, the best firmness level for back pain also depends on your body type and sleeping position.
An extra firm mattress feels dense and solid, providing minimal cushion and contouring while allowing excellent ease of movement across the surface. Because they aren’t prone to sinking, extra firm mattresses generally sleep cooler than softer alternatives.
Usually, side sleepers need more cushion and contouring than an extra firm mattress offers, but some side sleepers over 230 pounds may appreciate the sturdy support. For side sleepers under 230 pounds, we generally recommend a medium or medium soft mattress.
Extra firm mattresses last 7 to 10 years on average. In general, this type of mattress is more durable than softer models because it’s made with denser materials.
An extra firm mattress feels stiffer and less cushioned than a firm mattress, and generally offers less contouring. On our 10-point firmness scale, mattresses that rate 7 or 8 are considered firm, but some of them feel extra firm. Mattresses that rate 9 are always extra firm.
About The Author
Staff Writer, Product Testing Team
Garen is a health and lifestyle content creator. She realized the importance of sleep when her children made getting a good night’s rest more challenging. Garen is always learning something new about the wide world of sleep and sleep products. Married with two girls, ages 7 and 11, she is a book nerd and a lover of pop music, travel, and the Pacific Northwest.
- POSITION: Side Sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Neutral Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Wolf
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