Who Is A Firm Mattress Best For
Comfort is subjective, so there are no black-and-white rules about who should buy a firm mattress. The guiding principle we follow is that everyone should opt for the best fit for their needs and preferences. That said, there are general tendencies in terms of which people get the most benefit out of a firm bed.
Weve found that two major factors play into the optimal firmness level: body weight and primary sleeping position. People who weigh over 230 pounds often prefer a firmer mattress because it keeps them from sinking too deeply into the bed, which can harm spinal alignment and cause overheating. The testers on our team who fall into this weight range typically prefer firmer mattresses over softer ones.
Back and stomach sleepers usually need a firmer feel to keep their abdomen and lumbar area from hyperextending, which can lead to lower back aches and pains. While there are exceptions, the table below provides an outline of the optimal mattress firmness level based on your weight and main sleeping position.
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What Are The Benefits Of A Pillow Top Mattress
The main benefit of a pillow mattress is comfort. The pillow top will mould to the shape of your body and adjust to different pressure points. This allows you to be supported with the optimum comfort.
If you suffer from aches and pains when you wake, this extra cushion layer can help. The additional support can help to relieve pressure points and stop you from waking up in pain. If you often suffer with back pain, our guide on avoiding back pain when sleeping can help.
The extra support that the pillow top layer gives can prevent pressure points keeping you awake as you try to sleep. If youre not supported properly, these pressure points can reduce blood flow and cause discomfort, which can prevent you from sleeping properly. Pillow top mattresses offer some of the best support for sleep.
An additional benefit of a pillow mattress is that they are durable. These mattresses are able to return to their original shape after you get up. Because of this they dont need turning as regularly and can last longer.
Why You Can Trust Us
Our testing team assigns a firmness value to every mattress we evaluate. We use a 10-point scale, ranging from 1 to 10 . For our best firm mattress picks, we exclusively looked at models with a firmness of 6 or higher. These include mattresses that are exclusively designed with firmer feels, as well as flippable models with at least one firm surface and mattresses sold in multiple firmness levels.
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Does It Keep You Cool Or Warm Enough
If you sleep hot, you should probably avoid foam mattresses, which are notorious for trapping heat. Innerspring mattresses tend to be more breathable because body heat moves from the surface through the spaces in the coils and disperses out to the room. If youre a hot sleeper but you prefer the feeling of foam, look for foam hybrids or innersprings quilted with a foam topper. Many foam mattresses tout materials designed to allow for varying levels of heat transfer, such as foam with air channels or gel, copper, or graphite infusions. But be aware that they usually cost more and wont work for everyone, and the effects can be minimal. Mattresses made of latex sleep cooler and feel springier than those made of memory foam.
Olee Sleep 13 Galaxy Euro Box Top Spring Mattress
According to Olee, this mattress has five layers of pocket springs, with 7.5-inch coils to maintain firmness. The memory foam adapts to a persons body shape and helps regulate their temperature.
A pillow top or Euro top can consist of several materials, including memory foam, latex, gel, wool, and fibers.
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Which Is Better Pillow Top Or Memory Foam
A pillow top mattress gives you a much softer feel, and creates that sinking into a cloud feeling when you get into bed. Pillow tops give you a soft to medium-firm feel and are ideal for those who prefer to sleep on their back or front. Memory foam tends to mould itself to the shape of your body more than a pillow top, cradling your body and keeping your spine in a neutral position and offering more support at the neck, shoulders, and lower back, which may be more comfortable for side sleepers. Memory foam can also form an important supportive layer in orthopaedic mattresses.
What’s The Difference Between A Pillow
The term “hybrid mattress” refers to a broader range of beds made from any combination of materials primarily foams and coils.The term “pillow-top mattress” is more specific, referring to a bed that has a pillow-top to soften the more supportive coils below. It can still contain foams, latex, or any other materials you might find in a hybrid bed.To put it more succinctly, most pillow-top mattresses are hybrids, but not all hybrid mattresses are pillow-tops.
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What Is The Best Month To Purchase A Mattress
Many mattress retailers offer deep discounts around Presidents Day, which is celebrated annually on the third Monday in February. You can usually find some good mattress deals around Memorial Day and Labor Day, and sometimes around the Fourth of July. Generally speaking, you may see a few decent price drops during holiday shopping events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but they likely wont be the best deals of the year. We track deals on all of our mattress recommendations year-round.
What Makes The Saatva Hd Stand Out
- When heavier people move to their sides, they should feel less pressure on their shoulders and hips because of the zoning and plush pillow-top.
- The Saatva HD is a particularly great mattress for hot sleepers. The organic cotton cover is very breathable and the latex layer is ventilated.
- Additional cooling comes from the coils, which help promote airflow.
The Birch mattress from Helix is a latex hybrid that contains Talalay latex, which is softer and less dense than Dunlop latex. And if you add the optional pillow-top, you get three more inches of Talalay, as well as some fluffy wool batting not to mention some added pressure relief that should offer plush comfort to the majority of side sleepers.
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Why A King Size Pillow Top Mattress Is The Best
King size pillow top mattresses are the best in almost every way. They combine the two most important things when it comes to sleep: comfort and space. King mattresses allow you plenty of room to sprawl out, and they also pack a major punch in terms of comfort, thanks obviously to the pillow top.
There are also a few key elements that you need to keep in mind if you plan on sharing your mattress with someone else. These become a lot less important to consider when you buy a king mattress.
The first feature is edge support. If a bed completely compresses on the sides, you might find yourself falling to the floor. On the flip side, weve seen some mattresses that have excellent edge support but are then softer in the middle, which can push you back towards the middle of the bed. If you and get the king mattress, issues with edge support sort of go away because you have more space to lay on.
The other feature to take note of is motion transfer. This is very important if you sleep next to a restless sleeper who tends to toss and turn all night. Mattresses with good motion isolation will deaden any motion. If youre a sensitive sleeper or sleep next to an active sleeper, make sure to pay attention to the mattress motion isolation abilities. Motion isolation becomes a lot less important on the king mattress because theres more space, and therefore, motion has to transfer further.
Best King: Sweetnight King Mattress In A Box
Courtesy of Amazon
If you’re shopping for a bed pillow top king mattress online, the 12″ Sweetnight King Mattress is a top-rated option that will help you sleep better at night. This mattress is constructed of individually wrapped innerspring coils for firm support and topped with gel memory foam for comfort. Memory foam is known to be one of the best materials for relieving pressure points and cradling your body, so if you suffer from back pain or hip pain, this will be a good option for you. The quilted pillow top cover adds a plush element to this medium firm mattress.
Available in four different sizes that are reasonably priced, you can’t go wrong with this mattress in a box, making it easier to naturally clean it. Customers consistently call this mattress “the most amazing king-sized mattress,” citing the head-to-toe comfort and price as the biggest selling points. This mattress comes compressed in a box for easy delivery so it takes about 72 hours for it to expand.
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Awara Premier Latex Hybrid Mattress
The Awara Premier Laxtex Mattress is a step above the original Awara. With a pillow top, this eco-friendly hybrid mattress will give you a supportive night of sleep.
The Awara Premier Natural Hybrid mattress has several impressive features. A plush Eurotop surrounds a layer of natural dunlop latex, which feels naturally breathable and responsive. Plus, the pocketed coils allow room for airflow, so its a great pick for hot sleepers.
This eco-friendly hybrid mattress has a classic medium-firm feel, making it a great choice for most back and side sleepers. It has a bouncy and responsive feel, so sleepers wont feel like theyre sinking into the mattress.
Best Overall Mattress Topper
- Height: Ranges from 1.5″ to 3″
- Fill materials: High-density foam, graphite-infused foam or latex
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, California King
Saatva is one of our favorite mattress brands because users tell us the high-quality materials feel comfortable and supportive for many years. When it comes to toppers, the brand offers three variations based on what you’re looking for to improve the feel of your bed. There’s a foam layer for pressure relief, a graphite-infused foam for an added cooling benefit and a latex version that’s more light and plush. Each topper is encased in an organic cotton cover and has an elastic anchor band to prevent any shifting on your bed a standout feature that’s not always seen in toppers.
The 1.5-inch high-density foam layer is the least expensive and ideal for anyone looking for a quick fix. With a medium firmness, it’s ideal for most sleep positions and contours to your body shape for enhanced support on your bed. For a luxurious upgrade, the 3-inch graphite-infused memory foam offers pressure relief with increased motion transfer, so you’re less likely to feel a sleeping partner moving at night. The graphite also works to pull heat away to keep you at a more comfortable sleeping temperature.
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Sleep Number Dualtemp Individual Layer
Sleep Number DualTemp Individual Layer
Sleep Number DualTemp Individual Layer
- Fill materials: Air chambers
- Sizes: Half Queen, Half King, Half California King
This innovative cooling mattress topper is the perfect solution if you’re more concerned with adjusting the temperature of your bed than changing the feel of your mattress. It’s temperature-controlled through a remote so you can choose between various levels of warm and cool. A floor unit sends hot or cool air to the thin mattress topper through a tube, then spreads out through the layer. Even though it requires extra pieces, the tube fits under a fitted sheet and the floor unit can stay hidden under the bed.
Just note, this pad is pricey and fits only half the bed. You’ll need to buy two if both members of a couple want to control their side, meaning it could cost more than a mattress. That being said, it’s unique and our testers including couples with different preferences were able to get a personalized sleep temperature. And unlike other toppers where the cooling technologies are minimal and don’t last all night, this one keeps the cool air flowing continuously.
Built To Support Up To 500 Pounds Per Side
Helix Sleep
Type: Hybrid | Firmness: Firm | Height: 13 inches | Trial period: 100nights | Warranty: 15 years
You may be surprised to learn that most beds are designed to support 200 to 250 pounds per side. So if you and/or your partner weigh more than that, its worth investing in a mattress made for heavier folks for better longevity . Nabbing the spot for the best overall pick in our mattresses for heavy people round up, the king-sized Helix Plus is a worthy addition to this list.
Built for sleepers weighing up to 500 pounds per side , this firm hybrid is made with foams of varying densities for comfort and support. It also features reinforced edges and is topped with a breathable coverif you sleep extra hot, consider upgrading to the chill-to-the-touch GlacioTex Cooling cover for $249. Looking for a bigger surface to snooze on? The Helix Plus also comes in a California king size.
What the reviews say: I have always wanted a king size bed, so I researched all the choices out there, says one happy customer. Its been over a month and I still love this bed. Its so comfortable and it seems to be holding up well with two larger people sleeping on it.
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Best Organic: Avocado Green Mattress With Pillow
How it’s made & how it arrives:
This upgraded version of the original DreamCloud mattress elevates the hybrid design by adding a luxurious Euro pillow-top with a breathable cashmere cover. The cashmere-blend Euro top is made with a combination of memory foam and soft foam to provide added comfort and a natural cradling effect for your body.
Even with the improved pillow-top, this is the least expensive mattress on this listit doesn’t skimp on quality, though. This bed offers a true, supportive, hotel-bed feel, and if you don’t love your DreamCloud in the first year, you can return it for a full refund. While this is an affordable option, you do sacrifice sustainability, as it is not a nontoxic mattress.
The DreamCloud Premier will arrive compressed and wrapped in a box, and the brand recommends leaving it to expand for 24 hours before sleeping on it.
What customers say:
With nearly 8,000 reviews and 4.8 out of 5 stars, this mattress gets extremely positive feedback. Reviewers say they feel supported , and many comment on reduced aches and pains. Of course, some say it’s too firm, while others say it’s too softand unfortunately, there’s only one medium-firm option on this bed.
Parachute Down Mattress Topper
- Fill materials: 85% down, 15% down/feather blend
- Sizes: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, California King
Whether your mattress feels too hard or you just want to layer on a pillow top for added comfort, a down or down-alternative topper is the best way to soften up your bed. This indulgent featherbed has two layers of down and feathers in a baffle box construction that keeps the fill evenly distributed. It’s gusseted so it won’t fall flat, and the outer fabric is a cotton sateen, which means it’s tightly woven to prevent feathers from poking through.
The down is incredibly lofty so you get the fluffy feel that testers compared to sleeping on a cloud. If youre looking to save a bit or have allergies to down, the brand also sells a down-alternative version made with microfiber fill. Besides the fill, it has the same overall construction. Keep in mind that both options are dry clean only.
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Should I Use A King Topper
If you are buying a new bed, you may as well buy it right the first time and get what you are looking for in a mattress and not spend additional money on a topper. If you currently have a King mattress and think it needs just a slight adjustment, a topper could be a good way to get the feel you want.
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Best Pillow Top Mattresses
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As suggested by the name, a pillow top mattress is a mattress with an extra layer of cushioning sewn onto the top surface. Pillow tops can be made from a variety of materials and sewn onto any mattress type. So if you have your heart set on an innerspring, hybrid, latex, or all foam-mattress style, you can find one with a pillow top.
Many sleepers enjoy pillow-top beds because they can provide added comfort, contouring, pressure relief, and motion isolation without compromising the orthopedic support that the mattresses underneath them provide. Pillow top beds also help reduce motion transfer, among other benefits, making them a great choice for couples.
If youre in the market for a pillow top mattress but arent sure where to start, youre in the right place. In this article, were sharing our top picks for the best pillow-top mattresses as well as a buyers guide. In the guide, youll learn everything you need to know about pillow top mattresses including the types available, important shopping considerations, pros and cons of this style, and how to choose the best pillow top mattress for your home.
Disclosure: By clicking on the product links in this article, Mattress Nerd may receive a commission fee at no cost to you, the reader. Read full disclosure statement.
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