The 11 Best Medium-Firm Mattresses That Balance Comfort And Support

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Pocketed coil system, gel pillow top, Celliant-infused cover

Pros:

• Classic pillow-top feel
• Moisture-wicking cover with upgraded sleep recovery technology

Cons:

• May be too firm for strict side sleepers

You can tell the Bear Star Hybrid is a premium mattress just by looking at it, and it feels just as comfy as it looks. Its medium-firm profile and pocketed coil system that makes up its base layer make the Bear Star feel supportive, while the gel-foam pillow top gives it an extra cushy touch that elevates it from comfortable to luxuriously cozy. The icing on the cake is Bear Star’s Celliant-infused cover. It’s a mineral-based fabric that’s designed to turn body heat into infrared energy, which is beamed back into the body. The brand says this process is meant to help boost natural recovery and promote better sleep. To my pleasant surprise, a queen size is often on sale for less than $1,500.

What our editors say: Vetted mattress and sleep editor McKenzie Dillon owns the Bear Star Hybrid Mattress and says, “It’s one of my favorite mattresses I’ve ever tested. I love a good pillow top mattress, and the Bear Star feels like an expensive hotel bed you’d sleep on at the Ritz-Carlton. I’m a stomach-leaning combination sleeper, and it’s perfect for me.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 90 nights | Warranty: 10-year limited | Key features: Gel-infused memory foam, reinforced edge support

Pros:

• Well-made mattress for the money
• Supportive enough for light to heavyweight sleepers

Cons:

• On the slimmer side at 10 inches tall

Owned by retail giant Walmart, the Allswell apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with an affordable cost that’s on brand with Walmart’s low-price promise. That said, it’s much nicer and of higher quality than other low-budget beds on the Internet. For starters, it’s constructed with a system of pocketed coils in the base for support, whereas most beds within the same price range are made from just foam. This makes the Allswell Hybrid suitable for most bodies, including heavier body types over 230 pounds who want a supportive bed that won’t break the bank. The Allswell Hybrid comes with reinforced edges for boosted perimeter support (a plus for couples who share a bed) and gel-infused memory foam for comfort and temperature regulation. Although its top layer is made of memory foam, it boasts more of a neutral-foam feel that makes it easier to move around or switch positions on.

What our editors say: Dillon says, “Allswell is my go-to recommendation to back and stomach sleepers on a tight budget who just want a simple, comfortable bed. I’d go as far as to say it’s one of the best hybrid mattresses you can get for the price, as long as you’re interested in bed on the firmer end of the spectrum. My partner slept on an Allswell mattress for years during his college days and claims he always slept soundly.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Cooling topper, zoned coils, multiple firmnesses

Pros:

• Excellent motion isolation and superior edge support
• Cooling upgrades throughout

Cons:

• At 15 inches, it’s a tall mattress

The factors couples usually benefit most from in mattresses are cooling features, strong motion isolation and solid support. The Nolah Evolution excels in all three of these areas. It features an organic cotton cover with cooling materials built in to help draw heat away from the body, the brand’s proprietary AirFoam to help dissipate body heat and an airflow-promoting border gusset and coils. The top layers of foam and individually wrapped coils work together to absorb movement, so your partner’s every move doesn’t wake you up. As for support, the Evolution has 8 inches of coils that are zoned to offer support where you need it. The mattress is offered in three firmnesses (plush, luxury firm, firm) and a model for sleepers over 300 pounds. The luxury firm model offers a true medium-firm feel that works well for back, side and combination sleepers.

What our editors say: Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman has tested both the plush and luxury firm models: “The Nolah Evolution has great edge support, so you can spread out and use the full surface of the bed. I also found it offers stellar pressure relief and support. I’m currently sleeping on the plush model (I’m primarily a side sleeper and love a softer bed, so it’s been a great fit), but I’d recommend the luxury firm model for those wanting a balanced medium-firm feel.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 10 years | Key features: Cooling cover, reinforced edge support, breathable memory foam

Pros:

• Engineered to actively draw away body heat for cooler sleep
• Works well for back, stomach and combination sleepers

Cons:

• May be too firm for strict side sleepers

Memory foam used to be infamous for retaining heat, but bedding brands have stepped up their game by designing their beds with temperature regulating features to offset this issue. Cocoon, owned by bedding veteran Sealy, takes it a step further with the Cocoon Chill Hybrid, fit with a phase change cover that’s cool to the touch, draws body heat away from your body and evenly disperses it throughout the mattress. Paired with breathable memory foam and pocketed coils that promote airflow, the Cocoon Chill Hybrid is a good cooling pick for back, stomach and combination sleepers who tend to warm up at night. It’s a hair firmer than medium, and I recommend the hybrid model for added support and temperature regulation. However, if you’re under 230 pounds and want to save a few hundred dollars, the foam model is constructed with the same phase change cooling cover.

What our editors say: Dillon attests to the Cocoon’s cooling abilities by saying, “There are only a handful of beds I consider actually ‘cooling’ and the Chill Hybrid is one of them. It’s also suitable for a wide range of sleeping positions (back, stomach and combination), accommodates heavier body types and offers a hugging memory foam feel that many people find comfortable.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: 25 years | Key features: Firmness options on both sides, vegan materials, CertiPUR-US-certified foam

Pros:

• Flippable design for two medium firmness options
• It’s vegan, Eco-Institut, GOLS and Greeguard Gold certified and made with Fair Trade cotton

Cons:

• Premium materials make it a heavy mattress

This dual-sided hybrid mattress from Brentwood Home is made with charcoal-infused memory foam to minimize heat retention, Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified latex for lifted support, and pocketed coils that are zoned to evenly distribute body weight and bolster the hips and shoulders. According to the company, the mattress is toxin free and certified vegan, with a choice of firmness that you can achieve at home by flipping the bed. One side is what Brentwood Home calls restorative—naturally cooling with a cushioned, medium-soft feel, thanks to the top layer of memory foam. Flip it over and you find the responsive side, which has a balanced and medium-firm feel from the durable latex layer. The whole mattress is wrapped in a silky, beautifully stitched cover for a bed that really looks as good as it feels.

My daughter has this mattress, and it’s truly indulgent. The softer side has a little give, but you feel supported and stable—hugged in all the right places. She has gone back and forth between the soft and medium-firm side, which is still soft but with a little more lift, so that you don’t feel quite as enveloped. Either way, she loves this thing.

What the reviewers say: One happy customer writes, “This mattress is awesome, we love it. I have suffered from back pain for years, but it stopped hurting after three nights on Brentwood Oceano and has nearly vanished. We have had it for three months and have used the semisoft side. We are about to flip it and try the firmer side.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Zoned pocketed coils, Euro pillow top, CertiPUR-US- and OEKO-TEX-certified

Pros:

• Cushioning Euro top has a hotel bed feel
• Balanced support works for most sleep styles

Cons:

• Premium materials and construction make it a heavy mattress

There are several beds from the bed-in-a-box realm that can go head-to-head with the industry’s biggest luxury names (think Beautyrest, Tempur-Pedic and Sealy), and the WinkBed mattress is one of them. WinkBed mattresses are quality made—the brand puts its beds through a simulation that mimics 20 years of wear and tear to assure durability. Not to mention, it’s ultra comfortable and reminiscent of high-end hotel beds. The WinkBed is its flagship offering with four different firmness levels to pick from, but I think the firm falls around the medium-firm end of the spectrum, with a nice balance between support and pressure relief.

The pocketed coils in WinkBed’s base layer are zoned, meaning they are more reinforcing under the spine for added support, and softer under the areas of your body that assert less pressure. Above the coils are four layers of comfort foam and a fluffy Euro pillow top, giving the WinkBed a blended feel that contours your curves and properly supports the back—no “sink in” feel here.

What our editors say: Dillon is a fan of the WinkBed and says, “It’s under the umbrella of affordable luxury beds in the online market, with a comfortable feel and design that rivals most high-end mattresses. The kicker is that you can get a queen size under $1,500 when it’s on sale. It’s one of those beds that’s hard not to like, and it accommodates all shapes, sizes and sleeping positions.”

Type: Hybrid (also available in memory foam) | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Quilted Euro top with cashmere, CertiPUR-US-certified memory foams, reinforced edge support

Pros:

• Cashmere-blend cover is soft and breathable
• Multiple layers of certified foams for targeted pressure relief

Cons:

• On the tall side at 14 inches

Pressure relief is closely tied to the kind of support that keeps your spine aligned, no matter how you sleep. With layers of memory foam and individually wrapped coils, that’s exactly what the DreamCloud Premier Rest Hybrid is designed for. It’s the top-tier model in DreamCloud’s mattress line, offering the most comfort, support and cooling. It stands at 14 inches tall and features three key layers: a thick 8-inch pocketed coil system with reinforced edges for added support, a transition layer and gel-infused memory foam for comfort. The top is also made with a cashmere-blend cover, an extra luxurious touch if you ask me.

What our editors say: Chapman says, “Although DreamCloud describes all three of its models to be medium-firm, I found the Premier Rest to have the truest medium-firm feel. It’s a touch softer than its mattress siblings and offers more pressure relief, which I found comfortable for back and side sleeping. Combination sleepers should also appreciate how easy it is to move around on. It feels like a very high-quality mattress with durable materials.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Active cooling foam, quilted memory foam cover, dynamic support to support all sleep styles

Pros:

• High quality mattress for the price
• Excellent motion control and breathability

Cons:

• Some reviewers found it veers quite firm

The Lull Original is a medium-firm mattress with that “just right” feeling, thanks to four layers of premium, high-resiliency memory foam—all without the premium price tag. Lull claims its CertiPUR-US certified memory foam adapts to your shape for ample pressure relief while also supporting the spine in any sleep position. It offers impressive motion control, and the open-cell design promotes airflow, and is also infused with gel beads to minimize heat retention. If you like a hugged sensation from memory foam, instead of a quicksand sink-right-in feel, the Lull Original Premium might just check all the boxes for your best night’s sleep yet.

What reviewers say: The Lull Premium is incredibly well rated, with over 41,000 reviews and a 4.6 out of 5 rating overall. One customer writes, “It’s out of this world comfy and I love it. Such a great night’s sleep. Very high quality and very comfortable.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: 25 years | Key features: Organic materials, excellent certifications, breathable and pressure relieving

Pros:

• Organic and natural materials mean no off-gassing
• Non toxic and breathable

Cons:

• Birch mattress are handmade, so dimensions can vary by up to two inches

The Birch Luxe Natural Mattress is made with organic and natural materials to promote comfortable, supported and dreamy sleep. Organic wool and cotton are paired with Talalay latex and hundreds of eight-inch steel coils in a hybrid construction that meets a number of high rigor safety standards. In fact, the mattress holds Greenguard Gold and GOTS certifications. It’s a non-toxic way to enjoy targeted lumbar support and pressure relief, with a medium-firm feel designed to accommodate any sleep position. All in all, we think it’s a great choice for just about anyone. 

What reviewers say: The Birch Natural has over 3,500 happy reviews. Customers call it comfortable, supportive and temperature regulating, and many are particularly pleased about its natural, eco-friendly materials. “So happy to be sleeping on something without worrying about it off-gassing harsh chemicals,” writes one. “The quality of it is amazing and knowing that the materials used to make it are eco friendly is a major added bonus,” says another.

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: 25 years | Key features: Greenguard Gold certified, Made Safe certified, certified organic latex, wool and cotton

Pros:

• Certified organic
• Zoned innersprings ensure excellent spinal support

Cons:

• Premium materials make it a heavy mattress

The Avocado Green Mattress uses sustainable materials from top to bottom—from the cotton, wool and latex used in the comfort layers to the recycled steel in the supportive innerspring base. That’s not just a better option for the planet, these materials give it a great balance of buoyant firmness, comfort and cooling. Tempered coils in three gauges are arranged in five zones to elevate the hips, back and shoulders (aka higher pressure areas) for a neutral spine. Avocado puts its standard model at a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, so it’s on the firmer side of medium-firm. You can upgrade to the medium model if you prefer a slightly softer feel than that.

What reviewers say: With over 18,700 reviews, the Avocado is exceptionally well rated. Happy customers praise the balanced feel and eco-friendly materials. One writes, “The organic, natural materials are perhaps what separates this bed from others, while it’s the amazingly comfortable and superior support that I think tops my list.” Another notes, “I was impressed with Avocado's B Corp certificate and the organic materials.”

Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Choice of height and firmness, Euro top, dual coil design, free white glove delivery

Pros:

• Lumbar zone technology to support a neutral spine
• Hybrid construction promotes airflow

Cons:

• Motion isolation could be better, especially if you have a restless bed partner

The Saatva Classic is the brand’s bestseller, combining a three-inch Euro pillow-top with dual coil layers and upgraded lumbar support. According to the brand, its high-density memory foam lumbar crown and Lumbar Zone Active Spinal Wire help ensure a neutral spine, which can help reduce low back pain. The mattress is available in two heights and three firmnesses. Luxury Firm is the medium-firm feel, which the brand rates at a 5 to 7 on its firmness scale.

What reviewers say: One reviewer, who calls the mattress a life changer, writes, “I live with chronic back pain due to degenerative disc disease. I now wake up without lower back, neck, shoulder, and hip pain and am experiencing true rest for the first time in years. This mattress has dramatically improved my quality of life.” Another says, “Since this mattress was delivered, I have not woken up a single day with back pain. The relief was instant. Great sturdy sides, no bowing in the middle, nice and bouncy for the kids, I love it.”