Best Medium Firm Mattresses in 2023

What to Consider When Buying Medium Firm Mattress

Although most people focus on the firmness of a mattress, other factors are equally important when considering overall comfort and quality.

Material

Although all medium-firm mattresses should feel the same, the materials they’re made from can make a difference. In other words, a memory foam bed won’t feel the same as an innerspring, even though they’re both medium-firm. In addition, materials can impact how warm or cool the bed’s surface is. Therefore, you should carefully inspect the construction, checking each material to ensure it fits your needs, especially if you’re looking for an eco-friendly or hypoallergenic bed.

Firmness

Firmness describes how hard or soft the bed feels when you lie on it. Medium-firm is the most versatile feel, and these mattresses fall between a 5 and 7 on our firmness scale, so they’re neither soft nor firm. These beds are suitable for most sleepers, though some lightweight and plus-size sleepers may prefer other firmness options. Still, it’s important to remember that firmness is subjective and two medium-firm beds may not feel completely the same, depending on their comfort layers or lack thereof.

Motion Isolation

Motion isolation refers to how well the bed prevents motion from transferring from one side of the mattress to the other. This feature is helpful for couples and everyone else sharing a bed. Memory foam and hybrid mattresses are usually better at motion isolation than latex and innerspring beds. Memory foam is excellent at absorbing motion while the use of pocketed coils and foams in hybrids helps reduce motion transfer.

Cooling

If you or your partner sleep hots, then a great cooling bed is going to be important. Memory foam beds are known to overheat, but manufacturers now use gel and copper infusions to cool the material and make these more suitable for hot sleepers. Latex is more cooling as it’s naturally more breathable. Hybrids and innerspring models are also good for hot sleepers because the coil units provide sufficient airflow to keep the other layers cool. Many models also have unique covers that remain cool to the touch.

Read More: Best Cooling Mattresses

Edge Support

Edge support is important for couples and single individuals who like to spread across their mattresses. Without edge support, you’d likely feel like rolling off the mattress if you sit or sleep near the edge. Hybrid mattresses have the best edge support thanks to the coils that often go from one side of the bed to the other. Some even have a reinforced perimeter with thicker gauge coils that prevent the edges from collapsing.

Pressure Relief

Pressure build-up is a common issue many sleepers struggle with, although folks who sleep on their side usually struggle the most. The best way to achieve relief is to choose a bed with contouring and cushioning layers that allow a gentle hug. This way, sensitive points like the shoulders, hips, and knees are more “in” the bed than “on” it. Memory foam and latex beds are excellent at pressure relief but so are hybrids with foam and latex comfort layers.

Explore our best mattresses for pressure relief.

Price

Medium-firm mattresses are available at different prices, but the firmness rarely affects the overall cost. You’ll notice this by checking different firmness options of the same bed. The price usually depends on the size, materials, unique features (like cooling), height, and brand quality. Although you should have a pre-set budget, try not to let the price be the only deciding factor when buying a medium-firm mattress.

Warranty

All reputable brands will include a warranty with their product. However, warranties vary, so you’ll come across different deals depending on the brand you’re looking at. Some companies offer a 1-year long warranty, while others go as far as providing a lifetime warranty. Although most companies cover the same things, the length of a warranty can make a difference. The longest-lasting deals often indicate how confident a brand is in its product, quality of materials, and craftsmanship.

Sleep Trial

Sometimes it’s hard to decide if a mattress is good for you without trying it out. Brands have recognized this problem, which is why they include a sleep trial during which you can use the mattress without commitment. If you decide you don’t like it, the company will take it back before the pre-determined sleep trial ends and will refund your money. The trial can last anywhere between 30 and 365 nights.