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5 best firm mattresses - 2020
There's an old myth that sleeping on a firm mattress is good for you, regardless of your build and weight. Most experts now say that that's nonsense and that what you need is a 'supportive' mattress, which matches your build.
However, if you're on the larger side, then a firm mattress is generally seen as a good idea (according to most of the zillion guides I've read through, anyway). If you use a soft mattress then your spine won't be straight when you lie down as you'll sink into it too much. Unfortunately, there's no consistent guidance from mattress makers on who a 'firm' mattress is best for but John Lewis & Partners suggests that their firm mattresses are best for anyone weighing more than 16 stone.
We've pick out five of the best firm mattresses on the market in 2020 by looking at industry awards, specifications, customer reviews and value for money.
Prices are for double mattresses and are correct at time of writing. There may be discounts and offers from time to time.
However, if you're on the larger side, then a firm mattress is generally seen as a good idea (according to most of the zillion guides I've read through, anyway). If you use a soft mattress then your spine won't be straight when you lie down as you'll sink into it too much. Unfortunately, there's no consistent guidance from mattress makers on who a 'firm' mattress is best for but John Lewis & Partners suggests that their firm mattresses are best for anyone weighing more than 16 stone.
We've pick out five of the best firm mattresses on the market in 2020 by looking at industry awards, specifications, customer reviews and value for money.
Prices are for double mattresses and are correct at time of writing. There may be discounts and offers from time to time.
1. Hypnos Walters Pocket Spring Mattress - £849
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Hypnos is at the posh end of the mattress market. So posh in fact that it has a royal seal, meaning you can tell your friends that you sleep in the Queen's bed.
The company regularly wins awards, most notably from the National Bed Federation which named it best manufacturer in 2014 and 2017 and runner up in 2018. It's a long established company and takes a traditional approach to mattress making, with models such as the Walters using pocket springs rather than memory foam or similar newfangled materials. This model is far from being their most expensive (some models cost £2000), but it's got a good specification for the money. There are 1200 springs on the king size version, which is not as high as some but is perfectly adequate support unless you are large enough to take up two seats on an aeroplane. It's also a mattress which can't be turned over, whereas some of the more expensive ones in the range can be used on either side (that's usually seen as a good thing for making a mattress last longer) Other signs of quality are the 'hand side stitching' (a dull technical thing which means it will hold its shape), a decent depth of 26cm and a tufted finish (cheap mattresses are usually quilted, which means they are flat on top rather than being held together with what look like buttons). |
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2. Studio by Silentnight (firmer version - £599)
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The modern way to buy a mattress is get one which has been rolled up or compressed into a box. Most offer a two or three month period when you can return it or swap it for one with a different firmness.
The theory is that you can try a mattress out properly rather than lying down for two minutes in a showroom. If you want to go down that route, Studio by Silentnight is worth considering. It is available in 'softer' 'medium' or 'firmer' versions, whereas most of these 'bed in a box' mattresses only come in one firmness. It also received a glowing report from expert testers, although that was for the medium version (they didn't test the firmer version, but it is a similar product). Customer reviews on Amazon were around 4/5 when I checked, whilst Silentnight as a brand scored 4.3/5 on TrustPilot. Studio by Silentnight has a 60 day 'comfort trial' so you can swap it for a mattress with a different feel. |
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3. John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Fleece Wool 8400 - £1199
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You know you're getting quality with the John Lewis & Partners name. They are made by a UK company called Harrison Spinks which has won awards from the National Bed Federation. For example, they won Bed Manufacturer of the Year 2018 which is pretty much like winning 'Best Director' at the Oscars, except without the global TV audience and celebrity status.
You may be interested to know that Harrison Spinks featured on a BBC TV series called Inside The Factory. Equally, you may not be at all interested in this fact. You need to dig a little deeper to figure out the difference between the 18 firm mattresses in the John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection. The Fleece Wool 8400 model (available in Single, Double, King Size and Super King Zip Link) makes our list because it can be turned over, which should in theory make it last longer and not sag so quickly. The cheaper mattresses in the John Lewis and Partners Natural Collection can't be turned over, although that's not to say they won't be well made. This mattress is certainly substantial enough - the king size version is 44kg (so you'll want to find a local rugby team to help you turn it over). |
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Plus it has hand side stitching, which is a sign of quality (it means the sides won't collapse like a custard slice when you sit on the edge of the bed).
It's got 8400 springs, but don't get too excited about that. You'd expect to see 1300+ springs on a good quality firm mattress, but you can only squeeze a couple of thousand full size springs onto a king size mattress. The rest are mini springs which have a 'subtler' impact than the main springs.
Regarding customer reviews, at the time of writing Harrison Spinks was averaging 3.3/5 on Trustpilot (see our beginners' guide for the full list of TrustPilot reviews)
It's got 8400 springs, but don't get too excited about that. You'd expect to see 1300+ springs on a good quality firm mattress, but you can only squeeze a couple of thousand full size springs onto a king size mattress. The rest are mini springs which have a 'subtler' impact than the main springs.
Regarding customer reviews, at the time of writing Harrison Spinks was averaging 3.3/5 on Trustpilot (see our beginners' guide for the full list of TrustPilot reviews)
4. Silentnight Pocket Ortho 1400 - £300
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Silentnight is a mid-range brand, which is probably the biggest name in the UK market (the same company also own Sealy and other big names). You can pick up a good deal on their Silentnight range if you shop around or wait for a sale.
We've included it because of strong reviews from customers on Amazon (4/5) and on Argos (4.7/5). It's also nice and deep (28cm) and it has an adequate number of springs to offer a decent level of support (1400 springs on the king size version). We've also included it in this guide to the best firm mattresses because not everyone spends a thousand pounds on a mattress...despite what the salesperson might want you to believe. Pocket spring mattresses are what most of us are used to. Some argue that foam mattresses offer more consistent all over support and are better for allergies, but most of us still go for what we're used to (see our comparison of pocket springs v memory foam). The main downside with this one is that you can't turn it over. You'll need to rotate it regularly to reduce the risk of it developing dips over time. |
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5. Vispring Realm Pocket Sprung Mattress - £1400
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Kudos to Vispring, who are one of the only mattress companies which actually steers you towards a particular firmness of mattress based on your weight.
According to a couple of guides I've dug out, you should be considering a Vispring firm mattress if you weigh 16-20 stone or an extra firm Vispring mattress if you weigh more than 20 stone. Unfortunately, you can't apply that rule to every mattress company as no one has every quite agreed on what 'firm' or 'soft' actually means, but it's nice to have some clear guidance from Vispring at least. Vispring are also one of the leading names in luxury mattresses. They won mattress brand of the year for three years in a row and they invented the pocket spring, albeit quite a long time ago. The catch, of course, is that they are a rather expensive option but as my mother would say..."you get what you pay for". Their double mattresses range from about £1000 up to more than £3000. The higher priced ones have a higher spring count which will offer a little bit of extra support and slightly posher materials. |
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