The 10 Best Medium-Firm Mattresses of 2025: Sleep Science Coach and Doctor Tested

If you’re old enough to remember “New Coke,” you know that change is not always positive. However, when Nectar, long known for its quality all-foam mattress, decided to try its hand at a hybrid, the brand nailed it. Our team of sleep science coaches was impressed with the Nectar Hybrid’s versatility, as evidenced by its 4.3 or above scores in back pressure relief, cooling, and motion isolation. I selected it as the best overall medium-firm mattress because it seamlessly blends comfort and support into one universally appealing package.

One of the main reasons the Nectar Classic Hybrid is considered the medium-firm mattress MVP is its ability to satisfy a wide range of sleepers.  This was evident when folks representing three weight classes — lightweight, average, and heavyweight — tested its pressure relief capabilities. It’s a bit of an anomaly for a bed to offer top-notch back pressure relief for sleepers of all sizes, but the Classic Hybrid nailed it. “This mattress did an awesome job molding to my body, especially the lower half,” said Asha Birjah, our lightweight tester. “I feel a lot of pressure relief in my legs, particularly my calves. My upper body is also very comfortable.”

In addition to giving us their feedback on how a mattress performs in terms of pressure relief, we also ask our testers to lie on a specialized mat that provides thermal images of potential pressure buildup. This data device gives us each person’s pressure reading in pounds per square inch (PSI), and our light and average-weight testers were well under the average score of 12.4. Our three testers’ average back pressure relief score was 4.3, again showcasing its versatility. 

The Classic Hybrid also had a standout performance in cooling. My colleague, Kenny Timper, measured the surface temperature of the mattress before and after he lay on it for five minutes and saw a modest 6-degree increase. He said, “I feel like the surface was slightly cool to the touch, and it was very comfortable to lie on. I didn’t feel like I was heating up during the 5 minutes I was on the mattress.”

Although its overall performance and tester evaluations led me to select the Nectar Classic as the best medium-firm mattress, it doesn’t mean I don’t have constructive criticism. Kenny found that the bed’s responsiveness and edge support left a little to be desired. When it came to responsiveness, he noted that although the springs gave him a little boost, he still had to put in “noticeable effort” to move from his stomach to his back. As for edge support, Kenny said, “The cover feels a little slippery, but my main concern was that the mattress’s top layer will probably sink too much for those with mobility issues.” 

You can get more info in our full Nectar Classic Hybrid review and get the best deal here. Want a bed with better edge support? Try out the Saatva Classic. 

Although some may view the Premier Rest as a smidge softer than medium-firm, I think its overall support, opulent feel, and adaptive nature will make it popular with medium-firm fans, especially couples. It has excellent responsiveness, which can help sexually active folks avoid getting awkwardly stuck when it is time to move and try out a different angle. “I found it very easy and comfortable to switch positions because this bed provides support, and I experienced little sinkage,” said tester Erin Chiles. “It was easy to move without feeling stuck.” 

Another pro for those with a bedmate is the Rest’s premier motion isolation. This feature is near and dear to my heart because sharing a bed with my husband is often like trying to drift off while Sonic the Hedgehog does laps — yes, he is that aggressively squirmy.  Although Erin noted she could feel when her fellow tester entered and exited the bed during the “couples test,” she said it wasn’t over-the-top. The Premier Rest earned a perfect score during the “ripple test,” which consisted of Erin filling a large container with water and evaluating how much it splashed when she changed positions. “There was very little ripple in the water container — no splashing or sloshing,” she said.

Despite its luxurious touches and premier performances, the Premier Rest fell a little short in edge support and back pressure relief for sleepers weighing over 230 pounds. For the weighted edge support test, we placed barbell plates that represent the weight for a light, average, and heavy sleeper on the edge of the bed and measured how far they sank. Larger-bodied sleepers should expect significant sinkage when on the side of the bed. This can affect how secure they feel sleeping close to the edge, and how easy it is for them to go from seated to standing when getting out of the Premier Rest. As for pressure relief, my colleague and heavyweight tester, Caine Wilkes, said, “I feel like I’m sinking too much, causing my hips to be lower than my shoulders, and causing some pressure on my lower back.”

Check out our DreamCloud Premier Rest review for all the details, and be sure to click here for the best deal. If you want a bed with better pressure for back sleepers, try the Helix Midnight.

Back pain can make getting a good night’s sleep seem like an impossible dream. However, studies have shown that mattresses promoting spinal alignment can ease discomfort. Dr. Dasgupta followed up on the study’s findings, adding, “To help ease back pain, you’ll want a mattress that keeps your spine straight, as this will reduce some muscle strain. To keep uncomfortable pressure buildup at bay, your mattress must distribute your body weight evenly.”

With its medium-firm feel, balanced support structure, and lower-than-average pressure reading for many sleepers, the Helix Midnight earned a 4.3 in back pressure relief and is my pick for the best medium-firm mattress for back pain. However, alleviating back pain isn’t this bed’s only attribute. It also earned a 4 or above in edge support, motion isolation, and responsiveness, propelling the Midnight to a 4.3 overall score.

During testing in our Charlotte, NC sleep studio, we had three testers, representing lightweight, average-weight, and heavyweight sleepers, use a specialized mat that produces a color-coded map of where pressure tends to build up on the body. For the Helix Midnight, the thermal images were nearly entirely blue for all three testers, indicating little-to-no pressure accumulation. The testers’ subjective pressure relief feedback matched the objective data. My colleague Riley Otis, who represented sleepers under 130 pounds, said, “I really dig this mattress when I am on my back. My hips and shoulders are aligned, and both are experiencing cushioning. At the same time, there is no gapping at my lower back. Overall, I just feel super cozy, with no pressure anywhere.”

However, if you prefer your cozy with a side of cool, the Midnight may not be for you. Riley used a thermal temperature gun to record the Midnight’s initial surface temperature of 73.2 degrees. After resting on it for 5 minutes, her second reading showed a 10.5-degree climb. “When I first lay on this bed, I thought it felt the same temperature as the room, and the longer I was on it, the more I could feel it heating up,” she said. Although she said she didn’t feel uncomfortably warm, we don’t recommend this bed to those who tend to overheat during the night. 

Other than its lack of cooling, the Helix Midnight put in a solid performance in all other categories. If you’d like a bed that sleeps cooler, check out the Leesa Sapira Chill. If you’d like to learn more about this mattress, read our comprehensive Helix Midnight mattress review. 

If you can’t decide between the cradling comfort of a memory foam mattress and the steady support of an innerspring, I recommend the delightful WinkBed. Not only did this bed land right on the medium-firm nose for back, stomach, and side sleeping, but it also garnered performance scores of 4.3 or higher in back pressure relief, edge support, and motion isolation.  

The WinkBed landed the top spot for the best hybrid largely because of how it contours the body while keeping the spine in a pressure-relieving neutral alignment. Our Chief Medical Product Tester Dr. Joe Tedesco was a big fan of the WinkBed in the three most common sleeping positions — stomach, side, and back. He gave it high marks and recommended it for sleepers with shoulder, hip, neck, and back pain. “I really like this mattress for back pain, especially for back sleepers with back pain,” he said. “I noticed that when I was on my back, I had no pressure in my pelvis or my sacrum, and I felt very supported.”

When I represented average-weight testers during our pressure relief test, I found myself agreeing with Dr. Tedesco. Although I have never been a back sleeper, if I slept on the WinkBed every night, it might convert me. The bed kept my hips lifted but also provided contouring around my lower back. I could feel the stress and tension in that area melt away when I relaxed on the WinkBed. However, I recommend using a higher or firmer pillow if this is your preferred sleeping position. Without a pillow with enough loft, you may find that your hips are raised too much, putting unnecessary strain on your upper back and neck.  

Unfortunately, although my heavyweight testing counterpart Caine Wilkes and I enjoyed this bed on our backs and sides, the same can’t be said for Asha Birjah, who represented sleepers weighing under 130 pounds. “When I was on my side, my weight just wasn’t evenly distributed,” she said. “This caused strain on my mid-back and some pressure on my hips.” Also, although sleep science coach Riley Otis didn’t feel noticeably warmer when she tested the bed’s cooling capabilities, the bed did heat up by close to 9 degrees. With that in mind, I still don’t recommend this for particularly hot sleepers. 

Want to learn more? Read our full WinkBed review and see where this bed fits in our roundup of the best hybrid mattresses. If you want a bed with cooling prowess, check out the Nolah Evolution. 

Classics have earned their reputation for a reason. Saatva’s flagship innerspring mattress has garnered a stellar reputation based on its high-quality materials, outstanding performance, and versatility. With scores of 4 out of 5 or higher in back pressure relief, cooling, and edge support, and a perfect 5 in responsiveness, it’s easy to see how the Saatva Classic lands on so many of our best-of lists. 

One of my favorite aspects of this bed is that it offers three firmness options — Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm — and two heights, 11.5 and 14.5 inches. This allows sleepers to hone in on their personal preferences to achieve their ultimate sleep experience. We tested the Luxury Firm and found it pushed slightly north of medium-firm, but I still think it hits the middle-of-the-mattress road well. I sleep on a medium-firm bed at home and gravitate toward them during testing, and I was a big fan of this option. However, I recommend ordering the Plush Soft if you want a true medium-firm mattress since all of these mattresses run a bit firmer. And now that we have that bit of housekeeping out of the way, let’s break down one of my favorite mattresses. 

Our lightweight sleeper experienced a decent amount of pressure on her back, and I think that back sleepers who weigh under 130 pounds would be better served with the Plush Soft. However, our average-weight and heavyweight testers sang the Classic’s praises for back sleeping.

Caine Wilkes, our heavy tester, experienced some slight sinkage around his lower back, but said that he still felt good (larger-bodied sleepers could choose the Firm model for more support). However, this mattress shone for our average-weight tester Erin Chiles. After lying on it on her back, she said, “This is a super comfortable mattress. It’s firm but soft, and I can feel the relief in my lower back.”

Chief Medical Product Tester Dr. Joe Tedesco echoed Erin’s sentiments when he evaluated the Classic. “I feel pretty weightless on this mattress, orthopedically speaking,” he said. “I’m super comfortable. My spine is neutral, but I’m not getting a posterior tilt. Generally, if you’re a back sleeper, this could be great for people with many issues.”

Although you’ll find this mattress on many of our best-of lists, it won’t be on any for motion isolation. Staff writer and sleep science coach Kenny Timper  noted this when he performed the ripple test, which consists of placing a large container of water on one side and evaluating how much the water splashes when he rolls around on the other. “The water was sloshing around violently,” he said. “Motion isolation isn’t the Classic’s strong suit, but that’s probably because of its double individually wrapped coil construction, which, in fairness, makes it extremely responsive.”

If you’re interested in this mattress, our full Saatva Classic review provides more information. However, if motion isolation is an important feature for you, I recommend checking out the Nolah Original. 

Recovery is a crucial aspect of training for all athletes. One of the easiest ways to rejuvenate and relax aching muscles is by sleeping on a mattress that supports and cradles them. Fortunately, mattress manufacturer Bear recognized the special needs of active folks and designed the Star Hybrid — a luxurious, multifaceted medium-firm mattress — with them in mind. 

This mattress achieved at least a 4 out of 5 in cooling, edge support,, and responsiveness. If that’s not enough and you want additional temperature regulation, you can purchase an upgraded cover with cooling phase change material (PCM) called Celliant. This material may speed up muscle recovery and absorb body heat. 

Among the Star Hybrid’s many benefits is that if your muscles are aching, you won’t have to worry about changing positions or getting in and out of bed on it. The mattress hit back-to-back home runs in responsiveness and edge support. My colleague Kenny Timper performed tests for both categories; when all was said and done, the Star Hybrid earned high marks from this seasoned mattress testing veteran. 

This mattress has a plush top, which is a feature known to hug sleepers and make it difficult to change positions. In the case of the Star Hybrid, however, the tall coils offer a substantial counter, allowing you to move with ease. “I had no trouble whatsoever moving around on this mattress,” Kenny said. “It was super easy to roll from one sleeping position to another. “ He also found that the supportive nature he experienced in the middle of the bed extended to the perimeter, making it a breeze to get in and out of bed.

Although this bed was an all-star in many categories, it faltered in the motion isolation department. This won’t affect all athletes, but those who share a bed with a restless partner or pet may want to look for a mattress that will better prevent movement from rippling across the surface. Kenny said that he could feel his testing partner Livvi DiCiccio get in and out of bed and change positions.  

If you’re an active person looking for the right bed to aid in your recovery, read more about this bed in our Bear Star Hybrid review. If you want a bed that offers exceptional cooling, you can keep it in the Bear family and take a look at the Bear Elite Hybrid. 

If you’re a budget shopper looking for a true medium-firm mattress with an affordable price tag, it doesn’t get much better than the Silk & Snow Hybrid. Despite a queen-size model being only $850 before any discounts, the mattress achieved scores of 4 or above in back pressure relief, cooling, motion isolation, and responsiveness. Also, I’m impressed that a bed in this price range is offered in two different firmness levels — Medium Firm (which we tested) and Plush (which offers more of a medium-soft experience). 

Since “snow” is part of this online mattress’s name, it’s probably not shocking that it excels at temperature regulation. Under the antimicrobial and quilted cover, you’ll find a layer of gel-infused cooling foam resting atop a base of pocketed coils, allowing ample airflow. This dedication to cool sleep burst through when my colleague Dan Caffrey tested how much the Silk & Snow heated up. The mattress’s initial surface temperature was 66 degrees. After Dan rested on it for 5 minutes, he used the thermal temperature gun to take another reading and was impressed that it had only risen a smidge over 4 degrees. He said, “I didn’t feel this mattress heating up at all. It kept a cool temperature throughout and should be comfortable for hot sleepers.”

When it comes to relieving pressure, I found the Silk & Snow left me with few worries. To get some subjective data to accompany my objective pressure relief evaluation, I used a specialized mat that provides color-coded thermal images of pressure spots when lying on the mattress. My back and side pressure maps showed almost all blue, indicating that very little pressure was felt in either position. This matched with my feedback on how this mattress made me feel. It provided an excellent combination of contouring and support, no matter how I was situated.

Chief Medical Product Tester Dr. Tedesco appreciated how this mattress could benefit back sleepers. “This mattress offers good support through my legs, so I don’t feel arched,” he said. “This means I have a little bit of a posterior tilt. This makes it feel like I have a small pillow under my knees, but without the pressure buildup you might get from having something under them.”

Although the budget-friendly Silk & Snow Hybrid rivals many luxury mattresses on several fronts, it falls a little short in edge support and side pressure relief for sleepers weighing over 230 pounds. If you have mobility issues or you and your partner like to use the whole surface of the bed, you’re likely to find that the perimeter of this hybrid doesn’t offer you as much support as the center.

Want to learn more about the Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress before buying? Check out our full Silk & Snow Hybrid mattress review for more information. For a bed with superior edge support, do a deeper dive on the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid.

Over the course of my marriage, I have learned a lot about my husband’s sleeping habits. For instance, when he tucks himself in at night, his body temperature rockets to roughly that of the surface of the sun, and this, in turn, makes him gyrate like a sizzling piece of bacon. So, when we were deciding on a new mattress, cooling capabilities were at the top of our list of “must-haves.” 

However, not only did the Evolution land a 4.5 out of cooling — it also scored a 4 or higher in back and side pressure relief and edge support, and a perfect 5 in motion isolation. The Nolah Evolution’s excellence in so many arenas is why my husband and I are now sleeping like the dead on it.  

Although I sleep on this mattress every night at home, when I got to the office, I took it through our official cooling-test paces. Since my bed is covered with sheets, I hadn’t noticed how cool the organic cotton cover feels. After running my hand over the top of the Evolution, I took its surface temperature and then plopped down for a 5-minute rest. I wasn’t really sure what to expect because I’d just completed a workout right before I started testing this mattress, and my temperature hadn’t regulated. However, I could feel heat leaving my body while lying on the Evolution. When I took the bed’s temperature again, it had only ticked up by just under 5 degrees. 

Not only does this mattress chill my husband and me out, but it also has superior motion isolation. Since we can both be slightly rambunctious when we sleep, this lack of motion transfer allows us to twist and twirl without waking each other up. During testing in the sleep studio, I conducted the “ripple test,” which consists of clocking how much the water in a large container is disturbed by movement on the bed. Much as I expected, it was very slight. It reminded me of the scene in Jurassic Park when the water in the glass trembles just a bit.

Although it’s probably pretty apparent that this is the right mattress for me, I want to point out a few aspects where Nolah just missed the mark. The Evolution is packaged and shipped in a box, as many online mattresses are. The one that arrived at my house and the one sent to our studio both looked like they had been on the losing end of a bar fight. Also, with its higher price tag, I would like to see a longer trial period. 

Interested in this mattress? Read our full Nolah Evolution review. For a more affordable cooling mattress, check out the DreamCloud Original.  

Combo sleepers like to enjoy a little of this sleep position, and a little of that sleep position. Before I got out of the habit of sleeping on my stomach (pregnancy will do that to you), I was a combo stomach and side sleeper. I mainly sleep on my side but like to switch between the left and right. If I sleep on a mattress that lacks bounce, I can be stirred from my slumber because of the effort it takes to move. However, responsive beds like Brooklyn Bedding’s delightful Aurora Luxe allow combo sleepers to snooze like Sleeping Beauty. 

With perfect scores of 5 out of 5 in responsiveness and cooling — accompanied by a 4.4 or higher in edge support, back pressure relief, edge support, and motion isolation — it’s easy to see how this mattress earned our spot for best medium-firm mattress for combination sleepers. 

When I tested the Aurora Luxe’s responsiveness, I found it super-easy to move around on. The ease of movement was aided by the bed’s innerspring coil base and firmness, which I put at the high end of medium firm. Although the pillow top should provide you with a plush entry, the foam and coils prevent you from sinking too far into the mattress, so there’s no need to exert too much energy when switching positions. 

Based on his test results, Chief Medical Product Tester Dr. Tedesco recommends that this bed is a beneficial choice for combination sleepers, especially those who sleep on their side and stomach. He marveled that the Aurora Luxe made him feel weightless when he was on his side. “My pelvis is supported and lifted on this bed, which opens up space in the lower back,” he said. “This should feel great for a lot of side sleepers.” When he was on his stomach, he noted that he was getting a posterior pelvic tilt, which should alleviate lumbar tightness. 

However, likely because the Aurora Luxe is on the high side of medium-firm, our petite tester, Asha Birjah, found that she felt too much pressure on her shoulder and neck when she was on her side. This didn’t surprise us, as those who weigh under 130 pounds typically find that beds feel firmer to them than those who weigh more.   

If you’re interested in the Aurora Luxe, get more information by reading our full review. If you’re a lightweight side sleeper, you can also check out the Nectar Premier.

Being a good steward of the planet should be rewarded with a soothing night’s sleep. However, some organic beds seem to believe that eco-consciousness and comfort can’t co-exist. Enter the Birch Natural. This mattress has organic materials and sustainability on lock and provides eco-warriors with universally appealing medium-firmness, top-shelf bounce, and natural cooling. The Natural earned a 4 or above in motion isolation, edge support, cooling, and back pressure relief, and landed it in our spot for best organic medium-firm mattress. 

Combination sleepers and sexually active couples will like the exceptional responsiveness that the Natural’s combination of bouncy latex and recycled steel coils provides them. My colleague and certified sleep science coach Dan Caffrey evaluated this organic mattress’s responsiveness. He said, “It’s super-easy to switch on this bed. I’m not experiencing much sinkage when I roll over and have no problem going from back to side to stomach.”

Given how much bounce this bed provides, we weren’t necessarily expecting it to show out in motion isolation. However, the Natural surprised us by keeping a lot of movement contained to one side of the bed. Dan said he could feel when his testing partner moved around or got in and out of bed, but it wasn’t jarring. “I don’t think most sleepers would be disturbed by their spouse or pet moving around, but light sleepers should remember that it may be enough to bother them,” he said.

The Natural also hit a pressure-relief trifecta for back sleepers, with our lightweight, average-weight, and heavyweight testers giving it a 4 or 5 in this position. We use a specialized mat that provides us with a pressure reading in pounds per square inch (PSI), and all three of our Birch Natural testers had PSIs below the overall mattress average of 12.4. 

Considering the use of premium natural materials in this bed and its excellent performance, it’s not unreasonable that it comes with a higher price tag than others. You might want to keep that in mind when deciding on a mattress budget. 

See all the details in our full Birch Natural mattress review and click here for the best deal. For another organic mattress choice, take a look at the Nolah Natural.