Helix Midnight Mattress Firmness 

Before we get into this, a quick reminder — mattress firmness is not an objective measure. Your weight, sleep position, and personal preferences will inform how hard or soft you find any given model. That said, we try to give you a balanced firmness score by having several colleagues try out the Helix Midnight. They give their rating and we averaged the scores together.

After lying on the mattress for a while and tallying everyone else’s scores, the Helix Midnight scored a 6.5 out of 10 rating on our mattress firmness scale (with 1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest), making it a medium-firm bed. In fact, 6.5 is the industry standard for medium firmness. We would recommend this mattress for all three sleeping positions (back sleeping, side sleeping, and stomach sleeping) because it’s supportive, without putting pressure on your joints. This model also has a nice, bouncy feel, thanks to its hybrid construction. That means it’s easy to roll around on, so combination sleepers shouldn’t have trouble changing positions during the night.

Nectar Mattress Firmness 

It’s important to highlight that firmness is subjective, and my opinion might be totally different from yours. To get a better general idea of firmness, I polled a range of folks in the office and we settled on a firmness level rating together.

After lying on the Nectar Classic for a while, my colleagues and I decided to give the Nectar a 6.5 out of 10 on the mattress firmness scale, putting it right at the industry standard of medium-firm. 

In other words, this bed is just a touch firmer than most all-foam beds. Most sleepers will still get a little contouring from the memory foam. However, you will likely feel more “on top” of this mattress than “inside” of the foam.  I gave this mattress 5 out of 5 stars for support because it did an excellent job at keeping my body lifted up and out of the structure.

The firmness and support from the memory foam did wonders for my lower back during testing. While I was comfortable on my side, I felt this mattress might be too firm to offer sleepers with sensitive joints and pain the deep body contouring and cushioning they need throughout the night.

DreamCloud Mattress Firmness

As with any feel factor, firmness is a subjective measure that changes depending on your body type. Your size, shape, and weight are all factors. Therefore, my read of the DreamCloud could differ from your own, so I like to incorporate my coworkers’ opinions into my final firmness score.

After stretching out on the DreamCloud and getting my colleagues’ input, I decided to give it a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. When compared to the industry standard of 6.5 for medium firmness, this bed is slightly above medium-firm.

The DreamCloud got a 7 from me because it strikes a nice balance between pressure relief and support. There’s some gentle cushioning up top, as well as some firm bounce in the bed’s core. I think this feel could work well for back sleepers and combination sleepers who switch sleeping positions at night, or anyone who likes to feel more lifted up by their bed rather than stuck in it.

Saatva Mattress Firmness 

The feel of a mattress comes down to a few different factors, but firmness might be the most important. At the same time, it’s important to note that firmness is subjective. So, to get a wide-spanning range of opinions, I polled a range of folks in the Sleepopolis office — several of whom are Certified Sleep Science Coaches — and we determined the firmness level together.

I originally thought the Luxury Firm model of the Saatva felt like a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, but after lying on it and discussing it with my coworkers, I rated the Saatva a 6.5. The firmness scale ranges from 1 (softest) to 10 (firmest), with 6.5 being the industry standard for medium firm. It’s safe to say that the Firm model will probably be closer to a 7 or an 8. And while the Plush Soft model will definitely be softer, it’s likely to still have a responsive and supportive feel due to its construction.

What Is the Helix Midnight Luxe Made Of?

The Helix Midnight is 14 inches tall with five layers. Let’s learn a little bit more about each specific layer.

Cover – The Midnight Luxe’s breathable cover is made of Tencel, a natural fiber derived from Eucalyptus. It has a soft and luxurious feel and helps with temperature regulation.

Pillow Top – Next up is a Premium Cooling Pillow Top layer quilted with gel foam to provide some initial pressure relief and cushioning.

Comfort Layer – The Helix Luxe has a two-layer comfort layer. First up is a section of High-Grade Helix Responsive Foam, which is also included in the comfort layer of the standard Helix. This material provides ergonomic support and prevents the sleeper from sinking all the way down to the coils in this bed. Next, there’s a layer of Copper Gel Memory Foam, which adds some extra contouring and pressure relief.

Transition Layer – This layer is made from Memory Plus Foam, which is also included in the comfort layer of the standard Helix Midnight. Like typical memory foam, this addition allows for added pressure relief around sensitive areas like the shoulders, hips, and lower back.

Support Layer – Next up is a layer of more than 1,000 individually wrapped coils. These coils have zoned support, which means that they’re softer at the shoulders for added pressure relief and firmer at the hips to help promote a neutral spinal alignment. Zoned support is ideal for sleepers with back pain, as it helps keep the spine nice and straight (the key to preventing and soothing back pain).

Base Layer – Lastly, the Helix Midnight Luxe includes a layer of DuraDense foam, just like in the standard model. This foam adds a bit of support and durability to this mattress.

Edge Support – All four sides of the Helix Midnight Luxe model have reinforcement around them to make sure that you can use the full surface area of your mattress without fear of falling off the sides. The standard Midnight only has this on two sides of the bed.

Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress Firmness 

Now is a good time to say that mattress firmness is not completely objective Your weight, sleep position, and personal preferences will all affect how hard or soft you find any given model. At the same time, I always try to give you a balanced firmness score by having several colleagues try out a mattress, in addition to myself. They give their rating, and then I average the scores together. Here’s how the Helix Midnight Luxe felt:

I gave the Helix Midnight Luxe a 6 out of 10 on our mattress firmness scale, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest. For context, the industry standard for medium firm is a 6.5, so I’d classify this as a medium-soft to medium-firm bed. It’s supportive without putting pressure on the joints, and also has a nice, bouncy feel due to its hybrid construction. I gave the original Helix Midnight a 6.5 out of 10, meaning that the Luxe version is just a bit softer.

Additionally, the Midnight Luxe’s extra pillow top layer makes it feel more cushioning than the standard Midnight. I’d especially recommend this mattress to sleepers who suffer from back pain since there’s extra plushness, plus the zoned support helps promote a healthy, straight spinal alignment.

What Is The Plank Firm Mattress Made Of? 

The Plank Firm is a flippable mattress, so the five layers work double duty. The support layers on one side become the top layers when the mattress is flipped. When the logo is right side up, the firmer side is facing you. Today, I’ll be taking apart the Plank with the extra-firm side up.

Extra Firm Cover – I tested the Plank Firm with the optional cooling top panel that uses phase change material. This material is cool to the touch and helps dissipate body heat. It’s a nice addition for those that sleep a bit hot but does add between $100 and $150 to the price of the Plank Firm. PCM does have a slick feel that may cause your sheets to slide a bit, which some sleepers complain about. Additionally, the cover is quilted with 1.5 inches of foam, which provides a little bit of pressure relief before hitting the extra firm support layer.

Extra Firm Support Layer – Up next, you’ll find 7 inches of high-density base foam, which has a quick response to pressure intended to provide instant, firm support. The Plank Firm is unique in using HD poly foam in a top layer, as it’s usually found farther down in a bed, providing shape and support through a softer support layer. However, the Plank is meant to give ultra-firm support, so this build actually gave us exactly what I expected.

Firm Comfort Layer – Below the beefy support layer, you’ll land on 2 inches of TitanFlex foam (a latex alternative), known for sleeping cool and providing a quick response to pressure. It’s not as firm as the HD poly foam, so you’ll likely get a bit of sinkage when flipping the mattress on its firm side. (This was a non-factor on the extra firm side, because the 7 inches of HD poly foam was all I felt.) Regardless of which side the Plank Firm was on, I didn’t feel stuck in the mattress, nor did the Plank lose any of its mobility.

Firm Cover – The cover on the other side of the Plank Firm is virtually identical to the top cover except for its quilting. There were only 0.75 inches of foam quilting on this side because when the bed is flipped, the Titanflex is less . The slickness of the cover was still there, so you won’t get away from it by flipping the bed.

Plank Firm Mattress Firmness

Now that you know more about what this mattress is made of, let’s talk about how the Plank Firm feels. Again, this is a firm, flippable mattress with an extra-firm side and a firm side. I’ll discuss the firmness of both sides below. 

Keep in mind that firmness is subjective, and my opinion might be different from your own. To get the best idea of firmness possible, I always poll a range of folks in the office and take an average of our scores.

Together, we found the extra firm side of the Plank Firm to be about an 8.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, which begins at 1 for the softest and ends at 10 for the firmest. This means the Plank Firm definitely lives up to its name, as I felt no sinkage on this bed. While this mattress may not be the best option for side sleepers who need pressure relief around their joints, the Plank Firm can work wonders for those suffering from back pain.

The firm side of the Plank is still quite firm and earned an average score of 7.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale. Unlike the extra-firm side, this side has an added layer of Brooklyn Bedding’s proprietary TitanFlex foam, which adds a bit of cushioning.

What Is the Saatva Rx Mattress Made Of? 

Let’s take a look at what the Saatva Rx is made of.

Cover – The Saatva Rx has a quilted organic cotton cover, which adds a plush feel to the surface of the mattress. The cover is treated with Guardin botanical antimicrobial treatment. Additionally, the cover has a fire barrier made with plant-based thistle pulp — no fiberglass or chemical flame retardants.

Zoned Support Layer – In the middle section of the mattress is a ½-inch gel-infused memory foam strip, which provides extra support and pressure relief around the lumbar region.

Comfort Layer – The Saatva Rx has an unusual comfort layer, consisting of a 1-inch microcoil layer encased by 2 ¾-inch high-density foam layers above and below. This combination of foam and microcoils creates a comfortable, but highly supportive feel right off the bat.

Support Layer – The Saatva Rx also has a unique support layer. It features an 8-inch section of pocketed coils made from recycled steel, with firmer caliper spring coils around the edges for reinforced edge support. 

On top of each coil is a 2-inch Rx Foam Module. These look like small, cylindrical foam caps. The foam is infused with cooling graphite and phase change material to provide a cooler sleep experience. These foam caps are intended to improve motion isolation and provide additional body contouring.

Base Layer – Underneath the coils is a layer of what Saatva calls an “eco non-woven base layer,” which provides a sturdy surface for the coils to rest on.

Saatva Rx Mattress Firmness 

Now let’s talk about the firmness and feel of this bed. At Sleepopolis, we rate firmness on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest. We use 6.5 as the standard for medium-firm, the most common mattress firmness. To determine the firmness of each mattress, we test laying on it in different positions and compare it to the hundreds of other mattresses we’ve tested. Then we rank it on the scale.

After testing it out, I rated the Saatva Rx as 6.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, as I thought it had a true medium-firm feel. The mattress offers a pleasant mix of comfort and support to create that balanced, medium-firm feel. While lying on the bed, I experienced plushness and cushioning from the quilted cover and upper foam layers, but felt firmly supported by the coils below. I think the unique design of this bed, with features like microcoils and the foam caps on the pocketed coils, contributes to this very balanced feel.

What is the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress Made Of?

Next, let’s go over the layers of the Nectar Premier Hybrid mattress for a more in-depth look at this 13-inch mattress.

Cover – The Nectar Premier Hybrid comes with an airy and breathable cover layer. Although Nectar advertises the Premier Hybrid’s cover as cool-to-the-touch, I didn’t find it particularly cool when pressing into the cover layer with my hands and lying on the mattress. That said, the Premier Hybrid’s cover layer felt very soft and comfortable to lay on. Aside from my hips, I didn’t sink through the bed too much, and I felt lifted and supported overall.

Comfort Layer – The Nectar Premier Hybrid’s comfort layer contains 2 inches of therapeutic memory foam for pressure relief. The longer I tested the Premier Hybrid on my back, the more pressure relief I felt around my lower lumbar spine. Overall, this mattress did an incredible job of relieving pressure in my back. I also thought it felt comfortable around my shoulders and hips when testing it on my side. However, I wouldn’t recommend this mattress to strict side sleepers with sensitive joints or pain.

Transition Layer – Next up is the Nectar Premier Hybrid’s transition layer. This layer contains 2 inches of dense, high-quality memory foam to minimize motion transfer. And surprisingly, it gets the job done. The Nectar Premier Hybrid is one of those rare beds that is super responsive without sacrificing motion isolation. When testing the Premier Hybrid, I had no trouble rolling around and changing positions on the mattress. I could also barely feel my colleague’s movements on my side of the bed while testing the Premier Hybrid’s motion transfer. This bed is a win-win for couples everywhere.

Base Layer — The support layer is 8-inch individually wrapped coils with edge support. These springs are good for airflow and also keep the bed durable. I think the coils do a great job of adding support to this mattress. However, my only complaint is that when pressing down on the edge of the bed, I could feel the coils enough to grip them. This could be an issue for heavier sleepers, as they will likely sink into this bed more than others.

Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress Firmness

Before we get started, I want to point out that firmness is subjective. A mattress will feel firmer or softer to different sleepers depending on their body weight, shape, and preferred sleeping position. In order to get an accurate idea of how firm the Nectar Premier Hybrid feels, I like to ask my coworkers for their opinions and then average our firmness scores together. 

We gave the Nectar Premier Hybrid mattress a 6 out of 10 on the firmness scale. For reference, the industry standard is 6.5 out of 10, or medium-firm. The Nectar Premier Hybrid is softer than most hybrid models, which tend to be medium-firm or firmer. When I tested the Premier Hybrid for myself, I felt my hips sink in more than the rest of my body. Overall, I think the Nectar Premier Hybrid offers a good blend of comfort and support, as I felt good pressure relief around my lower lumbar spine.

Titan Plus Mattress Firmness

The Titan Plus looks like it’s going to be a supportive, firm mattress, but let’s put it to the test just to make sure.

I evaluated the Titan Plus myself, but I thought it would also be good to put the mattress through its paces with someone from its target audience. We were able to rope in Paulie, a pro powerlifter and coach, to help us.

For me, the Titan Plus lived up to its look, earning a 7.5 out of 10 firmness rating. With 6.5 being the industry standard for medium firm, this is definitely a firm mattress. I was comfortable, and didn’t sink too far into its layers. I also found it quite easy to move between different positions.

Side sleeping was less comfortable for me as my shoulders and hips dug into the structure, but I managed to find some nice comfort on my back and stomach as the bed’s firmness helped to keep my spine in a healthy alignment.

Paulie, on the other hand, sank slightly into the softer foam top layer, but felt enough support at his lower back and shoulders. When sleeping on his side, he felt cozy pressure relief at his shoulders, an experience I didn’t really have, as I wasn’t heavy enough to push through the Titan Plus.

All in all, this is definitely a firm mattress, best suited for heavier sleepers and those who doze primarily on their backs. Side sleepers on the lighter side may want to opt for a softer structure, though they can always add a mattress topper if they otherwise like the product.

What Is the DreamCloud Premier Mattress Made Of?

The DreamCloud Premier is a hybrid, bed-in-a-box mattress that combines several layers of memory and poly foams with pocketed coils. The combination of foams and coils creates a strong balance of comfort and support for sleepers. Plus, the Euro top construction lets sleepers sink into the top layer of this mattress, while the bounce from the coils means it’s still easy to switch positions during the night, which is an added bonus for combination sleepers.

Cover — The DreamCloud Premier includes a Mongolian cashmere blend cover that’s both lightweight and moisture-wicking. This means that hot sleepers should receive a cool-to-the-touch feel from the top of this mattress.

Euro Top — Next up is the Trueloft Euro top layer. This Euro top is quilted with one inch of high loft memory foam and one inch of soft support foam, providing some nice body-contouring and pressure relief to the DreamCloud Premier.

Comfort Layer — Below the Euro top is a 2.5-inch layer of contouring memory foam that allows for slow sinkage and pressure relief on the DreamCloud Premier.

Support Layer — Next up, there’s a support layer made of 8.5 inches of pocketed coils. These coils provide decent mobility, so sleepers shouldn’t feel stuck in the DreamCloud Premier. The coils are also individually wrapped, so they move independently of one another. These coils can help reduce motion transfer and promote airflow — both of which are factors that should especially appeal to couples.

Base Layer — Finally, the DreamCloud Premier includes a base layer made of one inch of high-density poly foam. This layer doesn’t have much of an impact on the bed’s overall feel, but it does provide a firmer surface for the innerspring coils to press off of.

DreamCloud Premier Mattress Firmness

Now that you have a general idea of the materials included in the DreamCloud Premier, we can start to go into detail about how this mattress feels in general. However, before we start, I do want to remind readers that firmness and feel are both pretty subjective measurements that can be influenced by body type, weight, and preferred sleeping position.

To try and combat this, we do make sure to have multiple Sleepopolis mattress testers try out each bed. First, we have our colleagues lie down on the DreamCloud Premier, spend some time on it, and then give this bed an individual score of 1 to 10, which 1 equating to a very soft mattress, and 10 equating to a very firm mattress. Then, we average all of these individual scores together to come up with the DreamCloud Premier’s final firmness rating.

Based on our experiences lying on the DreamCloud Premier, we gave this mattress a 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale. The industry standard for a medium-firm mattress is set at a 6.5 on this scale, so the DreamCloud Premier is just a bit firmer than medium-firm. When we look at the DreamCloud Premier’s construction, it’s clear why it scored a 7 on the firmness scale. The DreamCloud Premier uses a combination of pressure-relieving foams and supportive coils to keep a nice balance between stability and comfort. The support of the coils balances out the gentleness of the foams and vice versa — leading to a firmness that’s right around medium.