The 10 Best Innerspring Mattresses, According to Expert Testing

Jo Hutchison
·11 min read
Purple hybrid mattress
Purple hybrid mattress

purple.com

Best Overall

realsimple - 1695 Available at Saatva

Best Innerspring Mattress for the Money

realsimple - 1998 Available at DreamCloud

Best Firm Innerspring Mattress

realsimple - 1799 Available at WinkBeds

Best Innerspring Mattress for Back Sleepers

realsimple - 1099 Available at Helix

Best Cooling Innerspring Mattress

realsimple - 1749 Available at Brooklyn

Best Innerspring Mattress for Adjustable Bed

realsimple - 2970 Available at GhostBed

Best Value Innerspring Mattress

realsimple - 1395 Available at Casper

Best Mattress for Side Sleepers

realsimple - 2099 Available at Purple

Best Innerspring Mattress for Couples

realsimple - 1899 Available at Leesa

Best Innerspring Mattress for Back Pain

realsimple - 1695 Available at Bear

There's something to be said for "old-school cool," even when it comes to mattresses. Innerspring mattresses have been popular for decades—with good reason. While you may remember this mattress type as the ultimate childhood trampoline, the best innerspring mattresses of today offer supportive rest and sturdy coils to extend the lifespan of your bed—perfect for gals on a budget.

This mattress type also excels at delivering cooler rest: Since innerspring mattresses use coils, they leave ample room for air to flow, promoting restorative, refreshing sleep.

To help you on your search, the experts at Mattress Advisor have tested hundreds of beds to select the 10 best innerspring mattresses. They reviewed these beds based on 14 different criteria, like edge support, cooling, and more, to ensure they deliver on more than just bounciness.

Best Innerspring Mattresses of 2022:

Best Overall: Saatva Classic

Earning the top spot, the Saatva Classic is an outstanding innerspring mattress because you can customize it to create the perfect mattress for you. First, choose from three firmness levels (plush-soft, luxury-firm, and firm), and then select the height (11.5 inches or 14.5 inches). Topped with a cushiony Euro pillow top, this Saatva mattress features five layers of materials, including two durable coil units and memory foam that cradles your body and eases pressure on your joints. Because of its supportive construction, the Saatva Classic earned a perfect 10 out of 10 in maintaining spinal alignment from Mattress Advisor reviewers, so you can sleep soundly and wake up pain-free. Saatva offers great service, too, including complimentary white glove delivery and a 180-night sleep trial.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9.3/10

  • Firmness: Plush (3/10), luxury-firm (6/10), and firm (8/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 180 nights

best mattress brands
best mattress brands

Best Innerspring Mattress for the Money: DreamCloud Premier

Crafted of six high-quality layers, the DreamCloud Premier doesn't skimp on its mission to give you the best in comfort and support from the cover to the base. At the top lies a sumptuous cashmere blend cover that wicks away moisture. Next, a memory foam Euro top and a layer of gel memory foam relieve pressure points. Finally, encased innerspring coils and two more layers of foam combine to reduce motion transfer. Excellent for people with stressed-out joints, the DreamCloud Premier earned a 9/10 for pressure relief, so sleeping comfortably will never be easier. Plus, premium materials such as gel memory foam and individually wrapped coils make this mattress the biggest bang for your buck at less than $2,000.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9.0/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 365 nights

mattresses
mattresses

Best Firm Innerspring Mattress: The WinkBed

Available in luxury firm, firm, and a plus level, The WinkBed is the perfect choice if you like a good, firm mattress that won't leave you feeling like you're sinking to the floor. The individually wrapped pocketed coils are zoned to give you extra support for your back and additional cushioning for your shoulders and hips. Achieving an impressive 9.75/10 for sturdy edge support, The WinkBed prevents the sides of the bed from dipping as you get in and out. Plus, because of its firm feel, The WinkBed is the ideal choice for stomach sleepers who need a little bit more support throughout the night. This solid choice also comes with a lifetime warranty and a 120-night, risk-free trial.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.6/10

  • Firmness: Luxury-firm (6/10), firm (7/10), and plus (8/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 120 nights

best mattress brands
best mattress brands

Best Innerspring Mattress for Back Sleepers: Helix Midnight

A medium feel that's not too firm and not too soft makes the Helix Midnight the ideal innerspring mattress, especially if you like to sleep on your back. And its pressure-relieving layers will keep your hips and shoulders cushioned throughout the night if you shift positions. Back sleepers especially need to make sure their spine remains in the natural "S" position, and the Helix Midnight earned top marks (8.75/10) from our expert testers in maintaining spinal alignment. The bed's wrapped coil system limits motion transfer, and its soft cover fabric creates maximum airflow and breathability to keep you comfortably cool. So you can rest easy when you purchase, the Helix Midnight comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.9/10

  • Firmness: Medium (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

Helix Midnight mattress
Helix Midnight mattress

Best Cooling Innerspring Mattress: Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid

The Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid uses temperature-regulating technology that's cool to the touch. You'll feel the effects as soon as you climb into bed atop the advanced cooling fabric in the top layer—making this by far the best cooling innerspring mattress. The Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid also features a layer of special foam that draws heat away from the body. Mattress Advisor experts were so impressed with the Brooklyn Aurora Hybrid's cooling abilities, they awarded it a near-perfect 9.5/10 in this category. These cushioning layers rest atop a bed of more than 1,000 individually wrapped coils. The combination of cooling foam and supportive coils provides a firm, supportive surface that's especially good for back sleepers.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.9/10

  • Firmness: Soft (3/10), medium (5/10), and firm (7/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 120 nights

mattresses
mattresses

Best Innerspring Mattress for Adjustable Bed: GhostBed 3D Matrix

If you like the creature comforts of an adjustable bed base, you'll love the GhostBed 3D Matrix, designed to fit seamlessly on a power foundation. With patented technology and seven layers of durable individual coils, memory foams, and latex-like foam, this innerspring mattress will keep you comfortable, whether you're sleeping blissfully, checking Instagram, or enjoying movie night with the kids. Because of its medium-firm feel and seamless ability to respond to movement, the Ghostbed 3D Matrix is perfect for all types of sleepers, regardless of body size or sleep style. With high marks in durability (9/10), you'll have this adjustable bed for years to come. Plus, no need to buy new sheets—yours should fit well over the 12-inch mattress.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.9/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 101 nights

mattresses
mattresses

Best Value Innerspring Mattress: Casper Original Hybrid

Unlike some beds, the Casper Original Hybrid is comfortable for back, side, and stomach sleepers, helping to make it the best value innerspring mattress. It also gets high marks for contouring to your body as you move throughout the night and not transferring motion from your wiggly kids, restless partner, or hyper pets. Thousands of perforations in the top layer of foam keep you cool, and three ergonomic zones in the middle layer of foam keep your spine aligned for maximum comfort and support. If you're worried about the environment, the Casper Original Hybrid's cover is made with recycled plastic bottles.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9.4/10

  • Firmness: Medium-firm (5/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

Casper Original mattress
Casper Original mattress

Best Innerspring Mattress for Side Sleepers: Purple Hybrid

If you're a side sleeper, you need an innerspring mattress with cushioning layers to relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips. The Purple Hybrid features a two-inch gel grid that flexes under pressure points—think of a pliable waffle-like layer with lots of air channels for extra cooling. This proprietary Purple grid pairs with individually encased steel coils to create a comfy surface that gives you responsive support throughout the night. In addition to the innersprings under the special grid, a soft, breathable cover keeps air moving throughout the mattress so you stay cool and sleep soundly. Earning high marks in pressure relief and cooling, the Purple Hybrid will support you in breathable comfort all night long.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam, gel, and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 8.8/10

  • Firmness: Soft (4/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

mattresses
mattresses

Best Innerspring Mattress for Couples: Leesa Hybrid

Finding a mattress that's right for you is one thing. Finding a mattress that's right for both of you is a harder task. The Leesa Hybrid features more than 1,000 pocket coils, plus a memory foam layer, to limit motion transfer and support all body types, making it the top pick for couples. It also earns high marks for body contouring and pressure relief, so you'll both feel cradled, regardless of your sleeping position. Can't agree on bedroom temperature? A hole-punched foam layer will keep you both super-comfy and cool throughout the night.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9.4/10

  • Firmness: Medium (5/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

Leesa Hybrid mattress
Leesa Hybrid mattress

Best Innerspring Mattress for Back Pain: Bear Hybrid

If you want the best innerspring mattress for your achy back, go with the Bear Hybrid. This sturdy mattress adds conforming foams to its edge-to-edge coil unit to cradle the back and ease aches. You'll feel support from the coils and pressure relief from the foams—it's the ideal balance for back pain relief. Plus, lower back pain can be caused by misalignment in the spine as you sleep, so a mattress that supports the spine's natural position will help relieve some of that lower back tension. Luckily, the Bear Hybrid earned a near-perfect score for maintaining spine alignment, so sleepers with lower back pain will be able to rest comfortably and pain-free. The Bear Hybrid also gets kudos for certified eco-friendly materials that prevent off-gassing.

  • Mattress Type: Hybrid (foam and coils)

  • Mattress Advisor Score: 9.0/10

  • Firmness: Medium (6/10)

  • Trial Period for Returns: 100 nights

mattresses
mattresses

Shopping for the Best Innerspring Mattress

There's a lot to consider when shopping for the best innerspring mattress, but below are some of the key factors to keep in mind, such as materials, cooling, and edge support.

Best Innerspring Mattress Materials

Coils: Steel coils support the core of any innerspring mattress. Some coils are individually wrapped in fabric sleeves. This reduces motion transfer so you're not disturbed when your sleeping partner gets out of bed or your dog jumps up for a snuggle. You might also see the term "bonnell coils"—that's a traditional coil unit without the fabric.

Memory Foam: Innerspring mattresses may include memory foam as a comfort layer to cradle your body and provide pressure relief, without sacrificing buoyancy and responsiveness. When a bed contains multiple comfort layers atop coil layers, it's referred to as a "hybrid mattress."

Latex: Sometimes innerspring mattresses use latex as the top comfort layer, which adds to the supportive, bouncy feel. It's also an eco-friendly, naturally breathable, and super-durable material.

Firmness and Feel

Modern innerspring mattresses feel differently from the ones you may remember as a child. Today, they contain comfort layers of memory foam or latex over a bed of coils. This creates more of a balanced, medium-firm feel that combines support and comfort.

Cooling

Innerspring mattresses naturally improve the airflow within the bed thanks to the ample space left between the coils. Materials like foam tend to trap body heat, but coils help disperse heat, making this mattress type a good choice for hot sleepers.

Edge Support

Innerspring mattresses have better edge support than all-foam beds. Sturdy edges allow you to sleep comfortably across the entire surface of the mattress (great for couples who need more space). Edge support also makes it easy to get in and out of bed.

Mattress Advisor's Review Process

Each mattress on this list was put to the test (literally) in Mattress Advisor's lab, which is located in Raleigh, N.C. Bedding experts spent over 1,200 hours evaluating and comparing mattresses using a 14-point testing methodology to find the best mattresses under $1,000 on the market.

While some of the factors tested are tied directly to performance, like responsiveness, edge support, and pressure relief, others are based around brand operations, such as customer service, shipping policies, and trial period. The Mattress Advisor team combines this proprietary methodology with in-depth interviews and customer experience to arrive at a weighted score out of 10.