The 6 best firm mattresses, according to Consumer Reports

A mattress that sinks too easily can leave back sleepers without the support their spine needs through the night. Firmness also affects heat retention and how much a restless partner's movements carry across the bed.

Consumer Reports tested innerspring and foam mattresses for firmness, support and motion isolation, so shoppers can find a firmer fit for how they sleep.

Credit: Walmart

The 13-inch Allswell Luxe Hybrid costs $387, priced lower than every other mattress in this lineup, yet Consumer Reports still rated its support excellent for average-sized or smaller back sleepers. CR found bigger back sleepers and smaller-framed side sleepers can also count on solid support, though larger-framed side sleepers may want to consider a different mattress. The mattress isolated motion well in testing, though CR rated its durability a bit behind many of the other mattresses tested. Allswell earned only a middling comfort score in CR member surveys, alongside a very good owner satisfaction rating.

Credit: Earthfoam

The 8-inch-thick Earthfoam Organic Medium costs $1,000 and ships as a mattress-in-a-box. Consumer Reports found it offers strong support regardless of a back sleeper's body size, along with decent support for side sleepers. CR gave it a firmness rating of 7 out of 10, placing it among the firmer mattresses tested, and noted it isolates motion well like many foam mattresses do, without retaining heat overnight. CR doesn't yet have enough data on Earthfoam to rate comfort or owner satisfaction.

Credit: Molecule

The 10-inch MOLECULE Core costs $949 and earned a firmness rating of 8 out of 10 in Consumer Reports' testing, firmer than every other mattress in this lineup. CR found it delivers top-tier support for petite and average-sized back sleepers specifically, despite a durability score that came in just short of perfect. That durability dip is a rare weak spot among CR's recommended mattresses, though it didn't stop this one from earning a spot in this lineup. CR's sample of Molecule owners was too small to produce comfort or owner satisfaction scores.

Credit: GhostBed

The 11-inch GhostBed costs $1,058, priced higher than every other mattress in this lineup, and earned a firmness rating of 7 out of 10 in Consumer Reports' testing. CR found sleepers get strong support whether they lie on their back or side, regardless of body size, with petite back sleepers experiencing even stronger support than average. Built from a blend of latex and gel-infused memory foam, the mattress isolated motion fairly well in testing and didn't retain heat. GhostBed earned comfort and owner satisfaction scores near the top of CR's member surveys.

Credit: Layla

The 9-inch Layla Essential costs $700 and earned Consumer Reports' top support marks for back sleepers of petite or average build, with scores just shy of perfect for bigger-framed back sleepers and petite side sleepers. CR found side sleepers with an average or larger frame would likely sleep better on a different mattress in this lineup. The mattress carries a firmness rating of 7 out of 10, and CR noted its middling stability score means sleepers may feel some vibration from a partner shifting position, though it doesn't retain heat. Layla earned solid comfort and owner satisfaction scores in CR member surveys.

Credit: IKEA

The 8-inch Ikea Abrotten, tested in its medium-firm version, costs just $349 and earned a firmness rating of 7 out of 10 from Consumer Reports. CR rated it excellent for all back sleepers, though support for side sleepers came back weaker, especially for taller sleepers. The mattress proved very durable in testing and didn't retain heat, and at 8 inches thick, it ranks among the thinner mattresses CR has tested. Ikea earned a middling comfort score alongside a very good owner satisfaction rating in CR member surveys.