The 3 Best Luxury-Firm Mattresses Reviewed (We Tried Them)

This post was written by the site owner – Dan Cartwright – who has been testing mattresses and reviewing products online since 2015.

Mattress firmness describes how hard or soft the mattress feels when you initially lie on it.

Most mattresses are ‘medium-firm’ or ‘medium’ because they suit the widest range of sleeping styles.

However, some mattress models are also available in extra-soft, soft, and medium-soft to provide more pressure relief for lighter weighted sleepers, side sleepers, and sleepers with a lower body fat percentage.

Then there are the firm and extra-firm options to cater to front sleepers and heavier weighted sleepers over 200 lbs that need more surface tension to guard against material sinkage and help maintain good posture to avoid back pain.

So where do mattresses with the ‘luxury-firm’ level of firmness fit in?

A luxury-firm mattress is the same as a medium-firm mattress but has a softer and more adaptive feel due to the better pressure relief afforded by the inclusion of extra padding in the upper comfort layer (often a Euro top or pillow top) – making it the most versatile mattress firmness available.

However, even though the main benefit of a luxury-firm mattress is its ability to cater to the widest range of sleeping positions, body weights, and body types – not every luxury-firm mattress is the same.

For example, some will feel more bouncy, others can handle heavier weights, and then there are the price differences.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of the best luxury-firm mattresses that I’ve personally slept on and tested extensively so that you can pick one that’s right for you.

Related: see the best mattresses of all time that I’ve reviewed here.

The Top 3 Luxury-Firm Mattresses Reviewed

Below are my top three picks if you’re after a high quality luxury-firm mattress.

The Nolah Evolution should be fine for nearly all sleepers, but I’ve also included the SweetNight Twilight if you are short on cash, and the Nolah Natural if you want a highly breathable mattress that doesn’t contain memory foam.

Click the red button to buy your chosen mattress now at the best possible discount.

I’ve also included links to each mattress review if you want to find out more.

1: Nolah Evolution – Best Overall

I have picked the Nolah Evolution as the best luxury-firm mattress overall because it’s suitable for just about every sleeping position and style thanks to its super thick 15″ profile, robust support, and adaptive pressure relief.

This means that you get a mattress that can cater to both heavyweight and lightweight sleepers – whilst also providing the right amount of pushback so you can switch positions easily, and the cool-to-the-touch Euro top can help to combat feeling too warm at night.

You can find out more in my full Nolah Evolution review here.

Or you can scan the main points below and then click the red button to buy the Evolution directly from Nolah at the maximum discount currently available.

Specs

• Multiple firmness options – the ‘luxury-firm’ option will be suitable for most sleeping styles, however the ‘plush’ option will be better if you’re a lightweight sleeper under 150 lbs, and the ‘firm’ option will be the best choice if you’re a heavy weight front sleeper over 230 lbs.

• Zoned support – the center third of the mattress has more support compared to the upper and lower thirds that have more ‘give’; this allows you to rest in better posture to prevent back pain.

• Strong edge support – as you can see in the image above, there is a thick layer of reinforced foam that runs around the edge of the mattress to stop the edge of the bed from sinking in when you lie close to it.

• Super thick 15″ profile – the Evolution is 15″ thick (making it the thickest mattress I’ve ever tested) which means that the mattress can support weights of up to 350 lbs per each half of the mattress.

Ideal For

• Front and back sleepers – I personally found that sleeping on my back was the most comfortable position in the Nolah Evolution. The luxury-firm feel means that there’s enough pushback to keep you supported in both the front and back sleeping positions. You can go for the ‘firm’ feel if you weigh more than 230 lbs and want even more support.

• Side sleepers – I was able to sleep comfortably on my side in the Nolah Evolution at a body weight of 180 lbs. The luxury-firm feel will be suitable for most side sleepers in the 150 – 230 lbs range. You can go for the ‘plush’ option if you want more pressure relief as a lighter weighted side sleeper under 150 lbs.

• Heavy and lightweight sleepers – the luxury-firm feel, zoned support, and thick profile allows the Evolution to cater to both heavyweight and lightweight sleepers. I think luxury-firm will be fine for all sleeping positions if you’re in the 150-230 lbs range, with ‘plush’ being better if you’re under 150 lbs, and ‘firm’ providing the extra pushback you need if you’re over the 230 lbs mark.

• Couples – I slept in the Nolah Evolution with my partner and I found that there is very little motion transfer thanks to the thick profile and pocket coil design. The mattress is also very quiet.

• All body types – the luxury-firm feel offers pressure relief if you have a lower body fat percentage (which can be maximized with the ‘plush’ option), but also allows for breathability and pushback if you have a higher body fat percentage so that you don’t feel enveloped by the materials (with the ‘firm’ option reducing the number of contact points even more).

• Warmer sleepers – as a warmer sleeper who overheats at night, I found the cooling foams in the Euro top refreshing, and the mattress was quite breathable to say it’s so thick.

• Restless sleepers – the medium-firm feel, responsive foams, and buoyant support core allowed me to move around freely in the mattress without feeling like I was getting stuck in the materials. The ‘firm’ option maximizes pushback for heavier weighted combination sleepers, whilst the ‘plush’ option reduces the surface tension, but increases pressure relief if you’re a restless sleeper on the lighter side under 150 lbs.

2: SweetNight Twilight – Best Budget Option

If you’re looking to purchase a luxury-firm mattress, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend, then I recommend the SweetNight Twilight because this mattress is suitable for all sleeping positions, and you can pick up a 10-inch full sized model for $448.

And you can get a further 15% off if you use the code DAN at checkout – click the red button below to buy directly from SweetNight and get your discount.

Or click here to read my full SweetNight Twilight mattress review.

Specs

• Pillow top – the pillow top is what gives this mattress its luxury-firm feel and all-round high level of pressure relief. However, having slept on this mattress myself, I can tell you that the pillow top actually looks more like Euro top because the padding is stitched flush with the edge of the mattress, so it looks neat and doesn’t move around too much.

• Zoned support – the coils in the support core are arranged so that you get more support around the hip, head, and foot regions; whilst the shoulder and knee regions sink in more so that you are kept in better posture. I did find that this made a difference when I slept on the mattress in terms of overall comfort; especially on my side.

• No fiberglass – fiberglass is a material that is found in the fire barrier of some mattresses and if it escapes from the mattress it can cause skin irritation. I have cut open the SweetNight Twilight and checked the label, so I know that there is no fiberglass to be found. See my top fiberglass free mattress picks here.

Ideal For

• Budget shoppers – the SweetNight Twilight stands out in this list because it’s so much cheaper than the others; which is great if you don’t have the cash to spend on the Nolah Evolution.

• All sleeping positions – I found that I could comfortably sleep in the Twilight in the front, back, and side sleeping positions and I would expect this to apply to anyone who weighs up to 230 lbs and potentially beyond.

• Warmer sleepers – even though the pillow top feels plush, I didn’t find it to be uncomfortably hot. The gel foam and hybrid design helps contribute to the breathability of the mattress.

3: Nolah Natural – Best Cooling Mattress

Whilst the Nolah Evolution and the SweetNight Twilight offer enough cooling capabilities for average and warmer sleepers, I’ve included the Nolah Natural on this list if you want the most cooling mattress possible if you’re a very hot sleeper like myself.

The main reason why the Nolah Natural is the most cooling mattress that I’ve ever tested is because it has natural latex foam in the upper comfort layer – which has perforations in it to help push out warm air and replace it with cool air as you turn over.

The Nolah Natural is also a brilliant mattress if you have allergies and need a mattress that’s free from fiberglass and other chemicals that might cause a reaction if you’re a sensitive sleeper.

Click here to read my full Nolah Natural mattress review.

Specs

• Talalay latex – this type of latex foam is very light and breathable; which means that I was able to sleep cool and turn over easily in the mattress because the foam worked with the coils to provide buoyancy and pushback that’s far more responsive than memory foam.

• Zoned support – the coils are configured with different spring tensions so that the mattress bends to your body shape in the right places to avoid the feeling of sleeping on a ‘board’ like many regular mattresses do.

• Natural materials – the organic cotton cover and naturally derived foams means that there’s no memory foam, chemicals, or potential irritants inside the mattress.

Ideal For

• All sleeping positions – I was comfortable in the front, side, and back sleeping positions in this mattress thanks to the foams and zoned support. I would expect this same level of comfort to extend to individuals that weigh up to 230 lbs and beyond.

• Sleepers with allergies – I didn’t notice that my hay fever or dry skin got any worse when sleeping in this mattress. Also, this is a great mattress if you want to avoid memory foam and synthetic materials.

• Hot sleepers – the biggest selling point of the Nolah Natural beyond its wide appeal is its highly breathable design that makes it perfect for the warmest of sleepers like myself that overheat easily at night.

How to Buy a Comfortable Luxury-Firm Mattress

Following the three steps below can help to ensure that you buy a luxury-firm mattress that’s comfortable for you:

1: Ensure Luxury-Firm is the Best Firmness Choice

Luxury-firm is the most flexible and inclusive type of mattress firmness because it provides a balance of pushback and pressure relief – making it suitable for the widest range of sleeping positions and styles.

However, there may be cases where a firmer or softer mattress is better for you.

Softer mattresses have less surface tension and so they are better for side sleepers, sleepers under 150 lbs, and sleepers with a lower body fat percentage under 15%.

This is because the extra ‘give’ softens friction points on your body and allows your weight to be distributed more evenly across the mattress surface and away from your joints.

Firmer mattresses tend to favor heavier weighted sleepers over 200 lbs and front sleepers who need more surface tension to guard against material sinkage so that you can stay in good posture.

The table below can help you to pinpoint the best type of mattress firmness relative to your body weight and dominant sleeping position:

2: Decide on the Materials and Structure

Beyond the firmness of the mattress, you should consider the types of materials used in the mattress and how they are layered together in order to ensure that your luxury-firm mattress (or any mattress for that matter) is going to be comfortable for you.

I’ve outlined the different structures and materials below:

Structure Types

• Hybrid – consists of a pocket coil core and foam in the upper comfort layers. Hybrid mattresses are the best types of mattresses because they provide an excellent combination of pressure relief and support.

• All foam – mattresses with an all-foam design typically have high density polyfoam in the support layer and then either polyfoam, memory foam, or latex foam in the upper comfort layer. All-foam mattresses are typically lightweight and don’t handle heavier weights as well. Therefore, all-foam mattresses are generally better for sleepers under 200 lbs.

Materials

• Memory foam – memory foam is a type of viscous, high density polyfoam that adapts to the shape of your body by responding to your body weight and body heat. This makes memory foam ideal for pressure point relief – which is important if you are a side sleeper, weigh less than 150 lbs, and/or have a lower body fat percentage. Memory foam can sleep hot, so it’s not the best choice if you’re a warmer sleeper like me.

• Latex foam – latex foam is similar to memory foam in that it offers good pressure relief, but it’s typically much more breathable (especially Talalay latex) so it’s a better choice if you sleep hot. Latex foam is also more bouncy – so it’s good if you’re a combination sleeper that needs to switch positions often in the night, so you don’t feel dragged down by the foam.

• Polyfoam – polyfoam isn’t as adaptive as memory foam or as breathable as latex foam, but it does provide a fair amount of pressure relief and support if the density is high enough.

3: Consider Additional Requirements

In addition to the firmness, materials used, and the structure of the mattress, you might want to consider these additional features to make your new luxury-firm mattress as comfortable as possible:

Zoned Support

Mattresses with zoned support have more pushback around the hip region and more ‘give’ around the shoulder and knee regions to help you rest on the mattress in better posture.

A luxury-firm mattress with zoned support is highly versatile and can cope with many different sleeping styles and body types.

Pillow Top

A pillow top mattress has an extra layer of padding sewn on to the top of the mattress to provide more pressure relief.

You might want to consider a pillow top mattress if you want to maximise the pressure relief and body weight distibution – which is important if you sleep on your side, have a lower body fat percentage, and/or weigh less than 150 lbs.

Euro Top

A Euro top mattress is similar to a pillow top mattress in that it has an extra layer of padding on top of the mattress to provide more pressure relief.

However, a Euro top is typically stitched flush with the edge of the mattress, or at least sewn in a way so that it forms a neat structure.

This contrasts with pillow tops that are much more loose and have a clear, distinct layer on top of the mattress.

You should go for a Euro top if you want more pressure relief, but with a bit more pushback than a pillow top.

Many luxury-firm mattresses have a Euro top in order to provide the plush feeling whilst still maintaining the pushback of a medium-firm mattress.

Click here to see the best Euro top mattresses I’ve reviewed.

Reinforced Edges

If you sleep closer to the edge of the mattress, then you’ll need a mattress with good edge support to ensure that you don’t feel like you’re rolling out of the bed.

This is especially important if you weigh more than 200 lbs because you’ll naturally be pressing down more on the materials.

All-foam mattresses tend to have the worst edge support, whilst hybrid mattresses have the capacity for the best edge support if they have reinforced coils around the perimeter.

Click here to see the best mattresses with edge support that I’ve reviewed.

Adjustable Firmness

Whilst luxury-firm mattresses offer a firmness setting that appeals to the most amount of sleeping styles, you may prefer to go for a mattress with an adjustable firmness feature if you want to change between more distinct levels of firmnesses – such as hard and soft.

For example, the Mend Adapt allows you to flip over the upper comfort layer to change the firmness as you require.

Adjustable Base

Pairing your new mattress with an adjustable base allows you to adjust the angle of the bed to suit your individual comfort preferences.

Furthermore, angling the upper and lower sections of the mattress can help to alleviate back pain, snoring, COPD, sleep apnea, and make it much easier to get in and out of bed if you have limited mobility.

Click here to see the best adjustable beds and compatible mattresses that I’ve reviewed.

Dan

Dan is the founder and head content creator at Bedroom Style Reviews.

He has been working as a professional online product reviewer since 2015 and was inspired to start this website when he ended up sleeping on a memory foam mattress that was too soft and gave him backache.

Through in-depth research and analysis, Dan’s goal with this website is to help others avoid such pitfalls by creating the best online resource for helping you find your ideal mattress, bedding, and bedroom furniture.

Dan is a qualified NVQ Level 2 Fitness Instructor with 6 years’ experience helping clients improve their health through diet, exercise, and proper sleep hygiene.

He also holds several college and university-level qualifications in health sciences, psychology, mathematics, art, and digital media creation – which helps him to publish well researched and informative product reviews as well as articles on sleep, health, wellbeing, and home decor.

Dan also has direct personal experience with insomnia, anxiety, misophonia (hypersensitivity to sounds), and pain from both acute and long-standing sporting injuries – he enjoys writing insightful articles around these subjects to help fellow sufferers of such conditions.

Learn more about Dan here.