The 9 best innerspring mattresses that are bouncy and supportive
10 mins read

The 9 best innerspring mattresses that are bouncy and supportive

Just so you know: The trade-off with bouncy beds is that they often lack motion isolation, and that was the case here. When we dropped a 10-pound kettlebell on the bed, it caused significant vibrations through the mattress.

Material: Latex hybrid | Firmness: Medium-sized business (7 of 10) | Trial period: 100 nights | Guarantee: 25 years | Shipping: Free

Pro

Disadvantages

  • 25 year guarantee
  • Very expensive compared to other options on this list
  • Returns are $99
  • Customer reviewers have reported delivery delays

Why we chose it: If everything organic is important to you, you’ll love the Avocado Green mattress. The number of certifications that support the quality and durability of the brand’s materials make it an industry standout. For example, its green mattress contains wool and cotton that are certified organic by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and latex that is certified organic by Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS). Avocado is also Climate Neutral Certified, meaning it aims to reduce and offset its carbon emissions. Back to the bed itself: Testers found the Avocado Green comfortable, supportive and easy to change positions on.

Who is it for: The avocado green mattress is a good option for back sleepers and stomach sleepers given that testers felt lifted, supported and able to maintain a neutral spine in both positions. Combination sleepers should also sleep well on the mattress, as it is very responsive.

Other profit options: The mattress is available in soft, medium and firm varieties; the medium and plush versions cost more money than the solid version. Avocado also sells a vegan mattress that contains cotton instead of the green mattress’s wool.

Material: Latex hybrid | Firmness: Several available: fixed standard, medium cushion-top and plush box-top (testers spent the most time on medium, 6.5 out of 10) | Trial period: 1 year | Guarantee: 25 years | Shipping: Free

What is an inner mattress?

Simply put, innerspring mattresses are made with springs that are covered with padding and upholstery. “Innerspring mattresses compress under the weight of your body to provide the desired support, but also provide plenty of airflow to allow for a cooling effect,” says Dr. Marchetti. “Other mattress types, like foam, hug the body instead of bouncing back.”

Hybrid mattresses, which use springs or coils plus layers of memory foam and/or latex foam, can often provide a fine balance between support and comfort. They can be more versatile than a traditional inner mattress.

This is how you find the best inner mattress for you

Mattress shopping can be a huge time sink if you get stuck comparing every little detail. Experts say these are the most important parts to prioritize in your purchase.

Innerspring mattresses can vary in the type of coil they use (continuous, bonnell, offset, pocket, etc.) for different effects, says Dr. Marchetti. In general, we like mattresses with pockets (that’s what the whales on our list use); these are individually wrapped in fabric and can move independently of each other, making them less noisy and better at providing pressure relief.

The firmness of the mattress is quite subjective; it essentially describes how hard or soft a bed feels when you sit on it. But as a guideline, innerspring mattresses tend to be firmer than other types of mattresses thanks to their solid coil base.

Your sleeping position can affect the firmness of the best mattress for you. “For back grinding, generally speaking, the best or preferred mattress is going to be something that’s medium to medium firm,” says Timothy Roberts, MDorthopedic spine specialist at NY Spine Institute. “This is because it will give you even support across your entire back, which is relatively flat.” As such, these sleepers can especially benefit from the support of an innerspring mattress. Stomach sleepers and people who weigh more also tend to benefit from firmer mattresses, according to Dr. Marchetti.

Meanwhile, side grinders – who typically want to avoid overstressing their shoulders and hips – may find a traditional innerspring too firm. Mattresses that are firm all over (as opposed to individual coils that allow for zonal support) don’t allow the shoulders to sink in as much, which can result in pain and stiffness.

The softness of the mattress can sometimes relate to more pressure relief, or the bed’s ability to distribute your weight across the entire mattress. “If you sleep on your side, your shoulders and hips will dig deeper into the mattress,” says Dr. Roberts. So pressure relief in these regions is especially important for side grinders.

Back sleepers can benefit from mattresses that use zone support and are firmest at the lower back, and stomach sleepers usually do well with a mattress with extra firmness at the hips.

Motion isolation—such as how much a mattress shakes or vibrates when someone moves on it—should factor into your decision if you’re easily disturbed by a sleeping partner or pet. (It’s less important if you sleep solo.) This is not the strong point of innerspring mattresses. “There are benefits to innerspring mattresses, but the more modern memory foam mattresses tend to be better for motion isolation,” says Dr. Roberts. However, the shock-absorbing foam layers in hybrid mattresses often help improve a bed’s motion-isolating ability.

Mattresses with springs or coils tend to have better temperature regulation than foam mattresses, according to Dr. Marchetti. So if you sleep hot, or share a bed with a partner who doubles as an oven, you may want the increased airflow you get from an innerspring.

Who is an inner mattress good for?

Ultimately, the right mattress for you depends a lot on your budget, sleep style, and other factors. “If you prioritize support, a lower price and a firm sleeping surface, an inner mattress may be the right choice for you,” says Dr. Marchetti.

How do you care for an inner mattress?

Mattress brands often provide specific information on how to care for your mattress in hopes of maximizing its lifespan. For example, Saatva suggests use a mattress protector and vacuum your mattress twice a year, but notes that Saatva Classic don’t have to be turned But in general, here are some tips from Better sleep advicea sleep research organization, to take care of your mattress:

  • Turn and turn your mattress at regular intervals, unless the mattress care instructions say otherwise.
  • Put it in a mattress cover that you wash regularly (to protect it from stains, dust mites and other allergens).
  • Use a high-quality bed frame with a strong center support to keep your mattress from bending or breaking.

How we tested these mattresses

Our team takes mattress testing seriously, spend hours with each product to decide what to do on the list. We use a variety of tests to evaluate the key features of each mattress, including the following:

Firmness

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Our SELF tester tests the firmness of a Helix mattress.

Our testers lie on each mattress and go through the sleeping positions before rating each one on a firmness scale of 1 to 10.

Fridge

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A SELF-tester measures how much a mattress gets warm when another person lies on it.

To get a complete picture of a mattress’s temperature regulation, testers use a thermal camera to see how fast (and how much) the bed heats up when someone lies on it. They also assess whether the mattress feels warm to the touch and whether its construction contains cooling material.

Material

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The inside of the Saatva Classic inner mattress.

Our testers don’t just take product claims at face value—they cut open each mattress to see exactly what’s inside it and how it’s made.

Frequently asked questions

Still unsure about innerspring mattresses? Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about this type of mattress.

What type of spring mattress is best?

The best spring mattress is subjective — you should keep your budget, your favorite sleeping position and firmness in mind when choosing, according to Dr. Marchetti. When it comes to sleeping positions, we found that Helix midnight is good for combination stitchers DreamCloud Hybrid would work well for side grinders, back grinders should appreciate it Nolah Evolutionand stomach sleepers will like Birch Natural.

What is the difference between coil and innerspring?

They are basically the same thing, but you can use one or the other term depending on whether the springs are connected. “(Pocket) coil mattresses have individually wrapped coils to provide targeted support and increased pressure relief, as well as better motion isolation,” says Dr. Marchetti. Because they are individually wound, the springs can move independently of each other. Traditional innerspring mattresses “tend to have interlocking coils to provide a firmer surface,” says Dr. Marchetti.

Is it better to have an inner mattress compared to other options?

It depends. If you prioritize responsiveness because you like to be able to move easily, an inner mattress is a good fit for you. And if you go warm at night, know that innerspring beds also don’t tend to heat up as easily as many foam options, since the springs allow for better ventilation.

Do hotels use innerspring?

While some hotels use traditional innerspring mattresses, others use hybrid or full foam models. For example, Four Seasons properties have hybrid mattressesFairfield by Marriott rooms have foam mattressesand Hampton Inn uses innerspring mattresses.

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