The Best Hybrid Mattresses

I’ve spent hundreds of hours interviewing mattress experts, obsessing over foam specifications, poring over warranties, and touring mattress factories and showrooms. I’m the author of Wirecutter’s guides to the best foam mattresses and the best innerspring mattresses, from which most of the picks here have been compiled.

Once upon a time, mattress land was populated by only two types of beds: foam mattresses and innerspring mattresses. But over the past several years, a new option has arrived in stores and on the internet: hybrid mattresses. Hybrids are exactly what they sound like—a combination of foam and coils in a single bed. Unlike innerspring mattresses, which have almost always had some foam in them, so-called hybrids are either innersprings with comparatively greater amounts of foam or foam mattresses with an added layer or two of springs. Either way, mattress makers have embraced the idea of hybrid beds (whether they’ve made significant design changes or not), if only to breathe new life into an old industry.

Typically, a hybrid mattress neither sinks too much nor bounces too much; it provides a feel that’s somewhere between that of an all-foam mattress and a traditional innerspring. How much foam does a hybrid have? How many coils? And in what proportion? There’s no official specification, so the construction, feel, and look of hybrid mattresses can vary widely. Some have substantial layers of foam, a minimal number of coils, a flat surface, and a stretchy “sock” covering, and overall are very similar to many all-foam mattresses. Other hybrids have multiple layers of coil, less foam, and a quilted top with more fiber padding, resembling a traditional innerspring mattress.

Most mattress makers we spoke with would call a mattress a hybrid if substantial layers of foam created the cushioning, the surface was flat, and the entire mattress was shrouded with a “sock” covering. By contrast, an innerspring typically has a quilted top, less foam, and more fiber padding. These descriptions informed how we decided whether to place mattresses that use both foam and springs in our guide to the best foam mattresses or in our guide to the best innerspring mattresses.

For this guide, we’ve taken a slightly broader view. We’ve included three foam-forward hybrids: the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid) and the Leesa Sapira Hybrid (both featured in our foam-mattress guide). And we’ve included a top pick from our innerspring guide, the WinkBed (Luxury Firm), which—despite its substantive support-coil layer and quilted top—is sold as a hybrid. Each mattress offers a very different feel and is likely to appeal to very different sleepers. But in general, if you think all-foam mattresses are too “sticky” or that innersprings could use a little—or a lot of—cradling, a hybrid might be right for you.

You can’t judge a hybrid (or any mattress) by its specifications alone because, as with a recipe, it’s not just about the ingredients but also how they’re put together. Typically, though, thicker memory-foam layers, especially near the top of the mattress, suggest a huggier sensation than you get from a mattress designed with thinner or fewer layers of memory foam placed deeper down. Beds with fewer than 500 support coils (the coils located near the bottom of the mattress) generally feel less supportive than mattresses that have closer to 1,000 coils. But then again, combining this with a denser and/or firmer foam can offset that looser feeling.

Experts we interviewed for our guide on how to choose a mattress have told us that, generally speaking, memory foam should have a density of at least 3 pounds per cubic foot, and non-memory-foam polyfoam should have at least 1.8 pounds per cubic foot. These densities should allow the mattress to withstand the weight of two sleepers who each weigh 200 pounds or less, without any sagging or major body indentations over time—particularly if you rotate the bed every six months. Memory foam and polyfoam should be at least 4 pounds per cubic foot and 2 pounds per cubic foot, respectively, to hold up for sleepers who weigh 200 pounds or more. In the case of hybrids with less-dense foams, a layer of coils can help safeguard against sagging, but the ideal combination is quality foams matched with quality coils. Foams located near the top, close to the sleeper, are more vulnerable to wear and tear.

What makes for quality coils? To prevent motion transfer, look for those that are individually wrapped. Consider, too, the gauge (which is how thick the wire is). The lower the gauge, the thicker the coil wire. Support coils—those in the lower layer of the mattress—prevent beds from outright hammocking, so look for those in roughly the 13- to 15-gauge range. But keep in mind that, depending on the density and firmness of the mattresses’s foam, a mattress maker may opt for slightly thinner coils to soften the overall feel. Sellers often hype the coil count of a mattress as an indicator of quality, but the type of coil matters, too: Even an abundance of thin “microcoils” added only to enhance pressure relief in the top layer won’t enhance mattress durability the way the larger, deeper support coils would.

A hybrid mattress usually costs more than an all-foam or all-innerspring mattress of similar-quality components. But a hybrid also typically delivers a more substantial, nuanced feel than a non-blended counterpart made with similar-quality components. Fortunately, as new hybrid options proliferate, so do less-expensive models. (See the Allswell Luxe Hybrid, a budget option in our list of Notable contenders.) In general, though, you get what you pay for, whether it’s less-dense (and therefore typically less-durable) memory foam or fewer or thinner coils (which would offer less support). As with any mattress, it’s best to try a hybrid model before you buy it. But if that’s not possible, read the fine print to make sure the trial period and return policy are adequate, in case the bed doesn’t work out.

Since 2018, we’ve sampled dozens of these foam-on-coil mattresses in showrooms and stores. And in our offices we’ve assessed 13 of them—many of which, in test after test, stood out as staff favorites over the competing all-foam or traditional innerspring mattress models. Of the hybrid mattresses listed in this guide (including our Notable contenders), all were assessed as part of testing for our foam guide, except for the WinkBed (which we tested for our innerspring guide). For each mattress, we assessed the materials and construction, based on the advice of experts we interviewed for our mattress-buying guide. We then researched their trial periods and warranties, and we examined user reviews. We also organized group tests in our offices, in which 20 to 30 Wirecutter staffers evaluated about a dozen mattresses at a time, side by side. They took notes on firmness levels, motion isolation, and edge support, and they then rated their favorites in various categories. I then slept on the top-rated mattresses at home for at least a week or two.

In 2020, the pandemic didn’t allow for group testing in our office, so at home I tested the updated Winkbed and the new Casper hybrid designs, as well as the Tuft & Needle Hybrid, for one to two weeks each. Associate staff writer Justin Redman slept on the Zinus Cooling Copper Adaptive Hybrid, our former budget pick, as part of his cheap mattresses testing. He also compared that bed side by side with competing models in the office.

Who it’s for: The Leesa Sapira Hybrid should provide good support for back- and stomach-sleepers, as well as adequate pressure relief for side-sleepers who prefer a firmer mattress. People who like to shift positions should also find it easy to rotate on this mattress without feeling stuck. The foam is a durable density for people of all weights, including those who weigh over 200 pounds.

How it feels: This hybrid is medium-firm. I found it to be more medium than firm, but soft-mattress lovers thought the feel was firmer. The memory-foam top provides a loose cradle while also mellowing out the coils, resulting in a small but satisfying bounce.

Why it’s great: I slept on a version of this mattress in 2018, when it was called the Leesa Sapira. Given their similar specs, we think that experience still applies: Neither my husband nor I slept hot. And we didn’t feel like we were sliding off when our son (who slips in between us in the middle of the night) abruptly forced us to sleep on the edges of the mattress. This mattress isolated motion well enough that I rarely woke up when they rolled over. (The current version of the Hybrid is a tad springier than the original 2018 version, though that didn’t noticeably affect motion isolation.)

Despite being delivered in a box, the 11-inch, 115-pound Leesa Sapira Hybrid is made of sturdy materials that should last through its 10-year warranty, particularly if you rotate the mattress on a regular basis and try to sleep in the middle when you can. At 3 and 2 pounds per cubic foot, respectively, the top and third polyfoam layers are of a density that’s suitable for most people, including those who weigh over 200 pounds. The same goes for the 4-pounds-per-cubic-foot memory-foam layer sandwiched between them.

Coil count isn’t everything, but we do like that there is a generous number (a little over 1,000 in a queen) and that each one is individually wrapped (which helps with the motion isolation I experienced when I slept on the mattress at home with my husband and son in the bed). At 6 inches high and buried under 4 inches of foam, the coils have less bounce than those in the WinkBed, but they offer more springiness than those in the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid).

Over the past two years, the Leesa Sapira Hybrid has consistently won over more testers during our group tests than competing hybrid mattresses, or it has come in a very close second to the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid). In our most recent test (in early 2020), the Leesa Sapira Hybrid beat out the hybrid versions of the Casper and Casper Wave, the Serta iComfort, and the Helix Plus. Twenty-two out of 29 testers chose the Leesa as their favorite or second favorite in that price category, citing its balance of sink and bounce.

Due to the Leesa Sapira Hybrid’s higher foam density, with an assist from the steel coils, we believe it would sustain its shape without sagging for most people, including those who weigh over 200 pounds. In our 2019 group test, seven of our testers weighed more than 200 pounds, and all but one of them preferred the Leesa Sapira Hybrid over the Casper Hybrid, the Casper Wave Hybrid, and the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid). In 2020, two out of four testers who weighed over 200 pounds picked the Leesa Sapira Hybrid as their favorite. (The other two preferred the bouncy BedInABox Dual Hybrid or the Helix Plus, a firmer-feeling bed designed for “big & tall” folks.)

You can try the Leesa Sapira Hybrid (and compare it to the brand’s other offerings, including the all-foam Leesa and its plusher, higher-end hybrid the Leesa Legend) at select department stores and at the brand’s Dream Gallery stores in New York City or Virginia Beach, Virginia. If you don’t like the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, you can return it for a full refund within 100 days—but the company requires that you sleep on it for at least 30 days first.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: For people accustomed to the resilience of the innerspring, this bed may still be too foam-forward. One staffer returned her Leesa Sapira Hybrid because she felt “stuck” in it when she tried to roll over. (If this is a concern, we suggest that you take a look at the WinkBed, an innerspring pick that has foam-bed properties but adequate resilience.)

The mattress shouldn’t outright hammock, thanks to the steel springs, but we spotted some reader complaints about body impressions, despite the relatively dense foam. We suggest rotating the mattress religiously every six months, as well as (if you’re part of a couple) sleeping in the middle if you ever have the bed to yourself. The warranty covers body impressions that are deeper than an inch, and online reviews consistently describe good customer service, should issues arise.

Compared with the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid) and the WinkBed, the Leesa Sapira Hybrid has more motion transfer—but that’s the trade-off for a springier feel. If that’s a dealbreaker for you and you’re searching for a huggier, more-contouring feel, you may like the Tempur-Adapt better.

Key specs

Materials: memory foam, polyfoam, 1,041 14½-gauge pocketed coils, polyester-blend cover
Thickness: 11 inches
Firmness options: only one
Free trial period: 100 days
Warranty: 10 years

Who it’s for: The sturdy yet pressure-relieving Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid) should work for most people, regardless of their sleep position. And it’s especially good for those who love a conforming, almost “sticky” foam feeling. This mattress should also hold up for those who weigh more than 200 pounds.

How it feels: The Tempur-Adapt is on the firm end of medium-firm. But wait half a second and you’ll feel the mattress sink in slowly to hug every contour of your body while still maintaining support.

Why it’s great: I slept on the Tempur-Adapt in 2018, and I looked forward to going to bed every night that week. The mattress felt like memory foam on steroids, sinking as it conformed to every pressure point (admittedly, it’s possible to feel “stuck” in it). And yet the dense foam and multitude of coils give it a sturdy, supportive surface that kept my back from getting out of whack. Thanks to its dedicated foam border, I could sit on the edge without sliding off.

Over the past couple of years of group testing, the Tempur-Adapt consistently earned the top or runner-up spot for most-favored foam-forward hybrid, either beating out the Leesa Sapira Hybrid or lagging just behind it. As one tester explained, “It lets your body sink right in and feels immediately comfortable.” The sleep team’s associate staff writer, Justin Redman, prefers softer mattresses—but even he found the Tempur-Adapt to be comfortably pressure-relieving when he slept on his side.

The Tempur-Adapt’s foams are denser than those of our other picks. The Tempur memory foam in the second layer is a durable 4½ pounds per cubic foot, and the polyfoam-like material in the top layer is 2½ pounds per cubic foot. Both surpass the minimum densities the experts we spoke with (for our mattress-buying guide) said would hold up for the 10-year-warranty period for most people (including those over 200 pounds). We’d still rotate the mattress religiously, though, to lower the risk of body impressions.

This dense, super-sinky foam is built on top of the springs, so even though there are more than 1,000 of them, they serve more to temper the bed’s “stickiness” than to give bounce. As a result, this bed has better motion isolation than our other two picks.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Unlike the Leesa Sapira Hybrid or the WinkBed, which lots of testers liked and no one outright hated, the Tempur-Adapt was polarizing. Relatively more testers fell deeply in love with its slow, huggy feel, but others couldn’t stand it. If you like any hint of springiness in your mattress, the Tempur-Adapt is not for you.

Memory foam tends to retain heat, so the company touts the Tempur-Adapt’s cover as being “cool to the touch,” and it is indeed, at first contact. But keep in mind that if you do sleep really hot, you’ll probably need more help—perhaps from a fan—to actually sleep noticeably cooler. In fact, among the 36 good-quality (meaning detailed and not incentivized) reviews we collected on the Tempur-Adapt site, heat retention came up several times (though my husband and I didn’t experience this issue).

The Tempur-Adapt costs several hundred dollars more than our other hybrid picks. It also has a slightly more onerous return policy than those of the WinkBed and the Leesa. Instead of the typical 100 days, you have 90 days to try the Tempur-Adapt before you must decide to keep or return it. (But you have to try it for at least 30 days.) If you decide to return it, you incur a shipping cost, which can be well over $100. If it’s possible, we recommend that you first try it in a store. But be aware that if you purchase a Tempur-Pedic mattress at a third-party retailer, you’ll be subject to the retailer’s return policy, rather than to Tempur-Pedic’s.

Despite the drawbacks, the Tempur-Adapt line offers a distinctive feel that many may find worth the price and riskier return policy. There’s also some reassurance in knowing that the brand, which launched in 1992, has been around longer than the length of the typical 10-year warranty most mattresses stand by. (For comparison, WinkBed and Leesa were each founded in 2015.) Unlike our other two picks, the Tempur-Adapt is sent via delivery people, as opposed to shipped in a box.

Key specs

Materials: memory foam, polyfoam, 1,160 16½-gauge pocketed coils, polyester cover
Thickness: 11 inches
Firmness options: only one
Free trial period: 90 days
Warranty: 10 years

Who it’s for: The WinkBed (Luxury Firm) may appeal to those who rotate through various positions all night, but it will be particularly appealing for those who spend more time on their backs and stomachs than on their sides. The WinkBed should hold up for most sleepers over time—particularly those who weigh less than 200 pounds, and possibly those who weigh a bit more (though there may be a higher risk for body impressions).

How it feels: WinkBeds gave this mattress a design update in early 2021, replacing its microcoils with more foam and adding more (large) coils into its support layer. The result is a surface that cushions with a shallow cradle as opposed to an outright hug, along with the feeling of sturdy support from the firm springs below. Out of the box, the Luxury Firm seems almost firm. But after a couple of weeks, it settles into a more traditional medium-firm feel. The WinkBed also comes in Softer, designed for side-sleepers, and Firmer, intended for stomach- and back-sleepers; the Luxury Firm falls in between these two extremes. There’s also Plus, for people over 300 pounds. (We haven’t tested these options yet.)

Why it’s great: The WinkBed is a good choice for people who want a substantial-feeling mattress with sturdy, resilient support (including around the edges), as well as a cushioned top that doesn’t cause the sensation of an assertive hug or sink. Although the current iteration lacks the billowy surface that our testers loved in the original, microcoil version, we still think it’s a good-quality mattress that should last for many years for most people.

The cushion on the surface comes from a 2-inch-thick layer made with a non-memory-foam polyfoam. Given this bed’s foam density of 2½ pounds per cubic foot, we think it should avoid outright sagging over time for most people, especially those who weigh less than 200 pounds (and possibly those who weigh more, though body impressions may still be an issue; see Flaws but not dealbreakers, below). (Those who weigh closer to 300 pounds may want to try the WinkBed Plus, which is made out of latex, a more inherently durable foam than polyfoam or memory foam; however, we haven’t tried it yet.) The WinkBed’s non-traditional quilted cover jazzes up the surface with a more-textured feel, and it might be better than sock-covered hybrids at camouflaging body impressions.

As for the coil layer, the WinkBed now has 1,054 support coils (almost 200 more than in the previous version) to help keep your spine from flexing and the mattress borders from sloping. Unlike the 6-inch coils in the Tempur-Adapt and the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, the WinkBed’s support coils are 8 inches high, which gives the bed a comparatively springier feel. As with our other non-budget hybrid picks, all of the WinkBed’s coils are pocketed, so you’re less likely to feel your partner roll over.

I tested the latest version of the Relaxed Firm at home for almost three weeks. (We couldn’t do a group test because of the pandemic.) At first, I was disappointed. Not only was the buoyant, almost billowy feel of the original WinkBed missing, but this new version felt downright firm. I struggled to sleep on my side. But after about a week and a half, the mattress started breaking in and softening into a classic medium-firm. However, because it doesn’t sink or contour as much as the Tempur-Adapt (Medium Hybrid) or the Leesa Hybrid, it may still feel too firm for some side-sleepers. (Those who like true pressure relief on their shoulders may have better luck with WinkBed’s Softer version, but we haven’t tested that yet.)

The perimeter of the WinkBed barely sloped as my son (who sneaks in at night sometimes) rolled to one side of the bed, forcing me to do the same. But there’s a subtle slide when you sit on the cushioned edge; it doesn’t collapse like an all-foam mattress might, thanks to the firm coils underneath.

The WinkBed offers a 120-day trial period, the longest of our picks. But you have to sleep on it for at least 30 days before you can return or exchange the mattress. (You’ll get a full refund for the return. For exchanges, however, you’ll have to pay a $50 fee to cover the cost of shipping your new mattress and getting rid of your original purchase.) If you decide on a different firmness level after that time window (or even years later, if your preferences change), you can exchange the mattress for half the cost (plus shipping and haul-away charges).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: We wish WinkBed had a showroom or partnered with national retailers. Without a place to try before you buy, it’s hard to know which firmness level will work best for you, or whether this is even the kind of bed you’d like at all. You’ll have to be okay with paying that $50 return fee, if you end up exchanging the mattress to get a different firmness level.

WinkBed ships its mattresses rolled up in a box for free. Hybrids with lots of coils, like this one, are heavier than the typical foam-bed-in-a-box, so expect set-up to be a two-person job, especially if stairs are involved. If you want help, you’ll need to select the Room of Choice service, which is an additional $130 (and if you want your old mattress removed, that’s another $60). Because the WinkBeds are manufactured at a single factory in Wisconsin, it may take up to two weeks to receive your mattress, while other boxed-mattress brands may arrive in as little as one week.

As with all mattresses that have a thick pillow top, the WinkBed should be rotated diligently to avoid body impressions. In fact, WinkBed recommends rotating the mattress every two weeks for the first three months, and then every two months thereafter—which is a lot of rotating, particularly for a heavy mattress with no handles. (The standard recommendation is once every six months, though this may not be enough given that body impressions are among the most common complaints for mattresses.) Under the lifetime warranty, WinkBed will replace the mattress if it develops indentations, but only if they’re more than 1½ inches deep. (By contrast, Leesa will honor its warranty for impressions that are at least 1 inch deep. And Tempur-Pedic requires body impressions of only ¾ inch for a warranty claim.)

Given that this iteration of the mattress is so new, we hope to collect more reviews to get a good read. In the meantime, we took a preliminary look at the the most recent 2- to 4-star reviews on the WinkBed site and found that out of the nine reviews mentioning firmness levels for the Luxury Firm, only one said it was too soft; the others found it to be too firm or liked it enough to keep it but wished it were softer.

Although WinkBed’s site says that its “triple layer heat dispersing” technology will “ensure a cooler… sleep,” we’re not sure that the tech actually made a difference. Some nights, I actually thought the surface felt warm, and other times it was just neutral. My husband slept too deeply to notice. The site also touts extra foam support for the mid-lumbar region, but this may not be helpful, depending on how you choose to sprawl across your bed.

Key specs

Materials: polyfoam, 1,054 pocketed support coils (14½-gauge interior coils; 13-gauge edge coils), Tencel cover
Thickness: 13½ inches
Firmness options: Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, Plus (for those over 300 pounds)
Return or exchange within: 120 days
Warranty: lifetime

These hybrids either lacked top votes from testers or were made from lower-quality materials than those in our picks. But they each have a standout feature or two that we think might appeal to some sleepers. All prices are for queen-size mattresses and are subject to change.

If you want a decent, affordable hybrid for a guest bedroom ...

Allswell introduced a revamped 12-inch Allswell Luxe Hybrid in 2019. If it’s similar to the one we tried in October 2018 (which Allswell suggests it is), then you can expect a sturdy feel, with nearly equal parts bounce and foam. Despite its earning a respectable third place among all hybrids (including considerably pricier ones) in our 2018 group test, this mattress didn’t become a pick because its memory-foam layer didn’t meet the 3-pounds-per-cubic-foot memory-foam minimum that experts recommend for those who weigh under 200 pounds. However, we do like that the 6-inch coils are pocketed, thereby limiting motion transfer. And even though there are only 682 coils in a queen—compared with the 1,000 or more in our picks—they nevertheless bolstered the mattress with a supportive feel (and for less than half the price, to boot). We think this mattress makes for a crowd-pleasing guest-room-bed option. You have 100 days to return it for a refund if you don’t like it.

If you want a firmer hybrid ...

Casper gave the all-foam Casper Original Hybrid (along with its entire line) a design update in 2020, so we re-tested it at home early in 2021. It has a subtly softer, more cradling medium-firm feel compared with the new all-foam Casper Original. We think it would appeal to back- and stomach-sleepers, but also to side-sleepers who dislike soft mattresses. Compared with the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, the Casper Original Hybrid offers less-dense foam (3½ pounds per cubic foot, versus 4) and fewer coils (the company says there are “more than 600” coils in its queen mattresses, though we still think Leesa probably has more). But this mattress is also several hundred dollars cheaper than the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, so if you like the feel, it may be a good choice. Overall, we think the all-foam Casper Original is a better value than the Casper Hybrid. But of course, that’s meaningful only if you also prefer the Original’s slightly firmer feel.

If you want a bouncier hybrid ...

Try the 13-inch-thick BedInABox Dual Hybrid. It’s both very bouncy and very cushiony, yet it has decent motion isolation, along with a feel that’s quite different from that of any of our picks. This mattress wasn’t an overall favorite, but the testers who liked it really liked it. The polyfoam layers are 3.4 and 2 pounds per cubic foot (specs deemed suitable to handle most sleepers, including those who weigh over 200 pounds), and they’re bolstered by two layers of coils (1-inch pressure-relieving microcoils in the upper half, and 7-inch pocketed support coils in the lower). The BedInABox Dual Hybrid is about the price of the Tempur-Adapt. But with a sale, the cost can be closer to that of the Leesa Sapira Hybrid. BedInABox, the rare mattress company that makes its own foam, offers a 20-year warranty, which is twice as long as those of most other mattresses. There’s also a 120-day free-trial period, but you have to try the mattress for 60 days before you can return it for a refund.

If you want a coil-forward, durable hybrid ...

The moderately priced Helix Plus (which often goes on sale for just under $1,500) leans more innerspring than foam. There’s a bit of bounce to it, combined with a pillowy (as opposed to sinky) feel. Staffers of a range of sizes in our 2020 test liked it, even though the company designed it specifically for sleepers who weigh up to 500 pounds. We’re not sure how realistic that weight allowance is, but we do know that 10 out of 13 people who ranked this mattress best or second best in the hybrid category were under 150 pounds. Although the Helix didn’t have mass appeal among our staffers, we think the materials suggest longevity, at least through its 15-year warranty. The top, faux-latex polyfoam layer is 3 pounds per cubic foot. The middle, memory-foam layer is 4 pounds per cubic foot, just like the Leesa Sapira Hybrid’s (the Leesa happens to be a favorite of several testers in the above-200-pounds category). The third layer down (designed to feel like a more-resilient memory foam) is 2½ pounds. Thanks to its 968 individually wrapped 8-inch coils, the mattress felt both substantial and supportive. If you don’t like it, to return it for a full refund, you have to try this mattress for at least 30 days—but no more than 100 days.

If you need a hybrid with extra pressure relief ...

The Purple Hybrid and the thicker Purple Hybrid Premier (which comes with 3 inches or 4 inches of gridded foam, the latter of which is closer to $3,000) are essentially the Purple Mattress, but with springs. The brand touts a gel-like foam grid, which Purple’s founders originally used to create cushioned, pressure-relieving medical products, including padding for wheelchairs. (Purple now has a cushion for desk chairs, and it is a pick in our guide to the best ergonomic seat cushions.) In our 2018 group test, our staffers couldn’t get past the “weird,” jiggly, crackly feel of the mattress. I tried the hybrid versions in-store and found that the added coils only enhanced the jiggly feel. If you’re open to new textures and have back or joint issues, the Purple may be worth trying; it’s available at Mattress Firm and Macy’s stores nationwide. A staffer with back pain who’s 210 pounds and his 110-pound wife have been sleeping on the 4-inch Purple Grid version of the Purple Hybrid Premier for several months and have found it “gentler” on the joints than the typical mattress. He reports that it’s comfortable for side-sleeping, but he also says he finds it too soft for stomach-sleeping. There’s a 100-day free trial, before which you can return the mattress for a full refund, minus shipping costs (and any interest, if you used a payment plan). But you have to try the mattress for at least 21 days.

If you want a latex hybrid ...

The Saatva Latex Hybrid doesn’t have the 1,000-plus coils found in our current hybrid picks, but it’s supplemented with 3 inches of Talalay latex, which makes the bed feel inherently pliable yet springy. Latex is also more breathable and durable than synthetic foams. Because the pandemic prevented group testing, the sleep team’s senior editor, Courtney Schley, tested the Saatva Latex Hybrid at home and found it to be a sturdy-feeling mattress. However, it didn’t feel luxurious, perhaps because it was on the firm side of medium-firm and not at all plush. We’ll include this mattress in a future test to see how other people feel about it.

We were less impressed with these options because few testers found them comfortable, and other options may provide better value for your money. Again, all prices are for queen-size mattresses, and they are approximate and subject to change.

Under $1,000

The Allswell is the company’s cheapest offering, and it felt that way to most of our testers. If you have the budget to upgrade to the Luxe Hybrid (almost twice as much for a queen), you’ll end up with a much more substantial-feeling mattress. When I tried the less expensive Allswell at home, I felt myself sliding toward my husband (because of our weight difference) and sloping toward the floor when I retreated to the outer edge. You may have a better experience, however, if you have the bed to yourself.

$1,000 to $1,500

The Brooklyn Bedding Signature (which dips below $1,000 when it’s on sale) offers decent motion isolation, decent-quality foam, and good support, without being too firm. Unfortunately, though, our testers didn’t like the feel of its TitanFlex foam; it felt cushiony yet bouncy, but somehow in an off-putting way, according to staffers who tried it. Comfort is subjective, however, so if you happen to live near one of Brooklyn Bedding’s many showrooms in Arizona, as well as in select cities nationwide, this mattress may be worth a try. We sampled the Medium model, but it also comes in Soft and Firm.

I personally liked the fluffy-topped faux-memory-foam hybrid Helix Midnight, but many of our testers didn’t. Even though it’s more expensive, the Helix Plus feels a lot more substantial, particularly for those who weigh around 200 pounds and up (though lighter testers liked the Plus as well).

The five-layer, 12-inch Tuft & Needle Hybrid is made with coils and—new for the brand—memory foam. It costs about twice as much as its all-foam signature mattress, the Tuft & Needle Original, though the Hybrid is often on sale. Does it feel twice as wonderful? We’re not so sure. The coils and foam certainly provide a sturdier, more nuanced feel than those of the Original. But we thought the pillow top on the Hybrid didn’t gracefully blend into the support materials underneath. We think you can get a more luxe-feeling mattress for a similar price by choosing the Leesa Sapira Hybrid when it’s on sale or (if you like bounce) the Euro-top Saatva Classic (which is a pick in our innerspring guide).

$2,000 to $3,000

The Casper Nova Hybrid is the company’s softest offering—so soft that my firm-mattress-loving husband (who is nevertheless easy-going) couldn’t last for more than a night on it. We think it works best for side-sleepers because it has a cuddly surface that offers great pressure relief for the shoulders and hips. There’s no memory foam in it, though, so don’t expect a memory-foam sink. “At least 600 coils” (per the company) offer the slightest touch of buoyancy. The polyfoam is a dense 3½ pounds per cubic feet, which experts tell us is adequately durable for people who weigh more than 200 pounds. Priced at the lower end of this price category (and the Nova Hybrid often goes on sale), this mattress is one we’d like to group test after the pandemic, to get more opinions on its feel and price.

The 13-inch Casper Wave Hybrid is Casper’s most expensive offering. It has a resilient, subtly cradling, medium-firm feel made possible by its combination of coils, polyfoam, memory foam, and SonoCore latex. We tested the 2020 version at home (the pandemic closed our offices) and found it to be a sturdy-looking and sturdy-feeling mattress. But we can’t outright recommend this bed because it’s more expensive than other, similar online offerings—such as the Saatva Latex Hybrid and the Leesa Legend—despite having fewer coils and foam components (and therefore providing less confidence in durability).

Leesa’s high-end offering, the 12-inch Leesa Legend, packs microcoils, support coils, and dense foams (including memory foam) inside an elegant, cotton-blend cover (made with wool and stitched with thread from recycled bottles). The components are of high quality, and it should be just as or more durable than our pick, the Leesa Sapira Hybrid, even for those who weigh more than 200 pounds. However, we think you can get an even nicer mattress at a similar price, and the Leesa Hybrid is, in fact, a better value. Of course, if you have a flexible budget and like a cradling, medium-firm feel that softens as it breaks in, then the Legend may be worth it.

Additional reporting by Justin Redman and Ayanna Redwood-Crawford.