A mattress with prominent lumps and sags can be a major contributor to aches, pains and sores. The average mattress should last around seven years before it starts to show blatant signs of wear, but beds with poor construction and support may wear out prematurely. The best mattresses that won’t sag contain a strong base to provide stability and sturdiness, and are sprinkled with extra features to make you sleep even more comfortably. Our editors chose the Saatva Classic Mattress as the best overall pick, a strong innerspring mattress with a dual-coil design, fluffy pillow top and extra lumbar reinforcements for better spinal alignment.
The Saatva Classic Mattress is one of the more supportive and durable beds on the market, alongside ... More beds from Nectar, DreamCloud and Avocado.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILER
Of course, multiple factors play into whether or not a mattress starts to sag before its lifespan is over, including your body type and how well you care for your mattress. People also have different needs and preferences, so we offer a list of more editor-approved picks below that appeal to people with back pain, side sleepers, price-conscious shoppers and more.
The Saatva Classic Mattress is one of the most durable and supportive on the market, with two coil layers in its construction that keep the mattress extra-sturdy. A steel coil layer sits at the base while a pocketed microcoil layer is sandwiched near the top, which helps provide targeted pressure relief and spinal reinforcements. There’s also a memory foam slab under the center third of the mattress and a special lumbar spinal wire for even more protection against dips and sags.
Sleepers can choose between three different firmness options, but here’s how we would break it down. We recommend the plush soft model to side sleepers and the luxury firm or firm to back and stomach sleepers. Our team have tested multiple firmness options, and updates writer Alex Garrett says she feels “supported and elongated” while lying on this mattress, and it “provides a nice touch of cushioning around my hips, which I appreciate since I typically prefer a medium to medium-firm bed.” See more in our full Saatva Classic Mattress review.
Best Soft Mattress That Won’t Sag
Seven Layers Thick With Luxurious Cashmere
DreamCloud
DreamCloud Luxe Hybrid (Queen)
Type: Hybrid | Height: 14 inches |Firmness: Medium-firm |Delivery: Free to 48 states |Trial: 365nights |Warranty: Lifetime
Best for:
Back and side sleepers
Value shoppers
Couples (good motion isolation and edge support)
Cons:
Softer than advertised and may have too much give for stomach sleepers
Previously known as the “DreamCloud Premier Rest,” this mattress blends luxurious materials like a thick Euro top, soft cashmere and pressure-relieving memory foam with cooling technology and supportive coils for $1,500 (for a queen). We think it offers a good value for those who want a plush and soft bed, as it’s one of the most high-quality mattresses you can get for the money. One of our testers compared this mattress to “sleeping on a cloud that has structure.” She adds that it has a “soft, cushy and airy feel” without lacking in the support category. Its supportive coils with reinforced edges help keep the mattress sturdy and lifted, while zoned foam and other comfort materials help cushion your body for an ultra soft feel.
We found the DreamCloud Luxe Hybrid is a bit softer than its medium-firm rating, so stomach sleepers should consider a firmer bed. But if you sleep on your side, back or a combination, it’s hard to go wrong with a mattress like this that appeals to a wide variety of sleeper and body types. Also check out the best soft mattresses for our editors’ favorite tested picks.
The Nectar Hybrid is from the same parent company as the DreamCloud Luxe, Resident Home, but it’s on a more affordable tier. It has a doughy and pressure-relieving memory foam feel that’s comparable to a Tempur-Pedic Mattress, but it’s a fraction of the price. It’s made with memory foam comfort layers that contour under your curves without making you feel like you’re in a sinkhole, as some other beds made from the same material can. To combat heat retention, the bed’s top cover is woven with cooling fibers that help draw heat away from your body. Near the bottom of the mattress sits a system of pocketed steel coils that help keep you and the mattress lifted and protected from premature sagging.
With a medium-firm profile, we recommend the Nectar Hybrid to back, stomach and combination sleepers. One tester says, “Back sleeping is probably the most comfortable position in this bed. It has a good balance of support and cushioning, and my back doesn’t feel like it’s sinking or floating too high on the surface.” Our testers also found it offers top-notch motion isolation and edge support, which are good benefits for couples who share a mattress. You can read more about our testing experience in our fullNectar Hybrid Mattress review.
Best Hybrid Mattress That Won't Sag
Enjoy A Balanced Feel From Cushioned Foams And Two Coil Layers
You are required to pay a return fee in Alaska, Hawaii and Canada
Similar to our best overall choice, the Saatva Classic, the Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid mattress is designed with two layers of coils that make the mattress even more supportive and sturdy. However, it incorporates added features like a cooling cover and even more comfort foam for a more plush and cushioned sleep experience. I tested this mattress for several months before moving on to a new bed to try, but it’s one of my favorites among (no exaggeration) 100+ beds.
As I noted in my Leesa Legend Chill Mattress review, its coil-heavy design makes it feel more lifted, rather than doughy and marshmallowy like a memory foam pick. However, its plush and airy pillow top with a blend of foams underneath the hood give it the right amount of cushion so it’s not overbearing. I found the cover is cool to the touch and it helps regulate temperature, even through a California summer. With a medium (that feels a little firmer than that) profile, I found it’s best for stomach, back and combination sleepers. Dedicated side sleepers, especially those under 150 pounds, should consider a plusher pick.
Plush and ultra plush comfort levels are a considerable additional expense
Avocado is the industry leader in organic and eco-friendly bedding, including its mattresses. The Luxury Organic model is one of the brand’s softest and most luxurious options that’s handcrafted and practically tailored to you as you get to choose its height and firmness profile. It’s stacked with a burly 17 layers of premium materials, including organic and natural latex, wool, silk, hemp and cotton, along with thousands of recycled steel coils arranged across seven ergonomic zones for targeted support and durability. Latex foam is more durable than most common mattress materials, and more supportive and breathable. Combined with the ultra-sturdy coils that provide targeted spinal reinforcements and pressure relief, this premium mattress offers comfort that should last over a decade.
The standard mattress has a medium feel that’s ideal for side and back sleepers, but plush and ultra plush models, which add another four or five inches, are available upgrades if you like an even softer feel. Just keep in mind that you need deep-pocket sheets for mattresses that tall.
Zoned foams and coils resist sagging and ensure targeted support
Cushioning Euro topper is cooling and contouring for side sleepers
Cons:
Some customers point out that it’s really heavy
The best mattresses for side sleepers have a soft and cushioned profile that properly gives under the hips and shoulders. Some soft mattresses can collapse under too much pressure in the long-term, but the Nolah Evolution Mattress is a strong, thick and supportive pick that strikes a nice balance between soft but sturdy. Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman is predominantly a side sleeper and tested the plush model in her home for over a month. She says, “The foams cushion my pressure points while on my side and fill in my lumbar region as needed while on my back. There’s a little bit of sinkage but not too much. It feels more like cushioning and pressure relief than anything.”
Inside the Nolah Evolution is a layer of zoned pocketed coils that are stronger under the lumbar region for enhanced lift. Above the support system is a combination of zoned and breathable foams that serve different purposes in the effort to keep you resting comfortably. The zoned foam provides more targeted relief and aerated foam helps prevent heat retention. Finishing off the mattress is a plush, cozy Euro-top that can be upgraded to feature a GlacioTex cooling cover, which feels cool to the touch. See more about this bed in our full Nolah Evolution Mattress review.
McKenzie Dillon is a Forbes Vetted mattress and sleep editor with over six years of experience testing sleep products and researching the topic. She has tested over 100 different mattresses, and has contributed her insights above to several of our choices.
Our senior mattress and sleep editorBridget Chapman oversees this category. She also has years of testing experience to rely on as she helps inform our mattress choices. Together, she and Dillon have collectively tested over 150 beds.
We regularly revisit our stories to ensure our recommendations stay current and relevant. This article was published in June 2025.
How We Chose The Best Mattresses That Won’t Sag
We considered mattresses from the most top-rated brands in the market and relied on our own tests and expertise in addition to extensive research to make the most educated selections we can.
We primarily looked at mattresses with hybrid constructions that are more supportive, sturdy and durable over the long-term than all-foam mattresses.
We carefully considered important features like pressure relief, support, their ability to accommodate different sleeping positions, temperature, motion isolation, ease of movement and more.
We looked closely at customer reviews and only included mattresses that have at least a 4- out of 5-star rating.
What To Consider When Shopping For The Best Mattresses That Won’t Sag
Materials And Construction
For a mattress to have longevity its materials should be high-end, supportive and durable. Innerspring and hybrid mattresses that contain steel coils in the base are the most optimal because they stand the test of time better than beds with a foam base that lumps and sags under constant pressure.
Keep an eye out for quality materials like high-density memory foam and latex for durability and support, but be mindful of the characteristics of these materials.
Memory foam is known for its pressure-relieving and hugging feel that slowly responds to weight. It’s also great at stopping movement across a mattress, which benefits couples who are easily disturbed by their partner’s movements. However, the material has a reputation for retaining heat, so keep an eye out for temperature-regulating materials like a cooling cover or phase-change material.
Latex foam is either synthetic or natural. Natural and organic latex is sourced from the sap of a rubber tree and ends up looking like a large, supportive sponge. It’s more durable, supportive and breathable than memory foam, and it’s also hypoallergenic and antimicrobial. The downside of latex foam is that it can be expensive, especially softer latex foam beds.
Foundation And Frame
A mattress is only as good as its foundation, and you can even void a bed’s warranty by keeping it on an improper bed frame. Most mattresses nowadays don’t need a box spring, including every mattress named on our list. All it needs is a sturdy bed frame; Look for one with slats that aren’t spaced too far apart, adjustable bed frames or foundation bed frames.
Body Type
In general, the more you weigh, the more pressure you exert onto a mattress. Over time, certain materials like cheap memory foam and poly foam show wear and lose support if they don’t have the right reinforcements. As a result, we recommend that people who weigh over 250 pounds consider a hybrid mattress or a bed designed specifically for plus-size sleepers in mind.
Sleeping Position
Mattresses come in a range of firmness levels from soft to extra firm and everything in between, and some even offer multiple firmness levels. The right choice primarily depends on your sleeping position, as the goal is to maintain a neutral spinal alignment through the whole night.
Side sleepers typically need a soft to medium mattress that gives underneath the hips and shoulders. A bed that’s too firm presses into the joints, causing aggravation and misalignment.
Back and stomach sleepers need a firmer surface that keeps the spine lifted and supported, rather than sagging into a bed’s foams. Typically, back sleepers are accommodated best by a medium to firm bed, while stomach sleepers need a medium-firm to firm choice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A hybrid or innerspring mattress that contains a steel coil base layer lasts longer than a bed that is only made out of foam. The average foam mattress should last around five to seven years maximum, while a hybrid mattress’ lifespan is ten years or more.
If you regularly sleep on a mattress, even the ones made with steel coils eventually give in to lumps and sags after a decade or more. Regardless of a bed’s warranty, you shouldn’t sleep on a mattress longer than 12 years.
We named the Saatva Classic the best mattress that doesn’t sag because it contains two coil layers for maximum strength and support with extra lumbar reinforcements to provide even more lift under the spine.
