Best Mattresses for Heavy People
Our Top Picks and Key Criteria

In recent years, mattress makers have begun to design new options that cater more specifically to the needs of larger people. We’ve tested a number of these models, highlighted below along with some ‘regular’ mattresses that we also found to perform well for heavier folks (generally those over 250 lbs).

Which Mattresses Perform Best for Bigger People?

It's important to note that even for the heaviest person, weight is just one of many key factors to consider when choosing the right mattress for you. That's why we created the GoodBed Quiz. In just a few minutes, this quiz will help you assess your full mattress requirements, and will search across thousands of available mattresses to create a personalized “best mattress” list for you – based on all of your unique needs and preferences. No generic list of the "best mattresses for heavy people" (including the one below) can be nearly as useful or relevant as this, so we strongly urge every mattress shopper to start by taking the GoodBed Quiz.

That said, following is a list of mattresses that excelled in our tests for people at the heavy end of the weight scale. Read on below the list for more general guidance on what unique criteria larger people should consider when shopping for a mattress.

Pricing Key (queen-size): $ = less than $500; $$ = $500-$1,000; $$$ = $1,000-$1,500; $$$$ = $1,500-$2,500; $$$$$ = $2,500-$4,000; $$$$$$ = $4,000 and up

What Should Heavy People Look for in a Mattress?

For bigger people and couples (we’re talking about those over about 250 pounds), there are a few unique aspects to consider:

Stronger mattress support materials

The hardest thing for a heavier person to avoid in an ordinary mattress is sinking too far into the bed. The trouble is that most mattresses are designed with an average-sized person in mind. But an appropriate amount of ‘give’ to a 175-lb person can be far too much ‘give’ for someone who weighs twice that much. In addition, when a support unit is being compressed more during the night, it will wear down more quickly – so durability can be a much bigger concern. To find adequate support and proper spinal alignment as a bigger person, look for support materials that are both firmer and stronger.

With coils, this comes down to both the absolute quantity of steel as well as the design of the innerspring unit. The quantity of steel will be reflected in not only the number of coils, but also the number of working turns per coil and the thickness (aka, “gauge”) of the wire used to make the coil. All else being equal, more coils, more working turns, and a lower (thicker) gauge of wire will equal more rigid support and more durability for a heavier person. From a design standpoint, most higher-end mattresses today – even those designed for heavier people – utilize pocketed coils, which offer the added benefits of conformance and motion isolation. But it’s worth noting that heavier folks, especially stomach sleepers, are one group for whom connected coils can also be a good option.

Foam or latex support cores are generally not as good for heavier people but can work in some cases.  Once again, the key thing you’ll be looking for is more raw material. With foam, this means a combination of higher-density foam and a thicker slab of support foam. Heavier folks will be best off with a support foam layer that is at least 6” thick and that has a foam density of at least 2.0 pounds per cubic foot (vs. a typical good-quality all-foam online mattress, which has a support core density of 1.8 lbs.).

Higher quality comfort materials

The second-biggest mattress problem for heavy people involves inadequate pressure relief caused by sinking through the comfort layers of the mattress. In addition, added wear and tear on mattress padding can also lead to accelerated formation of body impressions on the surface of the bed.

To minimize the impact and/or likelihood of these issues, look for better-quality foam in the comfort layers of the mattress, as well as thicker layers of pressure-relieving foam.  Bigger folks will typically want a mattress that is at least 11” thick to make sure they don’t bottom out on it from a pressure relief standpoint. Stay away from thick quilting layers, which will have a tendency to pack down over time. In terms of foam quality, you'll want to look for higher density foam as the best, albeit imperfect predictor of longevity. Check our Durability Guide for more specific guidelines on what densities are good for different types of foam.

Better warranties

Although we typically caution consumers not to put much stock in warranties when comparing mattresses, we do believe that a warranty for a mattress that is specifically marketed to heavier people can be a strong and useful signal of the manufacturer’s confidence in that product. The biggest complaint about mattresses – especially amongst larger people – is that they stop springing back into shape, resulting in permanent body impressions that make you feel like you’re stuck in a hole.

Mattress warranties do include a guarantee against this, but they vary in terms of how deep that impression needs to be before they will repair or replace the mattress. This is the most important term in any mattress warranty – far more important than the length of coverage (see our Warranty Guide). The industry standard definition of an allowable body impression is 1 1/2”  for spring and hybrid mattresses and 3/4" for memory foam mattresses. Anything better (i.e., smaller) than that is a vote of confidence by the manufacturer. This would be true for any mattress, but it is particularly true for a mattress that is specifically marketing to a heavier customer base. Applying a heavier weight load on a mattress night after night will undoubtedly accelerate the formation of body impressions. So if a manufacturer is willing to offer a strong warranty on a product that will be used mainly by larger people, that gives us some real confidence in how that mattress is built.

Suitability for smaller partners

As part of every GoodBed mattress review, we discuss how spinal alignment and pressure relief will vary based on a person’s size and body shape – from small-framed side sleepers weighing less than 150 pounds, to bigger 300-pound stomach sleepers. In several cases, we were surprised to find that a mattress designed for heavy people was an equally good fit for certain lighter sleepers as well. Such mattresses can be a particularly good option for couples that have varying weights, as well as for people who simply want a mattress that is less likely to sag or show body impressions.