Our sleep experts have years of experience rolling around on hundreds of mattresses. We’ve established a testing process that assesses each bed based on firmness, motion isolation, durability and edge support.
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Firmness and feel
” side of Plank Firm.” image-credit=”Aly Lopez/” image-alt-text=”Mattress Smasher Plank Firm Mattress” image-filename=”screenshot-2025-01-29-at-9-29-29am.png” image-target-url=”” image-credit-url=”” image-width=”2446″ image-height=”1656″ image-date-created=”2025-01-29″ image-do-not-crop=”true” image-watermark=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”t5iysi929snggad”,”type”:”image”}” edition=”us”>
Having tested hundreds of mattresses, our team has a deep understanding of where a mattress falls on the firmness scale. We compare it to other mattresses as we analyze how hard or soft it is.
We are incredibly hands-on as we test a queen-sized mattress. We press down on it and roll around, noting how the material responds. Is it bouncy and light like latex foam? Or is it syrupy and slow to respond like traditional memory foam?
Durability
Durability is a top consideration when recommending the best queen mattresses. We hypothesize how long a mattress will last based on its construction and the quality of materials used. For example, a hybrid bed with steel coils will typically be more durable and long-lasting than an all-foam mattress.
Motion isolation
Motion isolation is how well a bed dampens movement across the surface. This might not seem like a big deal, but it matters if you share a queen mattress with a partner or pets who move around throughout the night. To test motion isolation, we jump and bounce around on the mattress. We also place a glass of water on the edge of the bed to see if it tips over as we roll around.
Edge support
Edge support refers to the strength of the perimeter of the mattress, which is important to consider if you sleep on or near the edge of the bed. We test edge support by sitting and lying on the edge of the mattress. Does the side droop or sag down when compressed with weight? Does it feel like we’re going to fall off?
