by Did you know, 83% of our customers don’t try their mattress before they buy?!
This means that accurately describing the comfort and firmness of our mattresses is super-important. Because of this, we test the firmness of every mattress we sell!
But what exactly are mattress firmness ratings? This article takes a closer look at how we test mattress firmness to give you the most accurate rating possible.
How do retailers and manufacturers rate mattress firmness?
When it comes to mattress firmness, there are no industry approved ratings.
Manufacturers such as Silentnight tend to use machines to compress mattresses and generate a firmness rating. It is then up to retailers such as ourselves to either use these ratings or do some testing of our own.
Here at Mattress Online, not only do we try to keep it clear and simple, we give our ratings meaning through our own testing process. Read on to find out how it works.
What do our mattress firmness ratings mean?
Our firmness ratings work on a scale of 1 to 6. Here’s what they are, how they feel and who they’re suited to:
1. Soft
How it feels: Squidgy and snuggly
Who this typically suits:
- Smaller-framed individuals
- Side sleepers
How it feels: Snuggly with a little support
Who this typically suits:
- Smaller-framed individuals
- Side sleepers who require a little more support
3. Medium
How it feels: A good balance of comfort and support
Who this typically suits:
- Front, side and back sleepers
- Couples who like different firmnesses - the perfect compromise!
How it feels: Comfort with added firmness
Who this typically suits:
- All shapes and sizes
- Those who often change sleeping position throughout the night
5. Firm
How it feels: Solid and supportive
Who this typically suits:
- Larger-framed individuals
- Front or back sleepers
6. Extra firm
How it feels: Super-firm and supportive
Who this typically suits:
- Larger-framed individuals
- Front or back sleepers
Remember, firmness ratings are completely down to perception. What may feel firm to you could feel soft to someone else. Read more about our firmness ratings to find out which one is perfect for you.
How do we rate mattress firmness?
Although using a machine to test firmness is okay, we think a good old-fashioned lie down is much more accurate! Over 20 members of our team - of all different shapes and sizes - test a sample version of each mattress.
Here is our three-step process for rating mattress firmness:
1. A sample mattress is delivered to our warehouse and each member of staff tests it out to get a real feel for its firmness.
2. Each team member then gives a score between 1 and 6 based on how firm the mattress feels to them.
3. The results are recorded and an average is taken to provide a firmness rating.
Does our firmness testing work?
Rather than just saying it works we thought we’d take a look at some of our reviews to see what our customers thought. Here are some of our favourites:
Very comfortable. Firmness rating of 3 is spot on.
Firmness rating 6. Lives up to its rating!
Great mattress, well made and firm as was advertised.
I hope this article has made mattress firmness ratings a whole lot easier to understand. If you have any other questions, just give us a call! We are more than happy to offer support and advice on what firmness is right for you.