The three best hard mattresses to buy in the Black Friday sales

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The best firm mattresses to buy in the Black Friday sales

Back pain sufferers will know too well the agony of sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress. The best mattress for back pain will offer a soothing combination of pressure relief and support, with many firm  (or hard) mattresses offering exactly this. While you'll find plenty of firm options in our best mattress round up, in this guide we’re picking out three great options to snap up during the Black Friday mattress deals.

Although personal preference plays a large part in your mattress choice, there are certain groups of people who are likely to find a hard mattress best suited to them. Backache sufferers, those who sleep on their stomachs or backs and those of a heavier weight should find a firm mattress suits them, as firmer mattresses keep the body on top of the mattress, rather than letting them sink in and risking the spine dipping out of alignment.  

You can see more of our firm mattress selections in our best firm mattress selections, but in this guide, we’re concentrating on the three best hard mattresses to buy in the Black Friday sales. Let’s take a look:  

The Plank Firm Was: Now from: $594.30 at Plank by Brooklyn Bedding

The Plank Firm
Was: from $849
Now from: $594.30 at Plank by Brooklyn Bedding 

Summary: Endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association for ‘reducing spinal stress’ and  ‘alleviating back pain’, the Plank Firm is a flippable mattress. You can choose from a medium firm feel or an ultra-hard 9.5-10/10 feel, making this one of the firmest mattresses on the market. This all-foam mattress comes in 14 sizes, including some specifically designed for RVs and is designed to suit people with back pain who prefer a firm mattress. 

On the medium firm side, you’ll find a quilted top followed by a 2” layer of comfort foam for a little more contouring. The extra firm side removes this comfort layer. The middle of the mattress is made up of high-density support foam. You’ve also got the option to upgrade to a GlacioTex cooling cover if you’re a hot sleeper. The flippable design means that back and stomach sleepers should be able to find the perfect feel, but it’s too firm for side sleepers.

Price history: You’ll find the Plank Firm popping up regularly in the monthly mattress sales, with there often being a discount of 25%. However, this Black Friday, prices are even lower with a queen mattress costing just $1,037.40 (MSRP $1,482). That’s 30% off the mattress (and there’s 30% off sitewide). 

Benefits: 120-nit trial | 10-year warranty | Free shipping. 

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The Titan Plus Was Now:

The Titan Plus
Was from: $699
Now: from: $489.30 at Titan by Brooklyn Bedding

Like the Plank Firm above, the Titan Plus is another specialist mattress from Brooklyn Bedding. The Titan Plus is one of the best mattresses for heavy people, able to support a combined weight of 1,000lbs.

Rated at 8 out of 10 on the firmness scale, the Titan Plus is also a great choice for those sleepers who prefer a firmer feel and, outside of the heavier weight range, is best suited to stomach and back sleepers. The mattress starts with a quilted cover with 1” of gel memory foam sewn into it to help keep sleepers cool, although there’s also the option to upgrade to a GlacioTex cooling cover if you’re a particularly hot sleeper. Next up is a 2” layer of TitanFlex comfort foam for contouring and pressure relief, followed by an 8” layer of individually wrapped coils and a 2” base layer of high-density support foam. Although there are reinforced stronger coils around the edges, some customer reviews suggest that edge support still isn’t great when it comes to sitting on the bed.

Price history: The Titan Plus is on offer this Black Friday with 30% off on all sizes, making a queen mattress $874.30. This is a great price for a specialist mattress and higher than the normal 25% we’ve seen at other sales events or during special offer periods. 

Benefits: 120-night trial | 10-year warranty | Free shipping and returns

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The Allswell Brick Was: Now:

The Allswell Brick
Was: from: $399
Now: from: $297 at Walmart

Allswell is Walmart’s mattress brand, and it makes some of the best cheap mattresses around. The Allswell Brick is described as the brand’s firmest mattress, with customer reviews putting it at between a medium firm and firm. It’s slightly softer than the other two mattresses, meaning that heavier weight side sleepers might find it comfortable, along with back and stomach sleepers. 

The mattress is made up of a core of individually wrapped coils, complete with reinforced edges for better edge support. Above this is 2” of high-density support foam, followed by 1” of copper gel-infused memory foam to help wick away heat, along with a quilted firm top layer for support. The combination of copper gel-infused memory foam and individually wrapped coils does a good job of promoting airflow through the mattress, meaning sleepers should stay cool at night. If you’re a very hot sleeper though we do recommend investing in one of the best cooling mattresses to keep you comfortable at night. 

Price history: This is the lowest price we’ve seen on the Allswell Brick, with 25% off all mattress sizes. Previously, we’d seen 15% off Allswell mattresses, which could be unlocked by signing up to text alerts, but this Black Friday offer is the best we’ve seen. If you’re in the market for an Allswell, now is the time to buy.

Benefits: 120-night trial | 10-year warranty | Free shipping | Free returns within the first 90 days 

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Does a firm mattress help with back pain?  

It’s a common misconception that the best mattresses for back pain are the firmest. If you’re a back or stomach sleeper or of a heavier weight, you may well find that a firm bed is just the thing to help with back pain. Some people also just prefer the feel of a firmer mattress.

However, doctors and chiropractors no longer recommend a firm mattress for everyone suffering with back pain, with medium firm mattresses now being the preferred level of firmness. Medium firm mattresses are normally rated between 6 and 7 out of 10, offering plenty of support but also enough contouring comfort to keep joints cushioned and gently cradled. We recommend mattress such as the Saatva Classic and DreamCloud for the perfect blend for back pain sufferers.

If a new firm mattress is beyond your budget, don’t panic. A mattress topper is the next best thing – we recommend the Tempur-Adapt topper by Tempur-Pedic.  

7 other Black Friday mattress deals to consider 

Jo Plumridge
Jo Plumridge
Mattress tester and sleep writer

Jo Plumridge is an experienced mattress reviewer with several years' experience covering all things mattresses and sleep, and who tests memory foam, hybrid and organic mattresses. What Jo doesn't know about a boxed mattress isn't worth knowing, so naturally we tasked her with producing a series of features for Tom's Guide looking at all aspects of mattresses, from how to pick between latex and memory foam (it's a tricky one), to the seven mistakes people make when buying a mattress for the first time. When testing the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid for Tom's Guide, Jo said: "I loved the back support and pressure relief it offered. Plus, it looks far more expensive than it is." When she isn’t writing about sleep, Jo also writes extensively on interior design, home products and photography.