I test the world's best firm mattresses — 3 I'd buy in the 4th of July sales

Cloverlane 15” Hybrid Luxury Firm Mattress on a tall bed and topped with 5 plush cushions

(Image credit: Cloverlane)

The 4th of July sales are here, bringing with it epic discounts across some of the year's top-rated firm mattresses. To help narrow down your search, I've rounded up three of the best deals - all of which offer outstanding back support. My overall top pick is the Cloverlane mattress, a luxury hybrid mattress with customizable firmness options, including Firm. Right now you can save up to 50% on all sizes of the Cloverlane mattress at Cloverlane.

As a mattress tester and back pain sufferer, I know that the enhanced lumbar support of firmer mattresses make a meaningful difference to my overall sleep quality. When choosing the best mattress for my sleep style and needs, I look for a bed that offers plenty of support, but also cushions my pressure points to keep me comfortable during the night.

The 4th of July mattress sales don’t always offer the biggest savings, but I’ve found three firm mattresses that have significant price drops and are definitely worth your consideration. The next major mattress sale isn't until Labor Day in September, which makes now an excellent time to buy.

1. Cloverlane Mattress by Cloverlane
Was from: $1,199
Now from: $599
Saving: Up to $900 at Cloverlane

Summary: A direct rival to the incredibly popular Saatva Classic (which we deem to be the best hybrid mattress), the Cloverlane mattress is customizable to suit all sleeping styles. In our Cloverlane Mattress Review, testers tried out the Plush Soft version of the mattress and found it much firmer than advertised. Bearing this in mind, I’d recommend the Luxury Firm option to lighter and average weight sleepers looking for a firm mattress, with the Firm option being better suited to heavier bodies. The Cloverlane is made from a blend of coils and foam, and also includes enhanced lumbar support from a strip of latex running across the center of the bed. I think this is a great alternative to the Saatva, particularly if you’re on a tighter budget.

Benefits: 365-night trial | Lifetime warranty | Free white glove delivery

Price History: You can ignore the MSRP of the Cloverlane mattress as it’s been on sale since its launch. However, the 4th of July sales are offering an even bigger discount, meaning you can pick up a queen for $1,399 (usually on sale for $1,499) from its MSRP of $2,199. Plus, you can also add in a bedding bundle of mattress pad, mattress protector, sheet set and down pillow from $199.

2. The WinkBed Mattress by WinkBeds
Was from: $1,149
Now from: $849
Saving: Up to $300 at WinkBeds

Summary: As well as topping our best firm mattress guide, the WinkBed is one of our highly recommended mattresses for back pain. The WinkBed mattress is another customizable option like the Cloverlane. However, the WinkBed offers four options with a Plus version for heavier sleepers. If you weight over 250lbs, I’d recommend the Plus as it has sturdier coils to support the lumbar region. In our WinkBed mattress review, our testers found that the mattress offered the perfect balance of support and comfort, with the zoned support providing plenty of pressure relief where needed, along with support for the lumbar region.

Benefits: 120-night trial | Lifetime warranty | Free white glove delivery

Price history: WinkBeds has an evergreen discount of $300 on the WinkBed, so this 4th of July offer isn’t anything spectacular. But I think the price is reasonable for what you get with the WinkBed, with lots of customization options and fantastic lumbar support and pressure relief. The discount means you can pick up a queen for $1,499 from an MSRP of $1,799.

3. Titan Plus Mattress
Was: from $699
Now: from $489.30
Saving: up to $450 at Titan

Summary: The Titan Plus is one of the best mattresses for heavy people on the market, supporting a combined weight of up to 1,000lbs. Part of the Brooklyn Bedding empire, the mattress is made with a combination of coils for support and foam layers to provide comfort and padding. There’s also a quilted cover with gel memory foam built-in for a little extra contouring. This is a properly firm mattress though, with a firmness rating of 8-10, so if you’re of a lighter weight and want a firmer feel, I’d recommend one of the other mattresses on this list.

Price history: Titan’s usual discount is 25%, but this 4th of July it’s been raised to 30%. This is a great discount, meaning you can save up to $450 on a mattress. Use code JULY30 and you’ll be able to pick up a queen for $874.30 instead of the MSRP of $1,249.

Benefits: 120-night trial | 10-year warranty | Free white glove delivery

How firm should your mattress be?

There’s no one size fits all when it comes to how firm your mattress should be, and different body types and sleeping positions will suit different types of beds. But a mattress should always be firm enough to support your spine and keep it aligned, no matter your sleep style. Even the softest mattresses will still have support at their core, so as to prevent sleepers from sinking too far in and losing any support.

Side and lightweight sleepers generally need a softer mattress with more cushioning to prevent pressure build-up. However, if you suffer with lower back pain as I do, you’ll probably find that you need something firmer to keep your lumbar region supported.

Back and stomach sleepers will need a firmer mattress to keep their spines aligned and hips in the correct position to prevent any aches and pains through the night. However, again, average weight sleepers may benefit from the extra padding and slight sinkage of a medium firm mattress, while heavier sleepers will need a firm mattress to prevent them from sinking too far ‘in’ and losing support.

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.