Innerspring mattresses have been around for decades and remain one of the most popular types among consumers compared to other types. You have probably been doing research recently and come across these types of mattresses for sale a lot on many websites and retailers. Although they are the most popular, surveys show that they aren’t necessarily the most satisfactory in terms of owner satisfaction. The best rated in order are memory foam, latex, air and then innerspring.
If you are in the process of buying or comparing mattresses, you may want to check our comparison table below for some of the most highly recommended options around. Also, read the innerspring mattress reviews for expert advice and opinion to find the best innerspring mattress. Our buying guide covers everything you need to know and more when it comes to choosing the right one for your needs. All figures and specs in the table below are for a Queen Size; other sizes such as Twin, Twin XL, King, and California King will most likely have different specs.
Top 10 Best Innerspring Mattresses Compared
# | Brand & Model | Height | Coil Gauge | Coil Count |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Classic Brands Gramercy | 14" | 13 | 768 |
2 | Saatva | 14.5" | 13 and 14.5 | 1300 combined |
3 | Signature Sleep Contour | 8" | 15 | 480 |
4 | Signature Sleep Signature | 13" | 13.5 | 744 |
5 | Zinus Sleep Master Ultima | 13" | 12 | 690 |
6 | Zinus Performance Plus | 12" | tbc | 690 |
7 | Zinus Night Therapy Spring | 13" | 12 | 690 |
8 | Englander Finale Mattress | 10" | 14 | tbc |
9 | Dreamfoam Spring Dreams | 9" | 15 | 660 |
10 | Classic Brands Advantage | 8" | 13 | 768 |
The 5 Different Spring Types
There are five main types of mattress coil pattern and design within a spring mattress. You are most likely to see some if not all types are commonly available and are sometimes advertised as one of the below:
1. Open Coils
Commonly referred to as the Bonnell or coil sprung, this is the oldest and most common type of system used mostly in cheap mattresses. It consists of multiple hourglass shaped springs made of tempered steel laced together to form the bulk of the innerspring structure. Compared to the more superior innerspring types the open coil design provides average durability, longevity, motion isolation and support, but doesn’t rate as high as the next three listed below.
2. Offset Coils
Offset coil mattresses are usually more expensive than a Bonnell. They have a similar type of design and structure, but each spring is hinged together which provides better motion isolation and body contouring. For this reason, they tend to be found in mid value or high priced mattresses.
3. Continuous Coils
As the name suggests, this system consists of rows of springs, made with one long tempered steel wire, shaped into springs which run the full length or width of the bed. You will often find this type in low or mid-priced mattresses due to the reduced amount of motion isolation and body contouring.
4. Pocket Spring
Also known as a pocket coil or pocket sprung mattress, these are made up of hundreds or sometimes thousands of individual springs which act independently of each other, and are wrapped in some form of cloth or fabric. This type is generally considered the best innerspring mattress core and is usually more expensive than the previous three, as it offers excellent motion isolation, support, and longevity.
5. Custom Patents
The above listed are the most common and generic types; however, certain manufacturers have taken the traditional style of coiling and improved them. Such patents, for example, are the FreeFlex Innerspring and TrueSense design by Serta. Of our 10 innerspring mattress reviews the Comfort Bedding also uses a non-standard design known as the Verticoil. All of these designs are cutting-edge technology aimed at providing new and improved ways of producing comfortable yet effective support while sleeping.
Below is a quick video touching on some of the differences between 2 of the most common types of innerspring cores found in most mattresses today. These are the pocket, and coil spring:
What Is Coil Count?
This literally means the number of coils (or springs) that the inner structure is made up of. Its common to see figures more than 500, even 2000 springs in some premium models. It’s important to remember that most figures are quoted for a queen size, and if buying a twin or full for example, the figure should differ between models. Generally the higher the count, the higher the price, but don’t forget it’s not just the total number of coils that matter, you still have to consider factors such as the design in place and wire gauge.
What Is Coil Gauge?
Aside from the comfort layer characteristics, another main factor that determines the firmness level is the coil gauge. This gauge measures the thickness of the springs used to make up the overall construction. The higher the figure, the thinner the spring. The lower the figure, the thicker it is. For example, an innerspring mattress with a coil gauge of 12 will be firm, and one with a gauge of 15 will be soft. To cater for every consumer, you may see this figure advertised as anywhere between 12 and 18, with half numbers in-between. As a general guide if you need a mattress for back pain relief or just prefer a firm mattress, go for a gauge of approximately 12 or 12.5. For a medium finishing choose something in-between 13 or 13.5. Some people prefer a bouncy or soft mattress, if so look for 14 gauge and above.
Top 10 Innerspring Mattress Reviews
Classic Brands Gramercy
It’s worth noting that due to the flexible design, these two products are also compatible with adjustable beds, something which wasn’t the case with any innerspring mattress not so long ago.
Saatva
The coil count consists of 416 for the support base, and 884 for the comfort coils above. Altogether the Queen size count is 1300. There is 13 gauge for lower support coils, while there is 14.5 gauge for upper comfort coils. Available in all the sizes including Twin XL and California King, this 14.5″ thick exceptional hybrid mattress comes with a free white glove service, which means they deliver, setup and remove your old mattress. Meanwhile, expect to pay triple for this kind of product anywhere else.
Signature Sleep Contour
Whether you’re a side, back, or stomach sleeper, for anyone on a budget looking for something with all the bells and whistles, this is certainly the best spring mattress you can get.
Signature Sleep Signature
Zinus Sleep Master Ultima
Zinus Performance Plus
Zinus Night Therapy Spring
Englander Finale Mattress
Dreamfoam Bedding Spring Dreams
Classic Brands Advantage
Conclusion
It’s been a tough decision again choosing the top 1 of 10, however, we have finally concluded that our favorite is definitely the Saatva mattress. There are many reasons why we recommend this as the best innerspring mattress over others:
First of all, it comes with a whopping 1300 total count, which is a huge amount in comparison to other innerspring mattress reviews here, for not much more money at all. Much more springs mean on the surface layer it effortlessly supremely contours against your body almost inch perfect, so if you suffer from back pain or joint pains such as arthritis or spinal stenosis, this should give you a great form of pressure point relief. Also, the huge amount of individually acting springs allows for better motion isolation which means that your partner could be tossing and turning all night long, but you would probably feel none of this movement at all.
As well as the number of springs and construction type, the multiple layers of coil chamber mean you’ll never sleep hot and bothered again; the ability of coil over coil helps maintain body temperature instead of making you hot like other types of bedding technologies.
There isn’t a better spring mattress we can recommend at the moment. Yes, it’s slightly pricier than the others, but in comparison to other big names, you could easily pay twice or even three times the price for something of a similar spec. You do get what you pay for regarding quality materials, cutting-edge design, and peace of mind in the form of lengthy warranty provided by one of the worlds leading bedding manufacturers.