Best Extra Firm Mattresses: Orthopedic, for Back Pain, and more
Sleeping on an extra firm mattress is a nightmare for some people, but it’s a dream come true for others. Extra firm mattresses can help your back’s health as they provide a level surface for your body during sleep. This helps your body maintain good posture and prevents your back from curving.
They are sometimes referred to as Orthopaedic mattresses, and this is an excellent place to start your research if you think an extra firm mattress is right for you.
You should also take into account your preferred sleeping position when deciding on the firmness of your mattress. People who like sleeping on their back or stomach will find that an extra firm mattress will help keep their spine in its natural alignment and could be an excellent option if this is your preferred sleeping position.
Larger or heavier people sometimes benefit from sleeping on an extra firm mattress, as it provides the additional support their bodies need to be comfortable throughout the night.
Extra firm mattresses are also beneficial to couples who often disrupt each other’s sleep throughout the night, as it prevents you from falling into the middle of the bed. Also, the mattress won’t bounce anywhere near as much as it would if it was soft.
Now lets look at the top 5 extra firm mattresses you can buy online:
1. Silentnight Ortho Dream Star Miracoil Mattress (Extra Firm)
What’s inside the mattress?
- A layer of miracoil springs, which support your body no matter if you’re big or small. The springs are zoned, offering extra support for your lower back and promotes spinal alignment.
- There is a layer of comfort fillings on top of the springs, made of soft fibers to create a comfortable sleep experience.
- This mattress features a breathable Eco Comfort technology, which will keep you cool during the night, without any overheating.
The Silentnight Ortho Dream Star Miracoil Mattress is one of the most popular extra firm mattresses, with a very high customer rating of 4.6/5 stars from over 5,440 reviews. It is approximately 24cm deep and has hypoallergenic properties. It’s made in the UK and comes with 5 year guarantee.
Sizes: single, small double, double, king, super king
Price: from £187.99 (reg. £289)
2. Sealy Burlington Backcare Extra Firm Mattress
What’s inside the mattress?
- PostureTech® Core Support springs deliver deep-down, pressure-relieving support and tighten as pressure increases for targeted alignment.
- Belgian damask cover with ProShield® creates a soft, breathable and durable sleep surface; the skin-safe treatment (endorsed by Allergy UK) helps keep common allergens at bay.
- ReNew Fibres—a hard-wearing, eco fibre made from 76% recycled PET plastics—improve airflow for greater breathability
The Sealy Burlington Backcare Extra Firm is a 27 cm deep and is ideal for those who like a robust, stable surface with dependable spinal alignment. With sustainable airflow fibres, reinforced edges for more room to stretch out, and a hygienic damask cover, it’s built for lasting performance and cleaner, cooler sleep. For peace of mind, it includes a free 5-year guarantee.
Sizes: single, double, king, super king
Price: from £799
3. Fairfield Ortho Backcare Mattress (Firm or Extra Firm)
What’s inside the mattress?
- In the middle there is a layer of 1000 firm pocket springs individually encased in their own fabric pocket. This means that they provide independent support and comfort to different parts of your body. They provide very good edge to edge support and prevent any roll together effect that happen if you’re sharing your mattress with a partner.
- Side 1: features a layer of English wool which will keep you warm in the winter.
- Side 2: features a layer recycled Comfort Layer. It is breathable and hypoallergenic and is designed to keep you cool in the summer.
This Fairfield Ortho Backcare Mattress offers orthopaedic support and is available in firm or extra firm. This is a double sided seasonal mattress, where one side has a layer of English wool giving you warmth during the winter months. While the other side has a layer of polyester which will keep you cool in the summer. There are handles on the sides which will help you to rate the mattress when needed. It’s made in UK and comes with 5 year guarantee.
Sizes: single, small double, double, king, super king
Price: from £329 (reg. £659)
4. Vispring Elite Mattress (Virm or Extra Firm)
What’s inside the mattress?
- Luxury pocket springs – 1,254 hand-nested springs in a 5’0 (150cm) king, made from 1.52mm vanadium steel, 56mm in diameter, each sewn into individual calico pockets and formed into a honeycomb unit for precise, long-lasting support.
- Deep natural comfort layers – upholstered with 1,350gsm bonded British fleece wool & cotton, then two layers of 900gsm blended British fleece wool & cotton. Hand-tufted with felt washers to lock everything perfectly in place.
- Crafted border – approximately 21cm deep with two rows of genuine hand side-stitching, air vents on all sides, horizontal handles for easy rotating, and edges upholstered with coir and wool, finished in piped ticking.
With over 100 years of Vispring craftsmanship, the Elite pairs sumptuous British natural fillings with Vispring’s unique hand-nested springs to deliver refined support and exceptional comfort. The Vispring Elite Mattress is handmade in Britain and backed by a 30-Year Guarantee for complete peace of mind.
Sizes: single, small double, double, king, super king
Price: from £1,135 (reg. £ 1,420)
5. TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool™ Plus Firm 25cm Mattress
What’s inside the mattress?
- Pro Air SmartCool™ Plus cover cools you down fast. It cools 18% faster than standard SmartCool™. The cover is removable and machine washable at 40°C to keep your mattress fresh.
- TEMPUR® Advanced Material (born from NASA tech) adapts to your shape for best-ever pressure relief and excellent motion absorption.
- Pro Air® breathable layers enhance airflow for cooler, drier sleep.
- Firm feel support core keeps your spine aligned and helps ease niggling aches and pains.
The TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool™ Plus Firm 25cm is a premium memory foam mattress with no springs. It sits at 25cm deep and delivers firm comfort for exceptional support. Part of TEMPUR®’s coolest, most adaptive range, it pairs rapid-cooling cover tech with body-hugging pressure relief.
Sizes: single, small double, double, king, super king
Price: from £1,599
How to Choose an Extra Firm Mattress?
If you decide that an extra firm mattress is right for you, it’s important to understand the firmness rating that many companies use to describe the mattress’s makeup. On the firmness scale, 9-10 tends to be the firmest, or they may just be described as ‘very firm’ or ‘extra firm,’ and this varies from website to website.
Other things to check before you buy an extra firm mattress include: customer reviews, sizes available, length of the warranty or guarantee, if there is any delivery fee, etc.
Disclosure – top10mattressinabox.co.uk independently reviews and ranks products, by thoroughly researching them. We may receive a commission when a purchase is made through our links, at no cost to our readers.
Please note: prices are accurate as of 10.10.2025.