Best mattresses

Start with the Saatva Classic. It's the safest all-rounder: an innerspring hybrid with three firmness choices (Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, Firm), so most sleepers — side, back or stomach — can dial in what they need, and it has the strongest owner ratings here by a wide margin.

Who the others suit:

• Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe — hybrid with the widest firmness range; good if you and a partner disagree on feel.
• Nectar Luxe Hybrid — a plusher, memory-foam-topped feel for side sleepers who like sinking in.
• DreamCloud Classic Hybrid — medium hybrid for a guest room or a first hybrid.
• Nectar Premier Memory Foam — all-foam, no coils, for those who want motion isolation.
• NapQueen Victoria and Mainstays pocket-spring — budget queen options for a spare room or a first apartment.

Skip the twin-size and 6-inch picks unless you're buying for a kid's room.