Comparison And Review Of Mattresses For Heavy People

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The plus size mattress market is expanding, and we love to see it! Over the last 8 years I’ve slept on 8 different beds to really give them a good Fat Girl Flow review. Yes, I moved 8 different king size beds in and out and onto my bed frame so you don’t have to! Before being a committed plus size bed lover, I even sold mattresses for a furniture store and got to know the market and the standards for how plus size mattresses are made.

Shopping for plus size mattresses can be confusing. Here’s what you need to know: your plus size mattress selection will be as unique as you and your body. There is no one perfect mattress for everyone. – there are likely many! What matters most is that you are getting a good night’s sleep on a mattress that supports your body – and I can help you get there.

I utilize affiliate links in this post, but have not been paid by any of these brands to make this mattress comparison review. I know that it feels impossible to sort through which reviews are honest and which aren’t. I want to make shopping for mattresses for heavy people as easy as possible for shoppers, so here we go!

Understanding Plus Size Mattresses

Shopping for plus size mattresses can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to prioritize your comfort and ensure proper support for your body.

When it comes to choosing a plus size mattress, conventional wisdom may not always apply. Factors like weight distribution and body shape play crucial roles. For example, while a firmer mattress is often recommended for stomach sleepers, plus size individuals with weight around their midsection may benefit from a mattress with a bit more give. It’s essential to find a balance between support and comfort that suits your specific requirements.

Materials for Plus Size Mattresses

Plus size mattresses are available in a variety of materials, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. All of the beds mentioned here are hybrid mattresses meaning they include both foam layers and coils. Whether you prefer the cradling sensation of memory foam or the traditional support of a spring mattress, I’ll delve into the details to help you make an informed choice based on what feels best for your body.

Budget Considerations

While cost should not be the sole deciding factor, it’s essential to find a plus size mattress that fits within your budget. Keep in mind that mattresses are long-term investments, typically lasting around 8 years. While lifetime warranties may sound appealing, our bodies often change over time and so do our mattress needs. Most beds are not lifetime commitments, and over-spending on a mattress can be a real bummer. I’ll provide insights into financing options and compare costs across different brands, ensuring you find the right balance between quality and affordability.

Who is this review for?

I’m fat. If you’re reading this, you’re likely somewhere near fat as well. Or maybe you have a partner that’s fat. Either way, we’re plus size people looking for a mattress that works specifically for plus size bodies. I don’t cut open mattresses or even really care much about how many coils a mattress has in it – I care that it holds up to my body. I have slept on each of these mattresses for extended amounts of time (4+ months each). Alongside me, has been my partner who is also fat. If you’re dying to know just how fat we are you can check us out here.

Why does buying a mattress made for your body matter?

4 years ago I returned a $3000 bed after sleeping on it for 2 months and realizing it was sagging excessively. I exchanged it for a $4000 (yes. really.) mattress. Within 48 hours the foundation of my new mattress I spent thousands of dollars on busted. I couldn’t exchange it because the store only allowed one “sleep guarantee”. I was stuck with a $4000 mattress with no foundation. I put my wildly expensive mattress on the floor and slept on it until, not surprisingly, it started to sag 6 months later.

Mattresses are an investment. This is not a small amount of money we’re talking about, and plus size people deserve to have great sleep too.

Helix Plus

Helix Plus is the name of Helix’s mattress for heavier people. Helix is one of the leading brands in “bed in a box” style mattresses and has done incredibly well for themselves as a lower price point competitor to luxury mattresses. Helix does offer a split firmness mattress for couples who like different feels, however this option is not available in their plus size mattress.

Helix’s Plus mattress is set apart from it’s other offerings because they added two inches of extra support to the mattress. This bed is in the medium-firm firmness range. When I received my Helix Plus I also got a cooling mattress protector that you can purchase for an additional cost (I encourage this as it’s made a big difference).

Helix is a slightly more affordable option for people who are looking for a plus size mattress that has slightly more support than the average mattress. The foundation is not included in the price, and I have not had a chance to try it. I would recommend this mattress be placed on a platform foundation so that you can get as much even support from a foundation as possible to combat any possible issues with breakdown.

Who this mattress is great for:

Budget babes, back sleepers, side sleepers, tummy sleepers.

Nolah Evolution Comfort+

When I received my Nolah Evolution Comfort+ mattress I was certain it was too plush for me. After sleeping on a super firm bed for many months, it felt like jumping into a cloud. I kept telling my partner “I can’t wait to get back into bed, it feels so fancy!”. I was certain that a bed that felt this cuddly was going to aggravate my back – but after several months of sleep on the Nolah I have zero complaints.

I ordered the Glaciotex cooling mattress protector with my mattress, but slept without it for a couple weeks prior to putting it on. In the heat of the Summer the slight temperature difference with the cover feels beneficial enough to warrant it’s purchase. This is the only mattress on this list with any handles on the sides of the mattress and it makes a huge difference when putting sheets on, or adjusting the mattress. At 15″ tall this mattress is on the higher side of plus size mattresses – I find it works perfect on our low adjustable base and feels neither too high nor too low.

The Nolah Evolution Comfort+ is one of only two mattresses on the list that had zero off-gassing scent upon unboxing. Nolah’s materials are eco-conscious and are CertiPUR-US® certified and free from ozone depleters, heavy metals, and chemical fire retardants. While this mattresses price is higher than some others, it sleeps like a true luxury bed and is worth every penny.

Who this mattress is great for:

Eco-conscious babes, back sleepers, side sleepers, couples with people of different sizes, luxury lovers.

Helix Twilight

Helix Plus is the official plus size offering from Helix, but we got our Helix Twilight 5 years ago before it came out. The Helix Twilight has proven to be the happily-ever-after in our house. While I try new mattresses frequently the Helix Twilight is always ready and available in case my partner needs to return to homeostasis. While my partner suffered a sciatic injury the Helix Twilight was the only bed that they were comfortable sleeping on. It’s our perfect compromise.

The Helix brand is under the Brooklyn Bedding umbrella along with Titan, and Titan Luxe. All of these mattresses are made in the US, and all are Certi-PUR certified. All of the Helix brand mattresses also have a 1,000 lb weight limit which means you’re not beholden to their Plus option in order for your warranty to be honored.

The Helix Twilight is a hybrid mattress with both coils and several layers of foam. In my opinion, it is the mattress on the list that sleeps most like a traditional memory foam mattress. While it gives the same support and cradling comfort as a memory foam mattress there are a few drastic differences. First, the Helix Twilight is not difficult to move around in. Unlike traditional memory foam mattresses, this bed is easy to move around in and you never have that sinking feeling that your bed could eat you alive. Second, it isn’t hot. Thank god, because my spouse is a human space heater!

After many years of nearly 900 collective pounds on our Helix Twilight we have no complaints… and no indentions. We don’t fall into our sleep impressions, and the mattress has held up beautifully through many moves. Seriously – just think about how many times we have to move mattresses around here to be able to review all of these!

Who this mattress is great for:

All positions of sleepers, budget conscious consumers, people who like the support of memory foam, folks with back injuries (endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association)

Titan Plus

Titan Plus is Brooklyn Bedding’s response to the needs of plus size mattress consumers. At 11″ tall, this mattress is made up of 5 layers including coils, comfort foam, and gel foam. One of it’s stand out options is the Glaciotex cooling cover option, which is built into the mattress. This is by far the coolest mattress I have ever slept on, but the cover creates a slick feel on the mattress surface that can lead to sheets sliding around a bit.

The Titan Plus has a 10 year warranty and 120 night sleep trial. In my opinion, the Titan Plus should be considered the industry standard for a firm plus size mattress. It manages to give you support without feeling like it’s trying to push you out of bed, sleeps cool, and holds up well to high weight. It’s more reasonably priced than many mattresses on the market, and they are American made in Arizona.

Who this mattress is great for

Couples where each person is 250+ pounds, anyone looking for an extra firm mattress, back sleepers, hot sleepers, fans of American-made products.

Titan Plus Luxe

While Titan Plus is perfect for couples who are both plus size, the Titan Luxe is the answer for couples of varying sizes. While it maintains all the support of the Titan Plus, it has added layers of foam to create a softer sleeping experience. Titan’s cooling cover is available on the Luxe model, and I highly recommend it if you sleep hot.

Who is this mattress great for:

Couples who’s sleeping needs vary and they need to meet in the middle with support and softness, hot sleepers, people who prefer a more “classic” mattress feel over a memory foam feel.

Emma Hybrid Comfort

The Emma Hybrid Comfort is a newcomer to the plus size mattress game, and I’m pretty impressed. Emma has created an approachable, affordable option for plus size sleepers that is actually worth the money. While Emma’s price can be replicated through other online-only brands, it’s quality can’t.

The Emma Hybrid Comfort provides firm supportive sleep, with transparency in pricing and warranties at the forefront of Emma’s practices. We had no issues with foam breakdown while using it, but did notice the bed slept a bit hotter than others we’ve tried. We also had a chance to try Emma’s adjustable base and it is far and away the easiest adjustable base I’ve ever set up.

I can confidently say that the Emma Hybrid Comfort works for people of all sizes, as after we slept on it for a few months we gifted the bed and adjustable base to my in-laws who are much smaller than us, and they like it just as much as we did!

Who this mattress is great for:

Budget babes, sleepers of all sizes, consumers looking for a no-fuss shopping experience

WinkBeds

If my partner (a stomach sleeper) lived alone, this is the mattress they would choose to own. The WinkBed Plus is a hybrid mattress made with coils and various layers of eco-friendly foam and a Tencel cover. Along with the Nolah mattress it is one of the few we’ve had that had zero scent upon opening. At 13.5″ tall it works well with our adjustable base and it a great height.

While the WinkBed Plus is a hybrid mattress, it sleeps much like a classic innerspring mattress and retains a lot of the comfort that traditional innerspring mattresses provide. You never feel like you can’t move around in the bed, yet you also feel craddled and supported well enough to fall asleep.

WinkBeds are made in the US and the company prides itself on being eco-friendly and sustainably manufactured. Their practices require less water consumption compared to other brands, and they use recycled steel to produce their coils. When we tried our WinkBed Plus several years ago (this comprehensive review has been a long time coming!) the cost was a bit higher than it is now, and we’re happy to see Wink’s price come down a bit.

Who this mattress is great for:

Tummy sleepers, couples of varying sizes, eco-conscious consumers

Big Fig

I have worked with Big Fig mattress since their inception. I am one of the first people to ever receive the mattress, and have slept on them for many years. Big Fig is the first mattress brand building beds specifically for plus size customers, and they did an incredible job bringing that new product to our market – but in my opinion they’ve struggled to keep up and can no longer be considered the industry standard for plus size mattresses.

Big Fig markets their mattress as “medium firm”, but it definitely is the firmest mattress I’ve slept on. At times it can feel like the bed is trying to heave you right out of it. This type of firmness can be difficult for side sleepers, but back sleepers often benefit from it. Because Big Fig is so firm, the sleep impressions that are naturally caused after some time can feel a bit more dramatic than on other beds that are less firm. I enjoy a firm mattress and think that a night on a Big Fig can help to align my body, my partner doesn’t agree. This bed has been a difficult sell for my stomach sleeping spouse.

Big Fig’s standout is their foundation – by far the most heavy duty on the market and made to withstand the high weights they cater to. I cannot recommend their white glove delivery enough, as I’ve found the Big Fig by far the heaviest and most difficult of all the plus size mattresses to move.

Who this mattress is great for:

Back sleepers, people who love a firm feel

Which One Is Right For You?

Every person has different needs while they’re sleeping, and mattress shopping is a big decision! I definitely can’t tell you which one is going to be right for you, but I hope we gave you lots of information to consider! So what is most important to you when picking a mattress? Price? Firmness? Warranty? Let us know, and check out the comparison chart below!

ps – If any of you are wondering (and I know you are), they’re all pretty great for getting busy. Plenty of support there!