With the wide array of mattresses out there on the market, it can be a little difficult to choose the right one for you. Sprung, latex, foam, hybrids…there’s a lot out there to consider! Another important component to consider is mattress firmness ratings. It is often one of the very first – if not the first – things people will consider when selecting a new mattress.

So, here at NBC, we thought we’d pop together a guide of our own mattress firmness ratings to hopefully help make the process a little easier! Our sales staff (Amanda, Beth, Nicole and Hollie) have comprised this guide based on our opinions.

latex and springs firm mattress detail
organic sprung mattress 1500 springs
whiston mattress embroidery
soft plush surface prestige 2000 mattress
Talalay Latex Mattress Firm with hand pressure

The Ratings –

It is perhaps worth noting what kind of mattresses our team has! Amanda has a soft sprung mattress, Beth has a medium foam mattress, Nicole has a medium-firm foam mattress and Hollie has a firm sprung mattress.

Below you will find a list showing our mattresses rated from firmest to the softest (top to bottom) based on our personal preferences and opinions. Although we have done our best to list the mattresses by their firmness level, it is important to note that the very best way to choose the correct mattress for you is by trying them. A mattress is a long term investment, so it’s important that you get the right one for you! However, we do hope our mattress firmness ratings guide is helpful.

N.B. – There are two mattresses missing from this list; the Soft and Extra Firm Organic 1500, which our sales team have yet to try. We currently only have the Medium and Firm on display at our showroom.

Eco Core: Cotton / WoolAvailable in two variations, cotton and wool. Each variation contains 100% natural latex wrapped in coconut fibre.

The manufacturer describes these mattresses as being medium-firm on the top side and extra-firm on the underside. Although we feel that the underside is extra-firm due its reduced padding, we’d describe the top side as still being very firm. These mattresses are currently the firmest in our entire range.
Memory Foam MattressCurrently the only foam mattress in our range, it is described by the manufacturer as being medium-firm. However, we would instead describe it as being very firm. We feel it has a bit more give than the the Eco Cores, due to the 7cm of body-contouring memory foam.
Wentworth 2000 FirmThe first hybrid mattress in our range, the Wentworth has a combination of 2000 springs, 20mm of polymer foam and 20mm of talalay latex.

This is the firmest out of our sprung mattress range, and the third firmest in our entire range. The softness of the talalay adds a touch more give than the previous mattresses mentioned. However, the taut springs and the layer of foam still make this a brilliant firm option for those interested in a hybrid mattress.
Refined 1000 – OrthoMade from a combination of English-spun cotton, wool and polyester, the Ortho feels almost on par with its 1500 standard counterpart, which sits just below it on our list.

However, the slightly lower spring count does give it just a bit less give, as it doesn’t have the same mini body-contouring springs. Due to this, we consider it to be the second firmest mattress in our sprung range.
Refined 1500 – StandardAlthough this version of the Refined is classed as medium, we actually find that it is only slightly softer than the Ortho! So much so that we’ve actually rated it above some of our other ‘firm’ mattresses.

It has 500 more springs than the Ortho (based on a king size model), which does make it feel a little more contouring to the body.
Luxury Organic 3000 – FirmThe Organic Range is one of our most popular, with the 3000 itself currently holding the position as our most popular mattress! All of our organic mattresses are made from 100% organic flax, cotton and wool. They are also free from any chemical fire retardancy treatments.

This mattress has a lovely firm feel. Although we have rated it below some of our other firm (+ one medium) mattresses, it is important to note that it has the firmest edge support so far! The edge support is one of the standout features in this range as a whole.

Our sales team do agree that this mattress is only slightly less firm than the Refined 1500.
Luxury Organic 3000 – MediumThe medium is rated just below its firm counterpart, as it only has an extra layer of soft padding that feels more cushioned than the firm rating.

It does have that same great edge support, and our team agree that it is more of a firmer feel than a standard medium.
Organic 5500 – FirmThe Deluxe Organic is the deepest mattress in our entire range sitting at approx. 27 – 30cm. It is comprised of 1500 pocket springs and 4000 mini contouring springs. Like the rest of the organic range, it also has a firm edge support.

Despite its wonderfully plush feel, the 5500’s firm option does feel still feel like a truly firm mattress. It gives an excellent supportive feel, but does still feel a touch softer than both of the Organic 3000 firmnesses.
Organic 1500 – FirmThe firm 1500 is only a touch below the 5500 in terms of firmness. Just like the rest of this range, it has that great firm edge support.
Organic 5500 – MediumWe would describe the medium 5500 as being more of a medium-firm feel, sitting just a little bit below its firm counterpart.
Whiston 4900 – FirmMade from alpaca, pashmina, lambswool and viscose, the Whiston range is available in three firmness options. The 4900 does have a bit of a softer feeling than some of our other firm mattresses. The soft feel is more prominent when sat down. When lying down, it does feel firmer and more supportive. We would describe this as a medium-firm feel.
Welbeck Latex – FirmThe Welbeck range is made from 100% Talalay latex. They have a unique, spring-like feel not often seen with traditional latex mattresses. This is due to the moulding process used in making Talalay Latex.

Although this mattress can initially feel a little softer when sat on, you can really feel that firm support once you lay down. We would class this mattress as one of our softer feeling ‘firm’ mattresses, but it does offer a lovely supportive feeling.
Westgate 4000 – FirmMade from a combination of english spun cotton, Hampshire wool, silk and cashgora, the Westgate is a plump, luxurious mattress. It is comprised of 1000 standard pocket spring and 3000 smaller springs that help the mattress contour to your frame.

The firm option, although wonderfully supportive, is the second to last ‘firm’ mattress rated on this list. As such, we do feel that the mattresses linked above are all firmer feeling. We would usually recommend this to those who like a medium-firm feel, rather than just a firm feel.
Organic 1500 – MediumWe find that the difference between the 1500 firmness options is much more noticeable than it is in the rest of the Organic Range.

Despite its firm edge support, it’s a lovely true medium feel overall.
Westgate 4000 – MediumWe would rate the medium as being just a touch softer than its firm counterpart. It feels very much on par with the Organic 1500, but with a softer supportive edge. Overall, a great supportive option that feels wonderfully plush.
Classic Luxe – FirmMade from a combination of 1000 pocket springs, cotton, hessian and hypo-allergenic polyester. Despite its firm rating, we do find that it is closer to a medium. It does feel softer when sitting down on the mattress. When lying down, we find that it offers a nice medium level of support.
Whiston 7800 – MediumThe Whiston Medium is on the softer end of our medium mattresses. This is prevalent in its initially soft feel when sitting down. However, its 7800 individually nested pocket springs give it a great supportive core. We find that it definitely feels much firmer when lying down.
Classic Luxe – MediumDespite its standard/medium rating, we find the Classic Luxe Medium to be a more soft-medium feel. Once again, it does feel much softer when sat down. However, that more medium level of support kicks in once laid down.
Prestige 2000Made from english spun cotton, Hampshire wool and polyester. The Prestige has 1000 full-sized individual pocket springs and 1000 smaller, body-contouring pocket springs.

It is classed as a standard/medium rating by the manufacturer. However, we would describe it as a soft-medium feel. It is a staff favourite, even from those of us who own/prefer a firmer mattress. This is a wonderfully plump and luxurious feeling mattress that still feels very supportive.
Whiston 6200 – SoftComprised of 6200 individually nested pocket springs, the Whiston Soft has just a bit more give than its medium counterpart. It is a true soft feeling mattress with a great level of support.
Wentworth Hybrid 1600 – SoftThe soft version of the Wentworth also features a combination of talalay latex and pocket springs. However, the soft features 400 less springs and does not contain any foam. Its layer of latex is also more than double that of the firm.

Although we have listed this as our second to last softest mattress, the 1600 does feel wonderfully supportive! You do sink into it a little more whilst sitting down, but this feeling is reduced when laying down.
Welbeck Latex – MediumAs mentioned previously, this 100% talalay latex mattress has a very unique feel! Although it is classed as medium/standard firmness by the manufacturer, we would say that this is most certainly a soft feel.

It has the same spring-like feel as its ‘firm’ counterpart. However, we would say that it is more pronounced in the ‘medium’ version. We currently class this as the softest mattress in our range.
We hope that our mattress firmness ratings blog has been helpful. Once again, please do note that this guide is based on the opinions of our counter staff team! We would strongly recommend trying our mattresses prior to purchase. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.