7 Mattresses to Use on a “Platform” Bed Frame
If you have purchased a platform bed, you may be wondering which mattresses are compatible with platform beds and which are not. In this post we have listed our top picks for the best mattresses to put on your platform bed.
Important note:
It is always important to be sure you have purchased your platform bed from a reputable dealer and that it is assembled properly. Improper design, loose screw, lack of sufficient center support, etc… can cause your mattress to sag, leaving you with less than satisfactory sleep.
Need platform bed recommendations? See our favorite platform beds here
Platform bed frames have become very popular in recent years, beating out their original bed frame competitors. Platform beds are a great all in one option that you can put your mattress directly on, without the need of purchasing a box spring. This all-in-one design is generally more affordable, easier to assemble and easier to ship which is a major benefit with much of the mattress industry moving to online purchases.
Quick Picks – Top 7 Platform Bed Mattresses
- BEST OVERALL (EDITOR’S PICK) – Dusk LUXE
- BEST VALUE – Brooklyn Signature
- BEST FIRM OPTION – Plank LUXE
- BEST MEMORY FOAM OPTION – Puffy LUX
- BEST NATURAL OPTION – Birch Natural
- BEST PRESSURE RELIEF – Bear Elite Hybrid
- BEST FOR SIDE SLEEPERS – Midnight LUXE
7 Best Mattresses for Use With a Platform Bed
OUR RESEARCH: Our team runs mattress recycling facilities throughout the country. The facilities also receive returns of mattresses that customers do not like. We have analyzed over 500K mattresses and sleep products from all the major companies. We know which products are made well and which mattresses customers are keeping or returning.
1. The Helix Dusk LUXE
The Helix Dusk is a quality hybrid mattress with a medium-firm comfort level that is great for the vast majority of sleep preferences and styles. The Dusk utilizes zoned support within its pocketed coil system to adapt to pressure points and offer spinal alignment for combination sleepers. This mattress was awarded best mattress for sciatica by Medical News and is a great all around option for pressure and pain relief. Helix is a trusted brand within the mattress industry and makes all of their mattresses 100% in the USA.
- Spinal alignment with zoned support system
- Pressure Relief
- Made in the USA
- Sleeps Cool
- Great for combination sleepers or couples
- Pain relief benefits
What our testers are saying:
The Helix Dusk is a great all around mattress and has won a variety of awards for its quality and value. The zoned pocketed coil innerspring unit is supportive and perfect for use on any platform bed or bed slats. It offers quality comfort and support with a medium feel that allows for the natural curvature of your spine whether you sleep on your back or stomach. The top comfort layers of this mattress provide pressure relief and contouring to adapt to different styles of sleepers and couples.
High quality pressure relief and support
Luxurious tufted cover with quality stitching
Great all-around hybrid design
2. Brooklyn Signature Hybrid
GREAT ALL AROUND VALUE
TRADITIONAL INNERSPRING FEEL
An all around hybrid mattress that combines the benefits of a traditional innerspring mattress with Brooklyn Bedding's patented “Titan foam” comfort layers (combining the best properties of latex and memory foam to appeal to all sleeping and comfort preferences). Brooklyn Bedding has been in the mattress industry for years and makes each mattress at their own factory, meaning they can cut out the middle man and provide a great price. This mattress has thousands of 5-star reviews from customers who rave about its value and universal comfort.
- Unbeatable comfort for the price
- Luxury hybrid innerspring design
- High quality support and pressure relief
- Choose soft, medium or firm
- Over 2,000 5-star reviews.
- Made in the USA
What our testers are saying:
The Signature Mattress is Brooklyn Beddings most popular mattress. It utilizes a pocketed coil innerspring support system with Titan foam comfort layers on top (combines the best properties of latex and memory foam into one foam). This mattress is great for anyone who wants a quality product at a very competitive price point. The Signature has thousands of 5 star reviews from customers who love the quality. This mattress is available in a soft, medium or firm option. For anyone with back pain we recommend a medium or firm level of comfort. The high end build quality and structural support of this mattress make it a great option for use with platform beds.
High quality pressure relief and support
Luxurious tufted cover with quality stitching
Great all-around hybrid design
This mattress also comes in a variety of odd and custom sizes to fit any platform beds made in antique sizes, rvs, olympic queen frames, cots, etc…
3. The Plank LUXE Hybrid
The flippable Plank Luxe Hybrid is designed to be the firmest mattress on the market—pairing all of the benefits of the original Plank with the additional responsiveness and pressure point relief of individually encased coils. Inspired by the minimalist approach to sleep in the Far East, the firmer, flatter, flippable surface of the Plank mattress creates a neutral spine position that’s better for your back and posture overall. The 2-sided design allows for multiple comfort preferences - The top side of the mattress feels like a traditional firm; the bottom side of the mattress is ultra-firm.
- Built specifically for people who like a firm mattress
- 2-sided (firm and extra-firm)
- Heavy duty individually encased coil support system
What our testers are saying:
The Plank Hybrid mattress is made specifically for those sleepers who prefer an extra firm sleeping surface, which is great for anyone with back pain. It is by far the best mattress on the market for people who love a firm mattress. If you buy mattresses and constantly are wanting them firmer then this mattress was made for you. The Plank hybrid mattress takes firm to the next level and offers a 2 sided design with a standard firm and extra firm surface. They also offer an option “cooling layer” that you can add on top to help keep you sleeping cooler during hot months. At just over 1000 for a queen size, the price point is very competitive. Putting a firm mattress on a platform style bed is going to maximize its firmness level because it takes away any give or bounce that a box spring would add.
4. The Puffy LUX Hybrid
LUXURY HYBRID MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS
The Puffy Lux Hybrid Mattress measures 12″ in thickness and is a great all around hybrid mattress for any sleeper. The combination of wrapped coils and memory foam offer superior adaptability and pressure relief for side, back and stomach sleepers. If you are looking for a quality mattress at a great price that will be your every-night mattress, the Puffy Lux is hard to beat.
- Unbeatable value
- Heavy duty support from wrapped coil system
- Luxury pressure relief
- Removable and washable cover
- Made in the USA
What our testers are saying:
The Puffy Lux mattress is a hybrid memory foam mattress that incorporates the use of a very supportive pocketed coil innerspring unit with luxury memory foam top layers. The pocketed coil innerspring base in the LUX offers heavy duty support that doesn’t give or sag under pressure and leaves you feeling very supported even on the edge of the mattress. The memory foam top layers allow for pressure relief when sleeping on your side and hug the hips and shoulders. The medium-firm feel is a great comfort level for the vast majority of sleepers and is a comfortable mix for side sleepers who want support and some give. A memory foam mattress like of this quality is great for a platform bed and will give you a luxurious levewl of comfort and pressure relief.
What Customers love: Luxury memory foam mattress. Fits majority of sleep preferences. Over 6000 5-star reviews.
5. The Birch Mattress
The Birch Natural mattress is a high quality natural mattress at a highly competitive price point. The wrapped coils provide a luxuriously supportive base that offers industry leading spinal alignment and cradles the natural curves of the body. Birch has built this mattress around optimizing pressure relief with the use of natural latex and wool comfort layers. Latex is one of the best foams on the market for providing pressure relief while still being supportive. The wool adds comfort while naturally wicking moisture and sleeping cool. Birch then has topped the mattress off with an organic cotton cover, making is naturally hypoallergenic and dust mite resistant. This mattress is a great all-around natural option for anyone looking for a medium-firm hybrid mattress that is chemical free.
- 100% Made in the USA
- Non-Toxic
- Supportive, hybrid wrapped coil design
- Luxury pressure relief
- Natural and Organic Materials (Latex, Organic Wool & Cotton)
- Universal "Medium-Firm" Feel
What our testers are saying:
Birch is a well built, medium-firm natural latex mattress that has the perfect level of support and pressure relief. Coupled with a platform bed this mattress is at its best. The firmness of a platform combined with the sturdy pocketed coil base and natural latex, provides a healthy and luxurious sleep environment you will love. Birch is known throughout the industry for their high quality natural latex mattress options. The Birch is their most budget friendly latex mattress and provides all the healthy benefits of a latex with the benefits of a pocketed coil innerspring unit. The Birch comes in a medium-firm comfort level to suit the vast majority of comfort levels and preferences and is perfect for a side sleeper. This mattress also has an organic cotton cove for any individuals with allergies or who are sensitive to non-organic fabrics.
What Customers love: Medium-firm, natural latex mattress at an affordable price.
6. Bear Elite Hybrid
The Bear Elite Hybrid is a luxury hybrid mattress with a supportive wrapped coil innerspring unit and pressure relieving comfort layers. This mattress is available in a variety of firmness levels from luxury-plush to Extra-Firm. Bear is known for their memory foam mattresses and this mattress combines their memory foam design with the support of a traditional mattress. The mattress sleeps very cool and is built to last for years.
- Luxury materials and build
- Choose firmness level: Luxury-Plush to Extra-Firm
- Made in the USA
- Sleeps Cool
- Supportive Wrapped Coils System
What our testers are saying:
Bear has taken their original memory foam mattress to the next level and provided a luxury Hybrid mattress that incorporates heavy duty pocketed coils for a traditional mattress feel with extra support. Their extra-firm option is the most luxurious and high end extra-firm mattress in the industry. If you want a well made luxury mattress feel then you can’t go wrong with the Bear Elite Hybrid.
WHAT CUSTOMERS LOVE: Luxury firm feel and heavy duty support.
7. The Midnight LUXE
The Helix Midnight LUXE is their most awarded mattress and is a great all around mattress in our opinion. This mattress is going to have a medium-firm feel which is perfect for most sleep preferences and styles. The individually wrapped coil support system provides the support and bounce of a traditional innerspring unit but has the bonus of "zoned" support which means it perfectly supports and gives to the natural curvature of your body, allowing for industry leading spinal alignment and pressure relief. Helix also offers a softer and firmer option in their LUXE lineup if you prefer something on one of the other ends of the firmness spectrum. Overall, our team loves this mattress and many of our employees choose this exact mattress in their own homes at night.
- Medium-firm feel
- Made in the USA
- Cooling/Breathable cover
- Highly awarded and reviewed
- "Zoned" lumbar support coils for luxury support and pressure relief
- Premium quilted pillow top
- Hypoallergenic cover
What our testers are saying:
The Midnight LUXE is our testers favorite all around mattress for side sleepers and is the one many of our team choose to sleep on every night. This is one of the most universally liked and recommended mattresses in the industry. It is supportive while still being comfortable and has a mix of pocketed coils and a memory foam pillow top, to give support and pressure relief. This mattress was made specifically for side sleepers who prefer a medium firmness, giving them the best of both worlds in terms of support and pressure relief. The zoned pocketed coil system works to add extra support under the hips and shoulders to keep a flat and straight spine.
What Customers love: Luxury pillow-top comfort. Great for all sleeping types
What is a platform bed?
A platform bed is a bed frame that utilize a built in bed slat system to provide support for your mattress. The built in bed slats take the place of a box spring and allow you to put your mattress directly on the frame.
What kind of mattress is best for a platform bed?
While technically any mattress can go on a platform bed, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to make sure your sleep experience on your platform bed is ideal.
Sturdy construction and support: It is important to put a quality mattress on a platform bed with a sturdy support system. A well made mattress will ensure that the mattress does not sag between bed slats and that it will not break down.
Height: We generally recommend a mattress that is 10-14 inches thick for utilization on a platform bed. Platform beds sit slightly lower than a standard bed frame set up so you may want to aire on the thicker side if you want your mattress to sit higher up. We generally don’t recommend any mattresses under 10 inches for an every night sleeping option, unless you are planning to use it as a guest room mattress, childs mattress or for a bunk bed or trundle bed.
Do you need a special mattress for a platform bed?
While you do not need a specific mattress built exclusively for a platform bed, a higher quality more supportive mattress will hold up better on a platform bed than a lower quality option with low quality materials.
What do you put under a mattress on a platform bed?
You do not need to put anything under your mattress when putting it on a platform bed! A platform bed comes standard with built in bed slats to support your mattress and yourself. This means no box spring, no bunk board, etc… A platform bed is an all-in-one bed frame solution. Just put your mattress on top and you are all set.
How thick should a mattress be for a platform bed?
The thickness of your mattress, when put on a platform bed is largely up to personal preference. It is important to measure your bed frame to understand how high it will be and then choose a mattress height that places your mattress at a comfortable height for you to get in and out of bed as well as sit on the edge. We generally recommend that you choose a mattress from 10-14 inches thick. The large majority of mattresses on the market today are within this range and it will put your mattress at a height that is standard for most sleepers.
Do you have to use a box spring with a platform bed?
You do not need to use a box spring with a platform bed. The built in bed slats that come standard on a platform bed take the place of the support that a box spring provides. If you decide you want additional height to your bed frame you can always add a box spring to make it taller.
Are platform beds low to the gorund?
Due to the absence of a box spring, platform beds generally sit lower than a standard bed frame, box spring and mattress set up. It is important to look into the height of your platform bed (they come in varying styles and heights) and decide how thick of a mattress would be best for you. We generally recommend a mattress that is 10 inches to 14 inches thick for use on a platform bed. This encompasses the vast majority of quality mattresses on the market.
Can you put a traditional mattress on a platform bed?
Yes, you can put a traditional mattress on a platform bed. It is important however, to ensure that the mattress is made using quality innersprings or support foam in order to provide proper support between bed slats.
How much weight can a platform bed hold?
The weight capacity of a platform bed varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Generally the majority of platform beds will hold from 1,000-5,000lbs and will have plenty of support for a mattress and its sleepers. Be sure you purchase your platform bed from a reputable manufacturer if you are worries about the capacity and sturdiness. You can check out our post on our top picks for the best sturdy bed frames on the market.
Getting rid of your old mattress
After purchasing a new mattress you may be wondering how to get rid of your old one. The online companies do not offer mattress disposal services so you are on your own finding a way to get rid of it. Luckily, A Bedder World offers mattress disposal and recycling throughout the country. We have recycle dover 500K mattresses to date. Simply book a pick up online, put your items outside and POOF let us come take them off your hands. A single mattress costs around $80 to dispose of.
Overall, choosing a mattress for your platform bed boils down to your preferences and personal needs. All of the companies in this list are trusted in the industry and provide a great product that you will be happy with.
