Best medium-firm mattresses

Zoned support, a cooling top layer and a responsive feel make the Emma Original Pro the mattress we would point most sleepers to first. In our hands-on test its seven-zone pocket springs kept the hips level whether we lay on our back or front, and the graphite-infused top foam stayed cool through a summer of use. Emma grades it medium (3 of 5); on our test bed it felt close to medium-firm.

A double costs £799, more than most picks here, but it is the only one under £1,000 that combines seven spring zones with a graphite cooling layer, and Emma backs it with a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee.

The Origin Hybrid brings a zoned spring mattress with a removable pillow top down to £410 for a double, less than any other pick here except the IKEA. Five-zone pocket springs sit under gel-infused foam, and the pillow top's cover zips off and washes at 40°C.

Origin's own grade puts it on the firm side of the band, which suits back sleepers in particular. The 15-year warranty is the longest fixed term on this page.

Two people sharing a bed get the most out of the Simba Hybrid Pro. Its steel spring base firms the edges, so neither of you is pushed towards the middle, and Simba says the titanium microsprings above it respond separately to each movement, up to 4,800 springs in all.

Simba describes the feel as medium-firm and tops the springs with graphite-infused foam and British wool. The catch is the price, £1,299 for a double at the regular rate, which makes it worth it mainly for two sleepers who want firm edges.

For noticeably less than the Pro, the Emma Original keeps most of what we liked in our test. Its memory foam gives as soon as you lie down, five-zone pocket springs stopped the middle from dipping, and a partner turning over barely registered on the other side.

At £529 for a double, it is the Emma to choose if you can do without the Pro's cooling layer.

Pressure relief without springs is what the TEMPUR PRO SmartCool offers, and it is the only all-foam mattress in this ranking. Order the Medium Firm version, one of four feels TEMPUR sells at one price, which has 3cm of TEMPUR Advanced Material and 5cm of support foam over a 13cm base.

TEMPUR rates it for about 150kg per side, so heavier sleepers who like the close, slow give of foam are covered. The hard part is paying £2,299 for a double, nearly three times the Emma Original Pro, with a trial that only allows a return after 60 nights.

OTTY places the Original Hybrid at the firm end of medium-firm. That makes it the one to try if softer hybrids feel too giving when you lie on your back or front.

Its support comes from up to 2,000 encapsulated pocket springs, each 16cm tall, under memory and reflex foam. £624.99 buys a double, and with nine sizes, Emperor included, it is also the most affordable pick here in an Emperor size.

Combination sleepers, who change position through the night, will find the DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid in the middle of the band, described by DreamCloud as "Medium / Medium-Firm". Breathable memory foam sits over a 15cm pocket spring unit with reinforced edges.

Its terms are among the most generous here, with a 365-night trial and the Forever Warranty, which replaces the mattress within the first 10 years and repairs it after that. For £599 in a double, you get a full year to be sure of your choice.

If medium-firm sounds too firm, the Nectar Classic Hybrid sits a step softer, as a true medium. Memory foam sits over a 15cm unit of individually wrapped pocket springs, which add a lift that a foam core lacks, and a single weighs 19kg, so it is easy to rotate on your own.

It is one of the cheaper doubles here at £499, which makes it the easiest way to try a true medium before committing to anything firmer.

For a traditional build with no memory foam, the Silentnight Comfort Breathe 1200 Pocket is the pick. Silentnight makes it to order in the UK, with 1,200 Mirapocket springs under a breathable fibre layer and a mesh side border that lets air through, which suits warm sleepers who dislike the feel of foam.

Its double price of £499 is reasonable, but the terms are the weakest here, with a 60-night comfort exchange instead of a refund and a 5-year guarantee. If you like the traditional build but want more springs or a different filling, Silentnight's other models are compared in our guide to the Silentnight range.

At £179 for a double, the IKEA Valevåg is the cheapest way into a zoned pocket sprung mattress at this firmness. IKEA sells a medium-firm and a firm version at the same price, so check which one is in your basket.

Five comfort zones sit under foam and wadding in a 24cm mattress with a 10-year guarantee. The low price is what makes it the sensible choice for a tight budget or a spare room that sees occasional use, as long as you can live with a cover that does not come off for washing and a 365-night policy that only lets you exchange.