Hybrid vs. Innerspring Mattress: Which is Best?

While innerspring mattresses have been around for years, hybrid mattresses are starting to make a push as the go-to sleep solution for many people. Before you decide, however, it’s important to know the difference between innerspring and hybrid mattresses to figure out which is best for you.

Memory foam mattresses have been around for several decades now and have improved in quality over the years. If, however, you’re looking for comfort as well as support, you’re more likely to find it with a hybrid or innerspring mattress.

What is an Innerspring Mattress?

Innerspring mattresses are the oldest and most used type of mattress. In fact, about 80 percent of homes use innerspring mattresses.

An innerspring mattress uses a metal (mostly steel) coil support system. There are several types of spring systems, including those with springs connected into a single unit and units with individually wrapped pocketed coils.

The spring shapes, designs, coil gauge, and number of coils in a mattress can vary. The innerspring is covered by padding or upholstery materials, including various foams, fiber, and even additional layers of smaller steel springs.

What is a Hybrid Mattress?

A hybrid mattress is a combination of an innerspring mattress and a memory foam mattress. Typically, innerspring mattresses are considered a little firmer than a memory foam mattress due to the coil support system. A memory foam mattress, on the other hand, is softer and is great for side sleepers.

Right in the middle you have a hybrid mattress. While it is soft, the coils inside the mattress provide additional support, giving you that “just right” feel throughout the night.

To be fair, not every mattress labeled a “hybrid mattress” is what it says. The real hybrid mattresses are those that use larger layers of foam on the top and use less fiber. If you try a mattress that feels just like every other innerspring mattress, and it uses a tufted top (the little indents sewn down), it’s probably not what most people would consider a real hybrid.

Hybrid vs. Innerspring Mattresses

Out of all the different types of mattresses out there, innerspring mattresses are generally seen as the longer lasting and most supportive of the bunch. The coil system within the mattress provides ample support, whereas a memory foam or hybrid mattress tends to contour to the curves of your body a bit more.

It's worth noting that an innerspring mattress has a bouncier feel than a hybrid mattress. It's less conforming than a hybrid or memory foam mattress but more responsive to your body position as you move throughout the night. For this reason, innerspring mattresses tend to transfer motion more than a hybrid mattress would.

A hybrid mattress does provide more support than a typical memory foam mattress, but it still has a thick layer of foam at the top. Even though the springs provide more support throughout the night, the foam is still meant to cradle you. In short, even if it’s a firm mattress, it’s going to be on the soft side of firm.

That being said, if you’re looking for something comfortable and supportive, a hybrid mattress is perfect for you. Many hybrid mattresses can be shipped to your house in a box, so you don’t have to worry about scheduling a delivery truck to bring your new mattress.

As for durability, many hybrid mattresses can last just as long and be just as supportive as an innerspring mattress if treated with the proper care (rotating your mattress, using a mattress protector, etc.).

Depending on which mattress you get, innerspring and hybrid mattresses can help alleviate hip, back, and neck pains, especially if you're sleeping on an older mattress.

Finding the Right Hybrid or Innerspring Mattress

From mattresses that help keep you cool at night, to those that make you feel like you’re sleeping on a cloud, Mattress Warehouse has a wide selection of both hybrid and innerspring mattresses that will fit just about anyone’s needs.

Just to make sure, you can drop by one of our stores and try our bedMATCH® patented diagnostic sleep system – which is just a fancy way of saying it’s a smart bed that can calculate which mattresses in our store or online would be best for you. It even works if you sleep with a partner.

Look for a store close to you or check to see what we have on sale.