Someone asked a question recently. She emailed us and was looking for a firm mattress less than a foot thick. And she wanted it to be all foam, not a hybrid. Most brands sold online that come in firm are 12 inches thick or more. In addition, she’s on a budget so the price needs to be under $300.
We want to help her find an inexpensive lower profile mattress that fit her request and boy did we! Note that there are affiliate links in this post which means we may earn a commission when you shop through our links.
While she didn’t say why she was looking for a firm, low profile mattress, most adults who want a low profile mattress don’t want their bed to be far off the floor. Perhaps they’re shorter and so they want to be closer to the floor (to avoid falling or just personal preference making it easier to get in and out of bed). Or, maybe it’s for an RV where there’s not a lot of extra room or head space. Or perhaps she needs a mattress that weighs less and is easier to move by herself.
Here are some options for her and anyone looking for a good deal on a firm mattress under 12″ thick. Click on the image to go to the mattress. We don’t know what size she wanted but we’ll assume a queen size.
LUCID 5 Inch Gel Memory Foam Dual-Layered-CertiPUR-US Certified-Firm Feel Mattress, Queen
At the time of writing, this thin queen mattress was a steal at $115!! We prefer Lucid over Linenspa generally because we find it to be better quality. So if this is the price now, this is the cheapest bed on our list. This is a firm Lucid 5 inch mattress.
LINENSPA 5 Inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress-Firm Mattress
At just 5 inches thick, this is one of the shortest mattresses we have found and it’s cheap too. A queen is under $150.
Linenspa 5 inch thick memory foam mattress with firm support, made up of:
- 1 inch comfort layer made of gel-infused memory foam for pressure point relief
- 4 inches of high density base foam for proper back support
Backed by a 10-year warranty against manufacturer defects. This is an excellent warranty for Amazon.
Linenspa Firm Support 5″ Gel Mattress, Queen, White
Signature Design by Ashley – 8 Inch Chime Express Memory Foam Mattress – Firm
This is another low profile mattress and it’s under $150 for a queen. Made of hypoallergenic material to keep out dust mites, pollen, mold and pet dander—perfect for kids or adults who suffer from allergies. Weighs 53 lbs. Feel – Firm. Reviewers say that it’s truly firm. You’re not going to sink into this mattress but rather lay mostly on top of it.
Mattress is designed with memory foam which is firm. Not ideal for side sleepers (unless you’re sure you want a very firm mattress).
Signature Design by Ashley – 8 Inch Chime Express Memory Foam Mattress – Bed in a Box – Queen
Classic Brands Advantage Individually Wrapped Coils Innerspring 8-Inch Firm Mattress
Ok this one is not all foam but we included it because some of you may want the firmness and support of innersprings.
Highly rated with a 3 year warranty, the full size is under $190. Classic Brands makes mattresses for many other mattress in a box brands. This may not be the most firm on our list (firmness is subjective). You can also invest in a firm mattress topper. We recommend a 1 inch thickness so as to keep this mattress low profile.
- Constructed with individually wrapped tempered steel coil system that create a responsive and supportive sleep
- Top layer of comfort foam for added pressure relief; 8 inches of 768 Count 13 gauge individually wrapped tempered steel coils for ultimate support
- Individually wrapped coils move independently and encased in separate pockets provides consistent distribution of support throughout the mattress and lessens motion transfer for sleep partners
- Cushion-firm feel; reinforced edge support
Buy a Classic Brands 8 Inch, Firm Mattress
Zinus 6 Inch Gel-Infused Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress
Choose from a 6 or 9 inch Zinus low profile firm mattress. A queen 6 inch is just over $200. It’s also a buy now, pay later mattress on Amazon which means you can choose to make payments. twin mattress supports a maximum weight of 250 lbs, while all other sizes can support up to 500 lbs.
Mattress Layers:
- 1 inch ultra-cooling gel and green tea infused memory foam
- 1 inch soft comfort foam
- 4 inches durable, high density base support foam; ideal for back sleepers and average-weight sleepers
CERTIPUR US CERTIFIED
10 year limited warranty
7 Inches Deep Firm Mattress
This isn’t a brand we’re very familiar with but it’s called Dreamfoam Bedding, which is owned by Brooklyn Bedding (which we’ve heard of). The model is called Doze. It comes in a 7 inch, 9 inch or 11 inch. However, only the 7 inch is firm. The 9 inch is medium and the 11 inch is medium soft. So they get more plush as you add inches to the height of the bed.
You can use these shorter mattresses on bunk beds, trundle beds and more.
Full XL Size Mattress and Frame
Doze comes with a 120 day trial and a 10 year warranty. Best of all you can’t beat the price! And it’s not from China either – it’s made in the USA. It’s not a luxury bed but ideal for kids, RVs, guest rooms and more. A queen 7 inch mattress is just $174! And financing starts at a low $15/month. Amazingly enough shipping is free. This is the first time we’ve seen a full xl. What’s the difference between a full and a full xl? The full xl is an additional 5 inches longer than a regular full! So a full XL is the width of a full and the length of a queen. The dimension are 54″ x 80″.
We found a full XL bed frame in case you’re looking for this unusual size.
Full XL Bed Frame
In case you decide on the full xl, Dreamfoam doesn’t carry that size in a bed frame. Here is a basic frame that comes in full xl that we found on Amazon:
Purple kid mattress is a low profile twin mattress although it’s not cheap (worth it if you have back issues or pain!). Also see our top 3 firm mattresses picks.