Plank Firm Mattress Review 2024: An Ultra-Firm and Flippable Bed [CNET]

There are a ton of mattresses on the market, and some offer firm options. But what if you need an extra-firm option? The Plank Firm mattress is what I would consider a “specialty” mattress. Most mattresses we test fall within a firmness range of medium to medium-firm beds firmer than a medium-firm, and beds softer than medium are less common. 

Based on the name Plank Firm, you would expect this mattress to be pretty firm as it gets, and you would be correct. I have tested around 300 different mattresses in a six-year span, and this is in the top five firmest beds I have tested. This means that the Plank Firm mattress isn’t for most sleepers out there, but for those of you out there who love firm mattresses, or better yet, need it, this bed has a lot to offer. 

First impressions of the Plank Firm mattress

Usually, when unboxing a mattress made with entirely foam layers, like Plank, there is a 24- to 48-hour period where the foams will properly firm up, and you can really begin to get an idea of the firmness profile of the bed but with Plank it was immediately firm right out of the box. Like most beds it did have a bit of an odor to it, but that also usually dissipates in 24 hours. 

It also took the team a minute to figure out that Plank is a flippable mattress. Other flippable beds like Layla and the Brentwood Home Crystal Cove make the fact that it’s flippable very apparent with tags and the design of the cover, but not as much on Plank, mostly because the logo looked very strange upside down. Once we did figure it out, we observed that both sides of the bed are intended to be firm, which is also pretty atypical for flippable mattresses. In general, flippable beds have one side that is soft and firm, and Plank opts for firm and extra-firm.  

This is the type of mattress that makes me wish I were a back sleeper because I found that on my back it is very comfortable, I just can’t seem to fall asleep and stay asleep on my back. My first impression was positive despite it not being a mattress for me.

Video: Plank Firm mattress review

Watch me review the Plank Firm in this video.

Plank Firm construction and feel

I should mention that there are three different versions of Plank: the Plank Firm, the Plank Firm Luxe and the Plank Firm Natural. The Plank Firm is the one we’re talking about, and it is the most affordable of the three (I’ll cover pricing a bit later) and it’s the only one that doesn’t use coils in its construction. 

Since this is a flippable mattress, I will describe the construction with the extra-firm side facing down and the firm side as the sleeping surface. 

At the very bottom is a quilted cover with a thin layer of comfort foam. The design of the cover on each side is different, which is a good way to tell the sides apart — the extra firm side sort of looks like a turtle shell in my opinion, which I think is fitting. Right above the quilted cover is the main support layer of highly dense and highly responsive foam. Above the support layer is a thin layer of “supreme response” comfort foam, which is just a firm foam that provides a lot of bounce and makes this side of the mattress a bit softer. Finally, there’s another thin quilted cover that has a more traditional-looking design.

The flippable nature of the Plank Firm mattress doesn’t impact the type of feel, like on the Brentwood Crystal Cove mattress, it really only impacts the firmness profile. The feel of the Plank Firm mattress is just a flat, responsive, firm foam. You don’t really sink into this mattress at all and it is very easy to rotate between sleeping positions because of how responsive the foams are. 

I find that when I’m laying down on my back or stomach, the feel of the Plank Firm mattress is quite nice, but it might not be everyone’s preference. 

The Plank Firm Luxe is another version of Plank that has almost the exact same design, only instead of using support foam, it uses pocketed coils, and the Plank Firm Natural has almost the same design as the Luxe, only instead of using polyurethane foam, it uses natural latex foam. 

Plank Firm mattress firmness and sleeper types

So just how firm is the Plank Firm? I mentioned earlier that this mattress (and the other Plank beds) are among the top five firmest beds I have ever tested, the other beds that spring to mind are the Airweave 30 and the Saatva Classic in the firm model. The extra-firm side of the Plank Firm is indeed a true firm on our scale, a 10 out of 10. It has virtually no give, and it feels like the mattress is almost pushing up against you. 

The firm side is a bit more accommodating, closer to a medium-firm that could open it up to certain combination sleepers who might spend a bit of time on their side at night. 

Having two firmness options in a single mattress is a nice value proposition because if you want something firm, but you’re not quite sure how firm, you get two chances to get it right in a single mattress, and ideally, one of them will work for you and avoid returning the mattress. 

For anyone who sleeps on their back, I think the Plank mattress could be a great option and could be equally good for stomach sleepers.

Plank Firm mattress performance

Edge support

The edge support of a mattress refers to how well the perimeter of the bed holds up under pressure. If the edge compresses too much, you can feel like you’re going to roll off the mattress, which usually leads to poor sleep.

While there’s no construction element in the Plank Firm mattress that’s intended to improve or reinforce the edge support — we found the edge support on the Plank Firm is very solid. Firm mattresses tend to perform better in this category because the mattress itself compresses less in comparison to soft mattresses. 

Motion isolation

If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night because your partner tosses and turns a lot, having a mattress that does a good job of isolating cross-mattress motion is really important. 

We found a slight difference in the quality of the motion isolation between the firm side and extra-firm side of the mattress, with the firm side being slightly better. Overall, the Plank Firm mattress has decent motion isolation, although other mattresses have better. 

Of the three Plank mattresses, this version is the best at motion isolation, so if that is a concern of yours, then this one performs the best. 

Temperature regulation

Because this mattress is so firm and you don’t sink into it much at all, this will help it sleep temperature neutral. Since this is constructed of entirely foam layers, the Plank Firm isn’t quite as breathable as its coil counterparts though. 

There is an optional feature for the Plank Firm and the Firm Luxe that should appeal to hot sleepers, which is a GlacioTex cooling cover. This is the same type of cover you can get on the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe, which is one of our favorite cooling mattresses. It will cost  a bit extra, but I think it can be a worthwhile upgrade for hot sleepers.

Plank Firm pricing

One really appealing factor of the Plank Firm mattress is its price point. Usually, specialized mattresses that are intended for specific sleeper types tend to be a bit more expensive than a more accommodating, general-purpose mattress, but the Plank Firm is very affordable even before factoring in discounts. 

After discounts I regularly see the Plank Firm mattress below the $1,000 for queen size. The Plank Firm Luxe and the Plank Firm Natural will be more expensive than the base model Plank Firm, and if you pay up for the optional cooling cover the price will also be a bit higher. 

Check out our mattress deals page for the most up-to-date prices and discounts on the Plank Firm mattress.

Free shipping

The Plank Firm mattress ships in a box right to your front door, and shipping is always free in the contiguous US. Unboxing the mattress should be a quick and easy process, and of the three Plank mattresses, this one is the lightest. Although, I still recommend unboxing any mattress with a friend. 

120-night trial

Plank offers a slightly longer than standard in-home sleep trial of 120 nights. So you get roughly four months to really test out the bed to see if it’s supportive enough for you and is comfortable. 

Return policy

Within the 120-night trial period, you can return the Plank Firm mattress and get a refund. There is no upfront fee to initiate a return; however, they will deduct $99 from your refund, which helps facilitate the mattress pickup process. 

Like most brands, Plank will ask you to sleep on the bed for at least 30 nights before initiating a return because no matter how nice and well-suited your new mattress is to your sleep type, your body needs a bit of time to adjust to it.

Warranty

All Brooklyn Bedding mattresses (Plank is a sub brand of Brooklyn Bedding) are backed by a standard 10-year warranty. This is the minimum duration of warranty you should expect for almost every mattress. 

Final verdict

The Plank Firm mattress is intended for a very specific type of sleeper who is looking for the firmest mattress they can find. This is among the top five firmest beds I have ever tested, and if you’re a strict back or stomach sleeper looking for an affordable option with as little give as possible, I don’t see you doing much better than the Plank Firm or the other version of Plank. The flippable design is also very beneficial because if one side isn’t quite firm enough or it’s too firm, you can try the other side. Odds are one side will be more to your liking. 

There are other really firm mattress options out there (check out our best list here) that might be more to your liking, but if you just want something firm, affordable and flippable, I can definitely recommend the Plank Firm mattress.

You might like the Plank Firm mattress if:

• You’re a back sleeper
• You want an affordable mattress
• You want a made of foam layers
• You want a flippable mattress

You might not like the Plank Firm mattress if:

• You’re a side sleeper
• You’re seeking a hybrid mattress
• You want a noticeably luxurious mattress

Other mattresses from Plank

Plank Firm Luxe: as mentioned in this review — the Plank Firm Luxe has an almost identical design to the Plank Firm, only instead of using foam as its support layer, it uses coils. It also uses some additional comfort foams, making the mattress a bit thicker overall. The firmness isn’t noticeably impacted by this change in design, though. I would recommend the Plank Firm Luxe instead of the Plank Firm for any who prefers coil mattresses and for heavier people because a coil mattress will be more durable and supportive throughout the life of the mattress. 

Plank Firm Natural: this mattress also gives sleepers virtually the same value proposition as the other two Plank mattresses: a flippable firm bed. The foams used in the Plank Firm Natural are significantly different from the others, opting for natural latex foam. Latex foam has a distinctive feel, it’s incredibly spring and spongy, providing lots of comfort, cushioning and an almost buoyant sensation. 

The Plank Firm Natural is the most expensive of the three, and we did find it to be a hair softer on both sides than the other Plank models, but not by much. 

How does the Plank Firm mattress compare to similar mattresses?

Plank Firm vs. Saatva Classic

The Saatva Classic is a much different type of mattress than the Plank Firm, but if you’re looking for something firm, the Saatva Classic is an excellent choice. It comes in three different firmness options, and it isn’t flippable. The firm model is easily on par with the extra-firm side of the Plank and will provide back sleepers with tons of support. 

It also has a responsive pillow-top feel, uses two different layers of coils and has generous policies, including a 365-night trial period and complimentary white glove delivery and mattress removal. 

Plank Firm vs. Titan Plus

The Titan Plus mattress is another bed from Brooklyn Bedding, the parent brand of Plank. This mattress is specifically designed for heavier individuals and uses extra thick gauge coils for added support and durability. You don’t need to be a heavier person to be interested in the Titan Plus, especially if you want a firm bed. For the average size person, the Titan Plus has a comparable firmness profile to the extra-firm side of Plank, and both beds have very similar types of mattress feel. They are also comparable in price — the biggest difference is that the Titan Plus isn’t flippable like Plank.

Plank Firm mattress FAQs