At times we are compensated for the links you click at no cost to you. Learn more about why you should trust our reviews and view our disclosure page.
People who were dissatisfied with their old beds in the past are likely to start paying attention to all the details about a new mattress just to avoid such a negative experience again. Mattress thickness could be one of the important new factors, but if you’re stuck deciding between a 10-inch vs. 12-inch mattress, you should know right away that the difference in height itself is minimal and only makes sense in a few situations.
10-inch Vs 12-inch Mattresses: Factors to Consider
Both mattress thicknesses fall into the category of standard mattresses, and both types are typically found in American homes. They are quite similar in a lot of aspects. With regard to comfort, a 10-inch mattress can’t possibly feel much thinner than a 12, and a 12-inch mattress just can’t be incomparably plusher than a 10-inch one.
Still, both options are there and you need to opt for one when shopping for a new mattress. Comfort itself isn’t the only factor to have in mind.
We’ll discuss weight and sleeping positions first, but if you want to know cut straight to the point and see where the biggest difference between these two mattresses lies, skip to the “Height of Your Bed Frame” part. If you’re interested in thinner mattresses, read our guide to 8-inch vs. 10-inch mattresses.
The two Leesa mattresses in the picture differ in height but also in construction – the 10-inch one is a memory foam mattress and the 12-inch one is a hybrid. By the way, the bottom mattress is on our list of best 10-inch mattresses.
Weight
Here we’ll discuss two points – the weight of a mattress itself and the weight of your body.
Weight of the mattress
Do you move your bed often? If so, you might want a thinner mattress and a lighter bed. A 10-inch mattress contains less material and therefore tends to be less heavy. I personally don’t know why people would need to move their mattresses often, but then again, there are some who can’t help rearranging furniture in their house every few months. If this is you, think about getting a lightweight mattress.
There’s more to it than just thickness that determines mattress weight, such as the type of materials and construction (for example, a latex bed is heavier than an innerspring). That being said, mattress height often means somewhat different construction even if you compare two height options of the same model. A 12-inch mattress can have a thicker base layer, which means more high-density foam, and more support than a 10-inch mattress.
Even if you don’t move the whole bed, you’ll still have to lift the sides and corners of the mattress when you’re changing sheets. Still, this shouldn’t be a big problem because you’re not lifting the entire thing.
Your body weight
If we’re being completely honest, body weight should probably come into the picture only if you’re quite heavy, like over 200 lbs.
Lightweight sleepers – up to 130 lbs.
A petite person doesn’t put much pressure onto any mattress, and as a petite myself, I don’t feel much of a difference between a 10-inch and a 12-inch mattress. If we focus on the material and construction quality rather than mere height, the difference between mattresses becomes noticeable. Petite sleepers probably wouldn’t mind an 8-inch mattress either, because their body just doesn’t sink that much into a mattress.
Average sleepers – 130 – 230 lbs.
People on the lighter end of this range won’t mind the difference between a 10-inch and a 12-inch mattress. Their choices will primarily be based on their personal preferences when it comes to the look or feel of a particular mattress. Those over 200 lbs. might need a thicker mattress, but 10 inches could still be enough.
Heavyweight sleepers – 230+ lbs.
These guys need a 12-inch mattress. Their body type requires more support and they are likely to wear out the materials faster. A thicker mattress can offer thicker high-density foam layers in the base layer and there’s enough of the transition and comfort layers to comfortably host a heavy body. Apart from thicker mattresses, 230-plus-pound people should also look for high-quality mattresses, and the reason is the same – avoiding too soon wear and getting the right support.
If you’re extremely overweight we recommend reading our articles about the best mattresses for 400 lb. people and the best mattresses for 500 pound people.
Sleeping position
The most common sleeping positions are back, stomach, side, and combining positions. Different positions tend to feel better on different sleeping surfaces.
For example, back and stomach sleepers typically need a firmer mattress because they need a surface that doesn’t allow their body to sink in too much.
A too-soft mattress can make your hips sink in, which causes back pain for both stomach and back sleepers. Side sleepers, on the other hand, would love it because their shoulder and hip would get pressure relief.
But that’s firmness and what does it have to do with mattress thickness? Well, thicker mattresses can be either soft or firm, while thin mattresses have to be firm as there’s a bed frame right under it.
Again, 10-inch and 12-inch mattresses are too similar to give you any kind of noticeable difference unless you’re a side sleeper of 200 lbs and over, at which point you might want to go for a 12-inch mattress. Combination sleepers and any position sleepers who are heavier than 230 lbs should aim for 12 inches.
Height of your bed frame
And here’s where the real differences between 10 and 12-inch thick mattresses are. One has to do with the height of your entire bed and depending on your health status, this might be crucial. The other is connected to how your bed looks and why mattress height matters.
Getting in and out
Some general guidelines say that a bed height should be about 25″ above the floor. This number comes from the body position of an average-height person when sitting on a bed. If their feet are on the ground, their knees at a 90-degree angle, and their hips at a 90-degree angle, then it’s considered that this position is the most comfortable for getting up.
Those who are a bit shorter or taller than the average won’t exactly be positioned as intended, but it doesn’t really matter for most people. It’s just a thing of personal preference. You can place a mattress on the floor and still have a good night’s sleep.
But bed height is very important to people with certain injuries, such as the knee, hip, or back injuries. Most of them require tall mattresses so that the person doesn’t have to bend any joints and thus can avoid joint pain. This makes getting in and out of the bed easier. In this case, two inches can make a huge difference. A 12-inch mattress can be the reason why an elderly person is now able to go to bed and get up without help.
Look and style
Taller mattresses definitely look more luxurious. Expensive hotels have them, rich people have them, as well as those who want their bedrooms to look stylish and far from “basic”. If you’re going for more of a fancy look, a 12-inch mattress should be your choice over a 10-inch mattress. And if you have the means, you can check out some of the even taller options. Realistically speaking, there aren’t many good reasons to get such a tall mattress unless you’re going for a better look.
Which is better?
Overall, both mattresses are good. The 10-inch can accommodate the majority of types of people for a lower price, and the 12-inch mattress can accommodate pretty much everyone, but for a higher price.
10-inch mattress pros and cons
Benefits
- It’s highly unlikely you’ll make a mistake with this choice of mattress thickness
- Good for all kinds of sleepers
- Easy to get in and out for most healthy people
Drawbacks
- Looks less fancy
- Doesn’t accommodate extremely overweight people
12-inch mattress pros and cons
Benefits
- Can be one of the ways to elevate your bed height
- Good for people with joint injuries or pain
- Looks expensive
- Supports heavyweight sleepers
- Everyone can sleep in it comfortably, from petite to highly overweight people
Drawbacks
- More expensive than a 10-inch
- Doesn’t offer any special experience to healthy sleepers of average and light weight
FAQs
It’s far from being too thin. In case you didn’t know, 8″ is the height of the average mattress in Europe. It’s Americans who are used to more comfortable standards when it comes to sleep. This is to say that the majority of people shouldn’t need a mattress taller than 10″, which further means that even 10″ could be more than enough for a lot of us. In fact, lightweight people and those who prefer firmer and thinner mattresses could be perfectly happy even with 6-inch mattresses.
It really depends on what they’re made of. Height isn’t the sole factor because mattress lifespan is linked to materials.
Innerspring mattresses normally have the shortest lifespan of about 8 years.
Hybrid mattresses tend to be slightly better, 8-10 years.
Memory foam mattresses typically last for 10-15 years.
Latex foam mattresses have a lifespan of up to 15 years. Natural latex mattresses are the most durable mattress type.
It doesn’t have to mean so, although it often is. Quality-wise, companies who make cheap and bad mattresses normally don’t go for more thickness because they’re saving on materials. So it’s usually high-quality mattresses that come in thicker options. However, this doesn’t have to mean it’s better for you. It might prove too firm and you could wake up in pain, but it might also be too soft so that your lower back sinks in and you get too hot from the mattress hugging you. The thickness should be one of the things you bear in mind, but there’s much more to choosing the right mattress.
Conclusion
Don’t get drawn into thinking you need a very thick mattress. Ten inches of soft materials is even more than enough for the majority of people, including everyone who doesn’t have joint issues and a wide variety of body types and sleeping positions.
If you’re really overweight or you want a guest bed that can accommodate every single type of person, you might get a 12-inch mattress. Furthermore, 12-inch mattresses prove better for people with joint issues and those who want a luxurious-looking bed. Overall, you should pay more attention to the mattress construction itself, because there’s a big difference between a hybrid and an all-foam mattress – and hybrids tend to be taller than memory foam mattresses. So, if you only look at height, you might completely miss the point and get the wrong type of mattress.
Next step: Read our Nolah mattress reviews. Nolah makes both 10-inch and 12-inch mattresses, so you’re certain to be satisfied no matter which side of the debate you’re on. Their mattresses are high-quality and are the ones that members of the Sleepline team personally sleep on.
With over 5 years experience writing about sleep and mattresses, she's considered one of the go-to experts on the topic.
She likes cycling, nature, art, and languages. She pays special attention to providing you with accurate and useful information when it comes to your sleep quality.
After solving her personal sleep and tiredness problems, she is on to help others by sharing this invaluable information.
- Where to buy Saatva mattress (online and offline) - April 26, 2025
- Latex vs memory foam mattress (which is better?) - March 12, 2025
- Bed in a box vs traditional mattress (which is better?) - February 17, 2025
Psst… the sleep review industry is full of liars, sharks, and thieves. It’s a modern-day version of getting ripped off at your local mattress store. So, why should you trust us?