Measuring the firmness of a bed is no longer subjective thanks to CNET’s Mattress Smasher 9000

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: mattress testing can be subjective. One of the biggest areas where we see subjectivity is firmness. It’s not hard to see why — we’re all different weights and heights and have different needs. So unless you have the exact same body type as me, you might experience the same bed I’m describing a little differently.

Our CNET Sleep Team uses our years of experience testing and reviewing mattresses to recommend the best options for every type of person, whether they’re side sleepers, stomach sleepers, or people who tend to get hot and bothered. Our team of nine mattress experts has tested about 300 beds and dozens of sleep accessories, so it’s safe to say we know a lot about sleep. But that doesn’t change the fact that mattresses are inherently subjective.

That’s why our CNET Labs team built the Mattress Smasher 9000, a unique, patented device that provides objective firmness ratings. It removes all the room for interpretation. We know exactly how firm a bed is, and where it falls in relation to others, because we have the data to back it up. The best part is, the Mattress Smasher 9000 is available exclusively from CNET.

How CNET Tests Mattresses

The CNET Sleep Team has been testing mattresses and sleep accessories for years. We’ve seen it all, from the evolution of Casper’s beds to beds made of funky materials like Airweave to convertible beds like the Layla. At this point, we’ve collectively tested about 300 beds from our nine mattress testers.

Our team takes a holistic approach to mattress testing. We don’t just look at what a bed is made of or how it feels when we roll around on it (although we do both); we take the time to consider who would like the bed the most. We use our differences in weight, gender, and sleep needs to determine who we recommend each bed for.

Every bed that passes through our Reno warehouse undergoes extensive hands-on testing to evaluate metrics like temperature, motion isolation, durability, and edge support. We also take our mattress testing a step further, letting our team sleep on beds for extended periods of time to see how they hold up to regular use, which can range from a few months to several years.

But that’s not enough for us. How could it be otherwise when we go to bed thinking about beds, but wake up in the morning and do it all over again? That’s why our team has taken the next step in our mattress testing process by integrating the Mattress Smasher 9000. This device will help us pair our hands-on testing with objective numbers.

Meet the Mattress Smasher 9000

The Mattress Smasher 9000 is a patented testing machine created by our CNET Labs team. It may look simple enough, but there’s a lot going on inside it and the software that comes with it, which helps us collect objective firmness scores for every mattress in our facility. From an S-type load cell to electromagnets to a laser — yes, I said laser –it took months to create this impressive orange machine.

Let me explain how it works: Using the linear actuator and laser distance meter mounted on the crane, the MS9000 drops the pressure on the bed. The optical feedback sensor ensures that we fall exactly where we want. The attached 8-inch plate does the actual breaking.

The linear actuator is capable of producing 200 pounds of focus with just 9 inches of travel. However, our calculations showed that 40 pounds of force is the sweet spot for us, as it equates to 165 pounds, or the average person’s weight. Don’t worry; we can adjust this number to reflect the measurements and recommendations for beds made for people outside of what’s considered the “standard weight range.” That number may change for the best mattresses for heavy people, for example, to ensure we’re getting an accurate representation of who should buy those particular beds.

The internal software uses a data acquisition module to programmatically control the actuator. This software also documents the real-time force and range measurements coming from the MS9000.

We have developed a scale of 1 to 10 for firmness measurements, with 10 being the firmest. We run the MS9000 multiple times per bed to ensure our numbers are accurate before confirming the objective firmness score.

How We Use the Mattress Smasher 9000 to Recommend Beds for You

Over the past few months, we’ve been happily smashing beds to expand our dataset of objective numbers to complement our personal experience. For example, we know that the extra-firm side of the Plank Firm Luxe scores 9.5 out of 10. So far, it’s the firmest mattress we’ve tested. It’s truly an ultra-firm lover’s dream.

The applications don’t stop at overall firmness, though. The MS9000 arm can move, allowing us to measure different points across the surface of the bed. Most beds are consistently firm across the surface, but for beds that have a zone support design, it’s helpful. Zone support is becoming more common in the mattress industry, especially as brands think about making beds for people with back pain. Zone support simply means that the middle third of the bed is firmer to support your back at night, while the head and foot ends are softer.

Sometimes zone support is super subtle, so it can be hard to verify that it’s actually there when we’re testing it. With the MS9000, we can objectively determine if a bed actually has a firmness difference, and if so, how much. Just like with cooling technology, we want to make sure that beds deliver what they promise, and not just rely on marketing magic.

Will this replace our first-hand experience? Of course not. Nothing beats Aly and Dillon’s 30-night bed-testing series, Owen’s blind mattress-testing challenge, or top JD’s experience with Purple mattresses — seriously, he’s tested them all.

You can’t take people out of mattress tests, because objective numbers don’t make subjectivity disappear. Your weight and sleeping position largely determine how you experience a bed.

For example, someone who weighs 125 pounds is going to put less pressure on a bed than someone who weighs 235 pounds. The more weight you put on a bed, the softer it feels to you. I’m not talking about huge, drastic changes in firmness, but it’s something important we always keep in mind when making recommendations. We need both the objective numbers and the team’s testing experience to make our best mattress recommendations for you.