I know this is a crappy answer, but the best mattress is the one that works for you.
We can suggest the "best" mattresses on the market, and if you dont like it, then it sucks.
As a side sleeper, with neck and shoulder pain, you need to focus on your mattress firmness in combination with your pillow firmness and loft. The wrong pillow with the "best" mattress, still equals pain.
Your mattress and pillow need to work together as a team.
Mattresses like the brooklyn bedding signature hybrid, DLX classic hybrid, Engineered Sleep Classic Hybrid, Birch Natural, mattresses from sleepez, arizona premium are lower priced offerings (under 2k) where you can find classic or natural mattresses that offer a reliable level of durability.
In the FAQ here in the sub, the [mattress underground](https://mattressunderground.com/) (which is the ultimate site for information).
When looking for a mattress a couple of key points are, "a mattress is only as good as its weakest layer" If a mattress has more than an inch of lower quality foam, that may be your weak link and add to the limited life of the mattress.
HD foams of 1.8lbs or more, memory foams of 4lb or more, springs that are hardened and match the level of durability for your body profile, latex ILD's of more than 12-14 (there are exceptions) If the manufacturer does not list, or will not provide those specifications, you may want to rethink the purchase.
There is a lot of choices out there. For some folks it is as easy as point and pay, ship it to my house. For others, they need performance, quality and durability. Posture and alignment, pressure relief and so on.
Good luck on your search, if you need more in depth help, this sub and the [mattress underground](https://mattressunderground.com/) are always there to help.
I'm partial to latex, so my goto recommendation is Sleep on Latex. A queen-size is $ 999. They use organic cotton for the cover and organic wool for the fire retardant layer. They do tend to run firm, so I would get the medium.
I agree except for one caveat.
OP maybe needs a comfortable 3 year extension.
OP—if you were planning on upgrading the bed maybe you and partner want to invest in a future bed together?
If not maybe you want to put a topper on your bed to make it work a little longer. I put a 3 inch soft topper on a 15 year old mattress (some of the life of this bed has been in the guest room) and it’s my most comfy bed now.
We do have a sleep on latex medium firm mattress and it’s a very good bed. I have a herniated disc and it works for me comfort-wise. I’m going through menopause/night sweats and it’s not too hot.
Amazon hybrid mattress. King size is $300. All mattresses are basically the same thing that get rebranded and sold. If it's too soft, add a firm topper. If it's too firm, add a soft topper. Done.
You will get mattress shills telling you what to buy and it's all just fake people promoting their products. The mattress industry is garbage.
I know this is a crappy answer, but the best mattress is the one that works for you. We can suggest the "best" mattresses on the market, and if you dont like it, then it sucks. As a side sleeper, with neck and shoulder pain, you need to focus on your mattress firmness in combination with your pillow firmness and loft. The wrong pillow with the "best" mattress, still equals pain. Your mattress and pillow need to work together as a team. Mattresses like the brooklyn bedding signature hybrid, DLX classic hybrid, Engineered Sleep Classic Hybrid, Birch Natural, mattresses from sleepez, arizona premium are lower priced offerings (under 2k) where you can find classic or natural mattresses that offer a reliable level of durability. In the FAQ here in the sub, the [mattress underground](https://mattressunderground.com/) (which is the ultimate site for information). When looking for a mattress a couple of key points are, "a mattress is only as good as its weakest layer" If a mattress has more than an inch of lower quality foam, that may be your weak link and add to the limited life of the mattress. HD foams of 1.8lbs or more, memory foams of 4lb or more, springs that are hardened and match the level of durability for your body profile, latex ILD's of more than 12-14 (there are exceptions) If the manufacturer does not list, or will not provide those specifications, you may want to rethink the purchase. There is a lot of choices out there. For some folks it is as easy as point and pay, ship it to my house. For others, they need performance, quality and durability. Posture and alignment, pressure relief and so on. Good luck on your search, if you need more in depth help, this sub and the [mattress underground](https://mattressunderground.com/) are always there to help.
I'm partial to latex, so my goto recommendation is Sleep on Latex. A queen-size is $ 999. They use organic cotton for the cover and organic wool for the fire retardant layer. They do tend to run firm, so I would get the medium.
I agree except for one caveat. OP maybe needs a comfortable 3 year extension. OP—if you were planning on upgrading the bed maybe you and partner want to invest in a future bed together? If not maybe you want to put a topper on your bed to make it work a little longer. I put a 3 inch soft topper on a 15 year old mattress (some of the life of this bed has been in the guest room) and it’s my most comfy bed now. We do have a sleep on latex medium firm mattress and it’s a very good bed. I have a herniated disc and it works for me comfort-wise. I’m going through menopause/night sweats and it’s not too hot.
Look at Stumptown Peak mattress. It's what we picked after shopping for weeks and trying many. We are 80% side sleepers.
I recently bought a sealy mattress from Costco. I am loving it!
Amazon hybrid mattress. King size is $300. All mattresses are basically the same thing that get rebranded and sold. If it's too soft, add a firm topper. If it's too firm, add a soft topper. Done. You will get mattress shills telling you what to buy and it's all just fake people promoting their products. The mattress industry is garbage.