You spend up to a third of your life in bed, so what you sleep on really is important for long-term health and wellbeing. Top Santé test drives some of the best new mattresses designed to give you a better night’s rest.
NOTE: Before you buy, check that the company you’re buying from offers direct-to-room delivery if that is what you need. Although some companies offer this service, do check before hand as some have changed their procedures due to Covid and will only deliver to your hallway.
Best for allergy sufferers
Button & Sprung Drysdale
- Price: £695 for a double
- Materials: Cotton and hemp
- Support level: Medium-soft
- Key features: Natural fibres, no glues. Guaranteed for 10 years. Has a 100-night free return policy.
- Delivery: Unwrapped and taken straight to the room of choice
- Website: buttonandsprung.com
The Drysdale is hand-made by expert mattress makers in Yorkshire using the most innovative pocket spring technologies in the world and the finest natural and sustainable fillings: natural cotton, which is soft, absorbent, breathable and wicks away moisture, and hemp, which is also highly absorbent, hypo-allergenic, antimicrobial and breathable. These wrap around a layer of 2,925 high-density micro pocket springs and a layer of 750 Core pocket springs.
No foam, glue or fire-retardant chemicals in are used, making this a great option for allergy sufferers or those who just want to cut down on chemical exposure. This is a single-sided mattress, which should be rotated, but not flipped. It’s also fully recyclable.
The Drysdale gives high levels of cushioning support and breathability. The result is a fabulously comfortable mattress at a competitive price. Comes in all UK standard sizes.
TRIED & TESTED…
‘I ordered this for my young son, who tends to overheat in the night as he was previously sleeping on a memory foam mattress. He loved the Drysdale from the start as it’s soft and bouncy – much to his delight! – and has slept well on it. I sometimes lie with him as he falls asleep and feel this is super-comfortable. I’m quite slight, frame wise, with wider hips than shoulders, so I find mattresses that are too firm can end up making my hips ache, as they don’t provide enough give so my hips feel pushed up as I side sleep. This doesn’t happen with this mattress, which feels like the perfect tension for me as it’s soft yet still supportive – the Goldilocks of mattresses!’
Best mattress for bad backs
Harrison Spinks Velocity
- Price: £629 for a double
- Materials: British wool, flax and hemp.
- Support level: Medium (soft and firm are available).
- Key features: 4250 springs, turn free, handmade in Yorkshire.
- Delivery: Straight to room of choice within 3 days (old mattress can be taken away).
This medium-support, luxurious mattress is handmade from natural materials including temperature-regulating British wool blended with absorbent flax and hemp. It also contains an impressive 4250 springs, including full-size pocket ones and two layers of smaller ones. It’s made of completely natural fillings with no glues, foam or harmful chemicals.
What’s more, the mattress is 100 per cent recyclable meaning it needn’t go to landfill and can be recycled at the end of its life. Layered with sumptuous, sustainable and natural fillings and 100 per cent recyclable Cortec™ springs. Perfect for a relaxing sleep and a healthy environment!
The mattresses are rolled and eco-packed for ease of storage, fast and efficient delivery, and simple installation. The Velocity range also includes a super-luxurious cashmere blended, dual-sided super king for £2,199.
TRIED & TESTED…
‘Although this mattress came plastic wrapped, after leaving it uncovered for most of the day, then making up the bed to sleep on it that night, I could detect no odd or chemically smell like you get with some mattresses.
‘This was great for me as I am easily affected by chemical smells and pollutants. Normally I’d want to leave a mattress a few days to “out gas” even if it is made from natural fabrics, but that wasn’t the case with the Velocity and I slept on it straight away.
‘I like that it contains wool, flax and hemp to help with air flow and wick away moisture to control the temperature. I normally start out feeling cold in bed so wrap up in loads of clothes, but this means I sometimes overheat in the night and then wake up. The memory foam layer on my previous mattress was probably keeping me too hot but this one felt cooling.
‘Although initially thinking it would be too soft for my back, as it’s a medium support and feels very pillowy when sitting on it, I was surprised to find it supported my frame well (I’m 6ft 1in and 100kg). I woke up feeling good and have done each night I’ve slept on it.
‘In fact, I’d go so far as to say this is the best mattress I’ve slept on! If you’re large, you might want to go for the firm support, but the medium is doing a great job for me.’ Nolan Sunnassee, personal trainer and fitness expert for Top Santé.
Easiest mattresses to manoeuvre
DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid
- Price: £1,249 for a double
- Materials: certiPUR foams
- Support level: Medium
- Key features: Impressive guarantee, carbon neutral, no chemicals.
- Delivery: Can be to the hall or room of choice (must specify). Boxed to help save space
The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress is a market-first luxury boxed mattress that’s half memory foam, half pocket springs. The quilted cover integrates cooling technology and has two layers of memory foam above a layer of pocket springs, which in turn are on top of a supportive high-density foam base.
You get a full year’s trial period on this mattress, meaning you can send it back if you’re not happy. Plus, DreamCloud offers a 10-year replacement guarantee.
The mattress is also “climate-neutral” thanks to its offset programme and was the first mattress in the UK to be accredited as such. All foams used are also certiPUR certified, meaning they’re created without harmful chemicals.
TRIED & TESTED…
‘Delivery wise, this mattress is fairly easy to move around if you have to do it yourself or with a friend, as it comes tightly wrapped in a box. Once on the bed frame, you carefully cut off the plastic wrap and it springs into shape in a few hours.
‘This mattress is very chunky. It springs up to 25cm when fully unfurled from its wrapper. The word “Cloud” in the name made me think it would be very soft and squashy. While it does have a good ‘bounce factor’ when you sit down onto it, when lying flat I find it pretty firm. I’d even say it’s firmer than the SmoothTech Shell I tested, which is described as Firm.
‘The thickness of it means you can in no way feel the pocket springs inside, and the memory foam layer on top is at least 5-6 cm and feels sturdy. I think I’d have liked it to be a little springier so my hips sank down a little more (I’m 5ft 8 and 60kg). However, I have had some very good nights of sleep on it. Plus, it makes no noise at all when you turn over.
‘Compared to the other spring mattresses I tested, this one had the strongest smell on being unwrapped. It took a few days with the window open during the day for the smell to dissipate. I’m not sure whether this was largely from the plastic wrapping or partly also from the mattress itself, as the room does still smell very slightly even though the wrapper has been gone for quite a while.
‘Overall I’d describe this mattress as sturdy and supportive. It’s sturdier than some others I tested which is funny as this one came rolled up, so you’d expect it to be thinner / bendier! It definitely feels like a well-made, luxury mattress.’ Katy Sunnassee, editor of Top Santé.
Best memory foam mattresses
TEMPUR® Original Supreme
- Materials: Pressure-absorbing foams
- Support level: Medium
- Key features: All foam (no metal elements), no turn, removable covers
- Delivery: TBC
- Price: £1,899 for a double
TEMPUR® mattresses contain pressure-absorbing materials that were developed in the 1970s from NASA technology. This was designed to absorb G-force pressure to protect astronauts during launches. and a liquid state. These redistribute weight, relieve painful areas of the body, and absorb extra pressure.
TEMPUR® mattresses are the precursor to all other memory foam mattresses. While their exact make-up is a closely guarded secret, we do know that the viscoelastic material in them contains billions of ultra-sensitive open cells that exist between a solid and liquid state.
Traditional memory foam mattresses and toppers can cause overheating as they use a closed-cell structure, which retains heat and keeps it close to your body. However, the open-cell structure material in the TEMPUR® mattresses allows for better ventilation. It actually draws in surrounding cooler air while circling away the warmer air created by your body.
The mattress also reduces motion transfer, so works well if you sleep with someone who moves around a lot at night! There are now many variations of the TEMPUR®, but the Original comes in three depths: Supreme (21cm), Elite (25cm) and Luxe (30cm) with a variety of widths and lengths. This means there’s one to suit all bedframes. All provide a balance of comfort and support, do not require turning or flipping, and come with removable washable covers.
Best mattresses for eco-credentials
Nemo by Millbrook Bed Company
- Price: £649 for a double
- Support level: Soft-to-medium.
- Materials: Recycled plastic
- Key features: Eco-friendly, breathable, handmade in UK
- Delivery: In a box and delivered to your hallway or room of choice.
Did you know, there are currently an estimated 7.5 million mattresses in landfill? The Nemo mattress, created by Millbrook Bed Company, is here to change that. Each mattress saves more than 300 plastic bottles from landfill, which are collected, cleaned, crushed and spun into thread.
What’s more, the mattress itself is made to be entirely recyclable. In fact, the NemoFlex™ Encapsulated Core is made without stitching or staples, meaning it can be quickly and easily deconstructed and recycled at the end of its life. The company will even arrange to collect the mattress from you when you’re finished with it.
And fear not: despite the large amount of plastic within the bed, there is no lingering plastic scent whatsoever. It’s also fully recyclable, as you’d expect.
TRIED & TESTED…
‘Eco-friendly credentials aside, what is the mattress like to sleep on? In one word: supportive. Before receiving the mattress, I was concerned it wouldn’t be firm enough, as it was described as ‘soft’. I like some give in a mattress, however, above all else, I want it to be supportive and to not sag beneath me.
‘Thanks to the combined effort of the Nemoflex Support Layer and Comfort Layer, the Nemo mattress provides the best of both worlds: it is soft enough to feel plush and cushiony when jumping into bed, yet firm enough to support your body throughout the night.
‘After sleeping on it for around two months, I’ve not noticed any sagging or indentations. Every night, it’s like sleeping on a brand-new mattress, and I wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested.
‘Another big win in terms of comfort is that I can’t feel any springs beneath me. Having been a big fan of memory foam in the past, I am always cautious of spring mattresses as I can often feel (and hear) the bed springs twanging beneath me. However, with the Nemo, despite housing more than 1000 pocket springs, I cannot hear or feel a thing – even when rolling over.
‘Lastly, despite its plastic composition, the mattress is also incredibly breathable. This is thanks to the Nemoflex Breathable Side Walls, which are made from 100 per cent recyclable memory wool.
‘Overall, I’d highly recommend the Nemo to anyone looking for a soft yet supportive mattress with great eco-credentials. Plus, rather than waiting the usual 4-6 weeks for delivery, your Nemo mattress will be with you within seven working days,’ Lily Smith, Top Santé web editor.
Best mattresses for back pain
Millbrook Bed Company SmoothTech Shell 10
- Price: £ £905.37 for a double
- Materials: Hampshire wool, viscose cotton cover
- Support level: Firm
- Key Features: Turn free, chemical free, fully recyclable.
- Delivery: Delivery to room is offered but check in advance as drivers may only take to your hallway.
The SmoothTech Shell 10 is constructed by hand in the UK by trained craftsmen and contains 1,000 individually hand-nested, full-sized pocket springs. Handmade in the UK, the mattress features a unique tuft-free sleeping surface with luxuriously smooth viscose cover. This means the indents don’t have small circles of material sewn into them as do most sprung mattresses.
It uses three types of polyester rather than foam to create a cooling microclimate. No chemicals are used on the cover or natural fillings. The layer of Hampshire wool gives comfort plus great breathability, humidity control and moisture wicking properties to help you regulate your temperature at night. It’s also a turn-free mattress.
The Shell 10 is one of Millbrook’s NemoFlex™mattresses, which are an environmentally friendly choice. They contain the company’s exclusive NemoFlex™ Core, made without stitches or staples so it can be easily deconstructed and recycled at the end of its life. This includes the pocket springs, polyester comfort layers and the support layer.
The company will also arrange to collect the mattress from you and make sure it’s thoroughly recycled or upcycled. Each NemoFlex™ also stops 200 plastic bottles from ending up in landfill.
TRIED & TESTED…
‘The viscose cover on this mattress feels super smooth and luxurious. And it’s unusual to have a mattress with indents that don’t have those round tuffs in them. Not having them means there’s no possibility of them digging in at all, so you don’t need any sort of topper.
‘Laying on the mattress feels like being on a huge fluffy cloud! But even with the pillowy top layer, I can tell it’s a firm support mattress as when lying sideways my hips don’t sink down as much as they did in our old memory foam-top mattress. There’s less movement in this one too than our old mattress – everything feels more securely in place.
‘One downside, if you’re moving it yourself, is that it’s very heavy – possibly due to the many layers and the types of materials being used – so you don’t want to be moving it again once in place! My husband couldn’t sleep on this the first night as he said the ‘new mattress smell’ was causing him to react (runny nose and eyes) – although I didn’t think it smelled at all and I slept on it just fine (there were other I tried that smelled a LOT more).
‘The Shell 10 is really sturdy and well-made plus it comes with the NemoFlex core making it recyclable too (and you’ll definitely want the company to come and take it away at the end of its life as it’s so heavy!). It’s a really great, top quality mattresses and the more I’ve slept on it, the more comfortable it’s felt.’ Katy Sunnassee, Top Santé editor.
5 more best new mattresses to try…
These stylish mattresses offer something for everyone, from the most chemical-free to the most customisable…
Dormeo Octasmart® Hybrid
Dormeo Octasmart® Hybrid (£1,199 for a double) is Dormeo’s original mattress in the Hybrid collection. It combines multi-award-winning Octaspring® technology with a layer of responsive, individually wrapped pocket springs to create a mattress that responds intelligently to your body. This provides great support.
It’s also breathable thanks to the springs used. Plus, smart body zones create optimal support for head, shoulders and hips.
Oak Furnitureland Tweak
Oak Furnitureland Tweak (£999 for a double) lets you adjust the firmness on each side, making it perfect for couples.
No more compromising on whether you want a soft or firm mattress: the five compartments on each side come with soft, medium and firm pads. These slot into each space, so you can choose your level of support from top to toe.
Portland Green 1000 Pocket Sprung
Portland Green 1000 Pocket Sprung (£423 for a double) is environmentally friendly thanks to its chemical-free SEAQUAL yarn used for the ticking (outer material) and upcycled polyester in the fillings.
A king size contains the equivalent of 200 upcycled plastic bottles. The UK-made mattress offers medium support, is hand-tufted with felt washers, and is turnable.
Cotswold Company Pure Natural Collection
Cotswold Company Pure Natural Collection (from £695 for a double) offers traditionally hand-stitched mattresses filled with hand-teased wool from Dartmoor sheep, all naturally sourced and chemical-free. Even the hand-tied pure wool tufts are unbleached and entirely natural. Comes in three thicknesses.
Emma Diamond mattresses
Emma Diamond mattresses (£1699 for a double) are perfect for sleepers who suffer from overheating. They contain core layers of graphite to dissipate heat away from the body, ensuring your body rests at a lower temperature.
