Best mattresses 2018

These are bamboozling times for mattress shoppers. From pocket-sprung to memory foam, heritage handmade to Silicon Valley, there’s a dizzying array of quality options to choose from. We’ve tried out the best to set you on the right path towards a better night’s sleep.

Your choice of mattress will have a lasting effect on your quality of sleep – and thereby your quality of life. If you’re lucky enough to be getting the National Sleep Foundation’s recommended 8 hours sleep per night, and you keep your mattress for eight years, you’re looking at 23,360 hours of use.

For most buyers, the crucial factor will be the technology the mattress uses to make you comfy. At the more traditional end of the market, pocket sprung mattresses have been supporting sleepers since the latter years of Queen Victoria’s reign. Modern examples with their thousands of tiny springs tend to provide firm support that’s capable of accommodating all different shapes and sizes.

Memory foam mattresses can be very supportive too, but they tend to give the sensation of sinking in, rather than being lifted up. They first hit the shelves in the 1980s, and since then have earned a consistently growing share.

It’s only natural that some couples will have differences of opinion over which mattress type feels best. If this applies to you, you might find a happy medium in the form of a hybrid mattress, made with both pocket springs and memory foam (or even better, the Tweak Duo, a two-in-one mattress which we’ll be writing about later in this article).

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Alongside the different types of mattress, it’s also worth considering criteria like texture, materials, build quality and effect on the sleeper’s temperature – all of which will play into your long-term comfort, and all of which are considered in this article. Very few earthly things get closer to you than your mattress, so let’s make sure you pick one you’re thoroughly fond of.

Leesa Mattress

Bliss! The Leesa mattress is a thing of beauty. It’s simpler than the rest, with 15cm of core support foam on the bottom, 5cm of pressure relieving memory foam in the middle and 5cm of temperature regulating foam on top. The detail on the (wonderfully soft) fabric cover runs diagonally, and this contributes a tactile element – just about perceptible through a bedsheet – to the mattress’ comfort. Between the mattress and its cover, Leesa has created a softer, gentler species of comfort to anything we’ve encountered elsewhere. Stripping away some of the complexity found in other, similarly branded mattresses at similar price-points has allowed the Leesa’s gloriously comfortable foam to shine through.

From £450 | Leesa | Buy it now

Emma Hybrid Mattress

Firm and sturdy yet soft and luxe, the Emma mattress is just what the chiropractor ordered: a giant memory foam pillow for us stressed out folk to unwind on. If you’ve got a bad back, or worse, one cursed with hundreds of unforgiving muscle knots, its pressure-relieving pocket springs, and multi layered visco-elastic memory foam will see them go bye bye in days. The best thing? The entire mattress adjusts to your body as you move, without a delayed re-plumping of the memory foam.

Whilst soft to the touch, the mattress also offers a unique firmness that provides added support. To make it as easily transportable as possible, the mattress has been rolled into one giant circular slab. Tip: before you unpack it, make sure your bed frame has been prepped. Once in position, slice down the packaging with the provided cutters and slowly unravel until the mattress rolls out on to its new home. The reward? Supportive, fabulous comfort eight hours every night. It comes with a 100-night trial, during which you can choose to return it for a full refund. At £699 for a double, it will only leave a slight hole in your pocket, but is still a cheaper option than many other traditional pocket-sprung foam hybrid alternatives we’ve reviewed.

From £479 | Emma | Buy it now

Hyde & Sleep Pocket Sprung Hybrid Plus mattress

With its combination of memory foam with 2000 micro pocket springs, the Pocket Sprung Hybrid leaves you feeling pleasantly weightless. Its breathable cover has an attractive, geometric design and raspberry stripe down the side. Far from just a pretty face, it combines with ventilation channels in the mattress’ high density polyurethane foam base to maintain a comfortable temperature through the night.

We noted a slight reduction in back stiffness after a few nights sleeping on the Pocket Sprung Hybrid Plus. Whether or not this benefit applies to other sufferers of aches and pains, it certainly left us with a good impression.

From £499 | Hyde & Sleep | Buy it now

Casper Mattress

Casper has lavished attention on the fine detail of its foam mattress. It’s impeccably designed, with navy fabric edges that strike a more relaxing aesthetic than rivals eve and Hyde & Sleep. In terms of firmness, the Casper mattress is smack-bang in the middle of the pack.

This might make it a diplomatic choice for couples with divergent tastes. It’s lovely for side-sleepers, with a slight give that lets you sink in and stay balanced with ease. Once again, temperature regulation is a priority – in the Casper mattress’ case, by means of an open-cell top layer that draws excess heat away from your body via convection and conduction.

From £375 | Casper | Buy it now

Simba Mattress

You don’t expect to find yourself talking about mattresses at parties – who wants to be that person? – but that, regrettably, is exactly what happened after sleeping on the Simba. It was difficult to avoid: this thing is absurdly comfortable, both snuggly and supportive at the same time (a bit like Mark Darcy in a Christmas jumper).

Apparently this is down to its 2,500 conical pocket springs and memory foam layer. It also arrives all rolled up so you needn’t exhaust yourself lugging it about the house. Simba has just launched a matching pillow and duvet, too - we may never make it out of bed.

From £379 | Simba Sleep | Buy it now

eve Mattress

Very supportive and fairly firm, the eve mattress provides an especially comfortable sleep for back or front sleepers. The uppermost layer – 3cm of memory foam – redistributes responsively as you move around. Underneath, a 3cm cooling layer and 18cm supportive base layer provide a luxurious sense of depth.

The eve mattress’ finest distinctions are its subtler details – the moisture wicking top cover, the hand stitching on the sides, and more ephemerally the Ursula le Guin and Salvador Dali quotes inside the box. This is a mattress with art and artistry in its very fibres. Of course, what matters in the long-term is comfort – and the eve mattress caters for that extremely well.

From £349 | eve | Buy it now

Swoon Editions – Lyndhurst 2000 Mattress

A beautiful, handmade, pocket-sprung mattress with a firm, supportive feel. You can feel the action of the springs moulding to your body and giving support as you move, albeit through a barrier of exquisitely soft padding. It’s an especially comfy choice for back sleepers.

The hand-crafted detail on this mattress is its crowning glory. Swoon Editions mattresses are hand-stitched and tufted in Hampshire, by craftspeople who deserve praise for their skill and care.

Their work is impeccably neat, and any occasional, microscopic irregularities only serve to benefit the mattress, by giving it a handmade feel that’s lacking in some of the more “disruptive” mattresses on the market.

From £599 | Swoon Editions | Buy it now

OTTY Mattress

Here’s something quite distinct in feel to the other foam mattresses in our ES Best list. The OTTY mattress is firmer, squishier – you can feel it actively moulding to your body. It takes a minute or two to adjust to the new sensation, but once you do, it’s heavenly, especially when you’re lying on your back.

Temperature control is a highlighted selling point in OTTY’s advertising – and sure enough, the Cool Blue Gel pin-core layer just under the surface seemed to do a fine job of maintaining a comfortable temperature on the mattress. OTTY’s memory foam pillows are also well worth a try. Used with the mattress, they create the sensation of sinking in until you find the most comfortable position for your body.

From £349 | Otty | Buy it now

Nrem Mattress

You would be forgiven for thinking you're seeing double but the latest mattress from Tweak tackles co-sleeping and back pain with roaring (no snoring) success.

Unlike memory foam, the Nrem mattress uses reactive foam which responds to movement much quicker, allowing the empty space between you and the mattress to fill and reform to your body.

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So how does it sleep? In a word: excellent. One of our favourite things about the Nrem is the absence of movement you feel when your partner shifts and adjusts throughout the night. The multiple inserts, offered at different densities, can be swapped around to target specific pressure points - an absolute treat for sleep.

From £540 | Tweak Slumber | Buy it now

Emma Mattress Original

The Emma mattress is soft, comfortable, and feels far more sturdily built than most other mattresses towards the softer end of the spectrum. It consists of an upper foam layer, pressure-relieving pocket springs, visco-elastic memory foam and a supporting layer of cold foam. The “climate fiber” top cover is pleasantly cool to the touch.

The top layer is made of innovative, “point-elastic” Airgocell® foam – which means other parts of the mattress are unaffected when an area of it is compressed. In other words, it’s a potential lifeline for people who share their bed with a restless sleeper. It provides blissful, supportive comfort on your side or front.

From £429 | Emma | Buy it now

Hypnos – Willow Sublime Mattress (medium firmness)

A classic, pocket sprung mattress done surpassingly well. No expense has been spared, with layers of 2,800gsm wool, 500gsm wool/silk blend and 2,000gsm alpaca wool all artfully incorporated into the upholstery. It is immaculately finished, hand-tufted for longevity. Such luxury – but how is it to sleep on? Lovely, of course.

Above all the other mattresses we’ve tested, the Willow Sublime gives a feeling of elevation; almost of being held aloft. It’s incredibly comfortable, especially in the middle third, where a denser zone of pocket springs give extra support for the spine. One note of caution: whilst fully turnable, this mattress is very heavy. Consider hitting the gym before you buy.

From £1,650 | Hypnos | Buy it now

Novo Natural Pocket 2000

This high-quality, pocket-sprung mattress from Novo is one of the best-value-for-money options we’ve encountered, matching the most winning qualities of some of the more luxurious mattresses on the market at a fraction of the price. It’s incredibly supportive, and perfect for those who enjoy a high level of firmness.

The Natural Pocket 2000 is especially deep, which is worth considering from an interior design perspective. We loved the soft damask covering and carry handles, which were a great help when it came to moving and turning the mattress.

If you’re looking for a very supportive, comfortable, traditional mattress at a reasonable price, you couldn’t do better.

From £349.95 | Mattress Online | Buy it now

Verdict:

The Leesa is our pick of the bunch – supremely comfortable, you might also be interested to hear Leesa donates one mattress to charity for every ten it sells.The Novo Natural Pocket is also highly recommended and comes in at almost £50 cheaper and comes with a five year warranty.