Choosing the best mattress for your body and sleep style is important as you need support and comfort to ensure you sleep well and wake up refreshed. And that’s where our expert mattress buying guide comes in, as here we have everything you need to know about how to pick a comfy new mattress and where to find them.
Our team of expert reviewers have spent hundreds of hours sleeping on the latest innerspring, organic, memory foam and hybrid mattresses to help you find the best one for your sleep needs. Our testers spend at least three weeks sleeping on each mattress, rating them in all key areas including comfort, support, pressure relief, motion isolation and temperature regulation.
The Tom's Guide mattress testing process is editorially independent. We rigorously research and test the latest mattresses to provide well-rounded and accurate recommendations in our guides and reviews. We sleep on each mattress for three weeks on average, testing all key factors and scoring the mattress out of 10. Read our full methodology (opens in new tab) for more information.
You needn’t spend a lot either - our top-rated mattress, for example, starts from under £275. You’ll find breathable and supportive hybrids for warm sleepers and those with back pain in our guide to the best mattresses, as well as memory foam mattresses for pressure relief and a body-cradling feel.
Buying a mattress online is simple too, with free delivery to your door in just a few clicks. Nearly all manufacturers offer a trial period, so you can test your new mattress by actually sleeping on it - rather than lying on it for five minutes in a showroom. Trial periods also serve another purpose: it can take up to three weeks for your body to adjust to a new mattress, so a trial of at least 30 nights gives you the time you need to make sure it really is the best mattress for you.
The best mattresses in 2022 – as rated by experts
Emma is one of the most popular mattress in a box brands, and the Emma Original is the cheapest model it sells. After testing it for an extended period of time, we can easily recommend this as the best mattress is you want a good all-rounder memory foam bed that suits all sleeping positions. In particular, because it’s on the softer side of medium firm, it comfortably cradles your hips and knees when you sleep on your side. And while it does provide a comforting hug feel, it won’t swallow you, making it suitable for back and stomach sleepers too.
During the review process we also found that all of that ample cushioning means the Emma Original is great at absorbing motion, so restless couples will have a better time sleeping on this mattress because you won’t feel each other moving around as much. The all-foam Emma also promotes healthy spinal alignment, which is important for your posture over the long-term (an unsupportive mattress can wreak havoc on your back).
While standard memory foam mattresses can sleep hot, the Emma uses open-pore foam to regulate in-bed temperature. It certainly felt more breathable than other foam models we’ve slept upon, but this isn’t a proper cooling mattress. So if you sleep very hot, look at the Eve Premium Hybrid below as this has a more powerful cooling performance.
Like the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress (our No 2 pick), the Emma’s most attractive feature is the price. It’s the cheapest model in our best mattress UK guide, making it brilliant value for money, second only to the Nectar. The difference is that Nectar runs bigger discounts and also gives you free bedding gifts. Still, if you want a good yet affordable mattress for your bedroom or guest room, the Emma Original is a fantastic choice - we certainly loved sleeping on it.
- Read our full Emma mattress review
Proper cooling mattresses are very expensive, but the Eve Hybrid Premium does a similar job by using top layers of graphite-infused cushioning foam; graphite is a material that quickly draws away excess heat. 1,500 pocket springs toward the bottom of the Eve also keep the air moving freely, which increases how breathable this mattress is. We tested the Eve Hybrid Premium mattress for over three weeks and awarded it a high review score for all key areas.
As the Eve Premium Hybrid is firmer than all-foam models like the Nectar and the Emma Original, you sleep right on top of the mattress where it’s cooler. For these reasons, we recommend the Eve Hybrid Premium as the best choice for people who sleep very hot but don’t have the budget for a high tech cooling mattress. (Compared to the growing US market, cooling mattresses aren’t as widely available in the UK.)
That much firmer feel also makes the Eve Hybrid Premium a good choice for heavier bodies that need extra support to stop them sinking too far into the mattress (not a healthy move for your spine). People with lighter weight bodies may find it too hard though, especially lightweight side sleepers - look at the Emma Original above instead, which offers more cushioning and pressure relief for hips and knees. Just keep in mind that the Emma isn’t as breathable as the Eve or Nectar Memory Foam.
Does your current mattress give you a sore back? Sounds like you need more pressure relief, and the 1,500 pocket springs in the Eve Premium Hybrid will dish this out while keeping your spine aligned in a healthy yet comfy way. The Brook + Wilde Lux (No 5) is worth looking at too, as it offers enhanced shoulder and back care support. Motion transfer is also very good on the Eve, so you shouldn’t be woken up as much by your partner changing position during the night.
- Read our Eve Premium Hybrid mattress review
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is fantastic value for money and is the best option for anyone wanting a comfy, all-foam mattress for less. As a medium firm mattress, during mattress testing we found that it supports most sleeping positions (though it’s especially comfy for side sleepers) and hits that sweet spot between all-body comfort and proper spine alignment. Nectar also runs a 365-night mattress trial (love it or get your money back), so there’s nothing to lose here.
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is made up of five layers of foam that contour to your body and deliver pressure relief around your back, hips and shoulders. This means less aches and pains for you when lying down and upon waking. Unusually for an all-foam mattress, the Nectar doesn’t overheat – our lead mattress reviewer is a hot sleeper yet she didn't end up a sweltering mess after nights on the Nectar.
The Nectar is good for couples too, especially if you or your partner toss and turn a lot in bed. Why? Because it absorbs motion well (so you won’t feel the other person moving so much). There’s also decent edge support, so you can both spread out and enjoy your wider mattress space.
Value for money is the ace card here though. With regular Nectar mattress deals and discounts of up to £520 off plus free gifts worth around £315, the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress out-guns every other pick in our best mattress UK guide. The Emma Original (see above) is cheaper, but it doesn’t come with free gifts.
If you’re unsure about sleeping on an all-foam mattress or need a firmer option for back support, take a look at the Eve Premium Hybrid (No 4). It uses coils as well as foam, so it’s more breathable. Just keep in mind that the Eve is more expensive than the Nectar and the trial period is shorter.
- Read our full Nectar Mattress review
The Simba Hybrid proves that you don’t have to pay over the odds for a great night’s sleep. By design, hybrid mattresses are more breathable than all-foam models – because they use coils or springs, air moves more freely within the mattress – so the Simba is a better choice for people who sleep warm. We have many hot sleepers on our mattress testing panel and none of them overheated on this mattress. The Simba Hybrid uses graphite-infused memory foam, and graphite is a material that aids cooling by dissipating body heat. So if heat doesn’t build-up, the mattress remains cooler. This was certainly our experience when reviewing it.
Hybrids are also firmer by design than all-foam models, making them more supportive for heavier bodies that would otherwise sink too much into a softer mattress (not great for your spine). The Simba Hybrid uses a combination of 2,500 Aerocoil springs and premium foam to deliver this level of consistent support. There’s a support layer and a support base at work here, giving this hybrid a firmer feel from the ground up.
The Simba Hybrid is also popular with people wanting a more eco-friendly mattress, as it uses Simba-Pure CertiPUR certified foam that’s free from toxins that are harmful to you and the planet. There are other organic mattresses worth looking at if you want a more natural sleeping experience (namely, latex mattresses), but these are much more expensive.
The Simba Hybrid has amassed over 92,000 user reviews (as of Sept 2021), generating an average rating of 4.8 out 5 stars, and customers highlight its comfort, support and cooling. The Eve Premium Hybrid (No 2) is another highly rated pick for cooling comfort and back support.
Following over three weeks of testing, we recommend the five-layer DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid as the best mattress for couples because it uses ActivEdge pocket springs to ensure every inch of the surface is supportive. So you can spread out and sleep right up to the edge without any dipping or fear or falling out of bed. Another tick for bed sharers is the support foam base which, along with the 15cm premium pocket springs housed within the fourth layer, isolate motion. (If your mattress lacks motion isolation, the entire thing will feel unstable and whenever you move in bed your partner will feel it.)
DreamCloud is arguably better known in States where the range is bigger, and we've reviewed that mattress too and its just as excellent as this version. For UK sleepers, the Luxury Hybrid Mattress is offered alongside a growing bedding and bedroom furniture range, and it also comes as part of four different mattress bundles. Like its sister brand Nectar Sleep, DreamCloud offers a 365-night risk-free trial, so you’ll have a year to try yours out at home to ensure it’s the best choice for your sleep. There’s free delivery and returns too, though you’ll pay £40 if you want DreamCloud to remove your old mattress (this doesn’t happen on the same day as delivery).
Like most hybrid mattresses, the DreamCloud has a firmer feel than all-foam options and would suit heavier body weights in addition to couples and restless sleepers who move around a lot in bed. A layer of support foam should keep you comfy in most sleeping positions, but especially when back and stomach sleeping. If you sleep on your side you might be comfier on a squishier mattress such as the Emma Original. We do like how breathable this one is though, and that’s down to better airflow in and around those pocket springs, plus the layer of Dream Plush memory foam and a breathable quilted top cover.
While the RRP is in line with other premium hybrids, the DreamCloud mattress sales knock a big chunk of the Luxury Hybrid’s price tag. That makes it fiercely competitive for a hybrid made with such high quality materials, and a real contender to Simba’s hybrid crown. Just like the Emma Original at number one, we loved sleeping on the DreamCloud and scored it highly in our review.
Luxury sleep brand Brook + Wilde manufactures its mattresses in the UK and focuses on making the best mattresses for relieving pressure across your body so that you feel more comfy during sleep. We had a double size Lux Mattress delivered to our lead reviewer's home for testing, and as it arrived via free White Glove Delivery, the mattress was placed on the bed frame ready for testing.
The six-layer Lux comprises a sturdy foam base, followed by a layer of 1,000 pocket springs (you need these for a little bounce). Next up is a central layer of foam moulded into a wave design to keep your spine aligned and to boost support and comfort to your shoulders.
Brooke + Wilde has also added in 2,000 mini springs that respond to your every move in bed (again, to reduce pressure points), and a layer of cooling memory foam to make the Lux more breathable. That foam pulls double duty to reduce how much you feel your partner fidgeting next to you while you’re trying to sleep. Put another way, if you sleep warm, or you need back and shoulder support, or if you share a bed with a restless sleeper, the Brooke + Wilde Lux could make a noticeable difference to how well you sleep.
At £899 for a double size six-layer mattress, the Brook + Wilde Lux is reasonably priced compared to its competition. We particularly like the choice of three firmness levels, and the addition of dedicated shoulder support from the brand’s own Wave technology. If the mattress isn’t right, Brook + Wilde will exchange it for a different firmness or give you a full refund but only after 30 days of the 100-night trial.
Delivery takes place within two weeks for the Lux (it’s up to eight weeks on the brand’s Ultima mattresses), so if you need a new mattress asap, and you want a hybrid model we’d suggest the Simba instead. It has a similar price (cheaper with a discount), but admittedly it isn’t as luxurious as the Brook + Wilde.
- Read our Brook + Wilde Lux mattress review
Sealy is an established UK mattress brand, and the medium firm Teramo Latex 1400 (also known as the Nostromo 1400) is one of its more popular models. This comfy hybrid mattress takes its name from a layer of 1,400 cased pocket springs used to deliver proper spinal alignment and all-night pressure relief. A 2.5cm latex layer boosts comfort, support and cooling (latex is a naturally cooling material).
The cosy pillow top doubles down on that in-bed comfort, and because the Tencel cover is antimicrobial, it keeps dust mites at bay to ensure your mattress remains fresher for longer. At 30cm in height the Teramo Latex 1400 is also one of the tallest options in our best mattress UK guide, which is good news for comfort levels, but it does mean that you’ll need a deeper fitted sheet if you add on a bed topper.
One of the main issues when sharing a bed is space. Namely, that you and your partner have enough to feel comfortable during sleep. The Teramo Latex 1400 has a reinforced edge so that you can really spread out without feeling like you might tumble off the bed any second. It distributes weight evenly too, which is important for combination sleepers who shift position throughout the night. Why? Because if the mattress doesn’t redistribute your weight quickly, you could end up feeling more pressure (discomfort) on your body.
The Teramo Latex 1400 is a medium firm model that best suits back sleepers, stomach sleepers and people with a heavier body weight. If you’re a dedicated side sleeper or have a lighter weight body, and you aren’t completely sold on a hybrid, check out the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress or the Emma Original further up this guide. For a softer hybrid, choose the Brook + Wilde Lux in soft or medium.
Caring for the Teramo Latex 1400 is easy as it doesn’t need to be flipped, just rotated every 3-6 months. Rotating it is simple to do thanks to the reinforced handles on both sides. The Sealy Teramo Latex 1400 comes with a five-year guarantee and free delivery. Compared to the competition from newer brands, this Sealy mattress is more expensive, but it’s often up to 45% off.
The Tempur Hybrid is known for its full body contouring comfort and is the best choice for people with back and neck pain who need pressure relief in multiple sleeping positions. This Tempur comes in three versions: the Supreme (21cm tall), Elite (25cm) and Luxe (30cm). Each uses Advanced Tempur material - the brand’s famous pressure-relieving foam, originally developed by NASA to boost in-flight comfort. It also uses sci-fi-sounding visco-elastic cells that adapt to your posture during sleep, but there’s much more at play here.
In fact, there’s more sleep tech here than in any other model in our best mattress UK guide. Tempur-Pedic’s Dynamic Support technology, plus a series of pocketed micro coil springs, is responsible for comfort, while a DuraBase minimises motion transfer and keeps the entire mattress stable. If you have a heavier body, the Elite offers 3cm more Dynamic Support, plus 1cm more Tempur magic to boost your comfort. The Luxe version is the deepest, most plush of the three, and all three come in 10 different sizes, including longer models, making it an excellent choice if you’re tall.
The removable mattress cover is another benefit as you can machine wash it (at temperatures of up to 60°C) to kill dust mites and other allergens. The Elite and Luxe models take this up a gear with a premium zippable QuickFresh cover. Either way, your actual Tempur mattress will be better protected from stains and bacteria.
As well as being known for high levels of contouring comfort, Tempur-Pedic mattresses have higher price tags. The Tempur Hybrid is no exception, but considering the average lifespan is 8-10 years on a model of this type, it’s a small price to pay for comfier sleep. You’ll get 100 nights to try the mattress for yourself, and if you change your mind, Tempur-Pedic will collect it and issue you a refund. Like the Sealy Teramo 1400 above, we often see the Tempur Hybrid mattress on sale, so it’s rare that you’ll have to pay full price. The brand also sits at the top of our best mattress topper guide, so that's also worth looking out for.
The Dormeo S Plus Evolution is designed for people who wake up often throughout the night because they can’t get comfy (or they don’t stay comfy for long). Even better, it has a clever trick up its sleeve: this innovative mattress is divided into two halves, each of which can be flipped to a softer or firmer surface. Simply unzip the cover and choose the side you each want.
If that isn’t enough customisation, you can choose which end to have at the top. Dormeo’s all-foam Octasprings fall into zones, so we recommend keeping them closer to your head and neck for more bounce, or rotating the mattress the other way for more support at the shoulders.
The Dormeo S Plus Evolution’s Octaspring technology also delivers plenty of ventilation, as does the mattress’s breathable and elastic Ecocell foam. The mattress cover provides an anti-bacterial sweat-wicking layer that is also dust-mite resistant, making it ideal if you suffer from allergies.
There’s lots on offer here, which is good considering the more premium price. There are two downsides though. The first is that there’s only a 60-night trial, which is nearly half as short as the other brands in our best mattress guide, but that should still give you a good feel for the mattress (experts recommend at least 30 days). Secondly, while delivery is free, you will have to pay to have the mattress returned if you change your mind. Even so, this is a great quality hybrid offering a lot of comfort customisation for couples.
The Silentnight Studio Original Mattress is a popular choice among people shopping for an affordable bed-in-a-box with a medium firmness that suits most sleepers of average build and height. It’s particularly comfortable for back and side sleepers, with gel infused memory foam on hand to cradle your body from head to toe. That foam is also responsible for pressure relief on your key impact points (back, hips).
On top of the Studio Original lies a soft knit cover made using 3D fabric tech, while underneath that sits the zoned, body contouring memory foam. That’s housed within a protective casing to safeguard your mattress from wear and tear. This isn’t the fanciest Silentnight mattress by any stretch, and there are comfier and more innovative options further up this guide, but if you want a no-frills memory foam bed that suits back and side sleepers, then the Silentnight Studio Original Mattress is a good choice.
It will come rolled up and vacuum sealed, and from the day of delivery you’ll have 60 nights to make sure it’s right. If it isn’t, you can contact Silentnight for an alternative mattress. Yes, that means there’s no refund option here, which we don’t like. The warranty also pales in comparison to what Nectar offers, and for a cheaper price too. Still when the Studio Original Mattress is on sale it’s a very competitive price for a mid-range mattress for single sleepers and couples. And at just £699 for a king size, you can imagine how fast this one sells out when there’s a discount applied.
What is the best type of mattress?
There is no one mattress type to rule them all. Instead, the best type of mattress for you depends upon a few key factors including your body weight and whether you have any specific health or posture needs. When buying a new mattress, you’ll come across these four main types:
Memory foam mattresses
A fantastic choice for anyone who likes to feel hugged during sleep. All-foam mattresses are cosy, but basic foams can sleep warm (they retain heat). The exceptions are breathable or open-pored foam materials as used on the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress and the Emma Original. Read our dedicated guide to the best memory foam mattresses to learn more.
Hybrid mattresses
You’ll find the most innovative mattress materials within hybrid mattresses, which is one reason why they are more expensive than all-foam models. They are more breathable by design (they use coils, around which air moves more freely), making them a good mattress type for warm sleepers.
You may be surprised at how firm they feel compared to a foam mattress though, so keep this in mind if you enjoy soft beds.
Innerspring mattresseses
These use coils (interconnected or pocket spring) to offer more bounce than foam models, and aren’t quite as firm as hybrids. The more springs your mattress has the more support it gives.
Innerspring mattresses are also a good choice for hot sleepers as, again, air moves freely through them. They can feel a little firm to begin with, so consider adding one of the best mattress toppers to increase your comfort.
Latex mattresses
A good choice for people who want a more natural mattress with lower levels of toxins. Latex is cooling, durable and long-lasting, giving you good sleep comfort and value for money over the long-term. That also means latex mattresses are usually more expensive than mattresses made using synthetic materials.
How to choose the best mattress for you
Choosing a good mattress for you begins with thinking about your current sleep challenges. Do you often wake up because you feel too hot? Does your restless partner wake you up with their tossing and turning? These are all legitimate criteria to keep in mind when picking a new mattress.
Here's our handy checklist to help you find the best mattress for your sleep:
1. What is your dominant sleeping position?
Most mattresses are supportive for all positions, but you’ll find that they normally excel at one or two. For example, memory foam offers extra cushioning during side sleeping, while hybrids offer better support for back sleepers.
2. Are you sharing with a restless sleeper?
Motion isolation is what you need to look for. Your sleep will be less disturbed if you pick a mattress with ample foam and springs to isolate motion and evenly distribute weight from you and your partner across the entire mattress.
3. Do you sleep hot?
Choose a breathable mattress. Look for materials such as open cell or perforated foam, or gel-infused foam, or the inclusion of cooling materials such as copper and graphite. Generally speaking, hybrids are more breathable than foam as air flows better in and around their coils or springs. Make sure you have a cooling duvet too.
4. What is your budget?
The likes of Emma Sleep and Nectar Sleep prove that a good mattress needn’t cost the earth, so you have more options available to you than you first thought. Usually, mattress prices are at their lowest late November, making Black Friday mattress deals the best way to upgrade for less.
How to choose the right mattress firmness
How soft or firm a mattress feels is rated from 1 (marshmallow soft) to 10 (hard as a log). A medium firmness is one of the most popular choices because it hits that sweet spot between comfort and support.
That said, the feel of a mattress is subjective. When we test them, for example, we often experience them in different ways because members of our review team have different body weights.
Here's how to choose the best mattress firmness for you...
If you weigh 130lbs or less, you will feel comfier on a softer mattress (rated 2-4), especially if you are a lighter weight side sleeper. A softer innerspring or memory foam bed is a good choice here, as it provides cushioning around your back, hips, knees and shoulders. But if you enjoy the feel of a medium firm mattress, anything rated up to a 5 would also suit you.
If you weigh 130lbs to 230lbs, a medium or medium-firm mattress (rated 5-7) will provide the support and spinal alignment you need for a healthy sleep posture. Pick a medium or medium-firm memory foam mattress if you want a cradling effect on your body, or a medium to medium-firm hybrid if you want a slightly firmer feel.
For people who weigh over 230lbs, especially if you co-share your bed with another person weighing over that amount, pick a medium-firm mattress (7 out of 10). That level of firmness will ensure you sleep on top of the mattress, rather than sinking into it, so you will remain in alignment during sleep.
How to choose a mattress for your sleep position
Back sleepers
If you sleep on your back, choose a medium-firm mattress to keep you on top of the mattress, rather than letting you sink in. This is vital for back sleeping because you want neutral spine alignment to avoid any pain.
Stomach sleepers
Like back sleepers, you should steer clear of soft mattresses if you snooze on your front. A medium mattress is best for you. Pick one that’s too firm or too soft and it will throw your spine out of alignment and put pressure on your back.
Side sleepers
Your main pressure points in this sleep position are shoulders, hips and knees, so pick a soft to medium mattress with cushioning to relieve pressure around those points. Memory foam is a great choice for side sleepers. For more guidance, read our guide to the best mattress for side sleepers.
When is the best time to buy a new mattress?
If you want the cheapest mattress prices and good discounts, the best time to buy a new mattress is on Black Friday, which falls on the last November of every year.
This is when we see big price drops from major sleep brands, as they are competing with one another for your holiday season custom. Our guide to Black Friday mattress deals contains everything you need to know to help you save the most money.
It's a superb time to buy more expensive mattresses for less too, including expensive cooling models and the best organic mattresses, which normally cost a lot more than other types because they use certified organic materials.
What is the best mattress in the UK right now?
We think the Emma Original is the best as its fantastic value for money and comfortable for all sleep styles. Yes it sleeps a little warm, but for the low price the Emma Original is unbeatable – and it’s often up to 50% off at Emma (opens in new tab). It comes on a 200-night risk-free trial, with a 10-year warranty.
Alternatively, if you have a bigger budget and want a cooler mattress with a firmer feel, we’d recommend the Simba Hybrid Original. At 25cm it’s the same height as the Emma and offers good motion isolation, but because it uses a mix of coils and foam, air moves more freely around it. You can normally save up to 41% on hybrids at Simba (opens in new tab) too.
