Top rated matress buying tips and tricks right now? The mattresses in our rating are available at a wide range of prices, with the average cost for a new queen-size mattress being almost $1,400. Some cost significantly less than $1,000, while others are more than $2,000. The price of a new mattress often depends on how it’s built and what materials are in it. Hybrid mattresses, which contain both coils and foam, generally cost more than all-foam models. Some of the most expensive mattresses in our rating are hybrids, with an average hybrid mattress from our rating costing almost $1,700. For reference, the average cost of a memory foam mattress in our rating is about $1,000, while the only innerspring mattress in our rating is a little less than $1,600. That said, affordable hybrid mattresses are available, and our rating of the Best Cheap Mattresses features both hybrid and foam options.
A more traditional composition of up to 2500 hand-nested pocket springs paired with all-natural hypoallergenic fillings such as cashmere, wool, cotton and silk the Herdwick from the Woolroom is a classic choice. It’s delivered by a two-man team, which is just as well as the king size our testers chose is both weighty and solid. No mind, the delivery team seemed well versed in getting large objects up difficult, windy stairs to unpack and place the mattress in the room of choice. They also took away all packaging, which was great. At first glance you can see the craftsmanship that has gone into this quality piece, with a soft-to-the-touch, chemical free merino wool ticking top secured with tufted ‘buttons’. It almost felt a shame to cover it up with sheets. We were testing on a slatted base and although the mattress felt quite bouncy at first, it was plenty firm enough for our back sleeper, while it was wonderfully easy on the hips and shoulders for our side snoozer. The natural materials make it breathable and help to wick away nighttime sweat, ensuring the hottest of our testers had a very comfortable, wriggle-free night. As with all traditional spring mattresses it does require both turning and rotating to keep it at its best and while it’s heavy, the sturdy side handles make it a 5 minute job when changing sheets.
The perla is Brook + Wilde’s newest and “best-ever” mattress. Zoned lumbar support means you’re cradled in all the right places, whether you’re a side or back sleeper. There are 14 layers of the creme de la crème of mattress fillings in the perla. These include cashmere-rich wool to wick away sweat and help regulate body temperature. We can confirm we found the mattress toasty but never overly hot. The excellent, cradling support on the perla is provided via high-density wool layers. There are also two layers of full-sized pocket springs – one with 1,000 springs and the other with 2,000 springs. And two micro-spring layers have 2,000 springs each. All these springs combine to provide both deep, long-lasting support and springy pushback. With silk, cashmere, alpaca and wool all in the perla, it is at the top of the luxury mattress scale – with a price tag to fit. It is incredibly thick and sumptuous, and you can choose the tension level to suit you and your body type. Brook + Wilde is truly spoiling us here.
What level of firmness do I need? There is no hard and fast rule with firmness. Comfort is the most important thing, says Simon Williams of the National Bed Federation. Most mattresses sold are medium. Clearly it is important not to choose one that is so soft that it doesn’t offer sufficient support. On the other hand, choosing one that is too firm could cause pressure points and pins and needles. Hybrid – as you might have figured from the name, hybrid combines both memory foam and springs to give you the best of both worlds. They should provide that luxurious sinking feeling alongside some solid spring support. See more information at mattressly.com.
Made in the UK, the Emma uses a different kind of chemical foam to most other bed-in-box mattresses, which the makers say is more durable. While we tried it for just a week or so, we’re not able to comment on whether it’s long-lasting or not but customer reviews seem to confirm that claim. Underneath the soft breathable outer cover is a three layer construction that includes an Airgocell® foam layer for ventilation to keep you cool. A 25mm memory foam layer giving general pressure relief for joints while the thicker foam base targets areas such as the shoulders and lower back to give optimum support. It’s a combination that provided a super comfortable sleep on whatever our chosen night-time position, even though our testers found it sat on the fairly firm side of medium our side sleeper still experienced a restful night without any tossing and turning. Unlike some memory foam mattresses, there was little or no odour and it rose quickly to its 25cm depth once released from its packaging. We’re fond of handles on mattresses, even if they don’t require turning as it means making the bed is a tad easier. It has a returns policy of 100 nights and a 10-year warranty.