The question The average person spends 26 years of their life in bed, so your mattress matters. But the choice can be knackering. (Memory foam? Pocket sprung?) And – when John Lewis’s most expensive mattress costs £16,299 – how much is sensible to spend?
The basics Since 2012, Which? experts have tested more than 700 mattresses, with the cheapest costing £99 from Ikea and the most expensive being £3,870 from Vispring.
The method To assess the mattresses, testers used several objective methods, such as simulating a decade’s worth of sleep by rolling barrels, thousands of times, over them and then measuring any sag. They were placed in humidity chambers to test their breathability in hot conditions and warmth in cold ones. Which? also tested if each mattress was simple to carry, gauged whether it was easy to roll over on and measured the position of a sleeper’s spine to check it provided adequate support. (Softness and firmness are not viewed as a positive or negative, because comfort is a personal preference – instead testers gave a measurement of 1 to 10 for firm to soft.)
The thing to remember Unlike other product experts, Which? buys the items before testing them. That means there’s no relying on freebies and no biased results.
See the full range of expert-recommended mattresses at which.co.uk/mattress
BEST BUDGET Ikea Vestmarka Firm
Type Open coil
Size Double
Weight 20kg
Firm/soft rating (1 = firm, 10 = soft) 3.6
Manufacturer guarantee 10 years
What works? It’s light, so quite portable. Which? testers found it provides excellent spine support and could last a decade of sleeping without sagging. It’s also breathable.
What’s the catch? It’s very bouncy, so a bedfellow’s movements might disturb you. Also, the cover can’t be taken off to wash.
BEST MID RANGE Eve Original
Type Foam
Size Double
Weight 24kg
Firm/soft rating (1 = firm, 10 = soft) 5.1 Manufacturer guarantee 10 years
What works? It comes rolled up, so it’s easy to install. Support-wise, it’s good – though testers found it was best for back and front sleepers. Its durability is fantastic: it showed no sagging after a decade of simulated sleep.
What’s the catch? Despite its 200-night trial, it’s only free to return within 40 days.
BEST BLOWOUT Sealy Elevate Ultra Antuco
Type Hybrid foam and spring
Size Double
Weight 35kg
Firm/soft rating (1 = firm, 10 = soft) 8.4
Manufacturer guarantee 7 years
What works? Testers scored it highly for breathability – it’s great in the heat. It also has good spinal support, so your body weight is evenly distributed.
What’s the catch? The price, obviously. And the guarantee is only seven years, not ten. It’s a bit bouncy, too: co-sleepers beware.
