This article was updated on 20.06.25 to reflect additional product testing and shortlist my five top recommendations for the best mattress you can buy.
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- 100 years of industry expertise
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- 100+ mattresses showroom-tested
- 40+ mattresses reviewed at home
Finding the best mattress for your sleep needs can make a huge difference to the quality of your sleep. I should know, I spent years considering myself a 'bad sleeper', tossing, turning, and overheating in bed, before I realised it was my mattress to blame.
What I've learned as Ideal Home’s Sleep Editor is that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to finding the right mattress. But, if you don't live near a mattress showroom and you don't want to order an online mattress unseen, mattress shopping can be tricky.
That's why I’ve spent the last four years testing the comfort of over 100 mattresses – including bestsellers from Emma, Silentnight, Hypnos, Tempur, and many more – to find the best mattress for side sleepers, back sleepers, hot sleepers, and all sorts of budgets.
Overall, the Simba Hybrid Original mattress remains one of the best I’ve tested. However, there are more great options on the market, and this guide will narrow down the best fit for you.
Best mattresses 2025: shop now
- Best mattress overall: Simba Hybrid Original
- Best mattress for back pain: Sealy Newton Posturepedic
- Best mattress for side sleepers: Hypnos Pillow Top Select
- Best memory foam mattress: Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool
- Best budget mattress-in-a-box: DreamCloud Hybrid
How I test
I have personally lain on over 100 mattresses in-store, at trade shows, and through at-home testing. Following this research, I selected only the top candidates to put through our rigorous Ideal Home mattress testing.
This means that over 40 mattresses have been slept on at home for a month, by either me or one of our expert testing panel, to assess cushioning, support, temperature regulation, motion isolation, and edge support in real-life conditions. I also assess any sleep trials, the delivery process, value for money, and, where possible, take into account third-party reviews and environmental impact.
Each mattress we test is then rated out of 5 stars, and I've chosen the five best mattresses overall to include in this guide. However, you can find all the sleep surfaces we've tested on our mattress reviews page.
Best mattress overall
The Hybrid Original is Simba's bestselling mattress, and once I got it onto my bed, I could easily see why.
This is technically a hybrid mattress, but the memory foam top layer is paired with micro rather than full-sized springs. Prior to testing, I wondered if this would mean it felt too soft, but it feels bang-on medium-firm, with just the right mix of support and cushioning pressure relief around my hip and shoulder when I sleep on my side.
No wonder our expert testing panel has dubbed it the 'Goldilocks of mattresses – not too soft or too firm'. Although if you're a heavier weight sleeper, I would recommend opting for the Simba Hybrid Pro mattress instead. This has more spring support.
As a hot sleeper prone to overheating on memory foam, I've also been impressed by its temperature regulation. The synthetic fill isn't as breathable as a mattress filled with natural materials, like the Hypnos Pillow Top Select further down this list, but Simba's graphite-infused open-cell memory foam sleeps cooler than any other memory foam mattress I've tested.
Add to that good motion isolation, a sleep trial that allows you to test out the mattress for 200 nights in your own home, great third-party reviews, a hassle-free delivery process, Simba's ongoing commitment to lowering its environmental impact, *and* great value for money, and I think the Simba Hybrid Original rightly deserves its 5-star rating.
Tested by: Amy and Linda – Linda's full Simba Hybrid Original mattress review has more detail.
Best mattress for back pain
If your current mattress is causing you back pain, then it may be the wrong tension for you. Most likely, it will be too soft and lacking in support.
Experts say the best mattress for back pain is one that's medium-firm, however, our weight has a significant impact on how firm a mattress feels for us. The best way to solve this is to opt for a mattress that comes in different tension options so you can find the right feel for you. Like the Sealy Newton Posturepedic, which is available in both medium or firm tension to suit your build.
The Newton is also my top recommendation if you love a firm mattress in general. Thanks to its mix of latex comfort layer and spring support, this is one of the few mattresses I've found that feels firm without feeling *hard* (there's an important difference).
That latex comfort layer means that, unlike many memory foam mattresses, I felt I was lying 'on' the mattress rather than 'in' it during testing. This is important if you have back pain, as you don't want to be struggling to fight out of a memory foam 'hug' to change position in the night.
Plus, this mattress has another vital feature if you're prone to back pain, and that's the best edge support I've come across in any mattress. This means there's no dipping (and painful spinal adjustments) if you roll too close to the edge, and there's firm support for getting in and out of bed.
Tested by: Amy and Rachel – find the full details in Rachel's Sealy Newton Posturepedic mattress review.
Best mattress for side sleepers
I'm a side sleeper, and I'm also a hot sleeper, so for me, the Hypnos Pillow Top Select is the ideal mattress.
This is a traditional pocket spring mattress filled with a sewn-on 'pillow top' packed full of cushioning natural materials. I find the padded top is perfect for side sleeping, offering just enough comfort and pressure relief to avoid any tension in my shoulder or hip during the night.
Thanks to its medium tension, the mattress also has a little give to it, which I find helps me to get more comfortable on my side than a firmer mattress would.
The Simba Hybrid Original mattress is another great option for a side sleeper – my mum sleeps on her side, and she prefers the Simba option as she finds its memory foam top layer moulds around her shoulder and hip better – but, as a hot sleeper, for me, the Hypnos wins out.
That's because the fact that the Hypnos' pillow top layer is also packed with natural breathable materials – wool, kapok, and cotton – means it's also super breathable. In the two years I've been sleeping on this mattress, I've found it the coolest mattress I've tested by far, plus, I love the fact that it's a far more environmentally friendly option than a mattress that uses memory foam.
Tested by: Amy – my Hypnos Pillow Top mattress review has more detail.
Best memory foam mattress
This is the best memory foam mattress I've tested. That's partly because, unlike most all-foam mattresses, it comes in four tension options – soft, medium, medium-firm, and firm – making it much easier to find the right tension option for you, no matter your body weight.
Every time I lie down on this mattress, I let out a sigh of contentment – it's that comfortable. I actually tested this mattress's predecessor, the TEMPUR Sensation mattress, whilst I was moving house. Every muscle in my body ached from lugging heavy storage boxes around, but this mattress moulded around me to cushion every joint at night, making for a pain-free sleep. If you have joint pain, it's a great choice.
However, as a hot sleeper, I did struggle with overheating on that older version of the mattress. Thankfully, TEMPUR took note, and this new-and-improved version comes with SmartCool to offer better temperature regulation. My colleague, Jullia, tested it out and testifies to its effectiveness.
That movement-dampening memory foam is also brilliant at motion isolation, so it's the perfect mattress if you share a bed with a fidgety sleep partner. The downside is that I did find its cocooning memory foam 'hug' could be difficult to get out of. Because it moulded around me so well, it was sometimes an effort to change position in the night. Plus, both Jullia and I found its edge support lacking. Sit down to put your socks on, and it's hard to get up.
Do I forgive those niggles for the comfort it offers? Yes. Everyone I've enlisted to lie down on this mattress has made the same 'ooooh' of delight.
Tested by: Amy and Jullia – Jullia's full Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress review has more detail.
Best budget mattress
Our expert tester, Rachel, slept on this mattress for a month, and having compared it to numerous similarly affordable options – including the £649 Simba Hybrid Essential, the £449 REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000, the £418 Emma Hybrid Original, and the £219 IKEA VALEVÅG Pocket Sprung mattress – she rated it one of the best purse-friendly mattresses she slept on.
It's a hybrid mattress with a pocket spring base and memory foam top layer that impressed with its medium-firm tension. This is something I've struggled to find in mattresses below the £500 price point – generally a lower price point means less springs and a softer feel. 'I slept so well on my side, and on my back I found it was firm enough to prevent my hips and lower back from dipping too low', says Rachel.
The DreamCloud Hybrid's motion isolation also scored well, 'my husband often comes to bed later than me,' says Rachel, 'and on some mattresses the movement reverberation of him getting in wakes me, but not on this mattress.' Rachel also found its edge support to be the best of all the budget mattresses shes tested. 'That meant when the kids climbed into our bed, I could lie right on its edge without any feeling I was about to roll out,' Rachel shares.
Overall, I still think my first choice, the Simba Hybrid Original mattress is the best value mattress you can buy. But if you're on a strict budget (and there are no Simba deals on when you come to shop), then you might want a cheaper alternative. In which case, at £525 for a full-price double, the DreamCloud Hybrid mattress is my top choice for best budget mattress, plus, its 365-night sleep trial is the longest in the business.
Tested by: Rachel – her DreamCloud Hybrid mattress review has the full lowdown.
Mattress comparison at a glance
Mattress | Price (Double) | Ideal Home Rating | Sleep Trial | Delivery Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
£799 | 5 | 200 nights | room of choice + white glove | |
£1,400 | 4.5 | 40 night (exchange only) | room of choice | |
£1,525 | 4.5 | varies by retailer | varies by retailer | |
£1,999 | 4.5 | 100 nights | white glove | |
£525 | 4 | 365 nights | room of choice |
Best of the rest
I've kept this shortlist to just the five best mattresses I've tested, but you might be considering another mattress and wondering how we rate it. If so you'll find all Ideal Home's testing on our mattress reviews page. These are a few alternatives worth a mention.
- Best Emma mattress: if you want the convenience of a mattress-in-a-box, an Emma mattress might be high on your wishlist. In our tests, we preferred a Simba mattress-in-a-box all in all, but our tester, Molly, felt the Emma Hybrid ThermoSync mattress was the best of Emma's offering.
- Best IKEA mattress: similarly, I haven't found an IKEA mattress that can outrank any of the mattresses in my shortlist, but thanks to the wide selection of showrooms across the country, they're a convenient choice if you want to test in person. Plus, the brand's mattresses are *affordable*. My top recommendation is the IKEA VALEVÅG pocket sprung mattress it's softer than I'd have liked, but it's just £219 for a double.
- Best kids mattress: yes, little ones need mattresses too, and there are key differences between a kids and an adult's mattress. Jen and her daughter rated the Simba Hybrid Kids mattress as the best-in-class children's mattress.
Our expert testing panel
I'm Amy, and I've spent the last four years testing mattresses from all the leading mattress brands, as well as the best pillows, duvets, toppers, and all things sleep-related. I’m a hot sleeper, so the super breathable Hypnos Pillow Top Select mattress is what's currently on my bed, although it was hard to part with the Simba Hybrid Original after testing.
I'm Rachel, a side sleeper and a mother of two who's recently put a whole host of under £500 mattresses through Ideal Home's testing process to find the best budget-friendly buys. After lugging more than ten mattresses up our narrow staircase, my husband and I were more than happy to collapse onto the winner, the DreamCloud Hybrid mattress.
I'm Jullia, one of the Ideal Home team's Certified Experts in product testing. My partner and I recently tested and reviewed the TEMPUR Pro Plus SmartCool mattress, and it easily delivered the best night's sleep we've had in a long time. The only problem is finding motivation to climb out of bed in the morning.
I'm Zoë, a product tester and mum of three who specialises in sleep content. I've spent numerous years writing about all things sleep-related for The Independent, The Evening Standard, and many more. My husband and I sleep on Hypnos Wool Origins 6 mattress at home, and regularly test out new sleep launches for Ideal Home.
I'm Jen, a mother of two with 10 years of experience as an editor and product reviewer specialising in home appliances, smart tech, and mattresses. Myself and my 4-year-old daughter regularly test out childrens' mattress for Ideal Home. Our favourite so far? The Simba Hybrid Kids mattress, which my daughter couldn't wait to jump into (and onto).
I'm Molly, one of the Ideal Home team's Content Editors and Certified Experts. My partner (who is a hot sleeper, and roughly the temperature of the sun's surface during the night) and I have put a roster of Emma mattresses through Ideal Home's testing process – from the Emma Original to the Emma Hybrid ThermoSync mattress.
How to choose a mattress
Finding the best mattress for your most comfortable night's sleep can be tricky. That's because we each have different needs, and things like our preferred sleeping position, our weight, and any aches and pains can all affect which sleep surface will suit us best.
If we share a bed, we might also need to consider motion isolation and edge support, and good temperature regulation if we, or our sleep partner, are prone to overheating.
If you can, it's a good idea to test out a range of different mattresses in-store to find out what feels comfortable for you before you order. My guide to how to test a mattress in-store has all my top tips if you do head to a showroom.
Alternatively, most online retailers now offer sleep trials, which are a great way to thoroughly test a mattress at home to make sure it's for you before you commit.
FAQS
What's the most highly recommended mattress?
The Simba Hybrid Original is the mattress I recommend the most. It's a great all-rounder that offers a good level of cushioning and support for most people, and at under £800, it's also great value. I know multiple people who own this mattress, and I haven't heard any complaints.
Plus, as a brand, the popular mattress-in-a-box retailer comes highly recommended by a lot of people. As of writing, Simba has over 55,000 reviews on Trustpilot, and its customer satisfaction rating averages an impressive 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Which is the best mattress brand?
After four years of testing mattresses, I think these are the best mattress brands. If you’re looking for an affordable mattress, I've always been impressed by Simba, Silentnight, and Sleepeezee. Sealy is a great choice for a firmer mattress, and Tempur offers some of the best memory foam mattresses if you want a mattress that really cushions the joints. If breathability and a cooler sleep are important to you, opt for a natural mattress; Hypnos, Harrison Spinks, Button & Sprung, and naturalmat are all great brands to consider.
Which type of mattress is best?
When it comes to mattresses, no particular type is 'best'. It's all about finding the right mattress for your sleep needs.
Memory foam mattresses are popular due to their affordability, convenient mattress-in-a-box delivery, and the good cushioning they offer to joints, whereas a sprung mattress may be best if you want more support and durability, or if you're a hot sleeper who wants a mattress with more breathability for a cooler sleep.
Then there are hybrid mattresses. These are popular because they offer a cushioned top layer and sprung base support, so you get the main benefits of foam and springs in one sleep surface.
