I just tried Dunelm's bestselling mattress topper – it feels like snuggling into a giant teddy bear and it's now under £15

I put Dunelm's bestselling Teddy Bear Topper to the test to see how it performed in comparison to the best mattress toppers on the market.

In a nutshell

Just like all of Dunelm's bestselling Teddy Bear bedding collection, the fleecy Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper feels super soft and snuggly to the touch.

It's also very affordable, with prices starting from just £18 for the single and £22 for a double mattress size.

However, this topper is only around 1-2cm deep, so it doesn't add much in terms of cushioning or support, and I found it didn't make much difference to the overall feel of my bed.

What it does do is add an extra layer of cosiness, which makes it a budget-friendly addition to the bed when cold weather hits – especially if you choose to sleep directly on top of it, which you can, because it's machine-washable and dries super-fast.

Because it's made of fleecy recycled polyester it reflects your body heat back towards you, making the bed feel a little bit warmer on cold winter nights – a plus point for cold sleepers, although hot sleepers may find they overheat.

All in all, it won't transform the feel of your bed, but it's a very affordable way to add some extra warmth and cosiness to your sleep set-up in winter.

Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper review

Specifications

• RRP: £18 / £22 / £25 / 30
• Sizes: single / double / king / super-king
• Depth: 1-2cm
• Construction: 100% recycled polyester
• Care instructions: machine washable at 40°c, line dry or tumble dry on a low heat setting
• Manufacturer sleep trial: no

Attaching the topper to the bed

The Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper has wide elasticated straps underneath each corner, which make it very easy to hook over the corners of your mattress and attach. Those straps also seemed pretty secure; during testing, I didn't find the topper sprang off.

However, I did find that the topper itself scrimped on size. I tested a double, and it just reached the edges of my double mattress. But, during the night I found my body weight meant the topper edges no longer reached the mattress edge. This left an uncomfortable ridge at the topper edges, so I'd advise sizing up to avoid that happening.

Comfort

The Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper is super soft and fluffy. It's named well because the minute you touch it you immediately want to pick it up and snuggle it like you would the softest teddy bear, or snuggle into it which is more appropriate in this case.

Kids will love how it feels, and this grown-up loved how it felt too. When I added it to the bed it immediately made me want to climb in and get cosy.

However, I was a little confused about whether I was meant to sleep directly on it or not. Usually, a mattress topper goes underneath your bottom sheet. But mattress toppers don't usually feel this snuggly, and putting a sheet over it seemed a bit of a shame.

In the end, I tried it both ways and preferred it without the sheet. The topper is machine washable at 40°c (which most toppers aren't) so it shouldn't be a problem sleeping directly on it.

That said, snuggliness aside, this topper doesn't really offer a lot else. It's only 1-2cm deep and it's made from 100% polyester, so although it adds a smidgeon of padding to the bed, it doesn't offer any proper cushioning or support.

It isn't a topper that's going to transform how your bed feels. You need a deeper or more structured topper, like the supportive Simba Hybrid Topper, the cushioned Panda Topper, or the firmer IKEA NISSHOLME Topper for that.

What it will do is add an indulgent snuggliness to the bed, and some extra warmth – more on that next.

Temperature regulation

This topper is made from recycled polyester, and synthetic materials generally aren't very breathable. When they're used in bedding that means they don't regulate temperature very well, instead they reflect body heat back towards the sleeper.

That's exactly what I found happened when sleeping on top of the Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper. I was much warmer than usual the minute I added this topper to my bed.

If you're a cold sleeper, this could be a big bonus, as it makes this topper brilliantly cosy on cold winter nights.

However, if you're a hot sleeper (like me) you may find yourself waking up hot and sticky due to that lack of breathability. One of the best cooling mattress toppers this is not. If that's what you're looking for the wool-filled Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper is a much better bet. That offers the same level of cosiness in winter, but great breathability and temperature regulation in the summer too.

Care instructions

One of the big bonuses of the Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper is that, unlike many mattress toppers, it can be machine washed at 40°c and either line dried or tunble dried on a low setting. Because it's 100% polyester I also found it dried super fast.

This could make it a good choice for a kids bed, and also means you can sleep directly on top of this topper (without a sheet in between) to make the most of its super soft fleecy finish.

Sleep trial

There's no sleep trial available on the Dunelm Teddy Mattress Topper, but Dunelm stores are fairly widespread so you should be able to go in and handle one in-store to see if you like the feel of it.

And that's really all you need to know, because beyond its cuddly texture and the fact it makes for a warmer sleep, there isn't a lot else this topper brings to the bed.

Verdict

This topper won't transform the feel of your bed. It's only 1-2cm thick so it doesn't add enough cushioning or support to soften up a firm mattress that much and it won't ease any aches or pains.

However, it is super soft and cuddly and feels lovely to snuggle into. Plus, its fleecy texture took the chill off the sheets and kept me really warm during the night. It's also very affordable and easy to care for.

Personally, I wouldn't want to use it in summer, as it would cause me to overheat, but if you're looking for a way to take the chill off your bed in winter, (and you don't want to add one of the best electric blankets), this topper is super snuggly and cosy.

Plus, you get to go to sleep feeling like you're snuggled into a giant fluffy teddy bear. And what could be better than that?!