I tested the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress to see if it's worth the £2,000 price tag – I've never slept so well in my entire life

Our Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress review puts the brand’s most advanced and adaptive mattress through its paces to see how it compares to the best mattresses Ideal Home has tested so far.

Quick review

Truth be told, I’ve always been one to settle for mattresses that were simply serviceable and not all too fancy. I’d take the discomfort and feeling of spring beneath me as I slept as standard and thought that maybe this was just how it was supposed to be. But, after testing the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress for more than two months, it’s safe to say I’ll be staying ‘team memory foam’ for the foreseeable future. I've never slept so well in my entire life.

The Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool features the brand’s most advanced material for what they claim to be the ‘best ever pressure relief’, and promises to adapt as you move, absorbing motion all the while. I must say, it gave me the right support and cushioning that I didn’t even know was possible. Plus, with four different feels to choose from – soft, medium, medium firm, and firm – you can rest assured that your mattress will be tailored to your preferences.

Although I didn’t know a lot about memory foam before testing this Tempur mattress, I knew that they can sometimes have a bad rap for hot sleepers. However, thanks to the brand’s SmartCool technology, the cover is cool to the touch and I was noticeably more comfortable at night than I have been with past mattresses. However, even with all its fantastic talking points, it’s not perfect.

During testing, I found that it lacked quite a bit of edge support, and veering too much to my side of the bed could quickly make the night go south. It also takes a slight bit of effort to climb out of bed in the morning as the memory foam is so incredibly cushioned, and paired with the measly edge support it can be quite the fight – or maybe that’s just my excuse to steal a couple extra minutes of shuteye.

Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress review

Specifications

Type: Memory foam
Construction materials: Memory foam, foam
Number of springs: N/A
Sizes: Single, Double, King, Super King, Small Single, Long Single, Special Sizes
Comfort level: Medium
Height: 25cm
Side handles: No
Flip or rotate: Rotate
Manufacturer sleep trial: 100 nights

1. Comfort

As far as comfort goes for the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress, it's quite easily delivered me the best night's sleep I've had in a long time. It's my first venture into the world of memory foam, having slept on pocket-spring mattresses my whole life. Suffice to say, I had high expectations for what this mattress could deliver.

I chose the medium feel as I didn't want to be too enveloped in memory foam to the point of no return, but have also had bad experiences with super firm mattresses in the past. Therefore, medium seemed like the best bet to test the waters. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed.

As soon as you lie on the mattress, your body immediately sinks in and the memory foam conforms securely around you to give you that comfortable 'hug' feeling. I tend to suffer from neck and shoulder pain (admittedly because of my bad posture), and while it's more commonly recommended to sleep on a harder mattress rather than soft to alleviate these concerns, I found the medium feel of the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool to be just right. Whenever I laid down, I could feel it cushioning me in all the right places, dipping and supporting me where necessary.

It's worth noting that I'm a lightweight sleeper, so I didn't find any issues of sinking too deep into the medium feel memory foam; however, it's possible that the medium feel might be too soft for those who are heavier sleepers, so I'd probably suggest opting for a firmer feel if you think you tick those boxes.

For example, my partner whom I share a bed with notes that they might've preferred the medium-firm feel, as they fit the heavier sleeper criteria – but they're still pleased nonetheless. Luckily, Tempur offers four different feels ranging from soft to firm, so you're guaranteed to find the right one to suit your specific sleeping and supportive needs.

Not only that, but Tempur also offers alternative choices in mattress depth if you're keen to customise your experience further. The Pro Plus SmartCool has a depth of 25cm, but there's also 21cm and 30cm options in the Tempur Pro and Pro Luxe mattresses.

2. Responsiveness

Memory foam tends to be less responsive than the likes of pocket-spring mattresses, and having slept on the latter for all my life, I could definitely feel the difference. Since the memory foam is so adaptive to your body, there would be some moments where I'd find myself struggling to turn over or find the right position – being a combination back and side sleeper, this is a frequent occurrence – but it really wasn't anything of major concern.

I'd actually argue that it offers that slight 'bounce' when you're twisting and turning quickly, with it feeling less responsive if you're taking too much time to decide how you want to position yourself in bed. However, again, I am a lighterweight sleeper so I wasn't feeling the effects too much.

I will say though, the memory foam is incredibly adaptive and even while you're turning over, it's only seconds before it envelops and cushions you accordingly again.

3. Motion isolation

My partner and I are both combination sleepers who often find ourselves tossing and turning in the middle of the night, but I am confident in saying that the motion isolation the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool offers is pretty fantastic all across the board thanks to the dampening effect of the memory foam. It does a really good job of absorbing movement, which is a huge plus because I'm always asleep hours before my partner, and meant that I wasn't woken up by their shifting around or the like. It's the same in the opposite direction too, as I'm usually awake far earlier than them, and they never stirred when I was climbing out of bed.

Great motion isolation is something that Tempur really does excel in, as it's something we raved about in our review of the Tempur Sensation mattress, which also shares an all-memory foam construction.

4. Temperature regulation

Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a notoriously hot sleeper, and often find myself throwing off the duvet even on the coldest, winter nights. However, the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool helps to solve that problem thanks to its SmartCool technology, featuring a cooling mattress cover that is cool to the touch, promising to absorb excess body heat and keep you feeling fresh. I’ll be the first to tell you that it really is effective, and jumping into bed at the end of the day is so satisfying as you can feel the instant cooling effect as you sink into the mattress.

This is a huge benefit, as memory foam has quite the rep for bringing about the possibility of overheating during the night. But, Tempur's new advanced material on its upper layer helps to combat this issue head-on. According to the brand, the all-new material uses 'billions of ultra-sensitive cells adapting to your unique weight, shape, and warmth', tailoring your sleep experience accordingly.

It's great to see Tempur paying attention to temperature regulation in the same way some of our favourite mattresses, such as the Simba Hybrid Original mattress and the Simba Hybrid Pro mattress do – which both use open-cell memory foam and a layer of breathable wool, respectively – as this is an attention to detail we unfortunately saw lacking when we tested the Tempur Sensation. Therefore, you can now consider the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool hot-sleeper certified.

5. Edge support

While I largely have only great things to say about the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress, the topic of edge support is probably where it’s lacking for me. Although this mattress is amazing to sink into after a long, tiring day, if you’re like me and find yourself veering to the edge while sleeping (especially on my side), there’s a good chance you might actually roll back out.

However, I had just moved into a new place with my partner, and while we had our sights set on a king-size bed, we had to stick with a double because of room size constraints. Therefore, there’s a chance that this lack of edge support is just a user error on my part as I’ve had to ignore all signposts to choose the right mattress size. But, if you’re in a similar situation to me where getting the largest mattress size possible is unfortunately not practical, you might suffer from the same issue.

Not only does this lack of edge support become a slight issue at night if I’m too far to the edge, but it also comes with a slight struggle even during the daytime. You can feel the mattress sinking when you’re just sitting on the edge of the bed, which can make the act of getting out of bed or perching a bit of a task. While it can be a tad annoying when I’ve just woken up, I thankfully have the strength to push against the mattress and stand up with no problems. However, I can imagine that this might be an issue for those who suffer from poor mobility, which is something to take into consideration.

6. Sleep trial

Finding the right mattress isn’t an easy task, as, despite the number of reviews you read through, nothing will quite match the experience of testing it out for yourself as sleeping position and body weight can play such a huge role. This is where a sleep trial can be a super useful add-on when researching mattresses.

As of writing, Tempur offers a 100-night sleep trial on the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress. This is just over three months and one week, which is plenty of time to test out whether this is the right investment for you. It isn’t quite as long of a trial as some other brands offer with Simba, Emma, and Brook + Wilde currently offering a 200-night sleep trial. Some even offer an extremely generous 365 nights, like Nectar.

Tempur’s 100-night sleep trial will give you the chance to test the mattress out at different times of the year, allowing you to assess whether or not it holds up to any promises such as temperature-regulating claims or if the 'feel' you purchased is the most suitable one for your sleep needs.

7. Ease of care

The Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool is a one-sided mattress, which means it needs to be rotated rather than flipped to ensure even wear and tear. This is because the Pro Plus SmartCool is constructed in layers, meaning you only sleep on the top side.

However, Tempur themselves claim that rotating it occasionally isn't essential, but could help maintain even comfort and support if you're sharing it between two people over a long period of time. This is particularly good news, because the mattress is admittedly very heavy and doesn't have side handles, which can make manoeuvring it difficult, even on the very few times you'll have to do it.

Even with Tempur's green light to simply let the mattress be, we'd recommend rotating it every so often anyway. Just be sure you have some assistance when doing so – trust me, you'll need it. Even when I'm just changing my bedding, I sometimes struggle to get underneath the corners of the mattress. This might be in part because I have long nails and an ottoman-style bed without openings on the bottom side to push it up, but even this weekly task can prove a challenge.

As for caring for the SmartCool QuickRefresh mattress cover, this has also been made easy thanks to its zipped design, which also helps to keep a mattress clean for longer. Even more so if you're trying to put off the task of cleaning a memory foam mattress, which can be a bit more finicky.

Simply zip it off, detach the zip pulls, and you can throw it in the washing machine with other similar coloured items. Tempur advise you to line dry where possible and to avoid tumble drying it. This will help to extend the lifespan of your mattress.

8. Delivery

Unlike a lot of the newer memory foam mattresses from other brands, the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattresses arrives flat rather than rolled into a box. Therefore, if you've got awkward delivery access or narrow hallways, this might be something to consider before ordering.

Tempur offers free delivery and installation services into the room of your choice if you order directly from them, to help you easily position the mattress in situ without needing to do the heavy lifting yourself. As the mattress is very heavy and quite tricky to manoeuvre, this installation service is extremely handy. Generally speaking, the lead time for mattress delivery is around 14-28 days for standard UK sized models, or slightly longer if you're ordering any special sizes. Tempur give you ample time to know when it's arriving to ensure you'll be available for the delivery.

There are some caveats though. You have to ensure there's enough space for the delivery team to manoeuvre the mattress safely through your home, and they cannot deliver to high rise buildings any higher than three floors unless there's a working lift big enough to accommodate the items without unboxing them. So, be sure to take these factors into consideration before you buy.

Once the mattress is installed, there is a slight initial smell; however, I wouldn't say it was unpleasant or made my bedroom unusable during that time. It was very mild, and dissipates overtime – two months into using it, and it's completely gone. When it arrived, I did make some effort to increase the ventilation into my bedroom, opening the windows and allowing it to fully air out the entire day before putting on my bedding and using it.

9. Value for money

Something to note about Tempur mattresses is that they're definitely an investment. The double-size of the previous Tempur mattress we tested, the Tempur Sensation, retailed for £1,499, and the new Pro Plus SmartCool retails for £2,399 for a double. Therefore, it's a big step up in price, and notably far more expensive than other similar all-foam mattresses like the Emma Original mattress, for example, which is just £499 at full price.

So, what do you get for the extra money? According to Tempur, the Pro Plus SmartCool features their most advanced Tempur material to date, providing you the 'best ever' pressure relief across your body. This material is composed of billions of viscoelastic spherical shaped, open cells. These cells are what respond to your body temperature and weight, shifting and reorganising their position to mould to the contours of your body, becoming softer in warmer areas and firmer in cooler areas. This paired with the all-new SmartCool cooling mattress cover is what'll make for your best night's sleep.

Not only that, but Tempur mattresses also differ from more affordable all-foam counterparts because they offer mattresses in four different 'feels' – soft, medium, medium-firm, and firm – as opposed to just the one-size-fits-all approach. This allows for more customisation and tailoring to your specific needs, allowing you the opportunity to choose the best fit for you, irrespective of whether you're a lightweight or heavier sleeper.

Whether it's worth dishing out the additional £2,000 will be completely up to you and how much you value a good night's sleep, but the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool has certainly impressed me in more ways than one, and I can confidently vouch for its quality, comfort levels, and temperature regulation. However, I fully understand that its astronomical price tag isn't one that can be justified by a lot of people.

10. Third-party reviews

As for how other reviewers rate the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress? You'll be pleased to know that this mattress rates exceptionally well with other reviewers across the board, with reviews averaging between 4.7 to 5 stars when compiled from multiple retailers.

A lot of customers have highlighted how effective the pressure relief is for pains in joints, praising the way the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool easily moulds to your body and provides cushioning and support in all the right places. Many customers note that they have noticed a reduction in everyday aches and pains that they have once learned to accept as normal, and are overall extremely satisfied with the quality and comfort purchase, despite the premium price tag. Verified reviewers also note that the SmartCool technology is effective, and helps alleviate hot flushes and overheating while sleeping.

Tempur also receive positive reviews on Trustpilot, with customers also praising their delivery and returns process.

All in all, you can rest assured that you won't be disappointed if you choose to invest in the Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress.

How I tested

Jullia Joson

I’m Jullia, Ideal Home's Junior Writer. I put all manner of products through their paces to find the best recommendations for our readers. I typically focus on curating our buying guides for the best vacuums and best dehumidifiers, just to name some; but on this occasion, I've taken a dip out of my usual rotation to help you find the ideal investment for a good night's sleep. For this review, I tested a double Tempur Pro Plus SmartCool mattress for over two months in my own home on an ottoman-style bed. Here are my sleep stats:

Sleep position: combination sleeper, but mainly side and back
Tension preference: medium
Sleep problems: hot sleeper, neck and shoulder pain

During our mattress testing process, I tested ten factors that the Ideal Home team deems vital to any mattress purchase.

I assessed the comfort, responsiveness, motion isolation, temperature regulation, and edge support through at-home testing. This means that I slept on the mattress for a minimum of two weeks before writing my review.

I also considered ease of care, the delivery process, any available sleep trials, value for money, and, where possible, third-party feedback from other verified owners before writing my review and giving this mattress a star rating.