OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress review – the mattress that fixed my lower back pain

If you’re looking for a mattress to help you get some relief from back pain, then you'll want to read this OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress review.

I'm a side sleeper, and I've been struggling with lower back pain for a while now – potentially a mix of working from home and sleeping on a less-than-supportive mattress – and OTTY states the hybrid pocket spring and memory foam construction 'creates the perfect spine alignment and support for your joints and back, ensuring you wake up pain-free and ready for the day ahead'. Understandably, I was eager to put the supportive claims of this mattress to the test. 

The OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress also features a top layer of bamboo and charcoal-infused memory foam that the brand says is naturally antibacterial, temperature regulating, and has odour-eliminating properties. A hypoallergenic mattress is a must-have for me, as I'm sensitive to dust and allergens, so another selling point my partner and I were happy to trial.

We initially tested this mattress over three months before writing this review – including through a heatwave – so were able to test out everything from comfort and motion transfer to temperature regulation. However, I've now been sleeping on the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress for two years. Read on to find out why I think it's the best mattress for me.

OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress review: the details

Type: Hybrid
Construction Materials: Pocket springs, foam, memory foam
Number of springs: 2000
Memory foam: Yes
Sizes: Single / Double / King / Super King / Emperor
Comfort level: Medium-firm
Height: 25cm

OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress: what the brand says

The OTTY Pure Bamboo and Charcoal mattress is an upgrade on the brand's OTTY Original Hybrid mattress, with its bamboo and charcoal-infused top layer the mattress' main selling point. 

Just like the OTTY Original Hybrid, the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal is constructed from a high-density foam base, up to 2000 16cm pocket springs, a layer of high-density foam support, and then a layer of cushioning memory foam. 

What the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress adds to the mix is an additional 2cm top layer of bamboo and charcoal-infused memory foam, making for 4cm of memory foam in total.

We're not too sure how that top layer of foam gets 'infused' as OTTY doesn't give details, but the brand claims that the inclusion of bamboo increases the mattress' temperature regulation and breathability, and that the charcoal is both odour-eliminating and hypoallergenic.

The brand also claims that its mix of springs and memory foam 'creates the perfect spine alignment and support for your joints and back, ensuring you wake up pain-free and ready for the day ahead'.

How would it fare in practice? My partner and I put it to the test to find out.

OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress review: Ideal Home testing

Millie Fender

I spend my days testing kitchen appliances for Ideal Home, and have recently spent my nights sleep-testing the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress alongside my partner. We've slept on the mattress for over three months – including through a heatwave. Both myself and my partner wear a size large, so we prefer a mattress with good support, but I'm also a side sleeper so I need some cushioning. I toss and turn a fair bit at night and had been struggling with lower back pain previous to testing this mattress, so I was eager to see if this latest launch from OTTY would be able to help.

Unboxing and delivery

The OTTY Pure Bamboo and Charcoal mattress came with a two-hour delivery slot and fully tracked delivery. The whole delivery process was very easy, as we got to book the delivery day that suited us so we knew when to stay home.

The mattress is delivered in a box which makes getting it into the room of your choice easier. Included is a safety cutting tool to cut along the side of the vacuum-sealed bag and free the mattress without any damage. 

Thankfully, there was no strong 'new mattress' smell, and we were able to sleep on it that same night. Overall, setting it up was very straightforward.

The only downside is the lack of side handles, which does make things a little more difficult when it comes to moving or rotating the mattress once it's unrolled.

How comfortable is the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress?

Comfort:
This mattress claims to be medium-firm, and I’m inclined to agree. Out of 10 I give it a 7, and my partner said the same. OTTY gives it a rating of 6.5. Overall, I think it's fair to say it’s a good middle ground between medium and firm. 

My partner and I both wear a size large, so softer mattresses really aren’t up our street. When you’re on the heavier side, you can find yourself lacking in support from a pure memory foam mattress, but this hybrid option has pocket springs that offer strong support beneath that soft and cushioned top layer.

Prior to testing the OTTY Pure, I had been experiencing a lot of lower back pain. It was so bad that at times I struggled to get out of bed in the morning, or to sit at my desk. Working from home is the obvious culprit, but I've noticed considerably less back pain since sleeping on the OTTY Pure Bamboo and Charcoal mattress. When I’m away from home, I genuinely miss the support it gives. 

I'm a side sleeper, and I turn from side to side quite frequently when I’m sleeping. While I won’t feature the images here, I did take a photo of my partner’s back as he lay on his side in the bed, to see if his spine was supported. For both of us, our waists dipped slightly into the bed, but other than that our spines were very well-aligned and evenly supported. It looked very similar to this example, from the OTTY website.

This mattress is also very comfortable when lying flat. It feels as if all the curvatures of the spine and back are balanced out by the top memory foam layer, which results in a very comfortable night’s sleep.

Motion transfer:
Having tested this mattress with my partner, we had no issues with motion transfer – no doubt thanks to the cushioning effect of that 4cm memory foam layer. Both of us toss and turn a lot, and I never have to worry about waking him up when I move in my sleep now.

Edge support:
When reviewing mattresses we like to conduct a weight test to show how evenly support is distributed. However, not having a dedicated weight to hand, I had to opt for the next best thing – my 9.1 kg Kenwood kMix!

The mattress sank evenly at 2cm across the mattress, and despite the fact that it’s not the most stable machine, it did not fall over when placed on the mattress. This is another indicator that it was supported evenly across the base of the machine. 

My only critique of the mattress is that the edge support could be better. It’s not bad, because this mattress is supportive all over, but despite the 'airflow side supports' OTTY has added to the mattress, I do feel the support at the edge of the mattress could be better.

Temperature regulation:
One of my favourite things about this mattress is how breathable it is. When I have slept on softer mattresses in the past I have found the experience a little too warm. I guess I’m a hot sleeper, so if I’m on the wrong mattress it can get quite uncomfortable. However, the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress did a stellar job of staying cool in the June heatwave.

It's hard to say if this was down to the bamboo or charcoal layer which claims to regulate temperature, but the mesh panels along the sides of the mattress certainly seemed to help with airflow.

Extra details:
The mattress has a removable cover, which is great for those who want an added layer of protection. It is dry clean only though, unlike many comparable models which feature a machine-washable top cover.

The charcoal and bamboo-infused top layer claims to be hypoallergenic and to eliminate odour. I can confirm that after three months of testing I've not noticed any particular odours (I'm not really sure I would have on any mattress though!) and I haven't had any issues with allergies.

Final verdict: Is the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress worth the money? 

Should you buy the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress? If, like me, you're a side or back sleeper who's been suffering from back pain, then it’s a big yes from me. 

I love just about everything about this mattress, from the cooling airflow that kept my temperature regulated even through a heatwave, to the firm yet cushioning support that essentially fixed my back problems. The lack of motion transfer also meant my tossing and turning at night didn't disturb my partner.

The only reason I can't score the mattress a perfect five-star rating is because the cover is dry clean only, whereas many comparable models have machine-washable covers. I also felt the edge support could be improved a little, and the lack of side handles does make rotation a little more cumbersome than it needs to be.

Overall, I think this is a great mattress, mixing the firm support of pocket springs with the luxurious cushioning of memory foam. Plus, you can get a good deal on these using OTTY discount codes and the mattress currently comes with a 100-night sleep trial (when bought at OTTY); plenty of time to put its claims to the test for yourself and see if it improves your night times.

*UPDATE*: Two years on, I'm so impressed by how well this mattress has held up against daily wear and tear. Any initial concerns I had about the longevity of memory foam mattresses are long gone, and the OTTY Pure Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress still offers the perfect level of support for me to sleep on my side with my spine aligned perfectly.