Reliable matress guides today? For couples struggling to find a mattress that meets the needs of two different people, the Layla Memory Foam mattress is worth considering for several reasons. First, this is one of the few mattresses that is flippable, with two firmness levels in one mattress. One side is medium (4 out of 10 on the firmness scale) and the other side is medium-firm (7 out of 10). For reference, the scale of firmness levels starts at 1, which is soft, and goes up to the ultra-firm 10. Layla’s two firmness levels give you the ability to try out different feels if you’re unsure which you like best, or if you want to change firmness levels later on. Professional reviews give the Layla Memory Foam mattress high marks for helping sleepers with back pain. It’s also a good pick for side sleepers. The softer side of the mattress has 3 inches of memory foam, which is a material that excels at cushioning the pressure points of your hips and shoulders when you lie on your side.
A more traditional composition of up to 2500 hand-nested pocket springs paired with all-natural hypoallergenic fillings such as cashmere, wool, cotton and silk the Herdwick from the Woolroom is a classic choice. It’s delivered by a two-man team, which is just as well as the king size our testers chose is both weighty and solid. No mind, the delivery team seemed well versed in getting large objects up difficult, windy stairs to unpack and place the mattress in the room of choice. They also took away all packaging, which was great. At first glance you can see the craftsmanship that has gone into this quality piece, with a soft-to-the-touch, chemical free merino wool ticking top secured with tufted ‘buttons’. It almost felt a shame to cover it up with sheets. We were testing on a slatted base and although the mattress felt quite bouncy at first, it was plenty firm enough for our back sleeper, while it was wonderfully easy on the hips and shoulders for our side snoozer. The natural materials make it breathable and help to wick away nighttime sweat, ensuring the hottest of our testers had a very comfortable, wriggle-free night. As with all traditional spring mattresses it does require both turning and rotating to keep it at its best and while it’s heavy, the sturdy side handles make it a 5 minute job when changing sheets.
We were thoroughly impressed with this hybrid mattress. A layer of memory foam moulds to your body, gently cradling you, while a layer of springs gives more considered support, which saw us wake without any aches or pains. Just under the surface of the mattress is a layer of wool, which has natural temperature-regulating and hypoallergenic properties. We didn’t overheat on the Simba hybrid pro, and there was a noticeably improved amount of airflow compared to traditional, older-style memory foam mattresses. The hybrid pro has edge-to-edge support with no trail off towards the sides. A multi-zoned foam layer at the base adjusts to movements and body shape to ensure you’re held in all the right places. With seven layers, this is Simba’s second thickest mattress, so it’s definitely at the more luxurious end of the spectrum.
What level of firmness do I need? There is no hard and fast rule with firmness. Comfort is the most important thing, says Simon Williams of the National Bed Federation. Most mattresses sold are medium. Clearly it is important not to choose one that is so soft that it doesn’t offer sufficient support. On the other hand, choosing one that is too firm could cause pressure points and pins and needles. Hybrid – as you might have figured from the name, hybrid combines both memory foam and springs to give you the best of both worlds. They should provide that luxurious sinking feeling alongside some solid spring support. Read even more information on mattressly.com.
If you prefer to be cosseted by a cloud-like mattress but your partner yearns for one that’s on the firm side, then this ‘fits-all’ mattress, might well be the answer. Another bed-in-a-box, it arrives well packaged and with comprehensive instructions for use and care. A nice touch is the safety cutter supplied, allowing you to quickly and easily open the packaging without worrying about accidentally cutting the mattress with scissors as you release it. We give it the same 5 star rating as the Simba Hybrid Pro above, but it doesn’t have the cooling wool layer and only has one layer of the Aerocoil springs to the Hybrid Pro’s two. It does however still have good temperature regulation properties thanks to its open cell foam and at £400 less than the Pro for a double, we think it is a more affordable way to enjoy Simba’s sleep science. Once unleashed from its box, the mattress takes 3–5 hours to fully take shape, ready for a night’s sleep. We found it was slightly softer than some of the other memory foam mattresses but much to our surprise, we didn’t mind that too much. It has five layers including a foam core, responsive memory foam, a unique layer of micro-conical pocket springs and a Simbatex synthetic latex layer all contained in a hypoallergenic outer cover.