The best mattress to buy in 2024 for quality sleep, reviewed

Simba offers a range of four hybrid mattresses: Simba Essential, Simba Hybrid, Simba Hybrid Pro and the Simba Hybrid Luxe. As the scale increases, as do the springs and comfort layers. The Simba Hybrid Pro is the second from top high spec mattress (following the Hybrid Pro Luxe) and has eight layers, including a breathable sleep surface, a hypoallergenic wool (read more about the benefits of wool), and a layer of edge-to-edge support, meaning the edges are just as supportive as the middle. It also features their trademark ‘Aerocoil’ micro-cone springs, of which there are 5,000 of in the mattress, to help create this comfy and supportive mattress.

Even better? Thanks to the mattress's springs, if your partner tosses and turns in their sleep you won't be disturbed. Simba also makes some of the best pillows we've tried. The sustainably minded among you will be pleased to hear that all of Simba's pillows, mattress and duvets are carbon neutral.

Great for back pain, best night's sleep in years, some reviews say it's too warm, though our reviewer has not found that to be the case.

Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress, £1,290 from Panda

Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress

£1,290 at Panda London

• Firmness: Medium firm
• Type of mattress: Hybrid
• Sizes available: UK single, EU single, UK small double, UK double, EU double, UK king, EU king, UK super king and emperor
• Guarantee: 10 years
• Trial period: 100 nights
• Mattress depth: 27cm
• Care: The zip off bamboo mattress cover can be removed easily and cleaned in the washing machine or by hand.
• Other features: Free old mattress recycling service
• Reviewed by: Tal Dekel-Daks, Senior Audience Development Manager

We were thoroughly impressed with Panda's first mattress – a cooling hybrid mattress made with bamboo, naturally. Hot sleepers will love Panda's new mattress, pegged as the ‘world’s most advanced, breathable bamboo mattress'. It's medium-firm so it's a perfect balance for those who like a mattress that isn't too soft or too firm. It features six layers of optimised airflow; orthopaedic grade support and pressure point perfect comfort but our favourite feature has got to be its multi-zonal springs which isolate movement and means you can sleep soundly even if the person next to you is tossing and turning.

Simba Hybrid Ultra Mattress, £2,899 from Simba Sleep

Simba Hybrid Ultra mattress

£2,899 at Simba Sleep

• Firmness: Medium firm
• Type of mattress: Hybrid (13 layers of foam and springs)
• Sizes available: Single, double, king and super king
• Trial period: All Simba mattresses come with a 200 night sleep trial, to ensure your mattress is right
• Guarantee: 10 years
• Depth: 34cm
• Care: No flipping needed, but it rotate it 180 degrees once a month for the first three months, then every three months for the rest of its life
• Reviewed by: Charlotte McCaughan-Hawes, Deputy Digital Editor

The Simba Hybrid Ultra mattress is the absolute top of the range that Simba offer, from their Hybrid line. The Hybrid line combines foam and spring technology, giving sleepers the best of both worlds when it comes to support. It's a whopping 35cm deep (meaning you need deep fitting sheets) because of the amount of layers packed in, which make it, supposedly, the most comfortable, supportive and tech-packed mattress they sell.

The delivery is swift and there are different services you can pay for. A standard service (free) means your mattress is delivered by a team of two to the room of your choice. A ‘VIP’ service for £50 means the mattress is delivered and installed ready for immediate use, with all the packaging removed for you too. The Hybrid Ultra, it is worth noting, is delivered as a VIP item as standard, at no extra cost. For a small extra free, you can specify at checkout that you have a mattress that needs removing and the team will take that with them and give to the not-for-profit mattress recycling team. The VIP service means that the carbon-neutral delivery team stay in contact with you about their arrival time to make sure it suits you.

Simba Hybrid Luxe, £1,759 from Simba

Simba Hybrid Luxe

£1,579 £868.45 at Simba Sleep

• Firmness: Medium firm
• Type of mattress: Foam hybrid
• Sizes available: Single, small double, double, king and super king
• Guarantee: 10 years
• Sleep trial period: 1 year
• Mattress depth: 31cm
• Care: After 3 months, turn it 180 degrees, then rotate it every 3-6 months
• Reviewed by: Antonia Bentel, Acting Digital Features Writer

This is Simba's most advanced and luxurious mattress. Like all of Simba's range, this is a medium-firm mattress (think supportive yet soft). It features 10 layers, three of which are new and only found in this mattress. These consist of a soft and breathable top sleep surface, a bamboo-infused hypoallergenic wool layer – a real plus for allergy sufferers – and a layer of small conical carbon steel springs which work hard to absorb movement. We also like that the foam is free of chemicals that although are not harmful to humans, are to the environment once it's at its end of life.

There's no dip in the middle, it's like sleeping on a cloud. The mattress moulds to your body, and it's helped reduce existing aches and pains. Some say it's a little firmer than expected.

The Superb Mattress, £1,260 from Naturalmat

The Superb Mattress

£1,260 at Naturalmat

• Firmness: It comes in three different firmness levels; we tested medium
• Type of mattress: Hybrid (Natural latex with pocket springs and organic wool)
• Sizes available: Single, double, queen, king, super king and emperor
• Trial period: All Naturalmat mattresses comes with a 45 day trial period, whereby you can exchange the mattress for a different product
• Guarantee: 10 years
• Depth: 25cm
• Care: No need to flip
• Reviewed by: Jessica Salter, contributing writer

The USP of Naturalmat is its commitment to using natural fibres – something sleep scientists consistently find leads to better quality of sleep, thanks to its inherent moisture-wicking and temperature regulating properties. The wool used in Naturalmat mattresses is from Devon sheep, while the natural latex is from the sap of the Hevea rubber tree and is a natural alternative to synthetic foams.

The tension in the medium that I tested overnight is perfect; there was no movement from the mattress overnight, I didn’t dip into any pockets and whatever way you turn, you feel deeply comfortable and supported. It’s so prized that some of the best hotels in the world use this model, from the One and Only resorts to The Hoxton.

I loved the excellent end of life policy that takes into account the amount of mattress waste we see: when you need to refresh your mattress you can either get it repaired and ‘restuffed’ or recycle it with them. An excellent initiative that will help you sleep soundly.

REM-FIT 400 Hybrid Mattress, £499.50 from REM-FIT

REM-FIT 400 Hybrid Mattress

£499.50 at REM Fit

• Firmness: Medium firm
• Type of mattress: Hybrid
• Sizes available: Small single, long single, single (UK & EU), small double, double (UK & EU), king (UK & EU) and super king
• Guarantee: 15 years
• Sleep trial period: 100 nights
• Mattress depth: 25 cm
• Care: N/A
• Reviewed by: Hannah Tan-Gillies, contributing writer

The Hybrid 400 Mattress is the most affordable of the three hybrid options from REM-FIT, the others being the 500 Ortho Hybrid and the 600 Lux Hybrid. Another bed in a box option, this mattress is made of five layers including 2,000 premium pocket springs (which helps with spine alignment), while the bottom base is made from high-density foam. The springs are tall pocket springs, at 15cm high, and are made from triple tempered steel and help to contain movement.

The top layer is made of 'open cell' construction, helping to regulate temperatures and prevent overheating. It is also hypoallergenic and wicks away moisture, too. With edge to edge support, side sleepers (who this mattress is designed for, but it does suit all sleep styles) still get the support they need..

The most affordable out of all of REM-FIT’s hybrid mattresses, the Hybrid 400 Mattress is an excellent bed-in-a-box that combines boy shape hugging foam and premium pocket springs. The hypoallergenic top layer is made with open cell construction that regulates temperature, wicks moisture and prevents overheating. It has also been equipped with edge to edge support which is great for side sleepers. Ideal for supporting your spinal alignment, the REM-FIT Hybrid 400 Mattress is made with five layers including 2,000 pocket springs and a base of dense foam. At 15cm high and made with tempered steel, the pocket springs really help reduce motion transfer in bed, perfect if your partner is often tossing and turning in the middle of the night.

Would recommend for back pain, really comfortable. Although some say the customer service isn't the best and the chemical smell lingers for a while.

Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress, £740 from Nectar

Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress, double

£740 at Nectar Sleep

• Firmness: Medium
• Type of mattress: Foam hybrid
• Sizes available: Single, double, king and super king
• Trial period: 1 Year
• Guarantee: Forever
• Depth: 28cm
• Care: No need to flip
• Reviewed by: Christabel Chubb, News Editor

Eight layers of breathable foam, micro-springs, memory foam and firm support base prove themselves to be a perfect combination. Don't let the cloud-like top layer trick you, this is a very supportive mattress that performs well for those with weary backs. If you prefer an ultra-firm mattress, then the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress might not be the right choice, equally if you prefer a ‘pillow-like’ softness. This mattress falls right in the middle: it's comfortable and soft, but it has enough memory foam and support to ensure your spine is aligned throughout the night, whether you sleep on your side of back.

It's also an ideal pick for couples, as the responsive ‘encapsulated springs’ mean if one person wriggles, the other won't be disturbed.

For those struggling with the summer's heat, this Nectar mattress has three breathable layers designed to promote air circulation, draw heat away from your body and wick away moisture, making it the perfect companion to warm nights.

No. 2 Mattress, £15,970 from Savoir

No. 2 Mattress, The Original Savoy Mattress

£15,970 at Savoir Beds

• Firmness: It comes in three different firmness levels; we tested medium
• Type of mattress: Sprung
• Sizes available: Double, king, super king, Savoy king and emperor
• Trial period: None (returns of unused items accepted within 14 days)
• Guarantee: 25 years
• Depth: 20cm
• Care: Flip the mattress after two weeks, then rotate it again two weeks later, before turning it monthly
• Reviewed by: Jessica Salter, contributing writer

This is the Rolls Royce of mattresses: the No 2, which was originally made for The Savoy hotel (and where you can still sleep on one) has hosted guests from Marilyn Monroe to Winston Churchill. Savoir mattresses are all made by hand in their London workshop, using traditional techniques and natural materials including wool, horse tail and cotton to craft the best night’s sleep.

Sleeping on a No 2 is an incredibly luxurious experience: the perfect firmness (they believe that 7.5 turns on the pocket springs ensures this), with no movement if your partner turns over in the night. But of course it’s a huge investment and unlike other companies, there is no trial period. So make sure you visit the showroom – or The Savoy – to thoroughly test this out.

The Mohair Mattress, £1,380 from Naturalmat

The Mohair Mattress

£1,380 at Naturalmat

• Firmness: Very firm
• Sizes available: Single, double, queen, king, super king and emperor
• Trial period: All Naturalmat mattresses comes with a 45 day trial period, whereby you can exchange the mattress for a different product
• Guarantee: 10 years
• Type of mattress: Organic latex
• Depth: 21cm
• Care: No need to flip
• Reviewed by: Jessica Salter, contributing writer

Whether you like this or not will depend on whether you like a very firm mattress: this is the brand NaturalMat’s firmest mattress, comprising of two chunky layers of coir, which provides the tough stability to the mattress, but also allows it to breath, with a layer of bouncy natural latex in the middle, and wrapped in a needled mohair layer, that helps regulate body temperature. It’s 21cm deep and comes with a ten-year guarantee.

Personally, I like a bit more give that this mattress delivers, but on the brand’s website there are 11 reviews of the mohair mattress, and all of them left five stars. What is a huge bonus is that if you share a bed with someone who has different mattress preferences, you can buy two types with with zip-and-link covers to cater for individual needs.

What's the most comfortable mattress?

Our top pick is the Simba Hybrid Pro, a foam and pocket sprung mattress that is equally soft and sumptuous as it is supportive. Of course, it goes without saying that the best mattress for you, isn't necessarily the same as it is for your sibling, mother, cousin or friend. There's no one size fits all policy with mattresses, which is why sleep trial periods are important factors to consider when buying a mattress online. Another good choice would be Panda London's Bamboo Mattress.

Simba Hybrid Pro Mattress

£1,229 at Simba Sleep

Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress

£1,290 at Panda London

Mark Tremlett, Founder of Naturalmat, says, ‘every person will have their preferences, and whether firm or soft, dense or sprung, it is essential that the mattress provides the right comfort and support you need.’

Choosing the right mattress for you will depend on your body type and sleeping position. For example, side sleepers have different needs to back sleepers who often require more support. Some sleepers may need pressure relief in certain areas, others need hypoallergenic materials, while some may value temperature regulation. It’s really quite the science, which is why we’ve rounded up the best mattresses to invest in now to help you choose which type of new mattress is best for you.

While there is a lot of science involved in finding the right mattress for your body type and sleeping position, the most important thing to look for is whether you get a good sleep. The level of firmness of the mattress is certainly something to think about–perhaps more so than whether to opt for springs or foam. There are soft, medium soft, medium-firm, and even firm orthopaedic mattresses designed to suit all kinds of sleep needs. Starting with the softer mattress option, a medium soft mattress is good for those who shift around throughout the night as they hug your body shape. These are also the best for side sleepers. The next level up is a medium-firm mattress, or medium soft. These are ideal for back sleepers and mostly suit the average person who need a little more back support when sleeping. Finally, a firm mattress will prevent back pain and help your spinal alignment as they are sturdier and prevent you from moving around too much. These are also the best choice for front sleepers or stomach sleepers.

Vispring Managing Director and all around mattress expert Jim Gerety says 'Take your time to decide what works for you. If you are buying in person,  go back and visit a few times. Don't be embarrassed. Lay on your side, on your stomach — shuffle around a bit. We move in our sleep about twenty times per night, so see how that feels. I would also recommend wearing comfortable clothes. Most people don't sleep in thick jumpers with bags slung over their shoulders (unless you've had a really big night) so it's unrealistic to assess the comfort of a mattress while dressed like that.'

Yes! Increasingly, buyers are flocking towards "mattress in a box" or bed-in-a-box furniture stores such as Simba, Emma and Panda, which operate an online-only model selling foam or premium hybrid mattresses that arrive in a compact box, often with free delivery, unless a certain room or two-person delivery is selected. As these mattresses are only available online, they come with generous try-at-home policies (many offer 100 night trials) so you can return them if you're not convinced and receive a full refund. If you do decide to buy online, be sure to look at each brand's warranty so you know your rights if you need to return or exchange the type of mattress you've plumped for. We also recommend purchasing a mattress protector (this is different to a mattress topper which provides extra cushioning), to improve the lifespan of your mattress. Many of the mattresses come with a minimum 10-year-guarantee too, so you can rest easy if something should happen to it.

How much should a mattress cost?

Mattresses come with a vast spectrum of price tags, and are one of the things in your home that you should invest in as generously as your budget allows. Mark Tremlett recommends thinking about the amount of time you spend in bed – a third of our lives according to the National Institute of Health – and allocating funds accordingly. 'Over a seven-to-eight year lifespan it can cost the same as a daily cup of coffee,' he says.

How to buy a mattress in a couple?

Mark Tremlett, Founder of Naturalmat, says, “if you are buying with a partner, make sure you are both satisfied and comfortable. Zip and Link mattresses with different tensions on either side can be a great option if you find you have differing preferences to one another when it comes to comfort.'

Are foam or spring mattresses better in 2024?

There are three categories of mattress: those with springs, those with foam and those with both, known as hybrids, which have swept the market in recent years. When it comes to springs, there are open coil mattresses and pocket sprung mattresses; the latter being higher quality and more expensive. "In an open coil mattress, the spring coils that form the mattress all move together as one unit, so if you are sleeping next to someone and they move in the night, you will move too," warns Vispring. In a pocket sprung mattress, each spring is encased in its own fabric pocket. "This enables each spring to move independently from the other springs, which creates more support and less movement of the mattress when you or your partner move during sleep." This motion transfer is particularly important if you and your partner have different sleeping habits or times. "In general, the more pocket springs that are contained within a mattress, the more supportive it will be. A higher spring count offers more contact points with your body and will better contour your shape."

Advocates of the best memory foam mattresses claim that it is particularly supportive and cradles your body, as it softens at the contact point, offering relief from pressure points. It also means you're less likely to feel your partner moving around, although with a good pocket sprung mattress, this shouldn't be an issue.

Many manufacturers are now producing hybrid mattresses, featuring springs underneath and then several layers of foam on top, which should provide the best of both worlds and work well for people who share a bed, but have different sleeping styles.

While springs (or foam) make up the main body of the mattress, it is also worth thinking about what's on top, in the "comfort layer," which is also known as the sleep surface. In some mattresses this will be foam, or natural materials such as latex or bamboo which are becoming increasingly popular. "Natural materials such as wool and horse tail are breathable and help to regulate temperature as you sleep by wicking moisture away from the skin,” says the team at Savoir Beds. "Natural, chemical-free fillings are also kinder to the sleeper and also - during both processing and disposal - to the environment," they add. More mattress brands are looking towards making mattresses easier to recycle by using more natural materials, so expect to see more natural latex mattresses, as well as some including coconut fibres.

What mattress is the healthiest to sleep on in 2024, according to the experts?

The firmness of your mattress will depend on your body shape, body weight and body type. "Generally speaking, for people that weigh up to 11 stone (70kg) we recommend choosing soft," says Jim Gerety. "Between 11-16 stone (70-102 kg) we recommend medium, 16-20 stone (102-125 kg) is firm, and above that extra firm." The team at Savoir expand on this idea. "The correct level of support is fundamental when choosing a mattress," as you need to ensure your spinal alignment is in its natural position. "To achieve this perfectly, you must sink into the bed to some extent, or your spine will curve unnaturally, and this may affect your posture. If you lie on your side, your hips and shoulders need to sink in to make sure you get support around waist level. If you lie on your back, your body must sink in sufficiently to ensure your lower back is well supported." So even if you have a bad back, you don't necessarily need to buy a firm mattress.

For couples of different statures and sleeping styles, most good bed companies will make mattresses that feature different tensions on each side. "At Savoir we offer a split-tension mattress option, custom-made to your preferences, so both you and your partner can have totally different support in the same bed." Vispring offers the same thing. "If it's just a one step difference – i.e. soft and medium, or medium and firm – we can make this so it's seamless, with no zip down the middle of the mattress."

Where to buy a mattress

There is a huge range of different mattresses out there, varying hugely in firmness, price, and quality. To help you figure out what mattress is best for you, we've browsed, researched and explored the best mattresses from all our favourite furniture shops. Many people might start at a retailer which sells a number of brands. John Lewis and And So To Bed, for example, are stockists of Vispring mattresses, which start at around £1,100. We also like Westend Bed Company, who carry Marshall & Stewart and Hypnos. For a wider range of prices, John Lewis is an ever-reliable standby, stocking affordable mattresses under its own labels, such as Anyday and Classic Collection. Many of these furniture stores offer a range of other bedding necessities such as duvets, pillows and even beds themselves.