5 best mattresses for a dreamy night’s sleep

If you want to get a good night’s sleep, obviously you'll need the right mattress. No matter how early you stop scrolling through TikTok, or how many sleep potions you use, it’s the one essential that can truly take your sleep to the next level.

Make sure you do your research first though - it's an expensive mistake to make if you end up buying the wrong one for your needs. Lucky for you, we've done the digging already and found the ones worth splurging on.

So whether your bed is strictly for sleeping in, or it’s doubled up as a desk over the past year, here are the ones that we’ll be snoozing and scrolling from:

• Best overall mattress: Silentnight Eco Comfort Breathe Pocket 1200
• Best mattress in a box: Emma Original
• Best hybrid mattress: Simba Hybrid Mattress
• Best budget mattress: Ikea VALEVÅG
• Best for gym goers: Dreams Campbell Pocket Sprung Mattress

What type of mattress is best for you?

There are three main types of mattress: memory foam, pocket spring and hybrid. The best way to decide which one you want to get cosy with is by thinking about how you sleep.

If you curl up on your side each night, a soft to medium mattress is a good place to start, as your hips and shoulders can sink in slightly to relieve the pressure on your joints. Both memory foam or hybrid mattresses are good for this, but if you suffer from allergies, stick to memory foam as it’s hypoallergenic.

If, like us, you still haven’t got your WFH set-up quite right yet and have suffered from back pain as a result, memory foam is your go-to. They aren’t the most breathable though, so if you tend to toss and turn, a hybrid may be more your style.

Sleep like a starfish every night? A firm mattress is the ultimate for dozing off face down, as it keeps your body supported. You’ll need a pocket spring or hybrid design.

Finally, if you sleep on your back, look for a medium-firm mattress with pocket springs or memory foam. Just make sure you don't have too much of a gap between your lower back and the mattress (slide your hand between your back and the bed to check).

Where to buy a mattress?

You don’t have to break up with online shopping. Mattresses in a box have a lot to offer, and some serious eco-credentials too. By vacuum packing mattresses into smaller boxes that are dropped off at your door, they cost brands less to package and deliver, making them cheaper to buy for you. This also means more can be delivered at once, lowering their carbon footprint.

Most come with 100- or 200-night free trials, so you can send them back if you aren’t completely happy. We’ve featured two mattresses in a box on our list below.

How to care for your mattress

You’ve splashed the cash, now it’s time to make sure your mattress lasts. Luckily, they’re pretty low maintenance. Lasting for at least seven years before needing replacing, you can prolong its life by investing in a mattress protector, to keep it free from stains and dust mites.

Don’t forget to check the care instructions before you chuck them away too, as some mattresses will need turning every now and then (don’t worry, there are normally handles to help!).

How we test

We did the research for you and found 54 mattresses from 29 different brands worth considering. We then sent out a survey to our reader panel, asking them if they owned one of our top picks.

If they did, they told us just what it’s like to sleep on, night-in, night-out, and what they liked and disliked. We also asked them if they’d recommend it to their friends.

Ready to buy? Here are the five that made the cut...

All pricing is for a UK standard double mattress.