What you are paying for#
Below about £650 for a double, more money mostly buys better support. Above it, you are paying for three other things:
- Materials: natural fillings (wool, cotton, silk, cashmere, cashgora), natural latex, and denser foams that hold their shape for longer.
- Construction: more spring layers, hand side-stitching for firm edges, and deeper builds of 30cm and more.
- Longevity: a premium mattress should feel the same in year eight as in year one. That, rather than how it feels in the showroom, is the real test of the money.
You are also paying for marketing. A big spring count or a celebrity hotel name is not a quality marker on its own, which is why the list above is ranked by our scores and not by price.
Two kinds of luxury mattress#
Premium mattresses in the UK now come from two quite different traditions, and the choice between them matters more than the choice between models.
Premium bed-in-a-box hybrids#
Brands such as Simba and Emma build their top models as deep hybrids: layers of springs and engineered foams, often with cooling covers and graphite. The Simba Hybrid Pro, Simba Hybrid Luxe and Emma Original Elite are typical. Their great advantage is risk: a 200-night home trial and a 10-year warranty.
Handmade traditional mattresses#
Makers such as Millbrook build pocket-sprung mattresses by hand with natural fillings and no foam. They sleep cooler and feel more buoyant, and many people simply prefer them. The Millbrook Serenity Luxury 6500 is the deepest and most cushioned we have tested. The catch is the buying terms: typically 30-day returns rather than a sleep trial, and a shorter guarantee (5 years on Millbrook). Our Millbrook review covers the range, and Millbrook vs Hypnos vs Vi-Spring compares the best-known British makers.
Trial or guarantee: which protects you more?#
A long home trial protects you against choosing the wrong mattress. A long guarantee protects you against a well-chosen mattress failing early. At this price you want both, and you rarely get both, so decide which risk worries you more. If you have never slept on a natural-fibre sprung mattress, the trial matters more: buy a premium hybrid, or lie on the handmade mattress in a showroom before ordering. If you know exactly the feel you want, a handmade mattress with a shorter guarantee is a reasonable bet, because a well-made one usually outlasts its guarantee.
Is a luxury mattress worth it?#
Work it out per year. A £1,450 mattress that lasts ten years costs £145 a year; a £500 mattress replaced after six costs about £83. The premium is worth paying if you keep mattresses a long time, sleep hot (natural fillings and deep spring units help), share a bed with a restless partner, or simply sleep noticeably better on it. It is not worth it if you move often, are buying for a spare room, or would replace it in five years anyway. In that case our best mattresses under £500 are the better spend.
Practical things nobody mentions#
- Weight: a 34cm sprung mattress is heavy. Rotating it is a two-person job.
- Sheets: anything over 30cm needs deep-pocket fitted sheets.
- Base: a sagging old base will undo an expensive mattress. Check yours before you buy.
- Delivery: handmade mattresses are often made to order, so allow a couple of weeks.