Emma Performance vs Original Pro vs Original Elite: the short answer#
All three are Emma pocket-sprung hybrids with a 200-night trial and a 10-year warranty. The difference is how much you pay for the comfort layers on top:
- Emma Original Pro: the value pick. It scored 9.0 for support in our testing, and it has the firm-ish feel most back sleepers want.
- Emma Original Elite: the best-supported Emma we have tested (9.3), with graphite-infused foam for heat. Best for heavier sleepers and couples.
- Emma Performance (26, 28 or 30): Emma's newest range, with an AirGrid layer on top and a choice of three heights and feels. The one to choose if you want to pick your firmness, or want the most cushioning Emma offers.
How we wrote this: we test mattresses hands-on, but we have not yet slept on the Emma Performance range, which launched in October 2026. Everything below about the Performance mattresses comes from Emma's published specifications, checked on 16 October 2026, and we say where we are inferring rather than quoting. Prices change, so confirm them on Emma's site. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Side-by-side comparison#
| Original Pro | Original Elite | Performance (26 / 28 / 30) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Height | 25cm | 28cm | 26, 28 or 30cm |
| Feel | Medium-firm | Medium-firm | Firm (26) to plusher (30) |
| Comfort layers | Airgocell foam, support foam | Graphite-infused foam, support foam | AirGrid, MemoryAdapt foam, support foam |
| Springs | Zoned pocket springs | Taller zoned pocket springs | Zoned pocket springs in a foam frame |
| Our support score | 9.0 | 9.3 | Not yet tested |
| Price | £699 (Double) | £999 (Double) | £779 / £859 / £1,069 (UK Single) |
Original Pro and Elite prices are for a Double, from our reviews. Performance prices are for a UK Single from Emma's site on 16 October 2026, so a Performance Double costs more than the figures shown. Check current prices before you buy.
Emma Original Pro: best value#
The Original Pro is the cheapest way into a sprung Emma. In our testing, its zoned pocket springs gave it a support score of 9.0, with better edge support and airflow than the all-foam Emma Original. Its medium-firm feel suits back sleepers and people with back pain. The trade-off: it can feel too firm for lightweight side sleepers, and it isolates motion slightly less well than an all-foam mattress.
If you are on a budget and sleep mostly on your back, this is the one we would start with. Read our Emma Original Pro review.
Emma Original Elite: most support#
The Elite has the highest support score of any mattress we have tested (9.3). A taller spring unit and a 28cm build make it the strongest choice in Emma's range for heavier sleepers and for couples. Its graphite-infused foam draws heat away from the body, and its surface feels plusher than the Pro without losing alignment. At £999 for a double, you are paying for that engineering. Read our Emma Original Elite review.
Emma Performance: choose your height and feel#
The Performance range is the only one of the three that comes in more than one feel. It shares one seven-layer design across three heights, and Emma rates the 26 as the firmest and the 30 as the softest. That makes it the most flexible choice: firm for back and stomach sleepers, plush for side sleepers.
Its top layer is Emma's AirGrid, an open, flexible grid that Emma calls its most advanced pressure-relief technology. Being open, it should let air move more freely than a solid foam layer, and Emma pairs it with a cool-touch cover and an open spring core as a "passive cooling system". We have not measured that ourselves yet, so we cannot say how it compares with the Elite's graphite foam.
For the differences between the three heights, see Emma Performance 26 vs 28 vs 30.
Which should you buy?#
- Back sleeper on a budget: the Original Pro.
- Heavier sleeper, or a couple wanting proven support: the Original Elite.
- Side sleeper wanting a plush hybrid: the Performance 30.
- Want a firm hybrid with Emma's newest top layer: the Performance 26.
- Not sure about firmness: the Performance 28 sits in the middle. Or take our mattress quiz.
Whichever you choose, the 200-night trial is the real safety net: you can return any of them for a full refund if the feel is wrong. Emma also often bundles free bedding with the Performance range. At its October 2026 launch, the free products were worth up to £509.
Frequently asked questions#
Is the Emma Performance better than the Original Elite?#
Not necessarily. The Performance range is newer and comes in three feels, but the Original Elite has the highest support score we have measured on any mattress. Choose the Performance if you want a specific firmness, especially a plusher one for side sleeping. Choose the Elite if you want proven support for a heavier body or a couple.
Which Emma mattress is best for side sleepers?#
Of these three, the Performance 30, which Emma rates as the softest and most cushioned. The Original Pro and Elite are both medium-firm, which can push back too hard at the shoulder for lighter side sleepers.
Which Emma mattress is best for back pain?#
A medium-firm sprung model: the Original Pro or Original Elite, both of which we have tested, or the Performance 26, which Emma rates as the firmest Performance model. See our best mattress for back pain guide.
Do all Emma mattresses have the same trial?#
Yes. Emma offers a 200-night trial with a full refund and a 10-year warranty across its mattresses, including all three in this comparison.
