The quick answer#
The Foam People make budget, made-to-order all-foam mattresses from around £109, with custom sizes. OTTY is a popular British brand best known for its supportive hybrids that pair pocket springs with cooling foam. Choose The Foam People to spend the least or get a custom size; choose OTTY for a firmer, more supportive hybrid feel that sleeps cooler.
Price and value#
- The Foam People: roughly £109–£198, the cheapest credible route to a supportive bed, and the only one here that makes non-standard sizes.
- OTTY: higher prices, though frequently discounted. You pay for the hybrid construction, cooling layers and a home trial.
Feel and support#
The Foam People build 100% foam, close contouring, strong motion isolation, a medium feel that suits side sleepers and couples. OTTY's hybrids feel firmer and more supportive, with pocket springs that suit back sleepers and heavier frames and make the bed easier to move on. For most people a medium feel is the safest target, a systematic review of 39 studies found medium-firm best supports comfort, sleep quality and spinal alignment.1
Sleeping cool and foam smell#
All-foam mattresses can sleep warmer, while OTTY builds in cooling foam and spring airflow. New foam can also have a faint initial odour, but independent testing of memory-foam emissions found volatile organic compounds well below health-based guidance values, decaying within weeks, so a short airing is usually enough.2 If you sleep hot on foam, look at The Foam People's CoolMax options or see our cooling guide.
Durability#
Quality foams retain much of their firmness through extended use, though all foam softens over time.3 OTTY's hybrid springs offer a different, often longer-lasting support profile, with the comfort layer softening first. Rotate either regularly.
Which should you choose?#
- Choose The Foam People if: you want the lowest price, a custom size, or an all-foam contouring feel.
- Choose OTTY if: you want a firmer, cooler hybrid with better support for a heavier frame.
Read our Foam People review and OTTY review, or take our quiz to match a bed to your sleep style.
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The Foam People vs OTTY at a glance#
| The Foam People | OTTY | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | All-foam: memory foam or reflex foam over a supportive base foam | Pocket-spring hybrids with cooling gel foam; a smaller all-foam line |
| Firmness | Medium across the range; one firm (Comfort Ortho Firm) | Medium-firm to firm |
| Double price | £109–£198 | Mid-market, frequently discounted |
| Custom sizes | Yes – cut to order, non-standard sizes available | No |
| Home trial | None | Typically 100 nights |
| Warranty | 5 years | Typically 10 years |
| Made / delivered | Made to order in the UK | British brand, sold direct online, delivered rolled |
The Foam People models we have scored#
| Model | Type | Depth | Feel | Support | Comfort | Price (double) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort Ortho Firm | Foam | 20cm | Firm | 8.6 | 7.9 | £157 |
| The Saffron Comfort Deep | Foam | 23cm | Medium | 8.3 | 8.5 | £174 |
| Comfort CoolMax Intelligent | Foam | 20cm | Medium | 8.4 | 8.6 | £192 |
| Superior Cashmere | Foam | 23cm | Medium | 8.5 | 8.8 | £198 |
OTTY's reputation rests on a firm-ish hybrid that sleeps cool, so the honest Foam People counterpart is the Comfort Ortho Firm for firmness (8.6 support, £157) or the Comfort CoolMax Intelligent for temperature (£192). You cannot get both in one Foam People mattress, and you cannot get springs at all.
If what draws you to OTTY is specifically "firm hybrid that runs cool" and the price is the sticking point, the LuxeTherm Hybrid (£337 on sale, phase-change foam over pocket springs) and the firm LuxeErgo 3400 are the closest scored alternatives we list.
Prices are for a double at the time of writing (September 2026), using the sale price where the brand runs a permanent one. Rival brand terms are as published at the time of writing; check the retailer before you buy. Full scores are on each review page. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you; it never affects a score.
Springs versus foam: the differences you feel#
This is the clearest foam-versus-hybrid contest in our Foam People series, so it is worth being specific about what a spring core changes.
- Edge support. Springs hold their height to the edge; foam compresses. Sit on the side of a bed to put your socks on and you will notice.
- Airflow. A spring layer is mostly air, and warmth drains into it. Foam blocks it. OTTY's cooling gel helps at the surface, but it is the springs beneath doing most of the work.
- Body weight. Springs push back in proportion to load, so a heavier sleeper does not bottom out. Foam under a heavier body compresses further and softens sooner.3
- Motion transfer. This is foam's win. All-foam isolates a partner's movement better than any hybrid.
- Getting in and out. Springs are responsive; foam is slow. People with limited mobility usually prefer springs.
Our memory foam vs hybrid guide goes through each in more depth.
Who should not buy the cheaper option#
The Foam People are a genuine bargain for the right buyer, and the wrong buyer for them is easy to describe: an adult over about 16 stone who will sleep on the mattress every night. At that weight a 20–23cm foam mattress will compress through faster than the 5-year warranty, and the OTTY's springs will simply hold up better. If that is you, spend the extra or look at the sprung options in our heavy sleeper guide. Below that weight, and especially for a spare room or a custom-size frame, the Foam People case is strong.
Verdict by sleeper#
| If you are… | Our pick |
|---|---|
| A hot sleeper who wants springs | OTTY, or the LuxeTherm Hybrid |
| A hot sleeper on a tight budget | Comfort CoolMax Intelligent |
| Wanting firm for the least money | Comfort Ortho Firm (£157) |
| Over 16 stone | OTTY or another sprung hybrid – not an all-foam Foam People |
| Sharing with a restless partner | The Foam People – foam isolates motion better |
| Needing a custom size | The Foam People |
| Wanting a trial | OTTY |
Frequently asked questions#
Is OTTY firmer than The Foam People?#
OTTY's hybrids are marketed medium-firm to firm and feel supportive because of the spring core. The Foam People's range is medium, apart from the Comfort Ortho Firm, which is a genuinely firm reflex-foam mattress and the better like-for-like comparison.
Which sleeps cooler?#
OTTY. A pocket-spring layer moves far more air than solid foam, and OTTY adds cooling gel on top. The Foam People's CoolMax covers help at the surface, but no all-foam mattress will match a well-ventilated hybrid.
Is The Foam People good enough for a heavier sleeper?#
Not as a nightly main bed above about 16 stone. Their deepest mattress is 23cm of foam, which compresses and softens faster under heavier bodies. A sprung hybrid such as OTTY's will hold its support longer.
Which is better for couples?#
It depends on the problem. For a partner who tosses and turns, all-foam Foam People isolates motion better. For two people of different weights, or anyone who sits on the bed edge, OTTY's springs give better support.
Does OTTY make custom sizes?#
No. OTTY sells standard UK sizes. The Foam People cut every mattress to order and will make non-standard dimensions.
References#
- Caggiari G, Talesa GR, Toro G, Jannelli E, Monteleone G, Puddu L. What type of mattress should be chosen to avoid back pain and improve sleep quality? Review of the literature. Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. 2021;22:51. doi:10.1186/s10195-021-00616-5
- Beckett EM, Cackovic K, Charles S, et al. Quantification of volatile organic compound emissions from memory foam mattresses and predicted inhalation exposures. Chemosphere. 2022;303:134945. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134945
- Vlaović Z, Klarić N, Domljan D. Investigating the Impact of Long-Term Use on Mattress Firmness and Sleep Quality: Preliminary Results. Applied Sciences. 2024;14(21):10016. doi:10.3390/app142110016
