Simba sells five hybrid mattresses, from the £699 Hybrid Essential to the £2,399 Hybrid Ultra (double prices). Every one has springs, every one comes with the same 200-night trial and 10-year guarantee, and the names do not tell you much about how they differ. We have tested the whole range. This is which one to buy, and when the dearer models are worth it.
The quick answer#
- Best for most people: the Simba Hybrid (£899). It scores 8.5/10 and gets you most of what the dearer models do.
- Best for back pain and heavier sleepers: the Hybrid Pro (£1,299). Its sprung SupportCore™ base gives the best edge-to-edge support in the range.
- Best for side sleepers who want it plush: the Hybrid Luxe (£1,799).
- Best for hot sleepers with the budget: the Hybrid Ultra (£2,399), the only Simba with HeatRelease™ cooling as standard.
- Cheapest way in: the Hybrid Essential (£699), but read the section on it first.
The Simba range at a glance#
Scores are from our own testing, out of 10. Prices are Simba's full prices for a double, checked on 31 October 2026; Simba runs sales for much of the year, so you will rarely pay these.
| Mattress | Depth | Feel | Support | Comfort | Overall | Double |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simba Hybrid Essential | 20cm | Medium-firm | 8.1 | 8.3 | 8.0 | £699 |
| Simba Hybrid | 25cm | Medium-firm | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.5 | £899 |
| Simba Hybrid Pro | 28cm | Medium-firm | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.7 | £1,299 |
| Simba Hybrid Luxe | 31cm | Medium | 9.1 | 9.4 | 8.6 | £1,799 |
| Simba Hybrid Ultra | 34cm | Medium-soft | 9.3 | 9.5 | 8.5 | £2,399 |
Simba Hybrid Essential: the cheapest, not the best value#
The Essential uses the same Aerocoil® microspring layer as the rest of the range in a shallower 20cm, four-layer build with five support zones. It sleeps cooler than an all-foam mattress at the same price and suits back and combination sleepers who like medium-firm. The catch is the price: at £699 for a double it is only £200 less than the full Simba Hybrid, which is deeper and has nine zones instead of five. Unless the Essential is discounted much harder than the Hybrid, the Hybrid is the better buy. There is no super king Essential.
Simba Hybrid: the one most people should buy#
The original Simba Hybrid is 25cm with up to 1,900 microsprings and a nine-zone foam base. It scored 8.7 for support and 8.8 for comfort, and it isolates movement well for couples. What it lacks against the Pro is the sprung base, so the edges are softer when you sit on them, and it has no cooling upgrade. For most back, side and combination sleepers under about 16 stone it is the sweet spot of the range.
Simba Hybrid Pro: the best support#
The Hybrid Pro adds a second microspring layer, a British wool comfort layer, a cool-touch Stratos® cover and a steel-spring SupportCore™ base. That base is what you feel: the mattress supports right to the edge, and it scored 9.2 for support. It is the Simba we would pick for back pain, for couples who use the whole width of the bed, and for heavier sleepers. HeatRelease™ cooling is an optional extra on the Pro.
Simba Hybrid Luxe: plusher, for side sleepers#
The Hybrid Luxe is 31cm with three microspring layers and bamboo-infused British wool. It feels softer than the Pro (medium rather than medium-firm), which is why it scored higher for comfort (9.4) but not for support. Side sleepers who find the Pro firm at the shoulder are the people it is for. Front sleepers should avoid it.
Simba Hybrid Ultra: the flagship#
The Hybrid Ultra is Simba's deepest and most expensive mattress: 34cm, up to 7,300 springs across four sprung layers, a natural latex and coconut layer, and a FusionCool™ comfort layer of wool, bamboo, charcoal and kapok. HeatRelease™ graphite cooling comes as standard. It has the highest comfort score of any mattress we have tested (9.5) and a support score of 9.3, and it is the coolest Simba.
Simba Hybrid Ultra vs Luxe: which is better?#
This is the comparison people search for most, because both are plush, deep and expensive. The short version: the Ultra is better, but not £600 better for most people.
| Hybrid Luxe | Hybrid Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | 31cm | 34cm |
| Feel | Medium | Medium-soft |
| Sprung layers | Three microspring layers + sprung base | Up to 7,300 springs in four sprung layers |
| Natural fillings | Bamboo-infused British wool | Wool, bamboo, charcoal and kapok, plus latex and coconut |
| Cooling | HeatRelease™ is an optional extra | HeatRelease™ as standard |
| Support / comfort | 9.1 / 9.4 | 9.3 / 9.5 |
| Double price | £1,799 | £2,399 |
| Sizes | Single to super king | No small double |
Choose the Ultra if you sleep hot, because cooling is built in rather than added, or if you want the softest surface Simba makes without losing support. Choose the Luxe if you want a plush, natural-filled hybrid and do not overheat: it is £600 cheaper in a double and the difference in how it supports you is small. Both are 30cm-plus, so you will need extra-deep fitted sheets and two people to rotate them.
Is the Simba Ultra worth it?#
For most people, no: the Hybrid Pro gives you nearly the same support for £1,100 less, and its value score (7.9) is well ahead of the Ultra's (6.6). The Ultra earns its price if three things are true: you sleep hot, you like a soft surface, and you keep mattresses for ten years or more. In a sale the gap narrows; at Simba's maximum Black Friday discount of 33% the Ultra would come to about £1,607 for a double.
Simba prices by size#
Simba's full prices, checked on 31 October 2026. A dash means Simba does not make that size of that model.
| Size | Hybrid Essential | Hybrid | Hybrid Pro | Hybrid Luxe | Hybrid Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | £549 | £699 | £899 | £1,249 | £1,749 |
| Small double | £699 | £899 | £1,299 | £1,799 | - |
| Double | £699 | £899 | £1,299 | £1,799 | £2,399 |
| King | £799 | £999 | £1,399 | £1,899 | £2,599 |
| Super king | - | £1,099 | £1,499 | £1,999 | £2,999 |
Buying Simba in a sale#
Simba's Black Friday sale runs from 1 to 30 November 2026 with up to 33% off everything. "Up to" means the best discount applies to some models and sizes, not all, so compare the price you are offered against the full prices above. Our Simba Black Friday guide covers which model to buy in the sale, and our Black Friday mattress deals page compares Simba with the other brands we test.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the difference between Simba mattresses?#
Depth, the number of spring layers and the fillings. The Essential and Hybrid have one microspring layer on foam; the Pro, Luxe and Ultra add more spring layers, natural wool and a steel-spring SupportCore™ base. As you go up the range the mattresses get deeper and plusher, and only the Ultra has HeatRelease™ cooling as standard.
Which Simba mattress is best for back pain?#
The Hybrid Pro. It is medium-firm, which is the firmness research favours for lower back pain, and its sprung base keeps the spine supported to the edge of the bed. If the Pro is over budget, the standard Simba Hybrid is the next best.
Which Simba mattress is best for side sleepers?#
The Hybrid Luxe for most side sleepers, or the Ultra if you also sleep hot. Both have a softer surface that lets the shoulder and hip sink in. The Hybrid and Pro suit side sleepers over about 14 stone, who sink further into any mattress.
Which Simba mattress is the coolest?#
The Hybrid Ultra, which has HeatRelease™ graphite cooling built in and the most breathable natural fillings. The Pro and Luxe can have HeatRelease™ added at extra cost.
How long is the Simba trial?#
200 nights on every mattress in the range, with a 10-year guarantee. See our guide to mattress trials for what to check before you rely on one.
