Best boxed mattresses UK 2023: best mattresses in a box, from Emma, Simba, Nectar, Simba Luxe and OTTY
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Boxed mattresses - you can’t move for hearing about them, they’re advertised at the start of every podcast and on the banner ad for many digital sites. But in tandem with this blanket marketing technique is their wild popularity: sales of boxed mattresses have been on a steady upward trajectory for the past decade.
It’s not difficult to figure out why. Not only do they offer an easy out for those wanting to skip the awkward bed-hopping of in-store mattress shopping, but also convenience and quick delivery, and all without compromising on quality.
Best boxed mattresses at a glance:
- The original - and one of the best: Simba Hybrid Pro Mattress
- Best for a life-time guarantee: Dreamcloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress
- Best for a reliable all-rounder: Otty Hybrid
- Best value for money: Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
- Best for a softer-feel mattress: Emma Original Mattress
- Best for hotel-style luxury: Simba Hybrid Luxe Mattress
- Best for supreme comfort: Eve Sleep the Original
How to shop for a boxed mattress
According to The Sleep Council you might be due a new mattress if your current one is seven or more years old, feels uncomfortable (lumpy or has dips) or leaves you feeling achy and not refreshed after sleeping.
There are a fair few factors to pay mind to when purchasing a new mattress, and it isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly (particularly since you’ll be sleeping on it every night for the best part of a decade).
Boxed mattresses tend to be made from foam or a combo of foam and springs (called a hybrid), and both have pros and cons. Full foam mattresses tend to provide a warmer sleep, though they have hypo-allergenic properties and mould to your body shape. Hybrid mattresses, on the other hand, are more breathable and more durable.
How do you sleep?
The most important consideration is your sleep style and support requirements. Side-sleepers are most likely to get a sound night’s sleep from a soft-medium mattress, whilst back and stomach sleepers tend to benefit more from medium-firm mattresses.
Combination sleepers – those who change position throughout the night – should choose a mattress based on the position they spend the most time in, and also bear in mind ease of movement.
Unfortunately, if you suffer from back pain there’s a bit more trial and error involved in finding your ideal mattress as it largely depends on the type and location of pain (lower, mid or upper back) and your preferred sleeping position.
Is it wise to buy a boxed mattress without trying it?
Many remain sceptical about investing in a vacuum-packed mattress without first testing, but most makers offer generous trial periods that allow for lengthy at-home testing (up to 365 days is the most we’ve found) and easy returns within that timeframe if you find that the mattress isn’t for you. Always check the trial period and returns policy before purchasing to save yourself 10 years of sub-standard sleep.
Try and get mattress-disposal as part of your purchase
Keep an eye out for companies offering collection of your old mattress when you purchase a new boxed mattress from them, as this can save the stress of donating or disposing of it yourself, and read up on the weight and dimensions of your chosen mattress before adding it to your virtual basket – particularly if you plan on unpacking it alone. Some are heavy and awkward to navigate up stairs.
To help make your decision a little easier, we’ve summarised 7 of the best boxed mattresses we tested, rating them on everything from comfort and ease of unpacking to motion transfer and smell (yes, really).
Here’s how they fared…
Sizes available: single, double, king, super king
Mattress depth: 28cm
Trial period: 200 nights
Guarantee: 10 years
We won’t beat around the bush here, Simba’s Hybrid Pro mattress is supremely comfy. As in, risk a danger-sit during the day and there’s a chance you’ll stay there for some time. Not ideal for productivity (particularly when so many of us are still working from home), but an absolute dream come sleep time.
It features a combo of foam and Titanium Aerocoil Spring-Comfort layers which, although make for quite a heavy mattress (you might need an extra pair of hands to carry it through your home), provides enhanced airflow and that hug feeling you get from a good quality mattress. Plus, a 100% natural wool top layer aids with temperature regulation, though if you run hot it might still be a little on the warm side.
The Hybrid Pro has a firm feel about it, so it’s a popular choice for those who experience back pain and individuals who require more support, and there’s absolutely no motion transfer, so you can snooze soundly even if your partner moves a lot during the night. Its biggest downfall, we think, is the strong, chemical smell it emits upon first opening.
This is fairly normal for a foam mattress, but we found the odor of the Hybrid Pro to be strong for the first two nights. It fades over time, and after a few days we found the smell to have gone, however, if you’re unable to air the mattress for a while before using expect there to be an adjustment period whilst the fragrance disappears.
It’s ready to use three hours after unboxing but, as with all vacuum-packed mattresses, it can take a few days to reach full expansion. Happily, Simba offers a 200-night trial, during which time you’re welcome to change your mind and return your mattress, and the Hybrid Pro comes with a 10-year guarantee, so if anything goes wrong you can have it replaced for free.
Delivery is speedy – three business days – and we appreciated the cutting tool provided to assist with unpacking.
Sizes available: single, double, king, super king
Mattress depth: 29cm
Trial period: 365 days
Guarantee: Forever
You might want to don your fit kit and do a few stretches before unpacking Dreamcloud’s Luxury Hybrid mattress (and definitely don’t try to carry it up a flight of stairs alone) as it’s pretty weighty. But what it lacks in lightness, it makes up for in comfort.
Five layers of materials, including Activedge coils and foam, make it a good balance of snug and supportive for all sleepers, and a quilted top layer ensures a cool sleep even for those who tend to overheat. Rated a 6.5 on the firmness scale, it has a subtle springiness and a cushiony feel, though it doesn’t have the same doughy qualities as full foam mattresses, so if you prefer sleeping on a slightly sturdier base this mattress might just be for you.
It has a support foam base to absorb motion, but it does bounce a little when somebody moves, so although it’s potentially not sleep-disturbing for the bed-sharer, it’s not entirely without motion transfer.
There’s less of a chemical aroma upon opening Dreamcloud’s Luxury Hybrid mattress compared to others due to it having less foam, which makes for a much more pleasant sleep on the first few nights.
Our tester found the unpacking process somewhat tricky, thanks in part to the weight of the mattress and also the amount of plastic film it was rolled in, so you’ll need patience in spades. That said, it did inflate immediately.
A generous 365-day trial allows you to test the Luxury Hybrid in your own home for a full year and return it at any point if you find it isn’t quite suited to you, and a forever warranty means that should you choose to commit and your mattress develops a defect from normal use, it’ll be replaced for free.
Sizes available: single, small double, double, king, super king, EU single, EU double, EU king, emperor
Mattress depth: 25cm
Trial period: 100 nights
Guarantee: 10 years
OTTY’s Hybrid mattress is a solid all-rounder that would likely suit most sleepers. Rated 7/10 for firmness (with 1 being very soft and 10 being very firm), it feels spongy yet supportive on your frame, and makes getting out of bed in the morning ever-more challenging.
It contains both memory foam for comfort (which it has in spades) and individually-sewn pocket springs to minimise motion transfer for – in OTTY’s own words – those sharing a bed with a tosser.
Temperature regulating properties – which our tester, who tends to run hot at nighttime, gave a firm thumbs up – help to prevent overheating by releasing heat through the perforated foam, and a removable and washable cover allows you to keep the mattress in tip-top condition for longer.
It also has a non-slip base for use on all surfaces, whether a divan or an adjustable bed.
The box doesn’t have handle perforations, so it’s somewhat awkward moving around (in fact, your best bet is probably to unwrap first and then carry using the mattress handles), but the mattress is fairly lightweight and comes with a cutting tool for easier unpacking.
It can be used 2-4 hours after opening but may take some time to fully expand. It does have a light chemical fragrance at first, but we found it to be far less offensive than other mattresses we tested, and it faded much quicker too.
OTTY offers a 100-night trial of the Original Hybrid, so if it turns out not to be your cup of tea, it’s no big deal, and you can return for a full refund.
