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The Best Mattresses Guide

Simple advice on the UK’s best mattresses and beds​

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5 best mattresses for people who sleep on their back - 2020 and 2021

So which is the best mattress if you sleep on your back?

The short answer is...it varies depending on your weight and build, but I appreciate that's as helpful as a sieve on a sinking ship.

So here's the gist of it:
  1. Heavier people generally need firmer mattresses than lighter or thinner people (regardless of what position you sleep in). So, a seven foot rugby player would probably want a firm mattress whilst a four foot jockey would want a soft mattress. This is to make sure the mattress is sufficiently 'supportive'.
  2. However, if you sleep on your back you need a bit more support than a side sleeper, so you should lean towards a firmer mattress than usual. So, a five foot jockey who sleeps on their back might like to test out a medium firmness mattress instead of a soft mattress, for example.
  3. Just to confuse you, there's not a consistent way of measuring firmness in the mattress industry. As a result, our five foot jockey should probably try out a few 'medium' mattresses in a showroom or pick one online with a free trial period.

Here's our pick of five mattresses worth considering if you sleep on your back. Prices are for double mattresses and are correct at the time of writing:

1. Emma Mattress/Casper Mattress - £549/£750 - good for lighter weight people who sleep on their back

I've cheated a bit here and included two similar mattresses which are usually described as medium tension. As a result, they are more suited to a slightly lighter than average person who sleeps on their back.

They're both foam-based mattresses which have won several awards from expert testers:


  • The Emma Mattress (also called The Emma Original) offers a 10 year warranty and 200 night home trial, so you can return it and get a refund if you find it isn't right for you. Much like the Casper Mattress it is made entirely from layers of foam. It's won multiple awards from the likes of Ideal Home and Good Housekeeping. It uses memory foam as one of the middle layers so you get good support without sinking into the mattress as much as you might expect. TrustPilot scores average 4.6/5 for the Emma brand (they make another mattress and other products so it's a combined score).
  • The Casper Mattress (also called the Casper Original) also offers a trial period, although with this one you only get 60 nights and if you don't like it you can swap it for any other mattress sold by Mattress Online. You also get a 10 year warranty. The brand as a whole was scoring 4.3/5 on TrustPilot when I last checked and has won multiple awards, such as being named as one of Time Magazine's Inventions of the Year back in 2015. It uses layers of foam, including a layer of memory foam in the middle - much like the Emma Mattress. 
Emma Mattress side view
The Emma Mattress offers a 200 night trial and a 10 year guarantee...
Casper original mattress
...whilst The Casper has a 60 night trial so you can swap it if you don't like it
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The Emma Mattress
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The Casper Mattress

2. Ergoflex 5G Mattress - £739 - good for average weight people who sleep on their back

**Ergoflex Discount Code: Save 40% with discount code SAVE40**
The Ergoflex 5G is a medium/firm mattress which comes with outstanding reviews and the option to send it back if you don't like it. It comes with a 10 year guarantee and has won a best buy award from expert testers.
​
When we checked in January 2021, it was the highest rated mattress brand we could find on TrustPilot with an average score of 4.7/5. 

You don't get the mammoth 200 day trial period that you get with the Emma Mattress (above) but you do get 30 days which should be plenty of time to try it out. It's certainly better than lying on a mattress for 10 seconds in a showroom (although that does allow you to compare a few different models, of course).

The Ergoflex 5G doesn't use any springs and is another memory foam mattress, so it won't be to everyone's taste. Most of us still go for the more familiar feel of a pocket spring mattress rather than memory foam. However, various guides I've read have said that foam and memory foam 'provides more support' and it doesn't gather dust in the same way as natural fibres.
Ergoflex 5G mattress and box
Ergoflex is one of the highest rated mattress brands on TrustPilot
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​on Ergoflex 5G

3. JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS NATURAL COLLECTION FLEECE WOOL 8400 - £1249 - good for slightly above average build/Weight people who sleep on their back

If you can afford them, take a look at the John Lewis Natural Collection of mattresses. They're made by a company called Harrison Spinks which is a posh mattress maker based in Yorkshire.

The company has won awards such as 'Bed Manufacturer of the Year' 2018 at the National Bed Federation Awards. In case you are really interested, the type of springs used in this one won a prize at the same Awards in 2019. The company is also one of the few mattress brands with a Manufacturing Guild Mark, which is a sign of good quality.

We've picked out this firm mattress which is a mid-priced option in the range (a double mattress ranges from about £600 - £2600). John Lewis & Partners say that their Natural Collection firm mattresses are about right for someone who is more than 16 stone. They are one of the few companies which actually offer such clear guidance on the recommended weight for their mattresses.

In all there were 18 firm mattresses in the John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection when we checked - so what's the difference between a £600 mattress and a £2600 mattress?

Cheaper mattresses tend to be thinner, as they don't use as many materials and some cheaper mattresses can't be turned over, which means they might develop sags and dips quicker. There are also boring technical things such as whether it has 'hand side stitching' which gives it more strength when you sit on the edge. Mattresses with a higher spring count usually cost more, but be aware that mattresses with thousands of springs are actually ones with several layers of small springs. 

This John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Fleece Wool 8400 has a very good specification with hand side stitching, a high spring count and the option to turn it over.

As well as the usual sizes, it's also available in Super King Zip Link which is where two smaller mattresses are joined together.

It comes with a 7 year guarantee.​ Overall, Harrison Spinks was scoring 3/5 on TrustPilot when we checked.
John Lewis Natural mattress
Award winners Harrison Spinks makes mattresses for John Lewis & Partners
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​Natural Collection 8400

4.​ SLEEPEEZEE ULTRAFIRM 1600 POCKET SPRiNG MATTRESS - £469 - good for Heavier people who sleep on their back

If you prefer the feel of a 'traditional' mattress with pocket springs rather than a foam or memory foam mattress then I'd consider something like this 'extra firm' Sleepeezee Ultrafirm 1600.

However, I'd only go for a very firm mattress like this if you are a heavier than average person who sleeps on their back. 

There's an old myth that a firm mattress is good for your back, but actual experts like the Sleep Council say that it isn't that simple and that you need a mattress which is supportive enough to give your spine the 'correct alignment'. If you're too light, you'll just lie on the top and won't sink in at all. Some firms use the phrase 'orthopedic' but that usually just means it's a very firm mattress, and is no guarantee that it is good for your back.


We've picked out a mattress from the Sleepeezee range for a number of reasons. 

The company has been going for many years and even has a Royal Warrant, which isn't given out lightly. If you're a republican, you might be more impressed with the TrustPilot reviews which were a very commendable 4.4/5 when we checked (September 2020). 

Alongside all that, you get a 60 night sleep trial so you can 'exchange your mattress for a different Sleepeezee model if you're not 100% happy'. Such home trials are now very common in the foam and memory foam mattress market, but are much less common for traditionally made pocket spring mattresses.


With all those credentials, you might assume Sleepeezee are expensive but they aren't really - I'd put them as mid-priced.

The Sleepeezee Ultrafirm 1600 was scoring about 9/10 from 100+ customers when we checked and comes with a 5 year guarantee, which is a bit shorter than some. Most modern foam mattresses come with a 10 year guarantee (
OTTY, Eve Sleep and Simba Sleep), whilst posh brand Vispring offer 30 years and Nectar Sleep offers a 'Forever' guarantee. Obviously, you should have a read of the small print with a guarantee as there's variation in what is covered.
Sleepeezee Ultrafirm 1600 mattress
Sleepeezee has a Royal Warrant but their mattresses aren't as expensive as you might think
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on Sleepeezee Ultrafirm 1600
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on all Sleepeezee mattresses

5. Brook + Wilde Lux Mattress (Firm Version) - £749 - good for average or slightly above average build/weight people who sleep on their back

**Brook + Wilde January Sale: 35% off £649+ with discount code JAN35 until 01/02/21**
The Brook + Wilde Lux is a memory foam and springs mattress which deserves a mention in our top 5 despite being a lesser-known name. 

They only make three mattresses, but the Brook + Wilde Lux comes in four different levels of firmness - soft, medium, firm and extra firm. The idea is that you can swap it for a different firmness or get a refund within 100 days if it doesn't give you the right support (much like
OTTY, Eve Sleep, Simba Sleep and Nectar Sleep - check the Ts and Cs of this)

The Brook + Wilde Lux mattress is what's known as a 'hybrid' mattress which means that it combines memory foam and pocket springs. Memory foam is a material which provides consistent support and which 'hugs' you in bed. Some people aren't keen on the slight 'sinking' feeling but others find it is much better than traditional pocket springs. Others have an issue where they find memory foam is a bit too hot for them, but this Lux mattress is among those which aims to overcome this with 'cooling memory foam'.

Lower down the mattress are pocket springs, which is the type of support that most of us are used to from a mattress. Cheap and nasty sprung mattresses use 'open coil' springs but most half-decent mattresses use pocket springs as they don't wobble around like jelly.

It comes with a 10 year guarantee and arrives squashed up into a box to make it a bit easier to get it upstairs.

If you're 'average' weight and build and you sleep on your back then the firm version of the Lux is more likely to offer the right level of support. If you're lighter or weigh less than average then you might be better trying the medium firmness version.


When we checked, the brand was scoring 4.6/5 on TrustPilot.
Brook and Wilde Lux mattress with orange stripe
You can choose from soft, medium, firm or extra firm with Brook + Wilde's Lux Mattress
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​Brook + Wilde deals

Related guides from the Best Mattresses Guide

Mattress with duvet cover and pillow

10 of the best mattress retailers

Where to start your search for good quality beds and mattresses in the UK​
Tufted mattress

10 of the best mattresses of 2020/2021

10 mattresses which have won awards and rave reviews 
Teddy bear on a quilted mattress

Best places to buy cheap mattresses

Where to shop for a mattress on a budget of £500, £200 or £100

Buying advice

Beginners' guide
​
Best retailers
Cheap retailers
Divan or bedstead?
​
How to choose a mattress
​John Lewis mattresses
​Memory foam or springs?

Best mattresses

Top 10 mattresses
Arthritis
Back sleepers​
Bed in a box
Best for bad backs
​Cheap mattresses
Cheap memory foam
​Emperor mattresses
​Best firm mattresses
Mattresses with free trials
​
Front sleepers
​Best for heavy people
​Hybrid mattresses
​Kids mattresses
Best latex mattresses
Medium firm mattresses
Top 5 memory foam
​Pillow top mattresses
Pocket sprung mattresses
​
Queen size mattresses
​Side sleepers
​Single mattresses
​
Single memory foam
​Small double mattresses
​Small single mattresses
Best soft mattresses
Wool mattresses
Zip link mattresses


Other guides

​Adjustable beds
Air beds
​Best bedding
Bedspreads
Blankets/throws
​Bunk beds
​Bunk bed with desk
Best carpets
Chair beds
​Cheap beds
Cot bed mattresses
​Day beds
Double beds
Double bunk beds
Double storage beds
Duvets
​Electric blankets
​Fitted sheets
Folding beds
Guest beds
Headboards
Mattress protectors
​Metal beds
Ottoman beds
Pillows
​Silk pillowcases
Silk pyjamas
​
Sleigh beds
​5 best sofa beds
Best toppers
Trundle beds
TV beds
Weighted blankets
White beds
​Wooden beds
​
​




Brands

Casper
Dormeo
Dunlopillo
Emma
Ergoflex
Eve
Hypnos
Nectar
OTTY
Sealy
Silentnight
Simba
Sleepeezee
Tempur
Vispring

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  • Home
  • Mattress advice
    • How to choose a mattress
    • Best Mattresses beginners guide
    • Memory foam v pocket spring mattresses - which is best?
    • 6 tips for buying the best pocket spring mattress
    • 5 tips for buying the best memory foam mattress
    • The 5 questions you need to answer before buying a bed
    • Is an orthopedic mattress the best for a bad back?
  • Best mattresses
    • 10 of the best mattresses of 2020 and 2021
    • By type >
      • 6 best pocket sprung mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 6 best memory foam mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best latex mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best pillow top mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best bed in a box 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best hybrid mattresses 2020 and 2021
    • By brand >
      • By brand - A to E >
        • Casper Mattress
        • 5 best Dormeo mattresses 2020 and 2021
        • Dunlopillo mattresses
        • Emma mattresses >
          • Emma Mattress/Emma Original
          • Emma Hybrid Mattress
        • Ergoflex Mattress
        • Eve Mattress
      • By brand - F to R >
        • Hypnos mattresses >
          • The Premier Inn Hypnos Mattress
          • 5 best Hypnos mattresses 2020 and 2021
        • Nectar Sleep Mattress
        • OTTY mattresses
      • By brand - S to Z >
        • 5 best Sealy mattresses 2020 and 2021
        • 5 best Silentnight mattresses 2020 and 2021
        • Simba Sleep mattresses >
          • Simba Hybrid Mattress
          • Simba Hybrid Pro Mattress
        • Sleepeezee mattresses
        • Tempur mattresses
        • 5 best Vispring mattresses 2020 and 2021
    • Specialist mattresses >
      • 10 best cot mattresses for baby's beds 2020 and 2021
      • 7 mattresses for heavy people 2020 and 2021
      • Best mattresses for back pain and bad backs 2020 and 2021
      • Best mattresses for arthritis 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best wool mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best kids mattresses 2020 and 2021
    • By firmness >
      • 5 best soft mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best medium firm mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best firm mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best orthopedic/orthopaedic mattresses 2020 and 2021
    • By sleeping position >
      • 5 best mattresses for side sleepers 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best mattresses for front/stomach sleepers 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best mattresses for back sleepers 2020 and 2021
    • By price >
      • 5 best cheap mattresses under £200 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best cheap beds 2020 and 2021
      • 6 of the best mattresses with a free trial 2020 and 2021
      • 5 cheap memory foam mattresses 2020 and 2021
    • By size >
      • 6 of the best emperor mattresses, beds, bedsteads and divans 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best zip link beds and mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best small single mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best single beds and single mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 6 best single memory foam mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best small double mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best queen size beds and queen mattresses 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best double beds 2020 and 2021
  • Best Beds
    • Divan base or bedstead - which is best?
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      • 5 best sofa beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best air beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best day beds 2020 and 2021
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      • 5 of the best trundle beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best chair beds and single sofa beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best folding beds 2020 and 2021
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      • 6 of the best bunk beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best double bunk beds 2020 and 2021
    • Wooden, metal and fabric bedframes >
      • 5 of the best wooden beds 2020 and 2021
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      • 5 of the best white beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best leather beds 2020 and 2021
    • Storage beds >
      • 6 of the best ottoman beds and storage beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best single beds with storage and single ottoman beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best double ottoman beds and double beds with storage 2020 and 2021
    • Specialist beds >
      • 6 best adjustable beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best TV beds 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best cheap headboards 2020 and 2021
  • Duvets, pillows & bedding
    • Duvets and blankets >
      • 5 of the best duvets for summer and winter 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best electric blankets and heated blankets 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best weighted blankets 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best bedspreads 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best blankets and throws 2020 and 2021
      • 5 best wool blankets and wool throws 2020 and 2021
    • Pillows and pillowcases >
      • 5 of the best pillows 2020 and 2021
      • 6 best silk pillowcases 2020 and 2021
    • Bedding, sheets and toppers >
      • 5 of the best bedding sets 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best fitted sheets 2020 and 2021
      • 5 of the best mattress protectors 2020 and 2021
      • Which are the best mattress toppers?
    • Other guides >
      • 5 best silk pyjamas 2020 and 2021
      • Which is the best type of carpet material?
  • Retailers
    • 10 best places to buy cheap mattresses and divan beds under £500, £200 or £100
    • 10 of the best mattress retailers online 2020 and 2021
    • Buying a John Lewis & Partners mattress - 5 top tips for 2020 and 2021
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