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Which Are The Best Mattress Toppers?
Which is the best type of mattress topper?
OK, so before I give my opinion...there are four main types of mattress topper:
- Natural fibre mattress toppers are made from wool, feathers, duck down or goose down. Duck down and goose down is good for keeping cool and is super soft, but isn’t good for allergies unless it is specially treated and sealed. Wool is better for allergies but isn’t quite as soft as goose or duck down. Prices range from about £50 to £300.
- Synthetic mattress toppers are made from polyester. They are often called things like 'microfibre' toppers. Prices start from about £20.
- Memory foam mattress toppers (also called visco elastic) are good for people with allergies. Memory foam moulds around you so some people don’t like the sinking feeling and it can also make you feel hot. The price depends on how thick it is. Cheap memory foam toppers start at about £30.
- Latex mattress toppers last for ages and are made from natural materials (rubber). They are expensive though (prices from about £100 upwards).
Which is best? Most people agree that natural fibres are better than synthetic fibre mattress toppers.
Memory foam v natural fibres is a personal preference, it depends whether you like the feel of memory foam.
Latex is a posh alternative and, but it's not to everyone's taste.
Researchers in China attempted to take an academic look at the question of mattress toppers in a study which was published in 2020 by Yu-Chi, Chih-Yun and Mao-Jiun. They searched for the best 'combination of thickness and hardness', specifically for people who sleep on their back.
After looking at things such as 'body pressure and temperature distribution' they recommended that a mattress topper which is 30mm is ideal and that it should be 'a soft topper'.
Which are the best microfibre synthetic mattress toppers?
If you're on a tight budget or just want something cheap for a guest bed then here are a couple of decent synthetic mattress toppers:
1. Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper - £49 (king size)
This topper scores 4.5/5 after thousands of reviews
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Silentnight is probably the best known brand in the UK mattress market. This cheap mattress topper is polyester, but it gets great reviews and it is machine washable. As an overall brand, Silentnight scores well with customers, averaging 4.2/5 on TrustPilot when we checked. This particular mattress topper scores 4.5/5 from 6000+ reviews, at the time of writing.
Pros: big name brand, low price, thousands of positive reviews, machine washable, available in two depths and four sizes Cons: synthetic materials are less breathable |
2. Sealy Select Response Mattress Topper - £25 (king size)
Sealy is the world's biggest bed brand. They offer this good value synthetic topper.
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This cheap mattress topper from Sealy has a microfiber cover (which just means it is very finely woven) and it has something called ‘DuPont silk like fibres’. Essentially, it is a synthetic fibre but the manufacturers say it has ‘all the legendary smoothness of silk’. That might be pushing it but it gets good reviews and it’s hypoallergenic. Sealy claims to be the world's biggest bed brand.
Pros: available in four sizes, huge bedding brand, good value, hypoallergenic Cons: synthetic material, relatively thin |
Which are the best memory foam mattress toppers?
There are loads of memory foam mattress toppers to choose from, but here are three to consider:
1. Panda Mattress Topper - £159 (king size)
This Panda topper comes with a 30 day home trial
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The Panda Mattress Topper is worth a look as it comes with a 30 night home trial period. If you don't like it, they'll collect it for free and give you a refund (see the Ts and Cs). Home trials are quite common with mattresses but less so with toppers.
"But is it any good?" I hear you cry, in an unnecessarily aggressive tone. At the time of writing, reviews on TrustPilot average 4.3/5 after 100+ reviews whilst it scores about 4.8/5 from 3000+ reviews on the Panda website. Some people find memory foam makes them a bit hot in bed but this one aims to keep you cool by mixing the memory foam with a gel. The cover is made from bamboo which is 'naturally antibacterial' and 'highly breathable' according to the official blurb. It is 5cm thick, which is pretty decent when compared to some cheap mattress toppers. Pros: trial period is unusual with a mattress topper, very positive reviews, memory foam is good at spreading out your weight Cons: more expensive than some toppers, mostly synthetic materials |
2. Silentnight Impress Memory Foam Mattress Topper - £50 to £100 (king size)
This Silentnight topper comes in two different thicknesses - and gets strong reviews
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Silentnight is a big brand and they offer this well-reviewed memory foam topper in a couple of thicknesses. The 2.5cm version is about £50, whilst the 5cm version is around £100. Personally, I’d get the deeper one if you can afford it.
Memory foam offers consistent support. Some people don’t like the sinking feel, whilst others say memory foam smells a bit at first (though that does tend to go away). It's had 1800+ customer reviews and scores 4.5/5 at the time of typing. Pros: memory foam does a good job of spreading out weight, choice of thickness levels and sizes, lots of positive reviews, popular brand Cons: some find memory foam makes them feel too warm, 'offgassing' is common from new foam |
3. Tempur Mattress Topper 7 - £925 (king size)
Tempur is probably the world's most famous memory foam brand
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Hang on a minute, £925 for a mattress topper? Bear with me a second, it’s better value than you might think.
Tempur is the world’s most famous luxury memory-foam type brand. They helped develop NASA technology into mattresses and are still the biggest name in the market. You’d usually pay £2000+ for a Tempur mattress, but you can get a topper for half that (or there’s a thinner version which is a bit cheaper). Pros: original memory foam brand with decades of development and manufacturing Cons: several times more expensive than other memory foam brands |
Which are the best natural fibre mattress toppers?
We've picked out a couple of natural fibre mattress toppers which get positive reviews and offer good value. Prices correct at time of writing.
1. John Lewis & Partners Goose Down Mattress Topper - £190 (king size)
A posh natural topper like this one is breathable and comfy
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This classy mattress topper from John Lewis is a combination of 70% goose down and 30% goose feather. Goose down is the ultra soft and ultra expensive bit underneath the feathers. You’ll pay more for mattress toppers with a higher percentage of down. Feathers give a bit more firmness, so it’s not as simple as saying that a 100% goose down topper is perfect for everyone. Some people prefer a bit of firmness, so a blend of the two is usually ideal. People with allergies to dust mites can find natural materials problematic. However, this one uses 'a hygienic washing and high-temperature drying process' and then the filling are 'sealed in a tightly woven fabric cover'. As a result, they claim that 'This allows people with dust mite allergies to enjoy natural bedding'.
Pros: John Lewis & Partners reputation for quality, natural materials are breathable, high proportion of down Cons: Very expensive |
2. John Lewis & Partners Natural Duck Down Mattress Topper - £140 (king size)
This John Lewis topper comes with a 5 year guarantee
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This duck down topper from John Lewis is half feather and half down, meaning it has a bit more shape and firmness to it than those which are entirely down. According to the blurb it is cleverly sealed to stop dust mites getting in, which means it is suitable for people with dust mite allergies and asthma (or you could get a synthetic one instead).
But then again, it costs the same as some new mattresses… Pros: mix of feather and down gives more structure, designed to be suitable for allergies Cons: very expensive |
Which are the best latex mattress toppers?
There aren’t all that many latex mattress toppers on the market but here are a couple worth a look:
1. Latex Plus by Yanis 8cm Latex Mattress Topper - £305 (king size, other sizes available)
Latex is a natural and sustainable material which can offer good support on a mattress
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This mattress topper by Yanis gets very good reviews.
It's made from natural latex which is good for allergies and doesn’t have quite the same sinking feeling as memory foam. It's also a 'natural' material as it comes from rubber trees, whereas memory foam and microfibre mattress toppers are manmade. This version is 8cm thick. Pros: natural material, consistent support, keeps you cooler than memory foam Cons: costs as much as some new mattresses |
2. Latex Plus by Yanis 5cm Mattress Topper - £225 (king size)
Which retailers are best for buying best mattress toppers?
- John Lewis & Partners has a small, high-quality selection of mattress toppers. Prices range from about £40 for a cheap double mattress topper made from synthetic materials, through to an £800 topper designed for Vispring mattresses. The only thing missing is a latex mattress topper (at the time of searching)
- Amazon has a vast selection of mattress toppers. There are loads of cheap memory foam and synthetic mattress toppers (£20+), although there are some £200+ latex toppers if you are after something higher quality.
- Very has a small but decent range of mattress toppers, with memory foam, synthetic and natural feather and down mattress toppers.
- Mattress Online has a small selection of mattress toppers, most of which are mid-priced memory foam toppers
Why should I buy a mattress topper?
There are two advantages to buying a topper to sit on top of your mattress.
- Hygiene - toppers collect all the sweat, grotty bacteria and other unpleasantness which would otherwise end up on the mattress (best not to think about such things when you stay in a hotel...). As a result, you can just replace the topper and keep the mattress going for a few more years. Some mattress toppers have covers which can be removed and washed.
- Comfort - you won’t notice a lot of difference with a cheap topper, but more expensive toppers add a decent layer of comfort. It's a bit like putting a new carpet down - it won't cover up holes in the floorboards and you won't notice much improvement if you get the cheap stuff they use in schools...
Does it matter what my mattress underneath is made from?
Generally, people get a mattress topper which matches the material of the mattress. So, if you’ve got a memory foam mattress you’ll get a topper which is also memory foam. However, there’s nothing to say you can’t live life on the edge and use a memory foam topper on a pocket sprung mattress. In fact, I've done exactly that on our spare bed as it was a bit too firm.
Promise you won't tell anyone.
Promise you won't tell anyone.
What’s the advantage of an expensive mattress topper?
A cheap mattress topper made from polyester is perfectly adequate but a feather and down topper is better if you are inclined to get too hot in bed (ooer missus).
Memory foam and latex are good if you have problems with allergies. There's also an argument that memory foam and latex offer good all over support in a mattress. If it's a thick enough topper, I don't see why you can't apply the same argument.
Memory foam and latex are good if you have problems with allergies. There's also an argument that memory foam and latex offer good all over support in a mattress. If it's a thick enough topper, I don't see why you can't apply the same argument.
What’s the difference between a mattress pad and a mattress topper?
A topper is thicker than a mattress pad.
I can waffle on for a while about the history of bedding or the 94 types of mattress pads if you like, but that’s the gist of it. Perhaps I should draw a diagram of someone lying on their side to help illustrate it?
I can waffle on for a while about the history of bedding or the 94 types of mattress pads if you like, but that’s the gist of it. Perhaps I should draw a diagram of someone lying on their side to help illustrate it?