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5 best soft mattresses - 2020 and 2021
Most advice I've read online suggests that soft mattresses are best for lighter people.
Unfortunately, each manufacturer means something slightly different when they offer their 'soft mattress' although John Lewis & Partners provides a useful rule of thumb when it says that their soft mattresses are suitable for people who weigh under 8 stone whilst their medium mattresses are for people who weigh 8 - 16 stone.
The general theory is that a mattress should keep your spine straight, so a lighter person's hips and shoulders won't sink enough on a firm mattress, whereas an elephant would not get sufficient support from a soft mattress (even a baby elephant would struggle).
It's also a question of comfort, although the two tend to go together - if you are sufficiently supported then you will feel comfortable in the long run since you won't climb out of bed and start walking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Another thing to consider is your sleeping position. People who sleep on their sides tend to need softer mattresses so that there isn't too much pressure on their hips and shoulders.
If you combine those factors you'll have an idea of whether a soft mattress is right for you.
We've picked out five soft mattresses from 2020 and 2021 which are worth considering. We looked at a combination of industry awards, customer reviews, specifications and value for money.
Prices are for double mattresses and are correct at the time of writing.
Unfortunately, each manufacturer means something slightly different when they offer their 'soft mattress' although John Lewis & Partners provides a useful rule of thumb when it says that their soft mattresses are suitable for people who weigh under 8 stone whilst their medium mattresses are for people who weigh 8 - 16 stone.
The general theory is that a mattress should keep your spine straight, so a lighter person's hips and shoulders won't sink enough on a firm mattress, whereas an elephant would not get sufficient support from a soft mattress (even a baby elephant would struggle).
It's also a question of comfort, although the two tend to go together - if you are sufficiently supported then you will feel comfortable in the long run since you won't climb out of bed and start walking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Another thing to consider is your sleeping position. People who sleep on their sides tend to need softer mattresses so that there isn't too much pressure on their hips and shoulders.
If you combine those factors you'll have an idea of whether a soft mattress is right for you.
We've picked out five soft mattresses from 2020 and 2021 which are worth considering. We looked at a combination of industry awards, customer reviews, specifications and value for money.
Prices are for double mattresses and are correct at the time of writing.
1. Brook + Wilde Lux Mattress (soft version) - £749
**Brook + Wilde January Sale: 35% off £649+ with discount code JAN35 until 01/02/21**
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Brook + Wilde probably isn’t a name you’re familiar with, unless you follow the mattress world as enthusiastically as me… However, the soft version of their Lux mattress is worth a look as it was been given the thumbs up by expert testers in 2019 (although they actually tested the firm version of the same mattress). Good Housekeeping also gave their approval.
It uses springs and foam and is one of those ‘bed in a box’ mattresses which expand in your bedroom. There are 2000 mini springs along with 1000 larger pocket springs to give plenty of support (pocket springs are far superior to the old fashioned 'open coil' springs that you get on a cheap mattress). There’s also a layer of memory foam, which offers consistent support and is less bouncy. Some people find memory foam a bit warm but mattresses like this one use ‘breathable’ and ‘cooling’ memory foam to try and overcome this. The Lux Mattress also has a long warranty (10 years) and the option to swap it for a different firmness or ask for a refund if it’s not right for you within 100 days (read the FAQ for more on how this works). As with most of these ‘bed in a box’ mattresses, you can’t turn it over so you just rotate it round. At the time of writing, the Brook + Wilde brand was scoring a rather impressive 4.6/5 on TrustPilot. |
Brook + Wilde's Lux Mattress comes with a trial period so you can return it if you don't like it
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2. Sealy Teramo 1400/Sealy Nostromo 1400 - £599
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Expert testers went wild for the Sealy Teramo 1400, which is a pocket sprung mattress with a topper to add a bit of extra softness.
Just to confuse you, it goes under several different names including the Sealy Nostromo 1400. As far as I can tell there's no difference in specifications between them. Sealy is owned by the Silentnight group and claims to be the 'biggest bed brand in the world'. One downside is that you can't turn it over, because of the topper. Some people suggest that mattresses which can't be turned over aren't as durable but that wasn't a criticism offered by expert testers who looked at this one. Customer reviews were just under 9/10 when I checked on Mattress Online. The 1400 number refers to the number of pocket springs, which will provide plenty of support, unless you happen to be a very large individual (in which case, you might actually be better getting a firmer mattress). There's some inconsistency about how firm this mattress is, but the official Sealy website says it is soft. Most sites I've found say that it is soft/medium firmness. The Sealy Teramo 1400 is described as being 'Posturepedic'. In case you're sifting through the jargon with a befuddled look on your face, this is a design feature of some Sealy mattresses which means that the middle bit of the mattress has been 'reinforced...to support your back and core'. |
The Sealy Teramo scores 9/10 from reviewers on Mattress Online
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3. Hypnos Premier Luxury Pillowtop Pocket Sprung Mattress - £1035
**Discount code: 15% off with discount code MATTRESS15**
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I was always a big fan of that old Ferrero Rocher advert where they said 'with these chocolates, the ambassador is really spoiling us'. Well, the ambassador probably provides his guests with Hypnos mattresses too.
They're at the posh end of the market and have a Royal Warrant, although some models aren't as expensive as you might assume. Hypnos was named as National Bed Federation’s best manufacturer 2014 and 2017 and runner up in 2018. The Premier is available as a soft feel mattresses and it has a number of signs of quality, including 'hand side stitching' which gives it strength right to the edges. This mattress has a built in topper, so you can't turn it over. That's generally not my preferred option for a mattress as turning over can help reduce dips and sags over time. Although do bear in mind that turning a king size or super king size mattress is a bit like wrestling an ox so lots of people don't tend to bother anyway. |
Hypnos make mattresses for the Queen and have won industry awards
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4. Vispring Devonshire Pocket Sprung Mattress - £1645
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Unfortunately, there's no industry agreement on what weight you should be to use a soft mattress. Only a few mattress companies give specific guidance, and Vispring is one of them.
According to a couple of guides I've found, Vispring suggest that their 'soft' mattresses are ideal for people who weigh under 11 stone. I'd be wary of applying the same rule to other mattress brands, as one company's soft mattress may not be the same firmness as another's (is this making your head hurt too?). Vispring also happen to be one of the poshest, most luxurious and expensive mattresses on the market. They invented the pocket spring mattress many years ago and have built up a lot of heritage and a solid reputation (they won mattress brand of the year in 2015, 2016 and 2017). |
Vispring mattresses are about as posh and prestigious as they come
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We've picked out Vispring's Devonshire mattress which is available in soft, medium and firm. It's not their most expensive but it's a traditional style and uses good quality, natural materials such as wool.
It's not got as many spring as their top end mattresses, but it will provide enough support for lighter people (if you're interested, there are about 1300 springs on the king size version and most guides reckon somewhere between 1000 and 2000 is fine for most people. There's a limit to how many springs you can fit onto a mattress, so mattresses which say they have thousands of springs usually have more than one layer of small springs.
It's not got as many spring as their top end mattresses, but it will provide enough support for lighter people (if you're interested, there are about 1300 springs on the king size version and most guides reckon somewhere between 1000 and 2000 is fine for most people. There's a limit to how many springs you can fit onto a mattress, so mattresses which say they have thousands of springs usually have more than one layer of small springs.
5. Tempur Cloud Mattress - £2149
**Tempur Sale: save £500 on selected double, king and super king mattresses**
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If you can afford it, take a look at the Tempur Cloud range which is available in three different thicknesses (the price above is for the cheapest one as a double mattress). It's the softest mattress they offer and comes in 21cm, 25cm and 30cm. For a lighter-than-average person, one of the thinner options would probably be perfectly good enough.
Tempur is a prestigious name and was a pioneer in the memory foam market, after developing materials used by NASA. Interestingly, the official blurb says that their product is now different to 'standard' memory foam as it 'absorbs and distributes pressure' and has 'minimal motion transfer'. Some people don't like the slight sinking feeling that you get with memory foam and similar products, but others find that it offers much more consistent support than springs. It's also better for allergies as it doesn't collect dust as easily as a 'natural' material. If you buy from Tempur then their mattresses come with a 100 night trial, although do check the terms and conditions first as there is some important small print. |
Tempur is a pioneering mattress brand but they aren't cheap
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