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Simba Mattress UK Review and Discount Codes - 2021
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The Simba Hybrid Mattress is one of several trendy modern mattresses which have shaken up the mattress market in the last few years. Rather than selling a massive range of white rectangles with long names, Simba Sleep just sell three mattresses.
This guide is going to focus on their original mattress - The Simba Hybrid Mattress. It gets very good reviews and has won awards. But how does it compare to the competition? Here's our summary, followed by the full review. |
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Pros:
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Cons:
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What reviews do customers give the Simba Mattress?
Simba's Hybrid mattress gets very positive reviews from customers. When we checked in March 2021 we found the following scores:
On TrustPilot the Simba Sleep brand was scoring 4.5/5 from more than 24,000 reviews. That score is for the brand as a whole rather just than the hybrid mattress, but as they only sell two mattresses (and for a long time only sold one mattress) we can assume that a lot of the reviews relate to the hybrid model.
For the purposes of comparison, we researched the brand scores for all of the 'bed in a box' mattress companies that we could find on TrustPilot. We searched for the TrustScore in March 2021 and have ranked them from highest to lowest with Simba Sleep underlined.
It's worth noting that these 'bed in a box' mattresses score very highly when compared to most traditional mattress manufacturers. You can see the full rundown in our mattresses beginners' guide.
- On Simba Sleep's own website, the Hybrid mattress was scoring 4.8/5 from more than 85,000 reviews
- On Amazon.co.uk, the Simba Hybrid mattress was scoring 4.4/5 from more than 700 reviews
- On Argos.co.uk, the Simba Hybrid mattress was scoring 4.8/5 from more than 100 reviews
On TrustPilot the Simba Sleep brand was scoring 4.5/5 from more than 24,000 reviews. That score is for the brand as a whole rather just than the hybrid mattress, but as they only sell two mattresses (and for a long time only sold one mattress) we can assume that a lot of the reviews relate to the hybrid model.
For the purposes of comparison, we researched the brand scores for all of the 'bed in a box' mattress companies that we could find on TrustPilot. We searched for the TrustScore in March 2021 and have ranked them from highest to lowest with Simba Sleep underlined.
- Brook + Wilde - 4.7/5
- Ergoflex - 4.7/5
- Emma Mattress - 4.6/5
- OTTY - 4.5/5
- Eve Sleep - 4.5/5
- REM Fit - 4.5/5
- Simba Sleep - 4.5/5
- Nectar Sleep - 4.3/5
- Casper - 4.3/5
- Silentnight 4.2/5 (they make lots of different types of mattress but their Silentnight Studio model is similar to the other bed in a box mattresses)
It's worth noting that these 'bed in a box' mattresses score very highly when compared to most traditional mattress manufacturers. You can see the full rundown in our mattresses beginners' guide.
What type of mattress is the Simba Mattress?
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The Simba mattress is what's known as a 'hybrid' mattress, meaning that it uses springs and foam.
It has several layers including a 'unique patented spring-comfort layer' meaning that the springs are a lot smaller than the pocket springs that you get in most mattresses. It's also worth realising that it is quite different to most 'memory foam' mattresses. A lot of people don't like the sinking feeling of memory foam or find that it makes them feel a bit hot, so mattresses like the Simba Hybrid Mattress use memory foam a bit lower down. The idea is that you get the memory foam support without the downsides. Memory foam as a material has been shown to be good at spreading out your weight and reducing pressure points. For example, Swedish academics found that hospital patients who were recovering from hip operations developed less severe pressure ulcers when using memory foam mattresses compared to standard hospital mattresses. They didn't cut down the 'incidence of pressure ulcers' but they did help with the severity. Regardless of the setting, the ability to spread your weight out more evenly is a definite plus point (see research by Gunningberg, Lindholm et al, 2013). You'll often see the Simba Hybrid mattress described as a 'bed in a box' mattress. You'll be shocked to hear that this is because it arrives squashed into a box and then expands upon arrival. This is a pretty common way of delivering a mattress nowadays as it makes it easier to get it up the stairs and it also cuts down on delivery and storage costs for the mattress company. The Simba Hybrid also has a 'zoned' base. That's a term you see commonly used in mattresses and it means that the feel of the material varies to support different parts of your body in different ways. Iranian academics (Leilnahari, Fatouraee et al) explored the benefits of mattress zones in a 2011 paper which focused on side sleepers ('Spine alignment in men during lateral sleep position: experimental study and modeling’). The reason for using zones - as they explained - is that ‘Soft surfaces cause the increase in low back pain due to incorrect support of vertebral column'...(whereas)... 'mattresses with high stiffness lead to shoulder pain, and cause the decrease in sleep quality and improper distribution of body loads’. Therefore, they concluded that ' surfaces with different zonal elasticity' were a 'more appropriate choice for heavier men with pronounced body contour'. The study was limited to male participants and only looked at side sleeping but the principles are interesting nonetheless. |
The Simba Hybrid comes with a long trial period and it's won lots of awards
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It's also worth mentioning at this point how quickly the Simba Mattress has risen in popularity since it launched in the UK about five years ago. The data below is from Google Trends, which is a simple way of showing relative popularity of search terms over time.
The blue line below shows the popularity of the search term 'Silentnight mattress' by Google users in the UK. As you can see, it increased steadily from around 2004 to 2012 as the idea of buying a mattress online gained in popularity. Since then, it has remained pretty constant, albeit with peaks and troughs caused by bank holiday sales and so on.
Meanwhile, the search term 'simba mattress' (shown in red) emerged in mid 2016 and within a couple of months was matching 'silentnight mattress' as a search term. Since then, 'simba mattress' has overtaken 'silentnight mattress' and in recent years has been well ahead.
This rapid rise in a brand is what marketing people would call 'disruptive' as brands such as Simba Sleep arrived offering something completely different, including the chance to try out a mattress without commitment and a small choice.
The blue line below shows the popularity of the search term 'Silentnight mattress' by Google users in the UK. As you can see, it increased steadily from around 2004 to 2012 as the idea of buying a mattress online gained in popularity. Since then, it has remained pretty constant, albeit with peaks and troughs caused by bank holiday sales and so on.
Meanwhile, the search term 'simba mattress' (shown in red) emerged in mid 2016 and within a couple of months was matching 'silentnight mattress' as a search term. Since then, 'simba mattress' has overtaken 'silentnight mattress' and in recent years has been well ahead.
This rapid rise in a brand is what marketing people would call 'disruptive' as brands such as Simba Sleep arrived offering something completely different, including the chance to try out a mattress without commitment and a small choice.
The red line shows the 'simba mattress' search term popularity on Google in the UK, compared to 'silentnight mattress' as a search term. Image from Google Trends.
How firm is the Simba Mattress?
Rather curiously, there isn't a mattress-industry-wide policy on how to measure firmness.
So, one mattress company's firm mattress could be the same as another company's 'very firm' mattress. It's a bit like buying a size 10 top from three different shops and finding that only one of them fits you.
If you're buying online, the best you can do is to gather together lots of opinions of how firm a mattress is and then find a consensus.
Let me save you a job and tell you that most guides describe the Simba Hybrid Mattress as either medium or medium-firm. Amongst those guides is the official Q&A from Simba Sleep, which is obviously the most authoritative source. They call it medium-firm, with a bit of extra explanation.
Picking the right firmness mattress for you is important and there are a couple of things (well, three things) you need to consider:
So, one mattress company's firm mattress could be the same as another company's 'very firm' mattress. It's a bit like buying a size 10 top from three different shops and finding that only one of them fits you.
If you're buying online, the best you can do is to gather together lots of opinions of how firm a mattress is and then find a consensus.
Let me save you a job and tell you that most guides describe the Simba Hybrid Mattress as either medium or medium-firm. Amongst those guides is the official Q&A from Simba Sleep, which is obviously the most authoritative source. They call it medium-firm, with a bit of extra explanation.
Picking the right firmness mattress for you is important and there are a couple of things (well, three things) you need to consider:
- heavier people generally need to buy a firmer mattress than a lighter person. Heavy people sink into soft mattresses too much whilst light people will just lie on the top of a firm mattress without sinking in at all, which isn't a good sleeping position.
- people who mostly sleep on their sides need softer mattresses than people who sleep on their back. This is because side sleepers put more pressure on their hips and shoulders.
- the idea that a very firm mattress is best for a bad back is an old myth. Experts like the Sleep Council emphasise the importance of getting a 'supportive' mattress rather than a rock solid one regardless of your build.
Which awards has the Simba Mattress won?
In recent years, Simba Sleep has won as many awards as Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Well, that's a slight exaggeration but the website says they've won 'eight industry awards'. Awards that we know of include:
There are also plenty of video reviews online, such as one from Dipscovery.
- Approval from the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2018. They said that 'The 5 layers provides idyllic support'. On the issue of heat, they said that 'The Simba Hybrid mattress would be ideal in the summer heatwave as all of our testers love how the mattress regulates their body temperature.'
- Product of the Year 2018 (Mattress Category in something called the Consumer Survey of Product Innovation)
- Product of the Year 2020 (Hybrid Mattress Category in the same awards). They said that 'no matter where you lie on your mattress, your Simba Hybrid® Mattress offers the same great support from one corner to the other.'
- 10/10 from the Daily Mail. They said that it is 'comfortingly squishy and satisfyingly supportive, it lulled me into the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years'
There are also plenty of video reviews online, such as one from Dipscovery.
What guarantee and home trial period does the Simba Mattress offer?
As with a lot of these 'bed in a box' mattresses, you get a home trial period where you pay for the mattress and then have options if you don't like it.
The best home trials include picking up the mattress for free and giving you a refund if you don't like it, whilst some others offer you the option to swap for another mattress from the same brand. Both are a definite step up from buying a mattress online without trying it first, but the refund option is obviously preferable to a swap.
The Simba Hybrid mattress comes with one of the more generous home trial periods, as you can return it for a refund (read the smallprint, although it's quite straightforward).
A little while ago, Simba Sleep increased the length of its home trial from 100 nights to 200 nights. I'd say that you should have a pretty good idea if the mattress is right for you after a few weeks but you never know.
The Simba Hybrid mattress also comes with a 10 year guarantee. 'Traditional' mattresses which are mostly made from springs tend to offer somewhere between one and ten years' guarantee (apart from Vispring which offers 30 years), whilst foam 'bed in a box' mattresses usually offer between 5 years and 'forever' (in the case of the Nectar Sleep). The Simba Hybrid mattress comes with a 10 year guarantee. Again, read the smallprint as it doesn't cover everything. For example, at the time of writing it doesn't include 'ordinary wear and tear' which seems reasonable.
We investigated the question of whether Simba Sleep's warranty length of 10 years compares well to similarly priced pocket spring mattresses. To do this, we looked at the warranty offered with every pocket sprung mattress sold by Mattress Online which was between £600-£700. At the time of writing, there were 21 mattresses with that criteria and only three which offered the same length as Simba Sleep. None of them exceeded the 10 years from Simba and the majority offered a 5 year warranty. We checked prices in 2021.
The best home trials include picking up the mattress for free and giving you a refund if you don't like it, whilst some others offer you the option to swap for another mattress from the same brand. Both are a definite step up from buying a mattress online without trying it first, but the refund option is obviously preferable to a swap.
The Simba Hybrid mattress comes with one of the more generous home trial periods, as you can return it for a refund (read the smallprint, although it's quite straightforward).
A little while ago, Simba Sleep increased the length of its home trial from 100 nights to 200 nights. I'd say that you should have a pretty good idea if the mattress is right for you after a few weeks but you never know.
The Simba Hybrid mattress also comes with a 10 year guarantee. 'Traditional' mattresses which are mostly made from springs tend to offer somewhere between one and ten years' guarantee (apart from Vispring which offers 30 years), whilst foam 'bed in a box' mattresses usually offer between 5 years and 'forever' (in the case of the Nectar Sleep). The Simba Hybrid mattress comes with a 10 year guarantee. Again, read the smallprint as it doesn't cover everything. For example, at the time of writing it doesn't include 'ordinary wear and tear' which seems reasonable.
We investigated the question of whether Simba Sleep's warranty length of 10 years compares well to similarly priced pocket spring mattresses. To do this, we looked at the warranty offered with every pocket sprung mattress sold by Mattress Online which was between £600-£700. At the time of writing, there were 21 mattresses with that criteria and only three which offered the same length as Simba Sleep. None of them exceeded the 10 years from Simba and the majority offered a 5 year warranty. We checked prices in 2021.
Where can I buy the Simba Mattress?
Most people buy the Simba Hybrid mattress direct from Simba's website. There are occasionally discount codes and deals either for the mattress or for a bundle which includes other Simba products such as the Simba pillow.
However, the Simba Hybrid mattress is available from quite a few big retailers including Argos and John Lewis & Partners which is unusual for a 'bed in a box'. This means you can try it out in a store fairly easily, which I would always recommend (although the 200 night free return does make it less important). I would advise calling ahead if you are making a journey.
However, the Simba Hybrid mattress is available from quite a few big retailers including Argos and John Lewis & Partners which is unusual for a 'bed in a box'. This means you can try it out in a store fairly easily, which I would always recommend (although the 200 night free return does make it less important). I would advise calling ahead if you are making a journey.
For my own curiosity, I searched all the websites selling the Simba Hybrid to see which was cheapest in March 2021. There's no guarantee this will always be the case, as prices do vary.
Anyway, when we checked the price for a double mattress including delivery was:
As I said, this is just the price on one day, but it shows that it's worth shopping around as there was about £240 between the highest and lowest price.
Anyway, when we checked the price for a double mattress including delivery was:
- £559 on SimbaSleep.com
- £559 on JohnLewis.com
- £799 on Argos.co.uk
- £559 on Amazon.co.uk
As I said, this is just the price on one day, but it shows that it's worth shopping around as there was about £240 between the highest and lowest price.
Where can I get a discount code for the Simba Mattress?
The main place that you'll find Simba Sleep discount codes is on the Simba Sleep website (shocking, eh?)
We add discount codes to our top 10 mattress guide and to the top of this page regularly, but we mostly find these by visiting the mattress company's website.
We add discount codes to our top 10 mattress guide and to the top of this page regularly, but we mostly find these by visiting the mattress company's website.
What are the alternatives to the Simba Mattress?
There are several similarly priced 'bed in a box' mattresses if you want an alternative to the Simba Hybrid mattress. Some are made of layers of foam whilst others include springs and foam so are more comparable to the Simba Hybrid.
A couple to consider include:
A couple to consider include:
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Brook + Wilde's Lux Mattress comes in soft, medium, firm or extra firm
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The Emma Hybrid uses mini springs which are a similar size to the Simba Sleep Hybrid's springs.
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OTTY scores well with TrustPilot reviewers
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Eve's hybrid mattress uses full size springs and memory foam
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Head to head: how does the Simba compare to its rivals?
There are thought to be somewhere around 8000 mattresses on the market in the UK. However, we can do a useful pros and cons comparison between about a dozen mattresses which all offer something similar but have some key differences.
The table below shows several mattresses which all offer trial periods, long warranties and which are somewhere around the £500 - £1000 mark. Keep in mind that offers and promotions are frequently used to add to the appeal, so you may well get a discount on the price shown. I would actually look at other factors before price and then narrow it down to two or three and compare the price on the day.
As you'll see, the Simba Hybrid ranks well in many areas but there isn't a clear winner in every category. The Simba Hybrid is somewhere around £200 more expensive than the Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress, Studio by Silentnight and The Emma Mattress - but those mattresses all use layers of foam whereas the Simba Hybrid also has some mini springs. The Brook + Wilde Lux is another hybrid mattress and has a similar price.
The Simba Hybrid's trial period is much more generous than the Ergoflex 5G or The Casper but it is 165 days less than the Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress.
The Simba Hybrid's warranty is on a par with many, including the similarly priced Casper mattress, but the Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress and REM-Fit 400 are better in that regard.
It's worth noting that the Simba Hybrid is 90% foam with about 10% being made from springs. The Emma Hybrid has a similar design but other rivals such as the Brook + Wilde Lux, OTTY Hybrid Mattress and Eve Original Hybrid use much larger springs (see our graph at the bottom of this page for a visual comparison).
A key question though when figuring out if the Simba Hybrid is right for is whether you want a medium/firm mattress and whether it is available in the size you want. It's certainly available in more sizes than most mattresses, but there are a couple of omissions compared to the REM-Fit 400 or the OTTY Hybrid Mattress.
The table below shows several mattresses which all offer trial periods, long warranties and which are somewhere around the £500 - £1000 mark. Keep in mind that offers and promotions are frequently used to add to the appeal, so you may well get a discount on the price shown. I would actually look at other factors before price and then narrow it down to two or three and compare the price on the day.
As you'll see, the Simba Hybrid ranks well in many areas but there isn't a clear winner in every category. The Simba Hybrid is somewhere around £200 more expensive than the Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress, Studio by Silentnight and The Emma Mattress - but those mattresses all use layers of foam whereas the Simba Hybrid also has some mini springs. The Brook + Wilde Lux is another hybrid mattress and has a similar price.
The Simba Hybrid's trial period is much more generous than the Ergoflex 5G or The Casper but it is 165 days less than the Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress.
The Simba Hybrid's warranty is on a par with many, including the similarly priced Casper mattress, but the Nectar Sleep Memory Foam Mattress and REM-Fit 400 are better in that regard.
It's worth noting that the Simba Hybrid is 90% foam with about 10% being made from springs. The Emma Hybrid has a similar design but other rivals such as the Brook + Wilde Lux, OTTY Hybrid Mattress and Eve Original Hybrid use much larger springs (see our graph at the bottom of this page for a visual comparison).
A key question though when figuring out if the Simba Hybrid is right for is whether you want a medium/firm mattress and whether it is available in the size you want. It's certainly available in more sizes than most mattresses, but there are a couple of omissions compared to the REM-Fit 400 or the OTTY Hybrid Mattress.
What's it called? |
How much is it? (Double) |
Warranty and trial |
How firm is it? |
Brand score (TrustPilot) |
Sizes available |
The Simba Hybrid |
£799 |
10 years, 200 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.5/5 |
EU Single, Single, Small Double, EU Double, Double, EU Queen, King, Super King |
£569 |
'Forever', 365 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.3/5 |
Single, Double, King, Super King |
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£799 |
10 years, 100 night trial |
Soft, Medium, Firm, Extra Firm |
4.7/5 |
Single, Double, King, Super King |
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£649 |
10 years, 200 night trial |
Medium |
4.5/5 |
Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King |
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£599 |
5 years, 60 night comfort trial |
Medium |
4.2/5 |
Single, Double, King Size |
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£749 |
10 years, 30 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.7/5 |
Single, Double, Euro Double, King, Euro King, Super King |
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£699 |
10 years, 100 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.5/5 |
Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King |
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£699 |
10 years, 100 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.5/5 |
Single, EU Single, Small Double, EU Double, Double, EU King, King, Super King, Emperor |
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£750 |
10 years, 60 night comfort trial |
Medium |
4.3/5 |
Single, Small Double, Double, King, Euro King, Super King |
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£869 |
15 years, 100 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.5/5 |
Small Single, Long Single, Single, EU Single, Small Double, Double, EU Double, King, EU King, Super King |
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£769 |
10 years, 100 night trial |
Medium/firm |
4.5/5 |
Single, Double, King, Super King |
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£769 |
10 years, 200 night trial |
Medium |
4.5/5 |
Single, Small Double, Double, King, Super King |
Notes: Prices and TrustPilot scores are correct at the time of writing (April 2021). Where there is dispute over the firmness of a mattress, we used the manufacturer's guide - but bear in mind that mattress brands set their own ratings rather than using a universal scale.
Spring size comparison - Simba Hybrid v Emma Hybrid v Eve Original Hybrid v Brook + Wilde Lux v OTTY Hybrid
The Simba Hybrid is competing with several other mattresses which are described as being 'hybrid'. However, it's worth realising that there is quite a difference in how they are designed.
As our graph shows, the Emma Hybrid and The Simba Hybrid both use mini springs which make up roughly 10% of the overall depth of the mattress. Rivals Eve Original Hybrid, Brook + Wilde Lux and OTTY Hybrid Mattress use much larger springs. Somewhere between a half and two thirds of these mattresses are made up of springs with the remainder being foam layers. The Brook + Wilde Lux actually uses both full size and mini springs.
For the purchaser, the question is what sort of support and comfort are you looking for? It isn't as simple as saying that there's a perfect ratio of springs to foam - although each manufacturer will no doubt tell you that they offer exactly that.
The question is whether you want the majority of your support to come from the foam layers or from the spring layers. If you want the familiarity of a spring mattress with a smaller amount of foam for comfort, you would be better choosing the Eve Original Hybrid, Brook + Wilde Lux or OTTY Hybrid Mattress. If you want a mattress which mostly offers support from foam, but also includes some springs for added comfort then the Emma Hybrid and The Simba Hybrid would be better choices.
As our graph shows, the Emma Hybrid and The Simba Hybrid both use mini springs which make up roughly 10% of the overall depth of the mattress. Rivals Eve Original Hybrid, Brook + Wilde Lux and OTTY Hybrid Mattress use much larger springs. Somewhere between a half and two thirds of these mattresses are made up of springs with the remainder being foam layers. The Brook + Wilde Lux actually uses both full size and mini springs.
For the purchaser, the question is what sort of support and comfort are you looking for? It isn't as simple as saying that there's a perfect ratio of springs to foam - although each manufacturer will no doubt tell you that they offer exactly that.
The question is whether you want the majority of your support to come from the foam layers or from the spring layers. If you want the familiarity of a spring mattress with a smaller amount of foam for comfort, you would be better choosing the Eve Original Hybrid, Brook + Wilde Lux or OTTY Hybrid Mattress. If you want a mattress which mostly offers support from foam, but also includes some springs for added comfort then the Emma Hybrid and The Simba Hybrid would be better choices.
Our graph shows the notable difference in size between the springs on these five 'hybrid' mattresses
Warranty length comparison - Simba v Bed in a Box rivals
Our table below shows the advertised warranty lengths of several bed in a box brands. There are multiple caveats to this, but the headline is that we can see Simba somewhere around the mid-table alongside Emma, Ergoflex and OTTY.
Points worth noting are that Nectar Sleep's warranty is actually described as being 'forever' but we have marked it as 25 years to create a readable graph.
Some brands also have different warranty lengths for different products. The Silentnight figure refers to their Studio mattress whilst other brands refer to their 'standard' mid-priced model rather than budget versions which were released later and which sometimes have a shorter warranty.
It's also important to note that not all warranties are equal. Warranties tend to have a description of what level of wear and tear is acceptable and what you need to do to maintain the warranty. For example, Eve Sleep say that the warranty on your mattress won't be valid if the gaps between the slats on your bedstead are too wide. Please only take this graph as a starting point for your own research and note that it is only correct at the time of writing.
Points worth noting are that Nectar Sleep's warranty is actually described as being 'forever' but we have marked it as 25 years to create a readable graph.
Some brands also have different warranty lengths for different products. The Silentnight figure refers to their Studio mattress whilst other brands refer to their 'standard' mid-priced model rather than budget versions which were released later and which sometimes have a shorter warranty.
It's also important to note that not all warranties are equal. Warranties tend to have a description of what level of wear and tear is acceptable and what you need to do to maintain the warranty. For example, Eve Sleep say that the warranty on your mattress won't be valid if the gaps between the slats on your bedstead are too wide. Please only take this graph as a starting point for your own research and note that it is only correct at the time of writing.
Simba Sleep's 10 year warranty puts it in a mid-table position