Mattress Buying Guide for 2022

Looking to buy the right mattress for your bedroom? Ask these 5 questions before buying a mattress.

Buying the right mattress can be a challenging, confusing and time-consuming process. We humans spend about one-third of our life sleeping and hence it's very important to choose the mattress that offers superb comfort and support at a competitive price.

There are lots of things to consider before heading for mattress shopping / mattress selection. To make it simple and easy, we (eFoam) have put together this in-depth ‘mattress buying guide’ for you.

Ask these 5 questions before choosing your mattress:

1. What mattress size do I need?

It’s very important to pick the right mattress for the bed size of your bedroom. Below table covers all the standard mattress sizes available to buy online or in-stores in the UK.

Bed / Mattress Size	Dimensions (Imperial)	Dimensions (Metric)
Small single mattress	2'6" x 6'3"	75cm x 190cm
Single mattress	3' x 6'3"	90cm x 190cm
Euro single mattress	3' x 6'6"	90cm x 200cm
Small double mattress	4' x 6'3"	120cm x 190cm
Double mattress	4'6" x 6'3"	135cm x 190cm
Euro double mattress	4'9" x 6'6"	140cm x 200cm
King size mattress	5' x 6'6"	150cm x 200cm
Euro king mattress	5'3" x 6'6"	160cm x 200cm
Super king mattress	6' x 6'6"	180cm x 200cm
Emperor mattress	6'6" x 6'6"	200cm x 200cm

2.What type of mattress do I need?

The 4 most common types of mattress to choose from are Polyurethane Foam, Memory Foam, Innerspring, Latex Foam and Hybrid. Depending upon your budget, comfort, body types, sleeping position and lifespan, you can pick the right one.

Type	Firmness	Best For	Lifespan	Price
Polyurethane Foam	Medium - Very Firm	General use, people with allergies, all body types	8-10 years depending on quality and grade	Budget - Luxury (depending on quality)
Innerspring	Medium - Firm	- Average to heavy body builds - Back sleepers - People with back pain	5-8 years	Budget
Memory foam	Soft - Medium	- Light to average body builds - Side, back & front sleepers - People who suffer from back pain	8-10 years	Midrange
Latex foam	Medium	- All body types - Side & back sleepers - People who suffer from allergies	10-12 years	Luxury
Hybrid	Medium	- All body types - Side & front sleepers - People with allergies or who overheat at night	8-10 years	Luxury

At eFoam, we supply premium memory foam mattresses that offer superb comfort and durability backed with a 5 year warranty that is made in the UK and supplied with a soft touch Coolmax® quilted dry-cleanable zip off cover.

3.What other features should I consider?

Apart from above, below are other features that you may like to consider while choosing a new mattress depending upon your needs and comfort.

• A. Mattress Thickness: Thicker the mattress, more expensive ideally they are. Thicker mattresses are best for heavy body builds as they are more comfortable for them and helps prevent “bottoming out”.
• B. Mattress Filling Type: Broadly, there are two types of mattress filling - natural (e.g. cotton, wool, coir) and synthetic (e.g. latex, memory foam, polyurethane, polyester). Natural fillings are premium, more comfortable, excellent in moisture absorption, highly breathable and offer a dry sleeping surface.
• C. Other factors: Mattresses with strong edge support and low motion transfer, smell less and retain very less heat are the most comfortable. People suffering from allergy and asthma can consider hypoallergenic and anti-allergy mattresses.

4. Which mattress brand should I go for?

There are too many mattress brands available today which can get confusing to pick the right one for yourself. Most of these brands will at least have few high selling, quality products in one or more types of mattresses they sell. Some of the popular mattress brands in the UK are IKEA, Dunlopillo, Emma, Simba, Casper, Vispring etc.

It’s best to check online for customer unbiased reviews to learn about product comfort, durability, warranty/ guarantee, return policy, customer service, value for money, photos/videos etc. You’ll have to do your own homework by checking several review websites, spot fake reviews, compile a list of good ones and collect more details about the product by reviewing that brand’s website.

5. Should I buy online or from in-stores?

The mattress industry is currently very competitive. Many low-cost mattress brands have made it even worse. So in order to stay competitive, everyone is focusing on value over price. By visiting stores, you can actually physically check, lay on the mattress and get a feel on which one is best for you. On the other hand, if you buy online you see more trial offers where you can try the mattress before you buy.