How to pick a mattress that’s right for you
If you’re looking for a new mattress, you’ve certainly come to the right place. Our comprehensive mattress buying guide helps you find the perfect match for your bed, ranging from modest-sized single mattresses to magnificently accommodating super king-size mattresses.
Find the answers to all your mattress-related questions, below. Use our helpful guide to help you choose the right mattress to suit your sleeping style.
What are the different UK mattress sizes?
There are several different sizes of mattresses, all designed for specific types of beds and sleepers. The size of your bed should determine the size of the mattress you buy, so remember to measure your bed frame before buying a next mattress.
From large and accommodating super king mattresses to modest and snug single mattresses, different mattress sizes include:
What mattress firmness do I need?
While many may opt for a super soft mattress for super cosiness and comfort, everyone has different preferences when it comes to the firmness of their mattress. The rule of thumb is that heavier sleepers should opt for firmer mattresses, as a sleeper’s weight determines how deeply they’ll sink into a mattress.
However, many factors can determine what type of firmness you should choose with your mattress. Correct support during sleep depends not only on your weight, but your height, build, and preferred sleeping position. It’s the same for comfort, some may prefer a firmer mattress, and others may prefer being cocooned and sunk into their bed.
To help you find the type of mattress that’ll support your preferred style of sleeping, explore the different mattress firmness options, below.
What are the different types of mattresses?
From different types of foams to various spring designs, mattresses types vary to accommodate many different sleepers. Let’s find out which mattress type is just right for you and how to pick out a mattress.
Hybrid mattresses
Combining the comfort of memory foam and the back support of pocket sprung mattresses, hybrid mattresses offer the best of best of both worlds, providing plenty of sleeping benefits.
- Benefits: Combination of materials reduces the movement felt from one side of the mattress to the other, making them good choices for couples. Designed to be highly breathable, helping sleepers remain cool throughout the night.
- Best For: side & front sleepers, people with allergies, people who overheat at night.
Hybrid
Foam mattresses
A no-frills pick, foam mattresses are a broad category that includes many types of mattresses, including memory foam, latex foam, and cooling gel.
- Benefits: Budget-friendly, often the cheaper option for mattresses. Features hypo-allergenic properties, blocking the likes of pollen and dust mites.
- Best For: small budgets, side, back and front sleepers, back support.
Foam
Memory foam mattresses
Designed to contour to a sleeper’s body, memory foam mattresses relieve pressure on joints and help to maintain posture by aligning the sleeper’s spine.
- Benefits: Recommended for those who need support or suffer from a bad back. Features hypo-allergenic properties, helping sleepers suffering from allergies. Absorbs movement, helping sleepers rest easy even with restless sleeping partners or pets.
- Best For: side, back & front sleepers, back support.
Memory foam
Pocket sprung mattresses
Pocket sprung mattresses contain individually nestled springs within small pockets that move separate from each other. The number of individual springs can vary from mattress to mattress, with a higher count often translating to a higher quality mattress.
- Benefits: Individual springs help distribute sleeper weight, absorbing individual sleepers’ movements to limit one sleeper disturbing the other. Designed to adapt and contour to sleepers’ bodies, helping support and relieve pressure on joints and backs.
- Best For: back & front sleepers, couples.
Pocket sprung
Open coil mattresses
Your standard, traditional mattress, open coil mattresses feature internal springs that are connected by wire and covered by fabrics. Often chosen as orthopaedic mattresses due to often being extra firm mattresses, many open coil mattresses feature additional elements to improve comfort and durability.
- Benefits: Easily the most affordable options for new mattresses. Highly supportive mattresses often prioritise firmness.
- Best For: small budgets, lightweight sleepers.
Open coil
Orthopaedic mattresses
If you suffer from back or joint pain and are looking for a mattress to help relieve it, you might want to consider an orthopaedic mattress. These mattresses are usually on the firmer side, and are designed specifically to provide superior support to the joints, helping ease pressure and offer relief to those with back pain and other types of chronic joint pain.
A great night’s sleep just got simpler
It’s where sleep matters
Not sure how to pick a mattress? Take our mattress quiz!
With so many options to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming choosing a the right mattress. Don’t worry - we’re here to help you find your sleep thing! Just answer a few questions about how you sleep, and we’ll share the perfect mattresses for your dream night’s slumber…
What mattress do I need?
When you’re looking for your next mattress, your personal sleeping issues can be some of the most important factors in making a decision. These problems vary from sleeper to sleeper, and your old mattress could be causing you more issues than you realise.
For example, some common sleeping and mattress issues include back pain, joint pain, allergies, running too hot at night, and being affected by your sleeping partner’s sleep behaviour.
The good news is, that no matter your sleeping issues, there’s likely a mattress that can help alleviate them.
What is the best mattress for back pain?
Generally speaking, firm mattresses are best suited for supporting sleepers with back pains. Opting for a medium-firm mattress is a good choice for those seeking comfort as well as relief, as these mattresses support joints and ensure your spine is kept aligned.
Similarly, memory foam and latex mattresses also help with back pain. Thanks to the foams’ special properties, they contour to a sleeper’s body, which cradles pressure points. With this in mind, our top picks are our Silk Ortho Mattress and our Latex Pocket Sensation Mattress.
What is the best mattress for allergies?
If you suffer from hay fever, asthma, or any other sleep-disturbing allergy, then you’ll need a hypoallergenic mattress. We recommend opting for a Silk Memory Supreme Mattress or, for a softer, foam-only option, take a look at Just Relax by Silentnight.
What is the coolest mattress to stop me overheating?
For people who always get too hot at night, choosing the coolest mattress could hold the key to better sleep. Your first option is to look for a mattress with better airflow, such as a pocket sprung mattress, which doesn’t trap as much heat under your body.
You can also opt for a mattress with a cooling gel or system. Our Eco Comfort Breathe Pocket Mattress is a perfect example of this, thanks to its ‘microclimate system’ and special ‘eco breathe fibres’.
What is the best mattress for couples?
Sometimes, the biggest threat to your sleeping pattern is the partner snoozing next to you – but a new mattress can help!
In this respect, we recommend looking at a pocket sprung mattress; the bigger the better. For example, a firm king size mattress would be your best bet. The pocket springs are individually nested, which means that the entire bed doesn’t shake when your partner rolls over.
Those looking to add more comfort to their night should consider a pocket spring mattress with a pillow top, such as our Rylee Mattress. Or, for a more secure choice that features special foams, there are options like our Silentnight Geltex Mattress.
What is an orthopaedic mattress?
An orthopaedic or orthopedic mattress is a mattress specifically designed to relieve pressure on the joints. These types of mattresses are also firmer, making orthopaedic mattresses the best mattress for back pain and other chronic joint pain.
How to look after your new mattress
Once you’ve picked out your perfect mattress and brought it home, you’ll want to keep it looking and feeling its best for as long as possible. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to do just that.
Flip or rotate your mattress
Our first tip is a simple one: flip or rotate your mattress every six months. This helps to distribute the impact of sleepers’ bodies over time. If weight isn’t distributed properly, this can lead to the mattress sagging.
Whether a mattress should be flipped or rotated depends on the mattress structure. Most mattresses should be flipped over to minimise this damage. However, some special types of mattresses, such as pillow tops, need to be rotated instead.
If you’re unsure whether you should flip, rotate, or both flip and rotate your mattress, check the care label on it.
Regularly clean and air out your mattress
Like any other regularly used piece of furniture in the home, your mattress needs a regular clean to keep it nice and fresh.
First, remove any accumulated dust from the mattress with a soft brush. Then, give the surface a once over with a cloth dipped in warm, soapy water. Leave to dry before dressing the bed again.
There are other smaller steps you can take to ensure your mattress remains clean for longer. You can air out your mattress every day, simply by pulling back your covers for a couple of hours. You can also regularly wash your linens and bedsheets once every one to two weeks, which helps to keep the mattress fresh.
Helping you find your sleep thing
Whether it’s finding the perfect sized bed for your space, buying a new mattress to improve your sleep, or squeezing in hidden storage - we’re all about helping you create your perfect bedroom
What mattress should I buy?
Once you’ve established the mattress size, type and firmness that’s right for you, there are still plenty of ranges and products to choose from - so how do you decide how to pick a mattress? When it comes to choosing a mattress that meets your preferences, you should always buy the best you can afford, because higher quality mattresses will provide longer lasting support and offer a better night’s sleep. Purchasing a mattress from a reputable retailer or brand is also a good bet, as you’ll know it’s been thoroughly tested for long-lasting quality, and made from materials that are safe to have in your home.
How many springs are in a good mattress?
When shopping for a pocket sprung or coil sprung mattress, generally speaking, the higher the spring count, the more support it will offer. Mattresses with more springs use more materials, and therefore generally cost more, but they will offer more targeted support and isolate movement more effectively - particularly helpful if you find your partner disturbs your sleep in the night. Many ranges include similar mattresses with different spring counts, so you can choose the sprung mattress that suits your budget.
What is the comfiest mattress?
Everyone’s comfort needs are different, and so it’s unsurprising that it’s difficult to generalise what the comfiest mattress may be for you. While the most popular mattresses are medium and medium firm, some people prefer the sink-in feel of a soft mattress, while others prefer the support that comes with a firm orthopaedic mattress. Some people love the way a memory foam mattress moulds to their body shape, while others prefer the cooling air circulation you experience on a pocket sprung mattress.
What mattress brands do we work with?
Here at DFS, we work with some of the country’s most trusted and beloved mattress brands. Our suppliers include:
With mattresses of all types and sizes available, many from some of the nation’s favourite brands, you’ll be sure to find your next favourite mattress within our collection. Browse our extensive selection of mattresses and use our special filter tool to find which mattress to buy for yourself.
