Home LivingWellnessSleep5 things I wish I’d known before buying a memory foam mattressWe share our tips and advice, to help you find the right memory foam mattress for youWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Home LivingWellnessSleep5 things I wish I’d known before buying a memory foam mattressWe share our tips and advice, to help you find the right memory foam mattress for youWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
We share our tips and advice, to help you find the right memory foam mattress for you
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Silentnight)
(Image credit: Silentnight)
Thebest memory foam mattressesuse viscoelastic foam to soften and mould themselves to the contours of your body. That means they provide great pressure relief, and many people find them more comfortable and supportive than traditional sprung mattresses.
But there are a few things people often don’t know about this type of mattress that I’ve picked up over the years. In this article, I’ll share my top 5 tips about memory foam mattresses, which will help you find the right one for you and keep it maintained for longer.
Meanwhile, for a full explanation of how memory foam mattresses work, see our guide towhat is a memory foam mattress?and our comparison ofmemory foam vs springs.
1. Not all memory foam mattresses are equal
The Emma Original mattress contains three different foam layers(Image credit: Emma Original)
The Emma Original mattress contains three different foam layers
The Emma Original mattress contains three different foam layers
(Image credit: Emma Original)
In general, memory foam has a good reputation. Most people perceive it as a high quality, space age material with special properties that make it more comfortable and supportive than traditional mattress fillings. But until you start shopping for a mattress and trying one out, it doesn’t occur to everyone that memory foam isn’t one generic thing, but that there are lots of different types. And not all are as comfortable as another.
In other words, just because it says ‘memory foam’ on the description, don’t assume it will be the same as another memory foam mattress you’ve tried. Just as not all down pillows are the same quality (see ourpillow filling guidefor more on that), all memory foam mattress are certainly not equal, and you really have to do your research to find the right one for you.
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The Simba Hybrid Essential must be opened within three months(Image credit: Tom May)
The Simba Hybrid Essential must be opened within three months
The Simba Hybrid Essential must be opened within three months
(Image credit: Tom May)
One of the big advantages of memory foam mattress is that they can be compressed and fitted into a box, making delivery cheaper and quicker. Then you just take it out, unroll it, and leave it for a few hours to inflate.
I discovered this when I reviewed theSimba Hybrid Essential, because Simba has the good sense to say in their FAQs that it needs to be opened within three months. You can guess why other manufacturers don’t, because who in their right minds would buy a mattress and then leave it in a box for so long?
Well, I can think of a few reasons. Your house move might fall through, and it may get stuck in storage behind all your bulky furniture. Or you might, for example, spot a bargain in ourcheap mattress dealshub and buy one well in advance of moving house, because the price was too good to wait. If so, be warned!
3. Overheating seems to be in the past
The Simbatex Foam Mattress circulates 30 times more airflow than other memory foam mattresses.(Image credit: Beth Girdler-Maslen / T3)
The Simbatex Foam Mattress circulates 30 times more airflow than other memory foam mattresses.
The Simbatex Foam Mattress circulates 30 times more airflow than other memory foam mattresses.
(Image credit: Beth Girdler-Maslen / T3)
It was once common knowledge that memory foam mattresses would hold onto a lot of heat. That made them good for cold nights, but not so great for hot, sticky ones. Thankfully, however, that seems to be increasingly a thing of the past.
More and more manufacturers are either making their foam more breathable, boosting air circulation and lowering overall temperature, or incorporating special materials such as cooling gels or cooling fibres into their mattresses, to alleviate the problem.
For instance, theNectar Memory Foam mattressuses a breathable upper foam and temperature-regulating fabric cover to keep your temperature down. Similarly, theSimbatex Foam Mattressboasts a layer of CertiPUR foam, that’s infused with heat-absorbing graphite and has open cell structure that circulates 30 times more airflow than other memory foam mattresses.
4. They can be tricky to clean
Simba’s Hybrid Essential mattress cover is zipped, but this should not be removed for machine washing.(Image credit: Tom May)
Simba’s Hybrid Essential mattress cover is zipped, but this should not be removed for machine washing.
Simba’s Hybrid Essential mattress cover is zipped, but this should not be removed for machine washing.
(Image credit: Tom May)
Because memory foam is a petroleum-based material, this kind of mattress needs to be cleaned in a special way, or you risk seriously damaging it. The most important thing is that you mustn’t get it wet, which means it should never be soaked in water or any other liquid, and it should also never be steam-cleaned.
5. Trials aren’t entirely risk-free
The Silentnight Studio Original mattress has a 365-night trial, but you can’t get a refund if you return it, only an exchange(Image credit: Tom May)
The Silentnight Studio Original mattress has a 365-night trial, but you can’t get a refund if you return it, only an exchange
The Silentnight Studio Original mattress has a 365-night trial, but you can’t get a refund if you return it, only an exchange
(Image credit: Tom May)
Despite manufacturers' claims, memory foam isn’t for everyone. And if you’re buying a bed-in-a-box online, you don’t even have the chance to try it out like you would in a showroom. For that reason, brands tend to plaster their websites with generous-looking free trial offers, which generally range between 180 and 365 days. That way, you can buy one risk-free, right?
Well, I’ve learned over the years that trial offers aren’t always what you think. For example, with Silentnight’s free trial, if you decide you’re not happy with your purchase after the first 28 days, and within the first 365, you can exchange it for a different product. However, youcan’tget a refund, so that does limit you a little. Also, while most companies will pick your mattress up for free, some brands state that you may have to pay for this yourself. In short, it always pays to scour the small print.
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