Hi Jane,

Thanks for getting in touch and sorry to hear you're struggling with your Bensons Igel mattress. It's not the first time we've heard this very complaint about people getting far too hot and suffering from heat rashes from these types of synthetic mattresses.

The main issue with these types of mattresses is that all memory foam and derivative versions retain far more heat than other mattress upholstery types. Due to the fact that vasco elastic mattress foams require and rely on heat to mould for warmer sleepers then can be a nightmare as they keep you incredibly hot during the night. Foams are also notoriously low on breathability so you can end up sweating and getting heat rashes in bed.

Let's have a closer look at the mattress to help explain.

Bensons iGel 2000 Mattress Uncovered:
Looking at the listing on Bensons for Beds at the igel 2000 there is very little discernable information on what the foams, springs or upholstery layers are actually made of. The listing below is an extract of the specifications of this mattress.

• 2000 pocket springs encased in foam for premium support
• 5cm of iGel™ Advance beaded gel for pressure relief, helping relieve aches and pains
• iGel™ Graphene technology provides 7 times better heat transfer
• FreshNow™ moisture wicking for an all-night fresher feel
• AdvantEdge™ - provides premium edge support
• Vivatex™ safe, soft and greener fillings & fabric
• Antibacterial and hypoallergenic
• Contains second life textiles and 100% recycled PET

The problem is you really need to know the spring type, gauge and weight suitability. Without this, the 2000 pocket springs description doesn't really help you assess their suitability.  Spring tensions are designed for body weight tolerances, not the overall feel of the mattress which provided by the upholstery on top. We would guess that these spunbond springs are a 1.4 medium gauge. You can find out more about how to inspect the contents of a mattress in the video guide below.

The 5cm of Gel on top of this one-sided mattress, is also missing any detail such as density, hardness or firmness ratings. We know from our experience that iGel has a medium to firm feel. Although it may have 7 times faster heat transfer this is comparable to the hottest mattress material its emulating; memory foam. We would in our experience state that this is the layer that's causing you the issue.

Second to that, all the other layers are recycled synthetic fibres and plastic bottles, which all retain far more heat than say a natural fibre or foam-free mattress.

With all this combined it makes for a far warmer mattress than other foam-free alternatives. There's also no way to undo or reduce this heat, its part of the very make up of this mattress.

Alternatives to the Bensons Igel 2000 mattress:

Take a look at our Origins Pocket 1500 or Origins Pocket Latex for comparable models in terms of budget and feel. These should also help you see what you should expect to see in terms of detail when buying a new mattress.

The Origins Pocket 1500 is our best selling mattress. Offering a quality 1500 pocket-spring unit and layers of fillings for a medium overall feeling. Unbeatable when compared on price and components with other bed retailers.

Origins Pocket 1500 Mattress

1: 300GSM WOOL

2: 750GSM VERY SOFT POLYESTER

3: 500GSM POLYESTER PAD

4: ONE INCH FOAM INSULATOR LAYER

5: 1500 SPUN BOND POCKET SPRINGS

TOTAL: 1550GSM

DEPTH 30-33CM
The Origins Pocket Latex 1500 combining a quality 1500 pocket spring unit with a deep Talalay latex comfort layer. Mixing both progressive comfort with traditional support. A medium firmer edge progressive feel.

Origins Pocket Latex 1500

1: 300GSM WOOL SILK BLEND PAD

2: 3CM TALALAY LATEX (60/40% BLEND) 70KG DENSITY

3: 3CM TALALAY LATEX (60/40% BLEND) 70KG DENSITY

4: ONE INCH HD FOAM

5: 1500 SPUN BOND POCKET SPRINGS (MEDIUM OR FIRM TENSION)

TOTAL DEPTH: 30-33CM

We would advise getting back in touch with Bensons about possibly returning that mattress if you can do so given the issues you're experiencing.

We hope that helps and gives you further mattress buying guidance. If you have any more mattress related questions please get back in touch on info@localhost or 0161 437 4419.

Sleep well
John & Ryan