Which are the Top 10 Mattresses to buy? – the insider review

Choosing a new mattress is tricky. You’re bombarded with thousands of mattress makes with flashing sale signs and endless online reviews about how great they are. Endless Top 10 mattress reviewed can really cloud the water when buying a bed. Knowing which mattress is the best for you is made extra tricky by affiliate mattress review sites. Which get paid kickbacks from mattress brands who they recommend. Making their reviews biased and leading you to buy unsuitable mattresses.

Most retailers will hide the exact contents of their mattress models. Shocking we know but its common practice. Without knowing exactly what is in these models then it becomes extra tricky. So this guide will showcase the Top 10 quality mattresses available in the UK including two of our own best selling models.

Top 10 Uk Made Mattresses 2020

We’ve selected just the finest mattress manufacturers that do disclose what’s in their models and make mattresses that are of the highest quality. These models all use the very finest components and are customised to your body weight, meaning you can avoid choosing an inferior model and start sleeping on your dream mattress! In no particular order here is our selection of the UK’s best Top 10 mattresses 2020.

1. Vispring Imperial Mattress £3420
2. Loaf Top Dog Mattress £945
3. John Ryan By Design Artisan Naturals £1295
4. Hypnos Bespoke Opulence £1599
5. Vispring Elite Mattress £1599
6. Abaca Snowdon £2225
7. Harrison Spinks Harrogate Silk £2675
8. Relyon Emperor £2539
9. John Lewis Natural Collection Fleece Wool 840 £1250
10. John Ryan By Design Artisan Sublime £3145

1. Vispring Imperial Mattress £3420

• 200gsm Bamboo
• 1,200gsm Blended British fleece wool and cotton.
• 1,200gsm Long-stranded horsehair, enclosed in a hair-proof cambric cover
• 1000gsm of Bonded British fleece wool and cotton
• It is upholstered with a Wool spring protector pad
• 1720 pocket springs, 48mm in diameter, sewn into individual calico pockets and hand-formed into a honeycomb-nested unit.
• 3 Rows of Hand Side Stitching.
• Softer feel in the upholstery layers
• 3600GSM

This is all wrapped in your choice of the finest Belgian ticking from the VI-Spring collection, this mattress is hand tufted with felt washers and benefits from three rows of genuine hand side stitching. This gives the mattress an exquisite, tailored finish, but more importantly, it gives supportive strength to the mattress edges that lesser beds need a metal rod to achieve.

This Vispring model features 3 rows of genuine hand side stitching and felt washers. Both of which are high-end mattress detailing touches.

2.Loaf Top Dog Mattress £945

Loaf has made a name for themselves due to their no-nonsense approach to furniture which we love. They have a small range of well-made mattresses which has secured them a place in our Top 10 mattress guide. Their ‘Top Dog’ mattress is a dual spring model (featuring two layers of pocket springs – not to be confused with mini springs). It is priced at £945 which is a really competitive price for the contents.

What we love about Loaf is that they do give the GSM, hooray! It’s also hand side stitched which is really unusual at this price point and two-sided so you can flip and rotate this mattress. The super-soft white fibre layer is the comfort top layer and the cashmere (probably coarse at this price point) will be used as the spring insulator to bridge the springs and upholstery.

A natural fibre top comfort layer would be preferable as its more breathable but at this price point we know why this isn’t the case.

Loaf are clearly demonstrating here both decent manufacture practice and clarity with this mattress model so well done Loaf!.

• 1200gsm Superloft white fibres (Synthetic)
• 1000gsm Cotton
• 1000gsm Cashmere & Silk (No blend percentage given)
• 2200 Synthetic Pocket Springs (No gauge given probably 1.4 Medium)

This mattress is a medium feel for those under 16 stone.

3. John Ryan By Design Artisan Naturals £1295

Our Artisan Naturals mattress is one of our best sellers and features 85% natural fibre content and we believe is unbeatable at this price point for whats inside it. Not only do we pride ourselves on making the highest quality mattresses but we let you know exactly what’s inside them. Our Artisan Naturals packs the finest fillings on a calico pocket spring unit, to create the perfect medium feel and uses a vanadium coated calico encased pocket spring. Hand made here in the UK. Giving a medium feel in the 3950gsm of Natural and man-made fillings.

 It costs £1295 for a kingsize a 10-year guarantee, free delivery and interest-free finance options available.

This model gives a true medium feel for a sleeper up to 16 stone. Extra deep fitted sheets will be needed due to the extra depth of this mattress. The Mohair acts as an excellent breathable insulator against the calico pocket springs which are the same style as the ones used in the Vispring model above. This is a two-sided mattress model so can be turned and rotated fully to extend its lifespan.

• 1200gsm Blended British Fleece Wool & Cotton
• Hairproof Cambric Cover
• 1250gsm Rebound Polycotton
• 1500gsm Pure Mohair
• 1600 Calico Encased Vanadium Coated Pocket Springs ( Custom spring tensions available)
• Total GSM: 3950gsm
• Depth: 27-30cm
• Chemical Free Damask Cover

4. Hypnos Bespoke Opulence £1599

Hypnos is one of the UK’s quality mattress makers and this model is listed for its build quality and also the fact they disclose the exact GSM so you can compare between their mattresses. Well done Hypnos for sharing the detail! It costs £1599 for a kingsize.This bed is a firmer feel from the ReActive springs and is topped with softer British Wool as both the top comfort layer and also the mattress spring insulator. To firm up the upholstery a 900gsm layer of Polycotton is used which will help the mattress keep its loft. This is really important with softer wool mattresses which can settle really quickly unless a firmer upholstery is used to help firm up the wool layers. Ideally, Horsehair would be used instead to give a more robust layer but at this price point, we can see why Hypnos is using a synthetic blend.It has 3 rows of hand side stitching which is a nice mattress detail and this model is two-sided.

This is a deep mattress at 29cm.For the price, this is a well put together mattress for a firmer comfort layer feel and suitable support for those up to 16 stone.

• 1000gsm Wool
• 900gsm Polycotton (synthetic no blend given)
• 800gsm Wool as Spring Insulator
• Mattress Spring count: 1400 ReActive Synthetic springs (No gauge given probably 1.6 firm)
• Made in Great Britain
• 3 rows of Hand side stitch
• Mattress Type: Pocket Sprung

5.Vispring Elite Mattress £1599

Vi spring are one of the premier mattress brands here in the UK and for good reason. They make amazing mattresses with natural fibres and high end detailing. The Vispring Elite is their starter model which is in the midrange (given that most of their models e £3k plus in price). It retails at £1599 for a kingsize.

It has a Soft-medium feel and is primarily made up of soft fibres such as fleece wool and cotton. At 21cm its one of the thinnest mattresses at this price point, which is down to the fact it is 100% natural and this precludes any deeper upholstery as this would increase the cost. It has a soft feel for those up to 16 stone and has three mattress tensions a 1.2 (soft, 1.4 (medium) and a 1.6 (firm). The spring tension allows you to choose the correct gauge based on your bodyweight.

• All-natural fillings – bonded Platinum Certified British fleece wool and cotton, and blended Platinum Certified British fleece wool and cotton – are designed to wick moisture away for fresher and cooler sleep. This hand-tufted mattress is covered in high-quality ticking and has wool-upholstered borders, two rows of hand side-stitching, horizontal handles and air vents.
• 1,350gsm bonded British fleece wool and cotton. Overlaid with two layers of 900gsm blended British fleece wool and cotton. Total 3150GSM.
• With 1254 Vanadium Pocket springs in King size, this luxurious 21 cm deep mattress is available in a choice of 3 mattress tensions.

6. Abaca Snowdon Mattress £2225

Abaca is one of the UK’s small independent hand made mattress companies and their products are simply wonderful. Hand made in Wales and full of beautiful mattress features. The Snowdon is a Wool mattress that offers a medium feel. It features a pocket spring unit with 1000 springs that is then upholstered with a 1000gsm layer of wool and then two separate 500gsm layers on top of that. These mattress Wool layers give this mattress a softer sink and make it highly breathable as its 100% Natural fibre.

• 2000 gsm Combined layers of wool of different weights and densities.
• It is hand-tufted and has an organic cotton cover.
• 3 spring tensions depending on your bodyweight

7. Harrison Spinks Harrogate Silk Mattress £2675

Harrison Spinks is one of the best UK mattress manufacturers who make a mix of mid to high-end mattresses. This model is a 100% natural fibre mattress, as you would expect for £2675. This is a medium-firm feel mattress, provided by the 16,000 plus springs. You do need to consider whether or not you’re happily sacrificing upholstery layers for more springs – given the maximum depth of a one-piece mattress is 35cm, there’s only so much you can fit in and is worth considering with any online mattress purchase.

It’s hand side stitched and contains Cotton, Hempure, British Wool, Horsehair, Egyptian Cotton, Mohair, Cashmere and Silk. Given the number of springs and space, we would guess that some of these fibres are blended as an individual layer of each one would take the depth far higher than 35cm. Sadly there’s no GSM, blends or further detail given on how these layers are arranged which is a shame.

• Fillings – Cotton, Hempure, British Wool, Horsehair, Egyptian Cotton, Mohair, Cashmere and Silk (No GSM Given)
• Contains 18,000 Revolution pocket springs in the mattress using world-leading spring technology, made from British Steel – read our article on spring counts here to assess the benefit.
• Revolution pocket springs provide double the support with two springs combined into one. The outer larger spring provides comfort for the lighter parts of your body, and the inner, smaller spring supports the heavier areas of your body such as your hips and shoulders. The Revolution coil sits in a pocket that helps air flow through the mattress which keeps the filling clean and dry whilst providing a comfortable and highly supportive night’s sleep
• Four layers of High Density (HD) pocket springs (micro springs)
• Four rows of hand-sewn side-stitching
• Padded handles
• Distinctive Feather & Black coloured piping which is expertly finished to completely bind the layers within
• Available in four split tensions – Gentle, Medium, Firm, Extra Firm (No spring gauge given assumed its 1.2,1.4,1.6 and 1.9)
• 7-year guarantee (we would expect at least a 10-year guarantee at this price point)

This is a well upholstered and constructed mattress. Ideally, you would need more information about the layers and we also wonder why it has such a low guarantee of 7 years given the price point. It will provide a medium-firm feel for sleepers up to 16 stone.

8. Relyon Emperor Mattress £2539

Relyon is a UK based mattress manufacturer who makes a number of pocket spring models. Relyon employs around 500 people in bed manufacturing and is firmly established as one of the leading UK bed manufacturers. The Relyon Emperor pocket spring mattress has made it into our top ten list due to the finer details of this medium feel mattress. Tufted, rows of hand side stitching and a soft sink in the top layer. This is a contender of a mattress.

Featuring an undisclosed GSM of Natural Fibre fillings it’s a two-sided mattress that has a huge 5 rows of genuine hand side stitching. Coming in at a near-maximum depth of 33cm (35cm is the deepest a mattress can be – like Our Artisan Sublime and Artisan Bespoke 003). For those that like a deep sink then this is a really great mattress with quality detailing and component.

It retails for £2539 for a kingsize.

• 3400 Double Layer Pocket Springs in either soft or medium.
• Hand-Nested and Hand-Centre-Tied Springs
• Hand Teased Fillings
• Cashmere, Mohair, Horsehair, Merino Wool, Cotton & Lambswool – No GSM unfortunately given
• 5 Rows of Hand Side Stitching

9. John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Fleece Wool 8400 Mattress £1250

John Lewis & Partners have a really solidly made mattress range in their ‘Natural collection’. They have some great examples of high-end mattress manufacture to choose from and their Natural Collection Fleece Wool 8400 is a prime example of what you can find here in the UK. This model retails at £1299 for a kingsize and is made by Harrison Spinks who are one of Britains best mattress makers using traditional mattress construction methods.

• British Wool & Viscose Blend (No GSM or blend given)
• British Wool, Hemp & Flax Blend (No GSM or blend given)
• 2500 HD (Mini) Springs (No tension or gauge is given)
• 3400 Cortec Spun Bond Pocket Springs (No tension or gauge given)

This model is primarily made up of Wool to give it a forgiving and softer top comfort layer. They use micro springs instead of the traditional mattress spring insulator layer which makes this mattress feel livelier than most. Careful maintenance is required with this mattress due to the high Wool content which has a habit of settling. So you will need to turn and rotate this mattress diligently each month to even out the natural settlement and prevent undue settlement.

This is the same for all softer Wool filled mattresses regardless of the brand. This mattress is two-sided so you can use both sides of the mattress, meaning you can get twice as much lifespan when compared to a one sided mattress such as memory foam or cheaper construction method. This mattress is a firm feel for those under 16 stone.

This John lewis mattress has a soft feel and will provide medium support for up to a 16 stone sleeper. The natural fillings will also be far cooler during the night than synthetic or blended man mad fibres which is why we rate this mattress as one of John Lewis’s better mattresses.

10. John Ryan By Design Artisan Sublime £3145

Our Artisan Sublime mattress is the ultimate in sleep luxury. It contains 100% natural fibre content and a vanadium coated calico pocket spring unit (hand-tied) with a medium feel and soft sink. This mega deep hand made mattress is ultimate in high end tailored sleep solutions.

Our ethos has always been to make the highest quality mattresses but also letting you know exactly what’s inside our mattresses. Our Artisan Bespoke Sublime contains 5400gsm of Natural fibre fillings on a calico pocket spring unit, to create the perfect medium feel with a soft sink mattress.

Hand made here in the UK it costs £3145 for a kingsize a 10-year guarantee, free delivery and interest-free finance options available.

This model gives a deep medium feel for a sleeper up to 16 stone. Extra deep fitted sheets will be needed due to the extra depth of this mattress. The Pure Horsetail acts as an excellent breathable and responsive layer above the calico pocket springs which are the same style as the ones used in the Vispring model above. This is a two-sided mattress model so can be turned and rotated fully to extend its lifespan.

• 800GSM Soft Bamboo
• 1200GSM Alpaca
• Hairproof Cambric Cover
• 1200gsm Pure Horsetail
• 1200GSM Organic Flax
• 1000GSM Natural Coir
• 2508 (2 tiers) Calico encased Vanadium Coated Pocket Springs [56mm] [1.40mm]
• Total GSM: 5400gsm
• Depth: 27-30cm
• 3 Rows of Genuine Hand Side Stitching
• Chemical Free Damask Cover

How to compare mattress choices

These top ten models have made it into this list because they disclose a significant amount about them. Unlike most retailers that tend to hide away the contents of their mattress.

At the very least you need to know the following to be able to accurately compare mattresses.

• Spring type, gauge and number
• Grams per square meter of all the mattress upholstery
• Mattress detailing such as side stitching type and cover fabric

Then its a case of making notes of each of these details and comparing them side by side against the price of each model. This is best way to find a suitable mattress and can be done from the comfort of your own home.

We also have our own comprehensive mattress comparison tool, where you can compare all the above models and hundreds of more mattress brands side by side. Meaning you don’t even need to leave home to be able to compare and choose a new mattress.