Buying a Mattress on a Budget

Whether you've just moved into a new place, you're decorating rented property, or it's time for a new mattress, it's definitely worth taking some time to work out what type will work best for you. 

According to an article by Nimble Fins, mattresses tend to range in price from as little as £100 to as much as £3,000, or often more. In general, when it comes to saving money, according to our Best Time to Buy Calendar, May is the best time for you to purchase your mattress.

What are the different types of mattresses?

There are several types of mattresses that are currently on the market for you to choose from. Choosing the best one for you can be important to help you get that perfect night’s sleep. This article will look at pocket-sprung, memory foam, hybrid, and organic mattresses.  

What is a Pocket Sprung Mattress?

Pocket Sprung mattresses are made using single, isolated pocket springs stitched into the mattress itself. These springs work individually in response to your movement, and as a result, tend to reduce motion transfer. This means they can be ideal if you or your partner tend to move about during the night. 

What is a Memory Foam Mattress?

Memory Foam mattresses are made using a layer of memory foam that reacts to your body temperature. It moulds around the shape of your body, which means it tends to help provide a personalised level of comfort and support where you need it most. This makes it great for somebody who requires specific pressure-point relief, such as a person who plays a lot of sports, or who suffers from a bad back. Memory foam bounces back slowly; it will remember your preferred sleeping position after some time.  

What is a Hybrid Mattress?

Hybrid mattresses are a mix between a pocket-sprung mattress and a memory foam mattress. They use a combination of technologies using both single, isolated pocket springs that work to reduce motion transfer, as well as a layer of memory foam that moulds around the shape of your own body and helps to provide a personalised level of comfort and support. If you’re unsure what mattress will work best for you, or you have more than one primary need from your mattress, a hybrid could be the most suitable option for you.  

What is an Organic Mattress?

Organic mattresses are a special type of mattress that is made with natural, organic materials that are usually non-toxic and have a better impact on the environment. This is different from regular mattresses which are typically made out of materials that take up space on landfill sites and have a large CO2 footprint.  

Single Mattresses

Pocket-Sprung

First up are pocket-sprung mattresses. From Dreams, the lowest price for a single pocket-sprung mattress is £349. This is the Silentnight Ferndale 800 Pocket Eco Mattress, which has an average rating of 4.8 stars. It is made from a breathable, hypoallergenic material and has enhanced joint support. 

Next up is Ikea whose cheapest pocket-sprung mattress is £139. This is the Vesteröy Mattress which has an average rating of 4.3 stars and has enhanced body support that isolates movement and works to maintain your body temperature. 

One of the least expensive pocket-sprung beds is from Wayfair. The Boatright Pocket Sprung 651 Mattress, priced at £98.99 and rated an average of 4.4 stars, has an average rating of 4.0 stars and has reduced noise and motion transfer technology that helps relieve muscle pain and encourages blood circulation.  

Lastly, Emma's pricier pocket spring is on our list. The NextGen Premium mattress is the most expensive on our list, but for good reason. It is priced at £479 and rated 5 stars by the likes of T3 and Expert Reviews. The NextGen Premium mattress has Emma's patented infinity pocket springs, high-quality motion absorption, and a 10-year guarantee, so it may be pricey to begin with, but it pays for itself over a long lifespan.

Memory Foam

When it comes to memory foam mattresses, there are several options on the market. Emma Mattress prices for memory foam mattresses start at £339. The Emma Original Mattress, with an average rating of 4.7 stars, uses pressure-relieving foam to help support your spine and is both breathable and temperature-regulating. 

Simba Sleep offers the Essential Hybrid Foam Mattress for £579. It's the most expensive option on our list and has a rating of 4.5 stars. It uses cooling technology to prevent overheating and enhanced bodily support to help alleviate any pressure on your joints. 

One of the cheapest memory foam mattresses on the market is from Wayfair. The Mcfaddin Z3 Foam Mattress costs £99.99, has an average rating of 4.4 stars, and is made using breathable material that is kind to your skin and works to help increase blood circulation so you can enjoy a restful night’s sleep. 

Hybrid

From Simba Sleep, you can find a hybrid mattress for £579, which is the Essential Hybrid Mattress. This has been rated an average of 4.5 stars, is made with cooling foam to help with temperature regulation and works to provide you with unique and personalised support right where you need it. You may notice this mattress has been mentioned twice because Simba has stopped their foam-only Simbatex range, so the Essential Hybrid Mattress is now their cheapest foam and hybrid.

At Emma Mattress, they sell hybrid mattresses for as low as £479. This is the Emma NextGen Premium Mattress, which is made with breathable, temperature-regulating material and pocket springs that mould to the shape of your body to provide support and comfort for your joints and optimal spinal alignment to help relieve any back pain.

Otty Sleep’s least expensive hybrid mattress is £374.99 and has an average rating of 4.5 stars. This is the Otty Aura Hybrid Mattress, which has temperature-regulating foam to prevent you from getting too hot or too cold and uses motion-absorbing technology to reduce motion transfer across the mattress and works to support your back and joints. 

At Dreams, prices for a hybrid mattress start at £269, which is the Dreams Workshop Braybrook Combination Mattress. This has been rated an average of 4.7 stars, and moulds to the shape and contours of your body to help give you enhanced support and comfort. 

Finally, one of the most inexpensive hybrid mattresses on the market is from Wayfair. This is the Hybrid Foam Open Mattress, priced at £96.49, and rated an average of 4.6 stars. This mattress uses temperature-regulating technology to help reduce overheating and works to provide you with enhanced comfort and support. 

Organic

If organic mattresses are something you’d be interested in and your budget can stretch a bit further, Simba Sleep prices for organic mattresses begin at £999. This is their Simba Source Mattress, which is made from natural biodegradable material, contouring support layers, lasting comfort and has half the carbon footprint of a traditional hybrid mattress.  

Double Mattresses

Pocket Sprung

For double-size pocket sprung mattresses, at Dreams you can find their cheapest one for £399. This is the Dream Team Fakenham Pocket Sprung Mattress which has an average rating of 4.7 stars and works to absorb your movements to help you have a night of better, undisturbed sleep, as well as provide you with maximum support for your joints. 

At Ikea, you can find their least expensive pocket sprung mattress for £199, which is the Vesteröy Mattress. This is rated an average of 4 stars and is the same product as mentioned above in our section on single mattresses. 

Lastly, Wayfair has one of the cheapest pocket-sprung mattresses which is their Eara Pocket Spring Mattress. Priced at £132.99, this hasn’t been reviewed as of yet, so it does not have an average rating. This is something to bear in mind when considering purchasing. This mattress is made from hypoallergenic fabric which also has built-in antibacterial properties to help keep your mattress feeling clean and fresh. It also works to mould to your body’s natural contours and relieves pressure on your joints.  

Memory Foam

First up is the Emma Original Mattress, which is £317 for a double. It has an average rating of 4.7 stars and is the model mentioned above in our section on single memory foam mattresses. 

Next is a memory foam mattress from Simba Sleep called the Simba Hybrid Essential. This mattress has an average rating of 4.7 and costs £499 for a double. For more information regarding its features, please consult the section on single memory foam mattresses, as this is the same model mentioned above.

Another great option for an affordable memory foam mattress is the Silentnight Westland Miracoil Memory Mattress from Dreams. It costs £479 and has been rated an average of 4.6 stars. This mattress is made with body-moulding memory foam that helps relieve pressure on your joints. 

At Ikea, you can find their cheapest memory foam mattress for as little as £250. This is the Åbygda Foam Mattress, which has an average rating of 3.8 stars and offers precise support exactly where you need it the most. 

Hybrid

Prices for a hybrid mattress from Emma Mattress start at £709. This is the Emma Premium Mattress which is the same model mentioned above in our section on single hybrids. 

Simba Sleep’s least expensive hybrid is the Hybrid Essential Mattress. This costs £759 and has been rated an average of 4.8 stars. For more information regarding the features of this mattress please look in the section on single hybrid mattresses above as this is the same model. 

At Otty Sleep, you can find their most affordable hybrid mattress for £499 which is the Otty Aura Hybrid Mattress. This has an average rating of 4.5 stars and is the same model as mentioned in our single hybrids section above. 

From Dreams, you can shop hybrid mattresses for as little as £329. This is the Dreams Workshop Braybrook Combination Mattress which has an average rating of 4.7 stars. This is the same model as mentioned in the section on single hybrids so head to that section if you’d like more information on this model. 

Finally, at Wayfair, they have a hybrid mattress for £119.99 with an average rating of 4.3 stars. This is the Double Borowski Open Coil Mattress which aims to provide you with an enhanced level of comfort and support and is also made from hypoallergenic material which is odour-resistant. 

Organic

If you can stretch your budget a little further, make sure to check out the Simba Source Mattress from Simba Sleep. Priced at £1529 and with an average rating of 4.3 stars, this is an excellent option if you want to be mindful of the planet. More in-depth information about this mattress is in our section on single-sized organic mattresses above.  

King Mattresses

Pocket Sprung

First up is the Silentnight Ferndale 800 Pocket Eco Mattress which is priced at £479. This has an average rating of 4.7 stars. Made with individual springs, this mattress absorbs movement, and provides enhanced support. 

Next is Ikea, where prices for king-size pocket-sprung mattresses start at £249. This is the Vesteröy Mattress, which has been rated an average of 4 stars. For more information regarding the features of this mattress, head to the section on single-pocket-sprung mattresses, as this is the same model mentioned above. 

Finally, one of the most affordable pocket-sprung mattresses on the market is from Wayfair. Their Kingsize Air Conditioned Pocket Sprung 1000 Mattress is £179.99 and has an average rating of 4.4 stars. This mattress has cooling technology to help regulate your body temperature while you sleep and is made from hypoallergenic material. 

Memory Foam

At Emma Mattress prices for king size memory foam mattresses start at £559. This is the Emma Original Mattress, which has an average rating of 4.7 stars and is the same model as listed in the single memory foam mattress section above. 

Next up is the Simbatex Essential Foam Mattress which costs £759 for a king size. This has an average rating of 4.5 stars and is the same model mentioned in the section above on single size memory foam mattresses. 

At Dreams, they have the Silentnight Westland Miracoil Memory Mattress which is their most affordable king size option. It costs £499 and is the same model as mentioned above in the section on double memory foam mattresses. 

When you shop at Ikea, you can find their most affordable memory foam mattress for as little as £299. This is the Åbygda Foam Mattress, which has an average rating of 3.8 stars and is the same model as was mentioned above in our section on single memory foam mattresses.  

Hybrid

When shopping for hybrid mattresses, you can find a great king size option at Emma Mattress. The Emma Premium Mattress is £799 and has an average rating of 4.7 stars. This mattress is the same model as mentioned in our section on single hybrid mattresses so check out the section above for more information. 

From Simba Sleep, you can shop the same Hybrid Essential Mattress in a king size for £869. This mattress has an average rating of 4.8 stars and you can find more information about its features in our previous sections on single or double hybrid mattresses. 

The Otty Aura Hybrid Mattress that we mentioned in our previous section on single and double hybrid mattresses is also another fantastic choice for king size. It costs £599.99, has been rated an average of 4.5 stars and has the same features as listed above. 

One of the most affordable hybrid king size mattresses is the Dreams Workshop Braybrook Combination Mattress from Dreams. This is the same model as mentioned previously, with all of the same features. Priced at £349, and rated 4.7 stars, it’s a great choice if your budget is limited. 

Last but not least, is the Kingsize Open Coil Spring Mattress which you can find at Wayfair for £149.99. With an average rating of 4.4 stars, it’s the same model as mentioned above in our previous sections and is just as handy with all of its features to help you get a better night’s sleep. 

Organic

If you don’t have a strict budget and are interested in a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, Simba Sleep has an organic mattress in king size, too. The king-size Simba Source Mattress costs £999 and has an average rating of 4.7 stars. More information regarding the features of this mattress can be found in our sections above on organic mattresses.  

How To Get a Cheaper Mattress

Aside from waiting for sales and being budget conscious there are more ways to save money on a new mattress such as signing up for newsletters. By signing up to the newsletter of companies such as Otty, Emma Mattress and Simba Mattress you can save up to 15% on your first order.

You should also check our dedicated voucher page, where our deals experts scour the web and work with retailers to collect vouchers and discount codes for the Simba, Otty, Dreams, Happy Beds, Emma mattresses and more.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand the various mattress types, price differences, and how to save.