We are long time admirers of the Vispring mattress brand (see our top five Vispring guide).

They hold the enviable position of being the inventor of the pocket spring, which is what became the standard for a high quality mattress. More recently, foam mattresses have offered competition, but if you want a traditionally made and high quality product then Vispring is a good place to look. 

This Vispring Chiswick mattress is its entry level model from the range that is sold at John Lewis. However, it will still set you back a considerable sum, so it’s a big decision if you decide to go for one. 

When we tested the mattress out, it was being sold for £1,299 in the single model or £1,699 in the double model. The king size was £1,899 and the super king size was £2,299. They also offer a couple of unusual sizes including a zip and link option, where two mattresses are joined together. You can also get a long single, which I believe is the same as a European Single in this case. 

Luxury brands such as this also understand the importance of getting the firmness level just right for you. Vispring offer this mattress in four firmness levels. We just tested out the medium tension version. 

Here are our thoughts on the mattress. 

Where can I buy the Vispring Chiswick?

The Vispring Chiswick is exclusive to John Lewis, but its design shares a lot in common with the Vispring Elite, which can often be picked up for a lower price. They are both 21cm deep and both use British wool and cotton. One is listed as having 1254 springs whilst the other is listed as 1200.

In fact, the cross section photo of the Vispring Elite and the Vispring Chiswick appear to be the same photograph (check if you agree by looking at the Chiswick at John Lewis and the Elite at And So To Bed)

Firmness rating of the Vispring Chiswick Pocket Spring Mattress 

I would give this mattress a score of 5/10 on firmness. As mentioned a few seconds ago, this was the medium version of the mattress that we tested. I always use a scoring system where 1/10 is very soft and 10/10 is very firm. However, you will find different systems in place and there is also some subjectivity to this. Get yourself to a store for making a big purchase if at all possible. 

For my weight and build, this mattress was about right when I was lying on my side. When I was on my front or back it was somewhat too soft for me. It did feel quite comfortable, but I also was aware that my spine was not in a particularly natural position and that it wouldn’t be good for me long-term. For context, I’ll share my personal details that I am 6 ft tall and weigh 13 stone. 

To take some of the guesswork out of this, I like to do the simple Spine Test. I lie on my back on the mattress and see how easy or difficult it is to slide my hand underneath. After you’ve tried out a few mattresses, you’ll find the sweet spot where a mattress is not too firm but not too soft. It was quite difficult for me to get my hand underneath, which suggests it was a bit too soft.

To summarise all this waffle, I would say that if you are a little lighter than me and sleep on your front or back then this mattress may be right for you. Similarly, if you are about the same weight and build as me but sleep on your side that it may also be suitable. 

Does this Vispring Chiswick Pocket Spring Mattress offer strength to the edges?

I then moved from lying on my back to lying on my side and shuffled to the very edge of the mattress for the Edge Test. This is another simple test that you can do for yourself. I would say that I felt an above average level of support to the edges of this mattress. I certainly didn’t feel as though I would end up in a heap on the floor.

There was somewhat more compression and sinking when I was sitting on the edge of the mattress. This is not a big surprise on a medium tension mattress. I’ve mostly found that very firm mattresses have absolutely no give at the edges.

How does the Vispring Chiswick Pocket Spring Mattress rate on the Wibble Wobble test?

You may have read about motion transfer during your hours of research into mattresses. I sometimes call this the Wibble Wobble test, as it is basically trying to determine how much you will feel each other moving in bed. 

I found the Vispring Chiswick Pocket Spring Mattress to be excellent on motion transfer. Generally, of course, sprung mattresses do have a little more bounce to them than a 100% foam mattress, but we didn’t find we could feel much movement. 

My suggested test for you to try out in a mattress shop is to lie side by side with your other half. Take turns to recreate a 2:00 a.m. trip to the toilet, by which I mean get in and out of the bed whilst one person lies still. Some people like to do other tests by balancing items on the mattress and seeing if they fall over. For me, nothing really beats recreating what it will actually be like at home. 

The Handle Test on the Vispring Chiswick Pocket Spring Mattress 

Yes folks, we’ve reached the thrilling part of this guide where I discuss the robustness of this mattress’s handles. Some may call me the dullest man in the world, but it can be a useful indication of its overall quality. 

This mattress is quite substantial and needs to be turned over, ideally four times a year. A good set of handles then is required as they will be doing a lot of pulling. 

I can’t fault the handles on this mattress, which felt robust and well constructed. 

Final thoughts on the Vispring Chiswick Pocket Spring Mattress 

This is clearly a high quality mattress. It may be towards the cheaper end of the Vispring range but it is still showing all the signs of quality that you would expect from this brand. 

The design is quite similar to another Vispring mattress that is sold elsewhere (the Vispring Elite). It doesn’t mess around with lots of fancy foam layers with scientific sounding names. Instead, the design is a simple combination of pocket springs and British wool and cotton. This is a scenario where less is more and that is a design isn’t broken then there is no need to fix it.

Whilst this medium tension version was a little too soft for us, it does also come in other firmness options. Its strength to the edges is good, as is its ability to help you get in and out of bed without waking each other up. The addition of a 30-year warranty is also exceptionally good.