Shopping for a mattress protector is not the most thrilling thing you can do.
However, they are a small investment that can prolong the life of your fancy new mattress.
There are two main types of mattress protector on the market in the UK:
- Waterproof mattress protectors usually have cotton or a manmade material like polyester on top and a layer of a synthetic material underneath to protect your mattress from night time accidents (Ed: do we have to talk in euphemisms?).
- Non-waterproof mattress protectors don’t have the ‘plastic’ layer but they still protect your mattress from sweat and a bit of moisture. Some are made from natural cotton, which is nice and breathable. Cheaper ones are made from synthetic materials. These aren’t as breathable but are easier to wash and don’t need ironing as much. If you are ironing your mattress protectors then I’d say you need to find a hobby.
How deep is your mattress protector?
Other things to look for when you’re buying a mattress protector is how deep it is. Most mattresses are about 20-25cm deep and will be fine with a standard sized mattress protector.
Whopping great mattresses with a built in pillowtop layer will need an extra deep mattress protector. I usually look for a mattress protector which is about 5cm deeper than my mattress. This avoids the risk of taking your eye out whilst trying to fit it.
We made our choices by looking at things like value for money, manufacturing materials, depth, product reviews and brand reputation.
Prices are for double mattress protectors. Most of them are also available as single mattress protectors, king size mattress protectors and super king mattress protectors as well as some of the more unusual sizes.
1. Marks & Spencer Quilted Waterproof Mattress Protector – £24 (standard depth) £49.50 (extra deep)
I would only go for a mattress protector described as waterproof if you need it, as they tend to cost more than similar quality alternatives. There’s also a risk that the manmade layer which makes them waterproof will make them less breathable. You’ll struggle to stay as cool as you would with a 100% cotton mattress protector.
However, if you do need a waterproof mattress protector then this quilted mattress protector from M&S has a good specification and good reviews for the price.
What is the mattress protector made from?
The top layer is made from cotton which has natural breathable qualities. Cotton is usually seen as an upgrade from a polyester or microfibre mattress protector. The reverse side is made from polypropylene, which is a manmade material which is what makes it waterproof. The ‘quilted’ bit mentioned in the name means that it has a middle layer of material which is sandwiched between the top and bottom layers. I expect you knew that already.
I’ve always had good experiences with M&S bedding and the customer reviews for this mattress protector are very good at 4.6/5.
You can put it in the washing machine and it’s available in the most common mattresses sizes including single, double, king size and super king size.
The standard depth version of this mattress protector is 30cm deep whilst the extra deep version is about 38cm. If your mattress is more than about 25cm deep I’d be tempted to go for the deeper one. That allows you to tuck the mattress protector under and stop it moving around during the night.
Pros: choice of standard and deep sizes, waterproof, respected retailer, machine washable, multiple size options
Cons: partially synthetic materials, more expensive than most
Our Value Rating: ****
(We give a rating out of five based on how good value we think each product. If we give a score of five stars it is because a product is exceptionally good value. Four stars is a very good value item with three stars for a good value product. Two star and one star products don’t make it onto our guides. They are ‘reasonably good value’ products and ‘poor value’ products).
Similarly priced alternative:
John Lewis & Partners sell a waterproof quilted mattress protector for a similar price (£25 for a double). It gets similar review scores (4.8/5). The main difference is that it is 100% polyester, which is a manmade material. Most people seem to be happy with it anyway.
2. John Lewis Quilted Synthetic Mattress Protector/John Lewis Quilted Cotton Mattress Protector – £26/£39.50
If you want a good value mattress protector from a trusted brand, but don’t need it to be waterproof then I would take a look at these two from John Lewis & Partners.
The cheaper of the two mattress protectors is made from synthetic materials whilst the posher one is made from cotton. Synthetic materials don’t have the same breathability as cotton, but synthetic mattress protectors tend to be popular with hotels as they can withstand loads of washes without getting too wrinkly or shrinking.
If you find that you get hot in bed a lot (oooerr missus) then I’d probably pay extra for the cotton mattress cover.
These are both hugely popular with customers, with one of them having more than 600 reviews. Both score 4.7/5 but there are more reviews of the synthetic one.
You get a decent two year guarantee with both of them and can buy these mattress protectors in the usual sizes including single, small double (also known as queen size in the UK), double, king size and super king size.
They are both described as ‘deep fit’ mattress protectors, and say they’ll be fine for mattresses up to 35cm deep. Most mattresses are about 20-30cm deep.
Pros: good value, two year warranty, available in unusual sizes, lots of reviews
Cons: not waterproof, only one depth
Our value rating: *****
3. Silentnight Waterproof Mattress Protector – £16
This one is worth considering if you want a cheap waterproof mattress protector from a brand you’ve heard of. Silentnight is the UK’s biggest mattress maker and they also make pretty much everything else related to beds.
As you’d expect for the low price you get a mattress protector which is made from synthetic materials. Some reviewers said it made them too hot or was too noisy or didn’t last long, whilst others were much happier with it.
Overall, this bed protector scores 4.5/5 on Amazon, whilst the Silentnight brand scores 4.2/5 on TrustPilot.
It has a 30cm ‘skirt’ meaning that it will theoretically be fine for mattresses up to 30cm deep. As I said earlier, I like to allow an extra 5cm so that I’m not fighting with the mattress and filling up the swear jar every time it needs to go back on the bed after a wash.
It comes with a two year guarantee and can go in the washing machine. It comes in a pretty limited choice as a single mattress protector, double mattress protector or king size mattress protector. You don’t seem to be able to buy it as a super king size mattress protector unfortunately.
Pros: cheap as chips, big name brand, waterproof
Cons: no super king size option, some found it too hot, not as deep as the John Lewis mattress protector
Our Value Rating: *****
4. Coolmax Waterproof Mattress Protector – £48
This highly-rated waterproof mattress protector is made from synthetic materials, but it gets terrific reviews with an average of 4.8/5.
It comes with a two year guarantee and comes in the usual sizes for mattress protectors (single, double, king size and superking). It also comes in more unusual sizes like emperor (the biggest of them all) and small double, which is also known as queen size in the UK.
The depth is larger than some others on this list at 35cm deep, so it will be fine for most mattresses (up to about 30cm I’d say so that you can tuck it underneath).
It’s sold by Soak & Sleep, which often scores well in customer surveys. On TrustPilot, the brand scores an average of 4.7/5 from thousands of reviews.
Pros: two year warranty, deep enough for most mattresses, more size options than most rivals, waterproof
Cons: less well known brand, synthetic materials
Our Value Rating: ***
5. Soak & Sleep Luxury Quilted Cotton Extra Deep Mattress Protector – £36
Finally, I thought it was worth including a highly rated mattress protector that is more suited for deep mattresses. Some mattresses nowadays have huge great pillow-tops so a standard depth mattress protector won’t really fit without a lot of huffing and puffing.
This one goes up to 40cm deep and is available in the usual sizes, as well as emperor, which is even bigger than a king size mattress.
It’s made by Soak & Sleep which – as mentioned earlier – gets terrific reviews and is a well established bedding brand. This product scores a near-perfect 4.8/5 from hundreds of reviewers.
It’s cotton on top and in the middle, with a layer of polyester on the bottom. It isn’t sold with the intention of being completely waterproof but it is more intended to avoid sweat and other unpleasantries from ruining your mattress (Ed: ewwww!).
You get a two year guarantee.
Pros: two year warranty, extra deep design, available in unusual sizes, positive reviews
Cons: not waterproof
Our Value Rating: ****
