The Sleep Guy’s Simple Summary
“REM Fit sell seven different mattresses, at the time of typing. That may well change by the time I finish this sentence, but let’s go with it and hope for the best.“
“If you are working to a modest budget, my advice is to wait for a special offer and then go for one of the three cheapest REM Fit mattresses. If you are average weight and sleep on your side, go for the REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000 Mattress. Front sleepers and back sleepers should go for the REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress if they are average weight or the REM-Fit 500 Ortho Mattress if they are heavier than average. All the mattresses come with a long trial period and warranty – but use a mattress protector to qualify for the full trial period.
“If you have a more generous budget, you can get a mattress with nice little upgrades, such as more mini springs and more foam to add a little comfort. In that case, go for the REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Elite if you sleep on your side and are average weight. Go for the REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid Mattress or the REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite if you are a little heavier than average and sleep on your side or the REM-Fit 500 Ortho Elite if you are heavier than average and sleep on your front or back”
Could you tell me more about the REM Fit brand please?
Oh, go on then.
REM Fit is a fairly new mattress brand, which sells what are known as a ‘bed in a box’. The brand has been going since 2014.
The idea is that you buy a mattress online rather than wasting a Saturday morning at a bed showroom on an industrial estate. If the mattress isn’t right for you, they’ll pick it up for free and give you a refund.
REM Fit is worth your consideration as the company gets very positive reviews and has a couple of bells and whistles that are superior to most of its rivals.
Most significantly, REM Fit’s mattresses come with a 15 year warranty whilst most other big brands offer a 10 year warranty.
The big question is…which is the best REM Fit mattress? And what’s the difference between REM-Fit’s cheapest and most expensive mattress? And is REM-Fit better than rival brands such as Simba Sleep, Emma Sleep, Nectar Sleep and Eve Sleep?
And why do I keep starting sentences with the word ‘and’ when my English teacher told me not to?
Prices quoted are for double mattresses and are correct at the time of writing in 2024.
Which is the best REM-Fit mattress?
REM-Fit currently make seven mattresses. Here they are, ranked in order of price (assuming they aren’t on offer):
- REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000 (£) – medium firm tension
- REM-Fit 400 Hybrid (££) – medium tension
- REM-Fit 500 Ortho (£££) – firm tension
- REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Elite (£££) – medium tension
- REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid (£££) – medium/firm tension
- REM-Fit 500 Ortho Elite (££££) – firm tension
- REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite (£££££) – medium/firm tension
You will not be surprised to discover that the REM-Fit mattresses with the most impressive specifications are the most expensive ones. However, it’s really a question of which is right for your body shape and sleeping style – as well as which is right for your budget.
Solid advice on firmness levels
Firmness is a hot topic in the enthralling world of mattresses (Ed: enthralling, really?). The general advice is that heavier and larger people need firmer mattresses than lighter people. You want to sinking in just the right amount.
Your sleeping position is also important. Side sleepers tend to get on better with softer mattresses than people who mostly sleep on their back or front. That’s because sleeping on your side puts more pressure on your hips and shoulders.
It’s also important to note that mattress brands create their own definition of ‘medium’ or ‘firm’. Unfortunately, that means that a ‘medium-firm’ mattress by REM-Fit might feel quite different to one made by a rival mattress company. Thankfully, they offer a free returns option, which we’ll discuss later.
It’s hard to give exact advice, but here’s a rough guide of how your weight and sleeping position might help you decide which REM-Fit is right for you:
- If you sleep on your front or back and you are above average weight then I would start with the REM-Fit 500 Ortho Mattress (£££) or REM-Fit 500 Ortho Elite (££££). These are both firm mattresses. The more expensive one has an extra layer of mini springs.
- If you sleep on your side and are above average weight then I would try the REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid Mattress (£££) or REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite (£££££). These are both medium-firm mattresses that have a good number of springs to support larger people. Again, the more expensive one has an extra layer of mini springs.
- If you sleep on your back and you are an average weight then go for the REM-Fit Pocket 1000 Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress (£), REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid Mattress (£££) or REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite (£££££), depending on your budget. These are all medium-firm mattresses. The number of springs should be plenty for anyone who is average weight or lighter than average.
- If you sleep on your side and are average weight or lighter then I would go for the REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress (££) or REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Elite (£££). These are both medium tension mattresses.
What do you get if you upgrade from the cheapest REM-Fit mattress to the most expensive model?
The difference in price between the cheapest REM-Fit mattress and the most expensive model can be more than £1000. If you are the sort of person who is happy to cough up an extra £1000 without doing a fair amount of reading first then I may ask you lend me a tenner.
So what are you getting for your money? I’m generally happy to pay for a significantly better specification, but not if it’s something very small that I won’t even notice.
The gist of it is that the upgrades get you an extra layer of mini springs and an extra layer of foam in the more expensive mattresses.
Here are the four key differences between the REM-Fit models:
1. More expensive REM Fit mattresses have more springs
A big difference between the seven REM Fit mattress is the number of springs used. This is entering a nerdy and not especially interesting area. I’ve warned you, so you’ve only got yourself to blame if you keep reading.
The cheapest REM-Fit mattress (REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000 Mattress) has 1000 springs. Rather confusingly, this particular mattress tells you how many springs it has within the name. That’s not the case with the REM-Fit 400, 500 and 600 where the numbers don’t appear to have any link to the mattress design.
My opinion is that a mattress with 1000 pocket springs is perfectly adequate for most people. If you are heavier than average then 1000 is probably pushing it a bit, but for most people it will be fine.
And what about the other six REM Fit mattresses?
They all have 2000 full size pocket springs, whether you get the second-cheapest model (REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress) or the most expensive REM Fit mattress (REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite).
The difference between these six mattresses is that the posher ones also include layers of mini springs. This bumps up the total number of springs to 4000 or 5000 and gives something of a wow factor in the marketing materials.
However, the bulk of the support is provided by the larger springs. The mini springs are more of a comfort layer.
In other words, upgrading from the REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000 Mattress (£) to the REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress (££) is a big jump up in quality and is particularly worthwhile if you are heavier than average. However, upgrading from the REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress to one of the other mattresses is a much subtler upgrade.
2. More expensive REM Fit mattresses use more foam
Another difference between the REM-Fit mattresses are the layers of foam used on top of the springs.
Three of the cheaper REM-Fit mattresses use something called ‘REMCell contouring foam’ whilst the more expensive ones use ‘Premium viscoelastic open-cell memory foam’.
I’ve spent quite a while trying to decipher what the difference is between these two types of foam.
REM Fit describe this REMCell material as ‘REM-Fit memory foam’ and claim that it ‘won’t heat up like traditional memory foam’. Meanwhile, it says that its ‘Premium viscoelastic open-cell memory foam…’provides advanced temperature regulation’.
In other words, both of them claim to be good at keeping you cool, which is a common issue with memory foam. One is ‘premium’ but I’m completely clear on what makes it premium.
What we do know is that the models with a 1000, 500 or 600 in the title are slightly deeper than the mattresses with a 400 in the title. We are talking about quite small differences but they are differences nonetheless. They all come with a generous 4-5cm layer of memory foam. Some cheap mattresses make do with 2-3cm of memory foam.
A more significant difference is that four of the more expensive mattresses bundle in an extra layer of foam to make the whole thing more comfortable. You get this with these four mattresses:
- REM-Fit 500 Ortho Mattress (£££)
- REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid Mattress (£££)
- REM-Fit 500 Ortho Elite (££££)
- REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite (£££££)
3. More expensive REM Fit mattresses are ‘zoned’
There is some variation in which REM-Fit mattresses use something called ‘zoning’. This does rather sound like something from a Sky Sports Super Sunday post-match analysis…but it’s not quite as interesting.
The gist of it is that some mattresses are the same all over whilst others are designed with different ‘zones’ to give varying levels of support to your head, hips and shoulders.
Zoning can be found on six of the seven REM-Fit mattresses. Although, peculiarly it isn’t the cheapest mattress that is lacking in zoning – it is the second cheapest model – REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress.
4. More expensive REM Fit mattresses are deeper
There is some notable difference in the depth of the different REM Fit mattresses.
At the budget end is the 20cm REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000 Mattress (£). The most expensive mattress is the 25cm deep REM-Fit 600 Lux Elite. This extra depth come from slightly larger springs and the extra layer of foam.
So, is 20cm deep enough for a mattress?
Personally, I think it is just about enough. If you are light as a feather than you probably notice a lot of difference between a 20cm mattress and a 25cm mattress. However, if you are on the larger side then those extra few centimetres may be worth the upgrade.
Pros and cons of REM-Fit mattresses
Pros:
- An extra five years warranty than the majority of its closest rivals
- Choice of softer, medium and firmer models which isn’t offered by most bed in a box brands
- Home trial period, so you can try it for weeks before making your mind up
- REM Fit mattress review scores are very positive on TrustPilot
Cons:
- More expensive than most bed in a box mattresses
- Not available to try out in shops
- Less established brand in the UK than in the US
What type of mattresses do REM Fit make?
As mentioned about six minutes ago, REM Fit make ‘bed in a box’ style mattresses. Their mattresses arrive squashed up into a box and then hiss and expand in your bedroom for a few hours. The idea is that home delivery is easier for the mattress company and it’s easier for you than dragging a king size mattress up the stairs.
You’ve probably also seen REM Fit mattresses described as ‘hybrid’ mattresses. That just means that they use a combination of springs and foam to try and give the right level of support.
If you’re interested, here’s a brief mattress-related history lesson:
For many years, we all slept on sprung mattresses. If you could afford it, you had a pocket sprung mattress rather than an ‘open coil’ mattress. Then, along came memory foam as a popular alternative. Some people love memory foam and think it is more consistently supportive. Others prefer the traditional bouncy feel of a good set of pocket springs. A hybrid mattress like the REM Fit models are an attempt to offer a ‘cake and eat it’ mattress where you’re getting the best of both.
There are certainly pros and cons with memory foam, which is also known as viscoelastic foam. For example, some environmental concerns have been raised amongst academics. These concern the manufacturing process and disposal of memory foam mattresses. Garrido, Font and Conesa looked at ‘Pollutant emissions from the pyrolysis and combustion of viscoelastic memory foam’ in 2017. They found ‘relatively high emissions’ of Nitric Oxide, Ammonia and Hydrogen Cyanide when the mattresses were incinerated. They advised that ‘their reduction must be considered’.
What reviews do customers give REM Fit mattresses?
As of 2024, the Rem Fit brand scores 4.2/5 on TrustPilot from 2000+ reviews. That’s an impressive score and puts it near the top of our league table.
A positive REM Fit mattress review
There are thousands of REM Fit mattress reviews online, but we’ve pasted one below to give you a taster
Which awards have REM Fit mattresses won?
Next up in our REM Fit mattress review guide is a summary of the awards which the company has won:
- Good Housekeeping and Real Homes both gave awards to the REM-Fit 400 Hybrid Mattress (that’s the cheapest mattress, which is medium firmness)
- T3, Which and the Evening Standard all gave awards to the REM-Fit 500 Ortho Mattress (the mid-priced one which is firmer than the rest).
- Good Housekeeping and Good Homes both gave awards to the REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid Mattress (the most expensive one)
So, that doesn’t really help you decide which of the REM Fit mattresses to get, but it does show that they are getting noticed by reviewers and testers.
What guarantee and trial period does REM-Fit offer?
All REM-Fit mattresses come with a 200 night trial period and a 15 year guarantee.
A few years ago, most mattresses were made from springs and they came with a warranty of about 5-8 years. 10 years or more was exceptional whilst very cheap mattresses had shorter warranties.
However, ‘bed in a box’ mattresses then came along and most started to offer 10 year warranties. Nectar Sleep (£600) went even further and started offering a ‘forever guarantee’.
With that context, REM-Fit’s 15 year guarantee is still very good and is longer than most of its rivals. Other bed in a box brands like Simba and Emma offer 10 year guarantees.
You can read the small print with the REM Fit warranty here.
How does the REM Fit trial period compare?
Along similar lines, it used to be very unusual get a home trial period with a mattress. However, it’s now pretty standard with ‘bed in a box mattresses’ because you can’t usually try them out in a bed shop. REM Fit offers a 200 night trial, which is excellent but is matched or beaten by a few rivals including:
- Emma Mattresses come with a 200 night trial
- Simba Mattresses come with a 200 night trial
- The Nectar Sleep Mattress comes with a 365 night trial
- The Dreamcloud Mattress comes with a 365 night trial
So, here’s the question:
Is there much to be gained from getting 200 or 365 nights rather than 100 nights to try out a mattress? In all honesty, I’d say the gains are marginal. It’s certainly very useful to have a trial period but I reckon you get a good idea from a mattress after a few weeks. The main advantage with a long trial period is that you can try out a mattress in summer and winter. Some people find that memory foam makes them feel warm and it behaves slightly differently in warmer and colder temperatures.
A more important question to ask is: what are the terms and conditions of the trial?
Some mattress brands will give you a full refund and pay for the mattress to be picked up. Others charge you to return an item, only offer an exchange and won’t give you the difference back if you choose a cheaper model. Some retailers also demand that you buy one of their mattress protectors and use it throughout the trial.
The REM Fit trial period is one of the simpler and more generous ones, but there are a couple of points to note:
- you need to use the mattress for at least 30 days
- if you want to use it for the full 200 nights rather than 100 nights then you need to purchase a mattress protector at the same time. I’m not really sure that I would know in advance how long I want to trial a mattress for!
Where can I buy REM-Fit mattresses? Do they offer discount codes?
As far as I’m aware, REM Fit only sell their mattresses direct from their website. You can’t try them out in stores and you can’t buy them from third parties like Amazon.
Discount codes and offers do appear on their website though and we will add them at the top of this page when we hear of them.
What are the best alternatives to REM-Fit Mattresses
Hopefully you’ve found our REM Fit mattress review helpful.
However, there are several rival hybrid ‘bed in a box’ mattresses which use a combination of springs and foam. They also offer similar trial periods, long warranties and get positive reviews. A couple of similar mattresses to consider include:
The Simba Hybrid Original mattress (£819)
The Simba Hybrid Original has won some of the same awards as the REM-Fit mattresses. In fact, it claims to have won ‘more awards, from more experts’ than other mattress brands. It is medium/firm, which is similar to the REM-Fit 600, although bear in mind that there’s no industry wide agreement for measuring firmness levels. Simba’s Hybrid Original mattress has a similar trial period (200 nights) but a shorter warranty than REM-Fit (10 years instead of 15). TrustPilot scores are about the same (4.5/5) whilst Amazon scores are currently 3.9/5.
At one stage, this mattress just had mini springs but it’s been tweaked so you now get a combination of mini and larger springs.
This mattress was originally called the Simba Mattress or the Simba Hybrid, and it was Simba’s first mattress. The company aimed to offer a mattress that was right for most people, rather than selling several models. Over the last decade or so, the company has greatly increased its range and there are now about a dozen Simba models. The Simba Hybrid was given a new name – The Simba Hybrid Original – to differentiate from other models. Your other options include four other Hybrid mattresses, with the Hybrid Original as one of the mid priced products. Simba also sell a couple of budget foam-only mattresses called its Simbatex models and three Earth mattresses which use more natural materials such as wool, flax and cashmere.
If that’s not enough waffle about Simba for you, check out our full Simba mattress guide.
Nectar Hybrid Mattress (£750)
The Nectar Sleep brand first got our attention a few years ago when they introduced a ‘forever’ warranty. That was on top of a 365 night trial period, which was unheard of at the time.
The Hybrid version of the award-winning Nectar Sleep Memory Foam mattress adds a layer of springs. The springs are notably smaller than those on REM-Fit mattresses and they work in a slightly different way. The design is actually closer to the Simba Hybrid Original which also features on this guide.
The Brook + Wilde Sleep Sleep Lux mattress (£899)
This mattress uses a layer of larger pocket springs and a layer of smaller springs, much like the REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid Mattress. It comes with a 200 night trial period (similar to that offered by REM-Fit) but only has a 10 year guarantee instead of 15 years. Reviews for the brand on TrustPilot are currently lower than REM-Fit at 3/5.
It’s a medium firmness mattress.
If you want a Brook + Wilde Sleep Sleep mattress with a choice of firmness levels, you need to go for the Brook + Wilde Sleep Sleep Elite which has a superior specification and is more expensive (£1299).
Brook + Wilde Sleep’s Lux mattress is an alternative to the REM-Fit mattresses
