Buying a Sealy mattress is a solid choice as they are a big name in the UK mattress market. We put them somewhere around the middle in terms of price and specifications. According to the official blurb Sealy is ‘the world’s biggest bed brand’ although Silentnight is bigger within the UK.
The Sealy range is huge and I found it a wee bit confusing at first. I needed to lie down in a dark room with a cool flannel on my forehead after sifting through the many Sealy mattresses.
I’m going to attempt to answer some questions about the Sealy range of mattresses before picking out some of the best models.
What’s the difference between Sealy Posturepedic and Sealy Classic?
If you browse through the Sealy website you will see that their mattresses are split into ‘Posturepedic’ and ‘Classic’ models. But what’s the difference?
The most obvious difference is that Sealy’s Classic range tends to be its cheaper mattresses. Sealy Posturepedic tends to be the more expensive end of the Sealy range. Double-size Sealy Classic mattresses at Mattress Online range from £350 – £900 whilst Sealy Posturepedic mattresses range from £900 – £2200.
The more complicated explanation is that mattresses in the Sealy Posturepedic range utilise various technologies and developments that Sealy has patented. These technologies have impressive sounding names like AlignSupport Coil (a redesigned spring), Unicased XT (a solid edge to stop your bed collapsing like a custard slice) and BasePlank (a rigid base layer).
The classic mattresses tend to use more familiar mattress technology and design.
It’s worth mentioning that there’s not a huge amount of consistency within the Sealy Classic range.
When you browse through the Sealy Classic mattresses sold by Mattress Online you’ll find a real mix of designs. Some use high quality pocket springs, others use cheaper ‘open coil’ designs. Some ‘Classic’ Sealy mattresses use foam, others use a type of foam with gel. It’s hard to pin down exactly what they all have in common – beyond not using the Posturepedic technology.
It’s hard to say whether Sealy Posturepedic or Sealy Classic is necessarily better. Personally, I think that Sealy Classic offers particularly good value. If I was buying a £1000+ mattress I am more likely to be swayed by the use of luxurious natural materials (see Vispring or Hypnos) – but that’s just me.
What else to look for in a Sealy mattress
Cheaper Sealy mattresses mostly use something called a ‘PostureTech Core Support spring system’, which is similar to an ‘open coil’ mattress. Most of the more expensive Sealy mattresses use pocket springs instead, which is the posher option. I’d go for the pocket spring option if you can afford it, unless it’s just for a spare bed. The only notable advantage of an open coil mattress (besides cost) is the fact that it is easier to recycle afterwards. A 2019 report by the National Bed Federation highlighted this. It pointed out that it is much easier to recycle the one huge string of metal which comes with a bonnell coil spring mattress than it is with a pocket sprung mattress. With a pocket spring mattress, it is question of removing the individual springs from their pockets which is either done by a machine or by hand.
Most Sealy mattresses combine springs with another material such as memory foam, latex or geltex which is a type of foam. Memory foam is a manmade material that is particularly good at distributing pressure. It has a reputation for making you feel a little bit warm in bed. Geltex is also manmade, but it aims to overcome some of the heat problems with memory foam. Latex is a natural material which is better at keeping you cool. However, it’s very expensive. Take a look at the actual amount of latex being used in a ‘latex’ mattress as it may be a tiny amount. It’s a bit like a ‘pomegranate, papaya and banana’ smoothie. When you look at the ingredients you realise it is mostly apples and bananas, with a couple of drops of papaya and pomegranate for the purposes of making it sound exotic.
Before we move onto our top five, here are the good and bad points about buying Sealy mattress
Pros and cons of Sealy mattresses
Pros:
- Some models stocked in showrooms so you can try before you buy (many foam mattresses are online only)
- Big name brand, so there’s a better chance of long term customer support
- Constructed using springs, which will appeal to traditionalist
- Good range of prices and firmness levels available
- Double mattresses available from about £250
Cons:
- Most models come with five year warranties, which is five years less than similarly priced ‘bed in a box’ mattresses
- Trial periods aren’t as long or as straightforward as some brands.
- Some cheaper models use ‘open coil’ springs which are less supportive
- A popular award winning model called the Sealy Teramo has now been discontinued
Anyway, without further waffle here’s our pick of the five best Sealy mattresses in the UK. We looked at things like customer reviews, expert reviews, specification and value for money to make our choices.
Prices are for double Sealy mattresses and are correct at the time of writing.
1. Sealy Winslow Geltex Enhance 2400 Pocket Pillow Top Mattress – medium firmness – £909
The Sealy Winslow Geltex Enhance 2400 Pocket Pillow Top Mattress is towards the upper end of the Classic Sealy price range. As mentioned earlier, the Classic Sealy mattresses are generally cheaper than Sealy Posturepedic mattresses. Classic models use more conventional mattress designs whereas Sealy Posturepedic mattresses have various trademarked designs, such as a different design of spring to the norm.
Considering it’s a ‘Classic’ mattress, the Sealy Winslow actually uses a fairly complicated design. It’s also not the cheapest but it’s got a lot going for it if you want a medium firmness mattress.
The Winslow scores really well with customers with an average of 4.8/5 from 100+ reviews on Mattress Online.
The main support is provided by pocket springs, which are the posher way of supporting you on a Sealy mattress. There are 1000 pocket springs on the king size version whilst smaller mattresses have fewer. That number will provide adequate support (the normal range for a decent mattress is about 1000-2000 springs). On top, there’s a layer of 1400 mini pocket springs. The larger springs are doing most of the work here with the smaller springs working alongside them.
On top is a thin layer of Geltex, which is a manmade material that aims to provide a bit of extra comfort without making you too warm.
The downsides of the Sealy Winslow
Just to play devil’s advocate, I’ll point out three little things to consider before you rush to buy the Sealy Winslow.
Firstly, you can’t turn this mattress over because of the layer of Geltex on top. I personally prefer a mattress which can be flipped rather than just rotated. Some people reckon it helps reduce the risk of getting dips and indents over times.
Secondly, a medium mattress like this isn’t suitable for everyone. Generally speaking, lighter people need softer mattresses whilst heavy people will sink in to a soft mattress too much and won’t end up in a good sleeping position. Also, people who sleep on their fronts or backs need firmer mattresses than side sleepers. This is because side sleepers put more pressure on their shoulders and hips, so a softer mattress works well for them.
The idea is that you consider your weight and your sleeping position and choose a firmness based on that.
Thirdly, it only comes with a 5 year guarantee which is not massive for a mattress of this price. Most ‘bed in a box mattresses’ come with 10 year warranties and a long home trial period whilst a couple of mattresses come with a ‘lifetime’ warranty (memory foam mattress Nectar Sleep and luxury pocket spring/foam mattress DreamCloud).
Coping with the trials of life
Sealy’s Winslow comes with a 60 night trial period if you buy it via Mattress Online. A few years ago, trial periods were very rare in the mattress market. Online-only ‘bed in a box’ brands shook things up by not paying for showrooms and offering generous home trial periods instead. This seems to have put pressure on longer established mattress brands to give customers the option of returning mattress if they wake up with a bad back after a few weeks.
The trial period of 60 nights isn’t as generous as the 100 night, 200 night or 365 nights offered by some companies. For example, Simba Sleep gives you several months to try their mattresses.
It’s also not quite as simple as sticking a stamp on the mattress and getting your money back. The terms and conditions offer an exchange rather than a refund. Read the terms and conditions for yourself.
2. Sealy Alford Advantage Mattress – firm – £359
OK, so I’m well aware that the Sealy Alford Advantage Mattress isn’t the best mattress in the Sealy range. However, if you want a cheap and firm mattress from a brand you’ve heard of then it’s worth a look.
It’s a hugely popular mattress which has had literally hundreds of reviews online. The scores are very positive, averaging 4.6/5.
So what’s the difference between this cheap Sealy mattress and more expensive ones?
Well, the main difference is the type of springs used.
This one uses ‘PostureTech Core Support Springs’ whereas more expensive Sealy mattresses use pocket springs (e.g. Winslow, see #1). Just in case you’re confused, I will point out that PostureTech isn’t the same as Posturepedic. PostureTech is a relatively cheap bit of mattress technology whereas Sealy PosturePedic mattresses tend to be more expensive.
Despite being cheap, the Sealy Alford is surprisingly thick at 24cm. Many mattresses around this price are only about 20cm deep. Having a deep mattress is more important if you’re heavier than average.
On the downside, it’s only a single sided mattress, which means you can’t flip it over. Some guides suggest that mattresses last longer if you regularly turn them over. Of course, lots of people never get round to turning their mattress over or they simply can’t manage to lift them.
This mattress is firm, so it is more suited to heavier people or to people who sleep on their back or front. Unfortunately, there’s no industry wide standard for what it means when a mattress is ‘firm’ or ‘soft’ but the Sealy website politely says that their firm mattresses are ‘perfect for those above average stature’.
Sleeping soundly
You get a trial period with the Sealy Alford Advantage if you buy it via Mattress Online. That is a real positive considering the price.
As with the Winslow mattress above, it is good for a couple of months and offers a swap. Read the terms and conditions.
This cheap and cheerful Sealy mattress gets great reviews for the price
3. Sealy Hampton Geltex Enhance 1000 Pocket Mattress – medium firmness – £654
The Sealy Hampton Geltex Enhance 1000 Pocket Mattress is one of Sealy’s cheaper pocket sprung models. As previously mentioned, pocket springs are considered the more luxurious, supportive and robust choice on a sprung mattress.
There is also academic evidence to suggest that pocket springs are more durable and resilient than ‘open coil’ springs. Open coil springs are also known as ‘bonnell’ springs.
Both types of spring were put to the test by Vlaović, Grbac and Varošanec in an academic study in 2010. The found that ‘the samples of pocket spring core have justified their status as a durable spring core system because at the end of the testing there was no serious damage’. Those springs which performed worst were open coil springs.
The number of pocket springs is 1000, which at first seems a bit measly compared to the Sealy Winslow Geltex Enhance 2400 Pocket Pillow Top Mattress (see #1). However, both mattresses have a layer of 1000 standard sized springs. The more expensive mattress has another layer of mini springs, but it is the larger springs which do most of the work.
I’ll use an analogy for car fans. The Sealy Winslow Geltex Enhance 2400 Pocket Pillow Top Mattress (see #1) is a bit like an Audi with heated seats, cruise control and rear parking sensors. The Sealy Hampton Geltex Enhance 1000 Pocket Mattress is still an Audi, but it’s just the basic model without the bells and whistles.
Onto the juicy details
This is a relatively straightforward mattress. On top of the springs is a ‘geltex’ layer. As mentioned earlier, this is a manmade material which combines foam with gel with the aim of being more breathable than a standard foam.
The depth is 25cm which I consider to be slap bang in the middle for a decent mattress. I wouldn’t personally touch a mattress which is less than 20cm deep but 25cm is absolutely fine. I’m less keen on it being single sided as you can’t flip it over, but this is very common on mattresses around this price.
To quote David Bowie, the warranty is five years. This is a little on the low side in my opinion, but it is countered by the 60 night trial period. This is perhaps even more important than a warranty, as it’s always a bit of a gamble when you buy a mattress online. Have a read of the terms and conditions here.
4. Sealy Steeple Ortho Plus Mattress – extra firm – £429
Here’s another firm mattress in the Sealy Classic range.
The Sealy Steeple Ortho Plus Mattress uses an inferior type of spring to the Sealy Hampton Geltex Enhance 1000 Pocket Mattress but it’s a lot cheaper and reviews are positive.
Instead of pocket springs, it uses the ‘PostureTech Core Support spring system’ mentioned earlier. This is similar to an ‘open coil’ mattress but it has a bit of extra design ‘to support the body where it’s needed the most’. The Sealy website also explains that ‘The springs gradually get firmer as pressure increases to provide deep down support and pressure relief’.
What does ‘ortho’ mean?
It is described as a ‘firm feeling orthopaedic mattress’. There is a temptation to assume that a mattress with ‘ortho’ in the title is the answer for a bad back but it’s a bit more complicated than that.
‘Ortho’ really just means that the mattress is very firm. For some people a very firm mattress is ideal for good back care but for other people it would be a bad move.
You need to find a mattress which suits your body shape and weight. Heavier people and people who sleep on their back need firmer mattresses. Lighter or smaller people and people who sleep on their sides need softer mattresses. It’s a bit of a guessing game to find the exact right level of firmness for you because one brand’s firm mattress isn’t necessarily the same as another brand.
That ambiguity is why we always prefer mattresses with a home trial period. Sealy Steeple Ortho Plus Mattress has a 60 night trial period (read the terms and conditions).
Outstanding reviews
The Sealy Steeple Ortho Plus Mattress stands out for its positive reviews, which are currently red hot at 4.7/5 from more than 1000 happy sleepers. The general conclusion is that it is indeed a very firm mattress.
One other thing I like about this mattress is that it is double sided. This means that you can flip it over regularly to help avoid it getting worn in the areas where your body is more likely to put pressure on the mattress.
Is a zoned mattress good for you?
Sealy mattresses do tend to be a little heavy on the jargon. This mattress comes with ‘PowerPack zones’ which is something I’ve not come across before. It’s a little difficult to get a clear definition of what this actually means with various websites describing it in a variety of ways.
My conclusion is that a Powerpack Zone on a Sealy mattress is a particularly dense section of springs which give you extra back support.
You’ll see several mattresses describing themselves as being ‘zoned’ or something similar. The science behind it was explored in 2011 in an Iranian academic paper called ‘Spine alignment in men during lateral sleep position: experimental study and modeling’ by Leilnahari, Fatouraee et al. They enlisted 25 men and concluded that a ‘sleep surfaces with different zonal elasticity’ is a ‘more appropriate choice for heavier men with pronounced body contour’.
The reasons for their recommendations were to do with what happens to our spine when we lie on our side (the ‘lateral’ position). The researchers explained that ‘Soft surfaces cause the increase in low back pain due to incorrect support of vertebral column… There against mattresses with high stiffness lead to shoulder pain, and cause the decrease in sleep quality and improper distribution of body loads’. A mattress which varies in firmness aims to offer the right level of support to different parts of the body.
5. Sealy Mellbreak Ortho Plus Mattress – firm – £374
The Sealy Mellbreak Ortho Plus Mattress is a close relative of the Sealy Steeple Ortho Plus Mattress (#4). They aren’t quite twins but it took us a while to figure out the significant differences between the two.
The main difference is that the Mellbreak is ‘firm’ whilst the Steeple is ‘very firm’.
Other than that, there’s not much between them.
The Mellbreak uses similar PostureTech Core Support Springs, which I consider to be a middle ground between an entry level open coil mattress and a more luxurious pocket spring mattress (such as the Sealy Hampton Geltex Enhance 1000 Pocket Mattress.
Both the Mellbreak and the Steeple models come with trial periods, five year warranties and can be turned over to help prolong their lives.
When I checked, the Mellbreak was quite a lot cheaper than the Steeple but you may find it varies from week to week.
The benefits of open coil springs
There’s not much debate over the issue of whether pocket springs or open coil springs are better for the user. Pocket springs are the clear winner, mostly because they don’t wobble around as much. This is particularly good news if you are lying next to a spouse who wriggles around all night.
However, there is an argument that mattresses such as the Mellbreak are better for the environment. It uses long pieces of metal rather than hundreds of tiny pieces of metal. Extracting pocket springs is possible but it’s much more complicated and time consuming that mattresses with open coils and PostureTech Core Support Springs.
