A soft mattress is generally best for lighter people.
The general theory is that a mattress should keep your spine straight. A lighter person’s hips and shoulders won’t sink enough on a firm mattress. Meanwhile, an elephant would not get sufficient support from a soft mattress. Even a baby elephant would struggle and they would probably damage the bedframe whilst trying to climb into the bed.
Who decides what soft means?
A less mature person than me would be giggling at that heading. Not me though, I am far too grown up.
Unfortunately, each manufacturer means something slightly different when they offer their ‘soft mattress’.
John Lewis & Partners provide a useful rule of thumb. They says that their soft mattresses are suitable for people who weigh under 8 stone. Their medium mattresses are for people who weigh 8 – 16 stone.
It’s also a question of comfort, although the two tend to go together. If you are sufficiently supported then you will feel comfortable in the long run. If you are uncomfortable you will climb out of bed and start walking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The importance of the position you sleep in
Another thing to consider is your sleeping position. As I said 30 seconds ago, people who sleep on their sides tend to need softer mattresses so that there isn’t too much pressure on their hips and shoulders.
Leilnahari, Fatouraee et al summarised this in a 2011 academic paper.
‘If the shoulders can’t sag into the mattress, then the support of neck and back won’t be satisfactory and the shoulder joint will suffer in contact surface from high stresses leading to pain and joint stiffness’
‘Spine alignment in men during lateral sleep position: experimental study and modeling‘
You don’t want to go too far though. Their research also warned that ‘measurements show that a too soft or too firm mattress is no good choice’. They added that ‘soft surfaces cause the increase in low back pain due to incorrect support of vertebral column’.
Please note, I’m not qualified in back care, I’m just quoting useful advice to point you in the right direction.
Is a soft mattress right for you?
If you combine the factors of sleeping position and your weight/build then you’ll have an idea of whether a soft mattress is right for you.
A study in 2009 called ‘Quality of sleep, as influenced by mattresses with various degree of firmness‘ (Wang, Zhou et al) looked at the topic of firmness levels.
They found that a medium firmness mattress offered better support. It also generated less body movement and was most popular with participants in the trial. That was regardless of whether they slept on their side or back. The slight issue with that study was that it compared a soft foam mattress, a medium tension sprung mattress and a firm ‘wooden board’ mattress. It’s hard to say for sure which factor led to the better results. Was it the material of the mattress or the firmness level, or a bit of both?
Another study by Bader and Engdal in 2000 asked nine men to sleep on either a ‘soft’ mattress or a ‘more firm’ mattress. The study was called ‘The influence of bed firmness on sleep quality’. Four people slept ‘significantly better’ on the softer mattress and just two slept better on the ‘hard mattress’.
Let’s get on with our top five choices
We’ve picked out five soft mattresses that are worth considering. We looked at a combination of industry awards, customer reviews, specifications and value for money.
Prices are for double mattresses. Review scores and prices are correct at the time of writing in 2024.
1. Silentnight Deluxe Box Top Mirapocket 2000 Limited Edition Mattress – ÂŁ654
The Silentnight Deluxe Box Top Mirapocket 2000 Limited Edition Mattress is a mouthful but don’t let that put you off.
It is described by Silentnight as soft/medium. Some customers say it was too soft for them, others say it was too firm but the majority are happy with it and give it five stars (see reviews). These contradictions are not uncommon because there isn’t an agreed standard for what a ‘soft mattress’ should feel like.
Helpful reassurance is offered by the 60 day comfort trial which gives the option of a swap if it’s not right for you (see the terms and conditions of this trial).
For a mid-market price, you are getting a lot of mattress.
A great big top layer
The top layer is described as a ‘box top’. You will see similar mattresses using the term ‘pillowtop’ or ‘topper’. In this case, it is 8cm of ‘super soft foam’.
These toppers can add a very welcome bit of comfort to a mattress and can make them feel nice and soft. We’ve got a pillowtop mattress and I like it a lot.
The main downside is that the box top is only on one side, so you can’t flip the mattress over to help reduce the risk of uneven areas over time.
One notable piece of academic research looked at the optimum depth and firmness of a mattress topper or top layer for sleeping on your back. It concluded that ‘A soft topper with 30 mm thickness was suggested as the best combination’. This mattress has a 80mm top layer which is way above that. However, it is certainly a soft topper so it is partly in line with the findings of the study. See Yu-Chi, Chih-Yun et al, 2020.​
Two layers of springs
The next layers on the Silentnight Deluxe Box Top Mirapocket 2000 Limited Edition Mattress are springs.
It uses two layers of 1000 springs, which is a generous amount of material for a mid-priced mattress from a brand you’ve actually heard of.
As mentioned 94 other times on this website, pocket springs are much nicer to sleep on than ‘open coil’ or ‘traditional’ springs (Silentnight use the marketing terms ‘Mirapocket’ and ‘Miracoil’ for their versions of pocket sprung and open coil mattresses).
The springs are ‘zoned’ which is a common design feature. It aims to offer differing levels of support for different parts of your curvaceous body (Ed: curvaceous, really?). The science behind this is compelling and was explored by Leilnahari, Fatouraee et al in Iran in 2011. Researchers concluded that there are benefits to having different levels of support in different places. Their research looked generally at mattresses with ‘different zonal elasticity’ rather than this mattress specifically. However, the principle is an interesting one.
Customer reviews, warranty length and a depth warning
Ratings from customers for the Silentnight Deluxe Box Top Mirapocket 2000 Limited Edition Mattress are very positive. The average score is currently 4.4/5 from 100+ reviews.
The warranty length is reasonable at five years and is about what you would expect for a mid-priced pocket sprung mattress. However, it is worth saying that there are several foam-based bed in a box mattresses for a similar price which will offer you 10 year warranties or sometimes longer (e.g. Emma, Nectar).
A deep discussion
Finally, a warning which may save you getting whacked in the eye with an elasticated bedsheet.
This mattress is very, very deep. It could probably host a round table discussion on Greek literature for Radio 4. The combination of two layers of springs and the foam topper adds up to 39cm.
The result is that your current standard fitted sheets may not be deep enough. Most standard sheets are suitable for mattresses with a depth of 25-30cm. This isn’t a big problem as extra deep fitted sheets are easy to find and aren’t terribly expensive – but it’s something to be aware of.
Pros and cons: The Sleep Guy’s verdict
“The Silentnight brand is huge and this model is a big seller.”
“In the pros column is the high pocket spring count, combined with the generous layer of foam. The trial period is another positive but read the small print as it’s not just a case of sticking a stamp on it and getting your money back.”
“The customer reviews are reassuringly good as well”
“In the cons column are the single sided design (although that’s to be expected with a box top mattress) and the five warranty. A few years ago this would have looked good for the money but several new names to the market offer to double or treble that”
2. Romantica Bamboo Memory Mattress – ÂŁ189
Now, let’s be clear. This is a cheap mattress with a relatively cheap specification from a brand you probably haven’t heard of. Great, eh!
However, we like to include a budget option in our top five guides and the Romantica Bamboo Memory Mattress has some good points considering its affordable price tag.
The bad news
The main thing which keeps the price down is the ‘traditional open coil springs’. This tends to offer wobblier and less consistent support than you get with pocket springs. You will notice it more if you are heavier than average. To be honest, a softer mattress is probably not right for you if people refer to you as ‘larger than life’.
There are other negatives, such as the one year guarantee which is almost unheard of in the mattress market. Mattress brands haven recently competed to increase their warranties with some offering ‘forever’ warranties.
The good news
Let’s move onto the positives about the mattress, as there are several.
You get a mattress which is a good depth at 24cm. Some very cheap mattresses barely make it to 20cm which can result in you feeling the base of the bed. It’s also made in the UK whereas some cheap mattresses are imported.
The bamboo mentioned in the name is within the cover. Bamboo is ‘naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial, cooling, and may help some people achieve restful sleep’ according to Medical News Today.
The reviews are exceedingly good and there are plenty of them. Hundreds of customers give an average score of 4.4/5.
The Romantica Bamboo Memory Mattress is also a double sided mattress. Keep flipping it over regularly and it should give it a longer life.
There’s a layer of memory foam to add some comfort. The description describes it as ‘sumptuous’ but it’s only 1.5cm deep which is very shallow. It will make a modest difference to the overall comfort.
The memory foam is only on one side so if you flip it over, you get a standard sprung mattress. This has obviously been done to keep the price down but it could actually work out well as it gives a bit of choice and is a good backup plan if you find the memory foam makes you feel too warm.
Finally, a mention for the big plus point of a 60 day comfort trial. Such things are common with expensive mattresses but less so with budget models. You can swap it if you don’t like (see the terms and conditions).
The firmness is described as soft/medium.
Pros and cons: The Sleep Guy’s verdict
“A one year warranty? Open coil springs? Just 1.5cm of memory foam? It is tempting to write this mattress off based on those three things.”
“Don’t be too hasty though. If your budget is limited then you could do a lot worse.”
“You’re getting a mattress with positive reviews (tick), a home trial period (double tick) and a decent depth (tick)”
“The other good thing about this construction method of making a mattress is that recycling it is much easier. The springs are one long length of metal rather than hundreds of mini coils. That may make you feel better if you just use this mattress for a relatively short time before upgrading to something fancier.”
“Honestly, if you can afford a more expensive mattress then I wouldn’t recommend buying the Romantica Bamboo Memory Mattress . However, if your budget is around ÂŁ200 then this offers a lot for the price.”
3. Hypnos Pillowtop Luxe Pocket Sprung Mattress – ÂŁ2047
I was always a big fan of that old Ferrero Rocher advert where they said ‘with these chocolates, the ambassador is really spoiling us’. Well, the ambassador probably provides his guests with Hypnos mattresses too.
They’re at the posh end of the market and have a Royal Warrant. Despite that, some models aren’t as expensive as you might assume.
Hypnos was named as National Bed Federation’s best manufacturer 2014 and 2017 and runner up in 2018. Hypnos also won a big award in 2021 for its environmental credentials at the main bed industry awards and won Component Product of the Year at the National Bed Federation’s 2022 awards.
Specification and signs of quality
​​The Premier is available as a soft feel mattress, and it has a number of signs of quality. These include ‘hand side stitching’ which gives it strength right to the edges. That is one of the key features that tends to increase the price of a mattress.
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This mattress has a built-in topper, so you can’t turn it over. That’s generally not my preferred option for a mattress as turning over can help reduce dips and sags over time.
However, turning a king size or super king size mattress is a bit like wrestling an ox so lots of people don’t tend to bother anyway. Watch the video guide here.
Pros and cons: the Sleep Guy’s verdict
“Let’s start with the positives. A 10 year warranty on a pocket spring mattress is very good. You’ll find that only Vispring offer longer warranties (plus Dunlopillo on some of their hybrid mattresses). It’s a different story with bed in a box foam mattresses where 10 years is now the norm.”
“Hypnos’ company reputation is certainly another positive. They’ve won genuinely impressive awards. Some mattresses proudly display prizes which are handed out like sweets at a children’s birthday party – but that’s not the case here”
“The inclusion of a topper creates that soft feel, but it does mean that the mattress is single sided, unfortunately. And of course, you’re spending ÂŁ2000+ on something which you can’t return if you don’t find it comfortable.”
4. Vispring Devonshire Pocket Sprung Mattress – ÂŁ2295
As I said earlier, there’s no industry agreement on what weight you should be to use a soft mattress. Only a few mattress companies give specific guidance. Vispring is one of them.
Vispring suggest that their ‘soft’ mattresses are ideal for people who weigh under 11 stone. I’d be wary of applying the same rule to other mattress brands. One company’s soft mattress may not be the same firmness as another’s.
Vispring also happen to be one of the poshest, most luxurious and expensive mattresses on the market. They invented the pocket spring mattress many years ago and have built up a lot of heritage and a solid reputation. They won Which’s mattress brand of the year in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Their J. Marshall brand won Bed of the Year in 2019 at the Bed Industry Awards.
Our pick from the Vispring range
We’ve picked out Vispring’s Devonshire mattress which is available in soft, medium and firm. It’s not their most expensive but it’s a traditional style and uses good quality, natural materials. These include as wool and coir which comes from coconuts.
It’s not got as many spring as their top end mattresses, but it will provide enough support for lighter people. There are about 1300 springs on the king size version. Most guides reckon somewhere between 1000 and 2000 is fine for most people.
There’s a limit to how many springs you can fit onto a mattress, so mattresses which say they have thousands of springs usually have more than one layer of small springs. Watch the video guide to the Devonshire here.
Pros and cons: The Sleep Guy’s verdict
“Yes, it’s expensive but you’re paying for quality and it’s certainly more affordable than some Vispring mattresses. A plus point is the inclusion of natural materials. These are thought to have lower VOC emissions than foam based mattresses (according to WebMD).”
“I like the fact it’s double sided as that can help prolong the life of a mattress. The warranty length is staggering at 30 years”
“There are enough springs for most people. Very heavy people might benefit from a higher number which could double the price”
“Of course, the high price compared to its rivals will put off a lot of people as well”
5. Tempur Pro Smartcool Mattress – ÂŁ1999
If you can afford it, take a look at the Tempur Pro Smartcool range which is available in three different thicknesses (the price above is for the cheapest one as a double mattress). It’s available in four firmness levels, including a soft version. It also comes in 21cm, 25cm and 30cm versions. The deeper versions are called the Tempur Pro Plus Smartcool (25cm) and the Tempur Pro Luxe Smartcool.
For a lighter-than-average person, one of the thinner options would be perfectly good enough.
Tempur is a prestigious name and was a pioneer in the memory foam market, after developing materials used by NASA. The official blurb says ‘TEMPUR Material is memory foam, but no other memory foam is TEMPUR’ Material’. In other words, it is memory foam but they argue that it’s a superior quality of memory foam to the cheaper rivals.
Some people don’t like the slight sinking feeling that you get with memory foam and similar products, but others find that it offers much more consistent support than springs. It’s also better for allergies as it doesn’t collect dust as easily as a ‘natural’ material.
If you buy direct from Tempur then their mattresses come with a 100 night trial, with the possibility of a refund if you aren’t happy. Do check the terms and conditions first as there is some important small print. Tempur also sell mattresses via John Lewis and Dreams. They have slightly different names and slightly different designs, but they are similar enough that you can be confident you are still getting the real thing.
The closest equivalent Tempur mattress sold at John Lewis is the soft version of the Tempur Pro CoolQuilt. At Dreams, the closest equivalent is the Tempur Pro Air Smartcool Soft Mattress.
See our full Tempur guide if you want to get a better understanding of the difference between Tempur mattresses sold direct by Tempur, versus those sold at John Lewis and Dreams.
Pros and cons: how does this soft mattress rate?
“A big positive with Tempur is that they have been developing their foam mattresses for decades. They’ve been selling mattresses in the UK since the 1990s whereas most memory foam brands have appeared in the last 10 years – and a small number have disappeared as well.”
“They’ve also got a big range of three depths and four firmness levels, whereas many cheaper rivals have a like-it-or-return it approach to firmness”
“Of course, a big negative is the price tag which is triple or quadruple what other foam mattresses cost”
