When you’re thinking about a new mattress, the first thing you need to decide is what type of mattress you want. There are three main types to go for; pocket sprung, memory foam or hybrid (a mix of the two).
In this article, we’re going to be focusing on the former and looking at some of the best pocket spring mattresses in the UK.
Firstly, we’ll go through exactly what a pocket spring mattress is and some common questions people usually have when searching for one.
What is a Pocket Spring Mattress?
First and foremost, what exactly is a pocket spring mattress? This style of mattress is the most traditional. Back in the day mattresses used to be made using coils. This would give them the bounce you’re used to but the coils would eventually become compressed, hard and could stick through the outer material to jab you! Not fun!
Our modern alternative is pocket springs. They’re individually encased springs, all kept in little fabric pockets. Traditionally springs would all be attached to each other but pocket springs can work individually. This means they can bend and compress independently to each other, giving you support in all the right places.
They’re a lot more durable than the traditional open coils and will last a much longer time. A pocket spring mattress can still come in different firmnesses; soft, medium and firm, so you can use a pocket sprung mattress no matter what type of sleeper you are.
What Are The Advantages of a Pocket Spring Mattress?
You will probably be wondering why people choose pocket spring mattresses over memory foam or hybrid. There are a number of reasons why:
- Great for any type of sleeper: As we mentioned before, pocket springs can contour to your body shape, whichever way you sleep. If you’re a side sleeper, back or front sleeper, pocket springs will work for you.
- Suits any body type: In a similar respect, pocket spring mattresses are good for all body shapes and sizes, including heavier individuals. They’re strong and durable, and if you’re on the heavier side, they won’t sink in as much as memory foam alternatives.
- Good for hot sleepers: Pocket spring mattresses are definitely cooler to sleep on than memory foam, so if you’re a hot sleeper you should definitely go for springs.
- More bounce than foam: Memory foam tends to sink, whereas pocket springs bounce.
- Comfier than open springs: When comparing them to open spring mattresses there is no doubt that pocket springs are WAY comfier.
- Relatively cheap: Pocket spring mattresses tend to be cheaper than (good) memory foam options so if you’re on a budget this would be a good starting point.
What Are The Disadvantages of Pocket Spring Mattresses?
Okay, we’ve looked at the pros of a pocket spring mattress so it’s only fair we look at the cons too. Here they are:
- More difficult delivery: Memory foam mattresses can be vacuum-packed and rolled up into a convenient small box for delivery but a pocket spring mattress has to be delivered with a lorry.
- Less contouring: It doesn’t mould to your body the same way memory foam does. If you need this additional support then memory foam might be for you.
- Upkeep: They should be rotated and flipped often to get the longest lifespan out of them. It can be a bit inconvenient especially if you live alone.
- Motion transfer: Many memory foam mattresses on offer nowadays boast motion isolation technology which means even when your partner rolls around in their sleep, you can’t feel them! Spring mattresses don’t have this, unfortunately.
How Long Should My Pocket Spring Mattress Last?
A pocket spring mattress can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years with proper care. This is a pretty good lifespan and makes you consider the kind of investment you’re about to make. Memory foam mattresses are said to last longer, up to 20 years but this is totally dependent on the brand and quality of the product.
How Can I Extend The Life of My Pocket Spring Mattress?
Rule number one for a prolonged lifespan is a good-quality mattress protector! We cannot stress enough how much these help your mattresses. If you can get a waterproof one, even better. There’s nothing worse for a mattress than moisture!
The only other thing you can really do to make your mattress last longer is flip or rotate it. Rotate it as often as you can and flip it when the seasons change or every 6 months if you can. This will ensure it wears out evenly and you don’t end up with a big dip where you’ve been sleeping.
What do I Need to Look For When Buying a Pocket Spring Mattress?
So, you want a pocket spring mattress but now you actually have to find one. What should you be keeping an eye out for when you’re shopping for your mattress?
Spring Count
This will be the first thing you look for. Most mattresses have between 1,000 and 3,000 springs but some can have up to 7,000 springs! So how many springs should you have? With springs, quality is definitely more important than quantity, but that being said you probably shouldn’t get a mattress with less than 1,000 springs.
The more springs there are usually means the more support you get. Taller springs tend to be better because you have more to bounce on. If they start at 9-inches it’ll take longer for them to compress to an uncomfortable size than 5-inch springs.
Type of Springs
There are two main types of pocket springs: spun-bond springs and calico springs. Spun bond springs are the cheaper version of the two, using synthetic materials to encase the springs and they’re glued together in rows. This makes them less flexible and less able to contour to all different shapes.
Calico springs use an all-natural cotton cover for their springs which is more environmentally friendly AND it’ll increase the airflow in your mattress which is good for keeping you cool and prolonging your mattress life. Calico coils are always stitched together as well, not glued. This gives it a higher quality and more room for movement, but of course, this all comes at a higher price.
Mattress Filling
Your pocket sprung mattress does not just consist of springs. There’s also a mattress filler. Sometimes companies use synthetic materials and other times, natural. The synthetic options are usually latex or polyester whereas natural fillers might be cotton, wool or coconut fibre. Some luxurious options even have silk and mohair inside.
Extra Features
Once you’ve got the basics covered you can start looking at extra features. Check out the outer material of the mattress; is it natural, is it breathable, is it removable? All of these things make a difference. See if the mattress has a pillow top (an extra layer for comfort). Maybe they’re eco-friendly or suitable for adjustable beds. All of these things and more can help you find the ideal mattress for you.
Warranty and Trials
Some companies will offer a trial period for their mattresses meaning you can take it home and try it out for a certain period and if you don’t like it after that time then you can return it. Usually, companies will offer a 100-night trial but some have been known to be up to 365-nights.
Also, don’t forget to check the mattress’ warranty and even though it’s boring, read that fine print!
Alright, we think you’re ready to dive into the mattress reviews now. On your marks, get set…go!
1. Silentnight Pocket Eco Mattress
| Type | Pocket Spring Only |
| Spring Count | 1200 |
| Depth | 28.5cm |
| Size(s) | Single, Double, King, Super King |
| Firmness | Medium-Firm |
| Budget | ££ |
Silentnight is a renowned bed brand in the UK. They’ve been around for decades and produced hundreds of mattresses, pillows, mattress toppers and more making them a trusted brand by many. We’re featuring their Pocket Eco Mattress, awarded Which? Best Buy in June 2019.
This mattress is packed with 1200 Mirapocket springs. They’re tailored to offer you support in all the necessary places and work individually to adjust to any sleeping position. They don’t say exactly the size of the springs, but the mattress is 28.5cm deep which will feel nice and luxurious.
What’s really special about this medium-firm mattress is that it’s made from recycled materials. The Eco Comfort layer is made from recycled plastic bottles yet is still just as airy and breathable as any mattress. To ensure it lasts as long as possible, this mattress is double-sided and it’s perfect for all sleeper types.
Thinking this could be the mattress for you? Check it out in more detail here.
2. Inofia Breathable Fabric Mattress
| Type | Hybrid |
| Spring Count | Not Specified |
| Depth | 22cm |
| Size(s) | Single, Small Double, Double, King |
| Firmness | Medium-Firm |
| Budget | £ |
Inofia is here to offer you their highly recommended Breathable Fabric Mattress. It is a hybrid so it has springs but also some foam too; they’re trying to give you the best of both worlds! Now they don’t mention exactly how many springs they have but their pocketed spring layer does offer 7-zoned support. This means they’ve been specially designed to support your head, shoulders, back, waist, hips, thighs, knees, legs and ankles.
As for the other layers, on either side of the springs is a sterile layer, then a non-woven fabric layer. Next up it gets interested with two separate layers of high-density foam and a high-elasticity foam on top of that. All of this goodness is wrapped up with a 3D knitted top cover. It’s breathable and knitted to keep you cool during the night.
They’ve designed this mattress to combine the support of springs with the comfort of memory whilst supporting your back as well as they can. It’ll keep your spine aligned which should reduce the aches and pains you experience from poor sleep. This medium-firm mattress is 22cm deep which is the standard UK depth for a mattress, meaning it’ll fit all of your current sheets easily!
Inofia are confident in their products so they’re offering you a 100-night trial and 10-year guarantee!
If you think Inofia has made the mattress of your dreams then go see it for yourself.
3. DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress
| Type | Hybrid |
| Spring Count | Not Specified |
| Depth | 29cm |
| Size(s) | Single, Double, King, Super King |
| Firmness | 6.5 Luxury Firm |
| Budget | £££ |
DreamCloud aims to live up to their name, giving you a luxurious night’s sleep with plenty of dreams and as comfortable as if you were laying on a cloud! They’ve put all their eggs into one basket with their Luxury Hybrid Mattress so at least you know all of their attention has been put into making this the best mattress ever!
The construction of their mattress goes like this:
- Cover: A breathable, quilted cover which is soft and luxurious.
- Supporting Memory Foam: This layer of foam is designed to be breathable, keeping you cool and also support any position you might take during the night.
- Support Foam: This additional layer of foam is for extra support. It’ll cradle your body without letting you sink all the way in.
- ActivEdge Coils: This is the layer of 15cm pocket springs packed all the way to the edges so you don’t get that weird sagging on the side of your mattress. This layer supports the foam layers so it feels firmer than a regular memory foam mattress.
- Base Layer: They’ve included a base layer of foam for support and durability. It also helps absorb motion.
This 5-layer, 29cm deep luxurious mattress comes with an impressive 365-night trial! That’s way longer than most, so you can really get a feel for this mattress and see if it’s the right one for you.
4. Simba Hybrid Mattress
| Type | Hybrid |
| Spring Count | 2,500 |
| Depth | 25cm |
| Size(s) | 8 Sizes Available |
| Firmness | Medium-Firm |
| Budget | ££ |
Simba is a big deal in the mattress business. They don’t have a huge collection to choose from, but the pieces that they do sell are crafted with the utmost care and attention.
Their hybrid mattress boasts a unique pocket spring system we haven’t seen anywhere else. They’re just 2.5cm tall miQro springs all individually encased in a polyester cover. These miQro springs offer support without being too bouncy like larger springs. They will move and adapt to your body shape so you can have support where you need it most.
But this mattress is 25cm deep, so what else is in there? Well, up top you have a breathable, softcover. It isn’t removable unfortunately so you won’t be able to take it off and wash it but Simba is confident all you need is a damp cloth to get rid of stains. You will probably be best off getting a mattress protector though, just in case.
The springs are sandwiched by a layer of open-cell foam on top. This is to improve air circulation and keep you cool. Underneath is high definition foam with edge to edge support. This is the denser layer of foam meant to support all those pressure points. It’s packed right up to the edge to reduce sagging.
Then to top it all off (or bottom we should say) is a zoned base foam. Again, it’ll support you where necessary and also give your mattress a nice firm base to sit on. Overall, this is a great option if you want both springs and memory foam and it’s had thousands of positive reviews. Don’t want to believe them? Test it out for 100-nights and see what you think.
5. Sleepeezee Wool Supreme Pocket Mattress
| Type | Pocket Springs Only |
| Spring Count | 2,000 |
| Depth | 28cm |
| Size(s) | Single, Double, King, Super King |
| Firmness | Medium |
| Budget | ££ |
If you find yourself getting hot in the night, then you need to give the Sleepeezee Supreme Pocket Mattress a serious consideration. It’s packed with luxury, natural fillings like wool and silk which just…naturally…keep you cooler. Did we say natural too many times?
The silk filling is hypoallergenic, great if you suffer from allergies as it’ll keep those nasty dust mites away. Then you have the wool which is there for the comfort and breathability properties. That coupled with the air vents make this mattress super cool and comfortable to sleep on.
Of course, we need to talk about the springs. There’s 2,000 of them for starters and they’re all encased in cotton pockets which is how you know this is a high-quality mattress. We’re not sure exactly how tall the springs are but the mattress itself is 28cm deep!
If you prefer a slightly softer bed to most, this one could fit the bill as it’s rated as a medium firmness. But why not try it out first? You can get a 60-day trial with this one and also a free 5-year guarantee!
6. Silentnight Natural Pocket Mattress
| Type | Pocket Springs Only |
| Spring Count | 2,000 |
| Depth | 35cm |
| Size(s) | Single, Double, King, Super King |
| Firmness | Medium/Soft |
| Budget | ££ |
This Natural Pocket Mattress from Silentnight is very similar to the Sleepeezee that we just featured. There are a couple of main differences though and they are the deeper size. This mattress is a luxurious 35cm deep so you’ll be needing to get some extra deep sheets to fit this bad boy! There is just something about a really deep mattress that screams luxury though, am I right?
Also, this mattress is classed as medium/soft rather than just medium so you’re going to sink into this one a bit more. We think it will feel like a hug from a cloud but you’ll have to tell us that. Matching the last one, it has 2,000 individually encased springs which are what offer the unparalleled support to your spine.
Here comes even more luxury. The comfort layer included is hand-crafted with wool, silk AND cashmere to really just push you over the edge of cosiness. It’s not only comfy but practical too. The natural materials will keep you cool in the summer months and snuggled up and warm during winter.
If you’re one for the small touches then you’ll appreciate this next fact. The edges are hand-stitched! It’s not very often you hear of anything hand-done anymore so that’s definitely something that sets this mattress apart from the crowd. If you are on the fence then rest assured that this mattress comes with a 5-year guarantee.
Want all the luxury of a deep mattress with the peace of mind of a trusted brand? Take a closer look at this Silentnight Pocket Mattress.
7. Vesgantti Hybrid Pocket Sprung Mattress
| Type | Hybrid |
| Spring Count | “Hundreds” |
| Depth | 24cm |
| Size(s) | Double, King, Super King |
| Firmness | 4.5 – Medium/Soft |
| Budget | £ |
Vesgantti offers the luxury of a hybrid mattress without the luxury price tag. It’s a fantastic option if you’re on a budget, however, it does come with a few compromises. For example, we’re not sure exactly how many springs it has but it is described as having “hundreds”. This is not as great as if it was described as having thousands but customers still seem to find it comfortable!
They’re still pocket springs so they’ll work independently to support your back throughout the night. Making up for the lack of abundant springs, Vesgantti boasts multi-layered support foam which moulds to your body and gives you that sought after “cloud-like” feeling when you finally jump into bed.
The hypoallergenic knit fibre cover has air holes in it to allow your mattress to breathe. This will be great for keeping your mattress as long as possible and it’ll also keep you nice and cool in the summer.
Finally, Vesgantti knows how annoying it can be when your partner keeps shuffling around in the night and waking you up, so they’ve done as much motion absorption and isolation as they can. Shuffle around guilt-free!
Looking for a budget-friendly, medium-soft mattress with some luxury features? Check out the Vesgantti Hybrid then!
8. Dosleeps 9-Zone Hybrid Mattress
| Type | Hybrid |
| Spring Count | Not Specified |
| Depth | 22cm |
| Size(s) | Single, Double, King |
| Firmness | Firm |
| Budget | £ |
Dosleeps knows how to make a fantastic mattress for a very reasonable price. Their budget-friendly hybrid mattress boasts 9-zones of support. That’s more than even most luxury mattress brands offer. This 9-zone system is thanks to the individual pocket springs and all that support makes this a great orthopaedic mattress.
To complement the spring system, they’ve also constructed this mattress with a couple of layers of memory foam. One above the coils to give you that comfortable feeling and a denser support foam underneath.
If you feel too hot most nights, then you’ll appreciate the outer cover made of Tencel fabric. This stuff is even more absorbent and temperature regulating than cotton! It doesn’t get much better than that.
In total, this mattress has 10 layers! That’s definitely the most that we’ve seen on our travels through the mattress world. It looks like they’ve put a lot of effort into making this mattress as good as possible but still for an affordable price.
Usually, when a mattress is this cheap they don’t offer a guarantee but Dosleeps is different. They offer a 90-day money-back guarantee so even if you’re not sure, you can try it out first before you commit.
Don’t waste any more time on an uncomfortable mattress and don’t break the bank just to find a new one. Try the Dosleeps Hybrid Mattress out for size.
What's Next?
You’ve learnt all about what a pocket sprung mattress is and what to look for when you’re buying one. You’ve read through our reviews of 9 awesome options so what’s next? Now it’s just time for you to decide.
We ended up featuring a few mattresses that were hybrids as well as purely pocket sprung because there are so many awesome options on the market which offer the best of both worlds. Perhaps start by narrowing down whether you want a pocket sprung or hybrid mattress and then go from there.
