You’d be forgiven for not knowing about Emma Mattress – the German company brought its award-winning mattress (our colleagues in the UK gave the Emma Original the T3 Award in the Mattress category two years in a row) to Aussie shores only in 2019. In that short time, the Emma Original has gained a fair following Down Under, and has heated up the mattress-in-a-box competition.
Similar to the Koala Mattress, the Emma Original offers three layers of pressure-relieving foam instead of the traditional conical pocket springs. And, like the competition, promises plenty of support and comfort at an affordable price. The main difference between the two brands is Koala is an Australian company, while Emma is European, with the Original being the only product the company has brought Down Under.
The mattress construction for the Emma Original has changed slightly to the European product to better suit Australians – the layers are arranged differently, with the addition of an eco-friendly layer.
However, it all boils down to quality and affordability – is the Emma Original all it’s cracked up to be? We thought very highly of our homegrown mattress, giving it a very impressive 4.5 star rating, so we’ve put the new kid on the block through its paces to see how it stacks up against Australia’s most popular mattress-in-a-box.
Emma Mattress: price and delivery
The cost of the Emma Original is similar to Koala – at the starting point, it offers a single mattress for AU$599 and at the pinnacle, AU$999 for a King. There’s also the option of a Super King size in case you need a really large mattress.
We tested a Queen mattress, which retails for AU$899 – a pretty affordable price when compared to Koala’s AU$1,050 alternative.
These are extremely competitive prices, with the lowest cost of the pack in terms of Australian mattress-in-a-box products, as you can see in the table below:
| Name | Single | Double | Queen | King |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep Republic (hybrid spring) | AU$629 | AU$1,039 | AU$1,249 | AU$1,449 |
| Eva (hybrid spring) | AU$600 | AU$800 | AU$900 | AU$1,000 |
| Ergoflex (foam) | AU$899 | AU$1,299 | AU$1,499 | AU$1,749 |
| Emma Original (foam | AU$499 | AU$699 | AU$799 | AU$899 |
| Koala (foam) | AU$750 | AU$950 | AU$1,050 | AU$1,250 |
If you’ve never bought from Emma before, there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to get a new-customer discount as well, making the Emma Original one of the more affordable options on the market.
Unlike Koala’s 120-night trail period, though, Emma offers a 100-night trial. If you’re not happy with the mattress in that time, you’ll be able to send it back for free by getting in touch with the company’s customer service.
Placing the order online is easy-breezy and we received our test mattress within 24 hours – the speediness and professionalism of Emma getting us off to a roaring start.
The Emma Original arrived vacuum-sealed and compressed, wrapped tightly in plastic. It didn’t take long to unwrap the mattress (using a convenient disposable blade provided by Emma) and within minutes, it was inflated. It did initially have some kinks but if you leave it out to settle for a few hours the mattress will flatten out completely.
There’s also a very generous 10-year warranty for peace of mind for the foreseeable future.
Emma Mattress: design
The thickness of this mattress is a standard 25cm, with three different layers making up the construction. There’s a 3cm Airgocell foam layer, followed by 2cm of visco-elastic memory foam to relieve pressure, and 19cm of supportive cold foam at the base. Encasing it all is a removable, machine-washable and temperature-regulating cover that’s easy to get on and off, although we’d recommend two people do so for the larger sized mattresses.
According to the company, the new Emma mattress is suitable for people weighing between 50kg and 130kg, will work with any bed base and can be used with an electric blanket.
One interesting aspect of the Emma Original design is the handles on the side of the mattress – this makes it very easy to turn the mattress (to make it last longer), move it from one room to another, or when moving home.
Emma Mattress: firmness and comfort
We’ve tested the Koala Mattress and loved it, and we had some very high expectations from Emma as our UK colleagues have raved about it. We were not disappointed.
After spending over three months on this mattress, we re-evaluated the importance of a good, quality mattress. This humble reviewer went from sleeping on an expensive mattress, to a cheap, spring mattress and then to the Emma Original – and the difference it made to our sleep quality was remarkable.
There was full body support through the night that adapted to our body shape, while distributing pressure evenly across the entire mattress – the perfect recipe for peaceful slumber.
It should be noted that the Emma Original is on the firmer side, with the company rating the firmness at a 7 (on a scale of 10). That’s a little firmer than the Koala Mattress and great for back issues, but this may not suit everyone. For us, however, it was great.
Upon waking each morning after using the Emma mattress, we felt more rejuvenated and enthused about the day, with no aches or pains in the back or hips. It also made us realise how strongly a good night’s sleep can affect our mood – this reviewer was less grumpy and less inclined to skip morning gym sessions, something I did too many times before.
We also found that the mattress is perfectly suited to restless sleepers. Whether you’re the one tossing and turning, or you’re beside someone who does, the Emma Original ensures nobody is disturbed. We had a cat beside us and no matter how many villains were battled during the night, the kitty had a peaceful night's rest.
Where the Emma Original beats out the Koala (not just on price) is edge support. We found that no matter where you sit, the mattress is consistent throughout. In comparison, the Koala Mattress lacks good edge support and sinks far more than you’d expect if, say, you sit on it to get your slippers on.
Given Australia’s varied climate, we’re all familiar with how temperatures can differ (sometimes through a single night) and we found that the Emma Original was able to regulate temperatures well. On no night did we wake up feeling too hot or cold, thanks to the natural breathable fabric (which is also eco-friendly) wicking moisture and preventing overheating. The mattress cover also supports air circulation for the perfect night's sleep.
Long story short: the Emma Original is worth every penny you spend on it.
Verdict: should I buy an Emma Mattress?
The true test of a mattress is longevity and we’ll admit we’ve only had ours for a few months. Even that short a time has convinced us that the Emma Original was a good decision and there’s no turning back. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, happen to be on a budget and yet need something to improve your sleeping quality, we can’t recommend the Emma Original highly enough (knowing full well that mattress choices are very personal).
Like the Koala Mattress, the Emma Original is on the firmer side. So if you prefer a softer mattress, you may need to look elsewhere. To those who suffer from back pain or prefer a firmer support, the Emma Mattress is perfect for you.
Affordable, reliable and stable – Emma Mattress is the perfect sleeping partner.
