5 things I wish I'd known before buying an Emma mattress

With so many mattress brands all promising ultimate cosiness at the best price, it can be hard to choose the best mattress for you. Emma is one of T3's favourite brands with a choice of different mattresses at a variety of price points.

After trying out many Emma mattresses, I've learnt a few things about Emma mattresses so before you invest, I wanted to give shoppers a better idea of what to expect from the Emma brand.

Whether you want to know what mattress is best for side sleepers or just the differences between the different Emma offerings, here are the 5 essential things you need to know before buying an Emma mattress.

1. There are three styles of Emma mattress

First things first: Emma mattresses are not all created equal. There are actually three different price points to choose from. First off is the Emma Original Mattress which starts at an RRP of £499, the Emma Hybrid Premium which starts at £799, and then the slightly confusingly titled Emma Premium Mattress which also starts at £799. The Emma Premium is the newest addition to the range and not included in as many discounts as the other two.

Where the Emma Original is entirely memory foam based, the Emma Hybrid Premium has a layer of metal coils. The Emma Premium though has hundreds of 12.5cm springs that Emma calls 5 Zone CarbonFlex Springs. These tall springs deliver a significantly more solid sleep experience that while still in the medium range, does err on the firmer side of things. If you're not sure what mattress style is for you, check out our guide to memory foam vs springs.

2. Side sleepers are welcome

Which leads me to my next point. All three Emma mattresses are suitable for a variety of sleep positions but given that the Emma Original is the softest, it’s definitely one of the best mattresses for side sleepers.

The memory foam is ideal for the pressure points created by your hip and shoulder and has the bonus of movement isolation, so you won’t feel it if your sleeping partner is restless or gets into bed a little later. It’s a complex balance to find just the right firmness for side sleepers.

Personally, I found that once I had broken in the Emma Premium, it was equally comfortable for side sleeping but it’s an extra element to take into account. It’s also possible to ask for a free soft or firm topper from Emma so you can rest even easier.

3. Warmth can be an issue

Despite all kinds of temperature-based promises in their layer breakdowns, all three Emma mattresses aren’t for those who run hot. If you’re a particularly warm sleeper, you might want to go elsewhere as all three retain heat which is ideal if you’re a cold snoozer and need all the heat you can get in winter, but it’s not for everyone.

For temperature regulation you’d definitely be best going for the Simba Hybrid Pro Mattress which has inventive tech to keep you cool all night.

4. Unwrapping is easy

The nice thing about taking delivery of an Emma mattress is just how fast it is to get it out of the box and onto your bed. Emma says it can take a few days to fully inflate but you can sleep on the mattress within two hours of unboxing. All you need to do is unwrap the plastic and unroll. You can even leave it on the bed to inflate and there’s no strange smell that so often comes with a new bed in a box mattress. I was personally exceptionally impressed by just how easy it all is.

5. Look out for sales

Finally, just like all the other mattress brands out there, it’s definitely best to wait for a big discount day before investing in an Emma mattress. You won’t even have to wait until Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day! 

These big ticket days do tend to guarantee bigger deals but there are always Emma discount codes to make sure you can be cosy for a lot less than the RRP. Check out our Emma sales and deals page to stay up to date with the current offers.

P.S. If you're interested in another mattress brand, check out 5 things I wish I'd known before buying a Simba mattress for more advice.