DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: premium comfort without the premium price

People often forget that you don’t always have to spend upwards of £1,000 to secure one of the best mattresses. If you know what you like and what works for your sleep, it’s actually quite easy to find a more affordable option – especially if you know which brands are worth looking at.

That’s why I was so keen to try the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress. The original DreamCloud mattress achieved a respectable four stars in its full review back in 2021, so it was interesting to see how the brand’s other option would stack up.

You’ll find my full thoughts below after three months of testing, and don’t forget to check out the rest of the content as part of T3’s Sleep Month as well.

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: price and availability

The DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress is an affordable hybrid mattress available in four sizes, ranging from single to super king. You can buy it directly from DreamCloud’s website, as well as through other retailers including Amazon.

It’s available in one firmness level, set at medium-firm. Whilst this is generally the most popular firmness choice, it does feel slightly limiting if you’d prefer a softer or firmer option.

You’ll find all the pricing details below.

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: unboxing and setup

The DreamCloud delivery process was very efficient, and on the morning of delivery, I received a notification telling me the mattress was 30 minutes away.

The mattress arrived rolled up and in a 12-inch tall box, making it much easier to manoeuvre upstairs. That said, it’s incredibly heavy, so it’ll probably take two or three people to move it comfortably. DreamCloud does offer a room-of-choice delivery option for an extra £15, which I’d strongly recommend if you don’t want the hassle of lifting it yourself.

Once unwrapped, the mattress took a few hours to fully expand, which is actually quicker than some other mattresses I’ve tested. However, I’d still recommend leaving it around 12 hours before sleeping on it to allow it to reach its full shape.

As with most bed-in-a-box mattresses, there was a subtle chemical smell when the mattress was first unwrapped. However, it wasn’t particularly strong and disappeared after a few hours once the mattress had fully expanded. Leaving it in a well-ventilated room for the settling period helped the smell dissipate quickly.

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: design and features

The DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress is 25cm deep and made up of five layers. These include a quilted cover, a memory foam comfort layer, what the brand calls a ‘dynamic transition layer’ of foam, additional support foam, and a steel pocket spring base.

The quilted top layer is soft to the touch, and small details like the piped edging give the mattress a more premium look. The original DreamCloud mattress featured a cashmere blend cover, whereas the hybrid version uses a CloudQuilt cover that’s quilted with foam and infused with cooling fibres.

It also features what DreamCloud calls a ‘Reinforced Edge Spring Unit’, designed to provide even support across the entire surface of the mattress.

In terms of logistics, the mattress comes with a 365-night sleep trial, which is one of the longest available on the market today. That means you get a full year to test it out and decide whether it’s right for you.

There are certain limitations, but if you decide it’s not suitable, DreamCloud will collect the mattress for free and donate it to the British Heart Foundation for resale.

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: performance

Overall, I’ve had a really positive experience with the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress, and especially for the price, it’s one of the better affordable mattresses I’ve slept on.

The first thing to mention is that although it’s advertised as medium-firm, it actually feels slightly firmer than that. This ended up working well for me, as it offered strong support whilst still having a cushioned surface that I enjoyed whether I was sleeping on my side or back. The plush quilted top layer also made it feel really comfortable, and I didn’t feel the need to add one of the best mattress toppers.

I’m also usually someone who avoids memory foam mattresses, but I was pleasantly surprised here. The surface bounced back quickly and reshaped itself easily, meaning turning over during the night felt effortless and the foam didn’t mould too deeply around my body.

As mentioned, DreamCloud claims the mattress offers minimal motion transfer, and I found that to be accurate. If either my partner or I moved during the night, there was very little disturbance, and we both stayed comfortably on our own sides.

There was also no feeling of the edges dipping when sitting or lying near them, and the mattress maintained an even level of support across the entire surface. This shows that alongside side and back sleepers, combination sleepers would also get on well with it, as the responsive surface makes it easy to change positions during the night.

In terms of temperature regulation, the cooling effect isn’t something you noticeably feel straight away like on some specialist cooling mattresses. However, I didn't overheat once during the entire testing period. This was reassuring, as mattresses with a premium quilted feel can sometimes trap heat, but I found the opposite here.

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: verdict

The DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress strikes an impressive balance between comfort and affordability. Its medium-firm feel provides reliable support whilst the quilted top layer adds a touch of cushioning that makes it comfortable for all kinds of sleepers. Whilst the single firmness option may limit choice, the overall performance makes this a strong contender for anyone looking for a well-made hybrid mattress without paying premium prices.

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review: alternatives to consider

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly mattress around the £500 mark, you won’t find many options that offer this level of comfort and support. However, I’d still recommend both the Eve Original and Emma Original, two hybrid bed-in-a-box memory foam mattresses that sit at the more affordable end of the market.

You can read more about how they compare in our Emma Hybrid Original vs Eve Original showdown.