What’s the deal with IKEA mattresses – and which one is actually worth buying?

We’re seeing more and more cheap and cheerful brands enter the mattress market these days, offering everything from the best bed-in-a-box mattresses to mattress toppers designed to upgrade the comfort of your existing bed. However, mattresses from IKEA often get overlooked, with many shoppers heading straight for its smart home gadgets – or the meatballs, in my case.

That said, IKEA mattresses shouldn’t be ignored, and there are actually plenty of reasons to consider them beyond their affordable price tags. The Swedish retailer offers a surprisingly large selection, covering a wide range of firmness levels, heights and materials, so there’s a good chance you’ll find something that suits your sleep style.

Below, I’ve broken down the different mattress types IKEA sells, along with which ones are most worth your time and money.

What kinds of mattresses does IKEA sell?

When it comes to mattress construction, most IKEA models fall into three main categories – pocket sprung, sprung (open coil) and foam.

There are a few variations too – including the occasional hybrid – but these three make up the core of the range. Within each category, you’ll also find multiple collections offering different firmness levels and features.

Do IKEA mattresses fit standard sized beds?

One thing to be aware of is sizing. IKEA mattresses used to follow European bed sizes, which sometimes caused confusion for UK shoppers who discovered their new mattress didn’t quite fit a standard UK bed frame. Thankfully, IKEA now sells both standard UK sizes and European sizes, so if you’re in the UK it’s best to stick with the standard sizing to avoid any issues.

If you are looking at European sizes, here’s a quick guide:

80 × 200cm – European Small Single

90 × 200cm – European Single

140 × 200cm – European Double

Which is the best IKEA mattress?

From what we’ve seen, IKEA’s pocket sprung mattresses appear to be the most popular and highly rated across the entire collection. This includes the Valevåg, Vesteröy, Vågstranda and Vatneström models.

In fact, the The Guardian awarded the Valevåg mattress an impressive four stars last year, calling it “unarguably a brilliant buy.” Pocket sprung mattresses are generally a great choice because each spring sits inside its own fabric pocket. This helps the mattress contour more closely to your body whilst preventing the “roll-together” effect, where sleepers drift toward the middle of the bed.

Compared to traditional open-coil designs, pocket springs usually offer better support and improved durability. They’re also often a safer middle ground for shoppers who find foam mattresses a bit too firm or too warm.

Whilst we haven’t reviewed any IKEA mattresses ourselves just yet, they’re definitely on our radar. With their combination of strong value and surprisingly good quality, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see one earn a place on our list of the best mattresses in the future.