OTTY Pure mattress review: innovative bamboo and charcoal foams deliver outstanding support

The OTTY Pure mattress is the first in the UK to use an innovative bamboo and charcoal foam. According to OTTY, it's a veritable super-foam, being moisture-wicking, antibacterial, temperature-regulating, and made with sustainable materials.

Launched in 2019, the Pure sits at the upper end of OTTY's range, which currently includes four hybrids. At the pricier end are the Pure and Pure Plus (a fancier version of the Pure, with the same innovative foam). In the middle of the range is the award-winning original OTTY Hybrid, and is otherwise very similar to the Pure: both are 25cm tall hybrids with up to 2,000 16cm pocket springs. Finally, there's the OTTY Aura, which replaced the Essential as OTTY's cheapest mattress in 2019. For that lower price, you're getting fewer springs and a thinner mattress (although it's still a pretty chunky 23cm). 

So how does the Pure stack up against the today's best mattresses? Is it worth your money? Can a bamboo foam match the comfort of the best memory foam mattresses on the market? Can we expect to pay full price, or are there regular OTTY deals and discount codes to take the price down? Read on for our full OTTY Pure mattress review.

OTTY Pure mattress review: design and comfort

Let's kick off our OTTY Pure mattress review with a closer look at the design. This is a 25cm-tall springs-and-foam hybrid, but it has a trick up its sleeve. This is not just any memory foam: it's made with bamboo and charcoal. To sleep on, it doesn't feel too different to other foams I've tried, but there are qualities that make it more appealing. 

First up, there's good news on the hygiene front: the foam is naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic, and the charcoal, found in some deodorants, could stop your mattress from smelling, too. It's hard to test how effective this is in a relatively short space of time, but it all sounds very promising. There's a removable cover too (great!), but it's dry clean-only (not so great!). Bamboo is also a sustainable material, theoretically making this foam more planet-friendly than many alternatives, although really, who knows? 

Finally, OTTY says the material is moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating. The latter is claimed of many memory foams, and here it seems to work fairly well. The Pure sleeps cooler than other foam mattresses we've tried (the generous springs help encourage airflow too), but it does still trap heat a little. 

Beneath the fancy foam is a layer of regular high-density support foam to provide an extra barrier above the layer of up to 2,000 16cm pocket springs. OTTY makes a fuss about these being its 'tallest ever' springs, and they certainly are taller than some other brands' springs, but do note all the of OTTY's mattress models actually have 16cm springs. The springs provide a bit a bounce, and do a great job of minimising motion transfer, which is good news if you have a restless bed-mate.

A HD foam base provides a solid foundation, and OTTY says there's special side support sections designed to promote airflow and offer an edge-to-edge sleep surface. I tried the Single size, and found the edge support a little lacking. While you're not in danger of rolling off at night, the mattress does feel unsupportive when sitting at the side (at 25cm, the Pure is on the taller side, which makes a softer edge more noticeable).

OTTY says this is a 6.5 on the firmness scale, but I'd rate it firmer: perhaps around 7.5. The surface feels plush and soft when you press on it with your hand, but lying down there's great overall support, including under the hips. You'll also sink in very slightly, but the impression is that you sleep 'on' rather than 'in' this mattress.

The Pure feels a little firm when lying on your side, so dedicated side sleepers might want to pick something softer to avoid an achy shoulder in the morning. But if you regularly lie on your back or especially on your front, the supportive springs coupled with a super-comfy, soft top layer should be ideal. 

• Check out the hybrid competition: Otty Hybrid vs Simba Hybrid

OTTY Pure mattress review: delivery and small print

OTTY offers a 100-night trial and a 10-year guarantee. Some companies are more generous here (you can get up to a year's trial and 25-year guarantee with a few brands), but this is about standard. If you don't love the mattresses, you can return it for free during this time – visible damage will incur a small charge, so I'd recommend using a mattress protector, to be on the safe side. Note, the trial is only available if you purchase directly from OTTY (this brand also sells through Amazon). 

The Pure comes delivered rolled and boxed, and delivery was nice and smooth. This mattress, even in Single size, comes with a whole load of plastic packaging, which isn't ideal for a supposedly eco-friendly option.

If you want your Pure delivered to your room of choice, you can select the premium delivery option and it'll cost you an extra £10 – which isn't going to break the bank, but note this is a service some brands offer for free. In fact, there are a few delivery options to choose from. Standard delivery on a weekday is free. If you want it delivered on a Saturday, you'll need to pay £20. For delivery to your room of choice and packaging disposal it's an extra £10, and if you want OTTY to dispose of your old mattress, that's an extra £30. 

OTTY Pure mattress review: price

At full price, the OTTY Pure sits in the mid-to-upper end of the market. The RRP for a Single is £849.99, a Double will set you back £1,149.99, a King is £1,299.99 and a Super-King £1,449.99 (head to our mattress sizes guide if you're not sure what all this means). RRP has risen considerably – around £200 on most sizes – since we first reviewed this mattress. That's a lot, but do factor in that OTTY, like almost all other mattress brands, barely ever sells its mattresses at full price. Really, it's all about how big the discounts are, and here you can expect around 35-45% off. 

Head to our OTTY mattress discount codes and deals page, or use the widget below to see the best current price in your region.

OTTY Pure mattress review: verdict

I was very impressed with the OTTY Pure Hybrid. It strikes a great balance of softness and support, and should suit back or front sleepers to a tee. There are a few niggles – the edge support could be better, for instance – but nothing deal-breaking. It's also good to see innovation into more sustainable materials; the bamboo and charcoal memory foam works at least as well, if not better, than other memory foams I've trialled.

OTTY Pure mattress review: Alternatives to consider

If you're a big fan of OTTY mattresses but your budget won't quite extend to the OTTY Pure price tag, the OTTY Hybrid mattress is a great alternative. It's luxurious with a low price and has a wonderful mix of memory foam and layers.

Alternatively, if you prefer the feel of more traditional memory foam mattress, the Emma Original holds top spot on our best memory foam mattress guide, or the Eve Original.

First reviewed: March 2021