REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector review: a waterproof protector with temperature control

Today’s best mattress protectors aren’t just there to protect your new mattress from the inevitable spilt cup of tea. Thanks to their use of clever fabric they’re also designed to regulate your temperature, wick moisture away from your skin as you sleep and even act as a shield to protect you from dust mites and other allergens.

In short, they are a crucial component for improving bed health and sleep hygiene, and all while ensuring you still get the benefits from whichever mattress you have underneath.

The Tencel Cool mattress protector from REM-Fit aims to deliver on all of these fronts, thanks to its Tencel top layer, waterproof membrane, allergen barrier and moisture-wicking abilities. Does it live up to all that’s promised? Read on to find out.

And remember, mattress protectors are designed to do exactly that – protect. If you want to add an extra layer of luxurious comfort to your mattress, then you’ll want to check out our guide to the best mattress toppers instead.

REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector review: price and availability

The regular price of the REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector is £99.95 and is available to buy on the REM-Fit website. This price is pretty steep compared to the competition, but at the time of writing (July 2024), REM-Fit has cut the price by 50% to a more palatable £49.97.

For more money off your sleep-related orders, make sure to check out these cheap mattress deals and sales.

REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector review: Design and Features

Like many mattress protectors, this model uses a material called Tencel. A fibre made from controlled or certified sourced natural wood, Tencel is praised for its environmental credentials and how it can be produced using less water than the manufacturing and processing of cotton.

The main panel of this protector is made from 100% Tencel Lyocell, while the lining is 100% polyurethane laminate and the skirt is 100% polyester. Tencel’s moisture management properties – essentially its water resistance and ability to wick moisture away from skin – make it a great fabric for mattress protectors.

This multi-layer protector also uses a breathable fabric to help manage your temperature while you sleep, a blocking layer to keep dust mites and allergens at bay, and underneath all that there’s a waterproof barrier to prevent spills from reaching your mattress.

The REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector is available in UK sizes small single, single, small double, double, king and super king, as well as EU single, double and king size, plus long small single. Every size is listed on the REM-fit website as being 25 cm deep, but the double-sized protector sent for review states a depth of 33 cm on its own label. This meant it fitted perfectly on the standard double-sized Nectar hybrid mattress I tested it on. Some other mattress protectors are slightly deeper than 30 cm, and some are even designed for mattresses up to 40 cm deep.

That said, the REM-Fit protector is fully elasticated around its edge and the fabric itself is fairly stretchy, so it should fit over mattresses deeper than 25 cm. The protector can be machine washed up to 60 degrees and tumble dried too, albeit on a low setting, but it's not to be ironed.

REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector review: Performance and Comfort

Being elasticated the entire way around, this mattress protector is very easy to fit – just make sure you get it the right way up, obviously, but the way the multiple layers are stitched together makes it obvious which is the inside and which is the outside.

REM-Fit describes this mattress protector as having a “silent Tencel layer” but it’s certainly louder than the regular cotton sheet I’d previously fitted to my mattress. The fabric makes a quiet but noticeable scratchy, crinkling sound when touched, so you’re going to hear this whenever you move about on the mattress. It’s not the sort of thing that would wake your partner, but it’s more obvious than with a cotton sheet and certainly falls short of the “silent” claim.

That aside, I think this is a pretty solid mattress protector. I had it fitted during a rare hot spell of summer 2024 and I feel it did a good job of keeping me cool and wicking away moisture as I slept. You’ll still want to pick up one of the best fans or best portable air conditioners for a truly cool sleep, but the protector serves up a marginal gain nevertheless.

I was also impressed by the REM-Fit protector’s waterproofing. I tested this by pouring a glass of water onto it, and none leaked through onto the mattress below. Water instantly beads on the surface, or quickly runs off onto the floor.

That said, only the top surface of the protector is waterproof, and any liquid that runs down the sides will soak straight through to your mattress below – so do still be careful with that cup of tea/orange juice/Bloody Mary, especially if your bedroom is carpeted.

REM-Fit Tencel Cool mattress protector review: Verdict

The Tencel Cool mattress protector by REM-Fit performs well, while being comfortable and easy to fit. I wish the fabric was slightly quieter, as the scratchy sound it makes when you move is a little annoying and takes away some of the protector’s premium feel. If you’re okay with that – and you probably will get used to it after a night or two – the protector serves very well indeed.

I felt it kept me cooler than normal on summer nights, while giving the added reassurance of waterproofing, and keeping dust mites and allergens at bay.