John Lewis & Partners Classic Eco 800 mattress review

They’re everywhere you look now, but bed-in-a-box mattresses such as those from Emma, Eve and Simba aren’t to everyone’s tastes. More often than not, they’re warmer than their traditional counterparts and, increasingly, they’re actually fairly expensive.

The Eco 800 from John Lewis is a more traditional alternative that delivers decent levels of comfort, firmness and support at a price that won’t break the bank.

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John Lewis & Partners Classic Eco 800 mattress review: What you need to know

The mattress is more traditional in the sense that it’s constructed from 800 full-size pocket springs (in king size) where many new-age “hybrid” mattresses (such as the Simba Hybrid) use only very small “micro” springs in their comfort layers. Not only that but the Eco 800 arrives fully formed, so you won’t need to unbox it or wait for it to unfurl before you can sleep on it.

However, while it has a more traditional design, its fillings aren’t made from natural materials. On the contrary, it receives its “eco” moniker because its comfort layers are made from recycled plastic bottles (more than 200 are used in a king-size mattress), and it has a breathable cover made from recycled cotton. Standing 24cm tall, it’s of a normal depth and should work well with standard fitted sheets and mattress protectors. As for firmness, John Lewis claims the Eco 800 offers a medium level of comfort, “offering just the right amount of support, with a little bit of give”.

Unlike its entry-level Anyday mattresses, John Lewis’ Eco 800 is also backed by a 60-night comfort trial, which means you can exchange it for another model providing you buy a mattress protector at the same time as purchasing the mattress. It also comes with a seven-year guarantee against manufacturing defects.

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John Lewis & Partners Classic Eco 800 mattress review: Price and competition

The Eco 800 is available in sizes from single through to super king and you can also buy a zip-and-link super-king if you’re keen to be able to split it into two single mattresses. As for price, it will set you back £280 for a single, £330 for a double and £430 for a king size.

That puts the Eco 800 very much in entry-level territory as far as pocket-sprung mattresses are concerned. Indeed, it’s one of the most affordable mattresses we’ve tested at the time of writing this review. If you’re happy with an all-foam model, the excellent Dormeo Memory Plus is slightly cheaper in a king size at £310.

As for bed-in-a-box rivals, Eve’s Lighter Hybrid is considerably more expensive at £658. It is, however, backed by a 365-night money-back guarantee, and regular discounts mean you’ll have no difficulty picking it up for less than £500.

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John Lewis & Partners Classic Eco 800 mattress review: Performance and comfort

If you like a traditional-feeling mattress, you should get on very well with the Eco 800 mattress from John Lewis. I found its medium firmness was very well suited to sleeping in a range of sleeping positions, and it’s also much cooler than most mattresses that use foam in their comfort layers. For context, I weigh about 70kg. If you weigh much more than that, you might find the Eco 800 a little too soft, but lighter people should still find it comfortable in a range of sleeping positions.

Another great thing about the Eco 800 is that, unlike foam-based mattresses, there’s no discernible difference in the way that it feels as the bed warms up. Foam tends to feel softer and can be less supportive throughout the night, but this isn’t a problem with the Eco 800.

However, the mattress does have a couple of weaknesses. The first is that, in my experience, it performs much better on a solid foundation, such as a divan, than when used on a sprung slatted base. In particular, when used on a sprung slatted base, I found there wasn’t quite enough support for sleeping on my front or back, which meant I tended to favour sleeping on my side. If you’re looking at buying this mattress for a child who is much lighter than I am, this shouldn’t be a problem but, if you’re considering it for yourself, I’d strongly recommend pairing it with a divan for the best levels of support and stability.

The only other weaknesses are things that you’d expect from a mattress in this price range. The Eco 800’s comfort layers are far from the most sumptuous I’ve tested but they’re adequate given its relatively low price point. There’s also very little edge support, so you’ll feel the mattress drop quickly if you perch on the end of your bed to put your socks on in the morning.

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John Lewis & Partners Classic Eco 800 mattress review: Verdict

Overall, though, these are pretty minor complaints for a mattress that’s so affordably priced. Indeed, if you have £450 to spend on a king-size mattress and you don’t like foam mattresses, the Eco 800 seems an obvious choice.

You’d be hard-pushed to get more bang for your buck elsewhere and, with that 60-night comfort guarantee, you can try it for yourself and exchange it in the unlikely event that you decide it’s not right for you.