Expert Reviews Sleep Awards 2024: The results

Bedding is the industry that never sleeps. We’ve recently reviewed a huge range of innovative sleep products, including bed-in-a-box mattresses with special grid technology to help support your back, adjustable microfibre pillows with titanium layers and duvets infused with temperature-regulating bamboo. But which ones actually helped us to sleep?

In the first ever Expert Reviews Sleep Awards, we’ll reveal the mattresses, pillows and duvets that really deliver on their promise to comfort and support our bodies during our visits to the Land of Nod. Below, we’ll declare the winners and runners-up across seven categories, plus we crown the overall Sleep Product of the Year that stands out in a seriously active market.

First, though, we’ll delve into what you think about the products you’ve been spending a third of your life lying on. For our inaugural Sleep Survey, we asked more than 2,000 consumers to rate the comfort, durability, and value for money of their mattress, and to give us their honest thoughts on delivery and customer service.

Read on to discover what you really think about 13 top mattress companies, from high street giants such as IKEA and John Lewis, to the bed-in-a-box brands Simba and Emma. If you’re planning a mattress upgrade in 2024, here’s a good place to start. The brands considered are:

• Amazon (own brand)
• Argos
• Bensons For Beds
• Dreams
• Emma
• Hypnos
• IKEA
• John Lewis (own brand)
• Sealy
• Silentnight
• Simba
• Sleepeezee
• Tempur

READ NEXT: Best mattresses

Expert Reviews Sleep Awards 2024: Survey Results

Mattress Brand of the Year: Sleepeezee

Kent-based Sleepeezee marks 100 years of mattress making in 2024, and its domination of multiple categories in the first Expert Reviews Sleep Awards Survey is certainly a fitting way to celebrate its centenary.

When it comes to comfort, Sleepeezee’s score was impossible to beat: a full 100% of Sleepeezee customers rated their mattress as comfortable on an average-temperature night, easily defeating all rivals. Customers also hailed the durability of Sleepeezee’s mattresses. Perhaps we should expect no less from the brand trusted to supply Travelodge with mattresses, not to mention the holders of a Royal Warrant.

Sleepeezee produces many types of mattresses, from pocket sprung to hybrid and orthopaedic models, and its current special ranges include the “Jessica” – a hypoallergenic cooling range created in association with Olympian Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill – and the “G Memory” graphite foam mattresses.

You might worry that these high levels of comfort and reliability come at a commensurately high cost, but Sleepeezee impressed on value too. With prices starting at under £300 for a double Classic Ortho 800, an amazing 97% of Sleepeezee customers said they were satisfied with the value for money of their mattress, and not a single one said they were dissatisfied.

Highly Commended: John Lewis

High-street legend John Lewis stays bang up to date by stocking mattresses from modern brands, including Tempur, Emma, Hypnos and Simba. However, while all those brands performed well in our survey, none did as well as John Lewis’ own-brand mattresses, which beat Hypnos by a whisker to win our Highly Commended award.

Most John Lewis mattresses – made in the UK by the Yorkshire-based firm Harrison Spinks – are the traditional sprung type, though many also incorporate layers of natural wool, cotton and even hemp. Its price range is huge, running from £109 for a single Open Spring Guest Mattress, all the way up to £10,999 for a super king size Ultimate Natural Collection 36000 Zip Link Mattress.

John Lewis performed consistently well across all categories in our survey, narrowly coming in second for comfort and durability, and fourth for value – John Lewis’ 86% value for money score still beats most of the competition, including every bed-in-a-box brand in our survey.

Most Comfortable Mattresses: Sleepeezee

Every single Sleepeezee owner rated their mattress as “very comfortable” or “fairly comfortable” on a typical night. When asked about their comfort levels during the summer and winter, 92% of Sleepeezee customers said they were still comfy on hot nights, and 98% were comfy on cold nights. Averaging the comfort scores, Sleepeezee beat all other brands with a cosy 97%.

Highly Commended: John Lewis

Sleepeezee didn’t always come out, particularly when it came to those summer nights. John Lewis won for comfort on hot nights, with 97% of customers declaring themselves “very” or “fairly comfortable” on their John Lewis mattress, even at the height of summer.

This may be due to John Lewis mattresses using traditional sprung designs and natural fibres, rather than synthetic foam. However, hot nights aside, John Lewis still came a close second for overall comfort, with a 95% average.

Most Durable Mattresses: Hypnos

Hypnos’ score of 91% for overall satisfaction with mattress durability initially placed it second to John Lewis (93%). But after looking closely at people’s answers, we gave Hypnos the win: an impressive 65% of Hypnos customers claimed to be “very satisfied” with the durability of their mattress, against 58% for John Lewis, and, importantly, nobody was “very dissatisfied”.

We were also impressed by the additional guarantees that are offered by Hypnos. A family-run firm based in Buckinghamshire since 1900, Hypnos places great emphasis on its craftsmanship and sustainability, so every mattress comes with a 10-year guarantee and a pledge that it’s 100% recyclable.

It’s also worth noting that Hypnos achieved an exceptionally close third place for value for money, losing to IKEA by less than a percentage point.

Highly Commended: John Lewis

John Lewis’ mattresses had the best combined score for durability, but with fewer “very satisfied” customers than Hypnos. Most John Lewis mattresses come with seven years of cover against defects like spring failure and tuft breakage (though it’s only two years for the Open Spring Collection). That’s good, but it’s still shorter than the guarantee offered by our category winner, Hypnos, and shorter than those offered by the likes of Emma, IKEA, Simba and Eve.

Best Value for Money: Sleepeezee

We were delighted that customers gave their highest value scores to the brands they also rated top for comfort and durability. Sleepeezee reigned supreme by quite a margin this time, with 97% of customers saying they were “very” or “fairly satisfied” with the value for money of their purchase (a clear seven points ahead of their rivals) and no one saying they were dissatisfied.

Highly Commended: IKEA

Vying for second place were Hypnos and high street favourite IKEA. Though both brands scored 90% for overall value satisfaction, IKEA’s own-brand mattresses just edged ahead with a higher “very satisfied” score. We’re not at all surprised, since IKEA is a byword for good-value homewares. But IKEA doesn’t scrimp on quality either, with a 10-year guarantee on all mattresses: something its customers clearly appreciate, judging by our survey results.

Best Delivery Experience: Simba

There’s no denying that bed-in-a-box mattresses have transformed the mattress industry, bringing a new mattress directly to your doorstep without any need to trek to a showroom yourself. Of course, this means the delivery experience is a crucial part of the whole process, especially when many newer hybrid mattresses are so heavy that you need help to lift them. It was here that Simba’s delivery teams impressed more than any other brand, with 81% of their customers being either “very” or “fairly satisfied”, and none of them dissatisfied.

Highly commended: Emma

Emma earned similar scores to Simba in this category, but the devil was in the details. 81% were again satisfied with their delivery experience, but the breakdown between “very” and “fairly” wasn’t quite as impressive here as it was with Simba, and they also scored a 3% mark for “fairly dissatisfied”. Overall, though, Emma’s delivery satisfaction scores were reassuring.

It’s worth noting that Emma is dealing with a few logistical difficulties at the moment, with some customers facing delays as a result of structural changes (including a move to a new warehouse). A spokesperson has reassured us that the brand is working hard to resolve these issues, including an increased volume of customer service staff.

READ NEXT: Emma Original vs Simba Hybrid: Which is better?

Best Customer Service: Simba

Good customer service is essential when you’re buying a big-ticket (and just plain big) item like a mattress. It’s important to know you can reach someone for help if you have questions about delivery, returns, guarantees or other issues.

This was a tricky category to judge because many respondents never had cause to contact customer service. When we only counted the people who had contacted them, Simba comfortably came out on top, with 38% satisfied, 47% never having had to contact customer service and none saying they were dissatisfied with their experience.

Highly commended: Argos

Argos, like Simba (and Hypnos, Sealy and Sleepeezee), had no customers who were dissatisfied after contacting customer service about their mattresses. Argos placed second simply by scoring slightly higher for satisfaction (30%) than any other brand, apart from Simba.

Expert Reviews Sleep Awards 2024: Sleep Products of the Year

Sleep Product of the Year: Emma NextGen Premium Mattress | £699 (king size) 

We couldn’t get enough of Emma’s NextGen Premium Mattress in 2023, and not just because we love a lie-in. When this supremely comfortable bed-in-a-box mattress launched last July, it earned a five-star review and seized a much-coveted Expert Reviews Best Buy award, following this up by taking Mattress of the Year in our Home Product of the Year Awards.

Combining a layer of large, supportive pocket springs with several more layers of cushioning foam, the NextGen Premium hits a balance of comfort, breathability and ergonomic support that we found nothing less than “delightful”. Its motion isolation is also superb, helping you snooze peacefully next to a fidgeting partner. At just £699 for a king size, the NextGen Premium is a stunning buy and a clear winner.

Read our full Emma NextGen Premium mattress review

Best Mattress: Emma NextGen Premium Mattress | From £489 (single) 

Unsurprisingly, our Sleep Product of the Year, the Emma NextGen Premium takes the top spot in our Best Mattress category, followed closely by the Origin Hybrid Mattress (below).

Read our full Emma NextGen Premium mattress review

Highly Commended: Origin Hybrid Mattress | From £465 (single)

Origin’s new hybrid mattress is cooling, comfy, and cost-effective. The Hybrid’s pocket springs have an innovative tapered design that delivers greater support the further you sink into the mattress, making it suitable for any number of different weights and sleeping positions.

Read our full Origin Hybrid Mattress review

Best Hybrid Mattress: Emma NextGen Premium Mattress | From £419 (single) 

It’s been a great couple of years for hybrid mattresses, with products like the Simba Hybrid Pro and the Eve Premium Hybrid combining pocket springs with various types of foam to achieve the optimal balance of comfort and support, not to mention earning five-star reviews from us. However, given their success in the overall Best Mattress category, you won’t be shocked to hear that the Emma NextGen Premium and the Origin Hybrid win yet again in the Best Hybrid Mattress category.

Read our full Emma NextGen Premium mattress review

Highly Commended: Origin Hybrid Mattress | From £499 (single)

The Origin Hybrid runs a close second once again, delivering what our reviewer called “optimal support” without ever feeling too firm. Like many hybrid mattresses, the Origin is topped with a cooling fabric layer, and it does a fine job of regulating your temperature if you’re prone to feeling warm at night.

Read our full Origin Hybrid Mattress review

Best All-Foam Mattress: Emma Original | From £339 (single) 

Before Emma conquered the hybrid mattress market, the brand was already dominating the memory foam mattress game, despite stiff (well, foamy) competition from rivals like Tempur and Nectar. The Emma Original continues to offer exceptional support and pressure relief, and, despite its all-foam construction, it doesn’t get too hot in summer. The edge support could be better, but we found this mattress to be a low-maintenance, high-comfort winner at an excellent price.

Read our full Emma Original review

Highly Commended: Hypnia Supreme | From £1,000 (single)

The Hypnia Supreme Mattress offers medium-firm support that’s designed to accommodate all body types and sleeping positions, on top of which it manages to beat the Emma Original for edge support, making it easier to get in and out of bed without feeling like you’re sinking to the floor. Be warned: this luxurious mattress has a luxurious price tag to match, but we still liked it enough to give it an Expert Reviews Recommended award. It’s a worthy runner-up.

Read our full Hypnia Supreme review

Best Mattress Topper: Panda Bamboo Mattress Topper | From £100 (single) 

If your mattress has seen better days or is too firm for comfort, a great mattress topper can make all the difference when it comes to the quality of your sleep, and Panda’s bamboo topper does the job better than any other we’ve tested. At 50mm thick, it contains enough memory foam to add a healthy dose of comfort without compromising support. It’s also excellent value, so we didn’t hesitate to crown it top of the toppers.

Read our full Panda Memory Foam Bamboo Topper review

Highly Commended: Emma Flip Topper | From £129 (single)

Emma’s versatile topper has a trick up its sleeve by being double-sided – one side softer, the other a little firmer – so you can flip it to add whichever quality your mattress needs. In our prior experience, a topper could only really add softness, not firmness, but our reviewer found that both sides of the Emma Flip Topper added a good degree of comfort and consistency to any lumpy mattress.

Best Pillow: Emma Premium Microfibre Pillow | £109 (one size) 

Emma lets you achieve pillow perfection by adjusting its Premium Microfibre Pillow until it’s the ideal height (“loft”) and softness for you. Our reviewer found the removable inner layers to be rather “squishy”, so this pillow best suits sleepers who prefer a softer surface. In a stroke of ingenious convenience, the whole thing can be popped in the washing machine at up to 60°C.

Highly Commended: Scooms Goose Down Pillow | From £90 (standard size)

This truly sumptuous pillow is made with a goose feather and down core, surrounded by a 90% down outer chamber, all contained within a 100% sateen cotton case and will make you feel like you’re sleeping in a fairy tale. The down and feathers used in this pillow adhere to the Responsible Down Standard, meaning they’re sourced from geese that have been treated well and never suffer from live-plucking.

Best Memory Foam Pillow: Otty Deluxe Pure Pillow | £70 (one size) 

Memory foam is the Marmite of the sleep world, and we’re firmly on the “love it” side when it comes to this superbly supportive pillow from bed-in-a-box brand Otty. Our reviewer was bowled over by the plush comfort of the Otty Deluxe Pure, whose memory foam filling doesn’t get too hot, and is infused with bamboo and charcoal for moisture-wicking, hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties.

Read our full Otty Deluxe Pure Pillow review

Highly Commended: Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow | £159 (one size)

Like the Emma Premium Microfibre Pillow (our Best Pillow winner, above), Simba’s memory foam pillow can be adjusted by simply adding or removing inner layers. The memory foam gives the Simba a firmer feel than the Emma, and the additional layer of titanium “Aerocoils” aims to provide the perfect level of support. Too expensive to take the win in the Best Memory Foam Pillow category, but a beautifully designed product all the same.

Best Duvet: Panda Cloud Bamboo Duvet | From £100 (single) 

The second Sleep Awards win for Panda, the London-based bedding brand goes to this soft, lightweight, vegan alternative to a down feather duvet. This duvet’s hypoallergenic filling is made from a blend of “nano-microfibre” and bamboo. The casing is 100% bamboo, whose temperature-regulating qualities make this 10.5 tog duvet cool in summer but still warm in winter. A fantastic buy, and the clear winner in this category.

Highly Commended: Simba Hybrid Duvet | From £139 (single)

The microfibre filling of Simba’s 10.5 tog Hybrid Duvet gains bonus points for being made from recycled plastic bottles, so you’ll be doing the planet a favour while you nod off in comfort. The strikingly soft filling is stitched into square pockets throughout the duvet to avoid any lumpiness, and the overall result is truly sumptuous, just on the pricey side compared with the Panda.