Otty Original Hybrid review: Now a HUGE 45% cheaper

Michal Szlas launched Otty in 2016 with the Original Hybrid mattress, in an effort to create good-quality hybrid mattresses at reasonable prices. And while Otty may not be the most well-known bed-in-a-box brand in the UK, its mattresses – carefully realised and tested with comfort, practicality and affordability in mind – rival the most popular designs from the likes of Emma, Simba, and Nectar.

One of four models that Otty now sells, the Otty Original Original Hybrid is still considered the brand’s flagship mattress. With its mix of encapsulated pocket springs and three layers of foam providing comfort and support, it is a perfect mattress for combatting back pain and has come to rival some of the best mattresses.

Otty Original Hybrid mattress review: What you need to know

Otty offers a range of mattresses with unique features to suit your preference — for example, the Otty Hybrid Pure and Pure+ add bamboo and charcoal-infused layers for their antibacterial and odour-eliminating properties. But, for the most part, the brand specialises in hybrid designs that pair pocket springs with memory foam. So, if it’s an all-memory foam mattress that you’re after, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

While Otty’s mattresses are manufactured in China, the company’s headquarters is in Yorkshire, housed within an “eco-friendly space … dedicated to renewable energy” in Leeds. You can visit their showroom, by appointment, to try out the mattresses before you buy or, alternatively, you can take advantage of their 100-night trial, with a free pick-up service and a full refund if you decide the mattress isn’t for you within the first 100 days.

As for the mattress itself, the Original Hybrid is made up of three different memory foam layers alongside a layer of 16mm pocket springs, ‘Airflow’ side support and a machine washable outer cover.

READ NEXT: The best mattress to buy

Otty Original Hybrid mattress review: Price and competition

It’s rare that you’ll ever need to pay full price for a bed-in-a-box mattress as prices are regularly cut, particularly on popular sale days – such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday – or around holiday weekends.

Still, Otty prides itself on offering premium features at an affordable price and, at full price, the Original Hybrid will cost you £950 for a double (rising to £1,200 for a king size). For comparison, a double Simba Hybrid costs £1,089, while the Emma Hybrid in the same size is £713. The Nectar Hybrid mattress, when at full price, is also a fair bit more expensive than the Otty Original – at £1,499 for a double and £1,699 for a king size.

Otty Original Hybrid mattress review: Design and key features

Within the 25cm-thick Otty Original Hybrid mattress, you’ll find a careful balance of pocket springs and supportive foam. It’s this combination of springs and foam that helps to minimise motion transfer and is something to look for if you, or your partner, are particularly restless sleepers.

Making up the base of the mattress is a layer of high-density foam, topped with up to 2,000 16cm encapsulated pocket springs, then a layer of high-density support foam to provide additional comfort on top of the springs. Above this is a layer of heat-regulating memory foam, designed to keep you at an optimum temperature throughout the night. And finally, as mentioned above, there’s a removable, washable cover (something not all mattresses have), which can help to extend the life of the mattress and keep it feeling and smelling fresh.

The Otty Original Hybrid feels medium-firm in its support, with the springs giving the mattress that nice bit of bounce. And though this mattress doesn’t have the same moisture-wicking technology as Otty’s antibacterial bamboo and charcoal-infused Hybrid Pure, it’s somewhat enhanced with its ‘AirFlow system’: small perforations throughout the mattress that help fresh air to circulate, removing excess heat.

While the mattress can be placed on any standard base – including divans, platform beds and adjustable beds – or even the floor, Otty recommends using a slatted frame as it allows the air to circulate most effectively. And, to get the best from your mattress, you’ll also need to rotate it once a month for the first year, and once every three months from then on.

Finally, for extra peace of mind, the foam is CertiPur and Europur approved – which means that both the quality and toxicity of the foam pass the highest standards set by the governing body – and all Otty products are compliant with the UK’s fire regulations.

READ NEXT: The best firm mattress to buy

Otty Original Hybrid mattress review: Performance and comfort

In order to give the Otty Original Hybrid a fair try, I slept on it for a month, alongside my partner, to rate it on comfort, firmness, and how well it supported my body. I was also keen to find out whether its motion technology was as impressive as promised.

The mattress was delivered in a recyclable box and vacuum packed in plastic. It comes very compactly rolled, which made it easy for me to get it out of the box, haul it up the stairs, and place it on our wooden-slatted bed frame. Otty helpfully provides a plastic cutting tool in the box to slice the wrapping open and release the mattress. Once rolled out, I noticed quite a strong off-gassing smell, but this is relatively common when opening up a new mattress with memory foam – I kept the room well ventilated and, within a day or so, this smell faded.

Otty suggests waiting a minimum of four hours before sleeping on the new mattress as this is how long it takes for it to reach a usable depth once unrolled. To give it enough time to reach its full 25cm depth, I left it for 48 hours before giving it a try. But if you do need to sleep on it sooner, four hours should be enough for it to take shape.

The Otty Original Hybrid rates itself at a 7/10 on its firmness scale, the firmest design of all the brand’s offerings. However, it’s not the firmest mattress I’ve tried and, while it’s firmer than, say, the Emma Hybrid Mattress, I wouldn’t say its structure feels as solid as the Nectar Premier Hybrid Mattress, which only gives itself a 6.5 firmness rating.

I found the Otty Original Hybrid to have a nice bit of squish and softness underhand, without failing to support the body, making it one of the most comfortable hybrid designs I’ve tried.

The Original Hybrid’s side support is impressive too, and I found the sides retained their shape well when I lay close to the edges, or sat on them to get in and out of bed.

READ NEXT: The best hybrid mattress to buy

Unfortunately, the corners didn’t spring back as well when I perched on them but, while I think this could be improved, I didn’t find that it affected the quality of my sleep in any way.

To get a sense of how the mattress feels with a solid base, I also tried sleeping on it directly on the floor and can report that, aside from being a little lower down, it felt just as comfortable on the floor as it did on the bed.

While this mattress isn’t specifically designed for people with allergies, the fact that its cover can be removed and washed is definitely a bonus that will keep things fresh and hopefully prolong its overall life too. While I only tested this mattress over the spring months, using a synthetic duvet and Egyptian cotton covers, I was impressed at how cool and comfortable I felt sleeping in an 18°C room.

As someone who likes to sleep on both their back and side, I found the mattress most comfortable laying on my back, when it provided excellent pressure relief in all the key areas, supporting my hips and lower back nicely. It also demonstrated impressive motion transfer technology as I could hardly notice my partner laying next to me throughout the night, and vice versa. For that reason alone, it’s a mattress worth considering if you’re keen to get a full night of uninterrupted sleep.

Otty Mattress review: Verdict

While the Otty Original Hybrid mattress leans on the firm side, it’s not as firm as some bed-in-a-box mattresses you can find online. And its cushioned top layer is not only hygienic – as it can be regularly washed – but it also adds a layer of comfort you would generally expect to find on a mattress with a higher, premium price tag.

For the price, you can’t really go wrong with this mattress, but, if you do decide it’s not for you, there’s always the 100-night trial period to fall back on.

Check price at Otty