Otty Hybrid vs Simba mattress: Which is better?
We compare everything you ever need to know about the two UK bed-in-a-box mattresses
Trying to pick a mattress can be tricky. With so many options and most accompanied by high price tags, it can be an overwhelming experience.
When you consider that you spend around a third of our lives asleep, however, it’s important you pick a mattress that is right for you. There are a number of aspects to consider when purchasing including their construction, firmness, comfort and price, especially if you suffer from ailments such as a bad back or overheating while asleep.
Fortunately, two of our favourite bed-in-a-box mattresses, Otty and Simba, come with 100-night trials, so you can try them for yourself without any financial risk. To help you decide which is better for you, we take you through everything that sets these two 5-star Best Buy mattresses apart.
Otty vs Simba mattress: Construction and features
On first look, Otty and Simba are very similar. They’re both hybrids of memory foam and pocket springs with multi-layered designs.
The Otty is compiled of four main layers: 30mm of “cool blue gel” memory foam, 30mm of “reflex” transition foam, 140mm of pocket springs and a 50mm high-density foam base. Another feature of the Otty is that it claims to offer 25% more sleep space than some rivals thanks to its extra side support.
The Simba also has four main layers. Below its hypoallergenic sleep surface, there’s 25mm of “Simbatex” that mimics latex, 25mm of conical springs, 45mm of polyether support foam and a base of 160mm more supportive foam. It, too, has an edge-support foam surrounding the springs to ensure you don’t roll off the bed in the middle of the night.
Whilst they may look similar at a first glance, then, upon closer inspection there’s a key difference. Although both are roughly 250mm deep, the Otty’s 2,000 pocket springs make up 140mm of its depth versus just 25mm on the Simba hybrid. In other words, the springs in the Otty mainly offer support whereas they provide a layer of comfort in the Simba.
Since these mattresses are layered in a specific order, it’s not necessary to flip them over as you would a traditional sprung mattress. However, both manufacturers suggest you rotate your mattress once a month for up to a year to extend its life span.
Both mattresses have 100-night money-back guarantees and 10-year warranties, meaning your mattress will be swapped if you experience any defects within the 10-year period. On top of this, both are also Certipur certified, so you can be safe in the knowledge that your mattress is free of harmful chemicals.
Winner: Draw
It’s difficult to split the two mattresses when it comes to construction. There’s no advantage in having longer springs vs shorter ones per se, especially when both mattresses have the same overall depth. Both Simba and Otty have identical trial periods and warranties so whether you opt for longer springs and less foam or vice versa should come down to personal preference only.
Otty vs Simba mattress: Comfort and performance
With regards to the firmness of the mattresses, our reviewer described both as striking a good balance between support and comfort. However, the Otty was definitely a smidge firmer, scoring eight out of ten (where ten is the firmest) compared to the Simba, which our tester rated at seven out of ten. This noticeable difference in firmness is likely down to the extra depth of the comfort layers in the Simba.
One of the key selling points of both mattresses is their cooling properties. The Otty’s “cool blue gel” top layer prevents heat from building up, it claims, and Simba’s “Simbatex” layer is also intended to promote cooling.
We found the Otty excelled at temperature control and kept our reviewer cool even during a summer heatwave. By comparison, the Simba mattress was neither excessively warm or cool compared to other foam mattresses. It’s worth highlighting here that temperature control is typically more of a problem with foam bedding because it naturally retains more heat.
With both mattresses, our reviewer found that as he got warmer in the night the firmness and comfort of the mattress didn’t change drastically. As for other observations, both mattresses emitted a prominent plasticky smell after unboxing, but this eventually disappeared altogether.
Winner: Otty
Though the differences aren’t drastic here, the Otty does have the edge on performance. Both mattresses aim to control your temperature as you sleep, but we found that Otty simply does it better. Having said that, don’t have a problem with getting too warm in bed or don’t like the idea of a firmer bed, Simba is still a great option, offering ample support and comfort.
Otty vs Simba: Price
There isn’t much to debate here so I’ll just lay out the figures. The Otty sits at £650 for the king size while the Simba will set you back £750. In addition to Otty’s cheaper pricing, we’ve found the company tends to offer significant discounts on its mattresses more often than Simba.
Winner: Otty
The Otty is £100 cheaper than its rival and there’s often the potential for more discount on top of that, making it a clear winner on the price front. Having said that, if you look our for a promotion on the Simba Hybrid, you’re still getting plenty of bang for your buck.
Otty vs Simba mattress: Verdict
Though we’re big fans of both mattresses, Otty has come out on top in this head-to-head. Not only is it cheaper than the Simba Hybrid but it also offers the perfect combination of support, comfort and temperature control, making it a superb all-round mattress. An honourable mention has to be given to Simba for its impressive performance and comfort, but unless you’re particularly averse to a firm mattress, the Otty is our pick.
