Best double mattress 2024: Our favourite options from Emma, Simba and more
Our pick of the best double mattresses from brands such as Emma, Simba and more
The best double mattress is a smart choice when it comes to mattress size. A double is big enough to share with a partner or sprawl out during the night yet small enough to fit comfortably into your bedroom. It’s also cheaper than a king size, so you can afford to spend more on quality and comfort.
But which double mattress is best for you? We’ve tested more than 40 mattresses here at Expert Reviews, including memory foam and bed-in-a-box hybrids, before putting together our roundup below. If you still need some guidance when searching for the best mattress for your needs, check out our buying guide at the bottom of the page.
Our top picks excel in areas including comfort and value for money, and we’ve highlighted the respective merits and drawbacks of each in our mini reviews. If you’re just after some quick recommendations, though, see our at a glance list below.
Looking for a larger mattress?
Read our guide to the best king size mattresses instead
Best double mattress: At a glance
| Best memory foam mattress | Emma Original | Check price at Emma |
| Best hybrid mattress | Simba Hybrid Pro | Check price at Simba |
| Best value for money | Nectar Essential Hybrid | Check price at Nectar |
How we test mattresses
Without sounding too obvious, we test our mattresses by sleeping on them. While it seems like a cushy job, there are a variety of factors we take into consideration. With the inclusion of comfort and support, we focus on firmness and temperature control – though, when necessary, we will also pay attention to motion isolation and edge support.
For instance, when considering temperature, all-foam mattresses will retain heat more so than others, which would make them a less suitable option for those prone to overheating.
The foundation on which your mattress lies – whether it’s a divan base, sprung slatted bed or even the floor – will play its part in how a mattress feels beneath you. And although we can’t regularly test multiple bed bases when reviewing a mattress, we will always take this into account.
Before we make a final judgement, we take any trial runs that might be on offer into account – which is often the case within the bed-in-a-box market – before asking the important question, is the product good value for money?
Buying a mattress isn’t an easy task, so it’s worth doing plenty of reading before making the plunge. If you still have unanswered questions, below are a few of our guides and best buys that should help answer them:
The best double mattresses you can buy in 2024
1. Emma Original: Best memory foam double mattress
Price when reviewed: £499 | Check price at Emma
UPDATE: Since publishing our review, Expert Reviews has noticed several negative customer reviews for Emma Sleep on Trustpilot, with many customers complaining of shipping delays and a lack of communication. Emma tells us that the brand is working on resolving these issues, and estimated delivery times on its online store have been updated accordingly.
- Great for… couples who sleep in different positions
- Not so great for… those who prefer a firm mattress
Emma’s Original mattress is made up of three layers of memory foam, plus a breathable top cover which can be removed and machine washed. When we tested it, we found it to be a very versatile memory foam mattress which was more than capable of accommodating a variety of sleeping positions.
Indeed, whether you sleep on your back, front, side or a combination of the three, we think you’ll find the Emma Original comfortable and supportive. Thanks to this versatility, it’s a great choice for couples who might be struggling to compromise on sleeping positions.
Read our full Emma Original review
| Key features | |
| Type | Foam with four layers, including a “Point Elastic Airgocell” layer for temperature regulation, a supportive memory foam layer and a “High Resiliency Extra” base layer |
| Needs turning? | No |
| Sizes | Eight sizes from single to super king |
| Warranty | 200-night trial, 10-year warranty |
2. Simba Hybrid Pro: Best hybrid double mattress
Price when reviewed: £1,149 | Check price at Simba
- Great for… optimum comfort and coolness, even in summer
- Not so great for… a budget choice for the spare room
The Simba Hybrid Pro is constructed from foam with two layers of pocket micro springs (that’s one more than the regular Hybrid). But when we tested it, we discovered that the real winning feature is the upper layer of British wool which rests on top of the mattress’ open-cell foam layer. This is a naturally breathable material which keeps you cool and comfortable throughout the night.
At £1,149 for a double, it isn’t cheap – and it’s not even Simba’s most expensive mattress. The Hybrid Luxe adds an extra layer of springs but will set you back an extra few hundred for a double, and Simba’s latest premium offering, the Hybrid Ultra, adds yet more springs and layers of foam, but costs a cool £2,799 for a double. That may be steep, but we think it’s worth it for what may be the best hybrid mattress we’ve ever slept on.
Read our full Simba Hybrid Pro review
| Key features | |
| Type | Hybrid with seven layers, including open-cell graphite-infused “Simbatex” foam layer, “Certipur” stability layer, 4,000 titanium springs and “Supportcore” base layer |
| Needs turning? | No, but Simba recommends rotating once/month for the first six months; once every 3/6 months thereafter |
| Sizes | Seven sizes from single to super king |
| Warranty | 200-night trial, 10-year warranty |
3. Origin Hybrid mattress: Best supportive double mattress
Price when reviewed: £465 | Check price at Origin
- Great for… heavier sleepers who need consistent ergonomic support
- Not so great for… lighter sleepers who need more softness to sink into
Origin’s Hybrid mattress really impressed us with its edge support, which means it gives you the optimum balance of comfort and ergonomic support right across the sleeping surface. If you share your double bed, this consistent support maximises the amount of comfort you can both enjoy, rather than having it taper off as you move towards the edge of the mattress.
Like many newer, premium hybrid mattresses, the Origin Hybrid features a grid layer that’s designed to optimise back support, plus a temperature-control layer to keep you cool while you sleep. There’s also a solid foam layer for extra support where it’s needed, and a layer of pocket springs whose innovative design offers better and better support the further you sink into the mattress. Our tester found the mattress quite firm, but with some welcome foam cushioning where needed, and a clever adaptive system of pocket springs that ensured she never felt that sinking feeling.
Read our full Origin Hybrid mattress review
| Key features | |
| Type | Hybrid with six layers, including “HexaGrid” foam, bamboo-infused wool, cooling cover, 3,000 pocket springs |
| Needs turning? | No |
| Sizes | Five sizes from single to super-king |
| Warranty | 200-night trial, 15-year guarantee |
4. Eve Premium Hybrid: Best double mattress for light sleepers
Price when reviewed: £949 | Check price at Eve
- Great for… side sleepers who struggle with the firmness of new beds-in-a-box
- Not so great for… those who love the bounce of springs
Eve has one of the widest ranges in the bed-on-a-box market, from the budget Eve Lighter to the sumptuous Eve Premium, but our favourite of the whole bunch is the chunky 28cm-deep Premium Hybrid. Our tester loved its sophisticated combination of ergonomic support and body-hugging comfort, and found that it helped to keep her cool even on hot summer nights.
We thought the Premium Hybrid was well worth its original price of £1,249 for a double – but Eve has now relaunched the mattress as the Wunderflip Premium Hybrid and dropped its price to just £949 for a double (there’s no single size option). That’s superb value for one of the best hybrids you can buy.
Read our full Eve Premium Hybrid review
| Key features | |
| Type | Hybrid with six layers, including “HexaGrid” foam, bamboo-infused wool, cooling cover, 3,000 pocket springs |
| Needs turning? | Can be turned to alter firmness |
| Sizes | Three sizes from double to super king |
| Warranty | One-year trial, 10-year warranty |
5. Nectar Essential Hybrid mattress: Best value for money double mattress
Price when reviewed: £499 | Check price at Nectar
- Great for… Nectar’s “forever” warranty and year-long trial
- Not so great for… support from edge to edge
Nectar’s Essential Hybrid undercuts many of its bed-in-a-box rivals on price, making this 25cm six-layer mattress one of the cheapest hybrids we’ve reviewed. Our tester found this medium-firm mattress offered comfort and support in excellent measure, as well as good motion isolation to give you some peace from a fidgeting partner.
Best of all, Nectar’s trial period and warranty are unbeatable. Not only do you get a full year of sleeping on your mattress to decide whether to keep it, but you also get a lifetime guarantee against faults – in their words a “forever warranty” – so if you’re looking for a mattress to last for the foreseeable future, this could be the one.
Read our full Nectar Essential Hybrid review
| Key features | |
| Type | Foam and pocket spring hybrid with six layers, including dynamic support layer, pressure relieving foam, and encapsulated 15cm pocket springs |
| Needs turning? | No |
| Sizes | Five sizes from single to super-king |
| Warranty | 365-night trial, forever warranty |
6. Emma NextGen Premium: Best double mattress for couples
Price when reviewed: £659 | Check prices at Emma
UPDATE: Since publishing our review, Expert Reviews has noticed several negative customer reviews for Emma Sleep on Trustpilot, with many customers complaining of shipping delays and a lack of communication. Emma tells us that the brand is working on resolving these issues, and estimated delivery times on its online store have been updated accordingly.
- Great for… sleeping in peace with a partner
- Not so great for… sleepers who want a softer mattress
Emma’s premium mattress is one of the more affordable hybrids we’ve tested, but it’s certainly not a bargain basement option. We’ve been spending occasional nights on our double-size test sample of the NextGen Premium for nearly a year now, and while it can’t quite match the luxuriously supportive feel of the Simba Hybrid Pro or the ergonomic firmness of the HiGrid Premium Hybrid, it still offers excellent edge support, good temperature control and the best motion isolation we’ve experienced in a bed-in-a-box mattress.
Motion isolation is especially important when you’re sharing a double mattress with a partner, as we discovered when testing. A king or super king size mattress lets you get far enough away from their tossing and turning to avoid being disturbed, but a double mattress needs to work harder to absorb the movement and prevent it from waking you up. On this score, the Emma NextGen Premium is a clear winner.
Read our full Emma NextGen Premium review
| Key features | |
| Type | Foam and pocket spring hybrid (185mm “extra tall” springs, 140mm high-resistance polyurethane foam, 200mm visco-elastic memory foam) |
| Needs turning? | No |
| Sizes | Five sizes from single to super-king |
| Warranty | 200-night trial, 10-year warranty |
7. Hypnia Supreme: Best luxury hybrid mattress
Price when reviewed: £1,526 | Check price at Hypnia
- Great for… a range of sleeping positions
- Not so great for… watching the pennies
While all-foam mattresses can be great for side sleepers because they have plenty of “give” for the contours of your hips and shoulders, they sometimes lack the ergonomic support and durability you also need for a proper night’s rest. Not so with this premium mattress from Hypnia, which we found to offer a superb level of support from edge to edge.
Supreme by name, Supreme by nature – and Supreme by price too, as this mattress is certainly an investment, with a double costing over £1,500 unless it’s enjoying one of Hypnia’s fairly regular discounts. But we do think this mattress will last for many years without sagging, and it comes with a generous 15-year guarantee.
Read our full Hypnia Supreme review
| Key features | |
| Type | Foam with four layers, including premium memory foam, graphite-infused open-cell foam, and multi-zoned support base |
| Needs turning? | No |
| Sizes | Five sizes from single to super king |
| Warranty | 200-night trial, 15-year guarantee |
How to choose the best double mattress for you
How big is a double mattress?
To be big enough to fit two people, a standard UK double mattress measures 135cm wide and 190cm long.
By comparison, a single is 90cm wide, while a king size mattress is 150cm wide and a super king 180cm. Length wise, the difference isn’t as significant: a single also measures 190cm long, while a king and super king are both 200cm.
Some retailers and manufacturers will also offer their mattress in a ‘small double’ size, which is reasonably self-explanatory. A standard small double measures 190cm long, with a slightly smaller width of 120cm.
How much should I spend on a double mattress?
It goes without saying that the more you’re willing to spend on a mattress, the more comfortable it’s likely to be. And considering the sheer amount of time we spend in bed, we’d argue that it makes sense to invest in a decent one.
Many of our favourite foam mattresses (including the Emma Original and Nectar mattress), will cost you around £700 in a size double, while hybrid mattresses combining springs and foam tend to be a bit pricier.
The most expensive mattresses, however, which are often deeper and more sumptuous, can easily set you back upwards of £1,500. For example, the Simba Hybrid Luxe which costs £1,699. If you’re after luxury from your mattress, these are the prices you’ll be looking at.
That said, you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds for decent comfort and support, and there are plenty of good budget double mattresses available, such as the Silentnight Studio Eco at (£419) and the Dormeo Memory Plus, regularly on sale for as little as £250.
