Best single mattress 2024: Our top picks for individuals, perfect for children and spare rooms

Whether it’s for a child’s bedroom, a spare guest room, or you simply live alone, the best single mattress can be an effective solution when it comes to both space and budget.

But buying a single size mattress doesn’t mean you should rush into nabbing any old thing. The same considerations that are important when investing in a double or king size mattress are just as crucial here. What materials is the mattress made from? Will it provide enough comfort and support? Does it come with a trial period?

Below, we’ve put together a roundup of the best single mattresses you can buy, from some of our favourite online mattress brands and manufacturers. We’ve also put together a short buying guide to help you make your decision, although we recommend you check out our other roundups of the best mattresses and buying guides too.

Best single mattress: At a glance

• Best budget hybrid single mattress: Silentnight Studio Eco | £289 (single)
• Best all-round single mattress: Simba Hybrid Pro | £1,169 (single)
• Best single mattress for long trial period: Nectar Memory Foam | £949 (single)

How to choose the best single mattress for you

The first thing to think about when buying a single mattress is who you are buying it for.

Perhaps you’re buying a mattress for a child. Although you don’t necessarily have to buy a mattress that’s specifically designed for children, it is important to find something that will sufficiently support growing bones, as we’ve explained in our best children’s mattress roundup. Alternatively, if your child has a bunk bed, you might need to buy a specific bunk bed mattress rather than a standard single (it should also fall within the weight requirements for your bed).

Similar considerations apply on the other end of the spectrum too. If you’re buying a mattress for an elderly adult, finding the right balance between comfort and support is equally important. If mobility is an issue too, you don’t want to buy a mattress that’s too high or one in which they will sink too deep. You might also want to look for a mattress that can help ease back pain, or even a specially designed orthopaedic mattress.

How we test mattresses

To keep a long story short, we test our mattresses by sleeping on them. However, while we do so, there are varying factors that we take into consideration. In addition to comfort and support, we factor in temperature control and firmness – though, when relevant, we will also consider edge support and motion isolation.

To illustrate, some mattresses, all-foam ones for example, might feel warmer than others, making them a less suitable choice for those with the tendency to overheat through the night.

The foundation, where you lie your mattress – whether that be a springy slatted bed, staunch divan base or even the floor – will play a part in how the mattress feels beneath you. Though we can’t always test a wide range of bases when reviewing a mattress, we will always take this into account.

Lastly, we consider any trial runs that may be available – which is often the case with bed-in-a-box options – before finally asking the big question, is the product good value for money?

If you’re still unsure on how best to buy a mattress, check out some of our other roundups and buying guides below:

• How to choose a mattress
• Best mattress type
• Best mattresses for side sleepers
• Best cooling mattress
• Best mattress deals

The best single mattresses you can buy in 2023

1. Silentnight Studio Eco: The best budget hybrid mattress

Price when reviewed: £289 (single) | Check price at Dunelm

Taking a leaf out of the books of many bed-in-a-box companies, Silentnight’s Studio mattresses are delivered straight to your door, rolled up and vacuum sealed. However, compared to Silentnight’s new-age rivals such as Simba and Brook + Wilde, the Studio range offers excellent affordability.

The Studio Eco is one of three hybrid mattresses in the Studio range (the Studio Original, by comparison, is all foam). It’s constructed from synthetic recycled fibres and 1,000 18mm pocket springs. It’s comfortable, supportive and cool. And crucially, it won’t break the bank.

Being a budget mattress, though, there are a few caveats to mention. Edge support is lacking, and it doesn’t have the removable, washable top cover that many rival mattresses have (a minor inconvenience, though, when mattress protectors are so widely available). The trial period offered by Silentnight isn’t the best either: a 60-night comfort exchange simply can’t compete with the money-back guarantees offered by the likes of Emma, Simba and more.

Read our full Silentnight Studio Eco review for more details

Key features – Type: Recycled synthetic materials and pocket springs; Needs turning? Rotate once/month for the first few months; Sizes: Single to king; Warranty: 5-year warranty, with 60-night comfort exchange trial period

Check prices at Dunelm

2. Simba Hybrid Pro: The best all-round single mattress

Price when reviewed: £1,169 (single) | Check price at Simba

One of our very favourite hybrid mattresses, the Simba Hybrid Pro is constructed from a combination of foam, two layers of micro pocket springs, and an upper comfort layer made from wool. As such, it’s very supportive and comfortable indeed, regardless of the position you sleep in. In fact, it’s one of the most comfortable bed-in-a-box mattresses we’ve ever tested.

That said, it’s far from affordable. After a recent price increase, a single Hybrid Pro will now cost you £1,089 (when not discounted). Understandably, then, it’s perhaps not your go-to choice for your child’s first mattress or a spare room. But if you’re an adult who lives alone and you’re after a quality single mattress, the Hybrid Pro certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Read our full Simba Hybrid Pro review for more details

Key features – Type: Wool, foam and micro pocket spring hybrid; Needs turning? Rotate once a month for the first six months; once every 3/6 months thereafter; Sizes: Single to king; Warranty: 10-year warranty, 200-night trial

3. Silentnight Healthy Growth: The best supportive mattress for growing children

Price when reviewed: £216 (single) | Check price at Mattress Online

Another affordable mattress from Silentnight, the Healthy Growth is specifically designed with growing children in mind. It’s made with open coil springs and, much like the Studio Eco above, a recycled fibre filling.

The Healthy Growth mattress is comfortable, while offering ample levels of support for your child during the crucial years when they need it. It’s made free from chemicals and is also hypoallergenic, making it a great choice for kids with sensitive skin and allergies.

Key features – Type: Recycled synthetic materials and open coil springs; Needs turning? No, but rotate regularly; Sizes available: Single, small double, double; Warranty: 5 years

4. Nectar memory foam mattress: The best for a generous trial period

Price when reviewed: £949 (single) | Check price at Nectar

Nectar’s memory foam mattress is very comfortable and supportive, even if it does feel softer as it warms up, and it also lacks the strong “off-gassing” chemical smell that many memory foam mattresses give off when they’re first unwrapped.

The main selling point of the Nectar mattress, however, is its trial period. You get 365 nights to test it out before committing to it. If you don’t like it, you can simply return it for a full refund. This gives you, or your child, a whole year to sleep on the mattress before deciding whether or not it’s the right one for you.

Read our full Nectar memory foam mattress review for more details

Key features – Type: Three-layer (bottom layer 160mm seven-zone supportive foam; middle layer 50mm soft “visco” memory foam; top layer 40mm breathable “visco” foam); Needs turning? No; Sizes: Single to super king; Warranty: Forever warranty, with 365-night trial