Best mattress 2025: 16 tried and tested UK mattresses

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Everyone has different preferences when it comes to sleep but, if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s the importance of a good mattress. Crucial to improving not just the quality of your slumber, but also your health, investing in one of the best mattresses will leave you feeling supported and fully replenished the next day.

But, we know it can be a confusing process, which is why we’ve made it our mission to help you find the right one for you. Aside from picking the correct size for your bed frame, there are a host of other things you’ll need to take into consideration, but, ultimately, your sleep position dictates the mattress you should opt for.

If you’re a front sleeper, you’re more likely to suffer from back pain and, as such, it’s recommended you choose a medium to firm mattress, to make sure you’re sufficiently supported and your weight is evenly distributed. Back sleepers will also benefit from increased firmness, so your back and spine are supported, while side sleepers should opt for a softer base. This is because you have less surface area in contact with the mattress, which can increase pressure on hips and shoulders.

Unsure if you even need a new mattress? Simon Williams from the National Bed Federation recommends looking for changes in how well you’re sleeping, and if you’re experiencing backache or stiffness in the morning. As a general rule though, research shows that around seven to eight years is about the time to be thinking about getting an upgrade. “Your comfort needs may have changed since you bought it, and the mattress will have slowly deteriorated over many thousands of nights’ use,” he explains.

If you’re finding the search for ‘the one’ overwhelming, or you’re not entirely sure what you should be looking for, you’ve come to the right place, as our experts have tried and tested the best mattresses on the market –read our honest reviews.

How we tested

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To make sure this review of the best mattresses only features the crème de la crème, we put models from both big names and smaller brands to the test in our own homes, sleeping on them for at least two months, but sometimes years, before giving our final verdict.

When reviewing, first and foremost we assessed the comfort of each mattress – if it caused any inkling of aches or pains, it did not make the cut. If it made us feel like we were sleeping on a cloud, we awarded it extra points. The second criterion was motion transfer, we did not want to feel our sleeping partner turn over in the night. The third thing we considered was the edge support – we wanted to feel supported wherever we were lying on the bed. Another important factor was durability, assessing whether we noticed any dipping after testing. And finally, we made sure to consider ease of delivery and price, with extra bonus points for mattresses that offer sleep trials.

If a mattress is listed here, you can rest assured it’s of great quality, but be sure to read the full reviews to make sure you choose the right one for you. For more information on our testing process, read our in-depth guide, which covers our criteria, from delivery to comfort. For reference, each price listed below is for a standard double mattress, but we’ve also detailed all the sizes available for each of the mattresses.

Why you can trust us

The Independent’s dedicated shopping section, IndyBest is committed to providing unbiased reviews and expert advice. Our team of editors and writers have years of experience in testing products, and trialling them within their homes – the same environment that you will be using them. As for mattresses, our tester had a strict criterion by which she judged each one having slept on it for a minimum of two months at home.

The best mattresses for 2025 are: