MissLJBeauty

With so many different mattresses available, choosing a mattress can be a bit of a minefield.

There seems to be an almost limitless number of materials and technologies, making it challenging to decide.

Shopping for a new mattress is a lot like shopping for a new coat; you probably know what size you need, but you have no idea in terms of feel and material.

To help you out, this article will go through the main types of mattresses available so you can get informed and make an intelligent decision on your next purchase.

Types of mattress

There are six main types of mattresses:

• Memory foam

• Latex foam

• Open coil

• Pocket spring 

• Hybrids

• Natural mattresses

Memory foam mattresses 

• Good support

• Comfortable  

• Contours to your body

• Doesn't dissipate heat well

Memory foam mattresses contain no springs and comprise layers of memory foam of various densities. The memory foam contours to your body with a shallow spring back, retaining your body shape when you get up in the night.

Pictured: Silentnight Studio Medium Mattress, Awarded Which Best Buy, Available online from Bedstar The Online Bed Superstore.

Different foam densities are used in the mattress to provide support and comfort. While expensive memory foam mattresses can be 100% memory foam, cheaper mattresses use memory foam in the top layers and low-density foam below. 

Latex foam mattresses

• Springy and bouncy

• Dissipates heat well

• More support than memory foam

Latex foam mattresses have a pocket spring system but a thick upper layer of latex foam, which provides a fast spring back and bounce. Latex foam is more breathable than memory foam but weighs more and is generally more expensive.

Because latex foam has more bounce than memory foam, it doesn't conform to the shape of your body as well. However, latex foam systems offer firmer support than memory foam with more outstanding breathability, which might be a better fit for you. 

Open coil mattresses

• Cheap

• Good support

• Breathable

• Poor movement isolation

Open coil mattresses are the cheapest, featuring interlinked coil springs with foam comfort layers. These mattresses offer excellent value for money and can mimic the feel of more expensive mattresses.

The downside to open coil mattresses is poor movement isolation, so you will notice your partner getting into bed. The upside to open coil mattresses is firmer support; some of the best firm mattresses have an open coil system.

Pocket spring mattresses

Pictured: Giltedge Beds Pillowtop Pocket Features 1000 high-quality pocket springs, Available online from Bedstar The Online Bed Superstore.

• Suits every budget

• Best support

• Highly breathable

• Excellent movement isolation

Pocket spring mattresses feature individual pocket springs that operate independently below low-density padding and foam layers. Because the springs are independent, they can be wound up differently to provide localised support.

A pocket spring mattress also offers greater movement isolation than open coils because the springs are not interconnected. Some beds have more than 2,000 pocket springs, with more springs signifying a higher-quality mattress.

Hybrid mattresses

Pictured: Sleepeezee Hybrid 2000 Mattress, Encapsulated 2000 SoftTech and traditional pocket springs, and StayCool Gel guaranteed to give you a cooler and more comfortable night's sleep.

• A good choice for most sleepers

• Popular with mattress-in-a-box brands

• Combines memory foam and springs

Hybrid mattresses combine pocket springs or open coil springs with a thicker layer of memory foam. The springs provide support and rigidity, while the memory foam is used as a comfort layer to mimic the feel of pure memory foam.

Hybrids offer the best of both worlds. Most mattress-in-a-box mattresses are hybrids because they compress and roll up. In practice, a good pocket spring mattress provides just as much support and comfort as a hybrid.

Natural mattresses

• More expensive than average

• Uses over 90% natural materials

• Similar performance to open coil and pocket springs

Natural mattresses are made from raw materials. The outer cover is often made from cotton or cotton and bamboo, while the filling is wool, mohair, latex foam, bamboo, organic cotton or a combination of these.

While natural mattresses tend to be more expensive, they offer peace of mind that the materials aren't synthetic or petroleum-based. They mimic the performance of regular beds because they have either a foam or spring support system.