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24 Mar 2022

How good are the latest Emma mattresses?

We've pitted the latest Emma mattresses - the Diamond Hybrid and the Helix Hybrid - against big brand mattresses from brands such as Otty and Eve Sleep

Lisa GalliersProduct testing team leader

What do the new Emma mattresses have to offer, and is it worth spending over £1,000 on one of them?

If you've been looking into buying a new mattress, you've undoubtedly come across popular mattress brand Emma. Its Original mattress is one of the most popular mattresses on the Which? website.

Emma has launched two new bed-in-a-box mattresses: the Diamond Hybrid and the Helix Hybrid. The Diamond Hybrid costs, at launch, £1,669 and the Helix Hybrid is a bit cheaper - though still by no means cheap - at £1,329 full price, at launch.

So what exactly do you get for all that money? And do you need to pay so much for a mattress?

Not sold on Emma and want to save money? Discover the best mattress deals this month.

Emma bed-in-a-box mattresses

Emma is best known for its bed-in-a-box mattresses: mattresses that arrive vacuum packed and expand once you open them.

So that means that you don't have to worry about how to get the Diamond Hybrid or the Helix Hybrid home or in through your front door.

Emma hybrid mattresses

The Diamond Hybrid and Helix Hybrid are also hybrid mattresses, made from a mixture of layers of foam and pocket springs.

Normally, you can only buy Emma mattresses online. But you can buy the Diamond Hybrid and the Helix Hybrid in-store from a number of retailers, including Furniture Village, Land of Beds and independent stores.

Buying in-store means you get to try the mattress out before you commit to buying, if you want to get a feel for how comfy it will be when you first use it.

Just be aware that this won't tell youhow long it will last, or if it will sag or soften over time - head to our fully tested mattress reviews to find out about that.

If your budget doesn't stretch to an Emma, scroll down to see all our latest mattress reviews.

Or head over to our round-up of the best mattresses - which start at less than £200 - across all the brands we test.

Emma Diamond Hybrid double mattress, £1,449 (RRP, at launch)

We like Available in shops, doesn't need to be turned over, 100-night trial, cover is washable
We don't like Slight memory effect when lying on it - which some people may not like, expensive when it's at full price

The Emma Diamond Hybrid mattress is formed of layers of foam and pocket springs, including a 13cm core of pocket springs and a 3cm layer of memory foam closest to where you sleep.

Full retail price is given as £1,699 which makes it one of the most expensive Emma mattresses available. We've recently spotted it at full price a bit cheaper in some places, but still nudging £1,500.

Emma claims this mattress is medium firm. But, in our own independent tests, we rated it as 7.1 on a scale from one (firmest) to 10 (softest). So it's actually on the softer side of medium.

Mattresses made with foam can sometimes feel warm to lie on, especially ones with a memory effect. We found this one to be about average when it comes to warmth though.

If you're looking for a a mattress that isn't too hot or cold to lie on, take a look at the Ikea Valevåg firm 504.507.31 £269, or the MattressOnline Horizon Discovery 1500, £759, which are also medium-warm.

The Emma Diamond Hybrid is currently cheapest at Land of Beds where you can pick it up from £1199.

First, read our full review of the Emma Diamond Hybrid mattress to find out more, including whether it will continue to support your body over time.

Don't lose sleep wondering how you're going to afford a new mattress. We've rounded up the top five cheapest mattresses.

Emma Helix Hybrid mattress, £1,329 (RRP, at launch)

We like Available in shops, doesn't need to be turned over, 100-night trial, cover is washable
We don't likeIt could be easier to move around, expensive when it's full price

The Emma Helix Hybrid mattress is almost identical to the Diamond from the outside, but it's constructed differently.

The Helix has a 12.5cm core of pocket springs topped with two different layers of foam, including a 3cm layer of foam nearest to the surface you sleep on. The Helix also has fewer springs per square meter and is lighter.

Full retail price is given as £1,329 which means it joins the Diamond hybrid as one of the most expensive Emma mattresses in its range.

Emma claims this mattress is medium firm, and our own independent testing agrees. We ranked it as 5.4 on a scale from one (firmest) to 10 (softest), which is similar to the popular Otty Aura, £700, or the significantly cheaper Ikea Morgedal memory foam mattress, £229.

We also class this mattress as average warmth, which means it's suitable for most people.

We put each mattress we test through tough durability tests, designed to replicate 10 years of use. Read our full test review of the Emma Helix Hybrid mattress to find out how it fared.

It's also available on offer at the moment from Furniture Village (£999) and at a range of independents.

Not sure where to begin when choosing a mattress? Find out how to buy the best mattress and get your sleep sorted.

Best mattress shops

Where's the best place to buy a mattress? We've asked more than 2,500 UK mattress owners in our latest mattress survey about their shopping experiences to reveal the best place to buy a new mattress, whether you want to shop online or in-store.

Our latest survey rates popular shops including Bensons for Beds, Furniture Village, Ikea and John Lewis when buying a mattress, and online retailers including Emma, Eve Sleep and MattressOnline.co.uk.

In the very best shops you can expect excellent advice, excellent product quality and ease of arranging a delivery. The less-than-best shops might leave you disappointed.

Find out which store ranks most highly for mattress shopping experience in our best mattress shops guide.