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Has your memory foam mattress become old and worn-out after just a few years of use? Then you should consider getting a latex mattress.
Latex is a highly durable material, so unlike memory foam mattresses, they will not wither or sag after a short time. Even if you are slightly on the heavier side, rest assured the latex mattress will always retain its shape.
In fact, latex mattresses are fairly comfortable and supportive as well, which makes them a popular choice.
The real problem, however, will arise once you start looking for a good latex mattress. You will need to consider the different features and technical aspects, all of which can be a bit intimidating.
That is why we took the trouble to delve into the options. What we have presented below is the culmination of our research so that you can avoid the hassle.
Let’s jump in!
The Dunlopillo Firmrest mattress is possibly one of the best latex mattresses available on the market today. This is all thanks to its firm support structure that consists of seven different zones. It is made from 100% natural Dunlopillo latex that minimises noise and disturbance. Besides its firmness, the 18 cm thick mattress provides optimal comfort for restful sleep.
Moreover, the latex used in this mattress has an open-celled structure for better pressure relief. Combined with the soft and knitted ActiPro cover, it ensures breathability to maintain an optimal sleeping temperature. And its hypoallergenic materials keep the mattress free from dust and other allergens. Even the top layer of the mattress is worth mentioning because of its durability.
It comes with a higher price tag, so it may not be a feasible option for those on a budget.
Overall, it is a firmer mattress than many other options available on the market, which makes it a great choice for heavier sleepers. Likewise, the high levels of support and breathability ensure optimal spinal alignment while keeping you cool in hot climates.
The Naturalex Ergolatex mattress is a really high-quality mattress made of both memory foam and Blue Latex foam. It is 16 cm thick and consists of seven comfort layers that help to relieve stress and provide optimal support for your back and hips.
Thanks to the open cells and micro-alveoli present within the foam, you get enhanced breathability and moisture control. This complements well with the Air Fresh system used in the outer cotton padding, which gives you superb comfort in any weather. It also includes a 3D mesh on one side, which remains cool in the summer, while the other side includes warm padding for the winter.
This mattress has a slightly long break-in period of a couple of weeks, so it might feel a bit stiff initially.
If you happen to be a hot sleeper and are looking for a breathable mattress, then this one has the ventilation features to meet the needs of hot sleepers. Also, the memory foam and Blue Latex layer provide a decent level of comfort irrespective of the sleeping position.
The Laytech Fresh Mattress features an orthopaedic design, making it one of the best mattresses when it comes to supporting your body’s pressure points. It is made from high-density reflex foam along with natural latex foam. And since it has no springs, it doesn’t bounce around a lot, which makes it perfect for a peaceful and comfortable sleep.
Its outer cover is made of sanitised fabric, which actively prevents the growth of dust mites, and keeps the mattress free from dust and allergens. Apart from that, the medium-firm nature of this mattress prevents it from sagging too much. And as a bonus, you can remove the outer cover, which makes it a breeze to wash and maintain.
While this mattress is a great option for side and back sleepers, it might not feel as comfortable to stomach sleepers.
In case you are plagued by chronic pain, asthma or other problems, the soft foam and sanitised fabric of this mattress will provide you with much-needed relief. The removable zip cover on the outside is also a nifty feature that adds to the convenience of this option.
If you are looking for an environmentally sustainable mattress, look no further than the Organic mattress by Una Mattress. It is made from all-natural organic latex foam spread across 7 layers for maximum support. And the top cover of the mattress is made from organic cotton and wool. The best part is you can customise the layers as per your liking, which is made possible by the zip-up cover.
In this regard, you can choose between two firmness levels - medium and medium-firm. The top cover is highly ventilated so that it doesn’t get too hot and sweaty. It provides adequate support for all the pressure points in your body as well. Despite being organic, the material is pretty durable and can last for as long as 20 years.
The mattress is quite soft, and thus, has a tendency to sink when used by a bulky sleeper.
Its organic materials and highly customisable nature are definitely the biggest highlights of this particular option. We also found the high durability of this mattress worth noting since it provides great value for your money.
The Dunlopillo Royal Sovereign provides excellent pressure relief and comfort for all types of sleeping positions. It is a natural latex mattress made using Dunlopillo latex to provide medium firmness. The mattress has 7 layers and is 21 cm thick, which provides progressive comfort. Also, it is highly convenient and easy to maintain because of its single-sided design.
Its outer cover is made from breathable, knitted fabric based on the unique ActiPro technology. This helps maintain a cool and dry environment, allowing you to sleep comfortably. It is hypoallergenic as well, which provides a clean and healthy sleeping environment. Besides, the different layers and the high-quality latex is highly durable, which helps to retain the mattress shape for a long time.
This is not a budget-friendly latex mattress, which can be a deterrent for people interested in this option.
If you change your sleeping position a lot, you will find this option to be a very supportive latex mattress, thanks to the higher thickness and natural Dunlopillo latex construction. And you won’t have to worry about sweating too much either, as the breathable cover takes care of this issue.
In this section, we have answered some of the most common questions asked by consumers about latex mattresses. So, if you have some lingering questions, we suggest that you keep reading below to find the answer.
Not all latex mattresses are built from the same material, which is evident from the differing levels of firmness and quality. In fact, if you have gone through our reviews above, you might have noticed variations in the latex material used in each of these mattress models.
Although the overall composition of the mattress plays a crucial role here, the primary differences arise because of the different types of latex used. And each variant of latex has its own sets of pros and cons.
Keeping that in mind, the different types of latex used in mattresses have been discussed below.
Natural latex is derived from rubber tree sap that contains no added chemicals. It is considered by most people as the best latex since it is entirely organic for the most part. However, you should know that not all natural latex is organic by nature. In order for the latex to be organic, it needs to be derived from rubber trees grown under very specific conditions.
Despite its purity, natural latex is not that easy to manufacture. This is because the latex cannot be directly extracted from the source, but instead needs to be passed through several steps. First the sap needs to be extracted from the trees, after which, they need to be properly processed to obtain the latex foam. No wonder latex mattresses made from this material are incredibly expensive.
Although it has a different name, Dunlop latex is a variant of natural latex, which means that it is also derived from rubber tree sap. The foam obtained from this latex is densely packed, which means that the material is quite firm. Due to this aspect, Dunlop latex mattresses tend to be more durable. Likewise, the firm structure is helpful for heavier people since it does not sink that much.
On the flip side, such mattresses may not feel as comfortable for people of lighter weight, owing to their greater firmness.
Similar to Dunlop latex, this is another variant of natural latex. But compared to the previous material, Talalay Latex is a lot less dense. That is why mattresses made from this latex are a lot softer by design. They hug the curves of your body and provide exceptional comfort.
However, these mattresses are not as durable or supportive, which can reduce their utility.
Blended latex is composed of natural latex mixed with some extra additives. In most cases, these additives are synthetic, but sometimes, natural additives such as clay or charcoal may be used.
Manufacturing blended latex is considerably cheaper, which is why mattresses made from this material come at a lower price than natural latex mattresses. In this regard, the more filler that is used, the lower its price becomes.
As you can guess by the name, synthetic latex is entirely artificial. Instead of rubber tree saps, it is derived from petrochemicals. And because of that, mattresses that use this material are some of the cheapest options available today.
Since it is artificially-made, many of its characteristics can be modified to suit the needs of the consumers. However, these synthetic latex mattresses are not sustainable or safe so it is better to avoid them.
Typically latex mattresses are quite homogenous, meaning that they do not consist of any other materials apart from latex for the most part. These all-latex mattresses do have several layers inside them, such as support layers and comfort layers, but they are all made of the same material.
With that being said, latex hybrid mattresses do exist, and they use other materials aside from latex. These materials may be used either on the outer cover or in between the latex layers.
If it is the former, it is usually to enhance the softness of the mattress since latex isn’t exactly known to be plush. But in the case of the latter, it is mainly done to provide additional support. However, different manufacturers may follow different design principles for such mattresses based on consumer preferences.
The materials commonly used in addition to latex are memory foam or spring coils. Besides, some manufacturers may use materials like cotton or wool as well. The pocket springs are almost exclusively used as an inner layer since it helps provide support.
On the other hand, materials such as foam or wool can be used either as an inner layer or as the outer cover. Subsequently, cotton fabrics are generally used as outer covers since they cannot provide internal cushioning or support, but are breathable enough for this purpose.
Many times, people have asked us about the safety of latex mattresses compared to memory foam or spring coil options. They argue that the manufacturing process of latex foam involves different chemicals which are toxic to the human body.
However, you’ll be glad to know that most latex mattresses are absolutely safe for people. In fact, they might even be safer than plastic memory foam, considering that they are derived from organic plant-based products.
The natural composition of latex mattresses is safe for the environment too. Plastic memory foam is non-biodegradable, which means it is not very sustainable for the environment. To some extent, the same can be said about spring coil mattresses, which are composed of numerous springs made from artificial alloys.
So, if you dump these mattresses after their life span is over, they will pollute the landscape. Natural latex, on the other hand, is fully biodegradable by nature, meaning these mattresses will decompose over time, leaving behind no harmful residues.
The same cannot be said for blended or synthetic latex mattresses, though, since they do have some additional chemicals. Likewise, if you suffer from a latex allergy, purchasing a latex mattress will obviously not be a good idea.
If you are out looking for a good latex mattress, you should look out for some specific features to make the most informed choice. These features have been discussed as follows.
There are two major types of latex mattresses available on the market today - natural and synthetic. All-natural mattresses are made from rubber tree sap and are fairly expensive. If the sap is sourced organically, then the mattress will be organic in nature. These mattresses are the same as natural mattresses in terms of functionality, but due to their sustainability, they are highly preferred by environmentally conscious consumers.
On the contrary, synthetic latex mattresses have added chemical agents which help to enhance the features of the mattress. They are more affordable than all-natural mattresses, but they lack the safety and sustainability of such mattresses.
The firmness of the mattress is another feature to look out for. Firmness is typically measured on a firmness scale, with lower scores indicating a soft mattress and higher scores indicating the opposite.
Softer mattresses hug the curves of your body and provide optimal levels of comfort. Conversely, firmer mattresses provide better support for the body’s pressure points and are generally more durable.
In general, latex is a relatively dense material, which means that most latex mattresses will be medium-firm to firm. You may find softer latex mattresses, but they will have some type of fillers to enhance the softness.
If you are purchasing a latex mattress, you need to make sure that it is breathable. What this essentially means is that the mattress should have the ability to quickly absorb sweat and dissipate excess heat. After all, you would not want to be a hot, sweaty mess while taking a nap, would you?
So, while buying a latex mattress, make sure that the layers have sufficient ventilation to allow the passage of air. Also, check if the mattress surface has an adequately porous surface to absorb the heat and sweat quickly.
Many people prefer memory foam mattresses over latex, thinking that the extra softness is good for relieving pressure and back pain. Contrary to popular belief, latex mattresses have been observed to be better than memory foam mattresses in relieving pressure on your neck, shoulders and hip.
The latex material used in these mattresses can easily conform to the contours of your body, thereby providing the optimal level of support for chronic back and neck pains. What’s more, the material is firm enough not to sink in too much, which offers healthy spinal alignment while sleeping.
You will find the latex mattress useful if you change positions a lot during sleeping. Such people are more prone to suffer from back and neck pains since frequent position changes can affect the alignment of different body parts.
Not only that, but the level of support needed for different sleeping positions also varies. Fortunately, the medium-firm nature of latex mattresses ensures that you get optimal support in any position. Because of this aspect, you can sleep peacefully without the fear of any back pains flaring up the next morning.
Yes, latex mattresses are highly suitable for heavier sleepers. As we have said before, latex is much denser than memory foam, which means the mattresses usually are on the firmer side. This is great for people with a bulkier body since it provides an adequate level of firmness to support their weight.
Furthermore, the material is soft enough not to make it uncomfortable for heavy sleepers. In fact, given the higher body weight of such people, a latex mattress provides the perfect level of softness to contour to their curves without sinking too deep.
In contrast, memory foam mattresses sag quickly when used by heavier people. As such, they may need to be replaced frequently. Such an issue can be avoided if you use a latex mattress.
So, there you have it - our list of the best latex mattresses available for purchase in the UK. For good measure, we have answered some of the common questions asked by consumers looking to purchase such a mattress.
If you still find yourself scratching your heads over which one to buy, then no worries. Thanks to the trial periods that come with each of them, you could always try out the mattresses to see if they meet your requirements. If not, simply request a refund.
Before wrapping up, we’d like to mention our top picks from the list. The Dunlopillo Firmrest mattress is our favourite choice overall, owing to its high levels of comfort, support and breathability.
However, if you find its price a bit steep, you can go with the Naturalex Ergolatex mattress, which is our second-best pick. It provides great comfort and support at a relatively affordable price.
That’s all for today, folks. See you later!
