Emma Performance 28 Mattress Review
The middle of Emma's Performance range and the one I would take if buying from it. Twenty-eight centimetres is the depth most adult sleepers actually engage.
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Verdict
The middle of Emma's Performance range at 28 centimetres, and the one I would take if buying from this range. Two more centimetres than the 26 and two fewer than the 30, which puts it at the depth most adult sleepers actually engage.
Buy it if
You want the Performance range at the depth that suits the widest range of builds.
Avoid it if
You are under about eleven stone, where the 26 is sufficient, or over sixteen, where the 30 makes more sense.
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| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Hybrid |
| Depth | 28cm |
| What the number means | Depth in centimetres, not spring count |
| Position | Middle of the Performance range |
| Bedding note | Needs deep fitted sheets, not standard UK ones |
The scores
The sensible depth in a sensibly named range.
Competitive within Emma, beaten outside it by Origin and Otty.
Twenty-eight centimetres suits the widest range of adult builds.
A spring layer at this depth handles heat properly.
Better than the 26. Nothing specifically reinforced.
Pocketed springs with a substantial comfort layer.
200 nights and Emma's returns operation.
What the number means
The numbers are centimetres
Emma's Performance range is numbered by depth: the 26, 28 and 30 are 26, 28 and 30 centimetres deep. They are not spring counts.
That is unusually honest naming for this category, and it is also the whole decision, because on a hybrid extra depth generally means more or taller spring. Check what the extra depth is made of before paying for it.
Buy deep fitted sheets on the same day
This is the practical consequence of a 28 centimetre mattress and almost nobody mentions it at the point of sale.
Standard UK fitted sheets are cut for around 25 centimetres. At 28, a standard sheet will pull off the corners, most often in the middle of the night, and it will keep doing it for the life of the mattress.
Deep fitted sheets cost very little and are widely available. Dunelm carries them in a range of depths at low prices. Buy them with the mattress rather than discovering the problem on the first night.
The same applies to any mattress at 28 centimetres or more, which now covers most hybrids worth buying.
Why 28 is the right choice in this range
Since the numbers are depths, the choice between the three is a choice about how far you compress into a mattress, which is a function of your weight.
| Build | Depth that makes sense |
|---|---|
| Under 11 stone | 26cm. You will not reach the lower layers of a deeper one. |
| 11 to 16 stone | 28cm. The widest useful range. |
| Over 16 stone | 30cm, and check the spring specification as well. |
Most adults sit in the middle band, which is why the 28 is the default answer here rather than a compromise between two better options.
A correction worth making
Commonly repeated, and wrong
Deeper mattresses are marketed as more supportive, and support depends on whether you compress far enough to engage the lower layers. That is determined by body weight. A sleeper under about eleven stone never reaches the bottom third of a 30 centimetre mattress, so paying for that depth buys material they will never use. Depth should be matched to build rather than treated as an upgrade path.
Should you buy it?
Yes, and it is the Performance model I would take. Twenty-eight centimetres suits most adult builds and the naming makes the comparison honest.
Order deep fitted sheets at the same time. And see the Emma range review, because Origin and Otty both give you more spring at this money.
Questions people ask
Which Emma Performance depth should I choose?
Under eleven stone, the 26, because you will not reach the lower layers of a deeper one. Eleven to sixteen stone, the 28, which is the widest useful range. Over sixteen stone, the 30, and check the spring specification too.
Do I need deep fitted sheets for a 28cm mattress?
Yes. Standard UK fitted sheets are cut for around 25 centimetres, so at 28 a standard sheet will pull off the corners and keep doing it for the life of the mattress. Buy deep sheets with the mattress rather than discovering it on the first night.