Mattress Reviews
Every mattress protector I have reviewed. This is the cheapest insurance in bedding and the one upsell I think is genuinely in the buyer's interest.
Verdict
Every mattress protector I have reviewed. This is the cheapest insurance in bedding and the one upsell I think is genuinely in the buyer's interest.
Who this page is for
You have bought a mattress. That is the entire qualifying criterion.
Who it is not for
Nobody. If you dislike a particular one, buy a different breathable protector, and buy one.
Other review categories: all reviews · pillows · toppers · protectors · duvets and blankets · bedding · bed frames · retailers
How I score a protector
A protector is scored on waterproofing, breathability, depth fit, washability, value and terms. Support, temperature, edge support and motion isolation are mattress criteria and are not properties of a protector at all.
Waterproofing is the job. Breathability is the thing that goes wrong. Depth fit is why people are unhappy with one that otherwise works.
What actually voids a mattress guarantee
| Exclusion | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Stains | Usually absolute, regardless of how the stain got there. A protector removes this entirely. |
| Inadequate base | Slats more than about 7.5cm apart. Voids the claim and causes the sagging. |
| Not turning or rotating | Where the manufacturer specifies it, particularly on natural fillings. |
| Removing the law label | The tag sewn to the mattress. Its removal is a common exclusion. |
| Impressions under a threshold | Most only cover a dip beyond about 25 to 35mm. |
Two are actionable today for nothing: measure your slat gaps, because a frame bought separately years ago is the most common hidden exclusion, and leave the label on.
A protector also protects your trial. Trial terms typically require the mattress to be in a condition fit for collection, so the longer the trial, the more valuable the protector.
Protector, encasement or pad
| Type | Covers | Solves |
|---|---|---|
| Fitted protector | Top and sides | Spills and stains. The right default. |
| Full encasement | The entire mattress, zipped | Allergens and pests, which need the underside sealed. |
| Quilted pad | Top only, often not waterproof | A slightly softer surface. Frequently mistaken for protection. |
Dust mites live throughout a mattress rather than on its surface, so a fitted protector bought for allergy reasons is the commonest mismatch in the category.
Three checks, then how to look after it
Waterproof, not water resistant. The words are used loosely and the difference is real.
Breathable. Cheap waterproof protectors are essentially plastic sheets. Over a deep spring layer they seal off the airflow that was doing the cooling, which is the most common reason someone buys a hybrid for temperature and cannot work out why it sleeps warm.
Deep enough skirt. One cut for 25 centimetres will not stay on a 31 centimetre mattress.
Then: fit it before the first night, own two so the mattress is never bare on wash day, and wash cool and dry low every one to two months. Heat damages the waterproof membrane, and a protector that has been through a hot tumble dryer several times is often no longer waterproof without announcing it.
Every one reviewed, scored
| Product | Score |
|---|---|
| Ergoflex LIFE Protector | 7.8 / 10 |
| Emma Mattress Protector | 7.6 / 10 |
| Nectar Mattress Protector | 7.6 / 10 |
| Origin Extend Mattress Protector | 7.6 / 10 |
| Eve Mattress Protector | 7.5 / 10 |
| Mlily Cool Protect Mattress Protector | 7.5 / 10 |
| Panda Bamboo Mattress Protector | 7.5 / 10 |
| Simba Mattress Protector | 7.5 / 10 |