Buying a mattress? John Lewis's mattress expert on how to get it right first time

Here's how to be a savvy shopper when buying a mattress: read the advice you need from the people in the know – John Lewis's mattress expert

Buying a mattress - John Lewis expert advice
(Image credit: John Lewis)

John Lewis is one of our favourite stores to go for buying a mattress (and other investment purchases). We love the huge range on offer there, but we also trust the expertise of the partners (as the JL staff are called). When you shop at John Lewis, whether it’s online or in store, you know you’re going to get great advice on what you want to buy, so you can make the right choices.

We thought we’d tap into this know-how to help you shop. We’re going to be covering a range of essential buys for the home and delivering tips on choosing straight from the experts. 

In a heatwave, where better to start than with mattresses? Getting in a good night’s kip can be tricky when the temperature doesn’t go down at night, so a mattress that helps you sleep comfortably now but also for years to come through both summer and winter is vital.

Check out the best mattress 2020 in our guide, plus more buying tips, too, and scroll down for mattress savvy from a specialist – plus today's top deals.

Mattress buying advice from John Lewis

John Lewis mattress

(Image credit: John Lewis)

Natasha Hedges Assistant Buyer, Mattresses, John Lewis, offers this essential advice:

1. Choose a mattress for your sleep position

'Everyone sleeps in different positions so for front sleepers, you’ll usually need a mattress with more support, meaning fewer gaps between your body and the mattress, with the aim of maintaining a neutral position in your spine and neck.

'Side sleepers will want a mattress which is slightly softer to allow your hips and shoulders to sink into the mattress.'

2. Can't sleep because of the heat?

'Feeling the heat at night? Natural fillings that are breathable enable you to keep your cool. They are also durable and highly absorbent, helping your sleep environment stay fresh-feeling and hygienic, and British wool is especially soft, springy and anti-bacterial.'

3. How do you want your sleep surface to feel?

'If you prefer the feeling of weightlessness foam provides, we recommend a hybrid mattress, which gives you the feel of foam while also supporting you with pocket springs.'

4. Buying a mattress on a budget?

'If you’re on a smaller budget, buying for a new home or spare room, we’d recommend a pocket spring mattress. The springs work independently to respond to individual body weight and shape, so they’re very hard wearing giving you great value for your spend.'

Today's best mattress deals at John Lewis

John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Leckford Linen 3400 | £750 for double

John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Leckford Linen 3400 | £750 for double

Looking for a mattress with a firmer feel? Sleep on your front? This mattress has 3,400 springs for great support as you slumber. It’s manufactured in Yorkshire by Harrison Spinks, so you’ll be supporting UK makers if you opt for this mattress. 

John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Wensleydale Wool 13400 | £1,699 for double

John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Wensleydale Wool 13400 | £1,699 for double

Side sleepers this one’s for you, promising cloud-like comfort with gentle support. How appealing is that right now! And when it eventually comes to the end of its life, this mattress is 100 per cent recyclable because the individually pocketed springs are sealed with heat rather than glue. 

John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Fleece Wool 8400 | £1,199 for double

John Lewis & Partners Natural Collection Fleece Wool 8400 | £1,199 for double

If you’re having trouble keeping cool at night, check out this mattress, which is upholstered with layers of insulating wool and breathable hemp and cotton to maintain a natural airflow throughout the night. Bliss.

John Lewis & Partners Climate Collection Copper 1200 | £799 for double

John Lewis & Partners Climate Collection Copper 1200 | £799 for double

Here’s another alternative for cooler summer nights. Materials made with patented phase-change crystals and infused with copper beads store and release the heat produced by your body to regulate temperature. The hybrid design contains pocket springs as well as memory foam for comfort.

John Lewis & Partners Classic Collection Comfort Support 800 Pocket Spring Mattress | £299 for double

John Lewis & Partners Classic Collection Comfort Support 800 Pocket Spring Mattress | £299 for double

At just £299, this mattress is a great value buy. It has 800 pocket springs to support your body all night long. Another plus point? It is naturally fire retardant which means it has no additional chemicals.

TOPICS
Sarah Warwick
Freelance Editor

Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes – long enough to see fridges become smart, decorating fashions embrace both minimalism and maximalism, and interiors that blur the indoor/outdoor link become a must-have. She loves testing the latest home appliances, revealing the trends in furnishings and fittings for every room, and investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper. For Realhomes.com, Sarah reviews coffee machines and vacuum cleaners, taking them through their paces at home to give us an honest, real life review and comparison of every model.