If you've been tossing and turning due to a tired mattress, you should consider the OTTY Memory Foam topper. Lots of us might not have the budget for a brand new mattress right now, understandably, and this topper adds a luxurious layer to your sleep setup for a smaller price. It also provides support (and lots of points when it comes to comfort) for side sleepers and back sleepers. Why? One of the best mattress toppers will add depth to your current mattress, as well as comfort and essentially: it can completely transform your sleep routine.
I tested this mattress topper on top of two different mattresses, one of which was a hybrid mattress and the other a pocket sprung base. As a side sleeper, I slept comfortably on this topper beside my husband-to-be, who is also a side sleeper but sometimes rolls onto his back which is handy for my testing purposes. It's the perfect balance of firmess, and I found it to be a real happy medium. Not to mention, its breathable construction of charcoal and bamboo-infused memory foam makes it a great cooling option come summer.
Should you still be in the market for a new mattress, then you can see our best mattress buying guide for 12 tried, tested, and approved recommendations (including picks from Otty) from the Real Homes team. Otherwise, scroll on for our in-depth verdict of this luxurious topper.
OTTY Bamboo Mattress Topper specifications
- Firmness: Medium
- Depth: 5cm
- Type: Memory foam
- Construction materials: Bamboo memory foam, quilted cover
- Sizes: Single, Double, King, Super King (UK sizes)
- Trial: 14 days
- Washing instructions: Dry clean only
- RRP: £149.99
- Guarantee: 1 year
Who will it suit?
This mattress topper would suit a side or back sleeper the most, specifically someone who loves the feel of memory foam. It's super thick at 5cm deep, which means it offers the support needed for these sleep positions. Do note, I rolled onto my front a few times whilst testing this mattress topper, to see how it felt. It's safe to say that I woke the next morning with back pain I wouldn't wish on an enemy.
If your current mattress is a tad tired, looking worse for wear or maybe it has recently become uncomfortable for your sleeping position, then this topper is a great budget-friendly alternative. Unless your mattress is more than eight years old, or if it has visible defects (springs poking out, for example) then you can fix an uncomfortable mattress with a topper like this one, with total ease.
Alternatively, if you are trying to be more sustainable then this topper is made with bamboo, an ever-growing material, and it is infused with charcoal. Let's not forget, too, that it's a much better alternative when it comes to being planet-friendly than getting rid of your entire mattress. This way, you can make use of your current mattress and still sleep comfortably.
Moreover, if you are struggling with a mattress that's not very deep, meaning you are sleeping closer to your floor than you would perhaps like, then this topper will add 5cm to your setup.
Unboxing the OTTY Mattress Topper
I tested the whole range of OTTY bedding, from the mattress to the topper and the bedsheets. This topper arrived rolled, inside a box. It was easy to carry from my doorstep to my bedroom and much like a mattress in a box, you need to open it and allow airflow, so that it can grow to its full size and comfort potential. It takes around two hours until it's ready to sleep, however, bear in mind that it will still 'inflate' for the next 24–48 hours.
We found that this topper, once opened and placed on our bed, initially was quite saggy. We trusted the process, however, and now it looks better than ever with zero sags, after sleeping on it for months. We also noted that initially, we found it heavy which for us was a sign of good quality. It was by no stretch flimsy and it feels like it's worth the money.
OTTY Mattress Topper sagging after first opening
Packaging is recyclable, for peace of mind that your new mattress topper isn't a hindrance on the environment.
What is the OTTY Mattress Topper like to sleep on
The OTTY Mattress Topper is rated, by OTTY, as a 5.5 on their firmness scale with one being soft and 10 being firm. Overall, we agree that it's a happy medium, but it definitely feels different depending on the type of mattress you pair it with. It feels more firm for us on top of our hybrid mattress, whereas it felt very soft atop a pocket sprung offering.
It has, for sure, made our OTTY Pure Plus Mattress feel a tad more firm, which is perfect for me as the firmer the better when it comes to a mattress. On the other hand, I tested this topper on our pocket-sprung mattress on an uncomfortable sofa bed in our spare bedroom. When I say that this topper revolutionised this bed, I truly mean it. We had guests of all shapes and sizes comment on how comfortable they found this bed after adding the topper to the mix. It is a good alternative to buying a new sofa bed.
We also tested it on our bed frame, with the same pocket sprung mattress and although it for sure made it more comfortable, it did feel a lot softer.
Because of this, it makes sense for OTTY to offer a 14-day trial. This means that you can try this topper paired with your own mattress, and if you don't like it you can return it within the first two weeks.
We've never had any issues with the motion transfer of this mattress topper. In fact, my husband-to-be usually wakes earlier than me and as a light sleeper, I rarely feel disrupted by him getting out of bed. We did perform our motion isolation test, however, and noted that our paper towel was soaking, and the cup spilt several times. But as I said, we've never noticed the motion transfer being a huge disturbance to us.
* Motion isolation test: Balance a cup of water with a paper towel secured on top of the bed, sit on the bed and roll once, and make note of how much water soaks the paper towel.
Construction and design
This mattress topper is made from memory foam which is infused with charcoal and bamboo. It is wrapped in a quilted cover for your comfort. It has an anti-slip base to keep it securely on your bed, all night long. This rids the need for straps, though bear this in mind when it comes to storing this topper as it doesn't have anything to hold it in place once rolled.
Let's not forget that the materials of this mattress make it hypoallergenic, as well as breathable. Hence why we added it to our best cooling mattress toppers guide. It's also moisture-wicking, and even in the 40°C heatwave in the UK in July 2022 it was never too hot to sleep on top. We kept it on our bed the entire way through the hot weather, and out the other side. Do bear in mind that memory foam reacts to heat. So when it's hot, it will naturally soften. When it's cool it will firm up.
When it comes to cleaning this topper is, unfortunately, dry clean only with no washable cover or zip in sight. Though frustrating, it does have charcoal infused within its layers, and it's hypoallergenic so realistically you shouldn't have to wash it that frequently. It should be similar to a mattress when it comes to washing.
Moreover, our pug sometimes sleeps on our bed and in the warmer weather, we will notice the smell of his fur. Thanks to the odour-eliminating properties of this topper from the charcoal, we've never thought that it smells even for one second. That's not to say we've not cleaned it, because we have gone over it with our handheld vacuum a few times, of course.
We've not had any spillages of any sort, so not had to deal with a spot clean yet, but we'll be sure to update this review after I (inevitably) spill a drink on the topper.
We've got plenty of advice when it comes to how to clean your mattress.
Ordering, delivery and guarantee
I had this ordered for me and sent to me, but I will say that delivery was communicated very well, and everything arrived together. Delivery was surprisingly speedy, especially since it was a big order. When it comes to a guarantee, you get one year for peace of mind.
Is the OTTY Mattress Topper worth it?
Yes. I love this topper and I'm not sure I ever want to take it off our bed. The same verdict comes from my fiance, too. We spent quite a long time just sleeping on the OTTY mattress on its own, in order to review it fairly. But really these two go together like a fine wine and an aged cheese.
We both regret not putting it onto our bed sooner, and the only thing we dislike about is that it adds a considerable amount of depth to our mattress (an extra 5cm). Because we have a decorative bed frame with a fancy headboard, the annoying thing is that this stops part of the headboard from being visible when the likes of a duvet and pillows and cushions are on the bed, too. But other than this purely aesthetic complaint, we love it completely.
At first, I initially worried about the fact this topper doesn't have straps but in reality: they're just an extra step when it comes to making your bed, and they are quite unnecessary. Especially where this topper is concerned. It sticks to our mattress well and has never moved, even though I am the queen of fidgeting in the night, much to my fiance's dismay.
When considering RRP, I do think it's a cheap price to pay for how luxurious this topper is. And how it can rid the need to replace an entire mattress. It's definitely an investment, but it'll be something that you use for years to come, and it's so versatile that you can move it from your master bedroom to your guest bedroom and even use it on a sofa bed as we did. Moreover, although it doesn't come with a strap, it is also ideal for taking camping, or to any other place where the bed might not be quite to your liking (if you are travelling by car of course). It also works as an impressively comfortable base when sleeping on the floor as my nephews so kindly tested for me. See: versatile!
About this review, and the reviewer
OTTY Mattress Topper on Annie's bed
Annie is our Deputy Ecommerce Editor at Real Homes, and she has been reviewing everything from BBQs to reed diffusers, mattresses and more for us since 2018. Annie lives in a two-bedroom flat in South East London with her fiance, her pug Doug and her house rabbit, Henry. Annie has reviewed two mattresses for us, and has reviewed enough pillows, bedding and mattress protectors to last a lifetime.
She received this mattress topper to test for us back in 2021 and since then has been using it in her spare bedroom, where it has been sporadically used by guests. She made the decision to move it into her bedroom permanently around June 2022, and she has never looked back. As for her husband-to-be, he will sleep on a rock if it has a memory foam pillow on top. But, in all seriousness, he noticed the difference with and without this mattress topper and also thinks it's an incredible addition to a bedroom setup.
As a previous front sleeper, Annie made the decision to become a side sleeper (literally) overnight. She found it difficult at first, to find a mattress that suits this new sleeping position whilst not knowing how much support is required from a mattress for side sleepers. However, with the combination of the OTTY Pure Plus mattress and this OTTY Mattress Topper she truly feels she has hit the jackpot.
When it comes to Annie's sleep routine, she is very much a hit-and-miss sleeper. Some nights she will get a delightful nine hours, and others her body will only let her get four hours kip at most. This had nothing to do with the comfort of her bed, but more so possibly her caffeine intake and other factors. It's safe to say that she's never thought, sleeping on this topper, that the issue she has been lying awake for hours is because she is uncomfortable. If anything, having this topper on her bed makes it even harder to crawl out of bed in the morning.
For more information about our review process, you can visit our how we test page.
Annie is allowed to keep this mattress topper and will update this review to reflect her opinions in a few months' time.