Are you on a quest for the perfect night’s sleep? The key might be beneath your cosy flannelette or cooling cotton sheets — a mattress plays a pivotal role in the quality of your rest and overall wellbeing.
There’s also nothing worse than coming home after a long day to be greeted by a mattress so old and needing an upgrade that your back hurts just by looking at it. Dramatic, we know.
When choosing a new mattress, not all are created equal. From finding the perfect level of firmness to deciding between memory foam or pocket springs, there’s much to consider. And if you’re sharing a bed with a partner, we recommend purchasing a mattress that caters to both your sleep preferences.
To help you find the best mattress to invest in, we break down what to look for, as well as our top picks of the best mattresses to shop in New Zealand — all with affordability, durability, and comfort at the top of mind.
2024’s top 3 mattresses
- Ecosa Mattress, from $675 (usually $900) at Ecosa
- Emma Diamond Hybrid Mattress, from $1,099 (usually $1,570) at Emma Sleep
- Freedom Nimbus Mattress, $749 (usually $1,078) at Freedom
Our guide to the best mattresses NZ
1. Ecosa Mattress
Best for: Those desiring back and spine support and adjustable firmness
From $675 (usually $900) at Ecosa
With thousands of rave reviews, this memory foam mattress boasts three levels of adjustable firmness; medium, medium-firm and firm. This means that as your comfort preferences change, your mattress can change with you, saving you on yet another upgrade.
The ergonomic mattress is also designed to aid your spine’s alignment and ensure your back is supported throughout the night, while ensuring no partner disturbance. You’ll wake up each morning feeling refreshed!
Plus, if you love the occasional breakfast in bed, the mattress comes with a dust-mite-free, waterproof and zip-off washable cover so you can indulge without a worry.
Key features:
- Size options: Single, long single, king single, double, queen, king, super king, California king
- Adjustable firmness: medium, medium-firm and firm
- Ergonomic support and spinal alignment
- Waterproof and dust mite-free cover for reduced allergy risk
- Easy to zip off washable cover
- Low partner disturbance design
- 100-night trial period
- 15-Year Limited Warranty
- Free metro delivery
2. Emma Diamond Hybrid Mattress
Best for: Hot sleepers after a cooling, deep slumber
From $1,099 (usually $1,570) at Emma Sleep
Emma Sleep’s award-winning mattress boasts cooling and heat dissipation technology to ensure you’re never too hot or cold, meaning you’ll sleep deeper all year round.
Designed by sleep experts, the hybrid memory foam and spring mattress features seven-zone dynamic support to relieve back pain and provide ultimate comfort.
Adapting to all body types, with its 120-night trial, you can test it out to ensure the mattress works for you.
Key Features:
- Size options: Single, king single, double, queen, king, super king
- Medium-firm mattress
- Innovative foam and spring hybrid mattress
- Advanced cooling technology
- 7 zone dynamic support to relieve back pain
- Machine washable cover
- 120-night trial period
- Free delivery
3. Freedom Nimbus Mattress
Best for: Light sleepers needing a luxurious, supportive solution to partner (or pet) disturbance
From $749 (usually $1,078) at Freedom
Freedom’s Nimbus Mattress is designed with individualised comfort in mind — choose from firm, medium or plush levels of support. Its premium, high-density foam contours to your body, providing superior back and spine support while reducing pressure after a hard day’s work.
Notably, the mattress features a three-zone pocket spring design to reduce movement, so you won’t be disturbed by your restless partner or pets jumping on and off the bed throughout the night.
If you’re prone to sleeping on the edge of the bed, the mattress includes a foam box edge, increasing the sleep surface. Therefore, you won’t feel like you’re about to roll off, disrupting your precious relaxation time.
The Nimbus Mattress also features a highly breathable and soft-to-touch wool blend quilt foam top. It’s anti-microbial treated, ensuring a healthier sleep free from mould, mildew, bacteria and dust mites.
Key features:
- Sizes: Single, king single, long single, double, queen, NZ super king, NZ California king, NZ king
- Choose between firm, medium or plush levels of support
- Three-zone pocket spring system designed to reduce partner disturbance
- Anti-microbial, breathable quilted fabric top to prevent mould, mildew, bacteria and dust mites
- Designed and made in Australia
- 10-year warranty
- Delivery available
4. Align Firm Mattress
Best for: Sleepers requiring extra-firm support to alleviate back pain
From $656.25 (usually $875) at Ecosa
Are you after a solid foundation that relieves pressure and alleviates back pain? This extra-firm mattress from Ecosa is just the respite for you.
The hybrid mattress is made from high-density foam and pocket springs for robust support, ensuring you won’t experience that dreaded sinking feeling.
Its durable design also features firmer springs at the mattress edge, meaning the edge doesn’t sag, so you won’t roll off and can easily leap out of bed.
If you’re after an eco-friendly mattress, you’ll be pleased to know that the Align Firm model is certifiably free from harmful substances. Even better, it’s made from biodegradable latex, regenerated Tencel fibres and recycled polyester (from recycled plastic bottles).
Key features:
- Sizes: Single, king single, double, queen, king, super king
- Extra-firm mattress
- Hybrid mattress, made from a combination of high-gauge pocket springs and high-density latex foam
- Breathable and moisture-wicking cover
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, ensuring the mattress is free from harmful substances
- Made from eco-friendly materials
- 100-night trial period
- 15-Year Limited Warranty
- Free metro delivery
5. Emma Original Mattress
Best for: Those after an affordable yet long-lasting mattress
From $499 at Emma Sleep
Looking for a quality mattress on a budget? The Emma Original Mattress is durable, supportive, and won’t break the bank.
It’s engineered to isolate motion to minimise disturbance and distribute your body weight evenly to relieve pressure for all sleeping positions, so it’s perfect for tossers and turners or light sleepers who crave a deeper sleep.
The breathable mattress also boasts cutting-edge technology to regulate your temperature and ensure you won’t wake up in a hot sweat.
Designed to last, the mattress’s bottom layer is firm and prevents sagging, so it’s a highly affordable long-term investment.
Conveniently delivered as a mattress-in-a-box, the mattress only takes a few hours to expand, so it’ll be ready to sleep on in no time.
Key Features:
- Size options: Single, king single, double, queen, super king
- Medium firmness
- Constructed from breathable, supportive, pressure-relieving foam
- 7-zone dynamic support to relieve back pain
- OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, ensuring the mattress is free from harmful substances
- 120-night trial period
- Free delivery
6. Posture Elite Plush Mattress
Best for: Side sleepers desiring back, shoulder and knee relief
From $878 at Jory Henley
Made in New Zealand, the Posture Elite Plush Mattress is designed with your wellbeing in mind. Suitable for any body weight, it relieves pressure in the shoulders and knees while offering extra support for your lower back, aiding oxygen intake and improving blood circulation.
The hybrid mattress features luxurious layers of soft, high-density foam and pocket springs that mould your body while minimising partner disturbance, so it’s ideal for tossers and turners needing a revitalising slumber.
Offering a plush level of firmness, you can also opt for medium or firm models. Remember to add on the Maxell Bed Base, which can be made with or without drawers, depending on your storage needs.
Key Features:
- Size options: Queen, king, super king
- Plush firmness level
- 5 zoned individual pocket springs
- Anti-fungal, anti-dust mite foam and hypoallergenic
- Caters to all sleep positions, including side sleepers
- Suitable for all weights
- Minimum partner disturbance
What are the different types of mattresses?
Innerspring or pocket spring mattress
Innerspring mattresses are generally made up of three layers, the middle layer is where the spring coils live. The coils are then surrounded by ‘support layers’: a plush topper and a foam base.
Memory foam or foam mattress
There are three main types of memory foam – traditional, open cell and gel memory foam. All three work in a similar way where they mould to the contours of your body for a more personalised support. However, if you tend to run hot when you sleep, we’d recommend opting for an open cell or a gel-infused memory foam mattress as traditional memory foam tends to trap more heat in.
Hybrid mattress
The best of both worlds. A hybrid mattress has a cloud-like foam layer at the top with pocket springs in the middle for ultimate support.
Mattress in a box
If you’re in the midst of moving, opting for a mattress-in-a-box option may be worthwhile. Generally, boxed mattresses are memory foam mattresses, but some hybrid mattresses are also able to be packaged neatly for your convenience.
Which type of mattresses are best?
Choosing the best mattress depends on numerous factors, including your preferred level of support (from soft to firm), and whether you’re a back, side, or stomach sleeper.
Side sleepers
If you sleep on your side, it’s recommended to opt for memory foam or foam mattresses in general. This is because traditional, gel-infused, and open cell memory foam mattresses reacts to your body heat and pressure and moulds to the contours of your body ensuring a more comfortable and ergonomic sleep.
Back sleepers
If you sleep on your back, you may find innerspring mattresses offer a bit more support. Although, there are foam mattresses that also work well for back sleepers, it is high-quality innerspring mattresses that offer better back support.
Stomach sleepers
Similar to side sleepers, stomach sleepers need pressure relief at various parts of your body. Stomach sleepers may prefer foam mattresses or hybrid mattresses for a good night’s sleep.
Which mattress brand is best?
Again, choosing the best mattresses depends on your preference, budget and sleep needs. Brands like Emma Sleep and Ecosa offer trials so you can test the best mattress type and varying firmness levels for you.
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