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Tom's Guide
08-05-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
I've been sleeping on the Emma Hybrid Airgrid mattress for a week — here's why I think it's a great allrounder at an excellent price
Emma is one of the most recognisable mattress brands in the UK and is popular for crafting comfy, affordable beds for all sleeping styles. The Emma Hybrid Airgrid (previously called the Emma Elite), features Emma's signature Airgrid technology to deliver a cushioning and bouncy feel. It provides excellent pressure relief for sleeping on your side, which is why it features in our guide to the best mattress for side sleepers. Since it's name change, the Emma Hybrid Airgrid is around 50% cheaper, with the RRP of a UK double currently being £1,008 (was £2,049). Type: HybridMaterials: Memory foam, pocket springs, AirGrid technology and other foamsBrand-rated firmness (1-10): 8 (medium-soft)Height: 27 cmTrial period: 200 nightsWarranty: 10 yearsRRP: from £679 at Emma The 27cm tall, seven-layered mattress includes pressure-relieving foams that cradle your body for that deep cushioning feeling; a layer of 'Infinity' springs for spinal support. This is topped with the Airgrid layer: a top comfort layer made from a matrix of stretchy and responsive gel material. We had the chance to test the Emma Hybrid Airgrid after its rebranding and analyse its performance again. Our full review will follow after a three week testing period, but here are my initial thoughts after sleeping on the Emma Hybrid Airgrid for a week… Before its name change, the the Emma Hybrid Airgrid previously came at a premium price (the RRP of a UK single being £1,389.) While this has reduced considerably, the Airgrid remains Emma's top-of-the-line model overall. Below are the prices for the Emma Hybrid Airgrid as of May 2025: The mattress comes with a free bedding bundle worth up to £337 which includes cloud pillows, a mattress protector and a cloud duvet. The addition of these sleep essentials makes it even better value at this price. If you're hoping to buy an Emma mattress at the best possible price, we'd recommend waiting for major sale events such as Black Friday or Boxing Day when we typically see prices drop by up to 20%. It's always worth bookmarking our Emma mattress sales for flash sales and discounts. The Emma Hybrid Airgrid comes with a 10-year guarantee, 200-night stress-free sleep trial and free delivery and returns. This is standard for a brand like Emma but it can't be deemed the best in the market, compared with Nectar and Dreamcloud which offer a 365-night trial with a lifetime warranty. Emma Hybrid Airgrid Mattress: from £679 at EmmaSince its name change, Emma's most expensive model has now reduced in price by up to 50%. The premium mattress now retails at £679 for a UK single while a double is priced at £1,008. It also comes with a 200-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty. Emma offers free no-contact delivery within 3-7 working days. We received timely updates from the representative which made it easier to keep track of the delivery process. My UK double size Emma Hybrid Airgrid mattress arrived on my doorstep all packed and rolled up in a box. While I didn't expect a hybrid bed to be lightweight, I struggled to move the Emma (weighing 36.2kg) even an inch, let alone carry it upstairs to my room on my own. It seemed an impossible task and I had to seek help from my housemate. I definitely think this is a two-person job and hence would recommend getting help, especially if you have ordered a bigger Airgrid. Once in my room, I was able to drag it and place it on my bed foundation. Most boxed mattresses do not come with any particular instruction but unboxing the Airgrid was fairly easy. The expansion was quick and appeared ready to be slept on, even though the brand recommends giving it a full 24 hours. One concern I had at this stage was the potent off-gassing — the odour the mattress gives off while expanding. This was really strong, so much so that I had to crack open the window. So if you're not a fan of the smell, it might be wise to opt for our top mattress in the guide instead, the Simba Hybrid Ultra. Height: 5' 4 1/2"Weight: 141 lbsSleep style: Combi (side/back)Sleep issues: Occasional lower back painShare a bed: No The Emma Hybrid Airgrid is a bouncier and more plush mattress than the usual store-bought ones that I'm used to. This meant that I instantly loved it for side sleeping. Also, there wasn't any break-in time required to experience the full cushioning benefits of the Airgrid. Emma previously rated the mattress to be a 7.5 out of 10 for firmness (10 being the softest on Emma's scale) but has updated this to 8 after the rebranding, and we agree. Like a softer feel to your bed? The Emma Airgrid might be your pick with the soft, moisture wicking and easily removable and washable UltraDry top cover being a great add-on. The Airgrid technology is also designed to maintain a neutral temperature which I think delivered right on the first night. After over a week of sleeping on the Emma Hybrid Airgrid, I think it's a great mattress overall, which largely lives up to its claims. Comparing with my notes from the first night that I slept on the mattress, I still think it's perfect for side sleeping. This is because of the five foam layers that are designed to provide adaptive comfort, support and cradling pressure relief. Being a combination sleeper, I've found that the mattress also delivers a "floating" weightless sensation, especially when I'm changing positions during the night, thanks to the bouncy yet supportive Airgrid technology. While I loved it for side sleeping, I don't think the Airgrid lives up to the expectations of providing enough lumbar support (lower-back) to soothe aches or pains. Particularly on nights that I struggled with back pain, I felt my hips sinking in, which indicated that the low density and SupportBase foams weren't enough to achieve the right firmness to address this concern. The Airgrid does not retain heat like a normal memory foam bed but that doesn't mean it's cooling, either. Due to my faulty heat settings, I did wake up once or twice during these few weeks while sleeping on the Emma Hybrid Airgrid. However, this wasn't an issue at all once I popped on a cooling mattress protector, which frankly gave me the perfect night's sleep. The edge support, on the other hand, is average. I could feel that the edges weren't sturdy enough, but at no point did I slide off while trying to pick up a bottle of water kept on the side. After sleeping on it for a couple of weeks, I am indeed convinced that the Emma Airgrid is a great choice for those who love a soft, cushioning bed. It conforms to your body and cradles your form, working particularly well for side-sleeping. This hybrid mattress provides a neutral temperature and also features a moisture-wicking soft top cover, which could potentially prevent any night sweats or discomfort. However, hot sleepers might need something that offers better breathability and cooling, such as the Panda Hybrid Mattress Pro. While we do not recommend it for those who struggle with back pain, the Emma Hybrid Airgrid mattress itself will not cause aches or pains, thanks to the combination of comfy foams and supportive springs. We'll be further analysing the performance of the Airgrid mattress, using our standardised in-house testing measures to gauge factors such as pressure relief and motion transfer, in the coming weeks. So stay tuned for the full review. From what I've experienced so far, though, if you're back or side sleeper looking for a great all-rounder bed with a premium construction, the Emma Hybrid Airgrid mattress might just be what you need.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Health
- Forbes
The 7 Best Mattresses For Back Sleepers That Promote Spinal Alignment
Sleeping on your back is one of the most recommended positions (unless you're prone to snoring), as it promotes proper spinal alignment, helps prevent skin imperfections and reduces sinus congestion. But if you have the wrong mattress—one that isn't firm or supportive enough—your spine can sink into the bed's foam layers, causing you to wake up with aches and pains. The best mattresses for back sleepers land around medium-firm on the firmness spectrum, help you maintain a neutral alignment and generally come with a few extra features as well. Our top choice is the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid, a model with three firmness levels to choose from, cooling properties and a cushy pillow top designed to cradle your curves. The Leesa Sapira Chill Mattress is one of the best mattresses for back sleepers among other ... More top-rated brands like Saatva and Nectar. Because not every mattress is one-size-fits-all, however, we also have recommendations for a handful of other beds that are ideal when lying supine. Whether you prefer a memory foam bed or you're looking for a particularly supportive pick for back pain, our editors have you covered. Our team has tested over 150 different models from the industry's top brands, including many of the beds listed below. Leesa Type: Hybrid | Trial: 100 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Cooling cover, multiple firmness choices and a zoned support layer Best for: Skip if: The Leesa Sapira Chill is one of the more premium options among Leesa's expansive category of quality mattresses. Leesa's signature foam is known for its neutral and accommodating feel; it's more bouncy and responsive than traditional, slow-responding memory foam. The Leesa Sapira Chill offers a generally comfortable feel, with extra perks like a cover woven with cooling fibers that help draw heat away from your body and a zoned coil layer near the base of the mattress. And it's more dense under your lumbar region for added support and less so under your shoulders and hips for more give. Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman tested the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid for over 30 nights and praises its comfort for back sleepers. As a side and back combination sleeper, she says, 'The foams contour my lumbar region while the bed offers spinal support—in other words, my hips don't dip too low or stay too high on the mattress while sleeping on my back.' Our team also had seven testers try the Leesa Sapira Chill Hybrid in medium-firm against 28 other mattresses and they rated it an average of 9 out of 10 for back sleeping. One tester says, 'It's one of my favorites for back sleeping comfort. It has the right amount of soft and plush but stable support.' We recommend the medium-firm option for most back sleepers, but the firm option is ideal for those around or over 250 pounds. Dreamcloud Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Pressure-relieving gel memory foam, edge support, premium cashmere blend cover Best for: Skip if: The DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress is the epitome of a great deal, as the bed is made in the brand's own USA-based factory using quality materials, but it has the lowest price tag of any model in our best mattress for back sleepers roundup. Back sleepers can appreciate its medium-firm profile that offers proper spinal support with ample pressure relief. Inside the mattress sits multiple layers of gel-infused memory foam, which is meant to sleep more comfortably than traditional memory foam as it draws heat away from your body. It also features a pocketed coil layer with edge support reinforcements, so you and your partner can sleep near the edge of the mattress without feeling like you're going to roll off. And thanks to its memory foam layers, the bed is able to isolate motion so you aren't disturbed by your partner's movements in the middle of the night. We had six people try the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress and compare it with 28 other mattresses, and they rated it an 8.5 in being able to accommodate back sleepers. One tester says, 'I feel held and supported by when I lie on my back. I even feel some areas of my lower back decompressing, similar to what I felt on the Saatva Firm and Bear Elite. I like that there seems to be a nice balance of support and cushioning.' The bed's comfortable quilted top gives the mattress a little cushion, and the dense foams underneath help keep you lifted and in a neutral spinal alignment. Saatva Type: Innerspring | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Targeted lumbar support, Certipur-US-certified foams, choice of firmness and height, white glove delivery Best for: Skip if: The Saatva Classic Mattress is a premium online bed that, unlike others on our list, is delivered flat and set up in your bedroom (as opposed to rolled inside of a box). It's made to order in the United States and you have your choice of firmness (plush, luxury firm and firm) and height (11.5 inches or 14.5 inches). There aren't many mattresses on the market that come with as many spinal-reinforcements as the Saatva Classic. It's made with two layers of innersprings; one pocketed coil layer that sits near the bottom of the mattress with a zoned support design and strong edge support, and one microcoil system that sits in the comfort layer. Sandwiched in between the coils you'll find a gel-infused memory foam slab the brand calls 'memory foam lumbar crown' and a patented lumbar spinal wire that provides enhanced support under the spine. When lying on the mattress, it feels like a traditional innerspring bed with modern comfort upgrades. Our team tested the Saatva Classic in firm and luxury firm, which are the two best options for people with back pain who sleep on their back. We rated the luxury firm model a 9.5 out of 10 for back sleeping and the firm model was rated a 9. The luxury firm model has a nice balance of relief and support, so we recommend this pick to most sleepers unless you're searching for maximum firmness. See more of our thoughts on the premium online mattress in our Saatva Classic Mattress review. Nectar Type: Memory foam | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Certipur-US certified memory foam, high-density foam layers, cover woven with cooling fibers Best for: Skip if: Some back sleepers love the hugging and cradling feel of a memory foam mattress. The Nectar Premier Mattress delivers on the feel people know and love, while it addresses a few of the drawbacks that used to come with memory foam beds. Although it's stacked with multiple foam layers, it doesn't give you that sinking feel that maks it hard to move around. It's a little more responsive than the old Nectar Mattresses and other all memory foam beds. It's also better at preventing heat retention; the cover is infused with cooling fibers and the foam is gel-infused for better temperature regulation. It's also one of the best at isolating movement across a mattress, which is a huge plus if you have a partner with a different sleep schedule or if they tend to toss and turn. After trying 29 different mattresses, six of our team members gave the Nectar Premier a 9 out of 10 rating for its ability to accommodate back sleepers. Personally, I think this bed is perfect for back sleeping. Its medium to medium-firm level helps keep you supported, but it still offers nice contouring around my body's curves. I don't feel any sinkage in my spine when I lie on my back and it offers a comfortable, pressure relieving feel. Another tester echoed my experience, and says 'This is a great mattress for back sleeping. It is clearly made out of memory foam, but it doesn't sink the way that many other beds do that have this much foam.' WinkBeds Type: Hybrid | Trial: 120 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Ultra high-density foams to resist sagging, supportive latex, third-party tested for durability Best for: Skip if: Mattresses like the Leesa Sapria Chill Hybrid and Saatva Classic are good options for heavy sleepers over 250 pounds, but the WinkBed Plus is the ultimate choice for those who need enhanced support and durability as it goes above and beyond in terms of design. It has a 5-zone pocketed coil layer (as opposed to the WinkBed Classic's 3-zone construction) with over 1,000 coils; in other words, that's a lot of support). It also contains a blend of foams, including supportive and durable latex with another zoned design that's meant to be firmer under your spine and softest under your shoulders and hips. Topping the mattress is a double-layered quilted Euro top that makes the bed more cushy and plush under your curves. It seems each layer is crafted specifically for targeted relief and support, and we even had testers under 150 pounds favor the WinkBed Plus. One of our heavyweight testers says, 'There's no sinking feeling while lying on my back. My spine feels aligned with a lighter amount of pressure than I felt when I was lying on my side.' On the other side of the spectrum, our tester under 150 pound claims, 'This bed feels really nice for back sleeping. I feel lifted and held in a way that decompresses my spine and keeps my back in a neutral alignment. I could even see this bed being relaxing when I have back pain flare-up since it offers a ton of support with a touch of pillowy cushioning.' If you and your partner have different body types and one is over 250 pounds, this is one of the best options you can have in your bedroom. Avocado Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: 25 years | Key features: Certified organic wool, cotton and latex, Greenguard Gold certified non-toxic Best for: Skip if: The Avocado Green Mattress dominates the organic mattress market and you may already be familiar with the brand through advertisements or word of mouth. Not only is it intended to be a healthy choice for you, your family and the environment, the Avocado Green Mattress is quite comfortable and a great option for back sleepers who like a light, airy and responsive feel. The Avocado Green is made with GOLS-certified latex foam and GOTS-certified cotton, meaning the materials are almost entirely organic and the brand followed strict guidelines throughout the entire supply chain, from resourcing to production and delivery. Latex foam boasts lots of benefits; it's more durable and breathable than memory foam, and it's naturally derived from the sap of rubber trees. Even the pocketed coils in the base layer are made from recycled steel. Back sleepers should opt for the luxury firm model unless the want enhanced support and firmness. One of our testers who tried the firm model of the Avocado Green Mattress says, 'I feel like I'm in a healthy alignment [when lying on my back], and as someone who does have lower back pain concerns, I didn't feel any pinching or sinkage that could trigger that discomfort.' For more details on motion isolation, edge support and more, see our full Avocado Green Mattress review. Nest Bedding Type: Hybrid | Trial: 365 nights | Warranty: Lifetime | Key features: Multiple firmness levels, adjustable foam layer for customized comfort, Certipur-US certified foams Best for: Skip if: The Nest Bedding Sparrow Signature Hybrid is unique in that the brand does what it can to make sure you're satisfied with its feel. If you order a mattress and find it's too soft or firm for you, Nest will send you another layer to change up the firmness. It's one of the only brands I've seen offer this service, and it's well worth it when you're buying a bed without trying it in real life first. We think back sleepers should consider the luxury firm option, which offers good support with enough cushion to provide ample pressure relief. The mattress contains a phase-change cover which draws body heat away from your body and disperses it through the mattress, a benefit for those who sleep it. Inside is multiple foam layers, like memory foam and the brand's own Energex foam which helps make the mattress more responsive. We've researched and tested products for dozens of sleep and mattress stories here at Forbes Vetted. We use our team's collective years of expertise and personal testing experience to only select products that work for the sleepers we're writing for. We take pride in finding the best mattresses for all kinds of sleepers. While back sleepers generally distribute their body weight pretty evenly, sinking around the hip area can be an issue in this sleep position. There are also general considerations to take into account when we round up our top picks. People who sleep on their backs are often in the best position when it comes to dealing with pain. According to Dr. Michael Gerling, American Board Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, 'If one has shoulder or hip disorders, they are likely aggravated by sleeping in the sideways (lateral) position on a firmer mattress. Sleeping flat on the back with a firmer mattress stabilizes the pelvis and spine in a more neutral position, and would be least likely to aggravate underlying musculoskeletal problems.' There are a lot of mattress materials and constructions that fit the bill for spinal alignment, each with their own pros and con—here are a few considerations. Different materials offer distinct benefits and drawbacks. The most popular materials used in bedding are memory foam, latex foam, poly foam and coils. Not every mattress with built with every body in mind. 'Body weight and sleep position should guide the type of mattress a person chooses for comfort and spinal alignment during sleep,' says Dr. Carleara Weiss, Clinician Scientist and Sleep Science Advisor at Aeroflow Sleep. 'When in doubt, I recommend picking a medium-firm mattress (7 or higher) for people less than 200 lb. and at least 8 if you are around 200 lb.' Hybrid mattresses are also ideal for those who want extra support, including those in the plus-size weight category. 'The multiple layers, which combine materials such as memory foam, latex and coils, help regulate temperature, ensure durability (the multiple layers keep the mattress stable for longer) and provide comfort during sleep,' she says As Weiss mentions, sleeping position is another important factor to keep in mind when shopping for a mattress. If you're a strict back sleeper, make sure you opt for a medium-firm to firm mattress that promotes proper spinal alignment. For those who sleep on their side from time to time or weigh under 150 pounds, try a medium to medium-firm mattress for added pressure relief. The right mattress depends on your specific needs, but a medium-firm to firm mattress is generally the best firmness for someone who sleeps on their back. Spinal alignment is key when determining the right firmness, and medium-firm to firm mattresses keep the back from sagging. Hybrid beds are best for back sleepers with back pain who need extra support. Back sleeping is one of the two most recommended sleeping positions because it promotes good spinal alignment, but it's not recommended diagnosed with sleep apnea or excessive snorers. Side sleeping is best for those with sleep apnea, pregnant women and those with bad acid reflux. It depends on your sleeping position. If you're a side sleeper with back pain, consider trying a medium mattress that offers enough give under the hips and shoulders. If you're a back or stomach sleeper, a firmer mattress is most ideal for good spinal alignment.
