Should I Buy A Mattress Topper?
We often receive this question regarding mattress toppers. Consider what you aim to accomplish. If your current mattress no longer offers the comfort and support it once did, investing in a mattress topper may not be worthwhile.
If your mattress is worn out, you need a new mattress and possibly a new base to place it on. Don’t kid yourself that a mattress topper is a substitute for a properly supportive mattress – it isn’t. If you place a mattress topper on an old, unsupportive mattress, it will very quickly take the same shape as the mattress, dipping in the same areas.
Most toppers are purchased to soften the initial feel of a relatively new mattress, where it is proving to be a little firmer than expected. New mattresses will soften with use, but once you’ve given it a couple of months to ‘relax’, if you’re still finding it too firm for your liking, a soft mattress topper can provide a higher degree of pressure relief, improving your chances of achieving an undisturbed night’s sleep. Similarly, a firm mattress topper can provide additional support to a mattress if it’s softer than you expected it to be.
Don’t get confused between a mattress topper and a mattress protector – they are completely different products designed to do two different jobs. A mattress protector is designed to do exactly that – protect your mattress surface from staining and wear & tear. They aren’t costly, and it is a good idea to buy two so that you can wash one when the other is in use. Click for our range of mattress protectors
Back to mattress toppers. As a general rule, you should choose a topper with a minimum depth of 5cm or 2 inches. Anything less than this and you’re unlikely to feel any real benefit. Double-check the exact size of your mattress to ensure the best fit. You don’t want the topper to be hanging over the sides or ends of your bed, or worse still, being so much smaller that you end up lying half on the topper and half off it.
Toppers can have a tendency to slip a bit during the night, so look for one that has a non-slip fabric on the underside or is fitted with elasticated corner straps that stretch over the mattress to hold it in place.
What type of mattress topper filling should I choose?
Popular fillings for mattress toppers include memory foam, latex foam, polyester fibre, down/feather, and polyurethane foam. They each have their unique feel and properties, and can vary in price according to their depth and the type of fabric used to cover them.
However, in general, polyurethane or polyester fibre types are less expensive than luxury fillings like goose down, latex foam, or memory foam. The more expensive types provide greater pressure relief, tend to be harder wearing, and may have additional features such as temperature-regulating properties or zoned support.
In conclusion, the right topper has the potential to turn an uncomfortable mattress into one that is more bearable and can turn a good mattress into a fantastic one. It can extend the life of a relatively new mattress that’s in good condition, but it won’t resurrect an old, worn-out mattress.