If you can’t afford a new mattress – or you’re not ready to replace your existing one, but are aware it needs a pick-me-up – then a topper could become your new best friend. Sitting on top of the mattress, under your sheets, it offers extra padding and comfort that could make all the difference to your quality of sleep. Research the fillings as rigorously as you would with a new mattress. They all have different benefits for different kinds of sleepers and types of people – for instance, if you get hot at night or you suffer from allergies. Check how snugly the topper fits onto the bed – you don’t want it to move about. And be sure that the filling is evenly distributed, just as you’d want it to be with a duvet. 1. John Lewis Soft Touch Washable Mattress Topper: from £75, John Lewis This 6cm polyester topper, with dual layers and woven fabric, offers cloud-like comfort. It lasts well too, staying squidgy and soft without going flat. Plus, you can wash it in the machine umpteen times without losing any of the quality.
Great value for hotel-like luxury. 2. Breasley Flexcell Mattress Topper: from £129, Mattress Online This thick, comfy topper is made from memory foam, which moulds to your body’s shape and distributes your weight evenly. There’s a smooth winter side, which gets really quite warm (great for those who feel chilly at night), and a bumpy summer side, which circulates air to keep you cooler. 3. Hästens Top Mattress BJ: from £670, Hästens This is the deepest topper in our roundup (7cm) and it feels like you’ve got a whole new deluxe mattress. It’s handmade from all-natural materials including wool, cotton and flexible horsetail hair, all of which keeps your body at the ideal temperature and means the mattress stays comfortable and durable. It is very heavy, though, and it can’t be washed. 4. Vispring Heavenly Mattress Topper: from £550, John Lewis Vispring is the crème-de-la-crème of mattress brands, and its mattress toppers are equally fabulous.
Each one is handmade to order in any size and generously filled with the best British wool, which all makes for a comfy, soft, breathable and hypoallergenic sleeping experience. 5. The White Company Supreme Luxury Down Topper: from £150, The White Company Anyone who’s experienced good duck down and feather bedding will know that this filling can swiftly take you into the land of nod in the lap of luxury. The same can be said of this incredibly comfy topper. The top layer includes down for extra softness, while the bottom layer is 100 per cent feather for support. It's box stitched for even distribution, but it does need regularly plumping up. 6. Dorma Anti-Allergy Mattress Topper: from £45, Dunelm This is excellent value for a soft and plump mattress cover, made from spiral fibre which is encased in 100 per cent cotton sheeting. We found it every bit as good as some toppers we tested (that didn’t make this list) at two or three times the price. It fits well on the bed and is machine washable.
7. The Woolroom Deluxe Wool Topper: from £111.99, The Woolroom This soft and cosy topper, made from top-notch British wool, carries the British Allergy Foundation’s Seal of Approval, making it an ideal choice for anyone who suffers from asthma, allergies or eczema. It’s 3cm thick, extremely well-made, keeps body temperature comfortable throughout the night and is machine washable. 8. Silksleep Topper: from £110, Silksleep This works like a fitted sheet, wrapping right round your mattress. At just 1cm thick, it’s neither firm nor supportive, but the 300 thread-count cotton cover, filled with long-fibre silk, does a particularly good job of regulating body temperature – ideal for women of a certain age – and it feels luxurious. Dust mites hate silk, so it’s also good for allergy sufferers. 9. Soak and Sleep Ultimate Microfibre with Silk Topper: from £60, Soak & Sleep This is a good one for anyone who wants the luxury, springy feel of down and feather, but either can’t afford it or is allergic.
The filling – top-quality, hypoallergenic microfibre and silk – is box stitched so the filing doesn’t disappear down one end, no matter how much you toss and turn at night. 10. Marks & Spencer Supersoft Mattress Enhancer: From £89, Marks & Spencer This is soft but supportive, thanks to the cluster fibres that cushion your body. Particularly well suited to those who get chilly at night, it keeps the bed nice and warm – so probably not the best for those prone to sweating while they sleep. 11. Ikea Talgje: from £65, Ikea Ikea has a wide range of mattress covers, with this one – a blend of cotton and polyester foam filling – towards the bottom of the price range. It has a good, snug fit and although it’s only 3.5cm thick, it offers an indulgent layer of comfort, particularly for the price. It’s not for people who get hot at night and it has an initial chemical odour, although that does disappear over time. 12. Gingerlily Silk Filled Mattress Topper: from £85, Gingerlily
This 100 per cent long-strand, silk-filled topper is a great natural body regulator, making it a godsend for anyone who overheats at night, as well as suiting allergy sufferers. It fits on well with elastic straps and the cover is a luxurious 300 thread-count cotton sateen. If you’ve got the dosh, the Vispring Heavenly Mattress Topper really does take you to sleep paradise, while a cheaper option that also stands out is the John Lewis Soft Touch Washable Mattress Topper. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testingShop our full mattress topper range Think of a mattress topper as the icing on the cake. Layered on top of your mattress, beneath your sheets, it restores comfort and extends the life of your mattress. Our luxury mattress toppers are made exclusively for us to meet our exceedingly particular criteria: they are all cased in 100% cotton, double stitched, and piped.
YES… if your mattress is uncomfortable. It could simply be too old and need replacing, but it’s possible that a super-comfortable layer of loveliness might just do the trick….especially if you pick the right one.Toppers can also help to make beds feel warmer or cooler, and provide either more support or more softness depending on the filling you choose. NO… if your mattress has a dip in it. That means the mattress filling is damaged and a mattress topper would just sink into the dip. YES… if you want to make your mattress last for a bit longer (especially if you’ve spent a lot on it!). A topper can also prolong the life of a mattress AND it’s a lot easier to clean or replace, keeping your bed nice and hygienic. This one's simple - choose a topper to fit your mattress. We've got single, double, king size, superking and emperor in stock and ready for delivery. It's important to match the size to your bed - unlike duvets, which you can scale up - because our toppers feature elasticated corner straps to hold them snuggly in place or they’re made in the same style as a fitted sheet – either way, they are made to fit.
Natural feather and down is a popular choice as it provides a combination of softness and support. Feathers give bulk and support while the soft and light down (found on the bird’s breast) gives softness and comfort. So the firmness of your topper depends on what went into it: the more feathers, the firmer the topper. Bulkier down like duck makes a firmer topper than goose down. The feathers used in toppers are often fairly large as a topper needs to offer a lot of support. To prevent these from poking out, feather and down toppers are often made in two sections. The bottom chamber is filled with chunky feathers and the top with fluffy down. Some toppers have a removable top layer for easy cleaning. If you suffer from allergies then you should steer away from feather and down, but there are other natural choices available that are a lot friendlier to allergy sufferers. Wool and silk are two natural fibres that make great toppers. These toppers are not as thick and fluffy as ones with feather and down or synthetic filling and they tend to have a firmer finish.
They offer a thin layer of warmth, protection and support – ideal for a mattress that’s already in reasonable condition. Synthetic toppers can vary dramatically in firmness and support and it all comes down the thickness of the fibres. Hollowfibre will offer supportive qualities while microfibre offers softness and comfort. The two fibres are often stuffed into toppers in a similar way to feather and down (the supportive hollowfibre in a bottom chamber and the soft microfibre in the top one). Good quality microfibre toppers are sumptuous, hypoallergenic and breathable. They are usually quite thick so can be a rescue remedy for an old and tired mattress. If you're looking for serious support, then take a look at memory foam. This high-tech material was designed for NASA and is now used to provide specialist spine and neck relief. Memory foam toppers soften under your body to provide customised sleeping support. The movement is so localised that you won’t be disturbed by your partner moving in the night.