Buying a mattress? John Lewis's mattress expert on how to get it right first time

Buying a mattress - John Lewis expert advice

(Image credit: John Lewis)

published 11 August 2020

John Lewis is one of our favourite stores to go for buying a mattress (and other investment purchases). We love the huge range on offer there, but we also trust the expertise of the partners (as the JL staff are called). When you shop at John Lewis, whether it’s online or in store, you know you’re going to get great advice on what you want to buy, so you can make the right choices.

We thought we’d tap into this know-how to help you shop. We’re going to be covering a range of essential buys for the home and delivering tips on choosing straight from the experts.

In a heatwave, where better to start than with mattresses? Getting in a good night’s kip can be tricky when the temperature doesn’t go down at night, so a mattress that helps you sleep comfortably now but also for years to come through both summer and winter is vital.

Check out the best mattress 2020 in our guide, plus more buying tips, too, and scroll down for mattress savvy from a specialist – plus today's top deals.

Mattress buying advice from John Lewis

Natasha Hedges Assistant Buyer, Mattresses, John Lewis, offers this essential advice:

1. Choose a mattress for your sleep position

'Everyone sleeps in different positions so for front sleepers, you’ll usually need a mattress with more support, meaning fewer gaps between your body and the mattress, with the aim of maintaining a neutral position in your spine and neck.

'Side sleepers will want a mattress which is slightly softer to allow your hips and shoulders to sink into the mattress.'

2. Can't sleep because of the heat?

'Feeling the heat at night? Natural fillings that are breathable enable you to keep your cool. They are also durable and highly absorbent, helping your sleep environment stay fresh-feeling and hygienic, and British wool is especially soft, springy and anti-bacterial.'

3. How do you want your sleep surface to feel?

'If you prefer the feeling of weightlessness foam provides, we recommend a hybrid mattress, which gives you the feel of foam while also supporting you with pocket springs.'

4. Buying a mattress on a budget?

'If you’re on a smaller budget, buying for a new home or spare room, we’d recommend a pocket spring mattress. The springs work independently to respond to individual body weight and shape, so they’re very hard wearing giving you great value for your spend.'

Today's best mattress deals at John Lewis

Best cooling mattress pad 2020: cooling mattress toppers for hot nights

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Sarah is a freelance journalist and editor writing for websites, national newspapers, and magazines. She’s spent most of her journalistic career specialising in homes – long enough to see fridges become smart, decorating fashions embrace both minimalism and maximalism, and interiors that blur the indoor/outdoor link become a must-have. She loves testing the latest home appliances, revealing the trends in furnishings and fittings for every room, and investigating the benefits, costs and practicalities of home improvement. It's no big surprise that she likes to put what she writes about into practice, and is a serial house revamper. For Realhomes.com, Sarah reviews coffee machines and vacuum cleaners, taking them through their paces at home to give us an honest, real life review and comparison of every model.