Koala Soul Mate vs Emma Diamond Hybrid Mattress Comparison

Honestly, at this price point the Koala Soul Mate mattress should be for everyone (*who can afford it). Though we say it’s more a master bedroom mattress than a guest or kids one.

It does seem to deliver a good night’s sleep for all types of sleepers. Because of the 5 zone support that’s specifically for your head, shoulders, lower back, thighs and feet, it works really well for side and back sleepers, helping ensure your spine stays in the correct alignment. The addition of the bamboo charcoal memory foam layer ticks both hot sleepers (it’s breathable) and bed-sharers’ (it reduces motion transfer) boxes.

Hot sleepers, people who have particularly wriggly co-sleepers or people who need extra back support will find a lot to enjoy in the Emma Diamond mattress. With prices starting from $2,499 this is definitely more a master bedroom mattress than a guest or kid’s one.

Ali reckons side and back sleepers who prefer a medium to firm mattress will love the Emma Diamond. Because it combines the hugging feel of foam with the support of springs, weight is distributed evenly making it a good choice for anyone with back pain.

The Koala Soul Mate has a lot of tech in it. For a mattress in a box, it’s more comparable to a shop-bought mattress which makes it very good. But what you get for the higher price point doesn’t bowl us over. You’re basically getting a bamboo charcoal layer and foam springs. Most sleepers seem to love it although it doesn’t always live up to its price, with a few people pointing out that for them, it’s not zero partner disturbance. If you’re looking for a firm, supportive mattress in a box and you’re happy on the higher end of the price scale, we reckon the Koala Soul Mate is worth a go.

• The oh-so supportive, cradling feel.
• That it offers a flippable firmness level between medium and medium-firm.
• Luxe feel, thanks to the 9cam sleeping surface plus 2cm quilted cover.
• Koala itself with their planet-friendly focus.

• It’s quite high (33cm) so you’ll probably need new sheets.
• No handles so turning and moving it is tricky.
• It’s heavy - the king weighs almost 60kg so handles would be even more helpful.
• That price though.

• The pressure relieving feel of the mattress that moulds to your body.
• Great suitability for hot sleepers.
• None to very little motion transfer.
• Very little off-gassing smell.

• Even though Emma says it’s medium-soft, most sleepers find it firm especially for the first few weeks. Our sleep tester Ali reckons it’s medium to firm.
• Lack of edge support makes the sleepable area of the mattress feel smaller.
• Rope in someone to help you manoeuvre the mattress as it’s quite heavy.

The Koala Soul Mate mattress is a foam mattress with 5 layers. It’s sort of a hybrid because it’s got springs as well as foam. But these springs are foam, not steel.

1. A 9cm sleeping surface made of polyester and viscose which is designed to keep you at the right temperature, whatever the weather’s doing. This is topped by a 2cm quilted cover for that plush feel.
2. The same flippable comfort layer you’ll find in all Koala mattresses. It offers a medium-firm or firm feel.
3. A bamboo charcoal memory foam layer. As well as being antimicrobial, the memory foam is pressure relieving and helps air flow nicely around the mattress.
4. A layer of 5 zoned foam springs. This tripped us up, a lot. Foam. Springs. We consulted an engineer and apparently this could be a thing but it’s certainly not well known tech. The idea behind it is that the springs respond to all your body’s movements to give you support exactly where you need it.
5. Edge support so when you’re getting in and out of it, you won’t sink.

All the foam is polyurethane foam that’s certified free of formaldehyde and other nasties and is low-VOC (volatile organic compounds).

Unlike the Emma Comfort, the Emma Diamond is a hybrid mattress. This means it’s got both foam and springs in 4 layers:

1. Diamond Degree graphite foam which helps prevent heat build up and reduces partner disturbance.
2. Adaptive comfort foam which is pressure relieving and responds as you move for all-night comfort.
3. Pocket springs which increase air flow for a cool night’s sleep and minimise partner movements.
4. HRX foam for extra support, especially for your back.

The Emma Diamond mattress has a removable and washable cover that’s 99% polyester and 1% elastane. The bottom of the cover is 100% polyester, while the base is 87% polyester and 13% polypropylene.

Koala offers a better-than-standard 120-night free trial period. If you’re in most areas of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, it’s good news: Koala will pick up your unwanted Koala mattress for free. If you’re outside these areas, you need to bring or send it to the nearest Koala warehouse, and they won’t cover any of these costs. Although they promise a full refund, note that delivery fees are non-refundable.

Koala ships for free nationwide, with optional weekend delivery costing $70. Delivery can be same day in metro areas. Outside metro areas, you’re looking at 1-15 business days. They have a delivery checker on their website so you can get a more accurate idea of how long it could take.

Like all 3 of their mattresses, the Koala Soul Mate mattress comes with an industry standard warranty of 10 years. Honestly, for the price you’re paying we don’t think it’s great that the warranty is the same as the 2 less expensive options. The warranty doesn’t cover normal wear and tear, which includes ‘softening of the product that does not affect performance’. This sounds a little subjective to us as your idea of your mattress becoming too soft they might argue isn’t performance related.

You’ve got 100 nights to try the Diamond. If it’s not right for you within this time, you can send it back. Emma asks that you give it at least 3-4 weeks before returning it. Returning it involves emailing them to arrange a free pick-up. This only applies to customers within their delivery area. Customers outside these areas (which aren’t listed on their website) need to take the mattress to their nearest drop off location, at their own time and expense. Once Emma has the mattress, they refund you within 14 days.

The Emma Diamond mattress has a 10-year warranty. This warranty covers sags or dips that are greater than 2.5cm, cracks or hollows in the foam, a mattress that doesn't fully inflate within 2 weeks, and damage to the cover (but not normal wear and tear). Claiming under the warranty involves emailing Emma with photos of the problem.

Emma offers free shipping, Australia-wide. Delivery timeframes vary massively. For in stock Diamond mattresses, you’re looking at 1-7 business days. But for those on backorder, it can be between 6 to 9 weeks. Unfortunately this seems to be where Emma struggles. There are some unhappy Aussies complaining that shipping has either been massively delayed (way beyond 6-7 weeks and into 4-6 months) or simply hasn’t turned up. Communications with Emma have been reduced to automated emails telling customers their order is delayed. It’s a shame that these shipping issues seem to be detracting from a great mattress.