Peace Lily vs Koala Mattress Comparison

The Peace Lily mattress is for anyone that’s concerned about the environmental impact of their mattress and the chemicals they might be bedding down with. The Peace Lily is a natural, cleaner, eco-friendly choice, which seems to be the main reason Aussie sleepers choose it.

You might also choose it if you’re after a supportive, supple and springy sleeping surface that provides excellent pressure relief. It’s got the widest range of sizes of any mattress we’ve reviewed, including long single, king single and super king. This means it suits a wide range of sleepers, including children.

Latex isn’t known for its ability to reduce partner disturbance so shift workers or particularly wriggly sleepers might need to look elsewhere.

The Koala mattress will suit side sleepers well (in fact, it’s our pick for the best mattress for side sleepers) because it provides great alignment for side sleepers’ necks and spines. As a side sleeper, Elese loves the supportive softness that’s good for pressure relief. It’s also good at minimising partner disturbance as the foam absorbs pressure well, making it ideal for co-sleepers.

We highly recommend the Peace Lily mattress, especially for its natural, eco-friendly focus. A good choice for back and side sleepers, it offers a flippable firmness level between medium and firm and great pressure relief. Springy, it provides a lovely cushioning feel that gently moulds to your body. With a 25-year warranty - one of the longest we’ve seen - this is a durable, long-lasting mattress. (Be sure to read the warranty carefully to understand Peace Lily’s requirements around a suitable bed base to prevent moisture build-up.)

• Flippable firmness layers so you can choose a medium or firm feel.
• Huge range of sizes which is the widest of all mattresses we’ve reviewed.
• The clean, green naturalness of the mattress, including its sustainable manufacturing.
• That it’s handcrafted.

• Heavy to move, lift and turn.
• Returns policy isn’t great with customers in non-metro areas having to arrange a charity pick up or drop off.
• Delivery timeframes are vague.

We rate the Koala mattress better than good - we rate it great. This foam mattress is dreamily soft yet supportive and breathable. We love that it’s really effective at minimising partner disturbance. Koala itself has a top-notch approach to environmental sustainability which is a big tick for us. Oh, and it comes with a little Koala toy. What’s not to love?

• The soft and cosy feel.
• Less deep than other mattresses in a box, so fitted sheets fit easily.
• Customisable firmness level that can be flipped. 
• Koala’s commitment to doing good for the planet, people and animals.

• No handles which makes turning and moving it pretty difficult.
• A little hot during Aussie nights, especially in comparison to the Eva mattress which Elese has also tested.

The Peace Lily mattress has 5 layers of natural, certified organic materials:

1. A 100% certified organic cotton handmade cover that’s soft, cool and moisture wicking.
2. 100% certified organic cotton wadding for a breathable, luxe-feeling cover.
3. A medium 5cm layer of 100% natural rubber latex.
4. A 100% natural rubber latex core layer.
5. A firm 5cm layer of 100% natural rubber latex.

The layers are encased in 100% certified organic cotton, complete with a cotton tape edge that’s double stitched for durability.  The layers are glued together with a natural latex glue that’s adhesive and chemical free. There are no toxins, polyurethane foams, chemical adhesives or nasties of any kind in a Peace Lily mattress. This is backed by international certification bodies, including eco-INSTITUT, OEKO-TEX and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

The Koala mattress is a foam mattress that boasts 3 layers:

1. A 7cm comfort layer topped with a breathable Tencel Lyocell fabric that’s 35% Tencell Lyocell and 65% polyester.
2. A customisable firmness layer that can be flipped. One side is medium-firm, the other side firm. You can change the firmness by unzipping the mattress and flipping this layer.
3. The final support layer that has 3 different support zones to cradle every inch of your weary body and prevent your hips sinking too low.

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

Peace Lily offers a 100-night free trial. However, they do ask you to try your mattress for at least 30 nights. This gives your body time to adjust and also allows the mattress to fully decompress. If it’s still not for you, you need to email Peace Lily and follow their instructions. The mattress needs to be in good condition and clean with no stains or tears, etc. (Pro tip: use a mattress protector!)

If Peace Lily agrees it’s in good condition, they’ll arrange a local partnered charity organisation to pick up your mattress for free. Once it’s been accepted and picked up by the charity, then Peace Lily will process your refund.

Some Aussie customers haven’t had the best returns process, especially those in more rural areas with no partnered organisations nearby. In some cases, customers have been left to arrange their own charity pick up / drop off. This has involved contacting local charities and attempting to wrestle a heavy latex mattress into their vehicle for drop off. Honestly, the returns process sounds like a hassle unless you live in an urban area.

The Peace Lily mattress comes with a great 25-year warranty. Latex mattresses tend to be more durable and longer lasting than other mattress types. However, you must use a bed base with your mattress, otherwise the warranty is void. It’s worth taking a read of the warranty to understand what Peace Lily defines as a suitable bed base.

All orders are dispatched within 1-2 business days of ordering and can take up to 15 business days for rural deliveries. Compared to Koala, who contact you with the day and time slot for delivery so you can make sure you’re home, Peace Lily is a bit more hands-off. Although you’ll get a tracking link emailed to you, they highly recommend you choose the authority to leave delivery option. Given the price of these mattresses, you might not feel comfortable having your mattress left outside your home.

Peace Lily courier drivers don’t bring your mattress inside your home or up any stairs so expect to haul the box around by yourself.

The Koala mattress comes with a 120-night free trial which is slightly longer than the average (100 nights). Shipping is free nationwide (apart from weekend delivery which costs $70) and 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. You might even get a cheerful delivery person who’ll help you tackle the stairs.

The Koala mattress has an industry standard warranty of 10 years.