The Best Mattress in Australia for 2023

With prices starting from $900, the Eva is the best value mattress in Australia. Which is surprising because it’s a hybrid mattress, which is normally more expensive.

This hybrid mattress packs a lot in. It’s got 5 separate layers. The top is cooling gel memory foam, to keep you both cool and comfortable thanks to its pressure-relieving properties. Then there’s latex foam. This gives extra firmness and support, while being dust-mite resistant. It’s then got density foam for more firmness and support. It all sits on a 5-zone pocket spring, to minimise partner disturbance. Finally, it’s got edge support so you can enjoy sleeping on all areas of your mattress.

Not only do we rate the Eva for its value for money, it’s also our pick for best for hot sleepers. I (Cosier writer Elese) have reviewed an Eva mattress and found it super cool and breathable. My partner runs hot, but we’ve slept comfortably on the Eva through the beginnings of Melbourne summers, even with a medium-weight doona.

I think this is thanks to the open structure of the gel memory foam, combined with latex and pocket springs. It makes it feel like an impressively well-ventilated mattress. The Eva is much cooler on warm nights than other mattresses I’ve used. I don’t get clammy, which is surprising given there’s no air con.

Eva reckons their mattress is a 7-8/10 in terms of firmness, making it medium-firm. But I reckon it’s softer than that and sometimes I feel like I'm rolling into the middle of the bed.

Not only do I love it, but it was recommended by CHOICE in June 2020 too.‍

See our Eva mattress review

The Koala mattress is our pick for the best mattress for side sleepers because it provides excellent alignment for side sleepers' necks and spines. We know this because I (Cosier writer Elese, me again) am a side sleeper and I’ve reviewed a Koala mattress. I love it because it offers a supportive softness that I’ve found great at relieving pressure on my body. Plus, because it absorbs pressure so well, my partner can get up in the night without disturbing me. I comfortably sink into it, without needing a search and rescue team to roll me out of bed in the morning. In fact, I reckon it’s one of the most comfortable mattresses I’ve ever slept on.

While some mattresses can be too hot, the Koala mattresses are made with breathable Kloudcell foam. The open-cell design of this foam ensures air can move around during Aussie summers without compromising on the bounce factor. Honestly, I’ve found it a little hot during the Melbourne nights, especially compared to the Eva mattress which I’ve also tested. So, if you live in Queensland or the Northern Territory, it may not be your best choice (check our Eva review - it’s our pick for best for hot sleepers).

The lack of partner disturbance is a big plus from me. Although it makes it a little too easy to justify a glass of pinot with my Sunday arvo Netflix sesh... I reckon now all Koala needs to do is include a gap to accommodate a spooning arm, and it'll be a side sleepers' dream.

See our Koala mattress review

We noticed during our research that when on sale, the Emma Original mattress is the most affordable mattress in Australia. But spending less doesn’t mean you get less - the Emma Original offers the same 100-night trial and 10-year warranty as the far more expensive SD Mach II. However, it doesn’t offer the personalization of the SD Mach II. You don’t get a choice of firmness - it’s medium firm. That’s it.

We’re impressed by the materials that go into the German-engineered Emma Original. It’s got 3 layers of foam, each with a distinct function. The base layer is point-elastic foam that’s designed to support your lower back and minimise partner disturbance. The middle layer relieves pressure on your body with 7 different support zones targeted. The top layer is eco-friendly foam that’s breathable and moisture wicking. This is finished with the machine washable elasticated cover that stays on throughout the night.

Honestly, the materials aren’t the fanciest. The cover is polyester for example, rather than a cool and breathable cotton. But given you don’t sleep on the cover, it’s probably not a deal-breaker. We’re also not fans of the ‘eco-friendly’ foam because Emma gives zero details about what makes it a green choice. Compared to our other picks, Emma doesn’t give much specific information about materials. (Although we’re keen to point out that all foams comply with the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 - Class 1. This guarantees that the Emma Original is free from harmful chemicals and other nasties.)

Cosier design leader and co-founder Daniel and his family tried the Emma Original. It didn’t work out for them as they all found it far too firm. They were able to take advantage of the free trial and get their money back, although it took around 3 weeks for the mattress to be picked up. (This was during the Covid19 pandemic however.)

See our Emma Comfort mattress review

Before we dive into why the Ergoflex 5G mattress is the best mattress for bad backs, let’s look into the science of bad backs and mattress.

Traditionally, it was thought that firm mattresses were best for bad backs. But a recent study shows that people with lower back pain who sleep on very hard mattresses report the poorest sleep quality. Soft mattresses also aren’t great for back pain as you can sink in too much, causing your joints to twist. Which lands us on medium to medium-firm mattresses that support proper spinal alignment - like the Ergoflex 5G.

From a personal perspective, Cosier Editor Sarah has scoliosis and has struggled with back pain for years. She’s got a medium mattress and has found that she’s no longer waking up in the morning, or through the night, with a sore back #win.

Ergoflex 5G goes one step further than just having the optimal firmness for a healthy back. They've teamed up with Australia’s Dr Mark Craig (The Back Doctor). He recommends it as part of a treatment plan for back pain. We reckon part of the recommendation is because of the 5 layers this memory foam mattress packs.

It starts with a 9cm layer of foam that’s designed to support the upper layers and ensure the mattress lasts. It’s then got a 5cm airflow layer that helps air circulate, prevents heat from building up in the mattress and regulates your temperature. The top layer is 9cm memory foam that shapes to and supports your body and reduces partner disturbance. Finally, there are 2 covers: 1 to protect the mattress and 1 breathable, naturally anti-bacterial, removable and washable cover. Phew.

Unlike some of their competitors, Ergoflex has been around longer than the 10-year warranty of their product: this mattress was originally designed in 2006. Plus, they were the first manufacturer to deliver mattresses in a box. They’re true mattress-in-a-box pioneers. They’re loved by Aussies too, where they rack up almost 5 stars from over 1,500 reviews on ProductReview.com.au.

As you’d expect for such a premium product, it’s not the cheapest mattress. Prices start from $950. We’re a bit disappointed by the free trial period. You only have 30 nights to try it - the lowest of all the mattresses we reviewed. We guess they assume that 30 nights is enough to fall in love with it.

The Onebed Original is one of the best memory foam mattresses you can buy online in Australia. Memory foam is known for its support and sinkability. Two of memory foam's drawbacks are that it retains heat, and can be too soft for some. The Onebed cleverly side-steps these problems with its interchangeable layers, so all types of sleepers can sleep soundly no matter the season.

A bit like the SD Mach II, you can customize the top layers for a firm, medium, or medium firm feel. Unlike the SD Mach II, you don’t order replacement layers to swap in and out. Instead, you change the order of the 3 layers. This makes it super easy to try to find your perfect firmness.

These three top layers are made of memory foam and latex. By using latex, air moves more freely around the mattress' surface, improving breathability. On the flipside, the mattress is coolest with the latex layer at the top, so you may have to toss up between firmness and temperature. Covering them is a plush, removable, washable cover for extra comfort.

Customisation and coolness aside, one of the other major reasons we rate it as the best memory foam mattress is the thousands of happy Aussie consumers. It also comes with a 15-year warranty, which is longer than most beds you can buy in a box, although every mattress on our list has at least a 10-year warranty.

See our Onebed original mattress review

The SD [Sleeping Duck] Mach II is a clear winner for the title of Australia’s best mattress. Why is it Australia's fave? We reckon its secret lies in its firmness. Or, more accurately, the personalisation of its firmness.

Let’s start with when you buy it. You get the choice of medium, firm or half-half (1 half medium, 1 half firm). You've then got 100 nights to customize your mattress to your needs, for free - no other mattress we reviewed offers this. There are a whopping 256 different combos to choose from.

You can swap out 1 side for a different firmness (there are 4 to choose from: soft, medium, firm and extra firm). You can also swap out different body sections, so you might choose to go soft on your legs but firm on your shoulders. Each side can be different for you and your partner.

This personalisation impresses us. It certainly stands out from the other mattresses we reviewed. The only other ones that come close to this personalisation are the Onebed and the Ecosa but that’s just swapping layers around.

Moving onto materials, it’s made with AntiGravity surface foam. This foam provides cushioning and pressure relief, which is good for aching joints and bodies. Although memory foam moulds to your body, AntiGravity foam moves with your body. This means you can move around freely, without feeling like you've been sucked into the foam - a common issue with memory foam. It's also 8x more porous than memory foam, which means you should stay cooler all night. Finally, it's got a BreatheTech cover that wicks away moisture to keep you cool and dry. It's also machine washable for easy care.

The sci-fi sounding Motherboard is the Sleeping Duck Mach II's main support structure. Featuring multi-zone steel springs, it reduces partner disturbance, provides support to different areas of your body (like your neck, shoulders and hips) and has a reinforced edge which means you can sit on the edge without sliding off.

We’d be surprised if the Sleeping Duck mattress doesn’t work for you. Over 4,300 Australians give this mattress almost 5 stars on ProductReview.com.au, and it's also the first mattress to win CHOICE’s Best Overall Mattress 3 years in a row.

Oh and did we mention Sleeping Duck comes from the minds of 2 Aussie engineers (you might have seen them on Shark Tank back in the day)? It’s a proudly Aussie company. Although the mattresses are made and assembled in China, some components, like the Antigravity surface foam, are made here.

With prices starting from $999, the SD Mach II is one of the most expensive mattresses we reviewed. But with everything it crams in (including a 10-year warranty and a 100-night free trial) and the personalisation it offers, we reckon it’s worth the investment.