The Koala Soul Mate Mattress Review for 2023
Is the Koala Soul Mate your mattress soul mate? Let’s find out.
To keep our guides free, we're reader supported. That means if you buy something via a link on this page, we might earn a commission. Thanks for that. Learn more
In this guide
Whether you’ve found your soul mate, you’re still looking, or you don’t believe in them, online Aussie furniture retailer Koala reckons they’ve got yours.
It’s called the Koala Soul Mate mattress and it promises a better night’s sleep and that you’ll fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Is it a real The Notebook-style love story, or a Married at First Sight fail?
Find out in our Koala Soul Mate mattress review. Koala’s been on an overhaul lately, shaking up their online mattress offering from 1 mattress to 3. The Soul Mate is their top of the line model, a sort of hybrid mattress. A foam mattress, it includes springs - but they’re foam, not steel. We’ll dive into every aspect of the Soul Mate, from what it’s made of to what it really feels like to sleep on, to help make sure you’re not picking a dud.
- 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.
Is the Koala Soul Mate mattress any good?
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.
Who’s the Koala Soul Mate mattress best for
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.
The ordering and delivery process
Ordering the Koala Soul Mate mattress is the easiest and quickest way to part with over two grand. Simply pick your size, add any optional extras (like a bed base or pillow), enter your delivery and payment details and you’re done.
When we added our postcode, we were instantly told how long delivery would take. During the checkout process, we had more delivery options, including choosing our delivery date and time. These varied from ASAP to a few hour slots. If you need a new bed, pronto, Koala can help. Lots of happy sleepers confirm that Koala is on it when it comes to speedy delivery.
The Soul Mate is delivered in 2 tall boxes - the comfort layer is boxed separately. But with the king weighing almost 60kg, it’s a shame neither of the boxes have handles or wheels.
What's the Koala Soul Mate mattress made from?
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.
- 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.
- The same flippable comfort layer you’ll find in all Koala mattresses. It offers a medium-firm or firm feel.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
What the Koala Soul Mate mattress feels like
Because it’s packing 5 layers of foam, including foam springs, the Koala Soul Mate feels firm. A lot of sleepers have been surprised by how firm it feels, even on the medium-firm side. Rather than being super firm, we think this is a super supportive mattress. It doesn’t have much bounce, it’s more a gentle cradling sensation, like being held.
Partner disturbance
Most sleepers are happy campers when it comes to partner disturbance, or lack of. Again, those 5 layers of foam are great at absorbing movement and reducing motion transfer. A few sleepers say they’re disappointed by the fact they can still feel their partner moving, but overall most reckon they can’t feel anything.
Suitability for hot sleepers
The Koala Soul Mate mattress might as well be designed for Aussie sleepers. That’s how much focus there is on a cool, breathable mattress. There’s the sleeping surface that adjusts to temperature, so you’re cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cool. (The fancy word for that is thermo-regulating.) There’s the memory foam and the foam springs that support air flow around the mattress. A lot of sleepers think the Koala Soul Mate delivers a cool night’s sleep. That’s a big tick for hot sleepers.
Off-gassing smell
None! No sleepers mention a smell when they opened the box, unrolled the mattress or used it. This aligns with what Cosier writer Elese found when she reviewed the Original Koala mattress (replaced by the New Koala mattress).
Bonus bits
Koala offers so many bonus bits. Honestly. These include:
- B-Corp certification. This means they have to meet and maintain really high standards in their supply chain and manufacturing processes.
- 1% for the Planet membership. Koala donates 1% of their gross sales every year to a range of charitable organisations.
- A partnership with WWF Australia, where they get funds for koalas for every mattress sold.
- Offering free old mattress recycling in certain areas of Sydney and Melbourne.
How much does the Koala Soul Mate mattress cost?
Prices start from $2,350 for a double mattress, up to $2,950 for a king.
Trial, warranty and shipping
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.
How long does the Koala Soul Mate mattress last?
The Koala Soul Mate mattress should last at least 10 years - it comes with a 10-year warranty. This is the same warranty as the less expensive models, the New Koala and the Koala Calm As. We’d love to see a longer warranty that reflects your higher investment.
How the Koala Soul Mate mattress compares
Koala Soul Mate Mattress vs Koala Mattress
The Koala Soul Mate Mattress is a heck of a lot more expensive for starters. It starts at $2,350 for a double. The Koala mattress costs $1,000 for a double. It’s packing a lot more features though. Like the thermo-regulating sleep surface, bamboo charcoal layer, 2cm quilted cover and foam springs.
Koala Soul Mate Mattress vs Koala Calm As Mattress
The Koala Soul Mate starts at $2,350 for a double, while the Koala Calm As mattress is $1,350 for a double. What does the extra $1,000 get you? The Soul Mate has the thermo-regulating sleep surface, the Calm As has COOLMAX tech. The Soul Mate has the bamboo charcoal layer, the Calm As doesn’t. The Soul Mate has a 9cm comfort layer, compared to the Calm As at 7cm. The Soul Mate has a 2cm quilted cover, the Calm As has a 1cm cover. The Soul Mate has 5 zone support compared to the Calm As’ 3 zone. Finally, it’s got the foam springs which the Calm As doesn’t. TL;DR - the extra $1,000 gets you a lot more. But as to whether that makes a big difference to your sleep? The jury’s out. Both the Calm As and the Soul Mate impress sleepers, with neither one outperforming the other.