Emma Comfort Mattress review

German company Emma Sleep has become quite popular in Australia in the last few years, offering a decent mattress range that not only represents good value, but quality as well. While it might've had some bad press about its pricing, it’s hard to fault its mattresses — despite its high price, we had to give the Emma Zero Gravity mattress review a full five stars after all.

Late in 2023, Emma Sleep started updating some of its mattresses, launching the second generation of the Emma Comfort and the Emma Diamond Hybrid. That said, it seems the company is still offering its older models, and we’re glad that it does. While the Emma Comfort II is now a hybrid mattress with springs, the older Emma Comfort reviewed here is an all foam option.

Whether the older Emma Comfort will be phased out soon is yet to be confirmed but, in the meantime, it’s not a bad foam mattress to consider. Choosing a mattress that’s right for you isn’t easy — sleeping on one for a night or two just isn't enough to determine if it will support you well in the long term.

In fact, at Tom’s Guide, we usually test a mattress for a minimum of 30 days before we share our thoughts in our reviews. However, we slept on the Emma Comfort mattress for 70 nights that straddled two different seasons (cool as well as warm, humid nights) before coming to a conclusion on whether it’s worth considering.

Type: Foam Materials: Polyether foam, polyester covers Firmness: Medium firm (7/10) Height: 25cm Trial period: 100 nights Warranty: 10 years RRP: AU$580 AU$860 And the short answer is yes, it is worth considering, but there are some caveats to keep in mind, particularly since everyone’s sleeping needs and habits are as different as the individual.

The Emma Comfort mattress, in our opinion, is a decent all rounder — its foam build has supportive, it handles temperature regulation decently well and, while there’s some movement transfer, partner disturbance isn’t too bad. The flip side to this list of positives is that it’s supportive for people of average build and who don’t have existing back or neck problems, it can build up a lot of heat if you’re a hot sleeper (but that tends to dissipate very quickly the moment you shift a little), and there’s no edge support.

So if you don’t necessarily need multiple zones of support for your hip, shoulders and back, the Emma Comfort would be an excellent choice — there’s just enough here for the average sleeper for a good night’s sleep. In terms of heat build up, that will also depend from person to person. For the most part, the Emma Comfort is, well, comfortable.

Hot sleepers, however, will find the spot they’re on heating up rapidly to become uncomfortable, but the moment you shift even a little bit, the heat dissipates just as quickly. Still, this is something to keep in mind. The most glaring omission here is the lack of edge support. A good two inches of the mattress edge sinks quite a bit and that means if you purchase a double mattress, the net sleep area you’re getting is closer to a king single.

That said, most affordable mattresses don’t offer edge support, so you can’t quite fault Emma for that, although it’s another feature to consider when purchasing any mattress — the last thing you want is the feeling of rolling off your bed when you’ve ventured too close to the edge in your sleep.

We explain all this and more in detail below, so read on to find out how the Emma Comfort mattress fared in our tests. The Emma Comfort is the cheapest option in the Emma Sleep mattress range, with prices starting from just AU$580 for the single. The most you’ll pay for an Emma Comfort mattress is AU$860 for the king size, which is quite reasonable for an all rounder like this one.

Below are the prices for the Emma Comfort in the different sizes available: For comparison, the Koala Sleep Easy, which is also an all foam affair, has a starting price of AU$575 for the single, going up to AU$1,090 for the king, making the Emma Comfort a slightly better budget offering at the bigger sizes.

The Emma Comfort is also cheaper than the Ecosa Mattress, another foam build whose prices start at AU$800 for a single and go up to AU$1,350 for the king size. Interestingly, Ecosa offers a super king as well, which will set you back AU$1,650. It also happens to be slightly cheaper than the new Emma Comfort II, which is a hybrid option made from both foam and pocket springs.

Prices for second generation mattress start at AU$680 for the single and top out at AU$960 for the king. Below is a table with a price comparison between Emma Comfort and a couple of its competitors across all sizes: Long story short, the Emma Comfort offers excellent value for money for a mattress we think is an all rounder and would suit most people.

Better yet, Emma Sleep offers a heck of a lot of discounts throughout the year, so it’s possible to pick up this mattress for less than its original RRP. View the Emma Comfort Mattress at Emma Sleep It might be phased out at some point in the future considering Emma Sleep has introduced the Emma Comfort II to the Australian market, but the new model is a hybrid.

If you’re after an all foam mattress that won’t cost the earth, the Emma Comfort is still a great option to consider. It might lack edge support, but it still represents excellent value when you pick it up at a discounted price. Emma Sleep gives you a 100 night trial to test the mattress for yourself in your own home.

That’s over three months to sleep on it and decide if it’s worth your money. If you think it isn’t, you can get in touch with Emma Sleep’s customer service and organise a free pick up and get a full refund. You also get a 10 year warranty for the mattress, which covers sags and dips of more than 2.5cm that occur even after you’ve been using the mattress correctly (meaning you rotate it regularly to avoid said sagging).

Using a combination of three different foams, Emma Sleep has managed to construct a mattress that offers decent comfort and support for a good night’s sleep. The topmost layer is the Airgocell foam that’s been designed to dampen motion transfer if you happen to be sleeping beside a restless partner.

While this layer does what it says on the tin, it’s not 100% and some movement can be felt. However, it’s minimal and unless you’re a light sleeper, you likely won’t be disturbed. Below this is a layer of Halo memory foam offering three support zones, which should be enough for the average person.

However, if you have pre existing back issues, you might need something with even more support zones. The last layer is HRX (or High Resiliency Extra) foam that provides firmness to a mattress so you don’t sink too much. Again, the Emma Comfort has just enough firmness to keep you stable, but heavier built people will find they're sinking more than is comfortable.

All three layers are wrapped in a polyester cover that has a little bit of elastane in it to give it a slight stretch. This makes it easy to remove for washing — it’s machine washable and fast drying too — and put back. The cover also has a pair of fabric handles on two sides that are quite sturdy, so moving the mattress around is easier.

The polyester also makes the cover breathable — it tends to absorb heat quickly if you’re a hot sleeper though, but dissipates that heat just as quickly. According to the product listing for this mattress on the Emma Sleep website, the Emma Comfort is rated for a medium firmness of 5.3 out of 10.

After having tested the mattress for a lengthy period of time, we’d have to disagree and say it’s firmer than that and rate it at 7 out of 10 after it was broken into. We’ll put it down to the quality and combination of the Halo and HRX foam layers, both of which add a decent amount of firmness.

That’s not to say there’s no sinking — if you’re on the heavier side, you’ll feel it more, but for the average user, the amount the mattress sinks will be less, thus keeping your spine aligned while you sleep. During our testing we had two reviewers with different body types try the mattress and found that the Emma Comfort began to sink more after a few hours of use for the heavier user.

For the most part we found that even with this little bit of sinking, the mattress was quite comfortable through the night, but our heavier reviewer woke up with mild discomfort occasionally. The lighter reviewer, on the other hand, found the mattress quite firm and comfortable. While we found this level of firmness quite comfortable, it may be too firm for some users, particularly if you’ve never slept on a firm mattress before.

Moreover, comfort levels are subjective. That said, if you are big built and would like a firm sleep surface, Emma’s more expensive mattresses might be right for you — in our Emma Diamond Hybrid mattress review , we said it had a firmness rating of 8.5 and wouldn’t be for everyone, but we think it might be a good alternative if you have existing back issues and would prefer a bit more support.

While comfort and support are subjective, there are a few mattress metrics that are a little more standard, like testing motion dampening and temperature regulation. Even these aren’t precise measurements — for example, we might say the Emma Comfort is good at dampening motion transfer but if you are a light sleeper, you might disagree with us.

But they can give you a better idea of how a mattress will perform in the long term and whether it's worth dropping some money on. The only way to test a mattress' performance well is to take full advantage of the company's trail period. We suggest that you don’t judge a mattress for the first week — give it time to break in, then sleep on it for a minimum of eight weeks to determine whether it’s indeed what you need.

After having tested a few mattresses here on Tom’s Guide, we’ve found that some aspects become apparent only after a few weeks of use and you'll find the details of the Emma Comfort's performance after about nine weeks listed below. Score: 4.5 / 5 Most mattress companies in Australia make it quite easy to order their products online, although with Emma Sleep, there are some annoying pop ups to deal with before your final order goes through.

That done, you’ll be sent an initial email confirming your order, followed by another a day or two later letting you know your order has left the warehouse and providing you with a delivery date — next day delivery is available for customers living in metropolitan areas. As with most mattresses in a box, the Emma Comfort is quite easy to set up, especially since it arrives in a single box.

However, depending on what size you purchase, you might need help getting the shrink wrapped mattress out of the box and placed on your bed base. Ensure that the dark grey part of the mattress is the lower layer and then cut away the plastic wrapping. The rolled up mattress will begin to unfurl on its own, and there are a pair of fabric handles on either side to help you adjust it if needed.

In our review sample, we found these handles to be quite well stitched and sturdy. Leave the mattress uncovered and unused on the bed base for a few hours before you put on the sheets. Score: 4.5 / 5 This is the only all foam mattress that Emma sells in Australia and that means there’s a distinct odour that you’ll get as soon as the Emma Comfort has been opened up on your bed base.

However, that smell is minimal and dissipates within an hour or two if you ensure the room is well ventilated. This process, called off gassing, allows volatile gases to escape and it starts as soon as the plastic is removed. It can take a few hours for the whole process to finish, and it’s recommended that you allow at least 4 5 hours for off gassing to take place before you put the sheets on and start using the mattress.

One of the gases that are released by new furniture and mattresses is formaldehyde, and there are some air purifiers that can measure the amount of this gas in the air. At the time we received the Emma Comfort, we also had the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde in our test space for review on sister site TechRadar , and were able to check if any formaldehyde was released.

We are glad to report that the air purifier registered nothing despite being just a couple of feet away from the new mattress. While this only proves there’s no formaldehyde in the Emma Comfort, the company promises no other toxic substances are used to make the mattress. Emma Sleep only lists one certification on its site for the Emma Comfort — the OKEO TEX Standard 100 Class 1 certificate which it has also earned for its other mattresses.

This certifies that the product meets the strictest standards and is safe for babies. Score: 3.5 / 5 The Emma Comfort has three support zones which, for the most part, are enough to keep most people comfortable through the night. However, side sleepers might find that their hips begin to sink ever so slightly after a few hours in one position.

This is exacerbated if you’re a heavier person. Back and stomach sleepers, however, will find a bit more support here as the body weight is distributed a little more evenly across a larger surface area of the mattress, preventing it from sinking too much. It’s important to note that the sinkage isn’t a lot, but it may be enough for some users to feel discomfort on waking up.

It really depends on your body size and sleeping style — this mattress is the epitome of one size not fitting all. If you’re of average build, chances are this mattress will suit you perfectly, but heavier sleepers might want to consider a slightly firmer mattress that won’t sink as much, and thus keep the spine better aligned through the night.

Score: 4 / 5 Emma says the cover of the mattress is breathable and offers good temperature regulation, which is true for the most part. However, during our testing we found that spending a few hours in one spot on the mattress if you are a hot sleeper can build up heat, even under a thin, summer blanket.

Interestingly, though, a slight shift of the body and the mattress cools down almost immediately. We tested temperature regulation without a mattress protector first, and followed it up with a quilted protector. While temperature regulation was similar in both cases, heat build up took longer without a mattress protector.

So keep in mind that temperature regulation can vary depending on the kind of protector you use — there are some that offer this feature that might be a good option to consider if you are a hot sleeper. Our reviewer, who is a hot sleeper, found the Emma Comfort to getting uncomfortably warm even during winter, but the heat dissipated the moment she shifted a little away from that spot.

This heat buildup was enough to become uncomfortable and our reviewer found she was woken up because of it a few times throughout the testing period. As we’ve mentioned, however, a slight adjustment is all it takes for the mattress to cool down again. If you’re someone who finds it hard to go back to sleep once woken up, this mattress may not be right for you.

Our reviewer found the Emma Comfort performing better than the Emma Diamond Hybrid which, ironically, was designed for superior temperature regulation. Score: 4 / 5 All foam mattresses are typically quite good at reducing motion transfer and the Emma Comfort is no different. While it’s not quite zero disturbance, motion dampening is quite good here.

We conducted two tests to determine how well motion transfer is handled here. Our first test was placing a glass of red wine in the middle of the mattress and the reviewer — slowly and carefully — getting into the mattress to recline beside the glass. There was a little wobble, but no topple. The second test was to place a cup of tea in the same spot and the reviewer got into the same position, but without being too careful.

Again, the cup wobbled, albeit a bit more aggressively than the wine glass and the tea threatened to spill out (it wasn’t full to the brim, thankfully), but the cup remained upright. That goes to show there will be some motion transfer, but most users will likely sleep through the night beside a restless partner.

Light sleepers, however, might feel some disturbance, and there’s really not a lot that can be done about sheets and blankets shifting. Score: 3 / 5 Most all foam mattresses don’t offer good edge support, even when designed to do so — case in point is the Koala Calm As mattress that, despite design elements that offer a stiffer edge, don’t quite fulfil the promise.

So you really can’t expect much in this area from more affordable options like the Emma Comfort, which has no edge support to speak of. The moment you sit down on the edge of the mattress, you’ll find yourself sinking quite a bit, although you won’t slip off. This can be a little disconcerting since the rest of the mattress is relatively firm.

As we’ve mentioned briefly above, there’s about two inches around the perimeter that sinks significantly, reducing the overall supportive sleep surface you get — something that you will need to keep in mind when purchasing this mattress. Score: 3.5 / 5 It’s difficult to judge whether a mattress will go the distance without using it for a few years, but we can extrapolate based on our testing.

With the Emma Comfort, we used it for over two months and, in that period, decided we wouldn’t rotate the mattress to see how the foam held up with daily use. During our testing, we found that constant pressure in one spot can soften the foam, but there was no visible sagging. If that spot was not used for two or three days, the foam regained its firmness and it felt like new.

That means the Emma Comfort mattress might do well for a few years with regular rotation, although we’re doubtful it will do well through the 10 years of the warranty period, and you may need to request a replacement if the company’s customer service is satisfied you’ve done your best in maintaining the mattress.

Or you’ll need to look elsewhere for a more durable mattress. As we’ve mentioned in most of our mattress reviews, the best option for you is as unique as the sleeper — what we might find to be a good mattress may not be the case for you. So in case you don't want to take our word for it, we went through a ton of user reviews to see what other people had to say about the Emma Comfort.

While the reviews posted on the Emma Sleep website are all glowing, with five star ratings, they’re all from Australia’s most popular consumer opinion site, Product Review.com.au . At the time of writing, there are a staggering 8,494 user reviews on Product Review for the Emma Comfort mattress, with an average rating of 4.6.

A whopping 7,852 users (or 92%) have left a positive review, giving kudos to the mattress for value for money, something we agree on. Several users found the mattress comfortable, although over 615 users disagreed, saying it caused discomfort. Most of the users who left a 1 or 2 star review mainly complained about how firm the mattress is, some calling it “rock hard”.

Others found that the mattress started to sag after 6 months, some had issues with sagging after a year. That said, these are few and far between, with 6,611 users leaving a 5 star rating. This led to the Emma Comfort winning a 2023 ProductReview.com.au Award in the Mattresses category for being comfortable, supportive and offering great value for money.

Surely, that’s saying something. If you’re on a tight budget and don’t have any pre existing back issues, we think the Emma Comfort mattress is a good option. People of average build and weight should find the mattress comfortable and supportive, although people with bigger body sizes might want to consider an alternative as the Emma Comfort can sink uncomfortably for select users.

Its overall performance is quite good, although it lacks edge support, which is something you’ll be hard pressed to find at this price point in other foam mattresses as well. Its motion dampening is good and temperature regulation, while a strange one, is not too bad either. Our one concern would be its durability as we think the foam could start to soften after prolonged use and it may not go the distance.

It’s value for money, however, is something you won’t find elsewhere — it’s one of the most affordable mattress in a box products available today, particularly in the bigger sizes..