I've spent four years testing mattress toppers, and Panda's new launch is one of the best I've slept on

The Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper is the brand's newest mattress topper, and it combines cushioning bamboo-infused memory foam with micro-spring support.

As a sleep product tester, I’ve spent the past four years testing out the best mattress toppers on the market, and I've always been a huge fan of Panda's original topper, the Panda Bamboo Mattress Topper, which is a pure memory foam affair.

Now that the brand has launched a hybrid spring-and-foam version, I was keen to see how its latest innovation measures up.

In a nutshell

Overall, I was very impressed with the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper. So much so that I didn’t want to say goodbye to it after the testing period.

It has a lovely amount of 'bounce' and responsiveness, and made a noticeable positive difference to my fairly firm pocket-spring mattress. I felt supported and comfortable the whole time I slept on it. And despite it being made partially from memory foam, I found it was a great temperature regulator too. My husband and I are both hot sleepers, and we didn't wake up too hot once.

At 7.5cm deep, this topper is also a lot thicker than many toppers, which means it can mask an uncomfortable sleep surface well and should suit heavier-weight sleepers who need a little more depth and support. It's also well-made, with attention to detail in the robust zip, sturdy adjustable straps that secure it to the mattress, and the overall construction. I honestly struggled to find a flaw in this hybrid mattress topper during testing.

The only downside is its price. At £339.95 for a double, that firmly falls into the 'expensive' category in my head. However, having tested a lot of mattress toppers in my time, I would say it’s one of the best on the market.

Only you can decide if you can justify its expense, but Panda's 30-night sleep trial means I think this topper is definitely worth a try to see if it improves your sleep quality enough to justify its price tag.

Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper review

Specifications

• RRP: £249.95 / £319.95 / £339.95 / £359.95 / £399.95 /
• Sizes: single / small double / double / king / super-king / EU single / EU double / EU king
• Depth: 7.5cm
• Construction: bamboo-infused open-cell memory foam, micro-springs
• Care instructions: removable cover is machine-washable at 30ºC, air dry only
• Manufacturer sleep trial: 30 nights

Attaching the topper to the bed

The Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper arrived vacuum-packed, rolled, and in a box. I was dreading lugging upstairs to my bedroom, but actually, it’s pretty lightweight, and I could do it without any help.

I also found the topper easy to unpack. The cardboard box slides off easily, and I slipped the Swiss roll-esque topper onto my mattress. I then cut off the plastic. I recommend doing this very carefully with a pair of blunt-ended scissors so you don’t accidentally cut the topper.

Plastic off, the topper unfurled very quickly and came up to size within a matter of minutes. There was a definite smell of off-gassing when I first unpackaged the topper, but I opened the window to let air flow around the mattress topper, and this helped remove the smell from my bedroom.

And when it came to attaching the topper over my mattress, I was really impressed by the robust straps on each corner. The straps are adjustable, which means I could make sure they were nice and tight over each corner of my mattress. The removable cover also has a non-slip underside to stop any minor slippages.

I was also impressed by the topper's depth. At 7.5cm deep, it's thicker than many toppers on the market. Although you may need to invest in some extra deep fitted sheets as a result.

Comfort

Panda claims this mattress topper has five layers, although I’d say that is overstating it slightly; Panda is counting their washable cover twice in this. The maths isn’t quite mathsing for me there. Yes, I am here to split hairs.

The cover is the uppermost layer. This is an undulating top made from organic bamboo. Bamboo is an ideal fibre for a topper. It’s naturally antimicrobial, incredibly soft and is a great temperature regulator. The cover feels great quality – nice and thick. There are mesh sides on the cover to increase airflow through the topper. We’ll drill more on temperature regulation later in this review, but for now, just know this is a great feature.

The next layer is 'biocell foam'. This is Panda’s term for an open-cell structure memory foam, which the brand has infused with bamboo. This type of foam is less dense than traditional memory foam, again, to help air flow and stop overheating while offering cushioning.

Under this is a micro-spring layer. Springs offer a more structured, responsive support. This means that as you move in the night, the mattress should adapt to your body and keep your spine aligned. Ideally, this should translate as a more restful sleep and fewer aches and pains in the morning.

The last layer is another layer of memory foam, this time dubbed orthopaedic-grade by Panda. The brand says that this helps the mattress topper contour to your body

In practice, I was so impressed with the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper. I felt wonderfully supported whether I slept on my side or back. The 7.5cm depth of the topper truly offered some real bounciness and oomph to my sleep surface – something that many other toppers I've tested have failed to do. As I don’t really enjoy the cocooning sensation of memory foam, I was also pleased that it wasn't too cocooning and 'hugging'.

As I tested this mattress topper by sleeping alongside my husband, I was also able to test its motion isolation. Again, this is really decent. I couldn’t feel my husband tossing or turning at night. Although our mattress is a very well-made pocket-sprung Hypnos Origins 6 mattress, so its motion isolation is pretty good anyway.

If you’re struggling with being disturbed by your partner's movements at night, this topper can help, but I would say that Panda's more affordable topper, the Panda Bamboo Mattress Topper (which is minus the springs), could probably do the trick for cheaper if extra cushioning and motion isolation are your main goals.

What this new hybrid topper delivers is the whole package: cushioning, support, temperature regulation, and a nice amount of bounce.

Temperature regulation

I hate overheating at night. It can really disturb my sleep. My husband is a hot sleeper too, so together we are the fussiest of sleepers when it comes to temperature. However, we were both impressed by the temperature regulation we experienced while sleeping on the Panda Hybrid. Bamboo Mattress Topper.

Although it features foam (not always the coolest of materials), there’s lots “under the hood” of this topper to enhance the temperature regulation while you sleep. Firstly, the cover is made from bamboo, which is excellent at maintaining a consistent body temperature. It’s also highly absorbent, so it will wick sweat away from your body efficiently, helping you to keep cool.

Working in harmony with this cover is the 'bio cell memory foam', which is also infused with bamboo. The open-cell structure of this foam and the bamboo will help keep things cool. And the mesh sides on the cover allow hot air to escape and cool air to circulate under your body.

As a result, I found that I didn’t overheat at all on the Panda Hybrid. Bamboo Mattress Topper. I stayed perfectly warm all night without tipping over into sweaty. And I tested as the temperature was increasing slightly in spring, but I hadn’t yet taken my 13-tog duvet off – it’s a risky time in terms of overheating. The Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper coped perfectly, rivaling the Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper I usually sleep on for its excellent temperature-regulating properties.

Care instructions

When it comes to how to care for this mattress topper, its cover is removable, so it can be unzipped and the outer cover machine-washed at 30ºC. Although it is air-dry only, so don't be tempted to put it in the tumble dryer.

This said, I did find the topper cover to be very snug. So you’ll need to psyche yourself up for taking it off, and, crucially, getting it back on again after washing. Personally, I'd opt for investing in one of the best mattress protectors to pop over the topper and your mattress instead; they're far easier to remove and wash.

The foam underneath the topper is spot-clean only, but you can vacuum it. Not so long ago, I tested a mattress vacuum that's brilliant for this job – and the one I reviewed blasts the mattress or topper with UV light too, to kill germs and dust mites.

Sleep trial

Panda offers a 30-night sleep trial on this topper. Although it's valid on products bought directly through their website only.

This topper is an investment, so I'd certainly feel more confident testing it out knowing I could get my money back if it didn't improve my sleep comfort.

Value for money

Overall, this is a very comfortable mattress topper that I think can make a real difference if you have a mattress that’s slightly tired or too firm for you. That said, this topper certainly isn't cheap. As of writing, a double of the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper costs £339.95, and a king-size costs £359.95.

That's a significant investment, although it is on a par with products of a similar construction. For example, the Simba Hybrid Topper, which we've rated as one of the best mattress toppers overall for the past five years, costs £349 for a double and £399 for a king-size.

The new Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper definitely gives the Simba Hybrid Topper a run for its money. Both are hybrid toppers that combine breathable memory foam with micro-spring support, and both make a real difference to a sleep surface. The main difference is that the Simba Hybrid Topper comes with a 200-night sleep trial compared to Panda's 30-night sleep trial.

So are either of them worth the money? Yes, I think so. If you have a mattress that is otherwise in really good nick but just needs a little zhuzhing to give it a new lease of life, or you want to add better cushioning, support, and breathability to a mattress or sofa bed, this topper will do that.

However, if your mattress is on its last legs, I’d always recommend investing in a new mattress rather than hoping a mattress topper is going to transform things – even the best mattress topper (and this Panda topper is definitely up there as one of the best I've tested) can only do so much.

How I tested

Zoë Phillimore

I’m Zoë, a writer who helps the Ideal Home team put all manner of products through their paces to find the top recommendations for our readers. For this review, I put the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Topper through Ideal Home's testing process. Here are my sleep stats:

Usual sleep position: side
Tension preference: medium-firm
Sleep problems: hip pain

In order to test out this mattress topper, I slept on it for two weeks in my own home on top of the fairly firm pocket-spring Hypnos Wool Origins 6 mattress. I assessed how easy it was to attach to the bed, how comfortable it was when sleeping on my back and side, and whether it offered good temperature regulation. I also took into account how easy it was to care for and any sleep trials on offer.