I just tested Simba's new £199 'Cool Foam' mattress topper – it's ideal if you have a fidgety sleep partner

My Simba Cool Foam Mattress Topper review puts the brand's latest launch, and its most affordable topper yet, to the test.

The Cool Foam claims to allow five times more airflow than standard memory foam mattress toppers, and as someone who has spent four years testing the best mattress toppers and best cooling mattress toppers on the market, I wanted to put that claim to the test.

In a nutshell

After sleeping on top of the Simba Cool Foam Mattress Topper for the past three weeks, I think this topper is a brilliant option if you want to add some extra cushioning to your bed.

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My husband and I also appreciated the improved motion isolation it added to our bed. We couldn't feel each other toss or turn at night, and when our kids jumped into bed, I wasn't bounced awake as I usually am.

However, I did find it fairly soft – if you crave a more solid sleep surface, this might not be the mattress topper for you. In terms of the name “Cool Foam”, I’m also not totally sold that this is more cooling than most other mattress toppers I’ve tried.

However, it didn’t cook me while I slept as some memory foam toppers have in the past, so although it wasn't as cool as the natural materials in the Woolroom Deluxe Mattress Topper I usually sleep on, if you're not a hot sleeper this likely won't be an issue, and even if you are, this topper still didn't actively cause me to overheat.

Overall, I think the generous 200-night sleep trial, Simba's excellent customer service, and this topper's cushioning comfort and excellent motion isolation will make it a good buy for many.

Simba Hybrid Essential Topper review

Specifications

• RRP: £149 / £199 / £199 / £249 / £299
• Sizes: single / small double / double / king / super-king
• Depth: 6.5cm
• Construction: foam
• Care instructions: removable cover is machine-washable at 40ºC, do not tumble dry
• Manufacturer sleep trial: 200 nights

Attaching the topper to the bed

When the Simba Cool Foam mattress topper arrived on my doorstep, it was in a tiny box. As a seasoned mattress-topper reviewer, I was genuinely mystified as to how a king-size topper could fit in such a small box. But it did – probably because this mattress is pure foam, rather than hybrid, so it can squash down a lot smaller.

Inside the box, the topper was vacuum-packed in plastic, which was easy to remove. Just be careful not to cut into your topper while executing this move. The mattress topper then unfurled. I would suggest unboxing your topper as far in advance of sleeping on it as you can – a day or so. This is because the topper slowly reshaped and expanded over time.

It also allows time for off-gassing – the release of VOCs from the manufacturing process. The off-gassing smell from this topper was quite strong – I left the room well ventilated, but it still took a while to dissipate.

There are thick elasticated straps on the corners of the topper to attach it around the mattress. Plus, there is an anti-slip underside of this topper, but I found this to be almost imperceptible. However, the elasticated straps were generous enough to fit around my extra-thick Brook + Wilde mattress underneath with ease, so it should fit most mattresses.

Comfort

The main difference between the Simba Cool Foam mattress topper and Simba's other toppers is that it's made from three core layers rather than four, and that 'missing' layer is the microsprings the other toppers use. Instead, the Cool Foam is a foam-only topper.

The uppermost layer is Simbatex – this is Simba’s own comfort-engineered memory foam. This foam is infused with graphite particles. The idea is that the graphite will draw heat away from the body, while the open-cell structure will allow fresh air to flow into the topper to keep you cool.

We’ll dive into temperature regulation in the next section, but in terms of comfort, Simbatex is meant to be bouncier and more elastic than regular memory foam. This layer is the cushioning element of the mattress, offering pressure relief on hips and joints so you feel gently supported without that sinking feeling you get from a lot of old-style memory foams.

Underneath this layer is a foam base. This section is doing the heavy lifting in the topper – it should distribute your weight evenly over the mattress topper so no spots get overloaded. This means you feel supported and your spine stays in good alignment (the holy grail in terms of minimising discomfort while sleeping).

This topper is 6.5cm deep, and Simba says that it's medium-firm, although I found it fairly soft.

However, despite usually preferring a firmer mattress, I really enjoyed sleeping on the Simba Cool Foam topper. I found it responded well to my body, cocooning me and contouring around my body. I woke without an ache or pain – many soft mattresses leave me with lower-back pain.

During testing, I also really appreciated the motion isolation it added to our bed. Even when my children bounced into bed in the morning, I found that I remained asleep – we call that in the parenting trade “an absolute win”. But it shows that the topper does a good job at limiting the transfer of movement across the bed. This is also essential if you’re disturbed by your partner fidgeting next to you.

I have tested many other mattress toppers – including the Simba Hybrid Essential Topper, which costs £299 for a double, and the premium £349 Simba Hybrid Mattress Topper, both of which incorporate supportive springs. In comparison, I would say this £199 all-foam topper does feel a little less robust and a little less supportive.

However, if you're simply looking to add an extra layer of comfort and cushioning to a mattress, or to mask the movements of a fidgety partner, the Cool Foam topper did a great job.

Temperature regulation

I err on the side of being a hot sleeper and often find myself overheating in bed, which then disturbs my sleep. I usually find memory foam is a particular problem for this.

As previously explained, the Simba Cool Foam mattress topper has a layer of Simbatex foam on the upper part of the topper. This foam is designed to draw heat away from your body via the graphite particles and then allow fresh air to circulate underneath you.

I slept on this topper under my usual Woolroom wool duvet during some fairly temperate nights. I did find that I felt warmer sleeping on this topper than I do on my usual Woolroom deluxe mattress topper. I think it would be hard for a synthetic foam to outdo natural materials, especially temperature-regulating wool, when it comes to breathability.

However, by no means was it intolerable heatwise, and there was no overheating that kept me awake. I was aware I was slightly warmer than I was used to, but I do think this topper slept cooler than other non-graphite-infused memory foam toppers I've slept on.

Care instructions

Looking after this mattress topper is fairly easy. There’s a zip-off cover that is machine washable cover at 40ºC on a reduced spin cycle. You shouldn’t tumble dry it though, so pick a sunny day when you can dry it on the washing line.

If you want a deeper clean, you can spot clean the foam using a soft damp cloth. You should make sure the foam is absolutely dry before sleeping on it though.

However, it is worth noting that 40ºC isn’t always hot enough to kill those pesky dust mites that cause a lot of allergies to flare up. Personally, I'd always recommend using one of the best mattress protectors over the top.

Sleep trial

Simba offer a 200-night sleep trial on this topper. This is more than enough time to figure out if the topper is right for you.

It’s worth noting that this sleep trial kick starts as soon as your topper is delivered. So if you don’t try it for 199 nights and find out that it’s not for you on night 201, you’re out of luck. And, of course, you will need to actively notify Simba of your plans to return the topper if you’re not keen on it.

If you’re buying through a third party, double check that this offer extends to you. Not all retailers will have the same offers in place.

Value for money

The Cool Foam is now Simba’s most affordable topper. A double of this topper costs £199, while Simba's Hybrid Essential Mattress Topper costs £299 and the premium Simba Hybrid Mattress Topper is £349 for a double.

In order to achieve that lower price point, this mattress topper has been “streamlined” by Simba, so it’s foam only. The brand's other toppers are hybrid and include springs.

I found that meant this topper is a little softer than the brand's two sprung options, but I still found it very comfortable, and it added some welcome cushioning and motion isolation to our bed.

That said, I do think its £199 price point is still quite expensive. This is a pretty thick topper, at 6.5cm, but the 5cm deep Panda Topper is only a tad thinner, and the Panda Topper costs £134.95 for a double. Similarly, the Dunelm Gel Fusion Mattress Topper costs £135 for the 6cm deep option and £175 for the 10cm deep option.

We've reviewed both the Panda Topper and the Dunelm Gel Fusion Mattress Topper and found both similar in terms of temperature regulation and comfort. The main difference is that the Dunelm option doesn't come with a sleep trial, whereas the Simba and Panda options both offer 200 nights to test out on your own bed.

Overall, do I think the Simba Cool Foam mattress topper is good value for money? I think it's still a little on the expensive side. Personally, I'd wait for some Simba deals to drop and hope there's a discount before I shopped.

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 Simba Cool Foam 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 three weeks in my own home on top of a hybrid 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.