This is the most affordable (and comfortable) memory foam mattress topper I've tested – I can't believe it's under £100

I put the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper through its paces to see how it compares to the best mattress toppers on the market.

In a nutshell

Considering this is one of the most affordable memory foam toppers I've tested, I found the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper did a great job of adding comfort and support to our mattress.

It retails at around £68.99 for a single and £93.99 for a double. Although I've seen it sold for less at third-party stockists (more on that below). I think that's very good value for a memory foam topper that also offers gel-infused temperature regulation.

As a 46-year-old woman who often suffers from shoulder, back, and neck pain, this topper offered support and comfort, which enabled me to sleep better. And it didn't make me overheat as many memory foam sleep surfaces can do.

I'm a side and back sleeper who prefers a slightly firmer sleep surface, so I enjoyed the fact that this topper isn't too deep and didn't make me feel like I was sinking into the surface of the bed, never to be seen again!

I also appreciated how easy it was to roll over without it moulding around my body too excessively, and my husband and I both appreciated its motion isolation, which stopped the other person's movements from disturbing us too much.

Its only real downside is the lack of a sleep trial. That's why the Panda Memory Foam Topper, with its 30-night trial period, retains its crown as the best memory foam topper Ideal Home has tested.

However, this Slumberdown topper has still proved an extremely cost-effective way to upgrade our existing mattress. And I, for one, won't be taking it off our bed anytime soon!

Specifications

• RRP: Single £68.99, Small Double £86.99, Double £93.99, Kingsize £99.99, Super-king £112.99
• Sizes: single / small double / double / king / super-king
• Depth: 5cm
• Construction: 2cm CertiPUR-approved 'Niva Gel' layer and 3cm 'Visco elastic memory-foam layer', encased in a removable knitted polyester cover
• Care instructions: the removable cover is machine washable at 40 degrees
• Manufacturer sleep trial: no

Attaching the topper to the bed

The Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper arrived rolled and packed in thick, clear plastic with a Slumberdown label on. The packaging looked quite budget, but on the plus side, it meant that there was no excess packaging to dispose of.

Once the plastic was off, the mattress topper sprang to life and expanded to its full 5cm height.

Slumberdown recommends leaving the product to air for 24-48 hours after unpacking, and I did immediately notice an off-gassing smell once the plastic was removed. This is common with mattress toppers made from memory foam or polyurethane foam, and I found the smell lasted for over a week, but it did fade gradually.

Similar to many of the other mattress toppers that I’ve tested, the Slumberdown topper has four elastic corner straps to attach it to the mattress.

Although it can be a bit awkward to lift the corner of the mattress to hook the straps under, I find these really useful because it means the topper doesn’t move around. I tested a super king-size topper over my super king-size mattress and found it fitted perfectly.

Comfort

Measuring 5cm deep, I found the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper made an immediate and noticeable difference to my existing mattress. My preference is for a firmer sleeping surface without too much sinking, and this topper provided that.

As someone who predominantly sleeps on their side or back, I found it provided a good level of support and comfort for both sleeping positions, whilst also cushioning my hips and shoulder when I lie on my side. More so than that offered by Dunelm’s Gel Fusion Mattress Topper, which I'd just finished testing.

I also liked the fact that I didn’t sink too deeply into the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress topper, which meant that it was easier to roll over and get out of bed. At the same time, it kept my spine in alignment whilst cushioning my joints, so a number of nights when I went to bed with a sore shoulder, when I woke up, the pain had eased.

The edges of the topper also felt supportive, so there was no roll away when you got close to the edge. This made the mattress feel bigger. The texture of the foam itself was flat, rather than with ridges like the Dunelm Gel Fusion Mattress Topper, and I preferred this flat foam surface for lying on.

Memory foam is known for its excellent motion isolation because its cushioning helps absorb and dampen movement, and I found this topper did a great job of masking the movement of the other person in the bed.

When my husband and I slept on this together, I wasn’t disturbed when he came to bed later than me or rolled over in the night. And when my very wriggly son slept on it with me, I wasn’t disturbed in the night by his fidgeting like I often am!

Temperature regulation

This topper is constructed with a 2cm top layer of 'Niva Gel'. Slumberdown says this material is designed to enhance both comfort and temperature regulation, preventing the excessive heat buildup often associated with traditional memory foam.

This is combined with breathable mesh panels around the side of the topper that are designed to allow for airflow.

In practice, when sleeping on the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper, I didn’t overheat or wake up feeling sweaty in the night like I often have on other memory foam sleep surfaces. In the morning, when I woke up with the heating on, I didn’t feel overheated either, so I'd say the claims regarding improved temperature regulation ring true.

Care instructions

The cover of the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper is removable, and the manufacturer advises washing it at 40 degrees. It’s also compatible with being tumble dried on cool.

I found that unzipping and removing the cover of the mattress topper was straightforward, and after it had been washed and dried, it retained its original shape well, so putting it back on again wasn’t too hard.

As a mum of two boys who often has friends and family to visit, I think it's a big plus point that the cover can be washed to keep the topper looking and smelling fresh, and therefore extending its lifespan.

Sleep trial

Unlike brnds such as Simba, Woolroom, or Panda, Slumberdown doesn't offer a sleep trial on its products. This is a shame because it can be extremely useful to test out a mattress topper to see if it improves your sleep comfort before you commit to keeping it.

However, based on my testing experience, I think you would be hard-pushed to find someone who didn’t find this topper comfortable to sleep on!

Value for money

Slumberdown prices this topper at £68.99 for a single and £93.99 for a double, although I've seen the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper sold at Argos for less at various points of the year, and Amazon is currently selling the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper at a reduced price too.

Personally, I think that's very reasonable for the comfort and support it offers. I recently tested the more affordable Silentnight Deep Sleep Ultimate 1000 Mattress Topper, which retails for around £59 for a double, but its polyester fill can't compare with the cushioning of Slumberdown's memory foam topper.

Compared to other memory foam toppers, this Slumberdown topper is also a good buy. We still rate Panda's 5cm deep Memory Foam Topper as one of the best in class, mainly because it comes with a sleep trial and a wider range of sizes than this Slumberdown model (making it very useful for adding to a firm sofa bed). However, Panda's option does cost £139.95 for a double.

I also recently tested the Dunelm Gel Fusion Mattress Topper, which retails at £135 for the 6cm depth. If you're looking for a softer, deeper topper, this could be the better option, especially as there's also a super deep 10cm option. However, as someone who prefers a slightly firmer, more supportive sleep surface, I would choose the Slumberdown option out of the two.

Overall, I think the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper is affordable and effective. After putting it on our mattress to test it, I definitely won’t be taking it off in a hurry!

How I tested

Rachel Tompkins

I’m Rachel, a mother of two 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 tested the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper in a super king size over a hybrid memory foam mattress.

My sleep stats:

• Sleep position: back or side
• Tension preference: firm
• Sleep problems: lower back pain and/or neck pain and occasional overheating
• Height & weight: 5"5 and 9.5 stones

In order to test out this mattress topper, my husband and I slept on it for two weeks in our own home on top of our usual mattress. I assessed how easy the Slumberdown Memory Foam Gel Mattress Topper 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, as well as its value for money.