Emma just launched a mattress that promises 'weightless, cradling comfort' – after sleeping on it for a month this is what I discovered

In this Emma Performance 26 Mattress review, I put one of the brand's newly launched Performance mattresses through its paces to see how it compares to the best mattresses Ideal Home has tested.

In a nutshell

For the past month, my husband and I have been sleeping on a king-size Emma Performance 26 Mattress, testing it for comfort, motion transfer, temperature regulation, and edge support.

As a sleep product tester, I've tested all of Emma's more affordable 'Original' mattresses over the past few years, but this is my first try of the newly launched 'Performance' range.

The first thing to note is that the Performance collection is a lot more expensive than the Original collection. For comparison, the Emma Original Pro costs £799 for a double, whilst in contrast, the Emma Performance 26 I tested costs £1209 for a double. And the price goes up the thicker the mattress gets; our Performance 26 is 26cm deep, but there's also a 28cm and 30cm option in the range.

So what do you get for this increase in price? To be honest, I was hoping it would solve one of the biggest bugbears I've encountered with Emma mattresses; namely poor edge support and overheating. However, I found the lack of edge support on the Performance 26 still let the side down (pun intended); the edge of the mattress collapsed significantly when I sat on it. Sadly, I also woke up too hot on more than one occasion.

Considering Emma is marketing the Performance 26 as offering 'unprecedented comfort', I also found it a lot firmer than I was expecting. Most of the time I sleep on my side, and I wouldn't say I experienced the 'weightless, cradling comfort' promised, or that the mattress 'eased strain on sensitive pressure points' like my shoulder and hip. Instead, I'd say this is a mattress best suited to back sleepers who need a firmer, less yielding mattress than side sleepers.

That said, the motion isolation was good – I jumped on this mattress whilst my husband was sat on the other side of the bed, and he didn't budge. Plus, Emma offers a generous 200-night sleep trial that allows you to test this mattress out for yourself at home before you commit. Just bear in mind you will need to lug it from your doorstep to your bedroom yourself.

Emma Performance 26 Mattress review

Specifications

• Type: hybrid (springs + foam)
• Construction materials: 67% polyester, 32% polyethylene, 1% elastane cover, AirGrid Tech (foam), MemoryAdapt (memory foam), SupportBase (foam) and pocket springs
• Sizes: UK single, UK small double, UK double, UK king, UK super king, EU double, EU queen
• Tensions available: soft-medium
• Height: 26cm
• Side handles: yes
• Flip or rotate: rotate
• Manufacturer sleep trial: 200 nights

1. Comfort

After reading about the 'luxurious comfort', 'instant pressure relief', and 'immediate cushioning' that Emma promises the Performance 26 will deliver, I have to admit, I was excited to try the brand's new launch.

However, in practice, it's taken me all four of my four weeks of testing to decide whether I find this mattress comfortable or not, and whilst I've ultimately decided it *is* comfortable for some sleepers, there are caveats, and I certainly didn't find the promises above fulfilled.

Whilst sleeping on this mattress, there have been a lot of occasions when I've woken in the morning with a stiff body and the feeling of being unrested. As a side sleeper, I need a mattress that offers cushioning around my shoulders and hips and support for my waist to align my spine, and I just didn't get that with the Performance 26.

My husband, who is also a side sleeper, feels the same way. I asked him for his opinion on the comfort of this mattress, and he said, 'it's nice when you first lie on it at night, but after a whole night on it, it didn't relieve any stiffness in my muscles or joints.'

In fact, he also mentioned waking with a dead arm on several occasions, which tends to be a surefire sign that a mattress is too firm.

However, to give the Performance 26 the benefit of the doubt, I also slept on my back, and then on my front, for a short while. In both positions, I felt that my spine was aligned with my shoulders and hips were supported.

Therefore, I'd say this mattress may be better suited to a front or back sleeper who needs firmer support, but not a side sleeper. In the side sleeping position, I feel that more cushioning is required.

2. Motion isolation

However, one thing the Emma Performance 26 did do well was mask the movement of my co-sleeper.

I sat and rolled on the Performance 26 Mattress whilst my husband sat on the other side of the bed to test its motion isolation, and he didn't budge. Similarly, through the night, I didn't notice my husband shape-shift as we both tried to get some kip.

The overall stability of the mattress also means that at no point did either of us roll into the middle of the mattress; we both stayed on our respective sides of the bed.

3. Responsiveness

Sometimes good motion isolation can mean poor mattress responsiveness, but not so in this case.

Unusually, I haven't been able to find any information regarding exactly how many pocket springs there are in the Emma Performance 26 mattress, but given that I could turn over and change position easily at night, I assume that means that there must be a decent number in our king-size mattress.

I pressed my weight down onto my hand to see this more clearly than sitting or lying on the mattress, and the responsiveness was evidently obvious. The mattress surface quickly regains shape after pressure is relieved from the surface.

4. Temperature regulation

Now, it wasn't every night that I woke up hot on the Performance 26, but I did overheat often enough to mention it. So much so that I found myself sticking my leg out from underneath our wool-filled duvet (or kicking it off depending on how hot and bothered I was feeling).

I certainly slept warmer on this synthetic mattress than I have on the natural-fill mattresses I've tested at any rate. I recommend both the Simba Natural Hybrid Source mattress and the Hypnos Pillow Top Select mattress as alternatives if you too are a hot sleeper.

That said, my co-sleeping husband, who is also hot-blooded, didn't have any heat-related complaints (although, tbf, he's also a deep sleeper who can sleep through anything).

5. Edge support

As I've mentioned, I've been disappointed by the edge support on pretty much all of the Emma mattresses I've previously tested, so I was eager to see if the new Performance range finally addressed this bugbear.

Emma says that 'a strong foam frame around the edges guarantees stability', but, as I found, the effectiveness of this 'frame' can vary depending on where weight is applied.

To test the edge support on the Emma Performance 26, I sat upright on the edge of the mattress and lay on my side on the edge of the bed. When lying down, I didn't feel like I was going to roll out of bed when I got near the edge, but when sitting, the lack of edge support was still considerable; the side walls of the mattress collapsed, and I was more or less sitting on our divan bed base.

This could be an issue for anyone with mobility issues because it may prove to be too much of a struggle to get out of bed. The Sealy Newton Posturepedic Mattress, on the other hand, got our seal of approval for any sleeper in need of a firm edge.

6. Sleep trial

Emma offers a 200-night sleep trial on the Performance 26 mattress. That means that you can order the mattress, test it out at home, and request to return it if you decide it isn't for you.

Terms and conditions apply, but this trial period is highly competitive with other brands such as Simba. In fact, the only longer sleep trials I've come across are at Nectar and DreamCloud, where you can make the most of a very generous 365 nights to test out your new mattress.

7. Ease of care

The Emma Performance 26 Mattress has a removable cover for washing at 40°C. This is helpful for keeping your bed feeling and smelling fresh. It can not be tumble dried or ironed, so best to wash it when the cover can be line-dried in the sunshine.

Alternatively, a mattress protector would be more than suffice in protecting the top cover from stains – especially if you have a king or super king size mattress and don't fancy wrestling with the cover removal.

Longer term, you may want to rotate your Emma mattress to prevent uneven wear, and maintain comfort and support. The Performance 26 Mattress has two handles either side of it to help maneuver it 180°.

8. Delivery

The Emma Performance 26 mattress is a mattress in a box, which means that it is rolled, folded, and wrapped into a cardboard carrier. This makes it easier to manoeuvre on delivery day, but it's definitely worth noting that, unlike most mattress brands, Emma does NOT deliver to your room of choice.

Instead, the delivery drivers will only unload your Emma mattress from the back of the lorry and carry it into the house. That means they won't carry it upstairs, and there's no option to pay extra for white glove delivery (where the mattress is unpackaged and installed onto your bedframe for you, and the packaging removed).

In my case, the day before delivery, I received an email saying that the mattress would be delivered the following day, and then at 18:30 pm I received a text to say that it would be delivered by 'DX on 18/09/26, ETA 07:16 to 09:16.'

This time wasn't ideal because I knew that I would be stressing about getting the children fed, dressed, and out the door for school, so I followed a link detailed in the text to contact the team about changing the delivery team. Alas, customer service's opening times were 9 am - 5 pm.

On the delivery day, the mattress arrived at 07:50 am. Fortunately, my husband was just leaving for work when the courier company turned up, so the mattress was delivered to our garage for speed and ease. The box looked far too small to contain a king mattress, but the weight begged to differ; it was heavy. Then, a few days later(!), I received an email from Emma to say that my order had been delivered.

Compared to other mattress brands I've tested, such as Simba, which has always impressed me with its fantastic communication, I wouldn't say that the Emma delivery service was exactly a slick operation; with late communication and an inflexibility to change a delivery slot as a result.

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When it came time for my hubby and me to attempt to get the mattress inside, we found that the mattress box has two handles on either side to help lift the mattress.

We broke a handle in the process of carrying it up the stairs and into the bedroom, and the cardboard started to give way under the weight of it, but we just about made it into the bedroom OK.

Inside the delivery box was a box that included a box cutter and a couple of fabric samples that the mattress was made from. The mattress was also wrapped in a zipped material bag, which I thought was unnecessary, but nice all the same, that I'll certainly be using it again (just not for the mattress!).

Depending on the size of the mattress, it's likely that you'll need the help of another adult on delivery day; the mattress is heavy and awkward to unpack.

The cutter is useful for slicing through the plastic, but beware: the mattress deflates and unfolds quickly. It also unravells upside down, so you'll need that extra pair of hands to help flip it over.

I didn't notice any new mattress smell after unboxing, but in the user manual it suggests allowing 72 hours for the scent to fade. This manual also suggests letting your mattress rest for about 24 hours so it can fully regain its shape, although I allowed 10 hours before I dressed the mattress ready for sleeping, and got into bed, and it was fine.

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9. Third-party reviews

The Performance 26 Mattress is a new launch from Emma, so I couldn't find any third-party reviews available yet. However, the Emma brand as a whole does have over 50,000 reviews on Trustpilot.

Those reviews average 3.3 out of 5 stars, which is fairly low compared to other mattress brands. For comparison, Simba has over 60,000 reviews and averages 4.3 stars on Trustpilot.

As the AI review summary of Emma on Trustpilot sums up: 'most reviewers were somewhat happy with their experience overall. Some reviewers were not happy with the customer service, noting unhelpful responses and frustrating delays regarding refunds or exchanges. Consumers additionally pointed out issues with delivery schedules, alongside receiving faulty items that arrived damaged or misshapen. Several individuals also mentioned unexpected multiple shipments or difficulties with tracking their packages.'

Overall, my experience during the testing of the Emma Performance 26 Mattress was in line with that summation.

10. Environmental impact

Emma's website doesn't include much detail on environmental considerations. The brand's main initiative to reduce its mattresses' environmental impact seems to be a 'commitment to reduce waste by giving our products as a second life'.

That means that the brand offers a refurbished mattress section on its website, where products that have been returned during its sleep trial are professionally refurbished and resold to consumers at a discounted price. However, I couldn't find any info on whether any mattresses *not* suitable for refurbishment are recycled or whether they're sent to landfill.

I also couldn't see that Emma uses any recycled materials in the production of its mattresses, which is something that I would love to see – especially since other brands have been able to do this so well.

11. Value for money

Emma is perhaps best known for the affordability of its mattresses. The brand's lowest-priced mattress – the Emma Original Lite Mattress – costs just £309 for a double.

We've tested all of the Original range and have found that you do tend to get what you pay for. Emma's biggest competitor, Simba, offers more expensive mattresses, but during our testing process, we've always found them to be of better quality.

The new Performance is a more expensive affair than the Original lines. The Performance 26 Mattress is the 'entry-level' mattress in the Performance range: a double costs £1,209.

During testing, I found the Performance 26 was definitely firmer than the Original – most of which we've found quite soft and a little lacking in support. However, as a side sleeper, I actually found it *too* firm. If you're a back sleeper, this new Performance collection could be the best of the Emma range for you, though.

How I tested

Jennifer Oksien

I’m Jennifer, a mother of two and a product reviewer who helps the Ideal Home team put mattresses through their paces to find our top recommendations. For this review, I tested a king-size Emma Performance 26 Mattress on an upholstered divan bed base. I slept on it alongside my husband and toddler, who's a big fan of helping me to test mattresses, for four weeks.

My sleep stats:

Sleep position: back or side
Tension preference: medium/firm
Sleep problems: shoulder and/or neck pain and occasional pins & needles
Height & weight: 5"8 and 12 stone, 7lbs

In putting the Emma Performance 26 Mattress through Ideal Home's mattress testing process, I assessed eleven factors that we deem vital to any mattress purchase.

I tested the mattress for comfort, motion isolation, responsiveness, temperature regulation, and edge support. This means that my husband and I (and our toddler) slept on the mattress for a minimum of four weeks before I wrote my review.

I also took into consideration ease of care, any sleep trials available, the delivery process, its value for money, and, where possible, researched the mattress's environmental impact and any third-party customer reviews – to see if they aligned or were at odds with my own experience – before writing my own review and giving this mattress a star rating.