Wondering about the pros and cons of Emma vs TEMPUR mattresses? You're in the right place.
As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've spent the last four years testing the best mattresses on the market, including those from two of the best-known names in the sleep world: Emma and TEMPUR.
So, if you're in the market for a new mattress or perhaps searching for the best pillow for a good night's sleep, I'm here to explain the key differences between the two brands and provide my recommendations on which one might best suit your needs.
Emma vs TEMPUR: mattress comparison
Both retailers sell a variety of sleep products, but if you're weighing up Emma vs TEMPUR, it's likely to be the brands' mattresses you're considering. Let's dig into the details.
As of writing, Emma now offers four mattresses. Three memory foam and spring hybrid mattresses, and one that adds in an 'airgrid' layer to the mix for added breathability:
Emma Hybrid Original Mattress: double £359
Emma Hybrid Premium Mattress: double £528
Emma Hybrid Thermosync Mattress: double £819
Emma Hybrid Airgrid Mattress: double £1099
In contrast, TEMPUR offers three memory foam mattresses, all of which forego springs and offer a sleep surface built up from foam and memory foam layers. The higher the price point, the thicker the adaptive memory foam layer:
TEMPUR PRO® SmartCool: double £2099
TEMPUR PRO Plus SmartCool: double £2399
TEMPUR PRO Luxe SmartCool: double £2899
The first thing you'll likely notice, is that there's a BIG price difference between the two brands. At £2099 for a double, TEMPUR's entry-level mattress is nearly twice the price of Emma's most expensive model.
The key difference, and, in my opinion, the main reason you might consider investing in a TEMPUR mattress over an Emma mattress, is the fact that all of TEMPUR's mattresses come in a choice of four tension options.
Unlike Emma's one-size-fits-all approach to mattress tension, you can choose each of TEMPUR's mattresses in a soft, medium, medium-firm, or firm feel. This can be vital for achieving a more comfortable sleep, as our weight, sleeping position, and personal preferences can all affect which type of mattress tension feels more comfortable for us.
For instance, if we're a heavier weight sleeper, we're likely to be more comfortable on a firmer-feeling mattress. On a soft mattress, we'll likely sink in too much for comfort. If you're lighter than average, you'll appreciate some extra softness; a medium-firm mattress may feel far too firm for you.
There's also TEMPUR's new SmartCool materials to consider. One of the main problems with memory foam is that it lacks breathability and can lead to overheating at night, especially if you're a hot sleeper.
Overheating has been an issue on many of the older Emma mattresses we put through Ideal Home's mattress testing process – such as the now-discontinued Emma Original and Emma Premium mattress – and was also an issue I encountered on TEMPUR's older (and similarly discontinued) Sensation mattress.
TEMPUR's new SmartCool technology combats this problem with innovative materials that draw heat away from the body; and they really work. When our reviewer Jullia tested the TEMPUR Pro Plus SmartCool mattress, she didn't suffer from any hot and sticky wake-ups during testing.
Emma's newer mattress lines also offer better temperature regulation than their older models. Our tester Molly and her partner (who likened the discontinued Emma Original to sleeping in a sauna!) found the Emma Hybrid ThermoSync mattress offered a much more stable sleep environment, as did Rachael, who tested out the Emma Hybrid Premium mattress, and Rachel, who tested the new and improved Emma Hybrid Original mattress.
However, overall, during testing we've found TEMPUR still wins out when it comes to beating the heat.
Side by side, a TEMPUR mattress also looks and feels far better quality than the Emma mattresses we've tested. They may be twice the price, but you can instantly see and feel the difference in quality you're getting for that price.
Emma vs TEMPUR: sleep trial comparison
A sleep trial is a really useful way to test out whether a mattress is the right sleep surface for you before you commit, and, thankfully, both Emma and TEMPUR offer decent-length sleep trials.
Emma gives customers 200 nights to test out sleeping on its mattresses, whilst TEMPUR offers 100 nights. I think 100 nights is more than long enough to give the mattress a fair trial, but if you want longer, Emma wins out in this category.
Emma vs TEMPUR: delivery comparison
It may not be the first thing you think of when shopping for a new mattress, but a mattress is a heavy and bulky item, so the mattress delivery process can make a big difference to how stress-free or stressful delivery day becomes.
Because they utilise so much memory foam, in my experience, TEMPUR mattresses are particularly heavy. They're also delivered flat, so it's good news that the brand offers free delivery to your room of choice as standard. The brand does just stipulate that it 'cannot deliver to high rise buildings any higher than 3 floors, unless there is a working lift big enough to accommodate the items ordered without the need to unbox or unpack them before they are delivered to their final location'.
In contrast, Emma only delivers to the doorstep, with no option to pay for delivery to your room of choice. Sadly, this might mean the brand's mattresses are an unsuitable option for some people. However, if you can move the mattress yourself, then the fact that most of the brand's mattresses come rolled and boxed could be a bonus.
This doesn't make the mattress any lighter, of course, but a mattress-in-a-box is a lot more compact and therefore far easier to carry up awkward flights of stairs or get through narrow delivery access.
Emma vs TEMPUR: customer satisfaction comparison
As of writing, Emma has just over 50,000 reviews on Trustpilot and an average rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars. 61% of reviewers gave the brand 5 stars, but 23% of reviewers only gave the retailer 1 star, with complaints about poor communication and poor customer service being the main theme.
In comparison, TEMPUR only has just over 2,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars. 58% of reviewers gave the brand 5 stars, with customers raving about the comfort of the mattresses. 24% of reviewers rated the brand just 1 star, with complaints about poor communication and customer service.
Emma vs Tempur: Verdict
All in all, if you're looking for affordability, then Emma is always going to win out over TEMPUR in this respect. Prices for a double Emma mattress range from £359 to £1099, whereas a double TEMPUR mattress starts at £2099 and goes up to £2899.
However, if you're willing to invest more, TEMPUR offers greater versatility in its mattress range. You can choose from a soft, medium, medium-firm, or firm tension in each of its mattresses, and we found the brand's new SmartCool range to sleep cooler than Emma's mattresses.
If you opt for TEMPUR, you also benefit from delivery to your room of choice, whereas Emma only delivers to your doorstep.
Overall, if you're looking for affordability and can manhandle a mattress into your bedroom by yourself, Emma offers budget-friendly mattresses with the convenience of speedy mattress-in-a-box delivery. Whereas TEMPUR offers superior quality, the ability to craft your sleep surface to your exact preferences when it comes to tension, and innovative technology that combines the cushioning of memory foam with a cooler sleep.
