How Do I Know What's the Best Mattress? A Guide to Cutting Through the Marketing

I'm just trying to find the safest mattress for my baby. Too many websites tell you too many different things. I don't know who to trust - how do I know what's the best?

Hello! That's a great question, and there are many different boxes to tick to answer your inquiry.

There will be different answers for different mattresses - Moses baskets, cribs, cots, and cot beds. I'll talk about cot beds, as much of this information will help you when buying other nursery products.

The Ground Rules

Before we start, here are some ground rules to take into account:

Your mattress must be:

• Firm and flat
• Comfortable and supportive with recovery
• Durable
• Waterproof and breathable
• Hygienic with washable covers
• Guaranteed for the period of time the mattress should last (for a cot bed mattress, that's five years)

You'll see cot bed mattresses guaranteed for a year - what does that tell you about the product?

Also, look for actual specifications in your mattress - the weight, density, hardness, washability, etc.

Evaluating Foam Mattresses

Here's an example. Let's start with the base:

All foam has a grade. You want to be able to see this grade, such as "35/135" or "40/141" - this is a good grade range (but not cheap). Learn more about how foam is rated.

If manufacturers are proud of their mattresses, they'll tell you the grade. If the components are of lower quality, they'll hide the grade with descriptions such as "Nursery Foam," "Cot-Foam," "Luxury Foam," "Support Foam," "ECO-Foam," or "ECO-Loft" (LOL, what does that even mean?). All these are manipulative descriptions pushing consumers towards a product that seems high-end without providing meaningful information on the actual quality of the foam.

The Same Goes for Fibre

Fibre has taken the nursery industry by storm because it's so cheap - about a quarter of the price of decent-quality foam.

However, if I go back to your question - "I want the BEST mattress for my baby" - then steer clear of fibre.

The Meaningless Word "Hypoallergenic"

A quick mention: every baby mattress site uses it! It's a completely meaningless, unregulated word. I can absolutely say my dog Phoebe is "Hypoallergenic" - I'd be using the word exactly the same way retailers are doing. Worthless!

Natural Options

As well as foam and springs, you can have good-quality coir and wool. The coir is covered with wool - and to be honest, most manufacturers dealing with coir and wool base don't use cheap coir and wool. Springs encapsulated in the coir offer a more comfortable sleep than just solid coir.

The Covers - Paramount Importance

It's vital not to have urine, vomit, or sweat going anywhere near your mattress base, whether it's made of foam or coir and wool.

Many manufacturers proudly label their products as both "waterproof" and "breathable," but the reality is that these two qualities are at odds with each other. Achieving both requires careful material engineering.

One effective approach: put a waterproof zipped, wipeable, machine-washable cover over the base. Then on top, fit the mattress cover made of quality fabric like CoolMax backed with a spacer material. Then the sheet goes on top of the mattress cover. Now you have a wonderful breathable surface with waterproof protection to the base.

Should the nappy fail (you can always blame grandad) and the urine goes through the sheet, the cover may get damp but the urine won't hit the base because it's protected.

This is where a spare cover comes in - replace the cover and the sheet, and you're good to go.

Avoid "Top Ten" Mattress Websites

Another tip: avoid these websites that say "The Ten Best Cot Mattresses." They never test the mattresses. They're there to take a commission for any mattress they sell - all sold via Amazon. They move the mattresses around often and change the ratings to get the most commission.

I'm looking at one they scored at "9.9." Really? I know the quality - I think that score should be out of a hundred!

Check the Weight

If you can, look at the weight of the mattresses. A good mattress will weigh in above 6kg. I'm looking at some cot bed mattresses on Amazon that weigh 2kg. A 5-year-old weighs on average 18kg - how does a 2kg cot bed mattress offer support, comfort, and durability for 5 years?

Beware of Immediate Reviews

Last but not least: reviews.

When you buy a mattress, especially on Amazon, you're pressured to give a review immediately. So you fit the mattress, it looks and fits OK, and you give it the thumbs up. That's not the same as recommending a cot bed mattress after it's been in use for a year or two!

Yes, it's a minefield out there. I hope I've encouraged you to question the marketing blurb and buy with informed choice.