‘My advice would be to avoid’ – sleep experts warn this is the one type of mattress you shouldn’t buy

by Furnishly | Jul 30, 2025 | Design Inspiration

There’s a lot to think about when buying a mattress. Memory foam or hybrid, with a sleep trial or without, all can have an impact on how well you sleep on your new bed.

But if you want to avoid any costly mattress buying mistakes, experts warn that there is one type of mattress you should never buy.

What is it? A mattress that’s under 20cm deep. At least if you’re an adult, and not a child. I enlisted the help of two sleep experts to explain why.

In the hunt for the best mattress money can buy, you might be wondering if mattress depth matters, and the answer is yes.

A typical mattress thickness ranges from 20cm to 30cm. The best budget mattresses will all tend to err on the thinner side. After all, less mattress depth means fewer materials are needed, so it stands to reason a thinner mattress will cost less.

In contrast, a luxury mattress tends to sit somewhere between 25cm and 35cm deep. That extra depth usually houses taller, more robust springs and more comfort layers that can add up to a more supportive and better cushioned sleep.

If you’re looking for an affordable mattress, that means you’re likely to be investing in a thinner mattress, but sleep experts say there is a mattress depth that you shouldn’t ever go below if you want a comfortable sleep. If you’re buying a mattress for an adult, that’s any depth mattress below 20cm.

‘My advice would be to avoid mattresses any thinner than 20cm as they tend to have insufficient support,’ warns Chris Tattersall, sleep expert and managing director of bedding brand Woolroom.

‘In a mattress of this depth the springs can be too short, and can only take a certain amount of weight or use before the comfort layers begin to compress down into the base.’

‘A 20cm mattress can be sufficient for lighter individuals, children, or occasional use (like in guest rooms),’ agrees Martin Seeley, sleep expert at mattress retailer MattressNextDay. ‘But for everyday adult use, especially if you have a heavier build or joint issues, a mattress of a 20cm depth or lower may not offer enough depth for proper spinal alignment or durability over time.’

‘I would generally consider anything under 20cm to be a back-up option,’ says Martin, ‘it may not last as long or perform as well in regular use.’

At Ideal Home, we’ve put three mattresses that are 20cm or under through our mattress testing process. The Simba Hybrid Essential Mattress, the REM-Fit Hybrid Pocket 1000 Mattress, and the Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress. We also tested the 18cm Dreams Workshop Follows Traditional Spring Mattress.

Our tester, Rachel, was impressed by both the Simba and REM-Fit mattresses, considering their price. However, she found the expert’s concerns rang true with all the mattresses of this thickness; they lacked support compared to deeper designs.

Overall, the best budget mattress we’ve tested has been the 25cm deep DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress and the 23cm deep OTTY Aura Hybrid mattress.

Best budget mattresses over 20cm

The main reason you’d be considering shopping for an under 20cm deep mattress is price. These are three budget-friendly alternatives that offer more depth, which equals more support and better durability.

All in all, I think it’s clear that it’s well worth shopping for a mattress that’s over 20cm deep. That means making sure to check the small print if you’re buying a mattress online, as depth is something that isn’t always apparent if you’re not testing a mattress in a store.

Yes, this will often mean you need to invest a few hundred more pounds, but this is where mattress deals can help, as retailers often reduce prices considerably during key sales periods.

Opting for a super cheap mattress that’s under 20cm deep is also likely to be a false economy. As our experts point out, there’s more likelihood that a thin mattress will become compressed quickly, and that means the mattress will need replacing more frequently than it would otherwise.

Avoid this one mattress-buying pitfall, and you should score yourself a much more comfortable sleep.

‘It transformed my bedroom’ – shoppers can’t stop raving about this M&S linen bedding, and it’s the most affordable I’ve found on the high street

by Furnishly | Jul 29, 2025 | Design Inspiration

Linen bedding is becoming more popular than ever before, and if you’re looking to dress your bed in this versatile fabric, there’s one bedding set you’ll want on your radar.

Now that the retailer’s online store is back up and running, customers can’t stop raving about Marks & Spencer’s Pure Linen Bedding Set, and at just £95 for a double, it’s easy to see why.

Not only is this bedding set raking in the 5-star reviews from happy shoppers, but it’s also the most affordable linen bedding set I’ve come across on the high street.

Now that £95 price tag might not sound cheap, but the best linen bedding is (sadly) expensive.

For comparison, the budget-friendly linen bedding I usually recommend is La Redoute’s Linot Washed Linen Collection. But, despite being cheaper than most, at full price, that’s still £129.99 for a double duvet cover.

And, unlike the M&S Pure Linen Bedding Set that comes with two pillowcases included, if you shop at La Redoute, that price is just for the duvet cover; matching pillowcases are sold separately and cost £29.99 each.

My other go-to store for luxe look bedding on a budget is H&M, but although you do get two pillows included if you purchase the bestselling H&M Linen Bedding Set, it’s still £119.99 for a double. And there are less colour choices than at M&S.

If you opt for a top-of-the-range linen bedding set, such as any of Piglet in Bed’s linen sets, you’ll easily pay double that, with prices upwards of £209 for a double duvet cover.

As one 5-star M&S reviewer says, ‘I bought the linen duvet set in white and am thrilled with it. [It’s] thinner and lighter weight than Piglet in Bed linen bedding, but a fraction of the price, so that’s fair enough.’

That said, other five-star reviewers are more than impressed by the M&S Pure Linen Bedding Set’s weight and quality. ‘A great set of bedding, good quality heavy-weight linen,’ says one. ‘Gorgeous linen duvet cover. Lovely to sleep in and feels luxurious,’ says another.

Whereas some linen bedding can feel scratchy before it’s been washed a few times, M&S customers are also impressed by the bedding’s comfort and ease of care. ‘Soft and beautiful, well-priced, and washes really well,’ shares one happy owner.

‘Lovely soft linen bedding in a gorgeous coastal blue,’ says another five-star reviewer. ‘Has really transformed the bedroom.’

Shop M&S linen bedding

Shop alternatives

It’s M&S’ top rated linen bedding isn’t too your taste here are a couple of the alternatives I recommend.

Tempted to snap up this bestselling linen bedding? Which colourway will you be opting for?

As a mum of three, I found the perfect kids’ under-bed storage at Dunelm, and it only costs £14

by Furnishly | Jul 26, 2025 | Design Inspiration

As a mum of three, no matter how many storage hacks I try, my kids’ stuff seems to multiply overnight – soft toys, tiny socks, mysterious plastic bits… it’s like a toy shop exploded in our house.

I’ve long been on the hunt for toy storage ideas that fit into their bedrooms without being a massively oppressive or expensive storage system, and hallelujah: I’ve finally found a game-changing storage solution that’s helped me to conquer toy chaos and fits into a small children’s room perfectly.

It’s this Striped Underbed Storage Bag from Dunelm, and I couldn’t believe the price when I saw it. Yep, it only costs £14, and it’s proving ideal for keeping my kids’ bedrooms tidy and adding extra storage to their rooms.

This storage solution is seriously affordable, and as a bit of a sceptic, I was slightly dubious about what the quality would be like as a result. But when the sunny little storage bag landed on my doorstep, I was immediately impressed.

It’s a roomy 76 × 46 × 20 cm but still slips neatly under most beds, and the storage bag is seriously heavy-duty. It’s made from a blend of cotton, polyester, and breathable viscose. The zip on it is robust enough to withstand having items crammed into it – believe me, I’ve lived to tell the tale – and there are handles on the side to make dragging it out from under the bed easy.

Plus, I love the egg-yolk yellow stripe design. It’ll fit perfectly into most children’s rooms, and it’s gender neutral. The design won’t be something they grow out of the moment they stop calling you “Mummy” and start calling you “Bruh”.

The bag is ideal for storing loads of items, but especially perfect for bedding and clothes. It beats a plastic box hands down when it comes to how to store a duvet correctly. That’s because this bag is breathable, which prevents mould from building up in your stored fabrics.

Yes, a word of warning if you utilise the space under your bed for storage. Cramming stuff under your bed with no airflow should be avoided if you want to avoid mould in your mattress or even your bed frame – ottoman beds can become mouldy, too, without adequate ventilation and the proper storage materials. This bag will help prevent this from happening under your kids’ beds.

Plus, this is storage your kids will actually like and *want* to use too. My kids love these storage bags – when told to tidy their room, they can drag them out and fill them with teddies and Beyblades and then slide them back under their beds using the reinforced handles.

I always try to opt for products that my kids can use independently. I aim for a day when they can do most jobs without me intervening.

Well, a parent can dream… but at least they can manage these bags without help. The fastenings are easy to use for little fingers. No tricky clip locks or places to get hands trapped.

The storage bag is also surprisingly roomy. I filled one of these storage bags full of kids’ wetsuits, beach shoes, beach towels, DryRobes, and all the other unexpected kit that my kids need for the beach. I kept filling and filling and was able to squash the air out a bit to slide it under the bed.

What’s more, I love the fact that if or when this storage bag isn’t full, it takes up less space under the bed than a rigid plastic container.

When it’s not in use, the storage bag folds down really small, so you can scale up and down easily. This is great for houses that have limited storage space or if you don’t want to have to find storage for empty storage boxes (surely a modern-day problem we’ve all encountered?).

The final seal of approval? After ordering one of the Striped Underbed Storage Bags and being thoroughly impressed, I went out and bought four more for other bedrooms in my house.

There are multiple colour options to choose from, so each room can have its colour-coded storage (if you’re that way inclined!).

I’ve now chucked out all the plastic under-bed storage I used to use, which has had lids snap and wheels get jammed with dust. I’m a total convert to this super affordable storage solution – and I bet you will be too.