Your Sleep Matters!
Your Sleep Matters!
Finding a mattress can be challenging.
But how do you decide if you're torn between two fantastic mattresses?
The Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid are two of the best mattresses in the UK. 🇬🇧
To help you make the best decision, we've compared the two below.
We highlight key differences and give you some guidance as to which one would be best for you!
So let's get comparing. 🥳
Both the Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid are high-quality mattresses.
But the composition of these two is remarkably different.
If you'd like to read our in-depth analyses of the Emma Original and Simba Hybrid mattresses, we'd suggest you turn to our mattress reviews:
Below, you'll find a side-by-side comparison of the two mattresses.
| Simba Hybrid | Emma Original | |
| Type of mattress | Hybrid pocket sprung foam mattress | Foam mattress |
| Mattress height | 25 cm (10 inches) | 25 cm (10 inches) |
| Mattress layers |
4 layers: Open-cell, graphite-infused Simbatex foam Aerocoil mini conical pocket springs Simba-Pure foam with Edge Lift technology Zoned cold foam base layer |
3 foam layers: Airgocell foam Viscoelastic memory foam HRX polyfoam |
| Firmness | Medium-firm | Soft |
| Stability & support | Good support, pressure distribution, and edge-to-edge support, no matter your preferred sleeping position. | An orthopaedic choice that offers good stability, support, and pressure relief, especially for side sleepers. |
| Suitable for |
Light- and average-weight sleepers. People who sleep on their side or back. People who like a medium-firm feel. Heavy sweaters. Restless sleepers. |
Light- and average-weight sleepers. People who like a soft mattress. Side sleepers. Those needing orthopaedic support. |
| Temperature | Excellent temperature regulation | Very good temperature regulation |
| Motion isolation | Low motion transfer but you may feel some movement | Very low motion transfer |
| Mattress cover | Hypoallergenic 100% polyester cover that's not machine-washable. Larger sizes have 4 side carrying handles. | Hypoallergenic cover that's removable & machine-washable at 60℃ with 4 side carrying handles. |
| Purchase | 40% OFF SIMBA | 50% OFF EMMA |
Even though both the Emma mattress and the Simba mattress are high-quality choices, they are very different in terms of composition.
The Simba mattress is a hybrid model that combines conical mini pocket springs with multiple layers of foam while the Emma Original is largely a memory foam mattress.
Interestingly, Simba used to be a pocket sprung memory foam mattress. 🤔
This previous version featured a layer of memory foam and a layer of latex foam, making it more similar to the Emma Original.
Simba Sleep has replaced the older version of the Simba mattress with one that's more breathable. 💨
The mattresses are now suitable for different people.
We'll go through the specific composition and features of each mattress in more detail in the next section.
The Simba Hybrid and Emma Original mattresses are both very comfortable, but they're suited to very different types of people.
The mattresses have different levels of firmness and different compositions that highlight unique features.
Both, though, are excellent choices if you're looking for mattresses that are more environmentally friendly. 🌱
The Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid are free from harmful chemicals and toxins.
They're also both fire-retardant & adhere to UK fire regulation BS7177. 🔥
The Simba Hybrid is firmer and offers better temperature regulation than the Emma Original.
We've rated it at 5.5 out of 10 on the Sleep Hero firmness scale, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest.
The Simba mattress offers excellent support, even pressure distribution, and optimal spinal alignment no matter which sleeping position you prefer.
It is particularly comfortable if you sleep on your back. 😴
This mattress also offers excellent edge support, meaning that you can make use of the full width of the mattress without ever feeling like you're falling off the sides.
It's also easy to move around on, making it suitable for restless sleepers. 🕺
Finally, the Simba Hybrid has been designed with breathability in mind, making it an excellent choice for heavier sweaters.
The one downside of the Simba mattress is that the cover is not removable or washable. 😔
You can clean the grey base fabric with a soft, damp cloth, but we would strongly recommend using a waterproof mattress protector to safeguard your mattress.
We've linked to a few of our favourite mattress protectors at the bottom of this section.
The Emma mattress is softer than the Simba Hybrid.
We've rated it as 4 out of 10 on the Sleep Hero firmness scale, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest.
This makes it an excellent choice for lighter- or average-weight people, particularly if they like to sleep on their side.
When sleeping on your side, your hips and shoulders need to sink in a little more deeply to keep your spine optimally aligned. 📐
The softer Emma mattress allows for this.
It is also often recommended as an orthopaedic mattress.
The one drawback of this body-hugging comfort is that moving around on the Emma mattress becomes a little more cumbersome. 💃
So, we wouldn't recommend memory foam mattresses like the Emma Original for restless sleepers.
The Emma Original will be less suitable if you're of a larger build and a pure back or stomach sleeper, a heavier sweater, or a very restless sleeper.
The Emma mattress and the Simba mattress are two very different mattresses.
The Simba Hybrid is a hybrid pocket sprung foam mattress that combines mini pocket springs with multiple layers of foam. 🌀
Simba Sleep advertises it as a 5-layer mattress, but they include the mattress cover in this. There are only four layers to the actual mattress.
These 4 layers are:
The Simba Hybrid has a total height of 25 cm (10 inches).
The Emma mattress is primarily a memory foam mattress, made up of 3 different layers of foam.
These 3 foam layers are:
The Emma Original has a total height of 25 cm (10 inches).
Price differences vary depending on the mattress dimensions, but the Simba Hybrid mattress is generally more expensive than the Emma Original.
But, it is well worth the investment.
| Dimensions | Simba Hybrid | Emma Original |
| Single (90 x 190 cm) | £749 | £499 |
| European single (90 x 200 cm) | £829 | - |
| Small double (120 x 190 cm) | £999 | £639 |
| Double (135 x 190 cm) | £999 | £699 |
| European double (140 x 200 cm) | £1149 | - |
| King-size (150 x 200 cm) | £1149 | £799 |
| European queen (160 x 200 cm) | £1299 | - |
| Super-king (180 x 200 cm) | £1329 | £899 |
Both brands regularly offer promotions.
You could very well grab your new Emma mattress or Simba mattress at a much lower price!
Look at our discounts page to see if there are any current promotions.
Current discount codes, if available, will also be included throughout this article.
The Emma Original is only available in all the standard UK mattress sizes.
The Simba Hybrid is available in all the standard UK mattress sizes, as well as some European sizes. 🇪🇺
These include the European single-size mattress, European double mattress, and the European queen mattress.
Both the Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid are based on the bed-in-a-box principle and are delivered straight to your front door.
The table below gives a brief overview of the remarkably similar delivery conditions.
| Simba Hybrid | Emma Original | |
| Delivery | Bed-in-a-box principle | Bed-in-a-box principle |
| Delivery time | 1-3 working days | 1-3 working days |
| Delivery cost | Free delivery within mainland UK | Free delivery within mainland UK |
| Trial period | 200-night trial period | 200-night trial for a limited time only |
| Returns | Free returns | Free returns |
| Warranty | 10-year guarantee | 10-year guarantee |
Both the Emma mattress and the Simba mattress are delivered straight to your home, rolled up and vacuum-sealed in a compact box. 📦
The boxes have been deliberately designed to fit through any narrow passageway and can easily be handled by one person.
Both brands have a fast delivery time, and delivery is free within mainland UK.
Once unpacked and the vacuum seal removed, both the Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid will expand to their full size within a few hours. ⏰
Both mattresses also come with a 200-day risk-free trial period. 🗓
Emma usually only offers a 100-night trial period, but they have extended this because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Simba offers its 200-night trail as a standard.
Risk-free trial periods give you the chance to try the mattress in the comfort of your own home, allowing your body to get used to it. 🛌
After all, it can take the body a while to become accustomed to a new mattress.
If at any point during your trial you're not convinced that the mattress is right for you, you can return it for a full refund.
Both Emma and Simba offer free returns.
Both the Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid mattresses also come with a 10-year guarantee.
This warranty will cover you in case of manufacturing defects or premature sagging.
Terms and conditions apply.
Of course, you also need great mattress and sleep accessories to fully kit out your bedroom.
Both Emma and Simba offer some fantastic sleep accessories.
To sum up everything we've gone over, here is a table overview of the advantages and disadvantages of both mattresses.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
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| Advantages | Disadvantages |
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Even though the Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid are the flagship products, both brands also have a few other mattresses available.
The other Simba mattresses (Simba Hybrid Essential, Simba Hybrid Pro and the Simba Hybrid Luxe) are very similar in composition to the Simba mattress. 🙌
But, these are more premium mattresses with a greater height and better temperature regulation.
This excludes the Simba Essential, of course, which is a low-height "budget" mattress.
The other Emma mattresses, in contrast, are remarkably different.
While the Emma Original is a pure memory foam mattress, the Emma Hybrid and the Emma Premium are both hybrid mattresses.
These are more similar in composition to the Simba Hybrid.
The Emma Hybrid and the Simba Hybrid are both hybrid mattresses that feature mini pocket springs.
The key difference between these two is that the Emma Hybrid has an additional layer of memory foam, while the Simba Hybrid has an additional layer of open-cell Simbatex foam.
The Simbatex foam will be better suited to more restless sleepers. 🏃♂️
The Simba Hybrid also offers better breathability than the Emma Hybrid, making it more suited to heavier sweaters.
The Simba Hybrid ranks at 5.5 out of 10 on the Sleep Hero firmness scale, where 1 is the softest and 10 is the firmest.
This makes it a medium-firm mattress. 👍
The Emma Hybrid, in contrast, is much softer.
While the Emma Premium is also a hybrid mattress, it uses full-size pocket springs and not mini pocket springs. 🌀
The Simba Hybrid, Simba Hybrid Pro, and the Simba Hybrid Luxe all use mini pocket springs.
You'll get far more stability, support, and breathability from the Emma Premium mattress than you would from the Simba mattress.
The Simba Hybrid Pro and Simba Hybrid Luxe are both thicker mattresses though. ⭐️
Depth of Emma Premium and Simba premium mattresses:
If you're looking for a bed that looks far more luxurious and is easier to get in and out of, then the Simba Hybrid Pro and the Simba Hybrid Luxe are better choices.
As you'll have hopefully discovered in our Emma vs Simba review, both the Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid are high-quality mattresses that offer comfort and support for the best night's sleep.
One isn't necessarily better than the other, but they are suitable for very different types of people.
Regardless of your choice, you'll get to enjoy a risk-free trial period, giving you the chance to try out the mattress in the comfort of your own home.
After all, testing a mattress is the only way to figure out if it's perfect for you. 🥳
And if you're not 100% convinced, you can return the mattress for a full refund.
If you're torn between the Emma Original, Eve mattress, and the Simba Hybrid, then you'll have to choose one of three very high-quality options.
We would recommend you read our full Emma vs Simba review here, as well as our Emma vs Eve review and Eve vs Simba review.
These will give you a lot more detail in helping you decide.
But here a quick overview:
All three mattresses come with a risk-free trial period, so you can return them for a full refund if you're not 100% satisfied.
While both the Emma Original and the Nectar are memory foam mattresses, the Nectar can be regarded as more of a pure memory foam mattress.
In terms of composition, the Nectar is an entirely different mattress to the Simba Hybrid.
The Nectar is also much firmer than the Emma Original or the Simba Hybrid.
It is particularly well-suited to sleepers of average weight who like a firmer feel.
Our suggestion:
The Emma Original and the Simba Hybrid come with a 200-day trial period, while the Nectar comes with a 365-night trial.
This means that you can try any of these mattresses for an elongated period of time to see if they're right for you.
And if they're not, you can return them for a full refund.
Both the Simba Hybrid mattress and the Emma mattress are available on Amazon in the UK.
Amazon in the UK is better than other stockists or independent retailers.
You generally get the same trial period and delivery conditions as when you buy from the mattress brands directly.
Occasionally, you'll even get the same discounts!
This isn't the case with Simba but is generally true with Emma mattresses.
Get 40% off the Simba Hybrid, the bestselling hybrid pocket sprung foam mattress by Simba Sleep.
Get 50% off the Emma Original, an award-winning mattress and one of the UK best-selling options. Get an additional Sleep Hero exclusive discount code when you sign up for our newsletter.
We have an affiliate relationship with some manufacturers, where we receive a commission on sales if you click over from our site. This does not affect the purchasing price. In contrast: By using our discount codes, you'll get the best deal possible.
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