Guide to mattress toppers
If you are thinking of buying a mattress topper, make sure you read our best topper guide first to find out the most important things to think about when choosing your topper.
How to choose the ultimate topper – all you need to know:
- What is a mattress topper?
- Do I need a topper?
- What is the best type of mattress topper?
- What is the best filling for a mattress topper?
- Memory foam vs down mattress topper
- Topper accreditations to look for
- Topper sizes
- How thick should a mattress topper be?
- What is the difference between a topper and a protector?
- Can a duvet be used as a mattress topper?
What is a mattress topper?
A mattress topper is a removable layer of cushioning material that sits on top of your mattress providing additional comfort, support and protection.
Do I need a topper?
Does a mattress topper make a difference? Yes, there are 3 reasons why you should buy a mattress topper.
- Your mattress is getting old and is sadly not what it once was. A topper can help rejuvenate it by adding a new layer of cushioning. Although a mattress topper can improve an old mattress, it unfortunately won't fix any underlying structural issues caused by a really old or damaged mattress. You might need to buy a new mattress - check out our handy mattress buying guide!
- You want to dial up your bedtime to a new level of luxury! Sinking into a luxuriously soft topper can be the ultimate bedtime indulgence.
- You have an orthopaedic need that is not being met by your mattress. Back related issues are common and if you are a sufferer, a specialist topper could be just the thing to alleviate your discomfort during the night.
What is the best type of mattress topper?
So which mattress topper do I choose? The filling is what makes a topper. There are two main categories of topper filling; natural and synthetic. Natural topper fillings include: down, feather, wool and natural latex. Synthetic fillings include: memory foam, fibres such as microfibre, gels and synthetic latex.
Here at scooms, we would always recommend a 100% natural topper that's free from chemicals and plastics. This is particularly important if you have allergies. Natural toppers are also more breathable, especially important if you are a hot sleeper.
Here is a run-down of the different types of toppers:
Down And Feather Toppers: Down and feather is 100% natural. One of nature's wonder products, fully biodegradable and naturally breathable goose down provides three to four times more air circulation than synthetic materials. It makes for an amazingly plush topper.
After testing lots of different topper fillings we decided to make scooms toppers with a 85% small Hungarian goose feather and 15% Hungarian goose down filling, for the perfect mix of support and comfort.
Wool Toppers: Wool is a durable, hypoallergenic and recyclable fabric. The chunky structure of wool also means that it's good for temperature regulation and will wick away moisture from your skin. The downside to a wool topper is that it will be dense and heavy, which means that it won't have the comfortable squishiness of down and feather. It may also have a bit of a 'wool' smell.
Memory Foam Toppers: Memory foam can mould to your body shape which some people like though others don't. It can provide good contouring support and pressure relief. Memory foam toppers come in different densities to provide specific levels of support. Be aware however, that memory foam is a type of polyurethane plastic. It is produced by a chemical reaction between petroleum oils, isocyanates and reacting agents. Other additives such as flame retardants and formaldehyde-based adhesives can also be used. It is not uncommon to notice a chemical gas smell when unpacking memory foam toppers, caused by VOCs, (volatile organic compounds). We don’t use memory foam in scooms products.
Fibre Fill Toppers: Typically called a variety of name such as: down alternative topper, 'feels like down' topper, polyester topper, hollowfibre topper or microfibre topper. Whilst there are subtle differences between the materials used, they are all made from Polyethylene Terephthalate or PET which is an oil based plastic. These fine synthetic fibres were created as a man-made equivalent to natural down. Whilst they are cheap to mass produce, these microfibres are a major source of pollution in our rivers, seas and food chains. We don’t use microfibres in scooms products.
Gel Infused Toppers: These memory foam toppers are produced with tiny gel beads infused into the foam during the manufacturing process. This helps the topper to dissipate body heat more efficiently as you sleep.
What is the best filling for a mattress topper?
Natural fillings such as down and feather that are not treated with any chemicals are the best fillings for mattress toppers. As well as being the most comfortable and anti allergy, they don't contain the micro plastics found in microfibre and biodegrade.
Memory foam vs down mattress toppers
We always recommend down or other natural materials as down does not contain nasty chemicals and is biodegradable.
Topper accreditations to look for:
OEKO-TEX Standard 100 for textiles - Certifies that the materials used are free from harmful chemicals.
Responsible Down Standard (RDS) for toppers containing down or feathers - The RDS certification ensures that the materials have been responsibly and ethically sourced.
Nomite anti-allergen standard - Verifies a topper's suitability for house dust-mite allergy sufferers.
Downafresh - Certifying that any down and feather meets EN 12935 requirements for hygiene and purity.
Hungarian Chamber of Commerce - A standard guaranteeing that the down and feather is genuine Hungarian.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for packaging - Ensuring that the wood used in the product comes from responsibly managed forests that adhere to strict environmental, social, and economic standards.
CertiPUR-US certification - Ensuring that the foam used in a topper meets standards for content, emissions and durability. Certified foams are made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP flame retardants, mercury, lead, heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates. They have low VOC emissions for indoor air quality.
scooms toppers come with the following certifications: OEKO-TEX Standard 100, RDS, Nomite, Downafresh, Hungarian Chamber of Commerce certification and the FSC certification.
Topper sizes
It's important to choose a topper that matches the size of your mattress to ensure a proper fit and no wriggling around. Toppers are widely available in most common mattress sizes. See our topper size guide for more details.
How thick should a mattress topper be?
A topper should be thick enough to cushion you and thin enough to easily fit between your mattress and your sheet. Just the right thickness ensures that you get that that luxury feel, whilst not disappearing into your topper. The pockets in the scooms toppers are 6.5 cm or 2.5 inches deep. We found this to be just right.
What is the difference between a topper and a protector?
An important distinction, a mattress topper is a thick, chunky extra layer for your mattress which is designed to provide additional support and cushioning as you sleep. A mattress protector is a slim protective layer designed to protect your mattress from general wear and tear and stains. Our scooms mattress protector is made from 100% cotton for excellent breathability with gentle cushioning. See our guide to mattress protectors.
Can a duvet be used as a mattress topper?
The answer is sort of. Toppers are made with elastic straps to keep them secure on your mattress, wheres duvets don't, so a duvet may move around. The pockets that contain the down and feather are also a different construction. This means that a duvet can work as a topper as long as you are prepared to accept compromises, so may be a solution if you have a spare duvet that you want to try (as long as it's thick enough) but if you are buying new go for a proper topper.
