OTTY vs Emma comparison

OTTY is taking the mattress market and turning it on its head in the UK. It’s a lesser-known brand but is surprisingly affordable, and is shaking up the somewhat stale market. Up against it for my comparison here is the UK’s leading mattress brand – Emma. It’s an extremely well-received mattress and the market leader. Two tough contenders, then.

To keep the comparison fair, I am comparing both hybrid mattresses from both brands. That is specifically the OTTY Pure and the Emma hybrid mattress.

NB: If you want to see my review of the popular but non-hybrid ‘Emma Original’ then start here.

What is a hybrid mattress?

If you’re new to mattresses then you may be confused by the lingo and buzzwords. But “hybrid” mattresses are actually pretty simple. Whereas a traditional mattress will either be a pocket spring, or a memory foam, a “hybrid” mattress is a combination of the two. In other words, a hybrid has both springs AND memory foam. I have written a longer article on explaining the benefits of hybrid mattresses here – as well as which one is the best.

Again to confirm, both the Otty and the Emma that I am reviewing here below, are both hybrids.

At a glance: OTTY vs Emma Hybrids

• Both hybrid mattresses
• Both machine washable covers
• Both not flippable (“no turn” – see below).
• OTTY generally cheaper, but has fewer reviews
• Emma Hybrid made in the UK, but quite pricey

For this OTTY vs Emma Hybrid mattress comparison review, I have included a summarised table below for you to browse through and see the major differences, side-by-side:

Which is better – polyfoam or memory foam?

The short answer is: Memory Foam is better. “Polyfoam” or PU foam is a catch-all term for cheaper, more dense firms used widely in mattresses and other industries.  Because of the cost of true “memory foam”, it’s unlikely that you will find a 100% memory foam mattress for less than £1000 or so.

Therefore, manufacturers use “Polyfoam” to keep costs down. You will mostly find Polyfoam in the lower, thicker layers like the base layer – with both the OTTY and the Emma Hybrid mattresses, this is 17cm thick and made of Polyfoam. The upper layers – i.e. that you actually lay on top of – are reserved for higher quality Memory Foam.

OTTY vs Emma: Pricing, which is cheaper?

OTTY are generally cheaper than Emma Hybrid mattresses; in fact they are generally one of the cheapest mattress brands in the UK. Part of that reason is perhaps because they are made in China and not the UK, so that will obviously explain lower production costs.

The pricing for the Emma Hybrid in the UK, before any discount code etc, is £519.00 at the time of writing. This is for a single (UK) spec mattress.

For comparison’s sake, the OTTY Hybrid in this same size (single UK) is £324.99 – almost £200 less. That’s quite a saving!

PS: If you’re sure that you want a hybrid, then don’t forget to check out the OTTY Pure which is infused with charcoal for additional hypoallergenic benefits.

Otty vs Emma: Sizing

The OTTY Hybrid comes in six UK sizes (single, small double, double, king, super king and emperor), three EU sizes, and is designed to suit all body types and sleeping styles – but is particularly good for side sleepers. If you have an older IKEA bed then EU sizing is what you need, but for most Brits, UK sizing is the norm.

Emma Hybrid comes in five sizes,  which are single, small double, double, king and super king. There are also several EU sizes available if you want them – but sadly no toddler size mattress for kids.

OTTY vs Emma: Materials & Layers

1. Let’s start with the OTTY Hybrid.

The OTTY Hybrid is made up of four and a half different layers. How is it possible to have “half” a layer, you ask? Well, OTTY have added “side bolster support”. Strictly speaking it has four layers, but this innovation I have not seen on a mattress before, so wanted to give it an extra point. I really believe it’s a game-changer.

I am still waiting for OTTY to clarify the material of the Airflow side bolster support system, and how it actually works. If it works well, I may include it as a whole new layer – meaning that the OTTY actually has a whole five layers, not four.

Anyway, onto the hybrid tech: the springs! Unlike some other brands like Simba, the spring layer in this mattress is actually quite generous: around 56% of the entire composition of the mattress is from the springs. The rest – 44% is from the memory foam layers.

A blue gel layer forms the top part of the OTTY, this is designed to wick away moisture and keep you cool. Below that, a cushioning HD Reflex foam layer provides additional comfort; followed by 2,000 encapsulated pocket springs. These are a generous 14cm deep for better back and joint support (many competitors’ springs are just 2.5cm) – and the space created between them is designed to enable better airflow and reduce overheating. At the base, a high-density foam layer creates additional support.

The outer fabric layer of the OTTY is hypoallergenic and fully machine washable. Every OTTY cover is made from 97% polyester and 3% spandex. However, the cover can be unzipped both halves can be machine washed separately. OTTY included tiny pores in the top cover to dissipate heat evenly and ensure optimal sleeping climate.

2. Now onto the Emma Hybrid.

This hybrid consists of four layers of pressure-relieving foam, starting with 30mm of breathable “Airgocell” foam. This prevents you from overheating throughout the night, and also reduces motion transfer, so you won’t notice a restless partner.

A layer of pocket springs mould to your body to offer improved body support and aid in air circulation. For cool and comfortable sleep. Pressure-relieving memory foam just below that, works by dDistributing pressure evenly across the mattress, so that this memory foam layer adapts to any sleeping position to keep your spine aligned. If you have orthopaedic problems and are looking for a suitable mattress then read this.

One thing I noticed: It is hard to find the actual number of springs in the Emma Hybrid. They do not easily list it, and I had to search online for a while to find the number, which appears to be 2000. If anyone knows this, please confirm it in the comments.

Awards, reviews and reception

OTTY Hybrid

OTTY is, as of writing, the only mattress in a box company that has been awarded the prestigious NBF (National Bed Federation) award. The OTTY Hybrid has chalked up a number of other industry accolades as well, and it has received excellent reviews from users, with the company scoring an average of five out of five stars at consumer review website TrustPilot from over 4,000 reviews.

• OTTY Sleep Trustpilot page – 4.6 / 5
• Emma Mattress UK Trustpilot page – 4.4 / 5

A lot of users have reported that the OTTY Hybrid mattress is perfect for side sleepers. Although there are always going to be the occasional debates over this, the vast majority of OTTY purchasers look to be happy with their choice of mattress. Note that there are also a lot of comments about how cool the mattress stays, and back pain disappearing too. Some users have mentioned OTTY’s lack of handles which is a slight negative for when you come to move home, for example.

In general though, user reviews with lower scores seem to be related to occasional delivery issues.

Emma

The Emma Hybrid is no shy wallflower either when it comes to awards..! Indeed it has won the coveted Which? Best Buy award – a huge plus. Which? proud themselves on being unbiased – like me – and completely honest and open with their reviews.

Positive user experiences often include how comfortable and supportive the mattress is, and also how good the lack of motion transference is for people with partners who fidget or move a lot in the night.  Of course a lot of this is subjective, but overall it has reasonbly-good to good reviews on Trustpilot.

Some users report finding the Emma mattress a little warm. And many say that the initial smell caused them to mark the mattress as a four rather than a five. Most memory foam or hybrid mattresses smell for the first few days – read my guide here on how to minimise it.

Can I flip OTTY or Emma mattresses over?

No, they are one sided and therefore “no flip”.

A quick word on “no turn” or “non-flippable” mattresses. Most modern mattresses, particularly hybrid and memory foam ones, are not flippable. In other words, they only have one side that you can lay on.

Most of the mattress brands will sell you this as a positive (i..e it’s less effort) – but there are some drawbacks to be aware of. Firstly, some argue that flipping a mattress is an absolute requirement. Purists argue that a double-sided mattress will last longer too. But is is true? Perhaps. I will write about this in a future article – but for now all you need to know is that both OTTY and Emma are one-sided mattresses and don’t require flipping.

Note that nearly all the big “mattress in a box” brands like Simba, Eve, Ergoflex etc are non-flippable.

Anything else I need to know?

According to the mattress comparison table above, I think it’s important to note that the Emma Hybrid does come with a much longer free night trial period – 200 nights. The OTTY Hybrid has a significantly shorter one, indeed it is literally half as long, at 100 nights…

While it may sound obvious to plump for the one with the 200 night trial, remember that most mattresses will be without any sort of problem or issue. So if that is the case, what difference is there between a 100-night and 200-night trial? It ultimately is possible to gauge whether a mattress is for you, within 7-14 days generally speaking. In some cases a 200 night trial is just marketing garb, it is very rare that people will send their mattress back on the 199th night!

PRO TIP: If you are on a budget, then check out my article on the best mattresses for under £200 here

What about discount codes/offers?

The pricing for OTTY and Emma are quite different, but they have one thing in common: both companies offer discount codes and coupons. While neither are as generous with their discounts as companies like Ergoflex, you can still get 20% off quite easily for either company.

I have included here a coupon code for each – if you are looking to go ahead with a purchase based on my advice, then it makes sense to use a voucher code.

Get 20% off (or thereabouts) at either companies here:

10% OFF

10% off with code

Get 10% off your OTTY mattress: includes the Pure, and in any size!

Valid until 31 December 2023

OCT23SMSShow Code

10% off with code

OCT23SMS

Details

Get 10% off your OTTY mattress: includes the Pure, and in any size!

Go to Offer

-10% OFF

Exclusive:10% off

Get 10% off when you buy any size mattress from Emma. Some items excluded, see the Emma UK website for terms.

Valid until 31 March 2024

BLCW7KPQLShow Code

Exclusive:10% off

BLCW7KPQL

Details

Get 10% off when you buy any size mattress from Emma. Some items excluded, see the Emma UK website for terms.

Go to Offer

Conclusion – Which is best: Emma or OTTY?

So which is best? I would summarise it like this:

The OTTY is £200 cheaper than the Emma mattress, all other things being equal, that would be the clincher for me.

Ultimately £200 is a lot to save, and although OTTY have some shortcomings (such as lack of side handles and not being made in the UK), I would still heartily recommend them. The mattress quality itself seems to be as good as other, bigger brands.

Check out the discount codes above this section to reduce the price of the OTTY even more – by up to a further £300 if you use the correct coupon.

If you have back / orthopaedic pain or a dedicated side-sleeper then I would probably suggest opting for the Emma mattress, given the firmness rating though.