Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress review: out-of-this world comfort, courtesy of NASA

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress: two-minute review

The medium-firm 25cm-deep Tempur Tempur Hybrid Elite is the ideal mattress for people who need cushioning at the pressure points, stability for proper spine alignment, and support while sleeping on their backs. 

We rated it as one of the best mattresses for all-round comfort, but if you're heavier in weight, or need a different firmness for sleeping on your side or front, then try one of the other mattresses in Tempur's wide range of foam and hybrid options. 

The Tempur Hybrid Elite uses NASA-developed Tempur Material, the brand's memory foam-like material that conforms to the body while also providing cooling. This is added to a layer of micro-coils for bounce and breathability, giving the mattress an overall stable yet luxurious feel.

The high-quality materials combined with expert design and craftsmanship mean this mattress doesn't come cheap. Prices start from £1,699 for the Elite in a single size. If you prefer the feel of a shallower mattress, the Tempur Hybrid is also available as a Supreme with a depth of 21cm, with prices starting from £1,499. 

While there are plenty of cheaper options on the market, Tempur's mattresses have a distinctive feel, and if you want that, then you'll need to stump up the higher price. You have 100 nights to trial your mattress – not ultra-generous, but still enough time to get an idea of whether or not it'll suit you.

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress review: materials & design

• NASA-developed Tempur foam
• Removable cover for washing up to 60C
• Airy micro coil layer

The Tempur Hybrid mattress is available in two depths: the 25cm Elite version (reviewed here), and the 21cm Supreme. The mattresses use the brand's own Tempur Material, which is derived from the foam developed by NASA in the 1970s for its Space Shuttle. The brand is adamant it's not memory foam but, it behaves like memory foam (in fact, Tempur is widely considered to be one of the best memory-foam mattress brands around). This foam material is designed to offer pressure relief, and comfort for aches and pains.

The Hybrid Elite has four layers: 4cm of Advanced Tempur Material, 8cm of 'Tempur dynamic support tech', a layer of 10cm micro-coils, and 3cm of 'Durabase tech' at the foundation. The Supreme is made in exactly the same way, but the Tempur Material layer is shallower, at only 5cm. It's not stated explicitly, but I believe all the layers apart from the micro-coils are different types of foam.

The micro-coil layer features pocketed springs that boost support while also creating space for air to move within the mattress.

The cover is removable, and can be washed at temperatures of up to 60C. However, we'd generally recommend adding a protector anyway (Tempur makes one, or you can consult our best mattress protector guide for more recommendations). There are no handles to help with manoeuvring.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress review: Price & value for money

• Premium priced mattress, even with semi-regular discounts
• Luxury brand and unique foams command higher prices
• There are plenty of cheaper options if you're on a budget

Like all of this brand's mattresses, the Tempur Hybrid Elite sits in the premium price bracket. At time of writing, all sizes were discounted, but even at deal prices this mattress is an investment. Tempur is known for being a luxury brand, and the use of Tempur Material gives these beds a distinctive feel, which is one of the reasons why it can charge those higher prices – if you want the Tempur feel, you'll need to stump up for a Tempur mattress. 

Here are the list prices for the main sizes of the Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress:

• Long single: £1,699 (sometimes discounted to £1,479)
• Double: £2,319 (sometimes discounted to £2,019)
• King: £2,729 (sometimes discounted to £2,019)
• Super king: £2,939 (sometimes discounted to £2,379)

A good time to shop, if it suits when you need to buy, is during the Black Friday mattress sales. 

Do the extras help amp up your value for money? Not really. The 100-night trial and 10-year guarantee are fine, but about the minimum offered by any big bed brand (even the much cheaper ones). Shipping and returns are free.

For me, the comfort and support I felt with this mattress was worth the investment. One year down the line, I'm also convinced by this mattress's durability, and confident it'll last a long time. However, if it's out of your price range, don't panic – there are plenty of excellent options amongst the best hybrid mattresses or the best memory foam mattresses that cost less and still offer a dreamily comfortable experience. 

• Value for money score: 3 out of 5

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress review: comfort & support

• Medium-firm hybrid with excellent pressure relief
• Keeps posture aligned for back sleepers
• May be too firm for lighter stomach sleepers

Tempur aims high when it comes to support, cosiness and quality across all its mattresses. I'm 5ft 2 inches and I weigh 50kg, and this mattress is a great fit for me. In terms of firmness it feels around 6.5; however, the Tempur material with its cushioning support gives the impression of a slightly firmer feel. One of our secondary testers, who's 6ft 1 inches and 90kg, said the mattress felt more like a 6 to them, and they would consider something a touch firmer to support their back. However, all testers noted that the Tempur Elite felt immediately supportive, and gave ample cushioning across the pressure points.

The Tempur Material offers a slow sinking-in feel to cradle the body and keep the spine aligned. The firmness and pressure relief on offer are ideal for back sleepers and side sleepers, with spines kept properly aligned; we also experienced no aches and pains in the morning. Sleepers of average and heavier weight said they felt supported, although with my smaller frame and body weight I needed a touch more softness when sleeping on my front. 

Finding the perfect mattress can take a while, but after testing this mattress for a over a year I can confirm that the improvement in the comfort and quality of my sleep justifies the higher cost of the Tempur Hybrid Elite. However, if you have a taller frame or are heavier, you might want to consider other options by Tempur, such as the Tempur Sensation, which has a firmer feel. The brand also offers softer mattresses than the Hybrid Elite, for anybody who wants an extra-sumptuous feel. 

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress review: performance

• Good temperature regulation, but not ideal for very hot sleepers
• Edge support is acceptable but could be better
• Absorbs movements extremely well – a great choice for light sleepers 

In this section, I'll be digging into the other areas that play into a mattress's overall performance. Namely: how well it regulates temperature (so you don't end up overheating at night), how sturdy the edges are, and how well it absorbs movement. 

Temperature regulation

While the Tempur Hybrid Elite is not specifically designed to be a cooling mattress, and is not particularly cool to the touch, the micro-coil layer means air flows freely, and keeps things breathable. You'll also sink into the surface, which can feel warmer than a mattress that you sleep more 'on top of'. However, I never found that sensation too stifling, and even during warmer weather I remained comfortably cool.

However, if you tend to sleep hot, you might get on better with a mattress that has less of a contouring feel, and/or a higher proportion of springs. 

• Temperature regulation score: 3.5 out of 5

Edge support

Edge support refers to how sturdy the perimeter of a mattress is. It's important if you want to be able to use the full sleep surface to lie on, or sit supported on the side of the bed. It's the one area where this mattress didn't perform quite as well. That's not to say it's poor – the sloping is only really noticeable when you sit on the edge of the bed, and I couldn't sense the weaker edges when lying on the bed. 

I never felt unsupported, even when co-sleeping with a restless partner. However, if you rely on sturdy edge support to help you get in and out of bed then this might not be the best mattress for you.

• Edge support score: 3.5 out of 5

Motion isolation

Tempur prides itself on its 'wine glass test', which promises only 2% motion transfer as a weight is dropped onto the mattress. In my own wine glass test, I dropped a 6kg weight and 20kg weight near the glass at roughly 50cm, 25cm and 10cm away. I can confirm that the glass showed minimal movement, even at the closest distance with both weights.

I also tested the motion isolation in the real world, by sharing the bed with a restless partner, and was not disappointed. If you're looking for a mattress that will absorb movements rather than allowing them to reverberate across the surface, this would be a great choice. 

• Motion isolation score: 5 out of 5

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress review: durability

I've been sleeping on the Tempur Hybrid Elite for more than a year now, and I'm extremely impressed by how durable this mattress is – still feels like it did the first night I slept on it. The mattress, which does not need rotating or flipping, has maintained its medium-firm feel and continues to provide perfect levels of support, especially for lighter people who sleep on their side, or people of average weight who sleep on their back.

Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress specs

Should I buy the Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress?

Buy it if...

✅ You're a back or side sleeper of average weight: The medium-firm feel gently cradles and supports the spine, allowing the body to sink in just enough. 

✅ You suffer from aches and pains: The cushioning and support on offer makes the Tempur Hybrid Elite ideal if you're prone to back ache or soreness at the pressure points.

✅ You want a long-lasting luxury mattress: With exceptional craftsmanship, top materials and a 10-year warranty, this is a mattress that's built to last. I've been sleeping on it for over a year, and it remains as good as new.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need a more supportive mattress: If you sleep on your stomach, you might find the Tempur Hybrid Elite too soft – stomach sleepers generally need firmer mattresses to keep their spines correctly aligned. The same goes for heavier / taller people; generally, the more you weigh, the firmer your mattress needs to be to keep you properly supported. 

❌ You sleep very hot: Although I didn't have any issues with overheating on this mattress, the contouring viscoelastic foams will run warmer than a model with a higher proportion of pocket springs.

❌ You need good edge support for getting in and out of bed easily: While the edge support on this mattress is fine if you're lying down, it's weaker when sitting. 

How I tested the Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress

I tested the Tempur Hybrid Elite mattress in a small double size (a special size, measuring 190 x 120cm), suitable for my smaller bedroom. I slept on it every night for over a year. For reference, I am 5ft 2 inches and weigh 50kg. I also asked others, of different builds and body weights, to try it out and share their thoughts. 

I used a lighter duvet in the summer and spring, and a heavier duvet for the cooler months, and I also added a wool mattress protector after the initial two-week testing period. 

Read more about how we test