Simba vs iGel Mattress Reviews

We've been needing a new mattress for a long time, to replace our turn of the century Sealy memory foam mattress and divan bed, which we have had lots of use from (2nd hand from family when we got it). We wanted to invest in a really high quality, low environmental impact mattress (and bed) that also ticked all the boxes for comfort, support, no nasty off-gassing chemicals, made with natural materials and market leading durability. This was a huge outlay for us and we've been thinking about it for a few years. We're now in our mid 50's and know that a good night's sleep is crucial, particularly as I'm a light sleeper and have suffered from back and hip pain in the past. Our old mattress was smelly, well past its prime and I dread to think what might have been living in it (and on us!). So, we see this new Simba mattress as an investment for our future. Lots of really helpful info on the website and very enticing video of the mattress we were considering. Once we decided to go for it, we had a bit of trouble paying for the order on the website as I couldn't figure out how to set up the credit facility to spread the cost. In the end I had to message Simba about it and soon after was given the option of having a callback slot, at a time to suit me, to speak to a person. The customer service chap rang me at the allotted time and was very helpful and polite, who helped us resolve the issue, with the added bonus of a further code to use to get free collection of our old bed and mattress, which saved us £50, that really made us happy. We are very pleased with the promotional offer of free high quality Simba bedding as well (2 pillows, duvet and mattress cover), so felt that although it was a big expense, we were buying the best we could afford and were being treated very well as customers. Following the email confirmation of the order after purchase, a day or two later we received details of the VIP service delivery and the date suggested worked for us. So, within a week of placing the order we would get our new bed and mattress (we live in rural Wales, not that easy to get to). Two gentlemen from the delivery company arrived on time, carefully backed up their van on our narrow driveway, carried in the bed and mattress with care, they were really polite and quietly got on with the job of building the new bed. They would have removed the packaging too, but I asked if we could keep it, no problem at all! They removed our old bed and mattress and so within the hour of their arrival we were all set up with our new bed and mattress. Fab! The mattress is very different to our old memory foam one. It's much deeper, heavier and firmer. I'm a side sleeper, but occasionally sleep on my back. It did take me a few days to get used to the new firmer support, but it does have lovely soft cushioning in the top layer. After a few weeks we are now feeling much more comfortable on it than we did initially. I can feel it does give me much better support, as am not getting back pain from sleeping on it. My husband really loves it. According to our Fitbit watches, which we wear at night, we are generally getting a good quality night's sleep (we just need to get to bed earlier now to make the most of it!). For me, with a very sensitive sense of smell, there is also a slight scent of sheep wool, which was stronger to start with. I actually like this smell, and it reminded me what the mattress contains, natural fibres, not off-gassing of chemical VOCs. But, we do make sure we air the bed each day, which is good sleep hygiene, whatever mattress you're on. The mattress comes with helpful information about how to care for it. It definitely will need two of us to turn it every so often, way too heavy for me on my own. I do find changing the bedclothes harder work, as the mattress is heavy to lift to get the fitted sheet on it, especially at the head end. So bear this in mind if you live on your own and you order King Size! You also need to use extra deep fitted sheets. We hope that it'll remain this comfortable for the next 10 years, reassured by the guarantee and love the fact that the mattress was made only a couple of weeks before we bought it (the label on it states when it was made). Nice to think it's not been sitting very long in a warehouse somewhere before we received it. Lovely to know that its recyclable at end of life too and we're supporting a certified B Corp. Fingers crossed we'll both be still sweetly sleeping on it well into our 60's.

So, two weeks ago, I got a response from the supplier of my previous mattress (Emma) saying that due to some sort of restructure, they wouldn’t be able to deliver a new mattress for weeks. They gave me the option to get a refund, which I took. I needed the mattress by that Sunday at the latest as that’s when my temporary accommodation in the Airbnb that I was staying at came to an end and I needed to sleep at my new less-temporary, but unfurnished accommodation. My previous mattress had been damaged by the water ingress at Coniston House (google it for stories in the Standard and The Slice, Tower Hamlets if you're interested). The ongoing works on my building necessitated the move. Anyway, I found a roughly equivalent mattress sold by Simba, which is UK-based and B Corp certified. It is a bit more expensive, but hey, it was an emergency and they offered to deliver the next day if ordered before 1 p. m. This is when it all went horribly wrong. Simba sent the mattress by DPD and DPD’s tracking showed it was out for delivery. The delivery slot came and went and then the tracking said they were running late. Phoning DPD to find out what was going on, they reassured me that they would deliver it that day, but it appeared from the tracking that it had gone back to the depot. I waited in until 8 p. m. The same thing happened on Friday, the contact centre reassured me that it would be delivered, but tracking I could see showed that it was still at the depot. I eventually got a call back from the depot who said it wasn’t out for delivery after all and wouldn’t be delivered that day (despite what the call centre had said). DPD booked it in for a Saturday delivery. Saturday came, again, the same pattern and no delivery. The DPD contact centre doesn’t seem to have any way to contact people on the ground, and I won’t call it lying, but they make statements (e. g. that they will certainly deliver today) which they clearly don’t have the information to back up. On the Monday, I had an exchange with Simba, who arranged for the delivery with DPD to be cancelled. I had to go to the office on Tuesday (I had already spent several days trapped working from home by DPD), so Simba arranged to send out a replacement with ao. com’s logistics on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Garry from AO called me first thing to say he was delivering that morning, and he called again when he was on the way from his previous job. Delivered direct to my door, no fuss. It seems from other reviews of DPD that mattress delivery and other heavy/bulky items are a recurring problem for DPD. I would give Simba five stars, especially for fixing the mess as promptly as they could. However, it was their choice in the first place to use DPD where there appear to be known issues with their performance. If Simba turn to using AO for all their deliveries, I would give them an unqualified recommendation as the mattress is super comfortable and their customer service is helpful and responsive. Most importantly, over the last week, I've had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in over a year!

Despite Simba resolving delivery issues caused by a very dishonest courier, they were also very quick to treat me as though I was lying about not receiving my £1,800 order. Whilst I understand there will be some apprehension due to other dishonest customers, there was no need for the passive aggressive emails and chat messages I received. As soon as I said I lived within MOD barracks and there was no record of the delivery truck or drivers, they sent out a replacement order immediately without explanation. For the mattress itself, I must say that both my husband and I don’t feel it (or the pillows/duvet/mattress topper!) are worth the high prices. We’ve tried to give it time as they say it takes a while to get used to a new mattress, but I really expected to be wowed by a mattress that costs so much, and I’m just not. There are already significant flat areas where my husband and I sleep, despite rotating as advised, which only happened with our old mattress after around 8 years. The pillows come with extra foam cubes so you can fill them more and thus make them firmer, which is great in theory, but I can feel the bumpiness of the cubes under my face, despite distributing them and shaking the pillows etc. Not to mention the fact that the pillows cost so much and are literally just filled with cubed sponge. The quilt is fine, it’s neither here nor there, the buttons can be felt through your duvet cover in the corners which is mildly annoying but the best part is this retails at £399…! The mattress topper is, again, neither here nor there. We tested the mattress without it for a night and it felt exactly the same, so I’m not sure what it really adds. The only good thing I can state about the mattress is that it’s a great level of firm for us (we prefer a more firm one), but again, the cost is not worth this alone, and I’m fairly certain I’d be able to find another for half the price and that feels the same. Sorry, Simba. I will add that we also purchased two inter mattresses for our kids and these are lovely - kids have commented how much they love their new beds and how comfortable they are, which was really important for us while they’re still young and growing. Perhaps we’d be best returning the Luxe and getting an Inter.

Sadly, I cannot recommend Simba based on my experience. I ordered a mattress advertised as being 25 cm deep. The first mattress I received measured approximately 22 cm. It was only after raising this with Simba that the ±2 cm manufacturing tolerance became particularly relevant. This tolerance is contained within their Terms & Conditions, but in my opinion it is not made sufficiently clear alongside the advertised mattress dimensions when purchasing. A ±2 cm tolerance on a 25 cm mattress is actually quite significant — potentially anywhere between 23 cm and 27 cm — and I think this should be made much more obvious to customers before they buy. Even allowing for that fairly generous tolerance, my first mattress at approximately 22 cm was still outside Simba's own stated specification, so they agreed to replace it. Unfortunately, the replacement mattress measured approximately 22.5 cm — once again outside their own stated tolerance. Despite this, I was then told that the 22.5 cm depth was fine and would not affect the performance of the mattress. This completely misses the point. If a product is prominently advertised as being 25 cm deep, and the manufacturer already allows itself a ±2 cm tolerance, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the product supplied to at least fall within that range. I specifically needed a 25 cm mattress, which was one of the reasons I chose this particular model in the first place. After receiving two mattresses outside even their own stated tolerance, Simba were unable to guarantee that another replacement would meet the advertised specification. I was therefore left with the only realistic option of returning it for a refund. My experience has left me with very little confidence in the accuracy of Simba's advertised dimensions or their manufacturing quality control. I own foam mattresses from other manufacturers that measure within just a few millimetres of their advertised dimensions. By comparison, receiving two Simba mattresses that were both outside even Simba's own ±2 cm tolerance suggests to me that their manufacturing and quality-control standards are simply not good enough. If a mattress is advertised as 25 cm deep, customers shouldn't have to search through Terms & Conditions to discover that it could actually be several centimetres different — and even then receive a product that falls outside that tolerance.

TL;DR - amazing selection for testing at Northwich, 1st class staff and service, and the delivery team and experience was incredible. Amazing bed testing experience - my partner and I, with a 3yro and a 5yro spent at least 3 hours in the store testing everything and homing in on the mattress for us. The staff greeted us and asked what we were looking to do, and were totally fine with me asking for no help unless we found something (my previous experience at other companies meant I was not hopeful.). They understood, and this was the first place where they just said "Well, you can't test a bed without a pillow!" and gave us a Tempura pillow each for the afternoon! My approach to testing was risky - find a firmness we both liked to start with, and then test everything in that category and don't look at the price! Well, doing that kept me at the iGel 2050i, I nearly fell asleep in the store! This tech and construction was clearly for us the most comfortable in the store. The 3yro and 5yro thoroughly tested the bunk beds, and ran around everywhere, the store staff understood we needed to test and didn't mind the chaos the little ones were causing. Amazing experience at the Northwich store. The sales staff then appeared and checked in when it was clear we'd just stopped really testing and actually encouraged us to test exactly as we sleep, which was really nice to have that encouragement to be at ease lying down with your loved one in a shop! So I disappointed the staff and said I'd think about it. Honestly the mattress was nearly double what I'd put in mind, but the comfort was amazing in the shop. We got home and lay on the old mattress. It was a disappointment. I went back the following day before an offer ended and made the purchase, with delivery about 6 days later. Come the day before a delivery day, a text with a 2 hour time slot,. The day of the delivery, Ben in the van called and said they were 30mins away, which they were. You could also track their location online. Van arrived, the guys jumped out, I asked if they wanted any help, which they didn't and then they got the mattress through an impossibly small staircase within 15mins. I actually thought before delivery it wouldn't go and I'd have to take the handrail off, but there was no stopping the team - looked at the route, and just did it. Ben said when we got back down I'm actually proud of that one!". It was a tight fit, but the team didn't even think of not trying, just incredible. So here we are now, a few weeks after delivery, and I can honestly say the 2050i is an incredible mattress, the comfort and sleep we are getting now is seriously unimaginably better than before. Any regrets? That I didn't spend more time on the 3000i... by the time I got to that, I'd looked at the price of the 2050i and I think I'd probably tapped out on price. Next time...

We decided to wait a short while before leaving a review so we can comment on both the service and the product, so we will start with the product. Pre sales: We walked into the branch in Congleton and Martin was the salesman who we met. Very professional, listened to us and made recommendations based on what answers we gave him. (always a great start) Once we were confident on our selection, we got a quote. Again we went through all the options, once we added on what we wanted, Martin went through some offers on the extras which were good value based on what we were buying anyway. (such as protectors) Once everything was priced and finalised, we got a formal quote and gave it an hour to 'wait'. Went back, paid and felt happy with the purchase based on the product we tested and the sales approach. From firmness rating to technical specification of the materials, it helped us make an informed decision based on no. of springs, gel layers etc. and focus on what was more of a priority for us. We met Darrell later once we paid and couldn't rate this store any better. It's clear both individuals have a very natirual and consultative selling style, selling based on matching a product to people. Should the product live up to its claims, we will be OK! Delivery: Received multiple emails and texts with our delivery date, reminders and time updates. It arrived in time. Our delivery team was Mark and Linv. These guys were amazing. Took the mattress where we wanted it with no problem, both courteous and respectful to our property, best heavy goods courriers we have had. Product: We purchase the igel 2050i and will address initially it was very firm, more than what we expected, but to be expected with a new unit. After a couple of weeks of use and turning the mattress as per the care guidelines, it loosened off a bit and is now more like what we tested in store. There was a smell to the mattress initially, but it dissipated after about 2-3 days. 4 weeks later and the mattress is excellent. Can offer nothing but thanks to the Congleton branch and the delivery team. It honestly was great to see a full complement of people having pride in their jobs. We walked into this store with the money ready to buy what we wanted, but was fully expecting to be let down... But we're glad to be proved wrong! Pre-sales - 10/10 Sales support - 10/10 Delivery - 10/10 Product - 10/10 Not sure if it's too early to comment on the mattress, but so far it's settled as expected and seems like excellent quality. From a after sales perspective, we feel confident if there is an issue, that the team will support us.

an honest review, so to begin with, i wasnt even planning on buying a new mattress at the time, it was on a whim that i went into the shop as hadn't looked at new beds for a loooooong time, so thought why not, probably wont be very good, but the sales team were excellent and taking the time, which was well over an hour, going through a lot of bed options, and only going to this one as a "i do have one more to show but its a lot more money" option... but it was so comfortable the second i got on it in the shop compared to the others, which granted were half the price! from paperwork to delivery and the first nights sleep, its bliss! trying in the shop means you know what your buying before you even get it, and cant technically be disappointed. now for the details:- Its THICCCCCCK! this is a very deep and heavy mattress, 40+cm, so know your sheets are going to fit before buying you aint going to be rotating or moving it often as it is heavy, just move yourself around the bed for bedding in sleeping possitions to keep it fresh... you sink into it like a marshmellow, then stop when it thinks your possition is correct, and it is, your supported where you need it, free where your not the Igel cooling, i cant really comment on tooo much as its not been hot nights yet to test, but its certainly not like other memory foams iv had before where the heat bounces back and it feels sweaty what down sides can there be other than those that people make up due to not doing reaserch before they get it.... HEAVY, THICK, kinda pricy you spend half your life in bed, why not have it in the most comfort you can possibly get, its no different than people spending 1000s on sofas and tvs, they only do 1 job, as does this, but it does its job dam well! there really isnt much that can be said for this mattress, if you can afford it, get it! simple

I've deliberately left it several months before leaving this review (product was delivered end of Feb 2026) as Benson's were emailing for a review before we'd even received the mattress! This product is so poor I'm now being referred to a musculoskeletal specialist due to the pain and discomfort I'm experiencing, specifically as a result of sleeping on this mattress. We know it's the mattress as I travel alot for work and whenever I sleep in any hotel the pain disappears within a day or two. Come home to my own bed and within 24hrs I'm in crippling pain and can struggle to stand or sit. We went to Benson's, assuming they would know what they were talking about. They had us lay on some fancy, hooked up to a computer, bed full of sensors that supposedly measures body weight, pressure points in different sleeping positions etc. etc. and then spits out the "right mattress for you". The Igel NanoTech 3000i medium mattress was what we were recommended. However.... I weigh 19 and a half stone. I'm 6ft 4inches tall and built like the side of the proverbial barn, so I'm very obviously a big solid chap. Benson's own website states on it's "Sleep Hub" about the right mattress for your weight...: Best mattresses for heavier sleepers (Over 16st / 101kg) If you're in this range, you'll need extra support to prevent sinking too deep into the mattress. Here's what works best: A firmer mattress (7-9 on the firmness scale) will keep your spine aligned. High-density foam or reinforced pocket springs help with durability. A thicker mattress (at least 25cm) is better for long-term comfort. Avoid: Soft mattresses-you'll sink in too much and lose support, leading to back pain. Best picks: Firm hybrid mattresses - Durable and supportive. Orthopaedic mattresses - Designed for extra lumbar support. The so called "Bed Specialist made no reference to my size, however delicately, making no effort to steer us towards a firmer/reinforced/orthopaedic mattress. She was purely interested in upselling Benson's own brand mattress and accessories. She was quite happy to sell us a medium mattress despite the fact their own website (and the rest of the internet if you do a little research) say's anything less than a firm mattress will cause back pain. She also failed to check what type of bed base we have. We have a pine slatted base. When we received our Igel mattress and read through the paperwork it stated quite explicitly that this mattress was not suitable for slatted bed bases and required a solid/divan base otherwise the mattress would sag through the gaps. Using it on the wrong bed base apparently voids the warranty. So Benson's have sold us £1,500 of product that is not only not suitable for my size, is causing me significant physical pain impacting my daily ability to function, but they've also not made us aware of the required bed base type meaning we've bought something where the warranty is now void and we're stuck with it. We've not even finished paying it off and we're now shopping for a better alternative. But I can promise you that shopping effort will absolutely not involve a trip to Bensons for Beds.

Took delivery of the mattress a week today, June 29th. Waking up every morning with bad lower back pain ever since. No instructions were supplied with it, but I remembered that the staff at the shop told me it needed to be rotated ( not flipped) weekly. Just done that and found the instruction pamphlet underneath the mattress. I had been sleeping on it for a week. Read them and it clearly states that you need two people to rotate the mattress, lifting it from the underside as flat as possible, as bending the mattress will break glue bonds and dislodge internal fixings. I live alone. At no point was this explained to me before ordering the mattress. It is physically impossible for me ( or anyone else living alone) to rotate the mattress weekly without bending it. The pamphlet states that claims will be refused if there is evidence of bending the mattress. But it also says claims will be refused where lack of rotation is evident. So what am I supposed to do? I either rotate it by myself and bend it, or I don't rotate it….both of which will result in a claim refusal! I also clearly stated that I had a pine bed with a slatted base. Again, at no point was it explained to me that slatted bases would give a lower level of support. Hence maybe the reason I am waking up in pain every morning. Had I have been told about both these things, I would never have ordered this particular mattress. Feeling unhappy and misinformed.