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The Dreams Workshop vs Emma Mattress Reviews

Compare The Dreams Workshop and Emma mattresses side by side: owner satisfaction, support, durability and price, based on aggregated customer reviews.

Checked byBecky Reeve, Staff Writer, Mattress Expert
SourceCompiled from WantMattress review data

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Brand

The Dreams Workshop

Our pick
4.7/5Owners7,137 reviews
Price range£119 – £239
Brand

Emma

4.5/5Owners1,083 reviews
Price range£219 – £849

On aggregated owner reviews, The Dreams Workshop scores higher: 4.7 against 4.5 out of 5.

Becky’s take

By Becky Reeve

Checked against current models and prices in October 2026

Emma is the better buy, through gritted teeth, because pocket springs beat a wire lattice even when they come wrapped in that much advertising. Nearly every Emma is memory foam over pocket springs. The Original Pro is medium, the Original is medium-firm, the Diamond Spring Free Deluxe is firm, and the Original Lite is the soft-medium. The Dreams Workshop makes nothing but open coil, medium to firm, and a few models put a memory-foam layer on top.

Two people in a double is where the Workshop goes wrong. Linked coils carry one sleeper's movement to the other, and the middle is the first part to give. Emma's pocket-spring unit keeps each side separate and the foam on top deadens what's left.

I don't like Emma, and I'm still telling you to buy it over open coil for a bed you share. If you don't mind a brand you've never seen advertised, I'd rather you bought an Origin, another boxed brand, which puts a springier top on its pocket-spring unit and is the hybrid I'd choose. The Workshop's Simmonds is for the spare room, and that is the whole of its case.

Head to head

The Dreams Workshop has 0 of its 8 mattresses sprung and 3 all memory foam; Emma has 13 of its 14 mattresses sprung and 1 all memory foam. The Dreams Workshop runs from medium to firm, and Emma runs from soft-medium to firm. The Dreams Workshop is clearly the cheaper way in; Emma's range starts well above it. At the top end Emma goes further still. The Dreams Workshop's owner score rests on far more reviews (7,137 against 1,083), so treat Emma's number as the less settled of the two.

How they differ

The Dreams WorkshopEmma
Mattresses we list814
Price range£119 – £239£219 – £849
Owner rating
4.7/5Owners7,137 reviews
4.5/5Owners1,083 reviews

Mattresses only. Owner ratings are the review-weighted average across each brand’s mattresses on UK retailer sites. Prices read 3 November 2026.

The Dreams Workshop

The Dreams Workshop first cropped up a few years ago, being sold exclusively through the Dreams retail website, the brand was established to offer a range of in-house products that were built and designed from the ground up by the team at Dreams HQ. The brand has UK roots, with all mattresses being manufactured right here in England using the latest in technological advances to create both traditional and hybrid rolled mattresses. The value proposition of The Dreams Workshop is in its ability to cut out middleman costs thanks to its direct link with the retailer, allowing for a more premium product at a reduced price point for the consumer. Pay particular attention to the rolled series of mattresses now coming out in the range, where the consumer wins again with savings on logistics and shipping being able to be passed down in even better prices.

Emma

Emma is an immensely popular German sleep brand that specialises in bed in a box mattresses. First clamouring to fame in 2015 but achieving real velocity from 2018 onwards, Emma is one of the last standing in the war on sleep having bested Eve, Casper and Leesa, all of whom had similar marketing objectives and business models. To date, Emma offers a short core range of mattresses commercially through their own website with store and retailer derived versions for the masses of retailers looking to piggyback the brand's success. The mattresses all feature foam as a staple with some featuring additional springs. Regardless of which version you choose, comfort is almost guaranteed with thousands of satisfied customers to date.

Recently Emma rebranded to become known as Emma Sleep and pivoted their focus toward other items in the bedding sector ranging from bed frames, pillows, duvets and protectors.

The Dreams Workshop owner satisfaction

Consumer Satisfaction is where this brand really thrives. Comfort and price turn up together in review after review, and one owner put it about as plainly as it gets: “This is a good, comfortable mattress at a reasonable price.” Another wrote simply “Really comfortable and great value, would recommend”. Not everyone is sold on the feel, and a minority found the firmer models harder than they wanted. One owner wrote: “We added a topper as it was a little too firm and for added comfort, now it's just right.” Price is a big part of why people buy one, and most owners seem happy with what they got for it.

The Dreams Workshop supportiveness

From the Simmonds through to the Botfield, there’s more than enough support on offer to ensure your back and neck is adequately supported. Most of the range is of the firm variety with a handful of medium firmness sprinkled throughout the lineup. Owners who mention the support often describe it the same way: firm without being harsh, and no sinking in. One wrote that it “supports your body without you sinking into the mattress”. A few found the opposite, and one review reads: “Not as firm as expected. Sinks if you sit in one position.”

The Dreams Workshop durability

Durability is not typically a concern with any of The Dreams Workshop, though the reviews are not unanimous: a minority of owners say the springs could be felt or heard within weeks, and a few report an early dip. One owner wrote: “Had it 2 weeks, can already feel the springs poking through.” For those looking to get more lifespan from their product, consider a dual sided mattress from within the range as these models have twice the surface area to sleep on which improves settlement of springs and helps decrease wear on the fillings. One downside we have come across with the brand is around the guarantee which is limited to only 1 year, typically brands have started moving away from this minimum amount to the satisfaction of customers. At the same time, problems typically appear within that first year at a much higher rate than in the years that follow, and that first year is what the guarantee covers.

The Dreams Workshop best offers

We've managed to find the following top deals from across the web on The Dreams Workshop mattresses.

Emma owner satisfaction

Emma Sleep’s entire business model is focussed toward consumer satisfaction. Key parts of their marketing strategy comes from word of mouth and statistics show that people buy from people. What makes Emma stand out from the crowd is an interesting shift in consumer buying behaviour. Previously, if you bought a mattress and didn’t enjoy it, you were out of luck, not so with the rise of Emma. Now, if you don’t like your mattress you can arrange a return within Emma’s trial, which the brand advertises as up to 200 nights when you buy direct. This shift has proved extremely positive for customers and has increased satisfaction in the lineup.

To date, Emma has amassed more than 53,000 reviews on Trustpilot (checked 9 October 2026), a fantastic display given the company's fairly new tenure in the industry.

Emma supportiveness

Firmness is a very subjective thing which proves a particularly tough nut to crack when you are producing one mattress to suit all people. So much so that Emma has prototyped and tested numerous models previous to going to market in order to get that mix just right. The result? Emma’s own range runs from a medium tension to a medium firm one. Medium is a great supportive rating as it gives the user enough body contouring and support in the back and neck while giving enough softness and compression to accommodate those who sleep on their side or are of a lower BMI. It really is considered the one-size-fits-all approach and it’s one that suits many who purchase an Emma mattress, just take a look at the thousands of reviews to date.

Emma durability

With the mid-range price point of Emma products, it’s important for shoppers that the bed lasts for a number of years. Generally we find companies consistently trying to cut costs at the expense of durability. Fortunately Emma already has a unique business model as the mattresses follow the rolled and bed-in-a-box model that allows savings through logistics and delivery meaning Emma can spend more on materials while still finding profit. The result of this means you get a mattress that is affordable and of higher quality than competing brands which, as a result of the quality increase, is more durable and lasts longer as a result. It’s a win for everyone.

Emma best offers

We've managed to find the following top deals from across the web on Emma mattresses.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix it and say so here. All corrections

9 October 2026
We called Emma a British manufacturer, said it sold two mattresses and offered a 100-night trial. Emma is a German brand with a wider range, and it advertises a trial of up to 200 nights.

Owner reviews of The Dreams Workshop mattresses

5 Verified customer

Oh dear, now thanks to the expert advice of a Dreams salesperson, I now have a guilty secret. Some three months ago I moved some distance from a place where I had lived for many years. A lot of my friends and family had said they would like to come down and spend a few days with me, when I had settled, nice but I would need to set up a guests bedroom. Stating the obvious, I would need a bed and all the accessories. Having already had a good experience when purchasing just a duvet at Dreams store in Havant, I returned to same on a mission. I explained that I needed a large double bed, it needed to have some storage, and as it would only be for occasional use, it should be at a budget price. Since then I have had a few people stay for a couple of nights, but all would comment on how comfortable they had been at night. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I decided that the main bedroom needed decorating, so rather than move heavy furniture around, I would simply cover my super-king sized bed with a dust sheet, and use the new bed in the 'guests' bedroom. Now here is the thing, for months I have been suffering from major back pain, so much so I was sent to a local hospital where they conducted both X-ray and CT scans. It was concluded that the problem was due to wear in my lower spine, and all they could suggest was the use of strong pain killers. Even as I write this, I am very much aware that I am free from pain in my back, and I can only attribute this to the use of the new Dreams bed, and the applied knowledge of the sales assistant. To their credit, they respected my need to stay within a very tight budget, not only with the bed, but also the accessories. My guilty secret? Now when guests stay I find myself saying, "You have the super-king, I will be fine with the double.

5 Phil Burt

5 Star service! Our new bed was delivered on Christmas eve thanks to the very helpful Dreams staff member who served us. I have already left a review for the way he conducted himself and handled the sale. With only one week to go for Christmas eve, he pulled out ALL the stops to get us a bed in time! Very friendly, he answered ALL of our questions and gave us food for thought about ALL the things available. I never realized that there was so much to consider when buying a bed! LoL Unfortunately, after unpacking the bed we discovered that one of the draws was damaged. There's no way the driver could have known, due to the packaging. We contacted customer services and explained the problem, she was sorry to hear this and set about ordering a replacement draw. She explained that due to Christmas & New Year, there would be a slight delay, but we were given 15th Jan for delivery. Again, very friendly & helpful! Our replacement draw was just delivered, by the delivery driver & his mate, again very friendly and on time! After looking at our damaged draw, he checked to see that the replacement was the right colour and all ok... and if I had any other questions. Again... 5 Star service! We had waited until now before leaving this review, as we wanted to see how Dreams handled this. We appreciate that these things can happen, but it's how the company deals with it. We're pleased to say that they passed with glowing colours!!! A great bed and 5 Star service.... BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! P.S. I've slept like a baby this past four weeks! :)

5 Ashbash69

After blowing £79 on a rolled up so called mattress from a dodgy ebay company last year (huge mistake) it wasn't going to take an awful lot to impress me. I was very impressed with the measures in place in the Telford store due to covid 19 and instantly felt at ease. Covers, masks, sanitizer everywhere and plenty of social distancing. Having picked my mattress the checkout was quick, friendly and efficient and took no more than 5 minutes. 8 days later my new mattress arrived. The delivery men were big, strong, wearing masks and made short work of getting my new mattress into my bedroom. Literally less than 2 minutes. The missus went all out with new pillows and fresh bedding and dutifully set about creating our night time body shelf. After a tiring day, a wonderful sirloin, bottle of red and a shower we were ready to jump into our new slice of heaven. 3 words were muttered by us both in unison. Oh my lord. What slumberland sorcery is this. The perfect amount of firmness, the wonderful smell of the fresh bedding and the support of the memory foam pillows and we were out faster than Frank Bruno against Mike tyson. Absolute bliss. I can't recommend dreams or this mattress highly enough. Superb product, great service and fast delivery. Don't delay, buy one today!

1 Anon40

Unfortunately, I find this mattress far too hard. Two ago I started experiencing severe lower back pain and hip pain. I was hoping it would ease, but the opposite has happened and the pain has increasingly got worse, in particular, in the last few days. Only had the mattress since the end of September so I am going to speak to Dreams about the problems I am experiencing. Even though the mattress looks good quality, the firmness is too much (and won't suit anyone who moves at all in their sleep, I think most people do move). When I was in the store, I did ask for assistance in choosing a mattress, but with hindsight I do wish I had asked for two opinions from their customer service staff...I put all my faith in the advice from one customer service member of staff. I will update my rating, if I find that Dreams are obliging in finding an alternative solution for me, and I hope promptly. (Please note: I've never experienced any kind of back pain of any sort in my life prior to purchasing the mattress from Dreams).

1 Sreed

Dear Team, I am writing to express my disappointment with the Springfield mattress I recently purchased. Unfortunately, the mattress has not met my expectations in terms of comfort or quality. Ever since I started using it, I’ve been experiencing consistent back pain every day. Despite regularly rotating the mattress, there has been no improvement. The springs are clearly felt through the surface, making it extremely uncomfortable to sleep on. It feels as though there is little to no cushioning or foam layer, which raises concerns about the quality and construction of the mattress. I trusted Dreams for a good night's sleep, but this experience has been quite disappointing. It is clear that the mattress is faulty and not up to the mark.

Owner reviews of Emma mattresses

5 Mandy

It's been 2 years now, so here is a review after 2 years of sleeping on it. I am a larger lady who has many disabilities that cause a lot of bodily pain, I have Neuropathy, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, ME, spondylitis of the neck and spine and a crumbling spine, sciatica etc. I tell you this because it's very important to find that perfect mattress when you have physical disabilities. I can not tell you the difference this mattress has made to my life. As soon as I lay down on it, it was like heaven, it was like I was weightless and 2 years on it is still the same, every time I get on it, it feels as good as the first time. My pain levels at night decreased by a lot, i used to wake constantly with hip pain, since sleeping on this Emma Mattress I have not woke with hip pain once! my sleep is deeper and longer, which has made a massive difference in my everyday life. The mattress has zero lumps, bumps, springs, coils, it's just like a smooth cloud. The mattress is that fantastic and feels so good under your body that when I put my electric blanket on top of it, and I have a very expensive thick electric blanket, I hated the feel of it and had to take my electric blanket off. You will be just fine with your electric blanket on top of the mattress, but having fibromyalgia, they used to call fibromyalgia 'The princess and the pea disease' because you can feel every stitch, lump, bump ect and every stitch, lump and bump causes so much pain, but the Emma mattress feels like a smooth cloud, you actually feel weightless. It was the best decision I ever made to get this mattress, it was more expensive than any other mattress I have purchased previously, but it is worth so much more than that just to have a pain free, long, cosy nights sleep. It's also not to hot for menopause, I don't know why that myth was put out there but it's just fine temperature wise. I also bought my son one, he has cerebral palsy and he agrees with me about how amazing they are, especially if you suffer from any aches and pains. Just buy one, do it, you will be amazed how great they are.

4 Richard

I think the mattress is great but my wife thinks it is a little hard. I have not had any back ache since we bought the matress. Our previous mattress was killing my back and had become extremly unsupportive. The delivery staff were great as they brought the new mattress in and removed the old one. I would have never been able to move the old mattress so having the gentlemen take our wornout one away was really helpful. We left the Emma mattress to vent and take shape over the stipulated time. Not sure how we could ever have returned it though as the delicery staff removed the box it came in and I would never have been able to compress it into such a small roll again. The extensive strong plastic wrap retained the compression forces which I imagine were processed at the factory so I can not think how it could be completed at home. I love the mattress and have slept well since it was delivered and the back ache has not returned.

4 Siya

We bought the Emma Hybrid AirGrid Mattress in October as a replacement for our king-sized Sloom mattress from South Africa after relocating to the UK, and we've been extremely happy with the experience so far. The mattress strikes a great balance in firmness - it's supportive without being too hard, and we've had no back pain since using it. Sleep quality has been noticeably better, and it's been comfortable from the very first night without needing a long 'breaking in' period. Delivery was smooth and right on schedule, which made the whole purchase experience stress-free. What really stood out for us was the price as it was significantly more affordable than other mattresses in the same range, yet the quality hasn't felt compromised at all. Overall, we're very pleased with our purchase and would confidently recommend the Emma Hybrid AirGrid to anyone looking for a high-quality, comfortable mattress at a great price.

2 Stuart

Having slept on an Emma memory foam mattress a few times and loved it when staying with family I was expecting great things from what I assumed would be an upgraded and better product. As well as the experience on the memory foam mattress I’d spent weeks reading reviews and was confident this mattress would deliver on the three things we most wanted - comfort, minimal motion transfer, and a cool sleep. Sad to say my wife and I are disappointed on two of those things. Comfort wise I’ve no grumbles, but I’m a fidget and mover in bed and my wife reckons it’s like sleeping on a boat, and to be honest, I don’t find it any better than the 30 yr old mattress we both got rid of. In addition we both find it quite a bit warmer than the old mattress as well. With the pocket springs covered by layers of various foams it is nothing like the memory foam mattress we’d tried at our daughters. I’m disappointed that I can easily feel the springs through the sides and bottom (just a couple of layers of fabric) - in fact it actually feels quite cheaply made to me. I guess I should have expected this from a roll up mattress, but no one mentioned this in any of the dozens of reviews I read! Maybe I’m just fussy, but I wouldn’t get another one.

2 Col

I’m a bit disappointed with this product. We previously owned an Emma Original mattress purchased in 2020, which was the best mattress we’ve ever had. Based on that experience, I expected this one to be the same or at least similar. However, despite being called “Original,” it is nothing like the one we had before. The old mattress was entirely memory foam, whereas this one has pocket springs with only a thin layer of foam on top, which makes it feel quite firm. Had I realised this, I would never have purchased it. In addition, because the underside consists of hard springs, the mattress slides on the base and needs to be pushed back into place regularly. MattressOnline have offered to exchange the mattress for a different one but as we would be unable to test the mattress, we would simply be swapping it for another unknown model that may not be any better, so we have decided to keep it. However, this will definitely be the last time we purchase an Emma mattress

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