Why our sleep experts loved it
The Deluxe Ellesmere Medium Mattress is one of those no fuss, budget leaning mattresses that looks like it knows exactly what it is. It aims for basic comfort, steady support, and a price that feels realistic for a small single. I haven’t tested it in person or slept on it at home, and I didn’t get the chance to try it in store either since Archers is up in Scotland. So this review is built from the published specification, my decade in the mattress trade, and the tone and pattern of real customer feedback where that’s available.
Design and features
The Ellesmere is built around an open coil spring unit supplied by AGRO, a very well known spring systems manufacturer in Europe. That sounds reassuring on paper, but it doesn’t change the fact that open coil is the cheapest mainstream spring format in the UK market. It’s an older style system where rows of springs run head to toe and link together with helical wire. It does the job, but it doesn’t isolate movement very well and it rarely feels as refined as a pocket sprung mattress. And in my experience, open coil units are far more likely to feel bouncy in a way that reads as basic rather than supportive.
There is a rod edge wire around the perimeter, which is there to firm up the sides and help the mattress hold its shape when you sit on the edge. That’s a positive because edge collapse is a common weakness at this end of the market. The cover is described as micro quilted for durability, which usually means you get a tighter, flatter surface feel rather than anything plush. You also get hypo allergenic fillings, which is a sensible inclusion for a child’s room, a guest room, or anyone who wants to reduce irritants in the bed.
Mattress comfort
This is sold as a medium tension mattress. Medium can be a sweet spot when it’s done properly, but with open coil it often translates to a general even firmness without much contouring. You’re unlikely to get that cradled feeling around the shoulder and hip that side sleepers tend to love. Instead, you can expect a simpler on top feel with a bit of give, then a quicker pushback from the spring unit.
That said, medium is still the safest firmness choice for the widest range of sleepers, especially if you’re buying for someone else and you don’t know their preferences. And for a small single, it’s often going into rooms where flexibility matters more than perfection. But I’m not going to pretend this is going to feel luxurious. Open coil mattresses can feel comfortable at first, then start to feel uneven sooner than you’d like, particularly if the user is heavier or the bed is used every night.
Suitability
From a pure comfort and posture point of view, this medium tension should work for both back and side sleepers, and I agree it tends to favour side sleepers slightly more. Average weight sleepers are the best match, because they’re more likely to get a balanced blend of sink and support without overloading the spring unit. If you’re a dedicated back sleeper who likes a straighter, firmer feel under the lumbar area, I’d personally look at a firmer option or step up to a pocket sprung model that can hold the spine more consistently.
It’s also important to be honest about use case. This feels most appropriate for a budget led purchase, a child or teenager, a spare room, or a short term solution. If you are furnishing a main bedroom and you care about long term comfort, I don’t love open coil as the foundation. It’s not that it can’t work, it’s that it’s rarely the best choice when you factor in longevity and stability.
What customers thought
I haven’t been given a full set of customer reviews to quote directly here, so I can’t fairly claim a consensus. But I can say what tends to show up in feedback for mattresses built like this. Buyers who go in with the right expectations often describe them as good value, fine for the price, and comfortable enough for a small single. That lines up with the intention of the Ellesmere. People who are disappointed usually expected a deeper, more pressure relieving feel, or they noticed bounce and motion transfer. And with open coil, that criticism is valid because the whole spring unit moves more as one piece.
Hypo allergenic fillings tend to get a quiet thumbs up in customer comments, especially for kids rooms and anyone prone to sniffles. But it’s still worth pairing it with a good breathable protector, because that’s what really helps keep the sleeping surface fresh over time.
The verdict
I’ll be blunt because it helps buyers. I’ve never heard of this brand before seeing it listed, and the open coil spring system is not something I’d ever call impressive. It’s the definition of entry level. But not everyone is shopping for impressive. If you need an affordable small single with a medium feel that suits a wide range of sleepers, the Ellesmere makes sense, particularly for lighter to average weight users and occasional use beds.
If your budget can stretch, I’d rather see you in a pocket sprung mattress with better pressure relief and less movement across the surface. But if the choice is between a worn out old mattress and a new, straightforward medium open coil, the Ellesmere is the kind of practical buy that can still improve sleep. Just go in with realistic expectations and you’ll be much happier with it.
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References (3)
ScienceDirect. Mattress Coil Spring Fatigue and Weight-Bearing Support Comparison.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161475422001166 National Library of Medicine. Choosing a Mattress to Avoid Back Pain.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8655046/ Impact of Mattress Foam Hyperelasticity on Interface Pressure
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15376494.2025.2464254
