Why our sleep experts loved it
A bare-bones foam mattress in the cheapest price range with an ultra-simple design, the Dreams Flex Foam Rolled Mattress is not going to feel plush or high-tech. It is however an even, solid alternative to a cheaper spring mattress, which is worth considering for occasional or kids use, provided an appetite for firm tension. Just be aware that it is priced and designed as a short-term, entry-level purchase.
The Dreams Flex Foam Rolled Mattress is as basic a mattress as you are likely to find. That is its major failing and its main attraction in one. I have been using it with the mindset that it is not a long-term investment piece but an ultra-budget option for spare rooms, kids, bunk beds or short-term rental situations. It is constructed from a single block of reflex-style cold foam rather than memory foam, so you will not get a slow-moulding hug but straightforward, slightly springy support in a slim profile.
Key features at a glance
Extremely basic all-foam design: single-sided, unisex and roll-packed
Ultra slim mattress depth, recommended for bunk beds and kid-friendly frames
Rolls for easy storage and transport
Includes hypoallergenic knitted cover
Available in single and double sizes
Budget entry-level pricing
Crucially, however, that simplicity does not automatically make it uncomfortable. At this price, a solid block of foam can actually feel more even and less lumpy than the very cheapest open coil options. You will not get lavish cushioning or the best resilience but if you need something that rolls up, is easy to move, and has a clean, relatively solid feel, the Dreams Flex Foam Rolled Mattress has a role.
Construction & materials
This is a 100% non-sprung foam mattress, so it has no pocket springs or other support system within the mattress itself. It arrives rolled and vacuum packed, a feature Dreams actively markets as making it suitable for high bunks or loft beds where stairs or ladders are an issue. Dreams states that it is 'filled with supportive foam' that has been purpose cut to both support the body and aid air flow through the mattress for better freshness.
There are no separate comfort and support layers in the way that you would find in a more premium foam mattress. It is effectively one slab of foam, albeit one that has been cut with some basic contouring channels.
The foam itself is a standard reflex / comfort foam, and not viscoelastic memory foam. That is important to note because memory foam has a slow, resistant reaction to weight and heat, which is what gives you that familiar sinking, moulded feeling as you first get into a bed. Here, because the foam is firmer and more responsive, the mattress feels more like a simple supportive block.
Atop this is a soft knitted cover that Dreams states is hypoallergenic and designed with sensitive sleepers in mind. The mattress is single sided, so all of the comfort is on one face, and you are expected to rotate rather than flip it. All in all, the profile is extremely slimline, which is also why the brand actively recommends pairing the mattress with bunk beds and kid-friendly frames where mattress depth is more limited.
Firmness & feel
In practice, the Flex Foam Rolled Mattress feels like a firm budget foam mattress. On first lying down, there is a little give from the top few millimetres of foam, but you are rapidly met by the underlying support. There is no sinking in or enveloping, and no gradual response time beneath your shoulders and hips that you might expect with a slower-responding viscoelastic memory foam.
With the foam being relatively simple and the mattress shallow, most adults will feel this on the firmer side as soon as body weight is distributed across the surface. Lighter adults, older children and teens may find it nearer a straight medium as they will not compress the foam to the same extent.
On my back, it held my spine in a fairly neutral position, but when I switched to my side I became aware of my shoulder and hip pressing in to the foam more than they would on a deeper mattress with more dedicated comfort layers.
Feel across the surface was consistent with no obvious dips or ridges, which is a positive against some cheap open coil alternatives that can feel very bouncy and uneven. Edges are not reinforced, so you do notice compression when sitting at the side of the bed.
Performance & support
Support on this mattress is fine for short-term or occasional use but is not something that I would particularly recommend as a long-term solution for adults with back issues or for heavier bodies. The foam block gives even resistance and does a reasonable job of keeping you off the slats or base underneath. However, because the overall depth is on the modest side, there is only so much pressure relief it can provide around the shoulders and hips.
For children, teens or lighter adults up to around average weight levels, the support feels adequate for a couple of years, particularly in bunk beds or guest room scenarios. The reflex nature of the foam means that the bed pushes back rather than sagging or allowing your weight to pool. This is preferable to an ultra-soft budget spring unit that can hammock quickly.
Where it inevitably shows its price is over the long-term, as a solid block of basic foam of this type and thickness will not retain its original firmness for many years. I would consider this a 1 to 3 year mattress depending on how heavily and by whom it is used. After that, body impressions and softening will become more apparent in the high-use zones, particularly if an adult sleeper remains in the same position every night.
Motion isolation & noise
One of the quiet benefits of a simple all-foam mattress is that it does a good job of controlling movement and noise. The Dreams Flex Foam does not contain any springs, so there is no creaking or ping to turning over. Because it is a single block of foam, movement does transfer through the surface a little, but far more muted than a basic open coil mattress where every movement can ripple across the bed. In a single or small double bunk set-up, that can make a difference to how disturbed a child or teen is when they shift position.
Temperature regulation
Foam mattresses are not usually the coolest, but the Flex Foam has a couple of things in its favour. First, the foam core is purpose cut with channels to aid airflow vertically and laterally through the mattress, rather than trapping every last bit of warmth. Secondly, it is relatively thin, which means there is not a mass of warm layers built up around your body in the same way as a deep memory foam model might be.
In practice, I found that it sleeps to neutral to slightly warm depending on bedding. You will not get the more breathable feel of a pocket sprung mattress with natural fillings, but you also avoid the deep, enveloping sensation of some memory foams that can feel quite hot to some sleepers. Paired with a cotton protector and lightweight duvet, it should be comfortable enough for most children and occasional adult guests, even in a room on the warm side.
Practical features
Where this mattress really scores is in the practicalities. It arrives rolled and compactly packaged, with a package weight of around 10 kg in single size, which makes it very easy to manoeuvre up stairs, through tight doorways and onto high bunks. Once you have unboxed and unrolled it, it needs a little time to expand and off-gas, but because the foam block is simple, it reaches its usable shape fairly quickly.
The knitted cover is soft and described as hypoallergenic, a wise choice given the target market of children and allergy-prone sleepers. There are no handles, the edge is fairly minimal but given the light weight, not a huge problem when rotating the mattress.
Dreams list it in single and double sizes on their website, with the price firmly in the entry-level bracket. You do still benefit from standard Dreams perks such as free delivery, and, as with all Dreams mattresses, typically their comfort guarantee. That is a boon if you know quickly that an all foam feel is just not for you. Bear in mind that this is not a forever mattress, it is a budget, occasional use purchase and expectations should be realistic.
Final verdict
The Dreams Flex Foam Rolled Mattress is exactly what it looks to be, a very simple, very budget-friendly foam mattress that puts practicality and price well above long-term performance or luxury comfort. It is made from cold reflex-style foam, not memory foam, and you can feel that in the way it behaves, quick to respond, reasonably firm and definitely not cushioned.
That said, it would be churlish to write it off just because it is missing springs or fancy layers. In the ultra-low price bracket, I would often rather sleep on a clean even block of foam like this than on a cheap open coil alternative where you can feel the springs and where the support vanishes into dips within months. For children, light sleepers, bunk beds, student rooms and occasional guest use, it is a perfectly serviceable option.
Where I would be cautious is in using it as a main mattress for heavier adults, or in expecting it to last far beyond two to three years. As long as you view it as a short term budget solution rather than a long-term investment, the Dreams Flex Foam Rolled Mattress does its job without fuss and in that context it represents honest if modest value.
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