Why our sleep experts loved it
I tested the Sleep Story Ortho 2000 Mattress in store at Furniture Village, spending a proper amount of time sitting, lying, and changing positions the way people actually do when they are deciding if they can live with a mattress for years. This matters because an “ortho” build can feel brilliant for five minutes and then quietly start a battle with your hips and shoulders. My overall take is simple. If you want a genuinely supportive, no nonsense bed that stays level and resists that sinking feeling, this one is a strong contender. But if you are a side sleeper who likes any hint of plushness, it is very likely to annoy you, and I think you should take that seriously.
Design and features
The Ortho 2000 is a UK made pocket spring mattress by Highgrove, exclusive to Furniture Village, and it looks and feels like it has been built with a clear purpose. Hold the body firmly, keep the edges stable, and offer good value without fluffy extras. In king size you get 2000 pocket springs, which is a healthy count at this price point and a good sign for more even support across the surface. Pocket springs respond independently, so in theory you get a more tailored feel than open coils, and in store I did feel that the mattress held my lumbar area up rather than letting it hammock.
The other headline is the edge system. The brand calls out DynamicEdge active side support , and from my in store testing the perimeter did feel noticeably more stable than many firmer mattresses that still collapse when you sit to put socks on. Edge support is not a glamorous feature, but it is one of the quickest ways a mattress can feel cheap. Here it did its job. You can use more of the surface without that subtle roll off sensation, which is especially useful if you share a bed or tend to sleep closer to the edge.
It is finished with a stretch damask style cover and it is positioned as hypoallergenic. I always treat “hypoallergenic” as a helpful direction rather than a medical guarantee, but it does suggest the materials are chosen to be more resistant to common irritants. It is also a turn mattress, and I actually like that. It usually means the comfort materials are built more evenly, and in the long run that can help it wear more consistently, assuming you will genuinely rotate and turn it. Many people do not, so be honest with yourself before buying a mattress that asks a bit more of you.
Mattress comfort
Extra firm is the selling point, and yes, it delivers that vibe. When I lay on my back, the sensation was very level, quite corrective, and reassuring in a way that will make some people instantly relax. It is the sort of firmness that feels like it is holding you rather than inviting you in. And if your back plays up, I completely understand the appeal. I like the idea of a proper ortho mattress for those phases when you just want your spine kept in check and you want to wake up feeling more put together.
But here is my blunt opinion. Extra firm comfort is often confused with “better” comfort, and they are not the same thing. On my side, the Ortho 2000 felt unforgiving through the shoulder and hip. I could feel pressure building quickly, and that is the kind of pressure that turns into fidgeting, numbness, and broken sleep. Pocket springs can help with contouring, but the overall build here is still very assertive, with foam and fibre fillings that do not create much sink. If you are curvy or hourglass, I think it is even more likely you will struggle, because your hip and shoulder need space to settle while your waist stays supported. For me, this mattress wanted to keep my spine straight, not naturally aligned.
Temperature wise, pocket springs usually breathe better than solid foam blocks, and I would expect this to sleep fairly neutral. Still, ortho designs can feel a bit “board like” and that can trap you in one position, which ironically can make you feel warmer if you are a restless sleeper. Motion isolation felt decent in store for a spring mattress, but it is not going to rival a deep memory foam build. If you are very sensitive to a partner moving, this is not the category I would push you towards.
Suitability
This is a back sleeper’s mattress first, and it is not pretending otherwise. If you sleep flat on your back most nights and you like a firm, lifted feel under the lumbar area, I think you will rate it. It may also suit some stomach sleepers, especially those who want to avoid the dreaded swayback position that softer mattresses can create. The edge support will also appeal if you want the whole mattress to feel usable, not just the centre.
If you are a side sleeper, I would be sceptical. Not mildly sceptical. Properly sceptical. Side sleeping needs pressure relief at the shoulder and hip, and this build is designed to resist that kind of sink. You might get used to it, but you also might end up chasing comfort with toppers and pillows, and at that point you have to ask why you did not choose a better matched tension in the first place. And if you are a combination sleeper who spends real time on your side, I think you should consider something firm rather than extra firm, because the trade off here is not subtle.
Practical point that matters. If you are using a slatted bed frame, the gaps must be no wider than 7.5 cm or you risk dipping and potentially invalidating the guarantee. I see this catch people out. The Ortho 2000 is also heavy, especially in king and super king, so turning it is a two person job for most households.
What customers thought
The customer feedback fits the story of this mattress almost perfectly. People who wanted firm support and got it tend to be happy, and some are genuinely relieved. One reviewer said it helped their bad back and they sleep properly now, which is exactly the best case scenario for an ortho style mattress. Another said they would recommend it to anyone who likes a firm mattress, and I believe them, because when this tension suits you it can feel stabilising and confidence boosting.
But the negative reviews are just as telling, and you should not brush them off. One person reported an aching back since purchase and wished they had not bought it. That can happen when a mattress is too firm and the body cannot relax into neutral alignment, or when someone changes too abruptly from a softer surface. Another reviewer was disappointed and felt it was medium at best, which is interesting because firmness is subjective, and showroom testing can differ from sleeping on it for weeks. It also hints that some people may expect “extra firm” to feel like a hard gym mat, whereas pocket spring ortho mattresses can still have a touch of give from their comfort layers. So you have two possible outcomes. Too firm for comfort, or not as firm as you imagined. That is why I always push people to be very clear about what they mean by firm.
The verdict
I like what the Ortho 2000 is trying to be. A UK made, good value, extra firm pocket spring mattress with strong edge support and a straightforward build. In store, it felt stable, supportive, and sensibly finished, and the DynamicEdge support was a genuine plus. If you are a dedicated back sleeper who wants a no frills ortho feel and you are tired of sinking into softer beds, I would absolutely put it on your shortlist.
But I would not recommend it as a safe all rounder. I think it is a specialist choice, and that is not a criticism, it is a warning label. Side sleepers and curvier shapes are likely to feel pressure in the wrong places, and if you are buying it to “fix” discomfort, there is a real chance it could do the opposite. My advice is to trust your body in the showroom. If your shoulder complains in the first few minutes, it will not magically stop complaining after a month. This mattress can be brilliant, but only for the right sleeper.
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