Why our sleep experts loved it
I tested the Highgrove Pocket 1000 Mattress in-store at Furniture Village, spending a good amount of time lying in my usual sleep positions and paying close attention to the finish, edge support and overall “feel” across the surface. This isn’t one of those mattresses that tries to dazzle you with a flashy story or premium branding, and honestly, it doesn’t need to. It’s a practical, firm, traditionally-styled pocket sprung mattress with a generous depth and a couple of comfort touches designed to make it feel more expensive than it is. That said, I’m not going to pretend it competes with genuinely premium pocket spring builds, because it doesn’t. The value is there, but only at the right price.
Design and features
The first thing you notice is the height. At around 31cm deep , it’s a proper, substantial mattress with enough internal “real estate” for layered fillings, and visually it looks more luxurious than many entry-to-mid options. The mattress is hand tufted with real wool tufts , which I always like to see on a deeper, more traditional build because tufting helps hold the comfort layers in place and reduces that slippy, “all the fillings migrated to the middle” feeling you can get over time. It also signals that this isn’t a thin foam-and-fabric job trying to pass as a proper mattress.
Support comes from Highgrove’s KineTech pocket spring system with 1000 pocket springs (typically counted in a king size). In plain terms, that spring count is acceptable for the price bracket, not miraculous. It should give you more responsive contouring than open coil, and better motion control too, but don’t expect the nuanced zoning and ultra-fine pressure mapping you’d feel on higher-count premium pocket systems. Comfort-wise, there’s mention of sumptuous fillings plus a topping of pressure-relieving foam . In store, that translated to a surface that feels initially accommodating, then quickly firms up underneath, rather than a deep, slow sink.
The cover is a micro-quilted knitted fabric that’s described as temperature regulating via improved airflow. I’m slightly sceptical of grand claims here, because a fabric alone rarely “fixes” heat for hot sleepers, but knitted covers can feel nicer against the skin and can be less clammy than cheaper woven options. If you’re expecting a genuinely cooling mattress, I wouldn’t buy this on that promise alone. One practical point I do like is that it’s designed to be turned regularly . That’s old-school in a good way: if you actually rotate and turn it as advised, you’re more likely to keep it performing evenly.
Mattress comfort
This mattress is firm , and I mean properly firm. In store, when I lay on my back, it gave me that level, supported feeling through the lumbar area that many back sleepers chase, especially if they’re tired of dipping or hammocking. The comfort foam on top takes the edge off initially, but it doesn’t create that “ahh, I’m sinking in” sensation. Instead, you get a fairly immediate sense that the springs are doing the heavy lifting and the comfort layers are there to smooth, not soften.
On my side, it was a different story. My shoulder and hip didn’t sink enough for truly comfortable pressure relief, and that’s the key point: firm mattresses can still work for side sleepers if the top has enough compliance, but this one doesn’t offer that kind of give. If you’ve got an hourglass figure or prominent shoulders/hips, you’re likely to feel pushed upward rather than cradled. For some people that becomes pins-and-needles territory over the night, or the classic “I kept waking up and swapping sides.” In other words, the firmness is a benefit if you match it, and a deal-breaker if you don’t.
Edge support felt decent while sitting and lying near the perimeter in store, helped by the overall build depth. It’s not the most reinforced edge I’ve ever tested, but it didn’t collapse dramatically either. Motion transfer should be reasonably controlled thanks to the pocket springs, though again, at 1000 springs, it’s good rather than exceptional.
Suitability
I’m going to be blunt: the Highgrove Pocket 1000 is best suited to back sleepers and some stomach sleepers who genuinely prefer a firm, flatter sleep surface. If you sleep on your back most nights and want your hips held up rather than dipping, this is the kind of mattress that can help you feel aligned, especially compared to softer hybrids. Stomach sleepers who like a firmer feel may also get on with it, as long as they’re not extremely lightweight and as long as the firmness doesn’t create rib or chest pressure.
If you’re predominantly a side sleeper , I wouldn’t recommend this unless you already know you love a firm mattress and you’re not prone to pressure point issues. Side sleeping generally needs extra sink at the shoulder and hip so the spine stays straight, and in my in-store testing the mattress simply didn’t offer enough “give” on top to make that position feel naturally relaxed. You can try to compensate with a softer topper, but at that point you have to ask why you’re buying a very firm mattress just to soften it. My view is simple: buy the right comfort level from the start.
On practicalities, the two-week lead time is pretty standard for a made-to-order UK mattress and doesn’t put me off. I also appreciate the brand’s realistic note about airing it after delivery and allowing time for settling; that’s normal, and it’s better when retailers say it plainly rather than pretending everything is perfect from minute one.
What customers thought
The customer feedback I’ve seen is strongly comfort-led, and it matches the impression I got in store: people describe it as “very comfortable,” and one reviewer mentioned trying it in a holiday let and buying it afterwards because their sleep improved. That kind of comment is useful because it suggests the mattress feels good not just in a five-minute showroom lie-down, but over at least a short stay where your body actually has time to react. Another buyer called it a “great buy” and recommended it to friends, and there’s a particularly telling comment from a parent saying their daughter enjoys a good night’s sleep on it, which often points to that stable, supportive feel many people like once they’ve had enough of saggy or overly bouncy mattresses.
However, I do think it’s important to read between the lines. Positive comfort comments don’t tell you whether those sleepers were side sleepers, back sleepers, or simply people upgrading from a worn-out mattress. Almost any new, supportive mattress can feel incredible compared to something that’s past its best. From my perspective, the critical question is whether the firmness matches your sleep style, because if it doesn’t, it won’t matter how many people call it comfortable.
The verdict
This is a middling-brand, solid-value pocket sprung mattress with a satisfyingly deep build and a no-nonsense, supportive personality. I like the 31cm depth, I like the hand tufting, and I think the overall construction makes sense for buyers who want a traditional mattress feel with a hint of added surface comfort. I don’t love the way it markets temperature regulation, because I think that promise is typically overstated, and I’m also not going to oversell 1000 pocket springs as if it’s a premium spec. It’s fine, not fancy.
My strongest opinion is on price. If you can buy the Highgrove Pocket 1000 on offer, around the current deal levels, it’s “about right” and worth a serious look for back sleepers who want a firm mattress without paying premium money. If it’s priced above that, I’d walk away and put the money towards a better-specified pocket spring model with more refined pressure relief. Put simply, I would not pay more than £500 for it. At the right price it’s a sensible purchase; at the wrong price, it’s just an average firm mattress dressed up as a luxury one.
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