Why our sleep experts loved it
Introduction
I tested the Harrison Spinks Pure Embrace Pillowtop Mattress in store (in person, on a proper bed base, shoes off, the whole “real world” routine), and it left me with mixed feelings in the most specific way. On paper it’s exactly the sort of mattress I normally get excited about: a serious spring count, natural fibres, proper craftsmanship, and a brand that genuinely knows how to build a supportive core. But I’m going to be upfront: I don’t love the pillowtop design here . It feels gorgeous for those first few minutes in the showroom, yet my experience in the industry tells me pillowtops like this can be the first thing to soften, body-mark and dip before the rest of the mattress is anywhere near done. If you’re buying a premium mattress for the long haul, that matters.
Design and features
This is a 28cm deep pillowtop pocket spring mattress, handmade in Yorkshire and made exclusively for Furniture Village. Construction-wise, Harrison Spinks is playing to its strengths. In king size you’re looking at 3,750 springs overall, combining the Advanced CortecTM Quad pocket spring system with 1,000 Posturfil pocket springs and 2,000 high-density micro springs . Translating that into plain English: the core support should be very stable, and the top-end spring layers are designed to “fine tune” pressure relief rather than relying on thick slabs of foam. That tends to mean a more breathable, responsive feel than many modern hybrids, and generally better long-term temperature comfort.
The fillings lean heavily into the natural story: traceable British wool , plus hemp and flax grown on the Harrison Spinks farm . I like this approach. Wool in particular can be brilliant for moisture wicking and keeping you from overheating, and it avoids that sealed-in, slightly clammy sensation some synthetic tops can create. The cover is a wool and viscose blend , and importantly it’s fire-retardant without chemical treatment (a big selling point for shoppers trying to avoid added FR chemicals). The mattress is hand-tufted with two rows of hand side-stitching , which should help edge support and keep the layers anchored. It’s also marketed as no-turn (you rotate rather than flip), which is convenient, but it does mean all the “comfort work” is being done on one side—again, that makes the durability of the pillowtop the critical question.
Mattress comfort
In-store, the first impression is undeniably plush and “expensive”. The pillowtop gives you that immediate cushioned welcome, and then you feel the spring system catch you quite quickly underneath. When it’s new, it’s a very attractive balance: you get a soft-touch surface with a firmer, grown-up support underneath. The micro springs add a gentle contouring effect that feels more buoyant than foam, and the surface has that slightly resilient, breathable feel you’d expect from wool-led upholstery.
However, here’s my blunt take: this pillowtop is the risk . Pillowtops are often the first element to change over time because they take the most direct compression every night. In store, everything is perfectly fluffed and evenly presented; at home, repeated pressure in the same zones can lead to visible settlement and a “hammock” sensation for some sleepers. Harrison Spinks does a better job than most at anchoring layers through tufting, but tufting doesn’t stop natural settlement entirely—it just helps keep it uniform. If you’re sensitive to changes in feel, or you’ve been burned by a dipping topper before, I’d approach this model with your eyes open.
Suitability
This mattress is available in medium and firm , plus dual tension in king and super king. Based on my in-store testing and how this build is likely to behave, I’m most confident recommending the firm option to back sleepers and some stomach sleepers . The spring structure is robust and the edge support feels properly reinforced, so you get that straighter alignment that back sleepers usually need, especially if you tend to feel your hips sink on softer beds.
For side sleepers , particularly those with more pronounced hips and shoulders or an hourglass figure, I’m less enthusiastic—especially in firm. Side sleeping generally requires deeper pressure relief at the shoulder and hip to prevent joint compression and numbness, and a firmer tension can leave you feeling perched “on top” rather than gently cradled. Yes, there’s a pillowtop, but in my view it’s not always the same as true deep pressure relief. It can feel cosy at first while still failing to give the shoulder enough space once your body weight settles in. If you’re a dedicated side sleeper and you’re drawn to this mattress, I would push you towards the medium in-store test, and I’d be very honest with yourself about whether you’re getting genuine shoulder drop or just surface plushness.
It’s also worth noting the practicalities: it’s heavy (as many premium natural mattresses are), and while it’s no-turn, you still need to rotate it and handle it carefully on your base. If you’re using slats, they must be no more than 7.5cm apart , otherwise you risk uneven support and dips developing faster.
What customers thought
Customer feedback lines up strongly with what I felt in store: people either fall in love with the supportive luxury or they struggle with how firm and “on top” it can feel. Several buyers describe it as extremely comfortable , supportive , and great for uninterrupted sleep , with particular praise for the side wall/edge support and the way it helps a bad back . That’s consistent with a well-built pocket spring core and solid side stitching.
But the negative reviews are not minor grumbles; they’re specific and repeated. Some customers who chose medium still found it very firm , with one mentioning persistent hip and shoulder pain and needing to add a topper “on the topper” just to tolerate it. Another reviewer found it so hard it aggravated their back and ultimately swapped it out after two months, despite admitting it seemed well made. That tells me the comfort interpretation can be polarising, and that “medium” here may suit people who already like a firmer, more supportive mattress rather than those expecting a true middle-of-the-road feel.
The other recurring theme is the smell . A natural wool mattress can have an earthy, lanolin-type odour initially, and airing it is normal. But multiple customers describe a lingering farmyard smell lasting weeks and transferring to bedding, with frustration around being told it’s “natural” when it feels excessive. One person said it was still strong after five weeks. That’s not something I’d brush off, because your bedroom should feel clean and calm. If you’re sensitive to odours, or you simply don’t want that experience, you should factor it into the decision and be prepared to air it properly before dressing the bed.
Finally, there are early mentions of the top becoming uneven . That’s the exact concern I have with pillowtops: even when a mattress is rotated, the plush upper layers can settle faster than expected. Settlement is not automatically a defect, but it can still be annoying and, more importantly, it can change how supported you feel.
The verdict
The Pure Embrace Pillowtop is a mattress I respect more than I personally love. The engineering and materials are premium, and the spring system is the kind of multi-layered support that can genuinely help alignment, especially for back sleepers who need structure with a touch of surface comfort. If you want a natural, breathable build with a handcrafted finish and you like a firmer, more “supported” sensation, it could be a brilliant long-term choice—particularly in firm for back sleeping.
But I’m not going to sit on the fence: the pillowtop is the weak link in an otherwise very capable mattress. It’s the part most likely to soften and show settlement before the rest of the mattress has aged, and customer comments about unevenness reinforce that concern. Add in the genuine reports of a lingering wool/farmyard odour, and I think this is a mattress you buy with intent, not on a whim. My advice is simple: test it in store for long enough that your shoulders and hips have time to speak up, choose firmness carefully (don’t assume medium means “soft”), and go in expecting a proper natural-mattress scent period. If that all sounds acceptable, the reward can be excellent support with a very plush first impression.
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