Why our sleep experts loved it
The Silentnight SleepResponse Reflex 2200 is being positioned as one of the premium models in the new SleepResponse range, and for comfort on its own, I can see why. It is a plush, cool-feeling hybrid that caters well to both side and back sleepers, and the slightly firmer-than-medium tension is supportive rather than marshmallowy. The area where it gets more complicated is value: at this price, you are in Hypnos and Relyon territory, which naturally invites more scrutiny about what you are actually paying for.
You have already got a feeling for that blend of "this is really comfortable" and "this is quite punchy for a Silentnight", and that, essentially, is the story of this mattress. Comfort and support are good, edge support is great, the cooling story rings true in use, but the question of whether the SleepResponse tech actually outperforms cheaper memory foam or gel foam hybrids is a legitimate one.
Construction & Materials
This is a hybrid mattress built around Silentnight’s Mirapocket spring system, with a fairly thick gel comfort layer on top. Silentnight describe this as the SleepResponse Reflex Gel 2200 Mirapocket mattress, which tells us three key things about how it’s built.
Mirapocket spring core
At the heart of the mattress is a zoned Mirapocket unit, with up to 2200 individually wrapped pocket springs in the larger sizes. Mirapocket springs are independently moving, adjusting to your body’s weight and shape to spread pressure more evenly. That is helpful if you share with a partner or toss and turn in your sleep. As a type of spring system, it’s meant to aid spinal alignment and reduce partner disturbance versus open coil springs.
Reflex Gel comfort layer
Above the springs is a Reflex Gel comfort layer. In marketing materials, Silentnight position this as a flexible, responsive gel that cradles the body, and is more breathable than standard memory foam. In practice, it feels like a more open, springy version of memory foam: you get contouring and pressure relief, but without quite the same slow, deep sink. It is also tuned to be more restless-sleeper friendly, so you do not feel "stuck" when you turn, and it helps the mattress adapt comfortably whether you are on your side or your back.
Pillow top and CoolEase cover
On top of that gel layer is a plush pillow top, which gives the mattress its cushioned, slightly cloud-like first impression. That is wrapped in a CoolEase cooling cover, which is designed to wick heat away from the body to stop overheating. This is most noticeable in the first few minutes of lying down: the surface feels fresh and cool to the touch in a way that you very often do not get with standard polyester panels.
Overall, then, construction is very much "premium Silentnight hybrid": a sophisticated spring unit, a modern gel comfort layer, and a tactile, fancy-feeling top panel. The things you do not see at this price point are natural fillings like wool or cashmere, which you would expect to see in many Hypnos and Relyon models at this kind of ticket price.
Firmness & Feel
Silentnight lean into the notion that this is a mattress for "restless sleepers", and that does chime with my experience of how it feels to lie on. To me, it is just a hair the firmer side of a classic medium. It is cushioned from the pillow top, but you are very aware of a solid, supportive spring unit beneath.
On your back
On my back, the Reflex 2200 feels very balanced. My hips are well supported and do not sink excessively, and the lower back area feels gently lifted rather than arched. The pillow top smooths out contact points so you do not feel individual springs, but you still get that subtle pushback that keeps your spine in alignment. It feels like the kind of mattress you can comfortably spend a full night on your back without waking up with a stiff lumbar region.
On your side
On the side, that slightly-firm-medium character is still there, but the top layer does a decent job of letting the shoulder and hip settle into the surface. I found there was enough give for my shoulder not to feel jammed, yet the torso is still propped up so you are not bending sideways into a banana shape. If you are a typical UK build and a mix of side and back sleeping, it strikes a good compromise between comfort and orthopaedic support.
Edge support
Where this mattress really impresses is around the edge. Sitting on the side of the bed, it barely deflects at all, and lying right up to the edge still feels secure with no sensation of rolling off. For couples who use the full width of the bed, that is a genuine benefit and something that many cheaper foam-heavy hybrids simply do not match.
Overall, the feel is a modern and slightly buoyant one. It does not have the deep, slow hug of dense memory foam, and that is by design. You feel cushioned and held, but mobile, which matches your experience that it is good at working for both side and back sleeping without feeling too soft.
Performance & Support
On performance and support there are a few areas to breakdown.
Pressure relief
The Reflex Gel layer and pillow top together give good pressure relief over shoulders and hips, which I particularly noticed when side sleeping. Rather than one specific "squishy" patch, the comfort feels more even across the body, with just a touch more give at the top end where your shoulders land.
Spinal alignment
The Mirapocket core is zoned, meaning you get slightly firmer support under the heaviest parts of the body, typically the hips and lower back. Silentnight’s broader Mirapocket range is specifically designed to improve posture and spinal alignment, and the Reflex 2200 feels very much in that vein, particularly when compared with older, flatter-feeling Silentnight mattresses.
Movement and partner disturbance
Pocket springs naturally help to isolate movement, and the gel layer adds a little damping without erasing bounce. In practice, when you change position you do not feel locked in, but the mattress also does not ripple dramatically across to the other side. For couples, it is a nice middle ground: not as motion-dead as all-foam, but far better behaved than traditional open coil.
Body weight suitability
For light-to-average weight sleepers, the Reflex 2200 will feel on the firmer side of comfortable, with the pillow top doing the heavy lifting on plushness. If you are heavier, the springs will engage more fully, but the underlying support still feels robust enough that I would be happy to recommend it for most body types, assuming you genuinely like a slightly-firm-medium feel and are not exclusively front sleeping.
Temperature Regulation
Cooling is one of the big selling points of the SleepResponse range. In the Reflex 2200, that comes from a combination of the gel layer, the CoolEase cover, and the inherent breathability of a pocket spring core. The gel layer is meant to be significantly more breathable than standard memory foam, and the cover is designed to draw heat away from the body.
In use, the surface definitely does feel fresher than a classic memory foam pillow top. There is a slight cool-to-touch sensation as you first lie down, and even after a while the top panel does not develop the heavy, slightly humid feel you can sometimes get with cheaper foams. Air movement through the spring core helps too, so heat is not trapped in the same way as an all-foam mattress.
Where I share some of your scepticism is about the marketing spin around SleepResponse and Breatheasy across the range. The Breatheasy models use airy fibres and aloe vera-infused fabrics to boost airflow and freshness, while this Reflex version leans on gel and a cooling cover. They are all variations on a theme: trying to create a more breathable comfort layer than traditional foam. It works to a point, but it is not magic, and you will still be reliant on sensible bedding and room temperature to genuinely stay cool.
Practical Features
Few bits to cover here, compatibility being the logical choice, but care is important too.
Care and rotation
This sits in the premium Silentnight exclusive range and is typically supplied with a comfort guarantee, so you do at least have some safety net if the tension proves wrong once you have slept on it properly. Free delivery is often included as standard.
Like most pillow top mattresses, you should not expect to flip it over. Instead, it is the usual "rotate head-to-toe" proposition to keep wear even. The weight in king and super king is not outrageous for a deep hybrid, but it is still a two-person job to rotate regularly.
Compatibility
The mattress will work on solid divans and slatted frames, provided the slats are not excessively sprung and are spaced sensibly. With your emphasis on edge support, I would personally pair it with a solid or platform top base to preserve that firm, secure perimeter you felt in store.
Who it suits
Now we're breaking down suitability, side vs back etc.
Side and back sleepers wanting one mattress to do both
If you split your time between side and back, the slightly-firm-medium feel with a plush top is a strong combination. There is enough cushioning for the shoulders but enough structure for the lower back.
Restless or fidgety sleepers
Because the gel layer is more responsive than traditional memory foam, it is easier to turn without that "stuck" sensation. If you toss and turn, this is one of the more forgiving Silentnight options in that respect.
Couples who need the whole width of the bed
The standout edge support makes this a good choice if you both sleep right to the edge or if one partner tends to migrate across in the night. You are not losing several inches of usable width to soft, collapsing borders.
Those who sleep warm but dislike full memory foam
If you are prone to overheating yet still want some contouring, the combination of a breathable gel layer, airflow through the springs, and the CoolEase cover gives a cooler take on that "hybrid comfort" formula.
Who it does not suit
Suitability is subjective though, remember this might not be a one size fits all, these are my own personal judgements.
Value-focused shoppers
This is where your hesitation is entirely justified. Even at a sale price, you are paying near-luxury money for what, materials-wise, is a premium Silentnight hybrid rather than a hand-made, natural-filled bed. There are plenty of capable memory foam and gel foam hybrids that undercut it comfortably on price, and at full RRP you are bumping up against entry-level Hypnos and Relyon models that use natural fibres and have an arguably more "heritage" build.
Those who want a truly soft feel
If you like to properly sink in, this will feel too firm. The pillow top softens the initial contact, but the overall tension is still supportive and slightly firm rather than plush.
Strict front sleepers wanting very firm support
Front sleepers generally do best on something a notch firmer again. If you spend most of the night on your front, I would steer towards a firmer-tension Mirapocket mattress instead of this comfort-focused pillow top.
Buyers who are wary of new tech
SleepResponse, Reflex Gel and Breatheasy are all relatively new labels in Silentnight’s line-up, and while the underlying tech (springs, gel, fibres) is not radical, we simply do not have the same long-term real-world track record as with some older, more traditional designs. If that makes you uneasy, a simpler, proven hybrid without the flashy branding may feel a safer bet.
Final Verdict
For me, the Silentnight SleepResponse Reflex 2200 is a classic "head versus heart" mattress. Heart says yes: it is genuinely comfortable, particularly for side/back sleepers, the edge support is excellent, and the cooling story feels convincing in everyday use. It absolutely delivers a very comfortable night’s sleep, just as you felt in store.
Head, however, looks at the price and hesitates. At full RRP, you are squarely in the realm of established premium brands with natural fillings, and even at a decent discount there are strong hybrid competitors, both within Silentnight’s own stable and from online brands, that cost significantly less while offering broadly similar tech.
My honest take is this: if you loved the feel in store, you sleep hot, and you can secure it on a strong promotion, the Reflex 2200 is unlikely to disappoint from a comfort and support perspective. If, however, your main concern is pure value and long-term investment, I would be inclined to either drop down to a more modestly priced hybrid with similar gel or memory foam comfort, or look sideways at Hypnos or Relyon models that justify their price with more traditional, natural materials and craftsmanship.
In other words, you are not wrong to be cautious. Your comfort boxes are clearly ticked here, but your value antennae are working too, and with this mattress those instincts are worth listening to.
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