Why our sleep experts loved it
Introduction
I spent time with the SmartTemp Ortho Mattress in store at Furniture Village, properly lying on it in my usual positions and paying attention to the things that matter in real life, like whether the surface feel is instantly impressive but fades once your body settles. This is a firm orthopaedic style pocket sprung mattress from Sleepeezee, part of their SmartTemp range, and it is clearly aimed at people who want straightforward support but also run warm at night. I like the ambition. I also don’t automatically believe the cooling claims, because in this industry “cooling” can mean a genuinely better night, or it can mean a cover that feels chilly for a moment and then gives up.
Design and features
The core story is classic ortho, a firm feel, a 25 cm depth, and a pocket spring unit with 1,000 springs in king size . That spring count is absolutely fine, it is not low, but it also isn’t the kind of spec that guarantees nuance or contouring on its own. In a firm build, the springs are usually tuned to keep you up and level, not to let your shoulder and hip sink in deeply. Above that, you’ve got polyester and a high density support layer, plus Staycool gel , finished with a high tech cooling cover that uses graphene and is described as graphite cool.
In person, the cover does feel slick and a touch cooler than a standard knit, and it gives the mattress a more modern, technical vibe rather than a plush hotel look. But this is where my scepticism kicks in. Graphene and gel can help with initial heat movement and surface temperature, yet they cannot rewrite the laws of body heat. If you trap warmth with your duvet, your protector, and your body, a cover can only do so much. I’d treat the cooling as a helpful nudge, not a guarantee that you’ll sleep like you’ve got air conditioning built in.
It is also described as easy care with no turning required. I always read that as a convenience line, not a promise of zero maintenance. The care notes still tell you to rotate regularly, and they openly mention that settlement impressions are normal. That honesty is good. But it is also your reminder that this is a layered mattress, and like most layered mattresses, it will bed in.
Mattress comfort
This is a firm mattress and it behaves like one. When I lay on it on my back, it immediately made sense. My lumbar area felt properly held, my hips didn’t dip, and the support felt clean and upright rather than saggy or vague. Pocket springs also give you that subtle buoyancy you just don’t get from a solid foam block, and I personally prefer that, especially for ease of movement.
But on my side, it was much less forgiving. The first few seconds were fine, then the pressure started to build around the shoulder and the outside hip. Not unbearable in a quick showroom test, but noticeable. And that’s the key difference between “supportive” and “comfortable” for side sleeping. This mattress supports you by keeping you on top, and for some bodies that means the bony points take the load. If you are a side sleeper with curves, this can feel like the mattress is correct on paper but wrong at 3 am.
On the cooling feel, I got that immediate cooler touch. And I do think the surface materials are doing something. But I also think anyone expecting a night long cool sensation is setting themselves up to be disappointed. Cooling covers tend to shine most when you first get into bed, or if you move to a fresh patch of surface. They are not a replacement for breathable bedding and a sensible room temperature.
Suitability
This mattress best suits back sleepers , full stop. If you sleep on your back most nights and you like a firmer, more orthopaedic feel, it’s a strong match. It is also a decent option for some front sleepers who need their midsection supported, although I still like front sleepers to be cautious with very firm beds if they have any lower back sensitivity.
If you are a dedicated side sleeper , I would be careful. The tension is likely to feel too firm for your shoulder and hip to settle comfortably, especially if you have an hourglass figure or you are lighter in weight and don’t compress firmer layers easily. You might interpret the firmness as “amazing support” in store, then a week later realise it is relentless. But if you are a combination sleeper who starts on your side and ends on your back, you might still get on with it, particularly if you prefer a firmer feel and use a slightly softer topper or more forgiving bedding.
For couples, the pocket springs should help with motion control compared with open coil orthos, and the overall firmness tends to make the whole mattress feel more stable. Just remember that firm mattresses can sometimes feel more reactive, so you notice the other person’s movements a touch more than you would on deep memory foam.
What customers thought
The customer feedback I’ve read around this style of mattress usually splits into two camps, and it matches what I felt in store. People who bought it wanting firm support often describe better back comfort and a more stable sleep surface. That makes sense, because the construction is clearly geared toward holding posture rather than hugging the body. The cooling features also tend to get positive mentions early on, and I suspect that is because the cover does give that immediate cool to the touch sensation, and that first impression matters.
On the flip side, the more critical comments tend to come from sleepers who expected firm to mean supportive but still comfy, or who assumed the cooling tech would change everything about overheating. A firm orthopaedic mattress can feel fantastic for alignment while still creating pressure points, and the showroom can be misleading because you are not spending hours in one position. There are also usually a few comments about natural body impressions over time. That is not automatically a defect, it is a normal part of fillings settling, but it can feel disappointing if you took the “no turning required” message too literally.
The verdict
The SmartTemp Ortho Mattress is a properly firm, no nonsense pocket sprung ortho with a cooling twist, and in store it delivered exactly what it promises in terms of support. I like that it is pocket sprung rather than a dense foam slab, I like the stable feel on the back, and I think the surface cooling materials are a genuine upgrade compared with a basic damask cover.
But I am not going to pretend the tech wording doesn’t feel a bit dressed up. The graphene and gel read brilliantly on a ticket, yet in the real world they are likely to be a surface benefit rather than an all night fix for hot sleepers. And the firmness is not “firm but gentle”, it is firm and fairly uncompromising. For back sleepers who want orthopaedic support and like a flatter sleep surface, I would absolutely point you toward it. For side sleepers chasing pressure relief, I’d steer you elsewhere, unless you already know you love a firmer bed and you’re prepared for a more on top feel.
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