When my girlfriend and I moved into our new flat last year, we realized our trusty old double mattress from university would no longer cut it. Like most couples, we have different sleep preferences, so finding "the one" seemed an impossible and stressful task.
After hearing loads of ads for Bensons for Beds proclaiming they were the UK‘s sleeping experts, we decided to start our search there…
Overview of Bensons For Beds
Founded in 1950 Lancashire as a small general store, Bensons for Beds has grown into the nation‘s leading bed and mattress retailer. After exclusively focusing on the bedroom category since the 1970s, the company now operates over 100 showrooms and an ecommerce site selling beds, mattresses and accessories from leading brands.
In 2019 private equity firm Alteri Investors acquired Bensons for Beds to further accelerate their dominance through acquisitions and expanded product selection. Today the company offers an astonishing catalogue with over 1,200 bedroom furnishing solutions.
Beyond the numbers, I was drawn to Bensons‘ promise to personally match customers to their perfect sleep set up. Rather than push what‘s trending, their "sleep gurus" offer tailored advice based on your sleeping habits, health conditions, and of course budget.
While skeptical of finding a reasonably priced mattress we both enjoyed, the expansive knowledge and product range gave me hope of uncovering our "just right" bed. Off to the nearest showroom we went…
My Bensons Showroom Experience
Stepping into our local Bensons, I was taken aback by the three story haven of bedroom mockups before me. Wall to wall were beds adorned with headboards, furnished showrooms that mimicked real master suites, and more pillows than imaginable. It was clear they offered far more than mattresses alone.
We were instantly greeted by an enthusiastic sales agent named Maggie who I later learned had over 10 years experience at Bensons. After describing our flat and sleep tendencies as a couple plus two cats, she led us upstairs to a section dubbed "partners in sleep".
"With your different comfort preferences and sizes, I would avoid traditional spring mattresses. Let‘s try out a few of our newer foam, gel and hybrid beds engineered precisely for improved alignment, pressure relief and motion isolation," Maggie suggested.
And so the testing marathon began…
Over the next two hours, Maggie invited us to try out and compare nearly 15 different mattress models, answering every nitpicky question and concern I posed along the way. She encouraged us to evaluate each for at least 5-10 minutes before sharing candid feedback, no matter how awkward rambling off opinions to a stranger felt.
To help navigate the endless options, here are highlights on a few that stood out as front runners.
Bensons Mattress Top Contenders
Silentnight 1200 Pocket Miracoil Hybrid Mattress
Of the spring mattress options, this rated highest for its blend of comfort and support at an affordable £199-£549 price range. The 1200 individual Miracoil springs adapt to your shape while the layers of pressure relieving foam provide cushioned alignment. My girlfriend loved the instant sinking sensation yet I still felt fully supported (not enveloped) thanks to the zones. For partners with very different sizes or firmness preferences, this hybrid provides the best of both worlds.
Sealy Hybrid Essentials Mattress
Similar to the Silentnight hybrid, this mixed foam and pocket spring mattress aimed to deliver "the ultimate sleep system engineered for spinal alignment with pressure relieving comfort". But with a higher £399-799 price tag, were the upgraded features worth it? We both agreed the additional insulation helped prevent the excess rolling together feeling some cheaper hybrids have. However the edge support still felt inferior to full foam or latex models. For combination sleepers (changing positions a lot) this delivers great responsiveness and relief.
Slumberland Original Pocket 3000 Latex Mattress
If money were no concern, this handmade masterpiece felt like a luxurious dream. The 3000 full sized pocket springs isolated motion extremely well while the 100% natural latex layer on top cradled every curve with cloud-like comfort. My girlfriend was ready to commit on the spot despite the hefty £1299-2099 cost. Besides our budget, my only hesitation around long term durability given latex‘s susceptibility to impressions compared to synthetic foams. But for eco-conscious shoppers wanting a premium natural sleep experience, Slumberland sets the bar exceptionally high on comfort.
Bensons Labratory Exclusive Vispring Shetland Mattress
I insisted on testing out this Vispring collaboration piece given all the rave reviews. Starting at £1699 for a double and ranging up to £3699 for a super king size, no wonder it felt other worldly. Vispring only makes mattresses for the creator of James Bond apparently…but as expected, totally out of budget. Constructed from organic cotton, wool, silk, cashmere and horsetail blended together by master artisans in Britain, this defined opulence. While tempting to finance, saving up for upgrades elsewhere won out for now. But an exceptionally tempting (and convincing) experience none the less!
Sleep Expert‘s Final Recommendation: Eve Premium Hybrid® Mattress
After our extensive testing session, Maggie reviewed her notes on our sleeping quirks, budgets and impressions to provide a final recommendation. Based on my tendency to sleep hot plus my girlfriend‘s desire for cushioning conformity balanced out by my love of firm support zones, she landed on the Eve Premium Hybrid® Mattress.
Priced very fairly between £978-£1,248, this combined foam and spring engineering similar to others but with a few standout features. This included graphite enhancing airflow, yellow-zone reinforcements keeping spine alignment all night, and advanced mobile app connectivity for adjusting preferences anytime. We realized this fused together everything on our collective wishlist at an accessible cost – available exclusively at Bensons in the UK.
Trusting Maggie‘s expertise from advising thousands of couples with all types of needs, we decided to take a chance and purchase our very first "adult" mattress together.
The Verdict: Perfect amount of snugness while keeping me cool and properly supported. No disruptive sinkage but still relieves all tension. We‘re both getting our best sleep ever!
So glad we put our trust in the true sleep gurus at Bensons. Maggie‘s consultative guidance made a painful purchase incredibly straightforward. Her knowledge coupled with testing options ensured we uncovered the ideal match for our dynamic sleep needs.
Ordering Delivery Experience from Bensons
After committing to the Eve Premium Hybrid® Mattress in king size, Maggie guided us through placing the order in store and available add-ons. We selected a basic frame plus bedding package, bringing our total to a very reasonable £1,524 all in.
I paid the deposit and signed up for Bensons‘ monthly financing plan to take advantage of 0% interest offers when spending over £250. Affordable £140 installments over 12 months? Music to my millennial budget conscious ears!
Maggie advised delivery would take approximately three weeks due to shipping delays impacting stock availability. She sent us home with a brochure showcasing available bed frames and bedding to start brainstorming logistics.
Her team followed up the next week with very clear updates on order status, confirming delivery had been rescheduled just two days later than expected.
When our delivery date finally arrived, the friendly two person team showed up right on schedule. They came fully prepared with all tools needed to assemble our new frame and helped rearrange our bedroom with care to accommodate. We also purchased Bensons‘ old mattress removal service which proved invaluable. This saved endless transport headaches and trips to the tip trying to ditch our outdated bed.
In just over an hour our entire set up was complete with our shiny Eve hybrid mattress in place plus new duvets and sheets making it feel like a posh hotel. Well worth the minor delivery fee!
5 Years Later: Still Thrilled with our Bensons Purchase!
As I write this review today, it‘s now been a bit over 5 years sleeping every night on our Bensons Eve Premium Hybrid® Mattress. Despite worrying if the investment would stand the test of time and hold up to two adults plus pets, it‘s just as supportive as the first night.
No visible sagging or dipping between us after countless nights of sound sleep. In fact just as plush and cushy feeling as I remember in store during all those testing laps with Maggie. We rotate occasionally but no other maintenance needed – it still looks box fresh.
The only defect we noticed was a small tear in the cover fabric likely from our cat‘s claws. However thanks the optional warranty purchased, I contacted Bensons customer service who promptly had a technician dispatched. He repaired the damage on site at no charge – so helpful!
While it‘s hard to justify replacing a non-essential item, when our current mattress does eventually expire we will absolutely shop Bensons again. The exceptional quality, tailored recommendations and long term support bring tremendous peace of mind for investing in dream worthy sleep.
Would I Recommend Shopping at Bensons for Beds?
If you want bedroom furniture, mattresses or accessories selected just for your needs rather than settling on display room floors, I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Bensons.
The sheer range to test out coupled with guidance from their sleep experts makes comparison frustration disappear. While some couples dread big purchases, tackling mattress shopping together at Bensons felt simple, even fun!
Through personalized consultation plus transparent financing options, investing in higher ticket pieces pays dividends when it directly improves sleep health every night. Considering we spend nearly a third of our lives snoozing, why accept anything less.
So whether looking to resolve back pain or upgrade that hand me down piece you‘ve made due with for years, consider stopping by your nearest Bensons showroom.
Browse the vast selection, try out products in relaxed private rooms, and explain your biggest sleep challenges to their advisors first hand. After benefiting from their world class expertise and exclusive brands myself, I‘m confident you‘ll upgrade your bedroom with the perfect centerpiece too.
Sweet Dreams!
