Emma and Simba are the two bed-in-a-box names most UK shoppers end up choosing between. Here is how their mainstream hybrids compare on springs, foam, feel, trial and guarantee, with a third option from REM-Fit set out on the same terms.
Last updated: August 2026. Specifications checked against each brand's own product pages.
Quick answer: Emma Original Pro is best for sleepers who want a softer, cushioned medium feel from a deep 27 cm foam build with a zoned spring layer underneath. Simba Hybrid is best for anyone who prefers a medium-firm, bouncier surface, with a layer of 25 mm mini pocket springs over foam. The REM-Fit 3000 Supreme is the third option: a medium 25 cm hybrid built on 3000 tall premium pocket springs in two layers, topped with open-cell memory foam that lets air move through it instead of trapping heat, with a 100-night trial (200 with a protector) and a 15-year guarantee.
Emma vs Simba vs REM-Fit: the full spec sheet
Each brand's mainstream hybrid, UK king size, from the specifications each brand publishes. Where a brand does not publish a figure, the cell says so rather than guessing.
| Feature | EmmaOriginal Pro | SimbaHybrid | REM-Fit3000 Supreme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mattress type | Hybrid, foam layers over a zoned spring layer | Hybrid, mini pocket springs over foam | Hybrid, open-cell memory foam over tall pocket springs |
| Springs | Zoned spring layer (7 zones), count not published | Up to 1,900 mini pocket springs, 25 mm tall (king) | 3000 tall premium pocket springs in two layers, running the full depth of the mattress Most springs |
| Foam type and depth | Memory foam with graphite added, plus three further foam layers; single depths not published | Foam with graphite added, a core foam and a zoned foam base; single depths not published | 5 cm zoned open-cell memory foam, made with an open cell structure so air passes through the foam |
| Firmness (out of 10) | Medium, not rated out of 10 | Medium-firm, not rated out of 10 | Medium, 6 out of 10, rated for sleepers up to 20 stone |
| Height | 27 cm | 25 cm | 25 cm |
| Sleep trial | 200 nights | 200 nights | 100 nights, 200 with a protector |
| Guarantee | 10 years | 10 years | 15 years Longest |
| Delivery | Free, 5 to 10 working days | Free next-day (UK mainland, order by 1pm) | Free, 2 to 5 days |
| Key award | Good Housekeeping Award 2025, Ideal Home Bedroom Award 2025 | Good Housekeeping Approved 2026 | Good Housekeeping Winner 2026 (Pocket 1000) and Approved 2026 (5000 Lux Elite), same range |
| Foam certification | UKFR certified | CertiPUR | CertiPUR |
Spring counts are measured differently. Simba's are mini pocket springs 25 mm tall that sit near the surface, so the support underneath still comes from foam; Emma does not publish a number; REM-Fit counts tall pocket springs that run the full depth of the mattress across two layers. Compare the construction, not just the number.
Who should buy Emma?
Buy the Emma Original Pro if you want a softer, more cushioned medium feel and a deeper mattress. At 27 cm it is the tallest of the three, and its six foam and spring layers are built to hug rather than push back.
The spring layer is divided into seven support zones with firmer edge foam, which helps keep the spine level for side sleepers and gives more usable width for couples. The top layer is memory foam with graphite added to draw some heat away, and the cover is removable and washable at 40 degrees.
The trade-off is that Emma does not publish a spring count or individual layer depths, so you are trusting the feel rather than the numbers. Delivery is free but slower than the other two at 5 to 10 working days, and the 200-night trial and 10-year guarantee match Simba's.
Who should buy Simba?
Buy the Simba Hybrid if you prefer a medium-firm, bouncier surface and want the mattress quickly. It is the firmest of the three and the only one with free next-day delivery.
Simba's construction is a layer of mini pocket springs, up to 1,900 in a king size and 25 mm tall, sitting near the surface over a foam layer with graphite added, a core foam and a zoned foam base. The mini springs give a bouncier feel that some sleepers who dislike sinking into foam prefer, and the graphite is there to draw a little heat away from the body.
The trade-off is that 25 mm mini springs are a comfort layer, not a support core, so the support underneath still comes from foam, and the medium-firm feel can be too firm for lighter side sleepers. It carries a 200-night trial, a 10-year guarantee and Good Housekeeping Approved status for 2026.
How Emma, Simba and REM-Fit compare on what matters
Springs and support
REM-Fit is the only one of the three built on tall pocket springs that run the full depth of the mattress: 3000 of them, in two layers, each moving independently under the part of the body above it. Simba's springs are 25 mm mini springs over foam, and Emma publishes zones (seven) rather than a count.
Comfort layer
REM-Fit publishes a 5 cm zoned open-cell memory foam layer, softer under the shoulders and firmer under the hips. Emma and Simba each use several foam layers with graphite added but do not publish a single comfort-layer depth.
Feel
Emma and REM-Fit are a true medium; Simba is medium-firm. Feel is personal, which is why each brand offers a long home trial.
Cooling
Emma and Simba add graphite to standard memory foam to conduct some heat away. REM-Fit changes the foam itself: its open-cell memory foam has an open structure that lets air move through the layer, so body heat is carried away rather than held against you, and the tall spring core beneath is mostly air, so the whole mattress breathes. In REM-Fit's own customer data, 84% of shoppers want temperature regulation, which is why every model is built this way.
Trial and guarantee
Emma and Simba both give 200 nights and 10 years. REM-Fit gives 100 nights (200 when a protector is bought with the mattress) and 15 years.
Awards
Emma holds Good Housekeeping and Ideal Home awards from 2025, Simba Hybrid is Good Housekeeping Approved 2026, and REM-Fit's Pocket 1000 is a Good Housekeeping Winner 2026 with the 5000 Lux Elite Approved.
Where REM-Fit fits
The REM-Fit 3000 Supreme is the like-for-like against both: a medium hybrid, 25 cm deep, built on 3000 tall premium pocket springs in two layers, with a 5 cm zoned open-cell memory foam layer on top and encapsulated edges so the whole surface is usable. The springs run the full depth of the mattress and respond individually, which gives more responsive, more consistent support than a foam base or a layer of mini springs, and the dual-layer design adds stability and a more progressive feel as you settle in.
The open-cell memory foam is the part that answers the biggest complaint about memory foam. Traditional memory foam has a closed cell structure that traps body heat; REM-Fit's foam is made with open cells that let air pass through the layer, so heat and moisture move away from you through the night while the foam still cushions the hips and shoulders. It sits at 6 out of 10 on REM-Fit's firmness scale, is rated for sleepers up to 20 stone, and puts it closest to Emma's feel with more real spring support than either rival publishes.
If you are drawn to Simba's firmer feel, the 4000 Ortho Elite (firm, 9 out of 10, 4000 tall pocket springs in two layers) is the closer match in our hybrid mattress collection, and the 5000 Lux Elite (medium-firm, 7.5 out of 10) carries the highest spring count in the range and the deepest open-cell foam, which is why Good Housekeeping's reviewers singled out its cooling. Every REM-Fit mattress uses the same tall pocket spring and open-cell foam construction, and comes with a 15-year guarantee and free UK delivery in 2 to 5 days.
REM-Fit 3000 Supreme Hybrid Mattress
Medium feel, 3000 tall premium pocket springs, breathable open-cell memory foam and a 15-year guarantee.
Shop the 3000 Supreme✓ 100-night trial (200 with a protector)✓ 15-year guarantee✓ Free UK delivery✓ 0% finance
Emma vs Simba vs REM-Fit: which is better value?
Value here is what you get for the years you own the mattress, not the ticket price on the day. On that measure the differences are the guarantee, the delivery and what each brand tells you about the build.
Emma and Simba both cover you for 10 years and let you trial the mattress for 200 nights. REM-Fit covers the mattress for 15 years, and its trial is 100 nights as standard or 200 with a protector, which is the same length as the rivals once the protector most people buy anyway is included. Simba delivers fastest; Emma is slowest.
REM-Fit also publishes the full spring count and comfort-layer depth for every size, and is the only one of the three whose springs run the full depth of the mattress, so you can see exactly what is holding you up. All three sell direct, offer free collection if you return within the trial, and use certified foams, so the remaining difference is feel, and that is what the trial is for.
100-Night Trial
200 nights when you add a mattress protector. Free collection if it is not right.
Free UK Delivery
Delivered in 2 to 5 days. Old mattress removal available at checkout.
15-Year Guarantee
Five years longer than Emma or Simba.
Emma vs Simba FAQs
Last updated: August 2026
Is Simba better than Emma?
Neither is better outright; they suit different sleepers. Simba Hybrid is medium-firm with a bouncier mini-spring feel and next-day delivery, while Emma Original Pro is a softer, deeper medium with seven support zones. Both carry a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee.
Which is firmer, Simba or Emma?
Simba is firmer. Simba describes the Hybrid as medium-firm, while Emma describes the Original Pro as medium, and Emma's deeper foam stack gives a more cushioned surface. The REM-Fit 3000 Supreme sits with Emma at medium, 6 out of 10, but on tall pocket springs rather than foam or mini springs.
Is Emma or Simba better for back pain?
For most people with back pain a medium to medium-firm mattress that keeps the spine level is the right choice, and both qualify: Simba if you sleep on your back or front and want firmer support, Emma if you sleep on your side and need more give at the shoulder. If pain is persistent, see a GP before buying a mattress to fix it.
Do Simba and Emma do a sleep trial?
Yes. Both offer a 200-night home trial with free collection and a refund if you return the mattress. REM-Fit offers 100 nights as standard, extended to 200 nights when a mattress protector is bought with the mattress.
Which has more pocket springs, Emma or Simba?
Simba publishes up to 1,900 mini pocket springs (25 mm tall) in a king size; Emma does not publish a count for the Original Pro, only that its spring layer has seven zones. REM-Fit's 3000 Supreme has 3000 tall pocket springs in two layers running the full depth of the mattress.
Is the Emma mattress worth the hype?
Emma Original Pro is a well-specified medium hybrid with a 27 cm build, memory foam with graphite added, a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee, and it holds Good Housekeeping and Ideal Home awards from 2025. Whether it is worth it depends on whether you want its softer feel; the trial is there to find out.
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