Dormeo Octasmart Essentials reviewed

The Dormeo Octasmart Essentials is a 17cm foam mattress and the cheapest way into Dormeo’s Octasmart range, at £199 for a single and £249 for a double at the time of writing (September 2026). It comes in two versions at the same price, Plush Comfort with a memory foam top or Firmer Support with Aerocell foam, and both carry an 18-year warranty on the core. Dormeo’s own reviews average 4.2 out of 5 from 951 buyers.

Plush Comfort or Firmer Support?

The two versions share the foam base, the cover and the price. What changes is the material of the Octacell comfort layer on top.

Temperature is the other reason to choose one over the other. Memory foam reacts to body heat, while Aerocell is an open-cell foam. A 2012 review of sleep and the thermal environment (Okamoto-Mizuno and Mizuno) found that heat raises wakefulness and cuts deep and REM sleep, so if you already wake up warm, the Aerocell version is the better bet.

Build and feel

According to the Octasmart Essentials page on dormeo.co.uk, the mattress is an Octacell comfort layer over a supportive foam base in a cover with micro air pockets. Octacell is a moulded foam layer with open channels, inspired by Octaspring but without separate springs, and there is no zoning. Dormeo lists the firmness as “Multi”; we score the record 5 out of 10, the midpoint between the softer Plush and the firmer Aerocell version.

The Essentials arrives rolled. Dormeo’s product FAQ says it should be unpacked within 30 days of delivery, regains its shape in about 15 minutes and is usually ready to sleep on after 6 to 8 hours, although it can take up to 24 hours to reach full depth.

Prices by size

Trial and warranty

The 200-night trial applies, but Octasmart Essentials is excluded from Dormeo’s free collection, so a return through Dormeo’s courier costs £45. The Octasmart Essentials warranty runs for 18 years on the core, in full for the first five, and the weight limit is 22 stone per side. There is no small double.