Panda London Hybrid Bamboo Mattress review

In this often terrifying world, there are many things that can keep you up at night, but your mattress should not be one of them.

I’ve spent my fair share of nights twisting between the sheets, usually when I have a big meeting, an early flight or it’s just too hot to nod off. It’s the racing mind that is most of the problem, but sometimes the sleep environment is wrong.

What I wanted was a mattress that began to dip in the middle, where I would lay my body down. As the months ticked by, it started to feel more obvious that I was kipping in the dip. Trying to sleep on the side of the bed to balance things out doesn’t go to plan – increasingly, it feels like trying to sleep on a hill.

Heat is also a problem. A well-insulated home, however, is good for bills in the winter, meaning climbing into bed in the summer is like trying to sleep in a sauna. Even with the window left open all night, I would wake up groggily to my alarm, hair sticking to the back of my neck with sweat.

Enter Panda London. This brand is known for making breathable bedding and homeware using fast-growing, sustainable bamboo but also offers mattresses as well.

Like many of its competitors, Panda offers text updates so you know when to expect your delivery. The bed arrived on time and was carried up two flights of stairs and navigated through tight corridors and doorways by the good-natured delivery team.

It’s great, because the king size is a heavy model, which I like to move myself. Two people will be able to manage it more easily, especially since the mattress is rolled up in a tall compact box. The delivery team also offered to remove the old mattress, which was greatly appreciated as I had to arrange for the local council to collect it at my own expense.

Only when the mattress is attached to the bed frame do I release it from the vacuum-filled protective casing. Corners need a little nudge to unfurl quickly, but by the time I’ve made a cup of tea, it’s pretty much ready to go. However, I gave it a few more hours before using the sheets, pillows and blankets to make sure they were full.

Starting with a removable and sweat-absorbing bamboo fiber cover (which can be washed if necessary at 30 °, but not dried), below is the first layer of two layers of foam.

Closest to the surface is BioCell foam, an odor-resistant material that breathes thanks to its open-cell technology that allows air to circulate. Underneath is the support action: a layer of high-density OrthoAlign Foam that provides excellent support for joints, pressure points and the spine.

More reinforcement awaits with around 1500 pocket springs, arranged in seven zones so that you will get the right support in whatever position you sleep. Springs are also good for reducing the transfer of movement so that movements do not ripple across the mattress and disturb sleepers or items on the other side.

Two other layers under the spring – the comfort base and the anti-slip base – can absorb and distribute the weight of the change and add security to the design.

England is still experiencing the odd warm night in the late throes of summer, and I can immediately detect the benefits of temperature control. It felt noticeably colder and I found myself mentally checking the first box.

If I have to choose between soft or hard mattress, really wins every time. The unyielding surface allows the shape to fully relax enough to sleep, no sheep count is necessary.

That said, the top layer offers a decent level of cushioning, the foam slowly adjusts without making you feel like you’re drowning, and the spring pushes back in areas with more weight, like shoulders, hips and knees. Comfortable without claustrophobia? Yes please.

A month after the letter, the bed feels like the first time I get into it without dents or body grooves to get trapped in.

As mentioned, the lid can be opened and thrown in the laundry to keep things fresh. Tumble drying is not recommended, so just allow to air dry. If you find your own mattress can do with spruce, fine steam to deep clean.

The base layer means this mattress can’t be flipped, but if you’re worried about staining, you can rotate it every few months.

Best of all, if your mattress reaches the end of its life cycle, simply call Panda or email it to have it removed free of charge as part of our Life Cycle Program which sees your mattress recycled or repurposed responsibly.