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- Far more supportive than many mattress toppers
- Great for back and side sleepers
- 30-night sleep trial
- Lightweight people may find it too firm…
- …while heavier stomach sleepers may find it too soft
Mattress toppers are a great way to revitalise a tired mattress or even change the feel and support levels. The best mattress toppers are (generally) cheaper than investing in one of the best mattresses on the market and could help to extend an existing mattress’ lifespan.
The Origin Contour mattress topper is one of the firmest I’ve tested, offering excellent support for what is essentially a piece of foam, albeit a clever piece of foam. It did a good job of keeping me cool on some very hot summer nights as well, but would hot sleepers be as impressed? Read on to find this, and more, out.
What do you get for the money?
The Origin topper consists of a layer of memory foam under a hand stitched Tencel cover that can be removed and washed. At 5cm deep ,it’s slightly thicker than the REM-Fit Halo mattress topper I reviewed recently, which comes in at 4cm. The top half of its foam layer is infused with gel beads, which (Origin claims at least) are designed to help regulate temperature. As for the cover, Tencel is a breathable fabric, and the cover on the Contour topper feels soft and comfortable to the touch. It’s also Oekto-Tex certified.
Arriving vacuum sealed within a neat box – as you’d find with many bed-in-a-box mattresses – the Origin topper did take a little while to inflate to its full height and I would recommend giving it at least four hours to fully expand.
At £168 for a king size, it’s a mid-range topper with a similar price to rivals such as the Panda Memory Foam mattress topper and the Otty Bamboo mattress topper.
What did we like?
From experience, I’d say that most mattress toppers are designed to soften up a mattress and finding one that’s a little firmer can be a challenge. Enter the Origin topper, which I’d rate at around 7 out of 10 on the firmness scale, giving it a medium firm feel. The mattress topper kept the legs, hips and shoulders particularly supported, but I did feel there was a little sinkage around the lumbar region. This said, you shouldn’t be looking for a mattress topper to provide much lumbar support, as they’re simply not designed to do this at a thinner thickness. Overall though, both my husband and I slept well on the Origin topper, with our pressure points feeling eased. I’d recommend the topper to both side and back sleepers, although those of a heavier weight may find it lacks support. Lightweight stomach sleepers should also find this topper comfortable.
Motion isolation was particularly good with the Origin topper, well aided by the elastic straps and grippy bottom that kept it securely in place overnight. It’s a good choice if you share your bed with a restless sleeper. Edge support wasn’t bad either – this can often be an issue with toppers as they’re quite thin, but the slightly firmer feel of the Origin meant it was comfortable to sit on at its edge.
Origin markets its topper as “cooling”, thanks to the gel-infused beads in the foam and the breathable Tencel cover, but what was it actually like to sleep on during a period of hot summer weather? I’m not a hot sleeper and am usually of a more reptilian nature but even I was feeling the heat over the notably hot summer during which I tested the topper. I felt that the Origin topper did a great job at helping me keep me cool overnight and my husband, who is always a hot sleeper, also slept comfortably. For a little bit of further research, I also lent the topper out to another hot sleeper who didn’t feel much of a cooling benefit. However, she didn’t feel any hotter than usual either. I think that for most sleepers, the Origin will do a good job of regulating temperature overnight. But if you’re a particularly hot sleeper, you’re probably best avoiding an all-foam topper altogether. A hybrid option such as the Simba Hybrid mattress topper might suit you better.
You’ll get free shipping and returns with the topper, along with a three-year warranty but what I also liked is the 30-night trial that gives sleepers a chance to try it out at home. We are seeing more and more toppers with trial periods but it’s not always a given, so I appreciate it when it’s offered.
How can it be improved?
There’s not a lot to complain about the Origin Contour topper. There are cheaper options available, but I think that it’s well–priced for what is a decent thickness. Of course, it won’t suit everyone and if you’re of a heavier build or sleep on your stomach (and aren’t lightweight), it’s unlikely to be supportive enough for you. And as an all-foam topper, there’s going to be some contouring and moulding. It’s definitely not oppressive, thanks to the slightly firmer feel, but foam isn’t for everyone.
I should add that if your mattress is too soft and you’re looking for something to firm it up, adding another layer in the form of a mattress topper is not the right solution, and your best bet will be to buy a new mattress.
Should you buy the Origin Contour mattress topper?
Overall, the Origin Contour is a decent topper with few flaws. If you’re looking for a topper that you won’t sink too far into, it’s an excellent choice. The slightly firmer feel makes this a more supportive topper and, whilst it will contour gently around your pressure points, there isn’t as much sinkage as you’ll get with many all-foam toppers.
Motion isolation makes this a particularly good choice for those who share their beds with very restless sleepers, and I think most people will find that the Origin helps keep them comfortably cool during the night. That said, if you’re a really hot sleeper, I’d avoid all-foam toppers altogether.
Price wise, it’s not the cheapest on the market, nor is it the most expensive, sitting comfortably in the mid-range bracket and comparable to many of its rivals. I’d recommend this topper in particular to side and back sleepers and, as someone who is notoriously fussy about what they sleep on, I found the Origin comfortable throughout the night.
