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- Very supportive
- Promotes good spinal alignment
- Good temperature regulation
- A touch of motion transfer
Otty’s Natural range consists of two traditional pocket sprung mattresses, both made with plenty of natural materials and “free from harsh chemicals”. The Natural Origin is the cheaper of the pair (the other being the slightly softer Natural Evolve) but in look, feel and price, it’s still a rather premium option.
I’ve had a run of excellent mattresses to test recently, and the Natural Origin proved to be no exception, providing plenty of support and comfort to rival the best mattresses on the market today.
Otty Natural Origin mattress: What you need to know
Design
While a lot of spring-and-foam hybrid mattresses can’t be turned over because of how their layers are arranged, many pocket sprung mattresses can be flipped to extend their lifespan. This is the case with the Otty Natural Origin. Sandwiching either side of the mattress’ pocket sprung core are layers of “naturally breathable” needle felt, polyester and cotton. This is finished with a hand-stitched tufted viscose cover, complete with handles on the sides to help rotate the mattress. All told, the mattress measures 28cm deep.
What’s slightly puzzling is Otty’s firmness rating for the Natural Origin: the brand quotes either 8/10 or 7.5/10 depending on which section of the page you’re reading. But this slight inconsistency aside, Otty maintains that this is a medium-firm mattress. Whether or not this is a verdict I agree with, I’ll get to later.
Price and competition
Despite being the cheaper of the two Otty Natural mattresses, the Natural Origin is still a premium option. Its price starts at £840 for a single and £950 for a small double. The double I tested costs £1,000, while a king is £1,100 and a super king is £1,200. EU sizes are also available, with an EU double costing £1,050 and an EU king £1,150. Otty’s Natural Evolve, which contains additional layers of wool, silk and micro-pocket springs, costs £1,100 for a double.
The Origin is still considerably cheaper than many alternatives, such as The Odd Company Blenheim 1500 at £1,545 (double) and the Sleepeezee Regency Kennington 4200 at £1,999. These are also pocket sprung mattresses containing a mixture of natural and synthetic materials. On the other hand, all-natural mattresses are often much pricier: at the top end of this spectrum is the Hypnos Inspired by Nature 05, which will set you back a whopping £3,600 for a double: one of the most expensive mattresses I’ve ever tested. Price-wise, the Otty Natural Origin’s closest rivals are probably the REM-Fit Natural Lux Hybrid at £950 (double) and the Simba Earth Source at £1,300.
As with many modern mattress companies, there’s a good chance you’ll find discounts on the Otty website or bundle deals with free bedding gifts. You’ll also get a 100-night trial and a 10-year guarantee.
Delivery
Unlike the brand’s vacuum-sealed bed-in-a-box mattresses, the Natural Origin is delivered flat, with free delivery taking it as far as your front door. My review sample was carried by a two-man team to my bedroom, a service that will cost an extra £10. Alternatively, room-of-choice delivery plus the collection and disposal of your old mattress costs £40.
Flat delivery means the mattress is ready to sleep on straight away. Its packaging consists of a fabric band to protect the edges and two layers of plastic wrapping – though I felt that one would have been plenty.
How I tested the Otty Natural Origin mattress
The best way to get a feel for a mattress is obviously by sleeping on it, so that’s what I do – alongside my husband. We both evaluate the mattress for factors such as comfort, support (particularly around the edges), temperature regulation and motion isolation. I also evaluate value for money by comparing the mattress’ price to those of its closest competitors.
As anecdotal testing isn’t sufficient on its own, I run standardised tests to obtain objective data that can be compared across all mattresses tested at Expert Reviews. I gradually place four 2.5kg weights on the bed, measuring the sinkage as I add more weight. I do this at shoulder height and at 3 inches from the edge of the bed to assess edge support. I also measure how much the total 10kg of weights causes the edge of the bed to tilt.
I carry out two tests with a digital thermometer – one for body heat and another using a heat pad – to see how much the mattress retains heat. For the former, I sit on the mattress with the thermocouple probe placed underneath me, until the thermometer reaches 30°C. After getting up, I then record the temperature decrease at one minute intervals for ten minutes. The heat pad test follows a similar process. After heating up the pad in boiling water, I place it on the surface of the mattress. Once the temperature has stabilised and fallen to 50°C, I remove the heat pad and, again, record the temperature at one minute intervals for ten minutes.
Comfort and performance
Our standardised tests
Under 10kg of weights, I measured sinkage on the surface of the Otty Natural Origin at 22mm (towards the centre at shoulder height) and 20mm (three inches from the edge). These results were similar to those of the REM-Fit Natural Lux Hybrid (23mm and 21mm respectively) and the Hypnos Inspired by Nature 05 (20mm and 30mm) – both also traditional-style pocket sprung mattresses.
Next up were the temperature tests, which were carried out when the ambient temperature in my bedroom was measured at 22.5°C. My body temperature test saw the surface of the Origin drop from 30°C to 22.5°C after three minutes, finally reaching 23.5°C after 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the heat pad test saw the temperature drop from 50°C to 29.1°C after three minutes, and to 27.2°C after 10 minutes.
The body temperature tests carried out for the REM-Fit Natural Lux Hybrid and the Hypnos Inspired by Nature 05 saw drops to 21.5°C and 23.1°C respectively, while the corresponding results for the heat pad tests were 27.4°C and 26.5°C. Since I review mattresses all year round, with ambient temperature varying across tests, it’s difficult to directly compare these results. However, temperature regulation has proven rather effective across all three of these mattresses, perhaps thanks to the inclusion of natural materials.
Is it comfortable?
As a lightweight side sleeper, I felt that the Otty Natural Origin mattress was bordering on firm rather than Otty’s stated “medium-firm”. It felt a tiny bit too firm for side sleeping, but I loved it for sleeping on my back or front sleeping. On the other hand, my slightly heavier husband found it extremely comfortable in all sleeping positions. I think it’s a fantastic choice for back pain sufferers as it kept my spine perfectly aligned at all times and the lumbar support was exceptional.
I also asked a couple of heavier bodies to lie on it for a while and they were equally impressed, feeling it supported them without any sinkage into the bed. Overall, this is a great all rounder.
Temperature regulation
Our standardised tests aside, the best way to judge how well a mattress aids temperature regulation is by sleeping on it. My hot-sleeping husband reported back that he found the Natural Origin very breathable and comfortable overnight, never feeling as if he was getting too hot or clammy. If your heart is set on a pocket sprung mattress and you sleep hot, the Natural Origin will compete happily with many of the best cooling mattresses.
Motion isolation and edge support
Perhaps the Natural Origin’s only downside is a touch of motion transfer. The mattress has a really nice bounce to it, but light sleepers might find they’re disturbed by a restless partner. If you have a husband like mine who likes to perform dramatic rollovers in bed, you might find it a bit too bouncy!
Edge support, though, was pretty impressive – not surprising for a pocket sprung mattress. It didn’t feel quite as firm as the The Odd Company or Hypnos mattresses mentioned above – even when considering the Hypnos’ 30mm dip in our sinkage tests – but it was comfortable to sit on, and I was able to use the full width of the mattress when lying down on it.
Verdict
I’m a big fan of pocket sprung mattresses to help with my back pain and the Otty Natural Origin did not disappoint. Lumbar support is excellent and I think that everyone except dedicated lightweight side sleepers will find it instantly comfortable. Temperature regulation is also really good for this style of mattress.
Of course, this isn’t a cheap option but it’s very well priced amongst its competitors and, if you have a bit of patience, you’ll probably be able to pick it up at a discount. This is another really good all-rounder that – thanks to the fact you can both flip and rotate it – will stand the test of time.
