Tempur is the undisputed king of the memory foam world, being the first commercially available brand that uses the space-age technology. Although it is widely recognised as memory foam, Tempur mattresses actually employ a proprietary form called ‘Tempur Material’, which delivers a similar set of properties. Tempur has used its positioning as the first to market to create a strong following of satisfied customers, and an impressive wide range of mattresses using different configurations of Tempur Material to cater for varying preferences.
The Tempur Original is, as the name suggests, a version of the very first mattress that Tempur offered the public. As such, it is the mattress that the brand was built around. The fact that it is still part of the range underlines the quality performance of the Original.
The Tempur Original is classified as a firm mattress, with an impressive depth of Tempur Material. Initial impressions on lying out on the Original were that it was slightly enveloping, but this evened out over a few minutes and the sensation was of a clear firmness under the body. The make-up of the mattress, as with many memory foam mattresses, means that it requires a delicate choice for duvet to avoid feeling overheated during the night. The mattress does retain heat far more than a traditional pocket spring mattress, so thicker duvets are definitely not recommended.
While the high firmness level of the Tempur Original may be just what certain people require, it has to be said that it won’t be to everyone’s taste, coupled with the heat factor it would definitely be recommended that the mattress is tried before buying. The manufacturing quality of the mattress is not in question.
Summary: Excellent build quality and materials, good memory foam performance, but overly heat retentive and the most expensive mattress we’ve ever put on test.
Memory foam buyers guide rating: 4 stars out of 5.
