Which mattress topper for a halls bed: the one purchase that fixes most of it
The halls mattress is not going to be replaced by the university, and for one year it probably does not need to be. It needs a topper, a protector and about £80. Here is which topper, why, and the one case where a topper will not do.
What is wrong with the halls mattress
Halls mattresses are contract-grade: a firm foam or open-coil core, 15 to 18 cm deep, in a wipe-clean waterproof cover so they survive several years of students. The cover is the problem as much as the core: it is a sheet of plastic, so you sweat, and the firm core has no comfort layer, so you lie on top of it rather than in it. A topper fixes the second; a protector over the topper fixes the first.
Which topper
| Topper | What it does | Rough price, single | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory foam, 5 cm, 50 kg/m³ or more | Adds the missing comfort layer; moulds; the biggest change in feel | £50 to £90 | The default choice for a firm halls bed |
| Memory foam, 2 to 3 cm | A little softer, not much | £25 to £40 | Too thin to matter |
| Latex, 5 cm | Softer and cooler than memory foam, does not dish | £90 to £150 | Best if you sleep hot; dearer, heavier |
| Wool or feather | Gentle softness, breathable | £40 to £80 | Nice, flattens within a year |
| Microfibre "hotel" pad | Fluffy for a month, then flat | £20 to £35 | Skip |
| Egg-crate foam | Slight cushioning, very cheap | £15 to £25 | Better than nothing, not by much |
For most students: a 5 cm memory foam topper at 50 kg/m³ or better, with straps, in a cover that can be washed. Check the density; a cheap 5 cm topper at 30 kg/m³ is flat by Easter.
The protector, which matters more
Whatever you put on top, put a cotton or Tencel protector over it. Two reasons: the halls cover makes you sweat and the protector, on top of the topper, breathes; and a topper without a protector is a topper you will be throwing away at the end of the year. Cost £15 to £30. This is the best-value item in the room.
What to measure
Halls beds are usually 3ft singles (90 by 190 cm), sometimes 4ft small doubles in newer accommodation, occasionally 2ft 6 in older blocks. Measure the mattress or ask the accommodation office before ordering; a 90 cm topper on a 75 cm bed hangs off the side. See the student mattress guide.
When a topper is not enough
Lie on the halls mattress and feel for a dip. If your hips drop into a hollow, the core has gone, and a topper will follow the dip. That is the case for a mattress: either ask the accommodation office to replace it (they sometimes will), or buy a proper single if you will be in student housing for three years, in which case it goes with you to the first flat.
Getting it there
A rolled topper fits in the car with everything else, or ships to halls in a box the working day before move-in if you tell reception. Unroll it on the bed, leave it an hour, protector on, sheets on.
The order to buy things
- Protector (always).
- 5 cm memory foam or latex topper.
- Proper pillows; halls pillows are as bad as the mattress.
- A mattress, only if the halls one has a dip or you are staying three years.
How we fit in
If it comes to a mattress, The Uni Student is built for it: a 22 cm medium-firm pocket-sprung single or small double with a memory foam top, delivered flat to halls the working day before move-in, and it carries on to the first flat. For most first-years, the topper is the right answer and we would rather say so.
The short version
- Protector first, always.
- 5 cm memory foam at 50 kg/m³ or more, or latex if you run hot.
- Measure the bed; halls are 3ft, 4ft or occasionally 2ft 6.
- A dip in the halls mattress means a mattress, not a topper.
First flat: the bed and mattress checklist, in the order to buy things
Moving into a first flat means buying a bed with no idea what matters. What to spend and what to skip, frame or divan, the mattress that lasts into the next flat, and the things to sort before the van arrives.
What size is a halls bed? UK student accommodation bed sizes explained
Most halls beds are 3ft singles, newer blocks are 4ft small doubles, and a few are 2ft 6. How to find out before you buy bedding or a topper, what each size needs, and the questions to ask the accommodation office.
The student mattress guide: halls, first flats, and what is actually worth spending
Halls beds are built to survive, not to sleep on. Whether to buy a topper or a mattress, what size halls beds really are, what a decent single costs, and how to get it delivered on move-in day.