Memory Foam vs Spring Mattress

Memory foam is a material, not a mattress type — it's one of the layers used inside a mattress's comfort zone. "Spring mattress" describes the support structure underneath. So the more accurate comparison is between an all-foam mattress (built entirely from foam layers, memory foam often included) and a hybrid mattress (a spring core paired with foam comfort layers on top, which is where most memory foam mattresses on the market actually sit). 

Older spring designs — open coil and continuous coil — connect their coils together, so movement on one side can travel across the whole surface. Pocket spring mattresses solve this by housing each coil individually, so it responds to pressure independently rather than transferring it. That's the foundation hybrid mattresses build on. 

All-foam vs. hybrid: the real comparison 

All-foam mattresses are built entirely from foam layers, each with a specific role — top comfort layers contour to your body, deeper layers hold your spine in alignment. With no springs at all, there's no motion transfer between sleepers. 

Hybrid mattresses combine a pocket spring base for support and bounce with foam layers on top for pressure relief and contouring. They also tend to last longer than foam-only options, because the spring core holds its structure over time. 

What good support actually means 

A good mattress keeps your spine aligned while your body recovers overnight. This is why mattresses are built with zones: different areas engineered to provide different levels of support depending on where your body needs it most. Your shoulders need to sink in slightly, your lower back needs firmer support, your hips fall somewhere in between. 

A mattress that feels "too firm" or "too soft" usually isn't just a comfort preference — it's a sign your body isn't properly aligned. All-foam and hybrid mattresses deliver this zone-specific support more precisely than older connected-coil designs, because their materials respond directly to the shape and weight pressing into them. 

If you share a bed 

Motion isolation matters more than most people realise. Pocket spring mattresses house each coil individually, so it responds independently to pressure rather than transferring it — unlike older connected-coil designs, where a shift on one side travels across the whole surface. All-foam mattresses are built entirely from foam layers with no springs at all, so there's no motion transfer between sleepers. Hybrid mattresses combine a pocket spring base with foam comfort layers on top, so you get both structural support and foam's motion-absorbing properties in one mattress.

Good to know: Most mattresses across Emma's Original and Performance Collections are hybrid by design — a pocket spring core paired with foam comfort layers — so you get structure and contouring in one mattress, not as an upgrade. 

Emma Original Collection 

Every Emma Original hybrid mattress pairs a pocket spring core with foam comfort layers, so you get the structure and breathability of springs alongside the contouring and motion isolation of foam. 

Emma Original uses 5-zone pocket springs with MemoryAdapt foam for enhanced support and undisturbed sleep. 

Emma Original Pro adds a 7-zone spring system and ThermoSync® layer for temperature regulation. 

Emma Original Elite goes further still, with a 7-zone spring core and Emma AirGrid® Tech for advanced breathability and cooling. 

Emma Performance Collection 

The Performance Collection is where Emma's engineering goes deepest. Every mattress in the range shares the same advanced core — improved Emma AirGrid® Tech, dual MemoryAdapt foam layers, zoned pocket springs, and a cool-to-touch premium cover — with three height options that let you choose the comfort experience that suits you best. 

Still unsure which mattress fits your sleep? Take the quiz and find the match to awaken your best every day