Do you know what the most crucial task of your day is? If working or eating came to your mind, then no, there’s something far more critical – a whole night’s restful sleep. Without providing an uninterrupted rest to your mind and body, you won’t be able to focus on anything. But to have the best shuteye – every single day – you need a good mattress. And you may find it in this detailed Koala mattress review.
Just take a few minutes of your time to read this post, and we promise you this; you’ll know precisely if Koala is the ideal mattress for you! We’ll also compare it with other beds, so you’ll definitely get the right direction by the end of this guide. So with that said, let’s begin:
Koala – One of the Best Mattresses in Australia
A computer engineer named Mitch Taylor had a ground-breaking idea with his partner in 2015. It was to design a mattress that will specifically be sold to Aussies via an online store in a direct-to-consumer way instead of retail. This would eliminate middle-men costs and help them bring down mattress prices. So that’s how Koala was founded.
They were tired of the smooth-talking salesmen and fancy showrooms that shove overpriced products on customers’ faces to make easy money. Then there were also the issues of low quality, lack of features and slow deliveries. So the team at Koala introduced premium quality, sophisticated mattresses with express delivery.
Koala shares the Hakuna-Matata values which means no worries for their customers. This shows the customers that they’re eager to know their needs, worries, and preferences and manufacture the products accordingly. They also manufacture pillows, bed bases, duvets, sheets, chairs, tables, and sofas.
So, What’s Inside The Koala Mattress? – Layers & Materials:
Koala mattress differs from other mattresses because of its two foam layers that are made locally in Australia. The brand only incorporates high-grade PU foam because they believe this is the only way to achieve the right balance of support and softness. Let’s see what this big softie is packing inside:
- The first layer is the Tencel cover that keeps both foam layers in place. It has antimicrobial properties and can be removed and machined washed. The cover is plush from the top but stands strong on the sides.
- The second layer is a 6cm Koala’s signature foam called Kloudcell. It’s super cushy, soft, and has great ventilation. It feels similar to the blend of latex and memory foam, like that of the Eva mattress. This makes the Koala mattress perfect for summers as it can keep body temperatures down and get rid of the excess moisture.
- The last layer is of a 16cm Eco foam with high-density and ultra-resilient properties. It implements a 5-zone pressure relief technique where the mattress hugs the five critical body points, including neck, shoulders, back, legs, and hips, to remove pressure from them. This eliminates morning pains and also helps with spinal support.
How Eco-Friendly is Koala Mattress?
The Koala mattress brand is very environmentally conscious and deeply worried about the challenges our ecosystem is facing. Therefore, it goes above and beyond to diminish the footprint its products and their manufacturing leaves on the environment. This is another reason why they only produce one mattress and not a huge line-up of different variants. They want to reduce excessive resource consumption and encourage sustainable practices.
Koala uses Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certified materials, which is only possible if a brand has eco-friendly products and ‘high environmental credentials.’ Foam layers used in koala mattresses are very low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and possess no harmful substances such as methylene chloride, which is a commonly used mattress adhesive.
Furthermore, Koala has joined hands with the World Wild Federation (WWF). They want to educate people about the role of WWF and its projects to spread awareness about the endangered species and take steps to save them. Therefore, if you buy their sofa, you’ll automatically pay for adoption of a turtle or even a koala if you buy the mattress.
What’s The Support Like? – Let’s Talk Firmness:
Koala mattress is more geared towards the softer side and has a 6 rating on a firmness scale of 1-10, with 10 being the firmest. The layers of foam make it plush, letting your body sink deep in the bed.
This kind of sleeping surface is best for side sleepers as they love a mattress that can hug their shoulders and hips and not bend their body awkwardly.
However, if you’re a back or stomach sleeper, you may need to look for alternatives – read till the end to discover them.
What About Motion Isolation & Pressure Alleviation?
As soon as you sit on Koala mattress, you’ll feel the layers of foam sinking under you but don’t let this worry you too much about the bed getting saggy after a few years. Or that too much softness will cause misalignment of the spine.
The Koala mattress has a 5-zone support foam layer that cradles the pressure points and evenly distributes the sleeper’s weight throughout the surface. This ensures you sleep with the right posture.
Another benefit of the whole-foam mattress like Koala is the motion isolation. Compared to mattresses with a spring base, this all-foam bed will offer an insane level of isolation from movements on your partner’s side.
You can now enjoy a peaceful sleep without getting disturbed with every turn of your partner.
Thickness and Weight of the Koala Mattress:
The queen size of the Koala mattress has only 31kg weight which is on par with the industry average for a whole-foam bed. In comparison, hybrid mattresses will weigh more which would require a partner’s help to move them. However, Koala will not make you sweat even if you move or rotate it on your own.
The Koala mattress will arrive packed inside a box. Once you take it out of the box, wait for at least two days to let it expand to its full form. It is not very thick, has only 25cm depth when it’s fully swelled up.
Nevertheless, it’s deep enough to provide you with the back support and luxury comfort you’ve been fantasizing about in your restless nights of sleep.
Let’s Talk About Money – Koala Mattress Pricing:
Although it’s an all-foam mattress (with excellent quality materials), the price is surprisingly affordable. One of the reasons for this is that Koala is an online retailer, so they don’t have traditional operational expenditures like offline stores.
However, compared to different online brands of mattresses, Koala still has higher than average prices for Double, King Single, and Single sizes.
Nevertheless, their King and Queen size beds still have relatively low prices, with the King selling for just $1,050. Plus, Koala rolls out seasonal discounts, which further bring down the costs.
Is There Any Trial Period? And What About Shipping?
You get a 4-hour express delivery in metropolitan areas of Australia, including Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Adelaide. But you need to place the order on weekdays before 2pm. You can also select the date of delivery on the checkout page. The delivery slots are primarily available on weekdays until 8pm and also Saturday mornings.
Those in rural areas can also benefit from free delivery, but it will take 1-5 working days for the mattress to arrive. You’ll get a text in advance informing you about the expected arrival of the shipment.
As for the trial period, you get a generous 120-night free trial before you can make a final verdict about the mattress. If you decide against keeping it, you can contact Koala, and they’ll arrange a pick up for free.
But if you are in a rural area, then you’ll have to take the bed to the nearest depot by yourself. After receiving the bed, the company will issue a full refund to your payment method.
Koala Mattress Compared:
Ergoflex vs. Koala:
With nearly 15 years of experience selling mattresses in Australia, Ergoflex is one of the most praised brands in the country. Their beds offer precise support for maintaining the spinal curve, helping with right sleep posture, and relieving pressure from critical body points.
Their mattresses are perfect for stomach and back sleepers, but the high-density foam can be relatively rigid for side sleepers. So if you’re from the latter category, we suggest a softer mattress like the Koala.
Sleeping Duck vs. Koala:
Sleeping Duck is a very popular Australian brand and has been awarded the top-rated status by CHOICE for three consecutive years. Its mattresses come with two different levels of firmness; firm and medium-firm, which is not the case with Koala.
Furthermore, they have a half-side customization option where both sleeping partners can have different firmness levels on their sides. However, Koala takes the lead in motion isolation because Sleeping Duck uses springs in its mattresses which are not as effective in minimizing partner disturbances.
Sleeping Duck mattresses are also costlier than Koala, but it’s up to you to decide whether this investment will bring you a better long-term value or not.
Ecosa vs. Koala:
Both brands have almost the same mattresses, and they both strive to make their manufacturing procedures and final products as environmentally friendly as possible. The key difference is in the mattress’s firmness.
Ecosa uses two layers, firmer and softer, which you can easily swap depending on the level of support you want. This type of customization is uncommon in all-foam beds, which gives Ecosa some bonus points. Plus, their mattresses have excellent quality at a pocket-friendly price.
Frequently Asked Questions About Koala Mattress:
How to Care for Koala Mattress?
The Koala mattress comes with a removable cover that you can wash with warm water and a little bit of soap. Make sure to completely dry the cover before putting it back on.
We also recommend rotating the mattress to 180 degrees every few months to minimize wear and tear.
Do Koala Mattresses Come With Edge Support?
Unfortunately, Koala lacks in the edge support department. Unlike other beds, Koala has soft edges that are also quite slippery.
This makes it difficult to get out of the bed or even sit on the edges for long periods.
What’s the Koala Mattress’s Warranty Period?
According to the Australian Consumer Law, a company should offer a warranty for their products, and Koala follows the same rule. They have a good 10-year warranty for their mattresses, and only indentations bigger than 25mm are covered.
Things like severe sagging and softening at one or more places, manufacturing defects in the mattress, its zipper, and cover, and cracks or splits are also covered. However, change in firmness level preference, a small degree of softening due to regular use, and other damages from carelessness or lack of maintenance are not covered.
If you believe the mattress is damaged under the conditions covered in the warranty, then you can fill the warranty form at the help section of Koala’s website. The company will investigate the problem and contact you in 2-3 days – they may ask for some more information. They’ll then decide whether to give you a replacement or issue a refund.
So, Should You Get The Koala Mattress?
Hands down, Koala is one of the best mattresses you can find out there, and its unique construction makes it even more attractive to most sleepers. They leverage open-cell technology for greater airflow and heat dissipation – leaving the customers comfortable and cool all night long.
The mattress’s base layer offers the right amount of support to all critical parts of the body and dramatically reduces disturbance from the partner’s movements. However, if you prefer firmer surfaces or sleep primarily on your stomach, you might not find it very appealing. This mattress is designed to give you a cloud-like sleeping surface.
But hey, they do offer a generous 120-night free trial and also free delivery. Plus, the return is also free. They either donate the returned mattresses or recycle them.
Our Verdict: BUY IT! There’s nothing to lose if you decide to pull a trigger on this one. Just give it a go; if you wake up feeling sore and grumpy even after a month of use, ship it off to Koala warehouse and get your money back.