Our Silentnight Airmax mattress topper review puts this affordable mattress topper through its paces to see how it compares to the best mattress toppers and the best cooling mattress toppers the Ideal Home team has tested.
The budget buy is constructed from a polyester outer with a hollowfibre polyester fill, and features mesh sides that are designed to allow air to circulate and increase breathability for a cooler sleep.
I tested this mattress topper out on top of a hybrid mattress which is comfortable, and overall one of the best mattresses I've slept on, but can sometimes can feel a little too firm for me as I’m a predominately a side sleeper.
During testing, I noted how easy the Silentnight Airmax mattress topper was to attach to my bed, how comfortable myself and my partner found it to sleep on, whether it was able to keep me feeling cool overnight, and how easy it is to care for.
Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper review
Specifications
- Construction: Hollowfibre
- Sizes available: Single / Double / King / Super King
- Depth: 5cm
- Care instructions: Machine washable at 40c and low tumble dry
- Manufacturer sleep trial: None
How I tested
What the brand says
If you're looking for ways to sleep better then a mattress topper could be on your radar, but, what is a mattress topper, exactly, and is it the best fit for your needs? A topper is a cushioned layer that you add to the top of your existing mattress to increase its comfort or breathability. A topper can also be used to make a sofa bed more comfortable, as even the best sofa beds can be on the firmer side.
A topper shouldn't be confused with a mattress protector which is a much thinner affair and solely designed to protect your mattress from spills or stains. Our mattress topper vs protector article can make sure you're choosing the right option for you. Similarly, if you're not sure whether you need a topper or a new mattress, our mattress topper vs new mattress guide can help.
So what does the Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper offer? According to Silentnight, the Airmax mattress topper 'will revolutionise your sleep with its unbeatable breathability'. The Airmax mattress topper uses 'Airmax technology' which appears to refer to its combination of air mesh sides and dual-layer construction. This design promotes extra airflow as it allows the air to move freely between the layers and around your body moving away any excess body heat.
And this mattress topper won't just keep you cool, the Silentnight Airmax mattress topper will add an extra 5cm layer of cushioning to your mattress. The hollowfibre filling offers a plush feeling and will add an extra layer of softness to any mattress that may feel a little too firm.
It’s also great news for those who suffer from allergies, as the hollowfibre stuffing is hypoallergenic. Plus, this mattress topper can be machine-washed so you’ll be able to keep it fresh and clean.
Unboxing
This mattress topper comes wrapped up in a neat little bag. The good thing about it, is it isn’t vacuum packed which means that it can be refolded and placed back in the bag if you want to store it in the future, making it ideal for use on sofa beds.
After taking the mattress topper out of the bag, it just needs a good shake to loosen up the hollowfibre stuffing. You don’t need to wait for it to expand, you can just go right ahead and attach it to the bed.
It doesn't feel like a particularly premium product once it's unboxed, but then its affordable price point is one of its main draws, so that isn't really to be expected. And I did instantly prefer it to the budget Aidapt Memory Foam Cool Mattress Topper I'd previously tested, which feels even more basic.
Attaching the topper to the bed
The Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper fits to the bed by way of four elastic straps which are placed on each corner and hook over your mattress to keep it in place.
The straps aren't adjustable but they do stretch quite a way so if you have a deep mattress, they’ll still fit. In fact, Silentnight say that the straps will fit a mattress up to 30cm in depth.
The topper does slightly overhang the edge of the bed so it doesn’t quite sit flush, but once I put my top sheet back on the bed it wasn't that noticeable.
Comfort
Compared to other (more expensive) mattress toppers I've tested, this topper is really lightweight and looks more like an extra duvet. When you take the topper out of the bag it feels really soft and squishy.
Whilst the mattress I tried this topper out on isn't uncomfortable, it is quite firm, so I can sometimes get a bit of discomfort if I lie in the same position for a long time. However, with this topper on the bed, that disappeared. It felt ultra comfortable.
The Silentnight Airmax Mattress Topper is quite thin at only 5cm in depth, which is comparable in depth to the Panda Mattress Topper I recently tested. However, because the Airmax's hollowfibre fill isn't as dense as memory foam, you can still feel your mattress underneath when this topper is on the bed. So if your mattress has lumps and bumps or is sagging, then this topper won’t really do much to help. But if you’re looking for just a bit of extra comfort or an additional snug and cosy layer, then it couldn’t have done a better job.
Unlike some of the other mattress toppers I’ve reviewed, in particular the Simba Hybrid Topper, the Airmax didn’t really do anything to add any extra support. I would recommend this mattress topper if you have a bed that you feel is too firm, as it’ll definitely soften it up, but if you’re looking for something that will give you some pressure-relieving support then I would opt for a memory foam or hybrid topper instead.
It also did little to dampen movements from my partner, something a memory foam topper, like the Emma Premium Mattress Topper we recently tested, is great at. But, that said, the hollowfibre was nice and springy which made moving around in bed easier than on a memory foam sleep surface.
Breathability
Once the Silentnight Airmax mattress topper has been attached to the mattress, you can see its air mesh sides which are supposed to increase air flow and help keep you cooler whilst you sleep.
If you have an old-school memory foam mattress, then I think that the extra fibre layer the topper adds might do the trick to add a bit more breathability and help you to sleep cooler, but on my mattress, I have to say I didn’t notice a huge difference in terms of cooling.
Whilst I didn’t wake up overnight feeling hot and sweaty, I did still run a little warm. It was more of a cosy warm, and I didn’t wake up feeling stuffy like I would when I get too hot at night so I suppose the air mesh sides did do something to keep things breathable. However, synthetic fibres do tend to reflect heat back towards the sleeper, so it didn't feel as good at temperature regulation as the Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper I tested which features breathable natural fill.
After sleeping on the topper for a couple of nights, I did notice that it wasn’t as fluffy anymore, so I removed it from the bed and gave it a shake. I doubt it would have quite have the same cooling effect if you didn’t do that every couple of nights as the fibres of the filling did start to compress which will limit airflow.
But, the topper is so light, it’s not really an issue removing it each week for a shake when you change the sheets.
Sizes options available
The Silentnight Airmax mattress topper comes in four standard UK sizes including Single, Double, Kingsize and Super King.
As I briefly mentioned earlier, there is a slight overhang on this topper but it does fit the bed well, this is likely down to some slight sizing variation between manufacturers. However, it is important that you get the right size topper for your bed because it needs to fit securely on top of your mattress so that it doesn’t move around whilst you’re trying to sleep.
Ease of care
This mattress topper is super easy to maintain. It’s made using polyester material and stuffed with a polyester hollow fibre which means it can be machine-washed at 40C and is suitable for tumble drying on low heat.
Being able to wash and dry it at home makes such a difference and enables you to keep it feeling clean and fresh. I tried washing it and followed the care instructions and found that it came out as good as new.
If you don’t have a tumble drier then it’s best to dry it flat and keep turning it so you can ensure it’s fully dried before placing it back on your bed.
Our guide to how to clean a mattress topper has more detail on how to keep a mattress topper fresh.
Verdict
The Silentnight Airmax mattress topper is unlikely to transform a mattress, but it does add an extra layer of comfort and cosiness to the bed. Its hollowfibre construction is similar to that of a duvet, so this is really a comfort layer rather than one which will add much cushioning or support.
If you have a memory foam mattress that's really trapping your body heat and causing you to overheat at night, it may also help you to sleep a little cooler by adding a layer of extra airflow between your body and the mattress.
This topper is fairy thin at only 5cm deep, but it also only weighs around 2.7kg, so it’s nice and light to manoeuvre around and get on and off the bed – although I did find I needed to shake it regularly to loosen up the hollowfibre wadding as it was prone to compress over time.
It won’t offer any additional edge support, motion isolation or pressure relief to your mattress, but it will leave you feeling snug without overheating, so I think it's a good option for the winter months.
All in all, it can't compare to more expensive toppers, such as the Panda Mattress Topper or Simba Hybrid Topper, and due to its synthetic materials, it can't beat the Woolroom Deluxe Wool Mattress Topper in the sustainability stakes. But, the Airmax is a decent budget option if you want to upgrade your sleeping surface without spending a fortune. And if you make the most of some bedding deals when you shop, you may be able to save even more money on what is already a budget buy.
