Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress review: “I'd be happy to pay full price for it"

RRP at time of testing: from £649 (single) | Check price at Panda, MattressOnline or Boots

Our verdict

Mattresses are expensive, awkward to return and deeply personal. So when a mid-range model promises much of the comfort of its premium sibling for £301 less, it’s worth paying attention.

The Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress is Panda’s more affordable hybrid. It starts at £649 for a single, feels reassuringly substantial and costs considerably less than the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Pro.

We tested the single mattress in Poppy O’Neill’s family home, where her teenage daughter slept on it for a month. Poppy handled the setup and checked the comfort, cooling and edge support regularly. She’d already slept on the Pro, so she could also make a useful hands-on comparison between the two.

The Original is a 25cm-deep hybrid made with foam layers and up to 960 pocket springs

According to Poppy, the mattress feels firm, but not punishingly so: “Really comfortable. The layer of medium firm memory foam provides just the right level of firmness and hug-like support.”

The bamboo cover felt cool whenever Poppy checked it. Better still, it avoided the warm, clammy feel that can make memory foam a bit much.

There were a few setup niggles. It sprang open with gusto, the right way up wasn’t immediately obvious (like the Pro, actually) and the new-foam smell lingered until the evening. Nothing disastrous, but clear some space before reaching for the scissors.

This is a medium-firm mattress rather than plush, so it won’t win over anyone who wants to sink deeply into bed. Poppy also felt that people looking for more targeted support for significant neck, shoulder or back pain should consider the Pro.

For a teenager’s room, a guest room or anyone who likes a supportive mattress, though, the Original is the more persuasive buy.

How we tested the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress

We sent a single Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress to Poppy O’Neill’s family home, where her teenage daughter slept on it for a month. Parent tester Poppy took charge of the delivery, unboxing and setup.

Throughout the test, Poppy regularly lay on the mattress to assess its firmness, cushioning and cooling feel. She also checked the edge support, finish and ease of maintenance, drawing on her previous test of the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Pro where useful.

Together, that gave us a rounded family test of everyday comfort and practical use. And as this was a single mattress, we assessed stability rather than partner disturbance.

The mattress arrives rolled and vacuum-packed, then begins expanding once the outer plastic is cut

What is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress?

This is Panda’s lower-priced hybrid mattress, which is also described as the Original to distinguish it from the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Pro. It combines several foam layers with a full-sized pocket spring core, measures 25cm deep and has a medium-firm rating of 6.5 out of 10.

The six-layer construction starts with a bamboo cover. Underneath sits Panda’s open-cell BioCell Foam™, infused with bamboo and designed to improve airflow, followed by its DualFlex Foam™. Panda describes DualFlex as a combination of orthopaedic-grade and high-resilience memory foam. Up to 960 individually encapsulated pocket springs provide support, while a further high-resilience foam base absorbs movement and distributes weight.

An anti-slip layer helps keep the mattress on the bed frame and four handles make it easier to lift or rotate. At the time of writing, Panda lists the top cover as removable and machine-washable at up to 30°C.

That’s where the Original differs most clearly from the Pro. The Pro is 27cm deep, slightly firmer and uses up to 1,500 springs across seven support zones, along with denser OrthoAlign Foam™. The Original has fewer springs and no zoned spring layout, and as a result, costs substantially less.

Poppy found the separate inner wrapping useful because she could unroll the mattress before it began to inflate

Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress: delivery and setup

Panda delivers the mattress rolled and vacuum-packed in a box. Standard UK delivery takes three to seven working days and Panda includes delivery to a room of your choice. Old mattress collection and packaging removal are also available, which saves a fair bit of wrestling on your part.

Poppy found the setup easy overall, but recommends getting the bed frame and enough floor space ready before cutting the plastic:

“It arrived in a box, and when you cut open the outer plastic packaging it springs out quite forcefully, so make sure to have the bedframe or adequate space ready. I like that it has a separate inner plastic packaging, so you can unroll it before it begins to inflate.”

Like the Pro, it also took her a moment to work out which side went on top. This wasn’t a disaster because the handles helped her flip it, but a clearer marker would have saved the bother. The fact this was apparent with two Panda mattresses leads us to believe it’s a common issue with all mattresses from the brand.

The side handles made it easier to position the mattress and turn it the right way up

How comfortable and supportive is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress?

The mattress has the supportive feel you’d expect from a hybrid, softened by a lightly cushioning top. Poppy found the firmness “Just right”: comfortable enough to relax into, without the deep sink of softer memory foam.

That balance is its strongest point. It feels sturdy and well supported, but there’s enough give to stop it feeling like a board with a fitted sheet on it.

Poppy wasn’t testing it for existing aches or pain, so we can’t say whether it would help with either. For anyone who needs more focused pressure relief, the Pro’s seven-zone spring system is the more obvious model to compare.

Poppy thought it would suit “someone looking for a premium-feeling mattress at a medium price.” That feels fair. It worked well as an everyday mattress for her daughter and didn’t feel like a cheaper relation beside the Pro.

How firm is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress?

Panda rates the Original 6.5 out of 10, which feels about right. Poppy’s biggest surprise was “how firm yet comfortable it is.”

The feel stayed consistent over the month, with no sagging or sinking at the edges. As ever, firmness is personal, so the 100-night trial is worth using properly rather than deciding after one stiff-backed morning.

Once expanded, the mattress felt firm and supportive with light cushioning on top

Does the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress keep you cool?

The bamboo cover feels cool as soon as you touch it, which is a promising start for a mattress containing several layers of foam. Panda also uses open-cell foam and pocket springs to encourage airflow.

Poppy noticed the same cool feel whenever she checked the mattress: “Yes, it's very supportive and you can feel the cooling features just by touching it.”

We don’t have a separate temperature diary from Poppy’s daughter, so we wouldn’t call this a conclusive hot-sleeper test. Still, nothing in the month-long teenage test suggested the mattress was trapping uncomfortable heat.

The zip-off top cover can be machine-washed at up to 30°C

How stable is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress?

The single mattress wasn’t shared overnight, so Poppy couldn’t properly test partner disturbance. During her checks, though, it felt stable when she lay down, moved around and sat near the edge.

There was no obvious sagging, sinking or overenthusiastic bounce. Couples will need to use the 100-night trial to judge motion isolation for themselves, but the mattress didn’t feel wobbly or flimsy.

What is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress like for quality and durability?

Poppy gave the mattress five out of five for her first impression of quality. The finish felt premium, with a smooth, subtly textured top and dense foam underneath.

“Very good quality. There's a bamboo layer that's smooth and cool to the touch, with a subtle texture. You can feel the quality of the foam when you lie on it.”

She also liked the edge support and didn’t see signs of sagging or sinking during testing. That’s encouraging, but this was still a short home test rather than a verdict on how the mattress will look in five or ten years. Panda backs it with a 10-year guarantee.

Strong edge support helped the mattress keep its shape during the month-long test

Is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress easy to look after?

The mattress is one-sided, so it doesn’t need flipping, but the brand recommends rotating it regularly to help the foam settle evenly. The handles make that more manageable, although the range weighs from 25kg to 59kg, so larger sizes will still need two people.

Panda says the removable top cover can be machine-washed at up to 30°C and should be air-dried rather than tumble-dried. The foam layers are spot-clean only. An anti-slip base helps keep the mattress in place between rotations.

Poppy found it reasonably easy to move and maintain. Her only complaint was simple and fair: “it could be clearer which way is 'up'”.

Did the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress smell when new?

There was a noticeable smell after unboxing, but it cleared within the day. Poppy reported: “Yes, it was delivered at about 11am and the smell was gone by 8pm”.

She also reported no allergies, irritation or breathing issues in the household during the test. 

Panda says the mattress complies with BS 7177 fire safety rules, uses CertiPUR-certified foams and is certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100. It also says the mattress meets EU REACH chemical regulations and contains no harmful dyes or heavy metals.

Poppy's teenage daughter slept on the single mattress for a month as part of our family home test

Is the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress good value for money?

At £649 for a single, the Original isn’t a budget mattress. It is, however, notably cheaper than the £950 single Pro and still includes a 100-night home trial, a 10-year guarantee, room-of-choice delivery and old mattress removal.

Poppy felt the quality justified the full price: “Yes, it's a mid-price mattress made from high quality materials, I'd be happy to pay full price for it.”

Her direct comparison with the Pro is even more useful: “Compared to the Panda Hybrid Pro, the only difference I can feel when lying on it is that the Pro is slightly firmer. 

“Considering the difference in price (a single is £950 for the Pro, £650 for the Hybrid) I think this is a great price.”

That won’t make the Original version a bargain for every budget, but it does make it a more persuasive buy for sleepers who don’t need the Pro’s extra springs and seven support zones.

Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress Original vs Pro

Poppy found the difference in feel much smaller than the £301 price gap. The Pro was slightly firmer, but the Original still felt cool, supportive and reassuringly substantial. Unless you want the Pro’s extra springs and seven-zone support, the Original offers better value.

Final verdict: should you buy the Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress?

The Panda Hybrid Bamboo Mattress gets the basics right: it’s comfortable, supportive, cool to the touch and well finished. It worked well as an everyday mattress for Poppy’s teenage daughter and felt far from second-rate beside the Pro.

The drawbacks are mostly practical. It’s easy to put down upside down, it springs open quickly and the new-foam smell lasts most of the first day. It’s also too firm for anyone dreaming of a soft, sink-in bed.

The Original starts £301 cheaper than the Pro and, to Poppy, felt only slightly less firm. Unless you specifically want denser foam and seven-zone support, this is the Panda mattress we’d buy for better value. Poppy agrees: “Yes, this is an excellent mattress and I would definitely recommend it to friends and family.”

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is Mumsnet’s resident home and lifestyle expert, covering sleep, cleaning, kitchen, wellness and everyday comfort. She has worked in journalism since 2010, holds a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and previously led editorial at ExpatWoman in Dubai. As a mum of two, she writes honest product reviews and advice for time-poor, sleep-deprived parents - and they all have to survive contact with real family life.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

All prices are correct at time of publication.