A refreshing escape from expensive mattresses
Yesterday, I asked our Home Editor Gareth Thomas to name the most expensive mattress we’ve ever tested. His answer was equal parts alarming and amazing. The winner by an enormous margin is the Hypnos Inspired by Nature 05, which retails for – brace yourself – £3,600. For a double. Crikey.
I mention this because I’m pretty sure that today’s highlight is by contrast the cheapest mattress we’ve ever tested. That’s a hard thing to prove, so don’t quote me on it – but in any event, the Simbatex Cool is seriously, seriously cheap. I mean, £399-for-a-double cheap.
Guess what? It’s a damn good mattress, says our sleep expert Jo Plumridge. So never assume price = performance: your sleep won’t necessarily suffer, and your wallet will appreciate the £3,200 in savings.
In other news, it’s all coming up TCL this week. The Chinese brand has picked up a double whammy of Expert Reviews accolades with a stunning Super Quantum Dot TV and an unusual smartphone with a matte AMOLED display that can swap into an “e-reader” mode at the flick of a switch.
Our buying guide of the week this week is smoke alarms: that unglamorous but exceedingly important bit of kit that you’ll hopefully never see used.
We independently review everything we recommend. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.
Tech Reviews
Shokz OpenFit Air 2 review: An affordable heir to the open-ear throne
Shokz’s entry-level earhook earbuds make some sacrifices to keep the price down, says Deputy Editor Andy White, but they’re a great choice for active types seeking comfort and decent performance on a budget.
REVIEW
TCL C8L: Quantum Dot TVs impress us again
The C8L provides further proof that TCL’s bold decision to go its own way with its Super Quantum Dot TVs this year was the right one. Read our full review
REVIEW
TCL P80 Ultra: A game-changing phone screen
The TCL P80 Ultra’s matte AMOLED display is a revolution and its battery life is much improved, but rivals are still faster. Read our full review
Buying Guide of The Week
The best smoke alarms we’ve tested, for any budget
It’s easy to forget this one crucial bit of home technology – but do so at your peril. Sorry, that was bleak! But seriously, check out our list of the best smoke alarms for up-to-date recommendations, tested by our experts.
Kidde DY29RB
Best simple alarm: If all you want is a good, basic smoke alarm, the Kidde is easy to install and quick on the trigger in our tests.
£48 £14
Aqara SD-S01E
Best smart alarm: A solid buy if you want a smoke alarm to work with your existing Zigbee, Alexa or Homekit setup
£45 £40
Home Reviews
A budget-friendly mattress with a smart finish
The Simbatex Cool is an extremely affordable option from the bed-in-a-box brand. But how does it compare to its premium siblings? Our sleep expert and resident mattress tester Jo Plumridge spent the summer of 2026 finding out – and her verdict is a good one.
Poll
When buying a mattress, what's your approach?
Eufy Omni E35: A quiet and competent robot vacuum
An upgrade on the Omni E25, the E35 is smart, powerful, refined and blessed with one of the best apps around, writes vacuum expert Alun Taylor.
Every review is backed by hands-on testing, expert analysis and over a decade of experience and trust, so you can buy with total confidence.
About us (and how we test)