Australia’s most customisable mattress. Choose medium, firm, or half-half — then fine-tune with free replacement pads during your 100-night trial. No other brand offers this level of control.
4.7
3,500+ Reviews
$1,649
Queen Price
100
Night Trial
Hybrid
Springs + Foam
Quick Verdict
The Sleeping Duck Mattress is the only mattress in Australia that lets you adjust firmness with precision foam pads — including different firmness on each side for couples. It’s a hybrid (pocket springs + Australian-made foam), has a removable washable bamboo cover, and is backed by CHOICE recommendations three years running. Premium priced at $1,649 Queen, but the customisation system is genuinely unmatched.
BEST FOR: Couples with different firmness preferences, mattress for back pain, indecisive buyers SKIP IF: Budget under $1,300, want longest trial (150 nights), want Australian-made (assembled in China)
Our Rating
8.8
/10
Comfort
8.8
Support
9.0
Cooling
8.5
Edge Support
9.0
Customisation
9.8
Value
7.8
$1,649
Queen Price
100
Night Trial
10 yr
Warranty
31cm
Height
Background
Who Is Sleeping Duck?
Sleeping Duck was founded in Melbourne in 2014 by engineers Winston Wijeyeratne and Selvam Sinnappan. They famously appeared on Shark Tank in 2017, rejecting a $500,000 investment offer — a decision that paid off as the brand became one of Australia’s best-selling mattresses. The foams are manufactured in Sydney using GECA-certified processes (no harmful VOCs). Springs and final assembly are in China. They have a physical showroom in Prahran, Melbourne.
Construction
What’s Inside the Sleeping Duck Mattress?
BreatheTech Bamboo Cover
Vortex-spun bamboo yarn that’s soft, breathable, and durable. Fully removable and machine-washable — a genuine advantage over Koala, Ecosa, and Sleep Republic which all have non-removable covers. Won’t pill over time.
Anti-Gravity Surface Foam (Australian-Made)
Proprietary comfort foam manufactured in Sydney. Unlike memory foam, it’s responsive rather than slow-sinking — you won’t get that “stuck in the mattress” feeling. GECA certified, no harmful chemicals.
ComponentAdapt Precision Pads (The Customisation Layer)
This is what makes Sleeping Duck unique. Interchangeable foam pads let you adjust firmness zone by zone — firmer under hips, softer under shoulders. For couples (Queen+), each side can be completely different. During the 100-night trial, Sleeping Duck sends free replacement pads to fine-tune your setup.
Pocket Spring System
Steel pocket springs provide deep support with minimal motion transfer. Reinforced perimeter springs for strong edge support — you can use the full surface without fear of rolling off. More responsive than all-foam mattresses.
Feel & Comfort
How Does It Feel?
The feel depends on your configuration — that’s the whole point. Medium (~6/10): Balanced pressure relief with enough support. Best for side sleepers. Firm (~7.5/10): Flat, strong support with minimal sinking. Best for back/stomach sleepers. Half-half: Different firmness each side — no other Australian mattress does this. If you pick wrong, email Sleeping Duck and they send free replacement pads within days.
For back sleepers: Excellent on firm setting. For side sleepers: Good on medium/soft. For stomach sleepers: Very good on firm. For couples: Outstanding — half-half option + low motion transfer makes this arguably the best couples mattress in Australia.
Honest Assessment
Pros & Cons
What We Love
✓ Most customisable mattress in Australia ✓ Free firmness adjustments during trial ✓ Removable, machine-washable cover ✓ Half-half option for couples ✓ GECA certified Australian foams ✓ Strong edge support ✓ Physical showroom (Prahran, Melbourne)
What We Don’t
✕ Premium price ($1,649 Queen) ✕ Very heavy — need 2 people to move ✕ 10-year warranty (Ecosa/OneBed offer 15) ✕ 100-night trial (Emma/Sleep Republic offer 150) ✕ Assembled in China (foams made in Sydney) ✕ Some off-gassing reports initially
Head to Head
How Sleeping Duck Compares
Sleeping Duck vs Koala
Different strengths
Koala offers 2 firmness levels via flippable layer and 4hr metro delivery at $1,249. Sleeping Duck offers 5+ firmness levels via swappable pads at $1,649 with a washable cover. Koala is simpler and cheaper; Sleeping Duck gives more control. Weighing up the big all-foam names before committing to a hybrid? Our Koala vs Ecosa comparison breaks down that matchup in detail.
Choose Koala if: You want simplicity, speed, and lower price. Choose Sleeping Duck if: You want maximum customisation and washable cover.
Both offer adjustable firmness but differently. Ecosa has 3 rearrangeable layers at $1,170 with 15-year warranty. Sleeping Duck has precision pads with finer control at $1,649 with 10-year warranty. Ecosa is all-foam; Sleeping Duck is hybrid with springs.
Choose Ecosa if: Budget matters and you want simple adjustment + longer warranty. Choose Sleeping Duck if: You want springs, washable cover, and ultra-precise firmness control.
Both are hybrids with pocket springs. Sleep Republic has 1,850 springs, 150-night trial, Spinal Foundation endorsement at $1,095. Sleeping Duck has customisable firmness and washable cover at $1,649. Sleep Republic is better value; Sleeping Duck is more versatile.
Choose Sleep Republic if: You want best value hybrid with proven spinal support. Choose Sleeping Duck if: You want customisable firmness and washable cover.
Emma focuses on cooling (Aerofoam technology) at $1,029 with 150-night trial. Sleeping Duck focuses on customisation at $1,649 with 100-night trial. Emma is all-foam; Sleeping Duck is hybrid. Emma is better for hot sleepers; Sleeping Duck is better for couples.
Choose Emma if: Cooling is priority and budget matters. Choose Sleeping Duck if: You want springs, customisation, and better edge support.
✓ Want the most customisable mattress in Australia ✓ Share a bed and want different firmness each side ✓ Have back pain and need precise firmness control ✓ Want a removable, washable cover ✓ Want a hybrid with springs + strong edge support
Skip Sleeping Duck If You…
✕ Budget is under $1,300 — go Origin or Emma ✕ Want 150-night trial — go Emma or Sleep Republic ✕ Want 15-year warranty — go Ecosa or OneBed ✕ Live in a walk-up apartment — very heavy ✕ Australian-made is a must — go Luxara
Another option
A cheaper way to solve the same problem
Sleeping Duck vs Sleep Republic
LOWER PRICE
Split firmness is Sleeping Duck’s real advantage, and on that specific feature nothing else here matches it. But most couples looking at Sleeping Duck aren’t really after two different mattresses — they want one person to stop waking the other.
If that’s the actual problem, Sleep Republic solves it a different way: 1,850 individually wrapped pocket springs, which is exactly what pocket springs are for. You give up the per-side adjustment. You keep the motion isolation, get 150 nights to decide instead of 100, a 12-year warranty instead of 10 — and it costs less.
Still buy Sleeping Duck if: you and your partner genuinely disagree about firmness. That’s a real problem and this is a real solution to it.
Yes — during your 100-night trial, Sleeping Duck will send free replacement foam pads to change your firmness. You can have different firmness zones within the same side. Their support team recommends configurations based on your body type. No catches.
Is Sleeping Duck better than Koala?
Different strengths. Sleeping Duck offers far more customisation (5+ firmness options vs Koala’s 2) and a washable cover. Koala offers faster delivery (4hr metro) and a lower price (~$1,249 vs ~$1,649). For couples with different preferences, Sleeping Duck wins. For simplicity and value, Koala wins.
Is Sleeping Duck Australian-made?
Partially. The foams are manufactured in Sydney using GECA-certified processes. The springs, upholstery layers, and final assembly are in China. The company is Australian-owned and operates from Melbourne. For fully Australian-made, consider Luxara.
Is Sleeping Duck good for back pain?
Yes — the ability to customise firmness zones means you can put firmer support exactly where you need it (typically under the lumbar/hip area). Multiple customer reviews specifically mention improvement in back pain.
Does Sleeping Duck have a showroom?
Yes — they have a physical showroom in Prahran, Melbourne where you can test the mattress in person. This is rare for a bed-in-a-box brand.
How heavy is a Sleeping Duck mattress?
The Queen weighs approximately 40-52kg. Multiple reviewers mention needing two people to carry it, especially up stairs. Sleeping Duck offers a premium delivery service (additional fee) in select metro areas that includes in-room setup.
Affiliate Disclosure: BestMattressAustralia may earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t influence our reviews — we include honest pros AND cons for every brand. Prices shown are approximate and based on standard retail pricing. Always check the retailer’s website for current pricing. Last updated August 2026.
