A note from Seán, your reviewer
Lead tester · 80 kg · hot sleeper · combo back/side · ordered the 28
I ordered the 28 because I want the new stack without the tallest sink. Aoife is 65 kg and sleeps on her side. She does not load a comfort layer the way I do. Emma's own FAQ says 30 is the deepest cushioning they sell, aimed at side sleepers with broader shoulders. That is why she ordered it. If her old camogie shoulder still wakes her once it lands, the 30 has failed the test that matters.
Siobhán ordered the other 30 because Dara does not lie still. She wanted the extra MemoryAdapt for side nights and the zoned springs for motion isolation. That is a couples test, not a showroom minute. Neither mattress is in a bedroom yet.
If you already read our Elite or Hybrid AirGrid pages, this is a different mattress. We will score it properly in September. I will not pretend I already have eight weeks of pressure maps.
Quick verdict for Irish buyers
Buy the 30 if you are a side sleeper who wants the thickest MemoryAdapt in this family, and you will wait on Emma's 200-night trial. That is Aoife's brief at 65 kg with a camogie shoulder, and Siobhán's at 70 kg with a restless partner. Buy it on emma-sleep.ie. I could not find it in Harvey Norman, EZ Living, or DID.
A single is €849 on emma-sleep.ie. Emma currently shows 7 to 21 days on 90×190 and 84 to 98 days on every other 30 size. Read the size you are actually buying.
Best for, on paper
- Light side sleepers who need extra MemoryAdapt to get a shoulder in
- Combination sleepers who want the deepest contour in this collection
- Couples who want zoned springs plus a plusher top for side nights
Skip if
- Stomach sleepers. Extra height means more sink
- You want an eight-week score before you spend. Come back in September
- Your size currently shows 84 to 98 days and you need a bed next week
Who ordered this mattress, and why
Aoife · 65 kg · dedicated side sleeper · old camogie shoulder · runs cold
She ordered 30 because she is light. She does not sink far into thinner comfort foam, so the extra 4.5 cm of firmer MemoryAdapt and 6.5 cm of SupportBase are the point. Her shoulder is the test. If the 30 still perches her once she's slept on it, we will say so.
Siobhán · 70 kg · combination side/back · restless partner Dara
She wanted the extra MemoryAdapt for side nights, and the zoned springs for motion isolation, because Dara does not lie still. She is the couples read.
Inside the 30: seven layers, quoted from Emma
The extra foam is the point of the 30: 4.5 cm MemoryAdapt, 6.5 cm SupportBase. Emma didn't publish thicknesses for the grid or the springs. Their FAQ also mentions two MemoryAdapt layers, but the walk-through only names one. I won't guess the missing one.
Cool-knit cover
Soft, cool to the touch, with those little micro-dots Emma likes. The top half zips off and washes at 40°C. No tumble, bleach, or iron. The bottom cover is dry clean only. At 30 cm you need a deep fitted sheet.
Improved Emma AirGrid Tech
The open polymer grid. Emma's line is pressure relief, airflow, and snap-back when you roll. Same grid as the 26 and 28. Aoife runs cold, so she is the wrong tester for heat.
MemoryAdapt
4.5 cmThe first cushion, and the thickest firmer MemoryAdapt in the collection. That is why Aoife ordered it. She is 65 kg. Thinner foam does not let a light shoulder in.
SupportBase
6.5 cmThe transition into the springs, also the thickest in the family. Emma says it supports without letting you sink. Aoife's old camogie shoulder is the test.
Zoned pocket springs + foam edge frame
Zoned springs for support and less partner bounce. Siobhán wanted that because Dara does not lie still. The foam rail around the edge is new versus the older Emma range.
Second SupportBase
Emma's words: grounds the spring core so the structure stays stable.
Bottom cover
Single-sidedKeeps the mattress on the base. Rotate 180°. Do not flip.
Emma's cooling claim lives on the 26. They did not publish one for this height. Aoife runs cold anyway, so a heat test on her 30 would be the wrong experiment.
How 30 differs from 26 and 28
Same recipe. Different foam depth. Emma says taller means plusher. Firmer MemoryAdapt and SupportBase go 2 cm / 5 cm on the 26, 3.5 cm / 5.5 cm on the 28, 4.5 cm / 6.5 cm on the 30. That is why Aoife ordered 30. She is light. Extra MemoryAdapt is how she gets a shoulder in.
| 26 | 28 | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 26 cm | 28 cm | 30 cm |
| Firmer MemoryAdapt | 2 cm | 3.5 cm | 4.5 cm |
| SupportBase | 5 cm | 5.5 cm | 6.5 cm |
| Emma's who-it's-for | Balanced, all positions | More contour for side sleepers | Deepest cushion, broader shoulders |
| Irish single, 90×190 | €649 | €1,079 | €849 |
| Who ordered it | Oisín, Ciarán | Seán | Aoife, Siobhán |
As of 31 August 2026 the Performance 28 is currently listed above the 30 on emma-sleep.ie.
What we'll actually test
Aoife and Siobhán ordered the 30s. They are not in the bedrooms yet. The night Aoife's lands, her old camogie shoulder is the test. Siobhán's nights with Dara are the couples read. I will not borrow a score from anyone else in the meantime.
I ordered the 28, not this height. I do not need the extra MemoryAdapt. Aoife does. September is when I put numbers on it.
Irish prices
Quoted from emma-sleep.ie on 31 August 2026. Emma prices move. Check again the morning you order.
| Size | Price | Delivery Emma currently shows |
|---|---|---|
| 90×190 (Single) | €849 | 7–21 days |
| 120×190 (Small Double) | €1,029 | 84–98 days |
| 135×190 (Double) | €1,189 | 84–98 days |
| 140×200 (140×200) | €1,299 | 84–98 days |
| 150×200 (King) | €1,429 | 84–98 days |
| 160×200 (160×200) | €1,539 | 84–98 days |
| 180×200 (Super King) | €1,699 | 84–98 days |
If you need anything other than 90×190, Emma currently shows 84 to 98 days. The 200-night clock starts when it arrives, not when you pay. Klarna and Alma sit on the Irish checkout. That does not change the trial.
Trial, warranty, setup
200 nights, free collection, full refund, no argument in Emma's wording. Warranty is 10 years on springs, foams, and the new AirGrid against sagging or deformation in normal use. Delivery and returns are free. Email is support@emma-sleep.ie.
It arrives rolled. Give it 24 hours to stand up. Air the room for up to 72 hours. Single-sided, so rotate 180°. Slats no wider than 7 cm. Emma says check the bed frame because this one is heavy. At 30 cm you also need a deep fitted sheet.
vs the Original Elite
Elite is 27 cm. It is the old Hybrid AirGrid with a new badge. We already tested that mattress. Performance is a new lineup. Elite has first-gen AirGrid and Airgocell. Performance 30 has improved AirGrid Tech, a foam edge frame, and no Airgocell named on the layer walk.
This is not Elite 2.0. If you already like Elite on a sale, that is a different mattress and a different review. Read the Elite buyer's guide if you actually want the mattress we have already slept on for eight weeks.
Important: health disclaimer
This page describes testers' plans, not clinical outcomes. A mattress is not a medical treatment. If you have chronic back pain, sciatica, or other musculoskeletal conditions, talk to a physiotherapist or GP. See our best mattresses for back pain guide.
