M&S' cooling mattress topper surprised us - it's an affordable must-have for night sweats

M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector: £45 at Marks and Spencer UK

Available in everything from single to super king, this cooling mattress protector is a bedding must-have. You can have it delivered to your door, or select pick up in store if you have an M&S near you.

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If you tend to overheat at night, a good mattress protector can make a surprising difference. The M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector is designed to add an extra layer of comfort while helping regulate temperature, keeping your bed feeling fresher through the night. Lightweight and breathable, it promises to protect your mattress without adding that stiff or crinkly layer that some protectors are known for.

While researching the best mattress protectors, the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector stood out for its cooling credentials and practical design. It’s intended to wick away moisture and help sleepers stay comfortable, which makes it particularly appealing if you’re prone to warm nights or want a bed that feels fresher for longer.

To see how it performs in real life, one of our experts, Linda, put it to the test at home. She evaluated how comfortable it felt to sleep on, whether the cooling claims held up overnight, and how easy it was to care for. After weeks of use, she was able to get a clear sense of whether this simple addition could make a noticeable difference to your sleep setup.

M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector review

• RRP: £27.50 to £45
• Sizes available: Super king, King, double, single
• Depth: Up to 30cm
• Material: Outer: 100% polyester. Filling: 100% polyester. Reverse: 100% Polypropylene. Skirt: 100% polyester
• Trial period: N/A
• Waterproof: Yes
• Machine washable: Yes

How we tested the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector

Before you find out all about what we found when testing this mattress protector, it helps to know a little bit more about the person who tested it.

Linda Harrison

Linda is five years into menopausal symptoms that are keeping (and waking) her up in the early hours. Whilst her sleep is suffering, she's really keen to find a mattress protector that can soothe her night sweats, whilst looking after her bed and her sensitive skin.

Unboxing the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector

You might not think that unboxing plays a huge role in your sleeping experience, but, in my years of testing, I have found that it tells you a lot about the brand: the more thought they put into the little things, the more likely it is that they care about the big, noticeable things, such as materials, quality, and sleep experience.

Linda was impressed with the minimal, no-fuss way that M&S sends the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector. She explains that "it comes in an easy-to-open plastic sleeve, so it’s quick to unpeel and unpack."

That all sounds smooth, although I often critique plastic packaging for its (lack of) sustainable credentials. Importantly, Linda added that "the label explains that you can recycle the plastic with bags at large supermarkets" and I've spotted recycling points in even the smaller M&S stores.

Once out of the packaging, Linda noticed that "the material was understandably a little creased after being inside the packaging, but once on the bed, any wrinkles soon smoothed themselves out." All in all, it was a great start.

Who would the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector suit?

There were a few reasons that our team were excited to test the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector. As the name suggests, we hoped that it would be great for hot sleepers and night sweats, but we were also attracted to the reasonable price point. The largest size (super king) is only £45, which, for a cooling mattress protector, is really impressive.

Linda picked up on these elements right away. She recommends this to people like herself. "If, like me, you’re menopausal and prone to hot sleeping, this mattress protector is great choice," she says. It uses Hydrocool® technology, designed to wick away moisture to help regulate body temperature, which can sometimes be a gimmick, but you'll see in Linda's testing that this was genuinely good.

Linda also liked that this was easy to wash and tumble dry, so even if you do have extreme night sweats, you can enjoy a fresh layer on your bed within the day.

In terms of price, this is at the affordable end of mid-range mattress protectors. There are protectors that will do the same for £100, but none that can compete in the same price bracket.

How does the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector fit on the bed?

We always like to talk about the fit of the protector on the bed, as this covers a lot of comfort. You want a tight fit around the corners of your mattress, without any crinkling or creasing that might disrupt your base sheet. However, if it's too small, you might find it hard to fit onto the bed: it's a balancing act.

Linda tested with a deep mattress (hers is 27cm) amd notes that it was "very easy to fit the elasticated sides of the skirt around the mattress," she added that "The sides of the mattress protector are generous. They could have been a little deeper for our mattress, but the small gap didn’t show once the sheet was over the top. It felt a really snug fit."

Having slept on it for two months, Linda maintains that the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Topper " feels like excellent quality, especially the top, with is super soft. It doesn't move during the night either." We suspect this is down to the fitted mesh skirt, which gives more coverage and stability than elastic loops.

What is the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector like to sleep on?

Now we get into the details of what this is actually like to sleep on. Linda noticed the quilted, recycled polyester top straight away, which she describes as "soft to touch." Mattress protectors are very thin layers by nature, so we don't expect them to make noticeable changes to the softness of your bed. The only time you'd notice an issue is if it was poor: a bad fit can crinkle, a waterproof layer can feel like plastic, and they can be noisy too. Overall, Linda could hardly notice hers, which she said must be a good thing. All she noticed as a difference was that it was comfortable.

In terms of cooling, Linda tested this over the winter, so she hasn't had the chance to see what it's like in a heatwave. Yet. She noted that "it felt cool to touch once on, and, after sleeping on it for one month, I didn’t wake up once feeling overheated (unusual for me, even in winter)." It's doing the job.

How waterproof is the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector?

M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector doesn't claim to be fully waterproof, but we like to run this test on all of our toppers, just in case you spill a coffee in bed, or if you're having an extremely sweaty night.

Linda was, understandably, wary about pouring water onto the protector, especially because it didn't have that plastic feel that many waterproof layers do. However, she was pleased with her tests. Linda describes "the water sitting on top, before being absorbed into the material. I was impressed that the towel underneath stayed pretty dry." It gets a thumbs up for waterproofing.

Cleaning the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector

Cleaning the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector is simple. It’s machine washable at 40°C, so you can easily add it to your regular bedding wash without any special care needed. How often you need to wash your mattress protector will depend on lots of factors, but at least this won't need a lot of attention when the time comes.

After washing, it can go straight into the tumble dryer on a low heat, which is especially handy if you like to get your bed made up again the same day. The straightforward care instructions make it easy to keep the protector feeling fresh and hygienic, even with frequent use.

Should you buy the M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector?

I put the question to Linda, as she is the one who has been sleeping on it for two months. She recommends the protector as a "comfortable protector that stays put all night," she added that it gets "bonus points for its antibacterial filling, which helps prevent dust mites and bacteria, reducing allergens and odours. It’s practical to look after as you can put it onto the washing machine and tumble dryer."

So, if you're looking for a mattress protector that will help you to sleep in the heat, with night sweats, adding a soft, comfortable layer to your mattress. It's proof that this isn't just any mattress protector, it's an M&S Mattress Protector.

How we test mattress protectors

At woman&home, we have a series of standardised tests that we run for every mattress protector. If it claims to be cooling, we make sure to test it on temperature regulation with hot, menopausal sleepers. We also look at the fit on the bed, comfort levels, and composition too. By the end of the review, you should have a good idea of whether this is the mattress protector for you, but if you still have questions, don't hesitate to email me, or you can find out more on our dedicated page for how we test mattress protectors.

M&S Fresh & Cool Mattress Protector: £45 at Marks and Spencer UK

Available in everything from single to super king, this cooling mattress protector is a bedding must-have. You can have it delivered to your door, or select pick up in store if you have an M&S near you.

View Deal