Winkl Vs Emma – Which Of These Popular Brands Is Best For You?

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Winkl Vs Emma – mattress in a box NZ comparisons. Here we have two very different mattresses. One is a universally appealing medium firm with lots of bounce, the other is a bit softer and offers more contouring pressure relief like you’d expect from memory foam. One is NZ owned, one German. In this Winkl Vs Emma comparison, I’ll take you through the differences of each, their construction, and help you decide which one would be best for you.

Spoiler alert: my favourite of these two is Winkl, and it’s what I use for my own bed. Get more Winkl details here. 

Here’s an overview of Winkl Vs Emma to get us started:

EmmaWinkl
Emma Comfort Staged
Price $779 - $1199 (click on any of my links to see awesome bundle deals from Emma)$850 - $2050 (Regular Discounts Available)
What Do They Make?One Mattress
Pillow
Mattress Protector
Mattress Topper

Two Mattresses: Winkl And Lux
Memory Foam Pillow
Construction2 Foam Layers, Zoned Core3 Foam Layers, Lux Model Has 5cm
More Comfort Foams
Firmness6 -7: Medium Firm With A Bouncy FeelAround 6 - 6.5 Out Of 10, Medium Feel
Sleep Trial100 Nights120 Nights (Longest In NZ)
Warranty10 Years10 Years For Winkl
15 Years For Lux
New Zealand Owned?No - GermanYes
Made In New Zealand?No - ChinaNo - China

Similarities

There are a few similarities between these mattresses:

  • Both offer at least a 10 year warranty (the exception is the Winkl Lux mattress, which has a 15 year warranty)
  • Both feature an all foam construction, and both Emma and Winkl Lux have zoning inside the polyfoam layer
  • Both are made in China
  • Both offer generous in home sleep trials (100 nights for Emma, 120 nights for Winkl) and hassle free returns

Differences

These are totally different mattresses that feel totally different to each other. Here are the main points of difference:

  • Winkl is NZ owned, Emma is German owned
  • Winkl make two mattresses (standard and lux) where Emma make one
  • Winkl is rated a medium firmness, which will be universally comfortable. The lux, which I have tried, is beautifully contouring and squishy, a bit like a marshmallow. Emma on the other hand, is a bit firmer (but not uncomfortably so) and has a bouncy feel
  • The cover of the Emma has better functionality (handles, zip placement allows you to remove the top part only for easy washing) but I think the Winkl lux has nicer fabric
  • Winkl has partnered with the Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, so part of your purchase goes towards protecting this national icon

Close-Up On Their Construction

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the construction of each mattress. I’ll show you both Winkl mattresses and the one Emma mattress.

Winkl:

Winkl Vs Emma - Mattress In A Box NZ Comparisons

The standard Winkl mattress 25cm high, same as Emma. It has a softer feel without compromising on support; it’s designed for a wide range of people to sleep comfortably on.

Cover:

Removable and breathable.

Foams:

As with Emma, Winkl contains three internal foam layers and is 25cm high. The two comfort foam layers at the top make up a total of 10cm, so you’re getting more comfort foam in your Winkl.

  1. The light purple layer is a foam exclusive to Winkl. It’s been designed to have a bit of bounce like a latex foam. This helps you to feel supported on the mattress without feeling like you’re sinking into it or getting stuck in it.
  2. The dark purple layer is a high density gel foam. I really like this layer because I see so many overseas companies using a lower density (read: lower durability) foam for this layer which leads to sagging. The fact that it’s high density means the inclusion of the gel infusion is important to help keep you cool (gel beads draw heat out of the foam) because high density foams are not as good at letting air flow through them as their lower density, open cell counterparts.
  3. High density support foam. Pretty standard, there’s not much more to say here.

Winkl Lux:

Winkl Vs Ecosa - Winkl Lux Mattress Cross Section

The Winkl Lux is also a 3 layer foam construction, but it’s 30cm high. The two foam comfort layers make up 13cm of the total mattress height.

It features quite a few luxury upgrades over the Winkl, as the name suggests. For your extra $ you get a thicker mattress that has more foam in the comfort layers, charcoal infused into the memory foam and zoning in the support foam. Basically, the Lux lives up to its name: it’s a high performing mattress with lots of great features and technology whereas the standard Winkl is a decent mattress with less bling.

Cover:

This is one of the upgrades over the standard Winkl mattress. It is a more luxurious knit. It’s softer and more durable.

Foams:

  1. The top layer is the same proprietary Winkl-flex foam you find in the standard model, but there’s more of it in the Lux.
  2. The transition layer has been infused with charcoal instead of gel. This is a less common feature, but a really good one because not only will it help with temperature regulation, it’s also antimicrobial.
  3. The base foam in the Winkl Lux has been divided into zones for targeted support. This is a really nice luxury touch, and something I see overseas brands charge a fortune for. The zones are designed to be more forgiving for your shoulders and hips and firmer through the centre to help support your spine.

Emma:

The Emma mattress is also 25cm high mattress with 3 foam layers, which are OEKO-TEX certified. As you read through the descriptions of the foams, the differences with Ecosa will quickly reveal themselves. Here’s what the inside of the Emma mattress looks like compared to the marketing image.

Emma Comfort Expecation vs Reality

The Emma mattress is also 25cm high mattress with 2 foam layers, instead of the 3 you get with Winkl. Note the zoning in the core which helps target specific body weight points. Only the more expensive Winkl Lux has that. Here’s what the inside of the Emma mattress REALLY looks like compared to the marketing image.

Cover:

This is a pretty standard stretch knit with a softer top and grippy material on the bottom to help it stay fixed to your base. The cool feature of the cover is that the zip enables you to unzip the top part of the cover right off without having to try to manhandle the entire mattress.

This is extremely handy for cleaning as you don’t have to remove the whole cover, simply unzip the top section in one smooth move! I’ve only seen this on Tempur mattresses here in NZ. The other standout feature of the cover is that it has handles. They feel a bit flimsy, but Emma is the only mattress in a box brand that has them in NZ.

Foams:

  1. The top layer is 5cm of “airgocell” foam. What does that mean? It’s a proprietary foam Emma uses as the comfort layer of their mattress. It’s bouncier and less contouring than a typical memory foam. It’s an open pore foam, which basically means it’s got quite a lot of air in it (50% to be exact), which helps it to be breathable and bouncy. It feels like a nice foam to lie on!
  2. The base layer is 20cm of HRX high density foam, which is also open pore to help with breathability (why all the fuss about breathability? All foam mattresses need innovations to help air escape, as they don’t have the traditional spring support unit, which allows air to circulate through your “usual” mattresses you’d see in a shop). The really special feature of this support layer is the zones cut into it. These help specifically target and support your body so your spine stays in line and you get the most comfortable sleep possible. I’ve seen many, many brands overseas market this as a luxury feature and charge a heap more for it, but we’re lucky to have Emma offering it to us here in NZ as a standard feature.

Feel And Firmness

As mentioned above, Winkl is a medium feel. This is softer than the Emma, and is more universally appealing.  If you’re looking for bounce from your foam mattress though, you’ll need to choose Emma. Here are some scenarios where one mattress might suit you better than the other:

Buy Winkl:

  • You’re not sure what firmness you want – the standard Winkl, with its medium feel, will be comfortable for many
  • You want a luxurious mattress with a touch more softness and contouring – go for the Winkl Lux. It’s one of my favourite mattresses we have in NZ. So comfortable if you like a bit of softness!
  • You share a bed with someone who likes a different firmness than you. Winkl is probably going to be a better compromise
  • You like to sleep on your side: Winkl will give you more pressure relief through your shoulder

Buy Emma:

  • You want a firm mattress
  • You want to try an all foam mattress but still retain some bounce like an innerspring mattress
  • You like to sleep on your stomach: a firmer mattress will be better for your spine because it will have more support through your hips
  • You weigh more than 150kg: you need a firm mattress to give you adequate support. Interestingly, if you buy a softer mattress, it can end up feeling too hard because you sink through the comfort layers and feel the support core of the mattress – this isn’t what you want, you want to feel well supported

The good news is that I think both work well for people who mainly sleep on their back, it will come down to personal firmness preference and other factors (like if you want to buy NZ owned or the sleep trial length, or warranty length).

Remember, whichever one you choose, you’ve got more than 3 months to try it out at home.

Price Breakdown

The prices listed below are RRP. You should note that mattress-in-box companies always have a deal going. My links will take you to the deal, never pay full retail!

Winkl is currently 25% off their mattress range, meaning you can shop their super comfy mattresses from just $675.

Emma runs awesome sales, usually at least 40% off, and they often run great deals with their bundles so you can get a pillow, protector, and topper for a real bargain.

Winkl Vs Emma: Which Is Better?

Like most things in life, there is no black and white answer for Winkl Vs Emma. It all depends on what you want from your mattress! I hope I’ve helped you understand the differences between the two and it’s easier for you to make a decision.

  • Emma is more of a medium firm and is bouncier
  • Winkl is a bit softer with more contouring, and is a NZ owned brand

I prefer Winkl over Emma. The main reason for this is because it’s that bit softer, which would work well for my personal preferences. I really like the features Winkl have incorporated into their Lux mattress, so I’d choose that model. I also like the fact they are New Zealand owned and you get fast responses from their New Zealand based support team.

AUTHOR

Emily Johnstone

Emily is the creator and owner of bestmattressforyou.com. Emily's scientific background gives her an analytical, critical, and discerning eye to bring unbiased, thorough, and helpful content to the site. Your good sleep is her top priority. Find out more about Emily and bestmattressforyou.com here.