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Why are zip & link beds so versatile? Here's everything you should know.
Whether you’re looking for a flexible mattress that both you and your partner can enjoy, or you’re in need of a versatile guest bed option that will suit all sleepers, it’s safe to say that it can often be tricky to find a mattress style that can suit everyone’s needs – that is, of course, unless you have a zip and link mattress.
Created to provide maximum versatility in mattresses, the best zip and link beds ensure that anyone using one gets a comfortable night’s sleep, whether they prefer a large super king size or need to split the bed to provide two singles.
But what are zip and link beds? And more importantly, how do zip and link beds work in order to provide this level of flexibility? Take a look at our detailed guide below to learn all this and more, as well as our top recommendations for the best zip and link beds from our range!
Made to be practical and functional, zip and link beds might sound like a recent addition to the mattress world, but they’ve actually been around for years. In fact, if you’ve ever stayed in a hotel, you’ve almost certainly slept on one.
In essence, zip and link beds are two long single mattresses that can be joined together to create a large super king size mattress, allowing sleepers to split and join these mattresses as and when they like to provide flexibility to their bedroom setup. Available in two sizes, you can also find king size zip and link beds which are slightly smaller, creating two small single beds when seperated.
The concept behind how zip and link beds work is a very simple one, with the being in their name, as you quite literally join such mattresses together using a series of links and a zip.
Assuming you have two mattresses with matching zip and link designs, you first need to lock their bases together with their matching links. Then you simply combine both mattresses into one with a strong zip and you have your new larger mattress!
A regular zip and link mattress, when linked together, measures 6' x 6'6" (180 x 200cm), just like a super king mattress. When seperated, the two 'single' mattresses it creates are slightly longer than your standard single, measuring at 3' x 6'6" (90 x 200cm).
A king size zip and link mattress, as you can imagine, measures the same as a king size bed when zipped together - 5'0" x 6'6" (150 x 200cm). When seperated, they create two long small single beds, both measuring at 2'6" x 6'6" (75 x 200cm).
If you're not sure which bed size is right for you, read our Bed & Mattress Size Guide, or even find advice on whether you need a super king or two singles.
Now we know a little more about what zip and link beds are and how they work, let’s explore some of the ways in which they can change how you and your partner enjoy that all-important shuteye through the night:
By far the main benefit of zip and link beds is their practical nature, which lets you split and rejoin both mattresses as and when you need to. Naturally, this makes them ideally suited for use in a guest bedroom, allowing you to create two singles or a super king bed as and when you need to.
For example, if you’re having guests over who don’t feel comfortable about sharing a bed, you can simply part your mattress and just like that you have a new sleeping arrangement ready to go.
As you may have already guessed from our first point, the ability to divide a mattress in two means you can be incredibly efficient with the space in your home. Using the above example again, if you’re tight on space and need to provide a bedding option for two separate guests, then you can always split your zip and links beds and place them in two different rooms – they’re that flexible!
Given that zip and link mattresses are created by joining two separate singles together with a zip, you might assume that they would be rather uncomfortable to sleep on if you happen to roll onto said zip in the night.
However, the best zip and link beds have been cleverly designed to include seams and recesses that entirely hide these joining zips, so you’ll hardly notice them if you do touch them, and they’re practically invisible with a mattress topper.
Alongside this, most zip and link mattresses are designed to create minimal motion transfer, preventing you or your restless other half from rolling into the mattress’s centre and laying on the join.
Unless you’re new to owning a mattress, you’re probably aware that you need to flip or rotate them on a regular basis to help maintain their shape and increase their longevity. Of course, with a typical super king mattress, this can be particularly tricky to do on your own.
However, as zip and link mattresses can be detached, you can simply separate them, move each single mattress individually, and then re-attach them. This makes them fantastic if you need to rotate a mattress in a tight space, without help, or if you have limited mobility.
Last, but not least, because zip and link mattresses can be split in two, they’re one of the easiest types of mattresses to be delivered. After all, our delivery team can simply keep your mattress in two separate halves, and then join them once safely delivered to your bedroom.
So, with all of the benefits of zip and link mattresses covered, which models should you be looking at if you’re interested in picking up this unique style of bed? We know that choosing a mattress can be difficult, so our Product Experts have selected their top 5 zip and link mattresses for you to consider.
Medium firm, with a pillow top layer for ultimate comfort, this mattress is perfect for those searching for orthopaedic levels of back support. Featuring individual pocket springs to give this support right where you need it, along with memory foam to mould to the contours of your body, this superb premium quality mattress will look as good as it feels for years to come.
Combining the groundbreaking PostureTech CS spring system with Sealy’s legendary PowerPack technology, this firm mattress offers brilliant support in all the right places. It has a double-sided, flippable design to extend its lifespan, along with a five-year guarantee, making it a shrewd investment, too. If you’ve experienced lumbar or postural problems in the past, this is the mattress for you.
This is one of our softer zip-and-link mattresses, which means it’s ideal for those who love a 'sink in' feeling. There’s some serious cutting-edge technology packed into this clever mattress, including Virofresh™ (which has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, making it a popular choice among people who have asthma or allergies) and an innovative gel system (to keep you cool at night).
This zip and link mattress features British wool sourced from Harrison Spinks’ very own Yorkshire sheep farm, as well as cotton and hemp from its own fields. Innovative and fast-reacting pocket springs enable this mattress to effortlessly react and adapt to the movement of your body, providing luxurious support and pressure relief to help banish aches and pains, enabling you to enjoy blissful sleep every single night.
Classified as ‘extra firm’, for intense orthopaedic support, immersing yourself in this mattress’ revolutionary and responsive pocket spring system makes for a sublime and rejuvenating night’s sleep like no other. By blending advanced technology with natural materials, this zip and link mattress provides unparalleled responsiveness to help align your spine and relieve pressure points.
You should now have everything you need to start thinking about investing in the best zip and link mattress options in our range.
Complete your zip and link mattress set-up with single and super king size duvets, so you're prepared for any formation your new bed ends up in. If you're keeping your zip and link bed in a guest room, make sure you've got pillows to impress, as well as mattress protectors to keep things fresh.
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