The Vispring Bedstead Imperial is a hand-built British mattress whose main reason to buy is its combination of natural upholstery and a single layer of hand-nested pocket springs. Vispring describes it as a modern masterpiece of universal comfort, blending bonded and layered British fleece wool and cotton with horsehair and naturally breathable bamboo to create balanced support. If you want a mattress made exclusively from natural fillings, built in Vispring’s Plymouth workshop, and available in four spring tensions, this is the model to look at.
We also weigh this mattress against its rivals in our best innerspring mattresses.
Our pick
Saatva Classicthe alternative if you want an innerspring you can order online with a clear trial and warranty
- 365-night home trial
- Free white-glove delivery and old-mattress removal
- Lifetime warranty
Who is the Bedstead Imperial for?
The Bedstead Imperial suits sleepers who prefer natural materials over foams and who like to choose their own tension. It is a strong fit for people who want a mattress that regulates temperature and draws away moisture through wool, cotton, horsehair, and bamboo, and who value a hand-tufted construction with three rows of hand side-stitching. It is also a sensible choice for anyone furnishing a bedstead or divan and who wants a single-layer spring unit that moves independently to match body shape.
Buyers who should look elsewhere are those who want a clear home trial, published pricing, or a firm comfort level chosen for them at checkout. The Bedstead Imperial is sold through Vispring’s showroom and brochure request route rather than a direct online cart, so it suits a shopper who is happy to buy through a retailer.
What does the specification sheet say?
Vispring publishes a full technical sheet for the Bedstead Imperial. The headline figures are the spring count, the depth, and the tension options, all of which are tied to specific sizes and configurations.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Construction | Hand-nested calico pocket spring construction |
| Spring count | 1,720 springs in the 150 x 200cm size (5ft x 6ft 6in) |
| Spring material | Vanadium steel pocket springs, hand-nested in the Plymouth workshop |
| Spring layer | Single-layer spring unit for full motion |
| Spring tensions | Soft, Medium, Firm, Extra Firm |
| Upholstery | Bonded British fleece wool and cotton, horsehair, bamboo, layered British fleece wool and cotton |
| Depth | 21cm (8.3in) plus 6cm (2.4in) doming, plus or minus 2cm (0.8in) |
| Borders | Wool upholstery, three rows of hand side-stitching, horizontal handles, air vents |
| Tufts | Hand-tied woollen tufts and twine |
The 1,720-spring figure is specific to the 150 x 200cm size. Other sizes will carry a different count, so treat that number as the reference point for the 5ft by 6ft 6in model rather than a universal figure for every size.
How does the Bedstead Imperial feel and support you?
Vispring positions the Bedstead Imperial at a balanced, universally appreciated level of support, and the product page shows a Feel Index scale from 1 to 5. The exact feel you get depends on the tension you order, with Soft, Medium, Firm, and Extra Firm all available. That range means the same mattress can serve a side sleeper who wants give at the shoulders and a stomach sleeper who wants a flat, resistant surface.
The support comes from a single layer of vanadium steel pocket springs that move independently to match body shape. Vispring describes the result as balanced support that keeps sleep weightless and undisrupted. Above the springs sits the upholstery: bonded and layered British fleece wool and cotton for softness, horsehair for support, and bamboo for breathability. A built-in British wool pad sits within the mattress to safeguard against wear while adding breathability, and the whole unit is encased in high-quality ticking.
Depth matters for bed selection. At 21cm plus 6cm of doming, the Bedstead Imperial is a substantial mattress that will sit high in a shallow bedstead frame. Check the clearance in your frame before ordering, and remember the plus or minus 2cm tolerance on the doming measurement.
How is it built, layer by layer?
The construction is entirely traditional. The spring unit is hand-nested in calico pockets, a method that keeps each spring separate and able to respond on its own. The upholstery is described as exclusively natural: no foams, no synthetic comfort layers. Wool and cotton are bonded and layered, horsehair is used for its resilient support, and bamboo adds a naturally breathable element.
Finishing details are where the hand-build shows. Woollen tufts are tied by hand with twine to hold the layers in place over years of use. The borders are upholstered in protective wool and finished with three rows of hand side-stitching, a technique that reinforces the edge and adds durability. Horizontal handles make the mattress easier to turn and move, and air vents help air move through the natural fillings.
See the Saatva Classic price in your size →
What do the natural materials actually do?
Vispring makes a clear functional case for its material choices rather than treating them as luxury decoration. British fleece wool and cotton are used for softness and moisture handling, horsehair for supportive resilience, and bamboo for breathability. The brand states that these materials regulate body temperature and draw away moisture, keeping the sleeper cool in summer and cosy in winter.
Wool’s natural behaviour is the reason it appears twice in the build: once as bonded filling and again as a built-in pad against wear. The pad serves a dual purpose, protecting the surface where the body sits while adding another breathable layer. For a shopper who wants to avoid synthetic foams entirely, this is the clearest point in the Bedstead Imperial’s favour.
How do you buy it, and what does it cost?
The route to purchase is a brochure request or a visit to a Vispring stockist, where the mattress is specified to your size and spring tension. The product page offers options to try the mattress and request a brochure, so the buying process may run through a showroom conversation rather than a checkout cart.
Because pricing is not published, treat any figure you see elsewhere as a quote for a specific size and tension rather than a fixed list price. Ask the retailer for the price in your exact size, the delivery arrangement, and the terms that apply to a hand-built mattress of this type before committing.
Who should not buy the Bedstead Imperial?
Skip this mattress if you want to order online with a home trial and a published return window. Vispring’s route to purchase is a brochure and a stockist, and the product page does not set out a trial period or return terms. If you need to try a mattress at home before committing, or if you want a firm price comparison across retailers in a single sitting, the Bedstead Imperial will slow you down.
It is also the wrong pick if you want synthetic foams, a gel comfort layer, or a mattress with a built-in pillow top. The upholstery here is exclusively natural, and the comfort comes from wool, cotton, horsehair, and bamboo over a single spring layer. Finally, if your bedstead frame is shallow, the 21cm depth plus 6cm doming may sit too high; measure before you order.
How does it compare with the Saatva Classic?
The Saatva Classic is an innerspring mattress bought online with a defined trial and warranty. It uses a dual-coil design with triple-tempered recycled carbon steel coils, a 3in Euro pillow top, and three comfort levels: Plush Soft at 3 out of 10, Luxury Firm at 5 to 7 out of 10, and Firm at 8 out of 10. It is available in two heights, 11.5in and 14.5in.
| Feature | Vispring Bedstead Imperial | Saatva Classic |
|---|---|---|
| Spring system | Single layer of hand-nested calico pocket springs | Dual-coil design, over 1,000 recycled carbon steel coils in full size and up |
| Comfort options | Soft, Medium, Firm, Extra Firm tensions | Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, Firm |
| Upholstery | Exclusively natural: wool, cotton, horsehair, bamboo | Euro pillow top with organic cotton blend cover |
| Home trial | Not set out on the product page | 365-night home trial |
| Warranty | Not set out on the product page | Lifetime warranty |
| Delivery | Through Vispring stockists | Free white-glove delivery and setup, with old-mattress removal |
Who should buy the Vispring Bedstead Imperial: a shopper who wants a hand-built British mattress made exclusively from natural fillings, with a choice of four spring tensions and a hand-tufted, side-stitched finish. This buyer values wool, horsehair, and bamboo over foams, is comfortable buying through a showroom, and has measured their bedstead frame for the 21cm depth plus 6cm doming. The Bedstead Imperial is the pick when natural materials and traditional hand-build are the deciding factors, and when the purchase route through a stockist is not an obstacle.
Who should buy the Saatva Classic: a shopper who wants to order online, sleep on the mattress for 365 nights before deciding, and have free white-glove delivery with old-mattress removal. This buyer wants three clearly graded comfort levels, a lifetime warranty, and a published price at checkout. The Saatva Classic is the pick when trial terms, delivery service, and a straightforward online purchase matter more than an all-natural upholstery build.
Verdict
Buy the Bedstead Imperial for natural hand-built comfort; buy the Saatva Classic for trial and delivery certainty.
The Vispring earns its place with exclusively natural fillings and four spring tensions. The Saatva Classic answers with a 365-night trial, free white-glove delivery, and a lifetime warranty.
World Sleep Almanac score: 7.6/10
The World Sleep Almanac editorial score for the Vispring Bedstead Imperial is 7.6 out of 10. The score is an editorial judgment based on five criteria: materials and construction, choice of firmness, price transparency, trial and returns, and warranty clarity. The method is simple: each criterion is weighed for how much it helps a real buyer make the decision, then averaged.
- Materials and construction: 9/10. Exclusively natural upholstery, hand-nested calico springs, hand-tied tufts, and three rows of hand side-stitching.
- Choice of firmness: 9/10. Four spring tensions from Soft to Extra Firm give unusual control over the final feel.
- Price transparency: 5/10.
- Trial and returns: 6/10. The buying route runs through stockists, and trial terms are not set out on the product page.
- Warranty clarity: 7/10.
Still comparing? Our Vispring Tiara Superb review is the natural next read.
Frequently asked questions
How many springs are in the Vispring Bedstead Imperial?
The Bedstead Imperial features 1,720 springs in the 150 x 200cm size, which is 5ft by 6ft 6in. That count is specific to that size, so other dimensions will differ. The springs are vanadium steel pocket springs, hand-nested in Vispring’s Plymouth workshop in a single layer.
What fillings does the Bedstead Imperial use?
The upholstery is made exclusively from natural fillings: bonded British fleece wool and cotton, horsehair, and bamboo, with a layered British fleece wool and cotton comfort layer. There are no foams in the build. A built-in British wool pad sits within the mattress to protect against wear and add breathability.
Can I choose the firmness of the Bedstead Imperial?
Yes. Vispring offers the Bedstead Imperial in four spring tensions: Soft, Medium, Firm, and Extra Firm. The Feel Index on the product page places the model on the brand’s five-point scale, but the tension you select determines the final feel. Your Vispring stockist will help you match tension to your sleep position and body weight.
How deep is the Bedstead Imperial?
The overall mattress depth is 21cm (8.3in) plus 6cm (2.4in) of doming, with a tolerance of plus or minus 2cm (0.8in). That total height matters if you are placing it in a bedstead frame with low sides, so measure the inside clearance of your frame before ordering.
Reviewed by the World Sleep Almanac editorial team. Updated 2026.