Short answer: The most comfortable mattress for a low-profile bed is the one that matches how you sleep without adding height you do not want. Our Cozey Foam Mattress is 25.4 cm (10 inches) tall and keeps a low bed low. Our Cozey Hybrid Mattress is 30.5 cm (12 inches) tall, with more bounce and a reinforced foam edge. You do not need a box spring on a platform bed such as our Ara, because the slats already do that job.
On a low frame the mattress is most of what you see and most of what sets the height of the bed. A few centimetres change how easy it is to get in and out, how much of the headboard shows and whether the base can hold the mattress properly. The sections below cover each of those in turn.
On This Page
- What does a low-profile bed change?
- How thick should the mattress be on a platform bed?
- Foam or hybrid on a low bed?
- What should the slats and base look like?
- Do you need a box spring with a platform bed?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our bedroom collection
What does a low-profile bed change?
A low-profile or platform bed has a flat, slatted or solid surface built in, so there is no box spring under the mattress. The total height of the bed is the frame plus the mattress, which makes the mattress the part you can choose.
Three things change on a low bed:
- Sleeping height: a thinner mattress keeps the bed closer to the floor. As general advice, a lower bed suits people who like to step on and off easily, and a taller one suits people who prefer to sit higher.
- Headboard show: a thick mattress covers more of the headboard. Our Ara headboards are about 89 cm (35 inches) tall for Round and Square, 93 cm (36.6 inches) for Pillow and 102 cm (40 inches) for Extended.
- Support under the mattress: with no box spring, the slats carry the load, so their width and spacing matter.
Our Ara frame has a mattress space 12.5 cm (4.9 inches) deep, measured from the top of the slats to the top of the side panel. The Foam Mattress therefore rises roughly 12.9 cm (5.1 inches) above the panel, and the Hybrid roughly 18 cm (7.1 inches).
How thick should the mattress be on a platform bed?
Choose a thickness that suits the frame and the look you want. For our Ara bed, we recommend a mattress of about 22.9 cm (9 inches) or more for balanced proportions, and mattresses up to 40.6 cm (16 inches) are compatible. Both of our mattresses sit inside that range, so neither one is too thin or too thick for Ara. Our guide to Ara and your mattress explains the thickness range in full.
For any other low frame, the right thickness is the one that frame allows. Check the frame's own instructions before you buy.
Foam or hybrid on a low bed?
Both mattresses are medium-firm and have a memory foam layer near the top, so the main differences are height, the core and the sizes. Both have a polyester cover. Our foam and hybrid mattress guide covers the two constructions in general terms. This table covers what matters on a low frame.
Foam or hybrid on a low bed?
| Cozey Foam Mattress | Cozey Hybrid Mattress | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 25.4 cm (10 inches) | 30.5 cm (12 inches) |
| Top layers | 5 cm (2 inches) of memory foam over 5 cm (2 inches) of transition foam | 2.5 cm (1 inch) of comfort foam over 5 cm (2 inches) of memory foam and 5 cm (2 inches) of foam |
| Core | 15 cm (6 inches) of high-density foam | 15 cm (6 inches) of pocket coils in 3 comfort zones, with a reinforced foam edge and 2.5 cm (1 inch) of base foam |
| Sizes in Australia | Full and Queen | Full, Queen and Australian King |
| Feel | Close and cradling, with very little bounce | More bounce, so you lie more on top of the mattress |
| Getting out of bed | You settle into the bed | The coils push back, which can make it easier to roll and sit up |
| Edge | Foam edge | A reinforced foam edge that holds when you sit on the side of the bed |
| Best for | Keeping the bed as low as possible, side and back sleepers, couples who dislike motion | Hot sleepers, combination sleepers, anyone who sits on the edge of the bed |
Sizes in centimetres (inches), width by length:
Foam or hybrid on a low bed?
| Size | Cozey Foam Mattress | Cozey Hybrid Mattress |
|---|---|---|
| Full | 133.35 x 189.23 cm (52.5 x 74.5 inches) | 133.4 x 189.2 cm (52.5 x 74.5 inches) |
| Queen | 151.13 x 201.93 cm (59.5 x 79.5 inches) | 151.1 x 201.9 cm (59.5 x 79.5 inches) |
| Australian King | Not offered in foam | 183 x 201.9 cm (72 x 79.5 inches), the standard 183 x 203 cm Australian King |
The Hybrid needs fitted sheets with pockets deep enough for a 30.5 cm (12 inch) mattress. Our Hybrid is the only one of the two in an Australian King, so choose it for an Ara King. Both mattresses are made in China for Australia.
What should the slats and base look like?
Without a box spring, the slats have to do the supporting. Our mattresses work on a solid platform, on a slatted base, or on a solid non-flexing foundation. Wire grid and coiled box springs are not compatible. Queen and King sizes need at least one centre support beam.
What should the slats and base look like?
| What to check | What we look for | Our Ara bed |
|---|---|---|
| Slat width | At least 5 cm (2 inches) | 7.5 cm (3 inches) |
| Gap between slats | No wider than 7.6 cm (3 inches) | About 5.7 cm (2.2 inches) on Queen and King, 6.7 cm (2.6 inches) on Full |
| Slat material | Solid and not flexing | 15 mm laminated veneer lumber (LVL) on a black powder-coated steel frame |
| Load | Mattress plus sleepers within the frame limit | 272 kg Full, 363 kg Queen, 408 kg King, combined |
The Ara load limit counts the mattress and everyone on it together, so add the mattress weight to the sleepers before you compare. For a frame from another maker, ask for the slat width and gap before you order. Our guide to choosing a bed frame compares platform, storage and panel beds.
Do you need a box spring with a platform bed?
No. A platform bed carries the mattress on its own surface, and a box spring would only add height. On our Ara, the mattress rests directly on the supplied slats, and we do not recommend adding a box spring. Ara is also not designed for an adjustable electric base. Our guide to box springs and platform beds goes through the details, including warranty questions.
Our recommendation
Pick the mattress for the way you sleep, then check the base.
- The lowest bed: the Cozey Foam Mattress at 25.4 cm (10 inches).
- More bounce or a hot sleeper: the Cozey Hybrid Mattress at 30.5 cm (12 inches).
- A shared bed with a restless partner: the Foam Mattress, with its memory foam top layer and very little bounce.
- Sitting on the edge of the bed: the Hybrid, with its reinforced foam edge.
- An Australian King: the Hybrid, because the Foam Mattress is not offered in that size.
- Our Ara bed: use the supplied slats, with no box spring.
- Another platform bed: confirm slats at least 5 cm (2 inches) wide, gaps no wider than 7.6 cm (3 inches) and centre support in Queen and King.
You can compare both mattresses on our mattress page and pair either one with the Ara bed.
Explore our bedroom collection
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.