Ausbeds vs Sleeping Duck vs Koala: What Mattress Should You Buy For Life?

Most people hate mattress shopping. It's confusing, expensive, and you don't know if it'll work until you've slept on it for months. That's the reason I built Ausbeds: to be a buy-for-life mattress. No marketing hype. Just quality materials, manufacturing and a service model where we replace and upgrade components as they wear out.

How Ausbeds is different to Sleeping Duck and Koala

Ausbeds: built to repair, not replace

Unzip the cover, and you'll see for yourself. All our components can be swapped: springs, latex, micro-springs, and felt layers. When the foam softens in 3-5 years (it will, it's physics), we can send you a new part for ~$350. If your weight changes or you develop back pain, we can swap your pocket spring unit. Same mattress, refreshed feel. That's the business model. We use 986 pocket springs (queen-size) in a honeycomb layout on all of our models. The Aurora and Cloud feature quality, natural latex on the comfort layer.

Evidence: 3-9 month trial with 2 free component swaps; 10-year warranty; components in stock; no profit on spare parts. Customer quote: "Karl, the owner, took the time to explain how he designed and built the bed, and you can really tell the thought and quality that went into it. They never do discounts, but this bed is totally worth the price. I’m sure we’ll need some layer adjustments as we get older, and I’m confident Ausbeds will continue to meet our needs." [ProductReview.com.au]

Sleeping Duck: modular foam system on standard springs

SD uses a modular foam cartridge system that lets you swap foam inserts. Hybrid design with 768 linear pocket springs (queen-size). These are very standard springs; these are the springs that the pocket spring factories pump out all day, every day. They're designed to meet a price point; they aren't designed to be optimal.

The springs are firmer than what I'd use for someone over 90kg, topped with 10.5cm of polyfoam. That foam gets crushed between your body weight and those firm springs. Many spring mattresses from more traditional mattress retailers use softer spring tensions matched to body weight. Sleeping Duck's approach works for a segment of buyers, which is why they have 97% positive reviews.

What doesn't work: Around 5 years, sometimes less, that foam is done. The springs are sealed in, so when the foam fails, you're ordering replacement foam or buying a new mattress.

Koala: all-foam design

All-foam with a flippable comfort layer. Two firmness options (flip it once if you don't like it). 120-night trial, fast delivery. Works fine if you're in the right weight range and your body doesn't change.

What works: Motion isolation is excellent (all-foam). Simple unbox-and-done. If you're younger, lighter weight, and on a budget, it can work.

What doesn't: All-foam has the highest failure rate compared to spring mattresses. No springs means the foam is doing all the work. When it compresses (and it will), you're stuck. Can't adjust it, can't fix it. I see people after 12-18 months with a ditch in the middle.

Comparison table

Use this quick table to see what actually matters (and what’s just marketing), so you can find the mattress that genuinely suits you.

Real mattress reviews from long-term users

When you read mattress reviews from actual long-term users, patterns emerge. Here's what people report after living with these mattresses:

Ausbeds durability: "Thanks to the Ausbeds team's personal touch, getting the mattress firmness adjusted was an easy, pain-free experience without having to send the mattress away. Time will tell, but the mattress seems to be really durable and well-made. The perimeter/edge fabric seems strong and robust. The top material is soft and makes for a great night's sleep." [ProductReview.com.au]

Ausbeds pain relief: "We bought a king-size bed ensemble. We were sceptical at first as the price was incredibly cheap. But we had nothing to worry about. The comfort and support are 10/10, especially with my husband's extremely bad back. He has been able to sleep so much better with comfort and no pain. [ProductReview.com.au]

Ausbeds heat: "We were specifically after a bed that would not generate heat... After one week we are extremely happy and enjoying cooler nights... the innersprings and the thin layer of latex are keeping us both cooler" [ProductReview.com.au]

Sleeping Duck satisfaction: 97% positive reviews (ProductReview). Strong initial fit for many customers.

Koala simplicity: 4.9-star rating. "Motion isolation" praised. But: "Koala's fine but feels mass-produced. Ausbeds feels "more solid" (Reddit).

What's the best mattress for your needs?

There's no single best mattress for everyone, but there are the best approaches depending on what you need:

If you hate mattress shopping and want this to be the last time: Ausbeds Aurora (balanced) or Cloud (plusher). When life changes (weight, injuries, aging), we change the mattress with you. Customer: "Karl showed me how I can adjust it to make it firmer... he showed me how to make it a 9, or a 10" (review). That's the system. The Aurora uses a natural latex mattress comfort layer that outlasts foam 3-4 times over. It's a pocket spring mattress design that lets you swap the spring tension when your body weight changes.

If you want modular foam adjustability and you're under 80kg: Sleeping Duck. The foam swapping system is genuinely useful in the first few years. Just know the springs are sealed in and firmer than most people need. When the foam compresses around year 5, you're ordering more foam or replacing the whole thing.

If you're young, lighter weight (under 70kg), and on a tight budget: Koala. It can work for a segment of buyers. Just understand that all-foam mattresses have the highest failure rate compared to spring mattresses, and when it stops working, you're buying a new one.

The "last mattress" isn't hype, it's how I make money

The mattress industry profits when you replace. I profit when you don't need to.

I don't profit from planned obsolescence. I profit from you telling your friends, "Call Karl, he'll sort you out." My business model requires your mattress to work in five years, in ten years. That's why we keep every component in stock, price spare parts at cost, and I personally consult on adjustments.

The right mattress is the one that feels neutral when you lie on it. Not obviously too firm, not obviously too soft, and uses materials that'll last. If you weigh 90kg and you're sinking into your current mattress, you need firmer springs and more cushioning on top to distribute pressure. That's not a brand, that's a specification.

Everyone is different, and everyone requires a slightly different level of support and comfort. I have a range of mattresses from what I consider "way too soft, all the way to "way too firm." I frequently have people choose these extreme ends of the scale. Some people want a medium firm feel, others want firmer or softer. The only way to know is to test it.

Most people replace their mattress every few years when the foam fails because they don't know they can just replace that layer. This is the last mattress you should need to buy, if it's designed to be adjusted and repaired instead of replaced.

Final word (from 14 years of fitting mattresses)

When you close your eyes at night, all the marketing disappears. You're left with how it feels. If it feels good and you can keep it feeling good without starting over, you've won. That's why I built a system, not an SKU.

Try the feel first. If you're in Sydney, come to Marrickville. If you're interstate, call me; we ship components anywhere. If SD or Koala genuinely fit you better, I'll tell you. I've recommended Quokka beds to people when it was the right answer.

Buy once. Call me if something changes. Sleep.