Buying a new mattress in New Zealand? Our guide on sizing will help you make the right purchase so you can sleep soundly at night.
Sleep is essential to your overall health and well-being. Not only does sleep help your cognitive abilities, but it also helps your body tissue, muscles, and cells recuperate. A good night’s sleep also does wonders for boosting your mood.
But what happens if bedtime just isn’t hitting like it used to? While it’s important to look at lifestyle factors like diet, exercise and screentime, your mattress could also be to blame.
The average mattress has a lifespan of just 7-10 years, much shorter than many people may think. While buying a mattress used to be about going to a large department store, Kiwis now have more choices than ever. Our guide to buying the right mattress will help you find the size and shape that’s right for you.
Gone are the days when you graduated from a single bed as a child to a Queen or King as an adult. Before you buy a new bed, it’s important to know what size mattress will fit in your space and what size is right for you and your bedtime needs.
This guide is great for measuring your room before you buy a new mattress, or for making sure your linen or duvet will fit.
| Bed size | Metric | Imperial |
| Single | 92 x 188 cm | 3'0" x 6'2" |
| Long Single | 92 x 203 cm | 3'0" x 6'8" |
| King single | 107 x 203 cm | 3'6" x 6'8" |
| Double | 138 x 188 cm | 4'6" x 6'2" |
| Queen | 153 x 203 cm | 5'0" x 6'8" |
| King | 167 x 203 cm | 5'5" x 6'8" |
| Super King | 183 x 203 cm | 6'0" x 6'8" |
| California King | 203 x 203 cm | 6'8" x 6'8" |
Size: 92 x 188cm
A single bed is the smallest mattress option available in New Zealand. It’s a good option for rooms with a minimum size of 2.1 x 2.7 or 2.4 x 3.0 metres with furniture.
These beds are best for a child’s bedroom, bunk beds or for small guest rooms where there isn’t a lot of space. Most children in New Zealand grow up sleeping in a single bed.
Size: 92 x 203cm
A long single is the same as a single bed, but with a bit more room at the end. This is a great option for growing kids. When pushed together, two long singles are the same size as a King single. For this reason, Hotels often use two of these beds together as adjustable split King beds.
Size: 107 x 203
A King single is the same length as a long single but with a bit more room to maneuver. Like a long single, these beds are a great option for growing children, especially teens, as they give them more space at the foot of their bed and on either side.
A good room size for a King single is 2.4 x 3.0m or as narrow as 2.1m without furniture.
Size: 138 x 188
It’s common to ‘graduate’ to a double bed as a young adult or when you’ve just moved out of home. Double beds while bigger than singles, are still more appropriate for one person over the long term. They’re still a good option for a guests room or rooms where you just don’t have a lot of space.
Size: 153 x 203
Queen beds are the most popular mattress size in New Zealand. They are a great all-rounder—suitable for teenagers and young adults, solo sleepers, and couples thans to their longer and wider size than a double. They’re also one of the easiest sizes to find linen for. Both queen and king sized duvets work well on a queen bed.
Size: 167 x 203
In New Zealand, a King sized bed gives you an extra 12cm on either size. A king is always a good option for couples - especially if one of you likes to toss or turn at night. They’re also great if you have extra guests in your bed like kids or pets in the morning.
Size: 183 x 203
A Super King gives you a whopping 30 extra centrements compared to a Queen sized mattress. For beds of this size you’ll need a room size of about 3.6x 3.6m to make it work. Super King’s are a great option for people who really like to stretch out. They’re good for minimising partner disturbance or for when a King just isn’t big enough.
Size: 203 x 203
A California King is the biggest mattress size on the New Zealand market. In fact, it’s so big it’s a square! For a bed this big you’ll need a room that’s at least 3.6 x 3.6m. At more than 2m wide, you can fit the whole family in here. Perfect for people who like to work from their bed, spend time with their family here, or just starfish without touching anyone else!
The first thing to consider is the size of the person sleeping on the mattress. If you’re an average-sized person any bed from a Double to a California King will work. If you’re tall, broad or sleep with a partner you’ll want to consider a Queen or larger. For guest rooms, you can afford to get a smaller bed (a Double or Queen is usually fine) since most guest rooms are only used temporarily.
Another thing that’s important is the size of your room. Just because you can fit a California King in your bedroom doesn’t make it the right choice. You’ll want to leave enough room for bedside tables and enough room to comfortably walk around and make the bed. You should also consider how much space you’ll need to leave for furniture. You need enough room to open any drawers or wardrobes nearby without hitting the bed.
Now you know the minimum size (your height or width) and the maximum size (of your room) you can start to think about preferences. If you are a back sleeper, you might want more room than someone who sleeps on their side. If your partner tosses and turns at night or you have to get up early, you might want a bigger bed to minimise disturbances from getting up.
Another thing worth considering is the access to your house or bedroom. The larger the bed, the trickier it can be to get a mattress inside. If you have a narrow staircase or hallway or are moving often, a smaller-sized mattress could make the process a little more easier.
Of course, when it comes to moving your new mattress into your home, there’s always Wise Move. You’ll find hundreds of trusted movers from across New Zealand at competitive prices, ready to help.
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