Mattress Tests in Switzerland: Which Tests Matter?

You can rely on lab tests with a published testing protocol, such as those conducted by Stiftung Warentest. A survey doesn't measure a mattress. And a "test winner" shows how a mattress performed in the lab, not whether it's right for you.

Updated on October 31, 2026

In short

Ask about the lab. A magazine may present its own lab test or report on a test conducted by another institution.
A survey is not a test. An award based on an online survey evaluates brands, not individual mattresses.
The grade, rating scale, and test program go hand in hand. A grade applies to the tested product and its test program. For "Kassensturz," 6 is the highest grade; for "Stiftung Warentest," it is 1.
Shopping online means reading the terms and conditions. In Switzerland, there is no statutory right of return: Whether you can return a mattress after a trial period is determined by the store. At Mara Vital, the trial period is up to 100 nights.

What mattress tests are available in Switzerland?

In Switzerland, the term “mattress test” refers to five different things: laboratory tests conducted by testing institutes, tests conducted by consumer magazines, reports on tests conducted by others, surveys, and test reports from comparison websites. The first three are based on laboratory test results; the report presents these results secondhand.

Five Types of "Mattress Tests" and What Their Results Mean.
Test Type	Who checks	What the Results Tell Us
Laboratory test	A testing institute evaluates the mattresses according to a published testing protocol; to do so, Stiftung Warentest purchases them anonymously from retailers.	How the mattress compares to other models in the same testing program.
Magazine Test	A consumer magazine has mattresses tested in laboratories, such as Kassensturz and K-Tipp in 2021.	How the mattress compares to the other models in this test.
Report	A magazine may report on a test conducted by another organization; for example, K-Tipp reports on a test by Stiftung Warentest.	The results from the other institute; no test of its own.
Survey	Consumers rate brands in an online survey, such as for “Swiss Brand of the Year.”	How Respondents Experience a Brand. You don't measure a mattress.
Portal Test	A comparison website publishes reviews alongside price comparisons; the editorial team can select the products themselves.	The report's conclusion.

The most recent mattress test conducted by Kassensturz that we found was featured on the show in November 2021: Together with K-Tipp, the program had eight 90 × 200 cm foam mattresses tested in German laboratories, and TÜV Rheinland subjected each model to 60,000 compression cycles. Prior to that, in 2013, Kassensturz and Saldo had ten mattresses tested themselves.

"Test Winner" is also the name of a segment on *Kassensturz*: In it, the show reports on tests conducted by other consumer magazines in Switzerland and abroad. For example, in 2015, *Kassensturz* reported on a lab test conducted by *Stiftung Warentest* of 14 cold-foam mattresses, and in 2019, it reported on a test of children’s mattresses commissioned by the German magazine *Öko-Test*.

What does Stiftung Warentest test in mattresses?

Above all, how well a mattress supports the body: In its lab test, Stiftung Warentest places seven different body types on each mattress in the supine and side positions. Here’s how its rating is calculated:

Sleeping Comfort, 35%: How the mattress supports seven body types in the supine and side sleeping positions on a firm surface.
Durability, 25%: A 140-kilo roller rolls over the mattress 60,000 times—equivalent to about eight years of use—along with exposure to heat and humidity in the climate chamber.
Comfort, 10%: how pressure is distributed, how much the mattress bounces back, and how easily you can change positions.
Cover, 10%: whether it can be washed and put back on.
Health and Environment, 10%: Harmful substances, odor upon unpacking, and how easily the parts can be separated.
Handling and labeling, 5% each: grips and turns, and whether the information on firmness, zones, and fabrics is accurate.

The foundation purchases the mattresses anonymously from retailers, without free samples or prototypes, preferably in the medium-firm variety and usually in the 90 × 200 cm size. Since 2025, it has been testing seven body types instead of four and also evaluates comfort differently: According to Stiftung Warentest, the ratings for the newly tested models are therefore not directly comparable to those from 2024 and earlier.

Interpreting the rating based on size and test program: A rating applies to the tested model in the tested size and to the test program in which it was tested.

Your body type is determined by your height, body shape, and how your weight is distributed—not by your gender. The seven body types identified by Stiftung Warentest:

Trapezoid: broad shoulders, narrow waist, and narrow hips.
Cabinet: The shoulders and waist are about the same width; the base is narrower.
Posture: Shoulders, abdomen, and pelvis are roughly the same width.
Hourglass figure: Shoulders and hips are about the same width, and the waist is narrow.
Body: The waist and hips are about the same width; the shoulders are narrower.
Teardrop shape: from narrow shoulders, through a wider waist, to an even wider pelvis.
Ball: a pronounced belly, with the center of gravity at the waist.

If you don't fit any one category exactly, Stiftung Warentest recommends a mattress that it suggests for the next two categories. It gives separate ratings for side and back sleepers.

A “test winner” therefore shows how a mattress performed in the test program with the lab’s seven body types. You’ll know if it supports you when you lie down: Stiftung Warentest advises trying out a mattress before buying it and arranging a return policy with the retailer, because a mattress may not prove to be unsuitable until after a few nights. In Volketswil and Dagmersellen, you can try out our mattresses by appointment—free of charge and with no obligation to buy.

To go with it

Max Foam
Three-layer foam mattress, approximately 18 cm high, medium firmness, with a washable, removable cover and handles for flipping.
View Mattress

How can I verify that a "Test Winner" seal is legitimate?

By asking six questions about the seal or the product page:

Who conducted the test? Ask about the lab, not the magazine: A magazine may present its own lab test or report on a test conducted by another institution.
When? This information must include the issue number and year. According to a German court ruling reported by Stiftung Warentest, advertisements featuring a “test winner” must indicate where the test was published. The Swiss Institute for Quality Testing requires that its seals include the publication reference, month, and year, as well as what was tested.
Which model, which size? A rating applies to the model tested in the size tested, not to any other version.
What type of test? A lab test, a magazine test, a report on a third-party test, a survey, or a portal test. A survey does not measure a mattress.
Which result, from which test program? Compare ratings only within a single program: Since 2025, Stiftung Warentest has not considered its ratings to be directly comparable with those from 2024 and earlier.
Is it still valid? Stiftung Warentest retests about 10 percent of the products that advertise using its logo. If a product has changed, the seller is no longer allowed to advertise it using the logo; in 2025, one mattress stood out in this regard. The foundation lists the products that are no longer allowed to carry the seal on its “Retests” page. At the Swiss Institute for Quality Testing, a test winner is no longer allowed to advertise with the seal as soon as a more recent test shows a different result.

Buying a Mattress Online: What Are the Return Policies in Switzerland?

What the store says: In Switzerland, there is no statutory right of return, not even for online purchases. Some stores voluntarily offer a 14-day return period or longer; the specific terms are outlined in their terms and conditions. When a German guide mentions a 14-day right of withdrawal for online purchases, it is referring to German law.

Because you can’t test a mattress online, Stiftung Warentest calls buying a mattress on the Internet a gamble. It advises agreeing on a return policy with the retailer and warns: Some retailers require that the mattress remain shrink-wrapped while you’re testing it, and that can distort how it feels. According to Stiftung Warentest, a mattress with two sides of different firmness increases the chance of finding the right firmness even without trying it out.

At Mara Vital, you can try out your mattress for up to 100 nights. If it doesn't work out, we'll arrange for free return shipping, and you'll receive a full refund, provided the mattress is undamaged. That's what our Terms and Conditions state.

To go with it

Sleep Balance TFK
Reversible with two firmness levels, H2/H3 or H3/H4: If you don't like one side, just flip the mattress over. Features a 7-zone pocket spring core.
View Mattress

Are there any reliable pillow tests?

Yes, for neck pillows: In Stiftung Warentest’s 9/2025 lab test, only 4 out of 14 neck support pillows provided good support in every position. You can find out which neck pillow performed best in their paid table.

Test subjects with narrow and broad shoulders lay on the pillows in the side position and with straight and curved backs in the supine position, as measured using 3D devices; support properties account for 40 percent of the overall score. According to Stiftung Warentest, which pillow is right for you depends on your preferred sleeping position, the firmness of your mattress, and your body type. Öko-Test also tested neck support pillows in the lab in 2019 by placing them on a medium-firm mattress: shoulders can sink into a soft surface, but not into a hard one.

In issue 17/2025, K-Tipp reported on the same test—a report by another publication, not its own. Gesundheitstipp commissioned its own test of ten foam neck support pillows in 2021; access to the results requires a fee. K-Tipp tested synthetic pillows in its own test in issue 20/2019.

Mattress for Side Sleepers

Which mattress is best for side sleepers, and why the pillow plays a key role.

To go with it

All Neck Pillows
Three neck pillows, including one made of memory foam: compare them side by side in the store.
View category

Conclusion

A mattress test is only as good as the lab and the testing protocol behind it. Ask about the type of test, the edition, the size, and whether the seal is still valid—and don’t mistake a survey for a test. The only way to know if a mattress is right for you is to try it out, and if you buy online, the store’s terms and conditions determine whether you can return it. At Mara Vital, you can do both: try it out in our showrooms and test it at home for up to 100 nights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “Swiss Brand of the Year” a mattress test?

No. The award from the Swiss Institute for Quality Testing is based on an online survey: For 2026/27, respondents aged 18 to 80 rated their experiences with 1,366 brands across 106 categories based on satisfaction, quality, and value for money. No one actually measures the mattresses.

Which mattress is currently the top-rated one?

That depends on your body type: In its database, Stiftung Warentest lists good mattresses for each of its seven body types, and access to its results requires a fee. So there isn’t one “test-winning” mattress that’s right for everyone: The best way to find out which one supports you is to try it out.

Is a 5.3 better than a 2.1?

Not necessarily: Both are rated “good.” Kassensturz graded its 2013 mattress test using the Swiss scale, where 6 is the highest grade; the Swiss Institute for Quality Testing also awards a “very good” rating starting at 5.5. Stiftung Warentest grades like German schools: a 1 is the best grade, and a 2.1 means “good.” And even at Stiftung Warentest, grades from different testing programs aren’t directly comparable.

What does “Kassensturz Test Winner” mean?

There are two options: the results of a test conducted by Kassensturz itself; the most recent one we found, from 2021, in collaboration with K-Tipp; or an article from the “Test Winners” section, in which Kassensturz reports on tests conducted by other magazines. The article specifies who conducted the test.