Koala Polar+ Mattress Review
The Koala Polar+ Mattress is a premium all-foam mattress that has been designed with a strong focus on cooling, comfort, and customisable firmness.
It combines an 8cm Kloudcell® and cooling gel comfort layer with heat-dissipating PolarBands™ and a 5-zone support core. It also features a removable seasonal topper and allows users to choose between a medium or medium-firm feel by flipping the internal comfort layer.
The Koala Polar+ Mattress forms part of Koala’s mattress range that also includes the entry-level SE Mattress and the popular Koala Mattress.
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✏️ Product summary
- Full foam mattress
- Choice of firm or medium-firm
- Designed for cooling
- Mattress in a box
- 120 night trial period
- 10 year warranty
- Current best price is $1,592 (queen)
- Click SHOP NOW to unlock this price
Purchase and delivery
How do I buy the Koala Mattress?
The Koala Polar+ Mattress can be conveniently ordered online through the Koala website and delivered to almost anywhere in Australia.
As with most mattress-in-a-box products, the mattress arrives compressed and boxed for easier transport. Due to its multi-layer design, the Polar+ arrives in three separate boxes containing the base layer, comfort layer, and zip-off topper.
Koala offers free standard delivery on mattress orders across major metropolitan areas, with same day delivery available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide for many in-stock products ordered before 3pm on weekdays.
Our three boxes arrived in good condition, with environmentally friendly packaging and protective plastic wrapping. Koala also includes a small koala soft toy and a nicely presented information booklet, which are thoughtful additions and add a bit of personality to the unboxing experience.
For the Queen size, the three boxes are:
Box 1 – Base Layer
- Dimensions: 151 × 41 × 41cm
- Boxed weight: 23.8kg
Box 2 – Comfort Layer
- Dimensions: 157 × 28 × 28cm
- Boxed weight: 15.95kg
Box 3 – Zip-Off Topper
- Dimensions: 156 × 28 × 28cm
- Boxed weight: 7.9kg
Due to the three-box delivery system, setup takes a little longer than a typical mattress-in-a-box product. We recommend having two people available for unpacking and assembly, particularly for larger mattress sizes.
You can see how to set up the Koala Mattress in the video below:
Koala also offers premium delivery services in selected metropolitan areas, including optional assembly and rubbish removal for certain products.
As per our standard testing process, we allowed the mattress 24 hours to fully decompress before testing.
Aesthetics and presentation
What does it look like in real life?
The Koala Polar+ Mattress has a modern and stylish appearance, with a clean white sleeping surface and distinctive blue side panels that reflect its cooling-focused design.
The quilted top cover has a soft, textured finish, while the neatly integrated stitching, subtle Koala branding, and contrasting fabrics give the mattress a premium look.
At 28cm high, the Polar+ has a substantial profile and looks noticeably more luxurious than the standard Koala Mattress. Overall, the Polar+ is very nicely presented, with a contemporary design and a high standard of finishing.
Mattress construction
What’s inside the Koala Polar+ Mattress?
The Koala Polar+ Mattress combines multiple foam layers with specialised cooling materials and a customisable firmness system. Its construction consists of three main components: a removable seasonal topper, a flippable comfort layer, and a supportive foam base.
1. Zip-Off Seasonal Topper
The Polar+ features a removable, plush quilted topper with two different sleeping surfaces.
The summer side uses Koala’s CoolThread® fabric, which is designed to provide a cooler sleeping surface. The winter side incorporates organic cotton and recycled polyester for a softer, warmer feel.
2. Kloudcell® Comfort Layer with PolarBands™
Beneath the topper sits an 8cm Kloudcell® foam comfort layer with cooling gel technology. This layer is designed to provide pressure relief, body contouring, and a responsive feel.
It also incorporates PolarBands™ technology, which is designed to absorb and dissipate body heat throughout the night.
The comfort layer can be flipped to choose between a medium and medium-firm feel, allowing users to adjust the mattress firmness to suit their preferences.
3. 5-Zone Support Base
The main support structure is a dense polyurethane foam base with five targeted support zones, designed to provide body contouring and support.
It also incorporates Koala’s Zero Disturbance® technology to help minimise partner disturbance, along with reinforced edge support for improved stability.
An anti-slip base fabric helps keep the mattress securely positioned on the bed base.
Customisation
How does the customisation work?
One of the standout features of the Koala Polar+ Mattress is its customisable design, which allows users to adjust both the firmness and sleeping surface to suit their preferences.
1. Firmness Adjustment
The Polar+ features a flippable Kloudcell® comfort layer that allows users to choose between a medium-firm or firm feel.
To change the firmness, simply unzip and remove the seasonal topper, then flip the internal comfort layer to the preferred side.
The comfort layer includes clearly labelled tags indicating which side is medium-firm and which side is firm, making the adjustment process relatively straightforward.
2. Seasonal Topper Adjustment
The Polar+ also features a reversible seasonal topper that allows users to choose between a cooler or warmer sleeping surface.
The summer side uses Koala’s CoolThread® fabric, which is designed to provide a cooler sleeping surface during warmer months.
The winter side incorporates organic cotton and recycled polyester, offering a softer and warmer feel during cooler months.
To change between the two surfaces, simply unzip and flip the seasonal topper to the preferred side.
Comfort and support
What’s it like to sleep on the Koala Polar+ Mattress?
The Koala Polar+ Mattress features a reversible seasonal topper, allowing users to choose between a warmer winter surface and a cooler summer surface, depending on their preferences and the time of year.
The winter side feels soft, thick, and breathable, creating a comfortable and cosy sleeping surface that should suit the cooler months.
The summer side feels slightly firmer, with a noticeable cooling sensation when touched. This may provide some temperature regulation benefits during warmer weather.
Of course, sleep temperature is influenced by many factors, and fitted sheets or mattress protectors may reduce some of the cooling effect.
Nevertheless, having the flexibility to choose between these two surfaces is a nice feature that adds versatility to the mattress.
The firm configuration of the Koala Polar+ Mattress has a dense, spongy feel with a comfortable level of cushioning and support.
This configuration should suit a wide range of sleepers, including side, back, and stomach sleepers, although suitability will naturally depend on individual body type and comfort preferences.
Our expert reviewers rated the firm configuration as 7 / 10 on the firmness scale, with 10 being the firmest.
Firm Version
Please note that our firmness ratings are just a guide and they do not necessarily relate to comfort.
Furthermore, our firmness ratings are assigned based on Bedbuyer’s testing process and these may differ from firmness ratings given by individual companies. Mattress firmness will also vary depending on the type of bed base used.
We tested the Koala Polar+ Mattress on the Sleep Republic Deluxe Bed Base which is a good quality bed base with rigid slats.
The medium-firm configuration feels slightly softer than the firm version, although the difference between the two is relatively subtle. In fact, some users may struggle to notice much difference between the two settings.
The relatively small difference between the two firmness settings is not unusual for mattresses with adjustable firmness designs.
This configuration also has a dense, spongy feel and should suit most sleeping positions, including side, back, and stomach sleepers, depending on individual comfort preferences.
Our expert reviewers rated the medium-firm configuration as 6.5 / 10 on the firmness scale, with 10 being the firmest.
Medium-Firm Version
Both firmness configurations feel stable and supportive, and the Koala Polar+ Mattress should provide good overall back support for most people. The dense foam support core feels solid and maintains a stable sleeping surface.
As with most all-foam mattresses, we would be a little cautious recommending the Polar+ to heavier individuals, who may benefit from a more robust innerspring mattress with stronger deep support.
As expected from its dense foam construction, the Polar+ lacks the natural bounce and responsiveness of many innerspring mattresses. During our testing, responsiveness was relatively limited, meaning that changing sleeping positions may require a little more effort.
Responsiveness
Please note that our responsiveness scales are just a guide and preferred responsiveness levels will vary between individuals. It’s worth noting also that innerspring mattresses are generally more responsive than foam mattresses.
The finer details
What else should I know?
The overall build quality of the Koala Polar+ Mattress is respectable, with good quality fabrics, stitching, and finishings.
The zip mechanism is easy to use, with a large pull tab featuring a rubber Koala logo. Changing the seasonal topper and flipping the comfort layer is relatively straightforward, particularly with two people. Overall, Koala has made the adjustment process about as simple as possible.
The anti-slip base fabric also appears effective and should help minimise movement of the mattress on the bed base.
At 28cm high, the Polar+ has a fairly standard mattress profile, so regular fitted sheets should fit comfortably without issue.
As expected from an all-foam mattress, motion isolation is good, with relatively low partner disturbance during our testing. Of course, this will depend on the size of the occupants and the mattress itself, with larger mattresses generally allowing greater separation between sleeping partners.
One disappointing omission is the lack of side handles, which would make rotating and manoeuvring the mattress much easier.
Edge support is acceptable for an all-foam mattress. The edges maintain their shape reasonably well, although they don’t offer the same stability as a strong innerspring mattress.
According to Koala, the foams used in the Polar+ are CertiPUR-US® certified. This certification includes restrictions on substances such as formaldehyde, ozone depleters, certain heavy metals, and specified flame retardants, along with limits on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
In terms of cooling performance, the summer side of the seasonal topper does feel noticeably cool to the touch, which may help with sleep temperature regulation. We didn’t notice any abnormal heat retention during our testing with any of the configurations.
However, all-foam mattresses generally have less internal ventilation than innerspring mattresses, which may make temperature regulation more challenging for some sleepers.
It’s difficult to determine how much additional cooling benefit the PolarBands™ technology provides, but we commend Koala for incorporating these features into an all-foam design.
Ultimately, sleep temperature is influenced by many factors, and we would generally lean towards a well-ventilated innerspring mattress for those who regularly struggle with sleeping hot.
Other details
Product weight of each mattress size (estimated):
- King Mattress: 47.2kg
- Queen Mattress: 40.6kg
Additional information
- Mattress height: 28cm
Country of Origin
Designed by Koala in Sydney, manufactured in China.
Bed base compatibility
What type of bed base should I use?
As with most mattresses, we recommend the Koala Polar+ Mattress to be used on a bed base with flat panel slats such as the Koala Paddington Bed Base.
A bed base with solid slats such as the Porto Bed Base, would also be very suitable.
We would advise against using a bed base with flexible (posture) slats as this type of base may not provide adequate support. Ultimately, the use of an unsupportive mattress foundation will void the mattress warranty.
We don’t recommend the Koala Polar+ Mattress be used with an adjustable (electric) bed base as this may cause damage to the mattress components. Here is our full list of mattresses that are compatible with an adjustable bed base.
It’s worth noting here that mattress firmness, performance, and durability will vary with different bed bases.
Trial period and warranty
What happens if I don’t like it?
The Koala Polar+ Mattress comes with a 120-night trial period, allowing customers to try the mattress in the comfort of their own home.
The trial period begins on the day of delivery. If you are not satisfied with the mattress, you can arrange a return within 120 days for a full refund of the purchase price (excluding delivery fees).
Koala offers free mattress collection in metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and Perth. Customers in regional and rural areas are responsible for returning the mattress to a Koala Fulfilment Centre.
Returned mattresses must be in reasonable condition, with normal wear and tear accepted. Significant damage may affect return eligibility.
Returned products are assessed and cleaned before being resold, donated to charity, or recycled where possible.
The Koala Polar+ Mattress also comes with a 10-year warranty, which covers manufacturing defects and faults in materials or workmanship, subject to Koala’s warranty terms and conditions.
Available sizes
What size options are available?
The Koala Mattress is available in 2 sizes (king, and queen) so it should accommodate many sleeping arrangements.
The graphic below includes all of Australia’s standard bed (mattress) sizes in 2026. Again please note that the Koala Polar+ Mattress is available in 2 of these sizes.
Prices
How much does the Koala Polar+ Mattress cost?
Here are the current retail prices and Bedbuyer prices of the Koala Polar+ Mattress:
Retail Prices
- King Mattress: $2,290
- Queen Mattress: $1,990
Bedbuyer Prices
- King Mattress: $1,832
- Queen Mattress: $1,592
* Click SHOP NOW to unlock Bedbuyer price.
Did you know?
A Koala video that went viral
Koala first gained widespread attention in Australia in 2015 with a clever advertising video that demonstrated the motion isolation capabilities of its original mattress.
The video showed a person jumping onto a Koala Mattress beside a full glass of wine, without spilling a drop.
The video quickly went viral and helped establish Koala as one of Australia’s most recognisable mattress-in-a-box brands.
See the video here.
Final verdict
Is this the right mattress for you?
The Koala Polar+ Mattress is a respectable all-foam mattress that offers a comfortable, stable, and supportive sleeping surface.
We appreciate the thoughtful design features, particularly the reversible seasonal topper and integrated cooling technology. These may provide some benefits for sleep temperature regulation, although cooling performance will naturally vary between individuals.
The adjustable firmness system is also a nice inclusion, although we found very little difference between the two configurations, which somewhat limits its versatility.
Overall, the Polar+ is a decent, relatively firm mattress that should suit a wide range of sleepers, particularly those who prefer the dense, spongy feel of an all-foam mattress.
Bedbuyer’s rating: 4.2 / 5
Here are our ratings for each category:
Comfort
Spinal Support
Build Quality
Partner Disturbance
Value for Money
For a full roundup, see our guide to the best mattresses in Australia.
If you have any questions about the Koala Mattress, please comment below.