Dusk&Dawn Essential Review
The Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress is the entry-level model in Dusk&Dawn’s Australian-made range, available in three firmness options – firm, medium, and plush.
The Dusk&Dawn range also includes the popular Dusk&Dawn Premiere, the award-winning Signature, and the flagship Signature Luxe.
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✏️ Product summary
- Innerspring mattress
- Australian made
- 100 night comfort guarantee
- Current best price is $1,451.12 (queen)
- Click SHOP NOW and use code BEDBUYER12 for best price
Purchase and delivery
How do I buy a Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress?
The Dusk&Dawn Essential can be ordered online through the official Dusk&Dawn website. Each mattress is made to order and carefully handcrafted in Melbourne, so it doesn’t arrive compressed in a box like many online mattresses.
Delivery is free to metro areas across Australia, while regional deliveries attract a flat $250 fee. Delivery is not available to Tasmania, the Northern Territory, or some remote areas.
You can see the full Dusk&Dawn range in ‘real life’ in our video review here:
Because each mattress is tailor-made, delivery times are longer than standard bed-in-a-box brands. As a guide:
- VIC / NSW metro: 7–14 working days
- QLD metro: 10–16 working days
- SA / WA metro: 14–21 working days
- Regional: up to 2–4 weeks, depending on location
Every order includes white glove delivery as standard. A two-person team will bring the mattress into your home, place it directly on your bed base, and remove the packaging. For metro customers, there is also an old mattress removal service available for $120.
Because the Essential arrives full size (not rolled or boxed), we recommend ensuring you have clear access through doorways and hallways before delivery. Our Dusk&Dawn Essential arrived in immaculate condition, thanks to two thick layers of plastic wrapping.
It’s worth noting there will be a fair amount of packaging (mostly plastic) to dispose of, so some planning may be required for disposal or bin space.
Aesthetics and Presentation
What does it look like in real life?
The Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress presents with a clean and contemporary look that fits neatly within the brand’s premium aesthetic.
It stands 32cm high and features a white quilted top panel with a subtle wave pattern, giving it a soft and inviting appearance.
The dark side panels contrast nicely with the lighter top, and the geometric black border fabric adds depth and texture. Horizontal handles are stitched securely into the sides, while the “Essential” label adds a simple pop of colour.
A mesh gusset runs around the upper edge to promote airflow and finish the design with a refined, breathable look.
Mattress construction
The Dusk&Dawn Essential is made in Australia and combines breathable comfort foams with a durable pocket spring system, designed to balance comfort, support, and airflow.
1. Comfort-Stretch Premium Fabric & 3D Mesh Gusset
The top panel features a high-quality knit fabric that feels soft and smooth to touch. A 3D mesh gusset runs around the upper edge to encourage airflow and help maintain a cooler sleep surface.
2. Premium Dusk Air Technology
This advanced comfort layer is highly breathable and resilient, helping to maintain loft and prevent body impressions. It also includes a bio-based antimicrobial treatment derived from coconut oil to resist bacteria, mould, and odour for a cleaner sleep environment.
3. Eco-Air Comfort Technology
A responsive and breathable foam layer that aids temperature regulation, keeping the sleep surface cooler and more comfortable through the night.
4. Elasta-Gel
A gel-infused comfort layer that provides gentle pressure relief and a cool, flexible feel. The cooling gel component helps to disperse body heat for more balanced temperature control.
5. Premium High Density / High Resilience Comfort Foam
This transitional layer adds extra cushioning and durability, improving overall body contouring and long-term comfort.
6. ISO Coil 5 Zone Pocket Spring System with Edge Support
The mattress core features a five-zone pocket spring system that offers targeted support to the shoulders, hips, and lower back. Each spring moves independently to reduce partner disturbance, while reinforced perimeter coils strengthen the edges and expand the usable sleep surface.
7. Premium Dusk&Dawn Outer Fabric Shell
A durable outer casing made from Dusk&Dawn’s signature black woven fabric. It gives the mattress a sturdy, modern appearance and completes its robust construction.
Comfort and support
As mentioned earlier, the Dusk&Dawn Essential comes in 3 firmness options – firm, medium, or plush (soft).
The Comfort-Stretch Premium Fabric (that comes with all firmness options) feels soft, smooth, and should allow plenty of ventilation.
As you would expect, the firm version feels firm and supportive, but the comfort materials ensure that it doesn’t feel rock hard.
This version should suit most back sleepers, but it may also suit some side sleepers and stomach sleepers. Understandably, this suitability will vary between individuals.
By majority vote, our reviewers settled on a 8 / 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. Mattresses with the same firmness level can also feel quite different.
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 Dusk&Dawn Essential on the Koala Paddington Bed Base which is a good quality bed base with flat panel slats.
The medium version is comfortable and offers nice pressure relief. It absorbs body weight smoothly and has an impressive comfort level in context of price.
The medium version should suit all sleeping positions (side sleepers, back sleepers, and stomach sleepers) well, but understandably its suitability will vary between each individual.
Our expert reviewers settled on a 6.5 / 10 on the firmness scale (with 10 being the firmest).
Medium version
Again, our firmness ratings are just a guide.
As you would expect, the plush version is soft, light and comfortable.
This plush version would be most suited to side sleepers but it may also suit back sleepers and stomach sleepers. Again, this suitability will vary between individuals.
Our reviewers settled on a 4.5 / 10 on the firmness scale (with 10 being the firmest).
Plush version
Underneath the comfort layers of the Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress, lies an ‘ISO Coil’ 5 Zone Pocket Spring System. This spring unit feels robust and well balanced.
In addition, this spring system provides excellent spinal support in all sleeping positions. It should accommodate people of all sizes, and we didn’t detect any undesirable dipping or sinking.
The spring system also isolates movement well, so partner disturbance is minimal.
The spring system in the Dusk&Dawn Essential responds well to normal sleep movements and we rated its level of responsiveness as optimal. In basic terms, this means that changing sleep positions (and intimate activities) shouldn’t be any trouble.
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 Dusk&Dawn Essential shows strong build quality and thoughtful design for its price point. Stitching and edge finishings are neatly executed, and the overall presentation feels well-made and durable.
Its side panels are reinforced with firm perimeter springs that improve edge stability and help prevent roll-off, particularly useful for couples or those who like to sit on the edge of the bed. The mattress also includes horizontal side handles, securely stitched for easy rotation and manoeuvring.
Ventilation is a clear design focus, with a 3D mesh gusset encircling the upper section of the mattress to promote steady airflow through the comfort layers. Combined with the breathable foams and Dusk-Air Technology, this helps to manage heat and moisture effectively.
As we touched on earlier, partner disturbance is present but certainly not significant. So, a restless partner shouldn’t cause too many problems.
With that said, motion transfer may vary. A larger mattress (e.g. king size) will usually involve lower amounts of motion transfer. Partner disturbance will also depend on the size of the occupants of the bed.
At 32cm high, the mattress has a substantial profile that suits most modern bed frames and looks at home in a contemporary setting. Standard fitted sheets should fit comfortably.
In terms of health and hygiene, the Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress is well certified. Its comfort foams and fabrics carry the Global Green Tag certification – one of the world’s most trusted eco labels. Other components are also certified by OEKO-TEX®, ensuring safety and non-toxicity.
Strong build quality and thoughtful design for its price point.
Additionally, the fabric incorporates Virase® technology, which adds an antiviral effect for a cleaner sleep environment.
Overall, the Dusk&Dawn Essential demonstrates excellent attention to detail for an Australian-made entry-level model, combining practical design with the brand’s signature premium touches.
Other details
Product weight of each mattress size (approximately):
- Super King Mattress: 55kg
- King Mattress: 55kg
- Queen Mattress: 50kg
- Double Mattress: 48kg
- King Single Mattress: ~42kg
- Long Single Mattress: ~38kg
- Single Mattress: ~35kg
Additional information
- Spring count: 768 (Queen mattress)
- Wire gauge: 1.8mm (soft zones) and 2.0mm (firm zones)
Country of Origin
Made in Melbourne, Australia.
Bed base compatibility
What type of bed base should I use?
As with most mattresses, we recommend the Dusk&Dawn Essential to be used on a bed base with flat panel slats or solid slats such as the Dusk&Dawn Liquorice Bedhead & Base.
Dusk&Dawn Liquorice Bedhead & Base
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 may void the mattress warranty.
Furthermore, we do not recommend this mattress to be used with an adjustable (electric) bed base as this may void the warranty. 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.
Comfort guarantee and warranty
What happens if I don’t like it?
The Dusk&Dawn Essential comes with a 100 night comfort guarantee, allowing you to properly test it in your own home.
Customers must keep the mattress for at least 30 nights to allow their body to adjust. If you’re still not satisfied between nights 31–100, Dusk&Dawn will collect your mattress and adjust the firmness free of charge.
If, after trialling the adjusted mattress for a further 30 nights, you remain unhappy, a full refund can be requested.
In addition, the mattress is backed by a 10 year manufacturer’s warranty, covering defects in materials or workmanship. This warranty period is in line with many other premium mattresses in Australia and reflects Dusk&Dawn’s confidence in their handcrafted design.
Available sizes
What size options are available?
The Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress is available in all 7 sizes (super king, king, queen, double, king single, long single and single) so it should suit all sleeping arrangements.
This size availability is noteworthy, as only a handful of online mattresses are available in all Australian sizes.
The graphic below includes all of Australia’s standard bed (mattress) sizes in 2025.
Prices
How much does the Dusk&Dawn Essential Mattress cost?
Here are the retail prices and current Bedbuyer prices of the Dusk&Dawn Essential.
Retail Prices
- Super King Mattress: $2,149
- King Mattress: $1,949
- Queen Mattress: $1,749
- Double Mattress : $1,649
- King Single Mattress : $1,249
- Long Single Mattress : $1,199
- Single Mattress: $1,149
Bedbuyer Prices*
*Click SHOP NOW and use code BEDBUYER12 at checkout to unlock Bedbuyer price.
The Dusk&Dawn Essential sits comfortably in the mid-range of the Australian mattress market, offering strong value for an Australian-made product with premium foams, a zoned pocket spring system, and a 100-night comfort guarantee.
Did you know?
Bedbuyer awards
The Dusk&Dawn Essential was awarded Australia’s Best Value Mattress in the 2025 Bedbuyer Awards, recognising its outstanding combination of comfort, craftsmanship, and affordability.
This award highlights the Essential’s strong performance in our expert testing, where it impressed across all key areas – build quality, spinal support, partner disturbance, and ventilation.
Despite being the entry model in the Dusk&Dawn range, it delivers a premium feel well beyond its price tag.
Final verdict
The Dusk&Dawn Essential is a well-rounded Australian-made mattress that delivers strong support, good ventilation, and impressive value. It’s thoughtfully constructed and performs well across key comfort and durability metrics, especially considering its affordable price point.
While it doesn’t quite exude the same refinement or plush sophistication as the award-winning Dusk&Dawn Signature, the Essential still delivers a high standard of comfort and quality that will appeal to many Australians.
Combined with Dusk&Dawn’s 100-night comfort guarantee and local craftsmanship, it represents one of the best value propositions in the Australian mattress market today.
Bedbuyer’s rating: 4.6 / 5
Here are our ratings for each category:
Comfort
Spinal Support
Build Quality
Partner Disturbance
Value for Money
Did you know? Bedbuyer recently announced Australia’s Top 10 Mattresses in 2025!
If you have any questions about this mattress, please leave a comment below and we’ll respond shortly.
