Comparison · Sleep · 2 models

Silentnight Airmax 5 cm vs 10 cm topper: the same washable fibre, twice the depth, and what that changes

Two versions of Silentnight's hollowfibre topper for a double: the same air-mesh sides, the same corner straps, the same machine wash and two-year guarantee. One is 5 cm by its listing, the other 10 cm in two layers. The decision is how firm the bed is now, how deep your fitted sheets are, and how much loft you are prepared to watch flatten.

By The City Bits deskUpdated 12 November 2026Facts checked 12 November 2026

Silentnight Airmax 5 cm mattress topper: a white box-stitched topper with mesh sides, laid on a bedSilentnight Airmax 10 cm mattress topper: a deep white box-stitched topper with mesh sides on a double bed
Pictured: Silentnight Airmax Topper 5 cm (double), Silentnight Airmax Topper 10 cm (double).

Quick answer

Side by side

At a glance
ModelDepthFillCoverSizeFixingWashingWeightGuaranteeWhere to buy
Silentnight Airmax Topper 5 cm (double)the 5 cm single-layer topper5 cm†HollowfibreMicrofibre with air-mesh sidesDouble, 135 × 190 cmElasticated corner strapsMachine washable1.5 kg2 yearsView listing
Silentnight Airmax Topper 10 cm (double)the 10 cm dual-layer topper10 cm†Hollowfibre, dual layerMicrofibre with air-mesh sidesDouble, 135 × 190 cmElasticated corner strapsMachine washableNo confirmed data2 yearsView listing

Scroll sideways to see every column

† Figure from a retailer listing or otherwise awaiting confirmation from the manufacturer; other figures come from manufacturer manuals and leaflets.

Fill, size, straps, washing and guarantee are from Silentnight’s Airmax page; the dual-layer construction of the deeper version is Silentnight’s description. Both depths, both covers and the 5 cm topper’s weight are from the listings; the depths are flagged because Silentnight’s pages vary. No weight is published for the 10 cm.

Depth and feel

the 5 cm single-layer topper

Silentnight Airmax Topper 5 cm (double)

Silentnight Airmax 5 cm mattress topper: a white box-stitched topper with mesh sides, laid on a bed
Depth
5 cm†
Fill
Hollowfibre
Cover
Microfibre with air-mesh sides
Size
Double, 135 × 190 cm
Fixing
Elasticated corner straps
Washing
Machine washable
Buy now

Check price

Hollowfibre in a microfibre cover with air-mesh sides, 5 cm by the listing, for a double 135 by 190 cm. Elasticated corner straps, machine washable as a whole, 1.5 kg by the listing, two-year guarantee.

Strengths

  • Machine washable, the whole topper
  • Mesh sides for airflow on a hot sleeper's bed
  • Two-year guarantee from a UK maker

Limitations

  • Fibre flattens over time where you lie
  • Depth figure is from the listing; Silentnight's pages vary

Good for

  • a firm mattress that needs softening
  • a guest bed

Look elsewhere if

  • a sagging mattress, which needs foam

the 10 cm dual-layer topper

Silentnight Airmax Topper 10 cm (double)

Silentnight Airmax 10 cm mattress topper: a deep white box-stitched topper with mesh sides on a double bed
Depth
10 cm†
Fill
Hollowfibre, dual layer
Cover
Microfibre with air-mesh sides
Size
Double, 135 × 190 cm
Fixing
Elasticated corner straps
Washing
Machine washable
Buy now

Check price

The same fibre and cover in a dual-layer build, 10 cm by the listing, for a double. Elasticated straps, machine washable, two-year guarantee from Silentnight.

Twice the fibre over the same mattress: the 10 cm sits you higher and feels softer; the 5 cm takes the edge off.

Strengths

  • Deep fibre layer for a plush feel
  • Machine washable and strapped like the 5 cm
  • Two-year guarantee

Limitations

  • 10 cm of fibre compresses more over time than foam
  • Needs deep fitted sheets
  • Depth is the listing's figure

Good for

  • someone who wants a hotel-style plush top
  • a very firm mattress

Look elsewhere if

  • back-pain support, which is a foam job

Flattening

Hollowfibre compresses where you lie, and the deeper the layer, the more there is to compress. A 10 cm topper starts plusher and loses more height over time than a 5 cm one; both recover some loft with a shake and a turn. If the bed needs lasting softness, a foam topper holds its shape better; if you want something washable and light, fibre is the trade.

Sheets and beds

Five centimetres usually goes under the fitted sheet you already have. Ten centimetres needs a deep-pocket sheet, and on a bed that is already high it adds a step. Measure the mattress plus 10 before buying the deeper one.

Washing

Both go in the machine whole, which no foam topper does. The 5 cm double is light and easy; the 10 cm double is a full load in a domestic drum. For a guest bed washed between visitors, that alone can decide it.

Airflow

Air-mesh sides on both, which let warm air out at the edges. Fibre sleeps cooler than memory foam in general, and on a hot sleeper’s bed the 5 cm leaves less material between you and the mattress.

Which one, by bed

  • Firm mattress, ordinary sheets: Airmax 5 cm.
  • Very firm mattress, wants a plush top: Airmax 10 cm.
  • Guest bed washed often: Airmax 5 cm.
  • Hot sleeper: Airmax 5 cm.
  • Sagging mattress or back pain: neither; foam or a new mattress.

Sources

Facts checked 12 November 2026

  1. Retail listing (Silentnight) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
  2. Silentnight — Airmax mattress topper product page — Manufacturer documentation, checked 23 October 2026
  3. Retail listing (Silentnight) — Retailer listing, checked 23 October 2026
  4. Silentnight — Airmax mattress topper product page — Manufacturer documentation, checked 23 October 2026
Are the depths exact?

They are the listings' figures. Silentnight's own pages describe the Airmax without one fixed depth, and the deeper version as dual-layer, so we mark both depths for checking. Treat them as the difference between a thin and a thick topper rather than measurements to the centimetre.

Will 10 cm fit under my sheet?

Only with a deep fitted sheet. A standard sheet is made for the mattress alone; ten more centimetres of fibre pulls the corners off. The 5 cm usually fits under the sheet you already have; check the pocket depth before choosing the 10.

Can I wash them at home?

Silentnight says both are machine washable, the whole topper, not just a cover. A double 10 cm topper is bulky, so check that it fits your drum; a launderette machine is the fallback.

Will it help a bad back?

Fibre softens, it does not support. Both Airmax toppers make a hard bed feel kinder, and neither fixes a mattress that sags. For support, a memory foam topper or a new mattress is the answer.

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