Queen is the size most Kiwi couples buy and the smallest we'd recommend for two adults who share a bed every night. King is the size most of them wish they'd bought. The difference is 15 cm of width, a few hundred dollars, and whether it fits in the room. Here's how to decide.
Quick answer
- Queen: 153 × 203 cm. About 76 cm of width each. Fits a room 3 m wide with space to walk round.
- King: 168 × 203 cm. About 84 cm each. Same room gives you about 65 cm either side.
- Super King: 183 × 203 cm. About 92 cm each, which is the width of a Single bed per person.
- A King bed set costs $200 to $300 more than the same model in Queen. Super King is another $250 to $500 on top.
- If one of you is a restless sleeper, the bigger size and a pocket spring mattress is the combination that fixes it.
- Measure the stairs. King bases come in two halves; Queen bases don't.
The sizes, and what they mean per person
New Zealand standard sizes are the same length, 203 cm, from Queen up. Only the width changes:
- Double: 137 × 188 cm. 68 cm each, and 15 cm shorter. Fine for a few nights; tight for every night.
- Queen: 153 × 203 cm. 76.5 cm each.
- King: 168 × 203 cm. 84 cm each.
- Super King: 183 × 203 cm. 91.5 cm each.
The useful comparison is the last column. A Single mattress is 92 cm wide. On a Super King, each of you has a Single's worth of room. On a Queen you have about four-fifths of that. If one of you sleeps like a starfish, that's where the argument is coming from. The full size chart has every size.
Will it fit the room?
Allow at least 60 cm down each side of the bed to get in and out and make it, and more if you want bedside tables. In a room 3 m wide, a Queen leaves you roughly 73 cm each side; a King 66 cm; a Super King 58 cm, which is workable but snug. Under 2.8 m wide, stay with a Queen. Over 3.3 m, a Super King won't dominate the room the way people fear.
Then measure the way in. Mattresses flex a little round corners; bases don't. We deliver a lot of beds in Wellington where a Queen base won't go up the stairs, and the fix is often a King, because King and Super King bases come in two halves that go up separately. Tell us about the tight spots when you order.
What a King costs over a Queen
Bed set prices on a few of our popular models, Queen then King:
- Anniversary Pocket (medium-firm, 3-zone pocket spring): $1,099 Queen, $1,299 King.
- Monarch (medium-firm, double-sided): $1,399 Queen, $1,649 King, $1,979 Super King.
- Spinal Luxury G-Top (medium-firm, 5-zone, latex gusset top): $1,699 Queen, $1,999 King, $2,299 Super King.
- Windsor Backcare (medium-firm, HourGlass lumbar support, two-sided): $2,999 Queen, $3,299 King, $3,399 Super King.
So the step up to King is $200 to $300 across the range. Allow a bit more for sheets and duvets in the bigger size, and for delivery: $39 within 50 km of our stores, or freight on a bed set of $200 for a Queen, $220 for a King and $240 for a Super King elsewhere.
When a Queen is the right call
- The room is under about 2.8 m wide, or you want space for a chair or a wardrobe door to swing.
- You sleep close together anyway and neither of you moves much.
- It's a guest room that couples sometimes use.
- You'd rather put the extra $300 into a better mattress at Queen size. Honestly, this is often the better buy.
Browse the Queen range.
When to go King or Super King
- One of you turns a lot, gets up in the night, or runs hot and wants space.
- Kids or the dog end up in the bed more mornings than not.
- You're different sizes and the bigger person is taking more than half.
- The room is 3 m or wider and the stairs cooperate.
Browse King and Super King.
Size alone doesn't fix partner disturbance
If the problem is being woken when your partner moves, a bigger mattress helps but a pocket spring mattress is what actually solves it. Each spring is in its own fabric pocket and moves on its own, so your side barely registers movement on theirs. All the beds in our Therawrap range are built this way, from the Anniversary Pocket up. The couples collection pulls together the models we recommend most for two.
And if you want different firmnesses, a King or Super King twin set is two mattresses side by side on one base: a firmer one for the back sleeper, a softer one for the side sleeper. Ask in store.
A note on bedding
Whatever size you buy, go one size up on the duvet: a King duvet on a Queen bed, a Super King duvet on a King. It's the cheapest way to end the blanket tug-of-war. Check fitted sheets have a deep enough wall, too; most of our mattresses are 260 to 340 mm deep.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Queen or King better for couples?
Queen is the minimum for two adults every night; King if the room is 3 m wide or more and one of you is a restless sleeper.
Is a King worth the extra money?
If you have the room, usually yes: 15 cm of width for $200 to $300. If you don't, spend the money on a better Queen.
Is a Queen too small for couples?
No. It's what most NZ couples sleep on. It's small for couples who move a lot or share with kids.
What size is best for couples who move a lot?
King or Super King, with a pocket spring mattress so the movement doesn't travel.
Can we have different firmness on each side?
Yes, with a King or Super King twin set: two mattresses on one base.
Bring the room measurements in
Room width, and the tightest doorway or turn on the way in. We'll tell you what fits, and you can lie on both sizes next to each other, which settles most of these conversations quickly. Or call 0800 276 964.
Related guides: NZ mattress sizes · Best mattress firmness for every sleeping position · What makes a mattress and bed base compatible · Delivery and shipping
