Beds, Mattresses and Duvets

The sleeping arrangements in Germany are a bit different from what we are used to in South Africa. The average German couple sleeps on a bed base with two single mattresses, and each with their own duvet.
Some would argue for this, but I would at least want to share a duvet with my partner.

I vacuum-packed all my queen-size duvets and brought them with me to Germany, together with my standard SA pillows.
It works fine as long as you don’t want to buy new duvet covers.
If you do want to get new duvet covers for your SA duvet inners, your best bet would be to buy from the UK, but be aware their King size is, to my knowledge, the same as our Queen size, so always make sure of the measurements.
Since the German double bed consists of mostly two 100 x 200cm mattresses, a King-size duvet will work best.
Finding covers for a King size is possible at online shops, but your choice is limited, and the pillowcases will be the German standard 80 x 80.
Always make sure of the pillow size

Where to shop for bedding

In German, Bettwäsche generally means the bed linen/bedding used to cover the duvet and pillow, and can refer collectively to:

die Bettdecke = duvet / quilt
der Bettbezug = duvet cover
der Kissenbezug / Kopfkissenbezug = pillowcase
Bettwäsche = bed linen / bedding, often meaning the duvet cover + pillowcase set

Here is a list of online shops that have a wider variety:

Ikea
Debenhams
Amazon – Germany or UK, just make sure the supplier delivers to Germany
Home24
www.otto.de. You can choose the pillow size on their website, although the closest tothe SA Standard is 40 X 80
The White Company – Luxury bedding
La Redoute – French company
H&M Home

Bedding sizes South Africa vs Germany

Category	Mattress Size in SA	Duvet Size in SA	Mattress Size Germany
Children / Kinderbett			70 x 140 cm
Single / Einzelbett	90–92 x 188 cm	130 x 190 cm 135 x 200 cm 140 x 200 cm	90 x 200 cm is most common, but 100 x 200 cm is also available
3/4 or großes Einzelbett	107 x 188 cm	150 x 200 cm	140 x 200 cm
Double / Doppelbett	137 x 188 cm	200 x 200 cm	Two 90 x 200 cm mattresses
Queen	152 x 188 cm	230 x 200 cm	—
Queen Extra Length	152 x 200 cm	220 x 220 cm	—
King	183 x 188 cm	230 x 220 cm	—
King Extra Length / großes Doppelbett	183 x 200 cm	240 x 240 cm	Two 100 x 200 cm mattresses

South African pillow sizes

Standard Pillow

45 × 70 cm
Standard / Standardkissen

King Pillow

50 × 90 cm
King / Großes Kissen

Continental Pillow

70 × 70 cm
Continental / Quadratisch

Body Pillow

45 × 150 cm
Body / Seitenschläferkissen

German pillow sizes

The standard German pillow size is 80 × 80 cm, although the slimmer 40 × 80 cm size is also very common and widely available.

If you bring your South African pillows with you, you may find that the pillowcases included in German duvet sets don’t fit them.
You have a few options:

Keep your South African pillows and pillowcases — they can still look perfectly fine with your new German duvet cover.
Resize an 80 × 80 cm German pillowcase to fit your South African pillow.
Buy a 40 × 80 cm German pillow if you prefer the longer, narrower pillow style and want to use the matching German pillowcases.

💡 Shopping tip: Always check the pillowcase dimensions before buying a duvet set in Germany. The duvet cover may fit your South African duvet, but the pillowcases are often a different size.

Mattress hardness

German mattresses are commonly labelled H1 to H5.
The recommended weight ranges below are a general guide, but they can vary between manufacturers and mattress models.
Always check the manufacturer’s specific recommendations before buying.

Firmness Level	Description
H1	Suitable for people weighing less than 60 kg. Since such a low body weight is relatively rare in adults, only a few mattresses are manufactured in this firmness level. These mattresses are often available only as custom-made products. If you weigh more than 60 kg, you should generally avoid an H1 mattress, even if you prefer a softer feel, as it may lose its shape and support more quickly.
H2	One of the two most popular firmness levels in Germany, particularly among women. It is generally suitable for people weighing between 60 and 80 kg. Depending on the manufacturer, H2 may also be labelled F2, medium strength or medium.
H3	H3 is by far the most common mattress firmness level in Germany and is generally suitable for people weighing 80 kg or more. Depending on the manufacturer, the recommended upper limit may be 100, 110 or even 120 kg. H4 is usually recommended for people above this range.
H4	H4 is generally suitable for people weighing more than 100, 110 or 120 kg, depending on the manufacturer. It may be described as firm, extra-firm or ultra-firm. Many manufacturers do not offer a firmness level above H4, so the maximum recommended weight varies between mattress models. It may be around 120, 140 or 150 kg.
H5	H5 is the rarest mattress firmness level in Germany. For heavier people, H4 may already provide sufficient support, with H5 simply offering an even firmer feel. This is one reason why some manufacturers do not offer H5 mattresses. Where H5 is available, it is generally intended for people weighing around 140–150 kg or more, although some manufacturers set the lower limit at 120 kg.

Types of bed systems in Germany

Boxspringbett

Boxspring beds (Boxspringbett ) are among the most popular types of beds worldwide. They consist of three layers:

The base (box) – a solid wood frame with built-in springs (usually pocket springs for better body support).
The mattress – a spring mattress, often divided into zones for ergonomic comfort.
The topper – a soft foam layer that adds cosiness and regulates temperature.

Polsterbett

A Polsterbett is a bed frame that is fully upholstered in fabric, leather, or faux leather, often with a padded headboard for extra comfort. The inside can hold either a Lattenrost with a mattress or, in some models, a boxspring system.

Massivholzbett

A Massivholzbett is a bed made entirely from solid wood, often crafted from oak, beech, pine, or walnut. Unlike veneer or particleboard frames, solid wood beds are built to last and develop character over time.

Stauraumbett / Bett mit Bettkasten

A Stauraumbett is a bed with integrated storage.

Other bed styles you may encounter

Futonbett – low, minimalist bed frame.
Metallbett / Eisenbett – metal or iron bed frame.
Wasserbett – water-based sleeping system; much less common.

Lattenrost

A Lattenrost is the traditional German bed system. Instead of a solid base, it uses a frame with flexible wooden slats that support the mattress.
The slats can flex and adapt to body weight, helping with pressure relief and ventilation.
A Lattenrost fits into a bed frame

Where to buy beds

Budget / good everyday options

IKEA
JYSK
POCO
Mömax

Large furniture stores

XXXLutz
Höffner
Segmüller

Online

Home24
Betten.de

Specialist sleep retailers

Matratzen Concord
Swiss Sense
RUF Betten

Vocabulary

English	German
Duvet	Bettdecke
Duvet cover	Bettbezug
Pillow	Kopfkissen
Pillowcase	Kopfkissenbezug
Mattress	die Matratze
Single bed	das Einzelbett
Double bed	das Doppelbett
Large single bed	das große Einzelbett
Large double bed	das große Doppelbett
Children's bed	das Kinderbett
Home textiles	die Heimtextilien

South Africans in Germany