There used to be a time when shopping for a mattress was fairly simple, the main reason being that they were all pretty similar to one another. For the longest time, mattresses were generally nothing more than a layer of coils paired with a type of comfort material. But, those days are gone.
We live in the day of the “smart mattress.” As technologies have advanced over the last couple of decades, the consumer market has seen a surge in “smart” products. You can get smartphones, smartwatches, smart thermostats, and the list goes on and on.
But the concept of a smart mattress is still relatively new to the average consumer. One company that is out in front of the rest is Eight Sleep. Thanks to their award-winning Pod technology, Eight Sleep features the number one cooling and heating mattress on the market.
This also makes Eight Sleep’ Pod one of the most high-tech beds money can buy, featuring smart technology and sleep-tracking capabilities.
But, is it really worth it? Do all the bells and whistles really make that big of a difference when it comes to sleep? Here, we give you an honest look at all Eight Sleep has to offer.
Based in New York City, Eight Sleep was officially founded in 2014. Specializing in the development and manufacturing of smart mattresses, they hit the ground running with a large crowdfunding campaign and have been steadily growing ever since. In 2021, Eight Sleep raised over $86 million and boasts a valuation at a staggering $500M.
Their success won’t be slowing down anytime soon as the global smart mattress market value is expected to reach roughly $2.1 billion by 2025. That would be nearly double the market value in 2018.
What We Like About Eight Sleep Mattress
- High quality comfort – While it is ideal for side and back sleepers, the Eight Sleep Pod mattress offers a great balance of firmness for pressure relief and support for all sleepers. The five layers of adaptive foam makes for high-quality comfort.
- Adjustable temperature settings are unmatched – The Eight Sleep Pod’s Active Grid Cooling Technology system is unparalleled when it comes to mattresses and thermoregulation. Using water, the thermos-electric cooling/heating system helps sleepers find their optimal sleeping temperature.
- The ability to track sleep data – The Eight Sleep Pod Pro features sensors that track sleep and health metrics, including sleep time, sleep stages, respiratory rate, resting heart rate, and more. It uses these to calculate overall sleep quality.
What We Don’t Like About Eight Sleep Mattress
- Not for those who want a maintenance-free mattress – While the Eight Sleep is certainly at the top when it comes to smart mattress technology, we found that it takes a tech-savvy person to utilize all the bells and whistles; maintenance is required every few months. So, it isn’t a set it and forget it type of mattress.
- It is very expensive – They say that you get what you pay for. Well, you better ensure this mattress is right for you because you’ll have to fork out a good bit of money to get your hands on it (financing is available). Thanks to the high-tech capabilities of this Eight Sleep Pod, it is much more expensive than your average foam mattress.
One of the mattresses that is close in comparison with the Eight Sleep Pod mattresses is the GhostBed Luxe. While both of these mattresses boast some impressive cooling technology, the GhostBed Luxe falls short when it comes to heating technology and thermoregulating features.
But, that also means you’ll be paying more for Eight Sleep’s Pod mattresses.
The Eight Sleep Pod mattresses are offered in three models: Eight Sleep Pod, Eight Sleep Pod Pro, Eight Sleep Pod Pro Max. Premium comfort is the name of the game when it comes to Eight Sleep Pod mattresses.
Here are some of the standout benefits we noticed:
- It’s cool and breathable – The cover material for the Pod mattress is breathable, which is great news for the hot sleepers among us.
- It’s comfortable for any style sleeper – Thanks to the medium-firm memory foam and FlexSpring core, Pod mattresses retain responsiveness and offer ideal support for spinal alignment. For us, it felt great sleeping on the back, stomach, and side, and we personally know it’s rare to hit that comfort trifecta.
- Comfort meets technology – The Pod mattress’s thermoregulation features (Active Grid layer, SmartTemp AI, and proprietary Sensing technologies) bring a whole new level of coolness and comfort.
With Eight Sleep, comfort is a comprehensive term. While their mattress options feature multiple layers of mixed foam material, offering medium firmness, that isn’t where the comfort stops.
Personalized temperature settings put control in your hands. The research is clear on the effects of thermoregulation and sleep quality.
We loved the pressure-relieving material, which is designed to adjust to the body’s sleep position.
| Image |
Product |
Features |
Price |
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Most Popular
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Pod Pro Mattress |
The most advanced Pod yet introducing new Room Climate and Weather Response, a Comfort Blend Integrated Topper, GentleRise Wake Up Technology, and double the number of sensors enabling new Heart Rate Variability monitoring and a Daily Health Check report.
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With Perfect Fit
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Pod Pro Cover |
Love your current mattress but having temperature issues? Upgrade your sleep by adding the Pod's patented thermoregulation technology to your current mattress. Plus, enjoy the best in seamless sleep and health tracking.
Zips on to any 10" to 16" tall mattress.
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The Carbon Air Pillow |
Premium carbon-infused foam meets a proprietary phase-change material to absorb and dissipate heat away from the body. Its air ventilation system, encased in a high-quality TENCEL mesh cover, increases airflow and breathability.
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Eight Sleep’s Pod mattress has three premium foam layers, with an overall profile of 11 inches.
The Pod Pro is a premium five-layer foam mattress that is 12 inches deep (inclusive of a 1” Comfort Blend topper).
Eight Sleep’s Pod Pro Max is a six-layer premium foam mattress with a 12-inch profile (inclusive of 1” ComfortBlend topper and MaxChill layer).
A Look at the Comfort Layers
The first layer features a breathable cover that is designed for minimal temperature interference, it kept things cool and comfy during sleep.
> Active Grid for thermoregulation
Next, the Active Grid (with Comfort Blend integrated topper). It is designed to help regulate temperature, both cooling and heating. The Active Grid is temperature-regulated by water flow using a water-powered hub (3.2 L).
We thought it was fairly easy to set up and use.
Cooling and heating are done using thermo-electric cooling elements, premium cooling fans, and a Heat Sink. For example, the grid pattern on the Queen-sized Pod creates a total cooling surface of roughly 7 sq. ft.
The circulating water facilitates the continuous absorption and removal of heat (approx. 20W) from each side of the mattress. We were able to control the hub through a WiFi-enabled remote control. Connectivity was not an issue.
The mattresses are also equipped for dual-zone heating and cooling, allowing individuals to independently set temperatures for each side of the bed (55°F-110°F).
> Comfort Blend for extra support
The Pod Pro and Pod Pro Max also feature an integrated Comfort Blend topper, adding an additional layer of foam to the Active Grid. Along with the other premium foam layers, the Comfort Blend topper adds extra, contouring support.
We found that the tech features really make these mattresses stand out.
Eight Sleep prides itself on developing their sleep technologies based on scientific research. They routinely work alongside research partners to evaluate the effectiveness of their mattresses by collecting sleep data from their sleep tracking technology. These reports give them insight into how well their technology is delivering on its promise.
Seamless Sensing for Sleep Tracking
Eight Sleep mattresses feature proprietary sensing technology to help track sleep and adjust temperatures to the sleeper’s personal needs. It involves multiple sensors, including temperature sensors and ballistocardiography to track important sleep data.
The Pod’s signature technology feature is the SmartTemp. This artificial intelligence is trained with more than 1.5TB of data and is equipped with algorithms to help predict and automatically adjust the Pod temperature to the most optimal for your personal needs.
While Eight Sleep stands above the competition when it comes to smart mattress technology, that premium comes with a cost, a much higher cost.
Here are some other smart technology features we loved:
- Sleep tracking features include metrics for sleep time, sleep stages, tossing and turning, and more (works for two sleepers).
- The GentleRise smart alarm worked great, offering a gentle chest-level vibration to help wake up — no loud alarms necessary.
- Features physical wellness trackers like resting heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring, and respiratory rate. These metrics were recorded accurately.
Here are what some satisfied customers are saying:
“Beautiful design, effective product. Love to find a warm bed when I go to sleep and love to be able to track my sleep patterns without having to wear any device on me. App is elegant and works smoothly. Still familiarizing with all the interesting features and possibilities.”
— Sarah, 5/5 stars on Trustpilot
“I have been using an Eight Sleep for 18 months now. Best product I have bought in 5 years. The worst part is not having it when you travel.”
— Jason, 5/5 stars on Trustpilot
The Eight Sleep Pod mattresses are available in four sizes: Full, Queen, King, and Cali King. Prices vary.
Pod Mattress, Pod Pro, and Pod Pro Max mattresses prices (respectively):
- Full: $2,045 / $2,545 / $3,045
- Queen: $2,345 / $2,845 / $3,345
- King/Cali King: $2,745 / $3,245 / $3,845
There are financing options available for qualified purchasers. Eight Sleep also offers a 2-year warranty on the technology layer of the Pod series mattresses and a 10-year warranty on the foam mattress itself.
Where does Eight Sleep ship to?
At present, Eight Sleep ships within the continental United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and some parts of the European Union.
Shipping is free on most orders. Orders typically arrive within about 2 to 7 business days, depending on delivery location.
What about smart home capability?
The Eight Sleep Pod mattress is compatible with Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Philips Hue, and Nest.
What about the app?
Eight Sleep’s SleepOs app was easy to use and features Smart Temp autopilot for setting sleep temperature conditions and insights for health biometrics and sleep data. It’s available for Apple and Android devices.
So, are Eight Sleep Pod mattresses really top-notch? We say yes.
If you are looking for a smart mattress that has thermoregulating capacities and is complete with all the smart technology bells and whistles then the Pod mattresses might be for you.
Just be prepared to fork over a lot of money to enjoy all its sleeping perks.
References and Sources:
Home | Eight Sleep
• Smart mattress market size worldwide 2018-2025 | Statista
GhostBed Luxe Mattress: The Coolest Bed in the World | GhostBed Luxe
Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm | NIH
Trend Report - How Moms In America Sleep | Eight Sleep
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