The best smart beds this year, according to sleep experts
High-tech or smart mattresses can regulate temperature and firmness, not to mention track how you sleep. Here’s how to choose one that’s best for you.
Natasha Stokes
Natasha Stokes
Whether or not you’re prone to night sweats, the Eight Sleep Pod can usher in a more comfortable sleep thanks to automatic cooling or warming to ideal temperatures, as low as 55 degrees Fahrenheit and up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Within the mattress’s four-layer memory foam, sensors track heart and breathing rates plus sleep stages. This data syncs with the water-powered thermal engine to adjust mattress temperature throughout the night, with separate controls customizing each side of the bed. The Pod works with Amazon and Google home hubs to ask the mattress to warm up before bedtime. And if you find phone alarms jarring, you can also set the Pod to warm or cool to rouse you silently. An app displays each night’s sleep score, with recommendations for improvements.
If you bunk with a partner whose sleep preferences differ, the dual-zoned 360 i8 can cater to both. Beneath a six-inch foam comfort layer, each side of the mattress has an air chamber that contours to body pressure throughout the night, according to each sleeper’s preferred firmness (or “Sleep Number”, which can range from 0-100 but tends to be within 35-50). The bed pairs with an adjustable base (from $1,119), allowing for manual raising of the mattress head or foot to relieve pressure or potentially stop a partner from snoring. It can also share data with smart devices, including activity trackers and the Nest Learning Thermostat, with an app showing how each person’s sleep quality correlates with factors like room temperature or fitness routine.
Compared to other Sleep Number mattresses, the 360 c2 offers the same customizability yet costs about one-third of the price. It has two air chambers with dual-zone sensors tracking heart rate, breathing rate and body pressure, automatically contouring each zone according to the sleeper’s ideal firmness. The app similarly tracks sleep quality and how it may correlate with other factors, including mattress firmness. The main difference between the c2 and costlier models: the comfort layer is noticeably slimmer at just two-inches thick.
The six-layer smart mattress from Saatva gives you 50 options for firmness, a remote to control them and air chambers designed to operate quietly. A hidden pump handles the work and a water-resistant structure will help keep the machinery running for years. On top of that, the smart bed is built using Saatva’s organic cotton, Talalay latex and gel-infused memory foam. The mattress is also finished with a cushioned pillow top — and its multi-directional air chambers are designed to provide even support for the sleeper. The bed itself is also sports and antimicrobial finish. You can trial the bed for 120 nights and return it during that time for your money back.
If you work out a lot or have chronic pain, this ultra-customizable bed could be the ideal cocoon for joint aches and tired muscles. Its support can be finely calibrated thanks to five air chambers on each side for the legs, hips, lumbar, shoulders and head regions. Beneath two layers of gel memory foam, a medical-grade sensor grid continually detects a sleeper’s pressure distribution over 2000 data points, automatically adjusting firmness to maintain support. For extra pressure beneath painful areas, you can manually adjust support via the app, which also displays your sleep stats. The mattress is made with modular construction, meaning if one layer malfunctions, it can be fixed without the entire bed needing to be replaced.
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