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Telegraph
30-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Eight Sleep Pod 4 review: This smart mattress topper kept me cool on the hottest night of the year
What is the Eight Sleep Pod 4? There are lots of smart beds, cooling mattresses and sleep trackers, but the Eight Sleep Pod combines these features into one system comprising a temperature-regulating mattress cover, a hub and an app. The cover looks like a standard mattress topper but hides a grid of thin water channels. These connect to the central hub which, placed by your bed, heats or cools the water between 12C to 43C to help create an environment for a good night's sleep. Sensors in the cover monitor your body and room temperature and adjusts itself accordingly. Each side can be set to suit different preferences. In the app, you can control the temperature, set an alarm and track your sleep and health data. You can also change the temperature screen-free by tapping the side of the bed. There are three different models. The Pod 4 reviewed here is the original model starting at £2,249 for a double. The highest spec version, the Pod 5 Ultra, retails at £4,449, but is sometimes discounted at £200 off. JUMP TO: How we test cooling sleep tech While testing eight cooling mattresses, I came across the Eight Sleep Pod 4, which presented a cooling option like nothing else I've seen on the market. With the ability to precisely change your bed temperature when needed, it's a far cry from your standard cooling mattress. I placed a king size version of this smart mattress topper on my Simba Hybrid Ultra mattress that I share with my partner, with the hub alongside the bed. I was keen to see how easy it was to set up and use. I tried it on both hot and cool nights to assess its comfort and effectiveness at improving my sleep by getting my body to the optimum temperature. I was also curious to see the relevance of the sleep data provided in the app. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best sleep product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. All opinions are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. Set up Score: 8/10 Firstly, I downloaded the Eight Sleep app on my smartphone and linked the system over Wi-Fi. I encountered none of the usual glitches involved with linking smart devices, highlighting the attention to detail Eight Sleep put into this premium mattress topper. Then, I followed the app's step-by-step guide for setting up the mattress cover and electrical hub, where the water tank is located. The king size cover fits a mattress up to 40cm thick – just enough to fit my 34cm-deep Simba Hybrid Ultra (just check compatibility – the Pod may damage memory foam mattresses over time). Putting it on was much like making the bed with a mattress protector. My mattress fits snugly on the frame so there was just enough room to fit the cover down the sides; you need space to fit it properly, ensuring the water tube at the top (the one that connects to the hub) lies flat and free from any twists and turns. Just like connecting to the app, the setup was smooth, meaning I could quickly start filling the water channels ready for my first night's sleep. Tech features and app Score: 9/10 The app has a yearly subscription service starting from £199. Embedded sensors in the cover send sleep analytics straight to it, so you can track your sleep stages, movement, heart, respiratory rates and even snoring. The data was interesting as it showed how much I woke at night. Obsessing over sleep data isn't for me though, so I wouldn't assess it regularly. The best thing about the app is how easy it is to adjust the mattress temperature, especially when I set it to a breezy minus five on one of the hottest nights in June (it's adjusted by levels rather than degrees). I also programmed a wake up alarm on my side of the bed, so as to not disturb my partner and the cover vibrated at a set time each morning. This was a novelty, until tapping the bed to turn it off became annoying. You can control the basics without your smartphone. By tapping the cover side, you can adjust the temperature up and down. But this was frustrating to work out; there's no indication on the hub or cover of what temperature is being set. Score: 9/10 Without a cooling pillow or a cooling blanket to hand, I was keen to see how well the Eight Sleep Pod 4 performed on a balmy summer night. I tested it throughout early June, including on June 13th, one of the hottest days of the year so far according to The Met Office. It kept me comfortably cool while sleeping. The mattress cover's black fabric feels padded due to the water channels inside. But this is soft and tactile underhand, and nice to lie on even without a sheet. When the temperature of the mattress cooled, I was more aware of the thin water channels inside the bed and found myself thinking it was a little odd to sleep on. On the nights that I wanted a warmer feel, I noticed it less. Overall, however, it's hard to tell that there's any piping within the cover. As soon as I told the app information about my size and sleeping preferences, Autopilot (the name of its AI tech) has been getting to know my sleep patterns and automatically adjusting the mattress temperature to improve my sleep. Every morning it gave me my sleep score, charting how much time I spent awake or in light, deep or REM sleep. It highlighted how much I had – or hadn't – snored and monitored when I went to bed too, making me feel a little ashamed about staying up too late. My sleep score is still hit and miss, so I wouldn't say the pod has had a noticeable effect on my nights. But being able to control my bed to suit the weather has felt empowering. One downside is that the hub can get a little noisy when at its highest cooling mode, much like a fan blowing at a low-level. This could be annoying if you need complete silence to sleep. Value for money and quality Score: 8/10 The Pod 4 currently costs £2,249 for a double. This is Eight Sleep's entry level design that comes with a cover, hub and subscription to the app's Autopilot plan for one year. After that expires, the subscription starts at £199 per year. The brand has also launched an updated version, the Pod 5 Core with similar features but newer tech and a price of £2,449. And if you have a bigger budget to play with, you can invest in the Pod 5 Ultra for £4,449. It's only available as a Super King or Emperor and comes with all the features of Pod 5 Core, surround sound and a base which makes your bed adjustable and is designed to limit back pressure and even snoring. With its luxury cover and high-tech hub and app, it's easy to see why this cooling and warming solution comes with a premium price tag. While it's an interesting and effective concept, I think you need to be fascinated with its sleep and health metrics to get the full benefits. Technical specifications The Eight Sleep Pod is singular in its offering, but since the 4's launch, the brand has brought out a more advanced model and version with its own base. Here's how the three stack up. Should you buy the Eight Sleep Pod 4? There's a lot to like about the way the Eight Sleep Pod 4 conveniently heats or cools your mattress. Its instant cooling is a welcome relief on hot nights, while its cushioned design warms your body when temperatures drop. Its app is informative too, especially if you want to monitor sleep metrics without a wearable tracker. But its hub is bulky and you need space to set it up properly, so measuring your room before you buy is key. The hefty price tag is also hard to ignore. Yes, if: You like the idea of a gadget that warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer You're a hot sleeper, and have exhausted all other routes for instant cooling at night You love analysing your sleep data No, if: You're on a budget; it has a high initial outlay and a yearly app subscription fee You have a small bedroom You have a memory foam mattress as using electric blankets or a heated topper can cause damage over time Eight Sleep Pod 4 FAQs Does Eight Sleep use a lot of electricity? You will need to plug the hub in to make use of the mattress cooling and heating capabilities. I measured it at costing around seven pence per hour on the highest setting based on costs at the time of testing. What are the sleep tracking capabilities of the Eight Sleep Pod 4? The cover comes with built-in sensors that track sleep data each night and gives you a 'sleep score' between one and 100. It charts awake time at night, deep, light and REM sleep, snoring, and heart and respiratory rates. How does the Eight Sleep Pod 4 work? The Eight Sleep Pod 4 uses water-based thermal technology, biometric sensors and AI-powered software to track your sleep and make temperature adjustments. How easy is the Eight Sleep Pod 4 to set up on a bed? The Eight Sleep Pod 4 cover comes in four sizes and is designed to sit snugly over your existing mattress. This is easy to set up and links to an electrical hub that sits alongside the bed. Set up is straightforward as the Eight Sleep app will guide you through the process step by step. How does the Eight Sleep Pod 4's temperature regulation work? The cover has thin water channels running through it and links to a hub that sits alongside the bed and circulates water through the channels to heat or cool the mattress surface. Is there a subscription required to use all the features of the Eight Sleep Pod 4? Yes there is an Autopilot subscription required to use all of the Eight Sleep Pod 4 features. The starting cost is £199 per year.
Tom's Guide
27-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Eight Sleep Pod 4 vs Pod 5 Ultra+: which smart mattress cover should you buy?
Eight Sleep is at the forefront of smart bed innovation, employing world-first technology to beat your sleep woes, be they night sweats, snoring or back pain. While the Eight Sleep Pod 4 has reigned as the best smart bed on the market for the last year, the new Pod 5 Ultra+ comes with an adjustable bed base, advanced sleep tracking, temperature control and in-bed surround sound. Yes, we're blown away too. The Pod 5 Ultra+ may be discounted in current mattress sales but it's still thousands of dollars above the Pod 4. Ahead, we'll explore whether the Pod 5 Ultra+ is worth the extra expense, or if the Pod 4 is enough for your sleep needs. Eight Sleep Pod 4 smart mattress cover: from $2,449 at Eight SleepWith independent temperature regulation, sleep tracking and a vibration and thermal alarm, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 is a high tech addition to your sleep routine. It's not discounted this Memorial Day but at $2,449 for a queen, it is still far cheaper than the new Pod 5 range. Eight Sleep Pod 5 Ultra+ smart mattress cover and base: from $5,049 $4,699 at Eight SleepThe Pod 5 Ultra+ does everything the Pod 4 does, plus it comes with an adjustable bed base, surround sound and snoring mitigation. It'll cost you almost double, but a Memorial Day deal takes $350 off MSRP which is one of the biggest discounts we've seen from Eight Sleep. This brings a queen to $4,699 (was $5,049). Eight Sleep Pod 4 Eight Sleep Pod 5 Ultra+ Type: Smart mattress cover Smart mattress cover, adjustable base Trial: 30 days 30 days Warranty: 2 years (Standard), 5 years (Enhanced) 2 years (Standard), 5 years (Enhanced) Queen price: $2,649 (MSRP) $5,049 (MSRP) Packed with game-changing technology, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 and Eight Sleep Pod 5 Ultra+ are both premium buys, costing at least $1,000 more than even the best mattresses you can buy online right now. As the simpler system, the Pod 4 is the most affordable of the two, with prices starting at $2,449 for a full and $2,649 for a queen. The Pod 4 is available in full, queen, king and California king sizes, none of which are currently discounted. The Pod 5 Ultra+ overhauls smart features offered by the Pod 4 and adds a whole new dimension to the Eight Sleep system – an adjustable bed base. This upgrade inevitably brings a bigger price tag, with prices starting at $5,049 for a queen at MSRP. King and California king sizes are also available. The good news is current Eight Sleep mattress sales knock $200 off all sizes of the Pod 5 Ultra+. This brings a queen size to $4,849, a rare discount from the sleep tech brand. As well as the initial expense, you do have to pay a subscription to use the Eight Sleep Autopilot app. A Standard subscription costs $17 a month, while the Enhanced subscription is $25 a month and Elite (needed for Eight Sleep's new health check feature) is $33 a month. A subscription covers two users. For such a pricey purchase, the benefits are disappointing. There's only a 30-night sleep trial, which is significantly less than we see from most sleep brands (some beds even come with a 365-night mattress trial). The warranty period is also short: two years with the Standard subscription plan, five years if you upgrade to Enhanced or Elite. The Eight Sleep Pod 4 is a water-based smart cooling system consisting of a mattress cover and a control Hub. The pipe-lined mattress cover fits over your existing mattress like a fitted sheet while the control hub sits next to your bed. The bedside hub contains a water tank that controls your in-bed temperature and sleep tracking, vibrating sensors are laced throughout the black fabric mattress cover. Data is recorded during the night, which you can access via the connected Autopilot app in the morning, and here's a tap control panel on the side of the mattress to operate the vibration alarm. The Eight Sleep Pod 5 Ultra+ comes with the same cover and Hub as the Pod 4, with the addition of a smart adjustable bed base. This isn't a bed base in the traditional sense. It's only three inches tall and sits between your mattress and your current bed frame, allowing you to adjust the position of your sleep surface. (Although you can add a leg extension kit, to transform the Ultra into a full bed base.) There's also the option to double up on temperature regulation with a hydro-powered blanket on the Pod 5 Ultra+. This means you can sleep in a cocoon with finely-tuned thermal controls. On the other hand, primarily a smart mattress cover, the Pod 4 simply adds a temperature-regulating, sleep-tracking layer to your existing mattress. While a mattress isn't included as standard with the Pod 4 or Pod 5 Ultra+, you can add one to your order. But both pods are compatible with any mattress of the same size. You can simply fit it over your existing mattress or shop our best memory foam mattress and best hybrid mattress guides if you're after an all-new sleep set up. Temperature regulation is at the core of the Eight Sleep system. The Pod 4 offers dual-side climate control, enabling you to heat up or cool down (between 13°C and 44°C) your side of the bed regardless of your partner's sleep temperature preferences and external climes. Meanwhile, sensors will track your body temperature through the night and adjust to keep you at the best temperature for sleeping. This personalized, active temperature control earns the Pod 4 a spot in our best cooling mattress guide. Both pods offer this temperature regulation on the back while you sleep. However, there is the option to add a hydro-powered blanket (for an extra $1,000 now) to the Pod 5 Ultra+. This blanket syncs with the mattress cover's temperature on each side of the bed to create a fully immersive temperature experience. Both smart mattress systems feature the reliable sleep tracking built by Eight Sleep's AI-powered algorithm. This means sensors in the mattress cover will track your sleep biometrics — including your over night heart rate, HRV, sleep stages and sleep latency — and produce nightly sleep reports. It also produces a sleep scores to help you measure how well you sleep, and identify how lifestyle choices (like drinking alcohol or exercising late at night) impact your sleep quality. While these sleep tracking sensors are uniform in each pod, of course, the Pod 5 Ultra+ includes new innovations too. An additional AI algorithm in the Pod 5 Ultra+ is capable of detecting fever. Picking up anomalies in your overnight heart rate and respiration, the Pod 5 Ultra+ will alert you via the Eight Sleep app if you are likely to fall sick. Do note, you need Eight Sleep's Elite subscription to access this clinical-grade health check feature, costing $33/month. Both the Pod 4 and Pod 5 Ultra+ have a gentle thermal, vibration alarm feature that replaces a blaring audio alarm. Thanks to the automatic climate control system in each pod, they gradually heat up in the morning to suppress your body's melatonin production. The bed will then vibrate at your desired wake up time, gradually pulling you from sleep at the end of a sleep cycle rather than jolting you awake with a loud sound. This more natural wake up call reduces sleep inertia, helping you wake up with more energy. As a humble mattress cover, the Pod 4 cannot adjust the position of your bed. However the Pod 5 Ultra+ includes an adjustable smart bed base, enabling you to raise the head and foot position of your bed. This addition means you can customize your sleep set up and sit up comfortably in bed while reading or relaxing. Plus you can snooze in a zero gravity position, which is recommended for taking pressure off the back and joints. When paired with a top-rated mattress for back pain, the Pod 5 Ultra+ is sure to help you eliminate aches and pains to sleep comfortably. This bed base also responds to your movements through the night to keep you fully supported. Meanwhile, sensors pick up snoring and the head position adjusts to open airways for easier, quieter breathing. Ever thought we'd see the day your bed sung you a lullaby? Well, we're here. A new feature in the Pod 5 Ultra+ is surround sound. Yes, that means your bed plays sleep sounds while you drift off — great news for the 38% of Americans who struggle to sleep in silence, according to Talker Research. Eight Sleep have a library of soundscapes to help you sleep, alongside non-sleep deep rest sounds delivered by Stanford University neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman. ✅ You want a smart bed primarily for sleep tracking: The Pod 4 is laced with reliable sleep tracking sensors so you can track your ZZZs without wearables. Though you must forego the illness prediction feature with the Pod 4. ✅ You're on a tighter budget: The Pod 4 is still an investment smart bed but a queen size is $2,050 cheaper than the Pod 5 Ultra+ right now. ✅ You're happy with the feel of your mattress: The Pod 4 makes minimal difference to the comfort and support of your existing mattress without elevating any part of your bed. ✅ You have aches and pains: The Eight Sleep adjustable base included with the Pod 5 Ultra+ allows you to raise your head and feet. This curved 'neutral' position reduces pressure placed on the lumbar region for fewer aches and pains. And it's customizable, so you can adjust the angle to suit your personal sleep style. ✅ Snoring keeps you awake: The Pod 5 Ultra+ has specialist sensors to detect snoring. If it does detect noisy ZZZs, the bed base raises the head position to open airways. This helps you breath and minimizes noise. ✅ You can't fall asleep in silence: A key innovation with the Pod 5 Ultra+ is its built-in speakers offering in-bed surround sound. With a library of sleep sounds at your fingertips, you're sure to find a track to lull you to sleep.
CNET
15-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Best Memorial Day Sleep Deals: Save on Sheets, Pillows, Sleep Trackers, Eye Masks and More
Eight Sleep recently announced the launch of the Pod 5. Buyers have the option of the Core, Plus or Ultra model. To celebrate, Eight Sleep is offering $100 off the Pod 5 Core (in addition to $50 off the base and $50 off the blanket), $150 off the Plus (in addition to $50 off the blanket) and $200 off the Ultra model. While these prices are a lot steeper than previous models. It's also unclear if the Pod 3 or Pod 4 will be on sale or available to buy again.
