Latest news with #coolingmattress
Telegraph
2 days ago
- 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.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Beat The Heat With The 5 Best Cooling Mattress Toppers
If you're a hot sleeper and aren't yet ready to purchase a new mattress, the next best thing to consider is a cooling mattress topper—a comfortable bedding accessory that adds an extra layer above your bed setup and changes its feel, firmness and/or temperature. The best cooling mattress toppers are comfortable, supportive and incorporate some kind of temperature control technology, like gel or a cooling cover, to help prevent sleepers from getting too warm while they snooze. Our top choice is the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex 301 Topper, the middle-tier model in the brand's latest collection of toppers; it features a thick, 3-inch profile and upgraded cooling tech like a phase-change cover. Some of our other top picks include options suited to couples or those with back pain. Don't underestimate the power of a good mattress topper: Brands are getting more advanced with their designs, and the right choice can elevate your old mattress to a like-new model that's better at regulating temperature. Whether it's a pillowy-soft topper, one that's firm or an option that's somewhere in between, the mattress toppers below cater to hot sleepers looking to enhance their sleep setup without overspending. You may also want to consider the best cooling pillows for even more comfort. Material: Copper-infused memory foam | Height: 3 inches | Trial: 120 nights | Cooling features: Copper gel and a cooling cover Pros: Cons: The CopperFlex 301 is a part of a new line of mattress toppers from Brooklyn Bedding that features copper-infused foam to help draw away body heat and a GlacioTex cooling cover, which is the same technology used in the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora, our top pick for the best cooling mattress. Senior mattress and sleep editor Bridget Chapman and I both tested the GlacioTex cover while trying out the topper—and can confirm it does feel cool to the touch. You can tell the topper is made with memory foam, but unlike traditional memory foam, it's not very doughy or slow-responding. Plus it's fitted with 3-inch-thick corner straps that wrap around your mattress to keep it in place. All foams used in this topper are CertiPUR US-certified, meaning they're free of mercury, lead and other harmful chemicals and are low on VOC emissions. And for an even more plush and luxurious setup, consider the 4-inch CopperFlex option. Material: Graphite-infused memory foam | Height: 3 inches | Trial: 180 nights | Cooling features: Graphite-infused foam Pros: Cons: Memory foam is commonly known for retaining heat, but the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Topper uses (as you may guess from its name) graphite-infused copper to help absorb body heat and distribute it evenly throughout its surface. We named this the best memory foam topper mattress overall after one of our testers slept on it during a particularly bad back pain flare-up. 'I felt immediate relief after nights of enduring my too-firm mattress,' she says. 'I also tend to sleep warm, but this topper kept me cool at night. While it was comfortable for me as a dominant side sleeper, I found it best for back sleeping, as it did an incredible job of distributing my weight in that position.' The topper comes wrapped in an organic cotton cover specially treated with Saatva's Guardin botanical treatment, which gives it antimicrobial properties to fight against growth of bacteria, mold, mildew and other household allergens. It also features elastic corner straps to secure the topper to your mattress and is made with CertiPUR-US-certified foam. Material: Copper-infused memory foam | Height: 3 inches | Trial: 100 nights | Cooling features: Copper gel Pros: Cons: The Dual Comfort Mattress Topper from Helix has a unique design in which the left side of the bed has a soft profile and the right side has a more firm and supportive feel. That way, you and your partner can both sleep comfortably if you can't seem to agree on the perfect firmness level or have different sleeping positions. On both sides, however, the cover feels noticeably cool to the touch—it uses GlacioTex technology that helps promote better rest for hot sleepers. Like many of the other toppers on this list, it also comes with corner straps to keep it properly situated on your mattress. And since it's made with 100% polyurethane foam, it's more responsive and has less sinkage than the other memory foam options in our roundup. Material: Latex foam | Height: 2 or 3 inches | Trial: 100 nights | Cooling features: Breathable foam Pros: Cons: Latex foam is a naturally more cooling and breathable material than polyurethane or memory foam, as it's perforated for increased airflow and doesn't retain as much heat. The Avocado Eco Organic Topper is made from a slab of latex foam that boasts all of the material's regular benefits, in addition to an entire list of green-friendly certifications that back the brand's sustainable mission—including GOLS, GOTS, FSC and others. You can choose between a 2- or 3-inch thickness; both are made from Talalay latex foam and include a soft, breathable organic cotton cover. Avocado recommends the 3-inch model for those who want a softer option, like side sleepers, and it can be added to your mattress to give it a more responsive, bouncy feel. Material: Steel microcoils and memory foam | Height: 3.75 inches | Trial: 100 nights | Cooling features: Coils and a GlacioTex cooling cover Pros: Cons: Our team has tested a myriad of hybrid mattresses, but we've seldomly come across a mattress topper that incorporates a layer of steel coils. The Helix Premium Mattress Topper earned a spot in this roundup (and in our best memory foam mattress toppers list) because it offers targeted support for those who live with back pain. It's a thick, supportive choice that adds lift and firmness to almost any mattress. Not only do the coils help enhance support, but they also promote airflow for a more breathable feel. At the same time, its memory foam layer is designed to contour around the body's curves and help alleviate joint pain. And as the cherry on top, this topper features a GlacioTex cooling cover, which feels cool to the touch, to provide further relief to hot sleepers. The topper will stay secured to your mattress with its corner straps and a base layer that helps enhance grip. You can choose between luxury plush or luxury firm, but those who live with back pain should consider the luxury firm feel for a more supportive, sturdy profile. Here at Forbes Vetted, our editors and writers have done extensive research on all things sleep. Together they have published hundreds of articles from tested mattress and bedding stories to detailed guides intended to help you get better sleep. Our experienced editors selected the best cooling mattress toppers highlighted in our roundup based on a series of benchmarks. Here are a few factors to consider when shopping for a cooling mattress topper. Keep an eye out for specific cooling features when you're looking for an effective cooling topper. The best kind of cooling topper combines two types of cooling tech, like gel-infused foam and a cooling cover. Copper gel, graphite gel, phase-change covers and latex foam all make for good cooling mattress topper materials. Mattress toppers come in different firmness levels and you should consider your sleeping position to help you decide whether soft or firm is best for you. 'A mattress topper should help with additional conformity for firmer mattresses,' says Carla Weiss, a clinician scientist and Aeroflow Sleep's sleep science advisor. Firm toppers, on the other hand, can add structure and support to soft mattresses. Side sleepers typically prefer a softer profile, while back and stomach sleepers tend to be more comfortable with a firmer feel. The mattress toppers listed in our roundup are all between 2 and 4 inches thick, but toppers can be as tall as 5 inches. Anything lower than 2 inches is considered a mattress pad, which adds a small layer of cushioning without changing the firmness or feel of your bed. In general, the taller the mattress topper, the more it changes the feel of your bed. You can choose to make a minor adjustment to your mattress with a 2-inch topper—or more drastically change the feel with a 3- or 4-inch topper. The coolest materials for a mattress topper include phase-change covers that draw body heat away and feel physically cool to the touch, gel-infused foam, latex foam and coils. Side sleepers who run hot should consider a soft mattress topper, like the Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Topper, which has a cushy profile that gives underneath your joints along with cooling tech to help you sleep more comfortably. Forbes Vetted editors named the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex 301 Topper the best mattress topper at keeping you cool because it combines a cooling GlacioTex cover with gel-infused foam.
