Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra review: The smart mattress pad that promises a better night’s sleep
Review
- Comfortable and well-designed mattress cover.
- Effective temperature control for better sleep quality.
- Vibration alarm for a gentler wake-up experience.
- Dual-zone temperature control for couples with different preferences.
- AI-powered Autopilot makes real-time adjustments for optimal sleep.
- High price point, especially with the subscription model.
- $2,250 more expensive than Eight Sleep Pod 4.
- Subscription required to access all features, with significant limitations if cancelled.
Price: Starting at $6,599 for a Queen
Subscription: $42 per month (first year mandatory)
If you've ever found yourself tossing and turning in bed, struggling with temperature fluctuations, or battling for the covers with your partner, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra might just be your answer to a better night's sleep.
This high-tech mattress pad, which sits atop your existing mattress, combines temperature control and sleep tracking to improve your overall health. It also comes with a mechanised base that automates the position of your mattress when snoring is detected.
But with a hefty price tag and an ongoing subscription fee, is it really worth it? Let's find out.
$100 off Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra
Why I chose the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra
Sleep experts agree that maintaining the right temperature in your sleep environment can significantly enhance your rest. Research indicates that the ideal temperature range for sleep is between 18°C and 20°C, which supports both falling asleep and sleep quality.
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra isn't just about keeping your bed cool; it dynamically adjusts temperatures throughout the night to align with your body's needs. What really won me over were two key features. First, the dual-zone temperature control lets my wife and me set our preferred temperatures on our respective sides of the bed.
Caption: The Ultra top cover, base and hub work with your existing mattress and bed frame.
Second, it comes with a gentle vibration alarm that wakes you without the jarring sounds of a traditional alarm which is something I've never been a fan of.
Additionally, the Pod 4 Ultra offers custom positioning and snoring mitigation, an added feature that sets it apart from the Eight Sleep Pod 4. The adjustable base can gently elevate the head of the bed when snoring is detected, helping to reduce or even stop snoring entirely.
This feature is particularly useful for anyone managing moderate sleep apnoea, like me, making it a potential game-changer.
Unboxing and setup
Setting up the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra is surprisingly straightforward, though it does require a bit of space and some patience. The product consists of a base and mattress cover that fits over your bed, connected to a control hub via flexible tubing. The hub holds about two litres of water, which circulates through the tubing to regulate the bed's temperature.
You'll need to plug in the control hub, fill the water tank and then connect the tubing to the mattress cover. The app will guide you through the process, priming the system and ensuring there are no air bubbles in the tubes.
The entire setup process takes around 30 minutes, though you'll need to make sure the system is properly ventilated for optimal performance. Naturally, you also need to remove your mattress to insert the Pod 4 Ultra base, so keep that in mind if your mattress is especially big and bulky.
Design and comfort
The mattress cover itself is sleek, soft and comfortable. While you can feel the tubing if you press hard enough, it's not intrusive during normal use. The cover fits snugly over the mattress and the temperature control is activated through the app or via tap controls on the side of the bed.
One of the standout features is the vibration alarm. Instead of a harsh beeping sound, the bed gently vibrates to wake you up. This is a game-changer for those who struggle with traditional alarms, offering a more peaceful start to the day.
You can also choose to incrementally increase the temperature of the mattress if you need added motivation to get out of bed.
Caption: The base moves and elevates your mattress into the optimum position for reduced back pressure and improved blood circulation.
In terms of comfort, the temperature regulation is a key factor in improving sleep quality. On hot nights, the bed can be set to lower temperatures (as low as 13°C) and on cooler nights, it can reach up to a toasty 43°C.
Since using the custom elevation feature of the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra, I've noticed a significant improvement in my sleep quality. I often dealt with lower back pain and snoring, but elevating my upper body with this adjustable base has greatly reduced both issues.
Additionally, it has been incredibly effective in alleviating my acid reflux and swelling, making my nights much more comfortable and restful.
Key Features
Temperature control: The Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra's primary feature is its temperature-regulating technology, which allows you to adjust the bed's surface temperature to your liking. You can select between 13° and 43°C, ensuring a customised sleep environment. During testing, I found this feature incredibly helpful as it kept me cool throughout the night, even when my partner preferred a warmer setting.
Sleep tracking: The sleep tracking feature monitors your sleep stages, heart rate and even your breathing patterns. The Autopilot function uses artificial intelligence (AI) to adjust the temperature throughout the night based on your body's needs. It aims to optimise your sleep by keeping you in the optimal temperature zone for each sleep phase. In my experience, the sleep tracking was impressively accurate, providing detailed insights into my sleep patterns and helping me understand my body's needs better.
Vibration alarm: The vibration alarm is a gentle but effective way to wake up. Instead of a blaring sound, the mattress emits a soft vibration that gradually increases in intensity, allowing you to wake up without disturbing your partner. I loved how the vibration alarm gently roused me from sleep, making mornings much more pleasant and less jarring.
Eight Sleep Pod 4 Review: Is the Eight Sleep Pod 4 worth it?
Is the Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cooling system worth the money? I tested it for an entire year to find out.
Read more…Snoring Reduction: The Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra is equipped with a snoring detection system that adjusts the bed's elevation or temperature to help mitigate snoring. While the system is still learning and may produce varying results, it shows promising potential with future firmware updates.
Custom Elevation for Sleeping: The bed's adjustable base allows users to customise the elevation, improving sleep by reducing aches and pains, enhancing blood circulation and easing conditions like acid reflux and snoring. This feature adapts to your body's needs, providing a more comfortable and personalised sleep experience. I found the custom elevation feature to be a game-changer, as it helped alleviate my back pain and improved my overall sleep quality.
App integration
The Eight Sleep app is intuitive and easy to use. It offers a variety of features, including sleep reports, temperature control and customisable settings for both individuals and couples.
The app also tracks your sleep fitness score, which rates your quality of sleep, consistency and duration. You can adjust settings like the Autopilot temperature control, set bedtime reminders and review detailed metrics on your sleep quality.
Caption: In the images above you can see the sleep journey I've been on. September was rough! but once I really knuckled down and focused on my sleep hacks I was clocking 100-point sleep scores.
One downside, however, is that the app doesn't currently provide real-time temperature data, which would be a valuable feature for those looking to track how well the system is adjusting throughout the night. The manual temperature settings could also do with a bit more clarity. Instead, you get generic terms like "early" and "late".
Performance and user experience
On the whole, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra performs well, offering a noticeable improvement in sleep quality. Since using the system I have been falling asleep faster, staying asleep longer and waking up feeling more refreshed. The temperature control plays a significant role in this, with atmospheric temperature fluctuations no longer disturbing my sleep.
However, the product isn't without its issues. Finding the optimum temperature took a few nights of trial and error. This obviously comes down to personal preference so I'm not sure if there's anything Eight Sleep could do differently here.
My advice is to keep experimenting until you find the setting that works for you - for me, it was 18°C on an average warm night.
For couples, the dual-zone temperature control is a major plus. Each person can set their side of the bed to their preferred temperature, ensuring a more comfortable sleep for both.
Pricing and subscription
At $6,599 for the Queen size, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra is undoubtedly a significant investment. However, its premium price reflects the advanced technology and sleep-enhancing features it offers.
The mandatory subscription costs approximately $42 per month ($499 billed yearly), which covers the Autopilot AI, sleep tracking and vibration alarms. If you choose to cancel your subscription after the first year, you'll lose access to these features, but you'll still be able to control the temperature manually.
While the price is high, it's important to consider that the Pod 4 Ultra combines both temperature regulation and sleep tracking into one device. If you were to buy both a separate cooling mattress and a sleep tracker, the total cost might be comparable.
There's also your electricity bill to consider - compared to a split system air conditioner, the running cost are signficantly lower, making it a good long-term investment if you regularly cool your bedroom.
Should you buy it?
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra is a top-tier sleep tech product that promises to revolutionise your sleep by combining temperature regulation and advanced sleep tracking into one package. Its premium price is justified by the technology it offers, though the mandatory subscription and occasional setup issues may deter some people.
If you're willing to invest in better sleep and particularly if you and your partner have different temperature preferences, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra could be a worthwhile purchase. However, if you're not sold on the idea of a subscription or if you're looking for a more affordable option, there are alternatives on the market that may be better suited to your needs.
