Eight Sleep developed the Pod mattress cover to meet a bold goal: "How can we maximize your sleep and how can we save your life?". That's according to Matteo Franceschetti, co-founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, and while not exactly a simple demand, that's what the company has set to achieve with the Pod 4 smart mattress cover, available from $2,549 at Eight Sleep.
The Eight Sleep Pod 4, released in time for this year's Memorial Day mattress sales, takes a different approach to sleep innovation than most of the beds in our best mattress list. For a start, it isn't actually a mattress. This is a smart mattress cover, designed to fit over your existing bed to provide a cooler night's sleep with no compromise on comfort or support.
Release date: May 2024
Sizes: 4 (full, queen, king, Cal king)
Warranty: 2 years
Trial: 30 nights
But the Pod 4 is more than just a fancy mattress cover. The built-in cooling technology allows you to lower the temperature in even extreme heat conditions, while the integrated tracker detects heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and sleep stages, turning that information into personalized sleep guidance. It can even detect who's snoring, thanks to proprietary Eight Sleep tech.
And the Pod 4 brings a new dimension to Eight Sleep with the introduction of the Pod 4 Ultra Smart Base. Sitting between the bed frame and mattress, the Base inclines at both the head and the feet, to achieve pressure-free sleep (and limit snoring).
All this comes at a fairly hefty price tag. The Pod 4 starts at $2,549, add the Ultra Base and you're looking at a price starting from $4,049. This pricing isn't unusual for a smart bed, but it is disappointing that the extras are weak, with just a 30-night trial and a 2-year warranty. Let's take a look at exactly what the Eight Sleep Pod 4 has to offer...
Eight Sleep Pod 4: Price
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 builds on the Pod 3 which uses smart cooling and sleep tracking to earn the top spot in our best smart mattress guide. As expected, the price of the 4 also builds on the premium cost of the 3. Here's the MSRP of the Pod 4 and Pod 4 Ultra:
- Pod 4 twin: $2,449
- Pod 4 queen: $2,549
- Pod 4 king: $2,749
- Pod 4 Cal king: $2,749
- Pod 4 Ultra queen: $4,049
- Pod 4 Ultra king: $4,249
- Pod 4 Ultra Cal king: $4,249
Eight Sleep believes it's worth it for the sleep improvements the Pod 4 can potentially offer. "Everyone knows how well you feel in the morning if you have a good night of sleep," explains Franceschetti. "And now we have clinical evidence that we can give you up to 30% better sleep. So do you want 30% better sleep and how much money would you pay for that?"
However, beyond the initial investment, the Pod 4 does also come with a reoccurring subscription cost. The Eight Sleep Autopilot app allows you to access the tracking capabilities of the Pod 4. A Standard subscription will set you back $15/month, while the Advanced costs $24/month (and comes with a longer 5-year warranty).
How does this compare to our other favorite smart mattresses? A queen Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed plus FlexFit 2 Smart Base is $4.798.30 at Sleep Number (was $5,998. Meanwhile, Tempur-Pedic's Tempur-ActiveBreeze Smart Bed cooling mattress and frame is on sale at $9,498 for a queen at Tempur-Pedic (was $9,998).
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 is comparable to the smart bed market, but don't forget you have to buy your own bed.
Eight Sleep Pod 4: Features
The Pod 4 isn't just a refresh of the popular Pod 3, but a total upgrade. "Think of [Eight Sleep] like an engine of a Ferrari, right? Every year, you want that engine to be more powerful to consume less power. That's what we do," says Franceschetti.
Cooling is still at the heart of the system. Franceschetti describes overheating as the "biggest issue" affecting sleep, and the Pod 4 has maximized the cooling capabilities that landed the Pod 3 a spot on our best cooling mattress guide. With twice the cooling power of the previous iteration, the Pod 4 can reach 55 degrees F in even extreme temperatures. What's more, it can maintain these temperatures throughout the night, regardless of how the weather (and your body) changes.
Beyond cooling, the Pod 4 tackles what Franceschetti claims is the "second biggest" problem disrupting rest: snoring and sleep apnea. Integrated sleep tracking from sensors spread across the cover measure metrics such as heart rate and respiratory rate, capable of detecting if your breathing becomes labored during the night. Personalized sleep reports help you identify the problem, and look for solutions.
The Ultra adds a whole new element to the Eight Sleep Pod system: a bed base. The three-inch tall Base sits between your bed frame and your mattress, and offers up to 30 degree elevation for the head and a slight incline at the feet.
As well as providing you with a comfortable reading position, this incline mimics a zero gravity bed, taking pressure off the spine to reduce aches and pains. And the base also works with the previously mentioned snore technology. When someone starts sawing logs, the head automatically inclines, opening the airways for easier breathing.
It isn't just the tech that's been upgraded for the Pod 4. Eight Sleep promises this new iteration is quieter, more comfortable, and can be controlled from the bed itself (so you don't need to use your phone in the night). "This is a perfect example of where our vision and the customer demand meet, but they meet in a very innovative way," says Franceschetti.
(For an in-depth explainer of the Eight Pod system, check out our Eight Sleep Pod smart mattress cover guide.)
