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Written by
Daniel Noyed
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While we haven’t yet reached the age of jetpacks or flying cars, it’s undeniable that we live in an era of advanced technology. From cars to refrigerators to coffee makers, more and more smart devices are available that offer convenience and other benefits.
In recent years, this wave of innovation has come to the mattress industry, spurring the development of smart mattresses that employ different technologies to give sleepers advanced sleep-enhancing features.
Not all smart beds have the same design, technology, or selling points. Our list of the best smart mattresses reveals the top choices available today, and we also cover some of the potential benefits of a smart mattress as well as how you can pick the right one for you.
Featuring an advanced air chamber design and inventive biometric sensors, the ReST Bed provides exceptional technology-driven customization and automation to enable deeper, more consistent sleep.
When it comes to high-end technology, the ReST Bed is one of the industry’s clear leaders. This innovative airbed design draws on over 20 patents for proprietary hardware and software to give you a personalized sleep experience.
The 13-inch ReST Bed has three main internal components. The top layer is four inches of gel-infused memory foam. This material contours to the body in order to cushion pressure points, and its notable cradling prevents disruptive motion transfer from a bed partner.
The second layer – the sensor component — is thin but critical to the ReST Bed. It is a three-ply fabric made with nylon and polyester that has flexible sensor technology, composed of a grid with over 1000 data collection points, knit inside of it.
The third layer is the support core that has five air chambers on each side of the bed. Those chambers sit under specific parts of the body, and each can be inflated to meet the firmness needs of that area. The air levels are controlled by built-in mini-pumps that operate noiselessly to prevent disturbing sleep. The firmness adjustability gives sleepers excellent flexibility and support regardless of their sleeping position and body weight.
Taking this design even further, the sensor connects via WiFi to an app with multiple modes. Sleepers can control the bed manually or can use an “Auto Position” or “Automatic” mode in which the sensor detects their sleeping posture and makes adjustments accordingly.
A cutting-edge mattress like the ReST Bed comes with a price tag that exceeds the budget of many people, but for luxury mattress shoppers, it is a compelling option. It comes with a 90-night sleep trial and is backed by a 10-year warranty.
The Active Grid technology layer of the Eight Sleep Pod collects critical data for sleep tracking and uses a water-based climate control system to keep you at the perfect temperature all night long.
The Eight Sleep Pod integrates multiple innovative technology components that make it a compelling choice for people who want in-depth sleep data and best-in-class temperature control.
This 11-inch mattress has four interior foam layers. The top three layers are the comfort system and include a specialty polyfoam, memory foam, and a transition polyfoam. This comfort system works to create a comfortable mix of contouring pressure relief and notable bounce. The memory foam layer, in particular, helps to improve motion isolation for people who share a bed. Underneath the comfort system is the support core, a base of high-density polyfoam.
Resting above the foam is what makes the Eight Sleep Pod a smart mattress: the Active Grid layer that features two key technologies. First, the Active Grid has embedded sensors that collect biometric data about your pulse, breathing, movement, and sleep quality. Second, the Active Grid detects your temperature and has a built-in water-based cooling system. An external Hub can heat or cool the water as needed, allowing for ideal temperature regulation. You can set a temperature for each side of the mattress — a plus for couples — and allow the Pod to make adjustments automatically during the night to hold a stable temperature. For extra functionality, the Pod can be connected to smart home programs like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home.
With a Medium (5) feel, the Pod suits the needs of the majority of side sleepers who have sharp pressure points at the hips and shoulders. It also works well for back and stomach sleepers who weigh under 130 pounds.
The Pod comes with a 100-night sleep trial, and Eight Sleep offers a 2-year warranty on the technology layer and a 10-year warranty on the other mattress components.
The Solaire by Saatva gives customers the power to fine-tune their firmness level using a well-calibrated air chamber complemented by durable layers of latex and memory foam.
The Solaire combines both advanced and time-tested materials to provide sleepers with a durable and reliable mattress. This is a smart mattress not because of integrated sensors or techy WiFi integration but because it gives customers an impressive level of fine-tuned control for a customized feel.
The Solaire is made by Saatva, an online mattress brand known for designing beds with quality materials. It is an airbed with a total height of 13 inches and five interior layers, the top three of which form the comfort system. The top layer is organic cotton that is quilted into a pillow-top. The second layer is natural Talalay latex that is bouncy and formulated with five zones to best accommodate the body’s weight. The third layer is gel-infused memory foam to enhance conforming, spinal support, and motion isolation.
The bottom two layers make up the Solaire’s support core. Directly underneath the comfort system is a thin moisture barrier that fights bacterial growth and contributes to the durability of the mattress. The last layer has air chambers made with vulcanized rubber with one chamber on each side. The perimeters around the chambers are reinforced for extra edge support.
The inflation of the air chambers is controlled by a remote that allows for precise settings, and the hidden, built-in pumps are quiet and non-disruptive. The range of firmness levels makes the Solaire a winner with people of all body sizes and sleeping positions, and couples love that each side can have its own firmness feel.
The Solaire comes with free White-Glove delivery that includes installation and removal of an old mattress. You can try the bed during a 120-night trial that has a return shipping fee. The mattress is protected by a 25-year warranty.
A smart mattress utilizes innovative technology to provide customers with enhanced features and functionality that can’t be found in more traditional mattress designs. The type of technology can vary but examples include the use of sleep tracking sensors (usually near the top of the bed), automatic firmness adjustments during the night, and/or cutting-edge components in the comfort system or support core.
Customers are drawn to smart mattresses because they allow for greater personalization and customization. In contrast to the traditional model of a person having to get used to a mattress, a smart mattress that adjusts to you is a breath of fresh air.
Not all smart mattresses have the same design. As a newer and rapidly developing mattress category, smart mattresses don’t have a strict definition. Nevertheless, there are a number of different technologies and features that are frequently offered in these beds.
Smart shoppers know that not all smart mattresses are created equal, and choosing wisely is crucial to making sure that you wind up with a mattress that you love. Because the smart mattress category is so dynamic, it’s important to look closely at their price, features, materials, and performance to identify which is best to suit your needs.
Mattress marketing can involve a great deal of hype, and that certainly applies to many smart mattresses. In some cases, the hype is justified, but at times it can lead shoppers astray. As you review your options, keep these key factors in mind and think over which are the most significant to you.
While smart mattresses have a lot to offer, they aren’t the right choice for everyone. Customers who tend to get the best results from smart mattresses include:
On the flip side, there are some people who are not as well-suited to a smart mattress.
Because of their inventive designs and features, smart mattresses are sometimes thought of as an entire category of their own. At the same time, though, they still technically fit within the broader mattress types that are defined based on their internal construction.
While there are five mattress types — hybrid, innerspring, foam, latex, and airbed — only two are frequently found with smart technology.
Definition: In a foam bed, there are no coil layers, and all the components are made with foam. The support core is made with base polyfoam, and the comfort system can include one or more layers of memory foam, latex, and/or polyfoam.
Pressure Relief Enhanced by Technology: Foam beds excel at properly cushioning the body at pressure points to ease pain and improve spinal alignment. In a smart mattress, those benefits are supplemented by exciting features such as improved temperature regulation and sleep tracking.
Definition: The support core of an airbed is made of one or more air chambers that can be filled with more or less air to modify the firmness level. Inflation is controlled through an app or a remote. The size of the comfort system varies, but it may include foam, latex, or fabrics like cotton and wool.
Personalized Firmness: Airbeds let sleepers customize the feel of the bed by adding or removing air, and even better for couples, the feel can be different on each side. Smart mattress versions step up the personalization by making it easier to adjust the firmness or even allow the mattress to make automatic adjustments during the night.
If you’re going to take the step of buying a smart mattress, you want to make sure that there are no surprises or loose ends. Taking stock of a few final considerations can help ensure that you’re satisfied with your mattress shopping experience.
Since they involve more advanced designs and technologies, smart mattresses are typically more expensive than traditional models. While there may be some initial sticker shock, keep in mind that a high-quality mattress is a worthy investment. We depend on a mattress to garner all the benefits of sleep, and the features of a smart mattress can go a long way to more restful and restorative nights.
With most smart mattresses, you will have the ability to try out the bed in your own home with the option to return it if you aren’t happy with it. This is known as a sleep trial, and for online mattresses, it’s normal for the trial to last around 100 nights. Make sure to look at the terms of the sleep trial ahead of time and mark down the end date in your calendar.
A warranty offers longer-term protection against defects in your mattress; however, it doesn’t cover normal wear-and-tear or accidental damage like spills. Some smart mattresses have different warranty terms for the technology components, so take the time to carefully read over the fine print of your mattress warranty.
Some smart mattresses are delivered to your home as a bed-in-a-box, which means you’ll be responsible for unpacking and setting up the mattress. In this situation, read through the instructions before you get started to make sure that all of the elements, including the technology components, are properly installed.
An alternative to bed-in-a-box shipping offered by some companies is White Glove delivery during which technicians come to your home and install the mattress. Though this may come at an extra cost, it can be appealing if you want stress-free installation and peace of mind that the technology is set up correctly.
Smart mattresses offer an integrated solution for people who want to harness new technology for their sleep, but they aren’t the only smart products available. If you aren’t ready to go all-in on a smart mattress, there are other options to consider:
