CNET’s sleep team has long been testing mattresses, bedding and sleep accessories, and Eight Sleep has always been a crowd favorite. The latest generation of Eight Sleep’s AI-powered system launches on Wednesday — and this time, it includes a temperature-controlled blanket in addition to the mattress cover, hub and adjustable base. As with previous models, Eight Sleep’s mattress is sold separately.
The Eight Sleep Pod 5 is quite the investment; a queen-size Core model starts at $3,099, and the all-inclusive Ultra is $6,099. On top of that is a monthly subscription fee for accessing the Pod’s high-tech features, ranging from $17 to $33 per month, depending on your chosen plan.
Here are the new upgrades to the Eight Sleep Pod, a product significantly influencing the sleep fitness industry.
What is the Eight Sleep Pod?
The original Eight Sleep Pod launched in February 2019, and each iteration since has seen improvements in functionality, comfort and durability. Eight Sleep’s primary function is to offer sleepers (both hot and cold) relief with its temperature-regulating mattress cover. Through real-time sensing and automatic adjustments, this smart cover helps sleepers fall and stay asleep by regulating body temperature throughout the night. It’s dual-sided, so you and your partner can each have personalized settings.
How does it work?
Many brands claim their sleep products are cooling, but we find Eight Sleep to be one of the few that live up to the hype. It works by pulling water from the connected hub and circulating it through a network of thin tubes within the cover. Its ability to heat and cool is impressive, with temperatures ranging from 55 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pod has helped our own sleep and mattress experts find better sleep while sharing the bed, forgoing blanket battles and disagreements about bedroom temperature.
The hub sits on the floor beside your bed and connects to the mattress cover, pumping water through its tube system.
Health and sleep metrics
The Eight Sleep Pod does more than simply keep you temperature-neutral at night. It has clinical-grade sensors that connect with Eight Sleep’s app to provide a detailed sleep and health metrics report, allowing you to analyze your data with what the brand calls Autopilot. The data includes your sleep (time asleep, time to fall asleep, time awake and sleep phases), cardiovascular biometrics (heart rate, heart-rate variability and breath rate) and snoring (snore times and intensity).
What is new with Pod 5?
Say goodbye to Pods 3 and 4, as these older models will no longer be available for purchase on Eight Sleep’s website; however, if you’re a Pod 3 or 4 user, don’t fret. You can still use your current setup as usual and access the upgraded algorithms of the new Pod 5. If you want to upgrade your system, you’ll receive discounted pricing through special member access.
1. Hydro-powered blanket
In addition to the mattress cover, hub and base, Pod 5 now offers a hydro-powered blanket. Using a similar network of thin tubes, the blanket connects to the cover at the foot of the bed to provide complete heating and cooling coverage across your entire body, not just beneath you. Our team is particularly eager to test and share our thoughts on this new feature.
