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If you’re here then you probably already heard about the Eight Sleep Pod 3 and all that it has to offer. You probably also heard that people such as Elon Musk, George Russell (of F1 fame) and Joe Rogan are big fans of the Eight Sleep Pod 3 and right now you need to know if it really is worth all the hype (and the big price tag). You’ve come to the right place ‘coz we dove in deep.
Eight Sleep Pod 3 Review and Performance Test Results
Pros
- Helps regulate your sleeping temperature
- Actively cooling
- Easy to set up
- App-controlled
- Tracks sleep score which helps you improve your sleep health
- Fits any mattress
Cons
- Expensive (like, VERY expensive)
- Subscription-based
- App works a little slow on Androids
- Makes rotating your mattress a little difficult
Our experience with Eight Sleep Pod 3
Temperature is a sleeper’s worst enemy.
You lose sleep when you sleep too hot or too cold – that is a fact. The Eight Sleep Pod 3 was made to fix just that.
Essentially a mattress cover that can fit into any mattress, the Eight Sleep Pod 3 is a high-tech device that features a CPU-sized hub that controls the Active Grid on the mattress cover that regulates your bed’s temperature, helping you sleep warm when it’s too cold and helping you sleep cool when it’s too hot.
How exactly does it work?
We’ll get more into that in the setup section but after sleeping on the Eight Sleep Pod 3 for over a week, we can safely say that it does what it’s supposed to and it does it well.
Very well, in fact.
We just wish it didn’t cost an arm and a leg (throw in a kidney).
Temperature Regulation
The Eight Sleep Pod 3 wouldn’t have its devoted fans if it didn’t do what it says now would it?
You do need to tweak the settings a little bit before you get to that sweet spot that suits your sleeping temperature preference but the good news is that the Eight Sleep Pod 3’s tech soon memorizes your preferences and adapts to when exactly you need just the right temperature depending on your sleep cycle.
Think of it as like an algorithm but for your mattress.
Another thing we liked about the Eight Sleep Pod 3 mattress cover is that if you share a bed with a partner, you can customize each side to be the temperature that each of you would like.
Say your partner likes it warm and you liked it cold, the Eight Sleep Pod 3 does just that. It can go as low as 12 degrees and as high as 43 degrees (that’s centigrade ok).
Be careful though when you start out because when we say that the Eight Sleep Pod 3 sleeps cool, we actually mean cold if you don’t adjust the setting properly.
For the Eight Sleep Pod 3 to work, you need to subscribe to Eight Sleep’s Autopilot which is, of course, an added and recurring cost.
Ease of Setup
Setting up the Eight Sleep Pod 3 is actually pretty straightforward.
The instruction manual is clear and concise. It will take a while though – give yourself ample time (4-5 hours) to set it up which means don’t do it if you’re just about ready to sleep.
When we say CPU-sized, we don’t necessarily mean the CPU of the early 2000s so the hub is big yeah but not at all obtrusive. I suggest tucking it behind the headboard or underneath your nightstand.
What you need to do is to fill up the hub with water (yes, water) through the tubes located on its sides. Once that’s filled, you just connect and go.
While you’re waiting for the hub to be filled, we suggest downloading the app because that’s the only way you can control it. We did find that the app works better on iPhone rather than Android where it can be a bit laggy.
Sleep Tracker
Do you really need a sleep tracker?
Truthfully, no. But it’s a nice thing to have.
In today’s fast paced world run by LED lights and blue screens, a good night’s sleep is somewhat of a luxury. The Eight Sleep Pod 3’s sleep tracker provides clinical-grade sleep and health tracking that tells you everything from the way you sleep to when your REM stage is to how many times you’ve snored.
You can also set alarms (as well as vibrating alarms) to help you wake up in the mornings. You also get thermal alarms which helps you know when it’s too hot or too cold.
The tracker also detects your resting heart rate, HRV and breath rate and relates it to your sleep routine which then measures your overall sleep quality. And we all know sleep quality is important.
Cost
It’s expensive. There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it.
For the average sleeper who just wants the right mattress to sleep on, the Eight Sleep Pod 3 is not a necessity but for those of you who sleep extremely hot (and with money to burn), the Eight Sleep Pod 3 just might be the answer to your sweat-soaked prayers.
Warranty
Eight Sleep offers a standard 2 year warranty for the Eight Sleep Pod 3.
They also offer an extended warranty of 5 years if you are what they call an Enhanced member (see their membership plans).
Return Policy
You have 30 days from the date of purchase to return the Eight Sleep Pod 3 should you find that you’re not happy with it.
All you need to do is email Eight Sleep’s customer service team and they will walk you through the entire return process.
A full refund will then be processed once the item returned. The refund will be sent to the original mode of payment you used when you purchased the product.
Shipping
Eight Sleep offers free shipping for their Pod systems within the continental United States.
Financing
Eight Sleep offers financing for all of their products through Affirm.
Evolution of the Eight Sleep Pod and Previous Versions
The Eight Sleep Pod 3 is actually the third iteration of the Eight Sleep Pod system.
The first two versions had a noticeable hum that was a problem for some sleepers, especially those who are sensitive to sound when they’re asleep.
As of this writing, the Eight Sleep Pod system now also has the 4th version (Eight Sleep Pod 4) as well as the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra.
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 features a dynamic contouring surface, 2 times more cooling power than the Pod 3 and you can control it without a phone.
The Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra also features all that but comes with an adjustable base.
About Eight Sleep
Headquartered in New York City, Eight Sleep is a sleep fitness company that produces sleep enhancing bed accessories.
Utilizing both technology and tried and tested wellness programs and infusing it into their sleep products, Eight Sleep has achieved cult status among elite athletes as well as those who work in tech.
Contact Eight Sleep Customer Service
You can contact Eight Sleep customer service through phone and email.
- Phone – 888-699-4015
- Email – support@eightsleep.com
Other Smart Mattress Covers to Consider
Not sold on the Eight Sleep Pod 3?
You might want to check out these other alternatives.
Chilipad Cube Bed Cooling System
Small and compact, the Chillipad Cube Bed Cooling System has the bones of what the Eight Sleep Pod 3 is but none of the fancier accoutrements.
Instead of being a mattress cover, the Chillipad is a mattress topper that helps regulate your bed’s temperature. It also features dual zone temperature control which is perfect if you share a bed with a partner.
Bedjet 3
The Bedjet 3 is a more inexpensive alternative to the Eight Sleep Pod 3 and their only similarity is that they both have dual zone temperature control.
The Bedjet 3 is technically a blanket that’s connected to a slightly clinical looking hub that is remote controlled.
Neat Aquapad
If you need something really, really inexpensive, check out the the Neat Aquapad.
It is a mattress pad that is meant to be placed on top of your mattress but underneath your topper if you use one and helps you sleep cooler by transferring your body heat and releasing it into the atmosphere.
Additionally, the Neat Aquapad’s hub can be used as a minifan should you need the extra cooling boost.
Additional Resources: Learn more about Eight Sleep
Where to buy Eight Sleep Pod 3
You can only purchase the Eight Sleep Pod 3 and the other Pod systems on their official website.
Conclusion
The Eight Sleep Pod 3 mattress cover uses smart bed technology that helps any mattress stay cool when it’s hot and stay warm when it’s cold.
Geared towards those who tend to sleep extremely hot, the Eight Sleep Pod 3 also comes with a dedicated clinical-grade sleep tracker that helps you improve your sleep health by measuring all your vitals when you sleep.
The Eight Sleep Pod System may not be for everyone though, purely from a financial standpoint. There are other (cheaper) alternatives that can help you sleep cooler if you’re on a budget.
Michelline loves nothing more than a cozy bed, with a stack of books at her side. She loves getting lost when she travels, can bake an entire British afternoon tea from scratch, is obsessed with all things analogue and does calligraphy on the side. She currently suffers from mild insomnia and is more than happy to be your guinea pig, so you won’t have to go through all the trouble of finding out what works best for you.
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Psst… the sleep review industry is full of liars, sharks, and thieves. It’s a modern-day version of getting ripped off at your local mattress store. So, why should you trust us?