Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover review 2025

Eight Sleep Pod 4: Review in brief

Eight Sleep is the celebrity-endorsed brand leading the way in sleep tech innovation and smart bed technology. They have designed some of the most innovative mattress systems, providing customers the opportunity to learn exactly what happens to their body overnight, while elevating their overall sleep quality. 

Our lead tester is a sleep tech writer on the hunt for the best technical sleep aids on the market. Did the Eight Sleep Pod 4 deliver on its claims to provide outstanding temperature regulation and intricate sleep tracking? In a word, yes. The Eight Sleep Pod 4 has the potential to change your sleep for good — but it'll cost you (at full MSRP, a queen Pod 4 cover is $2,649.)

It's worth repeating that, unlike the best mattresses for your sleep needs, the Pod 4 isn't a complete mattress. Instead, it's a smart mattress cover that fits over your existing mattress like a fitted sheet and is connected by a soft material covered pipe to a bedside control hub.

Due to its high price, we recommend the Eight Sleep Pod 4 for those with serious temperature regulation issues, such as night sweats, or anyone intrigued by sleep science and looking to invest in their sleep quality. However, as the Pod 4 is controlled via a smart phone app (which you need to pay a monthly subscription for - more on that below), a healthy budget and a certain degree of tech-savviness is required to unlock the Pod 4's full features.

Cost aside, the Pod 4's manual and automatic temperature regulation is very impressive (it ranks highly in our best smart mattress guide for its cooling credentials), allowing each sleeper on each side of the bed to sleep at two different temperatures between 13 and 43°C (55 and 110 F). Lined with water tubes, the pod adjusts its surface temperature throughout the night to keep your temperature regulated all night long. As your desired wake-up time approaches, the Pod 4 will begin to warm, gently signalling to your body that it's time to wake (no jarring phone alarms, here.) 

What really interested our lead tester, though, was the sleep tracking metrics, which read everything from sleep latency to sleep duration, sleep cycles, breathing rate and snoring. The sleep latency (the time it takes you to fall asleep) reading is especially unique and not often offered by other sleep trackers, giving a unique insight into your sleep health. 

Where the Pod 4 falls short is its lack of adjustable firmness and positioning. (For zero gravity positioning you will need to pay a premium for the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra as this model comes with an adjustable bed base.) If back or muscle pain rather than night sweats if your main sleep affliction, we recommend shopping one of Sleep Number's smart mattresses, like the i8 smart bed, which boats dual sided adjustable firmness. 

The $2000 question is: is the Eight Sleep Pod 4 worth the investment? Here we go into deeper detail on our Eight Sleep Pod 4 test data, analysing it across key areas such as design, materials, sleep tracking, temperature regulation and dual control to help you decide whether it's right for you. 

Eight Sleep Pod 4: Price & Trial

• Eight Sleep sales are rare and conservative, hovering at around $100 off 
• The Pod 4 comes with a 30-night trial and standard two year warranty
• Requires a monthly subscription to access all features via Autopilot app 

Leading the way in sleep technology, Eight Sleep is the creator of some of the most innovative smart beds on the market. As such, its smart bed systems aren't particularly cheap and generous price drops are rare. 

That said, there is currently a mattress sale in play, offering $100 off all sizes of the Eight Sleep Pod 4. This brings a queen size from $2,649 to $2,549. No longer at its initial reduced, introductory price, here's the MSRP of all sizes available in both the US and UK:

• US Full / UK Double: $2,449 / £2,449
• US Queen / UK King: $2,649 / £2,549
• US King / UK Super King: $2,849 / £2,749
• US Cali King / UK Emperor: $2,849 / £2,949

The Eight Sleep Pod 4 is the middle model in Eight Sleep three-piece smart bed system suite. This means it has more advanced features and a slightly higher price tag than the Pod 3, which sits at $2,295 for a queen size at MSRP. But it is $2,050 cheaper than the upgraded Pod 4 Ultra in a queen size at MSRP, which is complete with a smart bed base for adjustable bed positioning.  

Where Eight Sleep Pod 4 does get expensive is with the extra costs you incur. This smart mattress cover require you to separately purchase a new (or use your existing) mattress and bed base. Plus you'll need to budget for a monthly subscription fee starting at $17 per month, and going up to $25 per month, to access sleep analytics and controls through the compatible app. To make the pod worth the investment, you'll need this subscription. Without it you can't experience the full smart functionality on offer. 

Where does Eight Sleep Pod 4 sit in terms of price in the wider smart bed market? While the brand's smart mattress covers are more pricey than smart beds like the Sleep Number c1, The Eight Sleep Pod 4 are not as expensive as others (Tempur-ActiveBreeze, we're looking at you).

Eight Sleep Pod 4: from $2,449 $2,349 at Eight Sleep
With dual temperature control, smart sleep tracking and a vibration and thermal alarm, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 is a high tech addition to your sleep routine starting at $1,449 for a full size at MSRP. A queen is $2,649 and the pod goes up to a Cali King. You will need to budget for a monthly subscription fee too. 

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Eight Sleep Pod 4: Materials & Design

• A water-based cooling system includes mattress cover and bedside control hub
• Smart mattress cover made with contouring, soft black material 
• Touch-sensitive controls on the side of the mattress cover

The Eight Sleep Pod 4 is a water-based smart cooling system comprised of a smart mattress cover and a control Hub. The cover, which fits over your mattress like a thick fitted sheet, is made from a soft black material that provides a dynamic contouring surface and adds extra cushioning to your mattress. It is compatible with any 10" to 16" mattress of the corresponding size. You can add Eight Sleep's 11" 5-layer medium-firm mattress to your order for an extra $1,899 (was $1,999) or use an existing one. Meanwhile, the Hub dimensions are 16" (L) x 7" (W) x 17" (H) and must fit alongside your bed — be sure there's space. 

Water pipes run through the mattress cover and are connected to the Hub to heat and cool as needed. Working on customer feedback on the Pod 3, Eight Sleep redesigned the tubing system for the Pod 4. The newer system allows double the cooling power and prevents leaking issues. Thermal sensors track your temperature throughout the night to make sure you don't break a sweat or get the chills. Meanwhile other sensors installed throughout the cover track your sleep and health.

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The Eight Sleep Pod 4 is also fitted with tappable zones on each side of the mattress that allow you to adjust settings and knock off the built-in vibration alarm without using your phone. 

You can upgrade to Eight Sleep's Pod 4 Ultra if you want an adjustable bed base included. This base fits between your mattress and bedframe and allows you to elevate your feet or head to reach your desired comfort.

Eight Sleep Pod 4: Delivery & Setup

• Smooth set up, but you'll need to allow about an hour 
• WiFi and Bluetooth required to connect to Autopilot app 
• Need a bedside space for the control hub and water tube 

We recommend setting about an hour aside to unbox and set up the Eight Sleep Pod 4. It is delivered in two boxes, with one containing the smart mattress cover and the other the control hub. The cover comes vacuum-packed in a bag with two handles for easy manoeuvring and, although a little bulky, the hub isn't too heavy for an average adult to carry upstairs. Although I drafted the help of a family member, the Pod 4 would be easily set up by one person. 

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Once the cover is unpacked, you simply fit it over your mattress. Handily, there is a sticker indicating the top left corner, so you can't mistake which way the cover fits over your mattress. You must then feed the water tube down the top end of your bed making sure it isn't twisted. This tube is attached to the Hub, which fitted neatly between the bedframe and our other bedroom furniture. However, it is quite a bulky bedroom accessory I would rather do without. 

Once fitted snug over your mattress, you can turn on the Hub. There is a QR on the outside of the box which takes you to the Eight Sleep app where you can complete set up. The pod must be connected to WiFi and Bluetooth. We didn't have any issues connecting it to either, but it is worth making sure you have strong internet connection in your bedroom for a smooth-sailing setup.

The Eight Sleep app takes you through setting up and connecting your pod step by step. It measures your room temperature to find an ideal sleep temperature for you and allows you to set a bedtime and wake-up routine. You can also sign up to the Autopilot subscription through the app.

Delivery and set up score: 3 out of 5

Eight Sleep Pod 4: Features

• Sensors lining the cover track your sleep metrics, from sleep cycles to heart rate
• Dual climate control keeps you at optimal sleep temperature all  night long 
• A smart alarm feature wakes you up with vibrations and temperature adjustments

As a smart bed system the Eight Sleep Pod 4, offers high-tech sleep features even some of the best luxury mattresses fail to offer. These include nightly sleep reports, automatic climate control and a vibration alarm. 

The mattress cover is laced with sleep sensors that read metrics like heart rate, sleep cycles and snoring. These sensors are in contact with every area of your body when you lay on it, promising to give much more accurate data than you can get from a wearable sleep tracker that is in contact with just one body part. These sensors are independent on each side of the bed to give each partner a separate sleep report. 

With the Autopilot feature enabled in the Eight Sleep app, the pod will automatically cool and warm throughout the night to make sure you don't get cold or clammy. Studies show the optimal sleep temperature for quality sleep is between 20 and 25 °C (68 and 77 F). You can set a specific bedtime on the app and your pod will reach this temperature at that time to help you fall asleep faster. Other research indicates that overheating is one of the biggest instigators of poor sleep. With the Pod 4 your bed's surface temperature will adjust through the night to keep your core body temperature optimized.

Throughout the night, the pod measures each sleeper's body temperature, room temperature and takes into account your local climate to keep you at an ideal temperature. In short, hot sleepers are in the best hands with the Eight Sleep Pod 4 but, for the best temperature regulation, we recommend they pair the smart bed system with one of this year's best cooling mattresses to get the most comfortable sleep. Plus, the thermal alarm function means the pod warms up come morning to help you wake up as a rise in temperature signals to the circadian rhythm that it's time to wake, helping you create a consistent sleep routine.

What's more, you can wave goodbye to phone alarm, as the Eight Sleep Pod 4 has a vibration and thermal alarm function that wakes you up silently. The mattress cover will gradually heat up as morning approaches. This is because a rise in temperature naturally signals to the body that it is time to wake up. Simultaneously, in place of an alarming ringing tone, the mattress cover vibrates to pull you from sleep at your desired wake-up time.

Eight Sleep Pod 4: Performance

• Temperature regulation is exceptional, keeping hot sleepers cool and comfortable
• Sleep tracking is detailed and accurate 
• The vibration alarm helps wake you up in a more positive mood

Our main tester slept on Eight Sleep Pod 4 for a month, inviting other adults with various sleep needs to try it out to get a wider view of how the smart bed system performs. As well as recording our own personal experiences, we also carried out a number of tests to gauge sleep tracking functionality, dual control and temperature regulation. 

Dual control

With personalized temperature control and independent sleep tracking for each sleeper on each side of the bed, the Eight Sleep pod is perfect for couples whose sleep needs and preferences don't align.

You can adjust the temperature on each side of the bed between 13 and 43°C (55 and 110 F) via the app. Our tester found the dual temperature control effectively warms one side of the bed while keeping the other cool.  

The improved dual sleep tracking sensors also mean your partner's sleep score won't affect your own, and that you each get a detailed and accurate sleep report.

Temperature regulation

Temperature regulation is the Eight Sleep Pod 4's main selling point and the area where it truly excels. Our tester used the manual climate controls to warm the pod when they first got into bed on chilly November evenings. However, as a typically hot sleeper, they liked how it cools down on cue before they drifted off to sleep. 

Our main tester's bedroom temperature is typically 20 °C. While sleeping on the pod our hot-sleeping tester didn't wake up sweaty or stuffy during the night and instead slept comfortably all night long. As your pod gets to know you better, the Autopilot uses your past temperature preferences and sleep history to determine your optimal sleep temperature.

The app also tells you how many temperature adjustments were made each night and at what time and sleep stage they occurred to help you understand more about your health and track how external factors like the weather or illness impact your body temperature at night. Additionally, users of the Eight Sleep Pod 4 who experience night sweats due to hormonal fluctuations caused by the  menopause, or  are just particularly hot sleepers, report enjoying blissful, sweat-free sleep on the pod.

Temperature regulation score: 5 out of 5

Sleep tracking

The mattress cover is laced with sleep sensors that read metrics like heart rate, sleep cycles and snoring, providing more accurate data than you can get from a wearable sleep tracker. These sensors, which come into contact with every part of your body, are independent on each side of the bed to give each partner a separate sleep report. 

Unlike a smart watch, which monitors just one part of the body, the benefit of the Eight Sleep pod is the extra metrics it measures, including body temperature, snore detection, as well as overall sleep duration. The Pod 4 also measures your sleep latency (the time it takes you to fall asleep.) This is not often offered by other sleep trackers, giving a unique insight into your sleep health.

You can also click through and read more about what each sleep stage means, as well as learning more about your average sleep latency and sleep routine consistency. We especially like how you can record any alcohol consumption, illnesses or if you've taken any sleep supplements on the app to keep tabs on how lifestyle choices directly affect your sleep.

Sleep tracking score: 4.5 out of 5

Vibration and thermal alarm

Increasingly irritated by a typical iPhone alarm sound, our tester has been searching for tech that helps you wake up naturally, and quite frankly more humanely. As such, they've tested trying out countless sunrise alarm clocks and was impressed with the thermal, vibration alarm innovation offered by the Pod 4. They like how the vibration feels like a more subtle wake up call and it helped them wake up feeling less groggy than they would when woken by a loud alarm. You can tap the alarm off via the touch pad on the side of the bed.

Eight Sleep Pod 4: Ease of use

• The compatible app is organised and easy to navigate 
• Reviews from everyday sleepers and high-performers are positive
• Eight Sleep has solved issues of earlier models and added a tap control panel 

Once you get to grips with the Eight Sleep app, operating the pod is seamless. You can manually adjust the temperature and your bed routine timings via the app, which has different sections for temperature control, your alarm routine and nightly sleep reports organised in a digital calendar. 

The mattress-side tap control panel is also a valuable addition to the Pod 4. Scientists suggest keeping technical devices out of bed is key to getting quality sleep. Being able to control the temperature via this feature means you avoid the wake up cue of brightly lit screens in bed, helping you get better sleep.

As well as sleeping on a mattress ourselves, we also always look at customer reviews to get a broader picture of the brand. Reviews for Eight Sleep, from top-performing celebrities, everyday sleepers and social media users, are mainly extremely positive. Many people commend it for immensely improving their sleep quality and enjoy the dual control element. They are also impressed with how the manufacturer has solved the leaking issue associated with the earlier Pod 2. 

Ease of use score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy the Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover?

The first thing to consider when deciding whether to buy the Eight Sleep Pod 4 is what sleep problems are you looking to tackle? While it excels at temperature regulation, making it a worthy investment for people whose sleep is ruined by night sweats and hot flushes, it is a mattress cover and therefore doesn't have a major influence over the comfort and support offered by your bed. Hence, people looking to tackle back pain at night, would be better off investing in a smart bed with adjustable firmness and positioning to help them achieve the most comfortable, weightless sleep position possible, or investing in one of the best mattresses for back pain. 

If tracking and learning more about your sleep quality is what you want from a smart bed, then you're at the right place with Eight Sleep. Employing state-of-the-art technology to analyse and score your sleep night after night, it helps you understand what happens to your body overnight, gives a reflection of your general health and helps you keep track of how things like substances like caffeine and alcohol intake affect your sleep quality. 

Eight Sleep Pod 4 mattress cover review: Also consider

Eight Sleep Pod 3: from $2,295 at Eight Sleep
The Eight Sleep Pod 3 is the slightly more affordable, less advanced version of the Eight Sleep Pod 4. At $354 cheaper than the pod 4 in a queen size at MSRP, the Pod 3 offers sleep tracking and temperature control, however it is thicker and noisier than the pod 4. If you are looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, the saving you get by opting for the Pod 3 over the Pod 4 covers your subscription fee for 20 months.

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Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra: from $4,699 $4,499 at Eight Sleep
The Pod 4 Ultra is the upgraded Pod 4 that comes with a smart bed base that fits between your bed frame and mattress and offers advanced smart features including adjustable positioning and snoring mitigation (it adjusts your head position to open airways for easier breathing, whereas the Pod 4 just detects snoring). Of course, this upgrade comes with a hefty price tag with MSRP of a queen sitting at $4,699 before you factor in the monthly subscription and mattress purchase.

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Sleep Number i8 smart bed: from $3,399 at Sleep Number
Sleep Number produce some of the best value smart beds on the market. The i8 smart bed is our recommended smart mattress for people with back and joint pain as its outstanding adjustable firmness allows you to customize the feel of your bed to alleviate pressure where you need it most. There isn't currently a discount on this smart bed, but a queen size is reasonably priced at $3,999 (yes, that's reasonable for a complete smart mattress). Plus you'll get free delivery and  ** warranty with Sleep Number.

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