Are Sleep Number beds worth it? I’m a sleep tech tester and here’s my take

A split king Sleep Number i8 smart bed mattress on an adjustable FlexFit Base, with the head raised on both sides of the mattress

(Image credit: Sleep Number)

Favoured by world class athletes including NFL players, Sleep Number is a leading sleep tech brand backed by a team of sleep science researchers and technology specialists. It's mattress suite encompasses affordable smart beds costing under $1,000 along with advanced models costing upwards of $10,000.

After testing countless beds, we know even the best mattresses on the market won't suit everybody because your bed needs fine tuning to your sleep needs, sleep style and body type for you to get the best quality rest.

This is where Sleep Number can help, with adjustable, responsive firmness and integrated sleep tracking.

What is a Sleep Number mattress?

Rivalling the likes of Eight Sleep and Tempur-Pedic, Sleep Number manufactures some of the best smart beds and mattresses you can buy, and in comparison to other brands, they offer exceptional bang for your buck.

In simple terms, Sleep Number mattresses are adjustable air beds built with chambers that you can inflate and deflate at the touch of a button to reach your desired mattress firmness. They also have layers of foam for extra comfort and built-in sleep tracking sensors that connect to a compatible mobile app.

Birds eye view of couple sleeping in Sleep Number Climate360 smart bed with different temperatures on each side — (Image credit: Sleep Number)

All mattresses from the brand come with three signature features: adjustable firmness, responsive firmness and sleep tracking. Models with a higher price tag add smart temperature regulation into the mix too.

Sleep Number's mattress line is split into six series, with each series having its own USP. The Classic series is the cheapest, most basic. The Performance series offers enhanced pressure relief. The Innovation mattresses, which include our recommended best value smart bed of the year, the i8 smart bed, specializes in temperature balancing. The m7 smart bed is the standalone model in Sleep Number's memory foam series. Meanwhile, the recently-launched ClimateCool excels in active cooling and the Climate360 offers an all-round premium sleep experience with active cooling and warming and an adjustable bed base included.

Who would benefit from a Sleep Number mattress?

Sleep Number mattresses deliver more than a standard mattress, enabling you to personalize your sleep set up, meaning many sleepers would benefit from one.

If there's one thing that guarantees you'll wake up feeling groggy, it's sleeping on a mattress that's uncomfortable for your sleep style and body type. Sleep Number's adjustable firmness means you and your co-sleeper can customize the feel of each side of the bed, which is great for news for couples who can't agree on firmness preferences.

The responsive firmness functionality also means that if you move during the night, the firmness will alter to suit your new position, making sure you are fully supported and comfortable. This makes Sleep Number beds ideal for combination sleepers who likely to shift between positions through night.

Anyone looking to level up their sleep with tech would benefit from Sleep Number's nightly sleep reports and SleepIQ score. These help you learn more about their sleep, track their health and understand how daily habits affect sleep quality.

A man in blue pyjamas laying on his side on Sleep Number Climate360 smart mattress — (Image credit: Sleep Number)

While all Sleep Number mattresses include ceramic-gel for cooling, the Climate360 and ClimateCool smart beds are best for anyone particularly struggling with night sweats and hot flushes, thanks to their smart active cooling systems.

Further upgrades at Sleep Number like adjustable bed bases (available from $1,299 in a queen size) are worthy for anyone kept awake by back pain or achy joints as they enhance pressure relief with the zero gravity sleep position.

How much does a Sleep Number bed cost on average?

Sleep Number mattresses are not particularly cheap. But you can't expect mattresses packed with sleep revolutionizing technology to compare with the best cheap mattresses.

Plus, in comparison with mattresses and smart bed systems from other premium brands, Sleep Number mattresses are reasonably priced and give good value for money.

The different series cater for different budgets. The cheapest is the Classic series includes the c1, c2 and c4 smart beds. Queen size c1 and c2 smart beds are $999 and $1,299 at MSRP. This puts them in line with the price of many of the best hybrid mattresses.

A Sleep Number smart bed — (Image credit: Sleep Number)

However, you should beware that these beds are on the thin side of mattress thickness mattress thickness at just 8" tall and they lack advanced temperature regulation. But personalized comfort control and sleep tracking for under $1,000? Take my money.

The i8 smart bed sits in the middle at $3,999 for a queen at MSRP. For reference, a Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra (comprising a smart mattress cover, control hub and adjustable base, but no actual mattress) costs $4,699 at MSRP. This smart bed system offers more advanced temperature regulation, customizable positioning and sleep tracking, but no adjustable firmness.

At the more expensive end of Sleep Number's scale is the ClimateCool and Climate360. A ClimateCool costs $5,749 for a queen and includes an integrated bed base. The queen price hikes to $10,249 with the Climate360 and includes a smart adjustable base. These are more investment beds, offering the greatest value to sleepers fed up of tossing and turning with nighttime hot flushes.

Woman and man sleeping in a Sleep Number smart bed. — (Image credit: Sleep Number)

Among the rest of the Sleep Number range, you can expect to pay around $2,000 to $3,999 for a queen. This places them in the premium bracket, where we expect to see the best luxury mattresses and the kinds of mattresses used by hotels.

What about Sleep Number sales? The brand run regular sales and rotate deals around their mattress suite. The best discount tends to be 50% off, which was last seen on the iLE smart bed translating to a whopping saving of $3,799.

Other familiar deals include up to £1,200 off the popular i8 smart bed and $100-$400 off the Classic series, making these budget-friendly models even kinder on the wallet. Note $100 off the c1 smart bed is currently active at Sleep Number.

Around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which is historically the best time to buy a mattress, there was 20% off across Sleep Number. Although Sleep Number sales are not evergreen, when they do hit, they tremendous savings.

3 best Sleep Number mattress deals to shop today

How long does a Sleep Number bed last?

As a general rule, we recommend replacing a mattress roughly every seven to 10 years. This is when you tend to start noticing lumps and bumps in your bed as the supportive interior wears down and starts sagging.

However, Sleep Number's 15-year warranty period suggests they believe their mattresses will last five years longer. So, while you might be paying more, you should be using the bed for longer. This provides you financial reassurance when making such a hefty investment in your sleep set up.

A 15-year warranty is impressive in the smart bed market considering Eight Sleep offers just two years without a subscription and Tempur-Pedic and Bryte offer the average 10 years.

Are Sleep Number beds worth it?

Buy a Sleep Number mattress if...

✅ You're a first time smart bed buyer: If you're curious about smart bed technology but hesitant to splash too much cash, the entry-level Sleep Number Classic series is a great place to start testing smart mattresses without commanded a huge investment.

✅ You want to track your sleep without wearables: Sleep Number beds feature integrated sensors that track your sleep throughout the night. Like wearable sleep trackers, these sensors measure everything from your breathing rate to your sleep cycles and sleep duration. In contact with most of your body, smart beds tend to give more accurate data than wearable sleep trackers.

✅ You and your partner have different firmness preferences: A big draw of Sleep Number mattresses is their dual adjustable firmness, meaning you can alter the feel of each side of the bed independently. Meanwhile, the mattress tracks your movements through the night, ensuring you remain as comfortable and supported as possible regardless of your partner's movements.

Don't buy a Sleep Number mattress if...

❌ You sleep soundly on a standard mattress: There's no getting around the fact that Sleep Number beds are expensive. While you do get a lot of smart features for your money, the cost is still a big stumbling block. If you tend to sleep comfortably on a standard mattress, you might find you're paying a lot for technology you never use.

❌ You like the feel of a luxury mattress: Although you can customize the feel of a Sleep Number mattress, they are not complete with the plush layers of foam or luxurious materials of other premium mattresses. They are relatively thin and the air chambers inside do affect the overall feel of the mattress.

❌ Your not tech-savvy: For full functioning, you need to connect your mattress to Wi-Fi along with the Sleep Number app. If you aren't confident using this technology, or are cautious of your personal sleep data being stored digitally, a smart bed may not be the best option for you.

Eve is a PPA-accredited journalist with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. She is a Sleep Staff Writer at Tom’s Guide and has four years’ experience writing health features and news. She is particularly interested in the relationship between good sleep and overall health. At Tom’s Guide Eve is responsible for coverage and reviews of sleep tech and is our smart and cooling mattress specialist, focussing on brands such as Eight Sleep and Sleep Number. She also covers general mattress reviews, seeks out the best deals to produce tried-and-tested buyer's guides for sleep accessories and enjoys writing in-depth features about sleep health. She has been involved in rigorous testing procedures for mattress reviews in our Sleep Studio and has interviewed experts including sleep doctors and psychologists. When not covering sleep at Tom's Guide, Eve enjoys writing about health and fitness, food and culture.

With contributions from