Her best tips: If you want to fall asleep faster, stop focusing on the idea that you need to get up early. Your brain takes that as a threat. Also, your mattress matters way more than your decorative throw pillows. A pretty bed is nice to look at, but you won’t see it once your eyes are closed. Invest in the things that provide the most comfort and support, instead.
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As I’ve hurtled through midlife, my body’s temperature regulation has been facing some pretty serious issues. Thanks to longstanding autoimmune thyroid disease and menopause, I bounce between being hot and cold a hundred times a day and night.
I’ve been dealing with it for so long, I’d forgotten what a restful night of sleep could actually feel like and in my search to find it again, I tested the BedJet and the Eight Sleep Pod, hoping to find a solution.
(Spoiler Alert: It’s the Eight Sleep, all the way.)
Let’s take a quick look at the Eight Sleep directly compared to the BedJet:
| Comparison | Eight Sleep Pod 6 | BedJet |
| Price | Starting at $1,999, depending on size and configuration | $699 plus sheets and accessories, mattress size not a factor |
| Climate System | Mattress cover, circulating water | Fan nozzle, circulating air (no refrigerant) |
| Temperature Range | 55°–110° F; active water-based cooling | 66°–104° F; cannot be cooler than ambient room temperature |
| Controls | App and physical controls; automatic and manual | App or remote; manual only |
| Full-Surface Climate | Yes | Not really |
| Wake-Up Alarm | Yes | No |
| Subscription | Yes | No |
| Dual-Zone Option | Yes, built-in | Yes, if purchasing two units with sheets required |
| Setup | 30–60 minutes typically; mine took longer | 10 minutes |
| Return Policy | 30 days | 60 days |
| Warranty | 2 years; extended 5-year available | 2 years; extended 4-year available |
I’ll tell you everything you need to know about both products, my experience with each, and why I recommend the Eight Sleep Pod over the BedJet.
My Experience Testing Eight Sleep And BedJet
I tried the BedJet first, and the best thing about it is the setup process; the whole thing came together in about 10 minutes or so, and it’s pretty straightforward, even without reading the instructions.
Once I had everything set up, I turned it on and when I saw the bedding rise up from the sudden air flow, I knew I did it all correctly.
That night, I turned the BedJet on, cooling to 76°F with the fan speed set to 50%. I was pretty impressed at how quickly it changed the temperature and how strong it felt, but as I snuggled into my bedding, I quickly noticed the bulk of what I felt was centered around my feet and legs. I wasn’t really feeling much of anything up along my back or shoulders, even when I turned the fan speed up.
When my hot flashes kick in, they typically creep up my back and neck first, so for me personally, that’s kind of an important area.
I wasn’t loving the nozzle placement for the BedJet, either. I share a bed with my husband, so the most sensible location for it was at the center of the foot of the bed. Unfortunately, I’m the type of sleeper who has to have a foot hanging off the edge of the mattress, and I found myself accidentally bumping and kicking the nozzle several times throughout the night.
The sound from the BedJet was fan-like white noise that didn’t bother either of us, but the climate control left a lot to be desired otherwise.
I had really high hopes for the Eight Sleep Pod 6, and frankly, it had a low bar to reach after my nights spent sleeping with the BedJet.
The Eight Sleep Pod 6 arrived in two boxes containing the Hub and mattress Cover. Although setup was more involved than the BedJet, the Eight Sleep app walks you through everything one step at a time. I took my time getting everything situated, so the process took me around three hours.
The Pod 6 setup included:
- Connecting the Hub to my phone and Wi-Fi through the Eight Sleep app
- Putting the Cover on our king-size mattress
- Connecting the Cover to the Hub
- Filling the Hub with water using the included pitcher and letting the system prime
- Answering a few questions about my sleep preferences, which side of the bed I use, and how I like my temperature throughout the night
- Going through the quick tour in the app and setting up my temperature schedule
One thing I really appreciated about the Pod 6 was the smaller Hub. The hose is long enough to reach either side of our king bed, and the whole thing fits underneath our bed frame. We use that space for storage, so I expected to have to rearrange quite a bit. Surprisingly, I barely had to move anything, and now I forget the Hub is even there.
I was also curious about how the Cover would feel. I’ve always preferred a softer mattress, and I worried I’d notice the tubing or that the added layer would make our bed uncomfortable. The mattress felt slightly firmer the first night, but by the second night, I wasn’t thinking about it anymore. I can’t feel the tubing underneath me, either.
During my first experience with the cooling, I expected to wait a little while before noticing anything. Instead, I could feel the temperature changing within about five seconds. The Pod 6 is surprisingly responsive, whether I’m cooling down or warming up.
Where the BedJet uses circulating air, the Eight Sleep Pod circulates temperature-controlled water through the mattress Cover. The temperature change comes from underneath your body rather than air blowing beneath your sheets. The system has a temperature range of 55–110°F, and the app also lets you adjust your comfort settings using a scale from -10 to +10.
Here’s how I’ve been using those settings as the weather gets cooler:
| Sleep Stage | My Setting | Why I Use It |
| Bedtime | +3 | I like climbing into a warm bed, especially when it’s cold outside |
| Overnight | -1 | Keeps me comfortable as my body warms up during sleep |
| Wake-Up | +3 | Warms the bed again as I’m getting ready to wake up |
I’ve experimented with colder settings, and even -3 feels pretty chilly to me. On the warmer end, I think +4 is the highest I’ve used, and that already feels very warm. I’m glad there’s so much more room to go warmer or colder, even though I haven’t needed anything close to the extremes.
What’s strange is that the Cover doesn’t necessarily feel dramatically hot or cold when you run your hand across it. But when you’re lying on the mattress, you notice the temperature across the areas of your body making contact with the Cover. And unlike a regular mattress that gradually warms up underneath you, the Pod keeps adjusting throughout the night.
I’ve always loved being tucked underneath blankets, no matter the season. The problem was that I’d get comfortable initially, then wake up overheated and start throwing the covers off. Sometimes I’d wake up chilled afterward. With the Pod 6, I can stay bundled up while the mattress keeps me comfortable underneath.
Autopilot has been a big part of that. It automatically adjusts the temperature based on my sleep stages, bedroom conditions, and personal preferences. One night, the app recorded 38 adjustments. I certainly didn’t feel each one happening, which is part of what makes the system so convenient. I don’t have to anticipate how warm the room will get or how my body temperature might change during the night.
I also get occasional nighttime hot flashes, and the Rapid Cool feature has been particularly helpful. I can lower the temperature quickly without getting out of bed or throwing off all my blankets. There are physical controls on the Cover, too, so I don’t always have to reach for my phone.
From the first few nights, I could tell the Pod 6 was making a difference. After more than a month, I’m no longer waking up sweaty or chilled throughout the night. I’m sleeping through the night much more consistently, and that’s been the biggest improvement for me.
I’ve also grown to love the Smart Alarm. Instead of waking up to my phone suddenly blaring beside the bed, the Pod gently wakes me with vibration and temperature changes. It can use my sleep stages to choose a better time within my selected wake-up window, and I can get up before my husband without disturbing him. It’s a much nicer way to start the morning.
From the very first night I slept using the Pod from Eight Sleep, I wondered where it had been all my life. It’s made THAT much of a difference.
So what did I ultimately do with the BedJet?
As it turns out, it works really well as an under-desk fan! I work from home, so I set it up beneath my desk, pointing the nozzle toward my legs. It’s actually been brilliant for keeping my hot flashes at bay, especially combined with the small USB fan I’ve got on my desktop:
All’s well that ends well!
Eight Sleep Pros and Cons
Even though my experience with the Eight Sleep Pod 6 has been excellent, it has several pros and cons to consider before you pull the trigger on a purchase.
Eight Sleep Pros
- Provides climate control across the entire surface of your mattress and adjusts it automatically while you sleep based on biometric data, ambient room temperature, and other factors, including where you are in your sleep cycle.
- Cools or warms your sleep surface using circulating water, so it can actively change the bed’s temperature rather than relying on room-temperature airflow.
- Dual-zone control is included with the dual-sleeper configuration; during setup, you’re asked if you share the bed and which side you sleep on, then given the option to invite your partner to set up their side independently.
- Although the Pod adjusts the temperature automatically, you can manually adjust it through the app or physical Cover controls whenever you need to, including using Rapid Cool.
- The Hub operates quietly, and its smaller size and long hose give you flexibility in where you place it. Ours fits underneath our bed frame without interfering much with our storage.
- The mattress Cover felt slightly firmer on the first night, but I stopped noticing it by the second night. I also can’t feel the water tubing underneath me.
- Offers a Smart Alarm that uses gentle vibration and temperature changes to wake you up, with the option to time your alarm around lighter sleep stages.
Eight Sleep Cons
- Steep price point, with the total cost depending on the size of your bed and the configuration you choose. A full dual-zone king setup costs more than the advertised starting price.
- An Autopilot subscription is required for the first year, and continued access to automatic adjustments, sleep tracking, and other smart features requires an active membership.
- Setup takes considerably longer than the BedJet. Mine took around three hours because I took my time, although the app makes the process straightforward.
A Quick Note on Leaks in Older Models
Earlier versions of the Eight Sleep Pod, particularly the Pod 3 and older models, had a history of leaks, sometimes occurring after the warranty expired. Given the cost of replacement, I can understand why that would make someone hesitant to put a water-filled Cover on their mattress.
Eight Sleep has since redesigned its tubing to address those concerns. The older models used a grid of square-shaped tubing, with corners that could become stress points over time. The Pod 4 and Pod 5 introduced a more interlaced layout with fewer stress points and softer, more flexible tubing.
To test the updated design, Eight Sleep says it rolled heavy metal drums weighing several hundred pounds across the Cover continuously for a week to simulate years of use. Newer models also perform automatic daily priming to reduce pressure buildup, further lowering the likelihood of leaks.
I’ve been sleeping on the Pod 6 nightly for more than a month without experiencing any leaks. That’s encouraging, although I’ll need considerably more time with it before I can speak to its long-term durability.
BedJet Pros and Cons
The BedJet has a few things going for it, but in my experience, the cons outweigh the pros… considerably.
BedJet Pros
- Much lower price point compared to Eight Sleep and other similar bed climate control systems.
- Really easy setup that took about ten minutes, all in.
- Fantastic for foot-warming or cooling.
BedJet Cons
- Cannot cool your sleep surface if your room is hot.
- Really does not regulate the temperature of the entire sleep surface; most of the effects are felt in the lower half of the bed (toward your feet).
- The higher the setting, the louder the unit becomes. In my testing, it hits 55-56 dB at 100% fan power.
- Dual-zone climate control is only possible if you purchase a second unit and place one on each side of the bed.
- No automatic adjustments to your climate based on your body or ambient temperature while you sleep.
- Because the nozzle sits at the edge of your mattress, it not only creates a visible lump there, but it’s easily kickable, depending on how you sleep.
Final Thoughts
For my personal needs, there was really no comparison between the Eight Sleep Pod and BedJet. After testing both extensively, the Pod simply offers a far better night of sleep.
Yes, it is an expense… but I wholeheartedly feel that it’s worth the cost when you need climate control across the entire surface of your mattress, and one that self-adjusts based on your biometric data and ambient room temperature night after night.
Speaking of ambient room temperature, that’s a major difference between the two products: The BedJet cannot cool beyond the existing temperature in your room, where the Eight Sleep can.
As an independent climate system for your bed, the Eight Sleep Pod delivers the most flexibility, comfort, and restful sleep I think I’ve ever had.