- Wrap Yourself in Softness: Best Brushed Cotton Sheet Sets for 2025 - August 28, 2025
- The Best Lyocell Sheets for Cool, Comfortable Sleep - August 27, 2025
- The Best Sleep Technology for the Most Restful Nights - August 27, 2025
The Eight Sleep Pod and Perfectly Snug Smart Topper both provide climate control for your sleep surface, but that’s about where their similarities end.
The Pod is the better choice if you:
- Like the way your existing mattress feels
- Prefer whisper-quiet operation
- Want precise automation nightly and insightful sleep data daily
The Smart Topper is good if you:
- Need a mattress pad that creates a medium-firm feel
- Don’t mind white noise from a fan (or rather, multiple fans)
- Keep your bedroom cool (if you plan to use the cooling settings)
Based on specs alone, let’s explore how the Eight Sleep and Perfectly Snug stack up against one another:
| Comparison | Eight Sleep | Perfectly Snug |
| Price | $2,449–$5,249 based on model (Pod 4, Pod 5 Core, Pod 5 Ultra) and size (full–Cali king) | $1,399–$2,149 based on size (Twin–split King) and zone control (single or dual) |
| Climate System | 1” thick mattress cover, circulating water | 2” thick mattress pad, circulating air (no refrigerant) |
| Temperature Range | 55º–110º F (settings are -10/cooling to +10/warming); independent from ambient room temperature | Unspecified in actual degrees; notes it is less effective at cooling when ambient room temp is 80ºF or above |
| Controls | App; automatic and manual | Manual (on unit) or app |
| Full-Surface Climate | Yes | Yes, but a foot-warmer setting is also available |
| Wake-Up Alarm | Yes | No |
| Subscription | Yes | No |
| Dual-Zone Option | Yes, built-in | Yes, if selected when purchasing |
| Setup | 45–60 minutes | 5–10 minutes |
| Return Policy | 30 days | 30 days |
| Warranty | 2 years; extended 5-year available | 1 year; extended 3-year available |
I’ll tell you everything you need to know about both climate control systems, including their pros and cons, and I’ll also explain the reasons why I think the Eight Sleep Pod is the better of the two.
How The Eight Sleep Compares To The Perfectly Snug Smart Topper
While the Perfectly Snug Smart Topper and the Eight Sleep Pod control the temperature along your entire sleep surface, they do it in very different ways.
Perfectly Snug has a thicker pad that lies on top of your existing mattress, using forced air to conduct the heating and cooling throughout. This is great in theory because the Eight Sleep mattress cover uses water tubing, and that (understandably) makes some folks a little nervous.
I can relate. I have a memory foam mattress and imagined it acting like a giant sponge if the Pod were ever to leak. As an aside, I placed a waterproof cover over my mattress first and then put the pod cover on. Problem solved.
Because the Perfectly Snug uses air and the unit does not have a refrigerant (like an air conditioner, for instance), the cooling is not as absolute as the Eight Sleep’s. For best results with the Perfectly Snug, the ambient room temperature needs to be 79ºF or lower, as it can’t effectively cool your sleep surface if the room is warmer than that.
This is a considerable problem if you have no AC, prefer not to run your AC at night, or live in a situation where you’re dealing with a warm (or hot) bedroom, and a climate control system for your bed is a means to combat that.
The Eight Sleep’s functionality is entirely independent from your bedroom temperature. That alone makes it far more effective in any setting.
Perfectly Snug has a much simpler setup process compared to the Eight Sleep Pod; however, a difference of about 40 minutes or so. The former basically involves taking the topper out of the box, plugging it in, and turning it on. In less than ten minutes, you’re ready to use it.
The fans are actually inside the pad (near the corners), so there isn’t even a separate unit to deal with. I can definitely appreciate that simplicity.
Eight Sleep is a bit more complicated in comparison.
My Pod setup took about 50 minutes, all in:
- Unboxing (because of course)
- Connecting the hub unit to my phone via Bluetooth and then also to WiFi
- Placing the cover over my mattress
- Connecting the cover to the hub unit (water hose and USB cable)
- Priming the system with water (distilled is recommended; I used reverse osmosis)
- Completing my app setup with some basic information, including the side of the bed I sleep on
The setup was really simple, although the priming part took the longest. I have a queen-sized bed (and cover) and the priming took about six or seven minutes and two tank refills to complete.
What I really appreciate though is that the water cable that connects the hub unit to the cover is about six feet long, so I was able to place it on the other side of my nightstand, with room to spare!
Sleeping on the Pod cover is a uniquely wild experience at first because for most of my life (well, all of it, really), my mattress surface would warm alongside my body heat. It’s a little strange getting used to the Pod at first, because when it’s cooling, you feel it… anywhere your body is making contact with the surface of the mattress.
One thing I learned is that it’s best to start at a temperature setting that’s less of a change than you think you need. My Pod is generally set at -2 or -3, most nights. Once in a great while if I’m really feeling hot, I’ll bump it to -4 for a bit, but I’ve never used that setting for long because it gets COLD.
Once upon a time, before I started using the Pod, they used to have an option to see the actual temperature, but that is no longer available.
The conversion between the Eight Sleep Pod setting and temp ranges:
| 8 Sleep Pod Setting | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
| -7 to -10 | 55–65°F | 13–18ºC |
| -5 to -7 | 66–71°F | 19–21ºC |
| -3 to -4 | 72–75°F | 22–24ºC |
| -2 to -1 | 76–80°F | 25–26ºC |
| 0 | 80–82°F | 26–28ºC |
| +1 to +2 | 83–88°F | 29–31ºC |
| +3 to +4 | 89–94°F | 32–35ºC |
| +5 to +7 | 95–103°F | 36–39ºC |
| +8 to +10 | 104–110°F | 40–44ºC |
The Perfectly Snug doesn’t really have a set list of temperature ranges, although the settings use a similar +/- 1–10 system. This is likely because its functionality depends on the ambient room temperature; any setting is going to be based on how warm or cold your room actually is.
One thing I really love about the Eight Sleep is the fact that I can’t feel the mattress cover, aside from the temperature change. The Pod cover is only about an inch thick, which is enough to mask the water channels within, but not enough to change the way my mattress feels.
The Perfectly Snug is twice as thick and it has a “medium firm” feel to it, which feels more firm in the beginning. This isn’t ideal if you have a softer mattress and prefer that, or if you love the way your existing mattress feels and you don’t want that to change.
Aside from the comfort level offered by each, there is one thing that sets the Eight Sleep apart from the Perfectly Snug, and that’s the automation.
Although the Perfectly Snug has built-in sensors that adjust things during the night, the Eight Sleep Pod provides much more comprehensive adjustments based on biometric data that includes your body temperature and sleep cycle, along with other factors and the ambient temperature in the room.
The next day, however, you get a full report (including a sleep grade!) that gives a lot of insights into your sleep from the night before. Data about your heart rate, breath rate, sleep cycles, snoring, movement, and more is always at your fingertips.
That comes with one drawback, however. Well, technically two.
The first is that an Autopilot subscription is required, since it powers all of the automation and data.
The second is WiFi connectivity being required, no matter what. Even if you’re using the Pod manually and without an autopilot subscription, the hub must be connected to WiFi to work. At all.
I discovered how problematic this can be one night when my internet was out after some storms rolled through. I ended up pairing the Pod to my phone’s hotspot for the night as a workaround, but it was an unexpected downside that I didn’t see coming.
Still, despite that (now minor) issue, I still recommend the Eight Sleep Pod highly. It offers so much in terms of temperature, automation, data, and comfort… the Perfectly Snug just doesn’t beat that.
Eight Sleep Pros and Cons
The Eight Sleep Pod is amazing, in my opinion, and although it definitely has a lot of pros working in its favor, it does have some cons that are worth noting before you invest in one.
Eight Sleep Pros
- Provides climate control across the entire surface of your mattress and adjusts it automatically while you sleep based on your biometric data, ambient room temperature, and other factors (including where you are in your sleep cycle) to provide the most restful sleep possible.
- Cools your sleep surface even if the ambient room temperature is warm or even hot.
- Dual zone control is included, and two people can use the same Autopilot subscription; once you set it up, you’ll send an invitation to your partner to join through the app.
- The Pod self-adjusts the temperature through the night, but you can manually adjust when needed.
- The hub is quiet, making less noise than a desktop computer at rest.
- The water hose connection between the hub and the cover is long enough that you can have the hub unit placed within six feet of the connection point.
- The Pod cover is only an inch thick, so it won’t change the way your existing mattress feels in terms of firmness or softness.
- Has a vibration alarm setting (optional) for gentle wake-ups in the morning.
- Offers a rental option that includes an “endless” warranty (during the rental), and the Autopilot subscription is included.
Eight Sleep Cons
- Steeper price point compared to the Perfectly Snug (and other climate control systems, for that matter).
- The Autopilot subscription is required if you want to enjoy any of the automations and sleep data it offers.
- Even if you’re not running the Pod on autopilot, you still need WiFi connectivity for it to operate.
- Setup is a bit of a process, taking between 45 minutes and an hour to complete.
Perfectly Snug Pros and Cons
The Perfectly Snug does have some benefits that are worth noting, although there are several cons to consider, too.
Perfectly Snug Pros
- Lower price point compared to Eight Sleep Pod (any version of it).
- Simple setup that takes less than 10 minutes.
- The fans are located in the corners of the mattress topper, so there is no additional unit that needs to go on the floor or under the bed.
- Offers a foot-only warming option, which is great if you need that in the winter or experience cold feet (of the physical kind) on a regular basis.
- Has easy manual controls right on the side of the topper, but it can also be used with the app if you prefer.
- Does not require an internet connection to run.
Perfectly Snug Cons
- The mattress topper is 2” thick and has a “medium-firm” comfort level that leans toward firm, especially when it’s new. Depending on your current mattress and your personal preferences, the Perfectly Snug will alter the way your sleep surface feels, beyond just temperature control.
- Cannot cool your sleep surface as effectively as you might want if your room is hot (80ºF or higher).
- Because the mattress topper is temp-controlled using air, that airflow can’t be impeded by more than a fitted sheet. If you typically use a cover to protect your mattress (whether waterproof or cloth to prevent stains from spillage, bodily fluids, or middle-of-the-night menstruation surprises), you may not be able to use it over the mattress topper.
Final Thoughts
Despite being the bigger investment, the Eight Sleep Pod (in any iteration) just offers a lot more in terms of comfort, sleep data, and temperature control.
If you’re looking for the most basic climate solution and don’t mind having a topper that’s going to change the way your mattress feels, the Perfectly Snug might be perfectly fine.
For those of us who love our existing mattresses and need more control over our sleep environments, the Eight Sleep is where it’s at. Hands-down.