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I remember the moment my parents announced they were getting a Sleep Number bed; this was decades ago, the company was very bougie, and the beds were the epitome of “middle-class with money to spend.”
It helped my parents during injuries, after surgery, and in general to keep individual preferences in a shared bed.
As I aged, though, I held on to what had probably become an outdated belief that Sleep Number was the pinnacle of mattress technology. So when it was my turn to keep individual preferences in a shared bed, I started researching:
- Price
- Cooling Technology
- Comfort
- Firmness
- Longevity
Here’s what I’ve found.
Sleep Number Price
Sleep Number offers pretty expansive mattress options, but with that comes expensive prices. In fact, cost is one of the biggest deterrents for many customers.
You can find a range of mattresses based on the aspect of sleep that you prioritize the most, whether that’s cooling technology, size, or firmness. There are some models that come with heightened technology, like a special base to go under the mattress, designed to enhance your sleep by reducing snoring, making the bed adjustable, and enhancing the cooling technology.
One of the things I dislike the most is that Sleep Number has technology with a special base unit to amplify things like the cooling technology and diminish snoring, but you cannot purchase those separately; meaning if you already have a mattress you like (maybe even a Sleep Number mattress), you can’t just buy the base separately and add it to your existing setup. You have to purchase a brand new mattress, and that can cost over $8,000 if you want the top model.
Top Alternatives to Sleep Number for Price
Helix
Helix is well known for its more affordable pricing for the foam and hybrid mattresses. For example, if you want something that has similar technology to Sleep Number but without investing in a new mattress, you can opt for the Helix adjustable base as a separate purchase.
Eight Sleep
Eight Sleep is similar to an alternative in that it has what is equivalent to the more advanced Sleep Number models. It stands out in my mind because you aren’t required to pay thousands of dollars for a brand new mattress in order to reap the benefits of the advanced technology; you can purchase the base that goes under your existing mattress, and things like a blanket that goes on top of your mattress.
Sleep Number Cooling Technology
Given the technology behind the adjustable firmness (adjustable airbags, basically), Sleep Number beds are a bit better at cooling compared to standard memory foam mattresses. The air pockets will naturally move heat away instead of retaining it like memory foam.
However, the majority of the Sleep Number mattresses are not built with any advanced cooling technology beyond this.
If you have trouble sleeping because of things like night sweats or you’re just a hot sleeper in general, you have to purchase one of their higher-end models, like the Climate 360 smart bed. This bed uses “advanced temperature balancing,” but it still leaves a lot of people hot and frustrated.
Moreover, you can’t just buy the smart technology base that goes with it or a cooling blanket that goes on top of it; you have to buy the entire unit, and this can be the same as a car down payment.
Top Alternatives to Sleep Number for Cooling Technology
Eight Sleep
Eight Sleep stands out among alternative mattresses for cooling because the technology works completely differently. The majority of alternatives to Sleep Number or comparable mattresses focus on things like material; a more breathable material, or something with more air pockets to allow better airflow.
Eight Sleep focuses on using real-time active hydrothermal technology to control and continually adjust the temperature of the mattress on which you are sleeping (through the mattress cover) and the blanket. If you purchase the cooling pillow covers, they do the same thing. These all rely on smart technology to track your temperature preferences and your current body temperature throughout the night.
It’s normal for your temperature to change as you slumber, and in fact, that is what helps you transition effectively through different stages of sleep. As your brain activity changes, the Eight Sleep smart features adjust the temperature settings.
Purple Mattresses
Purple Mattresses have the proprietary GelFlex Grid material. This has a positive reputation for being able to regulate temperature effectively, especially for hot sleepers (or any ladies with night sweats). It is a good alternative if you want better cooling tech than Sleep Number but not the price of Eight Sleep.
Sleep Number Comfort
Sleep Number relies on what is called their sleep number setting. This is the bread and butter behind the brand, allowing users to adjust the firmness based on their needs. This firmness relies on an air chamber system instead of memory foam, so the air chamber system is located on top of the bed. Instead of contouring to your body like a memory foam mattress, you can adjust the firmness in the pressurized air pockets, and these can be manually adjusted at any time based on preference.
Unfortunately, the key benefit here is that you and a partner can have different firmness settings on one side or the other, but it doesn’t automatically adjust to your needs; you determine what number you want (or “Find your Sleep Number,” as they say) and then set it from there.
Top Alternatives to Sleep Number for Comfort
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic is a comparable alternative if comfort is your main goal. The Tempur-Pedic mattresses provide good body-hugging systems with automatically adjusting memory foam. That can be a lot more comfortable than the air chambers that are built into the Sleep Number mattresses.
Eight Sleep
Eight Sleep is another good alternative if you are looking for overall comfort based on factors beyond the technology for the mattress bed itself. While Tempur-Pedic might be good for body-hugging technology in the adjustable memory foam it uses, Eight Sleep is an ideal sleep system that enhances your comfort by:
- Adjusting the angle of the bed while you fall asleep or if you/a partner starts snoring (adjusting throughout the night based on ambient noise in the environment)
- Playing soft music or other meditative noises as you fall asleep
- Providing hydrothermal technology in the blankets to adjust temperature as you are sleeping and moving through the stages of your sleep cycle
As this is a full sleeping unit that comes with the base, the cooling pillow covers, the cooling blanket, and the Pod unit (although you can totally buy things separately), the more you have for this comprehensive set, the more comfortable your sleep will be.
Sleep Number Firmness
Tangentially, Sleep Number is known for having adjustable firmness. You can choose settings between 5 (on their scale) and 100. 100 is very firm, basically like sleeping on concrete (I know, I’ve done both). The low setting (again, ask me how I know) feels like you climbed into an undercooked bread roll, and the doughy middle is sucking you in.
So even though their firmness has a scale, most people end up in the middle. Still, if your partner wants a different firmness than you do, if you deal with chronic pain and you need to be able to adjust from time to time, or maybe you have other health reasons that might necessitate updating the firmness on a regular basis, this can be a really good option.
Top Alternatives to Sleep Number for Firmness
Saatva Solaire
The Saatva Solaire mattress has a similar air chamber design. This means you can adjust the firmness for each side of the bed. The firmness, however, is combined with a foam layer that, for many users, can enhance the firmness without compromising comfort, effectively providing the body contouring of a memory foam with the firmness of an air chamber mattress.
Sleep Number Longevity
Given that Sleep Number mattresses are an investment equivalent to six months’ rent for many people, it’s important that they last a long time.
For me, the complicated design of their mattresses means more parts that can potentially break. It’s a very complex system, and it combines multiple components, including:
- A foam layer
- Air chambers
- Pumps
- Electronics
Each of these represents a potential point of failure. For example, the foam layers can often develop impressions from your body, especially if you always sleep on the same side of the bed. The mechanical parts might be pretty expensive if your warranty has expired.
On average, a Sleep Number mattress will only last 6 years. Then it’s time for another hefty investment.
Top Alternatives to Sleep Number for Longevity
DreamCloud
If you want to make sure that your investment is protected long-term, DreamCloud is the best alternative because they have hybrid mattresses with more durable materials, and they give you a lifetime warranty. That means if any part wears out or breaks down, your warranty will cover that replacement, and you won’t have to pay for it out of pocket like you would with Sleep Number.
Summing Up
Overall, Sleep Number mattresses are highly regarded, and they continue to be for good reasons, namely the fact that you can adjust the comfort and firmness from one side to another. They offer better breathability because of the technology behind the adjustable firmness, and that can diminish some of the heat retention compared to a traditional mattress.
However, it’s not the end-all, be-all of mattresses that I once thought as a child. There are plenty of good alternatives if you care more about things like cooling technology or longevity, primarily the Eight Sleep Pod, Helix, or DreamCloud.