Eight Sleep Pod Pro Mattress Review

Ratings Breakdown

Performance Ratings

Next, let’s take an in-depth look at our performance ratings for the Eight Sleep Pod Pro mattress. These ratings are based on findings from our internal and external testing teams, along with verified customer and owner experiences.

Durability

The Pod Pro debuted in spring 2020, and we haven’t had enough time to test this model against the average mattress lifespan of six to eight years. Therefore, our durability rating for the Pod Pro is based on its quality of materials and design, as well as Eight Sleep’s reputation.

The Pod Pro is an all-foam mattress with a medium feel, so owners will probably notice some softening and loss of support over time. This can lead to sagging and body impressions in the surface that affect how comfortable the mattress feels. We expect the mattress to perform for about six and a half to seven years before a replacement is needed. This estimated lifespan is on par with the average all-foam model. Owners can preserve their mattress to some extent by rotating it head-to-foot every three to six months.

Since the Pod Pro is a smart mattress, customers should also take the technology components into account. The Active Grid and Hub are covered under a separate two-year warranty. If owners experience issues with these features after owning the mattress for two years, they may be costly to repair or replace.

Motion Isolation

Two of our testers evaluated the Pod Pro for motion isolation by lying side by side on the mattress. One tester moved around while the other felt for their movement transferring across the surface. During these tests, the Pod Pro demonstrated very good motion isolation. This can be attributed to its plush foam comfort layers; the polyfoam is somewhat responsive, but the surface is not too bouncy and movement shouldn’t spread to other areas of the mattress. The underlying memory foam layer also absorbs motion very well.

The Active Grid did not affect the Pod Pro’s motion-isolating abilities. We recommend this mattress for anyone who tends to wake up when their sleep partner changes positions or gets on and off the mattress.

Off-Gassing

Our testers noted some initial off-gassing odor after unboxing the Pod Pro. New all-foam mattresses often emit these smells, which many liken to rubber or plastic. They can be overwhelming at first – but in the Pod Pro’s case, these smells dissipated rather quickly. We don’t expect this mattress to release major off-gassing after two or three days. If odors persist, try placing the mattress in a well-ventilated room for another day or two.

Pressure Relief

To evaluate pressure relief for the Pod Pro, our testers took turns lying on the mattress with sensors that track pressure buildup in sensitive areas of the body, such as the shoulders and hips. They also switched sleep positions to see if pressure increased or decreased on their sides, back, or stomach.

The Pod Pro has a medium feel, and the comfort layers adapt and contour to the body rather closely. As a result, the mattress provides ample cushioning and promotes spinal alignment for side sleepers, while alleviating pressure and maintaining an even surface for back and stomach sleepers. While our testers who weigh more than 230 pounds sank somewhat deeply and felt extra pressure, those in the lightweight and average weight groups experienced a comfortable contour and very good pain and pressure relief throughout the body.

The Smart Grid’s technology components can’t be felt through the cover and should not impact pressure relief for any sleepers.

Temperature Neutrality

Temperature neutrality is the Pod Pro’s major strength. Many mattresses sleep cool or warm because of their material compositions, but the Pod Pro offers active heating and cooling thanks to its Hub and Smart Grid components. Owners can program both sides of the bed between 55 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit (12.8 to 46.1 degrees Celsius), and the mattress will automatically adjust these settings based on sleeper body temperature and other factors, such as outside weather and humidity levels.

The Pod Pro’s settings are controlled using the Eight Sleep app, which is user-friendly and free to download. Anyone who sleeps hot or cold should be able to find a reasonable temperature setting on the Pod Pro, given its wide range of options.

Edge Support

To evaluate the Pod Pro for edge support, our testers sat along the perimeter just as an owner might do when getting on and off the mattress. They also took turns lying near the edges to check for feelings of “roll-off,” which commonly occur on beds with weaker perimeter support.

The Pod Pro demonstrated fair edge support during these tests. All of our testers noticed some sinkage, but the issue was most problematic for those who weigh more than 230 pounds. This can be attributed to the bed’s medium surface feel, as well as its all-foam construction. Softer foam beds are especially susceptible to deep sinkage, and this issue can worsen over time as the mattress materials begin to deteriorate. Regularly rotating the mattress can minimize sinkage to some extent.

Noise

The Pod Pro’s foam layers are all completely silent when bearing weight. This is a common characteristic for all-foam models. Additionally, the Hub and Smart Grid components do not produce any sort of discernible noise, so sleepers won’t need to worry about any disruptions from this mattress.

Sex

Every couple has different opinions when it comes to the best mattress for sex, but most prefer a responsive surface with some light conforming. Springiness ensures easy movement across the mattress, while a gentle contour provides good traction that allows couples to maintain one position for prolonged periods.

The Pod Pro certainly conforms enough to deliver consistent traction, but couples who prefer responsive beds for sex probably won’t find this model bouncy enough. The lack of edge support can be another issue. Since the perimeter is susceptible to deep sinkage, couples may feel confined to the middle of the mattress.

Sleeper Ratings

Body shape, weight, and sleep position preference can all impact which mattress is most suitable for any given sleeper. In order to remain objective, all the beds we review are sleep-tested by a diverse team encompassing many weight categories and sleep position preferences.

Lightweight Sleepers – Less than 130 lbs.

The best sleeper ratings for the Pod Pro came from our testers in the lightweight group. The mattress is well-suited to sleepers weighing less than 130 pounds because it offers a plush feel and close body-contouring. People in this weight group often prefer softer mattresses because they sink deeply beneath the surface and feel the bed’s conforming effects. Firmer models tend to feel stiff by comparison.

The foam-padded cover provides ample cushioning for the shoulders and hips of lightweight side sleepers, which in turn can align the spine and reduce pressure throughout the body. Back and stomach sleepers weighing less than 130 pounds enjoyed the Pod Pro because the foam conforms to their body and alleviates pressure without sinking excessively. All in all, we highly recommend this mattress for anyone in the lightweight group regardless of their sleep position – provided they enjoy close body-conforming.

Average Weight Sleepers – 130 to 230 lbs.

Our average weight testers were a bit more mixed than their lightweight counterparts when it came to the Pod Pro. Side sleepers weighing between 130 and 230 pounds report excellent contouring and pressure relief. They didn’t sink too much around the shoulders and hips, and this helped to maintain even spinal alignment. Back sleepers in this weight range also felt very comfortable on the mattress, though they felt more sinkage beneath the torso and waist than our lighter testers who sleep on their backs.

For stomach sleepers in the average weight group, the mattress provided good overall stability but they still felt a fair amount of sinkage between the shoulders and hips. This is a common issue for stomach sleepers. Since many people carry a disproportionate amount of weight in their midsection, sleeping face-down can cause some areas of the body to sink more than others.

Heavyweight Sleepers – More than 230 lbs.

Ratings for the Pod Pro were less favorable from our heavyweight testers. The most common complaint is that the mattress feels too soft and conforms too closely to support their bodies. Side sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds sank a bit around the shoulders and hips, and this affected spinal alignment to a minor extent – but overall, they found the mattress reasonably comfortable.

Back sleepers in this weight group awarded the mattress a “good” rating, as well. Although the surface was not as even as they would have liked, they didn’t sink too much or feel an excessive amount of added pressure. Stomach sleepers in the heavyweight group experienced more sinkage than their back sleeping counterparts – and for some, this issue negatively affected how comfortable the mattress felt. A firmer, more supportive mattress will probably be a better fit for stomach sleepers who weigh more than 230 pounds.

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