Nowadays, it seems like everything is ‘smart’, from speakers to doorbells and beyond. If you’re thinking there can’t possibly be more things to add smart technology to, you’d be wrong as a recent smart craze has started in the bedroom in the form of smart beds and mattresses.
A smart bed is a bed base or mattress that has sensors and technology within their construction to monitor sleep patterns and provide other reporting and entertainment. There’s a wide range of smart beds available today, including mattresses that adjust the firmness, sleep position and temperature, to more intense technology where there’s a full gaming and streaming set-up within the bed frame.
Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know about smart beds, including what they are, what technology they use and if they’re actually worth the money. In this guide, we’ll also be showing you the weirdest and wackiest smart beds that are on the market today, whether you’re actually looking to buy a smart bed or you just want to be amazed by what they can do.
P.S. If you don’t want a smart bed but are in need of a new sleep set-up, take a look at our top picks for the best mattress.
What is a smart bed?
Before we get into the incredible (and insane) smart beds that you can find, it’s good to understand what a smart bed or mattress actually is. A smart mattress is a mattress that uses sensors and other technology to collect and analyse data while you’re sleeping. Using this information, the mattress will adjust to help improve your sleep quality, support and comfort levels. This information is delivered to your smartphone so you can see your sleep habits and statistics.
Another kind of smart bed is where the base of the bed uses technology designed for entertainment. Rather than focusing on improving your sleep, this smart bed might come with a built-in TV, alarm clock or gaming set-up. This is where you’ll see the main differentiation between a smart bed and a smart mattress, although you will often see them fall under the same name. You’ll also find that if you buy a smart mattress, you’ll need to buy a bed base separately and vice versa, but we’ll get into that later in the guide.
For now, let’s take a look at the top smart beds currently on the market that can improve your sleep or provide you with a full gaming experience from the comfort of your bed.
The best smart beds you need to know about
ReST 5-Zone Smart Bed
ReST is an industry leader in sleep technology, with an extensive collection of smart beds on its website. Using patented sense and response technology with AI Inside, ReST smart beds focus on customising support and adjusting to the body.
The ReST 5-Zone Smart Bed has 5 adjustable and ergonomic body zones within the mattress that responds to and cradles the head, shoulders, lumbar, hips and legs. The adjustments can be made on either side of the bed simultaneously and it has Night Vision which monitors your sleep, in addition to cooling you down with its memory foam gel (see best memory foam mattress for top picks). ReST beds are only available in the US and range in size from Twin XL to Split California King.
Eight Sleep Pod 3 Mattress
Next up is the Eight Sleep Pod 3 Mattress. The brand says that the mattress improves your sleep and gives you more energy, thanks to its sleep and health tracking, Invisible Sensing design, GentleRise vibration alarm and WiFi connectivity.
Temperature control is a big thing with the Eight Sleep Pod 3 as it has individual personalised cooling and heating and temperature autopilot which will adjust to your ideal thermal environment while you sleep. These features are controlled by an iOS or Android app which shows you data insights, digital coaching and sleep content. The Eight Sleep Pod 3 mattress is only available in the US but the Pod 3 Cover is available in the UK. If you’re interested in Eight Sleep products, you can find sales all year round with Eight Sleep mattress deals.
Sleep Number 360 i8 Smart Bed
Another US option is the Sleep Number 360 i8 Smart Bed. This smart bed is all about comfort with layers that are designed to relieve pressure and absorb excess heat and moisture so you’re not too hot or too cold.
Similar to ReST and Eight Sleep, the Sleep Number 360 i8 allows you to adjust the firmness of your mattress on each side and shows your SleepIQ score with personal insights on how to improve your sleep. Not only that but the Sleep Number 360 i8 helps you stay asleep without being disrupted by yours or your partners’ tossing and turning. The mattress responds to movements and automatically adjusts firmness so you’re comfortable, supported and not woken up due to the feel of your mattress.
Saatva Solaire Adjustable Mattress
If you thought 5 adjustable controls was impressive, the Saatva Solaire Adjustable Mattress will amaze you as it has 50 precise firmness settings that can be controlled and customised by its remote control. 50!
Unsurprisingly, the adjustable firmness (which is only available in the US) is the main attraction to this mattress and it does this thanks to its air chambers and three cooling layers. These layers help balance and contour the body while minimising motion isolation. While the Saatva Solaire Adjustable Mattress might sound similar to other mattresses in this list, it’s arguably the best value for money and currently comes in as the cheapest option.
Ultimate Smart X400 Massage Bed
Let’s take things up a notch with the Ultimate Smart X400 Massage Bed. It’s important to note that this smart bed differs from the ones above (as will the next few options) as all the technology is in the bed base so you will have to buy a mattress separately.
The Ultimate Smart X400 Massage Bed comes with a massage system built in and the bed parts can change shape according to the purpose of use. Alongside drawers, cabinets and bookcases, the Ultimate Smart X400 Massage Bed has a sound system and concealable triple socket, so you can get comfortable on your mattress while getting a massage, listening to music and charging your phone with the bed base. This smart bed is available in the US & UK.
HiCan
Looking for a fully-featured sleep pod? Then you’re going to want to check out the HiCan. This bed might be one of the strangest things we’ve ever seen and the amount of things it can do might see you never emerge from your bedroom again.
Available in the US & UK, the HiCan is made to create an enveloping personal space around you with its use of smart lighting, adjustable bed base, massage modes, smart alarm and fragrance diffuser. If you love streaming, the HiCan has a home theatre audio system with a 70-inch motorised screen and 4K projector. To customise your bed, you’ll need to download the app which allows you to personalise your sleep or entertainment experience.
Drift Gaming Bed
The Drift Gaming Bed is a new addition to the smart bed world as it was launched by Dreams in late 2022. Only available in the UK, the Drift Gaming Bed combines sleep and gaming, for an immersive gaming experience topped off with a good night’s sleep.
The Drift comes with a built-in 32-inch TV at the foot of the bed, which can be in view at all times or concealed, and it has storage built into the headboard for gaming consoles, a headset holder and USB ports. The bed frame is also bordered with vibrant LED lights around the bed frame and headboard, and you can choose between blue, green or white lighting to set the mood for game play.
Smart bed FAQs
What type of technology do smart beds use?
There are many different beds and mattresses that are considered ‘smart’, so the type of technology that a smart bed has depends on what you choose. If you’re going for a smart mattress, you can expect to find sleep tracking, temperature control, adjustable firmness and position control, plus app integrations or remotes so you can control it. However, if you’re choosing a smart bed, you’ll find technology that’s focused on entertainment, like TV, audio and streaming tech.
What’s the difference between a smart bed & a smart mattress?
The difference between a smart bed and a smart mattress is where the technology is and what it controls. A smart mattress is all about the mattress, so you’ll find tracking and comfort/support controls that are designed to help you sleep better. When you buy a smart mattress, you’ll also need to buy a bed base too or you can fit it in your current bed base. A smart bed is when the technology is all in the bed base or headboard, so you’ll need to buy a mattress separately (and it won’t necessarily be smart).
How much is a smart bed?
Smart beds and mattresses range from the lower end of £1,500 up to £8,000. Smart beds that have TVs and gaming set-ups built into them tend to be more expensive as you’re not just investing in the bed frame, but rather a fully fledged tech deck.
Is a smart bed worth it?
If you’re asking us if you should buy a smart bed, well, It’s completely up to you if you think you’ll benefit from it or not. For example, if you share a bed with someone and you both have different wants for your mattress, it could be worth it so you can adjust the mattress to serve these needs.
On the other hand, having a TV in your bed frame, gaming lighting and audio might be a bit extreme for some people. For general sleep hygiene and physical and mental health reasons, it’s always good to keep sleep and other activities separate. For those who take streaming and gaming seriously, a smart bed might be appreciated but you might never get out of bed again so that’s worth thinking about!
