Eve Sleep Temperature Balancing Mattress protector review

Sleep brand Eve's Temperature Balancing mattress protector is made with Outlast fabric, which claims to warm you up when you're chilly, and cool you when you're a little too toasty. If it works, that alone is surely worth a spot in our best mattress protector ranking. But does it work? I've been reviewing one for the past three weeks or so to find out.

Eve is best known for making some excellent mattresses (head to our Eve Premium Hybrid review, Eve Original Hybrid review and Eve Lighter review for a taste), but it also makes some great sleep accessories. We're fans of this brand's mattress topper – find out what we thought in our Eve mattress topper review.

While that topper is a top choice if you want to add some extra sumptuousness to your sleep surface, Eve also has a range of three thinner mattress protectors. The Eve's Temperature Regulating mattress protector is the priciest of the bunch, and the one I'll be focusing on here. 'The mattress protector' is the cheapest choice, and there's also a 'breathe easy mattress protector', which is lightly quilted and claims to have anti-allergy properties. If you're sold on the Outlast, you can also pick up a pillow protector in the same range. 

So does that temperature regulation really work? And is it worth the cash? Here's my Eve Temperature Balancing mattress protector review.

Note: As of October 2022, Eve Sleep has gone into administration, so mattresses and other sleep products from Eve will no longer be available in the near future. However, third party retailers like Amazon may still have Eve mattresses for sale, so it's best to look there for any Eve mattress deals.

Eve Temperature Balancing Mattress protector: temperature regulation

This protector's USP is that it claims to regulate your temperature overnight. It's designed to warm you when you're chilly, and cool you down when you're too toasty. For this, it uses Outlast fabric. Originally developed by NASA and also found in outdoors clothing, Outlast has very tiny microcapsules of paraffin wax woven into it. These absorb excess body heat and then release it when it gets cold.

It's an established enough technology that I'd assume there's something in it, but I didn't feel a noticeable difference in how warm or cold I felt in bed. I've been testing this through February, which means I haven't really had a chance to assess the cooling claims yet, but I'll update this article when the warm weather rolls round.

Opinions amongst other reviewers almost all fall into the 'I didn't get too hot or too cold, but I'm not sure if it's down to the mattress protector or not' camp, although one commented that "In winter it feels like you have an underlying heated blanket on very low settings except you do not". I, for the record, didn't feel like that. 

• Eve Premium Hybrid mattress review: dreamy cushioning and excellent temperature regulation
• Eve Lighter mattress review: a brilliant basic budget buy
• Eve Weighted Blanket review: a perfect woven offering for ultimate sofa snuggling

Eve Temperature Balancing Mattress protector: comfort

I was slightly concerned the upper surface would be stiff and thick, but it's not at all. It's thick enough to feel robust and provide a decent physical barrier against the mattress beneath it, but pliable enough not to interfere with whatever mattress surface you paid so much for beneath (if you're looking for something to change the feel of the sleep surface, you need one of the best mattress toppers, rather than a mattress protector, remember). There's no padding to speak of here, and you essentially can't feel it really when lying in bed, which is perfectly fine.

The Eve Temperature Balancing Mattress protector is elasticated all the way around the edge and stays in place well, without rucking or getting twisted up. It's also plenty deep enough to fit over a thick mattress – the mattress I've got it on is somewhere in the region of 30cm tall, and it'd fit comfortably over a thicker mattress than that.

I was surprised that there's no mention of water-resistance in the blurb for the Eve Temperature Regulating Mattress Protector. It seems like Eve has focused on the temperature regulating part rather than the 'protecting' part. That said, any extra layer will naturally act as something of a barrier to spillages, and of course it's much easier to clean than a whole mattress, too. 

Eve Temperature Balancing Mattress protector: quality and care

Details on the Eve website state that this mattress protector is made from 100% cotton (presumably the Outlast microcapsules are so minuscule as to account for a negligible part of the makeup, but I'm clarifying with Eve at the moment). The seam between the top and side sections is securely stitched and feels sturdy, but the elasticated edge is a little scruffier. Obviously you won't see that, but this isn't a cheap mattress protector, and I'd expect a higher level of finish for that price.  

It's machine washable at 40°C – so lower than you'd need to effectively kill off dust mites, if that's a concern for you (this washing temperature isn't unusual for bedding brands). Eve recommends washing every 3-4 weeks for best durability. This mattress protector isn't suitable for bleaching or dry cleaning, but can be tumble dried and ironed on a low heat. Eve offers a 2 year warranty on all textile products.

Eve Temperature Balancing Mattress protector: verdict

So to the crux of my Eve Temperature Regulating mattress protector review – is it worth buying? As a mattress protector it's perfectly serviceable but nothing to write home about. I was impressed with how well it fitted on my deep mattress, how comfy it was to sleep on, and how well it stayed it place, but there aren't really any other notable features to speak of. It's not water resistant or waterproof, it's not quilted, and so on. 

Really, this mattress protector is all about those warming / cooling properties, and what you're paying for is the Outlast fabric. Whether it really works or not is up for debate. The lack of confident reviews from customers back up my own assessment that the effect is minimal, although not necessarily non-existent. Whether you think it's worth it depends on whether you think it'll work for you – if you often get very cold or very hot at night, perhaps it's worth a punt. 

If you do decide to purchase this mattress protector, make sure you check our Eve Sleep discount codes to get the best deal.