Sleep Number Mattress Reviews

Sleep Number Overview 

The Sleep Number ethos is based on empowering sleepers, starting with giving you control over how the mattress feels. You adjust your “sleep number” by adding or releasing air in an interior chamber to increase or decrease the firmness. Not only that, in the larger bed sizes, there are dual chambers. You and your partner can set different sleep numbers without hindering the others.

Vastly different than the best bed-in-a-box mattresses, Sleep Number allows customers to customize their mattress, giving sleepers targeted, personal information about their sleep. Enter Sleep Number’s SleepIQ® technology in 2014. The device is attached to your bed and works through a smartphone app. It tracks heart rate, breathing and motion during the night. It gives you a fuller picture of what your sleep cycle looks like. 

The company still wasn’t done. In 2017, Sleep Number pushed the SleepIQ® idea one step further when it introduced Sleep Number 360®, beds that actually adjust to your movement throughout the night to maintain your sleep number. Add a FlexFit base, introduced in 2014, and those features do even more work together.

Depending on which base you choose, it will adapt by warming your feet when you’re cold or raise your head several degrees if you’re snoring. Put it all together and you get the “next level” of sleep technology all in one place. When you study Sleep Number bed reviews, you’ll find people respond to the possibilities those features promise.

Since we all experience firmness, mattress temperature, and comfort differently depending on our weight, body chemistry and sleep position, Sleep Number has tried to integrate your sleep number, your Sleep IQ® information and the Sleep Number 360® smart beds to unlock your sleep DNA and give you more restful nights and nights that are more restful overall.

That three-pronged, personalized pursuit of good sleep is the biggest selling point of a Sleep Number mattress.  Of course, the technology behind these mattresses ensures that Sleep Number bed prices will feel like the best luxury mattress prices. Still, if you want to “know your sleep” while sleeping on a mattress that can do something positive with that knowledge, Sleep Number would say, “You’ve landed in the right spot.”

See: Sleep Number Alternatives

Sleep Number Mattress Models

Since there are so many models, we will highlight each collection here.

The Classic Series

Introduced in 2014, the Classic Series mattresses from Sleep Number now come standard with dual air chambers that stretch from edge to edge. Sleep partners can choose different firmness levels on each side. The mattresses in the classic collection come with a Responsive Air® feature that shifts the air by adding or releasing it to adjust to your body through the night.

These beds also come with Sleep Number’s SleepIQ® technology that measures certain body functions through a smartphone app to show you how you sleep. These mattresses are also much more affordable than other Sleep Number beds. 

The Classic line includes two options:

• Sleep Number 360® c2
• Sleep Number 360® c4

The difference between the two mattresses is 1 inch of thickness. The c2 has a 2-inch layer in the top comfort layer made of gel-infused foam on top of the 6-inch air chamber layer. The c4 has a 3-inch layer. Also, the c4 has zoned support in the comfort layer, meaning it’s less dense to contour to hips and shoulders or more dense to support the neck or lower back. The Classic line beds are the most affordable you will find at  Sleep Number.

The Performance Series

The Performance series has all of the tech features of the Classic series except with an additional contour layer at the top of the mattress meant to relieve pressure on areas like the hips and shoulders. It doesn’t change the thickness of the mattress; just two pressure-relieving layers as opposed to a single one.

The models in this series include:

• Sleep Number 360 p5
• Sleep Number 360 pSE
• Sleep Number 360 p6

The p5 and pSE models have the same 4-inch comfort layer and features, except the pSE comfort layer is made of a foam that will retain less heat. The pSE and the p6 each have all of the same features, including the cooler comfort layer, but the pSE has a 4-inch comfort layer vs. a 5-inch comfort layer in the p6.

The Innovation Series

The Innovation series has all of the technological features of the Classic series and then adds a surface layer that absorbs and releases heat to keep the sleeper at the right temperature throughout the night.

The innovation series has three different models:

• Sleep Number 360 i8
• Sleep Number 360 iLE
• Sleep Number 360 i10

The i8 and the iLE have the same, deep 6-inch comfort layer. The comfort layer in the i10 is 7 inches thick. Overall, these are the plushest mattresses in the entire brand.

The Memory Foam Collection

The memory foam collection includes the same features of other models from Sleep Number — adjustable firmness, automatic adjustment to the sleep surface and it tracks SleepIQ® information, via a smartphone app, as you sleep.

The only Sleep Number model exclusively featuring a memory foam layer is the Sleep Number 360 m7. The m7 memory foam comfort layer is 5 inches thick. You should feel both the contouring and pressure-relieving qualities that most expect to feel with memory foam. This layer also works to keep you cool since it absorbs heat and then releases it when you grow too cool.

Most Popular Sleep Number Beds

The most popular beds in the Sleep Number brand are the Classic 360® c2 and the Innovation 360® i8 Smart Bed. The first makes the list because it offers a lot of design for the price. The second does because it has every Sleep Number bell and whistle they offer. 

Classic 360® c2

The Classic 360® c2 is the baseline model among all Sleep Number 360 beds. No fancy foam layers. No expensive base. Just 2 inches of fabric and foam on top of the eponymous, adjustable air chamber that basically makes a Sleep Number bed. It’s affordable for a Sleep Number mattress and you can still adjust ho firm it feels. It’s a budget option, but one with the most attractive mattress feature Sleep Number sells.

Innovation 360® Smart Bed i8

The Innovation 360® Smart Bed i8 is 12 inches thick with a soft and breathable fabric cover. The 6-inch comfort layer in the i8 uses two different types of foam for support and pressure relief. There is also a special material in the surface of the mattress that releases heat so the mattress keeps its cool. This bed has the dual air chambers that you can adjust to find the right firmness, SleepIQ® tracking, the temperature-balancing surface and the Responsive Air® feature that will add or release air as you shift at night to make the bed more comfortable.

Which Sleep Number Bed Is Best for Me?

Before we jump into recommendations, it’s important to note that the experience of sleeping on an airbed can feel quite different from that of more traditional mattress styles, like all-foam or hybrid beds. If you love memory foam, for example, an airbed won’t provide the same enveloping feeling you enjoy, regardless of how thick the comfort layers are. 

Secondly, if you enjoy cuddling with your partner while you sleep, the dual air chambers may impede that and can feel uncomfortable. Lastly, these airbeds aren’t for people with a limited budget, considering the most affordable Smart Bed option starts at $999.

See: Addressing Sleep Number Bed Problems and Complaints

The Classic Series Might Be Good For You If…

• You have a modest budget
• You want dual adjustability and smartphone integration
• You prefer firmer mattresses
• You are a back or stomach sleeper

The Performance Series Might Be Good For You If…

• You have an average airbed budget
• You want dual adjustability and smartphone integration
• You need enhanced pressure relief
• You prefer medium soft or medium firm mattresses

The Innovation Series Might Be Good For You If…

• You have a sizable budget
• You want dual adjustability and smartphone integration
• You want the best pressure relief available from Sleep Number
• You sleep hot and need cooling technology
• You prefer soft mattresses
• You’re a side sleeper or lightweight sleeper

Related: Tempur-Pedic vs Sleep Number Mattress

Best Sleep Number Mattress by Sleeping Position

Side Sleepers

The best mattresses for side sleepers typically have the most contouring and pressure relief due to the fact that the hips and shoulders on one side of the bodies will come into close contact with the mattress. We recommend the Innovation series for this sleeping style, as these beds, while expensive, tend to have softer firmness levels. They also feature comfort layers that are designed for pressure-relief to help make side sleeping relaxing rather than painful

Back Sleepers

Most back sleepers need support in their hips and shoulders to prevent the spine from being thrown out of alignment. Firmer sleep surfaces do well at supporting the spine of most average weight and heavyweight back sleepers, and the Classic series Sleep Number 360 SmartBeds fall in this range. If you’re a lightweight back sleeper, a softer airbed, like the Medium Soft p5 or the Medium Soft i8, would work well to support your body.

Stomach Sleepers

Similar to back sleepers, the firmer versions of the Classic series SmartBeds will work well to support the hips and prevent them from sinking. Lightweight stomach sleepers should gravitate toward a softer firmness setting that’s still supportive of their lower bodies.

See: Best Mattresses for Stomach Sleepers

Pros and Cons of Sleep Number Mattresses

Specs and Pricing

Model Dimensions

• Twin: 38 x 75
• Twin XL: 38 x 80
• Full: 54 x 75
• Queen: 60 x 80
• King: 76 x 80
• Cal King: 72 x 84

Sleep Number Model Pricing

The price you’ll pay for a Sleep Number 360 SmartBed varies significantly by collection, model, and size. In general, the Classic series models are priced lower than the average airbed. The Performance series models are on par with other industry averages for airbed mattresses. The Innovation series models are the brand’s most technologically-advanced beds and have above-average price-points compared to other airbeds in the market.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $999 to more than $5,000 for a Sleep Number 360 SmartBed, which does not include taxes or delivery fees.

Construction

Regardless of the collection or model, all Sleep Number 360 SmartBeds share certain materials, components, and features. All eight mattresses have Dual Adjustability technology, which simply means that if two people are sharing the mattress, each person can adjust the comfort on their side to their ideal firmness setting, otherwise known as their Sleep Number.

They also all have Responsive Air technology. This feature means that sensors inside the air mattress automatically monitor air pressure throughout the night. The bed will automatically add or release air to ensure you stay at your Sleep Number setting throughout the night. This feature can be turned off if the bed’s automatic adjustments bother or wake you in the middle of the night. If both sides of the bed have Responsive Air turned on, only one side of the bed will be adjusted at a time.

All eight mattresses also come with SleepIQ technology. Every Sleep Number 360 mattress collects data about your sleep throughout the night using sensors. This data is then distilled into a Sleep Score that can be viewed in your Sleep Number smartphone app. You can also see how much time was spent in bed, how often you were restless, your breathing rate, and your heart rate in the app.

Classic Series Construction 

The c2 and c4 models from the Classic Series are 8” and 9” tall, respectively. Both feature a rayon and polypropylene blend cover, a 2” or 3” gel-infused polyfoam comfort layer, and a support core of dual-control air chambers. The air chambers can be adjusted on both sides to each individual’s unique Sleep Number setting.

Performance Series Construction

The p5, pSE, and p6 models from the Performance Series are 10”, 10”, and 11” tall, respectively. All three airbeds feature dual air chambers and a rayon and polypropylene blend cover. The p6 comfort layer features 5” of polyfoam, while the pSE and p5 models feature 4” of polyfoam. The biggest difference between the p5 and the p6 and pSE is that the p6 and pSE have added materials to keep sleepers cool. Just like the Classic Series, all three beds in the Performance Series have SleepIQ and Responsive Air technology.

Innovation Series Construction

The Innovation Series, which includes the i8, i10, and iLE, have all the bells and whistles of the Classic and Performance Series and more. They are 12”, 12”, and 13” tall, respectively, and feature a polyester and polypropylene blend cover. The i8 and iLE beds have a 6” polyfoam comfort layer, and the i10 bed has a 7” memory foam and polyfoam comfort layer. All three beds feature dual air chambers, SleepIQ and Responsive Air technology, superior pressure relief, and temperature balancing.

Sleep Number Buying Experience

Trial Period and Returns

Sleep Number gives you 100 nights to test drive their beds. There are a lot of moving parts built into a Sleep Number bed. We would recommend you take 30 nights of sleeping before deciding whether to keep any mattress. We would recommend taking at least that amount of time for the Sleep Number. You may need some time to figure out which number/firmness at which you sleep most comfortably. 

If you decide the mattress, or any of the individual layers, doesn’t work for you, just initiate a return within 100 days. Sleep Number has to authorize it before you can expect a return. Once you initiate a return, you have 30 days to get it back to Sleep Number. You will pay to return your mattress. After all of that, and after your returns have arrived at Sleep Number, you’ll have to wait 21 days for your refund. 

But you can exchange your mattress for an upgrade or downgrade. You’ll have to pay the difference for the upgrade. You’ll get a refund of some portion of the difference if you choose a lower-priced model.

Warranty

All of the SmartBed 360® mattresses we mention here are covered by a 25-year limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship. It’s prorated (refunds will decrease the longer you’ve used the mattress) after two years. We’re assuming you use it the way it was meant to be used and comply with other conditions. If you don’t, you void the warranty.  

For example, it applies only to the original buyer. You cannot use a box spring as a base. It nullifies the warranty automatically if you do. You must have the original receipt to use the warranty. You cannot have removed the law label. You cannot open the Firmness Control system or the remote yourself.  There are different sorts of parts to Sleep Number beds because of the air chamber in the middle that makes the mattress adjustable and parts of the warranty make specific reference to these elements. 

Shipping and Delivery

You can spring for the Comfort Service Home Delivery ($199) or use UPS standard ground shipping ($99). The first will bring special technicians to your door to assemble your mattress for you, remove your old mattress or move the old one into a different room. Make sure to ask if Sleep Number delivers in your area. The Comfort Service Home Delivery is not available in Hawaii. If you ship via UPS, you’ll receive instructions on how to put your mattress together.

Keep in mind that some Sleep Number beds cannot be shipped via UPS because they’re heavier than the UPS weight limit. As far as where you can receive Sleep Number beds, UPS will deliver Sleep Number beds to all 48 contiguous states in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. One last thing, Sleep Number mattresses ship in six separate boxes and the air chambers are not inflated. You do that on your end.

Financing

Sleep Number does offer financing. Terms will vary depending on how quickly you want to pay off your purchase and which sales are in play at the time of your purchase. If you’re approved for financing, it will come in the form of a Sleep Number credit card. You can apply online even before you select a mattress.

Availability

You may purchase a Sleep Number bed at a Sleep Number store or online at the company website. Be aware that buying the bed at another retailed can void the warranty. 

Sleep Number Complaints

We’re talking about a mattress that features a pocket of air. Sure, it’s a more advanced approach to the sort of thing you take on a camping trip and inflate with a compressor. While the mattresses are thoughtfully appointed, you may still run into some of the same problems with a mattress that cost over $1000 that you would with the $40 one.

• These beds have a lot of moving parts. You run a higher risk of something breaking down. And the warranty doesn’t cover everything. 
• Some would describe the Sleep Number as a fancy air mattress, but some customers say it feels more “air mattress” than “fancy.” 
• These mattresses are expensive. There is a lot of research and development that goes into them to offer features like Sleep IQ or Responsive Air. Customers hint that would be OK if you weren’t paying extra for replacements, which some complain wear out too quickly.
• If either chamber is more firm (inflated) or soft (deflated) than the other, the mattress could sag in the middle. You’re raised higher than your partner and gravity takes over and someone could slide into the “trench.”

Conclusion

Sleep Number long ago grabbed hold of a low-brow idea and taken a high-brow approach to build the best their air-chamber mattresses they can. “Low” in that they’re mimicking the same technology that many of us use on camping trips. “High” in that they double-down on research and development in every other aspect— introducing adjustable firmness, a SleepIQ app which is integrated with the bed itself, and responsive models that will adapt to your shifts and add or release air accordingly.

The real conundrum for sleepers is whether all of that is worth the price. Looking at Sleep Number reviews from customers, some are put off by the extra costs for delivery and replacement parts.  If luxury prices don’t fit your personality or your budget, you might want to look elsewhere.