| Manufacturer | Eight Sleep |
|---|---|
| Type | Water-cooled and heated mattress cover with Hub, with sleep tracking |
| Series | Pod |
| Released | 14 May 2025 |
| Price at launch | Core from $2,849. Plus and Ultra add the Blanket and the Base. An Autopilot membership is also required. |
| Predecessor | Eight Sleep Pod 4 |
| Successor | Eight Sleep Pod 6 |
| Status | Replaced by Pod 6 on 23 September 2026 |
| Versions | Core (Cover and Hub), Plus (adds the Blanket) and Ultra (adds the Blanket and the Base) |
| Sizes | Full, Queen, King and California King |
| Who it suits | Hot sleepers and couples who want each side of the bed at its own temperature, with sleep tracking and nothing to wear. |
Specifications and features as at launch.
Expert opinion
Eight Sleep Pod 5 is a water-cooled and heated mattress cover that gives each side of the bed its own temperature and tracks sleep from beneath you, with no wearable. Autopilot adjusts the temperature as you move through sleep stages, and thermal and vibration alarms wake you without disturbing a partner.
The Plus version adds a water-based Blanket, and the Ultra version adds an adjustable Base with built-in speakers that raises your head when it detects snoring. The Hub is about the size of a small PC and needs clearance around it to vent heat, so most Hubs sit beside the bed. Pod 5 needs an Autopilot membership in the first year.
Deciding whether to buy? Pod 5 has been replaced by Pod 6. Read my Eight Sleep Pod 5 review for how it performed over long use.
What’s new versus Pod 4
Hardware
- A water-based Blanket that connects to the Cover and doubles the cooling and heating power, mirroring the settings on both sides.
- Built-in surround-sound speakers in the Ultra Base.
- Cover sensors for heart rate, respiratory rate, HRV and sleep stages, which Eight Sleep says need no wearable.
Software
- Health Check, an app report that flags upward heart rate trends or abnormal breathing. It is not a medical device.
- Non-Sleep Deep Rest tracks by Dr Andrew Huberman, plus white noise and calming sounds, through the speakers.
- Autopilot, which Eight Sleep says was trained on almost 10 million hours of sleep data.
Specifications
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| Method | Water circulated through the Cover by the Hub |
| Range | 13 to 43°C (55 to 110°F) on each side |
| Power | 400 W per side |
| Blanket | Plus and Ultra. Doubles cooling and heating power and mirrors both sides. |
| Cover | |
| Fit | Over your existing mattress, like a fitted sheet |
| Mattress depth | 10 to 16 inches |
| Sensors | One per side. Measure heart rate, respiratory rate, HRV and sleep stages. |
| Wearable needed | No |
| Base (Ultra) | |
| Function | Raises the head when snoring is detected, with zero-gravity elevation |
| Speakers | Integrated surround sound |
| Fit | Sits in an existing bed frame, or stands alone with an optional leg kit |
| Ownership | |
| Membership | Autopilot required in the first year. Standard, Enhanced and Elite tiers, each covering two sleepers. |
| Warranty | 2 years with Standard. Up to 5 years with Enhanced or Elite. |
| Trial | Up to 30 nights, with free returns |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
Hub, power and noise
| Hub size | About the size of a small PC. Too tall to fit under most bed frames. |
| Hub clearance | About 5 cm (2 inches) around the Hub to vent heat |
| Water | Removable tank, refilled about once a year |
| Noise | No figure published by Eight Sleep |
Features
Temperature
- Autopilot adjusts each side of the bed through the night as you move between sleep stages.
- A thermal alarm warms the bed to wake you, and a vibration alarm is also available.
- Physical temperature controls on the side of the Cover work without the phone.
Sleep and health tracking
- Tracking of heart rate, respiratory rate, HRV and sleep stages from beneath you.
- Health Check reports in the Eight Sleep app.
Base and sound (Ultra)
- The Base raises your head when it detects snoring. Eight Sleep claims a reduction in snoring of up to 45%, and says results are not guaranteed.
- Speakers play sleep sounds and Non-Sleep Deep Rest tracks in the Eight Sleep app.
Further reading
Related
The current model is Eight Sleep Pod 6.
Eight Sleep Pod 6
Excellent. Expensive. Silent.
Quick answers
What is the temperature range of Eight Sleep Pod 5?
Each side of the bed can be set from 13 to 43°C (55 to 110°F).
What is the difference between Pod 5 Core, Plus and Ultra?
Core is the Cover and Hub. Plus adds the Blanket. Ultra adds the Blanket and an adjustable Base with built-in speakers.
Has Eight Sleep Pod 5 been replaced?
Yes. Eight Sleep Pod 6 replaced Pod 5.
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin with any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafing stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable arches, perfect position. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Health, recovery and sleep
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet. Occasional use.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors. I use it.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used. Occasional use.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions. I use both.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home via Starling. I use it.
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