What’s the difference between a $1,000 Sleep Number adjustable air mattress and one that costs three times that? Not much according to Consumer Reports’ latest mattress tests. The Sleep Number c2 Bed matched the Sleep Number i8 bed Pillowtop, $3,000, in our tests for back and side support. Even better, we bought the Sleep Number c2 Bed on sale for $700. Here are the details plus news on other new mattresses in our tests. For our body-support tests we graph the spine’s natural curve on a range of test subjects. Then we evaluate back support by recording how thoroughly a mattress maintains that curve. For side support, we check whether the mattress keeps the spine relatively horizontal when a test subject lies on her side. The best mattresses have a good score or better for both. In our tests, across various firmness settings, the Sleep Number c2 Bed and the more expensive Sleep Number i8 bed Pillowtop both delivered impressive side support and even better back support.
And the c2 Bed was more stable, which means less annoying to your mate when you change sleep positions. When we took a closer look at the two mattresses we discovered that both were comprised of the same pair of identical air bladders—one for each side, so each partner can customize firmness. But with the Sleep Number c2 Bed, the foam layer on top was significantly thinner than the one you get with the i8 bed. While this difference wouldn’t show up in our body-support tests, you might notice a difference in overall comfort. That’s another reason to try out mattresses in the store before buying, as we routinely advise. Among adjustable air beds, we also tested the Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Choice Supreme, at $3,200 the most expensive of the trio in our tests. Although it was impressive for back support, the Tempur-Pedic was an also-ran behind the two recommended Sleep Numbers. But another Tempur-Pedic, the $1,200 Tempur-Pedic Tempur Simplicity, was among our top picks in foam mattresses.
Once a mattress starts showing its age and is lumpy or sagging, we suggest replacing it even if it’s newer than the 10 years normally recommended. Before shopping, check our buying guide for mattresses and look at our mattress Ratings of 25 innerspring, foam, and adjustable air mattresses priced as low as $515. We also have reader recommendations for mattress retailers and brands. —Ed Perratore (@EdPerratore on Twitter) View and compare all Mattresses ratings.Sleep Number's $1,099 It Bed connected queen mattress tracks how well you sleep via built-in sensors and integrations with select products from Nest, Fitbit and other companies. It is much smarter than your average bed. The comfortable foam mattress even has two inner air chambers so you and a partner can pick your own firmness settings. While all of that tech has the potential to offer useful sleep tips, the amount of data the mattress collected from me and my husband, Kevin, didn't match up with the amount of information we were getting back from it.
Unexpected glitches in the related SleepIQ app also led to inaccurate sleep scores and missing data -- Sleep Number says it's working on these issues. Yes, this is a cozy mattress, but the smarts need to be more reliable before I'd suggest most people spend the money on Sleep Number's It Bed. If Sleep Number can smooth out the data gathering quirks, the It Bed could be worth it to those interested in dissecting charts and graphs in pursuit of a good night's sleep. The It Bed by Sleep Number arrived in a single large box. You can install the mattress over a platform-style slatted bed frame. That means you don't have to buy Sleep Number's frame and base if you already have something that will work -- or if you simply want to buy a frame from another manufacturer. For reference, the frame and base accessories are sold as a unit for an additional $499, taking the grand total up to $1,598. You can buy headboards and related hardware through Sleep Number, too. Aesthetics didn't factor in heavily with the It Bed, since it's going to be covered by sheets 99 percent of the time.
It's a pretty attractive mattress all the same. The knit fabric covering it looks like a mattress cover, even though it's technically an integrated part of the mattress design. Note: I reviewed the $1,099 queen mattress, but Sleep Number also offers other sizes. A twin version goes for $799 or you can pay up to $1,499 for either a king or a California king mattress. Find out more on Sleep Number's site. Setting up the mattress was as simple as taking it out of the box, setting it on the bed frame and giving the mattress some time to regain its natural shape. There's a small green tag on one corner of the mattress -- that side needed to be positioned at the foot of the bed for the tech to work properly. Now grab the ActiveComfort Technology Module -- this is a smallish black gizmo with two tube connectors sticking from either end. Lift up the end of the mattress slightly, unzip the small pocket in the middle and connect the power cord and the air hoses (they're color-coded for easy install).
This is the device that pumps air into either side of the bed. Slide everything back into the zippered pocked and close it. Then, connect the cord at the head of the bed to the included power adapter and plug it into a nearby outlet. You'll need the Android or iPhone SleepIQ app to access every feature offered by this bed. Unlike other Sleep Number mattresses, the It Bed doesn't come with a separate remote or any other hardware you can use to see your settings and make adjustments. Follow the in-app steps to pair the bed to your Wi-Fi network and create a profile. You can also extend access to your partner so they can create their own login and profile. The only issue I ran into here was that the air tubes had shifted during shipping, so I had to reach into the zippered pocket to find them. Fortunately, everything else was very simple. With the bed installed, you can get to the fun part -- sleeping. Here's what I liked: Here's what I didn't like: I was disappointed that Sleep Number doesn't tell you what the right level of firmness is for you or auto-adjust it for you over time.