Pod 5 Ultra

Design & Build Quality

The Pod 5 Ultra represents Eight Sleep's most ambitious product to date, combining their signature Active Grid cooling cover with a purpose-built five-layer mattress and a three-inch adjustable base. The cover itself is remarkably thin — around 20% slimmer than the previous generation — which means it drapes more naturally over the mattress and doesn't create that "sleeping on top of something" sensation that earlier models sometimes produced. The fabric has a premium, tightly woven feel that holds up well to regular sheet changes and washing.

The adjustable base is a meaningful addition for the Ultra tier. It supports up to 750 pounds, responds to snoring events detected by the onboard sensors, and can be programmed for custom positions. Build quality feels industrial and solid — there's very little wobble or flex, even at full incline. The hub unit that powers the whole system has been redesigned to sit lower and flatter, making it easier to tuck beside or under the bed frame.

Cooling & Heating Performance

This is where the Pod 5 Ultra earns its reputation. The water-based Active Grid can reach temperatures as low as 55°F and as high as 110°F, with independent dual-zone control so each sleeper can dial in their own preference. In practice, the system cools down noticeably within 10-15 minutes of activation — significantly faster than the previous generation, which sometimes took 30 minutes or more to reach target temperature.

The real magic happens overnight. The Autopilot feature uses your biometric data and sleep stage detection to dynamically shift temperatures throughout the night. It might cool you down aggressively during deep sleep, warm you gently as you approach REM, and then bring temperatures down again to help you wake naturally. After a couple of weeks of calibration, the adjustments feel almost eerily intuitive. Hot sleepers consistently report that this is the single most effective cooling solution on the market — nothing passive comes close to what active water-based temperature regulation delivers.

Smart Features & Sleep Tracking

Eight Sleep has positioned itself as much a health tech company as a sleep company, and the tracking capabilities reflect that ambition. Without wearing anything to bed, the Pod 5 Ultra monitors heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, and sleep stages with clinical-grade accuracy (they claim 99%, and independent testing generally backs that up). The companion app delivers a daily Sleep Fitness Score and detailed breakdowns of your time in each sleep stage.

The GentleRise alarm is a standout feature — instead of a jarring alarm sound, the mattress gradually adjusts temperature and vibration to ease you out of sleep at the optimal point in your cycle. It works surprisingly well, and many users report feeling noticeably more alert on waking. The snore detection on the Ultra model automatically elevates the head of the adjustable base when snoring is detected, which partners will particularly appreciate.

Noise & Maintenance

Previous Eight Sleep models drew criticism for audible pump noise, and the Pod 5 generation has made meaningful progress here. Operating at roughly 30 decibels — comparable to a quiet library — the hub is about 40% quieter than its predecessor. You can still hear it if the room is dead silent and you're listening for it, but most users report that it fades into the background within a night or two. Maintenance involves periodic water refills (roughly every month) and the occasional cleaning cycle prompted by the app.

Who Should Buy This

The Pod 5 Ultra makes the most sense for tech-forward sleepers who want the absolute best temperature regulation available and are willing to pay for it. If you share a bed with someone whose temperature preferences differ wildly from yours, the dual-zone control alone could justify the investment. The sleep tracking rivals dedicated wearables, and the Autopilot feature turns your bed into a genuinely responsive sleep environment. The main trade-off is price and the ongoing membership fee — this is a significant commitment. But for hot sleepers who have tried everything else, or for biohackers who want clinical-level sleep data without wearing a device, nothing else on the market delivers what the Pod 5 Ultra does.