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Meet Awara, the pressure relieving latex hybrid mattress, featuring GOLS certified organic latex, and a sustainable mission for a pricepoint that comparatively carries much more value for its 13'' thick mattress than many other latex mattress companies. Whether you are sensitive to chemicals or enjoy the invigorating feel of latex, you can rest easy that your purchase is eco-conscious since Awara holds a certification with ClimatePartner that plants trees for every mattress purchased. With a universally comfortable medium-plush top coupled with supportive individually wrapped coils that adjust to your unique curves, Awara brings a comfy sigh of relief to its sleepers.
Sleep Number has innovated over the years. What most people know them for is their firmness number technology that allows you to adjust the firmness on either side of the bed with the touch of a remote. However, over the last few years, they have launched more smart technology in their mattresses. This tech adds sleep tracking and automated adjustment as you sleep. While most sleepers find this technology very interesting, there are some complaints from customers about durability and long term comfort. Read on to drilldown into each of their mattresses.
Based on our aggregated reviews and our scoring method, we recommend Awara in this match up!
See Our Full Review of Awara
Overall Score:
Awara: 9.5/10
Sleep Number: 7.5/10
Customer Satisfaction:
Awara: 9.5/10
Sleep Number: 7.4/10
Price Value:
Awara: 9.6/10
Sleep Number: 8.2/10
No Back Pain:
Awara: 9.5/10
Sleep Number: 8.5/10
Price:
Awara: $1099-$1799
Sleep Number: $499-$7099
Awara:
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Sleep Number:
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Sleepers report feeling very comfortable and satisfied with these mattresses, which means when we evaluated current customer sentiment data from across the net, these mattresses ranked very well. Now that you know what customers think in total, read on to learn more about specifics.
Solid support throughout a mattress is essential to its feel and whether it is a ergonomically aligned with the spine. Overall, these mattresses do a fine job supporting the body for their firmness. So, you can rest easy that these mattresses will support your back while you sleep.
Edge Support
Most customers report that they are satisfied with the edge support of these mattresses. This means that the sides of the bed should be comfortable to most sleepers and the mattress will provide a comfortable ledge to sleep on.
Bowling Ball & Density Tests
Density and bowling ball tests are helpful in measuring support. These mattresses provide a consistent density surface, which is perfect for customers wanting to feel secure about support.
It's always difficult to find products that last over 10 years. Brands, by and large, hunt for short-term profits rather than building products that last. That said, there are still amazing companies to be found. These mattresses, for example, get high marks from customers on quality and durability. Most sleepers will experience them lasting between 7 - 12 years, though those who are heavier may find that they break down faster.
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Some customers were very happy with their new mattress, but others reported problems. Despite those that are cozy, this means that these mattresses have lower than average customer satisfaction. Look on below for more information if this mattress will work for you.
Having a supportive mattress is a make or break for stomach and back sleepers. Side sleepers also need deeper support and a responsive mattress for their hips and shoulders. These mattresses are above average when it comes to support. However, some have had reported some issues so if you are heavier than most, make sure to read the reviews.
Edge Support
This mattress provides above average edge support. But, some heavier customers may experience some dipping close to the edges.
Unfortunately, these mattresse are not always rated well for durability. While some have experienced good performance, others had comfort issues faster than average. Take a look at the specifications of the mattress, warranty, and return policies before buying if you are considering.
From right before making my purchase to coordinating a set up time, Awara and their team of customer support staff has been truly magical. Extremely helpful and easy to work with, I have nothing but good things to say about the Awara staff and company overall. Their customer support is reason enough to purchase from them, but it doesn’t hurt that their mattress is now the best, most comfortable piece of furniture I own.
View More ReviewsFor years my wife has complained about bad sleep. We’ve spent money on going to see an herbalist and doctors. One appointment her doctor recommended that she try using a new mattress. The thought had literally never occurred to us because I always slept so well. We like the idea and ease of a mattress in a box, so we chose Awara after hearing about it through the grapevine. Lo and behold, after a few weeks of adjusting, my wife hardly ever wakes up unhappy anymore, and actually we’re both much happier because of it.
I am completely shocked at how much I love this mattress. Generally when you read reviews I’m kind of cynical about whether someone else can tell me about my sleep. What really sold me with Awara, though, is the 365 day trial. I figured if I bought it and really hated it that I could just send it back and get all of my money back with no hassle or anything. I was pretty shocked to be honest that I actually slept extremely well, the best I’ve slept in years, for weeks in a row with this mattress. It lives up to the reviews for sure. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a comfortable and affordable mattress with an excellent trial and warranty.
Awara seems like such a hip company that really focuses on their customer service. I had to make a phone call to the company about a return because I decided that I wanted to save my money (nothing to do with how wonderful the mattress was), and I was pleasantly surprised at how completely easy the whole process was. I wasn’t even pressured into keeping it at a lower cost. I didn’t feel any guilt about returning, and that’s exactly how it should be.
My girlfriend and I love our new Awara mattress so much that we spend as much time on it as we can, including breakfast in bed during the weekdays. We both work from home so we’re lucky that we can sleep in a little longer during the week and soak up the comfort of this beautiful new bed.
So it’s not a 100% miracle cure for snoring, but wow, it’s really helped to reduce my husband’s snoring! It’s not completely gone but it’s way way less than what it used to be, and I’m sure it’s because of the new Awara mattress we got. It’s just so much more comfortable and we are both getting much better sleep and feeling so much better in the morning. Thank you to Awara for making such a great product!
If you’re a student, you know how important it is to get a good night of sleep. Some wear their sleep deprivation like a badge of honor, but I learned early on (after collapsing from sleep deprivation from study for 2 days straight) that prioritizing sleep was essential. That’s why I asked for a new mattress for my birthday from my parents. They thought it was a boring gift, but I’ve felt the rewards tenfold since sleeping on this mattress and it’s definitely changed my life for the better.
I trusted my friend when she told me to get the Awara mattress and I cannot thank her enough. I think I’m eternally in debt to her because of how great a recommendation it was! Excellent price and excellent quality!
Looking into which mattress to buy was extremely OVERWHELMING for my boyfriend and I. We knew that we wanted something to replace our old Full size mattress that we got as a hand-me-down when we moved into our place. After a few weeks of research I stumbled upon Awara, and the all natural latex materials it was made out of really caught my attention. After trying it out for a few weeks we knew that we wanted to keep it forever. It was extremely comfortable and we love the quick recovery and bounce back that this mattress has.
An excellent choice for anyone in need of a newer more comfortable mattress.
What’s not to love about Awara? Honestly. The free shipping, 365 night trial period, and warranty that lasts forever. I’m surprised these guys haven’t sold out!
Was recommended this mattress from my parents who bought one a few months back. Thanks to my mom and dad. Best recommendation they’ve given me in my life. Looks like I still have a lot to learn from them!
I’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for 20+ years and needless to say it was time for something new. I bought a Queen sized Awara mattress for me and my girlfriend recently and we loved it so much that we decided to buy them as Christmas presents this year for her parents and my parents. My siblings are going to hate me for it, but I think we just won Christmas.
I’ve been feeling amazing recently and I know that a large part of that has to do with the Awara mattress. I am sleeping soundly and comfortably and not tossing and turning as much as I used to. It feels like a miracle.
Finally know what it feels like to wake up without soreness and annoyed that I can’t touch my toes even though I do yoga. I could get used to this.
Normally it would have taken me months to decide on an item that is a big investment, such as a mattress, but with Awara I felt confident to make a purchase. I was recommended this mattress from a friend and I am very happy. I’ll be recommending this to other friends as well.
The Awara mattress was definitely a bit on the pricey side for my budget but I am so glad that I bought it. It was honestly worth every penny. I struggle from a chronic sleep disorder that got worse once I started my new job so I was desperate for something to help. I had heard about the Awara mattress and was really interested to try a hybrid. So glad I did. I’ve been sleeping like a baby!
My husband and I were having a really difficult time trying to coordinate a mattress purchase from another online mattress company and we got fed up. We were about to start looking in stores until my mother in law told us about the Awara mattress. We are an eco friendly couple looking to find something made from natural materials, so she knew that this was right up our alley. We decided to go with Awara, and were pleasantly surprised at how easy the process was and how easy it was to communicate with the customer service team. So much better than our first attempt, we would definitely recommend Awara.
This is the best, coziest, comfiest mattress I have ever owned! It’s dangerous how comfortable it is and how well I’m sleeping because of it! My work might suffer...
Honestly, I am so happy that I decided to get this mattress, that all I can say is 10/10 would recommend.
If you’re like me, you struggle with sleep and you know how terrible it is after you’ve gone for 3, 4, or more days with little to no sleep. It’s so bad that it bleeds into other aspects of your life and you’re unable to to your best work, be as social as you’d like, or be as present for your friends and family as you’d like to. This is why it was important to me to find a mattress that really helped to improve my sleep, and I am happy to report that I found it with the Awara mattress. It’s incredible, I am sleeping much, much better than I ever used to and I finally feel less like a zombie during the day. So grateful to have found this amazing product.
It can be difficult, especially in the world of mattresses, to find something that doesn’t cost a fortune but is made with high quality materials and is still extremely comfortable to sleep on, but Awara hits this intersection of criteria perfectly. We’d tested out another online mattress and were extremely disappointed, but decided to give Awara a try after hearing about friends of ours who bought one and loved it. So glad that we did. Been getting amazing sleep since.
If I were you and reading these reviews and wondering if you should choose Awara, I say just go ahead and do it. Delivery, shipping, and returns are all free, plus you have an entire year to sleep on it before deciding for sure whether or not you want to keep it. Even if you don’t, Awara will come and pick it up for you if you want to return it. It’s so easy. I’m saying all of this because it’s worth trying out if you’re afraid that it’d be too much of a hassle. It’s not. It’s also a truly incredible mattress, so don’t wait. Try it for yourself and enjoy better sleep.
One of the most comfortable things I have ever slept on! Seriously. Do yourself a favor and get one of these mattresses.
Buying a mattress online is not for the faint of heart. It’s kind of scary because you’re not really able to try it before hand! You’ve really just got to trust your gut from the website and other reviews, and the reviews are exactly why I chose to go with Awara. It seems like people really love it, and now I see why!
I wouldn’t have chosen this mattress if it wasn’t for the amazing financing option. I can pay small, monthly payments but I was still able to order and receive my mattress right away. Love it.
Got my mattress a few days ago and my sleep has already improved! Since night one I’ve woken up much more easily in the mornings, sometimes even before my alarm. I am actually feeling rested during the day too. It’s great.
I’ve tried multiple mattresses already and was never able to find one that had that just right feeling for me, until I tried the Awara mattress. It’s not too soft and not too firm, it really is just right! I’d recommend this mattress to anyone looking for something that is soft yet perfectly supportive without being stiff or lumpy.
We absolutely adore our new Awara mattress and can hardly imagine sleeping on anything else. Don’t know why it took us so long to buy something new but we’re so happy with this purchase.
I’ve spent years unhappy with my mattress, even resorting to sleeping on an air mattress because I couldn’t afford a real one. Finally, I saved up my money, and invested in the Awara mattress. I had heard really good things about hybrid mattresses and was interested in trying something made from latex because it’s an all natural material. It’s been three weeks and I am never looking back. Plus the lifetime warranty makes the price a steal! All around I am a very happy camper.
Was nervous at first about purchasing from an online store but the super long trial period made me feel a lot better about it. Loved this mattress so much I bought one for my mom for Christmas and I cannot wait to give it to her.
My husband and I are very new parents (we have a 6 week old) and just before the baby came my parents bought us an Awara bed. We did not realize just how generous of a gift this was until after the baby came and sleep became a precious commodity. I think if it wasn’t for how comfortable that new mattress was, we would have actually gone crazy from how little sleep we were getting! I’m sure all new parents feel that way, but even though we were getting little sleep I know that I was getting a deep sleep, because I definitely would wake up feeling very refreshed.
I am OBSESSED with this mattress! I honestly cannot say enough good things about it, from the incredible customer service team that answered my questions super quickly, to the incredible COMFORT of this bed. I have been sleeping so well and I don’t even hear my husband when he gets out of bed in the morning because I’m sleeping so deeply. It also helps that this bed has really low motion transfer so I don’t feel him when he gets up either. It’s truly perfect for couples.
Great product, great service. Enough said.
Sleeping on Awara has been unlike any other mattress I’ve experienced. I love going to bed every night knowing that I’m going to wake up feeling refreshed. It’s a vastly different experience than my old mattress and I want to tell everyone about it! Stop living sleep deprived and start living a luxurious life and it doesn’t even cost too much!
Okay so OBVIOUSLY this one is better than our old mattress. We only bought a new one because our old one was so bad. But the thing is, I think there are so many people out there who just don’t realize exactly how bad their mattress really is until they experience a new mattress. The difference is mind boggling. If you have even the smallest inkling that it’s time for a new mattress, make the investment and buy an Awara. You have nothing to lose.
I’m excited to get out of bed each morning because that is how good I feel after sleeping on this new mattress. On top of how amazing it feels and how amazing I feel, can we talk about this company for a second? They deserve a medal for their customer service, because the woman I talked to when I had a concern about my delivery was so helpful that I wrote this review specifically so I could talk about my extremely positive experience with the customer service team. 10/10.
When my partner and I bought the Awara mattress, we weren’t sure we were going to keep it. After a few weeks, we completely changed our minds because we began to adjust to it. Now we are sleeping soundly throughout the night and feel extremely comfortable. If you don’t like it right away, definitely take advantage of the trial period and keep sleeping on it. It may just take your body a bit of time to adjust.
It’s such a strange but wonderful feeling to like, actually feel awake when I wake up in the morning. For so many years I would wake up and just want to go straight back to bed, but for the first time in a long time I’m actually waking up before my alarm! I’m getting excellent sleep and I know it’s because I switched my mattress. Much love and thanks to the Awara team.
This is a cushy and cozy mattress that everyone should try. It’s not too soft though, and would definitely say that it has a medium firmness because it’s still very supportive in all of the right spots. I never thought I’d like anything other than a memory foam mattress, but this hybrid has totally converted me. I love everything about the Awara mattress and will definitely be recommending it to friends and family.
Very grateful for Candid Reviewer's advice. We were interested in the C2 after seeing the excellent rating it received from Consumer Reports, with high marks for durability, side and back sleeping. We went to the sleep number store, stuck to our plan and avoided being up- sold, and bought (on Amazon) both the recommended fiber topper and a gel topper to experiment with once the C2 arrives. We also are using our old metal frame with a queen-size bunkie board ($69), for a nice savings compared to the $300 foundation from sleep number. More $ for new sheets and bedding!
View More Reviews3.5 stars if I could. Last November, we got the Sleep number C2 due in part to the top review here.
This is my 8th mattress/mattress adjustment in 6 years. We upgraded from my 20 year old twin sized mattress and until now we have been plagued with back problems. The sleep number has been great for good night sleeps and no back problems anymore. My Sleep #35, wife's #30
Why the 3 stars then....
Overly glorified air mattress. Our 5th mattress was an $80 air mattress with a built in pump. I freaking loved that thing but the wife not so much. The sleep number is no different. The problem lies in the bladders. There are two independent bladders so two different firmness can be achieved. The split, there is a very noticeable casm between my wife and I if go to close to her I roll down. If I'm not centered have a tendency to bottom out do to air shifting. That said the bladders are to thin and I bottom out with my side set to a 50. I prefer to sleep on a 35-40 but for lying in bed with my head up I need to adjust the bed higher so my arse isn't on the hard plastic lower mattress. Speaking of lower mattress, this thing is composed of about 12 hard plastic rails that are aprox 4"-6" high. I've got my bed on my old box spring and it slides all over causing me to jam a falling out rail back in every week or so.
Cuddlings a pain with the grand casm to work around. Sex must be planed so the bladders can be at 100 each.
All that said the C2 is a good mattress but I have made some improvements to make it a great mattress: 3" gel topper and a 3" down quilted topper under the bladder mattress to lessen the bottoming out. I'm eventually going to build bed frame for proper height, box spring containment, and support for sides of the bladders.
The sleep numbers best quality is it offers options it's short comings are easily fixed and it's way eaiser to move than normal mattress set.
Best bed I ever had. I'm a big person 300 Plus pounds...At year 10 the pump went out and I called...they still had my info and sold me a new pump at 1/2 price. It's went through 2 moves and is still great! My husband is also big so it stands up to heavy folks. Folks on the phone were friendly and helpful. I'm looking now to buy my son one.
We decided to try a sleep number bed based on the other reviews here, and the fact that I haven't been able to sleep for more than 4-5 hours at a time and waking up feeling like I had been run over by a truck. I am by nature a skeptic, not wanting to believe ads and doing my own research is much more important than just taking some ad at it's face value.
We have had the bed for a little over a week now and I can say that I'm up to about 6.5 hours of sleep. We are still adjusting to the concept of setting the number to one that is most comfortable. I'm a 65 and the wife is at 75. Time will tell. Overall, the bed went together nicely, wish some of the zippers were better in quality and it does take some getting used to the foam boarders. They sit a bit higher than the mattress so you can definitely feel the edges. Having said that, I sincerely hope that this will be a long term solution for us.
I did make a YouTube Video of the unbox of the mattress that provides some insight into what it takes to set up this mattress.
[...]
My wife and I purchased a sleep number bed, a 5000 Queen Set, Dual, Ptop, Wireless in 2006. The bed was installed by the company's installers and has not been moved since that time. My wife and I are the only one who have ever slept on the bed. We do not have children and so no child has ever jumped on the bed.
About a year ago we noticed that the sides of the bed were pushing out and there was a depression on both sides where he lay when sleeping. Even with full pressure this did not go away. This kept getting worse so we called Customer Support.
The first person we called told us that we should have put a piece of plywood under the mattress to increase support and if we had done so we would not be having problems. However, neither any of the instructions nor the installers said anything about the bed needing extra support.
When we called back to order the almost $400.00 repair parts this person said she did not know anything about needing plywood support and there was no written indication about this on the previous person's phone call. It seemed the lady was suggesting my wife was lying. I can only conclude that the other person should not have inform us about this design flaw.
Also read the warranty information carefully. I did not. After 7 years I am responsible for over 44% of the cost of the repairs.
I will say these beds are very comfortable and you will enjoy the comfort they afford. However, do not believe that they will last for 20 years. Mine lasted for 6 years. If you have young children who like to play on the bed keep them off this bed!
This is for the C2 select comfort bed.
There are many mixed reviews about these beds and they are basically very expensive for an air mattress with very cheap and thin padding between the cover and air mattress. My biggest problem with the bed is that it has very little adjustment. While the numbers go from 0 to 100 they are in increments of 5 so there isn't as much adjustment as there would appear to be (intentional deception?). I'm kind of stuck in the middle so that if I make the bed soft enough I wake up with back pain, when hard enough to not have back pain I toss and turn all night. I wish I had not purchased this bed since I cannot find a good sleep position and will purchase another mattress. If you do buy it decide quickly if you can adjust it for your comfort level. I kept thinking I could get the adjustment right and let the return period expire. Also, returns are expensive and difficult.
Great bed but..... they should call it build a bed. Sleep Number has an odd business model and they want to charge you for all kinds of silly extras.
The key to buying this bed is wait for a sale and only buy the bed no extras as other reviews state here.
The good : The bed is adjustable and you quickly find the right amount of air firmness you need. The mattress is super light so making the bed is a breeze.
The Bad :sleep number charges insane amount for the base get a good piece of plywood, the sleep number base is plastic don't pay for delivery or legs for the base.
The bed feels as others stated like a camping mattress what made the bed great for us is a 2 inch gel memory foam the bed went from bad to a great night sleep, So lets call this a build a bed start with the base model customize it yourself.
After having the bed for the past 10 years, I have had the bed pillow top replaced 2 times because of mold issues. I called the warranty again because the pillow top is coming apart after 4 years and they say i have to pay 60% for a new replacement. This is crazy. Went to buy by Sterns and Foster and they have a full replacement on their beds if they come apart..wow a much better bed then the Sleep by number.
I purchased a C2 bed and slept on it for a week, and each night woke up with back pain. It is honestly the worst mattress I have ever slept on. I started sleeping on the floor because it was more comfortable. The materials are not worth $1,200, they are probably making over 300% profit margins because the cost couldn't be more than $300 for the whole bed. The side walls and chambers do not meet together well, so there are dips all throughout the bed. A pillow top or cushion could not cover up the unevenness of the bed.
BUYER BEWARE: They will not refund you the $90 shipping it cost to UPS your bed to your house, and they will charge you another $90 for labels to return the bed via UPS
My wife and I did extensive research before purchasing a Sleep Number bed, and we were surprised by much of what we learned. I want to share some of that information now, then I'll return periodically to report on how well we're sleeping.
WHY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
There are two main reasons to buy a Sleep Number bed: (1) so you can change the firmness of your mattress to suit your preferences, which may change over time, such as during pregnancy or while recovering from a back injury; and (2) so you can have a different level of firmness on each side of the same mattress to accommodate two sleepers with very different comfort preferences. If you don't care about either of those benefits, there's no reason to buy a Sleep Number bed that wouldn't be just as well served by other, cheaper options, such as a spring mattress.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
All Sleep Number beds use the same quality of pump and air bladder (the size of the bladders may vary, but it makes no difference to comfort). The taller air bladders or "upgraded" layers of padding are not necessarily desirable. In fact, customer reviews are consistently highest for the most basic model, the C2, which gives you the most "bang for your buck" and seems to produce far fewer complaints than their higher-end models.
A Sleep Number bed essentially is a glorified air mattress. The benefit of an air mattress (versus springs or memory foam) is that you can adjust the firmness of the bed from 0 to 100. In practice, this means the bed adjusts from uncomfortably soft (to the point of sinking into it like a hammock) to uncomfortably firm (like laying on a board). Most people will prefer a sleep number somewhere between 30 to 60. Presently, my wife's "sleep number" is a very soft 35, while mine is a fairly firm 60.
You only need the MATTRESS (which includes the air bladders and pump). The Sleep Number box frame is overpriced and not required. Any appropriately-sized box frame will work. The Sleep Number salesperson will likely warn you that traditional wooden box frames tend to expand and contract as the temperature and humidity change, but their "special" polymer box frame won't. Ignore the sales pitch. You don't need it as long as you have a solid, flat foundation for the mattress. We used the box frame from our previous bed, and it works great.
Do NOT buy a "high-end" Sleep Number bed. Customers appear to be consistently and significantly LESS SATISFIED (long-term) with Sleep Number's upgraded models. Search the Internet, and you'll see a distinct pattern in customer reviews: The simpler the model (C2 is the most basic), the happier the customer (on average). The upgraded models also seem unjustifiably overpriced. For instance, in the C3, Sleep Number merely adds a little foam padding and a slightly taller air bladder, but the price jumps by $300 or more! (You could buy a thicker mattress topper of better quality foam for half that price or less.) In short, the most cost-effective (and frankly, most comfortable) choice is to buy the basic C2 model, then purchase a 1" to 3" thick, high-quality memory foam topper from another supplier. You'll spend less money AND sleep better! One caveat: Don't overdo it on the thickness of the memory foam toppper. A topper about 2" thick is plenty to add a touch of luxurious softness, while the C2 mattress provides you with a highly-adjustable firmness level. Thicker toppers have a greater tendency to sink in and sag (a frequent complaint about memory foam after extended use), and thus, can negate the benefits of buying a firmness-adjustable air bed in the first place!
A queen-sized C2 Sleep Number mattress with dual bladders (so each "half" of the bed can be set to a different firmness) costs about $700.00, and the Sleep Number mattress protector (which adds a 10-year warranty) costs another $200. After tax, you're looking at around $1,000 for an air mattress with a warranty that, by many reports from other customers, may not actually be backed by the manufacturer. Nonetheless, having had TWO very disappointing experiences with two different high-end memory foam beds (each in the $1,000 price range), my wife and I decided to give the C2 a try. We will be satisfied with our purchase if our bed stays inflated for at least a decade, and adjusts in firmness when we need it to. Only time will tell.
WHAT TO KNOW WHEN YOU BUY YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED -- DELIVERY/SHIPPING
When you buy a Sleep Number bed, you can pay approximately $160 for delivery and setup, or you can pay about $90 for UPS delivery. Unless you're physically challenged or disabled, I'd save money by opting for the UPS delivery. The bed is easy to set up yourself. It arrives nicely packed in a relatively small box with clear instructions. To save even more money, wait for a promotion period when Sleep Number offers free shipping, and then make your purchase. That's how my wife and I escaped paying any setup/delivery costs.
WHEN YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED ARRIVES
When your Sleep Number bed arrives (assuming you didn't pay for setup), it is easy to assemble. You lay out the mattress cover on a box frame, unzip the top, insert foam stiffeners around the perimeter of the bed, drop in the air bladders, attach the air pump, inflate the bladders, and zip the top of the mattress back on. Done! It only took me about 30 minutes to set up a dual bladder Queen-size bed, and at least half of that time was spent waiting for the bladders to inflate (the initial inflation is slow).
PERFORMANCE
On the first two nights of sleeping on our bed, we tried an old, 4" thick memory foam topper that we had stored in the closet for the past five years. As expected, the 4" of foam was TOO thick and allowed my spine to sag. Even with the C2 mattress itself set to a moderately firm 50 on the first night, and a very firm 70 on the second night, I woke up both mornings with a lot of back pain due to the sinking effect of the (thick) topper. I also sweated a lot both nights because memory foam runs very warm and doesn't breathe well. My wife had no complaints about the mattress itself (she chose a much softer sleep number of 35), but she also sweated and felt uncomfortably hot due to the memory foam topper. We reminded ourselves that we bought this bed to get away from our disappointments with memory foam, so the topper went back into the closet.
On the third and fourth night, we slept with no topper at all (only the C2 mattress and the very thinly padded mattress protection cover we purchased). Initial comfort wasn't great (it doesn't feel "soft as a cloud" because you feel the air bladder pressing smoothly but stiffly against you through the padding). However, the level of back support and sleep-through-the-night comfort were both dramatically better. I woke up with almost no back pain. That confirms the C2 mattress's ability to fulfill the firmness and support needs that we couldn't get from our two previous, high-end memory foam mattresses. Now the task is to find an appropriate topper to add that extra touch of initial softness against our backs.
After a lot of research into memory foam alternatives, we settled on the Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad (sold here on Amazon). Once we've received it and slept on it a few nights, I'll write a separate review for that product, as well as return here to report the overall results on our happiness with the C2 mattress. Stay tuned...
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[UPDATE 7-19-2013: After three weeks on this bed, we're definitely sleeping much better. The first week was a bit rough as we adjusted to the new feel of an air bed, but the last two weeks have been great. The C2 mattress, combined with a Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad, is substantially more supportive than the memory foam mattresses we used previously. Although the initial comfort doesn't feel quite as luxuriously soft when you first lay down on the bed, our actual through-the-night sleeping comfort is outstanding. My sleep number has hovered around a (firm) 65, while my wife continues to prefer her much softer 35. We both agree the Downlite topper made the bed feel substantially better since it is just thick enough to prevent us from feeling the air bladders in the C2 bed.
I also noticed that the Downlite topper feels firmer and more supportive than the upgraded beds we tried out in the Sleep Number store, reinforcing my suspicion that higher-end Sleep Number beds use layers of memory foam which probably sink in over time and cause back pain like we experienced with our previous memory foam beds. That probably accounts for why the higher-end Sleep Number beds are reviewed much more negatively than the basic C2 mattress. If you can give up the pleasure of that initial cozy feeling you get from memory foam, the C2 mattress and Downlite topper are a great combination that will give much better (and adjustable) sleep-through-the-night comfort and support for those who suffer from chronic back pain. So far, we're quite pleased.]
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[UPDATE 9/10/2013: After two full months sleeping on the C2 Sleep Number bed and our Downlite topper, I am THRILLED with the improvements in my neck and back pain--which have essentially disappeared. Each time I lie down on the bed, I'm still aware that the initial "cushy" softness of the memory foam is missing, but after lying down for a few seconds, that observation immediately gives way to a pleasant impression of how firm and supportive the bed feels against my back. After two months, that same initial impression continues to replay in my mind when I go to bed each night.
More importantly, I can now attest with full confidence that the C2 mattress and Downlite topper combination alleviates ALL of the neck and back pain issues I was experiencing with the memory foam mattresses and toppers we have previously slept on. In two months, I haven't had ANY serious problems with pain--and that's a remarkable change from the almost daily pain I was experiencing before.
More impressively, a week ago, I strained my back badly when I slipped while raising a sailboat mast and strained to catch the mast before it slammed down onto the concrete. The last time that (same incident) happened, I couldn't move out of my bed for two full days and I suffered excruciating lower back pain for three weeks before I recovered full mobility. This time, although the pain and strain felt nearly as bad as last time, I was able to get on my feet the next morning and now, a week later, although my back is still tender, I'm recovering exponentially faster than before with near-full mobility and can again lift modest amounts of weight (like my one-year-old daughter) comfortably. The only possible explanation is that this bed is so supportive, it is accelerating my recovery. I now realize now that the last time I injured my back, the memory foam topper we had at that time was probably exacerbating the strain at night, stretching out my pain and debilitation unnecessarily.
Suffice it to say that I am well pleased with the Downlite topper and our C2 Sleep Number mattress. My wife--who is now pregnant--has remarked a few times that she misses the cushy softness of the memory foam a lot, but even she (with her much better back) agrees that this bed's supportiveness is still much better and gives her better "through-the-night" sleep comfort. She just likes her bed to be very soft feeling, and this topper just isn't as initially soft as a more foam-like material would be.]
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[UPDATE 3-11-2014: Well, my wife just completed her pregnancy with our third child and she has said repeatedly throughout the last trimester that she was glad to have an adjustable bed. So far, we've had no air leaks, no signs of premature wear, nor any other complaints. We continue to get good support and comfort from this bed. My wife still occasionally mentions her desire to put a one-inch memory foam topper under the Downlite topper just to increase the initial softness a little, but it's such a small issue, she hasn't really gotten around to it yet. We're plenty comfortable. I can definitely say now that the approximately $1000 investment in this bed was well worth it. We're glad we bought it, and continue to find the adjustment feature useful whenever I have a strained back or my wife's body is changing as it does through a pregnancy and thereafter.]
[UPDATE 12-28-2015: Well, years later and this bed is still holding up great -- with no evident signs of wear, despite three little girls who occasionally jump on it (though we tell them not to) -- and still giving us sleep-through-the-night comfort. Every three months or so, it seems we have to readjust the bed: deflating it down to its lowest setting (20, I think), then inflating it up to its highest setting (100), and then dialing it back down to our preferred sleep number (mine is 55 or 60). This seems to recalibrate the bed's pressure gauge. If we don't do it, we notice that after a few months our sleep number starts to feel "softer" than it is supposed to... as if the bed has let out a little air and/or fallen out of calibration. It takes so long for this to happen that I don't think it can be attributed to a leak (the bed never goes flat!). It just seems to be a quirk that is easily resolved using the recalibration method I described.
Also, having slept on this bed through several more hot seasons, I will say it again: we sleep much cooler on hot Georgia nights than we ever did on memory foam! Overall, we're very pleased with this bed. It's not dreamy soft, but it is comfortable and supportive.]
3.5 stars if I could. Last November, we got the Sleep number C2 due in part to the top review here.
This is my 8th mattress/mattress adjustment in 6 years. We upgraded from my 20 year old twin sized mattress and until now we have been plagued with back problems. The sleep number has been great for good night sleeps and no back problems anymore. My Sleep #35, wife's #30
Why the 3 stars then....
Overly glorified air mattress. Our 5th mattress was an $80 air mattress with a built in pump. I freaking loved that thing but the wife not so much. The sleep number is no different. The problem lies in the bladders. There are two independent bladders so two different firmness can be achieved. The split, there is a very noticeable casm between my wife and I if go to close to her I roll down. If I'm not centered have a tendency to bottom out do to air shifting. That said the bladders are to thin and I bottom out with my side set to a 50. I prefer to sleep on a 35-40 but for lying in bed with my head up I need to adjust the bed higher so my arse isn't on the hard plastic lower mattress. Speaking of lower mattress, this thing is composed of about 12 hard plastic rails that are aprox 4"-6" high. I've got my bed on my old box spring and it slides all over causing me to jam a falling out rail back in every week or so.
Cuddlings a pain with the grand casm to work around. Sex must be planed so the bladders can be at 100 each.
All that said the C2 is a good mattress but I have made some improvements to make it a great mattress: 3" gel topper and a 3" down quilted topper under the bladder mattress to lessen the bottoming out. I'm eventually going to build bed frame for proper height, box spring containment, and support for sides of the bladders.
The sleep numbers best quality is it offers options it's short comings are easily fixed and it's way eaiser to move than normal mattress set.
Very grateful for Candid Reviewer's advice. We were interested in the C2 after seeing the excellent rating it received from Consumer Reports, with high marks for durability, side and back sleeping. We went to the sleep number store, stuck to our plan and avoided being up- sold, and bought (on Amazon) both the recommended fiber topper and a gel topper to experiment with once the C2 arrives. We also are using our old metal frame with a queen-size bunkie board ($69), for a nice savings compared to the $300 foundation from sleep number. More $ for new sheets and bedding!
Best bed I ever had. I'm a big person 300 Plus pounds...At year 10 the pump went out and I called...they still had my info and sold me a new pump at 1/2 price. It's went through 2 moves and is still great! My husband is also big so it stands up to heavy folks. Folks on the phone were friendly and helpful. I'm looking now to buy my son one.
We decided to try a sleep number bed based on the other reviews here, and the fact that I haven't been able to sleep for more than 4-5 hours at a time and waking up feeling like I had been run over by a truck. I am by nature a skeptic, not wanting to believe ads and doing my own research is much more important than just taking some ad at it's face value.
We have had the bed for a little over a week now and I can say that I'm up to about 6.5 hours of sleep. We are still adjusting to the concept of setting the number to one that is most comfortable. I'm a 65 and the wife is at 75. Time will tell. Overall, the bed went together nicely, wish some of the zippers were better in quality and it does take some getting used to the foam boarders. They sit a bit higher than the mattress so you can definitely feel the edges. Having said that, I sincerely hope that this will be a long term solution for us.
I did make a YouTube Video of the unbox of the mattress that provides some insight into what it takes to set up this mattress.
[...]
My wife and I purchased a sleep number bed, a 5000 Queen Set, Dual, Ptop, Wireless in 2006. The bed was installed by the company's installers and has not been moved since that time. My wife and I are the only one who have ever slept on the bed. We do not have children and so no child has ever jumped on the bed.
About a year ago we noticed that the sides of the bed were pushing out and there was a depression on both sides where he lay when sleeping. Even with full pressure this did not go away. This kept getting worse so we called Customer Support.
The first person we called told us that we should have put a piece of plywood under the mattress to increase support and if we had done so we would not be having problems. However, neither any of the instructions nor the installers said anything about the bed needing extra support.
When we called back to order the almost $400.00 repair parts this person said she did not know anything about needing plywood support and there was no written indication about this on the previous person's phone call. It seemed the lady was suggesting my wife was lying. I can only conclude that the other person should not have inform us about this design flaw.
Also read the warranty information carefully. I did not. After 7 years I am responsible for over 44% of the cost of the repairs.
I will say these beds are very comfortable and you will enjoy the comfort they afford. However, do not believe that they will last for 20 years. Mine lasted for 6 years. If you have young children who like to play on the bed keep them off this bed!
This is for the C2 select comfort bed.
There are many mixed reviews about these beds and they are basically very expensive for an air mattress with very cheap and thin padding between the cover and air mattress. My biggest problem with the bed is that it has very little adjustment. While the numbers go from 0 to 100 they are in increments of 5 so there isn't as much adjustment as there would appear to be (intentional deception?). I'm kind of stuck in the middle so that if I make the bed soft enough I wake up with back pain, when hard enough to not have back pain I toss and turn all night. I wish I had not purchased this bed since I cannot find a good sleep position and will purchase another mattress. If you do buy it decide quickly if you can adjust it for your comfort level. I kept thinking I could get the adjustment right and let the return period expire. Also, returns are expensive and difficult.
Great bed but..... they should call it build a bed. Sleep Number has an odd business model and they want to charge you for all kinds of silly extras.
The key to buying this bed is wait for a sale and only buy the bed no extras as other reviews state here.
The good : The bed is adjustable and you quickly find the right amount of air firmness you need. The mattress is super light so making the bed is a breeze.
The Bad :sleep number charges insane amount for the base get a good piece of plywood, the sleep number base is plastic don't pay for delivery or legs for the base.
The bed feels as others stated like a camping mattress what made the bed great for us is a 2 inch gel memory foam the bed went from bad to a great night sleep, So lets call this a build a bed start with the base model customize it yourself.
After having the bed for the past 10 years, I have had the bed pillow top replaced 2 times because of mold issues. I called the warranty again because the pillow top is coming apart after 4 years and they say i have to pay 60% for a new replacement. This is crazy. Went to buy by Sterns and Foster and they have a full replacement on their beds if they come apart..wow a much better bed then the Sleep by number.
I purchased a C2 bed and slept on it for a week, and each night woke up with back pain. It is honestly the worst mattress I have ever slept on. I started sleeping on the floor because it was more comfortable. The materials are not worth $1,200, they are probably making over 300% profit margins because the cost couldn't be more than $300 for the whole bed. The side walls and chambers do not meet together well, so there are dips all throughout the bed. A pillow top or cushion could not cover up the unevenness of the bed.
BUYER BEWARE: They will not refund you the $90 shipping it cost to UPS your bed to your house, and they will charge you another $90 for labels to return the bed via UPS
My wife and I did extensive research before purchasing a Sleep Number bed, and we were surprised by much of what we learned. I want to share some of that information now, then I'll return periodically to report on how well we're sleeping.
WHY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
There are two main reasons to buy a Sleep Number bed: (1) so you can change the firmness of your mattress to suit your preferences, which may change over time, such as during pregnancy or while recovering from a back injury; and (2) so you can have a different level of firmness on each side of the same mattress to accommodate two sleepers with very different comfort preferences. If you don't care about either of those benefits, there's no reason to buy a Sleep Number bed that wouldn't be just as well served by other, cheaper options, such as a spring mattress.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
All Sleep Number beds use the same quality of pump and air bladder (the size of the bladders may vary, but it makes no difference to comfort). The taller air bladders or "upgraded" layers of padding are not necessarily desirable. In fact, customer reviews are consistently highest for the most basic model, the C2, which gives you the most "bang for your buck" and seems to produce far fewer complaints than their higher-end models.
A Sleep Number bed essentially is a glorified air mattress. The benefit of an air mattress (versus springs or memory foam) is that you can adjust the firmness of the bed from 0 to 100. In practice, this means the bed adjusts from uncomfortably soft (to the point of sinking into it like a hammock) to uncomfortably firm (like laying on a board). Most people will prefer a sleep number somewhere between 30 to 60. Presently, my wife's "sleep number" is a very soft 35, while mine is a fairly firm 60.
You only need the MATTRESS (which includes the air bladders and pump). The Sleep Number box frame is overpriced and not required. Any appropriately-sized box frame will work. The Sleep Number salesperson will likely warn you that traditional wooden box frames tend to expand and contract as the temperature and humidity change, but their "special" polymer box frame won't. Ignore the sales pitch. You don't need it as long as you have a solid, flat foundation for the mattress. We used the box frame from our previous bed, and it works great.
Do NOT buy a "high-end" Sleep Number bed. Customers appear to be consistently and significantly LESS SATISFIED (long-term) with Sleep Number's upgraded models. Search the Internet, and you'll see a distinct pattern in customer reviews: The simpler the model (C2 is the most basic), the happier the customer (on average). The upgraded models also seem unjustifiably overpriced. For instance, in the C3, Sleep Number merely adds a little foam padding and a slightly taller air bladder, but the price jumps by $300 or more! (You could buy a thicker mattress topper of better quality foam for half that price or less.) In short, the most cost-effective (and frankly, most comfortable) choice is to buy the basic C2 model, then purchase a 1" to 3" thick, high-quality memory foam topper from another supplier. You'll spend less money AND sleep better! One caveat: Don't overdo it on the thickness of the memory foam toppper. A topper about 2" thick is plenty to add a touch of luxurious softness, while the C2 mattress provides you with a highly-adjustable firmness level. Thicker toppers have a greater tendency to sink in and sag (a frequent complaint about memory foam after extended use), and thus, can negate the benefits of buying a firmness-adjustable air bed in the first place!
A queen-sized C2 Sleep Number mattress with dual bladders (so each "half" of the bed can be set to a different firmness) costs about $700.00, and the Sleep Number mattress protector (which adds a 10-year warranty) costs another $200. After tax, you're looking at around $1,000 for an air mattress with a warranty that, by many reports from other customers, may not actually be backed by the manufacturer. Nonetheless, having had TWO very disappointing experiences with two different high-end memory foam beds (each in the $1,000 price range), my wife and I decided to give the C2 a try. We will be satisfied with our purchase if our bed stays inflated for at least a decade, and adjusts in firmness when we need it to. Only time will tell.
WHAT TO KNOW WHEN YOU BUY YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED -- DELIVERY/SHIPPING
When you buy a Sleep Number bed, you can pay approximately $160 for delivery and setup, or you can pay about $90 for UPS delivery. Unless you're physically challenged or disabled, I'd save money by opting for the UPS delivery. The bed is easy to set up yourself. It arrives nicely packed in a relatively small box with clear instructions. To save even more money, wait for a promotion period when Sleep Number offers free shipping, and then make your purchase. That's how my wife and I escaped paying any setup/delivery costs.
WHEN YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED ARRIVES
When your Sleep Number bed arrives (assuming you didn't pay for setup), it is easy to assemble. You lay out the mattress cover on a box frame, unzip the top, insert foam stiffeners around the perimeter of the bed, drop in the air bladders, attach the air pump, inflate the bladders, and zip the top of the mattress back on. Done! It only took me about 30 minutes to set up a dual bladder Queen-size bed, and at least half of that time was spent waiting for the bladders to inflate (the initial inflation is slow).
PERFORMANCE
On the first two nights of sleeping on our bed, we tried an old, 4" thick memory foam topper that we had stored in the closet for the past five years. As expected, the 4" of foam was TOO thick and allowed my spine to sag. Even with the C2 mattress itself set to a moderately firm 50 on the first night, and a very firm 70 on the second night, I woke up both mornings with a lot of back pain due to the sinking effect of the (thick) topper. I also sweated a lot both nights because memory foam runs very warm and doesn't breathe well. My wife had no complaints about the mattress itself (she chose a much softer sleep number of 35), but she also sweated and felt uncomfortably hot due to the memory foam topper. We reminded ourselves that we bought this bed to get away from our disappointments with memory foam, so the topper went back into the closet.
On the third and fourth night, we slept with no topper at all (only the C2 mattress and the very thinly padded mattress protection cover we purchased). Initial comfort wasn't great (it doesn't feel "soft as a cloud" because you feel the air bladder pressing smoothly but stiffly against you through the padding). However, the level of back support and sleep-through-the-night comfort were both dramatically better. I woke up with almost no back pain. That confirms the C2 mattress's ability to fulfill the firmness and support needs that we couldn't get from our two previous, high-end memory foam mattresses. Now the task is to find an appropriate topper to add that extra touch of initial softness against our backs.
After a lot of research into memory foam alternatives, we settled on the Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad (sold here on Amazon). Once we've received it and slept on it a few nights, I'll write a separate review for that product, as well as return here to report the overall results on our happiness with the C2 mattress. Stay tuned...
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[UPDATE 7-19-2013: After three weeks on this bed, we're definitely sleeping much better. The first week was a bit rough as we adjusted to the new feel of an air bed, but the last two weeks have been great. The C2 mattress, combined with a Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad, is substantially more supportive than the memory foam mattresses we used previously. Although the initial comfort doesn't feel quite as luxuriously soft when you first lay down on the bed, our actual through-the-night sleeping comfort is outstanding. My sleep number has hovered around a (firm) 65, while my wife continues to prefer her much softer 35. We both agree the Downlite topper made the bed feel substantially better since it is just thick enough to prevent us from feeling the air bladders in the C2 bed.
I also noticed that the Downlite topper feels firmer and more supportive than the upgraded beds we tried out in the Sleep Number store, reinforcing my suspicion that higher-end Sleep Number beds use layers of memory foam which probably sink in over time and cause back pain like we experienced with our previous memory foam beds. That probably accounts for why the higher-end Sleep Number beds are reviewed much more negatively than the basic C2 mattress. If you can give up the pleasure of that initial cozy feeling you get from memory foam, the C2 mattress and Downlite topper are a great combination that will give much better (and adjustable) sleep-through-the-night comfort and support for those who suffer from chronic back pain. So far, we're quite pleased.]
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[UPDATE 9/10/2013: After two full months sleeping on the C2 Sleep Number bed and our Downlite topper, I am THRILLED with the improvements in my neck and back pain--which have essentially disappeared. Each time I lie down on the bed, I'm still aware that the initial "cushy" softness of the memory foam is missing, but after lying down for a few seconds, that observation immediately gives way to a pleasant impression of how firm and supportive the bed feels against my back. After two months, that same initial impression continues to replay in my mind when I go to bed each night.
More importantly, I can now attest with full confidence that the C2 mattress and Downlite topper combination alleviates ALL of the neck and back pain issues I was experiencing with the memory foam mattresses and toppers we have previously slept on. In two months, I haven't had ANY serious problems with pain--and that's a remarkable change from the almost daily pain I was experiencing before.
More impressively, a week ago, I strained my back badly when I slipped while raising a sailboat mast and strained to catch the mast before it slammed down onto the concrete. The last time that (same incident) happened, I couldn't move out of my bed for two full days and I suffered excruciating lower back pain for three weeks before I recovered full mobility. This time, although the pain and strain felt nearly as bad as last time, I was able to get on my feet the next morning and now, a week later, although my back is still tender, I'm recovering exponentially faster than before with near-full mobility and can again lift modest amounts of weight (like my one-year-old daughter) comfortably. The only possible explanation is that this bed is so supportive, it is accelerating my recovery. I now realize now that the last time I injured my back, the memory foam topper we had at that time was probably exacerbating the strain at night, stretching out my pain and debilitation unnecessarily.
Suffice it to say that I am well pleased with the Downlite topper and our C2 Sleep Number mattress. My wife--who is now pregnant--has remarked a few times that she misses the cushy softness of the memory foam a lot, but even she (with her much better back) agrees that this bed's supportiveness is still much better and gives her better "through-the-night" sleep comfort. She just likes her bed to be very soft feeling, and this topper just isn't as initially soft as a more foam-like material would be.]
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[UPDATE 3-11-2014: Well, my wife just completed her pregnancy with our third child and she has said repeatedly throughout the last trimester that she was glad to have an adjustable bed. So far, we've had no air leaks, no signs of premature wear, nor any other complaints. We continue to get good support and comfort from this bed. My wife still occasionally mentions her desire to put a one-inch memory foam topper under the Downlite topper just to increase the initial softness a little, but it's such a small issue, she hasn't really gotten around to it yet. We're plenty comfortable. I can definitely say now that the approximately $1000 investment in this bed was well worth it. We're glad we bought it, and continue to find the adjustment feature useful whenever I have a strained back or my wife's body is changing as it does through a pregnancy and thereafter.]
[UPDATE 12-28-2015: Well, years later and this bed is still holding up great -- with no evident signs of wear, despite three little girls who occasionally jump on it (though we tell them not to) -- and still giving us sleep-through-the-night comfort. Every three months or so, it seems we have to readjust the bed: deflating it down to its lowest setting (20, I think), then inflating it up to its highest setting (100), and then dialing it back down to our preferred sleep number (mine is 55 or 60). This seems to recalibrate the bed's pressure gauge. If we don't do it, we notice that after a few months our sleep number starts to feel "softer" than it is supposed to... as if the bed has let out a little air and/or fallen out of calibration. It takes so long for this to happen that I don't think it can be attributed to a leak (the bed never goes flat!). It just seems to be a quirk that is easily resolved using the recalibration method I described.
Also, having slept on this bed through several more hot seasons, I will say it again: we sleep much cooler on hot Georgia nights than we ever did on memory foam! Overall, we're very pleased with this bed. It's not dreamy soft, but it is comfortable and supportive.]
3.5 stars if I could. Last November, we got the Sleep number C2 due in part to the top review here.
This is my 8th mattress/mattress adjustment in 6 years. We upgraded from my 20 year old twin sized mattress and until now we have been plagued with back problems. The sleep number has been great for good night sleeps and no back problems anymore. My Sleep #35, wife's #30
Why the 3 stars then....
Overly glorified air mattress. Our 5th mattress was an $80 air mattress with a built in pump. I freaking loved that thing but the wife not so much. The sleep number is no different. The problem lies in the bladders. There are two independent bladders so two different firmness can be achieved. The split, there is a very noticeable casm between my wife and I if go to close to her I roll down. If I'm not centered have a tendency to bottom out do to air shifting. That said the bladders are to thin and I bottom out with my side set to a 50. I prefer to sleep on a 35-40 but for lying in bed with my head up I need to adjust the bed higher so my arse isn't on the hard plastic lower mattress. Speaking of lower mattress, this thing is composed of about 12 hard plastic rails that are aprox 4"-6" high. I've got my bed on my old box spring and it slides all over causing me to jam a falling out rail back in every week or so.
Cuddlings a pain with the grand casm to work around. Sex must be planed so the bladders can be at 100 each.
All that said the C2 is a good mattress but I have made some improvements to make it a great mattress: 3" gel topper and a 3" down quilted topper under the bladder mattress to lessen the bottoming out. I'm eventually going to build bed frame for proper height, box spring containment, and support for sides of the bladders.
The sleep numbers best quality is it offers options it's short comings are easily fixed and it's way eaiser to move than normal mattress set.
Very grateful for Candid Reviewer's advice. We were interested in the C2 after seeing the excellent rating it received from Consumer Reports, with high marks for durability, side and back sleeping. We went to the sleep number store, stuck to our plan and avoided being up- sold, and bought (on Amazon) both the recommended fiber topper and a gel topper to experiment with once the C2 arrives. We also are using our old metal frame with a queen-size bunkie board ($69), for a nice savings compared to the $300 foundation from sleep number. More $ for new sheets and bedding!
Best bed I ever had. I'm a big person 300 Plus pounds...At year 10 the pump went out and I called...they still had my info and sold me a new pump at 1/2 price. It's went through 2 moves and is still great! My husband is also big so it stands up to heavy folks. Folks on the phone were friendly and helpful. I'm looking now to buy my son one.
We decided to try a sleep number bed based on the other reviews here, and the fact that I haven't been able to sleep for more than 4-5 hours at a time and waking up feeling like I had been run over by a truck. I am by nature a skeptic, not wanting to believe ads and doing my own research is much more important than just taking some ad at it's face value.
We have had the bed for a little over a week now and I can say that I'm up to about 6.5 hours of sleep. We are still adjusting to the concept of setting the number to one that is most comfortable. I'm a 65 and the wife is at 75. Time will tell. Overall, the bed went together nicely, wish some of the zippers were better in quality and it does take some getting used to the foam boarders. They sit a bit higher than the mattress so you can definitely feel the edges. Having said that, I sincerely hope that this will be a long term solution for us.
I did make a YouTube Video of the unbox of the mattress that provides some insight into what it takes to set up this mattress.
[...]
My wife and I purchased a sleep number bed, a 5000 Queen Set, Dual, Ptop, Wireless in 2006. The bed was installed by the company's installers and has not been moved since that time. My wife and I are the only one who have ever slept on the bed. We do not have children and so no child has ever jumped on the bed.
About a year ago we noticed that the sides of the bed were pushing out and there was a depression on both sides where he lay when sleeping. Even with full pressure this did not go away. This kept getting worse so we called Customer Support.
The first person we called told us that we should have put a piece of plywood under the mattress to increase support and if we had done so we would not be having problems. However, neither any of the instructions nor the installers said anything about the bed needing extra support.
When we called back to order the almost $400.00 repair parts this person said she did not know anything about needing plywood support and there was no written indication about this on the previous person's phone call. It seemed the lady was suggesting my wife was lying. I can only conclude that the other person should not have inform us about this design flaw.
Also read the warranty information carefully. I did not. After 7 years I am responsible for over 44% of the cost of the repairs.
I will say these beds are very comfortable and you will enjoy the comfort they afford. However, do not believe that they will last for 20 years. Mine lasted for 6 years. If you have young children who like to play on the bed keep them off this bed!
This is for the C2 select comfort bed.
There are many mixed reviews about these beds and they are basically very expensive for an air mattress with very cheap and thin padding between the cover and air mattress. My biggest problem with the bed is that it has very little adjustment. While the numbers go from 0 to 100 they are in increments of 5 so there isn't as much adjustment as there would appear to be (intentional deception?). I'm kind of stuck in the middle so that if I make the bed soft enough I wake up with back pain, when hard enough to not have back pain I toss and turn all night. I wish I had not purchased this bed since I cannot find a good sleep position and will purchase another mattress. If you do buy it decide quickly if you can adjust it for your comfort level. I kept thinking I could get the adjustment right and let the return period expire. Also, returns are expensive and difficult.
Great bed but..... they should call it build a bed. Sleep Number has an odd business model and they want to charge you for all kinds of silly extras.
The key to buying this bed is wait for a sale and only buy the bed no extras as other reviews state here.
The good : The bed is adjustable and you quickly find the right amount of air firmness you need. The mattress is super light so making the bed is a breeze.
The Bad :sleep number charges insane amount for the base get a good piece of plywood, the sleep number base is plastic don't pay for delivery or legs for the base.
The bed feels as others stated like a camping mattress what made the bed great for us is a 2 inch gel memory foam the bed went from bad to a great night sleep, So lets call this a build a bed start with the base model customize it yourself.
After having the bed for the past 10 years, I have had the bed pillow top replaced 2 times because of mold issues. I called the warranty again because the pillow top is coming apart after 4 years and they say i have to pay 60% for a new replacement. This is crazy. Went to buy by Sterns and Foster and they have a full replacement on their beds if they come apart..wow a much better bed then the Sleep by number.
I purchased a C2 bed and slept on it for a week, and each night woke up with back pain. It is honestly the worst mattress I have ever slept on. I started sleeping on the floor because it was more comfortable. The materials are not worth $1,200, they are probably making over 300% profit margins because the cost couldn't be more than $300 for the whole bed. The side walls and chambers do not meet together well, so there are dips all throughout the bed. A pillow top or cushion could not cover up the unevenness of the bed.
BUYER BEWARE: They will not refund you the $90 shipping it cost to UPS your bed to your house, and they will charge you another $90 for labels to return the bed via UPS
My wife and I did extensive research before purchasing a Sleep Number bed, and we were surprised by much of what we learned. I want to share some of that information now, then I'll return periodically to report on how well we're sleeping.
WHY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
There are two main reasons to buy a Sleep Number bed: (1) so you can change the firmness of your mattress to suit your preferences, which may change over time, such as during pregnancy or while recovering from a back injury; and (2) so you can have a different level of firmness on each side of the same mattress to accommodate two sleepers with very different comfort preferences. If you don't care about either of those benefits, there's no reason to buy a Sleep Number bed that wouldn't be just as well served by other, cheaper options, such as a spring mattress.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
All Sleep Number beds use the same quality of pump and air bladder (the size of the bladders may vary, but it makes no difference to comfort). The taller air bladders or "upgraded" layers of padding are not necessarily desirable. In fact, customer reviews are consistently highest for the most basic model, the C2, which gives you the most "bang for your buck" and seems to produce far fewer complaints than their higher-end models.
A Sleep Number bed essentially is a glorified air mattress. The benefit of an air mattress (versus springs or memory foam) is that you can adjust the firmness of the bed from 0 to 100. In practice, this means the bed adjusts from uncomfortably soft (to the point of sinking into it like a hammock) to uncomfortably firm (like laying on a board). Most people will prefer a sleep number somewhere between 30 to 60. Presently, my wife's "sleep number" is a very soft 35, while mine is a fairly firm 60.
You only need the MATTRESS (which includes the air bladders and pump). The Sleep Number box frame is overpriced and not required. Any appropriately-sized box frame will work. The Sleep Number salesperson will likely warn you that traditional wooden box frames tend to expand and contract as the temperature and humidity change, but their "special" polymer box frame won't. Ignore the sales pitch. You don't need it as long as you have a solid, flat foundation for the mattress. We used the box frame from our previous bed, and it works great.
Do NOT buy a "high-end" Sleep Number bed. Customers appear to be consistently and significantly LESS SATISFIED (long-term) with Sleep Number's upgraded models. Search the Internet, and you'll see a distinct pattern in customer reviews: The simpler the model (C2 is the most basic), the happier the customer (on average). The upgraded models also seem unjustifiably overpriced. For instance, in the C3, Sleep Number merely adds a little foam padding and a slightly taller air bladder, but the price jumps by $300 or more! (You could buy a thicker mattress topper of better quality foam for half that price or less.) In short, the most cost-effective (and frankly, most comfortable) choice is to buy the basic C2 model, then purchase a 1" to 3" thick, high-quality memory foam topper from another supplier. You'll spend less money AND sleep better! One caveat: Don't overdo it on the thickness of the memory foam toppper. A topper about 2" thick is plenty to add a touch of luxurious softness, while the C2 mattress provides you with a highly-adjustable firmness level. Thicker toppers have a greater tendency to sink in and sag (a frequent complaint about memory foam after extended use), and thus, can negate the benefits of buying a firmness-adjustable air bed in the first place!
A queen-sized C2 Sleep Number mattress with dual bladders (so each "half" of the bed can be set to a different firmness) costs about $700.00, and the Sleep Number mattress protector (which adds a 10-year warranty) costs another $200. After tax, you're looking at around $1,000 for an air mattress with a warranty that, by many reports from other customers, may not actually be backed by the manufacturer. Nonetheless, having had TWO very disappointing experiences with two different high-end memory foam beds (each in the $1,000 price range), my wife and I decided to give the C2 a try. We will be satisfied with our purchase if our bed stays inflated for at least a decade, and adjusts in firmness when we need it to. Only time will tell.
WHAT TO KNOW WHEN YOU BUY YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED -- DELIVERY/SHIPPING
When you buy a Sleep Number bed, you can pay approximately $160 for delivery and setup, or you can pay about $90 for UPS delivery. Unless you're physically challenged or disabled, I'd save money by opting for the UPS delivery. The bed is easy to set up yourself. It arrives nicely packed in a relatively small box with clear instructions. To save even more money, wait for a promotion period when Sleep Number offers free shipping, and then make your purchase. That's how my wife and I escaped paying any setup/delivery costs.
WHEN YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED ARRIVES
When your Sleep Number bed arrives (assuming you didn't pay for setup), it is easy to assemble. You lay out the mattress cover on a box frame, unzip the top, insert foam stiffeners around the perimeter of the bed, drop in the air bladders, attach the air pump, inflate the bladders, and zip the top of the mattress back on. Done! It only took me about 30 minutes to set up a dual bladder Queen-size bed, and at least half of that time was spent waiting for the bladders to inflate (the initial inflation is slow).
PERFORMANCE
On the first two nights of sleeping on our bed, we tried an old, 4" thick memory foam topper that we had stored in the closet for the past five years. As expected, the 4" of foam was TOO thick and allowed my spine to sag. Even with the C2 mattress itself set to a moderately firm 50 on the first night, and a very firm 70 on the second night, I woke up both mornings with a lot of back pain due to the sinking effect of the (thick) topper. I also sweated a lot both nights because memory foam runs very warm and doesn't breathe well. My wife had no complaints about the mattress itself (she chose a much softer sleep number of 35), but she also sweated and felt uncomfortably hot due to the memory foam topper. We reminded ourselves that we bought this bed to get away from our disappointments with memory foam, so the topper went back into the closet.
On the third and fourth night, we slept with no topper at all (only the C2 mattress and the very thinly padded mattress protection cover we purchased). Initial comfort wasn't great (it doesn't feel "soft as a cloud" because you feel the air bladder pressing smoothly but stiffly against you through the padding). However, the level of back support and sleep-through-the-night comfort were both dramatically better. I woke up with almost no back pain. That confirms the C2 mattress's ability to fulfill the firmness and support needs that we couldn't get from our two previous, high-end memory foam mattresses. Now the task is to find an appropriate topper to add that extra touch of initial softness against our backs.
After a lot of research into memory foam alternatives, we settled on the Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad (sold here on Amazon). Once we've received it and slept on it a few nights, I'll write a separate review for that product, as well as return here to report the overall results on our happiness with the C2 mattress. Stay tuned...
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[UPDATE 7-19-2013: After three weeks on this bed, we're definitely sleeping much better. The first week was a bit rough as we adjusted to the new feel of an air bed, but the last two weeks have been great. The C2 mattress, combined with a Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad, is substantially more supportive than the memory foam mattresses we used previously. Although the initial comfort doesn't feel quite as luxuriously soft when you first lay down on the bed, our actual through-the-night sleeping comfort is outstanding. My sleep number has hovered around a (firm) 65, while my wife continues to prefer her much softer 35. We both agree the Downlite topper made the bed feel substantially better since it is just thick enough to prevent us from feeling the air bladders in the C2 bed.
I also noticed that the Downlite topper feels firmer and more supportive than the upgraded beds we tried out in the Sleep Number store, reinforcing my suspicion that higher-end Sleep Number beds use layers of memory foam which probably sink in over time and cause back pain like we experienced with our previous memory foam beds. That probably accounts for why the higher-end Sleep Number beds are reviewed much more negatively than the basic C2 mattress. If you can give up the pleasure of that initial cozy feeling you get from memory foam, the C2 mattress and Downlite topper are a great combination that will give much better (and adjustable) sleep-through-the-night comfort and support for those who suffer from chronic back pain. So far, we're quite pleased.]
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[UPDATE 9/10/2013: After two full months sleeping on the C2 Sleep Number bed and our Downlite topper, I am THRILLED with the improvements in my neck and back pain--which have essentially disappeared. Each time I lie down on the bed, I'm still aware that the initial "cushy" softness of the memory foam is missing, but after lying down for a few seconds, that observation immediately gives way to a pleasant impression of how firm and supportive the bed feels against my back. After two months, that same initial impression continues to replay in my mind when I go to bed each night.
More importantly, I can now attest with full confidence that the C2 mattress and Downlite topper combination alleviates ALL of the neck and back pain issues I was experiencing with the memory foam mattresses and toppers we have previously slept on. In two months, I haven't had ANY serious problems with pain--and that's a remarkable change from the almost daily pain I was experiencing before.
More impressively, a week ago, I strained my back badly when I slipped while raising a sailboat mast and strained to catch the mast before it slammed down onto the concrete. The last time that (same incident) happened, I couldn't move out of my bed for two full days and I suffered excruciating lower back pain for three weeks before I recovered full mobility. This time, although the pain and strain felt nearly as bad as last time, I was able to get on my feet the next morning and now, a week later, although my back is still tender, I'm recovering exponentially faster than before with near-full mobility and can again lift modest amounts of weight (like my one-year-old daughter) comfortably. The only possible explanation is that this bed is so supportive, it is accelerating my recovery. I now realize now that the last time I injured my back, the memory foam topper we had at that time was probably exacerbating the strain at night, stretching out my pain and debilitation unnecessarily.
Suffice it to say that I am well pleased with the Downlite topper and our C2 Sleep Number mattress. My wife--who is now pregnant--has remarked a few times that she misses the cushy softness of the memory foam a lot, but even she (with her much better back) agrees that this bed's supportiveness is still much better and gives her better "through-the-night" sleep comfort. She just likes her bed to be very soft feeling, and this topper just isn't as initially soft as a more foam-like material would be.]
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[UPDATE 3-11-2014: Well, my wife just completed her pregnancy with our third child and she has said repeatedly throughout the last trimester that she was glad to have an adjustable bed. So far, we've had no air leaks, no signs of premature wear, nor any other complaints. We continue to get good support and comfort from this bed. My wife still occasionally mentions her desire to put a one-inch memory foam topper under the Downlite topper just to increase the initial softness a little, but it's such a small issue, she hasn't really gotten around to it yet. We're plenty comfortable. I can definitely say now that the approximately $1000 investment in this bed was well worth it. We're glad we bought it, and continue to find the adjustment feature useful whenever I have a strained back or my wife's body is changing as it does through a pregnancy and thereafter.]
[UPDATE 12-28-2015: Well, years later and this bed is still holding up great -- with no evident signs of wear, despite three little girls who occasionally jump on it (though we tell them not to) -- and still giving us sleep-through-the-night comfort. Every three months or so, it seems we have to readjust the bed: deflating it down to its lowest setting (20, I think), then inflating it up to its highest setting (100), and then dialing it back down to our preferred sleep number (mine is 55 or 60). This seems to recalibrate the bed's pressure gauge. If we don't do it, we notice that after a few months our sleep number starts to feel "softer" than it is supposed to... as if the bed has let out a little air and/or fallen out of calibration. It takes so long for this to happen that I don't think it can be attributed to a leak (the bed never goes flat!). It just seems to be a quirk that is easily resolved using the recalibration method I described.
Also, having slept on this bed through several more hot seasons, I will say it again: we sleep much cooler on hot Georgia nights than we ever did on memory foam! Overall, we're very pleased with this bed. It's not dreamy soft, but it is comfortable and supportive.]
3.5 stars if I could. Last November, we got the Sleep number C2 due in part to the top review here.
This is my 8th mattress/mattress adjustment in 6 years. We upgraded from my 20 year old twin sized mattress and until now we have been plagued with back problems. The sleep number has been great for good night sleeps and no back problems anymore. My Sleep #35, wife's #30
Why the 3 stars then....
Overly glorified air mattress. Our 5th mattress was an $80 air mattress with a built in pump. I freaking loved that thing but the wife not so much. The sleep number is no different. The problem lies in the bladders. There are two independent bladders so two different firmness can be achieved. The split, there is a very noticeable casm between my wife and I if go to close to her I roll down. If I'm not centered have a tendency to bottom out do to air shifting. That said the bladders are to thin and I bottom out with my side set to a 50. I prefer to sleep on a 35-40 but for lying in bed with my head up I need to adjust the bed higher so my arse isn't on the hard plastic lower mattress. Speaking of lower mattress, this thing is composed of about 12 hard plastic rails that are aprox 4"-6" high. I've got my bed on my old box spring and it slides all over causing me to jam a falling out rail back in every week or so.
Cuddlings a pain with the grand casm to work around. Sex must be planed so the bladders can be at 100 each.
All that said the C2 is a good mattress but I have made some improvements to make it a great mattress: 3" gel topper and a 3" down quilted topper under the bladder mattress to lessen the bottoming out. I'm eventually going to build bed frame for proper height, box spring containment, and support for sides of the bladders.
The sleep numbers best quality is it offers options it's short comings are easily fixed and it's way eaiser to move than normal mattress set.
Very grateful for Candid Reviewer's advice. We were interested in the C2 after seeing the excellent rating it received from Consumer Reports, with high marks for durability, side and back sleeping. We went to the sleep number store, stuck to our plan and avoided being up- sold, and bought (on Amazon) both the recommended fiber topper and a gel topper to experiment with once the C2 arrives. We also are using our old metal frame with a queen-size bunkie board ($69), for a nice savings compared to the $300 foundation from sleep number. More $ for new sheets and bedding!
Best bed I ever had. I'm a big person 300 Plus pounds...At year 10 the pump went out and I called...they still had my info and sold me a new pump at 1/2 price. It's went through 2 moves and is still great! My husband is also big so it stands up to heavy folks. Folks on the phone were friendly and helpful. I'm looking now to buy my son one.
We decided to try a sleep number bed based on the other reviews here, and the fact that I haven't been able to sleep for more than 4-5 hours at a time and waking up feeling like I had been run over by a truck. I am by nature a skeptic, not wanting to believe ads and doing my own research is much more important than just taking some ad at it's face value.
We have had the bed for a little over a week now and I can say that I'm up to about 6.5 hours of sleep. We are still adjusting to the concept of setting the number to one that is most comfortable. I'm a 65 and the wife is at 75. Time will tell. Overall, the bed went together nicely, wish some of the zippers were better in quality and it does take some getting used to the foam boarders. They sit a bit higher than the mattress so you can definitely feel the edges. Having said that, I sincerely hope that this will be a long term solution for us.
I did make a YouTube Video of the unbox of the mattress that provides some insight into what it takes to set up this mattress.
[...]
My wife and I purchased a sleep number bed, a 5000 Queen Set, Dual, Ptop, Wireless in 2006. The bed was installed by the company's installers and has not been moved since that time. My wife and I are the only one who have ever slept on the bed. We do not have children and so no child has ever jumped on the bed.
About a year ago we noticed that the sides of the bed were pushing out and there was a depression on both sides where he lay when sleeping. Even with full pressure this did not go away. This kept getting worse so we called Customer Support.
The first person we called told us that we should have put a piece of plywood under the mattress to increase support and if we had done so we would not be having problems. However, neither any of the instructions nor the installers said anything about the bed needing extra support.
When we called back to order the almost $400.00 repair parts this person said she did not know anything about needing plywood support and there was no written indication about this on the previous person's phone call. It seemed the lady was suggesting my wife was lying. I can only conclude that the other person should not have inform us about this design flaw.
Also read the warranty information carefully. I did not. After 7 years I am responsible for over 44% of the cost of the repairs.
I will say these beds are very comfortable and you will enjoy the comfort they afford. However, do not believe that they will last for 20 years. Mine lasted for 6 years. If you have young children who like to play on the bed keep them off this bed!
This is for the C2 select comfort bed.
There are many mixed reviews about these beds and they are basically very expensive for an air mattress with very cheap and thin padding between the cover and air mattress. My biggest problem with the bed is that it has very little adjustment. While the numbers go from 0 to 100 they are in increments of 5 so there isn't as much adjustment as there would appear to be (intentional deception?). I'm kind of stuck in the middle so that if I make the bed soft enough I wake up with back pain, when hard enough to not have back pain I toss and turn all night. I wish I had not purchased this bed since I cannot find a good sleep position and will purchase another mattress. If you do buy it decide quickly if you can adjust it for your comfort level. I kept thinking I could get the adjustment right and let the return period expire. Also, returns are expensive and difficult.
Great bed but..... they should call it build a bed. Sleep Number has an odd business model and they want to charge you for all kinds of silly extras.
The key to buying this bed is wait for a sale and only buy the bed no extras as other reviews state here.
The good : The bed is adjustable and you quickly find the right amount of air firmness you need. The mattress is super light so making the bed is a breeze.
The Bad :sleep number charges insane amount for the base get a good piece of plywood, the sleep number base is plastic don't pay for delivery or legs for the base.
The bed feels as others stated like a camping mattress what made the bed great for us is a 2 inch gel memory foam the bed went from bad to a great night sleep, So lets call this a build a bed start with the base model customize it yourself.
After having the bed for the past 10 years, I have had the bed pillow top replaced 2 times because of mold issues. I called the warranty again because the pillow top is coming apart after 4 years and they say i have to pay 60% for a new replacement. This is crazy. Went to buy by Sterns and Foster and they have a full replacement on their beds if they come apart..wow a much better bed then the Sleep by number.
I purchased a C2 bed and slept on it for a week, and each night woke up with back pain. It is honestly the worst mattress I have ever slept on. I started sleeping on the floor because it was more comfortable. The materials are not worth $1,200, they are probably making over 300% profit margins because the cost couldn't be more than $300 for the whole bed. The side walls and chambers do not meet together well, so there are dips all throughout the bed. A pillow top or cushion could not cover up the unevenness of the bed.
BUYER BEWARE: They will not refund you the $90 shipping it cost to UPS your bed to your house, and they will charge you another $90 for labels to return the bed via UPS
My wife and I did extensive research before purchasing a Sleep Number bed, and we were surprised by much of what we learned. I want to share some of that information now, then I'll return periodically to report on how well we're sleeping.
WHY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
There are two main reasons to buy a Sleep Number bed: (1) so you can change the firmness of your mattress to suit your preferences, which may change over time, such as during pregnancy or while recovering from a back injury; and (2) so you can have a different level of firmness on each side of the same mattress to accommodate two sleepers with very different comfort preferences. If you don't care about either of those benefits, there's no reason to buy a Sleep Number bed that wouldn't be just as well served by other, cheaper options, such as a spring mattress.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY A SLEEP NUMBER BED
All Sleep Number beds use the same quality of pump and air bladder (the size of the bladders may vary, but it makes no difference to comfort). The taller air bladders or "upgraded" layers of padding are not necessarily desirable. In fact, customer reviews are consistently highest for the most basic model, the C2, which gives you the most "bang for your buck" and seems to produce far fewer complaints than their higher-end models.
A Sleep Number bed essentially is a glorified air mattress. The benefit of an air mattress (versus springs or memory foam) is that you can adjust the firmness of the bed from 0 to 100. In practice, this means the bed adjusts from uncomfortably soft (to the point of sinking into it like a hammock) to uncomfortably firm (like laying on a board). Most people will prefer a sleep number somewhere between 30 to 60. Presently, my wife's "sleep number" is a very soft 35, while mine is a fairly firm 60.
You only need the MATTRESS (which includes the air bladders and pump). The Sleep Number box frame is overpriced and not required. Any appropriately-sized box frame will work. The Sleep Number salesperson will likely warn you that traditional wooden box frames tend to expand and contract as the temperature and humidity change, but their "special" polymer box frame won't. Ignore the sales pitch. You don't need it as long as you have a solid, flat foundation for the mattress. We used the box frame from our previous bed, and it works great.
Do NOT buy a "high-end" Sleep Number bed. Customers appear to be consistently and significantly LESS SATISFIED (long-term) with Sleep Number's upgraded models. Search the Internet, and you'll see a distinct pattern in customer reviews: The simpler the model (C2 is the most basic), the happier the customer (on average). The upgraded models also seem unjustifiably overpriced. For instance, in the C3, Sleep Number merely adds a little foam padding and a slightly taller air bladder, but the price jumps by $300 or more! (You could buy a thicker mattress topper of better quality foam for half that price or less.) In short, the most cost-effective (and frankly, most comfortable) choice is to buy the basic C2 model, then purchase a 1" to 3" thick, high-quality memory foam topper from another supplier. You'll spend less money AND sleep better! One caveat: Don't overdo it on the thickness of the memory foam toppper. A topper about 2" thick is plenty to add a touch of luxurious softness, while the C2 mattress provides you with a highly-adjustable firmness level. Thicker toppers have a greater tendency to sink in and sag (a frequent complaint about memory foam after extended use), and thus, can negate the benefits of buying a firmness-adjustable air bed in the first place!
A queen-sized C2 Sleep Number mattress with dual bladders (so each "half" of the bed can be set to a different firmness) costs about $700.00, and the Sleep Number mattress protector (which adds a 10-year warranty) costs another $200. After tax, you're looking at around $1,000 for an air mattress with a warranty that, by many reports from other customers, may not actually be backed by the manufacturer. Nonetheless, having had TWO very disappointing experiences with two different high-end memory foam beds (each in the $1,000 price range), my wife and I decided to give the C2 a try. We will be satisfied with our purchase if our bed stays inflated for at least a decade, and adjusts in firmness when we need it to. Only time will tell.
WHAT TO KNOW WHEN YOU BUY YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED -- DELIVERY/SHIPPING
When you buy a Sleep Number bed, you can pay approximately $160 for delivery and setup, or you can pay about $90 for UPS delivery. Unless you're physically challenged or disabled, I'd save money by opting for the UPS delivery. The bed is easy to set up yourself. It arrives nicely packed in a relatively small box with clear instructions. To save even more money, wait for a promotion period when Sleep Number offers free shipping, and then make your purchase. That's how my wife and I escaped paying any setup/delivery costs.
WHEN YOUR SLEEP NUMBER BED ARRIVES
When your Sleep Number bed arrives (assuming you didn't pay for setup), it is easy to assemble. You lay out the mattress cover on a box frame, unzip the top, insert foam stiffeners around the perimeter of the bed, drop in the air bladders, attach the air pump, inflate the bladders, and zip the top of the mattress back on. Done! It only took me about 30 minutes to set up a dual bladder Queen-size bed, and at least half of that time was spent waiting for the bladders to inflate (the initial inflation is slow).
PERFORMANCE
On the first two nights of sleeping on our bed, we tried an old, 4" thick memory foam topper that we had stored in the closet for the past five years. As expected, the 4" of foam was TOO thick and allowed my spine to sag. Even with the C2 mattress itself set to a moderately firm 50 on the first night, and a very firm 70 on the second night, I woke up both mornings with a lot of back pain due to the sinking effect of the (thick) topper. I also sweated a lot both nights because memory foam runs very warm and doesn't breathe well. My wife had no complaints about the mattress itself (she chose a much softer sleep number of 35), but she also sweated and felt uncomfortably hot due to the memory foam topper. We reminded ourselves that we bought this bed to get away from our disappointments with memory foam, so the topper went back into the closet.
On the third and fourth night, we slept with no topper at all (only the C2 mattress and the very thinly padded mattress protection cover we purchased). Initial comfort wasn't great (it doesn't feel "soft as a cloud" because you feel the air bladder pressing smoothly but stiffly against you through the padding). However, the level of back support and sleep-through-the-night comfort were both dramatically better. I woke up with almost no back pain. That confirms the C2 mattress's ability to fulfill the firmness and support needs that we couldn't get from our two previous, high-end memory foam mattresses. Now the task is to find an appropriate topper to add that extra touch of initial softness against our backs.
After a lot of research into memory foam alternatives, we settled on the Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad (sold here on Amazon). Once we've received it and slept on it a few nights, I'll write a separate review for that product, as well as return here to report the overall results on our happiness with the C2 mattress. Stay tuned...
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[UPDATE 7-19-2013: After three weeks on this bed, we're definitely sleeping much better. The first week was a bit rough as we adjusted to the new feel of an air bed, but the last two weeks have been great. The C2 mattress, combined with a Downlite Extra Plush Bamboo Top Mattress Pad, is substantially more supportive than the memory foam mattresses we used previously. Although the initial comfort doesn't feel quite as luxuriously soft when you first lay down on the bed, our actual through-the-night sleeping comfort is outstanding. My sleep number has hovered around a (firm) 65, while my wife continues to prefer her much softer 35. We both agree the Downlite topper made the bed feel substantially better since it is just thick enough to prevent us from feeling the air bladders in the C2 bed.
I also noticed that the Downlite topper feels firmer and more supportive than the upgraded beds we tried out in the Sleep Number store, reinforcing my suspicion that higher-end Sleep Number beds use layers of memory foam which probably sink in over time and cause back pain like we experienced with our previous memory foam beds. That probably accounts for why the higher-end Sleep Number beds are reviewed much more negatively than the basic C2 mattress. If you can give up the pleasure of that initial cozy feeling you get from memory foam, the C2 mattress and Downlite topper are a great combination that will give much better (and adjustable) sleep-through-the-night comfort and support for those who suffer from chronic back pain. So far, we're quite pleased.]
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[UPDATE 9/10/2013: After two full months sleeping on the C2 Sleep Number bed and our Downlite topper, I am THRILLED with the improvements in my neck and back pain--which have essentially disappeared. Each time I lie down on the bed, I'm still aware that the initial "cushy" softness of the memory foam is missing, but after lying down for a few seconds, that observation immediately gives way to a pleasant impression of how firm and supportive the bed feels against my back. After two months, that same initial impression continues to replay in my mind when I go to bed each night.
More importantly, I can now attest with full confidence that the C2 mattress and Downlite topper combination alleviates ALL of the neck and back pain issues I was experiencing with the memory foam mattresses and toppers we have previously slept on. In two months, I haven't had ANY serious problems with pain--and that's a remarkable change from the almost daily pain I was experiencing before.
More impressively, a week ago, I strained my back badly when I slipped while raising a sailboat mast and strained to catch the mast before it slammed down onto the concrete. The last time that (same incident) happened, I couldn't move out of my bed for two full days and I suffered excruciating lower back pain for three weeks before I recovered full mobility. This time, although the pain and strain felt nearly as bad as last time, I was able to get on my feet the next morning and now, a week later, although my back is still tender, I'm recovering exponentially faster than before with near-full mobility and can again lift modest amounts of weight (like my one-year-old daughter) comfortably. The only possible explanation is that this bed is so supportive, it is accelerating my recovery. I now realize now that the last time I injured my back, the memory foam topper we had at that time was probably exacerbating the strain at night, stretching out my pain and debilitation unnecessarily.
Suffice it to say that I am well pleased with the Downlite topper and our C2 Sleep Number mattress. My wife--who is now pregnant--has remarked a few times that she misses the cushy softness of the memory foam a lot, but even she (with her much better back) agrees that this bed's supportiveness is still much better and gives her better "through-the-night" sleep comfort. She just likes her bed to be very soft feeling, and this topper just isn't as initially soft as a more foam-like material would be.]
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[UPDATE 3-11-2014: Well, my wife just completed her pregnancy with our third child and she has said repeatedly throughout the last trimester that she was glad to have an adjustable bed. So far, we've had no air leaks, no signs of premature wear, nor any other complaints. We continue to get good support and comfort from this bed. My wife still occasionally mentions her desire to put a one-inch memory foam topper under the Downlite topper just to increase the initial softness a little, but it's such a small issue, she hasn't really gotten around to it yet. We're plenty comfortable. I can definitely say now that the approximately $1000 investment in this bed was well worth it. We're glad we bought it, and continue to find the adjustment feature useful whenever I have a strained back or my wife's body is changing as it does through a pregnancy and thereafter.]
[UPDATE 12-28-2015: Well, years later and this bed is still holding up great -- with no evident signs of wear, despite three little girls who occasionally jump on it (though we tell them not to) -- and still giving us sleep-through-the-night comfort. Every three months or so, it seems we have to readjust the bed: deflating it down to its lowest setting (20, I think), then inflating it up to its highest setting (100), and then dialing it back down to our preferred sleep number (mine is 55 or 60). This seems to recalibrate the bed's pressure gauge. If we don't do it, we notice that after a few months our sleep number starts to feel "softer" than it is supposed to... as if the bed has let out a little air and/or fallen out of calibration. It takes so long for this to happen that I don't think it can be attributed to a leak (the bed never goes flat!). It just seems to be a quirk that is easily resolved using the recalibration method I described.
Also, having slept on this bed through several more hot seasons, I will say it again: we sleep much cooler on hot Georgia nights than we ever did on memory foam! Overall, we're very pleased with this bed. It's not dreamy soft, but it is comfortable and supportive.]
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