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Don't know which brand really makes quality? Well look no further! Brooklyn Bedding is a trend-setter with multiple mattress types with multiple firmness options. They make all of their mattresses end to end in their own factory. This means much more comfort for a lower cost to you. Can't find the right match? Also, read about their specialty brands: cooling Freya Mattress, ultra-firm Plank Mattress, plus-size friendly Titan Mattress, customizable Rubix Mattress, and ergonomic Zoned Mattress.
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 Brooklyn Bedding in this match up!
See Our Full Review of Brooklyn Bedding
Overall Score:
Brooklyn Bedding: 9.5/10
Sleep Number: 7.5/10
Customer Satisfaction:
Brooklyn Bedding: 9.4/10
Sleep Number: 7.4/10
Price Value:
Brooklyn Bedding: 9.5/10
Sleep Number: 8.2/10
No Back Pain:
Brooklyn Bedding: 9.5/10
Sleep Number: 8.5/10
Price:
Brooklyn Bedding: $499-$2899
Sleep Number: $499-$7099
Brooklyn Bedding:
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Sleep Number:
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Customers don't always love their mattresses, which is why finding good customer satisfaction is so essential. These mattresses do very well with customer satisfaction versus others. Take a look at the specifics below to learn if one of these mattresses will work for you.
Mattress support is key to a healthy night sleep. You want something that will prop you up rather than sagging and hurting your back. These mattresses do a very good job supporting the back while keeping things comfortable.
Edge Support
Edge support is really important for those that like to dangle their feet over the side of the mattress. These mattresses are competitive with their edge support and don't have much support degradation along the edges.
Bowling Ball & Density Tests
Popular among readers, the bowling ball test is a good indicator of firmness and contouring, but also of support. If a mattress isn't even in its support, then there is a big problem. However, these mattresses are rated well and shouldn't have that issue.
It's a big win financially if your mattress is super durable and remains comfortable. It's just another reason that sleepers should find a mattress that really lasts. That said, not all brands care about the same thing. Even with that, there are still some great products and brands out there. These mattresses are enjoyed by customers for their durability. Unless you are of a heavy build and use the mattress more than average, these mattresses should perform for you for 7 - 12 years.
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Finding out how customers really feel is sometimes a difficult task -- especially with companies coming in and out of the market quickly. These mattresses, unfortunately, aren't scored as well by customers. There are still folks that love their mattresses, but there are many others with complaints. Make sure to read on to figure out if they will work for you.
These mattresses are better than average when it comes to support, which is ideal for those that are struggling with pain from a sagging mattress. That said, some reviewers have mentioned support issues in reference to their bodies, so make sure to figure out if the firmness and overall specifications are for you.
Edge Support
Edge support is how much resistance there is along the sides of the mattress. These mattresses do fine overall, but some may experience some degrading of support over time.
We all want a mattress that lasts 10 years or more, and when our mattress is something that instead gives us pain over a short term, this is terrible. However, now more than ever, it is getting harder to find lasting comfort. With more products available than ever, some brands are sacrificing quality. When it comes to these mattresses, some folks had issues with discomfort over a short period of time. That doesn't necessarily mean that durability issues will happen to everyone, but make sure to read up more before buying.
Wife is sleeping well on new mattress.
View More ReviewsLove a firm mattress and this one is PERFECT!!!!!
This truly is the Best Mattress Ever! I got the soft mattress for my 12 year old son, and he is in love with his new bed! He told me it feels like sleeping on a cloud. Thanks for an amazing product at a great price. You guys rock!
Very comfortable, stays cool, good thickness, super supportive, and a great price. We love it.
that we bought for our bedroom so much so that we got rid of our sealy posturepedic and bought another king for a guest bedroom, We will be doing the same for the other guest room with a queen size. Nice that they give you sheets and pillows with the purchase also.
Amazing mattress The medium firmness is more firm then expected but I rather enjoy it.
We had a great experience through the whole process. Marcell and the rest of the staff are very knowledgeable and helpful. We were very happy with our purchase!
It definitely is the #bestmattressever! I purchased the medium firm one in Queen. It does feel like it isn’t all that firm at first but after a few hours it worked out. I don’t wake up with pain in my back and hips anymore and I finally achieved the restfulness feeling I was looking for. Goodbye dingy old mattress!
I shopped around for a mattress that was non-toxic and didn't break the bank. I finally decided on Brooklyn Bedding. I love my mattress! I'm a side sleeper and I chose the medium firmness level. The ordering process was easy and the mattress was delivered quickly. One thing I will note is that the mattress did have an odor which dissipated in about 10 days. I recommend it!
I spent a long time looking for a new mattress and decided on Brooklyn Bedding and I am grad I did. Customer Service replied very quickly to answer all my questions. I decided on med/firm and it is a little firmer then I thought, but it has been only 3 weeks so I feel it is getting softer.The quality of the mattress is excellent for the price and feels great. My wife and I are sleeping a lot better now then we slept on our old spring mattress. We don't get that 'stuck in the bed feeling', you sink in but not to much so it's very easy to move around. We definitely enjoy sleeping on this bed so far. They use new foam layers now not latex so hopefully it holds up.Thanks Brooklyn Bed for a great mattress.
Very comfortable mattress. Skeptic about buying online but glad I did.
Great pricing- a good deal with free pillows and sheets. Fast delivery! Happy to see Brooklyn Bedding here in Phoenix. Support a local business and choose Brooklyn Bedding!
I love the mattress so far, no complaints.
Great product and great customer service. Truly a satisfying experience! I haven't had any back pain as a side sleeper on bb mattress for a month now. Thanks so much.
Seriously I don’t know how I slept on anything before this!!!! Thank you so much!
Excellent in every way.
Awesome mattress! I bought a king with medium firmness and it is absolutely perfect. I also got 2 shredded foam pillows and sheets. The pillows are really comfortable, not too firm and not too flat. My package arrived faster than expected and was easy to set up.
This item was never received
My wife & I are replacing a 10+ year old King Koil that has served us well, but is probably past it's useful life. And as we get older, a softer mattress seemed appealing. Seems the hottest trend in bedding these days is the mattress in a box concept. So, thought we'd give it a try. After a month or so of online research, I was amazed at all the new companies pushing these. They all seem to have good reviews, and the independent review sites also seem favorable to them. Where to start? First elimination was beds that did not offer different levels of firmness....took about half the field out right away. from there, I researched the company's themselves, to get a feel for them. Brooklyn took the lead by virtue of their time in the business, and the fact they are also the mfg'r, apparently making beds for other sellers. The price was also a factor, and Brooklyn was strong here too, along with the solid warranty. (To be fair, all the brands seems to back their beds very well.) Based on all this, we decided to try Brooklyn, with the King/Soft model. We went with soft based on other reviews indicating actual feel was firmer than the name might imply. Wife & I are also not large people, and wanted a softer feel. Order was placed, and the bed arrived about 5 days later. This is our first venture into non-traditional (coil) bedding, so we were a bit apprehensive at the sight of this rolled up thing we pulled out of the box (also got the pillows & sheet set, more on those later) We pushed it up the stairs, placed it on our old foundation (King Koil box spring from the old mattress), and began cutting plastic. Once it was free, we positioned it somewhat properly, and stood back & watched. Within minutes, it looked like a bed! Crazy! Overall quality of the inflated mattress was very nice, appeared to be well made. The handles on the side are handy for final positioning. We put on the included sheets, which were also of good quality, and covered the pillows, which are crazy heavy, btw. This was all in the middle of the day, so we figured on letting it completely fill with air through the rest of the day, so it would be ready to sleep on that night. So, how was it? I resisted writing a review the next morning, as I woke up quite thrilled with the experience. I think it truly was one of the best nights of sleep ever! The combination of softness & support is nearly perfect for us. Feels amazing as the soft top layer sinks in, and the underlying support takes hold. Feels very luxurious. Motion transfer is somewhere between spring & memory foam (our son has a memory foam), we found to be just fine. The new Titan foam does indeed sleep very cool, I think even more so than our old spring mattress. So, it's been almost 2 weeks now, and we both love the new mattress. We are 110% happy. The jury is still out on the pillows....they may just be a tad to "fat", but are otherwise very supportive, and also sleep cool. I may try to remove some stuffing, see if that helps. Otherwise, this is just an awesome bed, especially at the price point it is offered. Longevity is also a bit of an unknown, since this is a new material....hopefully it be comfortable for it's 10 year warranty. Since this is the only (foam) brand we've tried, can't really compare to anything else. But we can whole-heatedly recommend Brooklyn if you are considering a foam bed. For us, it is indeed the Bestmattressever!
We bought two twin xl #bestmattressever's in firm for adjustable bases for my husband and I about 18mos ago. We had a sick dog so I never started sleeping on mine until July of 2017 because I was sleeping downstairs on a futon for the dog. After our dog passed, I started sleeping on the new Brooklyn Bedding mattress and was have terrible lower back pain. We suspected I didn't weigh enough for a firm mattress. I gave BB a call and explained what was going on and they suggested the soft or medium mattress based on my weight, height, and the fact I was a side/back sleeper. I was well outside their 120 return policy but they told me they would give me a % off a new soft or medium mattress! They are excellent to their customers!! I got a new soft mattress today and I have to say it is perfect!!!! I couldn't be happier and will forever be a Brooklyn Bedding customer because they care about their customers!
The best sleep I've ever had. I remember my first night. I was nervous. Opened the wrapper. Got the covers on and slid in. I barely remembered what happened next cus I slept so hard and deep that I almost called in the next day to sleep some more. The pillows are glorious. The sheets are so soft. I feel so supported by the mattress. Wish I would have made the purchase sooner.
So far, so good - very comfortable mattress!
The best night sleep I have ever had. Medium is perfect for me a side sleeper and my husband a stomach sleeper. I love the way you don’t fully sink in to the bed. It has a good bounce back to it!! Love love love this bed!
good mattress
This bed is AMAZING!!!!
Fantastic mattress! I purchased a queen soft, because i am a side sleeper and need better comfiness. Received in about 4 days from purchase date which was great. There was only a little smell with it but by the end of the day it was subtle enough to sleep in. It truly unrolls and inhales air QUICKLY! so fun to watch =) This mattress is about 80lbs+ i am guessing, so for my 5'2" frame its a bear to move to the bedroom to set up. I LOVE plushness in my mattress so the feeling foam was not quite what i was originally hoping for but i think its great now (coming from a spring mattress). In spite of all that I still think I am going to go find a plush mattress topper to give it a little more of that amazing i-am-sleeping-on-a-cloud feeling. //side note, i received a deal on my mattress that included pillows and microfiber sheets. the pillows were WAY too firm so i took out some of the stuffing and its better. The sheets are not as incredible as they made it sound- not as cooling for sure- but they are decently comfortable, they are my back up pair now. Dont expect egyptian cotton but they are nice!
We have had the mattress about 3 weeks. We ordered the firm. Reason being, all beds soften up after about a month or 6 weeks and end up too soft. We wanted back support and we got it. The bed is very firm but is already softening up to perfect. Firm but there is still a comfort layer. We have tried other online companies and this is our favorite so far.
One of the best decisions I ever made !
Bed is great, still only a month old, but love it.
A guest who has this same mattress at home, was the first to sleep on this. She gives it 5 stars
Extremely comfortable. Back feels great
It is the first time in a long time we have not tossed and turned. We are certainly starting to feel a good nights rest.
Its definately firm. I'll give it 30 days, then decide how i like it. It does sleep cool & edge support is good
So far everyone that have slept on it in the guest room have liked it.
Wonderful bedding, price and service! Recommending to my family & friends.
Love this bed
love this mattress! both my wife and i prefer firm. This fits the bill perfectly. been almost 3 months now and we still do not have a furrow forming which is a good sign. I spent about a week trolling the internet finding out as much as i could about mattresses and checking reviews etc. And this is the one i ended up with. As an aside, we just went on vacation recently for 10 days - half way through we were both wishing we were home again just to get a good nights sleep!
Love it, shipped fast and straight up to my apartment and unwrapped and in position nn in less than 5 min. Very comfortable .
Have had it less than a month; but, so far so good. I'm sleeping well on it.
loving it!
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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