Author Topic: Sleep Number bed? (Read 7108 times)

DNA · « **on:** February 10, 2014, 10:50:05 AM »

EOE-

Time for a new bed - ours is well past time to replace.

I have heard good and bad about sleep number beds.

We will be needing a king to fit the bed set - any real STO experiences with the company or the product?

How much did you spend and was it worth it?

smoker · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2014, 11:07:51 AM »

Recently looked into the Sleep Number. My wife and I were so close in number it didn't make sense. It does come with a 30 yr. warranty though. For the same price as just the Sleep Number mattress we got a Simmons with a wireless massaging adjustable base. It has low wattage lights under it too so you don't trip over crap in the middle of the night.

squeezer · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2014, 11:37:32 AM »

Spent a few nights sleeping on one while staying at a relative's house. It was okay. I like our Simmons pillow top a lot more.

Cheapskate mattress tip: See if there's a Sears Outlet near you. You can save about 50%.

Cablebandit · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2014, 11:42:04 AM »

A sleep number will have a divider in the middle where the chambers separate one side from the other. Might be an issue if that's the humpin' zone.

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2014, 12:15:13 PM »

We looked at that, some of the high end memory foam ones and ended up w/ a 400 dollar 8" memory foam. It was actually a tad firm, so we got a 100 dollar 2" soft memory foam topper and now it's perfect.
For the money, and the fact that its really kinda gross to keep a bed as long as some of these warranties imply you should, we couldn't be happier with our 500 dollar king bed solution. My back has had fewer issues too.
Really glad we didn't spend a couple grand on a bed. No box springs means our little wooden platform bed is just the right height.

HipGnosis · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2014, 01:00:39 PM »

I had a competitors mattress for a while. There are quite a few air-chamber mattress brands, esp on-line - Sleep number is just a brand that also gives you... a number!
I got the air chamber mattress when I was in a relationship and she started spending more nights. I had a waterbed bed, and you just can't have a waterbed mattress set for one OR two people.
I tend to sleep in the middle (diagonally, actually) when I am alone, so the divider bothered me a little.
Also... I didn't care for the mattress during non-sleep, relationship type activity... either dealing with the divider or bottoming out if you put to much weight in one small spot.
I'm pretty sure that Sleep number didn't have a mattress that would fit my water bed frame.
When the relationship died, I let her take the air chamber mattress and got a memory foam mattress. Also an off-brand, bought on-line. Unpacking it was like watching a self-inflating life raft on a sit-com. I also have a topper. Easier to flip and rotate, and replace if something bad were to happen.

DNA · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2014, 02:16:50 PM »

Interesting replies - keep 'em coming. Just looked and for $3000 that bed had better be awesome.

A good friend had a foam bed and hated it - felt trapped all night and said it was hot. He gave it to a buddy who loves it.

As a point of reference - i sleep on my side - I think side sleepers and back sleepers have different needs.

motormike · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2014, 02:32:31 PM »

MY expert opinion of Sleep Number beds for ME is they're a scam. I have no problems with slepp on a regular mattress.

$0.02.
YMMV.

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2014, 03:19:06 PM »

Quote from: DNA on February 10, 2014, 02:16:50 PM

Interesting replies - keep 'em coming. Just looked and for $3000 that bed had better be awesome.

A good friend had a foam bed and hated it - felt trapped all night and said it was hot. He gave it to a buddy who loves it.

As a point of reference - i sleep on my side - I think side sleepers and back sleepers have different needs.

That's because they went soft. I'm a hot sleeper and was worried about the same thing. As long as you're not sunk into the thing like a lawn dart, you should regulate just fine. Go firm then use a topper to get whatever squish you might like.
I tested the 3000 dollar foamie and it felt no different than the 400 dollar foamie. And for that price, it's nearly disposable. If it doesn't work, you could get an electric knife and make all your money back and more by reupholstering motorcycle seats or making dog beds.
Case in point, we literally took one of the 4" dog beds we have and cut it into two 2" thick dog beds w/ an electric knife.
Srsly tho, this is the first bed in my entire life that I've actually loved. And it was the cheapest in the last 20 years.

DNA · « **Reply #9 on:** February 10, 2014, 03:35:51 PM »

Linky?

$400 for a king sounds like a good experiment.

I assume it is 6-8" tall?
Can I just toss the king mattress and put the foamy on the pedestal created from the box spring?

Black Hills · « **Reply #10 on:** February 10, 2014, 03:54:21 PM »

I have a sleep number and like it, but probably won't get another. I think a high quality regular mattress in the proper firmness would be just fine.

giaka · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2014, 04:16:42 PM »

Quote from: DNA on February 10, 2014, 02:16:50 PM

A good friend had a foam bed and hated it - felt trapped all night and said it was hot. He gave it to a buddy who loves it.

Foam beds are HOT and they kill leverage.

I laugh at how much they cost because you couldn't pay me to sleep on one.

R Doug · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2014, 04:17:27 PM »

Sheri and I consered a Sleep Number several years ago. But, the company was on the verge of not making it and there were too many moving parts in the bed that the warranty was important to us. I haven't looked at the company financially lately, but I believe a private equity group made an investment and things have improved.

That said, we decided on a Tempur-Pedic. Our previous mattress was a Stearns And Foster pillow top.

I'm a side sleep and Sheri sleeps on her back. Yes, the memory foam can be a little warmer. It's brilliant in the winter and we run a fan in the summer and use lighter covers. The newer models have improved the heat issue greatly.

Both of us swear that we now get the best nights sleep we've ever had. Our sleep is so deep that we have both slept through the home alarm and phone going off in the middle of the night. The knocking the Sheriff deputy at the front door is what finally wpke us up. I'd prefer to have heard the alarm for obvious reasons, but that's just how deep of sleep we get.

I'm NOT Carl · « **Reply #13 on:** February 10, 2014, 04:26:05 PM »

Rita needed a hard bed, almost floor hard.

I'm a spinner in bed starting on my face and rolling to my sides and back throughout the night. I also prefer a softer bed.

Rita came with a hard queen sized bed with a board under the mattress. I had a soft bed with a feather bed on top of that.

So we kept the hard bed and pitched the older soft bed and bought a sleep number bed. California King sized.

We only bought the mattress and the cheapest pump. We didn't have the numbers, just the pump remotes. So we don't know our numbers. She just kept hers pumped up and I'd adjust mine until I was good. We also didn't buy the plastic "box springs". Just the mattress and pump. That was around $650 total. I built a box myself for that.

In general I think it works well for folks with very different requirements.

When Rita left, she took the hard mattress set and I kept the sleep number bed.

By myself, I found I would migrate to the center foam which didn't happen with Rita and doesn't happen with Jeanne. I bought a body pillow to put in the center which does keep me from migrating to the center.

Jeanne also has a harder queen sized bed which was also uncomfortable.

As to humping, Jeanne and I don't really find the foam center to be a problem and actually find the softer center helps with leverage.

Carl

Skee · « **Reply #14 on:** February 10, 2014, 06:28:15 PM »

Sleep Number is one very expensive air mattress.

That being said, we've had a California King for >5+ years and really like it. Finding sheets is a PITA.

What others have said is true.

There is a foam ridge down the center that divides the 2 air mattresses. Was noticeable at first; not anymore. When you get to an age where you just can't find a comfortable position on a conventional mattress, you're ready for one. I miss ours when I'm away from home, even when I stay at a place that has plush pillow top mattresses. And I used to be quite comfortable sleeping on a floor with a rolled up jacket for a pillow.

One difference between memory foam & the air mattress is that the foam tends to feel warm, while the air mattress tends to feel cool. If you like a nice cozy warm bed, go with the foam. Some people find them uncomfortable in summer. If you like crawling in-between nice crispy cool sheets, go with the air mattress. It warms up quick. It could be more sensation than actual temperature difference - salesperson told us that foam does not conduct as much humidity away from the body hence the feeling of warmth - but it really bothers some people.

I would buy another one, even though IMO, they are outrageously overpriced.

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #15 on:** February 10, 2014, 07:47:55 PM »

Quote from: DNA on February 10, 2014, 03:35:51 PM

Linky?

$400 for a king sounds like a good experiment.

I assume it is 6-8" tall?
Can I just toss the king mattress and put the foamy on the pedestal created from the box spring?

It was a while ago and we probably got it on sale so pricing may vary.

Purchased Jan of 2011

http://www.sleepys.com/en/Sleep-Options-8-inch-Firm-Memory-Foam-Mattress_36881/

and this on top which we got at overstock but this'll do nicely too...

http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Innovations-SureTemp-Topper-warranty/dp/B006MQXZXU/ref=sr_1_3?s=bedbath&ie=UTF8&qid=1392083222&sr=1-3&keywords=sleep+innovations+topper

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #16 on:** February 10, 2014, 07:51:23 PM »

ooooh... here ya go.

http://www.amazon.com/Sleep-Innovations-SureTemp-Mattress-Warranty/dp/B003CT37HY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392083424&sr=8-1&keywords=Sleep+Options+8+inch+Firm+Memory+Foam+Mattress

2RR2NV · « **Reply #17 on:** February 10, 2014, 10:14:37 PM »

when i was single, hard beds worked fairly well. BUT, it would take me on average about an hour to fall asleep, even if i was dead tired. Bought a Temper and it worked better. fall asleep in roughly 30 mins or so. Problem is, sweat like flipping crazy. also, after just 10 years and many moves, the bed was on par with a regular mattress - read stiff. Met my wife shortly before the bed started stiffening and she loved it. after the first baby, the temper bed was causing her back problems cause it was getting harder and harder. Not good. during the 2nd pregnancy, wife was not getting much sleep and we decided to look around at pillowtops or whatever... Came across the Sleep Number with 50% discount on certain models. Couldn't resist the price and bought one. Best investment. Wife doesn't have back issues from sleeping, falls asleep in 5 mins or less. I now fall asleep so fast I barely recall putting my head on the pillow. Having the different settings helps out so much when i have a rough work night or the kids wear Momma out. The divider hasn't caused an issue. I actually like it cause it keeps me from rolling over or kicking the wife. which is definitely a good thing. also, leverage is a quite excellent.

I'm NOT Carl · « **Reply #18 on:** February 10, 2014, 10:20:36 PM »

Yea, I'm asleep in 5-10 minutes easily. Even when paged although I went to a class on centering which greatly helped on that specific thing.

Carl

BMW-K · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2014, 01:40:25 AM »

What I didn't like about the Sleep Number is that the firmness of the bed would change from season to season. Winters were less firm for a given number…summer were firmer (air pressure changes based on temperature). I also found that the temps could change as a night got colder. I woke up several times having to pump up the bed. Very annoying.

I do very well on a Costco Novaform memory foam - with a 3" topper. For me that's the magic number.

2RR2NV · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2014, 10:30:28 AM »

Quote from: BMW-K on February 11, 2014, 01:40:25 AM

What I didn't like about the Sleep Number is that the firmness of the bed would change from season to season. Winters were less firm for a given number…summer were firmer (air pressure changes based on temperature). I also found that the temps could change as a night got colder. I woke up several times having to pump up the bed.

hmmm, interesting. never noticed that and i sleep pretty light....

Black Hills · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2014, 11:20:22 AM »

the only thing I notice with the sleep number is a gradual loss of pressure of a month or two. if I start waking up with a sore back I check and it is down to 25 or something, pump it back up to 55 and all is good.

I'm NOT Carl · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2014, 12:32:36 PM »

I don't know what the upper and lower limits are but I prefer a softer bed so having it deflate a little at a time doesn't bother me. Rita would have to pump her side up once a week or so though but she also needed a harder bed.

Carl

JonS · « **Reply #23 on:** February 12, 2014, 02:51:42 PM »

My GF has one and I think it is about the most uncomfortable bed I've been on. It seems to have a valley in the center that keeps me way over on my side. The best I can get from the thing is a very average mattress fell. Nothing special at all. The best sleep I have ever experienced is on a higher end Selie mattress. I'm sure it was cheaper that the topic one.