Sleep Number has been a popular mattress brand for decades. The company is best known for its adjustable air beds, which allow sleepers to customize their mattress’s firmness on any given night. The brand produces several lines that feature different materials and are tailored to different types of sleepers. While Sleep Number beds’ customizable features offer a lot of benefits, they also come at a cost. These mattresses may simply be too pricey for many people’s budgets.
If you’re interested in the benefits of a Sleep Number bed but not the cost, have no fear! There are many sound alternatives on the mattress market these days. It’s possible to find a bed that offers many of the same features as a Sleep Number mattress for a budget-friendlier price. That’s exactly what you’ll find in our roundup of the best Sleep Number alternatives, so read on!
Our Verdict: What’s the Best Sleep Number Alternative?
Our expert reviewers chose the Nectar Premier as the best Sleep Number bed alternative for its high-quality materials, slow-moving feel and cooling features.
The Best Sleep Number Mattress Alternatives
- Nectar Premier with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number P Series Alternative
- Helix Sunset Luxe with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number c4 Alternative
- Nolah Signature 12″ with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number ILE Alternative
- Saatva Solaire – Best Sleep Number C Series Alternative
- Bear Star Hybrid with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number PSE Alternative
- Titan Plus with Ascension Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number M7 Alternative
- Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe with Ascension Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number I8 Alternative
Best Sleep Sleep Number Alternatives: Video Roundup
Compare the Best Sleep Number Alternatives
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| Nectar Premier Mattress | Helix Sunset Luxe Mattress | Nolah Signature 12″ Mattress | Saatva Solaire Mattress | Bear Star Hybrid Mattress | Titan Plus | Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe Mattress | |
| Rating | |||||||
| Firmness | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Soft: 5.5/10 | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Multiple firmness options | Medium-firm: 6.5/10 | Firm: 9/10 | Multiple firmness options |
| Material | Foam | Hybrid | Foam | Other | Hybrid | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Cooling | — | — | — | — | |||
| Best For |
Side Sleepers,
Back Sleepers, Hip Pain |
Joint Pain,
Back Sleepers, Side Sleepers |
Side Sleepers
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Couples,
Hot Sleepers, Side Sleepers |
Joint Pain,
Side Sleepers, Back Sleepers |
Back Sleepers,
Stomach Sleepers, Back Pain |
Hot Sleepers,
Back Pain, Side Sleepers |
Nectar Premier with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number P Series Alternative
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Our Expert’s Take
The Nectar Premier is one of the most popular memory foam mattresses around. True to form, it has the classic feel of memory foam: It slowly conforms to a sleeper’s body, relieving pressure and gradually allowing the sleeper to sink into the mattress. This creates a comfortable sleep surface for several types of sleepers, including light and medium weight side sleepers and light and medium weight back sleepers. Not surprisingly, the Nectar Premier mattress is also a great match for anyone who enjoys the feel of memory foam.
Even though the Nectar Premier offers quite a bit of pressure relief, it’s actually not the softest mattress around. It feels just slightly softer than the industry standard. The balance of comfort and support on the Nectar makes it a good match for folks who are looking to relieve pain (particularly hip pain). In fact, we’ve ranked it as one of the best mattresses for arthritis.
Nectar Premier with Adjustable Base vs Sleep Number P Series
Because of its attention to comfort, the Nectar is a fitting alternative to the Sleep Number P Series, which is designed to offer loads of pressure relief. The mattresses in this line come with Sleep Number’s standard adjustable firmness settings. But they differ from some other Sleep Number beds thanks to a contouring sleep surface and extra comfort layers to create enhanced pressure relief—much like the Nectar Premier.
What the testers say: “The Nectar Premier is one of my favorite memory foam mattresses on the market due to its comfortable slow-moving feel. And, paired with an adjustable base, it helps relieve almost all pressure on my joints and key areas.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Nectar Premier with Adjustable Base
- The adjustable base comes in a range of different settings including: Standard, Anti-Snore, Zero Gravity, TV setting, Memory, and Massage. Check out our Nectar adjustable base review to find specs on each setting.
- The adjustable base is really easy to set up. It comes expanded and with the remote connected, so all you have to do is attach the legs to the base.
- The adjustable base should last you at least 15 years, making it a very durable product.
What to Keep in Mind About the Nectar with Adjustable Base
- Since there are motors that run in the adjustable base to help it move, you may hear some noise from it. The noise shouldn’t be too disturbing though, and it’s one of the quieter bases that we’ve tested.
- Though the base should last you about 15 years, your warranty only lasts for three years.
- The Nectar Premier is too soft for most stomach sleepers. If you fall in this category, you may want to consider getting one of the best firm mattresses, such as the Helix Dawn.
What Customers Say
The Nectar Adjustable Base was ranked 4.7 out of 5 stars by over 1,000 users, and the Nectar Premier mattress was ranked 4.7 out of 5 stars by over 55,000 users. Reviewers who paired the two together raved about how they were relieved from chronic conditions such as back pain, arthritis and acid reflux. Others complained that the Nectar Premier mattress was too soft for their liking.
Read the full Nectar adjustable base review here.
Helix Sunset Luxe with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number 360 c4 Alternative
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Our Expert’s Take
The Helix Sunset Luxe is a soft hybrid mattress compatible with most adjustable bases, but it is designed to work best with Helix’s adjustable base. It is particularly great for lightweight and average-weight back sleepers who prefer a softer-feeling bed and excellent for most non-heavy-weight side sleepers.
Despite being on the softer side for a hybrid (5.5/10), the Sunset Luxe demonstrated exceptional edge support and durability when tested by our sleep specialists, scoring a perfect 5/5 for each category. Furthermore, the bed’s coiling foam and innerspring layers had testers scoring the Sunset a 4.5/5 for its cooling ability, with one tester writing, “Overall, the Helix Sunset Luxe sleeps quite cool. The coils allow for a great deal of airflow, and the top foam layers are designed not to trap heat.” Also, when it comes to posture and joint support, our testers found the Helix Sunset to deliver great orthopedic support, giving the bed a 4.5/5 for the category.
When combined with Helix’s adjustable frame, sleepers can easily adjust this hybrid mattress’s head and foot elevation or experience customized massage features on the bed via a remote control.
The mattress itself has a five-layer hybrid luxury design. On top is a cooling cover for breathability and airflow, plus a copper-infused memory foam gel layer. Then, there is a transitionary responsive foam layer above its base, ensuring the upper comfort layers receive support from the bed’s foundation without compromising pressure relief and comfort. Finally, at the bed’s base is a layer of 1,000 individually wrapped coils to enhance support and airflow upwards to the sleeper on the surface, on top of a highly dense foam foundation that helps maintain the entire bed’s structural durability.
The Helix Sunset Luxe and adjustable base combination offers a slightly more affordable alternative to the Sleep Number c4. While the Sleep Number c4 has more smart features built into the mattress itself, the Helix Sunset is an excellent mattress across the board. And, with the addition of an adjustable base, it can definitely compete with the Sleep Number’s comfort and support despite the price difference.
Helix Sunset Luxe with Adjustable vs Sleep Number 360 c4 Alternative
The main difference is that the Sleep Number c4 is a smart bed on its own, offering remote adjustable firmness control and digital sleep metrics via an app, while the Helix Sunset Luxe is a standard soft luxury mattress that provides adjustability only through an additional base. Both beds require an adjustable base to customize head and foot elevation or secure the sleeper in the zero gravity pressure relief position. Furthermore, the Sleep Number c4 is a mattress with an adjustable air chamber with foam components, while the Helix Sunset is a hybrid mattress with classic foam layers and coils. The Helix Sunset Luxe is slightly more affordable, considering the mattress and adjustable base combination. The Sleep Number c4 costs roughly $3,598 for both the smart bed and adjustable base, and the Helix Sunset costs $2,716 (at the time of writing this) for both the mattress and a similar-grade adjustable base while still delivering quality and luxury-level sleep features.
What the testers say: “The Sunset Luxe really shines when side sleeping. I sank into the plush pillow top and felt almost no pressure on my shoulders and hips. I also felt the zoning in the coils; the firmer center area of the coils pressed into the area just below my rib cage. This helped keep my spine aligned while I slept.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Helix Sunset Luxe with Adjustable Base
- Testers say most non-heavy back sleepers will experience great spinal support on the Sunset Luxe despite its softer-than-average firmness (5.5/10). Non-heavyweight back sleepers who enjoy a softer-feeling mattress that won’t compromise orthopedic support should check this bed out.
- People who struggle to get in and out of bed or couples looking for full-surface responsive support can appreciate Sunset Luxe’s excellent edge support. Testers claim that the mattress’s edges barely sag.
- The softer firmness makes the Sunset Luxe a great option for side sleepers who want the additional support of coils in a bed while still experiencing the level of cushioning and joint pressure relief they need.
What to Keep in Mind About the Helix Sunset Luxe with Adjustable Base
- Despite the sturdy hybrid design, heavier-weight and stomach sleepers will likely not experience the level of firm support they need.
- The Helix Sunset Luxe is a hotel-grade luxury hybrid mattress with a price that reflects that status. While the mattress and base combination are more affordable than the same Smart Number combination, budget-minded consumers will likely want to consider a more affordable mattress, like the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid.
What Customers Say
When writing this, the Helix Midnight Luxe had 1,134 reviews on its official website, resulting in a 4.4/5 score. A verified side-sleeper buyer wrote, “I bought my first Helix six years ago and loved it. I just moved and decided to use the old one in my spare room. I upgraded mine to the Helix Sunset Luxe and have had even better sleep on it. I highly recommend Helix!”
Read the full Helix Sunset Luxe review here.
Nolah Signature 12″ with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number ILE Alternative
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Our Expert’s Take
The Nolah Signature is a unique mattress. It’s an all-foam mattress that’s offered in both a traditional foam construction and an all-foam hybrid construction. With either option, the Nolah Signature offers sleepers a good amount of support and a perfect medium-firm feel. With the hybrid option, you’ll get a bouncy, balanced foam foam-feeling mattress that mimics the effects of coils even though the mattress is all foam. In the foam version, you’ll get some nice contouring and pressure relief in the hips and shoulders.
Though the Nolah Signature is a foam mattress, it won’t trap heat like other mattresses. It’s made with an AirFoam layer that helps to regulate the body’s temperature and prevent overheating. The AirFoam layer is also responsive, so you won’t feel like you’re stuck in this mattress.
Nolah Signature 12” with Adjustable Base vs Sleep Number ILE Series
What makes the Nolah Signature similar to the Sleep Number I-LE? Both mattresses have a great mix of plush foam, support, and some nice cooling features. If you’re a hot sleeper who prefers a foam mattress, this Sleep Number model is made with Exclusive Comfort Layer foam that is made to be breathable, and similarly, the Nolah is made with AirFoam — their take on a breathable foam. Keep in mind though, one of the biggest differences between the two mattresses is that with the Sleep Number, you can change the firmness of your mattress by adjusting the DualAir air chambers, but the Nolah only comes in one firmness option.
What the testers say: “ Back sleeping on this mattress, I felt a good amount of comfort and support. My hips sank in just a little, but overall, this mattress really provided some good lumbar support for my back.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Nolah Signature with Adjustable Base
- Side sleepers should enjoy the amount of pressure relief that the Nolah offers. Unless you’re a heavier person, you should feel the mattress contour your hips and shoulders for some support.
- The Nolah is soft and contouring like typical memory foam, but it doesn’t trap heat or give you the feeling of being stuck in your mattress — you get all the perks of foam without the drawbacks.
- It helps keep the spine aligned, which may help sleepers who suffer from back pain.
What to Keep in Mind About the Nolah Signature with Adjustable Base
- Stomach sleepers will probably want a mattress that’s more firm. Typically, stomach sleepers need additional support to keep their spine aligned, and the Nolah Signature will likely be too soft. If you’re a stomach sleeper, check out our best mattresses for stomach sleepers for more options.
- As mentioned above, the Nolah Signature is a foam mattress that doesn’t necessarily offer a typical feel. If you want to sink into your mattress, the Nolah Original might be a better fit.
What Customers Say
The Nolah Signature was rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on the Nolah website. Fans of the mattress thought that it was the perfect firmness — not too firm and not too soft — while other customers felt some pressure while side sleeping.
Read the full Nolah Signature review here.
Saatva Solaire – Best Sleep Number C Series Alternative
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Our Expert’s Take
The Saatva Solaire mattress is an air bed with adjustable firmness. Sleepers use a remote control to inflate or deflate the mattress, which allows them to tailor the bed’s firmness and comfort levels—for a total of 50 different firmness options. The bed comes in two versions: Standard and Upper-Flex. The Upper-Flex uses an adjustable base so sleepers can raise and lower the head and/or foot. This makes the mattress exceptionally customizable.
The Solaire is made by the Saatva brand, an online mattress retailer with a reputation for making very high-quality mattresses. The Solaire is no exception. It’s the Saatva brand’s most luxurious mattress, and it’s made with high-quality and durable materials. This high-end bed is a great match for people who want a mattress with adjustable firmness, lightweight and medium-weight sleepers, people who want a mattress that works on an adjustable base, and those who want an adjustable mattress for couples.
Saatva Solaire vs Sleep Number C Series
Why is the Saatva Solaire a sound alternative to the Sleep Number C Series? Like the Saatva Solaire, the beds in the Sleep Number C (or “Classic”) Series use adjustable air chambers that allow sleepers to customize the firmness of their sleep surface. They have thin comfort layers between the air chambers and the top of the mattress, so they don’t offer a tremendous amount of pressure relief and they’re fairly responsive. The same is true for the Solaire mattress: It’s a responsive bed that should prevent sleepers from feeling stuck.
What the testers say: “When I reviewed the Saatva Solaire, it was very easy to use. I adjusted the firmness of the mattress using the attached remote and got just the right amount of support and comfort for all three sleeping positions.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Saatva Solaire
- The Saatva Solaire is very durable, it should last you about 10 years. This could be in part to the mattress’ amazing edge support. We sat on the edge of this mattress on its firmest setting and felt very supported.
- The Saatva Solaire is made with eco-friendly materials which not only makes it great for environmentally-conscious shoppers, but it also keeps the mattress from having an off-gassing smell when it first arrives.
- Couples should love this mattress. It’s bouncy and responsive, making it one of the best mattresses for sex, but it also has great motion isolation, meaning that you shouldn’t be disturbed if your partner moves around at night.
What to Keep in Mind About the Saatva Solaire
- Since you can adjust the Solaire, it should be fitting for a wide range of sleepers, however, some heavier sleepers might only find comfort on the highest settings of the mattress.
- Hot sleepers might overheat on the Saatva Solaire. Though it is made with gel-infused foam and cooling Talalay latex, it’s not necessarily built to keep you cool at night. The Nolah Evolution runs cooler (though it’s not adjustable without an accompanying base).
What Customers Say
Customers raved about the comfort of this mattress and ranked it at 4.8 out of 5 stars. Moreover, most customers raved about how great customer service was while purchasing their mattresses but complained about the $99 pickup fee charged if they wanted to return the mattress.
Read the full Saatva Solaire mattress review.
Bear Mattress Star Hybrid with Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number PSE Alternative
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Our Expert’s Take
We describe the Bear Star Hybrid as middle-of-the-road, not in terms of quality, but in terms of feel. On our firmness scale, it falls at 6.5 out of 10, which is smack dab in the middle of soft and firm. There are plenty of benefits to a mattress that is neither too firm nor too soft, one of which is its suitability for couples. If you sleep with a partner and you each have different sleep preferences, a middle-of-the-road mattress — like the Bear Star Hybrid — is usually a good compromise.
In addition to having wide appeal, one of our favorite aspects of the Bear Star Hybrid is the support that it provides. Regardless of where you sleep, whether it be the middle of the mattress or the far edges, the Star Hybrid will feel sturdy and reliable under your weight. This quality is very important for heavyweight people, as sinking too far below the mattress surface can cause discomfort.
Bear Star Hybrid with Adjustable Base vs Sleep Number PSE Series
While the Sleep Number pSE series of mattresses is certainly more high-tech than the Bear Star Hybrid, there are some characteristics that the two share. The pSE mattress prioritizes the perfect blend of comfort and support, as does the Bear Star Hybrid — making them both great options for back sleepers. The Sleep Number allows you to adjust the firmness of each side of the mattress in order to meet the preferences of two different sleepers. No, the Bear Star Hybrid isn’t quite so high-tech, but the middle-of-the-road firmness that we previously mentioned is a great, affordable alternative that can still help accommodate more than one person.
What the testers say: “The Bear Star Hybrid has a balanced foam feel, especially for a mattress with memory foam. The copper-infused memory foam gently contours the body, and the edge coil system gives it a slightly bouncy feel. Sleepers will feel plenty of pressure relief, but they shouldn’t sink or feel stuck inside it.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Bear Star Hybrid with Adjustable Base
- The Bear Star Hybrid is one of the best mattresses for combination sleepers. It’s easy to move around on, and supports multiple sleeping positions.
- We rated this mattress a 4.5 out of 5 on our edge support test. This means that you can rest along the perimeter of the mattress without fear of it sagging under your weight. Plus, you can confidently use the edges of the mattress to support your weight as you get in and out of bed.
- Bear provides a lifetime warranty with each purchase of the Star Hybrid.
What to Keep in Mind About the Bear Star Hybrid with Adjustable Base
- While many people will appreciate the medium-firm feel of the Bear Star Hybrid, some types of sleepers do better on a firm mattress, namely stomach sleepers. If you sleep on your stomach, you’ll want a mattress that does a better job of keeping your hips propped up so your spine remains properly aligned. Check out our list of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers for some great options, including the latex-layered Birch Natural.
What Customers Say
The Bear Star Hybrid has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on 3,308 reviews from the company website. 2,652 of these reviews awarded the mattress 5 stars, but there are some unhappy customers who complain that the Star Hybrid is either too firm or too soft.
Read the full Bear Star Hybrid review here.
Titan Plus with Ascension Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number M7 Alternative
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The Titan Plus is a firm, supportive hybrid mattress from Brooklyn Bedding, and made specifically for people of heavier weights. It has an innerspring feel, with a slight bit of a memory foam feeling on the top, giving this mattress a balanced feel — it’s not bouncy, but you also won’t feel trapped in it. It’s designed to support heavier weights, so people 250 lbs and up should be comfortable on this mattress, but even lighter and average-weight people who strictly sleep on their stomachs may find the Titan mattress comfortable.
Much like Sleep Number beds, the Titan Plus is made with materials that help keep hot sleepers cool while they sleep. Its cover is infused with gel, and the coils in the mattress help promote airflow and prevent heat from being trapped. If that’s still not cool enough, you can even add a cooling cover to your mattress for an additional cost.
Titan Plus with Adjustable Base vs Sleep Number M7 Series
The Sleep Number M7 mattress is the only mattress in the Memory Foam series of Sleep Number beds, and like all the brand’s beds, it comes with air chambers that allow you to adjust the firmness of your mattress. This mattress has a soft flat cover rather than a pillow top, which makes it different from other Sleep Number beds. The flat top is also why we compare it to the Titan Plus. The Titan Plus is one of the firmest mattresses we’ve ever tested, coming in at 9/10 on our firmness scale. Its lack of a pillow-top feel as well as its cooling materials make it a great alternative to the M7 mattress.
What the testers say: “As a heavier person, I felt some fantastic spinal support on this mattress. Overall, it’s a great choice for heavy people and even stomach sleepers.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Titan Plus with Adjustable Base
- It’s a hybrid mattress, meaning that the blending of both memory foam and coils should give heavyweight sleepers a nice balance of comfort and support for a good night’s rest.
- The Titan Plus scored a 4.5 out of 5 on our cooling test, thanks to its gel foam and the coil layer that allows for airflow.
- Compared to other mattresses designed for heavier people, the Titan Plus is sold at a value price.
What to Keep in Mind About the Titan Plus with Adjustable Base
- The Titan Plus doesn’t have the best motion isolation, and if you sleep with a partner, their movements might disturb you at night. The Nectar Premier is much better at canceling out movement.
- As mentioned, this mattress is designed for heavier weight. If you’re smaller than 250 lbs, you’ll likely think this mattress is way too firm.
What Customers Say
Based on over 2,000 reviews on the Titan website, the Titan Plus has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Most customers loved how supportive the mattress is for heavier weights, while a few customers complained that the mattress wasn’t firm enough.
Read the full Titan Plus review here.
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe with Ascension Adjustable Base – Best Sleep Number I8 Alternative
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Our Expert’s Take
The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe comes in three different firmness options: Soft, Medium, and Firm. This variety allows any sleeper, regardless of body type and preferred sleeping position, to find a version of the Aurora Luxe that works well for them. For lightweight sleepers and side sleepers we recommend the soft version of the mattress. Combo sleepers, back sleepers, and those of average weight should find the medium version performs best for them. And, lastly, the firm version of the Aurora Luxe will work well for stomach sleepers and heavyweight people.
While the firmness of the Aurora Luxe is customizable, there are features that exist in each version of the mattress. For example, no matter which firmness you choose you’ll find that the mattress does a good job of keeping you cool at night. This is thanks to the many cooling features, such as breathable coils, copper and gel-infused foam, and heat-dissipating cover.
Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe with Ascension Adjustable Base vs Sleep Number i8 Series
Like the other Sleep Number mattresses we’ve discussed, the i8 is very advanced, allowing you to adjust firmness for each side of the mattress on the fly. While the Aurora Luxe doesn’t have any features as sophisticated as that, it does allow you to select your desired firmness when placing your order. Another similarity between the two mattresses is the presence of cooling materials. The Sleep Number i8 contains ceramic gel, which can help dissipate heat, while the Aurora Luxe includes temperature-regulating materials in almost every one of its five layers.
What the testers say: “The Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe does a fantastic job of sleeping cool. Virtually every layer of this mattress helps prevent sleepers from overheating during the night. The Aurora Luxe features a cooling cover, cooling infusions in each of its three comfort layers and airflow-promoting coils. This bed should help sleepers stay cool throughout the night.” – Marten, Lead Reviewer
What We Love About the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe with Ascension Adjustable Base
- Any type of sleeper, no matter the body type or sleep preferences, will be able to find comfort on one of the three available versions of the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe.
- The Aurora Luxe is quite durable, meaning it should maintain its structural integrity for many years, especially if properly cared for.
- If you’re willing to spend a bit extra, Brooklyn Bedding will sew an added pillow top into the top of the mattress. This will provide extra contouring to give an even more luxurious feel to an already luxurious mattress.
What to Keep in Mind About the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe with Ascension Adjustable Base
- If you sleep with a partner you’re likely to feel their movements on your side of the mattress. Rather than isolating motion to one side of the bed or the other, the Aurora Luxe reverberates it across the mattress surface. If you’re a lightweight sleeper this could be a big issue for you. Consider one of our best mattresses for couples for some options that address this problem.
- The Aurora Luxe doesn’t have the doughy, memory foam feel that many sleepers enjoy. Instead, it makes you feel like you’re sleeping on the mattress rather than in the mattress. The Helix Sunset Luxe has a much softer surface.
What Customers Say
Based on 3,358 customer reviews from the Brooklyn Bedding website, this mattress has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. This score indicates that the majority of users are happy with the bed’s performance, however, there are some detractors. There are six 1-star reviews, and one unhappy customer simply wrote, “It is hot and lumpy.”
Read the full Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe review here.
How We Tested Our Top Picks for Sleep Number Alternatives
The Mattress Clarity review team has tested over 600 mattresses in our Austin, TX sleep lab. Our team’s cadre of testers runs the gamut when it comes to firmness preferences, body types and typical sleep position.
How We Chose Our Top Picks for Sleep Number Alternatives
Sleep Number mattresses are very unique, and they come at a higher price point. For this list, we had to find mattresses that evoked the smart bed technology you’ll find in the Sleep Number mattresses, then we paired each mattress with its comparable Sleep Number series of mattresses. If you have your heart set on a particular Sleep Number bed, we may have a worthy alternative for you that we found based on these mattress performance categories:
Cooling
Sleep Number beds are some of the most cooling models you’ll find. Using objective measures like our thermal gun reader, and subjective measures like assessing the bed’s materials and how testers felt after their two hour nap test, we selected beds that outshined typical mattresses in the cooling category, putting them more in line with the cooling you’d expect from a Sleep Number bed.
Adjustable Firmness
Each Sleep Number bed comes with an air chamber system that can be adjusted using a remote or smartphone app. One bed we included, the Saatva Solaire, uses a similar type of technology. Other mattresses we included are furnished in multiple firmness models, so that you can customize the bed to your preferred firmness level at the point of purchase (albeit, you won’t be able to change the firmness in your home with the press of a button).
Pressure Relief
What Is a Smart Bed?
A smart bed is not unlike a smartwatch or a smartphone: It’s a useful product that is technologically equipped to gather and share data (often through the use of sensors) and to enhance the user’s experience in a variety of ways. Smart bed functionalities range from tracking your sleep patterns to customizing the bed’s firmness, changing the position of the mattress, adjusting the bed’s temperature, offering a built-in alarm or TV, or syncing with a smartphone app or smart home devices.
Smart beds can be useful to a variety of sleepers. For instance, people who are struggling to obtain quality sleep might benefit from using a smart bed to track their sleep habits so they can adjust those patterns for the better. People with mobility issues might appreciate a smart bed that easily changes positions. People who are managing pain might want a smart bed that allows them to customize its firmness depending on how they’re feeling each night. And some people just like smart beds because they’re fun and innovative!
Things to Consider When Buying a Sleep Number Alternative
Before purchasing any smart bed, it’s important to consider several factors.
Firmness
Many smart beds allow you to customize their firmness so you can tailor the bed’s firmness to your chosen sleep position and other preferences on a nightly basis. If customization is important to you, be sure to look for a smart bed that enables you to adjust its firmness level.
Sleep Tracking Capabilities
Do you want a bed that will monitor your sleep habits so you can track the quantity and quality of your sleep on a nightly basis? This can be useful if you tend to struggle with getting high-quality sleep, as you’ll be able to identify patterns and troubleshoot accordingly. On the other hand, some people find the idea of a bed that monitors their sleep to be stressful or invasive. There’s no right choice here; it comes down to what best suits your needs and feelings.
RELATED: Guide to Sleep Trackers & Apps
Cooling Features
Overheating at night is a quick way to ruin your chances at quality sleep. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consider whether the smart bed in question offers cooling components. Common cooling design features include gel or graphite infusions in foam layers, ventilated foams, and cooling cover materials such as Tencel, Celliant, and/or Phase Change Material.
Connecting to Devices
Some smart beds connect to a range of smart devices, including smartphones, smart alarms, smart TVs, and/or smart lighting systems. If you want a bed to connect to an app on your phone or integrate with your smart home devices, make sure the smart bed you’re considering is compatible with your existing tech.
Budget
No matter what kind of mattress you’re shopping for, it’s always important to consider your budget. Define your budget before you start shopping so you don’t have to go through the heartbreak of falling in love with a bed only to discover that it’s far too expensive. Establishing budgetary constraints will also enable you to narrow down your options so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Trial Periods
Purchasing a bed online can feel daunting, because you never know for certain whether a bed will suit your needs until you’ve had a chance to test it out in person. That’s where trial periods come in! Trial periods, or “sleep trials,” allow you to test a mattress in the comfort of your own home for a certain period of time. In most cases, brands will offer free refunds if you decide to return the mattress before the end of the trial period. Of course, every brand is different, so it’s important to research trial period policies before you buy.
Adjustable Bases vs. Smart Beds
As we noted above, smart beds appeal to many people because they offer customizations and extra functions beyond a standard mattress. But buying a smart bed isn’t the only way to make your sleep setup more customizable. You might also consider an adjustable base, which lets you lift the head and/or foot of the mattress to elevate certain parts of your body and tailor the support to your activities and preferences. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of adjustable bases.
Pros of Adjustable Bases
- They’re budget-friendly. Adjustable bases generally cost less than high-tech smart mattresses. So you can obtain some of the functionality of a smart bed without having to pay full price.
- They offer unique features. Many adjustable bases come with thoughtful design features such as extra outlets for your phone or even massage capabilities. These touches can make spending time in bed much more pleasant.
- They’re useful for many health conditions. For instance, elevating your head can help minimize snoring and acid reflux, while minimizing your legs might be useful after an injury.
Cons of Adjustable Bases
- They’re more technologically limited. Many smart beds have built-in features that allow you to do so much more than adjust their position. These extra features could include the ability to adjust the bed’s temperature, firmness level, and feel. An adjustable base won’t necessarily allow for this level of customization.
- Some people don’t like the aesthetic. Many people do not like the way adjustable bases look from a design perspective, and they prefer the look of a more traditional bed frame.
- Their set-up can be cumbersome. Setting up an adjustable base often takes a good deal of time and effort, which is a turn-off for some folks. It’s also worth keeping this in mind if you have mobility issues.
Summary
| Best Sleep Number Alternative | Sleep Number Bed |
| Nectar Premier with Adjustable Base | Best Sleep Number P Series Alternative |
| Helix Sunset Luxe with Adjustable Base | Best Sleep Number c4 Alternative |
| Nolah Signature 12″ with Adjustable Base | Best Sleep Number ILE Alternative |
| Saatva Solaire | Best Sleep Number C Series Alternative |
| Bear Star Hybrid with Adjustable Base | Best Sleep Number PSE Alternative |
| Titan Plus with Ascension Adjustable Base | Best Sleep Number M7 Alternative |
| Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe with Ascencion Adjustable Base | Best Sleep Number I8 Alternative |
If you think a Sleep Number bed is the best option for you, we recommend checking out some of our Sleep Number coupons to save a bit of money!
FAQs
What is comparable to a Sleep Number bed?
Sleep Number offers several mattress lines, and they’re each designed a bit differently. So the best alternatives to Sleep Number vary depending on the line in question. For instance, the Saatva Solaire is a good alternative to the Sleep Number C Series, the Emma Shift is comparable to the Sleep Number I Series, the Leesa with an adjustable base is similar to the Sleep Number M Line, and the Nectar mattress with an adjustable base is comparable to the Sleep Number P Series.
Is Sleep Number really worth it?
Sleep Number has been a popular mattress brand for longer than many brands have been in existence. The company offers quality mattresses with a wide range of materials and customizable features. Whether these beds are worth the price really comes down to personal preference. In general, these beds will really appeal to couples who want to personalize both sides of the bed, people with health conditions that require them to sit up or adjust the bed’s firmness on a regular basis, and people who are looking for a long-term investment.
What are the problems with Sleep Number beds?
No mattress is perfect. As with any mattress brand, Sleep Number receives its share of complaints. For instance, some people simply don’t feel comfortable on Sleep Number mattresses. Another common complaint is that there might be some slight sagging between the air chambers, which could mean the mattress doesn’t offer even support and could also make it harder for couples to cuddle near the center of the bed. Finally, some people aren’t satisfied with the terms of Sleep Number’s warranty. It’s definitely worth familiarizing yourself with that warranty before making a purchase.
