Mattress cooling system

Eight SleepPod 5 Core

Replaced by Pod 6, a two-zone heating and cooling cover with a yearly fee

By Porsche Ma Facts checked Oct 13, 2026

Source-based analysis, not hands-on testing. Our method

Cofounder of Superhuman Chambers · About the author. General information, not medical advice. No independent clinical review is claimed.

The verdict

Pod 5 Core is gone from Eight Sleep's Pod page, and Pod 6 Standard is the version you can buy. The Queen is $2,899 and heats or cools each side from 55°F to 110°F, with nothing to install. The catch is Autopilot: every Pod 6 needs it, and the 5-year warranty needs a plan of at least $299 a year, kept active.

The trade-off

Autopilot adds $199 to $399 a year, and a Pod 5 bought secondhand or from a marketplace isn't covered by Eight Sleep's warranty.

Eight Sleep Pod 5 Core, manufacturer product image — Photo: Eight Sleep.Source ↗

Model reviewed: Pod 6 Standard, Queen 60 W × 80 L (Cover and Hub), the current equivalent of Pod 5 Core, Queen

Pod 5 Core has been replaced. The price and buying link below refer to Pod 6 Standard, not a Pod 5 offer.

$2,899

US price, checked Oct 13, 2026

Check price at Eight Sleep

No affiliate commission on this link. Check the exact variant before buying.

About this price

Eight Sleep's Pod page now sells only Pod 6 and doesn't mention Pod 5 Core. This is the price of the closest current match, Pod 6 Standard (Cover and Hub) in Queen. The page shows Pod 6 Standard at $2,899 without naming a size. Eight Sleep's launch release puts the Queen at $2,899. The Full is $2,699, and the King and Cal King are $2,999. The price is before tax, and shipping is free. The page's $3,198 total adds a year of Autopilot Enhanced at $299. No sale or strike-through price was shown. The older review had no verified Pod 5 Core price.

A GOOD FIT FOR

Couples who want separate bed temperatures on their current mattress and will keep paying for Autopilot.

You share a bed and want each side heated or cooled on its own, from 55°F to 110°F
You want to keep your mattress and add a 1-inch cover
You're fine paying for Autopilot every year to keep the 5-year warranty
You can buy direct from eightsleep.com, which the warranty requires

THINK TWICE IF

You don't want a subscription, since every Pod 6 needs Autopilot
You want Pod 5 Core itself, since Eight Sleep's Pod page no longer sells it and secondhand or marketplace units aren't under warranty
You sleep alone, since Pod 6 Solo starts at $1,999
You need a medical device, since Eight Sleep says the Pod isn't one

What still needs checking

Average power draw and yearly electricity cost
Noise level in decibels
Reservoir capacity and how often to refill or clean it
What still works if you cancel Autopilot after the first 12 months
Whether Autopilot fees are refunded if you return the Pod during the trial
Whether Pod 5 owners get upgrade pricing
Whether the Hub has a UL or ETL safety listing
Whether and when Eight Sleep gets the FDA clearance it says it's pursuing
Long-term reliability of the new Hub, which went on sale in September 2026

The practical details.

Specifications for Eight Sleep Pod 5 Core
Exact variant	Pod 6 Standard, Queen 60 W × 80 L (Cover and Hub), the current equivalent of Pod 5 Core, Queen
Temperature range	55°F to 110°F, set separately for each side of the bed
Water or air	Water. The Cover has a water cord at the foot of the bed for the Blanket add-on. A launch report says the Hub has a built-in reservoir in place of Pod 5's removable tank
Noise	Eight Sleep publishes no decibel figure. A launch report calls the Hub quiet rather than silent
Hub power	Input 120/240 V AC, output 550 W at 12 V DC. Average power draw isn't stated
Subscription	Autopilot required. Standard $199 a year (2-year warranty), Enhanced $299 and Elite $399 (5-year warranty). Monthly: $17, $25 or $33
Bed sizes	Standard, for one or two sleepers: Full 54 × 75, Queen 60 × 80, King 76 × 80, Cal King 72 × 84 in. Solo, for one sleeper: Twin, Twin XL, Queen, King and Cal King
Sensors	18 in the Cover, up from two on Pod 5
Dimensions	Cover: Queen 60 in W × 80 in L, 1 in thick. Hub: 16.54 in L × 7.87 in H × 6.50 in W, 15.2 lb. Eight Sleep doesn't list the Cover's weight.
Materials	The Cover's top fabric is 100% polyester. The side fabric is 46% polyester, 44% rayon and 10% spandex. The inner fabric is 96% nylon and 4% spandex. Eight Sleep lists no OEKO-TEX or other textile certification for the Cover and doesn't say what the Hub is made of.

Before you buy

InstallationThe Cover fits over your mattress like a fitted sheet

The Cover fits over your mattress like a fitted sheet. Eight Sleep says it works on any mattress and gives no thickness limit. The Hub can slide under the bed or sit on or near your nightstand. It's 7.87 in tall, so measure first if you want it under the frame. It takes 120/240 V AC input. Eight Sleep lists no installation service, plumbing or electrical work.

WarrantyTwo years with Autopilot Standard ($199 a year), or five years with Enhanced or Elite

Two years with Autopilot Standard ($199 a year), or five years with Enhanced or Elite. Coverage starts on delivery and needs an active membership for the whole term. It covers only Pods bought from eightsleep.com. Pods from third-party marketplaces, unauthorized resellers or secondhand sales aren't covered, and the warranty can't be transferred. The warranty page still lists Pod 5 among the Pods it covers. Upgrading to a new Pod ends the old Pod's warranty.

Returns30-night trial with free returns

30-night trial with free returns. Email Eight Sleep support within 30 calendar days of delivery, and it sends a prepaid return label. Refunds typically take 5 to 10 business days after approval. Shipping to a freight forwarder voids the return. The policy doesn't say whether Autopilot fees are refunded or what condition the Pod must be in.

More about this assessment

Eight Sleep's Pod page now sells only Pod 6. A launch report on the5krunner says Pod 6 replaces Pod 5. The closest match to Pod 5 Core is Pod 6 Standard in Queen. It's a 1-inch Cover over your mattress plus a Hub that the report says has a built-in water reservoir. Eight Sleep says each side heats or cools from 55°F to 110°F. The Queen is $2,899, and every Pod 6 needs an Autopilot membership at $199 to $399 a year. Eight Sleep says the Pod isn't a medical device, and its deep-sleep figures come from internal data it doesn't publish.

Strengths on paper

Each side of the bed gets its own temperature, from 55°F to 110°F
No installation service, plumbing or electrical work: the 1-inch Cover goes over your mattress
The Hub is about half the size of Pod 5's and can go under the bed or beside the nightstand
A built-in reservoir replaces Pod 5's removable water tank, according to a launch report
30-night trial with free shipping and a prepaid return label

Limitations

Pod 5 Core is gone from Eight Sleep's Pod page, so Pod 6 Standard is the version you can buy
Autopilot adds $199 to $399 a year to the $2,899 price
The 5-year warranty needs the $299 or $399 yearly plan, kept active the whole time
No published noise level, average power draw or reservoir size
The deep-sleep claims rest on internal data Eight Sleep doesn't publish
Snore mitigation needs the Base add-on, which isn't included

What it costs to own.

Adjust the assumptions for your use. Missing costs stay unknown.

PLAN YOUR OWNERSHIP COSTS

What will it cost to own?

Change the assumptions to fit your use. Leave an unknown cost blank. Add water, subscriptions, cleaning, shipping and taxes if they apply. Use average operating power, not the maximum rating.

Purchase price ($)Installation / accessories ($)Annual consumables ($)Average operating power (W)Hours per dayAnnual other costs ($)Electricity ($/kWh)Years

3-year known subtotal

$3,796.00

Incomplete: energy use. This is not the full ownership cost.

Energy component: Unknown

Purchase + installation + years × (annual consumables + annual other) + watts/1000 × hours/day × 365 × years × $/kWh. Annualized allowances, not an exact replacement schedule. Excludes taxes, shipping, finance and resale unless entered.

Replacement parts & cost assumptions

Recorded recurring parts and refills:

Maintenance inserts: cost not recorded. Every Autopilot plan includes complimentary maintenance inserts. Eight Sleep doesn't say how often to use them or what they'd cost on their own.

Purchase is the $2,899 Pod 6 Standard Queen, the closest current match to Pod 5 Core. Eight Sleep's Pod page no longer sells Pod 5 Core.
Autopilot Enhanced, at $299 a year, is counted as an annual cost. It's the plan the product page adds to its $3,198 total and the cheapest one with the 5-year warranty. Standard is $199 a year, which cuts the three-year estimate by $300, but the warranty stays at 2 years. Paying monthly costs more: $25 × 12 = $300 a year for Enhanced.
The estimate assumes you keep Autopilot for all three years. Eight Sleep's help center says a membership is required for the first 12 months, and the warranty lapses without an active one.
Installation is $0. The Cover goes over your mattress, the Hub plugs in, and shipping is free.
Consumables are $0 a year because the only listed part, maintenance inserts, comes free with every Autopilot plan. Eight Sleep doesn't publish a refill or cleaning schedule.
Energy is unknown. The Hub's 550 W is an output rating, not an average draw, and Eight Sleep doesn't state nightly run time.
The Base, Blanket and Pillow Cover add-ons aren't included. The product page showed no prices for them.

Evidence & sources.

Do cooling mattress pads, sleep masks and sheets help you sleep? Our evidence review grades the research as Weak. That grade is about the claim, not about this product.

Manufacturer claimEight Sleep's Pod product page now sells only Pod 6 and doesn't mention Pod 5.^{1, 3} The warranty page still lists Pod 5 among the Pods it covers. That coverage depends on an active membership.
Independent testA launch report on the5krunner says Pod 6 is "replacing Pod 5". It says the Hub is about half the volume and has a built-in reservoir instead of a removable tank. It also says the Cover went from one sensor per side to nine.⁸ The writer discloses being an Eight Sleep affiliate who gets the product free. Most of the Pod 6 detail repeats Eight Sleep's information. Impressions such as the Hub being quiet rather than silent aren't measured testing.
Manufacturer claimPrice, sizes, temperature range, Hub specs, materials, plans, warranty and returns come from Eight Sleep. The sources are its product, Autopilot, warranty and return-policy pages and its launch release.^{1, 3–6} This is Eight Sleep's own information, not independent performance testing.
Manufacturer claimEight Sleep says the Pod gives "34% more deep sleep, clinically proven", a 19% recovery improvement and 44% fewer disruptions.² The footnote cites "Eight Sleep internal study data" and says results may vary. No sample size, design or published paper is given. Another footnote mentions an Eight Sleep study of 98 menopausal women sleeping with the Pod on and off, with no published results. Eight Sleep cites no independent study of Pod 6.
Manufacturer claimEight Sleep's site says the Pod "is not a medical device". At launch, Eight Sleep said it's pursuing clearance from Abu Dhabi's HTA and the U.S. FDA.^{2, 5} That's an intention with no timeline, not a clearance. A launch report on the5krunner says Eight Sleep has filed with the FDA and has given no date for the feature it covers. The product page calls its sensors "clinical-grade" but cites no clearance.
Manufacturer claimThe product page lists no OEKO-TEX or other textile certification for the Cover, and no FDA, UL or ETL listing for the Hub.¹ A missing listing on the page doesn't prove the Pod has none. But Eight Sleep gives no certificate number you could check.
Manufacturer claimEight Sleep's help center says "A membership is required for the first 12 months and the cost covers two separate users per Pod."⁷ Only the article's summary text was readable. The launch release says every Pod 6 requires Autopilot and gives no minimum term.

Sources (8)

Pod product page (now Pod 6) Eight Sleep · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Sleep performance page Eight Sleep · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Eight Sleep warranty Eight Sleep · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Autopilot plans Eight Sleep · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Eight Sleep Introduces Pod 6 (launch press release) Eight Sleep via Business Wire · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Eight Sleep return policy Eight Sleep · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Can I buy the Pod without Autopilot? (Eight Support Center) Eight Sleep · manufacturer · checked Oct 13, 2026
Eight Sleep Pod 6: All you need to know the5krunner · independent test · checked Oct 13, 2026