6 Expert-Recommended Bed Cooling Systems for Hot Sleepers
Updated: Jul. 26, 2023A bed cooling system will prevent you from waking up in a hot sweat—no matter how high temperatures soar.
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For hot sleepers, there’s no dread like uncomfortably warm nights. No matter how low you turn the air conditioner or how strategically you place your cooling fan, it’s still possible to find yourself tossing and turning, overheating from your blankets and sheets. Fortunately, there’s a science-backed solution: a bed cooling system.
Instead of cooling the air around you, these bed cooling systems chill the air and fabrics in your bed. That means you get cooling that cuts straight to the source—and nips hot sleep in the bud. To enhance their benefits, use them with a cooling mattress and cooling weighted blankets.
We asked several sleep experts for their input in choosing the best bed cooling systems on the market. Here are the best of the best.
The best bed cooling systems
- Best overall: BedJet 3 Climate Comfort Sleep System
- Best budget: Elegear Revolutionary Cooling Blanket
- Best water-cooled system: Anni Star Water Cooling System
- Best cooling mattress cover: Eight Sleep Pod Cooling Cover
- Best cooling mattress pad: Slumber Cloud Performance Mattress Pad
- Best cooling mattress: Eight Sleep Pod Cooling Mattress
Best overall bed cooling system
BedJet 3 Climate Comfort Sleep System
This air-based bed cooling system comes recommended by both Derek Hales, founder and editor-in-chief of NapLab, a sleep testing platform, and Stephen Light, CEO of Nolah Mattress and a certified sleep science coach. “The BedJet 3 is widely regarded as one of the finest cooling systems on the market,” says Light. “It circulates air through the tubes of a mattress pad, is incredibly easy to set up and is easily controlled with a remote or an app on your phone.”
This bed cooling system works with all mattresses and bed frames and is relatively inexpensive compared to other bed cooling products. What’s more, you can control the temperature to a specific degree and set each side of the bed to a different temperature. It also has a heat mode to achieve that just-out-of-the-dryer feeling for your sheets in winter.
“Finding a product that keeps me cool even on scorching summer nights is a downright miracle,” writes our shopping editor Stephanie Hope. “The BedJet 3 efficiently cools me down, providing exceptional airflow throughout the bed which has significantly improved my sleep. I wake up feeling refreshed and energized—without any pesky night sweats.” Read her in-depth review.
Pros
- Works with all mattresses and bed setups
- Can be controlled from a remote or phone app
- Both sides of the bed can be controlled separately
- Features a dry air option for humid conditions
Cons
- The fan is somewhat noisy
Best budget cooling blanket
Elegear Revolutionary Cooling Blanket
If you don’t want to drop hundreds on a bed cooling system, try a cooling blanket before you invest in more expensive gear. This one from Elegear absorbs body heat and can reduce skin temperatures from 35 to 41 degrees.
“It is definitely cold but not overwhelmingly cold at all,” writes five-star reviewer, Madison Price. “It’s like flipping your pillow over the cold side, except it’s an entire blanket!”
The blanket comes in four sizes and weighs under 3 pounds, meaning it can provide cooling to one or more people or be brought on vacations or camping trips. Simply toss it in the washing machine to clean. For another excellent pick, check out the Dangtop cooling blanket too.
Pros
- Affordable
- Cooling on one side and cotton on the other
- Available in eight colors and four sizes
- Fully machine-washable
Cons
- Is limited in the level of cool it can achieve
Best water-cooled bed cooling system
Anni Star Water Cooling System
This water-based bed cooling system looks like a cooling fan but it’s actually a machine that circulates cool water from a connection tube to the mattress. Just fill the water tank and feel how it reduces the temperature of the mattress by three to eight degrees. A removable filter purifies, while the 100% cotton mattress pad makes sure you’re comfortable all night long.
The Anni Star sleep system can be used with any mattress and set to a series of fan and pump settings. Control the temperature from the machine itself, which easily fits under most beds so it doesn’t show. Use your cooling bed system in tandem with one of the best portable air conditioners for your chilliest sleep yet.
Pros
- Easy to conceal
- Mattress pad is 100% cotton
- Compatible with any mattress
- Single-person size
Cons
- No phone app
- Installation is tricky
Best cooling mattress cover
Eight Sleep Pod Cooling Cover
Christen da Costa, CEO of Gadget Review, recommends this cooling mattress cover for its versatility. “You can simply outfit your existing mattress with the pod cover instead of replacing your whole mattress, which also makes the cost of owning a bed cooling system much lower,” da Costa explains.
The pod cover zips onto your mattress easily and can be set anywhere from 55 to 110 degrees. You can schedule different temperatures for each phase of the night and even set an alarm clock that wakes you with gentle vibrations and a gradual temperature change.
While you catch those zzz’s, the pod cover tracks your sleep quality, as well as health metrics, such as respiratory rate, resting heart rate and heart rate variability. The Pro membership offers data insights and a digital coach so you can get your best sleep yet. Try the 30-day free trial if you don’t believe us!
Pros
- Can set different temperatures for each phase of the night
- Has a vibrational alarm clock
- Comes in four sizes
- Offers a 30-day free trial
Cons
- Data tracking requires Pro membership
Best cooling mattress pad
Slumber Cloud Performance Mattress Pad
While this one is similar to a mattress cover, the Slumber Cloud Performance Mattress Pad is even less maintenance. The ultra-lightweight fabric has NASA-approved temperature-regulating capabilities for the coolest bed lining ever. In case you do break a sweat (unlikely!) the fabric is also moisture-wicking.
Secure the mattress pad underneath your fitted sheet for a foundation that doesn’t budge. It fits any mattress under 20 inches and cleans easily in the washing machine. Want to upgrade your bedding altogether? Here are the best cooling bed sheets.
Pros
- Uses temperature-regulating fabric
- Fits under a fitted sheet
- Moisture-wicking
- Comes in seven sizes
Cons
- Not waterproof
Best cooling mattress
Eight Sleep Pod Cooling Mattress
If you’re serious about sleeping in a cooler, more controlled environment, you might consider a pod cooling mattress. This one from the experts at Eight Sleep is 12 inches deep and contains five foam layers, plus a 1-inch ComfortBlend Topper. You can independently cool each side of the bed from 55 to 110 degrees and control it from an iOS/Android app.
The app and mattress allow you to track your sleep with metrics, including sleep stages, sleep time and toss and turns. There is also wellness tracking on indicators, such as respiratory rate, resting heart rate and heart rate variability. All in all, there’s no easier way to invest in your sleep than with this all-in-one cooling mattress.
Pros
- Minimal setup required
- Includes five foam layers
- App tracks sleep and wellness quality
- Can be controlled via app
Cons
- On the pricier side
What to consider when buying a bed cooling system
Many people can benefit from a bed cooling system, from those who require one for medical reasons to those who simply prefer chilled bedding (think of cold sheets as a similar luxury as warm towels). “Anyone who finds they sleep hot at night, especially to the point it causes them to wake up, can benefit from a bed cooling system,” says Hales. These may include heavyweight sleepers, sleepers going through menopause, sleepers with medical conditions that cause them to sleep hot and sleepers who enjoy the feel of memory foam, but dislike its heat retention quality.
The benefits of bed cooling systems include improved sleep quality and duration. “When our bodies are too hot at night, it can be difficult to fall and stay asleep, tanking our sleep quality and blocking our bodies from repairing, recharging and refreshing in the way they need to,” says Light. “Bed cooling systems can ensure our bodies stay at the optimal temperature for high-quality sleep.”
Types of bed cooling systems
There are two types of bed cooling systems: passive and active. Passive systems provide a layer of cooling material and are typically seen in the form of cooling mattress pads, cooling blankets and cooling pillows. Active systems use either water or air to cool your mattress and bedding.
Air cooling systems are quite simple. “They create additional airflow to bedding and/or the mattress,” says Hales. “This helps bring cool air into the bedding system and push hot air out.”
Water cooling systems are somewhat more complex. “These involve channels of water running through a bedding attachment (typically a type of mattress pad) or through the mattress itself,” explains Hales. “The cooled water flows through the bedding, coming into contact with sleepers and cooling them.” The water is then cycled to an external device where it is re-cooled before channeling back into the bedding attachment or mattress.
How we chose the best bed cooling systems
Some like it hot, but not when it comes to sleep. As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—from cooling blanket options to pads and covers—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts who know all about the ins and outs of a good night’s sleep. Finally, we comb through user reviews to see if these bed cooling systems stand up to the test and whether they’re a smart value or worthy of a splurge.
About the experts
- Derek Hales: Derek Hales is the founder and editor-in-chief of NapLab. Hales has tested over 268 mattresses and hundreds of other sleep systems and regularly offers insight to publications on his findings.
- Stephen Light: Stephen Light is a certified sleep science coach. He is also the CEO and co-owner of Nolah Mattress.
- Christen da Costa: Christen da Costa is the co-CEO of Gadget Review
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