Tempur-Pedic vs Sleep Number: Key Differences Explained
There are significant differences between Tempur-Pedic and Sleep Number — from how they’re made, to how they feel, to their sleep trials and mattress warranties. The same person who enjoys a Tempur-Pedic might not like a Sleep Number, and vice-versa. So in this post, we’ll explain those differences and help you determine which mattress you’d prefer.
Full disclosure — at Slumberland, we love recommending Tempur-Pedic to our customers. We think Tempur-Pedic makes a comfortable and supportive mattress, and our customers agree. Our staff of sleep experts knows that when someone goes home with a new Tempur-Pedic, it’s incredibly unlikely that that customer will have buyer’s remorse. That could explain why Tempur-Pedic was ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with retail mattresses by J.D. power (2 years in a row).
But when customers come into Slumberland, they often ask how Tempur-Pedic compares to other mattress brands like Sleep Number. Comparing Tempur-Pedic and Sleep Number is a bit like comparing apples and applesauce. Sure, you’re getting an apple either way, but the experience is going to feel very different.
In fact, if you like the feel of Sleep Number — and adjusting your firmness throughout the night — then you’ll most likely not like the feel of Tempur-Pedic and vice versa.
So while we’re a little biased, we put this comparison together not so much to sell you on a Tempur-Pedic (those mattresses usually sell themselves), but to help explain how these two major brand names do fundamentally different things so you can decide which one you’ll prefer to sleep on.
We’ll start with a quick overview of both brands, then dive deep into these topics:
- How Tempur-Pedic and Sleep Number compare on pressure relief and comfort
- How Tempur-Pedic and Sleep Number help you sleep cool
- What each brand offers in terms of sleep trials and warranties
- Where you can try each mattress brand in person
Are you ready to feel the Tempur-Pedic difference in person? Find the closest Slumberland location nearest you.
Tempur-Pedic vs. Sleep Number: A Quick Overview
A quick note about the section below: all mattress prices are for a queen size and are the non-promotional prices. We chose to include the non-promotional prices in this review, as promotional prices are subject to last-minute changes.
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic mattresses are highly adaptable to your body type and shape, which is what makes them so supportive and comfortable. They start adapting to you the moment you lie down, and continue to do so throughout the night. This is that “cradling” or “contouring” sensation that’s associated with the Tempur-Pedic beds.
Tempur-Pedic does this so well thanks to its advanced memory foam called TEMPUR–material.
This unique and highly adaptable foam makes Tempur-Pedic a great mattress for couples (so they each get the comfort and support they need) and for customers with back pain.
Out of this world fact: TEMPUR-material has its origins in material designed by NASA to be used in the space shuttle. TEMPUR–material was so good at absorbing pressure because it was intended to absorb the pressure experienced by astronauts as they shot through the Earth’s atmosphere.
Tempur-Pedic is made up of five major collections, each available in different comfort levels.
- TEMPUR-Adapt® – The Adapt® series is 11 inches thick. It uses Tempur-Pedic’s extra soft comfort layer and an original pressure-relieving TEMPUR® support layer. Like all Tempur-Pedic mattresses, it has a cool-to-the-touch cover. We generally recommend the Adapt as for customers who want the least amount of contouring Tempur-Pedic offers. The Adapt® series is available as a medium hybrid or medium all-foam option. It’s $2,199 for a queen-size mattress.
- TEMPUR-ProAdapt® – The ProAdapt series is 12 inches thick. It’s also when Tempur-Pedic starts using its dual cover system, which is a machine-washable zip-off cover. The other big difference in this model is you get more pressure-relieving support. This is one of our most popular Tempur-Pedic mattresses. It’s available as a soft, medium hybrid, medium, and firm. It’s $2,999 for a queen-size mattress.
- TEMPUR-LuxeAdapt® – The LuxeAdapt is more conforming and contouring than the ProAdapt. It’s 13 inches thick and it’s a great mattress for people who want the ultimate pressure relief possible from their mattress, making it a great option for those with medical conditions like sciatica or fibromyalgia. A queen-size LuxeAdapt costs $3,799.
- TEMPUR-ProBreeze® – All Tempur-Pedic mattresses have a cool-to-the-touch cover that helps you sleep cool at the surface, but the ProBreeze goes even further. It can feel up to 3 degrees cooler on the surface. It uses phase change material (PCMs) that absorb your body heat, keeping you cool. Plus, it uses special TEMPUR foam that is designed to have no insulation, making it very breathable. The ProBreeze is available as a medium firmness or as a medium hybrid. A queen size costs $3,999.
- TEMPUR-LuxeBreeze® – The LuxeBreeze is the ultimate cooling mattress. It can feel up to 8 degrees cooler on the surface. It uses the same technology of the ProBreeze, plus a ventilated layer of support form to promote breathability. The LuxeBreeze is available as a soft or firm mattress and the queen-size model costs $4,999.
That’s the general breakdown of the Tempur-Pedic mattresses, which includes all-foam beds and hybrid models. What changes between the models is a combination of how much support and contouring they offer, as well as how cool they feel. To truly experience how a Tempur-Pedic is different from the competition — and get a personalized recommendation — visit a Slumberland location near you.
Sleep Number
Sleep Number is fundamentally different from other mattresses on the market.
This is because Sleep Number uses air chambers as a support system (as opposed to foam or coils). With a remote, you can change the amount of air in a chamber, and thus change the feel of the mattress.
Sometimes a Sleep Number is called an air bed, but that’s slightly misleading. These mattresses are more advanced than the cheap air mattresses you’d blow up on a camping trip. Still, what makes a Sleep Number a Sleep Number is that you get a huge variety of firmness options when you buy a Sleep Number. You can adjust the firmness of your bed and you do that by adjusting the amount of air in the chamber.
Whereas Tempur-Pedic relies on advanced TEMPUR–material to provide comfort and support, Sleep Number uses a mixture of foam and air pressure.
Sleep Number currently has 8 different models, with pricing ranging from $1,099 up to $5,199.
- The Sleep Number 360® c2 Smart Bed — The c2 bed is 8” inches tall and has a 2” comfort layer. It doesn't use memory foam, but Fiberfill. This is one of the firmest options available from Sleep Number. It’s only $1,099 which makes sense, given the very slim profile (most mattresses are at least 10 inches thick) and lack of foam layers.
- The Sleep Number 360® c4 Smart Bed — The c4 bed is 9 inches tall with a 3” comfort layer. Those 3 inches are comprised of polyfoam and Fiberfill. Polyfoam is like memory foam without the memory. The c4 Smart Bed costs $1,799 for a queen. This means you’re paying $700 for another inch of comfort layer.
- The Sleep Number 360® p5 Smart Bed — The p in p5 stands for “performance.” The p5 Smart Bed is 10 inches tall and has a 4 inch comfort layer. The comfort layer in this model is more pressure relieving than in the c2 and C4 models. The queen size p5 costs $2,499.
- The Sleep Number 360® p6 Smart Bed — The p6 is like the p5 but you get an extra inch of a comfort layer. This means the p6 is 11 inches tall — to compare, the entry level Tempur-Pedic is 11 inches thick. The p6 Smart Bed costs $2,999 in queen size.
- The Sleep Number 360® pSE Special Edition Smart Bed — The pSE is a special edition Sleep Number bed. It’s 10 inches tall, with 4 of those inches made up of a mix of polyfoam and fiberfill. The pSE also has cooling properties, which makes it a good option to consider if you sleep hot at night. The queen size costs $2,899.
- The Sleep Number 350® i8 Smart Bed — The i8 Smart Bed is 12” tall and has 6” of comfort layers. At this point, half of the bed is made up of comfort layers and the other half is made up of air chambers. The i8 model also has smart fabric, which Sleep Number claims is “up to 50% more breathable.” A queen size costs $3,699.
- The Sleep Number 360® i10 Smart Bed — 13” tall, 7” comfort layers The i10 is almost identical to the i8 except for three things. First, it’s an inch taller, with one more inch of comfort layers. Second, the i10 uses memory foam. Memory foam — the main type of material in Tempur-Pedic mattresses — is great at providing comfort and pressure relief. Third, it costs quite a bit more — $5,199 for a queen size.
- The Sleep Number 360® m7 Smart Bed — The m7 Smart Bed is 11” tall, and 5 of those inches are made up of comfort layers of foam. Like the i10 it uses memory foam to provide comfort and support. But it doesn’t have the extra cooling cover or zoned pressure relief of other, more expensive models. The m7 costs $3,699 in a queen size.
Tempur-Pedic vs. Sleep Number: Pressure Relief and Comfort
Let’s look at how each mattress brand works to alleviate pressure points and provide comfort.
But before we take a close look at the different layers and technologies each brand uses, let’s do a quick summary.
Tempur-Pedic is a type of memory foam mattress. It uses advanced memory foam to give you comfort and support. The TEMPUR® material adapts to you and continues to adapt to you as you own it.
Sleep Number relies more on the customizability of its air chambers. As you’ll see, it’s not until the Sleep Number price point increases that the brand starts using memory foam. So it’s really difficult to compare the two brands with one another, because it will depend on which mattress you choose. Just keep in mind that if you’re comparing one of the more inexpensive Sleep Number models, then you’re comparing a non-memory foam mattress to a memory foam mattress.
Tempur-Pedic
Tempur-Pedic uses TEMPUR-material to provide you with comfort and support. While TEMPUR–material is a type of memory foam, it’s going to feel different than other memory foam beds.
TEMPUR–material is much more sensitive to your body temperature than traditional memory foam. The foam reacts to your body heat, which means parts of your body that are making more contact with the mattress, such as your shoulders and hips, are going to get the support they need.
There are different types of TEMPUR–material, including:
- Original TEMPUR® – Tempur-Pedic’s first proprietary memory foam layer. Original TEMPUR® provides you with excellent pressure relief and comfort.
- TEMPUR-ES® – By changing the cell structure of their foam, Tempur-Pedic can make foam layers with different comfort levels. Here, the ES stands for “extra soft.”
- TEMPUR-APR® – APR stands for advanced pressure-relieving. The advanced TEMPUR-material, Tempur-Pedic’s APR foam has a higher density. HIgh-density foams are great for providing back support and are ideal for customers who have back or neck pain.
All Tempur-Pedic foam is also great at providing motion isolation — this means you won’t feel your partner move throughout the night. And because of its durability, all Tempur-Pedic mattresses are warranted to maintain their shape for 10 years (though many models will have a much, much longer lifespan than 10 years).
You can only get this material from Tempur-Pedic. No one else can make it. TEMPUR® material is made by Tempur-Pedic at Tempur-Pedic run factories, which means they can provide better quality control on how their foam is made.
Sleep Number
All Sleep Number beds have their famous adjustable air chambers. You get a remote — or you can use an app on your phone — which lets you adjust the firmness or comfort level of your bed.
This is really an interesting benefit for couples. The person on the right side of the bed can have a firmer mattress than the person on the left by clicking the button.
But what is above the air chambers?
Sleep Number uses several different types of technology, from fiberfill to poly-foam to memory foam to provide you with comfort and pressure relief.
Helpfully, Sleep Number rates their own mattress in terms of pressure relief and support on their website.
For example, now you see the rating for the entry level c2 bed, which starts at $1,099 for a queen.
Compare that to the Sleep Number’s i10 bed, which is $5,199 for a queen, and has the highest rating for pressure relief, support, and cooling.
With this information in mind — and because Tempur-Pedic uses TEMPUR® material in every model — we think Tempur-Pedic does a better job, overall, on providing pressure relief and comfort. However, Sleep Number does make very compelling models, specifically the higher-end models that use memory foam in combination with their air chambers, that are worth considering.
Tempur-Pedic vs. Sleep Number: How Each Mattress Helps You Sleep Cool
Sleeping hot at night is a common concern we hear from customers at Slumberland. This worry makes sense. No one is comfortable at night when they’re heating up.
So let’s look at how each brand helps you stay cool throughout the night.
Tempur-Pedic
First, Tempur-Pedic attacks heat at the surface with their cool-to-touch cover. The Tempur-Pedic cover is made up of high-density molecular yarn. That means heat can’t stay attached to the cover, it immediately dissipates. (Think of a high density surface, like a marble countertop, and how it never retains heat. Except, much more comfortable to sleep on.)
Tempur-Pedic also has a line of mattresses specifically designed to help you feel cooler at night — the Breeze line.
There are two Tempur-Pedic Breeze mattresses:
- The ProBreeze: The ProBreeze can feel up to 3 degrees cooler.
- 2. The LuxeBreeze: The LuxeBreeze can feel up to 8 degrees cooler.
In addition to the high-density molecular yarn cover, both Breeze models also use a layer of phase change material (PCMs). PCMs are popular in higher end mattresses for keeping you cool. Basically, when PCMs absorb your body heat and help you cool down.
Plus, the Tempur-Pedic LuxeBreeze uses a special layer of ventilated, advanced pressure-relieving. This promotes airflow throughout the mattress, which means your body heat won’t get trapped in the mattress.
Sleep Number
Sleep Numbers beds can be broken into four main collections:
- The Classic Series
- The Performance Series
- The Innovation Series
The Classic and Performance series — made up of the c2, c4, p5, and p6 models — don’t have any extra cooling technology, but it’s probably because they don’t need as those beds don’t use any memory foam and rely mostly on Sleep Number’s air chambers. Since the air chambers don’t store heat, there shouldn’t be any sleeping hot concerns. Still, if you’re a hot sleeper, then the Classic series doesn’t have any technology to help you sleep cool at night.
If you want a cooling mattress from Sleep Number, you’d need to get either the i8, i10, or m7 smart bed.
These models offer two types of cooling technology:
- A temperature balancing sleep surface that can absorb your excess body heat and then release it back to you as you cool down. (This works in a similar fashion to PCMs, which react to your body’s temperature, both hot and cold.)
- Smart 3D fabric that is up to 50% more breathable than other Sleep Number surfaces.
Sleep Number also sells what’s called a DualTemp™ Cooling Mattress layer. It’s sold as a half queen, half king, or half split king. This means you can just buy one for your side, or buy two for both sides. Each side can control their temperature, this means it can both cool you down or warm you up.
Each half queen layer costs $799, so adding this feature to both sides of your queen mattress will set you back another $1599 on top of the price of your Sleep Number bed.
Tempur-Pedic vs. Sleep Number: Warranty and Sleep Trial
Tempur-Pedic’s Sleep Trial
If you buy a Tempur-Pedic from their online store you get a 90-day sleep trial, but if you buy it (with a mattress protector) through Slumberland you get our 365-Night Comfort Guarantee.
Once you get your Tempur-Pedic mattress delivered and set up, your 365 night trial starts.
This trial period is so you can really experience the mattress, and to give it some time. A new mattress is a bit like a new pair of shoes. There’s a “break in period'.” This is especially true if you’ve been sleeping on an unsupported mattress for a while.
That’s why we ask our customers to give their new Tempur-Pedic at least 30 days. If after those 30 days, you decide that you want to switch models or exchange for any reason, you can re-select a new mattress.
We do apply a re-selection fee ($99) to your exchange.
Tempur-Pedic’s Mattress Warranty
All Tempur-pedic mattresses are backed by a 10-year warranty through Tempur-Pedic. When you buy a Tempur-Pedic mattress through Slumberland, we will help you start a warranty claim or you can reach out directly to Tempur-Pedic.
Either way, what’s covered remains the same. The main issue a mattress warranty should protect you from is premature sagging. Mattresses are supposed to maintain their shape for 10 years. If they form dips or canyons that you can “sink into” then you’re likely to sleep poorly.
Tempur-Pedic mattresses are not supposed to develop sags that are greater than .75 inches. If they do, your mattress may be eligible for a free exchange. (Here’s a full rundown of warranty details and exclusions.)
At Slumberland, we do everything we can to make sure that when you buy a mattress from us, you’re picking the one that’s going to work best for you. We offer a sleep trial because we like giving peace of mind, but our hope is always to send you home with the right mattress the first time around. To find the best mattress for you in person, visit the nearest Slumberland near you.
Sleep Number’s Sleep Trial
Sleep Number mattresses come with a 100 night trial. Per their website, “[t]he In-Home Trial Period for all Sleep Number mattresses is 100 nights. It can take about 30 days for your body to adjust to a new mattress, and we are confident that by the end of that 30 days you will have found your ideal Sleep Number setting and be well on your way to better sleep. If, however, after sleeping on your new mattress for a full 30 nights, you are not completely satisfied, contact us before the end of the 100 night In-Home Trial Period to arrange for the return of your Sleep Number bed or layer.”
Returns and exchanges are subject to delivery fees, which range from $199-$249.
Sleep Number’s Mattress Warranty
What makes Sleep Number different — the fact that it’s a bed with moving, mechanical parts — shows up in its warranty. Tempur-Pedic mattresses (like most all-foam and hybrid mattresses) have an industry standard 10-year warranty that cover sagging and other defects.
Sleep Number’s warranty is 15 years long, but prorated, which is important.
The first year you own your Sleep Number, they will repair or replace any defects in craftsmanship at no cost to you.
After the first year and until the 11th year, you’re responsible for 30% plus 5% of each completed year from the original date of purchase. So, if your bed needs to be replaced in year 7, then you’re responsible for covering 65% of repairs or replacements.
From year 11 until year 15, you’re responsible for covering 85% of repairs.
Where to Try Each Mattress in Person
You can try Tempur-Pedic mattresses at Tempur-Pedic retailers and Slumberland. When you come into Slumberland, we take the time to find out what is getting between you and a good night’s sleep. Sometimes the issue is simple (you’re on an old bed and need one that supports you). Sometimes it’s a little more complex, such as a couple who has different comfort level preferences or you’re hurting at night when you lie down to arthritis or chronic back pain.
Whatever the case, we’ll ask you a few questions so we can make a custom recommendation. It may not be a Tempur-pedic, or it may be! It all depends on what you need from your next mattress.
Sleep Numbers are only available in Sleep Number showrooms or through their online store.
Tempur-Pedic vs. Sleep Number: Which One is For You?
We’ve tried to be as fair and balanced in this mattress comparison as possible. These are both high-quality, luxury mattresses that are the best options in their respective fields (memory foam beds for Tempur-Pedic and air mattresses for Sleep Number) It helps that both mattress brands take very different approaches to helping you sleep at night.
Sleep Number gives the option of adjusting the firmness of your mattress. This means you can make it softer or firmer with the click of a button. This is a good feature, especially for couples who can’t agree on a firmness level.
But we prefer Tempur-Pedic because the advanced TEMPUR® material adapts to your weight, shape, and temperature. This means Tempur-Pedic is actively contouring your body and giving you the support you need. You can get Tempur-Pedic models in various comfort levels (such as soft, firm, or medium firm) but we’ve found that that’s the easy part of mattress shopping.
The more challenging part is finding a mattress that supports you — from your shoulders to your hips to your legs. And those parts of your body all need different types of support, which is what TEMPUR® material can provide.
If you’re ready to start the next part of finding your perfect mattress, find the closest Slumberland to you.