Mattress Face-Off: Saatva vs. Sleep Number

Can the new Saatva Solaire adjustable air mattress match—or even beat—the Sleep Number i8 in Consumer Reports' tests?

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Saatva Solaire vs Sleep Number i8 CR

Finding a mattress with just the right firmness can be a challenge. Adjustable air mattresses are meant to solve that problem by allowing you to change their firmness to meet your needs, and for years, Sleep Number has dominated the market. But Saatva, an online mattress company, recently introduced its own adjustable air mattress, the Solaire.

So the time is right for an air mattress matchup. We put the Saatva Solaire newcomer up against the Sleep Number 360 i8 Smart Bed.

Both cost about the same—around $3,000 for a queen-size mattress. You can upgrade each bed by buying an adjustable bed frame with extra amenities, such as the ability to raise the head area or raise one of two sides of the bed, massagers, and lights under the bed.

For instance, a queen-size Saatva with an adjustable frame that can raise the entire head of the mattress, with underbed lighting and a three-speed massager, costs $4,200. With Sleep Number, a queen-size mattress with an adjustable frame that includes floor lights and allows you to raise the head area, and with a foot-warming heater, costs $5,000.

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In our labs, we test the basic queen-size version of each mattress, without any bells and whistles. One thing we found regarding the adjustable aspect of these mattresses: “The firmness measured didn’t change much when we set the mattresses to a low level vs. a high level,” says Chris Regan, CR’s project leader who oversees our mattress testing. “This is possibly because they both have several inches of foam above the air bladder.” So when you shop for one of these mattresses, don’t count on being able to change their firmness much. In our tests, both get a firmness rating of a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest.

CR members can read on to see how these two mattresses perform in each of our rigorous mattress tests. For more on mattresses, see our mattress ratings and buying guide.

Vitals

Saatva Solaire: Saatva has been making foam and innerspring mattresses for a decade. The Solaire doesn’t come with an app; it has a remote attached to the mattress for the air pump, which is tucked inside the mattress. The topper is made of cotton and a layer of latex, and the mattress itself has a layer of latex and a few layers of memory foam. Saatva offers a 120-day free trial period during which you can get a refund if you don’t like the mattress.

Sleep Number i8: Sleep Number is the biggest seller of adjustable air mattresses in the U.S., and a number of its mattresses have held the top spots in our adjustable air mattress ratings. You can control the Sleep Number i8 using an app on your phone, or with a separate remote you can purchase for $39. Unlike the Saatva, the air pump is outside the mattress. This mattress contains layers of memory foam. You can try out the Sleep Number for 100 days and get a refund if you’re unhappy with it.

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