Saatva vs Sleep Number: Which adjustabke smart mattress should you buy this Presidents' Day?

If you're intrigued by what an adjustable firmness smart bed can do for your sleep quality, it's important to know what features and benefits to look for. Here, we're comparing the Saatva Solaire to the Sleep Number i8 to help you decide which adjustable smart mattress is right for you.

Saatva and Sleep Number produce some of the best mattresses on the market, offering luxury and great value in equal measure. Although Sleep Number is better known for using the latest sleep technology, Saatva leads the way in handcrafted hotel-quality mattresses. However, Saatva has leaned into the smart bed world with the Solaire.

Both the Saatva Solaire and the Sleep Number i8 smart bed appear in our best smart bed guide as great options for anyone kept awake by back pain or achy joints. Better yet, both are discounted during this year's Presidents' Day mattress sales, making now a good time to upgrade your sleep space. But if you're wondering if Saatva or Sleep Number is a better choice for smarter sleep, head below for our head-to-head comparison...

Saatva vs Sleep Number: Key differences

Saatva vs Sleep Number: Price & Trial

• Both are premium mattresses, but sales occur often
• The Sleep Number i8 is our best-value smart mattress
• Saatva offers generous perks including free White Glove delivery

Before we get into the figures, it is worth noting that both Saatva and Sleep Number are high-end brands specializing in luxury mattresses and smart beds, and for that, you must expect a premium price tag.

As our top value-for-money smart bed, you'll always get a good deal with the Sleep Number i8. At MSRP a queen size costs $3,999, which is considerably less than the retail price of a Saatva Solaire, which is $4,599 for a queen.

All 10 sizes of the Sleep Number i8 are now $1,000 off, cutting the price of a queen down to $2,999. Add a queen FlexFit 2 base for an extra $1,999; with this, you'll get adjustable head and foot positioning, snore mitigation, and under-bed lighting. Sleep Number also offers a 100-night sleep trial and a 15-year limited warranty. Delivery isn't included and starts at $150.

On the other hand, the Saatva Solaire is $400 off during the Saatva Presidents' Day sale, which brings the price of a queen to $4,199. This is a solid deal, although you'll get a better bang for your buck during Saatva's 15% off promotions, particularly for larger bed sizes.

While the Saatva Solaire offers blissful comfort, sturdy support, and outstanding motion isolation, you won't get any smart sleep tracking for its high price tag. You will, however, benefit from Saatva's free White Glove Delivery, one-year sleep trial, and lifetime warranty.

Saatva vs Sleep Number: Materials & Design

• Both are airbeds with additional foam
• The Saatva Solaire is 13" tall and remote-controlled
• The Sleep Number i8 is 12" tall and operated via app

We best describe the Saatva Solaire as a low-tech smart airbed. It has vulcanized air chambers on both sides of the bed so you can adjust the firmness of the surface to suit your sleep style and body type, regardless of your partner's preferences. It's controlled via a remote and has a memory mode that saves your preferred setting. This makes it a good option for the less tech-savvy who are resistant to smartphone link-up technology.

What's more, the bed features a quilted 3" Euro Top and a 2" layer of gel-infused memory foam to provide both pressure relief and a cooler night's sleep. Of course, the Solaire is polished off with Saatva's signature gold detailing and plush off-white cushioning, giving a luxurious aesthetic and touch.

The 12" Sleep Number i8 smart mattress also has air chambers that inflate and deflate to change the firmness alongside six inches of CertiPUR-US certified ceramic gel-infused foam layers for extra cushioning and temperature balance. This is all wrapped up in a fabric cover that blends polyester and polypropylene.

Embedded sensors in the i8 track a range of metrics, which are distilled into a SleepIQ score retrievable in the Sleep Number App. You can also use the app to control the comfort of your mattress from your smartphone or tablet. You'll need to make sure the bed is connected to Wi-Fi at all times in order to use these smart features.

Saatva vs Sleep Number: Support & Comfort

• Both offer dual adjustable firmness for custom comfort
• The Saatva Solaire has 50 precise firmness settings
• The Sleep Number i8 adapts to your movements

In addition to the adjustable air chambers that provide your ideal balance of support and pressure relief, the Saatva Solaire's Euro Top is designed to bolster the lumbar and prevent and ease muscle pain. Plus there's a five-zone Talalay latex layer for extra lumbar support. This makes the Solaire our top mattress for back pain among smart beds

Meanwhile, the Sleep Number i8 has responsive air chambers, meaning they automatically adjust to your movements during the night to keep you in the most comfortable, supported position. Coupled with contouring, plush layers that melt away pressure in the joints, you're sure to sleep comfortably on the Sleep Number i8. Plus you can learn more about how well you sleep as embedded sensors track your health and sleep metrics to produce a personalized SleepIQ score.

Saatva vs Sleep Number: Temperature control

• The Saatva Solaire is made with breathable organic cotton
• The Sleep Number i8 features ceramic gel for enhanced cooling
• Neither bed has active cooling technology

Neither the Saatva Solaire nor the Sleep Number i8 smart mattress has water or fan-based smart cooling technology. Instead, they rely on breathable materials and ceramic gel, respectively, to regulate sleepers' temperature through the night. So, year-round hot sleepers shouldn't write them off entirely.

The Saatva Solaire's cover is made with naturally hypoallergenic and breathable organic cotton to improve airflow and offer cooler sleep. Meanwhile, the i8 smart bed is part of Sleep Number's advanced temperature balancing range. It has four times more ceramic gel than the brand's other smart mattresses to release more excess body heat to keep you cool through the night.

That said, if night sweats or hot flushes are seriously disturbing your sleep, you'd be in better hands with one of our top cooling mattresses with more advanced specialized cooling tech — or consider active cooling smart models like the Eight Sleep Pod 4 and Tempur-Pedic Tempur-ActiveBreeze smart bed.

Saatva vs Sleep Number: Which should you buy?

Buy the Saatva Solaire Adjustable Firmness Mattress if...

✅ You want to ditch your phone around bedtime: The Saatva Solaire is one of the only smart beds operated via a remote control rather than a mobile app, meaning you can keep screens away from your sleep space.

✅ You're a fan of luxury mattresses: Although it is technically a smart bed, the Saatva Solaire still features the brand's much-loved plush pillow top and fancy aesthetic.

✅ You need help installing your new mattress: As a premium brand, Saatva offer premium customer service including free delivery, set up and mattress removal.

Buy the Sleep Number i8 Smart Bed if...

✅ You want sleep tracking without the wearables: Unlike the Solaire, the Sleep Number i8 is laced with sensors that track your sleep metrics to provide nightly insights, much like a smartwatch.

✅ You want more for your money: Not only is the i8 smart bed cheaper than the Solaire, but it also has a wider variety of features such as sleep tracking and responsive firmness (you have to manually adjust the feel of the Solaire).

✅ You sleep hot: Although neither the Smart Number i8 nor the Saatva Solaire are specialist cooling mattresses, we think the i8 has more promising cooling tech to relieve hot sleepers.