Sleep Number Competition – Our Top 3 Picks from Personal Comfort Beds – 2017 Update
In November 2017, the main Sleep Number competitor, Personal Comfort Beds, have won their second back-to-back lawsuit against Sleep Number.
To put it simply, the lawsuit was about Sleep Number claiming that their competition is falsely advertised their beds by saying and they were “preferred over Sleep Number” and “upgraded versions” of the Sleep Number beds.
As far as we know, what tipped the scales was the testimony of Craig Miller (President of American National Manufacturing) who actually built 2 beds side by side (Personal Comfort A8 and Sleep Number i8) to prove that the advertising claims were not false.
The whole thing and it with Miller’s statement, "We were proud to show the jury and everyone in attendance the true difference in quality manufacturing, and it was great to have jurors approach me after the trial to and say our product was clearly better.”
The company describes their mattresses as “the last mattress you’ll ever need.” In this guide, we explore whether that statement holds water.
The guide on Sleep Number competition was long overdue
We know it’s going to be hard to convince anybody that we’re on publishing this guide after the mess of the lawsuit and we’re not even going to try, but it’s the truth.
We had requests to analyze our top picks among Sleep Number competition since we first started reviewing adjustable airbeds (years ago).
So, before we even get to specific products, we’d like to stress 2 things:
With that out of the way, let’s get back to our work, list our picks and analyze them top to bottom.
Lower price range - Personal Comfort A2 - competition of Sleep Number bed C2
Fact sheet:
At the time of the last update to this guide, the Personal Comfort A2 was significantly less expensive than the Sleep Number C2.
Even though it’s their basic model, the Personal Comfort A2 features most of the advantages that make the adjustable beds tick.
The number of firmness settings is 45 and all foam used is guaranteed to meet the strictest standards set by CertiPUR-US.
Who is it for?
At a lower price range that most classic mattresses these days, the Personal Comfort A2 will be the choice of people who want to enjoy the luxury of an adjustable airbed without breaking the bank.
The C2 is part of the Classic Series. Beds from the series cost anywhere from 2 to 6 times less than those with more bells and whistles (like using your phone to control the firmness of the bed).
The 3 main features one should look for in a good adjustable bed are there:
Most importantly, even in this price range, Personal Comfort offers a 120 nights of risk-free trial to try out the bed and see if it’s right for you.
You can read what owners are sharing about it & check the current price by clicking one of the buttons below.
Medium price range - Personal comfort A5 - competition to Sleep Number P5
The Personal Comfort A5 comes with all the luxury of the competing model from Sleep Number (P5) with a much lower price tag - the difference in prices is between 35 and 45% (at the moment of completing this guide).
It’s part of the Advanced Series.
The mattress is 3 inches thicker than the basic C2 model. As you go up the price scale of the Personal Comfort beds, the A5 is the first model to offer their patented panel cover.
The zippered cover allows you to customize your bed even further by adding or removing layers of foam simply by unzipping it.
It’s one of the few models (A5 to A10) that feature a reversible top panel cover.
The company calls it “seasonal” because the two sides offer different levels of breathability - more heat retention in the winter & more breathability for the summers.
They also recommend flipping once every six months to minimize the changes of the top surface. It might be worth mentioning that, since it’s removable, you can have it dry cleaned.
The A5 comes in Queen and King size - you can see what owners are saying about the bed by following the links below.
On the high-end of the price scale - Personal Comfort A8 - competition to Sleep Number i8
Surprisingly, it’s the high end of the price range where the savings compared to the Sleep Number beds are the most significant, not just in the overall cost but in terms of percentages, too.
The A8 comes with pretty much every luxury that makes an adjustable bed special, from the dual control the firmness, customizable padding, adjustable/reversible top panel to the Bluetooth controls (using your phone).
The A8 belongs to the Elegance Series and comes as a Queen, King & and Split King.
The Split King allows you to adjust the positions and inclination of the two parts of the bed. It’s sleep luxury embodied.
You can read owner experiences and compare prices by following the links below.
Reference info and more details
In the section below, we’ll go a bit more in-depth and explain what each of the features of Personal Comfort Beds means for the owners. So, let’s see what the mattresses of the main Sleep Number competition are made of.
First of all, the company makes a special point and stresses the fact that they are the only ones in the industry to have their products manufactured by medical device company registered with the FDA and the beds manufactured in the USA.
The hand controller
The currently used generation III of hand controllers is based on touch screen technology and interface. The generation III made the firmness control more intuitive since it’s not just numbers but includes actual visualization of the firmness.
Each controller comes in its own protective encasement and allows the user to select two settings (per controller) and memorize them. What this means for the user is that, once you find your sweet spot, you can memorize the settings without meddling with the presets every time.
This typically involves a bit of experimentation on your side, but once you find that sweet spot, it’s all worth it.
Calibration
The air control unit currently used in Personal Comfort beds is also generation III. The advanced calibration makes the adjustments easier and the pressure readouts more accurate.
This might sound complicated but, for the user, it means that the controls adjust to the mattress elevation and size, simplifying the setup process.Two-zone comfort
Each of the Personal Comfort Beds that comes in either Queen King or California King size features two-zone personalization.
To put it simply, this means that all the settings available can be personalized for the two halves of the bed.
Lifetime of interchangeable sections
If you had your Personal Comfort bed for, say, five years and you decide that you want to upgrade or downgrade and interchangeable parts (like the top cover, the center panel, comfort layers or the unit of the air control) you can do so at your convenience.
Replaceable parts
Each component can be replaced, which means that you can “freshen up” your bed over the years by changing some of them (from the foam layers to the sides).
It’s an option you might use if you want to bring back the “feel of a new mattress.”
Going Series up
The beds are designed so that you’re not “stuck” with the one you got.
For example, if you got the Classic Series, you can always upgrade to some of the models that belong to the Elegance Series or even add an adjustable bed base.
Top panel
We already mentioned that the models in the range of A5 to A10 feature a reversible top panel cover patented by the company. Let’s take a moment here to explain what it is.
The two sides are made of different materials - one more suitable for the winter and the other for the summer, which is why they call it a “seasonal cover.”
One of the materials is more breathable while the other traps more of your body temperature, but it’s not just about heat retention.
To maximize the lifespan of the surface, the company recommends flipping it twice a year.
The foam
Any of the models starting from A3 uses some type of high-quality Polyurethane foam (either as one solid piece or convoluted).
The foam has contouring properties, meaning that it adjusts to the body type of the sleeper.
No risk of air leaks
The air chambers are made of vulcanized rubber (24-gauge) and are practically impenetrable.
You can see the chambers tested under extreme conditions below.
The memory foam
Memory foam used for the Personal Comfort beds is trademarked by the company as ThermaPhase Gel™.
The main difference compared to other types of memory foam is that the structure is open-cell, which distributes heat much more efficiently.
Combined with the polyurethane foam, it’s designed to minimize any pressure points and improve your circulation.
The foam adheres to the strictest standards of CertiPUR-US® for safety and durability.
The hoses
The hoses that conduct the air from the control unit to the chambers are reinforced to be kink-resistant. It ensures that the air supply is uniform.
This is especially important if you have a split model since the movement of the mattress could compromise the hoses and interfere with the air supply.
The rail system
With all the sections of foam that are reversible and can move, it’s important to have a reliable rail system to keep it all tightly in place.
Starting from A4, each of the beds features “Wrapped Rails” that do just that.
Final thoughts
Since we first started our mattress review program, thesleepstudies.com has adhered to a strict objectivity policy. As we mentioned at the beginning, we did not receive any free products for this guide that might cast a shadow over that policy.
This guide was meant to take an objective look at the main Sleep Number competition - Personal Comfort Beds and point out some advantages and shortcomings.
We hope that we did that.
To make the information presented here fresh and relevant at all times, we update this guide on 6-month basis.
You can share any questions or dilemmas in the comment section or by directly emailing us, we respond to all correspondence within 24 hours. If it’s in within our area of expertise, we’ll do our best to help.
The Sleep Studies Team
The blog post Sleep Number Competition – Our Top 3 Picks from Personal Comfort Beds – 2017 Update was first published to TSS
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