It’s a pity that we’ve reached a time and age where we rely on gadgets to help us sleep. My TV, Vivobook, and iPhone keep me up constantly, as I can’t fall asleep without scrolling through reels or checking work emails. Despite the negative impact these devices have had on my sleep hygiene, the irony is that I’m now searching for another gadget to improve my rest. One viable solution is the Pod Pillow Cover from Eight Sleep.
Marketed as “the first pillow cover with active, water-based cooling”, the Pod Pillow Cover maintains the ideal temperature for your head and neck while you sleep. To put it in perspective, there is nothing like the refreshing satisfaction of flipping your pillow to the cool side after the other side has warmed up. Eight Sleep is cashing in on this idea with the launch of the Pod Pillow Cover, which helps people sleep better.
In 2023, during an interview with Homecrux, Alexandra Zatarain, Co-Founder of Eight Sleep, teased a travel version of the Eight Sleep pod mattress in the making. Zatarain then claimed that she receives frequent customer emails highlighting the lack of a portable Pod, with users reporting poorer sleep quality without it and requesting a travel-friendly option. After two years of addressing this consumer feedback, Eight Sleep has introduced its portable solution for sound sleep.
Contrary to traditional cooling pillows that rely on gels, foams, or fabrics, the Eight Sleep Pod Pillow Cover maintains the ideal temperature for your head and neck using silent water channels. These water channels help circulate cooling or warming fluid to stay up to 25 degrees cooler than regular pillowcases. The Pod Pillow Cover is compatible with your existing pillows and works in tandem with Eight Sleep’s broader “Pod” sleep ecosystem, including its signature water-cooled mattress cover, smart hub, and subscription-based app.
As reported by The Verge, the pillow cover acts as a fourth thermal zone, offering 441 different thermal combinations across the bed and head zones. The company claims in its press release that maintaining cooler temperatures around the head and neck can significantly improve sleep quality, citing internal studies that show users falling asleep up to 20 percent faster when using the Pod system.
However, the pillow’s high-tech design also comes with a high barrier to entry. As reported by Tom’s Guide, the Pod Pillow Cover requires the existing Eight Sleep Pod system to function, which includes a smart hub and mattress cover, starting at around $2,500. Add in the pillow cover and a subscription to unlock advanced features, and total ownership costs easily cross the $3,500 mark. While the product is currently available for single or dual users (starting at $1,049 and $1,649, respectively), the price point has already sparked conversations about whether this is cutting-edge innovation or elite indulgence.
Also Read: Best Cooling Mattresses of 2025 Every Hot Sleeper Needs to Sleep Cool and Comfortable
Still, for those who can afford the hefty price tag and are drawn to the idea of optimized, AI-enhanced slumber, the Pod Pillow Cover offers a uniquely luxurious take on sleep hygiene. Whether this pillow becomes the next frontier in sleep science or a cautionary tale of overengineered consumer tech remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: Eight Sleep is determined to redefine what it means to “sleep like a baby”, assuming, of course, that baby has a black card and a Wi-Fi connection. The product is now available for purchase worldwide, with a 30-night trial, free shipping, and free returns included.
