Smart Bedding Recall: Why Home Automation Should Always Be Local

The recent outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) earlier this week was a stark reminder for customers of Eight Sleep, an American company specializing in smart bedding. They likely didn’t anticipate that a server failure, thousands of miles away, could disrupt their night’s sleep.

Primarily recognized in the United States, Eight Sleep’s products are also available in Europe. The specifications are as impressive as the prices: the system essentially features a base that circulates either warm or cold water through a sensor-packed mattress topper to monitor sleep patterns. The deluxe version includes a motorized base that can lift the mattress, a cover, and even pillows that are heated or cooled in the same way as the mattress topper.

The cost of these products is quite steep, with prices starting above 3,000 euros for the basic model and can nearly reach 9,000 euros for a fully-optioned setup. It’s important to note that these prices do not include the mattress or bed frame, even though the base can serve as a box spring replacement. Additionally, Eight Sleep products come with a mandatory subscription for at least the first year¹, starting at 199 euros annually and rising to 399 euros for full functionality. While the system might replace an Apple Watch by also monitoring heart health, it remains an expensive—and potentially risky—investment.

The company touts its built-in artificial intelligence, which analyzes your data night after night to optimize your sleep experience based on your needs. The features are impressive on paper, offering dual temperature regulation zones for each sleeper, snore detection that slightly lifts the mattress to stop snoring, and a gentle wake-up feature in the morning that adjusts temperature and includes gentle vibrations to help you wake up. However, these functionalities are not managed locally; the product completely depends on remote servers operated by Eight Sleep, as clearly demonstrated by the AWS outage.