The 8 Best Sleep Gadgets, Tested by Lifestyle Editors

If you’ve never experienced the joy of sleeping with a weighted blanket, we’re here to tell you they’re the real deal. There’s no better option for our money than Bearaby’s Tree Napper. Unlike most ordinary weighted blankets that use weighted glass beads (which can shift, slide, and leak over time), it’s made with premium, weighted TENCEL fibers. They’re soft, plant-based, and help distribute the blanket’s weight far better than the competition. That same woven design also makes for a more handsome, better-looking blanket that you won’t mind leaving draped over the back of your sleeper sofa or the foot of your bed. Plus, because it’s more “open,” it doesn’t overheat like other blankets, either, making it a great option for hot sleepers and general year-round use.

In our experience, many sleep trackers—even the best sleep trackers—aren’t very accurate. Oura’s latest Gen3 Horizon sleep-tracking ring is a welcome exception. Our months-long tests confirmed that, thanks to its three hospital-grade sensors, it’s incredibly accurate at keeping tabs on our sleep patterns to let us know what’s working and what isn’t. The design of this flagship ring is also sleek and unobtrusive, so it’s not only handsome enough for everyday wear, but it’s easy to forget you’re wearing it all (a plus for fussy sleepers who don’t like the idea of wearable technology while they snooze). It’s pricier than most wearable alternatives we’ve tested. But it’s worth it if it actually works, right?

If you limit the amount of tech (including screens and other bright displays) that you allow in your bedroom, a pared-down, screenless smart speaker like Amazon’s Echo is perfect. Like its predecessors, the latest generation eliminates alarm-clock-style screens in favor of voice commands. The hands-free user interface makes for a more stress-free bedroom sitch. Just tell Alexa what you need, and it complies. Set or cancel alarms, play podcasts, listen to audiobooks, relax to nature sounds, or feed your late-night insomnia whims via voice search. The best part about this sleep gadget, though, is the price. The feature-to-dollar ratio is higher than with almost any other product we tested this year.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on high-tech gadgets to find better sleep. But, if you have the means and only the best will do, it doesn’t get much better than Eight Sleep’s Pod 4. It’s a comprehensive high-tech sleep system (a smart cover paired with an internet-connected hub) that fits over your existing mattress and replaces pretty much every other gadget in your bedroom. It tracks and provides detailed feedback on your sleep habits. But it can also automatically adjust the temperature, mitigate snoring, trigger vibrating and thermal alarms, and a whole lot more. You’ll pay handsomely for the privilege, but our team can attest that this sleep gadget does everything it promises. Our biggest gripe is the ongoing subscription fees, which can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars annually.

We wouldn’t call most ordinary pillows “sleep gadgets,” but the Side Cube from Pillow Cube is no ordinary pillow. The unique, angular shape hardly looks comfortable. But it’s a game-changer for side sleepers. I’m a combo sleeper (mostly side, sometimes back) who’s spent many a night on this pillow, and it’s the real deal. The shape is just right for supporting the gap between my neck and shoulder, which has helped alleviate my chronic back and neck pain. It’s also very affordable, but hot side sleepers looking to splurge can upgrade to the brand’s Ice Cube. It’s the Side Cube pillow wrapped in a stay-cool cover that ensures you’re not constantly chasing “the cool side” throughout the night.