Select Comfort Sleep Number Bed 3000 Review

Is a mattress a mattress? In the past, many would have answered this question in the affirmative since there were few fundamental differences from one mattress to the next. Today, however, mattresses are technologically advanced and one of the more unusual and innovative mattresses is the Sleep Number 3000, a unique idea in sleeping from Select Comfort.

Bed Commentary:

Sleep Number 3000 is the base model of the popular Sleep Number series of mattresses manufactured by Select Comfort. There are several different versions of the Sleep Number mattress but they all offer one common feature that sets them apart from other beds: The remote control that allows the sleeper to determine the level of firmness of the mattress. With the press of the up button, the mattress inflates with air and becomes firmer. Pressing the down arrow deflates the mattress and makes it softer. There are settings in- between that allow the sleeper to find just the right level of comfort on a numbered scale that ranges from 30 to 100.

I first heard about the Sleep Number style of mattresses a long time ago and it is a concept I have always found intriguing. I am prone to occasional lower back pain and for me, this problem is often caused by sleeping on a mattress that is too soft. For this reason, I prefer a firmer mattress but there is one problem that prevents me from sleeping on the firm mattress of my dreams: The other person sharing the mattress. My wife prefers a softer mattress, and she complains that many of these firmer- than- average mattresses feel like sleeping on a concrete floor. Of course, she is exaggerating a little, but I can understand her point. The level of firmness that I like in my mattress reaches a level that most would find unacceptable.  Sleep Number 3000 mattress helps to solve this problem by allowing different sleepers to adjust the firmness level to that of their own individual comfort preference.

As intrigued as I have always been with this concept, I didn't get the chance to sleep on a Sleep Number 3000 mattress until recently. And now that I know what this mattress is like, I can agree that it does offer some great qualities that you cannot get in a standard mattress. The ability to control the firmness level is a godsend and I can see how some people would be hooked on Sleep Number 3000 and refuse to ever return to an ordinary mattress. With the press of a button, the mattress inflates with air and firms up; then with another press of the button, it deflates and softens. As long as your mattress is queen size or larger, there are dual settings that control each side of the mattress separately. Each person can select his/her own level of firmness and adjust it as needed, making it a great choice for a couple than cannot agree on a firmness level for their mattress.  

Sleep Number 3000 is controlled by a wired controller that comes in two varieties: A standard, non digital control and a digital control that requires an upgrade purchase. I recommend the digital controller because it displays the firmness level. As you press the arrows, the display will temporarily go blank. Once you let go, the firmness level you have achieved will display. This is better than the non- digital version, but I do have one problem with it: There is no way to lock in a specific setting or to quickly achieve a specific numbered level of firmness. For example, let's say my experience has led me to an optimal firmness setting of 60. I lie down on the bed, check the setting, and it is presently on 90. I press the down button to deflate, but I cannot simply tell the control to go immediately to 60. I have to deflate, let go of the button, and see what number shows up on the panel. If it isn't what I want, I have to press the up or down arrow a little bit more until I achieve my desired level of 60. It's a trial and error process. I haven't used any of the more expensive Sleep Number beds, but I would bet that their remote controls are more sophisticated.

Sleep Number 3000 is nice, and the ability to control your mattress firmness is certainly a feature to enjoy. But I do have some other issues with the Sleep Number 3000 mattress and one major issue is with the full size mattress. As mentioned before, the full size doesn't offer separate controls for the left and right side of the mattress, so there is only one level of firmness for the entire bed. Not only do the two people sharing the bed have to agree on a setting, there are other annoyances also, namely the fact that it behaves like an air mattress. If one person is lying on one side of the bed and someone else plops down on the other side, the person already lying down will move up as the air distributes itself to that side. This could easily bring an end to a good night's rest and this is why I do not recommend Sleep Number 3000 for a couple unless they purchase at least a Queen size mattress so that there will be separate controls for left and right.

Sleep Number 3000 is a little noisy when it inflates. It sounds like a vacuum cleaner, although not quite that loud. When deflating, there is no noise at all, which is nice. Also, keep in mind that Sleep Number 3000 uses a wired control. If you want wireless technology, you will have to upgrade to the Sleep Number 5000 level.  

Sleep comfort is what matters most and in this area, Sleep Number 3000 scores some hits and misses. Set to a level of about 80 seems about right for me. I get the firmness that I want for a good night's rest. This support is good, and the sleep you get is pretty good, too. However, it is not as good as the sleep I have experienced using an ordinary mattress with a high level of firmness. Considering I can purchase an ordinary mattress for less money, the Sleep Number 3000 seems like it isn't worth it. On the other hand, you get to select the firmness level that you like, so I suppose this is the trade-off you get with the Sleep Number 3000: Quality that isn't as good as a regular mattress with a specified firmness, but the ability to change the firmness to suit your needs.

Bottom Line Viewpoint:

Sleep Number 3000 is a pretty good mattress but I do have some reservations and I don't agree with the bulk of users who rate this mattress so highly. It is very convenient to have the ability to change your mattress firmness level and it is great for couples who have different needs in this area. But the overall comfort is not as superior as I had hoped. It is still unique and a good choice for couples who cannot agree on a mattress firmness level, but it isn't the outstanding sleeping system I was hoping for.